PL 38 · cols. 128–131

Augustine, Sermones 1-18 (Classis I, de Scripturis: de Vetere Testamento)

Sermon XVIII

meum: quare in populo arguit? Quid si feci, et non correxisti? Quid si feci, et adhuc perseveras? Quid si feci, et adhuc tibi bene fecisse videris in corde tuo? Quia tacet ille, justus es? Quia ille modo non vindicat, nihil male fecisti? Non times, Arguam te? Non times, Constituam te ante faciem tuam? non times?

my: why does he rebuke in public? What if I did it, and you did not correct it? What if I did it, and you still persist? What if I did it, and you still seem to yourself in your heart to have done well? Because he is silent, are you righteous? Because he does not avenge it now, have you done nothing wrong? Do you not fear, I will rebuke you? Do you not fear, I will set you before your face? Do you not fear?

CAPUT VII. — 7. Vitae brevitas. Homo vitro fragilior. Sed longe est, inquis, judicium. Primo, quis tibi dixit quia longe est dies judicii? Numquid si longe est dies judicii, longe est dies tuus? Unde scis quando est? Nonne multi sani dormierunt et obduruerunt? Nonne casus nostros nobiscum in hac carne portamus? Nonne fragiliores sumus, quam si vitrei essemus? Vitrum enim etsi fragile est, tamen servatum diu durat: et invenis calices ab avis et proavis, in quibus bibunt nepotes et pronepotes. Tanta fragilitas custodita est per annos. Nos autem homines, et sub tantis casibus quotidianis fragiles ambulamus; et si casus ipsi repentini non acciderent, diu tamen vivere non valeremus. Vita humana tota brevis est, ab infantia usque ad decrepitam senectutem tota brevis est. Adam si adhuc viveret, et hodie moreretur, quid illi vitae longitudo profuisset? Huc accedit, quia ipse dies, qui quasi naturaliter servit, morbo inlecto incertus est. Quotidie moriuntur homines: et qui vivunt deducunt illos, exsequias celebrant, et vitam sibi promittunt. Nemo dicit, Corrigam me, ne cras hoc sim quod iste quem deduxi. Placent vobis verba, ego quaero facta. Nolite me contristare pravis moribus vestris: quia delectatio mea non est in hac vita nisi vestra bona vita.

Chapter VII. — 7. The shortness of life. Man is more fragile than glass. But the judgement is far off, you say. First, who told you that the day of judgement is far off? Even if the day of judgement is far off, is your day far off? How do you know when it is? Have not many healthy people fallen asleep and grown stiff? Do we not carry our mishaps about with us in this flesh? Are we not more fragile than if we were made of glass? For glass, although it is fragile, yet if it is looked after lasts a long time: and you find cups from grandfathers and great-grandfathers, out of which grandsons and great-grandsons drink. So great a fragility has been preserved through the years. But we human beings walk about fragile amid such great daily mishaps; and even if sudden mishaps themselves did not befall us, we still could not live long. The whole of human life is short; from infancy to decrepit old age the whole of it is short. If Adam were still alive, and died today, what would length of life have profited him? Add to this that the very day which, as it were, serves by nature is made uncertain when disease creeps in. Every day people die: and those who are alive escort them to burial, celebrate their funerals, and promise life to themselves. No one says, I will correct myself, lest tomorrow I be what that man is whom I escorted to burial. Words please you; I look for deeds. Do not sadden me with your wicked ways: for my delight in this life is nothing but your good life.

SERMO XVIII. De eodem versu Psalmi XLIX, Deus manifestus veniet, etc.

Sermon XVIII. On the same verse of Psalm 49, God will come manifest, etc.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Christi adventus alter occultus, alter manifestus. Praecepta Dei quibusdam in risum veniunt. Hominum carnalium perversum judicium. Ad exhortandas mentes Charitatis vestrae, pauca de praesenti psalmo, quae donat Dominus, gratanter accipite. De Domino nostro Jesu Christo prophetatum est in isto psalmo, ubi audivimus et cantavimus, Deus manifestus veniet, Deus noster, et non silebit. Ipse enim Dominus Christus, Deus noster, Filius Dei, primo adventu venit occultus, secundo adventu veniet manifestus. Quando venit occultus, non innotuit nisi servis suis: quando veniet manifestus, innotescet bonis et malis. Quando venit occultus, venit judicandus: quando veniet manifestus, veniet judicaturus. Denique tunc cum judicaretur, siluit, et de silentio ejus propheta praedixerat, Sicut ovis ad immolandum

Chapter I. — 1. Christ's comings, the one hidden, the other manifest. God's commandments become a laughing matter to some. The perverse judgement of carnal men. To exhort the minds of your Charity, receive gladly a few words on the present psalm, which the Lord grants. It was prophesied about our Lord Jesus Christ in this psalm, where we heard and sang, God will come manifest, our God, and He will not keep silent. For the Lord Christ Himself, our God, the Son of God, at His first coming came hidden; at His second coming He will come manifest. When He came hidden, He became known only to His servants: when He comes manifest, He will become known to the good and the bad. When He came hidden, He came to be judged: when He comes manifest, He will come to judge. Accordingly, at that time when He was being judged, He kept silent, and of His silence the prophet had foretold, Like a sheep to be sacrificed

Editors' notes and page, col. 128

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 128

Sic Mss. Editi vero, intus videret peccatum meum.

So the manuscripts. The printed editions, however: intus videret peccatum meum ["he would see my sin within"].

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(2) ‹anchor: morbo inlecto› · call in col 128

Lov., in lecto. At Mss. una voce, inlecto; pro quo Er., illecto.

Lov.: in lecto ["in bed"]. But the manuscripts, as a single word, inlecto; for which Er. has illecto.

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(3) ‹anchor: tunc cum judicaretur› · call in col 128

Mss. Victorinus et Phimarconensis : Denique tunc ut judicaretur.

The Saint-Victor and Phimarconensis manuscripts: Denique tunc ut judicaretur ["Then indeed, that he might be judged"].

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO XVIII› · call in col 128 Collatus est ad fl. ph. v. et ad Am. Er. Ulim. Par. Lov.

Collated with fl. ph. v. and with Am. Er. Ulim. Par. Lov. [sigla of manuscripts and editions, kept as printed].

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(a) ‹anchor: SERMO XVIII› · call in col 128

Alias, de Tempore 220.

Formerly, de Tempore 220.

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(b) ‹anchor: veniet, etc.› · call in col 128

Hujus sermonis fragmentum exstat in collectione Flori ad. Rom. 1.

A fragment of this sermon survives in the collection of Florus on Romans 1.

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ductus est, et sicut agnus coram tondente, sic non aperuit os suum (Isai. LIII, 7). Sed Deus noster manifestus veniet, Deus noster, et non silebit. Non quomodo siluit, quando judicandus erat, ita silebit, quando judicaturus erit. Et nunc non silet, si sit qui audiat: sed dictum est, Tunc non silebit, quando vocem ejus agnoscent et qui modo contemnunt. Modo enim quando dicuntur praecepta Dei, quibusdam in risum veniunt: et quoniam quod promisit Deus modo non ostenditur, et quod minatur modo non videtur, quod praecipit irridetur. Modo enim felicitatem quae dicitur mundi hujus, habent et mali; infelicitatem quae dicitur mundi hujus, habent et boni. Attendunt homines qui credunt praesentia et non credunt futura, quoniam ista bona et mala praesentis saeculi promiscue habent boni et mali. Si divitias optant, vident habere divitias et pessimos homines et bonos homines; vident etiam, si exhorrent paupertatem et miserias hujus saeculi, laborare in his miseriis non solum bonos, sed etiam malos: et dicunt in corde suo, quia res humanas Deus nec respicit, nec regit, sed omnino in intimo quodam mundi hujus fundo dimisit nos casibus volvi, nec aliquam providentiam exhibet nobis. Ac per hoc fit in illis contemptus praecepti, quia non vident manifestationem judicii.

led, and like a lamb before the shearer, so He did not open His mouth (Isa. 53:7). But our God will come manifest, our God, and will not keep silence. Not as He kept silence when He was to be judged will He keep silence when He is to judge. And even now He is not silent, if there is anyone to hear; but it has been said, Then He will not keep silence, when even those who now despise Him will recognize His voice. For now, when the commandments of God are spoken, to some they become a matter for laughter; and since what God has promised is not now shown, and what He threatens is not now seen, what He commands is mocked. For now what is called the happiness of this world the wicked also have; what is called the unhappiness of this world the good also have. People who believe in present things and do not believe in future ones observe that the good and the wicked have these goods and evils of the present age indiscriminately. If they desire riches, they see that both the worst of men and good men have riches; they also see, if they shrink from poverty and the miseries of this age, that not only the good but also the wicked toil in these miseries; and they say in their heart that God neither regards nor governs human affairs, but has altogether let us be tossed about by chance in some innermost depth of this world, and shows us no providence at all. And through this there arises in them contempt of the commandment, because they do not see the manifestation of the judgement.

CAPUT II. — 2. Cur Deus nunc judicat quaedam, non omnia. Verumtamen etiam modo debet quisque attendere, quia quando vult Deus, respicit et judicat, et ad horam non differt: quando autem vult, differt. Et unde hoc? Quia si nunquam in praesenti judicaret, non esse Deus crederetur: si omnia in praesenti judicaret, nihil judicio reservaret. Ad hoc enim multa servantur judicio, et quaedam in praesentia judicantur, ut illi qui differuntur, timeant et convertantur. Non enim amat Deus damnare, sed salvare: et ideo patiens est in malos, ut de malis faciat bonos. Sed dicit Apostolus, quia revelabitur ira Dei super omnem impietatem (Rom. I, 18), et reddet Deus unicuique secundum opera sua. Admonet autem et corripit hominem contemnentem; et dicit, An divitias bonitatis et longanimitatis ejus contemnis? Quia bonus est in te, quia longanimis est in te, quia patiens est in te, quia differt te et non aufert te, contemnis, et omnino nullum judicium Dei putas: ignorans quia patientia Dei ad poenitentiam te adducit? Tu autem secundum duritiam cordis tui thezaurizas tibi iram in die irae et revelationis justi judicii Dei, qui reddet unicuique secundum opera sua (Id. II, 4-6).

Chapter II. — 2. Why God now judges some things, not all. Nevertheless even now each person ought to take note that when God wills, He regards and judges, and does not defer even for an hour; but when He wills, He defers. And why is this? Because if He never judged in the present, it would be believed that there is no God; if He judged everything in the present, He would reserve nothing for the judgement. For to this end many things are kept for the judgement and some are judged in the present, so that those who are deferred may fear and be converted. For God does not love to condemn, but to save; and therefore He is patient towards the wicked, so that from the wicked He may make the good. But the Apostle says that the wrath of God will be revealed against all ungodliness (Rom. 1:18), and God will render to each according to his works. Moreover he admonishes and rebukes the man who despises, and says, Do you despise the riches of His goodness and long-suffering? Because He is good towards you, because He is long-suffering towards you, because He is patient towards you, because He defers you and does not take you away, you despise [Him], and think there is no judgement of God at all: not knowing that the patience of God leads you to repentance? But you, according to the hardness of your heart, are treasuring up for yourself wrath on the day of wrath and of the revelation of the just judgement of God, Who will render to each according to his works (Rom. 2:4–6).

3. Thesaurus operum, seu bonorum, seu malorum. Quidquid ergo homo facit modo, in thesaurum mittit, sed nescit quid colligat: quomodo divites, qui in thesaurum terrae mittunt, quasi sciunt quid colligunt, sed nesciunt cui colligunt. Quis enim possideat divitias eorum post mortem ipsorum, prorsus ignorant: et aliquando divitiae eorum ad inimicos eorum perveniunt. Et ideo se quisque fraudat nolens manducare,

3. The treasury of works, whether good or evil. Whatever, then, a person does now, he puts into the treasury, but he does not know what he is gathering: just as the rich, who put into an earthly treasury, know, as it were, what they are gathering, but do not know for whom they are gathering. For who may possess their riches after their death they do not know at all; and sometimes their riches come to their enemies. And therefore each one defrauds himself, being unwilling to

Editors' notes and page, col. 129

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: sed salvare› · call in col 129

Sic Am. et Mss. At Er. Ulim et Lov., sed allevare.

So Am. and the manuscripts. But Er., Ulim. and Lov.: sed allevare ["but to raise up"].

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(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 129

Morel legit : In infimo quodam mundi hujus fundo. Element. Critic. pag. 115. M.

Morel reads: In infimo quodam mundi hujus fundo ["In a certain lowest depth of this world"]. Element. Critic., p. 115. M.

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ut ditescat, ut alius de laboribus ejus fluat et luxurietur et dissolvatur.

eat, that he may grow rich, that another may overflow from his labours and live in luxury and be dissolved.

CAPUT III. — Quomodo ergo colligunt quidem scientes, sed cui colligant, nesciunt: sic contra in thesaurum coelestem boni quid colligant sciunt, mali quid colligant, nesciunt. Bonus enim ponit in thesauro coelesti omnia opera misericordiae, quae fecit circa homines quibus subvenit; et scit quoniam fidelis est custos, qui illi servat omnia quae reponit. Et non ea videt, sed de thesauro suo certus est, quia neque aliquid a fure subripitur, neque ab hoste invaditur, neque ab inimico et improbo et potente quasi e victo tollitur; sed semper manebit, quia a Domino potentissimo custoditur. Si enim pecunias homines fideli servo commendant, et securi sunt; misericordias suas commendant potenti Domino, et solliciti sunt? Noverunt ergo quia quidquid reponunt, totum ibi salvum est: qui fideles sunt, potentiae Domini sui fidem jungunt. Credunt enim quia servat, et inveniunt quod servat. Nam et homines qui pecuniam colligunt, numquid vident arcam ipsam, aut in arcam pecuniam semper colligunt et mittunt, aut infodiunt et servant? Non vident; et tamen quasi conscientia eorum scit quia ibi est in loco illo ubi posuerunt. Et forte jam fur tulit, et vanus gaudet qui inaniter reservavit. In thesauro autem coelesti si quid posuerimus, et de Domini custodia securi sumus, et omnino furem nullum patiamur, nec damnum aliquod sustinemus. Mali vero et ipsi mittunt in thesaurum omnia mala opera sua, et servat illis Deus. Hoc est quod dixit Apostolus, Thesaurizas tibi iram in die irae justi judicii Dei.

Chapter III. — Just as, then, they gather knowingly, yet for whom they gather they do not know: so, conversely, into the heavenly treasury the good know what they gather, the wicked do not know what they gather. For the good man places in the heavenly treasury all the works of mercy which he has done towards the people whom he has helped; and he knows that the keeper is faithful who keeps for him all that he lays up. And he does not see them, yet he is certain of his treasure, because nothing is stolen from it by a thief, nor is it invaded by an enemy, nor is it carried off by a foe, wicked and powerful, as from a conquered man; but it will remain for ever, because it is guarded by the most powerful Lord. For if people entrust money to a faithful servant, and are secure, do they entrust their works of mercy to the powerful Lord, and are anxious? They know therefore that whatever they lay up is all safe there: those who are faithful join their faith to the power of their Lord. For they believe that He keeps it, and they find what He keeps. For even people who gather money, do they see the chest itself, or are they always gathering money and putting it into the chest, or burying it and keeping it? They do not see it; and yet their conscience, as it were, knows that it is there, in the place where they put it. And perhaps a thief has already taken it, and the vain man rejoices who has stored it up to no purpose. But if we put anything in the heavenly treasury, we are both secure in the Lord's keeping, and may suffer no thief at all, nor do we sustain any loss. But the wicked too put all their evil works into the treasury, and God keeps them for them. This is what the Apostle said, You are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath of the just judgement of God.

CAPUT IV. — 4. Suus quemque manet thesaurus. Pauperes divitibus laturarii. Sed quoniam servatur quidquid mali faciunt, et nesciunt: ubi venerit Deus noster manifestus, et non silebit, convocabit ad se omnes gentes, sicut dicit in Evangelio, et separabit, quosdam ponens ad dexteram, quosdam ad sinistram: et incipiet jam tractare thesauros utrorumque, quid quisque posuit ut inveniat. Venite, inquit, benedicti Patris mei, ad eos qui sunt ad dexteram, percipite regnum quod vobis paratum est ab initio mundi. Regnum coelorum, regnum sempiternum, societatem cum Angelis, aeternam vitam, ubi nullus oritur, neque moritur, hoc percipite. Quando enim opera vestra in thesaurum mittebatis, regnum coelorum emebatis. Percipite regnum quod vobis paratum est ab initio mundi. Etiam ostendit illis thesauros suos: Esurivi, et dedistis mihi manducare; sitivi, et potastis me; nudus fui, et vestistis me; hospes fui, et adduxistis me; in carcere fui, et venistis ad me; aeger fui, et visitastis me. Et respondent illi: Domine, quando te vidimus in his necessitatibus constitutum, et ministravimus tibi? Et ille: Quando uni ex minimis meis fecistis, mihi fecistis. Quia ergo quando uni ex minimis meis fecistis, mihi fecistis, percipite quod misistis, possidete quod emistis. Mihi enim Servatori ideo credidistis. Deinde convertet se ad illos qui sunt a sinistris, et ostendet illis

Chapter IV. — 4. Each man's own treasure awaits him. The poor are porters for the rich. But since whatever evil they do is kept, and they do not know it: when our God comes manifest, and will not keep silence, He will call all nations to Himself, as He says in the Gospel, and will separate them, placing some on the right, some on the left: and He will then begin to examine the treasures of both, what each has laid up so that he may find it. Come, He says, blessed of My Father, to those who are on the right, receive the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. The kingdom of heaven, the everlasting kingdom, fellowship with the Angels, eternal life, where no one is born and no one dies: receive this. For when you were putting your works into the treasury, you were buying the kingdom of heaven. Receive the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. He also showed them their treasures: I was hungry, and you gave Me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was a stranger, and you brought Me in; I was in prison, and you came to Me; I was sick, and you visited Me. And they answer Him: Lord, when did we see Thee placed in these necessities, and minister to Thee? And He: When you did it to one of the least of Mine, you did it to Me. Since therefore, when you did it to one of the least of Mine, you did it to Me, receive what you sent ahead, possess what you bought. For it was for this that you entrusted it to Me, the Keeper. Then He will turn to those who are on the left, and will show them

Editors' notes and page, col. 130

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(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 130

Victorinus Ms., volens manducare. Paulo post idem codex, boni qui colligunt sciunt; pro, quid colligant sciunt.

The Saint-Victor manuscript: volens manducare ["wishing to eat"]. A little further on the same codex has boni qui colligunt sciunt ["the good who gather know"], for quid colligant sciunt ["they know what they gather"].

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thesauros suos inanes operis boni : Ite, inquit, in ignem aeternum, qui paratus est diabolo et angelis ejus. Esurivi, et non dedistis mihi manducare. Aut si aliquid invenistis in thesauro isto, aut aliquid misistis, cogitate, et reddetur vobis. Sed nunquam te, inquiunt ipsi, vidimus esurientem. Et ille : Quando uni ex minimis meis non fecistis, nec mihi fecistis (Matth. XXV, 31-45). Forte enim ideo mihi non faciebatis, quia me in terra ambulare nou ⟨v⟩idebatis? Tam mali estis, ut si videretis, sicut Judaei crucifigeretis. Hodie enim mali homines, qui conantur, si fieri posset, non esse ecclesias ubi illis praedicentur praecepta Dei, nonne et ipsum Christum occiderent, si in terra viventem invenirent? Sed audebunt dicere, quasi illi qui nesciat cogitationes hominum : Domine, quando te vidimus esurientem? Et ille : Quando uni ex minimis meis non fecistis, nec mihi fecistis. Minimos meos egentes posueram vobis in terra : ego tanquam caput, dicet, in coelo sedebam ad dexteram Patris, sed membra mea in terra laborabant, membra mea in terra egebant; membris meis daretis, et ad caput perveniret quod daretis. Et sciretis quia minimos meos egentos quando vobis in terra posui, laturarios vobis institui, qui opera vestra in thesaurum meum portarent : nihil in eorum manibus posuistis, propterea apud me nihil invenistis.

their treasuries empty of good work: Go, He says, into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry, and you did not give Me to eat. Or if you have found anything in that treasury, or have put anything into it, think, and it will be rendered to you. But we never, they themselves say, saw Thee hungry. And He: When you did not do it to one of the least of Mine, neither did you do it to Me (Matt. 25:31–45). For perhaps you were not doing it for Me because you did not see Me walking on earth? You are so wicked that, if you saw Me, you would crucify Me as the Jews did. For today wicked men, who strive, if it could be done, that there should be no churches where the precepts of God are preached to them, would they not kill Christ Himself too, if they found Him living on earth? But they will dare to say, as though to one who does not know the thoughts of men: Lord, when did we see Thee hungry? And He: When you did not do it to one of the least of Mine, neither did you do it to Me. I had placed My least ones, the needy, among you on earth: I, as the head, He will say, was seated in heaven at the right hand of the Father, but My members were toiling on earth, My members were in want on earth; you were to give to My members, and what you gave would reach the head. And you were to know that, when I placed My least needy ones among you on earth, I appointed them as porters for you, to carry your works into My treasury: you placed nothing in their hands, and therefore you have found nothing with Me.

CAPUT V. — 5. Poenitentia infructuosa. Tunc ergo non silebit, sed apparebit : ideo dictum est, Non silebit. Modo autem dicit illud Lector de codice, et contemnitur : dicit illud de ore suo tractator aut disputator episcopus, et irridetur. Numquid sic irrideri habet, quando ab ipso judice potentissimo dicetur? Unusquisque recipiet quod fecit, bonum sive malum (II Cor. V, 10). Tunc dicturi sunt homines sera et infructuosa poenitentia : O si possemus iterum vivere; et quod contempsimus, audire et facere! Tunc dicent illi, quos ex adverso constituunt iniquitates eorum, sicut dicitur in libro Sapientiae : Quid nobis profuit superbia? et divitiarum jactantia quid contulit nobis? Transierunt omnia sicut umbra (Sap. V, 8, 9). Videtis quia poenitebit †eos : sed ista poenitentia cruciabilis, non sanabilis. Vis habere utilem poenitentiam? Modo habe. Si enim modo habueris, corrigeris : cum correctus fueris, fundetur ille thesaurus tuus, ubi colligebantur mala opera tua, et implebitur alius thesaurus tuus, ubi bona opera tua colligantur. Sed forte conversus ad Deum, statim morieris, opera tua nulla forte invenientur in illo thesauro? Plane ibi invenies opera tua, quia scriptum est, Pax in terra hominibus bonae voluntatis (Luc. II, 14). Deus non annotat facultatem, sed coronat voluntatem. Scit quia voluisti, et non potuisti; sic te annotat, quasi feceris ⟨q⟩uod voluisti. Ergo opus est ut convertaris, ne differendo subito moriaris, et omnino nihil inveniatur quod in praesenti habeas, et in futuro possideas. Conversi ad Dominum, etc.

Chapter V. — 5. Fruitless repentance. Then therefore He will not keep silent, but will appear: that is why it was said, He will not keep silent. Now, however, the Reader says it from the book, and is despised; the preacher or disputing bishop says it from his own mouth, and is laughed at. Will it be laughed at in this way when it is spoken by the most mighty Judge Himself? Each one will receive what he has done, whether good or evil (2 Cor. 5:10). Then men will speak with a late and fruitless repentance: O, if we could live again, and hear and do what we despised! Then those will speak whom their iniquities set in opposition, as is said in the book of Wisdom: What has pride profited us? and what has the boasting of riches brought us? All things have passed away like a shadow (Wis. 5:8–9). You see that they will repent: but that repentance is tormenting, not healing. Do you wish to have a useful repentance? Have it now. For if you have it now, you will be corrected: when you have been corrected, that treasury of yours where your evil works were being gathered will be poured out, and another treasury of yours will be filled, where your good works are gathered. But perhaps, having turned to God, you will die at once, and perhaps none of your works will be found in that treasury? Surely you will find your works there, for it is written, Peace on earth to men of good will (Luke 2:14). God does not take note of the means, but crowns the will. He knows that you willed and were not able; so He takes note of you as though you had done what you willed. Therefore you must be converted, lest by delaying you die suddenly, and nothing at all be found for you to have in the present and to possess in the future. Turning to the Lord, etc.

Editors' notes and page, col. 131

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: praedicentur praecepta Dei› · call in col 131

Mss. ph. v., qui conantur si fieri posset delere praecepta Dei; qui conantur si fieri posset non esse Ecclesiam, si illis praedicentur praecepta Dei.

The manuscripts ph. and v.: qui conantur si fieri posset delere praecepta Dei; qui conantur si fieri posset non esse Ecclesiam, si illis praedicentur praecepta Dei ["who try, if it could be done, to blot out God's precepts; who try, if it could be done, that there be no Church, if God's precepts are preached to them"].

(printed under page 72) (*) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in the right-hand column (col 132) Recognitus in Pithoeano libro et editione Sirmondi.

Revised on the Pithou book and Sirmond's edition.

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(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in the right-hand column (col 132)

Alias, 4 ex Sirmondianis.

Formerly, the 4th of the Sirmond sermons.

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(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in the right-hand column (col 132)

Eadem est quae basilica major Carthagine, in qua corpora sanctarum martyrum Perpetuae et Felicitatis sepulta scribit Victor in lib. 1 de Persecutione Vandalica. Haec ipsa in Concilio Carthaginensi II duplici nomine appellatur basilica Perpetua Restituta : in caeteris deinceps Conciliis, quae ibidem celebrata leguntur, Restituta simpliciter, ut in hoc loco. Sic dictam aliquis credidit a Restituta martyre Neapolitana apud Carthaginem passa. Vindingus vero, not. in Serm. de Diversis 102 (nunc 277), a Restituto episcopo Carthaginensi, in cujus depositione sermonem ab Augustino habitum testatur Possidius. Baronius denique ad an. 397 hoc nomen sortitam putat, quod possessa diu a Donatistis, fuerit restituta Catholicis. Sic enim in Uzalensi urbe, ecclesia « quae primitus, » uti narrat Evodius de miraculis S. Stephani lib. 1, cap. 7, « a Donatistarum divisione usurpata, postea unitati catholicae est restituta, inde etiam vocabulum sumpsit, et ecclesia Restituta appellari meruit. »

It is the same as the greater basilica at Carthage, in which Victor, in book 1 of On the Vandal Persecution, writes that the bodies of the holy martyrs Perpetua and Felicity were buried. This very church is called in the Second Council of Carthage by a double name, the basilica Perpetua Restituta; in the other Councils thereafter that are read to have been held there, simply Restituta, as in this place. Someone has believed it so called from Restituta, a martyr of Naples who suffered at Carthage. Vindingus, however, in his note on the Sermon de Diversis 102 (now 277), derives it from Restitutus, bishop of Carthage, at whose burial Possidius attests that a sermon was preached by Augustine. Baronius, finally, at the year 397, thinks it got this name because, long held by the Donatists, it was restored to the Catholics. For so in the city of Uzalis the church "which at first," as Evodius relates in On the Miracles of St. Stephen, book 1, ch. 7, "was seized by the schism of the Donatists and afterwards restored to Catholic unity, took its name from that too, and deserved to be called the church Restituta."

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Gladiatoria spectacula Munerum nomine intelligit Sirmondus, cujus nota in hunc titulum sic habet : « Vetus exemplar in fine Sermonis, » Explicit sermo die Munerum « spectaculorum. » De gladiatorum itaque spectaculo accipiendum, quod proprie Munus appellabatur : unde gladiatorum Munus Cod. Theod. De gladiatoribus L. 2. Et in Calendario Romano Constantinianorum temporum, mense decembri, quando committi gladiatores solebant, crebra Muneris est mentio ex A. D. IV nonas, quo die initium Muneris annotatur, usque in A. D. IX calendas januarias, quo cruenta, kai scutrôpa haec spectacula desinebant, ut Julianus quoque Caesar docet extrema oratione sua in Solem » Praeterea videsis Sueton. in Caes. cap. 39; et Augustin. in lib. 1 contra Academ., n. 2, et in Psal. 39, n. 8-10, et in Psal. 147, n. 7.

By the name Munera Sirmond understands gladiatorial shows; his note on this title runs thus: "The old copy at the end of the Sermon [has], Here ends the sermon on the day of the Munera of the shows. It is therefore to be taken of the gladiators' show, which was properly called a Munus: whence 'the Munus of gladiators', Theodosian Code, On Gladiators, law 2. And in the Roman Calendar of Constantinian times, in the month of December, when gladiators were customarily matched, there is frequent mention of the Munus from the fourth day before the Nones, on which day the beginning of the Munus is noted, down to the ninth day before the Kalends of January, on which these bloody and grim [kai scutrôpa, Greek in Latin letters] shows came to an end, as Julian Caesar also teaches at the close of his oration To the Sun." See besides, if you will, Suetonius, Caesar, ch. 39; and Augustine in book 1 Against the Academics, n. 2, and on Psalm 39, n. 8-10, and on Psalm 147, n. 7.

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