PL 35 · cols. 2035–2044

Augustine, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John

Tractate VIII

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mores, delectent; si sunt mali, emendentur, corrigantur. Noli in homine amare errorem, sed hominem: hominem enim Deus fecit, errorem ipse homo fecit. Ama illud quod Deus fecit, noli amare quod ipse homo fecit. Cum illud amas, illud tollis: cum illud diligis, illud emendas. Sed etsi saevis aliquando, propter correctionis dilectionem. Propterea de columba demonstrata est charitas, quae venit super Dominum (Matth. III, 16). Species illa columbae, in qua specie venit Spiritus sanctus quo nobis charitas infunderetur. Quare hoc? Fel columba non habet: tamen rostro et pennis pro nido pugnat, sine amaritudine saevit. Hoc facit et pater; quando filium castigat, ad disciplinam castigat. Sicut dixi, seductor ut vendat, cum amaritudine blanditur: pater ut corrigat, sine felle castigat. Tales estote ad omnes. Videte, fratres, magnum documentum, magnam regulam: Unusquisque habet filios, aut habere vult; aut si omnino decrevit filios non habere carnaliter, vel spiritualiter cupit habere: quis est qui non corrigit filium suum? quis est cui non det disciplinam pater (Hebr. XII, 7)? Et tamen saevire videtur. Amor saevit, charitas saevit: saevit quodam modo sine felle, more columbino, non corvino. Unde venit in mentem, fratres mei, dicere vobis quia illi violatores charitatis schisma fecerunt: quomodo oderunt ipsam charitatem, sic oderunt et columbam. Sed convincit illos columba: procedit de coelo, aperiuntur coeli, et manet super caput Domini. Utquid hoc? Ut audiat, Hic est qui baptizat (Joan. I, 33). Recedite, praedones; recedite, invasores possessionis Christi. In possessionibus vestris, ubi dominari vultis, titulos potentis ausi estis infigere. Cognoscit ille titulos suos; vindicat sibi possessionem suam: non delet titulos, sed intrat et possidet. Sic ad Catholicam venienti, non deletur Baptismus, ne titulus imperatoris deleatur. Sed quid fit in Catholica? Agnoscitur titulus; intrat possessor sub titulis suis, quo intrabat praedo sub titulis alienis.

characters, let them give delight; if they are bad, let them be amended, let them be corrected. Do not love the error in a man, but the man: for God made the man, the man himself made the error. Love that which God made; do not love what the man himself made. When you love the one, you take away the other: when you love the one, you amend the other. But even if you are sometimes fierce, [be so] out of the love of correction. For this reason charity was shown by the dove which came upon the Lord (Matt. 3:16). That appearance of a dove, the appearance in which the Holy Spirit came, by whom charity was to be poured into us. Why this? The dove has no gall: yet it fights for its nest with beak and wings; it is fierce without bitterness. This a father also does; when he chastises his son, he chastises him for discipline. As I said, the seducer, that he may sell, coaxes with bitterness: the father, that he may correct, chastises without gall. Be such towards all. See, brethren, a great lesson, a great rule: Each one has sons, or wishes to have them; or if he has altogether resolved not to have sons in the flesh, at least he desires to have them in the spirit: who is there that does not correct his son? Who is there to whom his father does not give discipline (Heb. 12:7)? And yet he seems to be fierce. Love is fierce, charity is fierce: it is fierce in a certain way without gall, in the manner of the dove, not of the raven. Whence it came into my mind, my brethren, to tell you that those violators of charity have made a schism: as they hate charity itself, so they hate the dove also. But the dove convicts them: it comes forth from heaven, the heavens are opened, and it abides upon the head of the Lord. To what purpose this? That he may hear, "This is He who baptizes" (John 1:33). Withdraw, robbers; withdraw, invaders of the possession of Christ. On your possessions, where you wish to be lords, you have dared to fix the title-marks of the Mighty One. He recognizes His title-marks; He claims His possession for Himself: He does not erase the title-marks, but enters and possesses. So for one coming to the Catholic [Church], Baptism is not erased, lest the emperor's title-mark be erased. But what is done in the Catholic [Church]? The title-mark is recognized; the possessor enters under His own title-marks, where the robber was entering under titles not his own.

TRACTATUS VIII.

TRACTATE VIII.

De eo quod sequitur, Si diligamus invicem, Deus in nobis manebit; usque ad id, Deus dilectio est; et qui manet in dilectione, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo. Cap. IV, ŷ. 12-16.

On that which follows, "If we love one another, God will abide in us," up to this, "God is love; and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." Chapter IV, verses 12–16.

1. Dilectio dulce verbum, sed dulcius factum. Semper de illa loqui non possumus. Multa enim agimus, et diversae actiones distendunt nos, ut non vacet linguae nostrae semper de dilectione loqui: nam nihil melius ageret lingua nostra. Sed de qua semper loqui non licet, semper eam custodire licet. Sicut nunc quod cantamus, Alleluia, numquid semper hoc facimus? Vix unius horae non toto spatio, sed parva particula cantamus, Alleluia; et vacamus ad aliud. Est autem Alleluia, sicut jam nostis, Laudate Deum. Qui Deum laudat lingua, non semper potest: qui moribus Deum laudat, semper potest. Opera misericordiae

1. Love is a sweet word, but a sweeter deed. We cannot always speak of it. For we do many things, and our various activities draw us apart, so that our tongue has not leisure always to speak of love: for our tongue could do nothing better. But that of which it is not possible always to speak, it is possible always to keep. As now, what we sing, Alleluia: do we always do this? For scarcely the whole space of one hour, but for a small part of it, we sing Alleluia; and we turn to something else. Now Alleluia, as you already know, is "Praise God." He who praises God with the tongue cannot always do so: he who praises God with his conduct always can. Works of mercy

Editors' notes and page, col. 2035

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: call not visible on the page-foot image› · call in col 2035

Lov., columbae est. M.

Louvain reads "columbae est" ("is the dove's"). M. [the Maurist editors]

(printed under page 366)

(2) ‹anchor: vacamus ad aliud› · call in col 2035

In uno Ms., et vocamur ad aliud.

In one manuscript: "et vocamur ad aliud" ("and we are called to something else").

(printed under page 366)

Page

running head: IN EPISTOLAM JOANNIS AD PARTH[OS] (2035; head cut off at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: (none visible in the crops)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: UNSURE: "convincit illos columba" — the line begins with a blurred mark before "columba" (reads like "maeolumba"); set columba.
other: "mise-" at the column end completed as "misericordiae" from the first word ("ricordiae") of col. 2036, visible at the edge of this page. Verse sign set as ŷ.

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affectus charitatis, sanctitas pietatis, incorruptio castitatis, modestia sobrietatis, semper haec tenenda sunt: sive cum in publico sumus, sive cum in domo, sive cum ante homines, sive cum in cubiculo, sive loquentes, sive tacentes, sive aliquid agentes, sive vacantes; semper haec tenenda sunt; quia intus sunt omnes istae virtutes quas nominavi. Quis autem sufficit omnes nominare? Quasi exercitus est imperatoris, qui sedet intus in mente tua. Quomodo enim imperator per exercitum suum agit quodque placet; sic Dominus Jesus Christus incipiens habitare in interiore homine nostro, id est in mente per fidem (Ephes. III, 17), utitur istis virtutibus quasi ministris suis. Et per has virtutes quae videri oculis non possunt, et tamen quando nominantur, laudantur: non autem laudarentur nisi amarentur, non amarentur nisi viderentur; et si utique non amarentur nisi viderentur, alio oculo videntur, id est, interiori cordis aspectu: per has virtutes invisibiles, moventur membra visibiliter: pedes ad ambulandum; sed quo? Quo moverit bona voluntas, quae militat bono imperatori. Manus ad operandum; sed quid? Quod jusserit charitas, quae inspirata est intus a Spiritu sancto. Membra ergo videntur cum moventur; qui jubet intus, non videtur. Et quis intus jubeat, prope ipse solus novit qui jubet, et ille intus cui jubetur.

the affection of charity, the holiness of piety, the incorruption of chastity, the modesty of sobriety: these are always to be held: whether when we are in public, or when at home, whether before men, or in the bedchamber, whether speaking, or silent, whether doing something, or at leisure; these are always to be held; because all these virtues which I have named are within. But who is equal to naming them all? It is as it were the army of an emperor, who sits within in your mind. For as an emperor does through his army whatever pleases him, so the Lord Jesus Christ, beginning to dwell in our inner man, that is, in the mind through faith (Eph. 3:17), uses these virtues as His ministers. And through these virtues, which cannot be seen with the eyes, and yet when they are named are praised: but they would not be praised unless they were loved, they would not be loved unless they were seen; and if indeed they would not be loved unless they were seen, they are seen with another eye, that is, with the inner gaze of the heart: through these invisible virtues the members are moved visibly: the feet to walk; but whither? Whither a good will has moved them, which serves as a soldier under a good emperor. The hands to work; but at what? At what charity has commanded, which has been breathed in within by the Holy Spirit. The members, then, are seen when they are moved; he who commands within is not seen. And who it is that commands within, almost only he himself knows who commands, and he within who is commanded.

2. Namque, fratres, audistis modo, cum Evangelium legeretur; certe si aurem ibi non tantum corporis, sed et cordis habuistis. Quid ait? Cavete facere justitiam vestram coram hominibus, ut videamini ab eis (Matth. VI, 1). Numquid hoc voluit dicere, ut quaecumque bona facimus, abscondamus ab oculis hominum, et timeamus videri? Si times spectatores, non habebis imitatores: debes ergo videri. Sed non ad hoc debes facere ut videaris. Non ibi debet esse finis gaudii tui, non ibi terminus laetitiae tuae, ut putes te totum fructum consecutum esse boni operis tui, cum visus fueris atque laudatus. Nihil est hoc. Contemne te cum laudaris: ille in te laudetur, qui per te operatur. Noli ergo ad laudem tuam operari quod bonum agis, sed ad laudem illius a quo habes ut bonum agas. Abs te habes male agere, a Deo habes bene agere. Contra perversi homines videte quam praeposteri sint. Quod faciunt bene, volunt sibi tribuere: si male faciunt, Deum volunt accusare. Converte hoc distortum nescio quid et praeposterum, faciens illud quodammodo capite deorsum: quod susum, faciens jusum; quod deorsum, faciens sursum. Jusum vis facere Deum, et te susum? Praecipitaris, non elevaris: ille enim semper sursum est. Quid ergo? tu bene, et Deus male? Imo hoc dic, si vis verius dicere, Ego male, ille bene; et quod ego bene, ab illo bene: nam a me quidquid ago male. Ista confessio firmat cor, et facit

2. For, brethren, you heard just now, when the Gospel was read; certainly, if you had there an ear not only of the body but also of the heart. What does He say? "Beware of doing your justice before men, to be seen by them" (Matt. 6:1). Did He mean to say this, that whatever good things we do we should hide from the eyes of men, and fear to be seen? If you fear spectators, you will not have imitators: you ought, then, to be seen. But you ought not to act for this, that you may be seen. The end of your joy ought not to be there, the goal of your gladness not there, that you should think you have obtained the whole fruit of your good work when you have been seen and praised. This is nothing. Despise yourself when you are praised: let Him be praised in you who works through you. Do not, then, work the good you do for your own praise, but for the praise of Him from whom you have it that you do good. From yourself you have it to do ill, from God you have it to do well. See, on the contrary, how topsy-turvy perverse men are. What they do well, they wish to ascribe to themselves: if they do ill, they wish to accuse God. Turn this distorted and topsy-turvy something about, setting it, as it were, head downwards: what is up, make down; what is down, make up. Do you wish to make God down, and yourself up? You are cast headlong, not raised up: for He is always up. What then? You good, and God bad? Rather say this, if you wish to speak more truly: I bad, He good; and what I do well, is well from Him: for whatever I do ill is from me. This confession strengthens the heart, and makes

Editors' notes and page, col. 2036

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: call not visible on the page-foot image› · call in col 2036

Er. Lugd. Ven. Lov. quod ei placet.

The Erasmus, Lyon, Venice and Louvain editions read "quod ei placet" ("what pleases him").

(printed under page 366)

(2) ‹anchor: quod susum› · call in col 2036

Aliquot Mss. pro, quod susum; habent, quod sursum: et mox, faciens deorsum; pro, faciens jusum. Sic sonare barbaras illas voces constare ex antithesi poterat, necnon eo ex loco Tract. 10, n. 8: « Susum me honoras, jusum me calcas. »

Some manuscripts have "quod sursum" in place of "quod susum", and just after, "faciens deorsum" in place of "faciens jusum". That those barbarous words sound so could be established from the antithesis, and also from the passage in Tractate 10, n. 8: "Up you honour me, down you trample me."

(printed under page 366)

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running head: [IN EPISTOLAM JOAN]NIS AD PARTHOS, S. AUGUSTINI 2036
marginal letters: (none visible in the crops)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: the column's first printed word "ricordiae" completes "mise-" from col. 2035, where the word is set whole; it is not repeated here.
other: "susum"/"jusum" are Augustine's colloquial forms as printed (not misprints); English renders them "up"/"down".

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dilectionis fundamentum. Nam si opera nostra abscondere debemus bona, ne videantur ab hominibus; ubi est illa sententia Domini in eo sermone quem habuit in monte? Ubi hoc dixit, ibi et illud paulo ante dixit: Luceant opera vestra bona coram hominibus. Et non ibi cessavit, non ibi finem fecit; sed addidit, Et glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in coelis est (Matth. V, 16). Et Apostolus quid ait? Eram autem ignotus facie Ecclesiis Judaeae, quae in Christo sunt: tantum autem audientes erant quia qui nos aliquando persequebatur, nunc evangelizat fidem quam aliquando vastabat; et in me magnificabant Deum (Galat. I, 22-24). Videte quemadmodum et ipse, quia sic innotuit, finem non posuerit in laudem suam, sed in laudem Dei. Et quantum ad ipsum pertinet, vastator Ecclesiae, persecutor invidus, malignus, ipse confitetur, non nos conviciamur. Amat Paulus dici a nobis peccata sua, ut glorificetur ille qui talem morbum sanavit. Magnitudinem enim vulneris manus medici secuit, et sanavit. Vox illa de coelo prostravit persecutorem, et erexit praedicatorem; occidit Saulum, et vivificavit Paulum (Act. IX). Saül enim persecutor erat sancti viri (I Reg. XIX); inde nomen habebat iste quando persequebatur Christianos: postea de Saulo factus est Paulus (Act. XIII, 9). Quid est Paulus? Modicus. Ergo quando Saulus, superbus, elatus: quando Paulus, humilis, modicus. Ideo sic loquimur, Paulo post videbo te, id est, post modicum. Audi quia modicus factus est: Ego enim sum minimus Apostolorum (I Cor. XV, 9); et, Mihi minimo omnium sanctorum, dicit alio loco (Ephes. III, 8). Sic erat inter Apostolos tanquam fimbria vestimenti: sed tetigit Ecclesia Gentium tanquam fluxum patiens, et sanata est (Matth. IX, 20-22).

foundation of love. For if we ought to hide our good works, lest they be seen by men, where is that saying of the Lord in the sermon which He held on the mount? Where He said this, there He also said that other thing a little before: Let your good works shine before men. And He did not stop there, He did not make an end there; but He added, And let them glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt. 5:16). And what does the Apostle say? But I was unknown by face to the churches of Judaea which are in Christ; but they were only hearing that he who once persecuted us now preaches the faith which once he laid waste; and they magnified God in me (Gal. 1:22–24). See how he too, since he became known in this way, did not set the end in his own praise, but in the praise of God. And as far as concerns himself, he confesses that he was a waster of the Church, a jealous persecutor, malicious; we do not revile him. Paul loves to have his sins spoken of by us, that He may be glorified who healed so great a disease. For the hand of the physician cut the magnitude of the wound, and healed it. That voice from heaven struck down the persecutor and raised up the preacher; it slew Saul and made Paul alive (Acts 9). For Saul was the persecutor of a holy man (1 Sam. 19); from him this man had his name while he was persecuting the Christians: afterwards from Saul he was made Paul (Acts 13:9). What is Paul? Small. So when he was Saul, he was proud, lifted up; when Paul, humble, small. That is why we speak thus: "I shall see you paulo post", that is, after a little while. Hear that he was made small: For I am the least of the Apostles (1 Cor. 15:9); and, To me, the least of all the saints, he says in another place (Eph. 3:8). So he was among the Apostles like the hem of a garment: but the Church of the Gentiles touched it, like the woman suffering a flow, and was healed (Matt. 9:20–22).

3. Ergo, fratres, hoc dixerim, hoc dico, hoc si possem non tacerem: opera modo illa sint in vobis, modo illa, pro tempore, pro horis, pro diebus. Numquid semper loqui? numquid semper tacere? numquid semper reficere corpus? numquid semper jejunare? numquid semper panem dare egenti? numquid semper nudum vestire? numquid semper aegrotos visitare? numquid semper discordantes concordare? numquid semper mortuos sepelire? Modo illud, modo illud. Inchoantur ista, et cessant: ille autem imperator, nec inchoatur, nec cessare debet. Charitas intus non intermittatur: officia charitatis pro tempore exhibeantur. Charitas ergo, sicut scriptum est, fraterna permaneat (Hebr. XIII, 1).

3. So, brethren, let me have said this, I say this, and if I could I would not keep silent about this: let now these works be in you, now those, according to the time, according to the hours, according to the days. Is one always to speak? Always to be silent? Always to refresh the body? Always to fast? Always to give bread to the needy? Always to clothe the naked? Always to visit the sick? Always to reconcile those at variance? Always to bury the dead? Now this, now that. These things are begun, and they cease: but that commander is neither begun nor ought to cease. Let charity within not be interrupted: let the offices of charity be shown according to the time. Let brotherly charity therefore, as it is written, abide (Heb. 13:1).

4. Fortassis autem moverit aliquos vestrum, ex quo istam Epistolam beati Joannis tractamus vobis, quare non commendaverit maxime nisi fraternam charitatem. Qui diligit fratrem (I Joan. II, 10), dicit; et, Praeceptum nobis est datum, ut diligamus invicem (Id. III, 23). Assidue nominavit charitatem fraternam: Dei autem charitatem, id est qua debemus diligere Deum, non tam assidue nominavit; sed tamen non omnino tacuit. De inimici vero dilectione prorsus tacuit prope per totam ipsam Epistolam. Cum vehementer nobis praedicet, commendetque charitatem, non nobis dicit ut diligamus inimicos; sed dicit nobis

4. But perhaps it may have troubled some of you, since we began treating this Epistle of blessed John for you, why he has chiefly commended nothing but brotherly charity. He who loves his brother (1 John 2:10), he says; and, The commandment has been given us that we love one another (ibid. 3:23). He has constantly named brotherly charity: but the charity of God, that is, that by which we ought to love God, he has not named so constantly; yet he has not been altogether silent about it. But about love of an enemy he has been silent almost through the whole Epistle itself. Though he preaches and commends charity to us vehemently, he does not tell us to love our enemies; but he tells us

Editors' notes and page, col. 2037

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: call not visible on the page-foot images› · call in col 2037 or 2038

Er., transibit. M.

Erasmus reads "transibit" ("will pass"). M. [the Maurist editors]

(printed under page 367)

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ut fratres diligamus. Modo vero cum Evangelium legeretur, audivimus, Si enim diligitis eos qui vos diligunt, quam mercedem habebitis? nonne et publicani hoc faciunt (Matth. V, 46)? Quid est igitur quod pro magno nobis ad perfectionem quamdam fraternam dilectionem commendat Joannes apostolus; Dominus autem dicit non nobis sufficere ut fratres diligamus, sed debere nos extendere ipsam dilectionem, ut perveniamus ad inimicos? Qui usque ad inimicos pervenit, non transilit fratres. Necesse est sicut ignis, prius occupet proxima, et sic se in longinquiora distendat. Propinquior est tibi frater quam nescio quis homo. Rursus tibi magis adhaeret ille quem non noveras, qui tibi tamen non adversatur, quam inimicus qui etiam adversatur. Extende dilectionem in proximos, nec voces illam extensionem. Prope enim te diligis, qui eos diligis qui tibi adhaerent. Extende ad ignotos, qui tibi nihil mali fecerunt. Transcende et ipsos; perveni, ut diligas inimicos. Hoc certe Dominus jubet. Quare iste tacuit de dilectione inimici?

that we love the brethren. But just now, when the Gospel was being read, we heard: For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? do not even the publicans do this (Matt. 5:46)? What is it then, that John the apostle commends brotherly love to us as a great thing, for a certain perfection, while the Lord says it is not enough for us to love the brethren, but that we must extend that very love so as to reach our enemies? He who reaches as far as his enemies does not pass over his brethren. It must, like fire, first take hold of what is nearest, and so spread itself to what is farther off. Your brother is nearer to you than some man or other. Again, the man you had not known, who nevertheless does not oppose you, is more closely joined to you than an enemy who even opposes you. Extend love to those nearest, and do not call that an extension. For you are almost loving yourself, you who love those who are joined to you. Extend it to strangers, who have done you no harm. Go beyond even them; reach so far that you love your enemies. This, certainly, the Lord commands. Why has this man been silent about love of an enemy?

5. Omnis dilectio, sive quae carnalis dicitur, quae non dilectio, sed magis amor dici solet (dilectionis enim nomen magis solet in melioribus rebus dici, in melioribus accipi): tamen omnis dilectio, fratres charissimi, utique benevolentiam quamdam habet erga eos qui diliguntur. Non enim sic debemus diligere homines, aut sic possumus diligere, vel amare; hoc enim verbo etiam usus est Dominus cum diceret, Petre, amas me (Joan. XXI, 17)? non sic debemus amare homines, quomodo audimus gulosos dicere, Amo turdos. Quaeris quare? Ut occidat, et consumat. Et amare se dicit, et ad hoc illos amat ut non sint, ad hoc amat ut perimat. Et quidquid ad cibandum amamus, ad hoc amamus, ut illud consumatur, et nos reficiamur. Numquid sic amandi sunt homines, tanquam consumendi? Sed amicitia quaedam benevolentiae est, ut aliquando praestemus eis quos amamus. Quid, si non sit quod praestemus? Sola benevolentia sufficit amanti. Non enim optare debemus esse miseros, ut possimus exercere opera misericordiae. Das panem esurienti: sed melius nemo esuriret, et nulli dares. Vestis nudum: utinam omnes vestiti essent, et non esset ista necessitas! Sepelis mortuum: utinam veniat aliquando illa vita ubi nemo moriatur! Concordas litigantes: utinam aliquando sit pax illa aeterna Jerusalem, ubi nemo discordet! Haec enim omnia officia necessitatum sunt. Tolle miseros; cessabunt opera misericordiae. Opera misericordiae cessabunt; numquid ardor charitatis exstinguetur? Germanius amas felicem hominem, cui non habes quod praestes; purior ille amor erit, multoque sincerior. Nam si praestiteris misero, fortassis extollere te cupis adversus eum, et eum tibi vis esse subjectum, qui auctor est tui beneficii. Ille indiguit, tu impertitus es; quasi major videris quia tu praestitisti, quam

5. All love, even that which is called carnal, which is usually called not dilectio but rather amor (for the name dilectio is usually used of better things, and taken in better things): yet all love, dearest brethren, certainly has a certain goodwill towards those who are loved. For we ought not, nor can we, love men in this way, whether with dilectio or with amor (for the Lord too used this word when He said, Peter, do you love [amas] Me (John 21:17)?); we ought not to love men in the way we hear gluttons say, "I love thrushes." You ask why? That he may kill and consume them. He both says he loves them, and he loves them to this end, that they may not be; he loves to this end, that he may destroy. And whatever we love as food, we love to this end, that it may be consumed and we refreshed. Are men to be loved like that, as things to be consumed? But there is a certain friendship of goodwill, so that at times we give something to those whom we love. What if there is nothing for us to give? Goodwill alone suffices for one who loves. For we ought not to wish that there be wretched people, so that we may be able to perform works of mercy. You give bread to the hungry: but better that no one hungered, and you gave to none. You clothe the naked: would that all were clothed, and there were not this need! You bury the dead: would that that life might come at last where no one dies! You reconcile those who quarrel: would that at last there might be that eternal peace of Jerusalem, where no one is at variance! For all these are offices of necessities. Take away the wretched; the works of mercy will cease. The works of mercy will cease; will the ardour of charity be extinguished? You love more genuinely a happy man, to whom you have nothing to give; that love will be purer, and far more sincere. For if you have given to a wretched man, perhaps you desire to lift yourself up over him, and you wish him to be subject to you, who is the occasion of your kindness. He was in need, you bestowed; you seem greater, as it were, because you gave, than

Editors' notes and page, col. 2038

Footnotes

(2) ‹anchor: benevolentiae est› · call in col 2038

Er. Lugd. Ven. Lov., sed amicitia quadam benevolentiae, ut. M.

The Erasmus, Lyon, Venice and Louvain editions read "sed amicitia quadam benevolentiae, ut" ("but with a certain friendship of goodwill, so that"). M. [the Maurist editors]

(printed under page 367)

(3) ‹anchor: tui beneficii› · call in col 2038

Septem Mss., quia auctor es tui beneficii. Alii tres, quia auctor es tu beneficii.

Seven manuscripts read "quia auctor es tui beneficii" ("because you are the author of your own kindness"). Three others read "quia auctor es tu beneficii" ("because you are the author of the kindness").

(printed under page 367)

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ille cui praestitum est. Opta aequalem, ut ambo sub uno sitis cui nihil praestari potest.

he to whom it was given. Wish for him to be your equal, that you may both be under the One to whom nothing can be given.

6. Nam in hoc excessit modum superba anima, et quodammodo, avara fuit; quia radix omnium malorum avaritia (Tim. VI, 10). Et item dictum est, Initium omnis peccati superbia (Eccli. X, 15). Et quaerimus aliquando quomodo sibi concordent istae duae sententiae: Radix omnium malorum avaritia; et, Initium omnis peccati superbia. Si initium omnis peccati superbia, radix omnium malorum superbia est. Certe radix omnium malorum avaritia est: invenimus et in superbia avaritiam esse; excessit enim modum homo. Quid est avarum esse? Progredi ultra quam sufficit. Adam superbia cecidit: Initium omnis peccati superbia, inquit. Numquid avaritia? Quid avarius illo, cui Deus sufficere non potuit? Ergo, fratres, legimus quemadmodum factus sit homo ad imaginem et similitudinem Dei: et quid de illo dixit Deus? Et habeat potestatem piscium maris, et volatilium coeli, et omnium pecorum quae repunt super terram (Gen. I, 26). Numquid dixit, Habeat potestatem hominum? Habeat potestatem, ait: dedit potestatem naturalem. Quorum habeat potestatem? Piscium maris, volatilium coeli, et omnium repentium quae repunt super terram. Quare haec est naturalis potestas hominis in ista? Quia homo ex eo habet potestatem, ex quo factus est ad imaginem Dei. Ubi autem factus est ad imaginem Dei? In intellectu, in mente, in interiore homine; in eo quod intelligit veritatem, dijudicat justitiam et injustitiam, novit a quo factus est, potest intelligere creatorem suum, laudare creatorem suum. Habet hanc intelligentiam, qui habet prudentiam. Ideo multi cum per cupiditates malas detererent in se imaginem Dei, et ipsam quodammodo flammam intelligentiae perversitate morum exstinguerent; clamabat illis Scriptura, Nolite fieri sicut equus et mulus, quibus non est intellectus (Psal. XXXI, 9). Hoc est dicere, Praeposui te equo et mulo; te ad imaginem meam feci, potestatem tibi super ista dedi. Quare? Quia non habent ferae rationalem mentem: tu autem rationali mente capis veritatem, intelligis quod supra te est; subdere ei qui supra te est, et infra te erunt illa quibus praepositus es. Quia vero per peccatum homo deseruit eum sub quo esse debuit, subditur eis supra quae esse debuit.

6. For in this the proud soul exceeded the measure and was, in a manner, avaricious; for avarice is the root of all evils (1 Tim. 6:10). And again it has been said, Pride is the beginning of all sin (Sir. 10:15). And we sometimes ask how these two sayings agree with each other: Avarice is the root of all evils; and, Pride is the beginning of all sin. If pride is the beginning of all sin, pride is the root of all evils. Certainly avarice is the root of all evils: we find that there is avarice in pride too; for man exceeded the measure. What is it to be avaricious? To go on beyond what suffices. Adam fell by pride: Pride, it says, is the beginning of all sin. Was it not by avarice? What more avaricious than he, for whom God could not suffice? So, brethren, we read how man was made to the image and likeness of God: and what did God say of him? And let him have power over the fishes of the sea, and the birds of heaven, and all the cattle that creep upon the earth (Gen. 1:26). Did He say, Let him have power over men? Let him have power, He says: He gave a natural power. Over what is he to have power? Over the fishes of the sea, the birds of heaven, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth. Why is this man's natural power over these things? Because man has power from that by which he was made to the image of God. And where was he made to the image of God? In the understanding, in the mind, in the inner man; in that he understands truth, discerns justice and injustice, knows by Whom he was made, can understand his Creator, praise his Creator. He has this understanding who has prudence. Therefore, since many through evil desires were wearing away the image of God in themselves, and by the perversity of their ways were in a manner extinguishing the very flame of understanding, Scripture cried out to them: Do not become like the horse and the mule, which have no understanding (Ps. 31:9). That is to say: I set you over the horse and the mule; I made you to My image, I gave you power over these things. Why? Because the wild beasts have no rational mind: but you by a rational mind grasp the truth, you understand what is above you; be subject to Him who is above you, and those things over which you have been set will be beneath you. But because by sin man deserted Him under whom he ought to have been, he is made subject to those things above which he ought to have been.

7. Intendite quid dicam: Deus, homo, pecora: verbi gratia, supra te Deus; infra te pecora. Agnosce eum qui supra te est, ut agnoscant te quae infra te sunt. Ideoque cum Daniel agnovisset supra se Deum, agnoverunt illum supra se leones (Dan. VI, 22). Si autem non agnoscis illum qui supra te est, superiorem contemnis, subderis inferiori. Propterea superbia Aegyptiorum unde domita est? De ranis et muscis (Exod. VIII). Poterat Deus et leones mittere, sed aliquis magnus leone terrendus est. Quanto illi erant superbiores, tanto de rebus contemptibilibus et abjectis fracta est eorum cervix mala. Sed Danielem agnoverunt leones, quia ille subditus Deo erat. Quid? martyres qui ad bestias pugnaverunt, et ferarum morsibus lacerati sunt, non erant sub Deo? Aut erant servi Dei tres viri,

7. Attend to what I am saying: God, man, cattle: for example, God is above you; the cattle are beneath you. Acknowledge Him who is above you, that the things which are beneath you may acknowledge you. And so, since Daniel had acknowledged God above himself, the lions acknowledged him above themselves (Dan. 6:22). But if you do not acknowledge Him who is above you, you despise the higher, you are made subject to the lower. Therefore, how was the pride of the Egyptians tamed? By frogs and flies (Exod. 8). God could have sent lions too, but someone great would need to be frightened by a lion. The prouder they were, the more by contemptible and abject things was their evil neck broken. But the lions acknowledged Daniel, because he was subject to God. What then? The martyrs who fought with the beasts and were torn by the bites of wild animals, were they not under God? Or were the three men servants of God,

Editors' notes and page, col. 2039

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et non erant servi Dei Machabaei? Agnovit ignis servos Dei tres viros, quos non ussit, quorum nec vestimenta corrupit (Dan. III, 50); et non agnovit Machabaeos? Agnovit Machabaeos; agnovit, fratres et istos (II Machab. VII). Sed opus erat quodam flagello, permittente Domino, qui dixit in Scriptura, Flagellat omnem filium quem recipit (Hebr. XII, 6). Putatis enim, fratres, quia ferrum transverberaret viscera Domini, nisi ipse permitteret; aut haereret in ligno, nisi ipse voluisset? Non eum agnovit creatura sua? An exemplum patientiae proposuit fidelibus suis? Ideo Deus quosdam liberavit visibiliter, quosdam non liberavit visibiliter: omnes tamen spiritualiter liberavit, spiritualiter neminem deseruit. Visibiliter quosdam visus est deseruisse, quosdam visus est eripuisse. Ideo quosdam eripuit, ne putes illum non potuisse eripere. Testimonium dedit quia potest, ut ubi non facit, secretiorem intelligas voluntatem, non suspiceris difficultatem. Sed quid, fratres? Cum evaserimus omnes istos mortalitatis laqueos, cum transierint tempora tentationis, cum saeculi hujus fluvius decucurrerit et receperimus illam stolam primam, immortalitatem illam quam peccando perdidimus, cum corruptibile hoc induerit incorruptionem, id est, caro ista induerit incorruptionem, et mortale hoc induerit immortalitatem (I Cor. XV, 53, 54); jam perfectos filios Dei, ubi non opus est tentari, nec flagellari, agnoscet omnis creatura: subdita nobis erunt omnia, si nos hic subditi sumus Deo.

and were the Maccabees not servants of God? The fire acknowledged the three men, servants of God, whom it did not burn, whose very garments it did not spoil (Dan. 3:50); and did it not acknowledge the Maccabees? It acknowledged the Maccabees; it acknowledged, brethren, these too (2 Macc. 7). But there was need of a certain scourge, the Lord permitting it, who said in Scripture, He scourges every son whom He receives (Heb. 12:6). For do you think, brethren, that iron would have pierced the Lord's vitals had He not Himself permitted it; or that He would have hung upon the wood had He not Himself willed it? Did His creature not acknowledge Him? Or did He set forth an example of patience to His faithful? Therefore God delivered some visibly, some He did not deliver visibly: yet He delivered all spiritually, spiritually He deserted none. Visibly He seemed to have deserted some, He seemed to have rescued others. He rescued some for this reason, lest you think He could not rescue. He gave testimony that He can, so that where He does not, you may understand a more hidden will, and not suspect a difficulty. But what then, brethren? When we have escaped all these snares of mortality, when the times of temptation have passed, when the river of this world has run down and we have received back that first robe, that immortality which we lost by sinning, when this corruptible has put on incorruption, that is, this flesh has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:53–54); then the whole creation will acknowledge the perfected sons of God, where there is no need to be tempted or scourged: all things will be subject to us, if here we are subject to God.

8. Sic ergo debet esse christianus, ut non glorietur super alios homines. Dedit enim tibi Deus esse super bestias, id est, meliorem esse quam bestias. Hoc naturale habes; semper melior eris quam bestia. Si vis melior esse quam alius homo, invidebis ei quando tibi esse videbis aequalem. Debes velle omnes homines aequales tibi esse; et si viceris aliquem per prudentiam, optare debes ut sit et ipse prudens. Quamdiu tardus est, discit a te; quamdiu indoctus est, indiget tui; et tu videris doctor, ille autem discens: tu ergo superior, quia doctor es; ille inferior, quia discens. Nisi illum optes aequalem, semper vis habere discentem. Si autem vis semper habere discentem, invidus eris doctor. Si invidus doctor, quomodo eris doctor? Rogo te, noli docere ipsum invidentiam tuam. Audi Apostolum dicentem de visceribus charitatis: Vellem omnes homines esse sicut meipsum (Id. VII, 7). Quomodo volebat omnes esse aequales? Ideo erat omnibus superior, quia charitate optabat omnes aequales. Excessit ergo homo modum; avarior voluit esse, ut supra homines esset, qui supra pecora factus est: et ipsa est superbia.

8. So a Christian ought to be such that he does not glory over other men. For God has given you to be above the beasts, that is, to be better than the beasts. This you have by nature; you will always be better than a beast. If you wish to be better than another man, you will envy him when you see him to be your equal. You ought to wish all men to be equal to you; and if you surpass someone in prudence, you ought to wish that he too may be prudent. As long as he is slow, he learns from you; as long as he is untaught, he needs you; and you seem the teacher, he the learner: you therefore are the superior, because you are the teacher; he the inferior, because he is the learner. Unless you wish him to be your equal, you want always to have him as a learner. But if you want always to have him as a learner, you will be an envious teacher. If an envious teacher, how will you be a teacher? I beg you, do not teach him your envy. Hear the Apostle speaking from the bowels of charity: I would that all men were as I myself (ibid. 7:7). How did he wish all to be equal? He was above all for this reason, that in charity he wished all to be equal. Man, then, exceeded the measure; he wished to be more avaricious, so as to be above men, he who was made above the cattle: and that is pride.

9. Et videte quanta opera faciat superbia; ponite in corde quam similia facit, et quasi paria charitati. Pascit esurientem charitas, pascit et superbia: charitas, ut Deus laudetur; superbia, ut ipsa laudetur. Vestit nudum charitas, vestit et superbia; jejunat charitas, jejunat et superbia; sepelit mortuos charitas, sepelit et superbia. Omnia opera bona quae vult facere charitas et facit, agitat contra superbia, et quasi

9. And see how great works pride does; set it in your heart how like, and as it were equal, to charity are the works it does. Charity feeds the hungry, pride feeds them too: charity, that God may be praised; pride, that itself may be praised. Charity clothes the naked, pride clothes them too; charity fasts, pride fasts too; charity buries the dead, pride buries them too. All the good works that charity wills to do and does, pride on the other side sets in motion, and as it were

Editors' notes and page, col. 2040

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other: "discit" — the c looks like e in the image (diseit); taken as poor impression, set discit. "decucurrerit" set as printed (a valid reduplicated perfect). "(Id. VII, 7)" refers to 1 Cor. Column ends mid-sentence at "et quasi".

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ducit equos suos. Sed interior est charitas: tollit locum male agitatae superbiae; non male agitanti, sed male agitatae. Vae homini cujus auriga superbia est, necesse est enim ut praeceps eat. Ut autem non sit superbia quae agitet facta bona, quis novit? quis videt? ubi est hoc? Opera videmus: pascit misericordia, pascit et superbia; hospitem suscipit misericordia, hospitem suscipit et superbia; intercedit pro paupere misericordia, intercedit et superbia. Quid est hoc? In operibus non discernimus. Audeo aliquid dicere, sed non ego; Paulus dixit: moritur charitas, id est, homo habens charitatem, confitetur nomen Christi, ducit martymartyrium; confitetur et superbia, ducit et martyrium. Ille habet charitatem, ille non habet charitatem. Sed audiat ab Apostolo ille qui non habet charitatem: Si distribuero omnia mea pauperibus, et si tradidero corpus meum ut ardeam, charitatem autem non habuero, nihil mihi prodest (I Cor. XIII, 3). Ergo Scriptura divina intro nos revocat a jactatione hujus faciei forinsecus; et ab ista superficie quae jactatur ante homines, revocat nos intro. Redi ad conscientiam tuam, ipsam interroga. Noli attendere quod floret foris, sed quae radix est in terra. Radicata est cupiditas? species potest esse bonorum factorum, vere opera bona esse non possunt. Radicata est charitas? securus esto, nihil mali procedere potest. Blanditur superbus, saevit amor. Ille vestit, ille caedit. Ille enim vestit ut placeat hominibus: ille caedit ut corrigat disciplina. Accipitur magis plaga charitatis, quam eleemosyna superbiae. Redite ergo intro, fratres; et in omnibus quaecumque facitis, intuemini testem Deum. Videte, si ille videt, quo animo faciatis. Si cor vestrum non vos accusat, quia jactantiae causa facitis; bene, securi estote. Nolite autem timere quando facitis bene, ne videat alter. Time ne propterea facias, ut tu lauderis: nam videat alter, ut Deus laudetur. Si enim abscondis ab oculis hominis; abscondis ab imitatione hominis, laudem subtrahis Deo. Duo sunt quibus eleemosynam facis: duo esuriunt; unus panem, alter justitiam. Inter duos istos famelicos, quia dictum est, Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur (Matth. V, 6): inter duos istos famelicos, bonus operator constitutus es; si charitas de illo operatur, ambos miseratur, ambobus vult subvenire. Ille enim quaerit quod manducet, ille quaerit quod imitetur. Pascis istum, praebe te isti; ambobus dedisti eleemosynam: illum fecisti gratulatorem de fame interfecta; hunc fecisti imitatorem de exemplo proposito.

drives its own horses. But charity is inward: it takes away the place of pride ill driven; not of pride driving ill, but of pride ill driven. Woe to the man whose charioteer is pride, for he must go headlong. But that it is not pride that drives good deeds, who knows? who sees? where is this? We see the works: mercy feeds, pride feeds too; mercy takes in a guest, pride takes in a guest too; mercy intercedes for the poor man, pride intercedes too. What is this? In the works we do not distinguish them. I dare to say something, but not I; Paul said it: charity dies, that is, a man having charity confesses the name of Christ and suffers martyrdom; pride too confesses, and suffers martyrdom too. The one has charity, the other has not charity. But let him who has not charity hear from the Apostle: If I distribute all my goods to the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not charity, it profits me nothing (1 Cor. 13:3). So divine Scripture calls us back within from the boasting of this outward face; and from this surface which is flaunted before men it calls us back within. Return to your conscience, question it. Do not look at what blooms outside, but at what root is in the earth. Is covetousness the root? There can be the appearance of good deeds, they cannot truly be good works. Is charity the root? Be secure, nothing evil can come forth. The proud man flatters, love is severe. The one clothes, the other strikes. For the one clothes that he may please men: the other strikes that he may correct by discipline. The blow of charity is more to be accepted than the alms of pride. Return within, then, brethren; and in all things whatsoever you do, look upon God as your witness. See, if He sees, with what mind you act. If your heart does not accuse you of acting for the sake of display, it is well, be secure. But do not fear, when you do well, lest another see it. Fear lest you do it for this, that you may be praised: for let another see it, that God may be praised. For if you hide it from the eyes of man, you hide it from man's imitation, you withdraw praise from God. There are two to whom you give alms: two are hungry; one for bread, the other for justice. Between these two hungry ones, since it has been said, Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be filled (Matt. 5:6): between these two hungry ones you have been set as a good worker; if charity works from that, it pities both, it wishes to help both. For the one seeks what he may eat, the other seeks what he may imitate. You feed the one, offer yourself to the other; you have given alms to both: the one you have made to rejoice at hunger slain; the other you have made an imitator from the example set before him.

10. Miseremini ergo tanquam misericordes; quia in eo etiam quod diligitis inimicos, fratres diligitis. Ne putetis Joannem nihil de dilectione inimici praecepisse; quia de fraterna charitate non tacuit: fratres diligitis. Quomodo, inquis, fratres diligimus? Quaero quare diligas inimicum: quare illum diligis? Ut sanus sit in hac vita? quid, si non illi expedit? Ut dives sit? quid, si ipsis divitiis excaecabitur? Ut uxorem ducat?

10. Show mercy, then, as merciful men; for even in loving your enemies you love brethren. Do not think that John gave no precept about love of an enemy, since he was not silent about brotherly charity: you love brethren. How, you say, do we love brethren? I ask why you love your enemy: why do you love him? That he may be healthy in this life? What if it is not good for him? That he may be rich? What if he will be blinded by those very riches? That he may take a wife?

Editors' notes and page, col. 2041

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: Ille enim vestit› · call in col 2041

Er. Lugd. Ven. Lov. sic exhibent hunc locum: Blanditur superbia.... illa vestit.... illa enim vestit. M

The Erasmus, Lyon, Venice and Louvain editions give this passage thus: "Pride flatters.... she clothes.... for she clothes." M [the Maurist editors]

(printed under page 369)

(2) ‹anchor: istum, praebe› · call in col 2041

Er. Lugd. Ven. Lov., praebes. M.

The Erasmus, Lyon, Venice and Louvain editions read "praebes" ("you offer"). M. [the Maurist editors]

(printed under page 369)

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quid, si amaram vitam inde patietur? Ut filios habeat? quid, si mali erunt? Incerta sunt ergo ista quae videris optare inimico tuo, quia diligis eum; incerta sunt. Opta illi ut habeat tecum vitam aeternam; opta illi ut sit frater tuus. Si ergo hoc optas, diligendo inimicum, ut sit frater tuus; cum eum diligis, fratrem diligis. Non enim amas in illo quod est; sed quod vis ut sit. Dixeram aliquando Charitati vestrae, nisi fallor: Robur est ligni positum ante oculos; faber optimus vidit lignum non dolatum, de silva praecisum, adamavit: nescio quid inde vult facere. Non enim ad hoc amavit, ut semper sic maneat. In arte vidit quod futurum est, non in amore quod est; et amavit quod inde facturus est, non illud quod est. Sic et nos Deus amavit peccatores. Dicimus quia Deus amavit peccatores: ait enim, Non est opus sanis medicus, sed male habentibus (Matth. IX, 12). Numquid ad hoc amavit peccatores, ut peccatores remaneremus? Quasi lignum de silva vidit nos faber, et cogitavit aedificium quod inde facturus est, non silvam quod erat. Sic et tu respicis inimicum tuum adversantem, saevientem, mordentem verbis, exasperantem contumeliis, insectantem odiis; attendis ibi quia homo est. Vides ista omnia quae adversa sunt ab homine facta; et vides in illo quod a Deo factus est. Quod autem homo factus est, a Deo factus est. Quod autem te odit, ipse fecit; quod invidet, ipse fecit. Et quid dicis in animo tuo? Domine, propitius illi esto, dimitte illi peccata; incute illi terrorem, muta illum. Non amas in illo quod est, sed quod vis ut sit. Ergo cum inimicum amas, fratrem amas. Quapropter perfecta dilectio, est inimici dilectio: quae perfecta dilectio est in dilectione fraterna. Et nemo dicat quia aliquid minus nos monuit Joannes apostolus, et plus nos monuit Dominus Christus: Joannes nos monuit ut fratres diligamus; Christus nos admonuit ut etiam inimicos diligamus (Id. V, 44). Attende quare te monuit Christus ut diligas inimicos. Numquid ut semper remaneant inimici? Si ad hoc te monuit ut inimici remaneant, odis, non diligis. Attende quomodo ipse dilexit, id est, quia nolebat ut sic remanerent persecutores; ait, Pater, ignosce illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt (Luc. XXIII, 34). Quibus voluit ignosci, mutari illos voluit: quos voluit mutari, ex inimicis fratres facere dignatus est, et vere sic fecit. Occisus est, sepultus est, resurrexit, in coelum ascendit, Spiritum sanctum misit discipulis; coeperunt cum fiducia praedicare nomen ipsius, miracula faciebant in nomine crucifixi et occisi: viderunt illi interfectores Domini; et qui sanguinem ejus saeviendo fuderunt, credendo biberunt.

what if he will suffer a bitter life from it? That he may have children? What if they turn out evil? Uncertain, then, are these things which you seem to wish for your enemy because you love him; they are uncertain. Wish for him that he may have eternal life with you; wish for him that he may be your brother. If then you wish this in loving your enemy, that he may be your brother, when you love him you love a brother. For you do not love in him what he is, but what you wish him to be. I once said to your Charity, if I am not mistaken: a log of oak is set before the eyes; an excellent craftsman has seen the wood, unhewn, cut from the forest, and has fallen in love with it: he wants to make something or other from it. For he did not love it so that it should always remain so. In his art he saw what it is to be, not in his love what it is; and he loved what he is going to make of it, not that which it is. So God too loved us sinners. We say that God loved sinners: for He says, The healthy have no need of a physician, but those who are ill (Matt. 9:12). Did He love sinners so that we should remain sinners? As the craftsman sees wood from the forest, so He saw us, and He thought of the building He is going to make from it, not the forest it was. So you too look upon your enemy opposing you, raging, biting with words, provoking with insults, pursuing with hatreds; you attend there to this, that he is a man. You see all these hostile things done by a man; and you see in him that he was made by God. That he was made a man, he was made by God. But that he hates you, he himself did; that he envies, he himself did. And what do you say in your mind? Lord, be merciful to him, forgive him his sins; strike terror into him, change him. You do not love in him what he is, but what you wish him to be. So when you love an enemy, you love a brother. Wherefore perfect love is love of an enemy: and this perfect love is in brotherly love. And let no one say that John the apostle admonished us to something less, and the Lord Christ admonished us to more: John admonished us to love the brethren; Christ admonished us to love even our enemies (ibid. 5:44). Attend why Christ admonished you to love your enemies. Was it that they might always remain enemies? If He admonished you to this, that they remain enemies, you hate, you do not love. Attend how He Himself loved, that is, because He did not wish them to remain persecutors thus; He said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). Those whom He willed to be forgiven, He willed to be changed: those whom He willed to be changed, He deigned to make brothers out of enemies, and truly He did so. He was slain, He was buried, He rose again, He ascended into heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples; they began with confidence to preach His name, they were working miracles in the name of the Crucified and slain: those slayers of the Lord saw them; and they who in rage had shed His blood, by believing drank it.

11. Haec dixi, fratres, et longiuscule: tamen quia vehementius commendanda fuit Charitati vestrae ipsa charitas, ideo commendanda sic erat. Si enim chariritas nulla est in vobis, nihil diximus. Si autem est in vobis, tanquam oleum in flammas adjecimus; et in quo non erat, forte verbis accensa est. In alio crevit quod erat; in alio coepit esse quod non erat. Ad hoc ergo ista diximus, ne pigri sitis diligere inimicos. Saevit in te homo? ille saevit, tu precare; ille odit, tu miserere. Febris animae ipsius te odit: sanus erit, et

11. I have said these things, brethren, and at some length: yet because charity itself had to be commended more vehemently to your Charity, therefore it had to be commended thus. For if there is no charity in you, we have said nothing. But if it is in you, we have as it were thrown oil on the flames; and in one in whom it was not, perhaps it has been kindled by the words. In one, what was there has grown; in another, what was not has begun to be. To this end, then, have we said these things, that you may not be slow to love your enemies. Does a man rage against you? He rages, do you pray; he hates, do you pity. It is the fever of his soul that hates you: he will be healed, and

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gratias tibi aget. Quomodo medici diligunt aegrotos? Numquid aegrotos diligunt? Si aegrotos diligunt, volunt ut semper aegrotent. Ad hoc diligunt aegrotos, non ut aegroti remaneant, sed ut ex aegrotis sani fiant. Et quanta plerumque patiuntur a phreneticis? quales contumelias verborum? Plerumque et percutiuntur. Persequitur ille febrem, ignoscit homini: et quid dicam, fratres? amat inimicum suum? Imo odit inimicum suum morbum; ipsum enim odit, et amat hominem a quo percutitur: odit febrem. A quo enim percutitur? A morbo, ab aegrotatione, a febre. Illud tollit quod illi adversatur, ut remaneat illud unde gratuletur. Sic et tu: si odit te inimicus tuus, et injuste te odit; noveris quia cupiditas saeculi in illo regnat, propterea te odit. Si odisti illum et tu, contra reddis malum pro malo. Quid facit reddere malum pro malo? Unum aegrotum flebam, qui te oderat; jam duos plango, si et tu odisti. Sed persequitur rem tuam; tollit tibi nescio quae, quae habes in terra: ideo illum odisti, quia angustias tibi facit in terra. Noli pati angustias, migra in coelum sursum: cor ibi habebis ubi latitudo est, ut nullas angustias patiaris in spe vitae aeternae. Attende quae tibi tollit: nec ipsa tibi tolleret, nisi ille permitteret qui flagellat omnem filium quem recipit (Hebr. XII, 6). Quodammodo ferramentum Dei est quo saneris, ipse inimicus tuus. Si novit Deus utile tibi esse ut exspoliet te, permittit illum; si novit tibi utile esse ut vapules, permittit illum, ut caedaris: de illo te curat, opta ut ille sanetur.

will give you thanks. How do physicians love the sick? Do they love the sick? If they love the sick, they want them always to be sick. They love the sick to this end, not that they remain sick, but that from sick they become healthy. And how much do they often suffer from the delirious? what insulting words? Often they are even struck. The physician pursues the fever, he forgives the man: and what shall I say, brethren? does he love his enemy? No, he hates his enemy, the disease; it is that he hates, and he loves the man by whom he is struck: he hates the fever. For by what is he struck? By the disease, by the sickness, by the fever. He takes away that which is opposed to him, that there may remain that over which he may rejoice. So you too: if your enemy hates you, and hates you unjustly, know that the covetousness of the world reigns in him, and that is why he hates you. If you too have hated him, you are returning evil for evil. What does returning evil for evil do? I was weeping for one sick man, who had hated you; now I lament two, if you too have hated. But he pursues your property; he takes from you some things or other that you have on earth: you have hated him for this, that he makes straits for you on earth. Do not suffer straits; move up to heaven above: you will have your heart there, where there is breadth, so that you suffer no straits in the hope of eternal life. Attend to what he takes from you: he would not take even these things from you unless He permitted it who scourges every son whom He receives (Heb. 12:6). Your enemy himself is in a manner God's instrument by which you are healed. If God knows that it is useful for you that he despoil you, He permits him; if He knows that it is useful for you that you be beaten, He permits him, that you may be struck: by him He is curing you; wish that he may be healed.

12. Deum nemo vidit unquam. Videte, dilectissimi: Si diligamus invicem, Deus in nobis manebit, et dilectio ejus erit perfecta in nobis. Incipe diligere, perficieris. Coepisti diligere? coepit in te Deus habitare; ama eum qui in te coepit habitare, ut perfectius inhabitando faciat te perfectum. In hoc cognoscimus quia in ipso manemus, et ipse in nobis, quia de Spiritu suo dedit nobis. Bene, Deo gratias. Cognoscimus quia habitat in nobis. Et hoc ipsum unde cognoscimus, quia cognovimus quia habitat in nobis? Quia hoc ipse Joannes dixit: Quia de Spiritu suo dedit nobis. Unde scimus quia de Spiritu suo dedit nobis? Hoc ipsum, quia de Spiritu suo dedit tibi, unde cognoscis? Interroga viscera tua: si plena sunt charitate, habes Spiritum Dei. Unde cognoscimus quia inde cognoscis habitare in te Spiritum Dei? Paulum interroga apostolum: Quoniam charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis (Rom. V, 5).

12. No one has ever seen God. See, dearly beloved: If we love one another, God will abide in us, and His love will be perfected in us. Begin to love, you will be perfected. Have you begun to love? God has begun to dwell in you; love Him who has begun to dwell in you, that by dwelling in you more perfectly He may make you perfect. In this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Good, thanks be to God. We know that He dwells in us. And this very thing, how do we know it, that we have known that He dwells in us? Because John himself said this: Because He has given us of His Spirit. How do we know that He has given us of His Spirit? This very thing, that He has given you of His Spirit, how do you know it? Question your own heart: if it is full of charity, you have the Spirit of God. How do we know that it is by this that you know the Spirit of God dwells in you? Question Paul the apostle: Because the charity of God has been poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Rom. 5:5).

13. Et nos vidimus, et testes sumus, quia Pater misit Filium suum Salvatorem mundi. Securi estote qui aegrotatis: talis medicus venit, et desperatis? Magni erant morbi, insanabilia erant vulnera, desperata erat aegritudo. Magnitudinem mali tui attendis, omnipotentiam medici non attendis? Tu desperatus es; sed ille omnipotens est: cujus testes isti sunt qui primo sanati, et annuntiantes medicum; et ipsi tamen plus

13. And we have seen and are witnesses that the Father has sent His Son as Saviour of the world. Be secure, you who are sick: such a physician has come, and do you despair? Great were the diseases, incurable were the wounds, hopeless was the sickness. Do you attend to the greatness of your ill, and not attend to the omnipotence of the physician? You are past hope; but He is almighty: His witnesses are these who were first healed and who announce the physician; and yet they themselves were healed more

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Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: call not visible on the page-foot image› · call in col 2043

Lov., Quid facis reddere malum pro malo? quae voces absunt ab editione Erasmi Frobeniana, et apud Er. Guill. Lugd. et Ven. uncis includuntur. M.

Louvain reads "Quid facis reddere malum pro malo?" ("Why do you render evil for evil?"); these words are absent from Erasmus's Froben edition, and in Erasmus as printed by Gillius, and in the Lyon and Venice editions, they are enclosed in brackets. M. [the Maurist editors]

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spe sanati quam re. Nam sic dicit Apostolus: Spe enim salvi facti sumus (Rom. VIII, 24). Coepimus ergo sanari in fide: perficietur autem salus nostra, cum corruptibile hoc induerit incorruptionem, et mortale hoc induerit immortalitatem (I Cor. XV, 53, 54). Haec spes est, nondum res. Sed qui gaudet in spe, tenebit et rem: qui autem spem non habet, ad rem non poterit pervenire.

in hope than in fact. For so the Apostle says: For in hope we have been saved (Rom. 8:24). So we have begun to be healed in faith: but our health will be made perfect when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:53–54). This is hope, not yet the thing itself. But he who rejoices in hope will hold the thing too: but he who has not hope will not be able to reach the thing.

14. Quicumque confessus fuerit quod Jesus est Filius Dei, Deus in ipso manet, et ipse in Deo. Jam non multis dicamus: Qui confessus fuerit, non verbo, sed facto; non lingua, sed vita. Nam multi confitentur verbis, sed factis negant. Et nos cognovimus, et credidimus, quam dilectionem Deus habet in nobis. Et iterum unde cognovisti? Deus dilectio est. Jam dixit illud superius, ecce iterum dicit. Amplius tibi non potuit dilectio commendari, quam ut diceretur Deus. Forte munus Dei contempturus eras. Et Deum contemnis? Deus dilectio est. Et qui manet in dilectione, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo manet. Vicissim in se habitant, qui continet et qui continetur. Habitas in Deo, sed ut continearis: habitat in te Deus, sed ut te contineat, ne cadas. Ne forte sic te putes domum Dei fieri, quomodo domus tua portat carnem tuam: si subtrahat se domus in qua es, cadis; si autem tu te subtrahas, non cadit Deus. Integer est, cum eum deseris; integer, cum ad illum redieris. Tu sanaris, non illi aliquid praestabis; tu mundaris, tu reficeris, tu corrigeris. Ille medicamentum est non sano, regula est pravo, lux est tenebrato, habitatio est deserto. Omnia ergo tibi conferuntur. Vide ne putes Deo aliquid conferri, quando venis ad eum; nec mancipium saltem. Ergo non habebit Deus servos, si tu nolueris, et si omnes noluerint? Deus non indiget servis, sed servi Deo: ideo dicit Psalmus, Dixi Domino, Deus meus es tu. Ipse est verus Dominus. Et quid ait? Quoniam bonorum meorum non eges (Psal. XV, 2). Tu eges bono servi tui. Eget servus bono tuo, ut pascas illum: eges et tu bono servi tui, ut adjuvet te. Non tibi potes aquam implere, non tibi potes coquere, non tibi potes ante equum currere, jumentum tuum non potes curare. Vides quia indiges bono servi tui, obsequio illius indiges. Non es ergo verus dominus, quando indiges inferiore. Ille est verus Dominus qui nihil a nobis quaerit; et vae nobis, si eum non quaeramus. Nihil a nobis quaerit; et quaesivit nos, cum eum non quaereremus. Ovis una erraverat; invenit eam, gaudens in humeris suis reportavit (Luc. XV, 4, 5). Et numquid ovis erat pastori necessaria, et non ovi potius pastor necessarius erat? Quanto libentius de charitate loquor, tanto minus volo finiri Epistolam istam. Nulla est ardentior ad commendandam charitatem. Nihil vobis dulcius praedicatur, nihil salubrius bibitur: sed si bene vivendo confirmetis in vobis munus Dei. Ne sitis ingrati tantae gratiae illius, qui cum haberet Unicum, noluit illum esse unum; sed ut fratres haberet, adoptavit illi, qui cum illo possiderent vitam aeternam

14. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. Let us not now say much: He who confesses, not in word but in deed; not with the tongue but with the life. For many confess with words, but deny with deeds. And we have known and have believed the love which God has in us. And again, how have you known it? God is love. He said it above already; see, he says it again. Love could not have been commended to you more than by its being called God. Perhaps you were about to despise a gift of God. Do you despise God too? God is love. And he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. They dwell in each other, He who holds and he who is held. You dwell in God, but in order to be held: God dwells in you, but in order to hold you, lest you fall. Do not perhaps think that you become the house of God in the way that your house carries your flesh: if the house in which you are withdraws itself, you fall; but if you withdraw yourself, God does not fall. He is whole when you desert Him; whole when you return to Him. You are healed, you will not bestow anything on Him; you are cleansed, you are restored, you are corrected. He is medicine to the unsound, a rule to the crooked, light to the darkened, a dwelling to the forsaken. All things, then, are conferred on you. See that you do not think anything is conferred on God when you come to Him; not even a slave. Shall God then have no servants, if you are unwilling, and if all are unwilling? God does not need servants, but servants need God: therefore the Psalm says, I said to the Lord, Thou art my God. He is the true Lord. And what does it say? For Thou hast no need of my goods (Ps. 15:2). You have need of the good of your servant. The servant has need of your good, that you may feed him: you too have need of your servant's good, that he may help you. You cannot draw water for yourself, you cannot cook for yourself, you cannot run before your horse for yourself, you cannot tend your beast. You see that you need your servant's good, you need his service. You are not then a true lord, when you need an inferior. He is the true Lord who seeks nothing from us; and woe to us if we do not seek Him. He seeks nothing from us; and He sought us when we were not seeking Him. One sheep had strayed; He found it, rejoicing He carried it back on His shoulders (Luke 15:4–5). And was the sheep necessary to the shepherd, and not rather the shepherd necessary to the sheep? The more gladly I speak of charity, the less I want this Epistle to be finished. None is more ardent in commending charity. Nothing sweeter is preached to you, nothing more wholesome is drunk: but only if by living well you confirm in yourselves the gift of God. Do not be ungrateful for such great grace of His, who, though He had an Only One, did not will Him to be alone; but that He might have brothers, adopted for Him those who should possess eternal life with Him

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