Migne Reading Room

PL 38 · cols. 1058–1064

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

Sermons CCXII–CCXIII

PL 38:1058
tanta humilitate ac perturbatione dicere: Domine, vindica me, occide inimicum meum. Plane ora, ut occidat inimicum tuum, et salvet fratrem tuum: occidat inimicitias, salvet naturam. Sic ora, ut vindicet te Deus: pereat qui te persequebatur, sed maneat qui tibi reddatur.
so great humility and agitation say: Lord, avenge me, kill my enemy. By all means pray that He may kill your enemy and save your brother: may He kill the enmities, may He save the nature. Pray thus, that God may avenge you: let him perish who was persecuting you, but let him remain who may be restored to you.
SERMO CCXII. In traditione symboli, I. Feria secunda post Dominicam quintam Quadragesimae.
Sermon 212. On the Handing Over of the Creed, 1. Monday after the Fifth Sunday of Lent.
1. Symbolum unde dictum. Tempus est ut Symbolum accipiatis, quo continetur breviter, propter aeternam salutem, omne quod creditis. Symbolum autem nuncupatur a similitudine quadam, translato vocabulo; quia symbolum inter se faciunt mercatores, quo eorum societas pacto fidei teneatur. Et vestra societas est commercium spiritualium, ut similes sitis negotiatoribus bonam margaritam quaerentibus (Matth. XIII, 45). Haec est charitas, quae diffundetur in cordibus vestris per Spiritum sanctum, qui dabitur vobis (Rom. V, 5). Ad hanc pervenitur ex fide, quae isto Symbolo continetur: ut credatis in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, invisibilem, immortalem, regem saeculorum, visibilium et invisibilium creatorem; et quidquid aliud digne de illo vel ratio sincera, vel Scripturae sanctae auctoritas loquitur. Nec ab ista excellentia Dei Filium separetis. Neque enim sic ista de Patre dicuntur, ut ab illo aliena sint qui dixit, Ego et Pater unum sumus (Joan. X, 30): et de quo Apostolus ait, Qui cum in forma Dei esset, non rapinam arbitratus est esse aequalis Deo (Philipp. II, 6). Rapina quippe usurpatio est alieni: cum illa aequalitas natura sit. Ac per hoc quomodo non erit omnipotens Filius, per quem facta sunt omnia; cum etiam sit Virtus et Sapientia Dei (I Cor. I, 24), de qua scriptum est, quod cum sit una, omnia potest (Sap. VII, 27)? Est autem etiam natura invisibilis, in ea ipsa forma, in qua aequalis est Patri. Natura quippe invisibile est Verbum Dei, quod in principio erat, et Deus erat (Joan. I, 3, 1): in qua natura etiam immortalis
1. Whence the Symbol is so called. The time has come for you to receive the Symbol, in which is contained briefly, for the sake of eternal salvation, all that you believe. Now it is called a symbol from a certain likeness, the word being transferred; because merchants make a symbol among themselves, by which their partnership is held together by a compact of good faith. And your partnership is a commerce in spiritual things, so that you may be like traders seeking a fine pearl (Matt. 13:45). This is charity, which will be poured out in your hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who will be given to you (Rom. 5:5). To this one comes by faith, which is contained in this Symbol: that you believe in God the Father almighty, invisible, immortal, King of the ages, Creator of things visible and invisible; and whatever else either sound reason or the authority of holy Scripture says worthily of Him. Nor should you separate the Son of God from this excellence. For these things are not said of the Father in such a way that they are foreign to Him Who said, I and the Father are one (John 10:30): and of Whom the Apostle says, Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal to God (Phil. 2:6). For robbery is the usurping of what belongs to another: whereas that equality is His by nature. And therefore how will the Son not be almighty, through Whom all things were made; since He is also the Power and Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), of which it is written that though she is one, she can do all things (Wis. 7:27)? Moreover He is also invisible in nature, in that very form in which He is equal to the Father. For in nature the Word of God is invisible, which was in the beginning, and was God (John 1:3, 1): in which nature, also immortal
Editors' notes and page, col. 1058

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible (heading of Sermo CCXII)› · call in col 1058

Alias, de Diversis 75.

Elsewhere numbered "On Various Subjects" 75.

(printed under page 535)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible (title of Sermo CCXII)› · call in col 1058

Sic inscribitur hic sermo apud Lovanienses. At in Victorino Ms. notatur, « Dominica in ramis palmarum ; » In Regio, « Feria secunda : » post ipsam videlicet Dominicam palmarum; quandoquidem isti Dominicae assignatur sermo qui hunc in eodem codice antecedit. Testatur quidem Isidorus in libro 1 de Of. Eccl. cap. 27, Symbolum Competentibus tradi die dominica palmarum : sed non erat Ecclesiarum omnium una et constans ubique consuetudo. Nam ex Ordinis Romani praescripto, Symbolum feria quarta hebdomadae quartae simul cum oratione dominica tradebatur, reddendum sabbato sancto Paschae; eumdemque ritum describit Amalarius Fortunatus, libro 1 de Offic. cap. 8. In Africa vero, aetate Augustini, Symboli seorsim traditio fiebat die ante Pascha serius ocius quinto decimo, dieque abhinc octavo redditio : post redditionem Symboli mox subsequebatur traditio dominicae orationis, reddendae post octo dies. Mos iste liquido explicatur exordio Sermonum 58 et 59. Redditionem alteram Symboli faciendam die sabbati in vigiliis Paschae commemorat Augustinus in eodem Sermone 58, nn. 1 et 13, ibique diserte significat orationis redditionem non incidere in eumdem diem sabbati Paschalis. Hanc tamen ipse in Sermone 227, die Paschae habito, indicat jam factam, his verbis : « Ecce ubi est peracta sanctificatio, dicimus orationem dominicam, quam accepistis et reddidistis. »

So this sermon is headed in the Louvain edition. But in the Victorine manuscript it is marked "Palm Sunday"; in the Royal, "Monday", that is, after Palm Sunday itself, since the sermon that precedes this one in the same manuscript is assigned to that Sunday. Isidore indeed attests, in book 1 of On the Offices of the Church, chapter 27, that the Creed was handed over to the Competents on Palm Sunday; but there was not one constant custom everywhere among all the Churches. For by the prescription of the Roman Ordo the Creed was handed over on the Wednesday of the fourth week together with the Lord's Prayer, to be given back on Holy Saturday of Easter; and Amalarius Fortunatus describes the same rite in book 1 of On the Offices, chapter 8. In Africa, however, in Augustine's time, the handing over of the Creed took place separately, on about the fifteenth day before Easter, and its giving back on the eighth day after that; after the giving back of the Creed there followed at once the handing over of the Lord's Prayer, to be given back eight days later. This custom is clearly set out in the opening of Sermons 58 and 59. In the same Sermon 58, nos. 1 and 13, Augustine mentions a second giving back of the Creed, to be made on Saturday at the Easter Vigil, and there he says expressly that the giving back of the Prayer did not fall on that same Easter Saturday. Yet in Sermon 227, preached on Easter Day, he indicates that it had already been done, in these words: "See, when the sanctification has been completed, we say the Lord's Prayer, which you have received and given back."

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omnino, id est omni modo incommutabilis manet. Nam et anima humana secundum quemdam modum dicitur immortalis: sed non est vera immortalitas, ubi tanta est mutabilitas, per quam et deficere et proficere potest. Unde mors ejus est, alienari a vita Dei per ignorantiam quae est in illa: vita vero ejus, currere ad fontem vitae, ut in lumine Dei videat lumen. Secundum quam vitam etiam vos per Christi gratiam reviviscetis a morte quadam, cui renuntiatis. Verbum autem Dei quod est unigenitus Filius, cum Patre semper incommutabiliter vivit; nec deficit, quia permansio non minuitur; nec proficit, quia perfectio non augetur. Est etiam ipse saeculorum visibilium et invisibilium creator: quia, sicut dicit Apostolus, In ipso condita sunt omnia in coelo et in terra, visibilia et invisibilia; sive Throni, sive Dominationes, sive Principatus, sive Potestates: omnia in ipso et per ipsum creata sunt, et omnia illi constant (Coloss. I, 16, 17). Sed quoniam semetipsum exinanivit, non formam Dei amittens, sed formam servi accipiens (Philipp. II, 7); per hanc formam servi invisibilis visus est: quia natus est de Spiritu sancto et Maria virgine. In hac forma servi infirmatus est omnipotens: quia passus est sub Pontio Pilato. Per hanc formam servi, immortalis mortuus est: quia crucifixus est et sepultus. Per hanc formam servi, rex saeculorum die tertio resurrexit. Per hanc formam servi visibilium et invisibilium creator ascendit in coelum, unde nunquam recessit. Per hanc formam servi, sedet ad dexteram Patris, qui est brachium Patris: de quo dicit propheta, Et brachium Domini cui revelatum est (Isai. LIII, 1)? In hac forma servi, venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos: in qua particeps esse voluit mortuorum, cum sit vita vivorum. Per ipsum nobis Spiritus sanctus missus est a Patre, et ab ipso. Spiritus Patris et Filii ab utroque missus, a nullo genitus: unitas amborum, aequalis ambobus. Haec Trinitas unus Deus est, omnipotens, invisibilis, rex saeculorum, visibilium et invisibilium creator. Neque enim tres dominos, aut tres omnipotentes, aut tres creatores, aut quidquid aliud de excellentia Dei dici potest, dicimus: quia nec tres dii, sed unus Deus. Quamvis in hac Trinitate Pater non sit Filius, et Filius non sit Pater, et Spiritus sanctus nec Filius sit nec Pater: sed ille Pater Filii, ille Filius Patris, ille Spiritus Patris et Filii. Credite, ut intelligatis. Nisi enim credideritis, non intelligetis (Isai. VII, 9, sec. LXX). Ex hac fide gratiam sperate: in qua vobis peccata omnia dimittentur. Hinc enim salvi eritis, non ex vobis: Dei enim donum est. Post hanc etiam mortem, quae in omnes pertransit, quae vetustati primi hominis debetur, sperate etiam in fine vestrorum corporum resurrectionem: non ad passiones dolorum, sicut resurrecturi sunt impii; nec ad gaudia carnalium desideriorum, sicut putant stulti: sed sicut Apostolus ait, Seminatur corpus animale, surget corpus spirituale (I Cor. XV, 54), ut jam non aggravet animam (Sap. IX, 15), nec ullam quaerat
wholly, that is, in every way unchangeable, He remains. For the human soul too is said in a certain manner to be immortal: but there is no true immortality where there is such great changeableness, through which it can both fall away and advance. Hence its death is to be estranged from the life of God through the ignorance that is in it; its life, on the other hand, is to run to the fountain of life, so that in the light of God it may see light. According to this life you too, through the grace of Christ, will come to life again from a certain death, which you are renouncing. But the Word of God, Who is the only-begotten Son, lives with the Father always unchangeably; He neither falls away, since His abiding is not diminished, nor advances, since His perfection is not increased. He is also Himself the creator of the ages visible and invisible: for, as the Apostle says, In Him were all things founded in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers: all things were created in Him and through Him, and all things hold together in Him (Col. 1:16–17). But since He emptied Himself, not losing the form of God, but taking the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7), through this form of a servant the invisible was seen: for He was born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. In this form of a servant the Almighty was made weak: for He suffered under Pontius Pilate. Through this form of a servant the immortal died: for He was crucified and buried. Through this form of a servant the King of the ages rose again on the third day. Through this form of a servant the creator of things visible and invisible ascended into heaven, from which He never withdrew. Through this form of a servant He sits at the right hand of the Father, He Who is the arm of the Father, of Whom the prophet says, And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (Isa. 53:1). In this form of a servant He will come to judge the living and the dead: in which He willed to be a sharer with the dead, though He is the life of the living. Through Him the Holy Spirit was sent to us from the Father, and from Him. The Spirit of the Father and of the Son, sent by both, begotten of none: the unity of both, equal to both. This Trinity is one God, almighty, invisible, King of the ages, creator of things visible and invisible. For we do not speak of three lords, or three almighties, or three creators, or whatever else can be said of the excellence of God: for there are not three gods, but one God. Although in this Trinity the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Father, and the Holy Spirit is neither the Son nor the Father: yet the one is the Father of the Son, the other the Son of the Father, the other the Spirit of the Father and of the Son. Believe, that you may understand. For unless you believe, you will not understand (Isa. 7:9, according to the Septuagint). From this faith hope for grace, in which all your sins will be forgiven you. For from this you will be saved, not of yourselves: for it is the gift of God. After this death too, which passes into all, which is owed to the oldness of the first man, hope also at the end for the resurrection of your bodies: not to the sufferings of pain, as the ungodly will rise again; nor to the joys of carnal desires, as fools suppose: but as the Apostle says, A natural body is sown, a spiritual body will rise (1 Cor. 15:54), so that it no longer weighs down the soul (Wis. 9:15), nor seeks any
Editors' notes and page, col. 1059

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1059

Sic in manuscriptis. At in editis, ex Maria virgine

So in the manuscripts. But in the printed editions: "of the Virgin Mary".

(printed under page 536)

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refectionem, quia nullam patietur defectionem.
refreshment, because it will suffer no failing.
2. Symbolum memoria tenendum, quare. Hinc igitur brevem sermonem de universo Symbolo vobis debitum reddidi, in quo Symbolo quod audieritis, totum in isto sermone nostro breviter collectum agnoscetis. Nec ut eadem verba Symboli teneatis, ullo modo debetis scribere; sed audiendo perdiscere: nec cum didiceritis, scribere; sed memoria semper tenere atque recolere. Quidquid enim in Symbolo audituri estis, in divinis sacrarum Scripturarum litteris continetur. Sed quod ita collectum et in formam quamdam redactum non licet scribi, commemoratio fit promissionis Dei, ubi per prophetam praenuntians Testamentum novum dixit: Hoc est Testamentum quod ordinabo eis post dies illos, dicit Dominus, dando legem meam in mente eorum, et in corde eorum scribam eam (Jerem. XXXI, 33). Hujus rei significandae causa, audiendo symbolum discitur: nec in tabulis, vel in aliqua materia, sed in corde scribitur. Praestabit ille qui vos vocavit ad suum regnum et gloriam, ut ejus gratia regeneratis vobis, etiam Spiritu sancto scribatur in cordibus vestris; ut quod creditis diligatis, et fides per dilectionem operetur in vobis; ac sic Domino Deo largitori bonorum omnium placeatis, non serviliter timendo poenam, sed liberaliter amando justitiam. Hoc est ergo Symbolum, quod vobis per Scripturas et sermones ecclesiasticos insinuatum est: sed sub hac brevi forma fidelibus consistendum et proficiendum est.
2. Why the Creed is to be held in memory. Here, then, I have rendered to you the short sermon owed to you on the whole Creed; whatever you will hear in that Creed, you will recognize it all briefly gathered together in this sermon of ours. Nor ought you in any way to write down the very words of the Creed in order to hold them, but to learn them thoroughly by hearing; nor, when you have learnt them, to write them, but always to hold them in memory and go over them again. For whatever you are going to hear in the Creed is contained in the divine writings of the sacred Scriptures. But the fact that what has been thus gathered and brought into a certain form may not be written down is a reminder of the promise of God, where, foretelling the New Testament through the prophet, He said: This is the Testament which I will ordain for them after those days, says the Lord, putting My law in their mind, and on their heart I will write it (Jer. 31:33). For the sake of signifying this, the creed is learnt by hearing, and it is written not on tablets nor on any material, but on the heart. He Who called you to His kingdom and glory will grant that, when you have been regenerated by His grace, it may also be written by the Holy Spirit in your hearts; so that you may love what you believe, and faith may work in you through love; and thus you may please the Lord God, the giver of all good things, not by servilely fearing punishment, but by freely loving righteousness. This, then, is the Creed, which has been made known to you through the Scriptures and the sermons of the Church; but in this brief form the faithful must stand firm in it and make progress.
SERMO CCXIII. In traditione Symboli, II.
Sermon 213. On the handing over of the Creed, 2.
CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Symbolum quid. Deus quomodo omnipotens. Symbolum est breviter comp⟨l⟩exa regula fidei, ut mentem instruat, nec oneret memoriam; paucis verbis dicitur, unde multum acquiratur. Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem. Vide quam cito dicitur, et quantum valet. Deus est, et Pater est: Deus potestate, Pater bonitate. Quam felices sumus, qui Dominum nostrum patrem invenimus! Credamus ergo in eum, et omnia nobis de ipsius misericordia promittamus, quia omnipotens est: ⟨I⟩deo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem credimus. Nemo dicat: Non mihi potest dimittere peccata. Quomodo non potest omnipotens? Sed dicis: Ego multum peccavi. Et ego dico: Sed ille omnipotens est. Et tu: Ego talia peccata commisi, unde liberari et mundari non possum. Respondeo: Sed ille omnipotens est. Videte quid ei cantetis in Psalmo: Benedic, inquit, anima mea Domino, et noli oblivisci omnes retributiones ejus: qui propitius fit omnibus iniquitatibus tuis, qui sanat omnes languores tuos (Psal. CII, 2 et 3). Ad hoc nobis est ejus omnipotentia necessaria. Nam universae creaturae ad hoc erat necessaria, ut crearetur. Omnipotens est ad facienda majora et minora: omnipotens
Chapter One. — 1. What the Creed is. How God is almighty. The Creed is the rule of faith briefly comprised, so as to instruct the mind and not burden the memory; it is said in few words, from which much may be gained. I believe in God the Father almighty. See how quickly it is said, and how much it is worth. He is God, and He is Father: God in power, Father in goodness. How happy we are, who have found our Lord to be a father! Let us therefore believe in Him, and promise ourselves all things from His mercy, because He is almighty: therefore we believe in God the Father almighty. Let no one say: He cannot forgive me my sins. How can the Almighty not? But you say: I have sinned much. And I say: But He is almighty. And you: I have committed such sins that I cannot be freed and cleansed from them. I answer: But He is almighty. See what you sing to Him in the Psalm: Bless, it says, the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all His recompenses: Who becomes merciful to all your iniquities, Who heals all your sicknesses (Ps. 102:2–3). For this His omnipotence is necessary to us. For to the whole creation it was necessary for this, that it might be created. He is almighty for doing greater things and lesser: almighty
Editors' notes and page, col. 1060

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1060

Editi hic, discitur. Sed melius in sermone 243 Appendicis, scribitur.

The printed editions here: "is learned". But better, in Sermon 243 of the Appendix: "is written".

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CCXIII› · call in col 1060 In editis tantum sermonem hunc vidimus, non in manuscriptis.

We have seen this sermon only in the printed editions, not in the manuscripts.

(printed under page 536)

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCXIII› · call in col 1060

Alias, de Tempore 119.

Elsewhere numbered "On the Season" 119.

(printed under page 536)

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est ad facienda coelestia et terrestria : omnipotens est ad facienda immortalia et mortalia : omnipotens est ad facienda spiritualia et corporalia : omnipotens est ad facienda visibilia et invisibilia : magnus in magnis, nec parvus in minimis. Postremo omnipotens est ad facienda omnia quae facere voluerit. Nam ego dico quanta non possit. Non potest mori, non potest peccare, non potest mentiri, non potest falli. Tanta non potest : quae si posset, non esset omnipotens. Credite ergo in eum, et confitemini. Corde enim creditur ad justitiam; ore autem confessio fit ad salutem (Rom. X, 10). Ideo cum credideritis, oportet ut confiteamini, quando Symbolum redditis. Accipite modo quod teneatis, et postea reddatis, et nunquam obliviscamini.
is He to make heavenly things and earthly things: He is almighty to make immortal things and mortal things: He is almighty to make spiritual things and bodily things: He is almighty to make visible things and invisible things: great in great things, and not small in the least things. Finally, He is almighty to make all things that He has willed to make. For I tell you how many things He cannot do. He cannot die, He cannot sin, He cannot lie, He cannot be deceived. So many things He cannot do: and if He could, He would not be almighty. Believe, therefore, in Him, and confess. For with the heart one believes unto justice; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom. 10:10). Therefore when you have believed, you must confess, when you give back the Creed. Receive now what you are to hold, and afterwards give back, and never forget.
CAPUT II. — 2. Christus Filius Dei unicus. Quomodo incarnatus. Christus nobis unicus Salvator. Post hoc quid? Et in Jesum Christum. Credo, dicis, in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum. Si Filium unicum, ergo Patri aequalem. Si Filium unicum, ergo ejusdem substantiae cujus est Pater. Si Filium unicum, ergo ejus omnipotentiae cujus est Pater. Si Filium unicum, ergo Patri coaeternum. Hoc in se, et apud se, et apud Patrem Propter nos quid? ad nos quid? Qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto, natus ex virgine Maria. Ecce qua venit, quis, ad quos. Per virginem Mariam, in qua operatus est Spiritus sanctus, non homo maritus; qui fecundavit castam, et servavit intactam. Sic ergo car⟨n⟩e indutus est Dominus Christus, sic factus est homo qui fecit hominem, assumendo quod non erat, non perdendo quod erat. Verbum enim caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis (Joan. I, 14). Non Verbum in carnem versum est, sed Verbum manens carne accepta, invisibilis semper, factus est visibilis quando voluit, et habitavit in nobis. Quid est, in nobis? In hominibus. Factus unus ex hominum numero, unus et unicus. Unicus Patri. Nobis quid? Et nobis unicus Salvator : nemo enim praeter ipsum salvator noster. Et nobis unicus Redemptor : nemo enim praeter ipsum redemptor noster : non auro, non argento, sed sanguine suo.
Chapter II. — 2. Christ the only Son of God. How He became incarnate. Christ our only Saviour. After this, what? And in Jesus Christ. I believe, you say, in God the Father almighty, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord. If only Son, then equal to the Father. If only Son, then of the same substance as the Father is. If only Son, then of the same omnipotence as the Father is. If only Son, then co-eternal with the Father. This He is in Himself, and with Himself, and with the Father. For our sake, what? Towards us, what? Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. Behold by what way He came, who [came], to whom. Through the virgin Mary, in whom the Holy Spirit worked, not a human husband; Who made the chaste one fruitful, and kept her untouched. Thus, then, was the Lord Christ clothed with flesh, thus was He made man Who made man, by taking up what He was not, not by losing what He was. For the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us (John 1:14). The Word was not turned into flesh, but the Word, remaining, having received flesh, ever invisible, became visible when He willed, and dwelt in us. What is in us? Among men. Made one from the number of men, one and only. Only to the Father. To us, what? To us too the only Saviour: for no one but He is our saviour. To us too the only Redeemer: for no one but He is our redeemer: not with gold, not with silver, but with His own blood.
CAPUT III. — 3. Christus Filius Dei quomodo mortuus et sepultus. Ergo ipsa, ubi empti sumus, ejus commercia videamus. Cum enim dictum esset in Symbolo, Qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto, natus ex virgine Maria : jam quid pro nobis? Passus est, sequitur, sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus et sepultus. Qui Filius Dei unicus Dominus noster crucifixus, Filius Dei unicus Dominus noster sepultus est. Homo crucifixus est, homo sepultus : Deus non est mutatus, Deus non est occisus, et tamen secundum hominem occisus. Si enim cognovissent, ait Apostolus, nunquam
Chapter III. — 3. How Christ the Son of God died and was buried. Let us therefore look at His very transactions, by which we were bought. For when it had been said in the Creed, Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary: now what for us? He suffered, it follows, under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. The only Son of God, our Lord, was crucified; the only Son of God, our Lord, was buried. As man He was crucified, as man buried: as God He was not changed, as God He was not slain, and yet according to [His] manhood He was slain. For had they known, says the Apostle, they would never
Editors' notes and page, col. 1061

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: Dominus noster sepultus est› · call in col 1061

In editis, Quia Filius Dei unicus Dominus non crucifixus, Filius Dei unicus Dominus non sepultus. Mendosissime. Sic enim id quod mox affirmat et ex Apostolo probat, Filium Dei crucifixum negare videbatur : quo videlicet argumento permotus Emmanuel Sa rejiciendum hunc sermonem existimavit. Errata corriguntur ex altero inferius loco, ubi sine vitio in iisdem editis eadem sententia bis terque repetitur.

In the printed editions: "Because the only Son of God, the Lord, was not crucified; the only Son of God, the Lord, was not buried." Most faultily. For so he seemed to deny the very thing he presently affirms and proves from the Apostle, that the Son of God was crucified; and moved by this argument, it seems, Emmanuel Sa judged that this sermon should be rejected. The errors are corrected from another passage further down, where the same statement is repeated two or three times without fault in those same editions.

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Dominum gloriae crucifixissent (I Cor. II, 8). Et Dominum gloriae ostendit, et crucifixum confessus est. Quia si quis etiam tuam tunicam illaesa carne tua conscindat, tibi facit injuriam: nec sic clamas pro veste tua, ut dicas, Conscidisti tunicam meam; sed, Conscidisti me, fila de me fecisti. Loqueris ista integer, et verum dicis, et de carne tua nihil detraxit qui laesit. Sic et Dominus Christus crucifixus est. Dominus est, unicus Patri est; Salvator noster est, Dominus gloriae est: tamen crucifixus est; sed in carne, et sepultus in sola carne. Nam ubi sepultus est, et quando sepultus est, tunc ibi nec anima fuit. Sola carne in sepulcro jacebat, et tamen confiteris Jesum Christum Filium ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum; qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto, natus ex virgine Maria, qui Jesus Christus, unicus Filius Dei, Dominus noster. Sub Pontio Pilato crucifixus, qui Jesus Christus, unicus Dei Filius, Dominus noster. Et sepultus, qui Jesus Christus, unicus Dei Filius, Dominus noster. Sola caro jacet, et tu dicis, Dominus noster? Dico, plane dico: quia vestem intueor, et vestitum adoro. Caro illa illius vestimentum fuit: quia cum in forma Dei esset, non rapinam arbitratus est esse aequalis Deo; sed semetipsum exinanivit, formam servi accipiens, non formam Dei amittens; in similitudine hominum factus, et habitu inventus ut homo (Philipp. II, 6, 7).
have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8). He both pointed to the Lord of glory and confessed Him crucified. For if someone should even tear your tunic while leaving your flesh unharmed, he does you an injury; and yet you do not cry out on behalf of your garment so as to say, 'You have torn my tunic', but, 'You have torn me, you have made shreds of me.' You say these things while whole, and you speak the truth, and the one who harmed [you] took nothing away from your flesh. So too the Lord Christ was crucified. He is Lord, He is the Father's only [Son]; He is our Saviour, He is the Lord of glory: yet He was crucified; but in the flesh, and buried in the flesh alone. For where He was buried, and when He was buried, not even the soul was there then. He lay in the tomb in the flesh alone, and yet you confess Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, who [is] Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, our Lord. Crucified under Pontius Pilate, who [is] Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, our Lord. And buried, who [is] Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, our Lord. Only flesh lies [there], and you say, 'our Lord'? I say it, I say it plainly: for I look upon the garment, and I adore the One clothed in it. That flesh was His garment: for being in the form of God, He did not consider it robbery to be equal to God; but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, not losing the form of God; made in the likeness of men, and found in bearing as a man (Phil. 2:6–7).
CAPUT IV. — 4. Dextera Dei aeterna felicitas. Non contemnamus solam carnem: quando jacuit, tunc nos emit. Quare nos emit? Quia non semper jacuit: Tertia enim die resurrexit a mortuis. Hoc sequitur in Symbolo. Cum confessi fuerimus ejus passionem, confitemur et resurrectionem. In passione quid egit? Docuit quid toleremus. In resurrectione quid egit? Ostendit quid speremus. Hic opus, ibi merces: opus in passione, merces in resurrectione. Nec, quia resurrexit a mortuis, hic remansit. Sed quid sequitur? Ascendit in coelum. Et modo ubi est? Sedet ad dexteram Patris. Intellige dexteram, ne quaeras ibi sinistram. Dextera Dei dicitur aeterna felicitas. Dextera Dei dicitur ineffabilis, inaestimabilis, incomprehensibilis beatitudo atque prosperitas. Haec est dextera Dei. Ibi sedet. Quid est, Ibi sedet? Ibi habitat. Sedes enim dicuntur, ubi quisque habitat. Num enim quando illum vidit Stephanus sanctus, mentiebatur qui dicebat, Sedet ad dexteram Patris? Quomodo enim dicit Stephanus: Ecce ego video coelum apertum, et Filium hominis stantem ad dexteram Dei (Act. VII, 55)? Quia ille vidit stantem, mentiebatur forte qui dicebat tunc, Sedet ad dexteram Patris? Sedet ergo, dictum est, manet, habitat. Quomodo? Quomodo tu. Quo statu? Quis dicet? Dicamus quod docuit, dicamus quod novimus.
Chapter IV. — 4. The right hand of God is eternal happiness. Let us not despise the flesh alone: when it lay [in the tomb], it was then that He bought us. Why did He buy us? Because He did not lie [there] for ever: for on the third day He rose again from the dead. This follows in the Creed. When we have confessed His passion, we confess also the resurrection. In the passion what did He do? He taught what we are to endure. In the resurrection what did He do? He showed what we are to hope for. Here the work, there the reward: the work in the passion, the reward in the resurrection. Nor, because He rose from the dead, did He remain here. But what follows? He ascended into heaven. And where is He now? He sits at the right hand of the Father. Understand the right hand, so that you do not look for a left hand there. The right hand of God is said to be eternal happiness. The right hand of God is said to be ineffable, inestimable, incomprehensible blessedness and prosperity. This is the right hand of God. There He sits. What is 'There He sits'? There He dwells. For places where anyone dwells are called seats. For when holy Stephen saw Him, was the one who said, 'He sits at the right hand of the Father', lying? For how does Stephen say: Behold, I see heaven opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55)? Because he saw Him standing, was the one who said then, 'He sits at the right hand of the Father', perhaps lying? 'He sits', then, is said [meaning] He remains, He dwells. How? As you [dwell]. In what posture? Who will say? Let us say what He has taught, let us say what we know.
CAPUT V. — 5. Salvator noster, judex noster et advocatus. Quid? Inde venturus judicaturus vivos et mortuos. Confiteamur Salvatorem, ne timeamus judicem. Qui enim modo in eum credit, et praecepta ejus facit, et diligit eum, non timebit quando veniet judicare vivos et mortuos: non solum non timebit, sed ut veniat optabit. Quid enim nobis felicius, quam quando
Chapter V. — 5. Our Saviour, our judge and advocate. What [next]? From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. Let us confess the Saviour, so that we may not fear the judge. For whoever now believes in Him, and does His commandments, and loves Him, will not fear when He comes to judge the living and the dead: not only will he not fear, but he will long for Him to come. For what is happier for us than when
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venit quem desideramus, quando venit quem amamus? Sed timeamus, quia judex noster erit. Qui modo est advocatus noster, ipse tunc erit judex noster. Audi Joannem: «Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est. Si autem confessi fuerimus peccata nostra,» dixit, «fidelis est et justus, qui dimittat nobis peccata et mundet nos ab omni iniquitate. Haec scripsi vobis, ut non peccetis: et si quis peccaverit, advocatum habemus apud Patrem, Jesum Christum justum; et ipse est exoratio peccatorum nostrorum» (I Joan. I, 8-II, 2). Si haberes causam apud aliquem judicem agendam, et instrueres advocatum, esses susceptus ab advocato, ageret causam tuam sicut posset; et si non illam finisset, et audires illum judicem venturum; quantum gauderes, quia ipse potuit esse judex tuus, qui fuit paulo ante advocatus tuus? Et modo ip⟨s⟩e pro nobis orat, ipse pro nobis interpellat. Advocatum cum habemus, et judicem timeamus? Imo quia advocatum praemisimus securi, judicem venturum speremus.
He Whom we desire comes, when He Whom we love comes? But let us fear, because He will be our judge. He Who is now our advocate will then Himself be our judge. Hear John: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins," he said, "He is faithful and just, Who will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all iniquity. These things I have written to you, so that you may not sin: and if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just; and He is the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 1:8–2:2). If you had a case to plead before some judge, and engaged an advocate, and were taken on by the advocate, he would plead your case as best he could; and if he had not finished it, and you heard that he was coming as judge, how you would rejoice, because he who a little before was your advocate could himself be your judge! And now He Himself prays for us, He Himself intercedes for us. When we have an advocate, are we to fear the judge as well? Nay rather, since we have sent our advocate on ahead, let us without anxiety hope for the judge who is to come.
CAPUT VI. — 6. De Spiritu sancto. Sic accipi debet Spiritus sanctus, ut non credatur minor quam Filius, et minor quam Pater. Transitum est in Symbolo quod pertinet ad Jesum Christum Filium Dei unicum, Dominum nostrum: sequitur, Et in Spiritum sanctum, ut compleatur Trinitas, Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus. Et de Filio multa sunt dicta, quia Filius suscepit hominem, Filius Verbum caro factum est, non Pater, non Spiritus sanctus: sed carnem Filii tota Trinitas fecit. Inseparabilia enim sunt opera Trinitatis. Sic ergo accipite Spiritum sanctum, ut non credatis minorem esse quam Filium, et minorem esse quam Patrem. Pater enim et Filius et Spiritus sanctus tota Trinitas unus Deus. Nihil ibi distat, nihil varium, nihil defectivum, nihil alteri contrarium; aequale semper, invisibile et incommutabile Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus. Liberet nos Trinitas a multitudine peccatorum.
Chapter VI. — 6. On the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit must be so received that He is not believed to be less than the Son, nor less than the Father. We have gone through what in the Creed pertains to Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, our Lord: there follows, And in the Holy Spirit, so that the Trinity may be completed, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. And many things have been said about the Son, because the Son took up man, the Son, the Word, was made flesh, not the Father, not the Holy Spirit: but the whole Trinity made the flesh of the Son. For the works of the Trinity are inseparable. So then receive the Holy Spirit in such a way that you do not believe Him to be less than the Son, nor less than the Father. For Father and Son and Holy Spirit, the whole Trinity, are one God. Nothing there differs, nothing is varied, nothing defective, nothing contrary to another; equal always, invisible and unchangeable are Father and Son and Holy Spirit. May the Trinity free us from the multitude of sins.
CAPUT VII. — 7. Sancta Ecclesia catholica quae. Inventa meretrix et facta virgo. Mariae similis, et parit et virgo est. Jam quod sequitur ad nos pertinet, Sanctam Ecclesiam. Sancta Ecclesia nos sumus: sed non sic dixi, Nos, quasi ecce qui hic sumus, qui me modo audistis. Quotquot hic sumus, Deo propitio, Christiani fideles in hac ecclesia, id est, in ista civitate, quotquot sunt in ista regione, quotquot sunt in ista provincia, quotquot sunt et trans mare, quotquot sunt et in toto orbe terrarum: quoniam a solis ortu usque ad occasum laudatur nomen Domini (Psal. CXII, 3). Sic se habet Ecclesia catholica mater nostra vera, vera illius sponsi conju⟨x⟩. Honoremus eam, quia tanti Domini matrona est. Et quid dicam? M⟨a⟩gna est sponsi et singularis dignatio; meretricem invenit, virginem fecit. Quia meretrix fuit, non debet negare, ne obliviscatur misericordiam liberantis. Quomodo non erat meretrix, quando post idola et daemonia fornicabatur? Fornicatio cordis in omnibus fuit: in paucis carne, in omnibus corde. Et venit, et virginem fecit. Ec⟨c⟩lesiam virginem fecit. In fide virgo est. In carne
Chapter VII. — 7. The holy Catholic Church, what she is. Found a harlot and made a virgin. Like Mary, she both gives birth and is a virgin. Now what follows pertains to us, the holy Church. We are the holy Church: but I did not say "we" in this sense, as if meaning just us who are here, who have just now heard me. As many of us as are here, by God's favour, faithful Christians in this church, that is, in this city, as many as are in this region, as many as are in this province, as many as are also across the sea, as many as are also in the whole world: since from the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is praised (Ps. 112:3). Such is the Catholic Church, our true mother, the true wife of that Bridegroom. Let us honour her, because she is the matron of so great a Lord. And what shall I say? Great and singular is the condescension of the Bridegroom; He found a harlot, He made a virgin. That she was a harlot she ought not to deny, lest she forget the mercy of Him Who set her free. How was she not a harlot, when she went fornicating after idols and demons? Fornication of the heart was in all: in a few, in the flesh; in all, in the heart. And He came, and made a virgin. He made the Church a virgin. In faith she is a virgin. In the flesh
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paucas habet virgines sanctimoniales: in fide omnes virgines debet habere et f⟨e⟩minas, et viros. Ibi enim debet esse castitas et puritas et sanctitas. Nam vultis nosse quam virgo sit? Apostolum Paulum audite, amicum sponsi audite zelantem sponso, non sibi. Aptavi vos, inquit, uni viro. Ecclesiae dicebat: et cui Ecclesiae? Quocumque Litterae illae pervenire potuerunt. Aptavi vos uni viro virginem castam exhibere Christo. Timeo autem, dixit, ne sicut serpens Evam decepit astutia sua. Serpens ille numquid corporaliter concubuit cum Eva? Et tamen virginitatem cordis ejus exstinxit. Hoc timeo, dicit, ne corrumpantur mentes vestrae a castitate, quae est in Christo (II Cor. XI, 2, 3). Virgo est ergo Ecclesia: virgo est, virgo sit. Caveat seductorem, ne inveniat corruptorem. Virgo est Ecclesia. Dicturus es mihi forte: Si virgo est, quomodo parit filios? Aut si non parit filios, quomodo dedimus nomina nostra, ut de ejus visceribus nasceremur? Respondeo: Et virgo est, et parit. Mariam imitatur, quae Dominum peperit. Numquid non virgo sancta Maria et peperit, et virgo permansit? Sic et Ecclesia, et parit, et virgo est. Et si consideres, Christum parit: quia membra ejus sunt qui baptizantur. Vos estis, inquit Apostolus, corpus Christi et membra (I Cor. XII, 27). Si ergo membra Christi parit, Mariae simillima est.
she has few consecrated virgins: in faith she ought to have all as virgins, both women and men. For there ought to be chastity and purity and holiness there. Do you want to know, then, how she is a virgin? Hear the apostle Paul, hear the friend of the bridegroom, jealous for the bridegroom, not for himself. I have fitted you, he says, to one husband. He was speaking to the Church: and to which Church? To wherever those Letters were able to reach. I have fitted you to one husband, to present a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, he said, lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning. Did that serpent lie bodily with Eve? And yet he extinguished the virginity of her heart. This I fear, he says, lest your minds be corrupted from the chastity which is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:2–3). The Church therefore is a virgin: she is a virgin, let her remain a virgin. Let her beware of the seducer, lest she find a corrupter. The Church is a virgin. Perhaps you will say to me: If she is a virgin, how does she bear children? Or if she does not bear children, how did we give in our names, so as to be born from her womb? I answer: She is both a virgin and she bears. She imitates Mary, who bore the Lord. Did not the holy virgin Mary both bear and remain a virgin? So too the Church both bears and is a virgin. And if you consider it, she bears Christ: for those who are baptized are His members. You are, says the Apostle, the body of Christ and members (1 Cor. 12:27). If therefore she bears the members of Christ, she is most like Mary.
CAPUT VII. — 8 Remissio peccatorum in Baptismo et oratione dominica. Quotidianus baptismus. Remissionem peccatorum. Haec in Ecclesia si non esset, nulla spes esset: remissio peccatorum si in Ecclesia non esset, nulla futurae vitae et liberationis aeternae spes esset. Gratias agimus Deo, qui Ecclesiae suae dedit hoc donum. Ecce venturi estis ad fontem sanctum, diluemini Baptismo, salutari lavacro regenerationis renovabimini; eritis sine ullo peccato, ascendentes de illo lavacro. Omnia quae vos praeterita persequebantur, ibi delebuntur. Aegyptiis insequentibus Israelitas similia erant vestra peccata, persequentibus, sed usque ad mare Rubrum (Exod. XIV). Quid est, usque ad mare Rubrum? Usque ad fontem Christi cruce et sanguine consecratum. Quod enim rubrum est, rubet. Non vides quomodo rubeat pars Christi? Interroga oculos fidei. Si crucem vides, attende et cruorem. Si vides quod pendet, attende quod fudit. Lancea perforatum est latus Christi, et manavit pretium nostrum (Joan. XIX, 34). Ideo signo Christi signatur Baptismus, id est, aqua ubi tingimini, et quasi in mari Rubro transitis. Peccata vestra, hostes vestri sunt. Sequuntur, sed usque ad mare. Cum vos intraveritis, evadetis, illa delebuntur: quomodo evadentibus per siccum Israelitis, aqua cooperuit Aegyptios. Et quid dicit Scriptura? Unus ex eis non remansit (Psal. CV, 11). Peccasti multa, peccasti pauca; peccasti magna, peccasti parva: quod est minus ex eis non remansit. Sed quoniam victuri sumus in isto saeculo, ubi quis non vivit sine peccato; ideo remissio peccatorum non est in sola ablutione sacri Baptismatis, sed etiam in oratione
Chapter VII. — 8 The remission of sins in Baptism and in the Lord's Prayer. The daily baptism. The remission of sins. If this were not in the Church, there would be no hope: if the remission of sins were not in the Church, there would be no hope of the future life and of eternal deliverance. We give thanks to God, Who gave this gift to His Church. See, you are about to come to the holy font, you will be washed in Baptism, you will be renewed by the saving bath of regeneration; you will be without any sin as you come up from that bath. All the past things that were pursuing you will be blotted out there. Your sins were like the Egyptians pursuing the Israelites, pursuing, but only as far as the Red Sea (Exod. 14). What does it mean, as far as the Red Sea? As far as the font of Christ consecrated by the cross and blood. For what is red is red-coloured. Do you not see how a part of Christ is red? Ask the eyes of faith. If you see the cross, notice also the blood. If you see what hangs there, notice what He poured out. The side of Christ was pierced with a lance, and our price flowed out (John 19:34). Therefore Baptism is marked with the sign of Christ, that is, the water in which you are dipped, and you cross over as it were in the Red Sea. Your sins are your enemies. They follow, but only as far as the sea. When you have entered, you will escape, they will be blotted out: just as, when the Israelites escaped over dry ground, the water covered the Egyptians. And what does Scripture say? Not one of them remained (Ps. 105:11). You have sinned much, you have sinned little; you have sinned in great things, you have sinned in small things: what is least of them has not remained. But since we are going to live in this world, where no one lives without sin, therefore the remission of sins is not only in the washing of holy Baptism, but also in the prayer
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Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: ex eis non remansit› · call in col 1064

Forte : Peccasti multa, peccasti pauca ; peccasti magna, peccasti parva : delebuntur omnia, et magna et parva, quod est, Unus ex eis non remansit.

Perhaps: "You have sinned much, you have sinned little; you have sinned greatly, you have sinned slightly: all will be blotted out, both great and small, which is: Not one of them remained."

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