He rules by his power forever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
11. In whom? "In Him that reigneth in His virtue for everlasting" (ver. 7). For what virtue have we and is it everlasting? If everlasting were our virtue, we should not have slipped, should not have fallen into sin, we should not have deserved penal mortality. He, of His good pleasure, took up that whereunto our desert threw us down. "That reigneth in His virtue for everlasting." Of Him partakers let us be made, in whose virtue we shall be strong, but He in His own. We enlightened, He a light enlightening: we, being turned away from Him, are in darkness; turned away from Himself He cannot be. With the heat of Him we are warmed; from whence withdrawing we had grown cold, to the Same drawing near again we are warmed. Therefore let us speak to Him that He may keep us in His virtue, because "in Him we will be joyous that reigneth in His virtue for everlasting."
12. But this thing is not granted to believing Jews alone. ..."The eyes of Him do look upon the Gentiles." And what do we? The ...
Moved. The apostles were most courageous. Only those Jews returned, who had separated themselves from impure idols, 1 Esdras v. 21. The Church never fails. If some apostatize, others embrace the faith. (Worthington)
