Migne Reading Room
PL 38 · cols. 295–316
Augustine, Sermones 46 et 47 (De pastoribus, De ovibus, in Ezechiel 34)
Sermon XLVII
et Afrum dicis. Orientalis est. Lybia enim duobus modis dicitur, vel ista quae proprie Africa est, vel illa Orientis pars, quae contigua est Africae, et omnino collimitanea. Sed Afer fuerit Cyrenensis. Beatum putas, quod angariatus crucem tulerit? Quanto melius forte diceret alius in Arimathaea remansisse Ecclesiam Christi? Quia Joseph ille dives ab Arimathaea, habens ante oculos regnum Dei, non angariatus, non coactus venit ad crucem Domini: cum caeteri formidarent, petiit a Pilato sepeliendum corpus Domini, de ligno deposuit, obsecutus est funeri, in sepulcro condidit, laudatus est in Evangelio (Matth. XXVII, 57-60). Quia ergo de Arimathaea fuit iste pius tantum exhibens obsequium corpori Domini, in Arimathaea remansit Ecclesia? Aut si magis vos delectat angariatus, id est, qui cogitur tollere crucem: recte ergo faciunt imperatores catholici, qui vos cogunt ad unitatem.
and you call him an African. He is an Easterner. For Libya is spoken of in two ways: either this [land] which is properly Africa, or that part of the East, which is adjacent to Africa, and entirely conterminous [with it]. But suppose the man of Cyrene were [indeed] an African. Do you think him blessed, because he was compelled to carry the cross? How much better, perhaps, might another say that the Church of Christ remained in Arimathea? Because that rich Joseph of Arimathea, having the kingdom of God before his eyes, came to the cross of the Lord not compelled, not forced: while the others were afraid, he asked of Pilate the body of the Lord for burial, took it down from the wood, attended to the funeral rites, laid it in the tomb, [and] is praised in the Gospel (Matt. 27:57–60). Because, then, this devout man, who showed such service to the body of the Lord, was from Arimathea, did the Church remain in Arimathea? Or if the one compelled pleases you more, that is, one who is forced to take up the cross: then rightly do the catholic emperors act, who compel you to unity.
SERMO XLVII. De ovibus, in Ezechiel cap. XXXIV, 17-31, ab illis verbis, Et vos oves meae, etc., usque, Et ego Deus vester, dicit Dominus Deus. Contra Donatistas.
SERMON XLVII. On the sheep, on Ezekiel 34:17–31, from those words, And you, my sheep, etc., as far as, And I am your God, says the Lord God. Against the Donatists.
CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Oves pascuae et manuum Dei sumus. Verba quae cantavimus, continent professionem nostram, quia oves Dei sumus: nec importune poscimus cum lacrymis ejus misericordiam, cujus oves sumus. Diximus enim: Ploremus ante Dominum, qui fecit nos; quoniam ipse est Dominus Deus noster. Ne quisquam plorans se exaudiri posse desperet, commemorata est necessitudo quaedam exaudiendi nos Deo: Quoniam ipse est Dominus Deus noster, qui fecit nos. Ille Deus noster: nos populus pascuae ejus et oves manuum ejus (Psal. XCIV, 6 et 7). Pastores homines, vel etiam patresfamilias domini pecorum, oves quas habent, non ipsi fecerunt; oves quas pascunt, non ipsi creaverunt: noster autem Dominus Deus, quia Deus et creator est, fecit sibi oves quas habeat, et quas pascat; nec alter instituit, quas ipse pascit; nec quas ipse instituit, alter pascit. Ploremus ergo ante illum. Neque enim in bono sumus, cum in hoc saeculo sumus. Cum enim placebimus Domino in regione vivorum, tunc detergentur lacrymae nostrae; et dicemus ei laudes, qui nos exemit de vinculis mortis, pedes nostros a lapsu, oculos nostros a lacrymis, ut placeamus Domino in regione vivorum (Psal. CXIV, 8 et 9): quia difficile est ut ei placeatur in regione mortuorum. Est autem et hic unde illi placeamus, ejus misericordiam in nos deprecando, a peccatis nos, quantum possumus, abstinendo, in quantum autem non possumus, confitendo atque plangendo. Ita in hac vita sumus sperantes aliam vitam, plorantes in spe: imo plorantes in re, gaudentes in spe.
CHAPTER THE FIRST. — 1. We are the sheep of God's pasture and of His hands. The words which we have sung contain our profession, that we are God's sheep: nor is it unfitting that we beg with tears the mercy of Him Whose sheep we are. For we said: Let us weep before the Lord, Who made us; for He is the Lord our God. Lest anyone who weeps should despair of being able to be heard, a certain bond was recalled [which binds] God to hear us: For He is the Lord our God, Who made us. He is our God: we the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hands (Ps. 94:6–7). Men who are shepherds, or even heads of households who are owners of flocks, did not themselves make the sheep which they have; the sheep which they feed, they did not themselves create: but our Lord God, because He is God and creator, made for Himself the sheep which He was to have and to feed; neither did another establish those whom He Himself feeds, nor does another feed those whom He Himself established. Let us weep, therefore, before Him. For we are not in a good [state], while we are in this world. For when we shall please the Lord in the land of the living, then our tears will be wiped away; and we shall say praises to Him Who delivered us from the bonds of death, our feet from falling, our eyes from tears, that we may please the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 114:8–9): for it is hard for Him to be pleased in the land of the dead. Yet here too there is that whereby we may please Him: by entreating His mercy upon us, by abstaining from sins so far as we can, and, so far as we cannot, by confessing and lamenting. So in this life we are hoping for another life, weeping in hope: nay rather, weeping in reality, rejoicing in hope.
2. Pastoris vox cum tremore audienda. Professi
2. The voice of the shepherd is to be heard with trembling. Having professed,
Editors' notes and page, col. 295
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: oves manuum ejus› · call in col 295
Ulim. et Lov., et opus manuum ejus. Verius Er. et Mss., et oves manuum ejus.
Ulimmerius and the Louvain edition, "and the work of His hands." More truly Erasmus and the manuscripts, "and the sheep of His hands."
(*) ‹anchor: SERMO XLVII› · call in col 295 Recognitus est ad omnes codices scriptos et excusos qui in sermone modo praecedenti designantur.
It has been revised against all the written and printed codices that are named at the sermon just preceding.
(printed under page 154)
(a) ‹anchor: SERMO XLVII› · call in col 295
Alias, in tomo 9.
Elsewhere, in volume 9.
(printed under page 154)
(b) ‹anchor: Contra Donatistas› · call in col 295
Loca ex hoc tractatu refert Florus ad Rom. I, et Galat I.
Florus reports passages from this treatise on Rom. 1 and Gal. 1.
(printed under page 154)
ergo in hoc cantico, quia oves ejus sumus, populus pascuae ejus, oves manuum ejus; audiamus quid ad nos loquatur, tanquam ad oves suas. Pridem pastoribus loquebatur superiore lectione: praesenti autem et hodierna ovibus loquitur. In illis ergo ejus verbis nos cum tremore audiebamus, vos cum securitate: quid ergo in istis verbis hodiernis? Numquid vicissim nos cum securitate, vos cum tremore? Non utique. Primo, quia etsi pastores sumus, pastor non solum quod dicitur ad pastores, cum tremore audit, sed etiam quod dicitur ad oves. Si enim securus audit quod ad oves dicitur, non est illi cura de ovibus. Deinde jam et tunc diximus Charitati vestrae, duo quaedam in nobis esse consideranda: unum, quod christiani sumus; alterum quod praepositi sumus. Quod ergo praepositi sumus, inter pastores deputamur, si boni sumus: quod autem christiani sumus, et nos vobiscum oves sumus (In superiore sermone, n. 2). Sive ergo Dominus pastoribus loquatur, sive ovibus, nos omnia cum tremore oportet audire: nec recedat sollicitudo de cordibus nostris, ut ploremus ante Dominum qui fecit nos.
then, in this song, that we are His sheep, the people of His pasture, the sheep of His hands, let us hear what He says to us, as to His own sheep. Lately, in the former reading, He was speaking to the shepherds; but in the present one, today's, He speaks to the sheep. In those words of His, then, we listened with trembling, you with security: what, then, in these words of today? Are we in turn [to listen] with security, and you with trembling? Certainly not. First, because even though we are shepherds, a shepherd hears with trembling not only what is said to shepherds, but also what is said to the sheep. For if he hears without concern what is said to the sheep, he has no care for the sheep. Next, we already told your Charity on that occasion too that two things are to be considered in us: one, that we are Christians; the other, that we are set over you. In that we are set over you, then, we are reckoned among the shepherds, if we are good: but in that we are Christians, we too are sheep together with you (In the former sermon, n. 2). Whether, then, the Lord speaks to shepherds or to sheep, we must hear all with trembling: nor let anxiety depart from our hearts, so that we weep before the Lord Who made us.
CAPUT II. — 3. Gregis Dei securitas. Audiamus itaque, fratres, unde Dominus oves improbas corripiat, et quid promittat ovibus suis. Et vos, inquit, oves meae, haec dicit Dominus Deus. Primo, quanta felicitas est, esse gregem Dei, si quis cogitet, fratres, etiam in istis lacrymis et in istis tribulationibus magnum gaudium concipit. Neque enim in ejus grege est, quem lupi possunt flagellare, aut cujus somnum possunt captare praedones. Illi enim dictum est, Qui pascis Israel (Psal. LXXIX, 2); de quo dictum est, Non dormiet, neque dormitabit, qui custodit Israel (Psal. CXX, 4). Vigilat ergo ille super nos vigilantibus nobis, vigilat et dormientibus nobis. Si ergo de pastore homine securum est pecus hominis; quanta debet esse nostra securitas pascente Deo, non tantum quia pascit nos, sed etiam quia fecit nos?
CHAPTER II. — 3. The security of God's flock. Let us hear, then, brethren, for what the Lord rebukes the wicked sheep, and what He promises to His own sheep. And you, He says, my sheep, thus says the Lord God. First, how great a happiness it is to be the flock of God: if anyone considers it, brethren, even amid these tears and amid these tribulations he conceives a great joy. For he is not in the flock of one whom wolves can scourge, or whose sleep robbers can take by surprise. For to Him it was said, Thou Who feedest Israel (Ps. 79:2); of Him it was said, He shall not sleep, nor slumber, Who keeps Israel (Ps. 120:4). He watches, then, over us while we are watching; He watches also while we are sleeping. If, then, a man's flock is secure on account of a human shepherd, how great ought our security to be with God feeding us, not only because He feeds us, but also because He made us?
CAPUT III. — 4. Vox pastoris nunc temporis audienda. Una est nostra sollicitudo, quae nobis imponitur, audire vocem pastoris: et est nunc tempus audiendi, quia ille nondum assumpsit tempus judicandi. Qui loquitur, modo tacet. Loquitur enim in praecepto, tacet in judicio. Ideo dicit quodam in loco: Tacui; numquid semper tacebo (Isai. XLII, 14)? Quomodo tacuit, cum hoc ipsum loquendo dixerit? Qui dicit, Tacui, non tacet: quia et hoc ipsum dicere, Tacui, non tacere est. Audio ergo te loquentem in tot praeceptis, in tot sacramentis, in tot paginis, in tot libris: audio denique in hoc ipso quod dicis, Tacui, numquid semper tacebo? Quomodo ergo tacuisti? Quia nondum dico, Venite, benedicti Patris mei, percipite regnum; et nondum dico aliis, Ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum, qui praeparatus est diabolo et angelis ejus (Matth. XXV, 34, 41): et haec ipsa ita nondum dico, ut jam praedicam. Ultimam sententiam, quam dicturus est judex, in tabella scripturus manu sua,
CHAPTER III. — 4. The shepherd's voice must be heard in this present time. There is one care laid upon us: to hear the shepherd's voice; and now is the time for hearing, because He has not yet taken up the time for judging. He Who speaks is, for the present, silent: for He speaks in precept, and is silent in judgement. Therefore He says in a certain place: I have kept silence; shall I always be silent (Isa. 42:14)? How has He kept silence, when He has said this very thing by speaking? He Who says, "I have kept silence," does not keep silence: for to say this very thing, "I have kept silence," is itself not to keep silence. I hear Thee, then, speaking in so many precepts, in so many sacraments, in so many pages, in so many books: I hear, finally, in this very thing that Thou sayest, I have kept silence; shall I always be silent? How then hast Thou kept silence? Because I do not yet say, Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom; and I do not yet say to the others, Depart, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:34, 41): and these very things I do not yet say in such a way that I already foretell them. [As for] the final sentence which the judge is about to pronounce, about to write with his own hand upon the tablet,
Editors' notes and page, col. 296
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: jam praedicam› · call in col 296
Er. Ulim. et Lov. : Et nondum haec ipsa ita dico, ut jam praedicavi. Emendantur ad Mss.
Erasmus, Ulimmerius and the Louvain edition: "And I do not yet say these very things in the way I have already proclaimed them." They are corrected according to the manuscripts.
(printed under page 154)
ultra quam sententiam nihil jam judicaturus est, partes non audiunt: illis foras exeuntibus scribitur. Attonitae sunt ambae partes atque suspensae, contra quam vel pro qua sententia illius procedat. Magnum secretum judicis, unde secretarium nominatur. Magnus timor eorum qui in causa sunt; quid ille cogitet, et quid scribat ignoratur: et homo est, et illi de quibus ille judicat, utique homines sunt. Ille autem Deus noster est, et nos populus pascuae ejus et oves manuum ejus. Et cum sit ille Creator, nos creatura; ille immortalis, nos mortales; ille invisibilis, nos visibiles; noluit nos in hac vita latere, quam ultimam sententiam in fine dicturus sit. Nemo ante dicit, Damno, qui vult damnare: nemo ante dicit, Ferio, qui vult ferire.
beyond which sentence he will judge nothing further, the parties do not hear it: it is written as they go outside. Both parties are struck with awe and held in suspense, uncertain against which side, or for which side, his sentence will proceed. Great is the secrecy of the judge, whence [his chamber] is called the secretarium. Great is the fear of those who are on trial; what he is thinking, and what he is writing, is unknown: and yet he is a man, and those he judges are, after all, men too. But He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hands. And though He is Creator, we are creature; He immortal, we mortal; He invisible, we visible; He was unwilling that we should, in this life, remain ignorant of what final sentence He will pronounce at the end. No one who wishes to condemn says beforehand, "I condemn"; no one who wishes to strike says beforehand, "I strike."
CAPUT IV. — 5. Dei patientia ne abutamur. Magna ergo lenitas, magna misericordia, magna mansuetudo: sed si non abutamur patientia ejus ad nostram nequitiam; et illo nostra portante peccata, nos quasi ad faciendum ei onus augeamus peccata peccatis; quasi ut ille plus portet, qui non laborat cum portat: peccata nostra, quibus adhuc parcit, quia adhuc sustinet, illius ostendunt patientiam, nostram cumulant sarcinam. Ignoras, inquit, quia patientia Dei ad poenitentiam te adducit? Patientia illa est, quam taciturnitatem vocat, de qua dicit, Tacui; numquid semper tacebo? Ergo cum argueret quosdam, et diceret, Qui praedicas non furandum, furaris; qui dicis non adulterandum, adulteras, etc. ait, An divitias bonitatis ejus et longanimitatis contemnis? Quia ille bonus est, quia longanimis, quia videt et tacet, quia videt et sustinet, putas illum iniquum? Ignoras quia patientia Dei ad poenitentiam te adducit? Et vide si semper tacebit, qui modo tacet? Tu autem, inquit, secundum duritiam cordis tui et cor impoenitens, thesaurizas tibi iram in die irae et revelationis justi judicii, Dei, qui reddet unicuique secundum opera sua (Rom. II, 4, 21, 5, 6). Ergo tacet; numquid semper tacebit? Item dicit post quaedam enumerata peccata: Haec fecisti, et tacui; id est, haec fecisti, et non vindicavi: suspicatus es iniquitatem, quod ero tui similis. Et revera hoc cogitant multi, cum fecerint multa mala, et mali sibi accidere nihil viderint, non tantum placent eis facta sua mala, sed etiam Deo placere putant: in tantum procedit impietas, ut et Deum sibi similem existimet impius contemptor. Et cum Deus eum adducat monendo, docendo, hortando, corripiendo, ad similitudinem suam; non solum non sequitur similitudinem Dei, sed Deum vult ducere ad similitudinem suam. Haec est iniquitas major, quam ipsa peccata, a quibus se non corrigit. Suspicatus es iniquitatem, quod ero tibi similis? Et quid sequitur? Arguam te (Psal. XLIX, 21). Quare hoc? Tacui; numquid semper tacebo? Itaque, fratres, quoniam sermo iste qui de Dei ore procedit, et me terret, et vos (omnes enim unam spem bonam habemus in illo, et omnes pariter timere debemus, ne illo offenso non inveniamus
CHAPTER IV. — 5. We must not abuse God's patience. Great, then, is His gentleness, great His mercy, great His forbearance: but [only] if we do not abuse His patience for our own wickedness, and, while He bears our sins, pile sin upon sin as though to make a burden for Him — as if He should bear the more Who feels no toil in bearing. Our sins, which He still spares because He still endures them, display His patience, but heap up our own burden. "Are you ignorant," he says, "that God's patience leads you to repentance?" That patience is what He calls His silence, of which He says, "I have kept silence; shall I always be silent?" So when he was rebuking certain people, and saying, "You who preach that one must not steal, steal; you who say that one must not commit adultery, commit adultery," and so forth, he says, "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness and long-suffering?" Because He is good, because He is long-suffering, because He sees and is silent, because He sees and endures, do you suppose Him unjust? "Are you ignorant that God's patience leads you to repentance?" And see whether He Who is now silent will be silent forever. "But you," he says, "according to the hardness of your heart and your impenitent heart, are storing up for yourself wrath on the day of wrath and of the revelation of the just judgement of God, Who will render to every man according to his works" (Rom. 2:4, 21, 5–6). He is silent, then; but will He be silent forever? Likewise, after listing certain sins, He says: "These things you have done, and I kept silence" — that is, you did these things, and I did not avenge them: "you supposed iniquity, that I would be like you." And indeed many think this, when they have done many evil things and have seen nothing evil happen to them; not only are their own evil deeds pleasing to them, but they even suppose they are pleasing to God: to such a pitch does impiety proceed, that the impious despiser even reckons God to be like himself. And when God draws him, by admonishing, teaching, exhorting, correcting, to God's own likeness, that man not only fails to follow God's likeness but wishes to draw God to his own likeness instead. This is a greater iniquity than the very sins he does not correct in himself. "You supposed iniquity, that I would be like you?" And what follows? "I will rebuke you" (Ps. 49:21). Why this? "I have kept silence; shall I always be silent?" Therefore, brethren, since this word, which proceeds from the mouth of God, both terrifies me and terrifies you (for we all have one good hope in Him, and we ought all alike to fear, lest, having offended Him, we should not find
Editors' notes and page, col. 297
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: se non corrigit› · call in col 297
Sic Mss. At editi, dum ipsa peccata, a quibus se non corrigit, Deo placere putat.
So the manuscripts. But the printed editions, "while he thinks that the very sins from which he does not correct himself are pleasing to God."
(printed under page 155)
quod sperabamus, sed experiamur quod contempsimus); audiamus omnes tanquam oves Dei, dum loquitur qui tacet, dum monet nos, et nondum judicat nos qui fecit nos, dum vacat audire, dum licet et legere.
what we were hoping for, but instead should experience what we despised); let us all listen as God's sheep, while He Who is silent is still speaking, while He warns us, and does not yet judge us — He Who made us — while there is leisure to hear, and it is still permitted also to read.
CAPUT V. — 6. Non evellenda zizania ante messem, nec haedi ante judicium separandi. — Et vos, inquit, oves meae, haec dicit Dominus Deus: Ecce ego judico inter ovem et ovem, et arietes et hircos. Quid hic faciunt hirci in grege Dei? In eisdem pascuis, in eisdem fontibus, et hirci tamen sinistrae destinati dextris miscentur, et prius tolerantur qui separabuntur; et hic exercetur ovium patientia, ad similitudinem patientiae Dei. Separatio enim ab illo erit, aliorum ad sinistram, aliorum ad dexteram. Nunc autem ipse tacet, tu vis loqui. Sed unde dico, Tu vis loqui? Unde ipse tacet. A vindicta judicii, non a verbo correptionis. Ipse nondum separat, tu vis separare. Ipse mixta tolerat, qui seminavit. Si ante ventilationem frumentum vis esse purgatum, tuo vento pessime ventilaberis. Licuerit servis dicere, Vis, imus, et colligimus ea? Stomachati enim sunt videndo zizania, et doluerunt segeti bonae permixta zizania; et dixerunt, Nonne bonum semen seminasti? Unde ergo apparuerunt zizania? Ille rationem reddidit unde apparuerunt; non tamen permisit ut ante tempus evellerentur. Quamvis et ipsi servi stomachati adversus zizania; consilium tamen et praeceptum a domino expetiverunt. Displicebant illa inter segetem: sed videbant servi, quia si vel in ipsis zizaniis evellendis aliquid sua sponte facerent, ipsi zizaniis annumerarentur. A Domino exspectaverunt praeceptum, jussionem regis sui quaesierunt: Vis, imus, et colligimus ea? Et ille: Non. Et reddidit inde causam: Ne forte, cum vultis colligere zizania, eradicetis simul et triticum. Sedavit ab indignatione, nec reliquit in dolore. Grave enim videbatur servis esse zizania inter frumentum; et vere grave erat. Sed alia est conditio agri, alia quies horrei. Tolera; ad hoc enim natus est: tolera, quia forte toleratus es. Si semper bonus fuisti, habeto misericordiam: si aliquando malus fuisti, noli perdere memoriam. Et quis est semper bonus? Facilius, si te Deus diligenter discutiat, inveniet te etiam nunc malum, quam tu te semper bonum. Ergo toleranda sunt zizania haec inter frumentum, hirci inter arietes haedi inter oves. Quid autem ille de frumento? In tempore, inquit, messis, dicam messoribus: Colligite primum zizania, et alligate in fasciculos ad comburendum ea; triticum autem meum recondite in horreo. Transiet ergo agri concretio, veniet messis discretio. Exigit de nobis modo Dominus patientiam, quam proponit in se, dicens tibi: Ego certe si modo voluero judicare, numquid inique judicabo? Ego si modo voluero judicare, numquid falli potero? Si ego qui semper recte judico, et qui falli non possum, differo judicium meum; tu ignorans quemadmodum judicandus sis audes tam praepropere judicare? Videte,
CHAPTER V. — 6. The tares are not to be pulled up before the harvest, nor the kids separated before the judgement. — And you, He says, my sheep, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, and [between] rams and he-goats. What are he-goats doing here in God's flock? In the same pastures, at the same springs, the he-goats, though destined for the left, are mixed with those on the right, and those who will be separated are first borne with; and here the patience of the sheep is exercised, after the likeness of the patience of God. For the separation will be made by Him, of some to the left, of others to the right. But now He Himself is silent, [and] you wish to speak. But in what respect do I say, You wish to speak? In that in which He Himself is silent: from the vengeance of judgement, not from the word of rebuke. He does not yet separate, [and] you wish to separate. He Who sowed bears with [the crops] mixed. If you want the grain cleaned before the winnowing, you will be winnowed most wretchedly by your own wind. Granted, it was allowed the servants to say, Wilt Thou that we go and gather them up? For they were vexed at seeing the tares, and grieved that tares were mixed in with the good crop; and they said, Didst Thou not sow good seed? Whence then have the tares appeared? He gave the reason whence they had appeared; yet He did not permit them to be pulled up before the time. Although the servants themselves were vexed against the tares, yet they sought counsel and a command from their master. Those things displeased them amid the crop: but the servants saw that if, even in pulling up the tares themselves, they did anything of their own accord, they would themselves be numbered with the tares. They awaited a command from the Lord, they sought the order of their king: Wilt Thou that we go and gather them up? And He: No. And He gave the reason for it: Lest perhaps, when you would gather up the tares, you root up the wheat together with them. He calmed them from indignation, and did not leave them in grief. For it seemed grievous to the servants that there should be tares among the grain; and it was truly grievous. But the condition of the field is one thing, the rest of the barn another. Bear it; for to this end he was born: bear it, because perhaps you have been borne with. If you have always been good, have mercy: if you were at some time bad, do not lose the memory [of it]. And who is always good? More easily, if God were to examine you carefully, would He find you bad even now, than you [would find] yourself always good. Therefore these tares are to be borne with among the grain, the he-goats among the rams, the kids among the sheep. But what [says] He about the grain? In the time of harvest, He says, I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but my wheat store up in the barn. The mixing of the field, then, will pass; the sorting of the harvest will come. The Lord now requires of us the patience which He sets forth in Himself, saying to you: I surely, if I should choose to judge now, shall I judge unjustly? I, if I should choose to judge now, shall I be able to be deceived? If I Who always judge rightly, and Who cannot be deceived, defer my judgement, do you, not knowing how you are to be judged, dare to judge so over-hastily? See,
Editors' notes and page, col. 298
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: et legere› · call in col 298
Mss. Remigiensis et Cisterciensis, dum licet eligere.
The manuscripts of Saint-Remi and of Cîteaux, "while it is permitted to choose."
(printed under page 155)
fratres, quemadmodum illis servis volentibus ante tempus eradicare zizania, hoc opus nec in messe concessit. Ait enim, In tempore messis dicam messoribus: non ait, Dicam vobis. Sed quid, si ipsi servi messores erunt? Non. Nam exponens omnia singillatim: Messores, ait, Angeli sunt (Matth. XIII, 24-30, 37-43). Homo ergo carne septus, carnem portans, aut forte caro totus, id est, caro corpore, carnalis animo, audes ante usurpare officium alienum, quod nec in messe erit tuum? Hoc de separandis zizaniis: de hircis quid? Cum venerit Filius hominis, et omnes Angeli cum eo, sedebit in sede gloriae suae; et congregabuntur ante eum omnes gentes, et separabit eas, sicut pastor separat oves ab haedis (Id. XXV, 31, 32). Et veniet, et separabit: veniet messis, et separabuntur. Modo ergo tempus separationis non est, sed tolerationis. Nec ideo ista dicimus, fratres, ut corripiendi dormiat diligentia: imo vero ne in illud judicium incauti veniamus, et caeci negligentes caecitatem nostram subito nos ad sinistram inveniamus, disciplina exerceatur, judicium non praecipitetur.
brethren, how, to those servants who wished to root up the tares before the time, He did not grant this work even at the harvest. For He says, In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers: He does not say, I will say to you. But what, if the servants themselves are to be the reapers? No. For, explaining everything one by one: The reapers, He says, are the Angels (Matt. 13:24–30, 37–43). Do you, then, a man hedged about with flesh, carrying flesh, or perhaps wholly flesh, that is, flesh in body, carnal in mind, dare to usurp beforehand another's office, which will not be yours even at the harvest? This about separating the tares: what about the he-goats? When the Son of man shall come, and all the Angels with Him, He shall sit on the seat of His glory; and all nations shall be gathered before Him, and He shall separate them, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the kids (ibid. 25:31, 32). He will both come and separate: the harvest will come, and they will be separated. Now, then, is not the time of separation, but of toleration. Nor do we say these things, brethren, so that the diligence of rebuking should fall asleep: nay rather, lest we come unwary to that judgement, and, blind [and] neglecting our blindness, suddenly find ourselves on the left, let discipline be exercised, [but] let judgement not be hurried.
CAPUT VI. — 7. Dei judicium securi boni, trementes mali exspectant. Quid ergo Dominus? Ecce ego judico inter ovem et ovem, et arietes et hircos. Ego judico: magna securitas, ipse judicat, securi sint boni. Judicem ipsorum nullus adversarius corrumpit, nullus advocatus circumvenit, nullus testis illudit. Sed quantum securi sunt boni, tantum timeant mali. Non talis judicat, cui aliquid abscondatur. Numquid enim Deus judicans quaesiturus est testes, per quos discat quis sis? Unde potest falli quis sis, qui noverat quis esses futurus? Te interrogat, non alium de te. Dominus, inquit, interrogat justum et impium (Psal. X, 6). Interrogat autem te, non ut discat a te, sed ut confundat te. Habentes ergo judicem talem, quem nemo contra nos fallit, nemo pro nobis; sic agamus, ut ejus judicium venturum non timeamus, sed exspectemus et desideremus. Numquid enim frumenta timent, ne mittantur in horreum? Imo optant vehementer et desiderant. Numquid oves timent, ne ponantur ad dexteram? Imo nihil eis tam tardum est, quam donec fiat. Hi vero ex animo et tota sinceritate dicunt, cum orant, Veniat regnum tuum. Mali vero hominis in his verbis et cor trepidat, et lingua titubat. Quomodo enim dicis, Veniat regnum tuum? Ecce veniet: qualem te inveniet? Sic ergo age, ut securus ores. Et si quid forte inest in conscientia errati atque peccati, habes in ipsa oratione medicinam: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris (Matth. VI, 10, 12). Voluit enim Deus sic te esse debitorem, ut habeas debitorem. Peccando quippe inimicum te facis Deo: sed attende ne forte tu habeas inimicum. Dimitte, et dimittetur tibi. Quod facis qui potes in peccato inveniri, hoc in te faciet qui de nullo peccato poterit judicari. Si autem ut homo in peccato positus, peccatori tuo non parcis, nec tuam in illo conditionem respicis, nec de caetero
CHAPTER VI. — 7. God's judgement: the secure good and the trembling wicked await it. What then does the Lord say? Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, and rams and he-goats. "I judge": great is the security, that He Himself judges — let the good be secure. No adversary corrupts their judge, no advocate circumvents Him, no witness deceives Him. But let the wicked fear in the same measure as the good are secure. He judges in no such way that anything can be hidden from Him. Does God, in judging, need to seek out witnesses, from whom to learn what you are? How could He be deceived about what you are, Who knew beforehand what you would become? It is you He questions, not another about you. "The Lord," he says, "questions the just and the impious" (Ps. 10:6). But He questions you, not to learn from you, but to confound you. Having, then, such a judge — one Whom no one deceives against us, and no one on our behalf — let us so act that we do not fear His coming judgement, but await and long for it. Do the crops fear being brought into the granary? No, rather they long for it eagerly and desire it. Do the sheep fear being set at the right hand? No, nothing seems to them so slow in coming as that day. These indeed say from the heart and with entire sincerity, when they pray, "Thy kingdom come." But in the mouth of a wicked man these words make the heart tremble and the tongue falter. For how do you say, "Thy kingdom come"? Behold, it will come: in what state will it find you? Act, then, in such a way that you may pray it securely. And if by chance there is something in your conscience of fault and sin, you have a remedy in the very prayer: "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:10, 12). For God willed that you should be a debtor in such a way that you might also have a debtor. By sinning, indeed, you make yourself God's enemy: but see to it that you yourself do not, perhaps, have an enemy. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. What you do, who can be found in sin, He will do to you, Who can be judged for no sin. But if, though a man placed in sin yourself, you do not spare the one who has sinned against you, nor consider your own condition in his case, nor, for the future,
Editors' notes and page, col. 299
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: officium alienum› · call in col 299
Beccensis Ms., judicium alienum.
The Bec manuscript, "another's judgement."
(printed under page 156)
(2) ‹anchor: te facis Deo› · call in col 299
Cisterciensis Ms., inimicum facis Deum.
The Cistercian manuscript, "you make God an enemy."
(printed under page 156)
lapsum tuae fragilitatis horrescis; quid tibi facturus est, qui tam securus judicat, quomodo qui nunquam peccat?
do you shrink in horror from your own fragile fall — what will He do to you, He Who judges so securely, as One Who never sins?
CAPUT VII. — 8. Conscientia cito mundanda. Danda ergo opera est purae conscientiae: et si forte aliquis inest scrupulus, praeveniamus faciem ejus in confessione. In Psalmo nunc, cum cantaretur, audivimus, Praeveniamus faciem ejus in confessione (Psal. XCIV, 2). Praeveniamus eum, ne nos ipse praeveniat. Post confessionem non afferet ultionem, si et tu post confessionem non repetas iniquitatem. Praeveni antequam praeveniaris. Quia enim venturus est, certum est: perdes, si non desideras quod futurum est. Nam et te nolente venturus est. Numquid eum dilaturus es, recusando ne veniat? Sicut noverat horam qua judicari debuit, sic novit et horam qua debeat judicare. Veniet ille, tu vide qualis futurus sis. Hodie inest scrupulus, hodie sit confessio, hodie renuntietur scrupulo; hodie dimittitur, hodie laxatur. Non est ut dicas, Differt Deus veniam: tu noli differre medicinam tuam. Habes enim aliquid in animo quod te angat: et si angit, et sollicitat. Utique si in domo tua esset lapis offendens oculos tuos, juberes eum auferri de medio; maxime si aliquem paulo majorem hospitem in domo tua esses recepturus. Cum ergo Deum invocas, in te vocas; quomodo veniet in te, cui locum quo recipias, non mundasti? Sed minus idoneus es auferre de corde tuo, quod tibi ipse fecisti? Ipsum invoca, ut mundet; ipsum invita, ut intret: dum tamen quod facturus es, modo facias, cum loquitur monendo, et tacet judicando.
CHAPTER VII. — 8. Conscience must be cleansed at once. We must, then, give diligence to a pure conscience: and if perhaps some scruple lies within, let us go before His face in confession. We heard it just now in the Psalm as it was sung, "Let us go before His face in confession" (Ps. 94:2). Let us go before Him, lest He Himself come upon us first. After confession He will bring no vengeance, provided that you, after confessing, do not repeat the iniquity. Go before Him, before you are anticipated by Him. For that He will come is certain: you will lose, if you do not long for what is to come. For even against your will, He will come. Will you put Him off by refusing to let Him come? As He knew the hour in which He was to be judged, so He knows also the hour in which He must judge. He will come; see to it what sort of man you will then be. Today there is a scruple — let there be confession today, let it be given up today; today it is forgiven, today it is loosed. It is not for you to say, "God puts off His pardon": do not you put off your own cure. For you have something in your mind that torments you; and if it torments you, it also disquiets you. Certainly, if there were a stone in your house offending your eyes, you would order it removed out of the way — all the more if you were about to receive some somewhat greater guest into your house. When, then, you call upon God, you are calling Him into yourself; how will He come into you, for Whom you have not cleansed a place to receive Him? But are you too incapable of removing from your heart what you yourself put there? Call upon Him, that He may cleanse it; invite Him, that He may enter: only do at once what you are going to do, while He still speaks by warning, and is as yet silent in judging.
CAPUT VIII. — 9. Doctrina accepta non amaro corde communicanda. Dixit hic hircos, dixit arietes, et judicat inter eos. Et quid eis dicit? Numquid non sufficit vobis, quia bonam pascuam pascebatis? et reliquias pascuae vestrae conculcabatis pedibus vestris; et potabatis aquam, quae subsidebat, id est, quae pura et tranquilla erat, et reliquam pedibus vestris turbabatis: et oves meae conculcationes pedum vestrorum depascebant, et conturbatam pedibus vestris aquam potabant. Quid est hoc? Pascua Dei bona sunt, et fontes Dei puri sunt. Habemus hoc in Scripturis sanctis. Qui sunt ergo, qui quod tranquillum est inde bibunt; et quod mundum est inde pascuntur; et conculcant reliquias et turbant aquam, ut oves aliae conculcatas herbas accipiant et aquam conturbatam bibant? Et hoc utique videtis displicere pastori, qui dicit dum fiunt ista, Ego judico inter ovem et ovem: ad hoc utique ne fiant. Sunt multi qui tranquille discunt, perturbate docent; et cum habeant doctorem patientem, saeviunt in discentem. Quam nos enim tranquille doceat ipsa Scriptura, quis nescit? Venit ergo aliquis, et legit praecepta Dei; legit et capit, capit tranquillus de tranquillo bibens, et de viridi et mundo pascens. Venit aliquis audire ab illo aliquid; indignatur, perturbatur, tarditatem
CHAPTER VIII. — 9. Teaching received must not be shared with a bitter heart. Here He spoke of goats, He spoke of rams, and He judges between them. And what does He say to them? "Was it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture under your feet; and drink the water that settled clear" — that is, that was pure and calm — "and muddy the rest with your feet: so that my sheep had to graze on what your feet had trampled, and drink the water you had fouled with your feet?" What does this mean? God's pastures are good, and God's springs are pure. We have this in the Holy Scriptures. Who, then, are they who drink what is calm there, and feed on what is clean there, and yet trample the rest and muddy the water, so that the other sheep must take the trampled grass and drink the muddied water? And you see plainly that this displeases the shepherd, Who says, while these things are happening, "I judge between sheep and sheep" — precisely so that they may not happen. There are many who learn calmly but teach in a disturbed manner; and though they have a patient teacher, they rage against their own pupil. Who does not know how calmly Scripture itself teaches us? So someone comes and reads God's precepts; he reads and grasps them, grasping them calmly, drinking from what is calm, and feeding on what is green and clean. Someone else comes to hear something from him; he grows indignant, is disturbed, and [rebuking the other's] slowness
Editors' notes and page, col. 300
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: hodie laxatur› · call in col 300
Ita omnes Mss. Editi vero, hodie dimittatur, hodie laxetur.
So all the manuscripts. The printed editions, however, "let it be forgiven today, let it be loosed today."
(printed under page 156)
(2) ‹anchor: pascens. Venit› · call in col 300
Hoc loco Er. et aliquot Mss., velit. Paulo post tres Mss., indignatur, perturbat.
At this place Erasmus and some manuscripts, "wishes" (velit). A little further on three manuscripts, "he is indignant, he throws into confusion."
(printed under page 156)
aliquando serius intelligentis accusando, turbatum facit minus intelligere, quod poterat audire tranquillus.
sometimes accusing one who understands only rather slowly, and by his very accusing makes the disturbed man understand still less — a thing he could have heard calmly otherwise.
10. Doctores lividi et amarulenti. Nec hoc ideo dixerim, fratres, quia non est aliquando corripienda duritia, quam ipsa tanta veritatis tranquillitas corripit, dicens: O insensati et tardi corde ad credendum (Luc. XXIV, 25)! si ista fiunt ea dilectione qua volumus curam incutere hominibus, ad incutiendam diligentiam intentionis, et ad serenandam forte nubem mentis suae, quam de curis saeculi contraxerunt; et forte cogitando alia inutilia, quod utile est audire non possunt. Deinde etiamsi in se quisque videat tarditatem, non sine causa ille accusatur, ut Deum roget, et solvat tarditatem, donet veritatem. Aut enim si negligentia nostra minus intelligimus quod audivimus, utique negligentia corripienda est: aut si tarditas est, cum fuerit accusata, erit unde rogetur Deus. Nec doctores ergo tales reprehendendi sunt: sed qui hoc faciunt animo amaro, animo invido, ipsi conculcant pascua, et turbant fontes; quidquid forte noverint, ita volunt nosse, ut alii non noverint. Malignae mentis homines, tartareo zelo pleni, lividi non in corpore, sed in corde, legerunt et intellexerunt; cum interrogati fuerint, multum est ad te, ego tibi ista credam? et tu dignus es ista legere vel audire? Quid turbas aquam? Ambobus fons manat. Quid conculcas herbas communes? Non tu pluisti, ut nascerentur.
10. Teachers who are bitter and envious. Nor would I say this, brothers, as though hardness ought never to be corrected — the very tranquillity of truth itself, great as it is, corrects it, saying: "O foolish and slow of heart to believe" (Luke 24:25)! — if such rebukes happen out of that love with which we wish to impress care upon men, so as to instil diligent attention, and perhaps to clear the cloud that has gathered over a man's mind from worldly cares; and perhaps, in thinking of other useless things, men cannot hear what is useful. Then again, even if a man perceives slowness in himself, he is not accused without reason, so that he may ask God, and God may loosen his slowness and grant him truth. For either it is through our own negligence that we understand less of what we have heard — and then negligence should indeed be corrected — or it is natural slowness, and once it has been pointed out, there will be reason to ask God for help. So it is not such teachers who deserve blame; but those who do this with a bitter spirit, an envious spirit — they themselves trample the pastures and muddy the springs; whatever they happen to know, they want to know it in such a way that others may not know it. Men of malicious mind, full of hellish envy, livid not in body but in heart, have read and understood; yet when questioned, they say: "It is too much for you — am I to entrust this to you? And are you worthy to read or hear it?" Why do you muddy the water? The spring flows for both alike. Why do you trample the common grass? It was not you who made it rain, that it might grow.
CAPUT IX. — 11. Non sufficit bona conscientia, si est negligens coram hominibus conversatio. Est aliud in his verbis, quod non absurde potest intelligi. Sunt homines qui putant sibi in bene vivendo sufficere conscientiam, et non valde curant quid de illis alter existimet; ignorantes quia cum homo viderit hominem bonae conscientiae negligentius viventem, passim se cuilibet et ubilibet conjungentem, habentem scientiam quod nihil sit idolum, et tamen in idolio recumbentem, conscientia illius cum sit infirma, aedificatur non ad ea quae perscrutatur, sed ad ea quae suspicatur (I Cor. VIII, 10). Neque enim homo par tuus, frater tuus, intrare potest in conscientiam tuam, quam novit Deus. Conscientia tua coram Deo est, conversatio tua coram fratre tuo: si de te ille aliquid mali suspicans, perturbatus aedificatur ad aliquid faciendum quod te putat facere, cum sic vivis; quid prodest quia venter conscientiae tuae hausit aquam puram, et ille de tua negligenti conversatione bibit turbatam?
CHAPTER IX. — 11. A good conscience is not enough, if one's conduct before others is careless. There is another sense in these words that may not unreasonably be understood. There are men who suppose that, in living rightly, their own conscience is enough for them, and do not much care what others think of them; not knowing that when a man sees someone of good conscience living carelessly — associating with anyone anywhere without discrimination, having the knowledge that an idol is nothing, and yet reclining at a meal in an idol's temple — that other man's conscience, being weak, is built up not according to what it closely examines, but according to what it merely suspects (1 Cor. 8:10). For a man who is your equal, your brother, cannot enter into your conscience, which God knows. Your conscience is before God, your conduct is before your brother: if he, suspecting something evil of you, is disturbed and encouraged to do something he supposes you do, because you live in this way — what does it profit that the depths of your own conscience have drawn pure water, if he drinks the muddied water drawn from your careless conduct?
12. Hominibus placere quatenus studendum. Et audis tales, cum corripiuntur ne ista faciant, respondere nobis, et dicere: Apostolus dixit, Si hominibus placere vellem, Christi servus non essem (Galat. I, 10). Et hic aquam turbas, pascua conculcas. Attende
12. How far one should be eager to please men. And you hear such men, when they are rebuked so that they may not do these things, answer us and say: The Apostle said, If I wished to please men, I should not be the servant of Christ (Gal. 1:10). Here too you muddy the water, you trample the pastures. Attend
Editors' notes and page, col. 301
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: homo par tuus› · call in col 301
Editi, pater tuus. Castigantur auctoritate Cisterciensis Ms. et Flori.
The printed editions, "your father" (pater tuus). They are corrected on the authority of the Cistercian manuscript and of Florus.
(printed under page 157)
(2) ‹anchor: bibit turbatam› · call in col 301
Sic Florus et meliores Mss. Alii quidam, de tua negligentia conversationem habet turbulentam. Editi autem, de tua negligentia conversationem bibit turbatam.
So Florus and the better manuscripts. Certain others, "from your negligence has a troubled way of life." The printed editions, however, "from your negligence drinks a muddied way of life."
(printed under page 157)
melius, ne et tibi aquam turbes. Quod ait Apostolus, Si hominibus placere vellem, Christi servus non essem, optime accipio, apostolicam sententiam libenter agnosco. Sed aliud in Apostolo non legisti: Placete omnibus per omnia, sicut et ego omnibus per omnia placeo; non quaerens quod mihi prodest, sed quod multis, ut salvi fiant? Rursus eumdem apostolum non audisti: Sine offensione estote Judaeis et Graecis, et Ecclesiae Dei (I Cor. X, 33, 32)? Tertio eumdem apostolum non audisti: Providemus enim bona, non solum coram Deo, sed etiam coram hominibus (II Cor. VIII, 21)? Ait ergo ille, Expone itaque mihi, quomodo intelligam diversa atque contraria: hac dicentem Apostolum, Si hominibus placere vellem, Christi servus non essem; hac dicentem, Placete omnibus per omnia, sicut et ego omnibus per omnia placeo: hac dicentem, Gloria nostra haec est, testimonium conscientiae nostrae (Id. I, 12); hac dicentem, Providemus bona, non solum coram Deo, sed etiam coram hominibus. Si tranquillus audias, si tibi ipsi aquam tuae mentis non perturbes, quantum potero, fortassis exponam. Sunt homines temerarii judices, detractores, susurrones, murmuratores, quaerentes suspicari quod non vident, quaerentes etiam jactare quod nec suspicantur: contra tales quid remanet, nisi testimonium conscientiae nostrae? Neque enim, fratres, etiam in illis quibus placere volumus, gloriam nostram quaerimus, aut gloriam nostram quaerere debemus, sed illorum salutem: ut si bene ambulamus, nos sequendo non errent; imitatores nostri sint, si nos Christi (Id. IV, 16); si autem nos non Christi, imitatores sint Christi. Ipse enim pascit gregem suum, et cum omnibus bene pascentibus ipse solus est: quia omnes in illo sunt. Non ergo utilitatem nostram quaerimus, quando placere hominibus volumus: sed gaudemus eis placere quod bonum est, propter ipsorum utilitatem, non propter nostram dignitatem. Contra quos autem dixerit Apostolus, Si hominibus placere vellem, Christi servus non essem, manifestum est; et propter quos dixerit, Placete omnibus per omnia, sicut et ego omnibus placeo per omnia, manifestum est: utrumque dilucidum, utrumque tranquillum, utrumque purum, utrumque non perturbatum; tu tantum pasce et bibe, noli conculcare et turbare.
better, lest you muddy the water for yourself as well. What the Apostle says, If I wished to please men, I should not be the servant of Christ, I accept very gladly; I willingly acknowledge the apostolic judgement. But have you not read something else in the Apostle: Please all men in all things, as I also please all men in all things; not seeking what profits me, but what [profits] many, that they may be saved? Again, have you not heard the same apostle: Be without offence to the Jews and to the Greeks, and to the Church of God (1 Cor. 10:33, 32)? Thirdly, have you not heard the same apostle: For we provide good things, not only before God, but also before men (2 Cor. 8:21)? He says, then: Explain to me, therefore, how I am to understand things diverse and contrary: the Apostle saying here, If I wished to please men, I should not be the servant of Christ; saying here, Please all men in all things, as I also please all men in all things; saying here, This is our glory, the testimony of our conscience (2 Cor. 1:12); saying here, We provide good things, not only before God, but also before men. If you listen calmly, if you do not trouble for yourself the water of your own mind, I shall perhaps explain it, so far as I can. There are men who are rash judges, detractors, whisperers, murmurers, seeking to suspect what they do not see, seeking even to noise abroad what they do not even suspect: against such, what remains, except the testimony of our conscience? For neither, brethren, even in those whom we wish to please, do we seek our own glory, nor ought we to seek our own glory, but their salvation: that, if we walk well, they may not go astray by following us; let them be imitators of us, if we [are imitators] of Christ (1 Cor. 4:16); but if we are not of Christ, let them be imitators of Christ. For He Himself feeds His flock, and with all who feed well He alone is [the shepherd]: because all are in Him. We do not, then, seek our own advantage when we wish to please men: but we rejoice that what is good pleases them, for their advantage, not for our own dignity. Against whom, then, the Apostle said, If I wished to please men, I should not be the servant of Christ, is plain; and on account of whom he said, Please all men in all things, as I also please all men in all things, is plain: each is clear, each calm, each pure, each untroubled; only feed and drink, do not trample and muddy.
13. Quando sufficiat conscientia. Nam et Domiminum ipsum Jesum Christum magistrum Apostolorum utique audisti, Luceant opera vestra coram hominibus, ut videant bona facta vestra, et glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in coelis est (Matth. V, 16): id est, qui vos fecit tales. Nos enim populus pascuae ejus, et oves manuum ejus (Psal. XCIV, 7). Ille ergo laudetur, qui te fecit bonum, si bonus es; non tu, qui per te ipsum non poteras esse nisi malus. Quid vis autem in contrarium ducere veritatem, ut quando boni aliquid facis, te velis laudari; quando mali aliquid facis, Dominum velis vituperari? Utique enim qui dixit, Luceant
13. When conscience suffices. For you have surely heard the Lord Jesus Christ Himself too, the master of the Apostles: Let your works shine before men, that they may see your good deeds, and glorify your Father Who is in heaven (Matt. 5:16): that is, Who made you such. For we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hands (Ps. 94:7). Let Him, then, be praised Who made you good, if you are good; not you, who by yourself could be nothing but bad. But why do you want to turn the truth into its contrary, so that when you do something good you want yourself to be praised, [and] when you do something bad you want the Lord to be blamed? For surely He Who said, Let
Editors' notes and page, col. 302
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: aquam turbes› · call in col 302
Sic Florus et plerique Mss. At editi, turbet quod, etc.
So Florus and most manuscripts. But the printed editions, "lest what [the Apostle says] muddy" (turbet quod), etc.
(printed under page 157)
(2) ‹anchor: placere hominibus› · call in col 302
Cisterciensis Ms., omnibus.
The Cistercian manuscript, "all" (omnibus).
(printed under page 157)
opera vestra coram hominibus; ipse dixit in eodem sermone, Nolite facere justitiam vestram coram hominibus. Sed sicut in Apostolo ista tibi contraria videbantur, sic et in Evangelio. Si autem non perturbes aquam cordis tui, et hic agnosces pacem Scripturarum, et habebis cum eis et tu pacem. Si autem tu cum eis habere nolueris pacem, tu in te committis litem tuam, illae non amittent pacem suam. Propter illos enim qui se hominibus jactando commendant, et ita ventilant bona opera sua, ut finem bonorum operum suorum in laude hominum ponant, eamdemque laudem hominum quasi pro mercede computent bonorum operum suorum; de his dicitur, Amen dico vobis, perceperunt mercedem suam. Contra eos dicitur, Cavete justitiam vestram facere coram hominibus. Proinde sequitur, Ut videamini ab eis (Matth. VI, 1, 2). Ultra non porrexit intentionem, hic fecit finem. Nolite sic facere coram hominibus, quidquid boni facitis, ut videamini ab eis, ut ipse sit finis operis vestri., videri ab eis. Nolite ergo sic, ut videamini ab eis. Hac autem non ibi ponit finem, ut videamur ab hominibus, coram quibus vult esse bona facta nostra: sed ait, Luceant opera vestra coram hominibus, ut videant bona opera vestra. Non quievit, neque hic remansit: sed duxit hinc te sursum, et tulit te a te (caderes enim, si esses in te), et ubi tutus esses, posuit te. Videant, inquit, bona opera vestra, et glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in coelis est. Noli irasci, quia ille glorificatur: apud illum esto, et in illo glorificaberis. Ut non glorietur, ait Apostolus, omnis caro coram illo. Ergo sine gloria remanebimus? Non: ait enim ipse, Qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur (I Cor. I, 29, 31). Nam et testimonium conscientiae nostrae ita nobis gloria est, quia in illo est. Nam si ita est gloria nostra, ut nobis placeamus, et efficiamur placentes nobis; valde stulto homini placet, qui sibi placet.
your works shine before men, Himself said in the same sermon, Do not do your justice before men. But just as in the Apostle these things seemed contrary to you, so also in the Gospel. But if you do not trouble the water of your heart, here too you will recognize the peace of the Scriptures, and you too will have peace with them. But if you are unwilling to have peace with them, you stir up your quarrel within yourself; they will not lose their peace. For on account of those who commend themselves to men by boasting, and so winnow out their good works that they set the end of their good works in the praise of men, and reckon that same praise of men as the wage, as it were, of their good works: of these it is said, Amen I say to you, they have received their wage. Against them it is said, Beware of doing your justice before men. Accordingly there follows, That you may be seen by them (Matt. 6:1, 2). He did not extend the intention further; here He made the end. Do not act thus before men, whatever good you do, that you may be seen by them, so that this itself is the end of your work, to be seen by them. Do not, then, [act] thus, that you may be seen by them. But on this side He does not set the end there, that we may be seen by men, before whom He wishes our good deeds to be: but He says, Let your works shine before men, that they may see your good works. He did not stop, nor did He remain here: but He led you up from here, and took you away from yourself (for you would fall, if you were in yourself), and set you where you would be safe. Let them see, He says, your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in heaven. Do not be angry that He is glorified: be with Him, and in Him you will be glorified. That no flesh, says the Apostle, should glory before Him. Shall we then remain without glory? No: for he himself says, He who glories, let him glory in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:29, 31). For the testimony of our conscience too is thus a glory to us, because it is in Him. For if our glory is such that we please ourselves, and are made pleasing to ourselves, he who pleases himself pleases a very foolish man.
14. Bonae conversationis cura. Curemus ergo, fratres, non tantum bene vivere, sed etiam coram hominibus bene conversari; nec tantum habere bonam conscientiam, sed quantum potest nostra infirmitas, quantum vigilantia fragilitatis humanae, curemus nihil etiam facere quod veniat in malam suspicionem infirmo fratri: ne forte puras herbas mandendo, et puras aquas bibendo conculcemus pascua Dei, et oves infirmae conculcatum manducent, et turbatum bibant. Et vae, propter istum qui dicit, Ego judico inter ovem et ovem.
14. The care of a good way of life. Let us take care, then, brethren, not only to live well, but also to conduct ourselves well before men; and not only to have a good conscience, but, so far as our weakness can, so far as the vigilance of human frailty [can], let us take care also to do nothing that may come under evil suspicion with a weak brother: lest perhaps, by chewing clean grass and drinking clean water, we trample God's pastures, and the weak sheep eat what is trampled and drink what is muddied. And woe [to us], on account of Him Who says, I judge between sheep and sheep.
CAPUT X. — 15. Oves et hircos nunc discernere solius Dei est. — Pro istis haec dicit Dominus Deus ad eos: Ecce ego judico inter ovem fortem, et inter ovem imbecillam. Aliud aliquid dicat. Jam audivimus de his qui conculcant herbas, et perturbant aquas: audiamus aliud genus mali, et magnum genus mali. Postea de
CHAPTER X. — 15. To distinguish sheep from goats now belongs to God alone. — Concerning these the Lord God says this to them: Behold, I judge between the strong sheep and the weak sheep. Let Him say something further. We have already heard about those who trample the grass and muddy the waters: let us now hear of another kind of evil, and a great kind of evil. Afterwards, concerning
Editors' notes and page, col. 303
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: jactando commendant› · call in col 303
Florus et aliquot Mss., se hominibus jactant, et ita ventilant opera, etc. Duo autem carent istis verbis, et ita ventilant.
Florus and some manuscripts, "they vaunt themselves before men, and so toss their works about," etc. Two, however, lack the words "and so toss about."
(printed under page 158)
(2) ‹anchor: Hac autem› · call in col 303
Ita Mss. At editi, hic autem.
So the manuscripts. But the printed editions, "but here" (hic autem).
(printed under page 158)
(3) ‹anchor: te sursum› · call in col 303
Sic Florus et aliquot Mss. Editi vero, rursum.
So Florus and some manuscripts. The printed editions, however, "again" (rursum).
(printed under page 158)
(4) ‹anchor: ita nobis› · call in col 303
Editi, in nobis. At Florus et Mss., ita nobis.
The printed editions, "in us" (in nobis). But Florus and the manuscripts, "in this way to us" (ita nobis).
(printed under page 158)
(5) ‹anchor: Et vae› · call in col 303
Editi, et vel. At Mss., et vae.
The printed editions, "and or" (et vel). But the manuscripts, "and woe" (et vae).
(printed under page 158)
hircis nullam facit mentionem: semel illos nominavit, ut sciremus esse. Ipse enim illos bene novit. Postea sic loquitur, tanquam omnes oves sint. Primo quomodo ipse videt, postea vero quomodo nos videmus, locutus est. Hirci enim quia insunt, et quia in fine separabuntur, notum sit ovibus: modo tanquam inter ovem et ovem discerno. Non scit nisi praedestinatione et praescientia oves et hircos, ille solus, qui praedestinare potuit, quia praescire. Modo qui omnes sub signo Christi sunt, et omnes ad gratiam Dei accedunt, ovem te putas, hircum te forte Deus novit: sed tanquam ovis audi quod audis, Ecce ego judico inter ovem fortem, et inter ovem imbecillam.
the goats He makes no mention: He named them once, that we might know they exist. For He Himself knows them well. Afterwards He speaks as though they were all sheep. He has spoken first of how He Himself sees, and afterwards of how we see. For because the goats are present among the flock, and because they will be separated only at the end, let this be known to the sheep: for now, I discern as though between sheep and sheep. No one knows sheep and goats save by predestination and foreknowledge — He alone, Who was able to predestine because He was able to foreknow. For the present, since all stand under the sign of Christ, and all approach the grace of God, you may think yourself a sheep, when perhaps God knows you to be a goat: but as a sheep, hear what you hear — Behold, I judge between the strong sheep and the weak sheep.
16. Schismatis Donatistarum auctores superbi. — Quoniam lateribus et humeris vestris impellebatis, et cornibus vestris percutiebatis, et omne quod deficiebat comprimebatis, quoadusque dispergeretis eas foras. Quis hoc non intelligat? quis non exhorrescat? Si nullae oves foris sunt, non est factum. Si autem multas oves foras errare plangimus, vae quorum humeris et lateribus et cornibus factum est. Non enim haec facerent, nisi fortes oves. Quae sunt fortes? De suis viribus praesumentes. Quae sunt fortes? De sua justitia gloriantes. Non diviserunt oves, non foras miserunt, nisi qui se justos esse dixerunt: humeri audaces ad impellendum, quia non portant sarcinam Dei: latera mala, conspirantes amici, societas pertinaciae: cornua erecta, elata superbia: impelle lateribus et humeris, ventila cornibus, mitte foras quod non emisisti: Certe ipsa tota causa est, quia tu justus et alii injusti, et indignum erat ut justus esset cum injustis: indignum videlicet, ut frumenta essent inter zizania; indignum, ut oves inter hircos pascerent, donec pastor veniret qui in separando non errat. Itane tu angelus eradicans zizania? Non te agnoscerem angelum eradicantem zizania, nec si jam messis venisset. Ante messem non tu, sed quisquis fuerit, non est verus. Qui designavit messores, designavit et tempus. Possent et homines se angelos dicere. Invenimus fortasse in Scripturis et homines dictos angelos, sed tamen ego tempus messis attendo. Angeli tibi nomen potes imponere, tempus messis non potes breviare. Itaque falsum dicis, quia sis: quia nondum venit quando sis. Proinde cum venerit, et veri messores missi fuerint, nescio ubi te inveniant, utrum purgandum qui in horreo recondaris, an alligandum qui in ignem projiciaris. Ideo enim dico, forte, quia non audeo judicare. Modo te foris doleo: utrum sis futurus intus, ignoro.
16. The proud authors of the Donatist schism. — Because you thrust with side and shoulder, and struck with your horns, and pressed hard upon all that was failing, until you scattered them abroad. Who does not understand this? who is not horrified at it? If there are no sheep outside the fold, it has not happened. But if we lament that many sheep have strayed outside, woe to those by whose shoulders and sides and horns it was done. For only strong sheep could have done this. Which are the strong? Those who presume upon their own strength. Which are the strong? Those who glory in their own righteousness. None have divided the sheep, none have driven them out, except those who have called themselves righteous: shoulders bold for thrusting, because they do not bear God's burden; evil sides, conspiring friends, a partnership in obstinacy; horns raised, pride exalted: thrust with side and shoulder, toss with the horns, drive out what you have not driven out! Surely this is the whole substance of the case: that you think yourself just and the others unjust, and think it unworthy that the just should be with the unjust — unworthy, namely, that wheat should be among the tares; unworthy, that sheep should graze among goats, until the shepherd should come Who does not err in separating. Are you, then, an angel, uprooting the tares? I would not acknowledge you as an angel uprooting the tares, even if the harvest had already come. Before the harvest, not you only, but whoever it may be, is no true [reaper]. He Who appointed the reapers appointed also the time. Men, too, might call themselves angels. We find, perhaps, in the Scriptures, men also called angels; yet I attend to the time of the harvest. You can give yourself the name of an angel; you cannot shorten the time of the harvest. And so you speak falsely in claiming to be one, because it is not yet the time for you to be it. And so, when it comes, and the true reapers have been sent, I do not know where they will find you — whether to be cleansed and stored in the barn, or to be bound and cast into the fire. That is why I say "perhaps" — because I do not presume to judge. For now, I grieve that you are outside; whether you will one day be within, I do not know.
17. Donatistas separationem suam excusare non posse. Interim audi ex alio Scripturae testimonio de te scriptum esse, cum vivis; et noli velle zizania eradicare,
17. The Donatists cannot excuse their separation. Meanwhile hear, from another testimony of Scripture, that it is written of you while you are still alive; and do not wish to uproot the tares
Editors' notes and page, col. 304
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: notum sit ovibus› · call in col 304
Duo Mss., omnibus.
Two manuscripts, "all" (omnibus).
(printed under page 158)
(2) ‹anchor: nisi praedestinatione› · call in col 304
Sic Mss. At editi : Nam scit praedestinatione.
So the manuscripts. But the printed editions: "For He knows by predestination."
(printed under page 158)
(3) ‹anchor: sub signo› · call in col 304
Editi, sub jugo. Reponimus, sub signo ; quia sic omnes Mss.
The printed editions, "under the yoke" (sub jugo). We restore "under the sign" (sub signo), because all the manuscripts have it so.
(printed under page 158)
(4) ‹anchor: dixerunt: humeri› · call in col 304
Editi humeris. Melius Cisterciensis Ms., humeri.
The printed editions, "with shoulders" (humeris). Better the Cistercian manuscript, "shoulders" (humeri).
(printed under page 158)
(5) ‹anchor: elata superbia› · call in col 304
Plures Mss., superba.
Several manuscripts, "proud things" (superba).
(printed under page 158)
(6) ‹anchor: non emisisti› · call in col 304
Sic Mss. Editi autem, emisti.
So the manuscripts. The printed editions, however, "you bought" (emisti).
(printed under page 158)
(7) ‹anchor: quia sis› · call in col 304
Editi, qui sis. Melius fortasse aliquot Mss., quia sis, scilicet Angelus.
The printed editions, "who you are" (qui sis). Better perhaps some manuscripts, "that you are" (quia sis), namely, an Angel.
(printed under page 158)
quando tempus non est; sed tu ipse intro redi, cum tempus est. Dicit alia Dei Scriptura: Filius malus ipse se justum dicit (Prov. XXIV, sec. LXX). Hi sunt humeri et latera et cornua tua. Male fortis, quanto melius esses infirmus? Male fortis, sed non sanus. Male fortis phreneticus caedit et medicum. Dicis te perfectum, ut facias defectum. Quanto potius, quanto utilius esses infirmus, ut ille te perficeret, qui novit imperfectum tuum? Apostolus Paulus vas electionis, ne extolleretur in revelationibus (quod dicere non auderemus, nisi ipsi dicenti crederemus): In magnitudine, inquit, revelationum ne extollar, datus est mihi stimulus carnis meae, angelus satanae, qui me colaphizet. Ne cornua erigeret, colaphizari se dicebat. Propter quod, inquit, ter Dominum rogavi, ut auferret eum a me; et dixit mihi: Sufficit tibi gratia mea; nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur (II Cor. XII, 7-9). Quam est ergo utilior infirmitas quae perficitur, quam illa firmitas quae impellit oves, quae ventilat ut excludat. Filius ergo malus ipse es, tu te justum dicis. Filius malus ipse se justum dicit, exitum autem suum non abluit. Attendite, fratres mei, sententiam quamdam brevem numero verborum, sed ingentem pondere veritatis. Justum se dicit, ut exeat et excludat. Justum se dicit, sed malus est: ideo exitum suum non abluit. Quid est, non abluit? Non purgat, non defendit, non excusat. Quare enim te separasti? quare existi? Quare tibi tremit cor, quando audis ex Libris divinis, Ex nobis exierunt, sed non erant ex nobis (I Joan. II, 19): si tamen illa mala fortitudo, qua oves Dei impellis, et impingis, et ventilas, permittit tremorem ad cor tuum? Nam utique cum audis, Ex nobis exierunt, sed non erant ex nobis; ille loquebatur qui in Ecclesia erat. Ecclesia toto orbe diffusa est, tu quid facis foris? Neque enim ego annuntio Ecclesiam toto orbe diffusam: Prophetae annuntiaverunt, Apostoli annuntiaverunt, ipse Dominus annuntiavit Ecclesiam toto orbe diffusam. Modo cum Psalmus legeretur, audivimus, Non repellit Dominus plebem suam. Tanquam quaereretur, Quam? Quoniam in manu ejus, inquit, fines terrae (Psal. XCIV, 4). Ipse non repellit, et tu impellis. Impellis, ventillas, excludis, jactas traditores, non probas. Cornua sunt ista ventilantis, non mansuetudo pascentis. Ecce plebs Dei in finibus terrae: ecce plebs Dei gemens et plorans ante Deum qui eam fecit, dicit in Psalmo ipsi Domino ante quem plorat, A finibus terrae ad te clamavi, cum angeretur cor meum. Vide quemadmodum se humiliat in angore cordis. Et quid sibi praestitum dicit? In petra exaltasti me (Psal. LX, 3). In petra Christo exaltasti, non de monte Donato praecipitasti. I nunc, et jacta cornua, extende latera, infla humeros tuos, et impelle oves; et dic, Justus sum. Respondebit tibi Scriptura, Malus, non justus. Filius malus ipse se justum dicit. Si justus es, quid exis foras? Quid ejicis foras? Quid cum his quos ejicis facis foras? Tanquam ovis hircos fugisti. Melius ab ipsis a
while it is not yet time to uproot them; but you yourself, return within, while there is still time. Another Scripture of God says: The wicked son declares himself righteous (Prov. 24, according to the Septuagint numbering). These are your shoulders, your sides, and your horns. Strong for evil — how much better it would be for you to be weak! Strong for evil, but not sound. A madman, strong in his frenzy, strikes even his physician. You call yourself perfect, only to make yourself defective. How much better, how much more useful it would be for you to be weak, so that He might make you perfect Who knows your imperfection! The apostle Paul, a chosen vessel, lest he be exalted by his revelations (a thing we would not dare say, had we not believed him who said it himself): "Lest I be exalted," he says, "by the greatness of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to buffet me." So that he might not raise his horns, he called himself buffeted. "For this reason," he says, "I besought the Lord three times, that He would take it away from me; and He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:7–9). How much more useful, then, is that weakness which is made perfect, than that strength which thrusts the sheep, which tosses them on its horns so as to drive them out! You, then, are the wicked son, you who call yourself righteous. The wicked son declares himself righteous, but does not wash clean his own departure. Attend, my brothers, to a saying brief in the number of its words, but immense in the weight of its truth. He calls himself righteous, that he may go out and exclude others. He calls himself righteous, but is wicked: therefore he does not wash clean his own departure. What does "he does not wash clean" mean? He does not purge it, does not defend it, does not excuse it. For why did you separate yourself? Why did you go out? Why does your heart tremble when you hear from the divine Books, "They went out from us, but they were not of us" (1 John 2:19) — if indeed that evil strength, with which you thrust and strike and toss God's sheep on your horns, allows any trembling to reach your heart at all? For surely, when you hear, "They went out from us, but they were not of us," it was one who was within the Church who spoke. The Church is spread abroad through the whole world; what are you doing outside it? For it is not I who announce that the Church is spread through the whole world: the Prophets announced it, the Apostles announced it, the Lord Himself announced that the Church would be spread through the whole world. Just now, as the Psalm was being read, we heard, "The Lord does not cast off His people." As if it were asked, "Which people?" — "for in His hand," it says, "are the ends of the earth" (Ps. 94:4). He does not cast off, and you thrust away. You thrust, you toss, you exclude, you fling about the name of traitors, you do not prove it. These are the horns of one who tosses, not the gentleness of one who feeds. Behold God's people in the ends of the earth: behold God's people groaning and weeping before the God Who made them, saying in the Psalm to the very Lord before Whom it weeps, "From the ends of the earth I have cried to Thee, when my heart was in anguish." See how it humbles itself in anguish of heart. And what does it say was granted to it? "Thou hast exalted me upon the rock" (Ps. 60:3 [61:2]). Thou didst exalt it upon the rock, which is Christ, not cast it down from the mountain that is Donatus. Go now, and toss your horns, spread your sides, puff up your shoulders, and thrust at the sheep; and say, "I am righteous." Scripture will answer you: "Wicked, not righteous." The wicked son declares himself righteous. If you are righteous, why do you go outside? Why do you cast others out? What do you do with those you cast out, once outside? Like a sheep, you have fled the goats. Better for you to be separated from them by the
Editors' notes and page, col. 305
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: imperfectum tuum› · call in col 305
In Mss., post, imperfectum, non additur, tuum.
In the manuscripts, after "imperfect" (imperfectum), "your" (tuum) is not added.
(printed under page 159)
(2) ‹anchor: fines terrae› · call in col 305
Editi, fines terrae. Abest, omnes, a Mss.
The printed editions, "the ends of the earth." The word "all" (omnes) is absent from the manuscripts.
(printed under page 159)
(3) ‹anchor: monte Donato› · call in col 305
Editi, Donati.
The printed editions, "of Donatus" (Donati).
(printed under page 159)
pastore ad dexteram separaris, quam cum ipsis ad sinistram confutaris. Hirci erant, tu ovis: pasceres cum hircis. Quid te pascua, quid te fontes offenderant? Postremo, quid te ipse pastor offenderat? qui ad tempus gregem utrumque permiscuit; qui etiam sibi quando libet hoc bene facienti, tamen separationem in finem servavit. Neque enim ille etiamsi modo separaret, erraret. Ille in finem differt, tu ante tempus separas. Non exspectas finem, nesciens quando tibi sit finis. Unde hoc, nisi quia et ipsos quos tanquam hircos accusasti, falso accusasti? Nam si vere accusasses, non te separasses. Tua separatio, illorum est purgatio. Si zizania erant, quid ea voluisti ante tempus separare? Cum ipsis permixtum triticum esses, et eodem agro radicareris, eadem pluvia rigareris. Quare ergo existi? Numquid invenis causam? Quos accusas, non convincis: exeundo autem ante tempus, et te separando, ipse convinceris. Vide quia filius malus es; ipse te justum dicis, exitum autem tuum non abluis. Ego non dico tibi, Tu es potius traditor. Quod si dicam, facile probo: sed ideo nolo dicere, quia tui fecerunt, non tu fecisti. Non tibi imputo facta aliena, etiam tuorum: tuum factum attendo; quod foris es, arguo. Exitum tuum arguo. Prorsus omnia removeo quae in vos dici possunt. Omitto ebriositates vestras, fenus et usuras super usuras; omitto greges et furias Circumcellionum: omitto haec omnia, et quaecumque alia quae enumerare non possum. Non omnes forte apud vos ista faciunt. Ille qui ibi ista non facit, ille cui displicent ista quae ibi fiunt; ipse ergo accedat, ipse loquatur: non ei objicio crimen alienum, abluat exitum suum. Vides quia recte illi dicitur, Filius malus ipse se justum dicit. Dominus enim dicit, qui verum dicit: Filius malus ipse se justum dicit. Non ego, sed ipse. Si vult ut ego dicam justum, veniat, bonos fructus in catholica pace afferat, in catholica pace custodiat: quia et fructus non est ubi non est tolerantia. Et fructum, inquit, afferent cum tolerantia (Luc. VIII, 15). Vis dicere quemadmodum grandinatus sis? Audi ex alio loco: Vae his qui perdiderunt tolerantiam (Eccli. II, 16).
shepherd to the right hand than to be confounded along with them at the left. They were goats, you a sheep: you should have gone on feeding with the goats. What had the pastures, what had the springs, done to offend you? Finally, what had the shepherd Himself done to offend you — He Who for a time kept both flocks mingled together; Who, though He might have done this well even for His own part whenever He pleased, nevertheless kept the separation for the end? For even if He had separated them now, He would not have erred. He puts it off until the end; you separate before the time. You do not wait for the end, not knowing when your own end will be. Whence comes this, except that those very ones you accused as goats, you accused falsely? For if you had truly accused them, you would not have separated yourself. Your separation is their vindication. If they were tares, why did you wish to separate them before the time? You should have been wheat mingled with them, rooted in the same field, watered by the same rain. Why, then, did you go out? Have you found a cause? Those you accuse, you do not convict; but by going out before the time, and by separating yourself, you convict yourself. See that you are the wicked son: you call yourself righteous, but you do not wash clean your own departure. I do not say to you, "You are rather the traitor." Though if I said it, I could easily prove it: but I choose not to say it, because it was your own people who did it, not you yourself. I do not charge you with the deeds of others, even of your own people: I attend to your own deed; I charge you with being outside. I charge you with your departure. I set aside altogether everything else that could be said against you. I pass over your drunkenness, your usury heaped on usury; I pass over the mobs and furies of the Circumcellions: I pass over all these things, and whatever else I cannot enumerate. Perhaps not all among you do these things. Let him who does not do these things there, him whom these things displease, come forward and speak for himself: I do not charge him with another's crime — let him only wash clean his own departure. You see that it is rightly said of him, "The wicked son declares himself righteous." For it is the Lord Who says this, and He speaks the truth: "The wicked son declares himself righteous." Not I, but He Himself says it. If he wishes me to call him righteous, let him come, let him bear good fruit in catholic peace, let him keep it in catholic peace: for there is no fruit where there is no patient endurance. "And they will bring forth fruit," it says, "with patience" (Luke 8:15). Do you wish to know how you have been battered like hail-struck crops? Hear from another place: "Woe to those who have lost patient endurance" (Sir. 2:16).
18. Donatistarum schisma prudenti cuiquam Christianismum profiteri cupienti, non placere. Modo aliquem putate cogitare, quia et saepe contingit, ubi sit christianus. Motus est ut sit christianus, attendit in nomen Christi concurrere genus humanum: nulla temporali proposita commoditate vult esse christianus, non ut majorem amicum conciliet, non ut ad concupitam uxorem perveniat, non ut aliquam pressuram hujus saeculi evadat: quanquam multi etiam sic intrantes corriguntur ingressi. Sed faciamus aliquem cogitantem de anima sua, et volentem esse christianum: attendit ubi duas partes videt, quaerit causas, quare se illi ab illis separaverunt. Respondent illi: Separavimus nos tanquam justi a peccatoribus. Quasi vero caeco loquantur audienti quid dicant, non videnti quid
18. The Donatist schism does not commend itself to any prudent person wishing to profess Christianity. Suppose someone thinking — as indeed often happens — about where he is to be a Christian. He is moved to become a Christian, seeing the human race converging upon the name of Christ: he wishes to be a Christian with no temporal advantage in view — not to gain a more influential friend, not to win a woman he desires, not to escape some pressure of this present age — though indeed many who enter even for such reasons are afterward corrected upon entering. But let us imagine someone thinking about his own soul, and wishing to be a Christian: he looks about; where he sees two parties, he asks the reasons why the one separated itself from the other. They answer him: "We separated ourselves, as the righteous from sinners." As though indeed they were speaking to a blind man, who hears what they say and does not see what they
Editors' notes and page, col. 306
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: vere accusasses› · call in col 306
Mss. : Nam si verum accusasses.
The manuscripts: "For if you had made a true accusation."
(printed under page 159)
(2) ‹anchor: usuras super usuras› · call in col 306
Cisterciensis liber, fenus, usuras et superusuras.
The Cistercian book, "money-lending, usuries and usuries upon usuries" (superusuras).
(printed under page 159)
(3) ‹anchor: non est tolerantia› · call in col 306
Mss., ubi non est cum tolerantia.
The manuscripts, "where it is not with endurance."
(printed under page 159)
agant. Si itaque inspiciens mores ipsorum, et ea quae paulo ante commemoravi, dicat illis: Rogo vos, justos vos dicitis, et ideo vos recte separasse contenditis; quare apud vos sunt tales et tales? Et illi fortasse quia negare non audent, quia ea dicuntur quae oculis objiciuntur: Sunt quidem apud nos tales, sed numquid omnes sumus tales? optime. Video ergo te foris cum peccatoribus: quare non intus? Merces enim separationis tuae esse debuit, cum peccatore non vivere. Si foris sic esses, ut quales te fingis fugisse non haberes, quoquo modo ferrem separationem tuam. Attendat ergo iste cupiens esse christianus, ubi sit christianus: videt illos separatos quasi a peccatoribus, plenos peccatoribus. Rursus attendat Ecclesiam Christi secundum probabilem vitam morum generis humani, secundum quos mores potest ipse etiam veniens de saeculo utcumque judicare: videt et hic aliquos sobrios, aliquos ebriosos; aliquos pascentes pauperes, aliquos rapinam rerum alienarum appetentes, et caetera talia: videt hic, videt et ibi. Attendat jam Deum, quid dicat de Ecclesia sua: invenit Deum dicentem per omnes gentes Ecclesiam suam; invenit Deum etiam in ista similitudine zizaniorum dicentem, Ager est hic mundus. Non ager est Africa; sed hic mundus. Per totum mundum frumentum, per totum mundum zizania (tamen ager est mundus, seminator Filius hominis, messores Angeli, non principes Circumcellionum), crescere utrumque usque ad messem: non crescere zizania, et decrescere frumenta; sed utrumque crescere usque ad messem. Quam messem? Ipsum audi: Messis est finis saeculi (Matth. XIII, 38, 39). Audit haec plane, et recte judicans quid dicit? Non ero in illa concisione; hac ero, et bonus ero in nomine ejus cujus ero: et bonus ero, non me ipsum bonum faciens, sed ab illo fieri exspectans; non me ipsum bonum et justum dicens, sed ab illo dici desiderans. Intrat, fit catholicus. Ecce ipse abluit ingressum suum, ablue et tu exitum tuum. Non potes: Filius enim malus ipse se justum dicit, exitum autem suum non abluit.
do. So if, looking closely at their conduct, and at those things I mentioned just above, he should say to them: "I ask you: you call yourselves righteous, and on that ground maintain that you were right to separate; why then are there among you such-and-such kinds of people?" And they, perhaps, because they do not dare deny what is plain before everyone's eyes, answer: "There are indeed such people among us, but surely we are not all like that?" — Very well. I see you, then, outside with sinners: why not inside? For the whole reward of your separation ought to have been not living with a sinner. If you were outside in such a way that you had none of the very people you pretend to have fled from, I would somehow bear with your separation. Let him, then, who wishes to be a Christian, take note where he is to be a Christian: he sees those men, separated as it were from sinners, yet full of sinners. Let him next take note of the Church of Christ, according to the commendable life of mankind's morals, by which even a man newly come from the world can judge, after his own fashion: he sees here too some who are sober, some who are drunkards; some who feed the poor, some who covet the goods of others, and so on: he sees such things here, and he sees them there too. Let him now take note of God, and of what God says about His own Church: he finds God declaring His Church to be spread through all nations; he finds God, too, in that same parable of the tares, saying, "The field is this world." Africa is not the field; but this world is. Throughout the whole world there is wheat, throughout the whole world there are tares (yet the field is the world, the sower is the Son of man, the reapers are the Angels — not the leaders of the Circumcellions); both grow together until the harvest: the tares do not grow while the wheat diminishes; rather, both grow together until the harvest. What harvest? Hear Him Himself: "The harvest is the end of the world" (Matt. 13:38–39). He hears these things plainly; and, judging rightly, what does he say? "I will not be found in that cutting-down; I will be on this side, and I will be good in the name of Him Whose I shall be: and I will be good, not by making myself good, but by waiting to be made so by Him; not by calling myself good and righteous, but by desiring to be called so by Him." He enters, he becomes a Catholic. See: he himself washes clean his own entrance — do you, too, wash clean your departure. You cannot: for the wicked son declares himself righteous, but he does not wash clean his own departure.
CAPUT XI. — 19. Oves audita pastoris voce salvantur. — Lateribus et humeris vestris impellebatis, et cornibus vestris percutiebatis, et omne quod deficiebat comprimebatis, quoadusque dispergeretis eas foras. Et salvabo oves meas. Sicut detestanda illorum iniquitas et crudelitas; ita laudanda pastoris nostri, vere Dei nostri, misericordia: salvabit oves suas. Forte, fratres mei, quamvis per minimos servos suos, forte per indignos hoc facit, cum hoc dicimus. Salvet oves suas: audiant vocem pastoris sui, et sequantur eum. Non quaerant Ecclesiam ex ore hominum: ex ore Dei quaerant, ex ore Christi quaerant. Ille quem dicit impium, impius est; quem dicit justum, justus est; quem dicit ovem, ovis est; quem dicit hircum, hircus est. Ipse
CHAPTER XI. — 19. Sheep are saved by hearing the shepherd's voice. — With side and shoulder you thrust, and with your horns you struck, and pressed hard upon all that was failing, until you scattered them abroad. And I will save my sheep. As detestable as their iniquity and cruelty is, so praiseworthy is the mercy of our shepherd — truly our God: He will save His own sheep. Perhaps, my brothers, even through His least servants, perhaps through unworthy ones, He does this — even as we say this now. Let Him save His sheep: let them hear the voice of their shepherd, and follow Him. Let them not seek the Church from the mouth of men: let them seek it from the mouth of God, let them seek it from the mouth of Christ. The one whom He calls impious is impious; the one He calls righteous is righteous; the one He calls a sheep is a sheep; the one He calls a goat is a goat. He Himself
Editors' notes and page, col. 307
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: utcumque judicare› · call in col 307
Sic Er. et Mss. At Ulim. et Lov., utrumque judicare.
So Erasmus and the manuscripts. But Ulimmerius and the Louvain edition, "to judge both" (utrumque judicare).
(printed under page 160)
(2) ‹anchor: pascentes pauperes› · call in col 307
Ita Sorbonicus et Cisterciensis Mss. Editi vero, patientes pauperes.
So the Sorbonne and Cistercian manuscripts. The printed editions, however, "the patient poor" (patientes pauperes).
(printed under page 160)
(3) ‹anchor: Circumcellionum), crescere› · call in col 307
Editi, Sinite crescere. Verbum, sinite, abest a Mss.
The printed editions, "Let them grow" (Sinite crescere). The word "let" (sinite) is absent from the manuscripts.
(printed under page 160)
(4) ‹anchor: vere Dei nostri› · call in col 307
Sic Mss. Editi autem, veri Dei nostri.
So the manuscripts. The printed editions, however, "of our true God" (veri Dei nostri).
(printed under page 160)
(5) ‹anchor: dicimus. Salvet› · call in col 307
Pauciores Mss. cum editis, salvat. Et rursum infra, dicat et audiatur : salvat oves suas.
Fewer manuscripts, with the printed editions, "He saves" (salvat). And again below, "let Him say it and be heard: He saves His sheep."
(printed under page 160)
est veritas, ipse loquatur, ab illo Ecclesia quaeratur. Dic nobis, Domine, ubi est Ecclesia tua? Et ille omnibus: Ubi ego sim, scitis? Respondeant omnes: In coelo ad dexteram Patris. Integra fides: hanc docui, hanc seminavi; sed per mundum seminavi. Cum me, inquit, confitemini in coelo, venit vobis certe in mentem ille psalmus, Exaltare super coelos, Deus. Ecclesiam quaeritis? Legite quod sequitur, Et super omnem terram gloria tua (Psal. CVII, 6). Ibi, fratres, ubi dictum est, Exaltare super coelos, Deus, de Christo resurgente et ascendente; ibi statim sequitur, Et super omnem terram gloria tua. Sponsus in coelo est, sponsa in terra est: ille super omnes coelos, illa super omnem terram. O haeretice, credis quod in coelo non vides, negas quod in terra vides. Dicat ergo haec, dicat et audiatur: salvet oves suas. Et salvabo, inquit, oves meas, et jam non erunt in vastationem: et judicabo inter ovem et ovem.
is the truth, let Him Himself speak, let the Church be sought from Him. "Tell us, Lord, where is Thy Church?" And He answers all: "Do you know where I am?" Let all answer: "In heaven, at the right hand of the Father." The faith is whole: this I have taught, this I have sown — but I have sown it throughout the world. "When you confess me," He says, "in heaven," surely that psalm comes to your mind: "Be exalted above the heavens, O God." Do you seek the Church? Read what follows: "And Thy glory above all the earth" (Ps. 107 [108]:6). There, brothers, where it is said, "Be exalted above the heavens, O God," it is said of Christ rising and ascending; there immediately follows, "And Thy glory above all the earth." The Bridegroom is in heaven, the Bride is on earth: He above all the heavens, she over all the earth. O heretic, you believe what you do not see in heaven, yet you deny what you do see on earth! Let Him, then, say these things, let Him say them and be heard: let Him save His sheep. "And I will save," He says, "my sheep, and they shall no longer be a spoil: and I will judge between sheep and sheep."
20. Prophetia de Christo pastore, docens ipsum esse unum cum Deo. — Et excitabo super eas pastorem unum. Nonne ipse in superiori lectione dixerat, Ego pascam? Modo excitat pastorem unum ille qui pascit. An forte intra tam parvum intervallum lectionis taedio affectus est pascendo, et excitavit pastorem, cui commendaret curam ovium, ut esset ipse securus? Audiamus quem pastorem dicit; et ibi intelligimus, quare et ipse pastor etiam excitato isto pastore ipse pascat, et solus pascat. Excitabo super eas pastorem unum, et pascet eas servus meus David; ipse pascet eas. Prophetiam esse de Christo veniente ad homines ex semine David, cito intelligitis, fratres, si tempora cognoscatis. Iste propheta Ezechiel tempore captivitatis fuit, quae facta est ex transmigratione populi in Babyloniam. A tempore David usque ad tempus hujus transmigrationis, generationes sunt quatuordecim. Ecce quanto post dicit, Et David pascet eas. Si hoc diceretur tempore Noe, aut tempore Abraham, aut tempore Moysi, aut tempore saltem ipsius Saülis, cui successit in regno David; recte intelligeremus de ipso David filio Jesse dictum esse hoc, quod ipse futurus esset pastor gregis Dei, cui regnanti populus ille commissus est: nunc vero jam regnaverat David, jam de vita ista exierat, jam patribus appositus erat, jam pro merito suo quiescebat: quid est quod dicit, Excitabo David, et faciam eis eum pastorem unum, nisi quia David ille est, qui venit ex semine David? Quomodo ergo erigit nobis pastorem Deus? Quem pastorem unum? Et pascet eas servus meus David. Jamdudum ipse pascebat nos; Deus pascebat nos: modo pascit nos servus ejus David. Quare tanquam alter? Nam utique cum ille pascebat, Deus pascebat: et cum Deus pascebat, Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus pascebat. Modo excitatur, et fit tanquam alter pastor; sed non alter. Non alter secundum formam Dei; quia in forma Dei ipse et Pater unus Deus: in forma autem servi tanquam alter excitatur, ut pascat; quia major est Pater. Audi unum pascentem, et Christum pascentem: Ego et Pater unum sumus (Joan. X, 30). Audi excitari Christum pascentem: Pater major me est (Id. XIV, 28). Unus ergo pascit; quia cum in
20. A prophecy concerning Christ the shepherd, teaching that He is one with God. — And I will raise up over them one shepherd. Had He not just said, a little earlier in the reading, "I will feed them"? Now He Who feeds raises up one shepherd. Is it, perhaps, that within so small a space of the reading He grew weary of feeding, and raised up a shepherd to Whom He might entrust the care of the sheep, so that He Himself might be free of the burden? Let us hear whom He calls "shepherd"; and there we shall understand why that same shepherd, even after this other shepherd is raised up, still feeds them Himself, and feeds them alone. "I will raise up over them one shepherd, and my servant David will feed them; He Himself will feed them." That this is a prophecy of Christ, Who was to come to men from the seed of David, you will quickly understand, brothers, if you know the dates. This prophet Ezechiel lived at the time of the captivity, which came about through the people's deportation into Babylon. From the time of David to the time of this deportation there are fourteen generations. See, then, how long afterward it says, "And David will feed them." If this had been said in the time of Noah, or of Abraham, or of Moses, or even of Saul himself, whom David succeeded in the kingdom, we would rightly understand it as said of David the son of Jesse himself — that he was to be the shepherd of God's flock, to whom, as king, that people was entrusted. But as it is, David had already reigned, had already departed this life, had already been gathered to his fathers, had already gone to his rest according to his merit: what, then, does it mean when it says, "I will raise up David, and make Him their one shepherd," except that this David is He Who comes from the seed of David? How, then, does God raise up a shepherd for us? What one shepherd? "And my servant David will feed them." He Himself was already feeding us long before; God was feeding us: now His servant David feeds us. Why as though another? For surely, when He was feeding, God was feeding; and when God was feeding, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit were feeding. Now He is raised up, and becomes, as it were, another shepherd; yet not another. Not another according to the form of God, for in the form of God He and the Father are one God; but in the form of a servant, He is raised up as though another, that He might feed — because the Father is greater. Hear the one Who feeds, and Christ Who feeds: "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). Hear Christ, now raised up, feeding: "The Father is greater than I" (ibid. 14:28). It is one, then, Who feeds; because, "when
Editors' notes and page, col. 308
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: Deus pascebat nos› · call in col 308
Er. et plures Mss. non habent, Deus pascebat nos.
Erasmus and several manuscripts do not have "God was feeding us."
(printed under page 160)
forma Dei esset, non rapinam arbitratus est esse aequalis Deo. Excitatur autem, ut pascat; quia semetipsum exinanivit, formam servi accipiens. Hoc et hic ipsa verba testantur: Pascet eas servus meus David. Servus, in forma servi. Servus, quia semetipsum exinanivit, formam servi accipiens; in similitudine hominum factus, et habitu inventus ut homo: humiliavit semetipsum, factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. Excitetur ergo, ut pascat. Propter quod, inquit, Deus exaltavit eum a mortuis, et donavit ei nomen quod est super omne nomen. Jam excitato servo suo David, jam excitata forma servi, quam posuit ad dexteram suam, donavit ei nomen quod est super omne nomen. Vide quemadmodum pascat, quam late pascat: Ut in nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur, coelestium, terrestrium et infernorum (Philipp. II, 6-10). Ad quam angustam partem latum possessorem vanitas haeretica impingis? An tantum fidis superbis humeris et cornibus tuis, ut non congreges ad pastorem, sed et ipsum pastorem a grege coneris excludere? Pascet eas servus meus David. Audite oves pascentem vos David: audite vocem David pastoris vestri, non vocem latronum, non ululatus luporum. Pascet eas servus meus David. Ipse pascet eas. O commendanda res! Ipse pascet eas. Nemo se dicat pascere praeter ipsum: Ipse pascet eas. Qui vult pascere, in illo pascat: quia ipse pascet eas. Deus paulo ante dicebat, Ego pascam: modo dicit, ipse pascet eas. Respondeat Filius, et dicat nobis: Utrumque vere dictum est; Ego et Pater unum sumus. Qui dicit, Ego pascam; non mentitur dicendo; Ipse pascet: et cum dicit, Ipse pascet; non mentitur dicendo, Ego pascam. Non credis, inquit, quia ego in Patre, et Pater in me est? Philippe, qui me vidit, vidit et Patrem (Joan. XIV, 10, 9). Recte dicitur, Ego pascam: recte dicitur, Ipse pascet. Distinctio est, non separatio, Ipse pascet eas. Nolite, oves, expavescere; non relinquet vos qui dixit, Ipse pascet eas. Deus pascit, Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus: ipse Deus pascit. Sed distinguenda erat forma servi: non separanda et alienanda et in aliam personam constituenda. Accepit in se Creator creaturam, non mutatus est Creator in creaturam: assumpsit quod non erat, non amisit quod erat.
He was in the form of God, He did not think it robbery to be equal with God." He is raised up, that He might feed us, because He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant. This the very words here also attest: "My servant David will feed them." A servant, in the form of a servant. A servant, because He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant; being made in the likeness of men, and found in the fashion of a man: He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Let Him, then, be raised up, that He may feed us. "For which reason," it says, "God exalted Him from the dead, and gave Him the name which is above every name." Now that His servant David has been raised up, now that the form of a servant has been raised up — which He set at His own right hand — He gave to it the name which is above every name. See how He feeds, how widely He feeds: "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Phil. 2:6–10). Into how narrow a corner, O heretical vanity, do you force so wide a possessor? Do you trust so much in your proud shoulders and horns that you not only fail to gather the sheep to the shepherd, but even try to exclude the shepherd Himself from the flock? "My servant David will feed them." Hear, O sheep, David Who feeds you: hear the voice of David your shepherd, not the voice of robbers, not the howling of wolves. "My servant David will feed them. He Himself will feed them." O thing worthy of praise! "He Himself will feed them." Let no one claim to feed the flock besides Him: "He Himself will feed them." Let whoever wishes to feed, feed in Him: for He Himself will feed them. God had said a little earlier, "I will feed them": now it says, "He Himself will feed them." Let the Son answer, and say to us: "Both are truly said; I and the Father are one." He Who says, "I will feed them," does not lie in saying, "He Himself will feed them": and when He says, "He Himself will feed them," He does not lie in saying, "I will feed them." "Do you not believe," He says, "that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? Philip, he who has seen me has seen the Father also" (John 14:10, 9). Rightly it is said, "I will feed them": rightly it is said, "He Himself will feed them." It is a distinction, not a separation: "He Himself will feed them." Do not be afraid, O sheep: He Who said, "He Himself will feed them," will not abandon you. God feeds — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: God Himself feeds. But the form of a servant had to be distinguished — not separated, alienated, and set up as another person. The Creator took created nature into Himself; the Creator was not changed into a creature: He took up what He was not, He did not lose what He was.
CAPUT XII. — 21. Deitatis unitas, et personarum distributio. Mediator Christus, quomodo. — Pascet eas servus meus David. Ipse pascet eas, et erit eis in pastorem: et ego Dominus ero illis in Deum. Attendite, fratres: videte unitatem deitatis, et personarum tamen distributionem; ne dicamus eum esse Filium qui Pater est, aut eum esse Patrem qui Filius est. Ecce dixit, Ipse pascet eas; qui paulo ante dixerat, Ego pascam eas. Et erit eis, inquit, in pastorem: et ego Dominus ero illis in Deum. Expone nobis, Domine: nemo aquam turbet; quod purum manat de puro fonte, potemus. Quid enim quasi singillatim quod dixisti, Erit ipse in pastorem, ego ero in Deum; tanquam ipse sit pastor noster, tu sis Deus noster? Quare, Domine, tu non es pastor noster, et ille non est Deus noster? Tranquille audi, esto mansuetus ad audiendum verbum, ut intelligas. Forte enim modo
CHAPTER XII. — 21. The unity of the Godhead, and the distinction of persons. How Christ is the mediator. — "My servant David will feed them. He Himself will feed them, and He will be their shepherd: and I the Lord will be their God." Attend, brothers: see the unity of the Godhead, and yet the distinction of persons; lest we say that He Who is the Father is the Son, or that He Who is the Son is the Father. Behold, it says, "He Himself will feed them" — He Who had a little before said, "I will feed them." "And He will be to them," it says, "a shepherd: and I the Lord will be their God." Explain this to us, Lord: let no one muddy the water; let us drink what flows pure from a pure spring. For what does it mean, as though said separately, "He Himself will be their shepherd, I will be their God" — as though He were our shepherd, and Thou our God? Why, Lord, art Thou not our shepherd, and why is He not our God? Listen calmly, be gentle in hearing the word, that you may understand. For perhaps, just now,
audit me aliqua auris diversa sentiens, et haeretico veneno tabefacta, et irridet me dicentem, Patrem et Filium unum Deum; cum non irrideat tot millia fratrum habentium animam unam (Act. IV, 32): et dicit mihi, Ecce aperte Deus dicit, Erit eis in pastorem servus meus David, quem tu ipse Christum intellexisti, nec aliter potest intelligi: rationem enim reddidisti, haec esse dicta, cum jam dormisset David: Christus ergo erit eis in pastorem; et ego Dominus, ait, ero illis in Deum; ille in pastorem, ille in Deum. Tu ergo mihi expone quid est, Ego pascam? Quis dicebat, Ego pascam? Certe Deus loquens dicebat, Ego pascam. Quomodo non separavit Christum a pascendo, cum diceret, Ego pascam: sic non separavit Christum a deitate, cum diceret, Ego Deus. Ecce pastor est Christus, pastor est et Pater. Sic Deus est Pater, Deus est et Christus. Sicut a pastore Christo non separas Patrem, sic a Deo Patre non separes Christum. Habet cum Filio Pater pascendi miserationem, habet cum Patre Filius divinitatis aequalitatem. Sed nisi ita diceret, putares eum esse Patrem qui est Filius. Ergo et ad unitatem deitatis te admonuit, et ad personarum distributionem: ut quod dicit, Ipse pascet, et ego ero illis in Deum, non se separans a Filio pascente, nec Filium separans a se dominante, et in Patre intelligas Deum Filium, et in Filio intelligas pastorem Patrem. Ego, inquit, Dominus ero illis in Deum, et servus meus David princeps in medio eorum. Quare in medio eorum? Quia Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis (Joan. I, 14). Princeps in medio eorum. Inde et mediator Dei et hominum; quia Deus cum Patre, quia homo cum hominibus. Non mediator homo praeter deitatem; non mediator Deus praeter humanitatem. Ecce mediator: Divinitas sine humanitate non est mediatrix, humanitas sine divinitate non est mediatrix; sed inter divinitatem solam et humanitatem solam, mediatrix est humana divinitas et divina humanitas Christi.
Some ear, holding a different view, and wasted by heretical poison, hears me say this — that the Father and the Son are one God — and mocks me for it; though it does not mock the many thousands of brethren who had but one soul (Acts 4:32): and it says to me, "See, God plainly says, 'My servant David will be their shepherd' — Whom you yourself have understood to be Christ, nor can it be understood otherwise, for you yourself have given the reason: that these words were spoken when David had already fallen asleep in death. Christ, then, will be their shepherd; and 'I the Lord,' it says, 'will be their God': the one as shepherd, the other as God." Explain to me, then, what this means: "I will feed them." Who was saying, "I will feed them"? Surely it was God speaking Who said, "I will feed them." Just as He did not separate Christ from the feeding, when He said "I will feed," so He did not separate Christ from the Godhead, when He said "I am God." Behold, Christ is the shepherd; the Father, too, is the shepherd. So too the Father is God; Christ also is God. Just as you do not separate the Father from Christ the shepherd, so you should not separate Christ from God the Father. The Father has, together with the Son, the mercy of feeding; the Son has, together with the Father, the equality of divinity. But had He not spoken this way, you would think that He Who is the Son was the Father. Therefore He has warned you both of the unity of the Godhead and of the distinction of persons: so that when He says, "He Himself will feed them, and I will be their God," He does not thereby separate Himself from the Son Who feeds, nor separate the Son from Himself as Lord — so that you may understand God the Son in the Father, and understand the Father as shepherd in the Son. "I the Lord," He says, "will be their God, and my servant David a prince in their midst." Why "in their midst"? Because the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:14). "A prince in their midst." From this too He is mediator between God and men; because He is God with the Father, because He is man with men. He is not a mediator as man apart from the Godhead; He is not a mediator as God apart from manhood. Behold the mediator: Godhead without manhood is not a mediator, manhood without Godhead is not a mediator; but between Godhead alone and manhood alone, the mediator is the human Godhead and the divine manhood of Christ.
CAPUT XIII. — Et servus meus David princeps in medio eorum. Ego Dominus locutus sum: non nescio quis haereticus. Ego Dominus locutus sum.
CHAPTER XIII. — And my servant David a prince in their midst. I the Lord have spoken: not some heretic or other. I the Lord have spoken.
22. Testamentum pacis. Testamenta schismaticorum irrita per imperatorum leges. Scripturas se ab igne servasse jactant Donatistae. — Et disponam ad eos testamentum pacis: per ipsum utique qui ait, Pacem meam do vobis, pacem meam relinquo vobis (Joan. XIV, 27). Hoc est testamentum patris nostri, testamentum pacis. Quaelibet haereditas dividatur inter consortes, pacis haereditas dividi non potest. Pax nostra Christus est. Pax facit utraque unum, non duo de uno. Ipse enim pax nostra, dixit, qui fecit utraque unum (Ephes. II, 14). Testamentum Dei est, haereditas pax est. A concordibus consortibus possideatur, non a litigantibus dividatur. Et disponam ad eos testamentum pacis. Vigilate, haeretici, audite a pastore testamentum pacis, venite ad pacem. Irascimini christianis imperatoribus, quia testamenta vestra valere noluerunt in domibus vestris: videte quam digna sit poena. Et quid est quod testamentum
22. The testament of peace. The testaments of schismatics are made void by the laws of the emperors. The Donatists boast of having saved the Scriptures from the fire. — And I will make with them a covenant of peace: through Him, surely, Who said, "My peace I give you, my peace I leave you" (John 14:27). This is the testament of our Father, the testament of peace. Any other inheritance can be divided among the heirs; the inheritance of peace cannot be divided. Our peace is Christ. Peace makes the two one, not two out of one. "For He Himself," it says, "is our peace, Who made the two one" (Eph. 2:14). It is God's testament, its inheritance is peace. Let it be possessed by those in harmony together, not divided by those at strife. And I will make with them a covenant of peace. Watch, you heretics, hear from the shepherd the testament of peace, come to peace. You are angry with the Christian emperors, because they refused to let your testaments stand valid in your own houses: see how fitting a punishment this is. And what does it mean that your testament
vestrum non valet in domo vestra? Quid est? quantum est? Dolor iste admonitio est, nondum damnatio. Voluit enim Deus compati testamento pacis suae. Condoles testamento tuo, si non stet testamentum tuum in domo tua. Certe moriturus es, et quid agatur in illa domo postea nesciturus. In illa enim die perient, inquit, omnes cogitationes ejus (Psal. CXLV, 4): et non cognoscet amplius locum suum (Psal. CII, 16). Non ergo sciturus quid postea agatur in domo tua, cum mortuus fueris; doles tamen non stare testamentum tuum in domo tua. Christus mortuus resurrexit, de coelo respexit, ut stet testamentum ipsius. Evigila ex dolore tuo, corrigere ex cruciatu tuo. Ligno male curvo nosti calorem solere adhiberi: corrigat te dolor iste, nondum est flamma ignis aeterni, tanquam calor foci est admotus curvo cordi tuo, ut hinc admoneatur et corrigatur. Dole, prorsus recte doles, non stare testamentum tuum in domo tua. Domus Dei, cor tuum est. Si vis valere testamentum tuum in domo tua, quare non vis valere testamentum Dei in domo sua? Dimittis filiis tuis parietes, et si aliter filios tuos divisuros noveris, quam tu disposueris, doles. De una domo vilissima, de tecto ruituro, quantam curam habes, quantam sollicitudinem concipis? Quemadmodum ardentibus febribus, prementi morbo, ipsi morti urgenti resistis, quantum potes, anhelans verba extrema, ut impleas testamentum? Quot jurisperitos consulis, quantas fraudes, ut stet testamentum tuum contra ipsam legem Imperatoris, inquiris? De proximo tibi respondet Deus, Noli fraudes quaerere, noli calumniosas formulas aucupari: vis stare testamentum tuum? Stet in te meum. Doles, quia acquisitionem tuam tollit alius, quem nolebas: quid de haereditate mea tam lata, tam pia? In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes (Gen. XXII, 18): Dixi ego servo meo, dicit tibi Deus, et credidit cum haec non videret: tu vides, et negas. Ecce ille factum testamentum servavit, tu apertum discindis. Tunc enim testamentum servatum est, quando auditum est: tunc apertum est, quando impletum est. Usque ad manus tuas servatum est testamentum. Certe haeres vis esse: numquid sic tecum contendit cohaeres tuus, ut dicat tibi, Tolle istam partem, ego illam; aut, Tolle tu minorem, et ego majorem? Non dicit, Simul dividamus: sed, Simul habeamus. Hoc enim voluit qui testatus est. Aperi, et lege. Et clamas: Ne incenderetur, ego feci; ne incenderetur, ego servavi. Ne incenderetur, tu servasti? Aperi et vide quia unde incendereris servasti: quamvis te servasse absit ut credam, quem video non servare quod jubet. Et ponam ad eos testamentum pacis.
has no force in your own house? What is it? How much does it come to? This grief is a warning, not yet a condemnation. For God has willed that you should feel for the testament of His peace. You grieve over your own testament, if it does not stand firm in your own house. Yet you are certainly going to die, and will not know what afterward happens in that house. "For in that day," it says, "all his thoughts shall perish" (Ps. 145:4 [146:4]): "and he shall know his place no more" (Ps. 102:16 [103:16]). You will not know, then, what happens afterward in your house, once you are dead; yet you grieve that your testament does not stand firm in your house. Christ died and rose again, looked down from heaven, so that His own testament might stand firm. Wake from your grief, be corrected by your own anguish. You know that heat is usually applied to a badly warped piece of wood, to straighten it: let this grief correct you — it is not yet the flame of the eternal fire, but is applied, like the heat of a hearth, to your warped heart, that by it you may be warned and corrected. Grieve, then — you grieve altogether rightly, that your testament does not stand firm in your house. Your heart is the house of God. If you wish your own testament to hold good in your house, why do you not wish God's testament to hold good in His house? You leave your children mere walls, and if you learn that your sons intend to divide them otherwise than you arranged, you grieve. Over one wretched house, over one roof about to fall, how much care do you take, how much anxiety do you feel? How do you hold out against burning fevers, against pressing illness, against death itself as it bears down on you, with all your strength, gasping out your last words, so as to complete your testament? How many lawyers do you consult, how many devices do you seek out, that your testament may stand firm against the very law of the Emperor? God answers you at once: "Do not seek devices, do not go hunting after fraudulent formulas: do you wish your testament to stand? Let mine stand in you." You grieve, because another takes what you acquired, one you did not want to have it: what, then, of my inheritance, so broad, so holy? "In your seed shall all nations be blessed" (Gen. 22:18). "I said to my servant," God says to you, and he believed, though he did not see these things: you see, and yet deny. Behold, he kept the testament once it was made; you tear it apart now that it is opened. For the testament was kept then, when it was heard; it was opened then, when it was fulfilled. All the way down to your own hands the testament has been kept. Surely you wish to be an heir: does your co-heir contend with you in such a way as to say to you, "Take that part, I will take this"; or, "You take the lesser, and I the greater"? He does not say, "Let us divide it," but, "Let us hold it together." For this is what He Who made the testament willed. Open it, and read. And yet you cry out: "That it might not be burned, I did it; that it might not be burned, I preserved it." Did you preserve it, so that it would not be burned? Open it and see that you have preserved the very thing by which you will be burned: though far be it from me to believe that you have truly preserved it, when I see you not keeping what it commands. "And I will make with them a covenant of peace."
CAPUT XIV. — 23. Habitatio et quies in eremo conscientiae. — Et exterminabo bestias malas a terra. Bestias, hostes testamenti pacis. De istis bestiis dicitur in Psalmo, Increpa feras calami (Psal. LXVII, 31). Quid est, feras calami? Bestias adversarias sanctae Scripturae; quia calamo scriptae sunt. Exterminabo bestias malas a terra: et habitabunt in eremo in spe. Quid est, in eremo? In solitudine. Quid est, in solitudine?
CHAPTER XIV. — 23. Dwelling and rest in the wilderness of conscience. — And I will drive evil beasts out of the land. The beasts are the enemies of the testament of peace. Of these beasts it is said in the Psalm, "Rebuke the beasts of the reed" (Ps. 67:31 [68:30]). What are "the beasts of the reed"? The beasts hostile to holy Scripture; for it is written with a reed pen. "I will drive evil beasts out of the land: and they shall dwell in the wilderness in hope." What does "in the wilderness" mean? In solitude. What does "in solitude" mean?
Editors' notes and page, col. 311
Footnotes
(a) ‹anchor: in domo vestra› · call in col 311
Vid. Epistolam 93, ad Vincentium, n. 19.
See Letter 93, to Vincentius, no. 19.
(printed under page 162)
Intus in conscientia. Magna solitudo, qua non solum nullus hominum transit, sed nec videt. Ibi habitemus in spe, quia nondum in re. Etenim totum quod foris est nostrum, fluctuat tempestatibus et tentationibus saeculi. Est interior eremus, ibi interrogemus fidem nostram: interrogemus, si est charitas intus; videamus, si non labia sonant, sed et pectus, cum dicimus, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris (Matth. VI, 12). Si verum sonat, si verum dicimus, ubi nemo hominum videt, ibi est eremus, ubi requiescimus in spe; quia transit haec omnis tribulatio; et quae spes erat, fiet res, et erit totum nostrum in requie. Jam conspicui nobis erimus; et non erit ovis tanquam abscondita, cogitatio; et non erit eremus conscientia: quia omnes sibi noti erunt, et cogitationes suas ignotas non habebunt, cum venerit Dominus, et illuminaverit abscondita tenebrarum; et manifestabit cogitationes cordis, et tunc laus erit unicuique a Deo (I Cor. IV, 5). Nunc vero vides duos homines in tribulatione, cor ipsorum videre non potes. Forte alius conscientia mordetur, alius in conscientia, tanquam in eremo, requiescit. Et habitabunt in eremo in spe: et somnum habebunt, id est, quietem tanquam alienatis sensibus ab omni strepitu saeculi; intus ibi requiescent, in rivis. In ipsa intus eremo sunt rivi quidam memoriae manantes, liquores divinos scaturientes ex mente Scripturam tenentis et recolentis. Etenim quod legisti, quod audisti, si purum et liquidum et sanctum memoriae mandaveris; cum coeperis in illa interiore eremo, id est, in bona conscientia requiescere, eliquatur de interioribus mentis tuae, et manat quodam modo recordatio verbi Dei, et cum caeteris requiescis in spe, et dicis: Verum est, bene mihi est, ipsa est spes mea, hoc mihi promisit Deus, non mentitur, securus sum. Et ista securitas somnus est in rivis. Et somnum habebunt in rivis.
Within, in the conscience. It is a vast solitude, through which not only does no man pass, but no man even sees. Let us dwell there in hope, since not yet in the reality itself. For everything of ours that is outward is tossed about by the storms and temptations of this world. There is an inner wilderness: there let us examine our faith; let us ask whether there is charity within; let us see whether it is not only our lips that sound, but our heart too, when we say, "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12). If it rings true, if we speak the truth where no man sees, there is the wilderness, there we rest in hope; because all this tribulation passes away, and what was only hope will become reality, and the whole of what is ours will be at rest. We shall then be visible to one another; and no one's thought will be, as it were, a hidden sheep; and conscience will no longer be a wilderness: for all will be known to one another, and will no longer keep their own thoughts unknown, when the Lord comes and lights up the hidden things of darkness, and makes manifest the thoughts of the heart; and then each one will have his praise from God (1 Cor. 4:5). But now you see two men in tribulation, and you cannot see their hearts. Perhaps one is gnawed by his conscience, while another rests in his conscience as in a wilderness. "And they shall dwell in the wilderness in hope: and they shall have sleep" — that is, a rest, as though their senses were withdrawn from all the world's tumult; there within they shall rest, "by the streams." Within that inner wilderness there are certain streams flowing from memory, divine waters welling up from the mind of one who holds and turns over Scripture. For what you have read, what you have heard, if you have committed it to memory pure, clear, and holy — once you have begun to rest in that inner wilderness, that is, in a good conscience — it is filtered out from the depths of your mind, and there flows, in a certain way, the remembrance of God's word, and, resting there in hope along with the rest, you say: "It is true, it is well with me, this is my hope, God has promised me this, He does not lie, I am at peace." And that peace of mind is sleep "by the streams." "And they shall have sleep by the streams."
24. Benedictionis imber. — Et dabo eis in circuitu collis mei benedictionem. Mons licet sit, collis licet sit, in circuitu ejus bene sit nobis. Collis ipse Christus est. Sic enim ipse in medio nostrum, nos sumus in circuitu ejus. Jamdudum enim dixerat, David princeps in medio eorum. Et quia princeps, ideo collis: lenis, non arduus et difficilis ascendenti: sed si non de alto pedes ponat. Et dabo eis in circuitu collis mei benedictionem: et deferam imbrem in tempore suo, pluviam verbi Dei. Est enim et imber malus, qui dejicit domum super arenam constitutam, cui magnum est ut resistat domus supra petram fundata (Matth. VII, 24-27): tentationis enim imber est, ruinam quaerens, non terram rigans. Non erit talis imber iste, quem se dicit deferre Dominus. Quid enim ait? Imbres benedictionis erunt. Suspectum te fecerat nominatus imber:
24. The shower of blessing. — And I will give them a blessing round about my hill. Whether it be called a mountain, or a hill, let it be well with us round about it. The hill itself is Christ. For He is thus in our midst, and we are round about Him. He had already said, "David a prince in their midst." And because He is a prince, therefore He is called a hill: gentle, not steep and hard for one climbing it — provided he does not plant his feet from on high. "And I will give them a blessing round about my hill: and I will send down rain in its season" — the rain of God's word. For there is also an evil rain, which brings down the house built upon sand, and which it is a great thing for the house founded upon rock to withstand (Matt. 7:24–27): for that is the rain of temptation, seeking ruin, not watering the earth. This rain, of which the Lord says He will send it, will not be of that kind. For what does He say? There shall be showers of blessing. The very word "rain" had made you suspicious:
Editors' notes and page, col. 312
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: habitemus in spe› · call in col 312
Ms. rm., ibi habitamus in spe.
The manuscript "rm." [siglum as printed; not expanded]: ibi habitamus in spe ("there we dwell in hope").
(printed under page 162)
(2) ‹anchor: conspicui nobis erimus› · call in col 312
Plerique Mss., in re; quia jam conspicui nobis erimus. Er., in requie; quia jam conspicui, etc. Moxque Ulim. et Lov., et non erit nobis tanquam abscondita; quo loco nos Erasmianam editionem sequimur, cui suffragantur omnes Mss., uno excepto Cisterciensi, in quo legitur, et non erit nobis cujusquam abscondita cogitatio.
Most manuscripts: in re; quia jam conspicui nobis erimus ("in reality; because we shall then be in plain sight of one another"). Erasmus: in requie; quia jam conspicui ("in rest; because then in plain sight"), etc. And just after, Ulimmerius and the Louvain editors: et non erit nobis tanquam abscondita ("and it will not be, as it were, hidden from us"); at which place we follow the Erasmian edition, which all the manuscripts support, the Cistercian one alone excepted, in which is read: et non erit nobis cujusquam abscondita cogitatio ("and no one's thought will be hidden from us").
(printed under page 162)
(3) ‹anchor: requiescent, in rivis› · call in col 312
Nunc in graeco LXX, drumois, saltibus.
Now in the Greek of the Septuagint: drumois, "in the woodlands".
(printed under page 162)
imbres erunt benedictionis, non tentationis. Imbres benedictionis erunt.
the showers shall be of blessing, not of temptation. There shall be showers of blessing.
25. Ligna in campo fructifera allegorice. Et vide quo proficit ille imber. Et ligna quae in campo sunt, dabunt fructum suum. In campo, in planitie quadam, non in arduis; in facilitate quadam vitae. Facilitatem quamdam vitae hujus, nihil in se habentem ardui, laboriosi, difficilis, campum dixit: qualis est vita multorum fidelium in Ecclesia Dei, habentium conjuges, filios, domos suas; velut in campo sunt ligna, arduum nihil ascendere valuerunt. Sed accipiant imbrem, dabunt et haec ligna fructum suum. Horum lignorum fructus est, Frange esurienti panem tuum, et egenum sine tecto induc in domum tuam (Isai. LVIII, 7). Talibus lignis dicebat Apostolus, Non quia quaero datum, sed requiro fructum (Philipp. IV, 17). Et ligna quae in campo sunt, dabunt fructum suum: etsi non habent majorem, habent tamen quemdam suum. Et terra dabit generationem suam: tota terra. Et inhabitabunt in terra sua. Jam campi, colles, montes dabunt generationes suas. Quid potest campus? quid potest collis? quid potest mons? Solus agricola agnoscatur. Et habitabunt in terra sua in spe. Videtis quia ea promittit, quae hoc tempore donat nobis. Quamdiu dicit, in spe, adhuc in hoc tempore intelligo. Cum enim pervenerimus ad promissa, jam non erit spes, sed res ipsa erit.
25. The trees of the field, allegorically fruitful. And see what that rain accomplishes. And the trees that are in the field shall yield their fruit. "In the field" — in a certain level plain, not on the heights; in a certain ease of life. He called "field" a certain easiness of this life, having in itself nothing steep, laborious, or difficult: such is the life of many of the faithful in the Church of God, who have wives, children, homes of their own; they are, as it were, trees in the field, unable to climb to anything arduous. But let them receive the rain, and these trees too will yield their fruit. The fruit of these trees is: "Break your bread for the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house" (Isa. 58:7). To such trees the Apostle said, "Not that I seek a gift, but I seek fruit" (Phil. 4:17). "And the trees that are in the field shall yield their fruit": even if they do not have a greater fruit, they nevertheless have their own. "And the earth will yield its produce" — the whole earth. "And they shall dwell in their own land." Now fields, hills, and mountains will yield their produce. What can a field do of itself? What can a hill do? What can a mountain do? Let the farmer alone be acknowledged. "And they shall dwell in their own land in hope." You see that He promises the very things He already grants us in this present time. As long as He says "in hope," I understand it still as belonging to this present time. For once we have arrived at the promises themselves, it will no longer be hope, but the reality itself.
CAPUT XV. — 26. Contra Donatistas. — Et scient quoniam ego sum Dominus, in eo cum confregero furcas jugi eorum: furcas quibus premitur collum eorum. Domine, frange furcas quibus haeretici premunt colla infirmorum. Quid enim tam angustum et furca compressum, quam, Noli audire Christum, audi me? Remove furcam, respirare permitte. Nescio quid dicas. Audio vocem pastoris mei: Per omnes gentes, incipientibus ab Jerusalem (Luc. XXIV, 47). Sine me sequi pastorem. Quid premis? Tolle furcam de collo meo, tollam jugum lene Domini mei. Haec audit, et premit. Domine, non vult haereticus furcam suspendere; tu furcam frange. Crux Domini sursum levat, furca haeretici deorsum premit. Sed confringentur: In eo cum confregero furcas jugi eorum. Dominationem enim suam volunt hominibus imponere, volentes eos esse sub se, non sub Deo. In eo cum confregero furcas jugi eorum: et eximam eos de manu eorum, qui eos in servitutem redigebant. Quid est, in servitutem redigebant? Ad peccatum eos cogebant. Omnis enim qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati (Joan. VIII, 34). Videte quid eis persuaserint, fratres, ut dicant, Illi de nobis reddent rationem: nos oves sumus; quo duxerint, sequimur. Ovis es? Pastorem audi, non lupum.
CHAPTER XV. — 26. Against the Donatists. — "And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bars of their yoke": the bars by which their neck is pressed down. Lord, break the bars by which heretics press down the necks of the weak. For what is so narrow, so pressed down by a fork, as "Do not listen to Christ, listen to me"? Take away the fork, allow me to breathe. I do not know what you are saying. I hear the voice of my shepherd: "to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47). Let me follow my shepherd. Why do you press down? Take the fork from my neck, and I will take up the light yoke of my Lord. He hears this, and presses down all the more. Lord, the heretic does not want to lift the fork; do Thou break it. The Lord's cross lifts upward, the heretic's fork presses downward. But they shall be broken: "When I have broken the bars of their yoke." For they wish to impose their own domination on men, wanting them to be under themselves, not under God. "When I have broken the bars of their yoke: and I will deliver them out of the hand of those who reduced them to slavery." What does "reduced them to slavery" mean? They forced them into sin. For everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin (John 8:34). See, brothers, what they have persuaded them to say: "Those others will render account for us: we are only sheep; wherever they lead, we follow." Are you a sheep? Then listen to the shepherd, not to the wolf.
27. A luporum dentibus eruuntur qui pastorem audiunt. — Et non erunt adhuc in vastationem gentibus. In omnibus enim gentibus non desunt, alii hic, alii ibi: non illi ibi qui hic; sed tamen non desunt furcis prementes colla fidelium, nec hic, nec ibi. Dissentiunt inter se, contra unitatem omnes consentiunt. Unitas autem non dissentit a se; sed contra omnes dissentientes a se ubique pugnat, ubique laborat: sed
27. Those who hear the shepherd are rescued from the teeth of wolves. — "And they shall no longer be a prey to the nations." For in every nation there is no lack of such men, some here, some there: not that those there are the same as these here; but nevertheless, there is no lack, here or there, of men pressing the necks of the faithful with their forks. They disagree among themselves, yet all agree against unity. But unity does not disagree with itself; rather, it fights everywhere, it labours everywhere, against all who disagree with it: and yet
Editors' notes and page, col. 313
Footnotes
(a) ‹anchor: audi, non lupum› · call in col 313
Vid. superiorem sermonem, n. 21.
See the preceding sermon, no. 21.
(printed under page 163)
est requies in eremo. Et non erunt adhuc in vastationem gentibus, et bestiae terrae jam non comedent eos. Audientes vocem pastoris, eruentur a dentibus luporum. Bestiae illae calami non comedent eos, volentes ad sensum suum convertere Scripturas, ab apertis Scripturis avertentes aures; volentes se audiri, et Scripturas non audiri. Et bestiae terrae non comedent eos, et inhabitabunt in spe. Videte quoties ostendat quia quod nunc promittit, hic promittit: Deus de rebus loquitur quas adhuc hic exhibet. Et non erit qui eos terreat. Quomodo non erit qui eos terreat? Non erit prorsus. In Domino confido. Jam cum coeperit dicere homo, In Deo laudabo sermonem, in Domino laudabo verbum, non in me. Illi laudant verbum in se, dicentes, Quod vobis dicimus, credite: nos laudamus verbum in Domino, dicentes, Quod nobis dicitur a Domino, credamus. Non erit qui nos terreat; quia, In Deo laudabo sermonem, in Domino laudabo verbum: in Deo speravi, non timebo quid faciat mihi homo (Psal. LV, 11): Non erit qui eos terreat.
there is rest in the wilderness. And they shall no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the land shall no longer devour them. Hearing the shepherd's voice, they shall be snatched from the teeth of wolves. Those beasts "of the reed" shall not devour them — beasts wishing to twist the Scriptures to their own meaning, turning their ears away from the plain sense of Scripture; wishing to be heard themselves, and Scripture not to be heard. And the beasts of the land shall not devour them, and they shall dwell in hope. See how often He shows that what He now promises, He promises for this present life: God speaks of things which even now He displays here. And there shall be none to make them afraid. How will there be none to make them afraid? There will simply be none. I trust in the Lord. As soon as a man begins to say, "In God I will praise the word, in the Lord I will praise the word" — not in myself. Those others praise the word in themselves, saying, "Believe what we tell you"; we praise the word in the Lord, saying, "Let us believe what is told us by the Lord." There will be none to frighten us; because, "In God I will praise the word, in the Lord I will praise the word: in God I have hoped, I will not fear what man can do to me" (Ps. 55:11 [56:11]): there shall be none to make them afraid.
28. Plantarium pacis. — Et excitabo eis plantarium pacis. Testamentum pacis, plantarium pacis. Germinet quod plantat Deus, et exstirpetur quod seminavit haereticus. Quod plantavit Deus de se, de Ecclesia sua; de se in coelo, de Ecclesia in terra; de se super omnes coelos, de Ecclesia per omnes terras: hoc plantavit Deus. Veni autem huc, esto in parte Donati, in sola Africa est Ecclesia: non plantavit Deus, non agnosco plantam Dei. Eradicandum est quod loqueris, non rigandum. Et excitabo eis plantarium pacis: et jam non erunt qui exterminentur fame in terra. Vere, fratres, quia fames est; quaerite et videte quantam famem patiantur: et quod pejus est, circum os habent escam, sed non manducant; prorsus quomodo aegri fastidio saepe moriuntur, non quia deest quod comedant, sed quia comedere nolunt et aversantur. Nam utique et Scripturae ista loquuntur: et hic utique et ibi sonat Psalmus, Commemorabuntur et convertentur ad Dominum universi fines terrae, et adorabunt in conspectu ejus universae patriae gentium (Psal. XXI, 28). Ecce esca est posita in vasculo: si sanus esses et manducares, numquid ibi remaneres? Et jam non erunt qui exterminentur fame in terra, et jam non portabunt maledictum gentium. Vere, fratres, in tantum culmen in nomine Christi erecta est Ecclesia, ut jam confundantur omnes maledici, nec audeant maledicere. Hoc solum illis remansit, quod contra nos dicant: Quare inter vos non consentitis? Gentiles pagani qui remanserunt, non habentes quid dicant contra nomen Christi, dissensionem Christianorum Christianis objiciunt. Ergo quicumque ab haereticis transierint ad Catholicam, non habebunt hoc opprobrium gentium; nec portabunt maledictum dissensionis, quia permanent in radice unitatis, in plantatione charitatis: Non portabunt maledictum.
28. The planting of peace. — And I will raise up for them a plantation of peace. The testament of peace, the plantation of peace. Let what God plants take root, and let what the heretic has sown be torn up. What God has planted of Himself, of His own Church; of Himself in heaven, of the Church on earth; of Himself above all the heavens, of the Church throughout all lands: this is what God has planted. But come here, take the side of Donatus: the Church, you say, is in Africa alone: God did not plant that; I do not recognize it as God's planting. What you speak of must be uprooted, not watered. And I will raise up for them a plantation of peace: and they shall no longer be destroyed by famine in the land. Truly, brothers, there is a famine; seek and see how great a famine they suffer: and what is worse, they have food set right around their mouths, and yet do not eat; exactly as the sick, from loss of appetite, often die, not because they lack food, but because they refuse and turn away from eating. For indeed the Scriptures speak of this too: and here too, as elsewhere, the Psalm sounds: "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before Him" (Ps. 21:28 [22:27]). Behold, the food is set out in the dish: if you were healthy and ate, would you remain there? And they shall no longer be destroyed by famine in the land, and they shall no longer bear the reproach of the nations. Truly, brothers, the Church has been raised to such a height in the name of Christ, that now all who revile it are put to confusion, and dare not revile it. This alone remains for them to say against us: "Why do you not agree among yourselves?" The pagan gentiles who remain, having nothing to say against the name of Christ, cast up against Christians the disagreement of Christians. Therefore, whoever passes over from the heretics to the Catholic Church will no longer bear this reproach of the nations; nor will they bear the reproach of disagreement, because they abide in the root of unity, in the planting of charity: they shall not bear the reproach.
Editors' notes and page, col. 314
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: pastoris, eruentur› · call in col 314
Editi, serventur. Emendantur ad aliquot Mss.
The printed editions: serventur ("may be kept"). They are corrected according to several manuscripts.
(printed under page 163)
(2) ‹anchor: Domino laudabo verbum› · call in col 314
Aliquot hoc loco versus apud Ulim. et Lov. omissi, restituuntur ex Er. et ex Mss.
Several lines omitted at this place in Ulimmerius and the Louvain editors are restored from Erasmus and from the manuscripts.
(printed under page 163)
(3) ‹anchor: et exstirpetur› · call in col 314
Editi, exterminetur. At Mss., exstirpetur.
The printed editions: exterminetur ("may be driven out"). But the manuscripts: exstirpetur ("may be rooted out").
<!-- UNSURE: note 3 is faint in the scan; "exterminetur" and "exstirpetur" are read with some difficulty. In note 2 "omissi" is partly broken type. --> (printed under page 163)
CAPUT XVI. — 29. Oves Dei quaenam. Et scient quoniam ego sum Dominus Deus eorum, et ipsi populus meus domus Israel, dicit Dominus Deus. Ecce sunt oves, ecce est et vinea. Quomodo cum de vinea loqueretur Isaias, arguens quamdam vineam malam, ne diceret vitis, Non intellexi; exposuit in fine dicens, Vinea autem Domini sabaoth, domus Israel est (Isai. V, 7); ne dicerent, Non nobis dictum est, sed vineae nescio cui: sed et hic, cum locutus esset de ovibus, ad extremum ne quis dicat, Forte sunt aliquae oves Dei nescio ubi, quas curat Deus, et ego illas non novi: quanquam absurdus est nimis humano sensui qui ista cogitaverit: tamen pastor ille compatiens infirmis usque ad tales cogitationes descendit, et quae essent oves ejus, apertissime exposuit. Et vos oves meae, et oves gregis mei, homines estis. Sed qui homines? omnes homines? Non. Beatus enim cujus est Dominus Deus spes ejus (Psal. XXXIX, 5): et, Quam bonus Deus Israel rectis corde (Psal. LXXII, 1)! Beatus vir cujus est Dominus Deus ipsius (Psal. CXLV, 5).
CHAPTER XVI. — 29. Who God's sheep are. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and they my people, the house of Israel, says the Lord God. Behold, they are sheep; behold, there is also a vineyard. Just as, when Isaiah spoke of a vineyard, rebuking a certain bad vineyard, lest the vine should say, "I did not understand," he explained at the end, saying, "The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel" (Isa. 5:7) — lest they should say, "This was not said to us, but to some vineyard we do not know" — so also here, when He had spoken of sheep, at the end, lest anyone should say, "Perhaps there are some sheep of God somewhere, unknown to me, whom God cares for, and I do not know them" — although anyone who thinks such a thing is far too absurd for human sense — nevertheless that shepherd, in His compassion for the weak, has come down even to such thoughts, and has explained most plainly which are His sheep. "And you, my sheep, and the sheep of my flock, are men." But which men? All men? No. "For blessed is he whose hope is the Lord God" (Ps. 39:5 [40:4]): and, "How good is the God of Israel to those who are upright of heart!" (Ps. 72:1 [73:1]) "Blessed is the man whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 145:5 [146:5]).
30. Deus omnium est, et ab omnibus suis non divisus, sed totus possidetur. Super omnes est Deus: tamen nescio quomodo non facile quisquam audet dicere, Deus meus, nisi qui in eum credit, et qui eum diligit; ipse dicit, Deus meus. Tuum tibi fecisti; cujus es, hoc amat ipse. Prorsus dulcedine affectus tui, et secura et praefidenti dilectione dic, Deus meus. Securus dicis, verum dicis: quia tuus est, et non fecisti ut non sit alterius. Non enim sic dicis, Deus meus; quomodo, Equus meus. Equus enim tuus est, non equus alterius. Deus et tuus est, et ejus qui sic dixerit, Deus meus, quomodo tu dicis. Singuli dicunt, Deus meus, et, Deus meus: ille omnium est, communiter omnibus se ad fruendum praebens, in omnibus integer, in singulis integer. Non enim qui dicunt, Deus meus, singuli dividunt inter se. Si sermo iste quem jacto lingua, et sono constante litteris et syllabis, totus ad singulos pervenit, nec dividunt illum inter se qui audiunt; si sermo ad aures corporis corporaliter sonans, in propinquo clarius, in longinquo languidius, ab omnibus tamen audientibus totus excipitur, non inter se syllabatim eum dividentibus, sed omnibus totum accipientibus; quanto magis ille Deus, ubique praesens, implens omnia, non propinqua clarius, et longinqua languidius, sed pertendens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, et disponens omnia suaviter (Sap. VIII, 1), aequaliter possidetur ab omnibus? Lux ista, fratres mei, certe corporea, de coelo fulget; oritur, occidit, circumit, de loco in locum mutatur: tamen procedunt in eam et diriguntur omnium oculi, et omnium oculi pariter eam possident, non eam dividunt; nullus in ea dives limitem fixit, nec prior praeoccupando ut videret, oculos pauperis aut exclusit, aut angustavit. Dicat pauper, Deus meus; dicat dives, Deus meus: minus ille habet, plus hic habet; sed argentum, non Deum. Ut perveniret ad Deum Zacchaeus dives, dedit dimidium patrimonii sui (Luc. XIX, 8); ut perveniret Petrus, retia et navem dimisit (Matth. IV, 20): ut perveniret vidua, duo minuta dedit (Luc. XXI, 2-4);
30. God belongs to all, and is not divided among all His own, but is possessed whole by each. God is above all: and yet, I do not know how, no one easily dares to say "my God," except one who believes in Him and loves Him; only he says, "my God." You have made Him your own; and He whose you are Himself loves this. Simply out of the sweetness of your affection, and with a secure and confident love, say, "my God." You say it securely, you say it truly: because He is yours, and you have not thereby made it so that He is not another's as well. For you do not say "my God" in the way you say "my horse." For the horse is yours, and not another's. But God is yours, and also belongs to him who likewise says, "my God," just as you say it. Each says, "my God," and, "my God": He belongs to all, offering Himself in common to all for their enjoyment, whole in all, whole in each. For those who say "my God" do not, by saying it individually, divide Him up among themselves. If this very speech, which I throw out with my tongue, and with a sound made up of letters and syllables, reaches each of you whole, and those who hear it do not divide it up among themselves — if speech, sounding physically to the ears of the body, more clearly nearby, more faintly far off, is yet received whole by all who hear it, not divided syllable by syllable among them, but received whole by all — how much more is that God, present everywhere, filling all things, not more clearly where near nor more faintly where far, but reaching mightily from end to end, and ordering all things sweetly (Wis. 8:1), possessed equally by all? This light, my brothers, though certainly a bodily thing, shines from the sky; it rises, it sets, it moves around, it passes from place to place: and yet all eyes turn towards it and are directed to it, and all eyes possess it equally, without dividing it; no rich man has fixed a boundary in it for himself, nor, by seizing it first in order to see, has he shut out or narrowed the eyes of the poor. Let the poor man say, "my God"; let the rich man say, "my God": the one has less, the other has more — but of silver, not of God. That the rich man Zacchaeus might come to God, he gave half of his patrimony (Luke 19:8); that Peter might come, he left his nets and his boat (Matt. 4:20); that the widow might come, she gave two small coins (Luke 21:2–4);
ut perveniret pauperior, calicem aquae frigidae porrexit (Matth. X, 42); ut perveniret penitus pauper et egenus, solam bonam voluntatem tribuit (Luc. XI, 14). Diversa dederunt, sed ad unum pervenerunt, quia non diversa amaverunt. Sic et vos, homines oves Dei, oves gregis Dei, nolite perturbari temporalibus diversitatibus vestris, quod alii in honore, alii sine honore, alii cum pecunia, alii praeter pecuniam, alii pulchri corpore, alii minus pulchri, alii aetate fessi, alii juvenes, alii pueri, alii viri, alii feminae: Deus omnibus aequaliter adest. Ille apud eum plus habet loci, qui plus attulerit, non argenti, sed fidei. Et vos, inquit, oves meae, et oves gregis mei, homines estis; et ego Deus vester, dicit Dominus Deus. O beatos nos tali possessione et tali possessore! Nam et possidet nos, et possidemus illum: possidet nos, ut colat nos; possidemus illum, ut colamus illum: sed nos colimus tanquam Deum, ille colit tanquam agrum: ille nos colit, ut fructum afferamus; nos eum colimus, ut fructum demus. Totum ad nos recurrit, ille nostri non eget, Dabo tibi, inquit, haereditatem tuam et possessionem tuam fines terrae (Psal. II, 8). Ecce possessio ipsius sumus. Dominus, inquit, pars haereditatis meae et calicis mei (Psal. XV, 5). Ecce possessio nostra est: sed tamen qua distinctione? Vos homines estis, ego Dominus Deus vester, dicit Dominus Deus noster.
so that a poorer man might come to Him, he held out a cup of cold water (Matt. 10:42); that an utterly poor and needy man might come to Him, he offered only his good will (Luke 2:14). They gave different things, but arrived at the same God, because they did not love different things. So too you, O men, sheep of God, sheep of God's flock, do not be troubled by your temporal differences — that some are honoured, some without honour; some have money, some are without money; some are beautiful in body, some less so; some worn out with age, some young, some children, some men, some women: God is present to all equally. He has more place with God who has brought more, not of silver, but of faith. "And you," He says, "my sheep, and the sheep of my flock, are men; and I am your God, says the Lord God." O how blessed are we, with such a possession and such a possessor! For He possesses us, and we possess Him: He possesses us, that He may cultivate us; we possess Him, that we may worship Him. But we worship Him as God, while He cultivates us as a field: He cultivates us, that we may bear fruit; we worship Him, that we may render fruit. Everything comes back to us; He has no need of us. "I will give Thee," He says, "Thine inheritance and Thy possession, the ends of the earth" (Ps. 2:8). Behold, we are His possession. "The Lord," he says, "is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup" (Ps. 15:5 [16:5]). Behold, He is our possession too: but with what distinction? You are men, and I am the Lord your God, says the Lord our God.
Editors' notes and page, col. 316
Footnotes
(none) <!-- NOTE (Q1j): the three notes printed under page 164 (*, a, b) are all called in Sermo XLVIII, which begins in col 316 below the end of this unit. Under the unit rule, notes called in a neighbouring sermon on a shared page are not set here; they were removed from this file. No note is called in the Sermo XLVII text of cols 315-316. -->
Page
- Scripture reference in col 316 - the page prints Luc. XI, 14 where the fourteenth verse of the second chapter of Luke is quoted. The source keeps the reference as printed and the English gives the right one.