PL 38 · cols. 684–687

Augustine, Sermones 121-127 (Classis I, de Scripturis)

Sermons CXXIII–CXXIV

donat: Ascendentes et descendentes Angelos ad Filium hominis. Quomodo si descendunt ad illum, hic est: si ascendunt ad illum, sursum est? Si autem ad illum ascendunt, ad illum descendunt, et sursum est, et hic est. Nullo pacto fieri potest ut ad illum ascendant, et ad illum descendant; nisi et ibi sit quo ascendunt, et hic sit quo descendunt. Quomodo probamus et illic eum esse, et hic eum esse? Respondeat nobis Paulus, qui primo Saulus. Expertus est illud ipse, quando prius erat persecutor, et postea factus est praedicator: prius Jacob, postea Israel: qui erat et ipse de genere Israel, de tribu Benjamin erat (Philipp. III, 5). In illo videamus Christum sursum, Christum deorsum. Primo ipsa Domini vox de coelo hoc ostendit: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris (Act. IX, 4)? Numquid Paulus in coelum ascenderat? Numquid Paulus saltem lapidem in coelum miserat? Christianos persequebatur, ipsos ligabat, ipsos occidendos trahebat, ipsos ubique latentes quaerebat, ipsis inventis nulla ratione parcebat. Cui ait Dominus Christus, Saule, Saule. Unde clamat? De coelo. Ergo sursum est. Quid me persequeris? Ergo deorsum est. Omnia, etsi breviter, ut potui, exposui Charitati vestrae. Erogavi quod ad me pertinet: quod autem ad vos pertinet, pauperes cogitate. Conversi ad Dominum, etc.

grants: Angels ascending and descending to the Son of Man. How, if they descend to Him, is He here; if they ascend to Him, is He above? But if they ascend to Him and descend to Him, He is both above and here. In no way can it happen that they ascend to Him and descend to Him, unless He is both there, whither they ascend, and here, whither they descend. How do we prove that He is both there and here? Let Paul answer us, who was at first Saul. He himself experienced this, when he was first a persecutor and afterwards was made a preacher: first Jacob, afterwards Israel; who was himself also of the race of Israel, he was of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 3:5). In him let us see Christ above, Christ below. First, the very voice of the Lord from heaven showed this: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me (Acts 9:4)? Had Paul ascended into heaven? Had Paul at least thrown a stone into heaven? He was persecuting Christians, he was binding them, he was dragging them off to be killed, he was seeking them out wherever they lay hidden, and when they were found he spared them on no account. To him the Lord Christ said, Saul, Saul. Whence does He cry out? From heaven. Therefore He is above. Why do you persecute Me? Therefore He is below. I have set out all these things, briefly though it was, as I was able, to your Charity. I have paid out what pertains to me; but as for what pertains to you, think of the poor. Turning to the Lord, etc.

SERMO CXXIII. De verbis Evangelii Joannis, Vocatus est autem et Jesus et discipuli ejus ad nuptias, etc. Cap. II, ℣. 1-11.

Sermon 123. On the words of the Gospel of John, "Now Jesus also was called, and His disciples, to the wedding," etc., chapter 2, verses 1-11.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Humilitas Christi medicina superbiae nostrae. Scitis, fratres; in Christum enim credentes didicistis, et assidue etiam nos ministerio nostro commendamus vobis; quod medicina tumoris hominis, humilitas est Christi. Non enim perisset homo, nisi superbia tumuisset. Initium enim, sicut Scriptura dicit, omnis peccati, superbia (Eccli. X, 15). Contra initium peccati, initium justitiae necessarium fuit. Si ergo initium omnis peccati superbia; unde sanaretur tumor superbiae, nisi Deus dignatus esset humilis fieri? Erubescat homo esse superbus; quoniam factus est humilis Deus. Nam quando dicitur homini ut humiliet se, dedignatur: et ut velint homines vindicari quando laeduntur, superbia facit. Cum humiliari dedignantur, vindicari volunt: quasi poena cuique prodesse possit aliena. Laesus et injuriam passus, vindicari vult: de aliena poena sibi quaerit medicamentum, et acquirit grande tormentum. Ideo in omnibus Dominus Christus humiliari dignatus est, praebens nobis viam: si tamen dignemur ambulare per eam.

Chapter I. — 1. The humility of Christ is the medicine for our pride. You know, brethren, for believing in Christ you have learned it, and we too constantly commend it to you by our ministry, that the medicine for man's swelling is the humility of Christ. For man would not have perished, had he not swollen with pride. For the beginning, as Scripture says, of all sin is pride (Sir. 10:15). Against the beginning of sin, a beginning of righteousness was necessary. If, then, pride is the beginning of all sin, whence would the swelling of pride be healed, unless God had deigned to become humble? Let man blush to be proud, since God has become humble. For when a man is told to humble himself, he disdains it; and it is pride that makes men wish to be avenged when they are injured. When they disdain to be humbled, they wish to be avenged: as though another's punishment could profit anyone. Having been hurt and having suffered injury, he wishes to be avenged: from another's punishment he seeks a remedy for himself, and acquires a great torment. Therefore in all things the Lord Christ deigned to be humbled, showing us the way, if only we deign to walk by it.

CAPUT II. — 2. Cur Christus esuriens non fecit panem de lapide, sicut in nuptiis vinum de aqua. Ecce inter caetera Filius virginis venit ad nuptias: qui cum apud Patrem esset, instituit nuptias. Quomodo facta

Chapter II. — 2. Why Christ, when hungry, did not make bread from stone, as at the wedding He made wine from water. Behold, among other things the Son of the Virgin came to a wedding: He Who, when He was with the Father, instituted marriage. Just as there was made

Editors' notes and page, col. 684

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: nisi superbia tumuisset› · call in col 684

Am. Fr. et plerique Mss., nisi superbiam suscepisset. Quidam, nisi superbia suscepisset.

Am., Fr. and most manuscripts: nisi superbiam suscepisset ("had he not taken up pride"). Some: nisi superbia suscepisset.

(printed under page 348)

(2) ‹anchor: humiliari dedignantur› · call in col 684

Mss., superbia facit, quia humiliari dedignantur. Et nonnulli, dedignatur.

The manuscripts: superbia facit, quia humiliari dedignantur ("pride does it, because they disdain to be humbled"). And some: dedignatur ("he disdains").

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CXXIII› · call in col 684 Recognitus ad tres bn. et quatuor cl. cum a. cb. f. fs. g. lr. m. p. rm. vd. et Am. Er. Par. Lov.

Revised against three bn. and four cl. [manuscripts], with a. cb. f. fs. g. lr. m. p. rm. vd., and Am. Er. Par. Lov. [Several sigla are damaged at the line end in the scan.]

(printed under page 348)

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CXXIII› · call in col 684

Alias, de Verbis Domini 41.

Formerly, de Verbis Domini 41.

(printed under page 348)

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⟨e⟩st prima mulier, per quam venit peccatum, de viro sine femina: sic vir, per quem deletum est peccatum, de femina sine viro. Per illum ruimus, per hunc surgimus. Et quid in ipsis nuptiis fecit? De aqua vinum. Quid potentius? Qui poterat talia facere, dignatus est indigere. Qui fecit de aqua vinum, potuit facere et de lapidibus panem. Eadem potentia erat: sed tunc diabolus tentavit, ideo Christus non fecit. Scitis enim quia quando tentatus est Dominus Christus, hoc ei suggessit diabolus. Esurivit enim, quia et hoc dignatus est, quia et hoc ad humilitatem pertinuit. Esurivit panis, sicut defecit via, sicut vulnerata est sanitas, sicut mortua est vita. Cum ergo esuriret, ut nostis, ait illi tentator: Si Filius Dei es, dic lapidibus istis ut panes fiant. Et respondit tentatori, docens te respondere tentatori. Ad hoc enim pugnat imperator, ut milites discant. Quid respondit? Non in solo pane vivit homo, sed in omni verbo Dei. Et non fecit de lapidibus panes, qui utique sic potuit facere, sicut de aqua vinum. Ejusdem enim potentiae est facere de lapide panem: sed non fecit, ut voluntatem contemneret tentatoris. Aliter enim tentator non vincitur, nisi contemnatur. Et cum vicisset diabolum tentatorem, venerunt Angeli, et ministrabant ei (Matth. IV, 2, 3, 4, 10). Qui ergo tantum poterat, quare illud non fecit, et hoc fecit? Lege, imo recole, quod modo audisti, quando fecit hoc, id est, de aqua vinum: quid addidit Evangelista? Et crediderunt in eum discipuli ejus. Numquid tunc diabolus fuerat crediturus?

the first woman, through whom sin came, from a man without a woman: so the Man through Whom sin was blotted out [was born] of a woman without a man. Through him we fell, through Him we rise. And what did He do at the wedding itself? Wine from water. What is more powerful? He Who could do such things deigned to be in want. He Who made wine from water could also have made bread from stones. The power was the same: but at that time the devil was tempting, and so Christ did not do it. For you know that when the Lord Christ was tempted, the devil suggested this to Him. For He hungered, because He deigned this too, because this too belonged to humility. Bread hungered, as the Way grew weary, as Health was wounded, as Life died. When therefore He was hungry, as you know, the tempter said to Him: If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves. And He answered the tempter, teaching you to answer the tempter. For the commander fights to this end, that the soldiers may learn. What did He answer? Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word of God. And He did not make loaves from stones, He Who certainly could have done so, just as [He made] wine from water. For it belongs to the same power to make bread from stone: but He did not do it, so that He might despise the will of the tempter. For the tempter is not conquered otherwise than by being despised. And when He had conquered the devil, the tempter, angels came and ministered to Him (Matt. 4:2, 3, 4, 10). He then Who was so powerful, why did He not do that, and yet did this? Read, or rather recall, what you have just heard, when He did this, that is, [made] wine from water: what did the evangelist add? And His disciples believed in Him. Was the devil going to believe at that time?

CAPUT III. — 3. Via ad patriam Christus humilis. Qui ergo tanta potuit, esurivit, sitivit, fatigatus est, dormivit, comprehensus est, caesus est, crucifixus est, occisus est. Ista est via: ambula per humilitatem, ut venias ad aeternitatem. Deus Christus patria est quo imus: homo Christus via est qua imus. Ad illum imus, per illum imus: quid timemus ne erremus? Non recessit a Patre, et venit ad nos. Ubera sugebat, et mundum continebat. In praesepi jacebat, et Angelos pascebat. Deus et homo, idem Deus qui homo, idem homo qui Deus. Sed non unde homo, inde Deus. Deus, quia Verbum: homo, quia Verbum caro factum est; et Deus manendo, et hominis carnem assumendo; addendo quod non erat, non perdendo quod erat. Ergo et modo jam passus per ipsam humilitatem, jam mortuus, jam sepultus, jam resurrexit, jam ascendit in coelum, ibi est et sedet ad dexteram Patris: et hic est egens in pauperibus suis. Etiam hesterno die hoc commendavi Charitati vestrae (In superiore sermone), propter illud quod dixit Nathanaeli: Majus his videbis. Dico enim vobis, videbitis coelum ap⟨e⟩rtum, et Angelos Dei ascendentes et descendentes ad Filium hominis (Joan. I, 50, 51). Quaesivimus quid esset, et diu locuti sumus: numquid et hodie eadem replicare debemus? Qui adfuerunt recordentur: breviter tamen commemoro.

Chapter III. — 3. Christ humble is the way to the homeland. He then Who could do such great things hungered, thirsted, was wearied, slept, was seized, was beaten, was crucified, was killed. This is the way: walk by humility, that you may come to eternity. Christ as God is the homeland to which we go: Christ as man is the way by which we go. To Him we go, through Him we go: why do we fear going astray? He did not withdraw from the Father, and He came to us. He sucked at the breast, and He held the world together. He lay in a manger, and He fed the angels. God and man, the same God Who is man, the same man Who is God. But not from the same source is He man as He is God. God, because He is the Word: man, because the Word was made flesh; both by remaining God and by assuming the flesh of man; by adding what He was not, not by losing what He was. So now too, having already suffered through that very humility, already dead, already buried, He has already risen, already ascended into heaven, there He is and sits at the right hand of the Father: and here He is in need in His poor. Yesterday too I commended this to your Charity (in the preceding sermon), on account of what He said to Nathanael: You will see greater things than these. For I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man (John 1:50–51). We asked what this was, and we spoke for a long time: must we repeat the same things today as well? Let those who were present remember: yet I will briefly recall it.

CAPUT IV. — 4. Christus et sursum et deorsum. Christus et dives et pauper. Non diceret, Ascendentes ad Filium hominis, nisi sursum esset: non diceret, descendentes

Chapter IV. — 4. Christ both above and below. Christ both rich and poor. He would not say, Ascending to the Son of man, unless He were above: He would not say, descending

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ad Filium hominis, nisi et deorsum esset. Ipse sursum, ipse deorsum: sursum in se, deorsum in suis; sursum apud Patrem, deorsum in nobis. Unde et vox illa ad Saulum, Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris (Act. IX, 4). Non diceret, Saule, Saule, nisi quia sursum erat. Sursum eum Saulus non persequebatur: non diceret, Quid me persequeris? qui sursum erat, nisi esset et deorsum. Timete Christum sursum, agnoscite deorsum. Habe Christum sursum largientem, hic agnosce indigentem. Hic pauper est, ibi dives est. Quod hic pauper est Christus, pro nobis ipse loquitur: Esurivi, sitivi, nudus fui, hospes fui, in carcere fui. Et quibusdam dixit, Ministrastis mihi: quibusdam dixit, Non mihi ministrastis (Matth. XXV, 35-45). Ecce probavimus Christum pauperem: Christum divitem quis nescit? Et hic ad ipsas divitias pertinebat, ut aquam in vinum verteret. Si dives est qui habet vinum, qualis dives est qui facit vinum? Ergo dives et pauper Christus: tanquam Deus dives, tanquam homo pauper. Jam et ipse homo dives ascendit in coelum, sedet ad dextram Patris: adhuc tamen hic pauper esurit, sitit, nudus est.

to the Son of man, unless He were also below. He Himself is above, He Himself is below: above in Himself, below in His own; above with the Father, below in us. Hence also that voice to Saul, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? (Acts 9:4). He would not say, Saul, Saul, unless He were above. Saul was not persecuting Him above: He Who was above would not say, Why do you persecute Me?, unless He were also below. Fear Christ above, recognize Him below. Have Christ above bestowing, here recognize Him in need. Here He is poor, there He is rich. That Christ is poor here, He Himself speaks for us: I was hungry, I was thirsty, I was naked, I was a stranger, I was in prison. And to some He said, You ministered to Me; to some He said, You did not minister to Me (Matt. 25:35–45). See, we have proved Christ poor: who does not know Christ rich? And this too belonged to those very riches, that He turned water into wine. If he is rich who has wine, how rich is He Who makes wine? Therefore Christ is rich and poor: as God rich, as man poor. Now indeed that very man, rich, has ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father: yet still here, poor, He hungers, thirsts, is naked.

CAPUT V. — 5. Omnis homo pauper et mendicus Dei. Tu quid es? Dives, an pauper? Multi mihi dicunt, Pauper sum: et verum dicunt. Agnosco pauperem aliquid habentem, agnosco et indigentem. Sed habet quidam multum auri et argenti. O si agnoscat se pauperem! Agnoscit se pauperem, si agnoscit juxta se pauperem. Quid enim? Quantumvis habeas quicumque dives es, Dei mendicus es. Ventur ad horam orationis, et ibi te probo. Petis. Quomodo non pauper es, qui petis? Plus addo, Panem petis. An non es dicturus, Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis (Matth. VI, 11)? Qui panem quotidianum petis, pauper es, an dives? Et tamen Christus dicit tibi: Da mihi ex eo quod dedi tibi. Quid enim attulisti, quando huc venisti? Omnia quae creavi, creatus hic invenisti: nihil attulisti, nihil hinc tolles. De meo mihi quare non donas? Quia tu plenus es, et pauper inanis est. Primordia vestra attendite: ambo nudi nati estis. Et tu ergo nudus natus es. Multa hic invenisti: numquid tecum aliquid attulisti? De meo quaero: da, et reddo. Habuisti me largitorem, fac cito debitorem. Parum est quod dixi, Habuisti me largitorem, fac me debitorem: habeam te feneratorem. Pauca mihi das, plura reddam. Terrena mihi das, coelestia reddam. Temporalia mihi das, aeterna restituam. Te ipsum tibi reddam, quando te mihi reddidero.

Chapter V. — 5. Every man is poor and a beggar of God. You, what are you? Rich, or poor? Many say to me, I am poor: and they speak the truth. I recognize a poor man who has something, I recognize also one in need. But a certain man has much gold and silver. O that he would recognize himself as poor! He recognizes himself as poor if he recognizes the poor man beside him. For what? However much you may have, whoever you are that are rich, you are God's beggar. The hour of prayer comes, and there I prove you. You ask. How are you not poor, you who ask? I add more: you ask for bread. Or are you not going to say, Give us our daily bread (Matt. 6:11)? You who ask for daily bread, are you poor, or rich? And yet Christ says to you: Give to Me out of what I gave to you. For what did you bring when you came here? All that I created, you, once created, found here: you brought nothing, you will take nothing hence. Why do you not give to Me of what is Mine? Because you are full, and the poor man is empty. Consider your beginnings: you were both born naked. So you too were born naked. You have found many things here: did you bring anything with you? I ask of what is Mine: give, and I repay. You have had Me as bestower, make Me quickly your debtor. What I said is too little, You have had Me as bestower, make Me your debtor: let Me have you as lender at interest. You give Me few things, I will repay more. You give Me earthly things, I will repay heavenly. You give Me temporal things, I will restore eternal. I will repay you to yourself, when I have restored you to Me.

SERMO CXXIV. De verbis Evangelii Joannis, Est autem Jerosolymis Probatica piscina, etc. Cap. V, ℣. 2-4.

Sermon 124. On the words of the Gospel of John, Now there is at Jerusalem the Sheep Pool, etc. Chapter 5, verses 2-4.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Aegroti ad piscinam sanatio fuit figurativa. Recentissima in auribus nostris sonuit evangelica lectio, et ad cognoscendum quid sibi vellent quae lecta sunt, fecit attentos. Hoc

Chapter I. — 1. The healing of the sick man at the pool was figurative. The Gospel reading has sounded most recently in our ears, and has made us attentive to learning what the things that were read might mean. This

Editors' notes and page, col. 686

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: Recentissima› · call in col 686

Omnes Mss., Reverentissima.

All the manuscripts: Reverentissima ("most reverend"). [The initial letter is damaged in the scan and read as R.]

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CXXIV› · call in col 686 Recensitus ad omnes Mss. et Edd. in sermone praecedenti modo designatos.

Collated with all the manuscripts and editions just indicated at the preceding sermon.

(printed under page 349)

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CXXIV› · call in col 686

Alias, de Verbis Domini 42.

Formerly, de Verbis Domini 42. [The first digit is faint in the scan and read as 4.]

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de me exspectari arbitror, hoc me pro viribus expositurum, Domino adjuvante, polliceor. Procul dubio enim non frustra fiebant illa miracula, et aliquid nobis pro aeterna salute figurabant. Nam salus corporis quae reddita est homini, quanti temporis fuit? Quae est enim vita vestra, dicit sancta Scriptura? Vapor est, inquit, ad modicum apparens; deinceps exterminabitur (Jacobi IV, 15). Quod ergo illius hominis corpori ad tempus reddita est sanitas, reddita est nonnulla vapori diuturnitas. Non itaque pro magno illud habendum est: Vana salus hominis (Psal. LIX, 13). Et illud recolite, fratres, illud propheticum et evangelicum, quia in Evangelio legitur hoc testimonium: Omnis caro fenum, et omnis honor carnis ut flos feni: fenum aruit, flos decidit; Verbum Domini manet in aeternum (Isai. XL, 6-8; Jacobi I, 10, 11, et I Petr. I, 24, 25). Verbum Domini etiam feno dat honorem, et honorem non transitorium: dat enim et carni immortalitatem.

I think is expected of me, I promise, the Lord helping, that I will expound according to my strength. For beyond doubt those miracles were not done in vain, and they prefigured something for us for eternal salvation. For the health of body that was restored to the man, how long did it last? For what is your life? says holy Scripture. It is a vapour, it says, appearing for a little while; afterwards it will be done away (Jas. 4:15). So, in that health was restored for a time to that man's body, some lastingness was restored to a vapour. That therefore is not to be held a great thing: Vain is the salvation of man (Ps. 59:13). And recall this, brethren, that prophetic and evangelical saying, since in the Gospel this testimony is read: All flesh is grass, and all the honour of flesh as the flower of grass: the grass has withered, the flower has fallen; the Word of the Lord abides for ever (Isa. 40:6–8; Jas. 1:10–11; and 1 Pet. 1:24–25). The Word of the Lord gives honour even to grass, and an honour not transitory: for He gives even to flesh immortality.

CAPUT II. — 2. Tota haec vita tribulatio est. Tortores animae, timor et dolor. Sed prius transit tribulatio vitae hujus, de qua nobis praestat auxilium, cui diximus: Da nobis auxilium de tribulatione (Psal. LIX, 13). Tota quippe ista vita intelligentibus tribulatio est. Sunt enim duo tortores animae, non simul torquentes, sed cruciatum alternantes. Horum duorum tortorum nomina sunt, timor et dolor. Quando tibi bene est, times: quando male est, doles. Saeculi hujus quem non decipit prosperitas, non frangit adversitas? Tenenda est in hoc feno et in diebus feni via tutior, Verbum Dei. Cum enim dictum esset; Omnis caro fenum, et omnis honor carnis ut flos feni; fenum aruit, flos decidit: quasi nos quaeramus, Quae feno spes? quae flori feni stabilitas? sed Verbum, inquit, Domini manet in aeternum. Et unde, inquis, ad me Verbum Domini? Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis (Joan. I, 14). Verbum enim Domini tibi dicit: Noli respuere promissum meum, quia non respui fenum tuum. Hoc ergo quod nobis praestitit Verbum Domini, ut ad ipsum nos teneremus, ne cum flore feni transiremus: hoc ergo quod nobis praestitit, ut Verbum caro fieret, suscipiens carnem, non mutatum in carnem; manens et assumens, manens quod erat, assumens quod non erat: hoc ergo quod nobis praestitit, etiam piscina illa significat.

Chapter II. — 2. This whole life is tribulation. The torturers of the soul, fear and grief. But first the tribulation of this life passes away, from which He grants us help, to Whom we have said: Give us help from tribulation (Ps. 59:13). For to those who understand, this whole life is tribulation. For there are two torturers of the soul, not torturing at the same time, but taking turns in the torment. The names of these two torturers are fear and grief. When it is well with you, you fear: when it is ill, you grieve. Whom does the prosperity of this world not deceive, whom does its adversity not break? In this grass and in the days of grass the safer way must be held, the Word of God. For when it had been said, All flesh is grass, and all the honour of flesh as the flower of grass; the grass has withered, the flower has fallen: as if we should ask, What hope for grass? What stability for the flower of grass? But the Word, it says, of the Lord abides for ever. And whence, you say, comes the Word of the Lord to me? The Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us (John 1:14). For the Word of the Lord says to you: Do not reject My promise, since I did not reject your grass. This, then, which the Word of the Lord has granted us, that we should hold fast to Him, lest we pass away with the flower of grass: this, then, which He has granted us, that the Word should become flesh, taking up flesh, not changed into flesh; abiding and assuming, abiding what He was, assuming what He was not: this, then, which He has granted us, that pool also signifies.

CAPUT III. — 3. Piscinae probaticae significatio. Humilitas Christi per superbiam non respuenda. Breviter dico: aqua illa, Judaicus populus erat; quinque porticus, Lex. Quinque enim libros scripsit Moyses. Ergo aqua quinque porticibus cingebatur, sicut ille populus Lege coercebatur. Aquae perturbatio, in illo populo est Domini passio. Qui descendebat sanabatur, nonnisi unus: quia ipsa est unitas. Quibuscumque ista displicet Christi passio, superbi sunt: nolunt descendere, non sanantur. Et ego, inquit, crediturus sum Deum in carne, Deum natum ex femina, Deum crucifixum, flagellatum, mortuum, vulneratum, sepultum? Absit ut hoc credam de Deo; indignum est.

Chapter III. — 3. The meaning of the sheep-pool. The humility of Christ not to be rejected through pride. I say briefly: that water was the Jewish people; the five porches, the Law. For Moses wrote five books. So the water was enclosed by five porches, as that people was restrained by the Law. The troubling of the water is, among that people, the Lord's passion. He who went down was healed, and only one: because that is unity. All those whom this passion of Christ displeases are proud: they will not go down, they are not healed. And am I, says someone, to believe God in the flesh, God born of a woman, God crucified, scourged, dead, wounded, buried? Far be it from me to believe this of God; it is unworthy.

Editors' notes and page, col. 687

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: ipsa est unitas› · call in col 687

Mss., ipse est unitas: id est, significative.

The manuscripts: ipse est unitas ("he himself is unity"): that is, by way of signification.

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CXXV› · call in col 688 Recensitus ad cr. et Sirm.

Collated with cr. and Sirm. [Sirmond].

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