PL 38 · cols. 636–640

Augustine, Sermones 105-112 (Classis I, de Scripturis)

Sermons CIX–CX

habet suscipere peregrinum? Ergo per ordinem, prius declina a malo, et fac bonum: prius accinge lumbos tuos, et tunc accende lucernam. Et cum hoc feceris, securus exspecta vitam et dies bonos. Quaere pacem, et sequere eam: et tunc bona fronte dices Domino, Feci quod jussisti, redde quod promisisti.

is he to receive a stranger? Therefore, in order: first turn away from evil, and do good; first gird your loins, and then light the lamp. And when you have done this, wait without anxiety for life and good days. Seek peace, and pursue it; and then with a confident face you will say to the Lord, I have done what Thou hast commanded; pay what Thou hast promised.

SERMO CIX. De verbis Evangelii Lucae, Faciem coeli et terrae nostis probare, etc., deque istis, Si vadis cum adversario tuo ad principem, da operam in via liberari ab illo, etc., cap. XII, ℣. 56-59.

Sermon CIX. On the words of the Gospel of Luke, You know how to test the face of heaven and of earth, etc., and on these, If you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort on the way to be freed from him, etc., chapter 12, verses 56-59.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Tempore misericordiae utendum ad poenitentiam. Vitro fragiliores sumus. Evangelium audivimus, et in eo Dominum eos arguentem, qui faciem coeli norunt probare, et tempus fidei regni coelorum appropinquantis nesciunt invenire. Judaeis autem hoc dicebat: sed etiam ad nos sermo pervenit. Dominus autem ipse Jesus Christus Evangelii sui praedicationem ita coepit: Agite poenitentiam; appropinquavit enim regnum coelorum (Matth. IV, 17). Similiter et Joannes Baptista et praecursor ipsius ita coepit: Agite poenitentiam; appropinquavit enim regnum coelorum (Id. III, 2). Et modo corripit eos Dominus, qui nolunt agere poenitentiam, appropinquante regno coelorum. Regnum coelorum, sicut ipse ait, non veniet cum observatione. Et iterum ipse ait: Regnum coelorum intra vos est (Luc. XVII, 20, 21). Prudenter ergo accipiat unusquisque monita praeceptoris, ut non perdat tempus misericordiae Salvatoris, quae modo impenditur, quamdiu generi humano parcitur. Ad hoc enim parcitur homini, ut convertatur, et non sit qui damnetur. Viderit Deus quando veniat finis saeculi: est tamen modo tempus fidei. Finis saeculi utrum hic aliquem nostrum inveniat, nescio: et fortasse non inveniet. Tempus cuique nostrum, proximum est, quia mortales sumus. Inter casus ambulamus. Si vitrei essemus, minus casus timeremus. Quid fragilius vase vitreo? Et tamen servatur, et durat per saecula. Etsi enim casus vitreo vasi timentur, senectus ei et febris non timetur. Nos ergo fragiliores et infirmiores sumus: quia et casus omnes qui non cessant in rebus humanis, fragilitate utique nostra quotidie formidamus; et si ipsi casus non accedant, tempus ambulat: vitat homo ictum, numquid vitat exitum? vitat quae extrinsecus eveniunt, numquid quod intus nascitur pellitur? Denique nunc lumbricos gignunt interiora, nunc morbus quilibet subito occupat: postremo quantumvis homini parcatur, novissime senectus cum venerit, non est quo differatur.

Chapter I. — 1. The time of mercy is to be used for repentance. We are more fragile than glass. We have heard the Gospel, and in it the Lord rebuking those who know how to test the face of heaven, and do not know how to find the time of faith of the approaching kingdom of heaven. He was saying this to the Jews; but the word has come to us as well. Now the Lord Jesus Christ Himself began the preaching of His Gospel thus: Do penance; for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near (Matt. 4:17). Likewise John the Baptist too, His forerunner, began thus: Do penance; for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near (Ibid. 3:2). And now the Lord rebukes those who will not do penance, though the kingdom of heaven is drawing near. The kingdom of heaven, as He Himself says, will not come with observation. And again He Himself says: The kingdom of heaven is within you (Luke 17:20–21). Let each one, therefore, prudently receive the admonitions of the Teacher, so that he may not lose the time of the Saviour's mercy, which is now being bestowed, as long as the human race is spared. For man is spared to this end, that he may be converted, and that there may be none who is condemned. God will see to when the end of the world comes; yet now is the time of faith. Whether the end of the world will find any of us here, I do not know; and perhaps it will not find [any]. The time of each of us is very near, because we are mortal. We walk amid mishaps. If we were made of glass, we should fear mishaps less. What is more fragile than a glass vessel? And yet it is preserved, and lasts for ages. For although mishaps are feared for a glass vessel, old age and fever are not feared for it. We therefore are more fragile and weaker: for, on account of our fragility to be sure, we daily dread all the mishaps that never cease in human affairs; and if those mishaps do not befall us, time walks on: a man avoids a blow, does he avoid his departure? he avoids what happens from outside, is what is born within driven out? Then at one time the inward parts breed worms, at another some disease or other suddenly seizes [us]: finally, however much a man is spared, at the last, when old age has come, there is no way by which it may be put off.

CAPUT II. — 2. Quis sit adversarius ille cui consentire jubemur. Proinde audiamus Dominum, in nobis ipsis agamus quod praecepit. Videamus quis est ille adversarius, de quo nos terruit, dicens: Si vadis cum adversario tuo ad principem, da operam in via liberari

Chapter II. — 2. Who that adversary is with whom we are commanded to agree. Let us therefore hear the Lord, let us do in ourselves what He has commanded. Let us see who that adversary is about whom He has frightened us, saying: If you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort on the way to be

Editors' notes and page, col. 636

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: quo differatur› · call in col 636

Mss., quod differatur.

The manuscripts, quod differatur ("that it should be put off").

(*) ‹anchor: not visible in the foot images (the sermon title, above the crop)› · call in col 636 Emendatus ad omnes codices scriptos et excusos in sermone praecedenti modo designatos.

Emended by all the manuscript and printed codices just now specified at the preceding sermon.

(printed under page 324)

(a) ‹anchor: not visible in the foot images (the sermon title, above the crop)› · call in col 636

Alias, 1 de Verbis Domini.

Formerly, 1 de Verbis Domini ("On the Words of the Lord").

(printed under page 324)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible in the foot images› · call in col 636

Possidius in Indiculo, cap. 8, hunc forte sermonem notat his verbis: « De Evangelio, ubi scriptum est, Concorda cum adversario tuo, cum es cum illo in via. »

Possidius in the Indiculus, ch. 8, perhaps refers to this sermon in these words: "On the Gospel, where it is written, Come to terms with your adversary, while you are with him on the way."

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ab illo; ne forte tradat te principi, et princeps ministro, et mittaris in carcerem, unde non exies, donec solvas novissimum quadrantem. Quis est iste adversarius? Si diabolus; jam liberati sumus ab illo. Quale pretium pro nobis datum est, ut ab illo redimeremur? De quo dicit Apostolus, loquens de ipsa redemptione nostra: Qui eruit nos de potestate tenebrarum, et transtulit in regnum Filii charitatis suae (Coloss. I, 13). Redempti sumus, diabolo renuntiavimus: quomodo dabimus operam liberari ab illo, ne nos iterum captivos faciat peccatores? Sed non est ipse adversarius de quo nos Dominus commonet. Alio enim loco alius evangelista sic illud posuit, ut si utraque verba jungamus, et utraque verba sibi Evangeliorum duorum comparemus, adversarium istum cito intelligamus. Ecce enim hic quid dixit? Cum vadis ad principem cum adversario tuo, da operam in via liberari ab eo. Alius autem evangelista hoc ipsum sic posuit: Esto consentiens adversario tuo cito cum es cum illo in via. Caetera similia sunt: Ne forte adversarius tradat te judici, judex ministro, minister in carcerem (Matth. V, 25). Ambo evangelistae similiter hoc explicaverunt. Unus dixit, Da operam in via liberari ab illo: alter dixit, Consenti illi. Non enim poteris liberari ab illo, nisi ei consenseris. Vis liberari ab illo? Consenti illi. Numquid diabolus est, cui debeat consentire christianus?

freed from him; lest perhaps he hand you over to the ruler, and the ruler to the officer, and you be sent into prison, from which you will not come out until you pay the last farthing. Who is this adversary? If the devil, we have already been freed from him. What sort of price was given for us, that we might be redeemed from him? Of this the Apostle speaks, talking of our very redemption: Who rescued us from the power of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Col. 1:13). We have been redeemed, we have renounced the devil: how shall we take pains to be freed from him, lest he make us captives again as sinners? But he is not the adversary about whom the Lord warns us. For in another place another evangelist put it thus, so that if we join both sayings, and compare with each other the sayings of the two Gospels, we may quickly understand this adversary. For see, what did this one say? When you are going to the ruler with your adversary, take pains on the way to be freed from him. But another evangelist put this same thing thus: Agree with your adversary quickly while you are with him on the way. The rest is alike: Lest perhaps the adversary hand you over to the judge, the judge to the officer, the officer into prison (Matt. 5:25). Both evangelists set this out in like manner. One said, Take pains on the way to be freed from him: the other said, Agree with him. For you will not be able to be freed from him unless you agree with him. Do you wish to be freed from him? Agree with him. Is it the devil, then, with whom a Christian ought to agree?

CAPUT III. — 3. Adversarius noster, sermo Dei. Quaeramus ergo istum adversarium, cui debemus consentire, ne tradat nos judici, et judex ministro: quaeramus illum, et consentiamus illi. Si peccas, adversarius tuus sermo Dei est. Verbi causa, forsitan delectat te inebriari: dicit tibi, Noli. Delectat te spectare et nugari: ille dicit tibi, Noli. Delectat te adulterari: dicit tibi sermo Dei, Noli. In quibuscumque peccatis volueris facere voluntatem tuam, dicit tibi, Noli. Adversarius est voluntatis tuae, donec fiat auctor salutis tuae. O quam bonus adversarius, quam utilis adversarius! Non quaerit nostram voluntatem, sed utilitatem. Adversarius est nobis, quamdiu sumus et ipsi nobis. Quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es, inimicum habes sermonem Dei: esto tibi amicus, et concordas cum ipso. Non homicidium feceris: audi, et concordasti. Non furtum facias, audi, et concordasti. Non moechaberis: audi, et concordasti. Non falsum testimonium dicas: audi, et concordasti. Non concupiscas uxorem proximi tui: audi, et concordasti. Non concupiscas rem proximi tui (Exod. XX, 13, etc.): audi, et concordasti. In his omnibus cum tuo isto adversario concordasti: et tibi quid perdidisti? Non solum nihil perdidisti: sed et te ipsum, qui perieras, invenisti. Via, vita ista est: si concordaverimus cum illo, si consenserimus illi; finita via, non timebimus judicem, ministrum, carcerem.

Chapter III. — 3. Our adversary, the word of God. Let us therefore seek this adversary, with whom we ought to agree, lest he hand us over to the judge, and the judge to the officer: let us seek him, and agree with him. If you sin, your adversary is the word of God. For example, perhaps it delights you to get drunk: it says to you, Do not. It delights you to watch shows and to trifle: it says to you, Do not. It delights you to commit adultery: the word of God says to you, Do not. In whatever sins you wish to do your own will, it says to you, Do not. It is the adversary of your will, until it becomes the author of your salvation. O what a good adversary, what a useful adversary! It does not seek our will, but our benefit. It is an adversary to us as long as we are adversaries to ourselves too. As long as you are an enemy to yourself, you have the word of God as an enemy: be a friend to yourself, and you are in accord with it. You shall not commit murder: hear, and you have come into accord. You shall not commit theft, hear, and you have come into accord. You shall not commit adultery: hear, and you have come into accord. You shall not speak false testimony: hear, and you have come into accord. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife: hear, and you have come into accord. You shall not covet your neighbour's property (Exod. 20:13, etc.): hear, and you have come into accord. In all these things you have come into accord with this adversary of yours: and what have you lost for yourself? Not only have you lost nothing: but you have even found your very self, who had perished. This life is the way: if we come into accord with it, if we agree with it, then when the way is finished we shall not fear the judge, the officer, the prison.

Editors' notes and page, col. 637

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: auctor salutis tuae› · call in col 637

Isthaec verba, donec fiat auctor salutis tuae, absunt a Mss. et ab editis Am. et Er.

These words, donec fiat auctor salutis tuae ("until it becomes the author of your salvation"), are absent from the manuscripts and from the editions of Amerbach and Erasmus.

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(2) ‹anchor: Non moechaberis: audi, et concordasti› · call in col 637

Er. praeterit, Non furtum facias; audi et concordasti. Non moechaberis: audi et concordasti. Lugd. et Ven. praetereunt, Non moechaberis: audi et concordasti. Paulo post tres illae editiones ferunt, concupisces; pro, concupiscas. M.

Erasmus passes over, Non furtum facias; audi et concordasti. Non moechaberis: audi et concordasti ("You shall not steal; hear, and you have come to terms. You shall not commit adultery: hear, and you have come to terms"). The Lyons and Venice editions pass over, Non moechaberis: audi et concordasti. A little further on those three editions give concupisces in place of concupiscas ("you shall covet", future for subjunctive). M[igne].

(printed under page 325)

(3) ‹anchor: finita via› · call in col 637

Aliquot Mss., finita vita.

Some manuscripts, finita vita ("when life is ended").

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(a) ‹anchor: sermo Dei est› · call in col 637

Vide supra sermonem 9, cap. 3.

See above, sermon 9, ch. 3.

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CX› · call in col 638 Collatus cum tribus bn. et quatuor cl. cum a. cb. f. fs. g. lr. m. p. rm. vd. et cum Am. Er. Par. Lov.

Collated with three bn. and four cl. manuscripts, with a. cb. f. fs. g. lr. m. p. rm. vd., and with the editions of Amerbach, Erasmus, Paris and Louvain.

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CAPUT IV. — 4. Anni homini magis decedunt, quam accedunt. Quando finitur via? Non omnibus una hora finitur. Unusquisque habet horam, quando finiat viam. Via, vita ista dicta est: finisti istam vitam, finisti viam. Ambulamus; et ipsum vivere, accedere est. Nisi forte putatis quia tempus accedit, et nos stamus? Non potest fieri. Quomodo accedit tempus, accedimus et nos: et non anni nobis accedunt, sed magis decedunt. Valde errant homines, quando dicunt: Puer iste adhuc minus sapit, accedunt illi anni, et prudens erit. Attende quid dicas. Accedunt, dixisti: ego ostendo quia decedunt, cum tu dicis, Accedunt. Et audi quam facile id probo. Putemus nos scisse annos ipsius ex quo natus est: verbi gratia, ut bene illi optemus, octoginta annos victurus est, perventurus est ad senectutem. Scribe octoginta annos. Vixit unum annum: quot habes in summa? quot tenebas? Octoginta. Deduc unum. Vixit decem: septuaginta restiterunt. Vixit viginti: sexaginta restiterunt. Certe accedebant: quid est hoc? Veniunt, ut abeant anni nostri: veniunt, inquam, ut eant. Non enim veniunt, ut stent nobiscum: sed cum transeunt per nos, terunt nos, et minus minnsque valere nos faciunt. Talis est via, in qua venimus. Quid facturi sumus cum adversario illo, id est, cum sermone Dei? Concorda cum illo. Nescis enim quando via finiatur. Cum via finita fuerit, judex restat, et minister, et carcer. At si servaveris adversario tuo bonam voluntatem, et cum eo consenseris; pro judice invenies patrem, pro ministro saevo angelum tollentem in sinum Abrahae, pro carcere paradi⟨s⟩um. Quam cito in via cuncta mutasti, quia tuo adversario consensisti!

Chapter IV. — 4. A man's years are taken away rather than added. When is the way finished? It is not finished for all at one hour. Each one has his hour when he is to finish the way. This life has been called the way: you have finished this life, you have finished the way. We are walking; and living itself is advancing. Unless perhaps you think that time advances and we stand still? It cannot be. As time advances, so we too advance: and years are not added to us, but rather taken away. Men are greatly mistaken when they say: This boy is still not very wise; years will be added to him, and he will be prudent. Consider what you are saying. They are added, you have said: I show that they are taken away, when you say, They are added. And hear how easily I prove it. Let us suppose that we knew his years from the time he was born: for instance, to wish him well, he is going to live eighty years, he is going to reach old age. Write down eighty years. He has lived one year: how many do you have in the total? How many were you holding? Eighty. Subtract one. He has lived ten: seventy have remained. He has lived twenty: sixty have remained. Surely they were being added: what is this? Our years come in order to go away: they come, I say, in order to go. For they do not come to stay with us: but when they pass through us, they wear us down, and make us less and less strong. Such is the way on which we have come. What are we to do with that adversary, that is, with the word of God? Agree with him. For you do not know when the way will be finished. When the way has been finished, there remain the judge, and the officer, and the prison. But if you have kept good will towards your adversary, and have agreed with him, in place of a judge you will find a father, in place of a cruel officer an angel carrying you into Abraham's bosom, in place of a prison paradise. How quickly on the way you have changed everything, because you agreed with your adversary!

SERMO CX. De verbis Evangelii Lucae, ubi dicitur de arbore ficulnea, per triennium fructum non ferente; ac de muliere habente decem et octo annos in infirmitate, cap. XIII, 6-17: necnon de verbis Psalmi IX, 20, Exsurge, Domine, non praevaleat homo; judicentur gentes in conspectu tuo.

Sermon CX. On the words of the Gospel of Luke, where it speaks of the fig tree bearing no fruit for three years; and of the woman having been in infirmity for eighteen years, chapter 13:6-17: and also on the words of Psalm 9:20, Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail; let the nations be judged in Thy sight.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Ficus sterilis per triennium quid significet. De arbore ficulnea quae triennium habebat et fructum non afferebat, et de muliere quae decem et octo annos habebat in infirmitate, quod Dominus donaverit audite. Arbor ficulnea, genus humanum est. Triennium autem, tria sunt tempora: unum ante Legem, alterum sub Lege, tertium sub gratia. Non est autem importunum, ut arbor ficulnea intelligatur genus humanum. Primus enim homo quando peccavit, foliis ficulneis pudenda velavit (Gen. III, 7): haec velavit, unde nati sumus, membra. Quae enim ante peccatum fuerant glorianda, post peccatum pudenda sunt facta. Denique antea nudi erant, et non confundebantur. Non enim erat unde erubescerent, quando peccatum non praecesserat: nec poterant de sui Creatoris operibus erubescere,

Chapter One. — 1. What the fig tree barren for three years signifies. Concerning the fig tree which had three years and was not bearing fruit, and concerning the woman who had been eighteen years in infirmity, hear what the Lord has granted. The fig tree is the human race. The three years, moreover, are three times: one before the Law, another under the Law, the third under grace. Now it is not unfitting that the fig tree should be understood as the human race. For the first man, when he sinned, covered his shameful parts with fig leaves (Gen. 3:7): he covered those members from which we are born. For what before sin had been matter for glory, after sin was made matter for shame. Indeed, before, they were naked and were not confounded. For there was nothing for them to blush at, when sin had not gone before: nor could they blush at the works of their Creator,

Editors' notes and page, col. 638

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CX› · call in col 638

Alias, de Verbis Domini 31.

Formerly, de Verbis Domini ("On the Words of the Lord") 31.

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(b) ‹anchor: in conspectu tuo› · call in col 638

Sermonem Possidius in Indic. cap. 8 recenset, « De muliere curva, decem et octo annos habente in infirmitate. »

Possidius lists the sermon in the Indiculus, ch. 8: "On the bent woman, who had been eighteen years in her infirmity."

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quia operibus Creatoris sui bonis nullum adhuc malum opus suum miscuerant. Nondum enim manducaverant de ligno scientiae boni et mali, unde manducare prohibiti erant. Postea ergo quam manducaverunt et peccaverunt, natum est de illis genus humanum: id est, homo de homine, obnoxius de debitore, mortalis de mortali, peccator de peccatore. Hos ergo appellat in hac arbore, qui per omne tempus fructum dare noluerunt: et propter hoc imminebat securis radicibus arboris infructuosae. Intercedit colonus, differtur supplicium, ut adhibeatur auxilium. Qui autem intercedit colonus, est omnis sanctus, qui intra Ecclesiam orat pro eis qui sunt extra Ecclesiam. Et quid orat? Domine, dimitte illam et hoc anno: id est, tempore isto sub gratia, parce peccatoribus, parce infidelibus, parce sterilibus, parce infructuosis. Circumfodio ei, et adhibeo cophinum stercoris: si fecerit fructum, bene; sin autem minus, venies et amputabis eam. Venies: quando? In judicio venies, quando venturus es judicare vivos et mortuos. Interim modo parcitur. Quid est autem fossa? quid est circumfodere, nisi humilitatem et poenitentiam docere? Fossa enim humilis terra est. Cophinum stercoris, in bono intellige. Sordes sunt, sed fructum dant. Sordes cultoris, dolores sunt peccatoris. Qui agunt poenitentiam, in sordibus agunt: si tamen intelligant, et veraciter agant. Huic ergo arbori dicitur: Agite poenitentiam; appropinquavit enim regnum coelorum (Matth. III, 2).

because they had not yet mixed any evil work of their own with the good works of their Creator. For they had not yet eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, from which they had been forbidden to eat. So after they ate and sinned, the human race was born of them: that is, man from man, one bound by debt from a debtor, mortal from mortal, sinner from sinner. These, then, He signifies by this tree, who throughout all time have refused to bear fruit: and for this reason the axe was threatening the roots of the unfruitful tree. The husbandman intercedes, the punishment is deferred, so that help may be applied. Now the husbandman who intercedes is every saint who within the Church prays for those who are outside the Church. And what does he pray? Lord, let it alone this year also: that is, in this time under grace, spare sinners, spare unbelievers, spare the barren, spare the unfruitful. I will dig round it, and apply a basket of dung: if it bears fruit, well; but if not, Thou wilt come and cut it down. Thou wilt come: when? Thou wilt come at the judgement, when Thou art to come to judge the living and the dead. Meanwhile, for now, it is spared. But what is the trench? what is digging round, if not teaching humility and penitence? For a trench is low ground. Understand the basket of dung in a good sense. It is filth, but it yields fruit. The filth of the cultivator is the sorrows of the sinner. Those who do penance do it in filth: if only they understand, and do it truly. So to this tree it is said: Do penance; for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near (Matt. 3:2).

CAPUT II. — 2. Mulier decem et octo annis in infirmitate. Homo non de suo, sed de gratia Dei bonus. Quid illa mulier decem et octo annos habens in infirmitate? Sex diebus Deus perfecit opera sua. Ter seni, decem et octo faciunt. Quod ergo significavit triennium in arbore, hoc decem et octo anni in illa muliere. Curva erat, sursum aspicere non poterat: quia Sursum cor, sine causa audiebat. Sed erexit eam Dominus. Est ergo spes, sed filiis, quousque veniat dies judicii. Multum sibi dat homo. Et quid est homo? Justus homo magnum aliquid est homo. Sed tamen justus homo, gratia Dei est justus homo. Nam, Quid est homo, nisi quod memor es ejus (Psal. VIII, 5)? Vis videre quid est homo? Omnis homo mendax (Psal. CXV, 11). Cantavimus, Exsurge, Domine, non praevaleat homo. Quid est, non praevaleat homo? Nonne Apostoli homines erant? Nonne martyres homines erant? Ipse Dominus Jesus Deus esse non desistens, homo esse dignatus est. Quid est ergo, Exsurge, Domine, non praevaleat homo? Si omnis homo mendax: exsurge, veritas, non praevaleat falsitas. Homo ergo, si vult esse aliquid boni, non sit de suo proprio. Si enim de suo esse voluerit, mendax erit. Si verax esse voluerit de Dei, non de suo erit.

Chapter II. — 2. The woman eighteen years in infirmity. Man is good not of his own, but of the grace of God. What does that woman mean, who had been eighteen years in infirmity? In six days God completed His works. Three sixes make eighteen. So what the three years signified in the tree, the eighteen years signify in that woman. She was bent over, she could not look upwards: because she heard Lift up the heart to no purpose. But the Lord raised her up. There is hope, then, but for the sons, until the day of judgement comes. Man attributes much to himself. And what is man? A just man is something great, a man. But yet a just man is a just man by the grace of God. For, What is man, except that Thou art mindful of him (Ps. 8:5)? Do you wish to see what man is? Every man is a liar (Ps. 115:11). We have sung, Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. What is, let not man prevail? Were not the Apostles men? Were not the martyrs men? The Lord Jesus Himself, while not ceasing to be God, deigned to be man. What then is, Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail? If every man is a liar: arise, truth, let not falsehood prevail. So man, if he wishes to be anything good, let him not be so of his very own. For if he wishes to be so of his own, he will be a liar. If he wishes to be truthful, he will be so of God's, not of his own.

3. Prophetae votum, ut non praevaleat homo. Ergo, Exsurge, Domine, non praevaleat homo. Tantum valuit mendacium ante diluvium, ut post diluvium octo homines remansissent (I Petr. III, 20). Pe⟨r⟩ ipsos terra rursus impleta est hominibus mendacibus, et electus

3. The prophet's prayer, that man may not prevail. Therefore, Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. So strong was falsehood before the flood that after the flood eight men remained (1 Pet. 3:20). Through them the earth was filled again with lying men, and chosen

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(1) ‹anchor: not visible in the foot images› · call in col 639

Mss., dimitte illi. Et sic alibi veteres libri, quoties hunc locum refert Augustinus.

The manuscripts, dimitte illi ("let it alone", with the dative). And so the old books elsewhere, as often as Augustine cites this passage.

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est populus Dei. Facta sunt miracula multa, praerogata divina beneficia. Ad terram promissionis perductus est, ab Aegyptiorum servitute liberatus: Prophetae in illo excitati sunt, templum accepit, sacerdotium accepit, unctionem accepit, legem accepit. Sed de ipso postea dictum est, Filii alieni mentiti sunt mihi (Psal. XVII, 46).

was the people of God. Many miracles were done, divine benefits were bestowed. It was led into the land of promise, freed from the servitude of the Egyptians: Prophets were raised up in it, it received the temple, it received the priesthood, it received the anointing, it received the law. But afterwards it was said of it, The sons of strangers have lied to me (Ps. 17:46).

CAPUT III. — Ad extremum missus est ille per Prophetas ante promissus. Non praevaleat homo, vel quia Deus factus est homo. Sed etiam ipse faciens divina contemptus est, praestans tam multa beneficia prehensus est, flagellatus est, suspensus est. Hucusque praevaluit homo, Dei Filium prehendere, Dei Filium flagellare, Dei Filium spinis coronare, Dei Filium ligno suspendere. Tantum praevaluit homo: sed quousque, nisi quousque depositus de ligno, positus est in sepulcro? Si ibi remansisset, vere homo praevaluisset. Sed prophetia ista etiam ipsum Dominum Jesum alloquitur dicens: Exsurge, Domine, non praevaleat homo. Domine, in carne venire dignatus es, Verbum caro factus, Verbum super nos, caro inter nos, Verbum caro inter Deum et hominem: virginem unde nascereris secundum carnem elegisti, virginem concipiendus invenisti, natus virginem reliquisti. Sed non agnoscebaris: apparebas, et latebas. Apparebat infirmitas, latebat potestas. Hoc totum factum est, ut sanguinem funderes, quod est pretium nostrum. Fecisti tanta miracula, valetudinibus aegrotorum sanitatem tribuisti, beneficia multa praestitisti, et recepisti mala pro bonis. Insultatum est tibi, in ligno pependisti: agitatum est ante te caput ab impiis, et dictum est, Si Filius Dei es, descende de cruce (Matth. XXVII, 40). Itane tu perdideras potentiam, an potius demonstrabas patientiam? Et tamen illi insultaverunt, et tamen illi irriserunt, tamen illi te occiso quasi victores discesserunt. Ecce in sepulcro jaces: Exsurge, Domine, non praevaleat homo. Non praevaleat impius inimicus, non praevaleat caecus Judaeus. Cum enim crucifigereris, praevaluisse sibi visus est Judaeus caecus. Exsurge, Domine, non praevaleat homo. Factum est, omnino factum est. Et quid restat, nisi ut judicentur gentes in conspectu tuo? Resurrexit enim, sicut nostis, ascendit in coelum: inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos.

Chapter III. — At the last He was sent Who had before been promised through the Prophets. Let not man prevail, if only because God was made man. But even He, while doing divine things, was despised; while bestowing so many benefits, He was seized, He was scourged, He was hanged. Thus far man prevailed: to seize the Son of God, to scourge the Son of God, to crown the Son of God with thorns, to hang the Son of God on the wood. So much did man prevail: but how far, except until He was taken down from the wood and laid in the tomb? Had He remained there, man would truly have prevailed. But this prophecy addresses the Lord Jesus Himself, saying: Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. Lord, Thou didst deign to come in the flesh, the Word made flesh, the Word above us, flesh among us, the Word-flesh between God and man: Thou didst choose a virgin from whom Thou wouldst be born according to the flesh, Thou didst find a virgin when Thou wast to be conceived, being born Thou didst leave her a virgin. But Thou wast not recognized: Thou didst appear, and Thou wast hidden. The weakness appeared, the power was hidden. All this was done that Thou mightest shed Thy blood, which is our price. Thou didst work such great miracles, Thou didst grant health to the infirmities of the sick, Thou didst bestow many benefits, and Thou didst receive evil for good. Thou wast insulted, Thou didst hang on the wood: the head was shaken before Thee by the impious, and it was said, If Thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross (Matt. 27:40). Hadst Thou then lost Thy power, or wast Thou rather showing Thy patience? And yet they insulted, and yet they mocked, yet when Thou wast slain they went away as if victors. Behold, Thou liest in the tomb: Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. Let not the impious enemy prevail, let not the blind Jew prevail. For when Thou wast being crucified, the blind Jew seemed to himself to have prevailed. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. It has been done, it has altogether been done. And what remains, except that the nations be judged in Thy sight? For He rose again, as you know, He ascended into heaven: from thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

CAPUT IV. — 4. Judicii venturi certitudo impletis tot aliis praedictionibus. Deus debitor, non ex acceptis, sed ex promissis. Eia arbor infructuosa, non derideas, quia parcitur tibi: dilata est securis, noli esse secura; veniet, et amputaberis. Crede quia venturus est. Ista omnia quae vides, non erant. Christianus populus toto orbe terrarum aliquando non erat. In prophetia legebatur, in terra non videbatur: modo autem et legitur, et videtur. Ipsa Ecclesia sic est completa. Non ei dictum est, Vide filia, et audi; sed, Audi et vide (Psal. XLIV, 11). Audi praedicta, vide completa. Quomodo ergo, fratres charissimi, non erat natus Christus de virgine, promissus est, et natus est: non fecerat mirabilia, promissa sunt, et fecit: nondum erat passus, promissum est, et factum

Chapter IV. — 4. The certainty of the judgement to come, so many other predictions having been fulfilled. God a debtor, not from things received, but from things promised. Come now, unfruitful tree, do not mock because you are spared: the axe is put off, do not be secure; it will come, and you will be cut down. Believe that He will come. All these things that you see did not exist. The Christian people once did not exist in the whole world. It was read in prophecy, it was not seen on earth: but now it is both read and seen. The Church herself has thus been fulfilled. It was not said to her, See, daughter, and hear; but, Hear and see (Ps. 44:11). Hear the things foretold, see the things fulfilled. Just as, then, dearest brethren, Christ had not been born of a virgin, He was promised, and He was born: He had not done wonders, they were promised, and He did them: He had not yet suffered, it was promised, and it came

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