PL 38 · cols. 1054–1057

Augustine, Sermones 210-216 (Classis II, de Tempore)

Sermon CCXI

quid mali sit, ut poenitenti fratri non ignoscat, cui praeceptum est ut inimicum adhuc diligat. Quae cum ita sint, cum scriptum sit, Sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram (Ephes. IV, 26); considerate, charissimi, utrum christianus dicendus sit, qui saltem his diebus inimicitias non vult finire, quas nunquam debuit exercere.

what an evil it is that he should not pardon a penitent brother, he who has been commanded to love even an enemy. Since these things are so, since it is written, Let not the sun go down upon your anger (Eph. 4:26), consider, dearly beloved, whether he ought to be called a Christian who, at least in these days, is unwilling to end enmities which he ought never to have carried on.

SERMO CCXI. In Quadragesima, VII. De fraterna concordia, et condonatione offensarum.

Sermon 211. In Lent, 7. On brotherly concord, and the forgiving of offences.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Finiendae querelae in Quadragesima. Pactum dimittendi ut dimittatur nobis. Aliud ira, et aliud odium. Dies isti sancti, quos agimus in observatione Quadragesimae, commonent nos de fraterna concordia loqui vobis, ut quicumque habet adversus alium querelam, finiat, ne finiatur. Nolite ista contemnere, fratres mei. Cum enim vita ista mortalis et fragilis, quae inter tot terrenas tentationes periclitatur, et orat ne submergatur, non potest esse in quovis justo sine qualibuscumque peccatis; unum est remedium per quod vivere possimus, quia docuit nos magister Deus dicere in Oratione: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris (Matth. VI, 12). Pactum et placitum cum Deo fecimus, et conditionem solvendi debiti in cautione subscripsimus. Dimitti nobis plena fiducia petimus, si et nos dimittimus: si autem non dimittimus, dimitti nobis peccata non putemus; ne nos ipsos fallamus. Homo se non fallat, Deus neminem fallit. Humanum est irasci: et utinam nec hoc possemus. Humanum est irasci: sed non debet iracundia tua, natus surculus brevis, suspicionibus irrigari, et ad trabem odii pervenire. Aliud est enim ira, aliud odium. Nam saepe etiam pater irascitur filio, sed non odit filium: irascitur, ut corrigat. Si propterea irascitur ut corrigat, amando irascitur. Propterea dictum est: Festucam in oculo fratris tui vides; trabem autem in oculo tuo non vides (Id. VII, 3). Culpas in alio iram, et tenes odium in te ipso. In comparatione odii, ira festuca est. Sed festucam si nutrias, trabes erit. Si evellas et projicias, nihil erit.

Chapter I. — 1. Quarrels to be ended in Lent. The compact to forgive so that we may be forgiven. Anger is one thing, and hatred another. These holy days which we are keeping in the observance of Lent urge us to speak to you about brotherly concord, so that whoever has a quarrel against another may end it, lest he himself be ended. Do not make light of these things, my brothers. For since this mortal and fragile life, which is endangered amid so many earthly temptations and prays that it may not be overwhelmed, cannot be without sins of some kind in any righteous man whatsoever, there is one remedy by which we can live, for God our teacher has taught us to say in the Prayer: Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors (Matt. 6:12). We have made a compact and agreement with God, and have signed in the bond the condition for paying the debt. We ask with full confidence to be forgiven, if we also forgive; but if we do not forgive, let us not think that our sins are forgiven us; let us not deceive ourselves. Let man not deceive himself; God deceives no one. It is human to be angry: and would that we were not able even to do this. It is human to be angry: but your anger, a short shoot once sprung up, ought not to be watered with suspicions and grow into the beam of hatred. For anger is one thing, hatred another. For often even a father is angry with his son, but he does not hate his son: he is angry in order to correct. If he is angry for this reason, in order to correct, he is angry out of love. Therefore it was said: You see the mote in your brother's eye; but the beam in your own eye you do not see (Matt. 7:3). You blame anger in another, and you hold hatred in yourself. In comparison with hatred, anger is a mote. But if you nourish the mote, it will become a beam. If you pluck it out and cast it away, it will be nothing.

CAPUT II. — 2. In tenebris et carcere est qui odit. Si advertistis, beati Joannis, cum ejus Epistola legeretur, debuit vos terrere sententia. Ait enim: Tenebrae transierunt, lux vera jam lucet. Deinde secutus adjunxit: Qui se dicit in lumine esse, et fratrem suum odit, in tenebris est usque adhuc (I Joan. II, 8 et 9). Sed forte tales tenebras esse homo putet, quales patiuntur in carceribus inclusi. Utinam tales essent! Et tamen in talibus nemo vult esse. In his autem carcerum tenebris possunt includi et innocentes. In talibus ⟨e⟩nim tenebris inclusi sunt martyres. Tenebrae circumquaque fundebantur, et lux fulgebat in cordibus. In illis tenebris carceris oculis non videbant, sed amore

Chapter II. — 2. He who hates is in darkness and in prison. If you paid attention, the sentence of blessed John, when his Epistle was being read, ought to have terrified you. For he says: The darkness has passed away, the true light now shines. Then, following on, he added: He who says that he is in the light and hates his brother is in darkness even until now (1 John 2:8–9). But perhaps a man may think that this darkness is such as those shut up in prisons suffer. Would that it were such! And yet no one wishes to be in such. But in this darkness of prisons even the innocent can be shut up. For in such darkness the martyrs were shut up. Darkness was poured round about them, and light shone in their hearts. In that darkness of the prison they did not see with their eyes, but with love

Editors' notes and page, col. 1054

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible (heading of Sermo CCXI, presumably)› · call in col 1054

In Cambronensi codice hic sermo inscribitur Lovaniensium testimonio, Sermo habitus Dominica quinta Quadragesimae; at in Regio codice praenotatur tantum, Dominica quinta, omisso verbo, habitus.

In the Cambron manuscript, on the testimony of the Louvain editors, this sermon is headed "Sermon preached on the fifth Sunday of Lent"; but in the Royal manuscript it is headed only "Fifth Sunday", the word "preached" being omitted.

(printed under page 533)

(2) ‹anchor: fulgebat in cordibus› · call in col 1054

Manuscripti, vigebat in cordibus.

The manuscripts: "was strong in their hearts".

(*) ‹anchor: not visible (heading of Sermo CCXI)› · call in col 1054 Correctus ad duos Cl. ad Gr. Rm. V. et ad Am. Er. Par. Lov.

Corrected against two Cl. manuscripts, against Gr., Rm., V., and against the Amerbach, Erasmus, Paris and Louvain editions.

(printed under page 533)

(a) ‹anchor: not visible (heading of Sermo CCXI)› · call in col 1054

Alias, 40 inter Homilias 50.

Elsewhere numbered 40 among the Fifty Homilies.

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fraternitatis Deum videbant. Vultis scire quales sunt istae tenebrae, de quibus dictum est, Qui odit fratrem suum, in tenebris est usque adhuc? In alio loco dicit: Qui odit fratrem suum, homicida est (I Joan. III, 15). Qui odit fratrem suum, ambulat, exit, intrat, procedit, nullis catenis oneratus, nullo carcere inclusus: reatu tamen ligatus est. Noli illum putare sine carcere esse: carcer ejus, cor ejus est. Cum audis, Qui odit fratrem suum, in tenebris est usque adhuc: ne forte contemnas tales tenebras, adjungit, et dicit: Qui odit fratrem suum, homicida est. Odis fratrem tuum, et securus ambulas? et concordare non vis, quamvis ideo Deus spatium det tibi? Ecce jam homicida es, et adhuc vivis: si Dominum iratum haberes, cum odio fratris subito rapereris. Parcit Deus tibi, parce tu tibi, concorda cum fratre tuo. At forte tu vis, et ille non vult? Sufficiat tibi. Habes unde illum doleas: te solvisti. Dic, si vis concordare, et ille non vult; dic securus: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.

of brotherhood saw God. Do you want to know what this darkness is, of which it was said, He who hates his brother is in darkness even until now? In another place he says: He who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15). He who hates his brother walks, goes out, comes in, goes forth, burdened with no chains, shut in no prison: yet he is bound by guilt. Do not think that he is without a prison: his prison is his heart. When you hear, He who hates his brother is in darkness even until now, lest perhaps you should think lightly of such darkness, he adds and says: He who hates his brother is a murderer. You hate your brother, and you walk about without a care? And you are unwilling to be reconciled, although God gives you time for this very purpose? See, you are already a murderer, and you are still alive: if you had the Lord angry with you, you would be snatched away suddenly with your hatred of your brother. God spares you; spare yourself; be reconciled with your brother. But perhaps you are willing, and he is not? Let that suffice you. You have reason to grieve over him: you have set yourself free. Say, if you are willing to be reconciled and he is not; say without a care: Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

CAPUT III. — 3. Ignoscendum, ut possis dominicam orationem dicere. Forte peccasti in illum, vis cum illo concordare, vis ei dicere: Frater, ignosce mihi quod peccavi in te. Ille non vult ignoscere, non vult dimittere debitum: quod ei debes, non vult tibi dimittere. Ipse observet, quando habet orare. Quando venturus est, qui tibi noluit dimittere quod in eum forte peccasti, quando venturus est ad orationem, quid facturus est? Dicat: Pater noster, qui es in coelis. Dicat, accedat: Sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adhuc dic: Veniat regnum tuum. Sequere: Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in coelo, et in terra. Adhuc ambula: Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. Dixisti: quod sequitur vide ne forte velis transcendere, et aliud dicere. Non est qua transire possis, ibi teneris. Dic ergo, et verum dic: aut si non habes quare dicas, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, noli dicere. Et ubi est illud quod idem apostolus dixit: Si dixerimus, quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos decipimus, et veritas in nobis non est (Id. I, 8)? Si autem mordet conscientia fragilitatis, et in hoc saeculo ubique abundantia iniquitatis; dic ergo, Dimitte nobis debita nostra. Sed quod sequitur vide. Noluisti enim dimittere peccatum fratri tuo, et dicturus es, Sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris (Matth. VI, 9-12). An non es dicturus? Si non es dicturus, nihil es accepturus: si autem dicturus, falsum es dicturus. Ergo dic, et verum dic. Quomodo dicturus es verum, qui fratri tuo noluisti relaxare peccatum?

Chapter III. — 3. One must forgive, so that one may say the Lord's Prayer. Perhaps you have sinned against him, you wish to be reconciled with him, you wish to say to him: Brother, forgive me the wrong I did you. He is unwilling to forgive, unwilling to remit the debt: what you owe him, he is unwilling to remit to you. Let him look to it when he has to pray. When he who would not remit to you whatever you perhaps sinned against him comes, when he comes to prayer, what is he going to do? Let him say: Our Father, Who art in heaven. Let him say it, let him go on: Hallowed be Thy name. Say further: Thy kingdom come. Continue: Thy will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth. Walk on further: Give us this day our daily bread. You have said it: as for what follows, see that you do not perhaps wish to pass over it and say something else. There is no way by which you can get past; there you are held fast. Say it, then, and say it truly: or, if you have no reason to say, Forgive us our debts, do not say it. And where is that which the same apostle said: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (ibid. 1:8)? But if the awareness of your frailty stings you, and the abundance of iniquity everywhere in this world, then say, Forgive us our debts. But see what follows. For you have refused to forgive your brother his sin, and you are going to say, As we also forgive our debtors (Matt. 6:9–12). Or are you not going to say it? If you are not going to say it, you will receive nothing: but if you are going to say it, you are going to say what is false. Say it, then, and say it truly. How are you going to say what is true, you who have refused to remit his sin to your brother?

CAPUT IV. — 4. Securus apud Deum est, cui petenti negatur venia a fratre. De iis qui veniam ab homine petere erubescunt. Venia a quibusdam nonnisi tacite et blandiendo petenda. Illum admonui: modo te consolor, o quisquis es, si tamen es, qui dixisti fratri tuo, Dimitte mihi quod in te peccavi: si dixisti ex toto corde, si vera humilitate, non ficta charitate, quomodo Deus videt in corde unde dixisti, sed ille

Chapter IV. — 4. He is safe before God to whom, when he asks, pardon is refused by his brother. Concerning those who are ashamed to ask pardon of a man. Pardon is to be asked of some only tacitly and by winning them over. Him I have admonished: now I console you, whoever you are, if indeed you exist, who have said to your brother, Forgive me the wrong I did you: if you said it with your whole heart, if with true humility, not with feigned charity, as God sees in the heart from where you said it, but he

Editors' notes and page, col. 1055

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: modo te consolor› · call in col 1055

Sic Mss. At editi, modo consule.

So the manuscripts. But the printed editions: "now take counsel".

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noluit tibi dimittere, noli esse sollicitus. Servi estis ambo, habetis Dominum: conservo tuo debes, noluit tibi dimittere; interpella Dominum amborum. Quod tibi dimiserit Dominus, si potest, exigat servus. Dico aliud: Admonui ergo eum qui noluit dimittere fratri suo, cum petat ille dimitti sibi, ut faciat quod nolebat; ne, quando orat, non accipiat quod desiderat. Admonui et illum qui petivit veniam peccati sui a fratre suo, et non accepit; ut in eo quod non impetravit a fratre suo, securus sit de Domino suo. Est et aliud quod admoneam: Peccavit in te frater tuus, et noluit tibi dicere, Dimitte mihi quod in te peccavi. Abundant verba ista: utinam illa Deus eradicet de agro suo, hoc est de cordibus vestris. Quam multi sunt enim, qui sciunt se peccasse in fratres suos, et nolunt dicere, Dimitte mihi. Non erubuerunt peccare, et erubescunt rogare: non erubuerunt de iniquitate, et erubescunt de humilitate.

did not wish to forgive you, do not be anxious. You are both servants, you have a Lord: you owe to your fellow servant, he did not wish to forgive you; appeal to the Lord of you both. What the Lord has forgiven you, let the servant demand, if he can. I say another thing: I have therefore admonished him who did not wish to forgive his brother, when that one asks to be forgiven, to do what he was unwilling to do; lest, when he prays, he does not receive what he desires. I have admonished also him who asked pardon of his sin from his brother and did not receive it; that in what he did not obtain from his brother he may be secure concerning his Lord. There is also another thing which I would admonish: your brother has sinned against you, and has not wished to say to you, Forgive me what I have sinned against you. Such words abound: would that God might root them out of His field, that is, out of your hearts. For how many there are who know that they have sinned against their brothers, and do not wish to say, Forgive me. They did not blush to sin, and they blush to ask: they did not blush at iniquity, and they blush at humility.

CAPUT V. — Ipsos ergo in primis admoneo. Quicumque habetis discordiam cum fratribus vestris, et revocatis vos ad vos, et consideratis vos, et justum judicium fertis in vos, intus in cordibus vestris, et invenitis vos non debuisse facere quod fecistis, non debuisse dicere quod dixistis; petite veniam fratres a fratribus vestris, facite fratribus quod ait Apostolus, Donantes vobis ipsis, sicut et Deus in Christo donavit vobis (Ephes. IV, 32): facite, nolite erubescere veniam petere. Perinde omnibus dico, viris et feminis, minoribus et majoribus, laicis et clericis: dico et mihi ipsi. Omnes audiamus, omnes timeamus. Si peccavimus in fratres nostros, si adhuc inducias vivendi accepimus, non ideo morimur: adhuc enim vivimus, nondum damnati sumus: dum vivimus, faciamus quod jubet Pater, qui erit Deus judex; et petamus veniam a fratribus, quos forte peccando in eos aliquid offendimus, aliquid laesimus. Sunt personae humiles pro ordine saeculi hujus, a quibus si petas veniam, extolluntur in superbiam: hoc est quod dico; aliquando dominus peccat in servum suum: quia etsi ille dominus est, ille servus: ambo tamen alieni servi sunt, quia ambo Christi sanguine redempti sunt. Tamen durum videtur ut hoc etiam jubeam, hoc praecipiam, ut si forte dominus peccat in servum suum injuste litigando, injuste caedendo; dicat ille, Ignosce mihi, da mihi veniam. Non quia non debet facere, sed ne ille incipiat superbire. Quid ergo? Ante oculos Dei poeniteat eum, ante oculos Dei puniat cor suum: et si non potest servo dicere, quia non oportet, Da mihi veniam; blande illum alloquatur. Blanda enim appellatio, veniae est postulatio.

Chapter V. — Those, then, I admonish first of all. Whoever of you have discord with your brothers, and call yourselves back to yourselves, and consider yourselves, and pass just judgement upon yourselves, within in your hearts, and find that you ought not to have done what you did, ought not to have said what you said: ask pardon, brothers, of your brothers; do to your brothers what the Apostle says, Forgiving one another, even as God in Christ has forgiven you (Eph. 4:32): do it, do not blush to ask pardon. Likewise I say to all, to men and women, to lesser and greater, to laity and clergy: I say it also to myself. Let us all hear, let us all fear. If we have sinned against our brothers, if we have still received a respite for living, we do not therefore die: for we are still living, we are not yet condemned: while we live, let us do what the Father commands, who will be God the Judge; and let us ask pardon of our brothers, whom perhaps by sinning against them we have in some way offended, in some way hurt. There are persons lowly according to the order of this world, who, if you ask pardon of them, are lifted up into pride: this is what I mean; sometimes a master sins against his servant: for although the one is master, the other servant, yet both are servants of another, because both have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Yet it seems hard that I should command this too, enjoin this, that if perhaps a master sins against his servant by quarrelling unjustly, by beating unjustly, he should say, Pardon me, grant me forgiveness. Not because he ought not to do it, but lest the other begin to be proud. What then? Before the eyes of God let him repent, before the eyes of God let him punish his heart: and if he cannot say to the servant, because it is not fitting, Grant me forgiveness, let him address him gently. For a gentle address is a request for pardon.

CAPUT VI. — 5. Nolenti petere veniam, quomodo ignoscendum ex animo. Restat ut eos alloquar, in

Chapter VI. — 5. How one who is unwilling to ask pardon is to be forgiven from the heart. It remains that I should address those against

Editors' notes and page, col. 1056

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: Abundant verba ista› · call in col 1056

Er. Lugd. Ven. : Si abundant verba ista. M.

Erasmus, Lyons and Venice editions: "If these words abound." M[aurists].

(printed under page 534)

(2) ‹anchor: justum judicium fertis in vos› · call in col 1056

Am. Er. et Mss., in vobis.

Amerbach, Erasmus and the manuscripts: "in you".

(printed under page 534)

(3) ‹anchor: erubescere veniam petere› · call in col 1056

Mss. non habent, veniam petere.

The manuscripts do not have "to ask pardon".

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(4) ‹anchor: servi sunt, quia› · call in col 1056

Hic apud Lov. additur, ambo christiani ; quod a caeteris libris abest.

Here the Louvain edition adds "both Christians", which is absent from the other books.

(printed under page 534)

(5) ‹anchor: ne ille incipiat superbire› · call in col 1056

Er. et Lov. addunt, si poeniteat eum. Id non habent manuscripti.

Erasmus and Louvain add "if he repents". The manuscripts do not have this.

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quos alii peccaverunt, et illi qui in eos peccaverunt, veniam petere noluerunt. Illos enim jam sum allocutus, qui petentibus veniam fratribus dare noluerunt. Nunc ergo cum alloquor vos omnes, quoniam dies sancti sunt, ne discordiae vestrae remaneant; credo quia cogitastis aliqui in cordibus vestris, qui scitis vos cum fratribus vestris aliquas habere discordias, et invenistis quod non ipsi vos in eos peccaveritis, sed illi in vos. Etsi non modo mihi loquimini, quia meum est loqui in hoc loco, vestrum autem tacere et audire; tamen forte cogitando loquimini, et dicitis vobis, Volo concordare, sed ille me laesit, ille in me peccavit, et non vult veniam postulare. Quid ergo? dicturus sum, Vade ad illum, et tu pete veniam? Absit. Nolo mentiaris: nolo dicas, Da mihi veniam, qui te nosti non peccasse in fratrem tuum. Quid enim tib⟨i⟩ prodest, cum tu fueris tuus accusator? Quid expetas tibi ignosci, ab eo quem non laesisti, aut in quem non peccasti? Nihil tibi prodest, nolo facias: nosti, bene discussisti, scis quia in te peccavit, non tu in illum. Scio, inquit. In ista tuta scientia, sit tua conscientia. Noli venire ad fratrem tuum qui in te peccavit, et ultro ab illo petere veniam. Debent inter vos esse alii pacifici, qui illum objurgent, ut a te prius veniam petat: tu tantum paratus esto ignoscere, prorsus paratus esto ex corde dimittere. Si paratus es dimittere, jam dimisisti. Habes adhuc quod ores: ora pro illo, ut petat a te veniam; quia scis ei nocere si non petat, ora pro illo ut petat. Dic Domino in oratione tua: Domine, scis me non peccasse in illum fratrem meum, sed illum potius peccasse in me, et obesse illi quod peccavit in me, si veniam non petat a me; ego bono animo peto ut ignoscas ei.

whom others sinned, and those who sinned against them have been unwilling to ask pardon. For I have already addressed those who were unwilling to grant pardon to brothers asking for it. Now therefore, since I am addressing all of you, because these are holy days, so that your discords may not remain: I believe that some of you have thought in your hearts, you who know that you have some discords with your brothers, and you have found that it is not you who sinned against them, but they against you. Although you are not now speaking to me, since it is mine to speak in this place, and yours to keep silent and listen, yet perhaps you are speaking in your thoughts, and saying to yourselves: I want to be reconciled, but he has hurt me, he has sinned against me, and he is not willing to ask pardon. What then? Am I going to say: Go to him, and do you ask pardon? Far from it. I do not want you to lie; I do not want you to say: Grant me pardon, when you know that you have not sinned against your brother. For what does it profit you, when you have been your own accuser? Why should you seek to be forgiven by one whom you have not hurt, or against whom you have not sinned? It profits you nothing; I do not want you to do it. You know, you have examined it well, you know that he sinned against you, not you against him. I know, he says. In this safe knowledge let your conscience be. Do not go to your brother who has sinned against you and of your own accord ask pardon of him. There ought to be others among you, peacemakers, who will rebuke him, so that he may first ask pardon of you: you only be ready to forgive, be entirely ready to forgive from the heart. If you are ready to forgive, you have already forgiven. You still have something to pray for: pray for him, that he may ask pardon of you; since you know that it harms him if he does not ask, pray for him that he may ask. Say to the Lord in your prayer: Lord, Thou knowest that I have not sinned against this brother of mine, but rather that he has sinned against me, and that what he has sinned against me harms him if he does not ask pardon of me; with a good will I ask that Thou forgive him.

CAPUT VII. — 6. Offensae donandae exemplo Christi. Ecce dixi vobis quod maxime per istos dies jejuniorum vestrorum, observationum vestrarum, continentiae vestrae, mecum agere debeatis, ut cum fratribus vestris concordetis. Gaudeam et ego de pace vestra, qui contristor litibus vestris: ut omnes donantes vobismetipsis, si quis habet adversus aliquem querelam, securi agamus Pascha, securi celebremus ejus passionem, qui nihil cuiquam debebat, et pretium pro debentibus solvit: Dominum Jesum Christum dico, qui in neminem peccavit, et prope in illum omnis mundus peccavit; nec exegit supplicia, sed promisit praemia. Habemus ergo ipsum testem in cordibus nostris, quia si in aliquem peccavimus, vero corde veniam postulemus; si aliquis in nos peccavit, veniam dare parati simus, et pro inimicis nostris oremus. Non exspectemus vindicari, fratres. Quid est, vindicari, nisi malo alieno pasci? Scio quotidie venire homines, genua figere, frontem terrae concutere, aliquando vultum suum lacrymis rigare; et in ista

Chapter VII. — 6. Offences to be forgiven after the example of Christ. See, I have told you what above all you ought to do with me during these days of your fasts, of your observances, of your continence: that you be reconciled with your brothers. Let me too rejoice over your peace, I who am saddened by your quarrels: so that all of us, forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against anyone, may keep Easter free from care, may celebrate free from care the passion of Him Who owed nothing to anyone, and paid the price for those in debt: I mean the Lord Jesus Christ, Who sinned against no one, and against Whom almost the whole world sinned; and He did not exact punishments, but promised rewards. We have therefore Him as witness in our hearts, that if we have sinned against anyone, we should ask pardon with a true heart; if anyone has sinned against us, we should be ready to grant pardon, and pray for our enemies. Let us not look to be avenged, brothers. What is it to be avenged, but to feed on another's misfortune? I know that every day people come, bend their knees, strike their foreheads on the ground, sometimes wet their faces with tears; and in this

Editors' notes and page, col. 1057

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1057

Aliquot Mss., tua scientia. Forte non male, si post legatur, si tuta conscientia. Porro in Regio Ms. habetur, Ista tua scientia sit tua sententia. — Er. Lugd. Ven., Scito, inquam, in tua scientia, scit tua scientia. M.

Some manuscripts: "your knowledge". Perhaps not badly, if afterwards one reads "if [your] conscience is safe". Further, the Royal manuscript has: "Let this knowledge of yours be your judgement." — Erasmus, Lyons and Venice editions: "Know, I say, in your knowledge; your knowledge knows." M[aurists].

(printed under page 535)

(2) ‹anchor: frontem terrae concutere› · call in col 1057

Sic manuscripti. Editi vero, venire hominem, genua figere, fronte terram concutere.

So the manuscripts. But the printed editions: "that a man comes, bends the knee, strikes the ground with his forehead".

(*) ‹anchor: not visible (heading of Sermo CCXII, presumably)› · call in col 1058 Emendatus ad Cl. R. V. Lov.

Emended against the manuscripts Cl., R., V. and the Louvain edition.

(printed under page 535)