PL 35 · cols. 2012–2018

Augustine, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John

Tractate V

PL 35:2012

quaestio est et angusta ; et ad hanc solvendam intentam fecerim Charitatem vestram. In nomine Domini cras quod inde dederit, disseremus.

question it is, and a narrow one; and I would have your Charity intent upon solving it. In the name of the Lord, what He shall have granted concerning it we will discuss tomorrow.

TRACTATUS V.

TRACTATE V.

In id quod sequitur, Omnis qui natus est ex Deo, non facit peccatum ; usque ad id, Non diligamus verbo tantum et lingua, sed opere et veritate. Cap. III, ℣. 9-18.

On what follows, Everyone who is born of God does not commit sin; as far as this, Let us not love in word only and with the tongue, but in deed and in truth. Chap. III, vv. 9-18.

1. Intente audite, obsecro vos, quia res non minima versatur in medio : et non dubito quia hesterno die adfuistis intente, quod et hodie intentius convenistis. Est enim non parva quaestio, quomodo dicat in ista Epistola, Qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat : et quomodo in eadem Epistola superius dixit, Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est (I Joan. I, 8). Quid facturus est quem uterque sermo ex eadem Epistola in medio coarctavit ? Si se confessus fuerit peccatorem, timet ne dicatur illi, Non ergo ex Deo natus es ; quia scriptum est, Qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat. Si autem dixerit se justum, et non habere peccatum, accipit ex alia parte plagam ex ipsa Epistola, Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est. Positus ergo homo in medio, quid dicat, et quid confiteatur, aut quid profiteatur, non invenit. Profiteri se esse sine peccato, periculosum est ; et non solum periculosum, sed etiam mendosum : Nos ipsos, inquit, seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est, si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus. Sed utinam non haberes, et diceres ! verum enim diceres, nec in veritate promenda ullum iniquitatis vel vestigium formidares. Sed ideo male facis si dicis quia mendacium dicis : Veritas, inquit, in nobis non est, si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus. Non ait, Non habuimus ; ne forte de praeterita vita dictum videretur. Habuit enim peccata homo iste ; sed ex quo natus est ex Deo, coepit non habere. Si ita esset, nulla nos angustaret quaestio. Diceremus enim : Fuimus peccatores, sed modo justificati sumus ; habuimus peccatum, sed modo non habemus. Non hoc ait : sed quid ait ? Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est. Post aliquantum rursus, Qui natus est ex Deo, inquit, non peccat. Numquid Joannes ipse non erat natus ex Deo ? Si Joannes non erat natus ex Deo, de quo audistis quia supra pectus Domini recumbebat ; aliquis sibi audet promittere regenerationem factam in se, quam ille habere non meruit, qui super pectus Domini recumbere meruit ? Quem Dominus plus quam caeteros diligebat (Joan. XIII, 23), ipsum solum de Spiritu non genuerat ?

1. Listen intently, I beseech you, for no small matter lies before us: and I do not doubt that you were present intently yesterday, since today too you have come together more intently. For it is no small question how he says in this Epistle, He who is born of God does not sin: and how in the same Epistle he said above, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). What is he to do whom both sayings of the same Epistle have hemmed in between them? If he confesses himself a sinner, he fears it may be said to him, Then you are not born of God; for it is written, He who is born of God does not sin. But if he says that he is just and has no sin, he takes a blow from the other side from the same Epistle, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Set, then, in the middle, the man does not find what to say, and what to confess, or what to profess. To profess oneself to be without sin is dangerous; and not only dangerous, but also false: We deceive ourselves, it says, and the truth is not in us, if we say that we have no sin. Would that you had none, and said so! For you would say what is true, and in uttering the truth you would not fear even a trace of iniquity. But you do ill if you say it, for this reason: because you speak a lie: The truth, it says, is not in us, if we say that we have no sin. It does not say, We have not had; lest perhaps it should seem to have been said of the past life. For this man had sins; but from the time he was born of God he began not to have them. If it were so, no question would hem us in. For we would say: We were sinners, but now we have been justified; we had sin, but now we have not. It does not say this: but what does it say? If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. A little after, again, He who is born of God, it says, does not sin. Was John himself not born of God? If John was not born of God, he of whom you have heard that he lay upon the Lord's breast, does anyone dare to promise himself a regeneration wrought in him which he did not merit to have who merited to lie upon the Lord's breast? Him whom the Lord loved more than the rest (John 13:23), him alone had He not begotten of the Spirit?

2. Attendite nunc verba ista : adhuc angustias nostras commendo, ut per intentionem vestram, quae oratio est et pro nobis et pro vobis, dilatet Deus, et det exitum ; ne aliquis in verbo ejus inveniat occasionem perditionis suae, quod verbum non est praedicatum et conscriptum, nisi ad medicinam et salutem. Omnis, inquit, qui facit peccatum, et iniquitatem facit. Ne forte discernas : Peccatum iniquitas est. Ne

2. Attend now to these words: I still commend our straits to you, so that through your attention, which is a prayer both for us and for you, God may widen [them] and give an outlet; lest anyone find in His word an occasion of his own perdition, since that word was not preached and written down except for healing and salvation. Everyone, it says, who commits sin commits iniquity also. Lest perhaps you should draw a distinction: Sin is iniquity. Do not

Editors' notes and page, col. 2012

Page

running head: [IN EPISTOLAM JO]ANNIS AD PARTHOS, S. AUGUSTINI 2012 (begins over col. 2011)
marginal letters: (none visible in the images)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: the column opens with the last lines of Tractatus IV, then the heading TRACTATUS V. and its synopsis (italic and roman mixed, as printed); the verse sign before "9-18" is the y-with-stroke glyph, set as ℣. The footnote under page 354 (Lov., Adam et Christi) belongs to col. 2011.

PL 35:2013

dicas, Peccator sum, sed iniquus non sum: Peccatum iniquitas est. Et scitis quia in hoc ille manifestatus est, ut peccata auferat; et peccatum in illo non est. Et quid prodest nobis quia venit sine peccato? Omnis qui non peccat, in ipso manet: et omnis qui peccat, non vidit eum, neque cognovit eum. Filioli, nemo vos seducat. Qui facit justitiam, justus est, sicut et ille justus est. Jam ista diximus, quia sicut secundum quamdam similitudinem, non secundum aequalitatem, dici solet. Qui facit peccatum, de diabolo est; quia ab initio diabolus peccat. Et hoc diximus, quia neminem creavit diabolus, neque genuit; sed imitatores ejus tanquam ex illo nascuntur. In hoc manifestatus est Filius Dei, ut solvat opera diaboli (Joan. III, 4-8). Ergo ut solvat peccata ille qui non habet peccatum. Deinde sequitur: Omnis qui natus est ex Deo, non facit peccatum, quia semen ejus in ipso manet; et non potest peccare, quia ex Deo natus est. Fortiter instrinxit. Fortassis secundum quoddam peccatum dixit, non peccat, non secundum omne peccatum: ut quod ait, Qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat, certum quoddam peccatum intelligas, quod non potest admittere homo qui ex Deo natus est: et tale peccatum est illud, ut si quisquam illud admiserit, confirmet caetera; si quis autem hoc non admiserit, solvat caetera. Quod est hoc peccatum? Facere contra mandatum. Quod est mandatum? Mandatum novum do vobis, ut vos invicem diligatis (Id. XIII, 34). Intendite. Hoc mandatum Christi dilectio vocatur: per hanc dilectionem peccata solvuntur. Haec si non teneatur, et grave peccatum est, et radix omnium peccatorum.

say, "I am a sinner, but I am not unrighteous": Sin is unrighteousness. And you know that He was manifested for this, to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. And what does it profit us that He came without sin? *Everyone who does not sin abides in Him; and everyone who sins has not seen Him, nor known Him. Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as He also is righteous. We have already said this, that as is customarily said according to a certain likeness, not according to equality. He who commits sin is of the devil, because the devil sins from the beginning. And we have said this too, that the devil created no one, nor begot anyone; but his imitators are born, as it were, from him. For this the Son of God was manifested, that He might undo the works of the devil (1 John 3:4–8). Therefore, that He who has no sin might undo sins. Then it follows: Everyone who is born of God does not commit sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. He has bound it tightly. Perhaps he said does not sin according to a certain sin, not according to every sin: so that by what he says, He who is born of God does not sin, you should understand a certain particular sin, which a man who is born of God cannot commit; and that sin is such that if anyone commits it, he confirms the rest; if anyone does not commit it, he undoes the rest. What is this sin? To act against the commandment. What is the commandment? A new commandment I give you, that you love one another (John 13:34). Pay attention. This commandment of Christ is called love: through this love sins are undone. If this is not held, it is both a grave sin and the root of all sins.

3. Intendite, fratres; protulimus aliquid in quo bene intelligentibus soluta est quaestio. Sed numquid cum celerioribus tantum ambulamus viam? Et qui tardius ambulant, non sunt relinquendi. Versemus hoc quibus possumus verbis, ut ad omnes perveniat. Puto enim, fratres, quia omnis homo sollicitus est pro anima sua, qui non sine causa intrat Ecclesiam, qui non temporalia quaerit in Ecclesia, qui non propterea intrat ut transigat negotia saecularia; sed ideo intrat, ut aliquid sibi aeternum promissum teneat, quo perveniat: necesse est cogitet quemadmodum ambulet in via, ne remaneat, ne retro eat, ne aberret, ne claudicando non perveniat. Qui ergo sollicitus est, tardus sit, velox sit, non recedat de via. Hoc ergo dixi, quia qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat, fortassis secundum quoddam peccatum voluit intelligi: nam erit contrarium illi loco, Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est. Sic ergo potest solvi quaestio. Est quoddam peccatum quod non potest admittere ille qui natus est ex Deo; et quo non admisso solvuntur caetera, quo admisso confirmantur caetera. Quod est hoc peccatum? Facere contra mandatum Christi, contra testamentum novum. Quod est mandatum novum? Mandatum novum do vobis, ut vos invicem diligatis. Qui facit contra charitatem

3. Pay attention, brethren; we have put forward something in which, for those who understand well, the question is solved. But do we walk the road only with the swifter? Those too who walk more slowly are not to be left behind. Let us turn this over in what words we can, so that it may reach everyone. For I think, brethren, that every man is anxious for his soul who does not enter the church without reason, who does not seek temporal things in the church, who does not enter in order to transact worldly business, but enters so that he may hold to something eternal promised to him, at which he may arrive: he must needs consider how he is to walk on the way, so as not to stay behind, not to go back, not to stray, not to fail to arrive through limping. Whoever, then, is anxious, whether he be slow or swift, let him not depart from the way. This, then, is what I said: that in he who is born of God does not sin he perhaps wished a certain sin to be understood; for otherwise it will be contrary to that passage, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Thus, then, the question can be solved. There is a certain sin which he who is born of God cannot commit; and if it is not committed the rest are undone, if it is committed the rest are confirmed. What is this sin? To act against the commandment of Christ, against the new testament. What is the new commandment? A new commandment I give you, that you love one another. He who acts against charity

Editors' notes and page, col. 2013

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 2013

Editi addunt hic vocem, venit; quae abest ab omnibus Mss.

The printed editions add here the word "venit" [comes]; it is absent from all the manuscripts.

(printed under page 355)

(2) ‹anchor: necesse est cogitet› · call in col 2013

Er. Lugd. Ven. Lov., necesse est ergo cogitet M

Er., Lugd., Ven., Lov. [Erasmus, Lyons, Venice, Louvain]: "it is necessary therefore that he consider." M

(printed under page 355)

Page

running head: 2013 TRACTATUS V. CAPU[T III] (right part cut off in the image)
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 35:2014

et contra dilectionem fraternam, non audeat gloriari, et dicere natum se esse ex Deo: qui autem in dilectione fraterna constitutus est, certa sunt peccata quae non potest admittere, et hoc maxime ne oderit fratrem. Et quid de caeteris peccatis facit, unde dictum est, Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est? Audiat securitatem de alio loco Scripturae: Charitas cooperit multitudinem peccatorum (I Petr. IV, 8).

and against brotherly love, let him not dare to boast and to say that he is born of God; but he who is established in brotherly love — there are certain sins which he cannot commit, and this above all, that he should hate his brother. And what does he do about the other sins, of which it is said, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us? Let him hear assurance from another place of Scripture: Charity covers a multitude of sins (1 Pet. 4:8).

4. Charitatem ergo commendamus; charitatem commendat haec Epistola. Post resurrectionem Dominus quid aliud interrogavit Petrum, nisi, Amas me? Et parum fuit semel interrogare; et iterum nihil aliud, et tertio nihil aliud. Cum jam tertio ille taedio afficeretur, quasi non sibi crederet, quomodo qui nesciret quid in illo ageretur; tamen et primo, et secundo, et tertio hoc interrogavit. Ter negavit timor, ter confessus est amor (Joan. XXI, 15-17). Ecce amat Petrus Dominum. Quid praestaturus Domino? Non enim et ipse non turbatus est in illo psalmo, Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi? Qui enim dicebat haec in Psalmo, attendebat quanta sibi essent praestita a Deo; et quaerebat quid retribueret Deo, et non inveniebat. Quidquid enim retribuere volueris, ab ipso accepisti ut reddas. Et quid invenit ut retribuat? Quod, ut diximus, fratres, ab ipso acceperat, hoc invenit quod retribueret. Calicem salutaris accipiam, et nomen Domini invocabo (Psal. CXV, 12, 13). Quis enim illi dederat calicem salutarem, nisi ille cui volebat retribuere? Accipere autem calicem salutarem, et invocare nomen Domini, hoc est satiari charitate; et ita satiari, ut non solum non oderis fratrem, sed paratus sis mori pro fratre. Perfecta ista charitas est, ut paratus sis mori pro fratre. Hanc ipse Dominus in se exhibuit, mortuus pro omnibus, orans pro eis a quibus crucifigebatur, et dicens: Pater, ignosce illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt (Luc. XXIII, 34). Sed si solus hoc fecit, non erat magister, si discipulos non habebat. Secuti discipuli hoc fecerunt. Lapidabatur Stephanus, et genu fixo ait: Domine, ne statuas illis hoc delictum (Act. VII, 59). Amabat a quibus occidebatur, quia et pro ipsis moriebatur. Audi et apostolum Paulum: Et ipse, inquit, impendar pro animabus vestris (II Cor. XII, 15). Inter illos enim erat pro quibus Stephanus deprecabatur, quando eorum manibus moriebatur. Perfecta ergo charitas haec est. Si quis tantam habuerit charitatem, ut paratus sit pro fratribus etiam mori, perfecta est in illo charitas. Sed numquid mox ut nascitur, jam prorsus perfecta est? Ut perficiatur, nascitur: cum fuerit nata, nutritur; cum fuerit nutrita roboratur; cum fuerit roborata, perficitur: cum ad perfectionem venerit, quid dicit? Mihi vivere Christus est, et mori lucrum. Optabam dissolvi et esse cum Christo; multo enim magis optimum: manere in carne necessarium propter vos (Philipp. I, 21-24). Propter eos volebat vivere, pro quibus paratus erat mori.

4. Charity, then, is what we commend; charity is what this Epistle commends. After the resurrection what else did the Lord ask Peter but Do you love Me? And it was not enough to ask once; again nothing else, and a third time nothing else. When at the third time he was now wearied, as though He did not believe him, as one who did not know what was going on within him, yet He asked this the first time, and the second, and the third. Three times fear denied, three times love confessed (John 21:15–17). See, Peter loves the Lord. What is he to render to the Lord? For was not he too troubled in that psalm, What shall I render to the Lord for all the things that He has rendered to me? For he who said these things in the Psalm considered how great were the things bestowed on him by God; and he sought what he might render to God, and did not find it. For whatever you wish to render, you have received from Him in order to give back. And what did he find to render? What, as we have said, brethren, he had received from Him, this he found to render: I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord (Ps. 115:12, 13). For who had given him the cup of salvation but He to whom he wished to render? Now to take the cup of salvation and to call upon the name of the Lord, this is to be filled with charity; and to be so filled that not only do you not hate your brother, but you are ready to die for your brother. This is perfect charity, that you be ready to die for your brother. The Lord Himself showed it in Himself, dying for all, praying for those by whom He was being crucified, and saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). But if He alone did this, He was not a master, if He had no disciples. The disciples followed and did this. Stephen was being stoned, and, kneeling down, he said, Lord, do not lay this offence to their charge (Acts 7:59). He loved those by whom he was being killed, since he was dying even for them. Hear also the apostle Paul: And I myself, he says, will be spent for your souls (2 Cor. 12:15). For he was among those for whom Stephen was praying when he was dying at their hands. This, then, is perfect charity. If anyone has such charity that he is ready even to die for the brethren, charity is perfect in him. But is it already wholly perfect as soon as it is born? It is born in order to be perfected: when it has been born, it is nourished; when it has been nourished, it is strengthened; when it has been strengthened, it is perfected. When it has come to perfection, what does it say? For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ; for that is much more the best; to remain in the flesh is necessary for your sake (Phil. 1:21–24). He wished to live for the sake of those for whom he was ready to die.

5. Et ut noveritis quia ipsa est perfecta charitas, quam non violat, et in quam non peccat qui natus est ex Deo; hoc Dominus dicit Petro: Petre, amas me?

5. And that you may know that this is the perfect charity which he who is born of God does not violate, and against which he does not sin, this is what the Lord says to Peter: Peter, do you love Me?

Editors' notes and page, col. 2014

Page

running head: TRA]CTATUS V. CAPUT III. 2014
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column opens with "ritatem", the end of "charitatem" hyphenated from col. 2013, where the word is set whole; this file begins with "et contra". Page foot: "Digitized by Google" stamp, not set.

PL 35:2015

Et ille: Amo. Non ait, Si amas me, obsequere mihi. Quando enim erat Dominus in carne mortali, esurivit, sitivit: eo tempore quo esuriebat et sitiebat, susceptus est hospitio; ministrarunt illi qui habuerunt, de substantia sua, sicut legimus in Evangelio (Luc. VIII, 3). Suscepit eum hospitio Zacchaeus: salvus factus est a morbo, suscepto medico. Quo morbo? Avaritiae. Erat enim ditissimus, et princeps publicanorum. Attendite sanatum a morbo avaritiae. Dimidium, inquit, bonorum meorum do pauperibus; et si cui aliquid tuli, quadruplum reddam (Id. XIX, 6-8). Ideo servavit alterum dimidium, non quo frueretur, sed unde debita solveret. Suscepit ergo tunc medicum hospitio, quia erat infirmitas carnis in Domino, cui hoc obsequium praeberent homines: et hoc, quia voluit praestare obsequentibus; obsequentibus enim proderat, non illi. Cui enim Angeli ministrabant, horum obsequium requirebat? Nec Elias servus illius hoc necessarium habebat aliquando, cui panem et carnem per corvum mittebat; et tamen ut vidua religiosa benediceretur, mittitur servus Dei, pascitur a vidua quem Deus in secreto pascebat (III Reg. XVII, 4-9). Verumtamen quanquam de his servis Dei sibi praestent, qui eorum indigentiam considerant, propter illam mercedem a Domino in Evangelio manifestissime positam, Qui suscipit justum in nomine justi, mercedem justi accipiet; et qui suscipit prophetam in nomine prophetae, mercedem prophetae accipiet; et qui dederit calicem aquae frigidae uni ex his minimis tantum in nomine discipuli, amen dico vobis, non perdet mercedem suam (Matth. X, 41 et 42): quamvis ergo sibi praestent qui hoc faciunt, tamen nec hoc poterat praeberi ascensuro in coelum. Quid illi poterat retribuere Petrus, qui amabat illum? Audi quid: Pasce oves meas; id est, Fac pro fratribus quod pro te feci. Omnes sanguine meo redemi: nolite dubitare mori pro veritatis confessione, ut caeteri vos imitentur.

And he: I love. He does not say, "If you love Me, do Me service." For when the Lord was in mortal flesh, He hungered, He thirsted; at the time when He was hungry and thirsty, He was received as a guest; those who had means ministered to Him of their substance, as we read in the Gospel (Luke 8:3). Zacchaeus received Him as a guest: he was made whole of a disease, having received the Physician. Of what disease? Of avarice. For he was very rich, and chief of the publicans. Observe him healed of the disease of avarice: Half of my goods, he says, I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone, I will restore fourfold (Luke 19:6–8). He kept the other half for this reason, not to enjoy it, but to have the means to pay his debts. Then, therefore, he received the Physician as a guest, because there was weakness of the flesh in the Lord, to which men might render this service; and this because He wished to confer a benefit on those who served Him; for it profited those who served, not Him. For did He whom Angels served require their service? Not even Elijah His servant ever had need of this, to whom He sent bread and flesh by a raven; and yet, that a devout widow might be blessed, the servant of God is sent, and he whom God was feeding in secret is fed by the widow (1 Kgs. 17:4–9). Nevertheless, although those who consider the need of these servants of God do it for their own benefit, on account of that reward most plainly laid down by the Lord in the Gospel, He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward; and he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these least ones only in the name of a disciple, amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward (Matt. 10:41, 42) — although, then, those who do this do it for their own benefit, yet not even this could be rendered to Him when He was about to ascend into heaven. What could Peter, who loved Him, render to Him? Hear what: Feed My sheep; that is, Do for the brethren what I have done for you. I have redeemed all with My blood: do not hesitate to die for the confession of the truth, so that the rest may imitate you.

6. Sed haec, ut diximus, fratres, perfecta charitas est; qui natus est ex Deo, habet illam. Intendat Charitas vestra, videte quid dicam. Ecce accepit Sacramentum nativitatis homo baptizatus; Sacramentum habet, et magnum Sacramentum, divinum, sanctum, ineffabile. Considera quale: ut novum hominem faciat dimissione omnium peccatorum. Attendat tamen in cor, si perfectum est ibi, quod factum est in corpore: videat si habet charitatem, et tunc dicat, Natus sum ex Deo. Si autem non habet, characterem quidem impositum habet, sed desertor vagatur. Habeat charitatem; aliter non se dicat natum ex Deo. Sed habeo, inquit, sacramentum. Audi Apostolum: Si sciam omnia sacramenta, et habeam omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferam, charitatem autem non habeam, nihil sum (I Cor. XIII, 2).

6. But this, as we have said, brethren, is perfect charity; he who is born of God has it. Let your Charity attend; see what I am saying. Behold, a baptized man has received the Sacrament of birth; he has the Sacrament, and a great Sacrament, divine, holy, ineffable. Consider what kind: that it makes a new man by the remission of all sins. Yet let him look into his heart, whether what was done in the body has been brought to completion there: let him see whether he has charity, and then let him say, "I am born of God." But if he does not have it, he has the mark indeed set upon him, but he wanders about a deserter. Let him have charity; otherwise let him not say that he is born of God. "But I have", he says, "the sacrament." Hear the Apostle: If I should know all sacraments, and have all faith, so that I could move mountains, but have not charity, I am nothing (1 Cor. 13:2).

7. Hoc, si meministis, commendavimus, cum istam Epistolam legere inciperemus, nihil in ea nobis sic commendari, quomodo charitatem. Et si videtur alia et alia dicere, illuc facit reditum; et ad ipsam charitatem omnia vult referre quaecumque dixerit. Videamus si et hic hoc facit. Attende: Omnis qui natus est

7. This, if you remember, we pointed out when we began to read this Epistle: that nothing in it is so commended to us as charity. And though it seems to say now one thing and now another, it makes its return thither; and it wishes to refer to charity itself whatever it has said. Let us see whether it does this here too. Attend: Everyone who is born

Editors' notes and page, col. 2015

Page

running head: 2015 IN EPISTOLAM JOANNIS AD PART[HOS] (right part cut off in the image)
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: column ends mid-quotation ("Omnis qui natus est"); continues "ex Deo" in col. 2016. "praeberi" printed with a stray mark under the i; read as praeberi.

PL 35:2016

ex Deo, non facit peccatum. Quaerimus quod peccatum: quia si omne intellexeris, contrarius erit illi loco, Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nosmetipsos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est. Ergo dicat quod peccatum, doceat nos; ne forte ego temere dixerim peccatum hoc esse violationem charitatis, quia supra dixit, Qui odit fratrem suum, in tenebris est, et in tenebris ambulat, et nescit quo eat, quia tenebrae excaecaverunt oculos ejus (I Joan. II, 11). Sed forte dixit aliquid in posterioribus, et nominavit charitatem. Videte quia circuitus ille verborum hunc habet finem, hunc habet exitum. Omnis qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat; quia semen ejus in ipso manet. Semen Dei, id est, verbum Dei: unde dicit Apostolus, Per Evangelium ego vos genui (I Cor. IV, 15). Et non potest peccare, quia ex Deo natus est. Dicat hoc, videamus in quo non potest peccare. In hoc manifestati sunt filii Dei et filii diaboli. Omnis qui non est justus, non est a Deo, et qui non diligit fratrem suum. Certe jam manifestum est unde dicat, Et qui non diligit, inquit, fratrem suum. Dilectio ergo sola discernit inter filios Dei et filios diaboli. Signent se omnes signo crucis Christi; respondeant omnes, Amen; cantent omnes, Alleluia; baptizentur omnes, intrent Ecclesias, faciant parietes basilicarum: non discernuntur filii Dei a filiis diaboli, nisi charitate. Qui habent charitatem, nati sunt ex Deo: qui non habent, non sunt nati ex Deo. Magnum indicium, magna discretio. Quidquid vis habe; hoc solum non habeas, nihil tibi prodest: alia si non habeas, hoc habe, et implesti Legem. Qui enim diligit alterum, Legem implevit, ait Apostolus: et, Plenitudo Legis charitas (Rom. XIII, 8, 10). Puto istam margaritam esse illam quam homo negotiator quaesisse describitur in Evangelio, qui invenit unam margaritam, et vendidit omnia quae habebat, et emit eam (Matth. XIII, 46). Haec est margarita pretiosa, charitas, sine qua nihil tibi prodest quodcumque habueris: quam si solam habeas, sufficit tibi. Modo cum fide vides, tunc cum specie videbis. Si enim amamus cum non videmus, quomodo amplectemur cum viderimus? Sed ubi nos debemus exercere? In amore fraterno. Potes mihi dicere, Non vidi Deum; numquid potes mihi dicere, Non vidi hominem? Dilige fratrem. Si enim fratrem quem vides dilexeris, simul videbis et Deum; quia videbis ipsam charitatem, et intus inhabitat Deus.

of God does not commit sin. We ask, what sin? For if you understand it of every sin, it will be contrary to that passage, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. So let him say what sin; let him teach us; lest perhaps I should have said rashly that this sin is the violation of charity, because above he said, He who hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes (1 John 2:11). But perhaps he said something in what follows, and named charity. See that that circuit of words has this end, has this outcome: Everyone who is born of God does not sin, because His seed abides in him. The seed of God, that is, the word of God: whence the Apostle says, Through the Gospel I have begotten you (1 Cor. 4:15). And he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Let him say this; let us see in what he cannot sin. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are made manifest. Everyone who is not righteous is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother. Surely it is now manifest of what he is speaking: And he who does not love, he says, his brother. Love alone, then, distinguishes between the children of God and the children of the devil. Let all sign themselves with the sign of the cross of Christ; let all answer Amen; let all sing Alleluia; let all be baptized, let them enter churches, let them fill the walls of basilicas: the children of God are not distinguished from the children of the devil except by charity. Those who have charity are born of God; those who do not have it are not born of God. A great token, a great distinction. Have whatever you will; if you lack this alone, it profits you nothing: if you lack other things, have this, and you have fulfilled the Law. For he who loves another has fulfilled the Law, says the Apostle; and, Charity is the fullness of the Law (Rom. 13:8, 10). I think this is that pearl which the merchant man is described in the Gospel as having sought, who found one pearl, and sold all that he had, and bought it (Matt. 13:46). This is the precious pearl, charity, without which whatever you have profits you nothing; which if you have alone, it suffices you. Now you see with faith; then you will see with sight. For if we love when we do not see, how shall we embrace when we have seen? But where ought we to exercise ourselves? In brotherly love. You can say to me, "I have not seen God"; can you say to me, "I have not seen a man"? Love your brother. For if you love the brother whom you see, you will at the same time see God also; because you will see charity itself, and within it God dwells.

8. Qui non est justus, non est ex Deo; et qui non diligit fratrem suum. Quia haec est annuntiatio: vide quomodo confirmat: Quia haec est annuntiatio quam audivimus ab initio, ut diligamus invicem. Manifestavit nobis inde se dicere: contra hoc mandatum quisquis facit, in peccato illo est scelerato, in quod incidunt qui non nascuntur ex Deo. Non sicut Cain qui ex maligno erat, et occidit fratrem suum. Et cujus rei gratia occidit? Quia opera ejus maligna fuerunt, fratris vero ejus justa. Ergo ubi est invidia, amor fraternus esse non potest. Intendat Charitas vestra. Qui invidet, non

8. He who is not righteous is not of God; nor he who does not love his brother. For this is the message: see how he confirms it: For this is the message which we have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. He has made it plain to us that this is what he is speaking of: whoever acts against this commandment is in that wicked sin into which those fall who are not born of God. Not as Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. And for what reason did he kill him? Because his works were evil, but his brother's righteous. Therefore where there is envy, brotherly love cannot be. Let your Charity attend. He who envies does not

Editors' notes and page, col. 2016

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 2016

Quatuor Mss., et non nominavit charitatem.

Four manuscripts: "and he did not name charity."

(printed under page 356)

Page

running head: [IN EPISTOLAM JO]ANNIS AD PARTHOS, S. AUGUSTINI 2016
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 35:2017

amat. Peccatum diaboli est in illo; quia et diabolus invidendo dejecit. Cecidit enim, et invidit stanti. Non ideo voluit dejicere ut ipse staret, sed ne solus caderet. Tenete in animo ex hoc quod subjecit, invidiam non posse esse in charitate. Habes aperte cum laudaretur ipsa charitas, Charitas non aemulatur (I Cor. XIII, 4). Non fuit charitas in Cain; et nisi esset charitas in Abel, non acciperet Deus sacrificium ejus. Cum enim ambo obtulissent, ille de fructibus terrae, ille de fetibus ovium; quid putatis, fratres, quia Deus fructus terrae neglexit, et fetus ovium dilexit? Non intendit Deus ad manus; sed in corde vidit: et quem vidit cum charitate offerre, ipsius sacrificium respexit; quem vidit cum invidia offerre, ab ipsius sacrificio oculos avertit. Opera ergo bona Abel non dicit nisi charitatem: opera mala Cain non dicit nisi odium fraternum. Parum est quia odit fratrem suum, et invidit operibus bonis; quia imitari noluit, necare voluit. Et hinc apparuit quia filius erat diaboli, et ille hinc apparuit justus Dei. Hinc ergo discernuntur homines, fratres mei. Nemo attendat linguas, sed facta et cor. Si non bene faciat pro fratribus suis, ostendit quid in se habeat. Tentationibus probantur homines.

loves. The sin of the devil is in him; for the devil too cast down by envying. For he fell, and envied him who stood. He did not wish to cast him down so that he himself might stand, but so that he might not fall alone. Hold in mind from what he has added here that envy cannot be in charity. You have it openly, when charity itself was being praised: Charity does not envy (I Cor. 13:4). There was no charity in Cain; and had there not been charity in Abel, God would not have accepted his sacrifice. For when both had made their offering, the one of the fruits of the earth, the other of the young of the sheep, what do you think, brethren: that God neglected the fruits of the earth and loved the young of the sheep? God does not look to the hands; but He saw in the heart: and whom He saw offering with charity, to his sacrifice He had regard; whom He saw offering with envy, from his sacrifice He turned away His eyes. So by the good works of Abel he means nothing but charity; by the evil works of Cain he means nothing but hatred of his brother. It is not enough that he hated his brother and envied his good works; because he would not imitate, he would kill. And from this it appeared that he was a son of the devil, and from this it appeared that the other was a righteous man of God. By this, then, men are told apart, my brethren. Let no one attend to tongues, but to deeds and to the heart. If a man does not do well for his brethren, he shows what he has in himself. Men are proved by temptations.

9. Nolite mirari, fratres, si odit nos mundus. Numquid saepe vobis dicendum est quid est mundus? Non coelum, non terra, nec ista opera quae Deus fecit; sed dilectores mundi. Ista saepe dicendo quibusdam onerosus sum: sed usque adeo non frustra dico, ut aliqui interrogentur an dixerim, et non respondeant. Ergo vel inculcando haereat aliquid in cordibus audientium. Quid est mundus? Mundus est, quando in malo ponitur, dilectores mundi: mundus quando in laude ponitur, coelum et terra est, et quae in his opera Dei; unde dicitur, Et mundus per eum factus est (Joan. I, 10). Item mundus est plenitudo terrae, sicut dixit ipse Joannes, Non solum autem nostrorum peccatorum propitiator est, sed et totius mundi (I Joan. II, 2). Mundi dicit omnium fidelium per orbem sparsorum. Mundus autem in malo, amatores mundi sunt. Qui amant mundum, fratrem amare non possunt.

9. Do not wonder, brethren, if the world hates us. Must you often be told what the world is? Not heaven, not earth, nor those works which God made; but the lovers of the world. By saying this often I am burdensome to some: but so far am I from saying it in vain that some are asked whether I have said it, and do not answer. So let something at least stick in the hearts of the hearers by driving it in. What is the world? The world, when it is put in a bad sense, is the lovers of the world: the world, when it is put in praise, is heaven and earth and the works of God that are in them; whence it is said, And the world was made through Him (John 1:10). Again, the world is the fullness of the earth, as John himself said, And He is the propitiation not only for our sins, but also for those of the whole world (I John 2:2). By the world he means all the faithful scattered through the earth. But the world in a bad sense is the lovers of the world. Those who love the world cannot love their brother.

10. Si odit nos mundus: nos scimus. Quid nos scimus? Quia transivimus de morte ad vitam. Unde scimus? Quia diligimus fratres. Nemo interroget hominem; redeat unusquisque ad cor suum: si ibi invenerit charitatem fraternam, securus sit, quia transiit a morte ad vitam. Jam in dextera est: non attendat quia modo gloria ejus occulta est; cum venerit Dominus, tunc apparebit in gloria. Viget enim, sed adhuc in hieme; viget radix, sed quasi aridi sunt rami: intus est medulla quae viget, intus sunt folia arborum, intus fructus; sed aestatem exspectant. Ergo nos scimus quia transivimus de morte ad vitam, quia diligimus fratres. Qui non diligit, manet in morte. Ne putetis, fratres, leve esse, odisse aut non diligere, audite quod sequitur: Omnis qui odit fratrem suum, homicida

10. If the world hates us: we know. What do we know? That we have passed from death to life. Whence do we know it? Because we love the brethren. Let no one question another man; let each return to his own heart: if he finds brotherly charity there, let him be secure, for he has passed from death to life. He is already at the right hand: let him not mind that his glory is hidden now; when the Lord comes, then he will appear in glory. For he is alive, but still in winter; the root is alive, but the branches are as if dry: within is the pith that is alive, within are the leaves of the trees, within the fruit; but they await the summer. Therefore we know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Lest you think, brethren, that it is a light thing to hate or not to love, hear what follows: Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer

Editors' notes and page, col. 2017

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on the page-foot image› · call in col 2017

Am. Bad. Er. et quinque Mss., ad [mutuus? — reading uncertain at this resolution].

The Amerbach, Badius and Erasmus editions and five manuscripts have "ad [mutuus?]" (reading uncertain).

(printed under page 357)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible on the page-foot image› · call in col 2017

Decem Mss., sed facta. Cor si non bene faciat.

Ten manuscripts read "sed facta. Cor si non bene faciat" ("but deeds. The heart, if it does not do well").

(printed under page 357)

(3) ‹anchor: si odit nos› · call in col 2017 [call numeral uncertain at this resolution]

Sic Mss. At sacra Biblia, [humás? — reading uncertain], vos.

So the manuscripts. But the sacred Bible has [illegible], "vos" ("you").

(printed under page 357)

Page

running head: 2017 TRACTATUS V. CAPU[T III.] (right part cut off in the image)
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 35:2018

est. Jam ergo si contemnebat quisquam odium fraternum, numquid et homicidium in corde suo contempturus est? Non movet manus ad occidendum hominem, homicida jam tenetur a Domino; vivit ille, et iste jam interfector judicatur. Omnis qui odit fratrem suum, homicida est. Et scitis quia omnis homicida non habet vitam aeternam in se manentem.

is. So now, if anyone thought lightly of hatred of his brother, will he think lightly of murder too in his heart? He does not move his hands to kill a man, yet he is already held a murderer by the Lord; the other lives, and this man is already judged his slayer. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

11. In hoc cognoscimus dilectionem. Perfectionem dilectionis dicit, perfectionem illam quam commendavimus. In hoc cognoscimus dilectionem, quia ille pro nobis animam suam posuit: et nos debemus animas pro fratribus ponere. Ecce unde veniebat, Petre, amas me? pasce oves meas. Nam ut noveritis quia sic ab eo pasci volebat oves suas, ut animam suam pro ovibus poneret; hoc illi continuo dixit, « Cum juvenis esses, praecingebas te, et ibas quo volebas; cum autem fueris senior, alius te praecinget, et tollet te quo tu non vis. Hoc autem dixit, » ait Evangelista, « significans qua morte clarificaturus erat Deum » (Joan. XXI, 15-19): ut cui dixerat, « Pasce oves meas, » doceret eum ponere animam pro ovibus suis.

11. By this we know love. He means the perfection of love, that perfection which we have commended. By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. See whence came the words, Peter, do you love Me? Feed My sheep. For, that you may know that He wished His sheep to be fed by him in such a way that he would lay down his life for the sheep, He at once said this to him: « When you were young, you girded yourself, and went where you wished; but when you are older, another will gird you, and carry you where you do not wish. Now this He said, » says the Evangelist, « signifying by what death he was to glorify God » (John 21:15–19): so that he to whom He had said, « Feed My sheep, » He might teach to lay down his life for His sheep.

12. Unde incipit charitas, fratres? Modicum attendite: quo perficiatur audistis; ipsum finem et modum ipsum et Dominus in Evangelio commendavit: Majorem charitatem nemo habet, ait, quam ut animam suam ponat pro amicis suis (Id. XV, 13). Perfectionem ergo ejus ostendit in Evangelio, et hic commendata est ejus perfectio: sed interrogatis vos, et dicitis vobis, Quando possumus habere istam charitatem? Noli cito de te desperare: forte nata est, sed nondum perfecta est; nutri eam, ne effocetur. Sed dicturus es mihi, Et unde novi? Quo enim perficiatur audivimus; unde incipiat audiamus. Sequitur, et dicit: Qui autem habuerit facultates mundi, et viderit fratrem suum esurientem, et clauserit viscera sua ab eo: quomodo poterit dilectio Dei manere in eo? Ecce unde incipit charitas. Si nondum es idoneus mori pro fratre, jam idoneus esto dare de tuis facultatibus fratri. Jam percutiat viscera tua charitas, ut non de jactantia facias, sed de intimo adipe misericordiae; ut consideres illum in egestate positum. Si enim superflua non potes dare fratri tuo, animam tuam potes ponere pro fratre? Jacet pecunia in sinu tuo, quam tibi fures possunt auferre; et si illam non auferent fures, moriendo illam deseres, etiam si te illa viventem non deserat: quid inde facturus es? Esurit frater tuus, in necessitate positus est: fortassis suspenditur, a creditore angustatur; non habet ipse, habes tu: frater tuus est, simul empti estis, unum est pretium vestrum, ambo sanguine Christi redempti estis: vide si misereris, si habes facultates mundi. Quid ad me pertinet, forte dicis? Ego daturus sum pecuniam meam, ne ille molestiam patiatur? Si hoc tibi responderit cor tuum, dilectio Patris non in te manet. Si dilectio Patris non in te manet, non es natus ex Deo. Quomodo te gloriaris esse christianum? Nomen habes, et facta non habes. Si autem nomen secutum fuerit opus, dicat te quisquam paganum, tu factis ostende te christianum. Nam si factis non ostendis te christianum, omnes te

12. Where does charity begin, brethren? Attend a little: where it is made perfect you have heard; that very end and that very measure the Lord too commended in the Gospel: Greater charity no one has, He says, than that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). So He showed its perfection in the Gospel, and here too its perfection is commended: but you ask yourselves and say to yourselves, When can we have this charity? Do not quickly despair of yourself: perhaps it is born, but not yet perfected; nourish it, lest it be smothered. But you will say to me, And how do I know? For we have heard where it is made perfect; let us hear where it begins. He goes on and says: But whoever has the goods of the world, and sees his brother hungry, and shuts up his bowels from him: how can the love of God abide in him? See where charity begins. If you are not yet fit to die for your brother, be already fit to give your brother of your goods. Let charity now strike your bowels, so that you do it not from boasting, but from the inmost marrow of mercy; so that you consider him set in want. For if you cannot give your superfluities to your brother, can you lay down your life for your brother? Money lies in your bosom, which thieves can take from you; and if thieves do not take it, you will leave it in dying, even if it does not leave you while you live: what are you going to do with it? Your brother is hungry, he is set in need: perhaps he is in suspense, pressed hard by a creditor; he has not, you have: he is your brother, you were bought together, your price is one, you were both redeemed by the blood of Christ: see whether you have mercy, if you have the goods of the world. What does it concern me, you say perhaps? Am I to give my money so that he may not suffer trouble? If your heart answers you this, the love of the Father does not abide in you. If the love of the Father does not abide in you, you are not born of God. How do you boast that you are a Christian? You have the name, and you have not the deeds. But if the work follows the name, let anyone call you a pagan, do you show yourself a Christian by your deeds. For if you do not show yourself a Christian by your deeds, all

Editors' notes and page, col. 2018