PL 38 · cols. 720–725

Augustine, Sermones 128-129 (Classis I, de Scripturis)

Sermon CXXIX

non audiatur. Ard⟨et⟩, non se compescit, et velles ut non arderet. Et ubi est, Ut non ea quae vultis, faciatis? Noli dare membra. Ardeat sine causa, et consumit se. In te ergo fiunt ipsae concupiscentiae. Fatendum est, fiunt. Ideo dixit, Ne perfeceritis. Sed non perficiantur. Decrevisti facere, perfecisti. Perfecisti etenim, si decernas faciendum esse adulterium, et ideo non facias quia locus non est inventus, quia opportunitas non datur, quia forte illa casta est de qua videris esse commotus: ecce jam illa casta est, et tu adulter es. Quare? Quia perfecisti concupiscentias. Quid est, perfecisti? In animo tuo faciendum esse adulterium decrevisti. Jam, quod absit, si et membra fuerint operata, in mortem devolutus es.

let it not be heard. It burns, it does not restrain itself, and you would wish that it did not burn. And where is it said, So that you do not do the things which you will? Do not give [it] your members. Let it burn to no purpose, and it consumes itself. In you, therefore, these very desires arise. It must be admitted: they arise. That is why he said, Do not bring [them] to completion. But let them not be brought to completion. You have decided to do it: you have brought it to completion. For you have brought it to completion if you decide that adultery is to be committed, and you do not commit it only because no place has been found, because the opportunity is not given, because perhaps she by whom you seem to have been stirred is chaste: see, she is still chaste, and you are an adulterer. Why? Because you have brought your desires to completion. What does "you have brought to completion" mean? In your mind you have decided that adultery is to be committed. Now, if (God forbid) your members have also carried it out, you have rolled down into death.

CAPUT XII. — 14. In tribus mortuis a Christo suscitatis tres peccatorum gradus. Suscitavit Christus mortuam in domo filiam Archisynagogi (Marc. V, 22-42). In domo erat, elata nondum erat. Sic est homo qui flagitium decrevit in corde: mortuus est, sed intus jacet. Si autem usque ad membrorum perpetrationem pervenerit, elatus est foras. Sed et juvenem filium viduae suscitavit Dominus, quando extra portam civitatis mortuus efferebatur. Sic ergo audeo quid dicere: Decrevisti in corde tuo, si te revocaveris ab actu tuo, sanatus eris antequam perpetres. Si enim egeris in corde tuo poenitentiam, quia rem malam, et scelestam, et flagitiosam damnabilemque decreveras: ibi ubi mortuus jacebas intus, sic intus surrexisti. Si autem perfeceris, jam foras elatus es: sed habes qui tibi dicat, Juvenis, tibi dico, surge (Luc. VII, 11-15). Etiamsi perpetrasti, poeniteat te, de proximo redi: noli in sepulcrum venire. Sed et hic mihi tertius mortuus est, qui etiam perductus est ad sepulcrum. Jam supra se habet consuetudinis pondus, moles eum terrena multum premit. Multum enim exercitatus est in flagitiis, consuetudine sua nimia praegravatur. Clamat et Christus, Lazare, prodi foras. Homo enim pessimae consuetudinis jam putet. Merito ibi Christus clamavit: nec solum clamavit, sed magna voce clamavit (Joan. XI, 14-44). Ad Christi enim clamorem etiam tales, licet mortui, licet sepulti, licet putentes, resurgent tamen et ipsi; resurgent. De nullo enim jacente desperandum est sub tali suscitatore. Conversi ad Dominum, etc.

Chapter XII. — 14. In the three dead raised by Christ, three degrees of sinners. Christ raised the dead daughter of the ruler of the synagogue in the house (Mark 5:22–42). She was in the house; she had not yet been carried out. So is the man who has decided on a shameful deed in his heart: he is dead, but he lies within. But if he has gone as far as committing it with his members, he has been carried outside. But the Lord also raised the young man, the son of the widow, when he was being carried out dead beyond the gate of the city. So then I dare to say something: you have decided in your heart; if you call yourself back from your act, you will be healed before you commit it. For if you do penance in your heart, because you had decided on an evil, wicked, shameful and damnable thing, then there where you lay dead within, there within you have risen again. But if you bring it to completion, you have already been carried outside; but you have One Who says to you, Young man, I say to you, arise (Luke 7:11–15). Even if you have committed it, repent, return from close by: do not come to the tomb. But here too I have a third dead man, who has even been brought to the tomb. Now he has the weight of habit on top of him; an earthly mass presses heavily upon him. For he is much practised in shameful deeds; he is weighed down by his excessive habit. And Christ cries out, Lazarus, come forth. For the man of most evil habit already stinks. Rightly did Christ cry out there: and not only did He cry out, but He cried out with a loud voice (John 11:14–44). For at the cry of Christ even such as these, though dead, though buried, though stinking, will nevertheless rise again themselves too; they will rise again. For no one lying [dead] is to be despaired of under such a Raiser. Turning to the Lord, etc.

SERMO CXXIX. De verbis Evangelii Joannis, cap. V, 39-47, Scrutamini Scripturas, in quibus putatis vos vitam aeternam habere, etc. Contra Donatistas.

Sermon 129. On the words of the Gospel of John, ch. 5:39–47, Search the Scriptures, in which you think you have eternal life, etc. Against the Donatists.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Evangelicae lectionis expositio. Ad evangelicam lectionem, quae recens sonuit in auribus nostris, advertat Charitas vestra, dum pauca loquimur quae Dominus donat. Ad Judaeos Dominus loquebatur Jesus, et dicebat eis: Scrutamini Scripturas, in quibus putatis vos vitam aeternam habere; ipsae testimonium perhibent de me. Deinde post

Chapter One. — 1. Exposition of the Gospel reading. To the Gospel reading which has just now sounded in our ears let your Charity give heed, while we say a few things which the Lord grants. The Lord Jesus was speaking to the Jews, and He said to them: Search the Scriptures, in which you think you have eternal life; they bear witness concerning Me. Then after

Editors' notes and page, col. 720

Footnotes

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CXXIX› · call in col 720 Castigatus ad omnes Mss. et Edd. in sermone praecedenti modo designatos.

Corrected against all the manuscripts and editions designated just now in the preceding sermon.

(printed under page 366)

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CXXIX› · call in col 720

Alias, de Verbis Domini 45.

Elsewhere, On the Words of the Lord 45.

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(b) ‹anchor: Contra Donatistas› · call in col 720

Citatur a Floro ad Rom. X.

It is cited by Florus on Romans 10.

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paululum : Ego, inquit, veni in nomine Patris mei, et non accepistis me : si alius venerit in nomine suo, illum accipietis. Deinde post paululum : Quomodo potestis mihi credere, gloriam ab invicem exspectantes, et gloriam quae a Deo solo est, non quaerentes? Ad extremum ait : Non ego vos accuso apud Patrem : est qui vos accusat Moyses, in quem vos speratis. Si enim crederetis Moysi, crederetis forsitan et mihi : de me enim ille scripsit. Cum autem verbis illius non creditis, quomodo potestis mihi credere? Ad haec proposita nobis divinitus, ex ore Lectoris, sed ministerio Salvatoris, audite pauca non numeranda, sed appendenda.

a little: "I," He says, "have come in the name of My Father, and you have not received Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive." Then a little after: "How can you believe Me, you who expect glory from one another, and do not seek the glory that is from God alone?" At the end He says: "It is not I who accuse you before the Father; there is one who accuses you, Moses, in whom you hope. For if you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe Me also; for he wrote of Me. But since you do not believe his words, how can you believe Me?" On these things, set before us by divine providence from the mouth of the Reader, but through the ministry of the Saviour, hear a few words, not to be counted but to be weighed.

CAPUT II. — 2. Christi verba ad discipulos, ad nos pariter spectant. Nam ista omnia facile est intelligere de Judaeis. Sed cavendum est, ne cum illos nimis attendimus, a nobis oculos auferamus. Discipulis enim suis Dominus loquebatur : et utique quod illis loquebatur, et nobis posteris loquebatur. Neque enim ad illos solos pertinet quod ait, Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi (Matth. XXVIII, 20) : sed ad omnes etiam postea futuros Christianos, et usque in finem saeculi proventuros. Loquens ergo illis ait, Cavete a fermento Pharisaeorum. Tunc putaverunt ideo Dominum dixisse hoc, quia panes non tulerant : non intellexerunt, quia Cavete a fermento Pharisaeorum, hoc dictum est, Cavete a doctrina Pharisaeorum (Id. XVI, 6-12). Quae fuit doctrina Pharisaeorum, nisi quam modo audistis? Gloriam ab invicem quaerentes, gloriam ab invicem exspectantes, et gloriam quae a solo Deo est, non quaerentes. De his apostolus Paulus ita dicit : Testimonium eis perhibeo, quia zelum Dei habent, sed non secundum scientiam. Zelum, inquit, Dei habent : novi, scio, apud illos fui, talis fui. Zelum Dei habent, sed non secundum scientiam? Quid est hoc, Apostole, non secundum scientiam? Expone nobis qnam commendes scientiam, quam doleas in illis non esse, et in nobis velis esse. Secutus adjunxit, et quod clausum posuerat, aperuit. Quid est, Zelum Dei habent, sed non secundum scientiam? Ignorantes enim Dei justitiam, et suam volentes constituere, justitiae Dei non sunt subjecti (Rom. X, 2, 3). Ignorare ergo Dei justitiam et suam velle constituere, hoc est, gloriam ab invicem exspectare et gloriam quae a solo Deo est non requirere, hoc est fermentum Pharisaeorum. Ab hoc cavere Dominus jubet. Si servis jubet, et Dominus jubet, caveamus; ne audiamus, Utquid mihi dicitis, Domine, Domine, et non facitis quae dico (Luc. VI, 46)?

Chapter II. — 2. Christ's words to the disciples concern us equally. For it is easy to understand all these things of the Jews. But we must beware lest, while we attend too much to them, we turn our eyes away from ourselves. For the Lord was speaking to His disciples; and certainly what He was speaking to them, He was speaking also to us who came after. For what He said, "Behold, I am with you even to the consummation of the age" (Matt. 28:20), does not concern them alone, but all the Christians who were to come afterwards and who will come forth even to the end of the age. So, speaking to them, He says, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees." Then they thought the Lord had said this because they had not brought bread; they did not understand that "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees" was said to mean, "Beware of the teaching of the Pharisees" (ibid. 16:6–12). What was the teaching of the Pharisees, if not what you have just heard? "Seeking glory from one another, expecting glory from one another, and not seeking the glory that is from God alone." Of these the apostle Paul speaks thus: "I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." "They have a zeal for God," he says: I know, I am aware, I was among them, I was such a one. "They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge"? What is this, Apostle, "not according to knowledge"? Explain to us what knowledge you commend, which you grieve is not in them and wish to be in us. He went on and added, and what he had set down closed, he opened. What is "They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge"? "For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own, they have not submitted to the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:2–3). To be ignorant of the righteousness of God and to wish to establish one's own, that is, to expect glory from one another and not to seek the glory that is from God alone, this is the leaven of the Pharisees. From this the Lord bids us beware. If He bids His servants, and it is the Lord who bids, let us beware; lest we hear, "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46).

CAPUT III. — 3. Judaeorum infidelitas. Relinquamus ergo paululum Judaeos, quibus Dominus tunc loquebatur. Foris sunt, audire nos nolunt. Ipsum Evangelium oderunt, falsa testimonia in Dominum procuraverunt, ut damnarent vivum : alia testimonia emerunt pecunia contra mortuum. Quando eis dicimus, Credite in Jesum, respondent nobis, In hominem mortuum credituri sumus? Cum autem addimus, Sed resurrexit, respondent, Absit; discipuli ejus furati

Chapter III. — 3. The unbelief of the Jews. Let us therefore leave aside for a little the Jews, to whom the Lord was then speaking. They are outside; they do not wish to hear us. They hate the Gospel itself; they procured false witnesses against the Lord, to condemn Him while living; they bought other witnesses with money against Him when dead. When we say to them, "Believe in Jesus," they answer us, "Are we to believe in a dead man?" But when we add, "But He rose again," they answer, "Far from it; His disciples

Editors' notes and page, col. 721

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible in the foot image› · call in col 721

Abest, solos, ab Am. Er. et a plerisque manuscriptis.

The word solos is absent from Am. and Er. (the editions of Amerbach and Erasmus) and from most of the manuscripts.

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sunt eum de sepulcro. Amant falsitatem Judaei emptores, et contemnunt veritatem Domini Redemptoris. Quod loqueris, Judaee, parentes tui pecunia emerunt; et hoc in te remansit, quod emerunt. Attende potius eum qui emit te, non qui mendacium emit tibi.

stole Him from the sepulchre." The Jewish buyers love falsehood, and despise the truth of the Lord the Redeemer. What you say, O Jew, your parents bought with money; and what they bought has remained in you. Attend rather to Him Who bought you, not to the one who bought a lie for you.

4. Verba Christi in Judaeos, Ecclesiae conveniunt in Donatistas. Sed istos, ut diximus, relinquamus: istos attendamus fratres nostros, cum quibus agimus. Nam Christus caput est et corpus. Caput in coelo est, corpus in terra est: caput Dominus est, corpus Ecclesia ejus. Sed meministis dictum, Erunt duo in carne una. Sacramentum hoc magnum est, ait Apostolus, ego autem dico in Christo et in Ecclesia (Ephes. V, 23, 31, 32). Si ergo duo sunt in carne una, duo sunt in voce una. Caput nostrum, Dominus Christus, locutus est ad Judaeos ea quae audivimus, cum Evangelium legeretur, caput ad inimicos suos: loquatur et corpus, id est, Ecclesia, ad inimicos suos. Nostis ad quos loquatur. Quid habet loqui? Non dixi de meo, ut vox una sit: quia caro una, vox una. Hoc ergo illis dicamus: voce Ecclesiae loquor. O fratres, filii dispersi, oves errantes, rami praecisi, quid mihi calumniamini? Quid me non agnoscitis? Scrutamini Scripturas, in quibus putatis vos vitam aeternam habere; ipsae testimonium perhibent de me: Judaeis dicit caput nostrum, quod vobis corpus dicit: Quaeretis me, et non invenietis (Joan. VII, 36). Quare? Quia non scrutamini Scripturas, quae testimonium perhibent de me.

4. The words of Christ against the Jews befit the Church against the Donatists. But let us leave those men, as we said: let us attend to these, our brothers, with whom we are dealing. For Christ is head and body. The head is in heaven, the body is on earth: the head is the Lord, the body is His Church. But you remember the saying, They shall be two in one flesh. This is a great sacrament, says the Apostle, but I speak in Christ and in the Church (Eph. 5:23, 31–32). If then they are two in one flesh, they are two in one voice. Our head, the Lord Christ, spoke to the Jews the things we heard when the Gospel was read, the head to His enemies: let the body too speak, that is, the Church, to its enemies. You know to whom it speaks. What has it to say? I have not spoken of my own, so that the voice may be one: because one flesh, one voice. Let us therefore say this to them: I speak with the voice of the Church. O brothers, scattered sons, wandering sheep, branches cut off, why do you slander me? Why do you not acknowledge me? Search the Scriptures, in which you think you have eternal life; they themselves bear witness of me: what our head says to the Jews, the body says to you: You will seek me, and you will not find [me] (John 7:36). Why? Because you do not search the Scriptures, which bear witness of me.

CAPUT IV. — 5. Testimonia Veteris Testamenti de Christo et Ecclesia. Testimonium pro capite: Abrahae dictae sunt promissiones et semini ejus. Non dicit, Et seminibus, tanquam in multis; sed tanquam in uno, Et semini tuo, quod est Christus (Galat. III, 16). Testimonium pro corpore ad Abraham, quod commemoravit Apostolus. Abrahae dictae sunt promissiones. Vivo ego, dicit Dominus; per memetipsum juro, quia obaudisti vocem meam, et non pepercisti dilecto filio tuo propter me, nisi benedicens benedicam te, et implendo implebo semen tuum sicut stellas coeli, et sicut arenam maris; et benedicentur in semine tuo omnes gentes terrae (Gen. XXII, 16-18). Habes testimonium pro capite, habes pro corpore. Audi aliud breve, et prope una sententia complexum pro capite et pro corpore. De resurrectione Christi Psalmus loquebatur: Exaltare super coelos, Deus. Continuo pro corpore: Et super omnem terram gloria tua (Psal. LVI, 6, 12). Audi testimonium pro capite: Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos, dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea: ipsi vero consideraverunt et conspexerunt me, diviserunt sibi vestimenta mea, et super vestem meam miserunt sortem. Audi continuo pro corpore, post pauca verba: Commemorabuntur, et convertentur ad Dominum universi fines terrae; et adorabunt in conspectu ejus universae patriae gentium: quoniam Domini est regnum, et ipse dominabitur gentium (Psal. XXI, 17, 18, 19, 28, 29). Audi pro capite: Et ipse tanquam sponsus procedens de thalamo

Chapter IV. — 5. Testimonies of the Old Testament concerning Christ and the Church. A testimony for the head: To Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He does not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to your seed, which is Christ (Gal. 3:16). A testimony for the body, to Abraham, which the Apostle recalled: To Abraham were the promises spoken. As I live, says the Lord; by Myself I swear, because you obeyed My voice, and did not spare your beloved son for My sake, surely blessing I will bless you, and filling I will fill your seed like the stars of heaven, and like the sand of the sea; and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (Gen. 22:16–18). You have a testimony for the head, you have [one] for the body. Hear another short one, comprising almost in one sentence [a testimony] for the head and for the body. The Psalm was speaking of the resurrection of Christ: Be exalted above the heavens, O God. Immediately, for the body: And Thy glory above all the earth (Ps. 56:6, 12). Hear a testimony for the head: They dug My hands and My feet, they numbered all My bones: but they considered and looked upon Me, they divided My garments among them, and upon My vesture they cast lots. Hear immediately, for the body, after a few words: All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship in His sight: for the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations (Ps. 21:17–19, 28–29). Hear, for the head: And He as a bridegroom coming forth from His bridal chamber

Editors' notes and page, col. 722

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: Judaei emptores› · call in col 722

Sic Am. Er. et Mss. At Lov., emptoris.

So Am., Er. and the manuscripts. But Lov. (the Louvain edition) has: emptoris.

(printed under page 367)

(2) ‹anchor: Quid habet loqui› · call in col 722

Sic Mss. At editi, Qui habet loqui.

So the manuscripts. But the printed editions have: Qui habet loqui.

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suo. Et in ipso psalmo audi pro corpore : In omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum (Psal. XVIII, 6, 5).

And in the same psalm hear on behalf of the body: Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world (Ps. 18:6, 5).

CAPUT V. — 6. Novi Testamenti testimonium pro Christo et Ecclesia. Haec Judaeis, et istis nostris. Quare? Quia istas Scripturas Veteris Testamenti et Judaei accipiunt, et nostri isti accipiunt. Sed ipsum Christum, quem illi non accipiunt, videamus si isti accipiunt. Dicat et ipse, dicat et pro se qui caput est, et pro corpore suo quod est Ecclesia, quia et in nobis caput loquitur pro corpore. Audi pro capite : Resurrexit a mortuis, invenit discipulos haesitantes, dubitantes, prae gaudio non credentes; aperuit illis sensum, ut intelligerent Scripturas, et dixit eis, Quia sic scriptum est, et sic oportebat Christum pati, et resurgere a mortuis tertio die. Habes pro capite; dicat et pro corpore : Et praedicari in nomine ejus poenitentiam et remissionem peccatorum per omnes gentes, incipientibus ab Jerusalem (Luc. XXIV, 45, etc.). Dicat ergo Ecclesia inimicis suis, dicat. Dicit plane, non tacet : sed illi audiant. Fratres, audistis testimonia, jam noscite me. Scrutamini Scripturas, in quibus vos speratis vitam aeternam habere; ipsae testimonium perhibent de me. Quae dixi, non sunt de meo, sed de Domini mei, et tamen adhuc aversamini, adhuc tergiversamini. Quomodo potestis mihi credere, gloriam ab invicem exspectantes, et gloriam quae a solo Deo est, non quaerentes? Quia ignorantes Dei justitiam, zelum Dei habetis, sed non secundum scientiam. Ignorantes enim Dei justitiam, et vestram volentes constituere, justitiae Dei non estis subjecti. Quid est aliud, ignorare Dei justitiam, et suam velle constituere, nisi dicere : Ego sanctifico, ego justifico; quod ego d⟨e⟩dero, hoc sanctum est? Dimitte Deo quod Dei est : agnosce, homo, quod hominis est. Ignoras Dei justitiam, et tuam vis constituere. Justificare me vis : sufficit tibi ut mecum justificeris.

Chapter V. — 6. The testimony of the New Testament for Christ and the Church. These things [are said] to the Jews, and to these people of ours. Why? Because both the Jews accept these Scriptures of the Old Testament and these people of ours accept them. But let us see whether these people accept Christ Himself, whom those others do not accept. Let Him too speak; let Him who is the head speak both for Himself and for His body, which is the Church, since in us also the head speaks on behalf of the body. Hear on behalf of the head: He rose from the dead, He found His disciples hesitating, doubting, not believing for joy; He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, For thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day. You have it on behalf of the head; let Him speak on behalf of the body too: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning from Jerusalem (Luke 24:45, etc.). Let the Church therefore speak to her enemies, let her speak. She does indeed speak, she is not silent: but let them hear. Brothers, you have heard the testimonies; now recognize me. Search the Scriptures, in which you hope to have eternal life; they bear witness of me. What I have said is not of my own, but of my Lord's, and yet you still turn away, you still shuffle and evade. How can you believe me, expecting glory from one another, and not seeking the glory which is from God alone? Because, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, you have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish your own, you have not been subject to the righteousness of God. What else is it to be ignorant of the righteousness of God and to wish to establish one's own, than to say: I sanctify, I justify; what I shall have given, that is holy? Leave to God what is God's: acknowledge, O man, what is man's. You are ignorant of the righteousness of God, and you wish to establish your own. You wish to justify me: it is enough for you to be justified with me.

CAPUT VI. — 7. Antichristi scelus imitantur Donatistae. De Antichristo dictum est, et omnes sic intelligunt quod ait Dominus, Ego veni in nomine Patris mei, et non suscepistis me : si alius venerit in nomine suo, hunc suscipietis. Sed audiamus et Joannem : Audistis quia venit Antichristus, et nunc antichristi multi facti sunt (I Joan. II, 18). Quid autem expavescimus in Antichristo, nisi quia nomen suum honoraturus est, et nomen Domini contempturus? Quid aliud facit qui dicit : Ego justifico? Respondetur ei : Ego ad Christum veni, non pedibus, sed corde veni : ubi Evangelium audivi, ibi credidi, ibi baptizatus sum : quia in Christum credidi, in Deum credidi. Et ille : Non es mundus. Quare? Quia non ibi fui. Dic quare nou sum mundatus, homo qui baptizatus sum in Jerusalem, homo qui baptizatus sum, verbi gratia, apud Ephesios, ad quos datam Epistolam legis, et quorum pacem spernis? Ecce ad Ephesios scripsit Apostolus : fundata est Ecclesia,

Chapter VI. — 7. The Donatists imitate the crime of Antichrist. It was said of Antichrist, and all understand it so, what the Lord says: I have come in the name of My Father, and you have not received Me: if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. But let us hear John also: You have heard that Antichrist comes, and now many antichrists have arisen (1 John 2:18). Now what do we dread in Antichrist, except that he is going to honour his own name and to despise the name of the Lord? What else does he do who says: I justify? Answer is made to him: I came to Christ, I came not with my feet but with my heart: where I heard the Gospel, there I believed, there I was baptized: because I believed in Christ, I believed in God. And he: You are not clean. Why? Because I was not there. Tell me why I have not been cleansed, I, a man who was baptized in Jerusalem, a man who was baptized, for example, among the Ephesians, to whom was sent the Epistle you read, and whose peace you spurn? See, the Apostle wrote to the Ephesians: the Church was founded,

Editors' notes and page, col. 723

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: adhuc aversamini› · call in col 723

Aliquot Mss., adversamini.

Some manuscripts have: adversamini.

(printed under page 368)

(2) ‹anchor: Justificare me vis› · call in col 723

Lov., Justificare te vis ; dissentientibus aliis libris editis et manuscriptis.

Lov. (the Louvain edition) has: Justificare te vis; the other printed books and the manuscripts disagreeing.

(printed under page 368)

(3) ‹anchor: et nomen Domini› · call in col 723

Plures manuscripti, et nomen Dei.

Several manuscripts have: et nomen Dei.

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manet usque nunc; et uberius manet, multiplicius manet, tenet quod accepit ab Apostolo, Si quis annuntiaverit vobis praeter quam quod accepistis, anathema sit (Galat. I, 9). Quid ergo? quid mihi dicis? Mundus non sum? Ibi baptizatus, mundus non sum? Etiam non es. Quare? Quia ego ibi non fui. Sed qui ubique est, ibi fuit. Qui ubique est, ibi fuit, in cujus nomen credidi. Tu nescio unde veniens, imo non veniens, sed volens ut ego ad te veniam, hic positus dicis mihi: Non es recte baptizatus, quia ego ibi non fui. Vide quis ibi fuit. Quid dictum est Joanui? Super quem videris Spiritum descendentem quasi columbam, hic est qui baptizat (Joan. I, 33). Ipsum habes quaerentem te: imo quia mihi ab ipso baptizato invidisti, ipsum perdidisti.

remains until now; and it remains more abundantly, it remains more manifoldly, it holds what it received from the Apostle, If anyone announces to you anything other than what you have received, let him be anathema (Gal. 1:9). What then? What do you say to me? Am I not clean? Baptized there, am I not clean? Indeed you are not. Why? Because I was not there. But He Who is everywhere was there. He Who is everywhere was there, He in Whose name I believed. You, coming from I know not where, or rather not coming, but wanting me to come to you, set here, say to me: You are not rightly baptized, because I was not there. See who was there. What was said to John? He upon Whom you see the Spirit descending as a dove, this is He Who baptizes (John 1:33). You have Him seeking you: nay rather, because you begrudged me being baptized by Him, you have lost Him.

CAPUT VII. — 8. Quae sit Catholicorum, quae Donatistarum doctrina. Intelligite ergo, fratres mei, vocem nostram et illorum, et videte quid eligatis. Nos hoc dicimus: Simus sancti, Deus scit; simus iniqui, et hoc magis ipse scit: vos in nobis spem non ponatis, qualescumque simus. Si boni sumus, facite quod scriptum est: Imitatores mei estote, sicut et ego Christi (I Cor. IV, 16). Si autem mali sumus, nec sic deserti estis, nec sic sine consilio remansistis: audite dicentem, Quae dicunt, facite; quae autem faciunt, facere nolite (Matth. XXIII, 3). Illi autem contra: Nisi boni fuerimus, peristis. Ecce est alius qui veniet in nomine suo. Ergo vita mea ex te pendebit, et salus mea ex te religabitur? Itane oblitus sum fundamentum meum? Nonne petra erat Christus (I Cor. X, 4)? Nonne qui aedificat super petram, ipsum non dejicit ventus, pluvia, flumina (Matth. VII, 25)? Veni ergo mecum, si vis, super petram, et noli mihi esse velle pro petra.

Chapter VII. — 8. What the doctrine of the Catholics is, and what that of the Donatists. Understand then, my brethren, our voice and theirs, and see which you would choose. We say this: whether we are holy, God knows; whether we are wicked, this too He knows all the better: do not place your hope in us, whatever sort we may be. If we are good, do what is written: Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ (1 Cor. 4:16). But if we are bad, not even so are you deserted, not even so have you been left without counsel: hear Him saying, What they say, do; but what they do, do not do (Matt. 23:3). They, however, say the contrary: Unless we are good, you have perished. Behold, here is another who will come in his own name. So then my life will hang on you, and my salvation will be bound to you? Have I so forgotten my foundation? Was not the rock Christ (1 Cor. 10:4)? Does not he who builds upon the rock remain unthrown by wind, rain and rivers (Matt. 7:25)? Come then with me, if you will, upon the rock, and do not wish to be the rock for me.

9. Donatistae nec Moysi, nec Christo credunt vel resurgenti. Donatistae in Christum injurii. Dicat ergo et novissimum illud Ecclesia, Si crederetis Moysi, crederetis et mihi; de me enim ille scripsit: quia corpus sum ejus, de quo scripsit. Et de Ecclesia Moyses scripsit. Nam Moysi verba dixi, In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes (Gen. XXII, 18). Moyses hoc in primo libro scripsit. Si crederetis Moysi, crederetis et Christo. Quia Moysi verba contemnitis, necesse est ut Christi verba contemnatis. Habent ibi, inquit, Moysen et Prophetas, audiant illos. Non, pater Abraham; sed si quis a mortuis venerit, ipsum audient. Et ille: Si Moysen et Prophetas non audiunt, nec si quis a mortuis resurrexerit, credent (Luc. XVI, 29-31). Hoc de Judaeis dictum est: ergo non dictum de haereticis?

9. The Donatists believe neither Moses nor Christ, even risen. The Donatists are injurious towards Christ. Let the Church then also say that last saying, If you believed Moses, you would believe me also; for he wrote of me: because I am His body, of which he wrote. And Moses wrote of the Church. For I have quoted the words of Moses, In your seed shall all nations be blessed (Gen. 22:18). Moses wrote this in the first book. If you believed Moses, you would believe Christ also. Since you despise the words of Moses, you must necessarily despise the words of Christ. They have there, he says, Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them. No, father Abraham; but if someone comes from the dead, they will hear him. And he: If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they believe if someone rises from the dead (Luke 16:29–31). This was said of the Jews: was it not then said of heretics?

CAPUT VIII. — A mortuis resurrexerat qui dicebat, Oportebat Christum pati, et resurgere a mortuis tertia die. Hoc credo. Credo, inquit. Credis? Quare non credis quod sequitur? Quia credis, Oportebat Christum pati, et resurgere a mortuis tertia die; hoc dictum est de capite: crede et quod sequitur de Ecclesia, Praedicari in nomine ejus poenitentiam et remissionem peccatorum per omnes gentes.

Chapter VIII. — He Who said, It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day, had risen from the dead. This I believe. I believe, he says. You believe? Why do you not believe what follows? Because you believe, It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day; this was said of the head: believe also what follows concerning the Church, That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations.

Editors' notes and page, col. 724

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible in the foot image› · call in col 724

Quidam manuscripti habent, Ipsum habens quaererem te ?

Certain manuscripts have: Ipsum habens quaererem te?

(printed under page 368)

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Quare credis de capite, et non credis de corpore? Quid tibi fecit Ecclesia, ut eam velis quodam modo decollare? Tollere vis Ecclesiae caput, et capiti credere, corpus relinquere, quasi exanime corpus. Sine causa capiti, quasi famulus devotus blandiris. Qui decollare vult, et caput et corpus conatur occidere. Erubescunt negare Christum, et non erubescunt negare verba Christi. Christum nec nos vidimus oculis, nec vos. Judaei viderunt, et occiderunt. Nos non vidimus, et credimus: verba ipsius nobiscum sunt. Comparate vos Judaeis: illi contempserunt pendentem in ligno, vos comtemnitis sedentem in coelo: illis suggerentibus stetit titulus Christi, vobis stantibus deletur Baptismus Christi. Sed quid restat, fratres, nisi oremus et pro superbis, oremus et pro elatis, qui se sic extollunt? Dicamus pro illis Deo, Cognoscant quia tibi nomen Dominus: et non homines, sed tu solus altissimus super omnem terram (Psal. LXXXII, 19). Conversi ad Dominum, etc.

Why do you believe concerning the head, and not believe concerning the body? What has the Church done to you, that you should wish in a certain manner to behead her? You want to take away the Church's head, and to believe in the head, and to abandon the body, as a lifeless body. To no purpose do you fawn upon the head like a devoted servant. Whoever wishes to behead is trying to kill both head and body. They blush to deny Christ, and they do not blush to deny the words of Christ. Neither we nor you have seen Christ with our eyes. The Jews saw Him, and killed Him. We have not seen Him, and we believe: His words are with us. Compare yourselves with the Jews: they despised Him hanging on the wood, you despise Him sitting in heaven; though they urged [otherwise], the title of Christ stood; while you stand by, the Baptism of Christ is blotted out. But what remains, brothers, except that we pray both for the proud, and pray for the arrogant, who exalt themselves in this way? Let us say to God on their behalf: Let them know that Thy name is Lord; and not men, but Thou alone, Most High over all the earth (Ps. 82:19). Turning to the Lord, etc.

Editors' notes and page, col. 725

Footnotes

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