PL 38 · cols. 729–733

Augustine, Sermones 131-137 (Classis I, de Scripturis)

Sermon CXXXI

SERMO CXXXI. De verbis Evangelii Joannis, cap. VI, 54-66, Nisi manducaveritis carnem, etc, deque verbis Apostoli et Psalmorum, contra Pelagianos. Habitus ad Mensam S. martyris Cypriani, IX calendas octobris, die dominica.

Sermon 131. On the words of the Gospel of John, chapter 6, 54-66, "Unless you eat the flesh," etc., and on words of the Apostle and of the Psalms, against the Pelagians. Preached at the Table of the holy martyr Cyprian, on the ninth day before the Kalends of October, on the Lord's day.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Corporis et sanguinis Christi sacramentum. Audivimus veracem Magistrum, divinum Redemptorem, humanum Salvatorem, commendantem nobis pretium nostrum, sanguinem suum. Locutus est enim nobis de corpore et sanguine suo: corpus dixit escam, sanguinem potum. Sacramentum fidelium agnoscunt fideles. Audientes autem quid aliud quam audiunt? Cum ergo commendans talem escam et talem potum diceret, Nisi manducaveritis carnem meam, et biberitis sanguinem meum, non habebitis vitam in vobis (et hoc diceret de vita, quis alius quam ipsa vita? Erit autem illi homini mors, non vita, qui mendacem putaverit vitam); scandalizati sunt discipuli ejus, non quidem omnes, sed plurimi, dicentes apud se ipsos, Durus est hic sermo, quis eum potest audire? Cum autem hoc Dominus apud semetipsum cognovisset, et murmura cogitationis audisset, cogitantibus, nec voce sonantibus respondit, ut se auditos esse cognoscerent, et talia cogitare desinerent. Quid ergo respondit? Hoc vos scandalizat? Si ergo videritis Filium hominis ascendentem ubi erat prius? Quid sibi vult, Hoc vos scandalizat? Putatis quia de hoc corpore meo quod videtis, partes facturus sum, et membra mea concisurus, et vobis daturus? Quid, si ergo videritis Filium hominis ascendentem ubi erat prius? Certe qui integer ascendere potuit, consumi non potuit. Ergo et de corpore ac sanguine suo dedit nobis salubrem refectionem, et tam magnam breviter solvit de sua integritate quaestionem. Manducent ergo qui manducant, et bibant qui bibunt; esuriant et sitiant: vitam manducent, vitam bibant. Illud manducare, refici est: sed sic reficeris, ut non deficiat unde reficeris. Illud bibere quid est, nisi vivere? Manduca vitam, bibe vitam: habebis vitam, et integra est vita. Tunc autem hoc erit, id est, vita unicuique erit corpus et sanguis Christi; si quod in Sacramento visibiliter sumitur, in ipsa veritate spiritualiter manducetur, spiritualiter bibatur. Audivimus

Chapter One. — 1. The sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. We have heard the truthful Teacher, the divine Redeemer, the human Saviour, commending to us our price, His blood. For He spoke to us of His body and blood: the body He called food, the blood drink. The faithful recognize the sacrament of the faithful. But those who only hear, what else do they do but hear? So when, commending such food and such drink, He said, Unless you eat My flesh and drink My blood, you shall not have life in you (and who else would say this about life but Life itself? But death, not life, will be the lot of that man who thinks Life a liar), His disciples were scandalized, not indeed all, but very many, saying among themselves, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? But when the Lord had come to know this within Himself, and had heard the murmurings of their thought, He answered them as they were thinking, not uttering it aloud, so that they might know they had been heard, and might cease to think such things. What then did He answer? Does this scandalize you? What then if you see the Son of man ascending where He was before? What does Does this scandalize you mean? Do you think that I am going to make portions of this body of Mine which you see, and cut up My limbs, and give them to you? What then, if you see the Son of man ascending where He was before? Surely He Who could ascend whole could not be consumed. So He both gave us from His body and blood a wholesome refreshment, and briefly resolved so great a question about His wholeness. Let those who eat, then, eat, and those who drink, drink; let them hunger and thirst: let them eat life, drink life. To eat that is to be refreshed: but you are so refreshed that that from which you are refreshed does not fail. To drink that, what is it but to live? Eat life, drink life: you will have life, and the life is whole. And this will be so, that is, the body and blood of Christ will be life to each one, if what is received visibly in the Sacrament is in very truth eaten spiritually, drunk spiritually. For we have heard

Editors' notes and page, col. 729

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: corpus› · call in col 729

Am. et Er., quod corpus. Manuscripti vero, quorum corpus.

Am. and Er. [the Amerbach and Erasmus editions] read quod corpus; the manuscripts, however, quorum corpus.

(printed under page 371)

(2) ‹anchor: murmura cogitationis› · call in col 729

Sic Mss. At editi, murmur ac cogitationes.

So the manuscripts. But the printed editions read murmur ac cogitationes ("the murmur and the thoughts").

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CXXXI› · call in col 729 Emendatus est ad tres bn. ad a. cl. cb. f. fs. gr. lr. m. pr. rm. vd. Am. Er. Par. Lov.

Corrected against three bn. [manuscripts], against a. cl. cb. f. fs. gr. lr. m. pr. rm. vd., and the Am. Er. Par. Lov. [Amerbach, Erasmus, Paris and Louvain] editions.

(printed under page 371)

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CXXXI› · call in col 729

Alias, de Verbis Apostoli 2.

Formerly [numbered] On the Words of the Apostle 2.

(printed under page 371)

(b) ‹anchor: contra Pelagianos› · call in col 729

Florus citat duobus locis : et quidem ad I Cor. X, sermonem appellat «de corpore et sanguine Domini;» quomodo Algerus contra Berengarium. At in Philipp. II, sermonem «de Verbis Apostoli 2» vocat. Quo loco in vera Bedae collectione manuscripta, dicitur sermo «de, Nisi manducaveritis,» etc.

Florus cites it in two places: on 1 Cor. 10 he calls the sermon "on the body and blood of the Lord," as does Alger against Berengar. But on Philippians 2 he calls it "On the Words of the Apostle 2." At that place, in the genuine manuscript collection of Bede, it is called the sermon "on Unless you eat," etc.

(printed under page 371)

Locum et diem habiti sermonis ita praenotatum accepimus ex veteri codice bibliothecae PP. Cisterciensium S. Crucis in Jerusalem de Urbe. Dies porro dominicus cum nono calendas octobris coincidebat anno 417, et ad hunc ipsum de facto annum pertinent Apostolicae Sedis rescripta de quibus hic in fine sermonis.

We have received the place and day of the sermon's delivery, noted thus at its head, from an old codex of the library of the Cistercian Fathers of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome. Moreover, a Sunday fell on the ninth day before the Kalends of October [23 September] in the year 417, and to this very year in fact belong the rescripts of the Apostolic See spoken of here at the end of the sermon.

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enim ipsum Dominum dicentem, Spiritus est qui vivificat, caro autem non prodest quidquam. Verba quae locutus sum vobis, spiritus et vita sunt. Sed sunt, inquit, quidam, qui non credunt. Ipsi dicebant, Durus est hic sermo, quis eum potest audire? Durus est, sed duris: hoc est, incredibilis, sed incredulis.

the Lord Himself saying, It is the Spirit that gives life, but the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are, He says, some who do not believe. They were saying, This saying is hard; who can hear it? It is hard, but to the hard: that is, unbelievable, but to the unbelieving.

CAPUT II. — 2. Fides donum Dei. Gratiae violentia suavis. Sed ut doceret nos etiam ipsum credere doni esse, non meriti: Sicut, inquit, dixi vobis, nemo venit ad me, nisi cui datum fuerit a Patre meo. Ubi autem hoc Dominus dixerit, si superiora Evangelii recolamus, inveniemus eum dixisse, Nemo venit ad me, nisi Pater, qui misit me, traxerit eum (Joan. VI, 44). Non dixit, Duxerit; sed, traxerit. Ista violentia cordi fit, non carni. Quid ergo miraris? Crede, et venis; ama, et traheris. Ne arbitreris istam asperam molestamque violentiam: dulcis est, suavis est; ipsa suavitas te trahit. Nonne ovis trahitur, cum esurienti herba monstratur? Et puto quia non corpore impellitur, sed desiderio colligatur. Sic et tu veni ad Christum: noli longa itinera meditari; ubi credis, ibi venis. Ad illum enim qui ubique est, amando venitur, non navigando. Sed quoniam etiam in tali itinere abundant fluctus et tempestates diversarum tentationum; in crucifixum crede, ut fides tua lignum possit ascendere. Non mergeris, sed ligno portaberis. Sic, sic in hujus saeculi fluctibus navigabat ille, qui dicebat, Mihi autem absit gloriari, nisi in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi. (Galat. VI, 14.)

Chapter II. — 2. Faith is the gift of God. The sweet violence of grace. But to teach us that even believing itself is a matter of gift, not of merit: As I said to you, He says, no one comes to Me except him to whom it has been given by My Father. But where the Lord said this, if we recall the earlier parts of the Gospel, we shall find that He said, No one comes to Me unless the Father, Who sent Me, has drawn him (John 6:44). He did not say, Has led; but, has drawn. This violence is done to the heart, not to the flesh. Why then do you marvel? Believe, and you come; love, and you are drawn. Do not suppose this to be a harsh and troublesome violence: it is sweet, it is pleasant; the very pleasantness draws you. Is not a sheep drawn when grass is shown to it in its hunger? And I think that it is not driven on by the body, but bound fast by desire. So you too, come to Christ: do not contemplate long journeys; where you believe, there you come. For to Him Who is everywhere one comes by loving, not by sailing. But since even on such a journey the waves and storms of various temptations abound, believe in the Crucified, so that your faith may be able to climb onto the wood. You will not be drowned, but will be carried by the wood. Thus, thus did he sail on the waves of this world who said, But far be it from me to glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Gal. 6:14.)

CAPUT III. — 3. Nec fides nec bona vita propriis viribus arroganda. Mirum est autem quod praedicato Christo crucifixo, audiunt duo, unus contemnit, alter ascendit. Qui contemnit, imputet sibi: qui ascendit non arroget sibi. Audivit enim a veraci Magistro, Nemo venit ad me, nisi datum fuerit ei a Patre meo. Gaudeat, quia datum est: gratias agat danti corde humili, non arroganti; ne quod humilis meruit, superbus amittat. Nam etiam qui jam in ipsa via justa ambulant, si sibi eam tribuerint et viribus suis, pereunt de illa. Ideo humilitatem nos docens sancta Scriptura per Apostolum dicit, Cum timore et tremore vestram ipsorum salutem operamini. Et ne sibi aliquid inde darent, quia dixit, operamini: continuo subjunxit, Deus enim est qui operatur in vobis et velle et operari, pro bona voluntate (Philipp. II, 12, 13). Deus est qui operatur in vobis: ideo cum timore et tremore, vallem facite, imbrem suscipite. Depressa implentur, alta siccantur. Gratia pluvia est. Quid ergo miraris, si Deus superbis resistit, humilibus autem dat gratiam (Jacob. IV, 6)? Ideo cum timore et tremore, id est, cum humilitate. Noli altum sapere, sed time (Rom. XI, 20). Time, ut implearis: noli altum sapere, ne sicceris.

Chapter III. — 3. Neither faith nor a good life is to be claimed for one's own powers. But it is a marvel that, when Christ crucified is preached, two hear: one despises, the other ascends. Let him who despises impute it to himself; let him who ascends not claim it for himself. For he has heard from the truthful Master, No one comes to Me unless it has been given him by My Father. Let him rejoice, because it has been given; let him give thanks to the Giver with a humble heart, not an arrogant one; lest what he merited as humble he lose as proud. For even those who are already walking in the very path of righteousness, if they attribute it to themselves and to their own powers, perish from it. Therefore holy Scripture, teaching us humility, says through the Apostle, With fear and trembling work out your own salvation. And lest they should ascribe anything to themselves on that account, because he said, work out, he immediately added, For it is God Who works in you both to will and to work, according to good will (Phil. 2:12–13). It is God Who works in you: therefore with fear and trembling make a valley, receive the rain. Low places are filled, high places are dried up. Grace is rain. Why then do you marvel if God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Jas. 4:6)? Therefore with fear and trembling, that is, with humility. Do not be high-minded, but fear (Rom. 11:20). Fear, so that you may be filled: do not be high-minded, lest you be dried up.

CAPUT IV. — 4. Gratia justificato, ut in via justa ambulet, necessaria. Sed jam, inquis, ambulo viam istam: opus erat ut discerem, opus erat ut per doctrinam Legis scirem quid agerem: habeo liberum voluntatis arbitrium; quis me ab ista via separabit?

Chapter IV. — 4. Grace is necessary for the justified man, that he may walk in the right path. But I am already, you say, walking this path: it was needful that I should learn, it was needful that through the teaching of the Law I should know what I was to do: I have free choice of the will; who will separate me from this path?

Editors' notes and page, col. 730

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: ambulo viam istam› · call in col 730

Aliquot Mss., viam justam.

Some manuscripts read viam justam ("the just way").

(printed under page 371)

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Si legas diligenter, invenies quemdam de sua quadam abundantia, quam tamen acceperat, extollere se coepisse; Dominum autem misericordem, ut doceret humilitatem, quod dederat abstulisse; illum vero subito inopem remansisse, et misericordiam Dei recordatione confessum dixisse, Ego dixi in abundantia mea, Non movebor in aeternum. Ego dixi in abundantia mea. Sed ego dixi, homo dixi: Omnis homo mendax (Psal. CXV, 11): Ego dixi. Ergo, Ego dixi in abundantia mea: tanta erat abundantia, ut hoc dicere auderem: Non movebor in aeternum. Quid deinde? Domine, in voluntate tua praestitisti decori meo virtutem. Avertisti autem faciem tuam a me, et factus sum conturbatus (Psal. XXIX, 7, 8). Ostendisti, inquit, mihi quia illud quo abundabam, de tuo erat. Ostendisti mihi unde peterem, cui tribuerem quod acceperam, cui gratias agere deberem, ad quem currerem sitiens, unde implerer, et quo impletus essem ad quem custodirem. Fortitudinem enim meam ad te custodiam (Psal. LVIII, 10), quo te largitore implear, te servatore non perdam. Fortitudinem meam ad te custodiam. Hoc ut ostenderes mihi, avertisti faciem tuam a me, et factus sum conturbatus. Conturbatus, quia siccatus; siccatus, quia exaltatus. Dic ergo siccus et aridus, ut rursus implearis: Anima mea velut terra sine aqua tibi (Psal. CXLII, 6). Dic, Anima mea velut terra sine aqua tibi. Tu enim dixeras, non Dominus dixerat, Non movebor in aeternum. Tu dixeras praesumens de te; sed non de tuo, et quasi putabas de tuo.

If you read carefully, you will find that a certain man began to exalt himself on account of a certain abundance of his own, which he had nevertheless received; but that the merciful Lord, in order to teach humility, took away what He had given; and that he, suddenly left in want, and having by remembrance confessed the mercy of God, said: I said in my abundance, I shall not be moved for ever. I said in my abundance. But I said, a man said: Every man is a liar (Ps. 115:11): I said. Therefore, I said in my abundance: so great was the abundance that I dared to say this: I shall not be moved for ever. What next? Lord, in Thy will Thou didst grant strength to my beauty. But Thou didst turn away Thy face from me, and I became troubled (Ps. 29:7–8). Thou didst show me, he says, that that wherein I abounded was from Thee. Thou didst show me whence I should ask, to whom I should attribute what I had received, to whom I ought to give thanks, to whom I should run thirsting, whence I should be filled, and towards whom I should keep that with which I had been filled. For I will keep my strength towards Thee (Ps. 58:10), so that, with Thee as giver, I may be filled, and, with Thee as keeper, I may not lose it. I will keep my strength towards Thee. That Thou mightest show me this, Thou didst turn away Thy face from me, and I became troubled. Troubled, because dried up; dried up, because exalted. Say then, dry and parched, that you may be filled again: My soul is as earth without water to Thee (Ps. 142:6). Say, My soul is as earth without water to Thee. For you had said, not the Lord had said, I shall not be moved for ever. You had said it presuming of yourself; but [it was] not of your own, and yet you thought it as though [it were] of your own.

CAPUT V. — 5. Ambulans in via justa, si id sibi tribuat, perit de via justa. Quid ergo Dominus dicit? Servite Domino in timore, et exsultate ei cum tremore. Sic et Apostolus, Cum timore et tremore vestram ipsorum salutem operamini. Deus est enim qui operatur in vobis. Ergo, exsultate cum tremore. Ne quando irascatur Dominus. Video quia clamando praevenitis. Quid enim dicturus sum scitis, clamando praevenitis. Et hoc unde habetis, nisi quia docuit ad quem credendo venistis? Hoc ergo dicit: audite quod nostis; non doceo, sed commemoro praedicando: imo nec doceo, quia nostis; nec commemoro, quia meministis; sed simul dicamus quod nobiscum tenetis. Hoc Dominus dicit: Apprehendite disciplinam, et exsultate, sed cum tremore, ut semper humiles teneatis quod accepistis, Ne quando irascatur Dominus, utique superbis, sibi quod habent tribuentibus, non illi a quo habent gratias agentibus. Ne quando irascatur Dominus, et pereatis de via justa. Numquid dixit, Ne quando irascatur Dominus, et non veniatis ad viam justam? Numquid, Ne quando irascatur Dominus, et non vos perducat ad viam justam, aut non vos admittat ad viam justam? Jam in illa ambulatis, nolite superbire, ne etiam de illa pereatis. Et pereatis, inquit, de via justa. Cum exarserit in brevi ira ejus super vos. Non in longum. Ubi superbis, ibi quod acceperas perdis. His territus

Chapter V. — 5. One walking in the just way, if he attributes this to himself, perishes from the just way. What then does the Lord say? Serve the Lord in fear, and exult to Him with trembling. So also the Apostle: With fear and trembling work out your own salvation. For it is God Who works in you. Therefore, exult with trembling. Lest at any time the Lord be angry. I see that by crying out you anticipate me. You know what I am about to say; by crying out you anticipate me. And whence do you have this, except that He to Whom you came by believing has taught you? This then He says: hear what you know; I do not teach, but I recall it to mind by preaching: nay, I do not even teach, because you know; nor do I recall it to mind, because you remember; but let us say together what you hold with us. This the Lord says: Lay hold of discipline, and exult, but with trembling, so that, being always humble, you may hold what you have received, Lest at any time the Lord be angry, namely with the proud, who attribute to themselves what they have, not giving thanks to Him from Whom they have it. Lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way. Did He say, Lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you not come to the just way? [Did He say,] Lest at any time the Lord be angry, and not lead you to the just way, or not admit you to the just way? You are already walking in it; do not be proud, lest you perish even from it. And you perish, He says, from the just way. When His anger shall have blazed up in a short time against you. Not for long. Where you are proud, there you lose what you had received. Terrified by these things

Editors' notes and page, col. 731

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 731

Er. et Lov., cui retribuerem. Castigantur ex Am. et ex manuscriptis.

Er. and Lov. [the Erasmus and Louvain editions] read cui retribuerem ("to whom I would repay"). They are corrected from Am. [Amerbach] and from the manuscripts.

(printed under page 372)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 731

Sic Mss. At Lov., quo te largitorem impleam. Am. et Er., quod te largiente impleam.

So the manuscripts. But Lov. reads quo te largitorem impleam; Am. and Er., quod te largiente impleam ("which I may fulfil by your giving").

(printed under page 372)

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PL 38:732

homo quasi diceret, Quid ergo faciam? sequitur, Beati omnes qui confidunt in eo (Psal. II, 11-13): non in se, sed in eo. Gratia salvi facti sumus, non ex nobis, sed Dei donum est (Ephes. II, 8).

a man, as if he were saying, What then shall I do? there follows, Blessed are all who trust in Him (Ps. 2:11–13): not in themselves, but in Him. By grace we have been saved, not of ourselves, but it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8).

CAPUT VI. — 6. In Pelagianos. Remissio peccatorum in Baptismo. Languor post Baptismum. Forte dicatis: Quid sibi vult quod hoc saepe dicit? Iterum hoc, et tertium hoc: et prope nunquam loquitur, nisi quando hoc dicit. Utinam non sine causa dicam. Sunt enim homines ingrati gratiae, multum tribuentes inopi sauciaeque naturae. Verum est, magnas arbitrii liberi vires homo, cum conderetur, accepit; sed peccando amisit. In mortem lapsus est, infirmus factus est, a latronibus semivivus in via relictus est: in jumentum suum levavit eum transiens Samaritanus, quod interpretatur Custos; ad stabulum adhuc perducitur. Quid extollitur? Adhuc curatur. Sed sufficit, inquit, mihi quod in Baptismo accepi remissionem omnium peccatorum. Numquid quia deleta est iniquitas, finita est infirmitas? Accepi, inquit, remissionem omnium peccatorum. Prorsus verum est. Deleta sunt cuncta peccata in sacramento Baptismatis, cuncta prorsus, dicta, facta, cogitata, cuncta deleta sunt. Sed hoc est quod infusum est in via, oleum et vinum. Retinetis, charissimi, semivivus ille in via a latronibus sauciatus, quomodo sit consolatus, accipiens oleum et vinum vulneribus suis (Luc. X, 30-35). Jam utique errori ejus indultum fuit, et tamen sanatur languor in stabulo. Stabulum si agnoscitis, Ecclesia est. Stabulum modo, quia vivendo transimus: domus erit, unde nunquam migrabimus, cum ad regnum coelorum sani pervenerimus. Interim in stabulo libenter curemur, non adhuc languidi de sanitate gloriemur; ne nihil aliud superbiendo faciamus, nisi ut nunquam curando sanemur.

Chapter VI. — 6. Against the Pelagians. The remission of sins in Baptism. Weakness after Baptism. Perhaps you may say: What does he mean by saying this so often? This again, and this a third time: and he almost never speaks except when he says this. Would that I did not say it without cause. For there are men ungrateful to grace, attributing much to a needy and wounded nature. It is true that man, when he was created, received great powers of free will; but by sinning he lost them. He fell into death, he was made weak, he was left half-alive on the road by robbers: the Samaritan, which is interpreted Guardian, passing by, lifted him onto his own beast; he is still being led to the inn. Why does he exalt himself? He is still being cured. But it is enough for me, he says, that in Baptism I received the remission of all sins. Surely, because the iniquity has been blotted out, the infirmity has not therefore been ended? I received, he says, the remission of all sins. That is entirely true. All sins were blotted out in the sacrament of Baptism, absolutely all, words, deeds, thoughts, all were blotted out. But this is what was poured in on the road, the oil and the wine. You remember, dearly beloved, how that half-alive man, wounded by robbers on the road, was comforted, receiving oil and wine for his wounds (Luke 10:30–35). His error had certainly already been pardoned, and yet his weakness is healed in the inn. The inn, if you recognize it, is the Church. An inn for now, because by living we are passing through: it will be a home, from which we shall never move away, when we have arrived healthy at the kingdom of heaven. Meanwhile let us willingly be cured in the inn, let us not, while still sick, boast of health; lest by being proud we achieve nothing else than that we are never healed by being cured.

CAPUT VII. — 7. Gratiae beneficia quatuor: remissio peccatorum, curatio languoris, redemptio ab omni corruptione et concupiscentia. — Benedic, anima mea, Dominum. Dic animae tuae, dic: Adhuc in hac vita es, adhuc carnem fragilem portas, adhuc corpus quod corrumpitur aggravat animam (Sap. IX, 15); adhuc post integritatem remissionis accepisti remedium orationis; adhuc utique dicis, donec sanentur languores tui, Dimitte nobis debita nostra (Matth. VI, 12). Dic ergo animae tuae, humilis vallis, non erectus collis; dic animae tuae, Benedic, anima mea, Dominum, et noli oblivisci omnes retributiones ejus. Quas retributiones? Dic, enumera, gratias age. Quas retributiones? Qui propitius fit omnibus iniquitatibus tuis. Hoc factum est in Baptismo. Quid fit modo? Qui sanat omnes languores tuos. Hoc fit modo: agnosco. Sed quamdiu hic sum, corpus quod corrumpitur aggravat animam. Dic ergo et quod sequitur, Qui redimit de corruptione vitam tuam. Post redemptionem de corruptione quid restat? Quando corruptibile hoc induerit incorruptionem, et mortale hoc induerit immortalitatem, tunc fiet sermo qui scriptus est, Absorpta est mors in victoriam. Ubi est, mors, contentio tua? Ibi recte, Ubi est, mors, aculeus tuus? Quaeris locum ejus, et non invenis. Quid est aculeus mortis? Quid est, Ubi est,

Chapter VII. — 7. The four benefits of grace: the remission of sins, the cure of weakness, redemption from all corruption and concupiscence. — Bless the Lord, O my soul. Say to your soul, say: You are still in this life, you still carry fragile flesh, the body which is corrupted still weighs down the soul (Wis. 9:15); still, after the completeness of remission, you have received the remedy of prayer; still indeed you say, until your weaknesses are healed, Forgive us our debts (Matt. 6:12). Say therefore to your soul, a lowly valley, not an upraised hill; say to your soul, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all His recompenses. What recompenses? Say it, count them, give thanks. What recompenses? Who is propitious towards all your iniquities. This was done in Baptism. What is being done now? Who heals all your weaknesses. This is being done now: I acknowledge it. But as long as I am here, the body which is corrupted weighs down the soul. Say therefore also what follows, Who redeems your life from corruption. After redemption from corruption, what remains? When this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your strife? There rightly, Where, O death, is your sting? You seek its place, and you do not find it. What is the sting of death? What is, Where is,

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mors, aculeus tuus? Ubi est peccatum? Quaeris, et nusquam est. Aculeus enim mortis est peccatum (I Cor. XV, 54-56). Apostoli, non mea verba sunt. Tunc dicetur: Ubi est, mors, aculeus tuus? Nusquam erit peccatum, nec quod te capiat, nec quod te impugnet, nec quod conscientiam titillet. Tunc non dicetur: Debita nostra dimitte nobis. Sed quid dicetur? Domine Deus noster, pacem da nobis: omnia enim reddidisti nobis (Isai. XXVI, 12).

O death, your sting? Where is sin? You seek it, and it is nowhere. For the sting of death is sin (1 Cor. 15:54–56). They are the Apostle's words, not mine. Then it will be said: Where, O death, is your sting? Nowhere will there be sin, neither to seize you, nor to assail you, nor to tickle the conscience. Then it will not be said: Forgive us our debts. But what will be said? O Lord our God, give us peace: for Thou hast rendered all things to us (Isa. 26:12).

CAPUT VIII. — 8 Gratiae postremum beneficium, corona justitiae. Denique post redemptionem ab omni corruptione, quid restat nisi corona justitiae? Ipsa certe restat, sed etiam in ipsa vel sub ipsa non sit caput turgidum, ut recipiat coronam. Audi, attende Psalmum, quam nolit corona illa turgidum caput. Cum dixisset, Qui redimit de corruptione vitam tuam: Qui coronat te, inquit. Jam hic dicturus eras, Coronat te, merita mea fatentur, virtus mea fecit hoc: debitum redditur, non donatur. Audi potius Psalmum. Nam et hoc tu dicis: Omnis homo mendax (Psal. CXV, 11). Audi, Deus quid dicat: Qui coronat te in miseratione et misericordia. De misericordia te coronat, de miseratione te coronat. Non enim dignus fuisti quem vocaret, et vocatum justificaret, justificatum glorificaret. Reliquiae per electionem gratiae salvae factae sunt. Si autem gratia, jam non ex operibus: alioquin gratia jam non est gratia (Rom. XI, 5). Nam ei qui operatur, merces non imputabitur secundum gratiam, sed secundum debitum (Id. IV, 4). Apostolus loquitur, Non secundum gratiam, sed secundum debitum. Te autem coronat in miseratione et misericordia: et si tua merita praecesserunt, dicit tibi Deus, Discute bene merita tua, et videbis quia dona sunt mea.

Chapter VIII. — 8. The last benefit of grace, the crown of justice. Finally, after redemption from all corruption, what remains but the crown of justice? That certainly remains, but even in it or under it let there be no swollen head, so as to receive the crown. Hear, attend to the Psalm, how that crown does not want a swollen head. When it had said, Who redeems your life from corruption: Who crowns you, it said. Here you were already about to say, He crowns you; my merits declare it, my own strength has done this: a debt is being repaid, not a gift given. Hear the Psalm rather. For you too say this: Every man is a liar (Ps. 115:11). Hear what God says: Who crowns you in compassion and mercy. Out of mercy He crowns you, out of compassion He crowns you. For you were not worthy that He should call you, and, having called you, justify you, and, having justified you, glorify you. A remnant has been saved through the election of grace. But if by grace, it is no longer from works: otherwise grace is no longer grace (Rom. 11:5). For to him who works, the reward will not be reckoned according to grace, but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). The Apostle speaks: Not according to grace, but according to debt. But you He crowns in compassion and mercy: and if your merits went before, God says to you, Examine your merits well, and you will see that they are My gifts.

CAPUT IX. — 9. Justitia Dei, quae Judaeis et Pelagianis ignota est. Gratia in Veteri Testamento occulta, in Novo revelata. Haec est ergo justitia Dei. Quomodo dicitur, Domini salus (Psal. III, 9), non qua salvus est Dominus, sed quam dat eis quos salvos facit: sic et Dei gratia per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum, justitia Dei dicitur, non qua justus est Dominus, sed qua justificat eos quos ex impiis justos facit. Quidam vero, quomodo aliquando Judaei, et Christianos se dici volunt, et adhuc ignorantes Dei justitiam, suam volunt constituere, etiam temporibus nostris, temporibus apertae gratiae, temporibus nunc revelatae prius occultae gratiae, temporibus nunc in area manifestae gratiae, quae aliquando latebat in vellere. Paucos intellexisse video, plures non intellexisse, quos ego nequaquam tacendo fraudabo. Quidam de antiquis justis Gedeon petivit a Domino signum, et dixit: Peto, Domine, ut vellus hoc quod in area pono, compluatur, et area sicca sit. Factum est: complutum est vellus, area tota sicca erat. Expressit mane vellus in pelve; quoniam humilibus datur gratia: et in pelve nostis quid fecerit Dominus discipulis suis. Item petivit alterum signum: Volo, inquit, Domine, ut vellus siccum sit, area compluta. Et hoc factum est (Judicum IV, 37-40). Repete tempus veteris Testamenti, gratia occulta

Chapter IX. — 9. The justice of God, which is unknown to the Jews and the Pelagians. Grace hidden in the Old Testament, revealed in the New. This, then, is the justice of God. Just as it is said, Salvation is the Lord's (Ps. 3:9), not that by which the Lord is saved, but that which He gives to those whom He saves: so too the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord is called the justice of God, not that by which the Lord is just, but that by which He justifies those whom from ungodly He makes just. But certain people, as the Jews once did, both wish to be called Christians and, still ignorant of the justice of God, wish to establish their own, even in our times, times of open grace, times of a grace now revealed that was formerly hidden, times of a grace now manifest on the threshing-floor, which once lay hidden in the fleece. I see that a few have understood, that more have not understood, and these I will by no means cheat by keeping silent. One of the just men of old, Gideon, asked a sign of the Lord, and said: I ask, O Lord, that this fleece which I lay on the threshing-floor be rained upon, and the threshing-floor be dry. It was done: the fleece was rained upon, the whole threshing-floor was dry. In the morning he wrung out the fleece into a basin; for grace is given to the humble: and you know what the Lord did with a basin for His disciples. Again he asked another sign: I wish, he said, O Lord, that the fleece be dry, the threshing-floor rained upon. And this too was done (Judg. 6:37–40). Recall the time of the Old Testament, grace was hidden

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Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: bene merita tua› · call in col 733

Sic manuscripti. Editi vero, bona merita tua.

So the manuscripts. The printed editions, however, read bona merita tua ("your good merits").

(printed under page 373)