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Augustine, Sermones 234-243 (Classis II, de Tempore)

Sermons CCXXXVIII–CCXXXIX

SERMO CCXXXVIII. In diebus Paschalibus, IX. De eadem lectione Evangelii Lucae, cap. XXIV, ℣. 38-47.

Sermon 238. On the days of Easter, 9. On the same reading of the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24, verses 38-47.

1. Christus verus et vera Ecclesia ex loco Lucae agnoscitur. Sic sacra perennisque evangelica lectio nobis demonstrat verum Christum, et veram Ecclesiam, ne in aliquo eorum erremus, aut sancto sponso aliam pro alia supponamus, aut sanctae sponsae non suum virum sed alium importemus. Ergo ne in aliquo eorum erremus, tanquam matrimoniales eorum Evangelii tabulas audiamus.

1. The true Christ and the true Church are recognized from the passage of Luke. Thus the sacred and everlasting Gospel reading shows us the true Christ and the true Church, so that we may not go astray in either of them, and either substitute for the holy Bridegroom one bride in place of another, or bring to the holy bride not her own husband but another. Therefore, so that we may not go astray in either of them, let us listen to the Gospel as to their marriage contract.

2. Contra Manichaeos et Priscillianistas, Christum habere veram carnem. De Domino Christo non defuerunt, nec desunt, qui sic falluntur, ut eum veram carnem habuisse non crederent. Audiant quod modo audivimus. In coelo est, sed hic sonat: ad dexteram Patris sedet, sed inter nos loquitur. Ipse se indicet, ipse se manifestet. Quid opus est ut alium de illo testem quaeramus? Ipsum potius audiamus. Apparuit discipulis suis, et subito stetit in medio eorum. Cum legeretur audistis. Illi autem turbati sunt: existimabant enim se spiritum videre. Hoc est quod putant, qui eum veram carnem habere non credunt: Manichaei sunt, Priscillianistae sunt, et aliae quaecumque nec nominandae pestes. Non enim putant Christum nihil esse, hoc non putant: sed spiritum putant esse, carnem non habuisse. Quid tu, Catholica? quid tu, sponsa, non adultera? Ergo quid tu, nisi quod ab eo didicisti? Non enim alium meliorem de illo quam ipsum testem invenire potuisti. Ergo quid tu? Et Verbum et spiritum hominis et carnem hominis Christum esse didicisti. Quid didicisti de Verbo? In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum: hoc erat in principio apud Deum (Joan. I, 1, 2). Quid didicisti de spiritu hominis? Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum (Id. XIX, 30). Quid didicisti de carne? Modo audi. Ignosce illis qui hoc putant, quod prius errantes discipuli putaverunt. Sed illi in errore non perseveraverunt. Nam hoc putaverunt discipuli, quod hodie putant Manichaei, quod hodie putant Priscillianistae, non fuisse veram carnem in Domino Christo, sed tantummodo spiritum. Videamus si dimisit eos errare. Videte qnam malus sit error, quem medicus festinabat sanare, noluit confirmare. Putaverunt ergo se spiritum videre: et ille qui sciebat malas istas cogitationes esse, de eorum cordibus eradicans, Quid turbati estis, dixit? quid turbati estis, et cogitationes ascendunt in cor vestrum? Videte manus meas et pedes meos: tangite, et videte quia spiritus carnem et ossa non habet, sicut me videtis habere. Tene contra omnes omnium insanas cogitationes, tene quod accepisti: alioquin peristi. Christus verum Verbum, unigenitum, aequalis Patri, verus humanus

2. Against the Manichaeans and Priscillianists, that Christ has true flesh. Concerning the Lord Christ there have not been lacking, nor are there lacking now, those who are so deceived that they would not believe that He had true flesh. Let them hear what we have just heard. He is in heaven, but He speaks here; He sits at the right hand of the Father, but He talks among us. Let Him point Himself out, let Him make Himself manifest. What need is there for us to seek another witness concerning Him? Let us rather hear Him. He appeared to His disciples, and suddenly stood in their midst. You heard it when it was read. But they were troubled: for they supposed that they were seeing a spirit. This is what those think who do not believe that He has true flesh: they are Manichaeans, they are Priscillianists, and whatever other plagues there are not even to be named. For they do not think that Christ is nothing, this they do not think; but they think He is a spirit, that He did not have flesh. What do you say, Catholic Church? What do you say, bride, no adulteress? So what do you say, except what you have learned from Him? For you could not find another witness concerning Him better than Himself. So what do you say? You have learned that Christ is both the Word and a human spirit and human flesh. What have you learned about the Word? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: this was in the beginning with God (John 1:1–2). What have you learned about the human spirit? And having bowed His head, He gave up the spirit (John 19:30). What have you learned about the flesh? Listen now. Pardon those who think what the disciples at first thought when they went astray. But they did not persist in their error. For the disciples thought what the Manichaeans think today, what the Priscillianists think today, that there was not true flesh in the Lord Christ, but only spirit. Let us see whether He let them go on erring. See how bad an error it is, which the physician hastened to heal and would not confirm. So they thought they were seeing a spirit: and He, who knew that these were evil thoughts, rooting them out of their hearts, said, Why are you troubled? Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts rise up into your heart? See My hands and My feet: touch, and see that a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have. Hold fast against all the insane thoughts of all people, hold fast what you have received: otherwise you have perished. Christ is the true Word, only-begotten, equal to the Father, a true human

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(*) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1125 * Prodit nunc primum ex veteri Vindocinensis abbatiae codice annorum fere 800. Exordium in Ms. exemplari verbis aliquot erasis et quae tituli loco esse debuerant substitutis, ita nunc habet: « De vero sponso, id est Christo, « et vera sponsa, id est Ecclesia catholica, sic sacra perennisque evangelica lectio, » etc. Hunc et superiorem sermonem confer cum sermone 116.

Published now for the first time from an old codex of the abbey of Vendôme, about 800 years old. In the manuscript copy the opening, with some words erased and others substituted that should have stood as the title, now reads thus: "Of the true Bridegroom, that is, Christ, and the true Bride, that is, the Catholic Church, thus the sacred and everlasting Gospel reading," etc. Compare this and the preceding sermon with Sermon 116.

(printed under page 569) (a) Alias, de Tempore 146.

Otherwise numbered: On the Season 146.

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spiritus, vera caro sine peccato. Haec mortua est, haec resurrexit, haec pependit in ligno, haec jacuit in sepulcro, haec sedet in coelo. Volebat Dominus Christus persuadere discipulis quia illud quod videbant, ossa et caro erant: sed tu contradicis. Ille ergo mentitur, et tu verum dicis? tu aedificas, et ille decipit? Quare mihi hoc voluit persuadere Christus, nisi quia sciebat quid mihi prodest credere, et quid mihi nocet non credere? Sic ergo credite. Ipse est sponsus.

spirit, true flesh without sin. This died, this rose again, this hung on the wood, this lay in the tomb, this sits in heaven. The Lord Christ wished to persuade the disciples that what they were seeing was bones and flesh; but you contradict. Is He then lying, and you telling the truth? Are you building up, and He deceiving? Why did Christ wish to persuade me of this, unless because He knew what it profits me to believe, and what it harms me not to believe? So believe in this way. He Himself is the bridegroom.

3. Contra Donatistas, Ecclesiam esse toto orbe diffusam. Audiamus et de sponsa: quia nescio qui rursus faventes adulteris, volunt veram subvertere, falsamque supponere. Audiamus et de sponsa. Cum ergo tetigissent pedes, manus, carnem, ossa; adjecit Dominus, et ait, Habetis hic aliquid quod manducare? ut etiam communicato cibo probaretur verus homo. Accepit, manducavit, dedit; et cum adhuc trepidarent prae gaudio, ait illis: Nonne haec dicebam vobis, cum adhuc essem vobiscum? Quare modo non cum illis erat? Quid est, cum adhuc essem vobiscum? Cum adhuc mortalis essem, quod et vos estis. Quid ergo dicebam vobis? «Quia oportebat impleri omnia quae scripta sunt in Lege, et in Prophetis, et in Psalmis de me. Tunc aperuit illis sensum, ut intelligerent Scripturas; et dixit eis, quia sic oportebat Christum pati, et resurgere a mortuis die tertia.» Tollite veram carnem, non erit vera passio, non erit vera resurrectio. Ecce habes sponsum: Oportebat Christum pati, et resurgere a mortuis tertia die. Tene caput: audi de corpore. Quid enim modo debemus ostendere? Qui audivimus sponsum, agnoscamus et sponsam. Et praedicari in nomine ejus poenitentiam et remissionem peccatorum. Ubi? unde? quousque? Per omnes gentes, incipientibus ab Jerusalem. Ecce habes sponsam. Nemo tibi fabulas vendat, non latret rabies haereticorum de angulo. Toto terrarum orbe Ecclesia diffusa est: omnes gentes habent Ecclesiam. Nemo vos fallat: ipsa est vera, ipsa est Catholica. Christum non vidimus, hanc videmus: de illo credamus. Apostoli e contra illum videbant, de ista credebant. Unam rem illi videbant, aliam credebant: et nos e contra unam rem videmus, aliam credamus. Videbant illi Christum, credebant Ecclesiam, quam non videbant: videmus et nos Ecclesiam, credamus in Christum, quem non videmus; et tenentes quod videmus, perveniemus ad eum quem nondum videmus. Cognoscentes itaque sponsum et sponsam, in tabulis eorum eos agnoscamus, ne in tam sanctis nuptiis litigemus.

3. Against the Donatists, that the Church is spread throughout the whole world. Let us hear also about the bride; for some people or other, again favouring adulterers, want to overturn the true one and substitute a false one. Let us hear also about the bride. When, therefore, they had touched His feet, hands, flesh, bones, the Lord added and said, Have you here anything to eat? so that, by food shared, He might be proved a true man. He took, He ate, He gave; and while they were still trembling for joy, He said to them: Did I not say these things to you while I was still with you? Why was He not now with them? What does it mean, while I was still with you? While I was still mortal, which you also are. What then did I say to you? 'That all things had to be fulfilled which are written in the Law, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning Me. Then He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures; and He said to them that thus it was necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day.' Take away the true flesh, and there will be no true passion, there will be no true resurrection. Behold, you have the bridegroom: It was necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day. Hold the head; hear about the body. For what ought we now to show? We who have heard the bridegroom, let us recognize the bride also. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name. Where? From where? How far? Among all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Behold, you have the bride. Let no one sell you fables; let not the rabid fury of heretics bark from its corner. The Church is spread throughout the whole world: all nations have the Church. Let no one deceive you: she is the true one, she is the Catholic one. Christ we have not seen; her we see: let us believe concerning Him. The apostles, on the contrary, saw Him, and believed concerning her. They saw one thing and believed another; and we, on the contrary, see one thing, let us believe another. They saw Christ and believed the Church, which they did not see; we too see the Church, let us believe in Christ, Whom we do not see; and, holding fast to what we see, we shall come to Him Whom we do not yet see. Knowing, therefore, the bridegroom and the bride, let us recognize them in their marriage documents, lest at so holy a wedding we go to law.

SERMO CCXXXIX In diebus Paschalibus, X. De Resurrectione Christi secundum Marcum et Lucam.

Sermon 239. On the Paschal Days, 10. On the Resurrection of Christ according to Mark and Luke.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Resurrectio secundum quatuor

Chapter I. — 1. The resurrection according to the four

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¹ Sic plerumque veteres manuscripti in eo Lucae loco; ubi editi habere solent, manducetur.

So the old manuscripts generally read in that passage of Luke, where the printed editions usually have "manducetur" (let it be eaten).

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(2) ‹anchor: habent Ecclesiam› · call in col 1126

² Forte habet Ecclesia.

Perhaps "habet Ecclesia" (the Church has).

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CCXXXIX› · call in col 1126 * Correctus ad vat., Am. Er. Par. Lov., et ad Appendicem operum Fulgentii.

Corrected against the Vatican [manuscript], the Amerbach, Erasmus, Paris and Louvain editions, and against the Appendix to the works of Fulgentius.

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(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCXXXIX *› · call in col 1126

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Evangelistas recitari solita. Hodierno die jam ecce tertio audivimus ex Evangelio Domini nostri resurrectionem: quemadmodum me vobis locutum esse meministis: quoniam hoc moris est, ut secundum omnes Evangelistas resurrectio Domini recitetur. Marci Evangelium est, quod modo, cum legeretur, audivimus. Marcus autem meruit istam dispensationem, cum in numero illorum duodecim non fuisset, quemadmodum et Lucas. Nam cum sint quatuor Evangelistae, Matthaeus, Joannes, Marcus, et Lucas; duo sunt ex illis duodecim Apostolis, id est, Matthaeus et Joannes. Sed illorum praecessio infecunda non fuit, ut consequentes comites non haberent. Marcus et Lucas Apostolorum non pares, sed suppares fuerunt. Ideo namque voluit Spiritus sanctus etiam ex his qui inter duodecim non fuerunt, eligere ad Evangelium conscribendum duos, ne putaretur gratia evangelizandi usque ad Apostolos pervenisse, et in illis fontem gratiae defecisse. Cum enim dicat Dominus de spiritu suo et de verbo suo, quod si quis perceperit digneque habuerit, fiet in eo fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam (Joan. IV, 14): fons utique manando se indicat, non remanendo: per Apostolos pervenit gratia ad alios, et missi sunt evangelizare. Quoniam qui vocavit primos, ipse vocavit secundos: ipse vocavit etiam usque ad novissimum tempus corpus Unigeniti sui, id est, Ecclesiam toto orbe diffusam.

Evangelists is customarily read. Look, today for the third time now we have heard from the Gospel the resurrection of our Lord, as you remember I told you: since it is the custom that the resurrection of the Lord be read according to all the Evangelists. It is the Gospel of Mark that we have just heard when it was read. Now Mark merited this dispensation although he had not been in the number of those twelve, just as Luke too. For while there are four Evangelists, Matthew, John, Mark and Luke, two are from those twelve Apostles, that is, Matthew and John. But their going before was not unfruitful, so as to have no companions following after. Mark and Luke were not equals of the Apostles, but nearly equal. For this reason the Holy Spirit willed to choose two even from those who were not among the twelve to write the Gospel, lest it be thought that the grace of evangelizing had come only as far as the Apostles, and that in them the fountain of grace had failed. For since the Lord says of His Spirit and of His word that if anyone receives it and holds it worthily, there shall be in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life (John 4:14): a fountain surely shows itself by flowing out, not by staying put: through the Apostles grace came to others, and they were sent to evangelize. For He Who called the first, Himself called the second: He Himself has called, even up to the last time, the body of His Only-begotten, that is, the Church spread over the whole world.

CAPUT II. — 2. Christus in panis fractione agnoscitur. Hospes esse Christus cur voluerit. Quid ergo audivimus Marcum dicentem? Quod apparuerit Dominus in via duobus, sicut dixit et Lucas, cujus Evangelium heri audivimus: Apparuit, inquit, duobus in via in alia effigie (Marc. XVI, 12). Lucas autem hoc ipsum aliis verbis dixit, sed ab eadem sententia non deviavit. Lucas enim quid dixit? Tenebantur oculi eorum, ne eum agnoscerent (Luc. XXIV, 16). Marcus autem quid dixit? Apparuit eis in alia effigie. Quod ille dixit, Tenebantur oculi eorum, ne eum agnoscerent; hoc iste dixit, in alia effigie. Alia enim effigies visa est, retentis oculis, non apertis. Quid ergo, fratres, quoniam Lucas dixit, quod credo vos de lectione hesterna recentissime meminisse, quod cum benedictum frangeret panem, aperti sunt oculi eorum; quid putamus, si tunc aperti sunt oculi eorum, ergo clausis oculis in via cum illo comitabantur, et poterant scire ubi gressus ponerent, si clausos oculos haberent? Aperti sunt ergo ad cognitionem, non ad visionem. Dominus itaque noster Jesus Christus ante panis fractionem ignotus loquitur cum hominibus, in panis fractione cognoscitur: quia ibi percipitur, ubi vita aeterna percipitur. Hospitio suscipitur, qui domum parat in coelo. Ait enim secundum evangelistam Joannem: Multae mansiones sunt apud Patrem meum: alioquin dicerem vobis, Ibo parare vobis locum. Sed si iero et paravero, iterum veniens assumam vos (Joan. XIV, 2, 3). Hospes in terra esse voluit Dominus coeli, peregrinus in mundo, per quem factus

Chapter II. — 2. Christ is recognized in the breaking of bread. Why Christ willed to be a guest. What, then, did we hear Mark saying? That the Lord appeared on the way to two, just as Luke also said, whose Gospel we heard yesterday: He appeared, he says, to two on the way in another likeness (Mark 16:12). Luke, however, said this very thing in other words, but did not depart from the same meaning. For what did Luke say? Their eyes were held, so that they should not recognize Him (Luke 24:16). And what did Mark say? He appeared to them in another likeness. What the one said, Their eyes were held, so that they should not recognize Him, this the other said, in another likeness. For another likeness was seen, with eyes held back, not opened. What then, brethren, since Luke said, as I believe you remember most freshly from yesterday's reading, that when He was breaking the blessed bread their eyes were opened: what do we suppose? If their eyes were opened then, were they therefore walking with Him on the way with their eyes closed, and could they know where to set their steps if they had their eyes closed? They were opened, then, to knowledge, not to sight. So our Lord Jesus Christ, before the breaking of bread, speaks unknown with men; in the breaking of bread He is known: because He is received there where eternal life is received. He is received into hospitality Who prepares a home in heaven. For He says according to the evangelist John: There are many mansions with My Father: otherwise I would tell you, I go to prepare a place for you. But if I go and prepare it, coming again I will take you up (John 14:2–3). The Lord of heaven willed to be a guest on earth, a stranger in the world, through Whom was made

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¹ Ita sermo 37, in Appendice editionis Operum Fulgentii recentissimae. At hic Am. Er. et Lov., apparentis.

So Sermon 37 in the Appendix of the most recent edition of the Works of Fulgentius. But here Amerbach, Erasmus and Louvain have "apparentis" (of one appearing).

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(2) ‹anchor: vita aeterna percipitur› · call in col 1127

² In Fulgentii Appendice, sermo 37, quia ibi percipitur vita aeterna.

In the Fulgentius Appendix, Sermon 37: "quia ibi percipitur vita aeterna" (because there eternal life is received).

(printed under page 570) (a) Vide Enarrationem in Psalmum 36, serm. 3, n. 6.

See the Exposition of Psalm 36, sermon 3, no. 6.

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est mundus: hospes esse dignatus est, ut tu haberes suscipiendo benedictionem; non quia ille indigebat, cum hospes intrabat.

the world: He deigned to be a guest, so that you, by receiving Him, might have a blessing; not because He was in need when He came in as a guest.

CAPUT III. — 3. Elias ad viduam mittitur pascendus, ut beneficium praestetur pascenti. Eliam sanctum famis tempore per corvum Dominus pascebat: et quem persequebantur homines, ei serviebant aves. Afferebat servo Dei corvus mane panes, et ad vesperam carnes. Non indigebat ergo ille, quem Deus ministris avibus pascebat: et tamen quamvis Elias non indigeret, mittitur ad viduam in Sarepta, et dicitur ei, Vade ad illam viduam, pascet te. Defecerat Deus, ut Elias ad viduam mitteretur? Sed si Deus servo suo sine humano ministerio semper praeberet panem, vidua unde haberet mercedem? Mittitur ergo non indigens ad indigentem, non esuriens ad esurientem; et dicit ad eam: Vade, et affer mihi pusillum, ut manducem. Illa modicum habebat, quod consumptura fuerat, et moritura. Respondit, quantum haberet, prophetae intimavit: et ait illi propheta, Vade, prius affer mihi. Illa non dubitavit, sed attulit. Obtulit refectionem, et meruit benedictionem. Benedixit sanctus Elias hydriam farinae, et capsacem olei. Illud in domo repositum erat consumendum; et illud oleum in palo pendebat finiendum: accessit benedictio, et vasa illa thesauri facti sunt. Laguncula olei facta est fons olei, farina parva uberrimas segetes superavit (III Reg. XVII).

Chapter III. — 3. Elijah is sent to a widow to be fed, so that a benefit may be conferred on the one who feeds him. In the time of famine the Lord fed holy Elijah by means of a raven: and him whom men were persecuting, birds were serving. The raven brought the servant of God loaves in the morning, and meat in the evening. He, then, whom God fed with birds as His ministers was not in need: and yet, although Elijah was not in need, he is sent to a widow in Zarephath, and it is said to him, Go to that widow, she will feed you. Had God failed, that Elijah should be sent to a widow? But if God always supplied bread to His servant without human ministry, from where would the widow have a reward? So one not in need is sent to one in need, one not hungry to one hungry; and he says to her: Go, and bring me a little, that I may eat. She had a small amount, which she was going to consume, and then die. She answered, she told the prophet how much she had: and the prophet said to her, Go, bring it to me first. She did not hesitate, but brought it. She offered refreshment, and earned a blessing. Holy Elijah blessed the jar of flour and the flask of oil. That which had been stored in the house was going to be consumed; and that oil hanging on a peg was going to be finished: the blessing came, and those vessels became treasuries. The little flask of oil became a fountain of oil, the small amount of flour surpassed the most abundant harvests (1 Kgs. 17).

CAPUT IV. — 4. Super pauperem non sese efferat, qui ipsum jurat. Si Elias non indigebat, Christus indigebat? Ideo, fratres mei, admonet nos Scriptura sancta, quia plerumque servos suos quos potest pascere Deus, ideo facit indigentes, ut inveniat operantes. Nemo superbiat, quia dat pauperi: Christus pauper fuit. Nemo superbiat, quia hospitem suscipit: Christus hospes fu⟨i⟩t. Melior est susceptus, quam suscipiens; diti⟨o⟩r accipiens, quam tradens. Qui accipiebat, cuncta possidebat: qui dabat, ab illo cui dabat, acceperat quod dabat. Nemo ergo superbiat, fratres mei, quando dat pauperi: non dicat in animo suo, Ego do, ille accipit; ego suscipio, ille indiget tecto. Forte quo tu indiges, plus est. Forte quem suscipis justus est: ille indiget pane, tu veritate; ille indiget tecto, tu coelo; ille indiget pecunia, tu justitia.

Chapter IV. — 4. Let him who helps a poor man not exalt himself over him. If Elijah was not in need, was Christ in need? Therefore, my brothers, Holy Scripture admonishes us that God, for the most part, makes needy those servants of His whom He is able to feed, for this reason: that He may find people at work. Let no one be proud because he gives to a poor man: Christ was poor. Let no one be proud because he receives a guest: Christ was a guest. Better is the one received than the one receiving; richer the one accepting than the one handing over. He who was accepting possessed all things: he who was giving had received what he gave from Him to whom he was giving. Let no one, then, be proud, my brothers, when he gives to a poor man: let him not say in his heart, I give, he receives; I take him in, he needs a roof. Perhaps what you need is greater. Perhaps the one you take in is righteous: he needs bread, you truth; he needs a roof, you heaven; he needs money, you righteousness.

5. Fenerandum Deo. Fenerator esto, eroga quod recipias. Noli timere, ne te feneratorem judicet Deus. Prorsus, prorsus esto fenerator. Sed Deus tibi dicit: Quid vis? Fenerare vis? Quid est fenerare? Minus dare, et plus accipere. Ecce mihi da, dicit tibi Deus: ego accipio minus, et do plus. Quid? Centuplicia, et vitam aeternam. Quem quaeris cui des, unde crescat pecunia tua, homo quem quaeris, quando accipit, gaudet; quando reddit, plorat: ut accipiat, precatur; ne reddat, calumniatur. Da quidem et homini, et noli te avertere ab eo qui mutuum petit (Matth. V, 42). Sed

5. One must lend at interest to God. Be a lender at interest, pay out what you may receive back. Do not be afraid that God may judge you a usurer. By all means, by all means be a lender at interest. But God says to you: What do you want? Do you want to lend at interest? What is lending at interest? To give less and to receive more. See, give to Me, God says to you: I receive less, and I give more. What? A hundredfold, and eternal life. The one you look for to give to, so that your money may grow, the man you look for, rejoices when he receives; when he repays, he weeps: that he may receive, he begs; that he may not repay, he raises false claims. Give indeed to a man too, and do not turn away from him who asks for a loan (Matt. 5:42). But

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¹ In Vaticano libro, et illud quod erat modicum thesauri facti sunt.

In the Vatican book: "et illud quod erat modicum thesauri facti sunt" (and that which was little became treasures).

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² Er. Lugd. Ven. Lov., Prorsus esto fenerator; non iterato verbo, prorsus. M.

Erasmus, Lyons, Venice and Louvain: "Prorsus esto fenerator" (By all means be a lender), without the word "prorsus" repeated. M.

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³ Er. Lugd. Ven. Lov. praetermittunt, Centuplicia et vitam aeternam. M.

Erasmus, Lyons, Venice and Louvain leave out "Centuplicia et vitam aeternam" (A hundredfold, and eternal life). M.

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Page

running head: UCCUSTINI EPISCOPI (left part cut off at image edge); column number printed indistinctly, reads like 1123
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PL 38:1129

tantum accipe, quantum dedisti. Non ploret cui dedisti: nam beneficium perdidisti. Et si hoc ipsum quod datum est, vel quod accepit exigitur, forte ad manum nondum habet: pertulisti petentem, exspecta non habentem: cum habuerit, reddet tibi. Noli facere angustias ei, cujus angustias relaxasti. Ecce tu dedisti, et exigis: sed non habet unde reddat; cum h⟨a⟩buerit, reddet tibi. Noli clamare et dicere: Numquid fenus quaero? Tantum peto, quantum dedi: quod dedi, hoc accipiam. Bene facis, sed nondum habet. Non es fenerator, et vis cui praestitisti, ut quaerat feneratorem, ut tibi reddat. Si propterea fenus non exigis, ne te feneratorem patiatur; quare vis ut propter te alium feneratorem patiatur? Premis, suffocas: etsi tantum exigis, quantum dedisti; suffocando tamen et angustias faciendo, non beneficium dedisti, sed potius majores angustias intulisti. Sed forte dicis: Habet unde reddat: habet domum, vendat; habet possessionem, vendat. Quando a te petivit, ideo petivit ne venderet: propter te non faciat, qui subvenisti ne fi⟨e⟩ret. Hoc fiat ita circa homines, hoc jubet Deus, hoc vult Deus.

receive just as much as you gave. Let the one to whom you gave not weep: for [then] you have lost the benefit. And if this very thing which was given, or which he received, is demanded, perhaps he does not yet have it to hand: you bore with him when he was asking, wait for him when he does not have it: when he has it, he will pay you back. Do not make straits for him whose straits you relieved. See, you gave, and you demand: but he does not have the means to repay; when he has it, he will pay you back. Do not shout and say: Am I seeking interest? I ask just as much as I gave: what I gave, let me receive this. You do well, but he does not yet have it. You are not a usurer, and you want the one to whom you lent to seek a usurer, so that he may repay you. If you do not demand interest for this reason, so that he may not suffer you as a usurer, why do you want him to suffer another usurer on your account? You press him, you choke him: even if you demand just as much as you gave, yet by choking him and making straits for him, you have not given a benefit, but rather inflicted greater straits. But perhaps you say: He has the means to repay: he has a house, let him sell it; he has property, let him sell it. When he asked of you, he asked precisely so that he would not sell: let him not do it on account of you, who came to his help so that it would not happen. Let this be done thus in dealings with men; this God commands, this God wills.

CAPUT V. — 6. Christus cur egenus factus est. Sed avarus es? Dicit tibi Deus: Esto avarus, esto quantum potes avarus; sed me conveni pro avaritia tua. Dicit tibi Deus: Me conveni, ego filium meum divitem pauperem pro te feci. Propter nos enim pauper factus est Christus, cum dives esset (II Cor. VIII, 9). Aurum quaeris? ille fecit. Argentum quaeris? ille fecit. Familiam quaeris? ille fecit. Pecora quaeris? ille fecit. Possessiones quaeris? ille fecit. Quid quaeris tantum quae fecit? Ipsum accipe qui fecit. Cogita quemadmodum te dilexit. Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil (Joan. I, 3). Omnia per ipsum, et ipse inter omnia. Qui fecit omnia, factus est inter omnia. Qui fecit hominem factus est homo: factus est quod fecit, ne periret quem fecit. Qui fecit omnia, factus est inter omnia. Attende divitias: quid ditius eo, per quem facta sunt omnia? Et tamen ille cum dives esset, mortalem carnem accepit in utero virginis. Infans natus est, pannis infantilibus involutus est, in praesepi positus est; patienter exspectavit aetates, patienter tempora ⟨pe⟩rtulit, per quem facta sunt tempora. Suxit, vagivit, i⟨n⟩fans apparuit. Sed jacebat, et regnabat: in praesepi erat, ⟨e⟩t mundum continebat: a matre nutriebatur, et a Gentibus adorabatur: a matre nutriebatur, et ab Angelis nuntiabatur: a matre nutriebatur, et stella fulgente declarabatur. Tales divitiae, talis paupertas: divitiae, ut creareris; paupertas, ut restituereris. Quod ille ergo pauper susceptus est hospitio quasi pauper, dignatio fuit suscipientis, non miseria egentis.

Chapter V. — 6. Why Christ was made needy. But are you avaricious? God says to you: Be avaricious, be as avaricious as you can; but come to Me for your avarice. God says to you: Come to Me; I made My rich Son poor for you. For Christ was made poor for our sake, though He was rich (2 Cor. 8:9). Do you seek gold? He made it. Do you seek silver? He made it. Do you seek a household? He made it. Do you seek cattle? He made them. Do you seek possessions? He made them. Why do you seek only the things He made? Receive Him Himself Who made them. Consider how He loved you. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made (John 1:3). All things through Him, and He Himself among all things. He Who made all things was made among all things. He Who made man was made man: He was made what He made, so that the one whom He made might not perish. He Who made all things was made among all things. Consider the riches: what is richer than He through Whom all things were made? And yet He, though He was rich, took mortal flesh in the womb of a virgin. He was born an infant, He was wrapped in infant's swaddling clothes, He was laid in a manger; patiently He awaited the stages of life, patiently He bore the times, He through Whom the times were made. He sucked, He wailed, He appeared as an infant. But He lay there, and He reigned: He was in a manger, and He held the world together: He was nursed by His mother, and adored by the Gentiles: He was nursed by His mother, and announced by Angels: He was nursed by His mother, and declared by a shining star. Such riches, such poverty: riches, so that you might be created; poverty, so that you might be restored. That He, then, being poor, was received in hospitality as one poor, was the condescension of the one receiving, not the wretchedness of one in want.

CAPUT VI. — 7. Christus in paupere eget. Forte dicis tibi: O beati qui meruerunt Christum suscipere! O si ego tunc fuissem! o si unus fuissem de duobus illis,

Chapter VI. — 7. Christ is in want in the poor man. Perhaps you say to yourself: O blessed are those who were worthy to receive Christ! O if only I had been there then! O if only I had been one of those two,

Editors' notes and page, col. 1129

Footnotes

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¹ Vaticanus codex, Quid quaeris tanta quae fecit? Ipsum quaere qui fecit.

The Vatican codex: "Quid quaeris tanta quae fecit? Ipsum quaere qui fecit" (Why seek so many things that he made? Seek him who made them).

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(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1129

(printed under page 571) (a) Reliquum capitis hujus quarti, quod in ante editis deerat, restituitur ex Vaticano Ms., aliaque passim loca ejusdem codicis ope redintegrantur. Totus fere iste de fenerando locus insertus est sermoni Appendicis octogesimo octavo, qui alias fuit 48 inter Homilias quinquaginta.

The rest of this fourth chapter, which was lacking in the earlier editions, is restored from the Vatican manuscript, and other passages here and there are made whole with the help of the same codex. Almost this whole passage on lending at interest was inserted into the eighty-eighth sermon of the Appendix, which was formerly the 48th among the Fifty Homilies.

(printed under page 571) (a) Alias, de Tempore 139.

Otherwise numbered: On the Season 139.

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