Migne Reading Room
PL 38 · cols. 877–884
Augustine, Sermones 158-163 (Classis I, de Scripturis)
Sermon CLXI
Venit Testamentum novum, revelatum est quod occultabatur. Qui sedebant in umbra mortis, lumen ortum est eis (Isai. IX, 2). Revelatum est eis quod occultabatur: quod latebat, in aperto est. Venit ipsa Petra, omnes nos spiritu circumcidit, et suae humilitatis signum in redemptorum fronte defixit.
The New Testament came, and what was hidden was revealed. Those who sat in the shadow of death, a light has risen for them (Isa. 9:2). What was hidden has been revealed to them: what lay concealed is in the open. The Rock Itself came, circumcised all of us in spirit, and fixed the sign of His humility on the forehead of the redeemed.
7. Gloriatio sit in cruce Christi, non in nostra justitia. Jam gloriatio in cruce sit Christi: non nos pudeat humilitatis Excelsi. Quamdiu discretio ciborum, et carnis circumcisio? Quorum Deus venter, et gloria in pudendis eorum (Philipp. III, 19). Illis futura praenuntiabantur, jam facta credantur. Non simus ingrati ei qui venit, si exspectavimus ut veniret. Sed unde Judaei ab hac gratia extorres, alieni, fugitivi? Quia zelum Dei habent, sed non secundum scientiam. Quam scientiam? Ignorantes, inquit, Dei justitiam, et suam volentes constituere: non tenentes Deum nisi in praeceptis, et suis viribus se arbitrantes implere posse praecepta, adjutorium devitarunt. Finis enim legis Christus, perfectio legis Christus, ad justitiam omni credenti (Rom. X, 2-4). Et quid facit Christus? Justificat impium. Credendo quippe in eum qui justificat impium, non pium, sed impium; faciens pium, quem reperit impium: credenti ergo in eum qui justificat impium, deputatur fides ejus ad justitiam. Si enim Abraham ex operibus justificatus est, tanquam ipse fecerit, tanquam sibi hoc ipse praestiterit; habet gloriam, sed non apud Deum (Id. IV, 5, 2). Qui autem gloriatur, in Domino glorietur; et securus dicat, In tua justitia erue me, et exime me. Eruit enim et eximit in se sperantes; non suis viribus, quod acceperint, tribuentes. Et hoc ipsum enim est sapientiae, scire cujus est donum (Sap. VIII, 21). Quis hoc dixit? Qui rogavit Deum, ut daret illi continentiam. Quae justitia, quae particula justitiae impleri potest, sine aliqua continentia? Delectat enim peccare: nam si non delectaret, non fieret. Minus autem delectat justitia, aut non delectat, aut minus quam dignum est, delectat. Unde hoc, nisi de languoribus animae? Panis in fastidio est, et delectat venenum. Unde iste languor sanabitur, obsecro vos? Itane a nobismetipsis et per nosmetipsos? Qui omnes idonei fuimus vulnerare nos, quis nostrum est idoneus curare quod fecit? Sic et in ipsis delictis, quis non cum voluerit, vulnerat se? Sed non quis cum voluerit, sanat se. Sit ergo animus pius, sit fideliter christianus, sit gratiae non ingratus. Agnoscatur medicus: nunquam se sanat aegrotus.
7. Let glorying be in the cross of Christ, not in our own righteousness. Now let glorying be in the cross of Christ: let us not be ashamed of the humility of the Most High. How long the distinction of foods, and the circumcision of the flesh? Whose god is the belly, and their glory in their shameful parts (Phil. 3:19). To them things to come were foretold; let them now be believed as done. Let us not be ungrateful to Him Who came, if we waited for Him to come. But why are the Jews exiles from this grace, strangers, fugitives? Because they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. What knowledge? Being ignorant, he says, of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own: holding God only in the commandments, and thinking that they could fulfil the commandments by their own strength, they shunned help. For the end of the law is Christ, the perfection of the law is Christ, unto righteousness for everyone who believes (Rom. 10:2–4). And what does Christ do? He justifies the ungodly. For it is by believing in Him Who justifies the ungodly, not the godly, but the ungodly, making godly the one whom He found ungodly: to him, then, who believes in Him Who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned unto righteousness. For if Abraham was justified by works, as though he had done it himself, as though he had furnished this to himself, he has glory, but not before God (Rom. 4:5, 2). But let him who glories glory in the Lord; and let him say without anxiety, In Thy righteousness rescue me, and deliver me. For He rescues and delivers those who hope in Him, not attributing to their own strength what they have received. For this very thing too belongs to wisdom, to know whose gift it is (Wis. 8:21). Who said this? He who asked God to give him continence. What righteousness, what particle of righteousness can be fulfilled without some continence? For sinning delights: indeed, if it did not delight, it would not be done. But righteousness delights less, or does not delight, or delights less than is fitting. Whence this, if not from the sicknesses of the soul? Bread is loathed, and poison delights. Whence will this sickness be healed, I beseech you? Is it so, from ourselves and through ourselves? We who were all capable of wounding ourselves, which of us is capable of curing what he has done? So too in sins themselves, who does not wound himself when he wishes? But no one heals himself when he wishes. Let the soul, then, be godly, let it be faithfully Christian, let it not be ungrateful to grace. Let the physician be acknowledged: the sick man never heals himself.
SERMO CLXI. De verbis Apostoli, Nolite errare: neque fornicatores, neque idolis servientes, neque adulteri, neque molles, neque masculorum concubitores... regnum Dei possidebunt. Nescitis quia corpora vestra membra
Sermon 161. On the words of the Apostle, Do not go astray: neither fornicators, nor those who serve idols, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor those who lie with males... shall possess the kingdom of God. Do you not know that your bodies are members
Editors' notes and page, col. 877
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Forte, adjutorium Dei ignorarunt.
Perhaps "they did not know the help of God."
(printed under page 445) (*) ‹anchor: SERMO CLXI› · call in col 877 Collatus cum a. bn. cl. cb. f. fs. g. lr. m. pr. rm. vd. et Am. Er. Par. Lov.
Collated with the manuscripts a. bn. cl. cb. f. fs. g. lr. m. pr. rm. vd. and the Amerbach, Erasmus, Paris and Louvain editions.
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Alias, de Verbis Apostoli 18.
Formerly On the Words of the Apostle 18.
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Ex hoc sermone quaedam citat Florus ad I Cor. VI, VII.
Florus cites some passages of this sermon on 1 Corinthians 6 and 7.
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Christi sunt? etc. I Cor. cap. VI, ℣℣. 9, 10, 15, 19.
of Christ? etc. 1 Cor. chapter 6, verses 9, 10, 15, 19.
CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Fornicatio fugienda. Injuriam Christo facit fornicator. Apostolum audivimus, cum legeretur, corripientem et coercentem humanas libidines, et dicentem: Nescitis quia corpora vestra membra Christi sunt? Tollens ergo membra Christi, faciam membra meretricis? Absit. Corpora ergo nostra membra Christi esse dixit; quoniam Christus caput nostrum est, eo quod homo factus est propter nos: caput de quo dictum est, Ipse Salvator corporis nostri (Ephes. V, 23). Corpus autem ejus Ecclesia est (Coloss. I, 18). Si ergo Dominus noster Jesus Christus tantummodo animam humanam susciperet; membra ejus non essent nisi animae nostrae: quia vero et corpus suscepit, per quod etiam caput est nobis, qui ex anima et corpore constamus; profecto illius membra sunt et corpora nostra. Si ergo unusquisque cupiens fornicari, vilescebat sibi, et in se ipso contemnebat se ipsum, non in se contemnat Christum: non dicat, Faciam, nihil sum: Omnis caro fenum (Isai. XL, 6). Sed corpus tuum membrum est Christi. Quo ibas? Redi. Quo te tanquam praecipitare cupiebas? Parce in te Christo, agnosce in te Christum. Tollens ergo membra Christi, faciam membra meretricis? Meretrix est enim quae tibi ad adulterium consentit: et forte ipsa christiana tollit membra Christi, et facit membra adulteri. Invicem in vobis contemnitis Christum, nec agnoscitis Dominum vestrum, nec cogitatis pretium vestrum. Qualis autem ille Dominus, qui servos suos fecit fratres suos? Sed parum erat fratres suos, nisi faceret membra sua. Itane tanta dignitas viluit? Quia tam benigne praestita est, non honor ei retribuitur? Si non praestaretur, desideraretur: quia praestita est, contemnitur?
Chapter I. — 1. Fornication is to be fled. The fornicator does injury to Christ. We heard the apostle, when he was being read, rebuking and restraining human lusts, and saying: Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Far from it. He said, therefore, that our bodies are members of Christ, since Christ is our head, in that He was made man for our sake: the head of whom it was said, He is the Saviour of our body (Eph. 5:23). And His body is the Church (Col. 1:18). If, then, our Lord Jesus Christ had taken up only a human soul, His members would be nothing but our souls; but since He took up a body as well, through which He is also head to us, who consist of soul and body, assuredly our bodies too are His members. If, then, anyone desiring to commit fornication was cheap in his own eyes, and in himself despised himself, let him not despise Christ in himself; let him not say, I will do it, I am nothing: All flesh is grass (Isa. 40:6). But your body is a member of Christ. Where were you going? Come back. Where were you desiring, as it were, to hurl yourself headlong? Spare Christ in you, recognize Christ in you. Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? For she is a harlot who consents with you to adultery: and perhaps she herself, a Christian woman, takes the members of Christ and makes them members of an adulterer. You despise Christ in one another, and you do not recognize your Lord, nor do you consider your price. What sort of Lord is He, who made His servants His brothers? But it was too little [to make them] His brothers, unless He made them His members. Has such great dignity, then, become cheap? Because it has been bestowed so kindly, is no honour rendered back to Him? If it were not bestowed, it would be longed for: because it has been bestowed, is it despised?
CAPUT II. — 2. Fornicator in Spiritum sanctum injuriosus. Haec autem corpora nostra, quae dicit Apostolus membra esse Christi, propter corpus Christi, quod ex genere corporis nostri suscepit; haec ergo corpora nostra dicit idem apostolus templum esse in nobis Spiritus sancti, quem habemus a Deo. Propter corpus Christi corpora nostra membra sunt Christi: propter inhabitantem Spiritum Christi, corpora nostra sunt templum Spiritus sancti. Quid horum in te contemnis? Christum, cujus membrum es? an Spiritum sanctum, cujus templum es? Ipsam meretricem, quae tibi consentit ad malum, non audes fortasse in⟨t⟩roducere in cubiculum tuum, ubi habes lectum tuum conjugalem: sed quaeris aliquem abjectum in domo tua et turpem locum, in quo turpiter voluteris. Defers ergo honorem cubiculo uxoris tuae, et non defers templo Dei tui? Non introducis impudicam, ubi dormis cum conjuge tua, et tu ipse is ad impudicam, cum sis templum Dei? Puto quia melius est templum Dei, quam cubiculum uxoris tuae. Quocumque enim ieris, Jesus videt te; qui fecit te, et perditum redemit te, et pro mortuo mortuus est pro te. Tu te non
Chapter II. — 2. The fornicator does injury to the Holy Spirit. Now these bodies of ours, which the Apostle says are members of Christ on account of the body of Christ, which He took up from the kind of our body; these bodies of ours, then, the same apostle says are a temple of the Holy Spirit in us, whom we have from God. On account of the body of Christ our bodies are members of Christ: on account of the indwelling Spirit of Christ, our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit. Which of these do you despise in yourself? Christ, whose member you are? or the Holy Spirit, whose temple you are? The harlot herself, who consents with you to evil, you perhaps do not dare to bring into your bedchamber, where you have your marriage bed: but you look for some mean and shameful place in your house, in which to wallow shamefully. So you pay honour to your wife's bedchamber, and do you not pay it to the temple of your God? You do not bring in an unchaste woman where you sleep with your wife, and do you yourself go to an unchaste woman, though you are the temple of God? I think that the temple of God is better than your wife's bedchamber. For wherever you go, Jesus sees you; He who made you, and redeemed you when you were lost, and died for you when you were dead. You do not
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agnoscis : sed ille a te oculos non avertit, non ad adjuvandum, sed ad puniendum. Oculi enim Domini super justos, et aures ejus ad preces eorum. Continuo subjecit, et terruit eos qui sibi malam securitatem dabant, qui sibi dicebant, Faciam : non enim Deus me tam turpia facientem dignatur attendere. Audi quid sequitur, cujus sis attende ; quoniam quocumque ieris, Jesus videt : Vultus autem Domini super facientes mala, ut perdat de terra memoriam eorum (Psal. XXXIII, 16, 17). Sed de qua terra? Ubi dicitur, Spes mea es tu, portio mea in terra viventium (Psal. CXLI, 6).
acknowledge yourself: but He does not turn His eyes away from you, not to help, but to punish. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and His ears towards their prayers. Straightaway he added this, and terrified those who were giving themselves an evil security, who were saying to themselves, I will do it: for God does not deign to pay attention to me when I do such shameful things. Hear what follows, consider whose you are; for wherever you have gone, Jesus sees: But the face of the Lord is upon those who do evil things, to destroy their memory from the land (Ps. 33:16–17). But from what land? Where it is said, Thou art my hope, my portion in the land of the living (Ps. 141:6).
CAPUT III. — 3. Fornicatio excludit a regno Dei. Forte enim malus, iniquus, adulter, impudicus, fornicarius gaudet quia facit, et senescit in quo libido non senescit, et dicit apud se : Certe verum est, Vultus autem Domini super facientes mala, ut perdat de terra memoriam eorum. Ecce ego jam senui, qui ab ineunte aetate usque in hodiernum diem tanta committo, multos castos ante me se⟨p⟩elivi, multorum castorum funera juvenum ad sepulcrum ipse deduxi, et pudicis impudicus supervixi. Quid est quod dicitur, quia Vultus Domini super facientes mala, ut perdat de terra memoriam eorum? Est alia terra ubi non est impudicus, est alia terra in regno Dei. Nolite errare : neque fornicatores, neque idolis servientes, neque adulteri, neque molles, neque masculorum concubitores, neque fures, neque avari, neque ebriosi, neque maledici regnum Dei possidebunt. Hoc est, perdet de terra memoriam eorum. Multi enim talia committentes, spem sibi ponunt : propter eos qui perdite viventes spem sibi ponunt in regno Dei, quo non accessuri sunt, dictum est, Perdet de terra memoriam eorum. Erit enim coelum novum, et terra nova, quam justi inhabitabunt. Ibi impii, ibi mali, ibi nequissimi habitare non sinuntur. Eligat modo qui talis est, ubi desideret habitare, cum tempus est ut possit mutari.
Chapter III. — 3. Fornication excludes from the kingdom of God. For perhaps the wicked, unjust, adulterous, unchaste fornicator rejoices because he does it, and grows old in that wherein lust does not grow old, and says within himself: Certainly it is true, But the face of the Lord is upon those who do evil things, to destroy their memory from the land. See, I have now grown old, I who from earliest youth up to this present day commit such things; I have buried many chaste men before me, I myself have led the funerals of many chaste young men to the tomb, and I, the unchaste, have outlived the chaste. What is it that is said, that the face of the Lord is upon those who do evil things, to destroy their memory from the land? There is another land where there is no unchaste man, there is another land in the kingdom of God. Do not err: neither fornicators, nor those who serve idols, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor those who lie with males, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers shall possess the kingdom of God. That is, He will destroy their memory from the land. For many who commit such things set hope for themselves: on account of those who, living abandoned lives, set their hope on the kingdom of God, which they will not reach, it was said, He will destroy their memory from the land. For there will be a new heaven and a new land, which the just will inhabit. There the impious, there the wicked, there the most worthless are not allowed to dwell. Let him who is such choose now where he wishes to dwell, while it is the time when he can be changed.
CAPUT IV. — 4. Habitationes duae, in igne, aut in regno. Pro corpore quantum timetur. Duae quippe habitationes sunt; una in igne aeterno, alia in regno aeterno. Puta quia in igne aeterno aliter ille, aliter ille torquebuntur : ibi erunt tamen, ibi omnes cruciabuntur; minus ille, plus ille. Quia tolerabilius erit Sodomae in die judicii, quam alteri civitati (Matth. X, 15) : et quidam circumeunt mare et terram, facere unum proselytum, quem cum fecerint, faciunt eum filium gehennae duplo quam sunt ipsi (Id. XXIII, 15). Puta quia alii duplo, alii simplo; puta quia alii plus, alii minus : non est regio ubi tibi eligas locum. Quaecumque ibi mitiora tormenta sunt, pejora sunt, quam quae formidas in isto saeculo. Cogita quomodo tremas, si tibi aliquis calumnietur, ne mittaris in carcerem : et tu ipse contra te male vivis, ut mittaris in ignem? Contremiscis, conturbaris, pallescis, ad ecclesiam curris, episcopum videre desideras, ad pedes ejus volutaris. Quaerit, quare? Libera me, inquis. Quid agitur? Ecce ille mihi calumniatur. Et quid tibi facturus est? Domine, concutior; Domine, in carcerem mittor; miserere mei, libera me. Ecce quomodo timetur carcer,
Chapter IV. — 4. Two dwellings, in the fire, or in the kingdom. How much is feared for the body. For there are two dwellings: one in eternal fire, the other in the eternal kingdom. Suppose that in the eternal fire this man will be tormented in one way, that man in another: yet they will be there, there all will be tortured; this one less, that one more. For it will be more tolerable for Sodom on the day of judgement than for another city (Matt. 10:15); and certain men go round sea and land to make one proselyte, and when they have made him, they make him a son of Gehenna twofold more than they themselves are (Matt. 23:15). Suppose that some twofold, others singly; suppose that some more, others less: it is not a region where you may choose a place for yourself. Whatever torments there are milder, they are worse than those which you dread in this world. Consider how you tremble if someone brings a false charge against you, lest you be sent to prison: and do you yourself live evilly against yourself, so as to be sent into fire? You shudder, you are troubled, you grow pale, you run to the church, you long to see the bishop, you throw yourself at his feet. He asks, why? Free me, you say. What is going on? See, that man is bringing a false charge against me. And what is he going to do to you? Lord, I am being harassed; Lord, I am being sent to prison; have mercy on me, free me. See how prison is feared,
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Er. Lugd. Ven. Lov., Currite propter animam. M.
The Erasmus, Lyons, Venice and Louvain editions: "Run for the sake of the soul." M.
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Er. Lugd. Ven., Et ut noveris quia propter corpus tuum curro, non propter animam tuam, melius audio. M.
The Erasmus, Lyons and Venice editions: "And that you may know that I run for the sake of your body, not for the sake of your soul, I hear better." M.
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quomodo timetur conclusio; et non timetur gehennae exustio! Postremo, quando augetur calamitas, et pressura saevit atrocior, et usque ad mortem saevit, quando bonum videtur homini ne moriatur, ne occidatur, debere succurri omnes clamant, adjutoria cuncta implorantur; subvenite, currite propter animam. Tota exaggeratio calamitatis est, quia dicitur, propter animam. Succurrendum est quidem, nec huic timori adjutorium denegandum: facien⟨d⟩um quod fieri potest, a quo potest.
how imprisonment is feared, and the burning of Gehenna is not feared! Finally, when calamity grows and oppression rages more fiercely, and rages even to the point of death, when it seems good for a man that he should not die, that he should not be killed, all cry out that help ought to be given, every kind of aid is implored: come to the rescue, run for the sake of the soul! The whole exaggeration of the calamity lies in this, that it is said: for the sake of the soul. Help must indeed be given, and aid must not be refused to this fear: what can be done must be done, by whoever is able to do it.
CAPUT V. — 5. Mors animae plus timenda quam corporis. Verumtamen ego interrogare volo periclitantem, et isto nomine mea viscera commoventem; quoniam dicit, Curre propter animam. Facile huic ego respondeo: Ego quidem curro propter carnem tuam; utinam tu curreres propter animam tuam. Et tu noveris quia propter corpus tuum curro, non propter animam tuam. Melius audio Christum vera dicentem, quam te timore falso murmurantem. Ipse enim Dominus dicit: Nolite timere eos qui corpus occidunt, animam autem non possunt occidere (Matth. X, 28). Certe propter animam tuam me vis currere: ecce quem times, et sub cujus comminationibus expallescis, non potest occidere animam tuam: usque ad corpus saevit, tu noli saevire in animam tuam. Ab illo occidi non potest, a te potest; non lancea, sed lingua. Inimicus qui te percutit, finit hanc vitam: Os autem quod mentitur, occidit animam (Sap. I, 11). Ex his ergo quae in hoc tempore homines timent, conjiciant quae timere debeant. Timet enim carcerem, et non timet gehennam? Timet quaestionarios tortores, et non timet infernales angelos? Timet cruciatum temporalem, et non timet poenas ignis aeterni? Postremo timet ad modicum mori, et non timet in aeternum mori?
Chapter V. — 5. The death of the soul is more to be feared than that of the body. Yet I wish to question the man in danger, who stirs my inmost feelings with that word; since he says, Run for the sake of the soul. To him I readily reply: I indeed run for the sake of your flesh; would that you ran for the sake of your soul. And you should know that I run for the sake of your body, not for the sake of your soul. I would rather listen to Christ speaking true things than to you murmuring in false fear. For the Lord Himself says: Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul (Matt. 10:28). Certainly you want me to run for the sake of your soul: look, the one you fear, at whose threats you turn pale, cannot kill your soul; he rages as far as the body; do not you rage against your own soul. By him it cannot be killed, by you it can; not by a lance, but by the tongue. The enemy who strikes you ends this life: But the mouth that lies kills the soul (Wis. 1:11). From the things, therefore, that men fear at this time, let them infer what they ought to fear. Does he fear prison, and not fear Gehenna? Does he fear the torturers of the interrogation, and not fear the angels of hell? Does he fear temporal torment, and not fear the punishments of eternal fire? Finally, does he fear to die for a little while, and not fear to die for ever?
6. Vita animae et vita corporis unde. Animae vita Deus. Ille qui te occisurus est, quem times, quem exhorrescis, quem fugis, a cujus timore non sineris dormire, et ipsum in somnis si vides, cum dormieris, expavescis, quid est facturus tibi? Exclusurus est de carne tua animam tuam: anima tua exclusa quo eat, vide. Neque enim potest ille aliter carnem tuam occidere, nisi inde excludat animam tuam, per quam vivit caro tua. Praesentia quippe animae tuae caro vivit, et quamdiu in carne tua praesens est anima tua, necesse est ut vivat caro tua. Ille autem qui tuam mortem quaerit, ejicere vult de carne tua vitam tuam, qua vivit caro tua.
6. Whence the life of the soul and the life of the body. The life of the soul is God. He who is going to kill you, whom you fear, at whom you shudder, from whom you flee, through fear of whom you are not allowed to sleep, and if you see him in dreams when you have fallen asleep, you are terrified, what is he going to do to you? He is going to shut your soul out of your flesh: see where your soul, once shut out, is to go. For he cannot kill your flesh in any other way than by shutting out from it your soul, through which your flesh lives. For your flesh lives by the presence of your soul, and as long as your soul is present in your flesh, your flesh must live. But he who seeks your death wants to cast out of your flesh your life, by which your flesh lives.
CAPUT VI. — Putas, non est aliqua vita, qua vivit ipsa anima tua? Est enim anima vita quaedam, qua vivit caro tua. Putas, nulla alia vita est, qua vivit ipsa anima tua: aut quomodo habet caro tua vitam, animam qua vivit caro tua, fit et ipsa anima tua, ut habeat aliquam vitam suam? et quomodo caro, cum moritur, exspirat animam vitam suam; sic et anima, quando moritur, exspirat aliquam vitam suam? Si invenerimus quae sit haec vita, non corporis tui, quod
Chapter VI. — Do you think there is not some life by which your soul itself lives? For the soul is a certain life, by which your flesh lives. Do you think there is no other life by which your soul itself lives; or rather, just as your flesh has a life, the soul by which your flesh lives, so it comes about for your soul itself too, that it has some life of its own? and just as the flesh, when it dies, breathes out the soul, its life, so the soul too, when it dies, breathes out some life of its own? If we find what this life is, not of your body, which
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est anima tua; sed vita vitae corporis tui, hoc est, vita animae tuae: si invenerimus eam, ex hac morte, qua times ne de carne ejiciatur anima tua, puto quia plus debes timere illam mortem, ne vita animae tuae projiciatur de anima tua. Breviter ergo dicam: et quid multis teneor? Vita corporis anima est, vita animae Deus est. Spiritus Dei habitat in anima, et per animam in corpore, ut et corpora nostra templum sint ⟨S⟩piritus sancti, quem habemus a Deo. Venit enim Spiritus ad animam nostram: quia charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis (Rom. V, 5); et totum possidet qui principale tenet. In te quippe illud principatur, quod melius est. Tenens Deus quod melius est, id est, cor tuum, mentem tuam, animam tuam, profecto per meliorem possidet et inferiorem, quod est corpus tuum. Saeviat igitur inimicus, minetur mortem, faciat si permittitur, excludat de carne animam tuam: anima tua non excludat a se vitam suam. Si recte plangis, et putas te miserabiliter dicere potenti inimico tuo, Noli ferire, parce sanguini meo: non tibi dicit Deus, Miserere animae tuae placens Deo (Eccli. XXX, 24)? Anima tua forte dicit: Roga illum, ne feriat; nam dimitto te. Si enim percusserit, manere tecum non possum. Roga ne feriat, si vis ut non te dimittam: Quae tibi dicit, si vis ut non te dimittam? Tu ipse: tu enim qui loqueris, anima es. Si ergo percusserit carnem, tu fugis, tu exis, tu migras, jacet terra in terra. Ubi erit quod animavit terram? quod flatu Dei tibi datum est, ubi erit? Si non efflavit vitam suam, id est, Deum suum, in illo erit quem non perdidit, in illo erit quem non a se exclusit. Si autem obtemperas infirmitati animae tuae, dicenti tibi, Ferit, et dimitto te; non times Deum dicentem tibi, Peccas, et dimitto te?
is your soul; but the life of the life of your body, that is, the life of your soul: if we find it, then, from this death by which you fear that your soul may be cast out of the flesh, I think that you ought to fear more that other death, lest the life of your soul be thrown out of your soul. So let me say it briefly: and why am I held up by many words? The life of the body is the soul, the life of the soul is God. The Spirit of God dwells in the soul, and through the soul in the body, so that our bodies too may be a temple of the Holy Spirit, Whom we have from God. For the Spirit comes to our soul: because the charity of God has been poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us (Rom. 5:5); and he who holds the principal part possesses the whole. For in you that rules which is better. God, holding what is better, that is, your heart, your mind, your soul, assuredly through the better possesses the lower also, which is your body. Let the enemy rage, then, let him threaten death, let him do it if he is permitted, let him shut your soul out of the flesh: let your soul not shut its own life out of itself. If you rightly lament, and think that you speak pitiably when you say to your powerful enemy, Do not strike, spare my blood: does not God say to you, Have pity on your soul, pleasing God (Sir. 30:24)? Your soul perhaps says: Ask him not to strike; for I am leaving you. For if he strikes, I cannot remain with you. Ask him not to strike, if you want me not to leave you: Who is it that says to you, if you want me not to leave you? You yourself: for you who speak are the soul. If then he strikes the flesh, you flee, you go out, you depart, earth lies upon earth. Where will that be which gave life to the earth? That which was given to you by the breath of God, where will it be? If it has not breathed out its own life, that is, its God, it will be in Him Whom it has not lost, it will be in Him Whom it has not shut out from itself. But if you obey the weakness of your soul, which says to you, He is striking, and I am leaving you; do you not fear God, Who says to you, You are sinning, and I am leaving you?
CAPUT VII. — 7. Timor vanus et timor utilis. De timore vano timorem utilem capiamus. Timor vanus est omnium hominum timentium amittere temporalia, quandoque migraturorum, et migrare trepidantium, volentium semper differre quod non possunt auferre. Vanus est iste timor hominum: et tamen est, et vehemens est, et resisti ei non potest. Hinc increpandi, hinc objurgandi, hinc plangendi, hinc lugendi homines, timentes mori, et nihil aliud agentes, nisi serius mori. Quare non agunt non mori? Quoniam quidquid agunt, non efficiunt ut non moriantur. Possunt autem aliquid agere, quo efficiant ut nunquam moriantur? Nullo modo. Prorsus quidquid egeris, quantumcumque invigilaveris, quocumque fugeris, qualibet munimenta quaesieris, quibuslibet divitiis te redemeris, quibuslibet calliditatibus hostem fefelleris; non fallis febrem. Nihil enim aliud agis, ut non cito ab hoste moriaris, nisi ut serius aliquando a febre moriaris. Habes quod agas, ut nunquam moriaris. Si times mortem, ama vitam. Vita tua Deus est, vita tua Christus est, vita tua Spiritus sanctus est. Non illi places male agendo. Templum ruinosum non inhabitat, templum sordidum non ingreditur. Sed geme ad illum, ut mundet sibi locum; geme ad illum, ut aedificet templum sibi: quod tu destruxisti, ipse construat; quod tu exterminasti,
Chapter VII. — 7. Vain fear and useful fear. From vain fear let us take up useful fear. Vain is the fear of all men who fear to lose temporal things, who are some day going to depart, and who tremble at departing, wanting always to put off what they cannot take away. Vain is this fear of men: and yet it exists, and it is vehement, and it cannot be resisted. Hence men are to be rebuked, hence to be reproved, hence to be lamented, hence to be mourned, fearing to die, and doing nothing else but to die later. Why do they not act so as not to die? Because whatever they do, they do not bring it about that they do not die. But can they do something by which they may bring it about that they never die? By no means. Indeed, whatever you do, however watchful you are, wherever you flee, whatever defences you seek, with whatever riches you ransom yourself, with whatever cunning you deceive the enemy; you do not deceive fever. For you do nothing else, so as not to die soon at the hand of an enemy, than to die at some later time from a fever. You have something to do so that you may never die. If you fear death, love life. Your life is God, your life is Christ, your life is the Holy Spirit. You do not please Him by doing evil. He does not dwell in a ruinous temple, He does not enter a filthy temple. But groan to Him, that He may cleanse a place for Himself; groan to Him, that He may build a temple for Himself: what you have destroyed, may He build up; what you have driven out,
Editors' notes and page, col. 881
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ipse reformet; quod tu dejecisti, ipse erigat. Clama ad Deum, clama interius, clama ubi audit: quia et ibi peccas, ubi videt; ibi clama, ubi audit.
let Him Himself reform; what you cast down, let Him Himself raise up. Cry out to God, cry out inwardly, cry out where He hears: for it is there too that you sin, where He sees; cry out there, where He hears.
8. Timore poenae malum non faciens, nondum laudandus. Gehennae timor ad quid utilis. Et cum timorem correxeris, et utiliter timere coeperis, non temporales cruciatus, sed aeterni ignis supplicia, et ideo adulter non fueris: hinc enim loquebamur, propter Apostolum, qui dixit, Corpora vestra membra Christi sunt: cum ergo ideo adulter esse non coeperis, quia times ardere in igne sempiterno, nondum laudandus es; non quidem ita dolendus, ut ante, sed tamen nondum laudandus.
8. One who does not do evil from fear of punishment is not yet to be praised. Of what use the fear of Gehenna is. And when you have corrected your fear, and have begun to fear usefully, not temporal torments but the punishments of eternal fire, and for that reason have not been an adulterer (for it was of this that we were speaking, on account of the Apostle, who said, Your bodies are members of Christ): when, then, you have not begun to be an adulterer for this reason, that you are afraid to burn in everlasting fire, you are not yet to be praised; not indeed to be grieved over as before, but nevertheless not yet to be praised.
CAPUT VIII. — Quid enim magnum est, timere poenam? Magnum est, sed amare justitiam. Interrogo te, et invenio te. Tu inspice interrogationem meam sonantem, et fac de te ipso interrogationem silentem. Dico ergo tibi: Libidine cum victus habes consentientem, quare non committis adulterium? Et respondebis: Quia timeo gehennam, timeo supplicium ignis aeterni, timeo judicium Christi, timeo societatem diaboli, ne puniar ab illo, et cum illo ardeam. Quid? dicturus sum, Male times? quomodo tibi dicebam de adversario, quia quaerebat corpus tuum occidere. Ibi enim recte dicebam, Male times, securum te fecit Dominus tuus, dicens: Nolite timere eos qui corpus occidunt. Modo cum dicis mihi, Gehennam timeo, ardere timeo, in aeternum puniri timeo: quid dicturus sum? Male times? vane times? Non audeo, quandoquidem ipse Dominus ablato timore, subjecit timorem; et ait, ubi dixit, Nolite timere eos qui corpus occidunt, et postea non habent quid faciant: sed eum timete, qui habet potestatem et corpus et animam occidere in gehennam ignis: ita dico vobis, hunc timete (Luc. XII, 4, 5). Cum ergo Dominus timorem incusserit, et vehementer incusserit, et repetendo verbum comminationem geminaverit, dicturus ego sum, Male times? Ista non dicam. Plane time, nihil melius times; nihil est quod magis timere debeas. Sed interrogo te: Si non te videret Deus, quando facis, nec quisquam te convinceret in judicio illius, faceres? Tu te vide. Non enim potes ad verba omnia mea respondere, inspice te ipsum. Faceres? Si faceres, ergo poenam times, castitatem nondum amas, charitatem nondum habes: serviliter times; formido est mali, nondum dilectio boni. Sed time tamen, ut ista formido custodiat te, ut perducat ad dilectionem. Timor enim iste, quo gehennam times, et ideo mala non facis, continet te; et sic volentem peccare animum interiorem non sinit. Est enim quidam custos timor, quasi paedagogus legis; littera est minans, nondum gratia juvans. Custodiat tamen te timor iste, dum non facis timendo, et veniet charitas; intrat in cor tuum, et quantum illa intrat, tantum timor exit. Timor enim id agebat, ne faceres: charitas id agit, ut nolis facere, etiam si impune possis admittere.
Chapter VIII. For what great thing is it to fear punishment? The great thing is rather to love justice. I question you, and I find you out. Consider my question as it sounds, and put to yourself a silent question about yourself. I say to you, then: when, overcome by lust, you have [someone] consenting, why do you not commit adultery? And you will answer: Because I fear Gehenna, I fear the punishment of eternal fire, I fear the judgement of Christ, I fear the company of the devil, lest I be punished by him and burn with him. What then? Am I going to say, You fear wrongly? as I was saying to you about the adversary, because he was seeking to kill your body. For there I rightly said, You fear wrongly; your Lord has made you secure, saying: Do not fear those who kill the body. Now, when you say to me, I fear Gehenna, I fear to burn, I fear to be punished for eternity: what am I going to say? You fear wrongly? You fear in vain? I do not dare, since the Lord Himself, having taken away one fear, put another in its place; and He said, where He said, Do not fear those who kill the body, and afterwards have nothing that they can do: but fear Him Who has power to kill both body and soul in the Gehenna of fire: so I say to you, fear Him (Luke 12:4–5). Since, then, the Lord has struck fear into us, and struck it vehemently, and by repeating the word has doubled the threat, am I going to say, You fear wrongly? These things I will not say. Fear, by all means; you fear nothing better; there is nothing that you ought to fear more. But I ask you: if God did not see you when you do it, and no one were to convict you at His judgement, would you do it? Look at yourself. For you cannot answer all my words [aloud]; examine yourself. Would you do it? If you would do it, then you fear punishment, you do not yet love chastity, you do not yet have charity: you fear like a slave; it is dread of evil, not yet love of good. But fear nevertheless, so that this dread may guard you and lead you on to love. For this fear, by which you fear Gehenna and therefore do not do evil things, restrains you; and so it does not permit the inner mind that wishes to sin [to act]. For fear is a kind of guardian, like the tutor of the Law; it is the letter threatening, not yet grace helping. Let this fear guard you nevertheless, while by fearing you do not do it, and charity will come; it enters into your heart, and as much as it enters, so much does fear go out. For fear brought it about that you did not do it: charity brings it about that you do not wish to do it, even if you could commit it with impunity.
Editors' notes and page, col. 882
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: nondum dilectio boni› · call in col 882
Plerique Mss., nondum delectatio boni.
Most manuscripts: "not yet delight in the good."
(printed under page 447)
(2) ‹anchor: in cor tuum› · call in col 882
Sic Am. Er. et nonnulli Mss. At Lov., et veniat charitas, intret in cor tuum.
So the Amerbach and Erasmus editions and some manuscripts. But the Louvain edition: "and let charity come, let it enter your heart."
(printed under page 447)
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CAPUT IX. — 9. Charitas timorem alium pellit, a⟨l⟩i⟨u⟩m introducit. Timor servilis. Timor castus. Dixi quid timeatis, dixi quid appetatis. Sectamini charitatem, intret charitas; admittite illam, timendo peccare, admittite amorem non peccantem, admittite amorem bene viventem. Illa, ut dicere coeperam, intrante, incipit timor exire. Quanto plus illa intraverit, tanto timor minor erit. Cum illa tota intraverit, nullus timor erit: quia perfecta charitas foras mittit timorem (I Joan. IV, 18). Intrat ergo charitas, pellit timorem. Non autem intrat et ipsa incomitata. Habet secum suum timorem, quem introducit ipsa; sed illum castum, permanentem in saeculum saeculi (Psal. XVIII, 10). Servilis timor est, quo times cum diabolo ardere: timor castus est, quo times Deo displicere. Considerate, charissimi, et ipsos humanos interrogate affectus. Timet servus offendere dominum suum, ne jubeat eum verberari, jubeat in compedes mitti, jubeat carcere includi, jubeat eum pistrino conteri. Haec timens servus non peccat: sed quando senserit absentes oculos domini sui, nec habuerit testem a quo possit convinci, facit. Quare facit? Quia poenam timebat, non justitiam diligebat. Vir autem bonus, vir justus, homo liber (nam solus justus est liber; omnis enim qui facit peccatum, servus peccati est [Joan. VIII, 34]), delectatur ipsa justitia: et si possit sine teste peccare, testem reformidat et Deum: et si possit audire Deum dicentem sibi, Video te cum peccas, non te damnabo, sed displices mihi? ille nolens displicere oculis patris, non formidolosi judicis, timet, non ne damnetur, non ne puniatur, non ne crucietur; sed ne offendat gaudium paternum, ne displiceat oculis amantis. Si enim amat ipse, et amantem sui dominum sentit, non facit quod displicet amanti se.
Chapter IX. — 9. Charity drives out one fear and brings in another. Servile fear. Chaste fear. I have told you what you should fear, I have told you what you should desire. Pursue charity, let charity enter; admit it by fearing to sin, admit love that does not sin, admit love that lives well. As it enters, as I had begun to say, fear begins to go out. The more it has entered, the less fear there will be. When it has entered wholly, there will be no fear: for perfect charity casts fear out (1 John 4:18). So charity enters and drives out fear. But it does not itself enter unaccompanied. It has with it its own fear, which it brings in itself; but that fear is chaste, enduring for ever and ever (Ps. 18:10). Servile fear is that by which you fear to burn with the devil: chaste fear is that by which you fear to displease God. Consider, dearly beloved, and question human affections themselves. A slave fears to offend his master, lest he order him to be beaten, order him to be put in fetters, order him to be shut up in prison, order him to be worn down at the mill. Fearing these things the slave does not sin: but when he has perceived that his master's eyes are absent, and has no witness by whom he could be convicted, he does it. Why does he do it? Because he feared punishment, he did not love justice. But the good man, the just man, the free man (for only the just man is free; for everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin [John 8:34]), delights in justice itself: and if he could sin without a witness, he dreads a witness, and God too: and if he could hear God saying to him, I see you when you sin, I will not condemn you, but you displease Me? he, unwilling to displease the eyes of a father, not of a fearsome judge, is afraid, not lest he be condemned, not lest he be punished, not lest he be tortured; but lest he offend a father's joy, lest he displease the eyes of one who loves him. For if he himself loves, and perceives that his lord loves him, he does not do what displeases the one who loves him.
CAPUT X. — 10. Vis impuri amoris. Lubricos et inhonestos amatores attendite; si quis amore feminae lascivus et nequam vestit se aliter quam illi placet, vestit se aliter quam amatae suae placet, aut ornat se aliter quam illi placet. Illa dixerit, Nolo habeas talem byrrhum; non habet: si per hiemem illi dicat, In lacerna te amo; eligit tremere, quam displicere. Numquid illa cui displicet, damnatura est? numquid in carcerem missura? numquid tortores adhibitura? Hoc solum ibi timetur, Non te videbo: hoc solum ibi contremiscitur, Faciem meam non videbis. Si hoc impudica dicit, et terret; Deus dicit, et non terret? Sane plurimum; sed si amamus. Si autem non amamus, non inde terremur; sed terremur ut servi, de igne, de gehenna, de atrocissimis tartareis minis, de exaggeratissimis diaboli angelis, ejusque suppliciis? Vel inde terreamur. Si illud minus amamus, vel illa timeamus.
Chapter X. — 10. The power of impure love. Consider slippery and dishonourable lovers; if anyone, wanton and worthless through love of a woman, dresses otherwise than pleases her, he dresses otherwise than pleases his beloved, or adorns himself otherwise than pleases her. Should she have said, I do not want you to have such a cloak; he does not have it: if in winter she says to him, I love you in a lacerna; he chooses to shiver rather than displease. Is she whom he displeases going to condemn him? going to send him to prison? going to bring in torturers? This alone is feared there, I will not see you: this alone is trembled at there, You will not see my face. If an unchaste woman says this, and it terrifies; does God say it, and it not terrify? Indeed very greatly; but only if we love. But if we do not love, we are not terrified by that; but are we terrified like slaves, by fire, by Gehenna, by the most dreadful threats of hell, by the most monstrously magnified angels of the devil, and his torments? Let us at least be terrified by that. If we love the former less, let us at least fear the latter.
CAPUT XI. — 11. Virgines sacras amor facit. Ornamenta
Chapter XI. — 11. Love makes consecrated virgins. Ornaments
Editors' notes and page, col. 883
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: amatores attendite› · call in col 883
Mss., Lubricos et inhonestos amores attendite.
Manuscripts: "Consider slippery and dishonourable loves."
(printed under page 448)
(2) ‹anchor: Illa dixerit› · call in col 883
Er. Lugd. Ven. sic habent hunc locum : Attendite. Si quis amore feminae lascivus et nequam..... ornat se aliter quam illi placet, et illa dixerit. Lov., et illi dixerit. M.
The Erasmus, Lyons and Venice editions have this passage thus: "Consider. If anyone, wanton and worthless through love of a woman ..... adorns himself otherwise than pleases her, and she has said." Louvain: "and has said to her." M.
(printed under page 448)
(3) ‹anchor: lacerna te amo› · call in col 883
Am. : In laterna te amo. Melius autem alii libri, In lacerna te amo. Lacerna genus est vestis fimbriatae et vilioris.
Amerbach: "I love you in a lantern." But other books better: "I love you in a cloak (lacerna)." A lacerna is a kind of fringed and cheaper garment.
(printed under page 448)
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feminarum. Non ergo fiant fornicationes. Templum Dei estis, et Spiritus Dei habitat in vobis. Si quis templum Dei corruperit, corrumpet illum Deus (I Cor. III, 16, 17). Licita sunt matrimonia, nihil amplius requiratis. Non enim grande onus impositum est. Virginibus major amor imposuit majus onus. Virgines quod licebat noluerunt, ut plus placerent ei cui se devoverunt. Ambierunt illam majorem pulchritudinem cordis sui. Quid jubes? Tanquam dicerent, Quid jubes? Ne adulterae simus, hoc praecipis? Amando te, plus facimus quam jubes. De virginibus, ait Apostolus, praeceptum Domini non habeo. Ergo quare hoc faciunt? Consilium autem do (I Cor. VII, 25). Illae autem amantes, quibus terrenae nuptiae viluerunt, quae terrenos amplexus non desideraverunt, usque adeo acceptaverunt praeceptum, ut non recusarent consilium: ut plus placerent, plus se ornaverunt. Corporis enim hujus, id est, exterioris hominis ornamenta quanto magis appetuntur, tanto sunt interioris majora detrimenta: quanto autem minus appetuntur ornamenta exterioris hominis, tanto magis moribus pulchris homo interior adornatur. Unde dicit et Petrus: Ornantes se non in tortis crinibus. Cum enim dixisset, Ornantes se; quid aliud a carnalibus, quam visibilia ista ornamenta putarentur? Continuo tulit cogitationi quod cupiditas inquirebat. Non inquit, in tortis crinibus, neque auro, vel margaritis, vel veste pretiosa; sed ille absconditus cordis homo, qui est ante Deum dives (I Petr. III, 3, 4, et I Tim. II, 9, 10). Neque enim Deus divitias daret exteriori homini, et inopem relinqueret interiorem: dedit invisibili divitias invisibiles, et invisibilem ornavit invisibiliter.
of women. Let there therefore be no fornications. You are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone corrupts the temple of God, God will destroy him (1 Cor. 3:16–17). Marriages are lawful; seek nothing more. For no great burden has been laid upon you. On virgins a greater love has laid a greater burden. Virgins did not want what was permitted, so that they might please the more Him to whom they vowed themselves. They strove for that greater beauty of their heart. What dost Thou command? As if they were saying, What dost Thou command? That we be not adulteresses, is this what Thou enjoinest? By loving Thee, we do more than Thou commandest. Concerning virgins, says the Apostle, I have no commandment of the Lord. Why then do they do this? But I give counsel (1 Cor. 7:25). But those loving women, to whom earthly nuptials have grown cheap, who have not desired earthly embraces, accepted the commandment so fully that they did not refuse the counsel: so that they might please the more, they adorned themselves the more. For the more the ornaments of this body, that is, of the outer man, are sought after, the greater are the losses of the inner: but the less the ornaments of the outer man are sought after, the more the inner man is adorned with beautiful conduct. Hence Peter too says: Adorning themselves not with braided hair. For when he had said, Adorning themselves, what else would be thought of by the carnal than those visible ornaments? At once he took away from their thought what cupidity was looking for. Not, he says, with braided hair, nor with gold, or pearls, or costly clothing; but that hidden man of the heart, who is rich before God (1 Pet. 3:3–4, and 1 Tim. 2:9–10). For God would not give riches to the outer man and leave the inner one poor: He gave invisible riches to the invisible man, and adorned the invisible one invisibly.
CAPUT XII. — 12. Virginum sacrarum amor. His ornamentis studentes Dei puellae, sanctae virgines, nec quod licebat appetierunt, nec quod cogebantur consenserunt. Multae enim etiam parentum suorum contrarios conatus igne superni amoris superaverunt. Iratus est pater, ploravit mater: non curavit illa, cui ante oculos versabatur speciosus forma prae filiis hominum (Psal. XLIV, 3). Ei quippe se ornari desideravit, ut tota ejus curam gereret. Quia quae nupta est, cogitat quae sunt mundi, quomodo viro placeat: quae autem innupta est, cogitat quae sunt Dei, quomodo placet Deo (I Cor. VII, 34). Videte quid sit amare. Non dixit, Cogitat ne damnetur a Deo. Adhuc enim iste timor ille servilis est, custos quidem malorum, ut abstineant se a malis, et abstinendo digni sint ad se admittere charitatem. Sed illae non cogitant quemadmodum non puniantur a Deo, sed quomodo placeant Deo, pulchritudine interiore, decore occulti hominis, decore cordis, ubi illius oculis nudae sunt: nudae intus, non foris; integrae et intus et foris. Vel virgines doceant conjugatos et conjugatas, non ire in adulterium. Illae faciunt plus quam licet; illi non faciant quod non licet.
Chapter XII. — 12. The love of consecrated virgins. Devoting themselves to these ornaments, the maidens of God, holy virgins, neither sought what was permitted nor consented to what they were being pressed into. For many of them have even overcome the contrary efforts of their parents by the fire of heavenly love. The father was angry, the mother wept: she paid no heed, she before whose eyes was ever present the One beautiful in form beyond the sons of men (Ps. 44:3). For it was for Him that she desired to be adorned, so that she might give her whole care to Him. For she who is married thinks of the things that are of the world, how she may please her husband: but she who is unmarried thinks of the things that are of God, how she pleases God (1 Cor. 7:34). See what it is to love. He did not say, She thinks how she may not be condemned by God. For that fear is still servile, a guardian indeed against evils, so that they may keep themselves from evils, and by abstaining may become worthy to admit charity into themselves. But these women do not think how they may not be punished by God, but how they may please God, by inner beauty, by the comeliness of the hidden man, by the comeliness of the heart, where they are naked to His eyes: naked within, not without; whole both within and without. Let virgins at least teach married men and married women not to go into adultery. They do more than is permitted; let those not do what is not permitted.
Editors' notes and page, col. 884
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 884
Lov., Non enim grande onus impositum est virginibus, major amor imposuit magus onus virginibus. Quod licebat noluerunt. Correximus ad codices Mss.
Louvain: "For no great burden was laid upon the virgins; a greater love laid a greater burden on the virgins. What was permitted they did not want." We have corrected it against the manuscripts.
(printed under page 448)
(2) ‹anchor: amoris superaverunt› · call in col 884
Mss., ignitae superni amoris superaverunt. Unus e Colbertinis Mss., ignitae ardore superni amoris superaverunt. Florus, ignitae superno amore, etc.
Manuscripts: "set on fire, they overcame by the [fire] of heavenly love." One of the Colbert manuscripts: "set on fire with the ardour of heavenly love, they overcame." Florus: "set on fire with heavenly love," etc.
(printed under page 448)
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- running head: [S. A]UGUSTINI EPISCOPI 884 (left part cut off at image edge)
- marginal letters: (none)
- old-edition numerals: (none)