PL 38 · cols. 984–987

Augustine, Sermones 179-184 (Classis I, de Scripturis)

Sermon CLXXXII

meus es, habes et tu d⟨e⟩bitorem. Debitor meus es, quia peccasti in me: habes debitorem fratrem, quia peccavit in te. Quod feceris cum debitore tuo, facio et ego cum meo: id est, si dimittis, dimitto; si tenes, teneo. Tu contra te tenes, qui alteri non dimittis. Nemo ergo dicat se esse sine peccato: sed non tamen ideo debemus amare peccatum. Oderimus ea, fratres; etsi non sumus sine peccatis, oderimus tamen ea: et maxime a criminibus nos abstineamus; abstineamus, quantum possumus, a levibus peccatis. Ego, ait, nescio quis, non habeo peccata. Se ipsum decipit, et veritas in eo non est. Prorsus oremus, ut Deus dimittat: sed faciamus quod dicitur, dimittamus et nos debitoribus nostris. Cum dimittimus, et dimittitur nobis. Quotidie dicimus hoc, et quotidie facimus, et quotidie fit in nobis. Non hic sumus sine peccato, sed exibimus hinc sine peccato.

of Mine you are, and you too have a debtor. You are My debtor, because you have sinned against Me: you have a debtor in your brother, because he has sinned against you. What you do with your debtor, I too do with Mine: that is, if you forgive, I forgive; if you hold fast, I hold fast. You hold fast against yourself, you who do not forgive another. Let no one therefore say that he is without sin: but not on that account must we love sin. Let us hate sins, brethren; even if we are not without sins, let us nevertheless hate them: and above all let us keep ourselves from grave crimes; let us keep ourselves, as far as we can, from light sins. 'I,' says someone or other, 'have no sins.' He deceives himself, and the truth is not in him. Let us by all means pray that God may forgive: but let us do what is said, let us also forgive our debtors. When we forgive, it is also forgiven to us. Daily we say this, and daily we do it, and daily it is done in us. Here we are not without sin, but we shall go out from here without sin.

SERMO CLXXXII. De verbis Epistolae I Joannis, cap. IV, 1-3, Charissimi, nolite omni spiritui credere; sed probate spiritus, si ex Deo sunt, etc. Contra Manichaeos.

Sermon 182. On the words of the First Epistle of John, chapter 4, 1-3: Dearly beloved, do not believe every spirit; but test the spirits, whether they are of God, etc. Against the Manichaeans.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Non cuilibet spiritui credendum. Quando Joannes apostolus legebatur, audivimus loquentem per eum Spiritum sanctum, et dicentem: Charissimi, nolite omni spiritui credere; sed probate spiritus, si ex Deo sunt. Repeto, quia necessarium est ut repetam, et hoc mentibus vestris, quantum Dominus adjuvat, vehementer inculcem. Charissimi, nolite omni spiritui credere; sed probate spiritus, si ex Deo sunt. Quoniam multi pseudoprophetae prodierunt in hunc mundum. Praecepit Spiritus sanctus, ne omni spiritui credamus: et causam cur hoc praeceperit, dixit. Quae illa causa est? Quoniam multi, inquit, pseudoprophetae prodierunt in hunc mundum. Quisquis ergo ista praecepta contempserit, et omni spiritui credendum putaverit, necesse est incurrat in pseudoprophetas, et quod pejus est, blasphemet veros Prophetas.

Chapter I. — 1. Not every spirit is to be believed. When the apostle John was being read, we heard the Holy Spirit speaking through him and saying: Dearly beloved, do not believe every spirit; but test the spirits, whether they are of God (1 John 4:1). I repeat it, because it is necessary that I repeat it, and that I press it forcefully upon your minds, as far as the Lord helps. Dearly beloved, do not believe every spirit; but test the spirits, whether they are of God. For many false prophets have gone out into this world. The Holy Spirit has commanded that we should not believe every spirit: and He has stated the reason why He commanded this. What is that reason? Because many, He says, false prophets have gone out into this world. Whoever therefore despises these commands, and thinks that every spirit is to be believed, must necessarily fall in with false prophets, and, what is worse, blaspheme the true Prophets.

CAPUT II. — 2. Ex Deo non est, qui negat Christum in carne venisse. Hic jam ex isto praecepto homo cautus effectus dicturus est mihi: Audivi, teneo, obtemperare desidero, quia et ego in pseudoprophetas nolo incurrere. Quis enim hoc velit, a mendacibus decipi? Siquidem pseudopropheta est mendax propheta. Da mihi hominem religiosum, non vult fallere: da mihi hominem impium, sacrilegum, fallere vult, falli non vult. Cum ergo nolint fallere boni, falli autem nec boni velint nec mali, quis est qui in pseudoprophetam velit incurrere? Verba dico consulentis me: sed utique in pseudoprophetam nemo nisi invitus incurrit. Audivi praeceptum Joannis, imo Domini per Joannem, Nolite omni spiritui credere. Ecce accipio, ita volo. Addit, et dicit, Sed probate spiritus, si ex

Chapter II. — 2. He is not of God who denies that Christ has come in the flesh. Here now a man made cautious by this command is going to say to me: 'I have heard, I hold it fast, I desire to obey, because I too do not wish to fall in with false prophets. For who would wish this, to be deceived by liars?' For indeed a false prophet is a lying prophet. Give me a religious man: he does not wish to deceive. Give me an impious, sacrilegious man: he wishes to deceive, he does not wish to be deceived. Since, then, the good do not wish to deceive, while neither the good nor the wicked wish to be deceived, who is there who would wish to fall in with a false prophet? I am speaking the words of one consulting me: but certainly no one falls in with a false prophet except unwillingly. 'I have heard the command of John, or rather of the Lord through John: Do not believe every spirit. See, I accept it, so I wish.' He adds, and says: But test the spirits, whether they are from

Editors' notes and page, col. 984

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In omnibus Mss., eum.

In all the manuscripts: eum ("him").

(*) ‹anchor: sermon title, not visible› · call in col 984 Collatus ad bn. cb. fs. pr. rm. vd. et Am. Er. Par. Lov.

Collated against [the manuscripts] bn., cb., fs., pr., rm., vd., and Amerbach, Erasmus, the Paris and Louvain editions.

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(a) ‹anchor: sermon title, not visible› · call in col 984

Alias, de Verbis Apostoli 30.

Formerly [numbered] Sermon 30 de Verbis Apostoli.

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(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 984

Sermonis hujus mentio fit in subsequenti : subsequentis vero excerpta dat Florus ad Rom. VIII, et ad Philipp. II.

This sermon is mentioned in the one following; excerpts from the following one are given by Florus on Romans 8 and on Philippians 2.

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Deo sunt. Unde probo? Probare vellem, si errare non possem. Certe nisi probavero spiritus qui ex Deo sunt, incurram necesse est in spiritus qui ex Deo non snnt, et ex hoc seducar a pseudoprophetis. Quid agam? Quomodo observem? O si sanctus Joannes, quomodo nobis dixit, Nolite omni spiritui credere, sed probate spiritus, si ex Deo sunt; dicere dignaretur, quomodo probentur spiritus qui ex Deo sunt! Noli esse sollicitus, et hoc audi. Hinc cognoscitur spiritus Dei: hoc certe exspectabas audire, ut probares spiritus qui ex Deo sunt. Hinc cognoscitur spiritus Dei: Joannes dixit, non ego: hoc sequitur in lectione quam tracto. Cum enim nos propterea faceret sollicitos et cautos, ne omni spiritui credamus, sed probemus spiritus qui ex Deo sunt, quia multi pseudoprophetae prodierunt in hunc mundum; continuo vidit quid desideraremus, occurrit exspectationi, injecit oculum tacitae cogitationi. Gratias Deo, quia et hoc per illum loqui dignatus est. Hinc cognoscitur spiritus Dei.

God. By what do I test them? I would wish to test them, if I could not err. Certainly, unless I test the spirits that are from God, I must needs fall in with the spirits that are not from God, and through this be led astray by false prophets. What am I to do? How am I to watch? O, if only Saint John, as he said to us, Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are from God, would deign to say how the spirits that are from God are to be tested! Do not be anxious, and hear this: By this is the Spirit of God known. This, surely, is what you were waiting to hear, so that you might test the spirits that are from God. By this is the Spirit of God known: John said it, not I; this follows in the reading which I am expounding. For since he was making us anxious and wary on this account, that we should not believe every spirit, but test the spirits that are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into this world, at once he saw what we were longing for, he met our expectation, he cast his eye upon our silent thought. Thanks be to God, that He deigned to speak this too through him. By this is the Spirit of God known.

Eia audite; audite, intelligite, discernite; inhaerete veritati, resistite falsitati. Hinc cognoscitur spiritus Dei. Unde, rogo te? Hoc est quod audire cupiebam. Omnis spiritus qui confitetur Jesum Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo est: et omnis spiritus qui non confitetur Jesum Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo non est (I Joan. IV, 1-3). Interim ergo, charissimi, repellite ab auribus vestris omnem disputatorem, praedicatorem, scriptorem, susurratorem, qui negat Jesum Christum in carne venisse. Ergo repellite Manichaeos a domibus, ab auribus, a cordibus vestris. Manichaei enim Christum in carne venisse apertissime negant. Spiritus ergo illorum non sunt ex Deo.

Come then, listen; listen, understand, discern; cling to the truth, resist falsehood. By this is the Spirit of God known. By what, I ask you? This is what I was longing to hear. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God (1 John 4:1–3). Meanwhile, therefore, dearly beloved, drive away from your ears every disputer, preacher, writer, whisperer who denies that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Therefore drive the Manichees away from your houses, from your ears, from your hearts. For the Manichees most openly deny that Christ has come in the flesh. Their spirits, therefore, are not from God.

3. Manichaeorum in ipso loco Joannis insidiae. Error de duabus naturis. Hic video unde velit lupus obrepere; agnosco, et quantum valeo, devitandum esse demonstro. Hinc, in eo quod dixi, vel potius ab Apostolo dictum commemoravi; quia Omnis spiritus qui negat Jesum Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo non est; insidiatur Manichaeus in hoc verbo, et dicit mihi: Ecce spiritus qui negat Jesum Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo non est; unde est ergo? Si ex Deo non est, inquit, unde est? Numquid enim potest esse, nisi aliunde? Si ergo, inquit, ex Deo non est, et aliunde est, vides esse duas naturas. Invenimus lupum: retia salubria tendamus, venemur, capiamus, captum trucidemus. Trucidemus plane; moriatur error, vivat homo. Ecce in eo quod dixi, Capiamus, trucidemus; moriatur error, vivat homo; ibi solvitur quaestio. Sed recolite quod proposui, ne obliti quaestionem, non intelligatis solutionem. Omnis spiritus qui non confitetur Jesum Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo non est.

3. The snares of the Manichees in this very passage of John. The error of the two natures. Here I see where the wolf wishes to creep in; I recognize it, and, as far as I am able, I show that it must be avoided. Hence, in what I said, or rather recalled as said by the Apostle, that Every spirit that denies that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God, the Manichee lies in wait at this word, and says to me: Look, the spirit that denies that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God; where then is it from? If it is not from God, he says, where is it from? For surely it can only be from somewhere else? If, then, he says, it is not from God, and is from somewhere else, you see that there are two natures. We have found the wolf: let us spread wholesome nets, let us hunt, let us catch him, and when he is caught let us slay him. Let us slay him indeed; let the error die, let the man live. See, in what I said, Let us catch, let us slay; let the error die, let the man live: there the question is solved. But recall what I set forth, lest, having forgotten the question, you fail to understand the solution. Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God.

CAPUT III. — Et Manichaeus continuo: Et unde est? Si ex Deo non est, aliunde est. Si aliunde est, docui duas esse naturas. Hanc quaestionem tenete, et mentes ad illa mea verba revocate, ubi dixi, Capiamus, trucidemus; moriatur error, vivat homo. Error non est ex Deo, homo ex Deo est. Redite ad

Chapter III. — And the Manichee at once: And where is it from? If it is not from God, it is from somewhere else. If it is from somewhere else, I have shown that there are two natures. Hold on to this question, and call your minds back to those words of mine, where I said, Let us catch, let us slay; let the error die, let the man live. The error is not from God; the man is from God. Return to

Editors' notes and page, col. 985

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Forte, docuit.

Perhaps docuit ("he has shown").

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quaestionem: Omnis spiritus qui non confitetur Jesum in carne venisse, ex Deo non est. Dico et ego, Omnia per ipsum facta sunt (Joan. I, 3). Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum (Psal. CL, 6). Sed si non omnis spiritus ex Deo est, quomodo spiritus qui ex Deo non est laudat Dominum? Prorsus omnis spiritus laudet Dominum. Utrumque video, languidum intelligo; vitium sanetur, natura liberetur. Vitium natura non est, sed natur⟨ae⟩ inimicum est. Sana unde langues, remanet unde laudes. Medicina vitia persequitur, non naturam. Omnis spiritus qui non confitetur Jesum Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo non est. In quantum non confitetur Christum in carne venisse, in tantum ex Deo non est; quia iste error qui non confitetur Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo non est. Fratres, quid est quod renascimur? Si bene nati sumus, quid est quod renascimur? Natura quae corrupta fuerat, reparatur; natura quae lapsa fuerat, erigitur; natura quae deformis jacebat, gratia reformatur. Solus enim Creator, Pater, Filius et Spiritus sanctus; trina unitas, una trinitas; sola illa natura immutabilis, incommutabilis, nec defectui, nec profectui obnoxia, nec cadit, ut minus sit; nec transcendit, ut plus sit; perfecta, sempiterna, omni modo immutabilis, sola illa natura. Creatura vero bona, sed Creatori impar valde. Vis adhaerere diabolo desertori, si aequare contendis condita Conditori.

the question: Every spirit which does not confess Jesus to have come in the flesh is not of God. I too say: All things were made through Him (John 1:3). Let every spirit praise the Lord (Ps. 150:6). But if not every spirit is of God, how does a spirit which is not of God praise the Lord? Assuredly, let every spirit praise the Lord. I see both; I understand [it] to be sick: let the fault be healed, let the nature be set free. A fault is not a nature, but it is hostile to nature. Heal that from which you are sick; there remains that from which you may praise. Medicine pursues faults, not nature. Every spirit which does not confess Jesus Christ to have come in the flesh is not of God. In so far as it does not confess Christ to have come in the flesh, to that extent it is not of God; because this error, which does not confess Christ to have come in the flesh, is not of God. Brethren, what is it that we are reborn? If we were born well, why is it that we are reborn? The nature which had been corrupted is repaired; the nature which had fallen is raised up; the nature which lay deformed is reformed by grace. For the Creator alone, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a threefold unity, one trinity, that nature alone is unchangeable, inconvertible, subject neither to failing nor to advancing; it neither falls, so as to be less, nor rises beyond itself, so as to be more; perfect, everlasting, unchangeable in every way, that nature alone. The creature indeed is good, but greatly unequal to the Creator. You wish to cleave to the devil, the deserter, if you strive to make the things founded equal to the Founder.

CAPUT IV. — 4. Manichaeorum error, animam esse partem Dei, confutatur. Agnoscat anima conditionem suam: non est Deus. Cum se anima putat Deum, offendit Deum: non invenit salvatorem, sed invenit damnatorem. Quoniam Deus quando animas malas damnat, non se damnat: si autem anima hoc est quod Deus, se damnat. Demus honorem Deo nostro, fratres, cui clamamus, Libera nos a malo (Matth. VI, 13). Et si susurret tibi, ut in oratione invenias tentationem, et dicat tibi, Quid est quod clamasti, Libera nos a malo? Certe non est malum? Responde illi: Ego sum malus; et si liberaverit me a malo, ero de malo bonus: liberet me a me, ne incurram in te. Hoc dic Manichaeo: Si Deus liberaverit me a me, non incurram in te: quia si Deus liberaverit me a me malo, ero bonus; si bonus ero, sapiens ero; si sapiens ero, non errabo; si non errabo, a te decipi non potero. Liberet ergo Deus me a me, et non incurro in te. Meum est enim vitium, ut errem et credam tibi: quoniam anima mea impleta est illusionibus (Psal. XXXVII, 8). Non sum mihi ipse lumen: nam si essem, nunquam errassem. Ideo pars Dei non sum, quia substantia Dei, natura Dei, errare non potest: ego autem erro; nam et tu ipse confiteris, sapientem te dicis, ab errore me liberare conaris. Unde ergo erro, si natura Dei sum? Erubesce, da honorem Deo. Ego dico quia multum adhuc erras: sed sicut tu ipse confiteris, erraveras. Erraverat ergo natura Dei? Ierat in immunditiam natura Dei? Adulteria committebat natura Dei? Stupra illicita faciebat natura Dei? Caeca nesciebat qua iret

Chapter IV. — 4. The error of the Manichees, that the soul is a part of God, is refuted. Let the soul acknowledge its condition: it is not God. When the soul thinks itself God, it offends God: it does not find a saviour, but finds a condemner. For when God condemns evil souls, He does not condemn Himself; but if the soul is that which God is, He condemns Himself. Let us give honour to our God, brethren, to Whom we cry, Deliver us from evil (Matt. 6:13). And if he whispers to you, so that you may find a temptation in your prayer, and says to you, What is it that you cried, Deliver us from evil? Surely it is not evil? Answer him: I am evil; and if He delivers me from evil, from evil I shall become good: let Him deliver me from myself, that I may not fall into you. Say this to the Manichee: If God delivers me from myself, I shall not fall into you; for if God delivers me from my evil self, I shall be good; if I am good, I shall be wise; if I am wise, I shall not err; if I do not err, I shall not be able to be deceived by you. Let God therefore deliver me from myself, and I do not fall into you. For it is my fault that I err and believe you: for my soul is filled with illusions (Ps. 37:8). I am not a light to myself: for if I were, I should never have erred. Therefore I am not a part of God, because the substance of God, the nature of God, cannot err; but I err; for you yourself also admit it, you call yourself wise, you try to free me from error. Whence then do I err, if I am the nature of God? Blush, give honour to God. I say that you still err greatly; but, as you yourself admit, you had erred. Had the nature of God then erred? Had the nature of God gone into uncleanness? Was the nature of God committing adulteries? Was the nature of God committing unlawful debaucheries? Blind, did it not know where it was going,

Editors' notes and page, col. 986

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Fossatensis codex, si aequari vis Conditori.

The Fossés manuscript: "if you wish to be made equal to the Creator".

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(2) ‹anchor: Et si susurret› · call in col 986

Editi, succurret. Melius manuscripti, susurret : subaudi, Manichaeus

The printed editions: succurret ("should occur to"). The manuscripts read better, susurret ("should whisper"): understand "the Manichee" [as subject].

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natura Dei? Facinoribus et flagitiis obruebatur natura Dei? Erubesce, da honorem Deo.

the nature of God? Was the nature of God overwhelmed by crimes and shameful deeds? Blush, give honour to God.

CAPUT V. — 5. Lumen sibi esse homo non potest. Mala non ex natura, sed ex vitio naturae. Lumen tibi esse non potes; non potes, non potes. Erat lumen verum. In comparatione Joannis dictum est, Erat lumen verum. Numquid non et Joannes lucerna? Ille erat lucerna ardens et lucens, Dominus dixit (Joan. V, 35). Numquid lucerna lumen non est? Sed erat lumen verum. Lucerna et accendi potest, et exstingui potest: lumen verum accendere potest, exstingui non potest. Erat ergo lumen verum, quod illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum (Id. I, 9). Illuminandi sumus, non lumen sumus. Expergiscere, clama mecum: Dominus illuminatio mea. Quid est ergo quod dicis? Ergo non sunt mala? Sunt mala, sed mutantur; et ipsa erunt bona: quia ipsa mala, vitio sunt mala, non natura. Quid est, Libera nos a malo? Nonne possemus et possumus haec verba dicere, Libera nos a tenebris? A quibus tenebris? A nobis ipsis, si quae in nobis sunt reliquiae tenebrarum, donec in totum lux efficiamur, nihil habentes in nobis quod resistat charitati, quod repugnet veritati, quod subjaceat infirmitati, quod conditione mortalitatis deficiat. Tunc totum videte quid erit, quando erit, Corruptibile hoc induetur incorruptione, et mortale hoc induetur immortalitate. Tunc fiet sermo qui scriptus est, Absorpta est mors in victoriam. Ubi est, mors, contentio tua? ubi est, mors, aculeus tuus? Aculeus autem mortis est peccatum (I Cor. XV, 53-56). Ubi malum?

Chapter V. — 5. Man cannot be a light to himself. Evils are not from nature, but from a fault of nature. You cannot be a light to yourself; you cannot, you cannot. "He was the true light." It was said in comparison with John: "He was the true light." Was not John also a lamp? "He was a burning and shining lamp," the Lord said (John 5:35). Is a lamp not a light? But He was the true light. A lamp can both be lit and be put out: the true light can light, it cannot be put out. He was therefore "the true light, which enlightens every man coming into this world" (ibid. 1:9). We are to be enlightened, we are not the light. Wake up, cry out with me: "The Lord is my enlightenment." What is it, then, that you say? Are there then no evils? There are evils, but they are changed; and they themselves will be good: because these very evils are evil by fault, not by nature. What is "Deliver us from evil"? Could we not have said, and can we not say, these words: "Deliver us from darkness"? From what darkness? From ourselves, if there are in us any remnants of darkness, until we are made wholly light, having nothing in us that resists charity, that fights against truth, that is subject to weakness, that fails by the condition of mortality. See then what the whole will be, when it comes to be: "This corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall 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? Where, O death, is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin" (1 Cor. 15:53–56). Where is evil?

CAPUT VI. — 6. Mala hominis duo, error et infirmitas. Modo mala hominum quae? Error et infirmitas. Aut nescis quid agas, et errando laberis; aut scis quid agi debeat, et infirmitate superaris. Ergo omne malum hominis error et infirmitas. Contra errorem clama, Dominus illuminatio mea. Contra infirmitatem adde, Et salus mea (Psal. XXVI, 1). Crede, bonus esto: tu es malus, tu eris bonus. Noli dividere. Natura in te sananda est, non separanda. Vis nosse quid es? Tenebrae. Quare tenebrae? Homo qui dicis, Corrumpitur Deus, aliquid his tenebris potest esse profundius? Crede, agnosce Christum in carne venisse, accepisse quod non erat, non amisisse quod erat; hominem in se mutasse, non in hominem fuisse mutatum. Agnosce, et tu ipse ex malo eris bonus, ex tenebris eris lux. An mentior, et non est unde convincam? Apostolum accipis, si te non fingis accipere; Apostolum legis, et deciperis, et decipis. Unde deciperis? Errando malo tuo te ipso. Si autem credideris, erroremque discusseris, audies ab Apostolo, Fuistis enim aliquando tenebrae; nunc autem lux. Sed addidit, lux, sed ubi? In Domino (Ephes. V, 8). Ergo tenebrae in te, lux in Domino. Quia non tibi potes lucere, accedendo illuminaris, recedendo tenebraris: quia non tibi lumen tu ipse es, aliunde illuminaris. Accedite ad eum, et illuminamini (Psal. XXXIII, 6).

Chapter VI. — 6. Man's evils are two, error and weakness. Now, what are the evils of men? Error and weakness. Either you do not know what you are doing, and by erring you slip; or you know what ought to be done, and you are overcome by weakness. Therefore every evil of man is error and weakness. Against error cry out, "The Lord is my enlightenment." Against weakness add, "And my salvation" (Ps. 26:1). Believe, be good: you are evil, you will be good. Do not divide. The nature in you is to be healed, not separated. Do you wish to know what you are? Darkness. Why darkness? Man, you who say, "God is corrupted," can anything be deeper than this darkness? Believe, acknowledge that Christ has come in the flesh, that He took up what He was not, that He did not lose what He was; that He changed man into Himself, not that He was changed into man. Acknowledge it, and you yourself will become good from evil, light from darkness. Or am I lying, and have I nothing with which to convince you? You accept the Apostle, if you are not pretending to accept him; you read the Apostle, and you are deceived, and you deceive. Whence are you deceived? By erring, to your own harm, through your own self. But if you believe, and shake off your error, you will hear from the Apostle: "For you were once darkness; but now light." But he added: light, but where? "In the Lord" (Eph. 5:8). Therefore darkness in you, light in the Lord. Because you cannot shine for yourself, by drawing near you are enlightened, by drawing back you are darkened: because you yourself are not a light to yourself, you are enlightened from elsewhere. "Draw near to Him, and be enlightened" (Ps. 33:6).

CAPUT VII. — 7. De eodem Joannis loco quaestio

Chapter VII. — 7. On the same passage of John, a question

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Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 987

Er. Lugd. Ven. : Erubesce, da honorem Deo, lumen tibi esse non potes. Erat lumen verum, etc. M.

Erasmus, the Lyons and Venice editions: "Blush, give glory to God; you cannot be a light to yourself. That was the true light," etc. M[aurists]. [The word non is smudged on the scan.]

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CLXXXIII› · call in col 988 Collatus ad omnes Mss. Edd. in sermone praecedenti modo designatos.

Collated against all the manuscripts and editions designated in the sermon just before.

(printed under page 500)