Migne Reading Room
PL 38 · cols. 75–90
Augustine, Sermones 1-18 (Classis I, de Scripturis: de Vetere Testamento)
Sermon IX
SERMO IX. De decem Chordis.
Sermon 9. On the Ten Strings.
CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Dominus et Deus noster misericors et miserator, longanimis et multum misericors, et verax; quam largiter praerogat misericordiam in praesenti saeculo, tam severe minatur judicium in futuro saeculo. Verba quae dixi scripta sunt, et divinis auctoritatibus continentur, quia, Misericors et miserator Dominus, longanimis et multum misericors, et verax (Psal. CI, 8, et CXLIV, 8). Multum delectat omnes peccatores et amatores saeculi hujus, quia misericors et miserator Dominus, quia longanimis et multum misericors. Sed si amas tam multa mitia, time ibi et ultimum quod ait, Et verax. Si enim nihil aliud diceret, nisi, Misericors et miserator Dominus, longanimis et multum misericors; quasi jam converteres te ad securitatem et impunitatem, et ad licentiam peccatorum; faceres quod velles, utereris saeculo, vel quantum tibi permitteretur, vel quantum tibi libido jussisset: et si quis te bene admonendo objurgaret atque terreret, ut cohiberes te ab immoderato fluxu cuudo post concupiscentias tuas, et deserendo Deum tuum; inter medias voces objurgantis obsisteres, impudenti quidem fronte, veluti audita divina auctoritate, et legeres de libro dominico: Quid me terres de Deo nostro? Ille misericors est, et miserator et multum misericors. Ne talia homines dicerent, unum verbum addidit in fine, quod ait, Et verax; et excussit laetitiam male praesumentium, et induxit timorem dolentium. Gaudeamus ad misericordiam Domini; sed timeamus ad judicium Domini. Parcit, dum tacet. Tacet, sed non semper tacebit (Isai. XLII, 14). Audi dum non tacet in verbo, ne non tibi vacet audire dum non tacebit in judicio.
Chapter I. 1. Our Lord and God is merciful and compassionate, long-suffering and very merciful, and true; as lavishly as He bestows mercy in the present age, so severely does He threaten judgement in the age to come. The words I have spoken are written, and are contained in the divine authorities, namely: The Lord is merciful and compassionate, long-suffering and very merciful, and true (Ps. 101:8 and 144:8). It greatly delights all sinners and lovers of this world that the Lord is merciful and compassionate, that He is long-suffering and very merciful. But if you love so many gentle things, fear there also the last thing that it says: And true. For if it said nothing else except, The Lord is merciful and compassionate, long-suffering and very merciful, you would as it were already turn yourself towards security and impunity, and towards licence for sins; you would do what you pleased, you would use the world either as much as you were permitted or as much as your lust had bidden; and if anyone, admonishing you well, rebuked and frightened you, so that you might restrain yourself from going in unbridled flow after your desires and from deserting your God, you would resist amid the very words of the one rebuking you, with a shameless face indeed, as though you had heard divine authority, and you would read from the Lord's book: Why do you frighten me about our God? He is merciful, and compassionate, and very merciful. Lest men should say such things, He added one word at the end, in that it says, And true; and He shook off the gladness of those who presume wrongly, and brought in fear on those who grieve. Let us rejoice at the mercy of the Lord; but let us fear at the judgement of the Lord. He spares while He is silent. He is silent, but He will not always be silent (Isa. 42:14). Hear while He is not silent in the word, lest you have no leisure to hear when He will not be silent in judgement.
CAPUT II. — 2. Modo enim licet tibi causam tuam componere. Ante ultimum judicium Dei tui compone causam tuam. Non est unde praesumas; cum ille venerit, nec falsos testes adduces, quibus ille fallatur, nec patronum fraudulentis circumventionibus et linguosis artibus adhibebis, nec ambies aliquo modo, ut judicem possis corrumpere. Qnid ergo agis apud talem judicem, quem nec fallere, nec corrumpere poteris? Et tamen est quod agas. Tunc enim ipse erit judex causae tuae, qui modo testis est vitae tuae. Clamavimus, et laudavimus: componamus causam nostram. Qui testis est operum nostrorum, ipse testis est vocum istarum: non sint inanes, convertantur ad gemitum. Tempus est concordandi cum adversario tuo cito. Tam
Chapter II. 2. For now you are permitted to settle your case. Before the last judgement of your God, settle your case. There is no ground for you to presume; when He comes, you will neither bring false witnesses by whom He might be deceived, nor employ an advocate with fraudulent deceptions and wordy arts, nor will you canvass in any way so as to be able to corrupt the judge. What then do you do before such a judge, whom you will be able neither to deceive nor to corrupt? And yet there is something for you to do. For then He will be the judge of your case Who is now the witness of your life. We have cried out, and we have praised: let us settle our case. He Who is witness of our works is Himself witness of these voices: let them not be empty, let them be turned to groaning. It is time to come to agreement with your adversary quickly. So
Editors' notes and page, col. 75
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 75
Nonnulli Mss., auctoribus.
Some manuscripts: "auctoribus."
(printed under page 42)
(2) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 75
Plures Mss., tam multam misericordiam. Quidam cum Am., tam multa initia. Morel, Element. Critic. pagg. 183, 184, censet legendum, tam mulsa initia. M.
Many manuscripts: "so much mercy." Some, with Am. [Amerbach]: "so many beginnings." Morel, Elements of Criticism, pp. 183, 184, judges that one should read "such honeyed beginnings." M[igne].
(printed under page 42)
(3) ‹anchor: Parcit, dum tacet› · call in col 75
Plerique Mss. et Am.: Parcit, sed non tacet. Subaudi, in verbo.
Most manuscripts and Am. [Amerbach]: "He spares, but he is not silent." Understand: "in his word."
(printed under page 42)
(4) ‹anchor: operum nostrorum› · call in col 75
Aliquot Mss., vestrorum.
Several manuscripts: "of your."
(*) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown, presumably at the sermon's title› · call in col 75 Collatus est cum codicibus bd. c. cs. cl. e. fl. g. gr. m. v. Am. Er. Par. Lov.
It has been collated with the codices bd., c., cs., cl., e., fl., g., gr., m., v., [and with the editions] Am. [Amerbach], Er. [Erasmus], Par. [Paris], Lov. [Louvain].
(printed under page 42)
(a) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 75
Alias, 96 de Tempore.
Formerly, [Sermon] 96 de Tempore.
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(b) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 75
A Possidio notatus hic sermo est in Indiculo, cap. 8, atque ab Eugypio et Floro citatus.
This sermon is listed by Possidius in his Indiculus, ch. 8, and is cited by Eugippius and Florus.
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(c) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 75
Vid. Tractatum 33 in Joan.
See Tractate 33 on John.
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longanimis est Deus videndo iniqua et non puniendo, ut tamen cito sit futurum judicium. More quippe humanae vitae prolixum est, quod Deo breve est. Sed et ipsi saeculo et humano generi quod longe videtur, quid consolatur? Numquid si totius generis humani ultimus dies longe est, uniuscujusque dies ultimus longe est? Hoc dico, ex Adam multi anni evoluti sunt, multi anni fluxerunt, et deinceps fluent; non quidem tam multi, sed tamen usque in finem saeculi transibunt anni, sicut et illi transierunt: longum videtur quod restat (quanquam non erit tantum, quantum transactum est), et tamen ex transacto praeterito tempore, sperandus est reliqui temporis finis. Fuit tunc quidam dies qui diceretur hodiernus, ex illo usque ad hunc hodiernum; nonne q⟨u⟩idquid futurum fuit, praeteritum factum est? Tale habetur, ac si non fuerit. Sic erit quidquid restat extremum. Sed sit et hoc longum, sit prolixum, quantum putaveris, quantum dixeris, quantum cogitaveris, quantum tibi non format Scriptura, sed fingit cogitatio, quantum vis diem judicii prolonga; numquid ultimum diem tuum, id est, vitae tuae, quo exiturus es de corpore hoc, producturus es in longum? Sit tibi senectus certa, si potest: cui autem potest? Nonne ex quo incipit homo vivere, jam potest et mori? Possibilitatem mortis initium vitae facit. In hac terra et in genere humano ille solus mori nondum potest, qui nondum coepit vivere. Incertus ergo dies tanquam quotidianus sperandus est. Si autem tanquam quotidianus sperandus est incertus dies, componatur cum adversario, dum est tecum in via. Via enim vocatur haec vita, per quam omnes transeunt; et non recedit iste adversarius.
long-suffering is God in seeing wicked things and not punishing them, so that the judgement is nevertheless soon to come. For by the measure of human life that is long which to God is short. But as for its seeming far off to the world itself and to the human race, what comfort does that give? Even if the last day of the whole human race is far off, is the last day of each one far off? I say this: since Adam many years have rolled by, many years have flowed past, and henceforth they will flow; not indeed so many, but nevertheless years will pass up to the end of the world, just as those too have passed: what remains seems long (although it will not be as much as what has gone by), and yet from the time that has gone by and is past, the end of the remaining time is to be looked for. There was then a certain day which was called today; from that day up to this today, has not whatever was to come become past? It is reckoned as if it had not been. So will it be with whatever remains at the last. But let this too be long, let it be lengthy, as much as you suppose, as much as you say, as much as you think, as much as not Scripture shapes for you but your own thinking imagines; prolong the day of judgement as much as you will; will you draw out at length your last day, that is, the last day of your life, on which you are to go out from this body? Let old age be certain for you, if it can be: but for whom can it be? Is it not that from the moment a man begins to live, he can already also die? The beginning of life brings about the possibility of death. In this land and in the human race he alone cannot yet die who has not yet begun to live. Therefore the uncertain day is to be looked for as if it were every day. But if the uncertain day is to be looked for as if it were every day, let agreement be made with the adversary while he is with you on the way. For this life through which all pass is called the way; and this adversary does not depart.
CAPUT III. — 3. Quis est autem iste adversarius? Adversarius iste non est diabolus: nam nunquam te hortaretur Scriptura, ut cum diabolo concordares. Est ergo alius adversarius, quem sibi homo facit adversarium: nam ille si adversarius esset, tecum in via non esset. At hic est tecum in via, ut concordet tecum. Scit enim quia nisi in via secum concordaveris, jam tradet te judici, judex autem ministro, minister in carcerem (Matth. V, 25). Eloquia ista evangelica sunt, recordantur nobiscum, vel qui legerunt, vel qui audierunt. Ergo quis est adversarius? Sermo Dei. Sermo Dei adversarius tuus est. Quare adversarius est? Quia contraria jubet, quam tu facis. Dicit tibi, Unus est Deus tuus; unum Deum cole. Tu vis dimisso uno Deo tanquam legitimo viro animae, fornicari per multa daemonia: et quod est gravius, non quasi aperte deserens et repudians, sicut apostatae faciunt; sed tanquam manens in domo viri tui admittis adulteros: id est, tanquam christianus non dimittis Ecclesiam, consulis mathematicos, aut aruspices, aut augures, aut maleficos; quasi de viri domo non recedens adultera anima, et manens in ejus conjugio fornicaris. Dicitur tibi, Ne accipias in vanum nomen Dei tui. Ne existimes creaturam esse Christum, quia
Chapter III. — 3. But who is this adversary? This adversary is not the devil: for Scripture would never urge you to come to agreement with the devil. There is therefore another adversary, whom a man makes an adversary to himself: for if that one were the adversary, he would not be with you on the way. But this one is with you on the way, so that he may come to agreement with you. For he knows that unless you come to agreement with him on the way, he will then hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and the officer into prison (Matt. 5:25). These words are from the Gospel; they remember them along with us, both those who have read them and those who have heard them. So who is the adversary? The word of God. The word of God is your adversary. Why is it an adversary? Because it commands things contrary to what you do. It says to you, Your God is one; worship one God. You wish, having put away the one God, as it were the lawful husband of the soul, to commit fornication with many demons: and, what is graver, not as if openly deserting and repudiating [Him], as apostates do; but as if remaining in your husband's house you admit adulterers: that is, as a Christian you do not leave the Church, yet you consult astrologers, or soothsayers, or augurs, or sorcerers; as if, an adulterous soul not departing from the husband's house, and remaining in his marriage, you commit fornication. It is said to you, Do not take the name of your God in vain. Do not suppose that Christ is a creature, because
Editors' notes and page, col. 76
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: At hic est› · call in col 76
Am. et plures Mss., ad hoc est. Nonnulli, adhuc est.
Am. [Amerbach] and many manuscripts: "is for this purpose." Some: "is still."
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pro te suscepit creaturam : et tu contemnis eum qui aequalis est Patri, et unum cum Patre. Dicitur tibi ut spiritualiter observes sabbatum : non quomodo Judaei observant sabbatum carnali otio; vacare enim volunt ad nugas atque luxurias suas. Melius en⟨i⟩m faceret Judaeus in agro suo aliquid utile, quam in theatro seditiosus existeret : et melius feminae eorum die sabbati lanam facerent, quam toto die in maenianis suis impudice saltarent. Tibi autem dicitur ut observes spiritualiter sabbatum, in spe futurae quietis, quam tibi promittit Dominus. Quisquis enim propter illam quietem futuram agit quidquid potest, quamvis laboriosum videatur quod agit; tamen si ad fidem promissae quietis id refert, nondum quidem sabbatum habet in re, sed habet in spe. Tu autem ad hoc vis requiescere, ut labores; cum ad hoc debeas laborare, ut requiescas. Dicitur tibi, Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam. Tu autem contumeliam irrogas parentibus, quam non vis pati a filiis tuis. Dicitur tibi, Non occides. Tu autem occidere vis inimicum tuum : et ideo forte non facis, quia times judicem hominem, non quia cogitas Deum. Ignoras quia ille testis est cogitationum? Illo vivo quem vis mori, te homicidam tenet in corde. Dicitur tibi, Non moechaberis (Exod. XX, 1-14) : id est, non ibis ad aliquam aliam praeter uxorem tuam. Tu autem exigis hoc ab uxore, et non vis hoc reddere uxori : et cum debeas in virtute praecedere uxorem, quoniam castitas virtus est; tu sub uno impetu libidinis cadis, et vis uxorem tuam victricem esse, tu victus jacens : et cum tu caput sis uxoris tuae, praecedit te ad Deum, cujus caput es. Vis domum tuam capite deorsum pendere? Caput enim mulieris est vir : ubi autem melius vivit mulier quam vir, capite deorsum pendet domus. Si caput est vir, melius debet vivere vir, et praecedere in omnibus bonis factis uxorem suam; ut illa imitetur virum, et sequatur caput suum. Quomodo caput Ecclesiae Christus est, et hoc jubetur Ecclesiae ut sequatur caput suum, et ut per vestigia ambulet capitis sui : sic uniuscujusque domus habet caput virum, et tanquam corpus feminam (Ephes. V, 23). Quo caput ducit, illuc debet corpus sequi. Quare ergo vult caput ire, quo non vult ut corpus sequatur? Quare vult ire vir, quo non vult ut uxor sequatur? Haec jubendo sermo Dei adversarius est. Nolunt enim homines facere quod vult sermo Dei. Et quid d⟨i⟩cam, quia adversarius est sermo Dei, quoniam jubet? Timeo ne ego ipse adversarius sim quibusdam, quia haec loquor. Quid ad me pertinet? Fortem me faciat qui terret ut loquar, ut non timeam querelas hominum. Nam qui nolunt castitatem servare uxoribus suis (et abundant tales),
for your sake took on a creature: and you despise Him who is equal to the Father, and one with the Father. You are told to observe the sabbath spiritually: not in the way the Jews observe the sabbath with fleshly idleness; for they want to be free for their trifles and their indulgences. For a Jew would do better to do something useful in his field than to be a rioter in the theatre: and their women would do better to make wool on the sabbath day than to dance shamelessly all day long on their balconies. But you are told to observe the sabbath spiritually, in hope of the future rest which the Lord promises you. For whoever, for the sake of that future rest, does whatever he can, however laborious what he does may seem, yet if he refers it to faith in the promised rest, does not yet indeed have the sabbath in reality, but has it in hope. You, however, want to rest for this purpose, that you may toil; whereas you ought to toil for this purpose, that you may rest. You are told, Honour your father and your mother. But you heap insult on your parents, which you do not wish to suffer from your own children. You are told, You shall not kill. But you want to kill your enemy: and perhaps you do not do it for this reason, that you fear a human judge, not because you think of God. Do you not know that He is witness of thoughts? While the man you want dead is still alive, He holds you a murderer in your heart. You are told, You shall not commit adultery (Exod. 20:1–14): that is, you shall not go to any other woman besides your wife. But you demand this of your wife, and you do not want to render it to your wife: and although you ought to go before your wife in virtue, since chastity is a virtue, you fall under a single onset of lust, and you want your wife to be the victor while you lie vanquished: and though you are the head of your wife, she goes before you to God, she whose head you are. Do you want your house to hang head downwards? For the head of the woman is the man: but where the woman lives better than the man, the house hangs head downwards. If the man is the head, the man ought to live better, and go before his wife in all good deeds; so that she may imitate her husband, and follow her head. Just as Christ is the head of the Church, and the Church is commanded to follow her head, and to walk in the footsteps of her head: so each household has the man as its head, and the woman as its body, as it were (Eph. 5:23). Where the head leads, there the body ought to follow. Why then does the head want to go where it does not want the body to follow? Why does the man want to go where he does not want his wife to follow? In commanding these things the word of God is an adversary. For men do not want to do what the word of God wants. And why should I say that the word of God is an adversary because it commands? I fear lest I myself be an adversary to some, because I say these things. What concern is that of mine? May He who frightens me into speaking make me strong, so that I do not fear the complaints of men. For those who do not want to keep chastity towards their wives (and such men abound),
Editors' notes and page, col. 77
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: et unum cum Patre› · call in col 77
Sic melioris notae Mss. Alii vero cum editis, et unus cum Patre.
So the manuscripts of better standing. But others, with the printed editions: "and one with the Father."
(printed under page 43)
(2) ‹anchor: in maenianis› · call in col 77
Editi, in Neomeniis. Verius aliquot Mss., in moenianis. Sic enim in Joan. Evang., tract. 3, n. 19: « Quanto melius feminae eorum lanam facerent, quam illo die in maenianis saltarent? » De sabbati vero observatione similia reperies, Enarr. 2 in Psalmum 32, serm. 1, n. 6; et in Psalmum 91, n. 2.
The printed editions: "on the New Moons." More truly, several manuscripts: "on the balconies." For so in [the Tractates] on John's Gospel, tract. 3, n. 19: "How much better would their women spin wool than dance that day on the balconies?" On the observance of the sabbath you will find like things in the second Enarration on Psalm 32, sermon 1, n. 6; and on Psalm 91, n. 2.
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(3) ‹anchor: praecedit te› · call in col 77
Sic Am. et Mss. At Er. et Lov., praecedet te.
So Am. [Amerbach] and the manuscripts. But Er. [Erasmus] and Lov. [Louvain]: "she will go before you."
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(4) ‹anchor: et tanquam corpus› · call in col 77
Sic Am. et aliquot Mss. At Er. et Lov., et tanquam carnem.
So Am. [Amerbach] and several manuscripts. But Er. [Erasmus] and Lov. [Louvain]: "and as the flesh."
(printed under page 43)
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nolunt me ista dicere. Sed velint nolint, dicturus sum. Si enim vos non exhortor ut cum adversario concordetis, ego cum illo in lite remanebo. Qui vobis jubet ut faciatis, ipse nobis jubet ut loquamur. Si non faciendo quod jubet ut faciatis, adversarii ejus estis; non dicendo quod jubet ut dicamus, adversarii ejus remanebimus.
do not want me to say these things. But whether they want it or not, I am going to say them. For if I do not exhort you to come to agreement with the adversary, I shall remain in dispute with him. He who commands you to act also commands us to speak. If by not doing what He commands you to do you are His adversaries, then by not saying what He commands us to say we shall remain His adversaries.
CAPUT IV. — 4. Numquid in caeteris, quae supra dixi, multis immoratus sum? Hoc enim praesumimus de Charitate vestra, quia unum Deum colitis. Hoc praesumimus de fide catholica, quae in vobis est, quia Filium Dei aequalem creditis Patri: nec in vanum accipitis nomen Domini Dei vestri, ut putetis creaturam esse Filium Dei. Quoniam omnis creatura vanitati subjecta est (Rom. VIII, 20). Sed creditis eum aequalem Patri esse, Deum de Deo, Verbum apud Deum, Verbum Deum, per quod facta sunt omnia, lumen de lumine, coaeternum illi qui genuit, unum cum illo qui genuit; et hoc Verbum creditis assumpsisse creaturam, de virgine Maria assumpsisse mortalitatem, et passum fuisse pro nobis: ea legimus, et credimus, ut salvemur. Nec in eo immoratus sum, ut quidquid facitis, pro spe futura faciatis. Novi enim omnium Christianorum mentes de saeculo futuro cogitare. Qui enim non de futuro saeculo cogitat, nec propterea christianus est, ut id quod in fine Deus promittit, accipiat, nondum christianus est. Neque in eo immoratus sum, ubi dicit sermo Dei, Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam. Multi enim honorant parentes, et raro invenimus parentes conquerentes de improbitate filiorum; quamvis non desint: sed tamen quam raro fit, tam breviter monendum fuit. Nec in eo ubi dictum est, Non occides, immorari volui: non enim credo esse hic turbam homicidarum. Illud vero malum late serpens plus occupavit, et in eo vehementius irritatur adversarius ille, qui ideo clamat, ut sit aliquando amicus. Querelae quotidianae sunt, quanquam ipsae feminae jam nec audent conqueri de viris suis. Ita invadens omnia consuetudo pro lege observatur, ut jam et mulieribus forte persuasum sit, licere hoc viris, non licere mulieribus. Solent enim audire adductas mulieres esse ad fo⟨r⟩um, quae forte cum servis inventae sunt: adductum virum ad forum, quia inventus est cum ancilla sua, nunquam audierunt; cum sit par peccatum. In peccato pari innocentiorem facit videri virum, non divina veritas, sed humana perversitas. Et si forte hodie acriorem quisquam passus fuerit uxorem suam, et liberius murmurantem, cui jam videbatur quia licebat viro, et audivit in Ecclesia quia non licet viro: si ergo passus fuerit uxorem suam liberius jam, ut dixi, murmurantem, et dicentem sibi, Non licet quod facis; simul audivimus, christiani sumus, quod a me exigis, redde mihi: fidem tibi debeo, fidem mihi debes, fidem Christo ambo debemus; et si me fallis, non fallis eum cujus sumus, non fallis eum qui nos emit. Haec atque hujusmodi audiens ille, quae non solet, dum non vult in se fieri sanus, in me fit insanus, irascitur, maledicit: fortassis etiam dicat, Quomodo factum
Chapter IV. — 4. Did I dwell at length on the other things which I spoke of above? For this we take for granted of your Charity, that you worship one God. This we take for granted of the catholic faith which is in you, that you believe the Son of God equal to the Father; nor do you take the name of the Lord your God in vain, so as to think that the Son of God is a creature. For every creature is made subject to vanity (Rom. 8:20). But you believe Him to be equal to the Father, God from God, the Word with God, the Word God, through Whom all things were made, light from light, coeternal with Him Who begot Him, one with Him Who begot Him; and you believe that this Word took on a creature, took on mortality from the virgin Mary, and suffered for us: these things we read, and we believe, that we may be saved. Nor did I dwell on this, that whatever you do, you should do it for the sake of the hope to come. For I know that the minds of all Christians think about the world to come. For whoever does not think about the world to come, and is not a Christian for this reason, that he may receive what God promises at the end, is not yet a Christian. Nor did I dwell on the place where the word of God says, Honour your father and your mother. For many honour their parents, and rarely do we find parents complaining of the wickedness of their children; although such are not lacking: but nevertheless, as rarely as it happens, so briefly did warning need to be given. Nor did I wish to dwell on the place where it is said, You shall not kill: for I do not believe that there is a crowd of murderers here. But that evil, creeping far and wide, has taken hold more, and in it that adversary is the more vehemently provoked, who cries out for this very reason, that he may at some time be a friend. Complaints are daily, although the women themselves no longer even dare to complain about their husbands. So does custom, invading everything, come to be observed as law, that perhaps even women have now been persuaded that this is permitted to men and not permitted to women. For they are used to hearing that women have been brought to the forum who perhaps were found with slaves: that a man has been brought to the forum because he was found with his maidservant, they have never heard; though the sin is equal. In an equal sin it is not divine truth but human perversity that makes the man seem more innocent. And if perhaps today someone should find his wife sharper towards him, and grumbling more freely, a man to whom it used to seem that this was permitted to a man, and who has heard in church that it is not permitted to a man: if then, as I have said, he should find his wife now grumbling more freely and saying to him, What you are doing is not permitted; we heard it together, we are Christians, what you demand of me, render to me: I owe you fidelity, you owe me fidelity, we both owe fidelity to Christ; and if you deceive me, you do not deceive Him Whose we are, you do not deceive Him Who bought us. Hearing these and suchlike things, which he is not used to hearing, he, while he does not want to be made sound in himself, becomes unsound against me, grows angry, curses: perhaps he even says, How
Editors' notes and page, col. 78
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est ut huc ille veniret, aut uxor mea ipso die in ecclesiam procederet? Et hoc credo quod in cogitatione sua dicat: nam libere erumpere in vocem non audet, nec ante solam uxorem suam. Fortassis enim si eruperit, et hoc dixerit, potest illa respondere, et dicere: Quare maledicis, cui paulo ante acclamabas? Certe conjuges sumus: cum lingua tua discordas, mecum concorditer quomodo vivere poteris? Nos, fratres, pericula vestra intuemur, non voluntates vestras attendimus: nam et medicus si voluntatem aegri attendat, nunquam illum curat. Quod non est faciendum, non fiat: quod prohibet Deus, non fiat. Qui Deo credit, ab ipso audit quod dicimus. Certe melius erat quibusdam nolentibus corrigi, ut vel huc non veniremus, si ista dicturi eramus; vel quia jam venimus, non ea diceremus.
happened that he should come here, or that my wife should go out to church on that very day? And this, I believe, he says in his thoughts: for he does not dare to burst out freely into speech, not even before his wife alone. For perhaps if he bursts out and says this, she can answer and say: Why do you curse the one whom a little while ago you were acclaiming? Surely we are spouses: when you are at odds with your own tongue, how will you be able to live in concord with me? We, brethren, look to your dangers; we do not attend to your wishes: for a physician too, if he attends to the wish of the sick man, never cures him. What is not to be done, let it not be done: what God forbids, let it not be done. Whoever believes God hears from Him what we say. Surely it would have been better, for certain people who do not wish to be corrected, either that we should not come here, if we were going to say these things, or, since we have now come, that we should not say them.
5. Nudiustertiano die memini me dixisse Sanctitati vestrae, quia si citharoedi essemus, aut hujusmodi aliquid populariter exhibentes pro studiis nugacitatis vestrae, quae jam quaesumus ut relinquatis, tenuissetis nos, ut daremus vobis diem, et quisque pro modulo suo conferret nobis mercedem. Quare ambularemus delectati vanis canticis nulli rei profuturis, ad tempus dulcibus, in posterum amaris? Talibus etenim turpitudinibus cantionum animi humani illecti enervantur, et decidunt a virtute, defluentes in turpitudinem; et propter ipsas turpitudines postea sentiunt dolores, et cum magna amaritudine digerunt quod cum dulcedine temporali biberunt. Melius ergo nos amara vobis cantamus ad tempus, quae postea dulcescant in vobis. Nec mercedem aliquam exigimus, nisi ut faciatis quae dicimus: imo non faciatis, si nos dicimus: si autem omnibus ille dicit, qui neminem timet, et per quem fit in nomine ipsius et in gloria misericordiae ipsius, ut et nos ⟨n⟩eminem timeamus; omnes audivimus, omnes faciamus, omnes cum nostro adversario concordemus.
5. The day before yesterday, I remember, I said to Your Holiness that if we were lyre-players, or were putting on something of that kind for the populace to suit the pursuits of your frivolity, which we now beg you to abandon, you would have kept us, so that we might give you a day's show, and each according to his small means would contribute a fee to us. Why should we go about delighted by vain songs that will profit nothing, sweet for the time, bitter afterwards? For human souls, enticed by such shameful songs, are enervated, and fall away from virtue, flowing down into shamefulness; and because of these very shameful things they afterwards feel pains, and with great bitterness digest what they drank with temporal sweetness. Better, therefore, that we sing bitter things to you for a time, which may afterwards grow sweet in you. Nor do we demand any fee, except that you do what we say: nay, do not do it, if it is we who say it; but if He says it to all, Who fears no one, and through Whom it comes about, in His name and in the glory of His mercy, that we too fear no one, we have all heard, let us all do it, let us all be in concord with our adversary.
6. Putate me citharoedum esse; quid vobis possum amplius canere? Ecce psalterium fero, decem chordas habet: hoc vos paulo ante cantastis, antequam inciperem loqui; chorus meus vos fuistis.
6. Suppose that I am a lyre-player: what more can I sing to you? See, I bring a psaltery; it has ten strings: this you sang a little while ago, before I began to speak; you were my choir.
CAPUT V.—Nonne vos paulo ante cantastis, Deus, canticum novum cantabo tibi, in psalterio decem chordarum psallam tibi (Psal. CXLIII, 9)? Ipsas decem chordas modo percutio. Quare amara est vox psalterii Dei? Psaltum tibi in psalterio decem chordarum. Non vobis hoc canto, quod vos non faciatis. Decalogus enim Legis decem praecepta habet: quae decem praecepta sic sunt distributa, ut tria pertineant ad Deum, septem pertineant ad homines. Tria ad Deum, quae jam dixi: Unus est Deus noster, ei nullam similitudinem debemus facere, et non fornicari post Deum, qui unus est: quia Deus et Christus Filius Dei unum est cum
Chapter V.—Did you not sing a little while ago, O God, a new song will I sing to Thee, on a psaltery of ten strings will I play to Thee (Ps. 143:9)? These very ten strings I now strike. Why is the voice of God's psaltery bitter? I will play to Thee on a psaltery of ten strings. I do not sing this to you for you not to do it. For the Decalogue of the Law has ten commandments: and these ten commandments are so distributed that three pertain to God, seven pertain to men. The three that pertain to God, which I have already spoken of: Our God is one, we ought to make no likeness to Him, and we ought not to commit fornication away from God, Who is one: because God and Christ the Son of God is one with
Editors' notes and page, col. 79
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: me citharoedum esse› · call in col 79
Duo Mss.: Putate me diem dedisse, putate me citharoedum esse, etc.
Two manuscripts: "Suppose that I have given the day; suppose that I am a lyre-singer," etc.
(printed under page 44)
(2) ‹anchor: ei nullam similitudinem› · call in col 79
Plerique Mss., et nullam similitudinem.
Most manuscripts: "and no likeness."
(printed under page 44)
(3) ‹anchor: quia Deus› · call in col 79
Sic Mss. Editi vero, qui Deus.
So the manuscripts. But the printed editions: "who, God." [The note's number has dropped out in the print; it answers call 3.]
(printed under page 44)
(a) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 79
Hinc facile intelligas sermonem ab Augustino habitum esse in aliena ecclesia, forte apud Carthaginenses: certe quidem apud homines ludis deditos et spectaculis, a quibus passim revocat infra.
From this you may easily gather that the sermon was delivered by Augustine in a church not his own, perhaps among the Carthaginians: certainly among people given to games and shows, from which he calls them back at many points below.
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Patre. Et ideo non debet a nobis accipi in vanum, ut putemus eum factum, id est, creaturam aliquam, per quem facta sunt omnia: quia ipse unus Deus, Pater est et Filius et Spiritus sanctus. In Spiritu sancto, hoc est, in dono Dei, requies nobis sempiterna promittitur. Inde modo pignus accepimus. Sic enim dicit Apostolus: Qui dedit nobis pignus Spiritum (II Cor. I, 22). Si pignus accepimus, ut incipiamus in Domino et in Deo nostro tranquilli esse, ut simus in Deo nostro mites, simus in Deo patientes; erimus etiam in illo unde pignus accepimus, in aeternum quieti; quod erit sabbatum sabbatorum, propter ipsam requiem pertinentem ad donum Spiritus sancti. Tertium itaque praeceptum de sabbato, quod diximus, quod carnaliter Judaei celebrant, nos spiritualiter agnoscamus. Nam quia Spiritus sanctus dicitur, propterea septimum diem sanctificavit Deus, quando fecit omnia opera sua, sicut in Genesi scriptum legimus. Non ibi habes nominatam sanctificationem, nisi illo die ubi dicitur, Requievit Deus ab operibus suis. Non enim fatigatus erat Deus, ut diceretur, Requievit Deus ab operibus suis (Gen. II, 3): sed in illo verbo tibi laboranti requiem promisit; ut quia fecit omnia bona valde, et sic dicitur, Requievit Deus, intelligas etiam te post bona opera requieturum, et sine fine requieturum. Nam omnia superiora quae dicta sunt, id est, dies superiores habent vesperam: septimus iste dies non habet vesperam, ubi Deus sanctificavit requiem. Dicitur ibi, Factum est mane, ut inciperet ipse dies. Non dictum est, Factum est vespere, ut finiretur dies: sed dictum est, Factum est mane, ut fieret sine fine dies. Sic incipit ergo requies nostra, quasi mane: sed non finitur, quia in aeternum vivemus. Ad hanc spem quidquid facimus si facimus, sabbatum observamus. Ipsa est tertia chorda hujus decalogi, id est, psalterii decachordi: in tribus enim chordis ad Deum pertinent praecepta.
Father. And therefore He ought not to be taken by us in vain, so that we should think Him made, that is, some creature, He through Whom all things were made: for the one God Himself is Father and Son and Holy Spirit. In the Holy Spirit, that is, in the gift of God, everlasting rest is promised to us. From there we have now received a pledge. For thus the Apostle says: Who has given us a pledge, the Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22). If we have received a pledge, so that we may begin to be tranquil in the Lord and in our God, so that we may be meek in our God, may be patient in God, we shall also be at rest for ever in Him from Whom we have received the pledge; which will be the sabbath of sabbaths, on account of that very rest which belongs to the gift of the Holy Spirit. The third commandment, then, concerning the sabbath, of which we have spoken, which the Jews celebrate carnally, let us recognize spiritually. For because the Spirit is called holy, therefore God sanctified the seventh day, when He had made all His works, as we read written in Genesis. You do not find sanctification named there except on that day where it is said, God rested from His works. For God had not grown tired, that it should be said, God rested from His works (Gen. 2:3); but in that word He promised rest to you who labour; so that, since He made all things very good, and thus it is said, God rested, you may understand that you too will rest after good works, and will rest without end. For all the preceding things which were spoken of, that is, the preceding days, have an evening: this seventh day has no evening, where God sanctified rest. It is said there, Morning came about, so that the day itself might begin. It is not said, Evening came about, so that the day might be ended: but it is said, Morning came about, so that the day might be without end. Thus, then, our rest begins, as it were in the morning: but it is not ended, for we shall live for ever. Whatever we do, if we do it towards this hope, we keep the sabbath. This is the third string of this decalogue, that is, of the ten-stringed psaltery: for in three strings the commandments pertain to God.
CAPUT VI. — 7. Si diceretur nobis, Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et ex tota anima tua, et ex tota mente tua, et de proximo nostro nihil diceretur, non esset decachordum, sed trichordum. Quia vero addidit Dominus, Et diliges proximum tuum tanquam te ipsum; et contexuit dicens, In his duobus praeceptis tota Lex pendet et Prophetae (Matth. XXII, 37-40): tota Lex in duobus praeceptis est, in dilectione Dei et dilectione proximi; ad duo itaque praecepta, id est, ad dilectionem Dei et proximi pertinet decalogus. Ad primum praeceptum tres chordae pertinent, quia Deus est Trinitas. Ad alterum vero praeceptum, id est, ad dilectionem proximi, septem chordae: quomodo vivatur inter homines. Nam ipse numerus septenarius, tanquam septem chordarum, incipit ab honore parentum: Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam (Exod. XX, 12). Ad parentes enim suos
Chapter VI. — 7. If it were said to us, You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind, and nothing were said about our neighbour, it would not be a ten-stringed but a three-stringed instrument. But since the Lord added, And you shall love your neighbour as yourself; and joined them together, saying, On these two commandments the whole Law hangs and the Prophets (Matt. 22:37–40): the whole Law is in two commandments, in the love of God and the love of neighbour; to the two commandments, then, that is, to the love of God and of neighbour, the decalogue belongs. To the first commandment three strings belong, because God is a Trinity. To the other commandment, that is, to the love of neighbour, seven strings: how one is to live among men. For the sevenfold number itself, as of seven strings, begins from the honour of parents: Honour your father and your mother (Exod. 20:12). For to his parents
Editors' notes and page, col. 80
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 80
Pauciores Mss.: Spiritus.
A smaller number of manuscripts: "Spirit."
(printed under page 44)
(2) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 80
Editi: Spiritus sanctus septiformis dicitur. Vox, septiformis, abest a manuscriptis et abesse debet, quando hic docet Augustinus tertium praeceptum de sabbati requie pertinere ad Spiritum sanctum, atque septimum diem, quod sabbatum est, idcirco sanctificatum fuisse a Deo, quia Spiritus dicitur sanctus.
The printed editions: "the Holy Spirit is called sevenfold." The word "sevenfold" is absent from the manuscripts and ought to be absent, since Augustine here teaches that the third commandment, on the sabbath rest, pertains to the Holy Spirit, and that the seventh day, which is the sabbath, was sanctified by God for this reason, that the Spirit is called holy.
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homo aperit oculos, et haec vita ab eorum amicitia sumit exordium. Quisquis autem suis parentibus non defert honorem, quibus parere poterit? Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam. Et dicit Apostolus: Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, quod est mandatum primum (Ephes. VI, 2). Quomodo primum, quando quartum est mandatum, nisi quia in septenario numero est primum? Ad dilectionem proximi primum est in altera tabula. Nam ideo duae tabulae Legis datae sunt. Deus enim famulo suo Moysi in monte duas tabulas dedit, in quibus duabus tabulis lapideis conscripta erant decem praecepta Legis (Exod. XXXI, 18) (quod est psalterium decem chordarum); tria in una tabula ad Deum pertinentia, septem in altera tabula ad proximum. In altera ergo tabula primum est, Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam. Secundum, Non moechaberis. Tertium, Non occides. Quartum, Non furaberis. Quintum, Non falsum testimonium dices. Sextum, Non concupisces uxorem proximi tui. Septimum, Non concupisces rem proximi tui. Haec jungamus illis tribus ad dilectionem Dei pertinentibus (Id. XX, 1-17), si in psalterio decem chordarum volumus cantare canticum novum.
man opens his eyes, and this life takes its beginning from their friendship. But whoever does not render honour to his own parents, whom will he be able to obey? Honour your father and your mother. And the Apostle says: Honour your father and your mother, which is the first commandment (Eph. 6:2). How the first, when it is the fourth commandment, unless because in the number seven it is the first? With regard to love of neighbour it is the first on the other tablet. For this is why two tablets of the Law were given. For God gave His servant Moses on the mountain two tablets, on which two tablets of stone were written the ten precepts of the Law (Exod. 31:18) (which is the psaltery of ten strings); three on one tablet pertaining to God, seven on the other tablet pertaining to one's neighbour. On the other tablet, then, the first is, Honour your father and your mother. The second, You shall not commit adultery. The third, You shall not kill. The fourth, You shall not steal. The fifth, You shall not bear false witness. The sixth, You shall not covet your neighbour's wife. The seventh, You shall not covet your neighbour's property. Let us join these to those three pertaining to the love of God (Exod. 20:1–17), if on the psaltery of ten strings we wish to sing a new song.
CAPUT VII.—8. Attendat enim Charitas vestra, ut dicam quod Dominus suggerit. Accepit Legem populus Judaeorum istam in decalogo: non observavit. Et quicumque obtemperabant, timore obtemperabant poenae, non amore justitiae: portabant psalterium, non cantabant. Cantanti enim voluptas est, timenti onus est. Ideo vetus homo aut non facit, aut timore facit; non amore sanctitatis, non delectatione castitatis, temperantiae, charitatis, sed timore. Vetus enim homo est; et vetus homo canticum vetus cantare potest, non novum. Ut autem cantet canticum novum, sit novus homo. Quomodo autem possit esse novus homo, audi, non me, sed Apostolum dicentem, Exuite, vos, veterem hominem, et induite novum. Et ne quis putaret, cum dixit, Exuite, vos, veterem hominem, et induite novum; aliquid deponendum esse et aliquid accipiendum, cum de mutando praeciperet homine, subjecit et ait, Quapropter deponentes mendacium, loquimini veritatem (Ephes. IV, 22-25). Hoc est quod ait, Exuite veterem hominem, et induite novum: hoc dixit, Mutate mores. Saeculum diligebatis, Deum diligite: nugatoria iniquitatis, temporales voluptates diligebatis; proximum diligite. Si dilectione facitis, canticum novum cantatis: si timore facitis, facitis tamen; portatis quidem psalterium, sed nondum cantatis: si autem nec hoc facitis, projicitis ipsum psalterium. Melius est vel portare, quam projicere: sed rursus, melius cum voluptate cantare, quam cum onere portare. Nec pervenit ad canticum novum, nisi jam cum voluptate cantans. Nam qui portat cum timore, adhuc in vetustate est. Et quid est quod dico, fratres, attendite. Non concordavit
Chapter VII.—8. For let your Charity pay attention, so that I may say what the Lord suggests. The people of the Jews received this Law in the decalogue: it did not observe it. And whoever obeyed, obeyed from fear of punishment, not from love of justice: they carried the psaltery, they did not sing. For to the one who sings it is a pleasure, to the one who fears it is a burden. Therefore the old man either does not do it, or does it from fear; not from love of holiness, not from delight in chastity, temperance, charity, but from fear. For he is an old man; and the old man can sing an old song, not a new one. But that he may sing a new song, let him be a new man. But how he may be a new man, hear, not me, but the Apostle saying, Put off the old man, and put on the new. And lest anyone should think, when he said, Put off the old man, and put on the new, that something was to be laid aside and something to be taken up, when he was giving instruction about changing the man, he added and said, Wherefore, laying aside lying, speak the truth (Eph. 4:22–25). This is what he says, Put off the old man, and put on the new: he said this, Change your ways. You used to love the world: love God; you used to love the trifles of iniquity, temporal pleasures: love your neighbour. If you do it out of love, you sing a new song: if you do it out of fear, you do it nonetheless; you carry the psaltery indeed, but you do not yet sing: but if you do not even do this, you throw away the psaltery itself. It is better at least to carry it than to throw it away: but again, it is better to sing with pleasure than to carry with a burden. Nor does one arrive at the new song, unless singing now with pleasure. For he who carries with fear is still in oldness. And what it is that I am saying, brethren, pay attention. There did not agree
Editors' notes and page, col. 81
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 81
Am. Er. et Mss., parcere. Sic etiam Eugypius.
Am. [Amerbach], Er. [Erasmus] and the manuscripts: "to spare." So also Eugippius.
(printed under page 45)
(2) ‹anchor: non delectatione castitatis› · call in col 81
Plerique Mss., dilectione castitatis. Mox tres Mss., non temperantia charitatis. Lov., non temperantiae, etc. Sequimur Am. Er. et plures Mss.
Most manuscripts: "by love of chastity." Just after, three manuscripts: "not by the temperance of charity." Lov. [Louvain]: "not of temperance," etc. We follow Am. [Amerbach], Er. [Erasmus] and the greater number of manuscripts.
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(3) ‹anchor: in vetustate est› · call in col 81
Mss., adhuc in vetere est.
The manuscripts: "is still in the old."
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cum adversario suo, qui cum timore adhuc facit : timet enim ne veniat Deus, et damnet illum. Nam nondum delectat castitas, nondum illum delectat justitia; sed judicium Dei formidans, a factis temperat : non concupiscentiam ipsam damnans, quae saevit in eo. Nondum illum delectat quod bonum est : nondum ibi habet suavitatem, ut cantet canticum novum; sed de vetustate poenas timet : nondum concordavit cum adversario.
with his adversary, who still acts with fear: for he fears that God may come and condemn him. For chastity does not yet delight him, justice does not yet delight him; but dreading the judgement of God, he refrains from deeds: not condemning the concupiscence itself which rages in him. What is good does not yet delight him: he does not yet find sweetness in it, so as to sing a new song; but on account of the old [state] he fears punishments: he has not yet come to agreement with the adversary.
CAPUT VIII. — 9. Tales enim homines, plerumque supplantantur tali cogitatione, ut dicant sibi : Si fieri posset, non nobis minaretur Deus, non talia per Prophetas suos diceret, quae homines deterrerent; sed antequam veniret, daret omnibus indulgentiam, ignosceret omnibus, postea veniret, neminem mitteret in gehennas. Jam quia iniquus est, iniquum vult Deum. Vult te Deus facere similem sui, et conaris tu Deum facere similem tui. Placeat tibi ergo Deus qualis est, non qualem illum esse vis. Perversus enim es, et talem vis Deum qualis es, non qualis est. Si autem placeat tibi qualis est, corrigeris, et diriges in eam regulam cor tuum, a qua nunc alienus distortus es. Placeat tibi Deus qualis est, ama qualis est : non te ipse amat qualis es, sed odit te qualis es. Ideo tui miseretur, quia odit te qualis es, ut faciat te qualis nondum es. Faciat te, dixi, qualis nondum es. Nam illud tibi non promittit, quia faciet te qualis est. Nam eris qualis est, sed ad quemdam modum; id est, imitator Dei velut imago, sed non qualis imago est Filius. Nam etiam imagines in hominibus diversae sunt. Filius hominis habet imaginem patris sui, et hoc est quod pater ejus, quia homo est sicut pater ejus. In speculo autem imago tua non hoc est quod tu. Aliter est enim imago tua in filio, aliter in speculo : in filio est imago tua secundum aequalitatem substantiae; in speculo autem quantum longe est a substantia, et tamen est quaedam imag⟨o⟩ tua, quamvis non talis, qualis in filio tuo secundu⟨m⟩ substantiam. Sic in creatura, non hoc est imago Dei, quod est in Filio, qui hoc est quod Pater, id est, Verbum Dei per quod facta sunt omnia. Recipe ergo similitudinem Dei, quam per mala facta amisisti. Sicut enim in nummo imago imperatoris aliter est, aliter in filio : nam imago et imago est; sed aliter impressa est in nummo, aliter in filio, aliter in solido aureo imago imperatoris : sic et tu nummus Dei es, ex hoc melior, quia cum intellectu et cum quadam vita nummus Dei es, ut scias etiam cujus imaginem geras, et ad cujus imaginem factus sis : nam nummus nescit se habere imaginem imperatoris. Ergo ut dicere coeperam, odit te Deus qualis es, sed amat te talem qualem te esse vult : et ideo ille te ut muteris hortatur. Concorda cum illo, et incipe primo bene velle, et odisse te qualis es : hoc sit tibi initium concordiae cum sermone Dei, ut incipias primo tu odisse te qualis es. Cum coeperis et tu odisse te talem qualis es, sicut te talem odit Deus, incipis jam ipsum diligere Deum qualis est.
Chapter VIII. — 9. For such men are often tripped up by such a thought, so that they say to themselves: If it could be so, God would not threaten us, He would not say such things through His Prophets as would frighten men; but before He came He would grant pardon to all, He would forgive all, afterwards He would come, He would send no one into the gehennas. Now because he is unjust, he wants God to be unjust. God wants to make you like Himself, and you try to make God like yourself. Let God, then, please you such as He is, not such as you want Him to be. For you are perverse, and you want God to be such as you are, not such as He is. But if He pleases you such as He is, you will be corrected, and you will direct your heart to that rule from which you are now estranged and distorted. Let God please you such as He is, love Him such as He is: He Himself does not love you such as you are, but hates you such as you are. Therefore He has mercy on you, because He hates you such as you are, so that He may make you such as you are not yet. May He make you, I have said, such as you are not yet. For He does not promise you this, that He will make you such as He is. For you will be such as He is, but in a certain manner; that is, an imitator of God as an image, but not such an image as the Son is. For even among men images are different. A man's son has the image of his father, and he is what his father is, because he is a man just as his father is. But your image in a mirror is not what you are. For your image is one way in your son, another way in a mirror: in your son your image is according to equality of substance; but in a mirror, how far it is from the substance, and yet it is a certain image of you, although not such as that in your son according to substance. So in the creature, the image of God is not what it is in the Son, Who is what the Father is, that is, the Word of God through Whom all things were made. Recover, then, the likeness of God, which you lost through evil deeds. For just as the emperor's image is one way on a coin, another way in his son: for an image is indeed an image; but it is impressed one way on a coin, another way in his son, another way on a gold solidus the emperor's image: so you too are God's coin, better in this, that you are God's coin with understanding and with a certain life, so that you may know too whose image you bear, and to whose image you were made: for a coin does not know that it has the emperor's image. So, as I had begun to say, God hates you such as you are, but loves you such as He wants you to be: and therefore He exhorts you to be changed. Come to agreement with Him, and begin first to will well, and to hate yourself such as you are: let this be for you the beginning of agreement with the word of God, that you first begin yourself to hate yourself such as you are. When you too have begun to hate yourself such as you are, just as God hates you such as you are, you begin now to love God Himself such as He is.
Editors' notes and page, col. 82
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: antequam› · call in col 82
Particula antequam, abest ab Am. et a Mss.
The particle "antequam" [before] is absent from Am. [Amerbach] and from the manuscripts.
(printed under page 45)
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10. Aegrum attendite. Aeger aegrotantem se odit qualis est: inde incipit concordare cum medico. Quia et medicus odit eum qualis est: nam ideo vult sanum esse, quia odit eum febrientem: et est medicus febris persecutor, ut sit hominis liberator. Sic avaritia, sic libido, sic odium, concupiscentia, luxuria, sic nugacitas spectaculorum, febres sunt animae tuae, debes illas odisse cum medico: ita concordas cum medico, niteris cum medico, et libenter audis quod jubet medicus, libenter facis quod jubet medicus, et proficiente jam sanitate incipiunt etiam delectare praecepta. Quam onerosus est cibus aegris quando reficiuntur: et pejorem horam deputant aegri refectionis suae, quam suae accessionis; et tamen cogunt se concordantes cum medico, et quamvis inviti et obluctantes vincunt se ut aliquid accipiant. Quanta aviditate sani majora percepturi sunt, unde aegri minora vix accipiunt? Sed unde hoc factum est? Quia oderant febrem suam, et cum medico concordaverunt, et simul persequebantur febrem medicus et aegrotus. Cum ergo et nos talia dicimus, non odimus nisi febres vestras: imo in nobis ipse sermo Dei febres vestras odit, cum quo concordare debetis. Nam nos quid sumus, nisi liberandi vobiscum, sanandi vobiscum?
10. Look at the sick man. The sick man hates himself as sick, such as he is: from that point he begins to agree with the physician. For the physician too hates him such as he is: for he wants him to be healthy precisely because he hates him feverish; and the physician is the persecutor of the fever, so that he may be the liberator of the man. So avarice, so lust, so hatred, concupiscence, luxury, so the frivolity of the shows, are fevers of your soul; you ought to hate them together with the physician: thus you agree with the physician, you strive together with the physician, and you gladly hear what the physician orders, you gladly do what the physician orders, and as health now advances, the precepts even begin to delight. How burdensome food is to the sick when they are being restored; and the sick reckon the hour of their nourishment worse than the hour of their attack [of fever]; and yet, agreeing with the physician, they force themselves, and though unwilling and struggling they overcome themselves so as to take something. With what eagerness will the healthy take larger portions of that of which the sick scarcely take smaller ones? But how did this come about? Because they hated their fever, and agreed with the physician, and the physician and the sick man together persecuted the fever. When therefore we too say such things, we hate nothing but your fevers: rather, in us the very word of God hates your fevers, and with it you ought to agree. For what are we, if not men to be set free with you, to be healed with you?
CAPUT IX. — 11. Modo non me intueamini, sed sermonem Dei. Nolite irasci medicamento vestro; non inveni enim aliud qua transirem. Veni ad quintam chordam homo, qui tango psalterium decem chordarum; numquid praetermissurus eram quintam? Imo assidue percussurus. In illa enim video jacere totum pene genus humanum, in illa video plus laborare. Ipsam percutiendo quid dico? Nolite moechari post uxores vestras, quia non vultis ut moechentur post vos uxores vestrae. Nolite ire vos, quo eas sequi non vultis. Sine causa vos excusare conamini, quando dicitis: Numquid eo ad uxorem alienam? Ad ancillam meam eo. Vis ut dicat uxor tua tibi: Numquid eo ad virum alienum? Ad servum meum eo. Dicis: Non est uxor aliena, ad quam vado. Numquid vis dicatur tibi: Non est vir alienus, ad quem vado? Absit ut dicat hoc illa. Melius enim dolet te, quam imitatur te. Illa enim casta et sancta femina et vere christiana, quae dolet fornicantem virum, et non dolet propter carnem, sed dolet propter charitatem; non ideo non vult ut facias, quia et ipsa non facit, sed quia tibi non expedit. Nam si propterea non facit, ut tu non facias; si feceris, faciet. Si autem Deo illud debeat, si Christo illud debeat quod tu exigis, et ideo reddat, quia jubet ille; etsi fornicatur vir, castitatem femina illa Deo exhibet. Christus enim loquitur in cordibus bonarum feminarum, loquitur intus ubi non audit vir, quia nec dignus est, si talis est: loquitur ergo ille interius, et dicit, et filiam suam consolatur hujusmodi verbis: De injuriis viri tui torqueris, quid tibi enim fecit? Dole; sed ipsum noli imitari, ut male facias, sed ipse te imitetur in bono. Nam in eo quod male facit, noli eum putare caput
Chapter IX. — 11. Now do not look at me, but at the word of God. Do not be angry with your medicine; for I found no other way by which I might pass on. I, a man who plays a psaltery of ten strings, have come to the fifth string; was I going to pass over the fifth? No, I shall strike it constantly. For on it I see almost the whole human race lying prostrate; on it I see [them] labour more. In striking it, what do I say? Do not commit adultery behind your wives, because you do not want your wives to commit adultery behind you. Do not yourselves go where you do not want them to follow. Without reason you try to excuse yourselves when you say: Do I go to another man's wife? I go to my maidservant. Do you want your wife to say to you: Do I go to another woman's husband? I go to my manservant. You say: It is not another man's wife to whom I go. Do you want it said to you: It is not another woman's husband to whom I go? Far be it that she should say this. For it is better that she grieves over you than that she imitates you. For that chaste and holy and truly Christian woman, who grieves over a fornicating husband, grieves not on account of the flesh, but grieves on account of charity; she does not want you to do it, not because she herself does not do it, but because it is not good for you. For if she refrains for this reason, that you may refrain, then if you do it, she will do it. But if she owes it to God, if she owes to Christ that which you demand, and renders it for this reason, because He commands it; even if the husband fornicates, that woman offers chastity to God. For Christ speaks in the hearts of good women, He speaks within where the husband does not hear, because he is not worthy, if he is such: He therefore speaks inwardly, and says, and consoles His daughter with words of this kind: You are tormented by the injuries of your husband; for what has he done to you? Grieve; but do not imitate him so as to do evil, but let him imitate you in good. For in that in which he does evil, do not consider him [your] head
Editors' notes and page, col. 83
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 83
Sic Mss. Editi vero ferebant, imo in nobis ipsis sermo Dei febres nostras odit.
So the manuscripts. But the printed editions used to give: "nay rather, in our very selves the word of God hates our fevers."
(printed under page 46)
(2) ‹anchor: video plus laborare› · call in col 83
Cisterciensis Ms., debeo plus laborare.
The Cistercian manuscript: "I ought to labour more."
(printed under page 46)
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tuum, sed me Deum tuum. Nam si et in eo quod male facit caput est, et secuturum est corpus caput suum; eunt ambo per praeceps. Ut autem non sequatur malum caput suum, teneat se ad caput Ecclesiae Christum: huic debens castitatem suam, huic deferens honorem suum, absens sit vir, praesens sit vir, non peccat illa; quia nunquam est absens, cui debet ut non peccet.
your own, but Me your God. For if he is the head even in what he does wrongly, and the body is going to follow its head, both go over the precipice. But so that she may not follow her bad head, let her hold herself to the Head of the Church, Christ: owing to Him her chastity, rendering to Him her honour, whether the husband be absent or the husband be present, she does not sin; for He is never absent to Whom she owes it not to sin.
12. Haec ergo, fratres mei, facite, ut possitis concordare cum adversario. Nec amara sunt quae dico, aut si amara sunt, curant. Potio ista si amara est, accipiatur: quia in periculo sunt viscera, amara est, bibatur. Melius est modica amaritudo in faucibus, quam aeternum tormentum in visceribus. Mutate ergo vos. Quicumque non faciebatis hoc bonum castitatis, jam facite. Nolite dicere: Non potest fieri. Foedum est, fratres mei, turpe est, ut vir dicat non posse fieri quod facit femina. Scelus est, ut vir dicat: Non possum. Quod potest femina, vir non potest? Quid enim, illa carnem non portat? Prior a serpente decepta est. Castae uxores vestrae ostendunt vobis fieri posse quod non vultis facere, et dicitis fieri non posse! Sed forte dices, ideo illam facilius facere posse, quia multa illi custodia est, legis praeceptum, diligentia maritalis, terror etiam legum publicarum; est etiam verecundiae et pudoris illius magnum munimentum. Multae custodiae faciunt feminam castiorem, virum castum faciat ipsa virilitas. Nam ideo mulieri major custodia, quia major infirmitas. Illa erubescit viro, tu non erubescis Christo? Tu liberior, quia fortior: quia facile vincis, ideo tibi commissus es. Super illam et diligentia viri, et terror legum, et consuetudo morum, et verecundia major: et Deus super te, tantum Deus. Invenis enim facile pares viros, quibus non timeas erubescere, quia faciunt illud multi. Et tanta est perversitas generis humani, ut aliquando metuendum sit ne castus erubescat inter impudicos. Ideo non cesso tangere quintam istam chordam, propter ipsam perversam consuetudinem et labem totius, ut dixi, generis humani. Si quis inter vos faciat homicidium, quod avertat Deus, pellere illum vultis de patria, et continuo, si fieri potest, excludere. Si quis faciat furtum, odistis illum, nec videre vultis. Si quis dicat falsum testimonium, abominamini, nec vobis homo videtur. Si quis concupiscat alienas res, raptor et injustus deputatur. Si quis volutatur cum ancillis suis, amatur, blande accipitur; convertuntur vulnera in joca. Si quis autem existat qui dicat se castum, non facere adulterium, notum autem sit quod non faciat; erubescit accedere ad illos non sui similes, ne insultent, ne irrideant, ne dicant non esse virum. Ad hoc delapsa est humana perversitas, ut vir h⟨a⟩beatur victus a libidine, et vir non habeatur victor libidinis. Triumphantes exsultant, et non sunt viri: jacent prostrati, et viri sunt? Si spectares, ille tibi videretur fortior, qui jaceret sub bestia, quam qui perimeret bestiam?
12. Do these things, then, my brothers, so that you may be able to come to agreement with your adversary. Nor are the things I say bitter, or if they are bitter, they heal. If this potion is bitter, let it be taken: because the inner parts are in danger; it is bitter, let it be drunk. Better is a little bitterness in the throat than eternal torment in the inner parts. Change yourselves, then. Whoever of you did not practise this good of chastity, practise it now. Do not say: It cannot be done. It is foul, my brothers, it is shameful, that a man should say that what a woman does cannot be done. It is a crime that a man should say: I cannot. What a woman can do, a man cannot? Why, does she not carry flesh? She was the first to be deceived by the serpent. Your chaste wives show you that what you are unwilling to do can be done, and you say it cannot be done! But perhaps you will say that she can do it more easily for this reason, because she has much guarding: the precept of the law, a husband's watchfulness, the terror also of the public laws; there is also the great bulwark of her modesty and sense of shame. Many guards make a woman more chaste; let manliness itself make a man chaste. For the woman has the greater guarding for this reason, that she has the greater weakness. She is ashamed before her husband; are you not ashamed before Christ? You are freer, because stronger: because you conquer easily, therefore you have been entrusted to yourself. Over her there is both the husband's watchfulness and the terror of the laws, and the custom of conduct, and a greater modesty: and over you God, God alone. For you easily find men like yourself, before whom you need not fear to be ashamed, because many do that thing. And so great is the perversity of the human race that sometimes it is to be feared that the chaste man may be ashamed among the unchaste. Therefore I do not cease to touch this fifth string, because of that very perverse custom and stain of the whole human race, as I have said. If anyone among you commits murder, which God forbid, you want to drive him from his homeland and, if it can be done, shut him out at once. If anyone commits theft, you hate him and do not want to see him. If anyone bears false witness, you abominate him, and he does not seem to you a human being. If anyone covets the property of others, he is reckoned a robber and unjust. If anyone wallows with his maidservants, he is loved, he is received with flattery; wounds are turned into jokes. But if someone appears who says that he is chaste, that he does not commit adultery, and it is known that he does not do it, he is ashamed to approach those who are not like him, lest they insult him, lest they mock him, lest they say he is not a man. Human perversity has sunk so far that a man conquered by lust is held to be a man, and a man who is the conqueror of lust is not held to be a man. They exult in triumph, and they are not men: they lie prostrate, and they are men? If you were watching, would he seem to you the stronger who lay beneath the beast, rather than he who killed the beast?
Editors' notes and page, col. 84
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 84
Editi, sed time me Deum tuum. Verbum, time, abest a Mss.
The printed editions: "but fear me, your God." The word "fear" is absent from the manuscripts.
(printed under page 46)
(2) ‹anchor: tibi videretur fortior› · call in col 84
Am.: Si spectabas in amphitheatro, si exspectabas, ut ille tibi videretur fortior, etc.
Am. [Amerbach]: "If you were watching in the amphitheatre, if you were waiting, so that he should seem to you the stronger," etc.
(printed under page 46)
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13. Sed quia dissimulatis a pugna interiore, et delectant vos pugnae exteriores, ideo non vultis pertinere ad canticum novum; ubi dicitur, Qui docet manus meas ad praelium, et digitos meos ad bellum (Psal. CXLIII, 1). Est enim bellum quod secum agit homo, dimicans contra concupiscentias malas, frenans avaritiam, elidens superbiam, suffocans ambitionem, trucidans libidinem. Has pugnas facis in occulto, et non vinceris in aperto. Ad hoc docentur manus vestrae ad praelium, et digiti vestri ad bellum. Non est hoc in spectaculis vestris. In illis spectaculis non id est venator, quod citharista; aliud agit venator, aliud citharista: in spectaculo Dei unum est. Tange easdem decem chordas, et fer⟨a⟩s occides, utrumque simul facis. Tangis primam chordam, qua unus colitur Deus; cecidit bestia superstitionis. Tangis secundam, qua non accipis nomen Domini Dei tui in vanum; cecidit bestia erroris nefandarum haeresum, quae id putaverunt. Tangis tertiam chordam, ubi pro spe futurae quietis facis quidquid facis; interficitur crudelior caeteris bestiis amor s⟨ae⟩culi hujus. Propter amorem enim saeculi hujus laborant homines in omnibus negotiis: tu autem in omnibus bonis operibus tuis labora, non propter amorem saeculi hujus, sed propter sempiternam requiem quam promittit Deus. Vide quomodo utrumque simul facis, et chordas tangis, et bestias occidis, id est, et citharista es et venator. Non vos delectant talia spectacula, ubi non promeremur oculos editoris; sed oculos Redemptoris? Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam: tangis quartam chordam, ut honorem parentibus deferas; cecidit bestia impietatis. Non moechaberis: tangis quintam chordam; cecidit bestia libid⟨i⟩nis. Non occides: tangis sextam chordam; cecidit bestia crudelitatis. Non furtum facies: tangis septimam chordam; cecidit bestia rapacitatis. Non falsum testimonium dices: tangis octavam chordam; cecidit bestia falsitatis. Non concupisces uxorem proximi tui: tangis nonam chordam; cecidit bestia adulterinae cogitationis. Aliud est enim non facere aliquid tale praeter uxorem, aliud non appetere alienam uxorem. Ideo duo praecepta sunt, Non moechaberis, et, Non concupisces uxorem proximi tui. Non concupisces rem proximi tui: tangis decimam chordam; cecidit bestia cupiditatis. Ita cadentibus omnibus bestiis securus et innocens in Dei dilectione et humana societate versaris. Tangens chordas decem, quot bestias occidis? Nam multa capita sunt sub istis capitibus. In singulis chordis non singulas bestias, sed greges interficis bestiarum. Sic ergo canticum novum cum amore, non cum timore cantabis.
13. But because you shirk the inner fight, and outward fights delight you, therefore you do not wish to belong to the new song, where it is said, Who teaches my hands for battle, and my fingers for war (Ps. 143:1). For there is a war which a man wages with himself, struggling against evil desires, bridling avarice, crushing pride, stifling ambition, slaughtering lust. These fights you wage in secret, and you are not defeated in the open. For this are your hands taught for battle, and your fingers for war. This is not in your shows. In those shows the hunter is not the same as the harper; the hunter does one thing, the harper another: in God's show it is one thing. Touch the same ten strings, and you will kill wild beasts; you do both at once. You touch the first string, by which the one God is worshipped; the beast of superstition has fallen. You touch the second, by which you do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; the beast of the error of the abominable heresies which thought this has fallen. You touch the third string, whereby you do whatever you do in hope of future rest; the love of this world, crueller than the other beasts, is slain. For it is for love of this world that men labour in all their business: but you, labour in all your good works not for love of this world, but for the everlasting rest which God promises. See how you do both at once: you both touch the strings and kill the beasts, that is, you are both harper and hunter. Do not such shows delight you, where we earn not the eyes of the giver of the games, but the eyes of the Redeemer? Honour your father and your mother: you touch the fourth string, so as to pay honour to your parents; the beast of impiety has fallen. You shall not commit adultery: you touch the fifth string; the beast of lust has fallen. You shall not kill: you touch the sixth string; the beast of cruelty has fallen. You shall not commit theft: you touch the seventh string; the beast of rapacity has fallen. You shall not speak false witness: you touch the eighth string; the beast of falsehood has fallen. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife: you touch the ninth string; the beast of adulterous thought has fallen. For it is one thing not to do any such thing apart from one's wife, another not to desire another man's wife. Therefore there are two commandments, You shall not commit adultery, and, You shall not covet your neighbour's wife. You shall not covet your neighbour's property: you touch the tenth string; the beast of cupidity has fallen. Thus, all the beasts having fallen, you live secure and innocent in the love of God and in human fellowship. Touching ten strings, how many beasts do you kill? For there are many heads under these heads. On each single string you kill not single beasts, but herds of beasts. Thus, then, you will sing the new song with love, not with fear.
CAPUT X. — 14. Noli dicere tibi, quando forte luxurianter aliquid vis agere: Uxorem non habeo, facio quod volo; non enim post uxorem meam pecco. Jam nosti pretium tuum, jam nosti quo accedis, quid manduces, quid bibas; imo quem manduces, quem bibas. Abstine te a fornicationibus. Ne forte mihi dicas: Ad fornicem vado, ad meretricem pergo, ad prostitutam eo: nec illud praeceptum violo, quo dictum
Chapter X. — 14. Do not say to yourself, when perhaps you wish to do something wantonly: I have no wife, I do what I wish; for I do not sin against my wife. You already know your price, you already know what you approach, what you eat, what you drink; nay rather, Whom you eat, Whom you drink. Abstain from fornications. Lest perhaps you say to me: I go to a brothel, I make for a harlot, I go to a prostitute: nor do I violate that commandment by which it is said
Editors' notes and page, col. 85
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 85
Plures Mss., ad pugnam introire.
Many manuscripts: "to go in to the fight."
(printed under page 47)
(2) ‹anchor: Non vos delectant› · call in col 85
Sic Am. et aliquot Mss. At Er.: Non nos delectant. Lov.: Non nos delectent.
So Am. [Amerbach] and several manuscripts. But Er. [Erasmus]: "Do they not delight us." Lov. [Louvain]: "Should they not delight us."
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est, Non moechaberis; quia uxorem nondum habeo. nec post illam aliquid facio: nec illud praeceptum violo, ubi dictum est, Non concupisces uxorem proximi tui. Qui ad publicam vado, in quod praeceptum incurro? Non invenimus chordam, quam tangamus? non invenimus chordam? Quo nervo ligemus fugitivum istum? Non fugiat, habet unde ligetur: sed amet, et non erit ligamentum, sed ornamentum. Non enim ligamentum, sed ornamentum in ipsis decem chordis invenimus. Decem enim praecepta ad duo illa referuntur, sicuti audivimus, ut diligamus Deum et proximum: et duo illa ad unum illud. Unum est autem, Quod tibi fieri non vis, alii ne feceris (Tob. IV, 16). Ibi continentur decem, ibi continentur duo.
is, You shall not commit adultery; because I do not yet have a wife. Nor do I do anything behind her back: nor do I violate that commandment where it is said, You shall not covet your neighbour's wife. I who go to a public woman, into which commandment do I run? Do we not find a string that we may touch? do we not find a string? With what cord shall we bind this runaway? Let him not flee; he has that by which he may be bound: but let him love, and it will be not a binding but an adornment. For it is not a binding but an adornment that we find in these very ten strings. For the ten commandments are referred to those two, as we have heard, that we should love God and our neighbour: and those two to that one. And the one is this: What you do not wish to be done to you, do not do to another (Tob. 4:16). There the ten are contained, there the two are contained.
15. Sed dicis: Furtum si faciam, id facio quod pati nolo: si occidam, id facio quod ab altero pati nolo: si parentibus meis honorem non deferam, quando volo ut deferatur mihi a filiis meis, id facio quod pati nolo: si sim moechus et aliquid tale moliar, id facio quod pati nolo; nam si quis interrogetur, dicit, Nolo ut uxor mea tale aliquid faciat: si concupisco uxorem proximi mei, nolo quisquam concupiscat meam; id facio quod pati nolo: si concupisco rem proximi mei, nolo ut auferatur mea; id facio quod pati nolo: cum vero ad meretricem eo, cui facio quod pati nolo? Quod gravius est, ipsi Deo. Intelligat Sanctitas vestra. Etenim, Quod fieri tibi non vis, alii ne feceris, ad duo praecepta pertinet. Quomodo pertinet ad duo praecepta? Si homini non feceris quod pati non vis ab homine, ad proximi praeceptum pertinet, ad dilectionem proximi, ad septem chordas: si autem quod non vis pati ab homine, ipsi Deo vis facere, quid est hoc? non facis alteri quod pati non vis? Charior tibi factus est homo quam Deus? Ergo quomodo, inquit, facio ipsi Deo? Corrumpis te ipsum. Et unde injuriam facio Deo, quia corrumpo me ipsum? Unde facit tibi injuriam, qui voluerit forte lapidare tuam tabulam pictam, in qua tabula imago tua est in domo tua inaniter posita ad vanum honorem tuum, nec sentiens, nec loquens, nec videns? Si quis illam lapidet, nonne in te id contumelia est? Cum vero imaginem Dei, quod es tu, corrumpis in te per fornicationes et per diffluentias libidinis; attendis quia ad nullius uxorem accessisti, attendis quia post uxorem tuam nihil fecisti, quia uxorem non habes; et non attendis per libidines et illicitas fornicationes cujus imaginem violasti? Postremo Deus qui scit quid tibi utile sit, qui vere sic suos servos gubernat ad utilitatem illorum, non ad suam; non enim indiget servis quasi ad adjutorium, sed tu indiges Domini auxilio: ipse ergo Dominus qui scit quid tibi sit utile, uxorem concessit, nihil amplius. Hoc jussit, hoc praecepit, ne per illicitas voluptates corruat templum ejus, quod esse coepisti. Numquid hoc ego dico? Apostolum audite: Nescitis quia templum Dei estis, et Spiritus Dei habitat in vobis? Hoc
15. But you say: If I commit theft, I do what I do not wish to suffer: if I kill, I do what I do not wish to suffer from another: if I do not pay honour to my parents, when I wish it to be paid to me by my sons, I do what I do not wish to suffer: if I am an adulterer and attempt some such thing, I do what I do not wish to suffer; for if anyone is asked, he says, I do not wish my wife to do any such thing: if I covet my neighbour's wife, I do not wish anyone to covet mine; I do what I do not wish to suffer: if I covet my neighbour's property, I do not wish mine to be taken away; I do what I do not wish to suffer: but when I go to a harlot, to whom do I do what I do not wish to suffer? What is more grievous, to God Himself. Let your Holiness understand. For, What you do not wish to be done to you, do not do to another, pertains to the two commandments. How does it pertain to the two commandments? If you do not do to a man what you do not wish to suffer from a man, it pertains to the commandment concerning the neighbour, to the love of neighbour, to the seven strings: but if what you do not wish to suffer from a man you are willing to do to God Himself, what is this? do you not do to another what you do not wish to suffer? Has man become dearer to you than God? So how, he says, do I do it to God Himself? You corrupt yourself. And how do I do injury to God because I corrupt myself? How does he do you injury who should perhaps wish to stone your painted panel, a panel on which your image is, set up idly in your house for your vain honour, neither feeling, nor speaking, nor seeing? If someone stones it, is that not an insult to you? But when you corrupt in yourself the image of God, which you are, through fornications and through the dissipations of lust, you pay attention to the fact that you have not approached anyone's wife, you pay attention to the fact that you have done nothing behind your wife's back, because you have no wife; and do you not pay attention to whose image you have violated through lusts and unlawful fornications? Lastly, God, Who knows what is useful for you, Who truly so governs His servants for their benefit, not for His own (for He does not need servants as if for assistance, but you need the help of the Lord): the Lord Himself, therefore, Who knows what is useful for you, has granted a wife, nothing more. This He has ordered, this He has commanded, lest through unlawful pleasures His temple, which you have begun to be, should fall in ruin. Is it I who say this? Hear the Apostle: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you? This
Editors' notes and page, col. 86
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Pauciores Mss., Non habemus quo nervo ligemus fugitivum istum, ut non fugiat. Am., Non fugiet. Paulo post Er. et plures Mss., sed amet te. Non enim ligamentum, etc., omissis verbis, et non erit, etc. At Lov., sed amet se, et non erit, etc. Denique Am. caret particula, se.
A smaller number of manuscripts: "We have no cord with which to bind this runaway, so that he may not run away." Am. [Amerbach]: "He will not run away." A little further on, Er. [Erasmus] and many manuscripts: "but let him love you. For it is not a bond," etc., with the words "and there will not be," etc., left out. But Lov. [Louvain]: "but let him love himself, and there will not be," etc. Lastly, Am. lacks the particle "se." [The small type is faint here: "amet se" and the final "se" are read with some doubt; nothing of this note runs over to the next page.]
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dicit Christianis, hoc dicit fidelibus: Nescitis quia templum Dei estis, et Spiritus Dei habitat in vobis? Si quis templum Dei corruperit, corrumpet illum Deus (I Cor. III, 16, 17)? Videtis quomodo minatur? Non vis corrumpi domum tuam, quare corrumpis domum Dei? Certe facis alicui quod pati non vis. Non est ergo qua evadatur: tenetur ille, qui se teneri non putabat. Omnia enim peccata hominum, aut ad corruptelam pertinent flagitiorum, aut ad facinora nocendi. Quia Deo nocere non potes in facinoribus, in flagitiis eum offendis, in corruptelis eam offendis, in te illi facis injuriam. Facis enim injuriam gratiae ipsius, domui ipsius.
he says to Christians, he says this to the faithful: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone corrupts the temple of God, God will corrupt him (1 Cor. 3:16–17)? Do you see how he threatens? You do not want your own house to be corrupted; why do you corrupt the house of God? Surely you are doing to someone what you do not want to suffer. So there is no way by which one may escape: he is held fast who thought that he was not held. For all the sins of men pertain either to the corruption of shameful deeds or to crimes of doing harm. Since you cannot harm God by crimes, you offend Him by shameful deeds; you offend it by corruptions; in yourself you do Him an injury. For you do an injury to His grace, to His house.
16. Servum si haberes, velles ut serviret tibi servus tuus: servi tu meliori Domino Deo tuo. Servum tuum non tu fecisti, et te et servum tuum ille fecit: vis ut tibi serviat cum quo factus es, et non vis servire ei a quo factus es? Ergo cum vis ut serviat tibi servus tuus homo, et tu non vis servire Domino Deo tuo, facis Deo quod tu pati non vis. Ergo illud unum praeceptum continet duo, illa duo continent decem, illa decem continent omnia. Cantate ergo in psalterio decem chordarum canticum novum. Ut autem cantetis canticum novum, estote homines novi. Diligite justitiam: habet pulchritudinem suam. Ideo non vultis illam videre, quia aliud amatis. Nam si aliud non amaretis, eam utique videretis. Quare illam videtis, quando illam exigitis? Quare laudas fidem, quando illam exigis de servo tuo? Quam pulchra res fides! Sed tunc pulchra est, quando de servo exigitur; tunc videtur, quando ab altero expetitur: quando de te exigitur, non videtur. Aurum vides, fidem non vides. Sicut lucet aurum ad oculos corporis, sic lucet fides ad oculos cordis. Aperis ad illam oculos cordis, quando vis ut exhibeat illam tibi servus tuus. Si tibi illam exhibuerit, laudas servum, et praedicas eum, et dicis: Praeclarum servum habeo, magnum servum habeo, fidelem servum habeo. Quod laudas in servo, non exhibes Domino: et eo sceleratius, quia vis ut meliorem habeas tu servum, quam te Deus. Jubet Deus servo tuo, ut bonus sit erga te. Quomodo jubet uxori tuae, ut etsi tu moechaberis, non moechetur: sic jubet servo tuo, ut etsi tu non servis Domino tuo, serviat tibi. Sed hoc totum vide ut ad admonitionem tuam valeat, non ad perniciem tuam. Etenim servus ille quod tibi servit indigno digne, id est, quod indigno tibi bene servit, et fideliter servit, et pure te diligit, Deo debet, non tibi. Justum est ergo, ut et tu attendas quia sub Domino es, ad quem et ille attendit, ut serviat tibi. Imple ergo quod dictum est, Quod tibi non vis fieri, alii ne feceris (Tob. IV, 16). Sed ipsum alii cum dicis, utrumque attende et proximum et Deum. Canta in psalterio decem chordarum, canta canticum novum: concorda cum sermone Dei, cum est tecum in via. Concorda cum adversario tuo cito, ne cum discordia venias ante judicem. Si facis quod audis, concordasti cum eo: si
16. If you had a servant, you would want your servant to serve you: you, for your part, serve a better Lord, your God. You did not make your servant; He made both you and your servant: do you want him with whom you were made to serve you, and do you not want to serve Him by Whom you were made? So when you want your servant, a man, to serve you, and you do not want to serve the Lord your God, you are doing to God what you do not want to suffer. So that one precept contains two, those two contain ten, those ten contain all things. Sing, therefore, on the psaltery of ten strings a new song. But in order that you may sing a new song, be new men. Love justice: it has its own beauty. You do not want to see it for this reason, that you love something else. For if you did not love something else, you would certainly see it. Why do you see it when you demand it? Why do you praise good faith when you demand it of your servant? What a beautiful thing good faith is! But it is beautiful then, when it is demanded of a servant; it is seen then, when it is sought from another: when it is demanded of you, it is not seen. You see gold; you do not see good faith. Just as gold shines to the eyes of the body, so good faith shines to the eyes of the heart. You open the eyes of the heart to it when you want your servant to show it to you. If he has shown it to you, you praise the servant, and you extol him, and you say: I have an excellent servant, I have a great servant, I have a faithful servant. What you praise in your servant you do not show to the Lord: and so much the more wickedly, because you want to have a better servant than God has in you. God commands your servant to be good towards you. Just as He commands your wife not to commit adultery even if you commit adultery, so He commands your servant to serve you even if you do not serve your Lord. But see that all this avails for your admonition, not for your ruin. For that your servant serves you worthily though you are unworthy, that is, that he serves you well though you are unworthy, and serves faithfully, and loves you purely, he owes to God, not to you. It is just, therefore, that you too should heed that you are under the Lord, to Whom he too gives heed in order to serve you. Fulfil, then, what has been said: What you do not want done to you, do not do to another (Tob. 4:16). But when you say that very word "another", heed both: both your neighbour and God. Sing on the psaltery of ten strings, sing a new song: agree with the word of God while it is with you on the way. Agree with your adversary quickly, lest you come before the judge in discord. If you do what you hear, you have agreed with him: if
Editors' notes and page, col. 87
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(1) ‹anchor: Certe facis› · call in col 87
Am. Er. et Germanensis Ms., certe non facis.
Am. [Amerbach], Er. [Erasmus] and the Saint-Germain manuscript: "certainly you do not do it."
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(2) ‹anchor: domui› · call in col 87
Mss., dono. Am., domo.
The manuscripts: "dono" [gift]. Am. [Amerbach]: "domo" [house].
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(3) ‹anchor: Quare illam videtis› · call in col 87
Lov., non videtis. Abest, non, ab editis aliis et a Mss.
Lov. [Louvain]: "you do not see." "Not" is absent from the other printed editions and from the manuscripts.
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autem non facis, rixaris cum eo, et nondum composuisti quousque facias.
but you do not do it, you quarrel with him, and you have not yet come to terms with him so that you might do it.
CAPUT XI. — 17. Ut autem concordetis, abstinete vos a detestabilibus corruptelis et a detestabilibus inquisitionibus, a mathematicis, ab aruspicibus, a sortilegis, ab auguribus, a sacrilegiis; abstinete vos, quantum potestis, a nugatoriis spectaculis. Si quae delectationes saeculi subrepunt in animam; exercete vos in misericordia, exercete vos in eleemosynis, in jejuniis, in orationibus. His enim purgantur quotidiana peccata, quae non possunt nisi subrepere in animam, propter fragilitatem humanam. Noli illa contemnere, quia minora sunt; sed time, quia plura sunt. Attendite, fratres mei. Minuta sunt, non sunt magna. Non est bestia quasi leo, ut uno morsu guttur frangat: sed et plerumque bestiae minutae multae necant. Si projiciatur quisquam in locum palicibus plenum, numquid non moritur ibi? Non sunt quidem majores: sed infirma est natura humana, quae etiam minutissimis bestiis interimi potest. Sic et modica peccata: attenditis quia modica sunt; cavete, quia plura sunt. Quam minutissima sunt grana arenae: si arenae amplius in navem mittatur, mergit illam ut pereat. Quam minutae sunt guttae pluviae: nonne flumina implent, et domos dejiciunt? Ergo ista nolite contemnere. Sed dicturi estis: Et quis potest sine istis? Ne hoc diceres (quia vere nemo potest), Deus misericors videns nostram fragilitatem, posuit contra remedia. Quae sunt remedia? Eleemosynarum, jejuniorum, orationum: ipsa sunt tria. Ut autem verum dicas in oratione, perfectae implendae sunt eleemosynae. Quae sunt perfectae eleemosynae? Ut ex quo tibi abundat, des ei qui non habet; et cum te laedit aliquis, ignoscas illi.
Chapter XI. — 17. But so that you may be in concord, keep yourselves from detestable corruptions and from detestable inquiries, from astrologers, from soothsayers, from fortune-tellers, from augurs, from sacrilegious practices; keep yourselves, as far as you can, from frivolous shows. If any delights of the world creep into the soul, exercise yourselves in mercy, exercise yourselves in almsgiving, in fasting, in prayer. For by these are purged the daily sins, which cannot but creep into the soul because of human frailty. Do not despise them because they are lesser; but fear, because they are more numerous. Pay attention, my brothers. They are small, they are not great. It is not a beast like a lion, that it should break the throat with one bite: but often many small beasts kill. If someone is thrown into a place full of fleas, does he not die there? They are not, indeed, larger: but human nature is weak, and it can be destroyed even by the tiniest beasts. So too with small sins: you notice that they are small; beware, because they are more numerous. How very tiny are the grains of sand: if too much sand is put into a ship, it sinks it so that it perishes. How tiny are the drops of rain: do they not fill rivers and throw down houses? Therefore do not despise these things. But you are going to say: And who can be without them? So that you should not say this (for truly no one can), God, being merciful and seeing our frailty, has set remedies against them. What are the remedies? Those of almsgiving, of fasting, of prayer: these are the three. But in order that you may speak truly in prayer, perfect almsgiving must be fulfilled. What is perfect almsgiving? That from what you have in abundance you give to him who has not; and when someone wrongs you, you forgive him.
18. Sed ne putetis, fratres, quia facienda sunt quotidie adulteria, et eleemosynis quotidianis mundanda sunt. Ad illa majora scelera non sufficiunt quotidianae eleemosynae, ut ea mundent. Aliud est ubi mutes vitam, aliud est ubi toleres vitam. Illa mutanda est: si moechus eras, noli esse moechus: si fornicator eras, noli fornicari: si homicida, noli esse homicida: si ibas ad mathematicum et ad caeteras pestes sacrilegas, jam desine. Arbitraris haec, nisi fieri desinant, quotidianis eleemosynis posse mundari? Illa dico quotidiana peccata, quae aut per linguam facile committuntur, ut est verbum durum, aut cum labitur aliquis in risum immoderatum, aut in hujusmodi nugas quotidianas. In ipsis concessis peccata sunt. Cum ipsa uxore si exceditur concumbendi modus procreandis liberis debitus, jam peccatum est. Ad hoc etenim ducitur uxor: nam id etiam tabulae indicant, ubi scribitur, Liberorum procreandorum causa. Quando tu uti uxore amplius quam necessitas procreandorum liberorum cogit, volueris, jam peccatum est: et ipsa talia peccata quotidianae eleemosynae mundant. In ipsis alimentis, quae utique concessa sunt, si forte excedis modum, et amplius accipis quam necesse est, peccas.
18. But do not think, brothers, that adulteries are to be committed daily and are to be cleansed by daily almsgiving. For those greater crimes daily almsgiving does not suffice to cleanse them. It is one thing where you must change your life, another where you must bear with your life. That life must be changed: if you were an adulterer, do not be an adulterer; if you were a fornicator, do not fornicate; if a murderer, do not be a murderer; if you used to go to the astrologer and to the other sacrilegious plagues, stop now. Do you suppose that these things, unless they cease to be done, can be cleansed by daily almsgiving? I am speaking of those daily sins which are either easily committed by the tongue, such as a harsh word, or when someone slips into immoderate laughter, or into trifles of this kind every day. Even in things permitted there are sins. If with one's own wife the measure of lying together that is owed to the procreation of children is exceeded, it is already a sin. For a wife is taken for this purpose: for the marriage tablets also indicate it, where it is written, "For the sake of procreating children." When you wish to make use of your wife more than the need of procreating children requires, it is already a sin: and daily almsgiving cleanses such sins as these. In food itself, which is certainly permitted, if perhaps you exceed the measure and take more than is necessary, you sin.
Editors' notes and page, col. 88
Footnotes
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Sic Am. et Mss. At Er. et Lov., a sacrilegis.
So Am. [Amerbach] and the manuscripts. But Er. [Erasmus] and Lov. [Louvain]: "from sacrilegious [things]."
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Ita nonnulli Mss. Alii vero cum Er., quae habere nemo potest. Lov., quae habere nemo non potest.
So some manuscripts. But others, with Er. [Erasmus]: "which no one can have." Lov. [Louvain]: "which no one can fail to have."
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(3) ‹anchor: Illa mutanda est› · call in col 88
Aliquot Mss., illa vitanda est.
Several manuscripts: "that one is to be shunned."
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Quotidiana sunt ista quae dico: sed tamen peccata sunt; et non sunt levia, quia plura. Quia vero quotidiana et plurima, timenda est ruina multitudinis, etsi non magnitudinis. Talia peccata dicimus, fratres, quotidianis eleemosynis posse mundari. Sed facite eleemosynas, et nolite cessare. Attendite vitam vestram quotidianam ipsis peccatis scaturientem, minutis ipsis dico.
These things that I am speaking of are daily things; but nevertheless they are sins; and they are not light, because they are many. And because they are daily and very many, ruin by their multitude is to be feared, even if not by their magnitude. Such sins, brethren, we say can be cleansed by daily alms. But give alms, and do not cease. Look at your daily life teeming with these very sins, these very small ones, I mean.
CAPUT XII. — 19. Et cum facis eleemosynam, non superbe facias, nec sic ores quemadmodum ille Pharisaeus. Sed tamen quid ibi dixit? Jejuno bis in sabbato, decimas do omnium quaecumque possideo (Luc. XVIII, 12). Et nondum fusus erat sanguis Domini. Tantum pro nobis pretium accepimus, et saltem nec tantum erogamus, quantum Pharisaeus. Et habes alio loco aperte dicentem Dominum, Nisi abundaverit justitia vestra plus quam Scribarum et Pharisaeorum, non intrabitis in regnum coelorum (Matth. V, 20). Ergo illi dant decimas; tu si centesimam dederis, aliquid magnum te fecisse gloriaris. Attendis enim quid alius non faciat, non quid te jubeat Deus facere. Metiris te de comparatione pejoris, non de jussione melioris. Non quia ille nihil facit, ideo tu magnum aliquid facis: sed quia gaudetur ad quaedam minima opera vestra (quia tanta est sterilitas vestra, ut ad modica gaudeatur), quasi securi vobis blandimini de minimis granis eleemosynarum, et acervos obliviscimini peccatorum. Protulisti forte nescio quid parvum, quod alius aut non habuit, aut non protulit cum haberet. Noli attendere post te quis non faciat, sed quid te jubeat Deus facere. Postremo, quare in istis affectionibus saecularibus non vobis sufficiunt quos praecessistis, sed vultis esse divites, aequales ditioribus vobis? Non attenditis quantos pauperiores transcenditis: vincere vultis ditiores. Sed in eleemosynis habetur modus. Hic dicitur, Jam usquequo facio? et illic non dicitur, Quantis divitibus ditior sum? Non attenduntur egestates innumerabilium mendicorum, non respiciuntur posteriores multitudines pauperum: sed paucitas praecedentium divitum ante oculos ponitur. Cur in opere bono non attenditur ille Zacchaeus, qui dimidium rerum suarum dedit pauperibus (Luc. XIX, 8)? Sed optare cogimur. ut attendatur saltem ille Pharisaeus, qui omnium quae possidebat decimas dabat.
Chapter XII. — 19. And when you give alms, do not give them proudly, nor pray in the way that Pharisee did. And yet what did he say there? I fast twice in the sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess (Luke 18:12). And the Lord's blood had not yet been shed. We have received so great a price on our behalf, and we do not pay out even as much as the Pharisee. And you have the Lord saying openly in another place, Unless your righteousness abounds more than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:20). So they give tithes; you, if you have given a hundredth, boast that you have done something great. For you look at what another does not do, not at what God bids you do. You measure yourself by comparison with someone worse, not by the command of Someone better. It is not because that man does nothing that you therefore do something great: but because people rejoice over certain very small works of yours (since so great is your barrenness that they rejoice at modest things), you flatter yourselves as though secure over the tiniest grains of alms, and forget the heaps of sins. Perhaps you have brought forth some small thing or other, which another either did not have, or did not bring forth when he had it. Do not look at who behind you does not do it, but at what God bids you do. Finally, why in these worldly desires are those whom you have got ahead of not enough for you, but you want to be rich, equal to those richer than you? You do not consider how many poorer people you surpass: you want to outdo the richer. But in alms a limit is kept. Here it is said, How far am I to go on doing this now? and there it is not said, How many rich men am I richer than? The needs of innumerable beggars are not considered, the multitudes of the poor behind are not looked back upon: but the fewness of the rich who are ahead is set before the eyes. Why in good work is that Zacchaeus not considered, who gave half of his goods to the poor (Luke 19:8)? But we are compelled to wish that at least that Pharisee might be considered, who gave tithes of all that he possessed.
20. Noli parcere thesauris caducis, thesauris vanis. Noli sub imagine pietatis augere pecuniam. Filiis meis servo: magna excusatio, Filiis meis servo. Videamus: servat tibi pater tuus, servas tu filiis tuis, filii tui filiis suis, et sic per omnes, et nullus facturus est praecepta Dei. Quare non illi potius impendis omnia, qui te fecit ex nihilo? Qui te fecit, ipse te pascit ex his quae fecit, ipse pascit et filios tuos. Neque enim melius committis filios tuos patrimonio tuo, quam Creatori tuo. Et mentiuntur quidem
20. Do not spare perishable treasures, empty treasures. Do not increase money under the guise of piety. I am keeping it for my children: a great excuse, I am keeping it for my children. Let us see: your father keeps for you, you keep for your children, your children for their children, and so on through all of them, and no one is going to carry out the commandments of God. Why do you not rather spend everything on Him Who made you from nothing? He Who made you, He Himself feeds you from the things He made; He Himself feeds your children too. For you do not entrust your children better to your patrimony than to your Creator. And those lie who
Editors' notes and page, col. 89
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: sed quia gaudetur› · call in col 89
Sic Am. Er. et Mss. At Lov., gaudetis. Et paulo infra, ut ad modica gaudeat.
So Am. [Amerbach], Er. [Erasmus] and the manuscripts. But Lov. [Louvain]: "you rejoice." And a little below: "that he should rejoice at small things."
(printed under page 49)
(2) ‹anchor: patrimonio tuo› · call in col 89
Sic potiores Mss. At Lov., filiis tuis patrimonium tuum.
So the better manuscripts. But Lov. [Louvain]: "your patrimony to your sons." [The note's number has dropped out in the print; it answers call 2.]
(printed under page 49)
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- running head: 89 SERMO IX.
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homines. Mala est avaritia : palliare se volunt nomine pietatis, et dealbare, ut quasi propter filios videantur servare homines, quod propter avaritiam servant. Nam ut noveritis quia sic plerumque contingit, dicitur de quoquam : Quare non facit eleemosynam? Quia servat filiis suis. Contingit ut amittat unum : si propter filios servabat, mittat post illum partem suam. Quare illam tenet in saeculo, et illum relinquit ab animo? Redde illi quod suum est, redde quod illi servabas. Mortuus est, inquit. Sed praecessit ad Deum, pars ipsius pauperibus debetur; illi debetur, ad quem perrexit; Christo debetur, ad ipsum enim perrexit : et ipse dixit, Qui uni ex minimis istis fecit, mihi fecit; et qui uni ex minimis istis non fecit, mihi non fecit (Matth. XXV, 40, 4⟨5⟩). Sed quid dicis? Servo fratribus ipsius. Si viveret ille, non erat cum suis fratribus divisurus? O fides mortua! Mortuus est enim filius tuus? Quidquid dicas, mortuo debes quod vivo servabas. Mortuus est filius meus, sed tamen partem filii mei servo fratribus ipsius. Sic credis quia mortuus est? Si pro illo Christus mortuus non est, mortuus est ipse : si autem est in te fides, vivit filius tuus. Vivit prorsus; non decessit, sed praecessit. Qua fronte venturus es ad filium tuum qui praecessit, cui praecedenti non mittis partem suam in coelum? An non potest mitti in coelum? Potest prorsus. Audi ipsum Dominum dicentem, Thesaurizate vobis thesauros in coelo (Id. VI, 20). Si ergo ille thesaurus melius custoditur in coelo, numquid tunc non mittendus est filio, quando si missus fuerit, non peribit? Tenebitur hic ubi potest perire, non mittitur illuc ubi Christus est custos? Certe ea quae hic tenes, et non vis mittere post filium tuum, quibus commendas? Actoribus tuis commendas illius partem qui praecessit, et Christo non commendas ad quem praecessit? An idoneus est tibi procurator tuus, minus idoneus Christus?
-deed men. Avarice is an evil: people want to cloak themselves with the name of piety, and to whitewash themselves, so that they seem to be saving for their sons what they are saving out of avarice. For, that you may know that this is how it mostly happens, it is said of someone: Why does he not give alms? Because he is saving for his sons. It happens that he loses one: if he was saving for his sons, let him send his share after him. Why does he keep it in the world, and let him go from his mind? Give him what is his, give what you were saving for him. He is dead, he says. But he has gone before to God; his portion is owed to the poor; it is owed to him to whom he has gone; it is owed to Christ, for to Him he has gone: and He Himself said, Whoever did it to one of these least, did it to Me; and whoever did not do it to one of these least, did not do it to Me (Matt. 25:40, 45). But what do you say? I am saving it for his brothers. If he were alive, was he not going to share with his brothers? O dead faith! Is your son, then, dead? Whatever you may say, you owe to the dead one what you were saving for the living one. My son is dead, but still I am saving my son's share for his brothers. Is that how you believe that he is dead? If Christ did not die for him, then he is dead: but if there is faith in you, your son lives. He lives indeed; he has not departed, but gone before. With what face will you come to your son who has gone before, when you do not send his share to heaven as he goes before you? Or can it not be sent to heaven? Indeed it can. Hear the Lord Himself saying, Treasure up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20). If then that treasure is better guarded in heaven, should it not then be sent to your son, when, if it has been sent, it will not perish? Shall it be kept here, where it can perish, and not be sent there, where Christ is the guardian? Surely, those things which you keep here and will not send after your son, to whom do you entrust them? You entrust to your agents the share of him who has gone before, and do you not entrust it to Christ, to Whom he has gone before? Is your steward fit for you, and Christ less fit?
CAPUT XIII. — 21. Videtis, fratres, quia mendacium est quod dicunt homines, Filiis meis servo. Mendacium est, fratres mei, mendacium est : avari sunt homines. Vel sic certe cogantur confiteri quod nolunt, cum erubescunt tacere quod sunt : fundant, vomant in confessione quod portant. Pectus premitur crapula iniquitatis; evomat eam confessio : sed non canino more redeatur ad vomitum. Estote christiani. Valde parum est vocari christianos. Quanta donatis histrionibus? quanta donatis venatoribus? quanta turpibus personis? Donatis eis qui vos occidunt. Per ipsas enim exhibitiones voluptatum interficiunt animas vestras : et insanitis quis plus donet. Si insaniretis quis plus servet, non essetis ferendi. Quis plus servet insanire, avaritiae est : quis plus donet insanire, profusionis est. Nec avarum te Deus, nec profusum vult. Collocare te vult quae habes, non projicere. Certatis quis vincat in pejus, non datis
Chapter XIII. — 21. You see, brethren, that it is a lie when people say, I am saving for my sons. It is a lie, my brethren, it is a lie: people are avaricious. Let them at least in this way be compelled to confess what they do not want to, when they are ashamed to keep silent about what they are: let them pour out, let them vomit up in confession what they carry. The breast is weighed down with the surfeit of iniquity; let confession vomit it out: but let there be no returning to the vomit in the manner of a dog. Be Christians. It is very little to be called Christians. How much do you give to actors? how much do you give to beast-hunters? how much to shameful persons? You give to those who kill you. For through the very exhibitions of pleasures they slay your souls: and you rave over who may give more. If you raved over who may save more, you would not be bearable. To rave over who may save more belongs to avarice: to rave over who may give more belongs to prodigality. God wants you neither avaricious nor prodigal. He wants you to place what you have, not to throw it away. You compete over who may win towards the worse, you do not give
Editors' notes and page, col. 90
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible; the call stands above the part of the column shown› · call in col 90
Hic apud Lov. additur, inquiunt; quod ab Am. Er. et Mss. abest.
Here in Lov. [Louvain] there is added "they say"; which is absent from Am. [Amerbach], Er. [Erasmus] and the manuscripts.
(printed under page 49)
(2) ‹anchor: tunc non mittendus› · call in col 90
Sic Mss. Editi vero, tunc mittendus; sublata particula, non.
So the manuscripts. But the printed editions: "is it then to be sent," with the particle "not" removed.
(printed under page 49)
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- running head: SERMO IX. 90
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