PL 38 · cols. 1207–1211

Augustine, Sermones 257-265 (Classis II, de Tempore)

Sermons CCLXII–CCLXIII

libenter, quod audiendum non fuit, peccatum est: cogitare aliquid, quod non fuit cogitandum, peccatum est.

willingly which ought not to have been heard is sin; to think something which ought not to have been thought is sin.

CAPUT X. — 10. Remedia quotidiana. Minora peccata multitudine obruunt. Sed dedit Dominus noster post illud lavacrum regenerationis alia quotidiana remedia. Quotidiana nostra mundatio, Dominica oratio. Dicamus, et verum dicamus, quia et ipsa eleemòsyna est: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris (Matth. VI, 12). Date eleemosynas, et omnia munda sunt vobis (Luc. XI, 41). Mementote, fratres, ad dexteram staturis quid dicturus est. Non dicet, Illa et illa magna fecistis: sed, Esurivi, et dedistis mihi manducare. Ad sinistram staturis non est dicturus, Illa et illa mala fecistis: sed, Esurivi, et non dedistis mihi manducare (Matth. XXV, 35, 42). Illi pro eleemosyna, in vitam aeternam: isti propter sterilitatem, in ignem aeternum. Modo eligite aut dextram aut sinistram. Nam rogo vos, quam habere poterit spem salutis piger in remediis, creber in morbis?

Chapter X. — 10. Daily remedies. Lesser sins overwhelm by their multitude. But after that washing of regeneration our Lord has given other, daily remedies. Our daily cleansing is the Lord's Prayer. Let us say it, and let us say it truly, for it too is an almsgiving: Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors (Matt. 6:12). Give alms, and all things are clean to you (Luke 11:41). Remember, brethren, what He is going to say to those who will stand at the right hand. He will not say, You did this and that great thing; but, I was hungry, and you gave Me to eat. To those who will stand at the left He is not going to say, You did this and that evil thing; but, I was hungry, and you did not give Me to eat (Matt. 25:35, 42). The former, for their almsgiving, into eternal life; the latter, for their barrenness, into eternal fire. Now choose either the right or the left. For I ask you, what hope of salvation can a man have who is sluggish in remedies and frequent in diseases?

CAPUT XI.—Sed parvi morbi sunt? Congerie premunt. Minora peccata sunt quae habeo. Non sunt multa? Nam quomodo minora sunt, quae premunt, obruunt: quid minutius pluviae guttis? Flumina implent. Quid minutius granis tritici? Horrea implent. Tu attendis quia minora sunt, et non attendis quia multa sunt. Attendere nosti: numera, si potes. Sed plane quotidianum remedium dedit Deus.

Chapter XI. — But are they small diseases? They press down by their heap. The sins that I have are lesser ones. Are they not many? For how are they lesser, which press down and overwhelm? What is smaller than drops of rain? They fill rivers. What is smaller than grains of wheat? They fill barns. You take note that they are lesser, and you do not take note that they are many. You know how to take note: count them, if you can. But plainly God has given a daily remedy.

CAPUT XII.—11. Conclusio. Magna misericordia ejus qui ascendit in altum, et captivavit captivitatem. Quid est, captivavit captivitatem? Occidit mortem. Captivitas captiva est: mors mortua est. Quid ergo? Hoc solum fecit qui ascendit in altum, et captivavit captivitatem? Ergo dimisit nos? Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque in consummationem saeculi (Matth. XXVIII, 2⟨0⟩). Ergo illud attende, Dedit dona hominibus (Psal. LXVII, 19). Aperi sinum pietatis, excipe donum felicitatis.

Chapter XII. — 11. Conclusion. Great is the mercy of Him Who ascended on high and led captivity captive. What is "He led captivity captive"? He slew death. Captivity is made captive: death is dead. What then? Did He Who ascended on high and led captivity captive do only this? Has He then let us go? Behold, I am with you even unto the consummation of the world (Matt. 28:20). Therefore attend to this: He gave gifts to men (Ps. 67:19). Open the bosom of piety, receive the gift of happiness.

SERMO CCLXII. In die Ascensionis Domini, II. Habitus in basilica Leontiana.

Sermon 262. On the Day of the Lord's Ascension, 2. Preached in the Leontian basilica.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Sancti Leontii solemnitas. Dominus Jesus, Patris unigenitus et gignenti coaeternus, pariter invisibilis, pariter immutabilis, pariter omnipotens, pariter Deus; propter nos, ut nostis, et accepistis, et tenetis, factus est homo, forma assumpta humana, non amissa divina: potens occultus, infirmus manifestus; sicut nostis, natus est, ut renasceremur; mortuus est, ne nos in aeternum moreremur. Ille continuo, id est, die tertio resurrexit; nobis resurrectionem carnis in fine promisit. Exhibuit se discipulorum oculis videndum, manibusque tractandum; persuadens quod factus erat, non auferens quod semper erat. Conversatus est cum eis diebus quadraginta, sicut audistis, intrans et exiens, manducans et bibens; non jam indigentia, sed totum potentia

Chapter I. — 1. The solemnity of Saint Leontius. The Lord Jesus, only-begotten of the Father and coeternal with Him Who begot Him, equally invisible, equally immutable, equally omnipotent, equally God, for our sake, as you know and have received and hold, was made man, the human form being assumed, the divine not lost: mighty though hidden, weak though manifest. As you know, He was born, that we might be reborn; He died, that we might not die for ever. He straightway, that is, on the third day, rose again; to us He promised the resurrection of the flesh at the end. He showed Himself to the eyes of the disciples to be seen, and to their hands to be handled, convincing them of what He had become, not taking away what He always was. He conversed with them for forty days, as you have heard, going in and going out, eating and drinking; no longer from need, but wholly from power

Editors' notes and page, col. 1207

Footnotes

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CCLXII› · call in col 1207 Recensitus ad f. gr. et ad Ulim. Am. Par. Lov.

Revised against the manuscripts f. and gr. and against the editions of Ulimmerius [?], Amerbach [?], Paris and Louvain.

(printed under page 610)

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCLXII› · call in col 1207

Alias, de Diversis 13.

Formerly "On Various Subjects," 13.

(printed under page 610)

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: et manifestans eis carnis veritatem, in cruce infirmitatem, a sepulcro immortalitatem.

and manifesting to them the reality of His flesh, on the cross His weakness, from the tomb His immortality.

CAPUT II. — 2. Idem tractatur argumentum. Hodiernum ergo diem ascensionis ipsius celebramus. Occurrit autem huic Ecclesiae alia vernacula solemnitas. Conditoris basilicae hujus sancti Leontii hodie depositio est. Sed dignetur obscurari stella a sole. Ergo de Domino potius, quod coeperamus, loquamur. Gaudet bonus servus, quando laudatur Dominus.

Chapter II. 2. The same subject is treated. So we are celebrating today the day of His ascension. But there also falls on this day for this Church another solemnity, a domestic one. Today is the deposition of the holy Leontius, founder of this basilica. But let the star consent to be obscured by the sun. So let us rather speak of the Lord, as we had begun. The good servant rejoices when the Lord is praised.

CAPUT III. — 3. Ascensionis fides et celebritas per totum orbem. Hodierno ergo die, hoc est, quadragesimo post resurrectionem suam, Dominus ascendit in coelum. Non vidimus : sed credamus. Qui viderunt praedicaverunt, et orbem terrarum impleverunt. Scitis qui viderunt, et qui nobis indicaverunt : de quibus praedictum est, « Non sunt loquelae neque sermones, quorum non audiantur voces eorum. In omnem terram exiit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum » (Psal. XVIII, 4 et 5). Ergo et ad nos venerunt, et nos de somno excitaverunt. Ecce celebratur hodiernus dies toto orbe terrarum.

Chapter III. 3. The faith and celebration of the Ascension throughout the whole world. So on this day, that is, the fortieth after His resurrection, the Lord ascended into heaven. We did not see it, but let us believe. Those who saw it preached it, and filled the whole world. You know who saw it, and who made it known to us: those of whom it was foretold, "There are no speeches nor discourses whose voices are not heard. Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world" (Ps. 18:4–5). So they came to us too, and roused us from sleep. See, this day is celebrated throughout the whole world.

CAPUT IV. — 4. Ascensionis Christi prophetia. Recolite Psalmum. Cui dictum est, Exaltare super coelos, Deus? Cui dictum est? Numquid Deo Patri diceretur, Exaltare, qui nunquam est humiliatus? Exaltare tu : tu qui fuisti in ventre matris inclusus; tu qui in illa factus es, quam fecisti; tu qui in praesepi jacuisti; tu qui ubera tanquam parvulus in vena carnis suxisti; tu qui portans mundum, portabaris a matre : tu quem Simeon senex parvulum agnovit, magnumque laudavit : tu quem vidua Anna vidit sugentem, et cognovit omnipotentem : tu qui esuristi propter nos, sitisti propter nos, fatigatus es in via propter nos : (numquid esurit panis, aut sitit fons, aut fatigatur via?) tu qui omnia ista pertulisti propter nos : tu qui dormisti, et tamen non dormitas, custodiens Israel : postremo, tu quem vendidit Judas, quem Judaei emerunt, et non possederunt : tu apprehense, ligate, flagellate, spinis coronate, in ligno suspense, lancea percusse, tu mortue, tu sepulte, Exalture super coelos, Deus.

Chapter IV. 4. The prophecy of Christ's Ascension. Recall the Psalm. To whom was it said, Be exalted above the heavens, O God? To whom was it said? Would it be said to God the Father, Be exalted, Who was never humbled? Be Thou exalted: Thou Who wast enclosed in a mother's womb; Thou Who wast made in her whom Thou madest; Thou Who didst lie in a manger; Thou Who as a little one didst suck at the breasts in the vein of the flesh; Thou Who, carrying the world, wast carried by a mother: Thou Whom the old man Simeon recognized as a little one and praised as great: Thou Whom the widow Anna saw sucking at the breast, and recognized as almighty: Thou Who didst hunger for our sake, didst thirst for our sake, wast wearied on the way for our sake (does bread hunger, or a fountain thirst, or the way grow weary?); Thou Who didst endure all these things for our sake: Thou Who didst sleep, and yet dost not slumber, keeping Israel: lastly, Thou Whom Judas sold, Whom the Jews bought and did not possess: Thou seized, bound, scourged, crowned with thorns, hung on the wood, pierced with a lance, Thou dead, Thou buried, Be exalted above the heavens, O God.

CAPUT V.—Exaltare, inquit, exaltare super coelos, quia Deus es. Sede in coelo, qui pependisti in ligno. Judex exspectaris venturus, qui exspectatus es judicatus. Quis ista credat, nisi illo faciente, qui erigit de terra inopem, et de stercore exaltat pauperem? Ille ipse inopem carnem suam erigit, et collocat eam cum principibus populi sui (Psal. CXII, 7, 8), cum quibus judicaturus est vivos et mortuos. Cum eis collocavit hanc inopem carnem, quibus dicit : Sedebitis super duodecim sedes, judicantes duodecim tribus Israel (Matth. XIX, 28).

Chapter V. Be exalted, it says, be exalted above the heavens, because Thou art God. Sit in heaven, Thou Who didst hang on the wood. Thou art awaited as Judge Who is to come, Thou Who, awaited, wast judged. Who would believe these things, unless He brought it about Who raises the needy from the earth, and lifts up the poor from the dunghill? He Himself raises up His needy flesh, and places it with the princes of His people (Ps. 112:7–8), with whom He is to judge the living and the dead. He has placed this needy flesh with those to whom He says: You shall sit upon twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28).

CAPUT VI.—5. Ecclesia gloria Christi.— Exaltare

Chapter VI. 5. The Church the glory of Christ. Be exalted

Editors' notes and page, col. 1208

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: alia vernacula solemnitas› · call in col 1208

Editi, Occurrit autem huic Ecclesiae a tabernaculo solemnitas. Verius Germanensis Ms., Occurrit autem huic Ecclesiae alia vernacula solemnitas. Eodem significatu hanc vocem, vernacula, adhibuerat Cicero in lib. 9, n. 15, ad Paetum : « Antiquae et vernaculae festivitatis. » De illa autem Leontii Hipponensis episcopi solemnitate Augustinus in epist. 29.

The printed editions read "Occurrit autem huic Ecclesiae a tabernaculo solemnitas" ("But there falls for this Church a festival from the tabernacle"). The Saint-Germain manuscript, more truly, reads "But there falls for this Church another, home-born festival." Cicero had used this word "vernacula" in the same sense in book 9, no. 15, to Paetus: "of old and home-born festivity." On that festival of Leontius, bishop of Hippo, see Augustine, letter 29.

(printed under page 610)

(2) ‹anchor: in vena carnis suxisti› · call in col 1208

Floriacensis Ms., in vera carne suxisti.

The Fleury manuscript reads "in vera carne suxisti" ("Thou didst suck in true flesh").

(printed under page 610)

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ergo super caelos, Deus. Jam factum est, jam impletum est. Sed dicimus, Quomodo futurum praedictum est, Exaltare super caelos Deus; non vidimus, sed credimus: ecce ante oculos nostros est quod sequitur, Exaltare super caelos, Deus, et super omnem terram gloria tua (Psal. LVI, 12). Non credat illud, qui non videt istud. Quid est enim, Et super omnem terram gloria tua? nisi, super omnem terram Ecclesia tua, super omnem terram matrona tua, super omnem terram sponsa tua, dilecta tua, columba tu⟨a⟩, conjux tua. Ipsa est gloria tua, Vir quidem, ait Apostolus, non debet velare caput, cum sit imago et gloria Dei: mulier autem gloria viri (I Cor. XI, 7). Si mulier gloria viri Ecclesia gloria Christi.

therefore above the heavens, O God. It has already been done, already fulfilled. But we say, just as it was foretold as something to come, "Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God"; we have not seen it, but we believe it: see, before our eyes is what follows, "Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, and Thy glory above all the earth" (Ps. 56:12). Let him not believe that, who does not see this. For what is "And Thy glory above all the earth"? What but: above all the earth Thy Church, above all the earth Thy matron, above all the earth Thy bride, Thy beloved, Thy dove, Thy wife. She herself is Thy glory. "A man indeed," says the Apostle, "ought not to veil his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man" (1 Cor. 11:7). If the woman is the glory of the man, the Church is the glory of Christ.

SERMO CCLXIII. De Ascensione Domini, III.

Sermon 263. On the Ascension of the Lord, 3.

1. Glorificatio et victoria Christi completa est resurrectione et ascensione. Christus, leo et agnus. Diabolus, leo. Muscipula diaboli. Glorificatio Domini nostri Jesu Christi resurgendo et ascendendo completa est. Resurrectionem ipsius Paschae Dominico celebravimus: ascensionem hodie celebramus. Festus nobis dies uterque. Ideo enim resurrexit, ut nobis exemp⟨l⟩um resurrectionis os⟨te⟩nderet: et ideo ascendit, ut nos desuper protegeret. Habemus ergo Dominum et Salvatorem nostrum Jesum Christum prius pendentem in ligno, nunc sedentem in coelo. Pretium nostrum dedit, cum penderet in ligno: colligit quod emit: cum sedet in coelo. Cum enim omnes collegerit, quos utique per tempora colliget, in fine temporis veniet, et quomodo scriptum est, Deus manifestus veniet (Psal. XLIX, 3): non quemadmodum primitus venit occultus, sed sicut dictum est, manifestus. Occultum enim oportebat eum venire, ut judicaretur: manifestus autem veniet, ut judicet. Si enim prius manifestus venisset, judicare manifestum quis auderet? Quando quidem dicit apostolus Paulus, Si enim cognovissent, nunquam Dominum gloriae crucifixissent

1. The glorification and victory of Christ is completed by the resurrection and ascension. Christ, lion and lamb. The devil, a lion. The devil's mousetrap. The glorification of our Lord Jesus Christ was completed by His rising again and ascending. His resurrection we celebrated on the Lord's day of Easter: His ascension we celebrate today. Both days are festal for us. For He rose again for this reason, that He might show us an example of resurrection: and He ascended for this reason, that He might protect us from above. We have, therefore, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, formerly hanging on the tree, now sitting in heaven. He paid our price when He hung on the tree: He gathers what He bought now that He sits in heaven. For when He has gathered all, whom indeed He will gather through the course of time, He will come at the end of time, and, as it is written, "God will come manifest" (Ps. 49:3): not as He came at first, hidden, but, as it is said, manifest. For it was necessary that He should come hidden, that He might be judged: but He will come manifest, that He may judge. For if He had come manifest at first, who would have dared to judge Him when manifest? Since indeed the apostle Paul says, "For if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory"

Editors' notes and page, col. 1209

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible in the page-foot image› · call in col 1209

Floriacensis Ms. non habet, super omnem terram matrona tua.

The Fleury manuscript lacks "your matron over all the earth."

(printed under page 611)

(2) ‹anchor: not visible in the page-foot image› · call in col 1209

Sermo in Floriacensi codice auctior est hisce verbis : Ipsa est sancta Catholica; ipsa est toto orbe diffusa. Ipsa est seges crescens inter zizania. Respice illam de coelo, propter quam es irrisus in ligno. Irriserunt te Judaei, et pendens orasti pro eis; hoc de te meruerunt persequentes; quid de te meruerunt credentes? quibus dignatus es promittere dicens : Et accipietis virtutem Spiritus sancti supervenientem in vos, et eritis mihi testes. Ubi? In Jerusalem, ubi occisus sum. In Jerusalem, parum est. Non tantum pretium dedisti, ut hoc solum emeres. Dic adhuc : valde angusta est Jerusalem nomini tuo. In Jerusalem et tota Judaea et Samaria, et usque in fines terrae. Veni ti ad fines : quare contentiones non finis? Nemo mihi jam dicat, Ecce hic est. Sileat humana allocutio, audiatur divina praedicatio : In Jerusalem et in tota Judaea et Samaria, et usque in fines terrae. Ecclesiam suam nobis novissimis servis Dominus commendavit. Commendavit filiis matrem; praevidit enim malorum filiorum futura litigia. Praevidit homines partes sibi facientes de re aliena. Quare ergo non dividant, quod non comparaverunt? Haec est itaque, fratres charissimi, sancta, ut dixi, Catholica, quae ubique est; et quae nunquam nubit, et quotidie parit. Sunt quidem haec et superioribus non male cohaerentia, et non ab Augustino aliena, sed huc forte adscita ex aliis tractatibus : nam eadem paucis exceptis leguntur in sermone 265.

In the Fleury codex the sermon is longer by these words: "She is the holy Catholic Church; she is spread through the whole world. She is the crop growing among the tares. Look upon her from heaven, she for whose sake you were mocked on the tree. The Jews mocked you, and hanging there you prayed for them; this is what your persecutors received from you; what did those who believe receive from you? To them you deigned to promise, saying: 'And you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and you shall be my witnesses.' Where? 'In Jerusalem,' where I was slain. In Jerusalem is too little. You did not pay so great a price to buy this alone. Say more: Jerusalem is far too narrow for your name. 'In Jerusalem and all Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' [Text uncertain: 'Veni ti' as printed.] To the ends: why do you not end the quarrels? Let no one now say to me, 'Look, here it is.' Let human talk be silent, let the divine preaching be heard: 'In Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' The Lord entrusted his Church to us, his last servants. He entrusted the mother to the sons; for he foresaw the future quarrels of wicked sons. He foresaw men making parties for themselves out of what belonged to another. Why then should they not divide what they did not purchase? This, then, dearest brethren, is the holy Catholic Church, as I said, which is everywhere; which never marries, and daily gives birth." These words do indeed fit not badly with what precedes, and are not foreign to Augustine, but were perhaps brought in here from other treatises: for the same, with a few exceptions, are read in sermon 265.

(*) ‹anchor: not visible in the page-foot image (heading of sermon 263)› · call in col 1209 Collatus ad duos cb. ad n. r. t. et ad Am. Er. Par. Lov.

Collated against two manuscripts cb., against n., r., t., and against the editions of Amerbach [?], Erasmus [?], Paris and Louvain.

(printed under page 611)

(a) ‹anchor: not visible in the page-foot image (heading of sermon 263)› · call in col 1209

Alias, de Tempore 174, et de Diversis 90.

Formerly "On the Season," 174, and "On Various Subjects," 90.

(printed under page 611)

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other: ligature doubt raised by the check (text not changed): Exaltare super caelos Deus | Exaltare super coelos Deus
other: ligature doubt raised by the check (text not changed): Exaltare super caelos, Deus, et | Exaltare super coelos, Deus, et

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(I Cor. II, 8). Sed si ille non occideretur, mors non moreretur. Tropaeo suo diabolus victus est. Exsultavit enim diabolus, quando primum hominem seducendo dejecit in mortem. Seducendo primum hominem, occidit: occidendo novissimum, primum de laqueis perdidit. Facta est ergo victoria Domini nostri Jesu Christi, cum resurrexit et ascendit in coelum; et impletum est quod audistis, cum Apocalypsis legeretur, Vicit Leo de tribu Juda (Apoc. V, 5). Ipse leo dictus est, qui agnus occisus est: leo propter fortitudinem, agnus propter innocentiam: leo quia invictus, agnus quia mansuetus. Et ipse Agnus occisus morte sua vicit leonem qui circuit quaerens quem devoret. Dictus est enim diabolus leo, feritate, non virtute. Apostolus quippe Petrus ait: Vigilare vos oportet adversus tentationes, quia adversarius vester diabolus circuit, quaerens quem devoret. Sed quomodo circuit, dixit: Sicut leo rugiens circuit, quaerens quem devoret (I Petr. V, 8). Quis non incurreret in dentes leonis hujus, nisi vicisset Leo de tribu Juda? Contra leonem leo, contra lupum agnus. Exsultavit diabolus quando mortuus est Christus, et ipsa morte Christi est diabolus victus: tanquam in muscipula escam accepit. Gaudebat ad mortem, quasi praepositus mortis. Ad quod gaudebat, inde illi tensum est. Muscipula diaboli, crux Domini: esca qua caperetur, mors Domini. Et ecce surrexit Dominus noster Jesus Christus. Ubi est mors quae pependit in ligno? Ubi est insultatio Judaeorum? Ubi est typhus et superbia caput ante crucem agitantium et dicentium, Si filius Dei est, descendat de cruce (Matth. XXVII, 40)? Et plus fecit, quam illi insultando exigebant. Plus enim est de sepulcro resurgere, quam de ligno descendere.

(1 Cor. 2:8). But if He were not slain, death would not die. By his own trophy the devil was conquered. For the devil exulted when by seducing the first man he cast him down into death. By seducing the first man, he slew him: by slaying the last Man, he lost the first from his snares. So the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ was achieved when He rose again and ascended into heaven; and what you heard when the Apocalypse was read was fulfilled: The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered (Rev. 5:5). He Who was slain as a lamb was called a lion: a lion for His strength, a lamb for His innocence; a lion because unconquered, a lamb because gentle. And that same slain Lamb by His death conquered the lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour. For the devil is called a lion for his savagery, not for his virtue. Indeed the apostle Peter says: You must keep watch against temptations, because your adversary the devil goes about seeking whom he may devour. But he said how he goes about: As a roaring lion he goes about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8). Who would not run into the teeth of this lion, had not the Lion of the tribe of Judah conquered? Lion against lion, lamb against wolf. The devil exulted when Christ died, and by that very death of Christ the devil was conquered: he took the bait as in a mousetrap. He rejoiced at the death, as though he were the overseer of death. What he rejoiced at was the very thing set as a trap for him. The devil's mousetrap, the Lord's cross: the bait by which he was to be caught, the Lord's death. And behold, our Lord Jesus Christ has risen. Where is the death that hung upon the wood? Where is the mockery of the Jews? Where is the arrogance and pride of those wagging their heads before the cross and saying, If He is the Son of God, let Him come down from the cross (Matt. 27:40)? And He did more than they demanded in their mockery. For it is more to rise from the tomb than to come down from the wood.

2. Ascensio Christi pignus nostrae ascensionis. Jam vero quanta gloria est quod ascendit in coelum, quod sedet ad dexteram Patris? Sed hoc oculis non videmus, quia nec pendentem in ligno vidimus. Totum hoc fide tenemus, oculis cordis intuemur. Hodie enim, sicut audistis, fratres, Dominus noster Jesus Christus ascendit in coelum: ascendat cum illo et cor nostrum. Audiamus Apostolum dicentem, Si consurrexistis cum Christo, quae sursum sunt quaerite, ubi Christus est in dextera Dei sedens: quae sursum sunt sapite, non quae super terram (Coloss. III, 1 et 2). Sicut enim ille ascendit, nec recessit a nobis: sic et nos cum illo ibi jam sumus, quamvis nondum in corpore nostro factum sit quod promittitur nobis. Ille jam exaltatus est super coelos. Neque enim propterea nobis desperanda est perfecta et angelica coelestis habitatio, quia dixit, Nemo ascendit in coelum, nisi qui descendit de coelo, Filius hominis qui est in coelo (Joan. III, 13). Sed hoc dictum est propter unitatem, qua caput nostrum est, et nos corpus ejus. Cum ascendit in coelum, nos ab illo non separamur. Qui de coelo descendit, non nobis invidet coelum: sed quodam modo clamat, Membra mea estote, si ascendere vultis in coelum. In hoc ergo ipsi interim roboremur, in hoc votis omnibus aestuemus. Hoc meditemur in terris, quod compu⟨t⟩amur in

2. The ascension of Christ the pledge of our ascension. And now, how great a glory it is that He ascended into heaven, that He sits at the right hand of the Father! But this we do not see with our eyes, just as we did not see Him hanging on the wood either. All this we hold by faith; we behold it with the eyes of the heart. For today, as you have heard, brethren, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven: let our heart too ascend with Him. Let us hear the Apostle saying, If you have risen together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God: mind the things that are above, not the things upon the earth (Col. 3:1–2). For just as He ascended and yet did not withdraw from us, so we too are already there with Him, although what is promised us has not yet been accomplished in our body. He has already been exalted above the heavens. Nor indeed need we despair of the perfect and angelic heavenly dwelling because He said, No one has ascended into heaven except He Who descended from heaven, the Son of Man Who is in heaven (John 3:13). But this was said on account of the unity by which He is our head, and we His body. When He ascended into heaven, we are not separated from Him. He Who descended from heaven does not begrudge us heaven, but in a certain manner cries out, Be My members, if you wish to ascend into heaven. In this, then, let us ourselves meanwhile be strengthened; for this let us burn with all our longings. Let us meditate on earth on this, that we are counted in

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PL 38:1211

coelis. Tunc exuturi carnem mortalitatis, nunc exuamus animi vetustatem. Facile corpus levabitur in alta coelorum, si non premat spiritum sarcina peccatorum.

the heavens. Then we shall put off the flesh of mortality; now let us put off the oldness of the mind. The body will easily be lifted up into the heights of the heavens if the burden of sins does not weigh down the spirit.

3. Christum cum corpore ascendisse. Nam et illud nonnullos calumniantibus haereticis movet, quemadmodum Dominus sine corpore descenderit, cum corpore ascenderit, velut contrarium sit illis verbis quibus ait, Nemo ascendit in caelum, nisi qui de caelo descendit. Corpus, inquiunt, quod non descendit de coelo, quomodo potuit ascendere in caelum? Quasi ille dixerit, Nihil ascendit in coelum, nisi quod de coelo descendit; sed ait, Nemo ascendit, nisi qui descendit. Hoc enim ad personam, non ad personae habitum retulit. Descendit sine corporis indumento, ascendit cum corporis indumento. Nemo tamen, nisi qui descendit, ascendit. Nam si nos sibimet tanquam sua membra ita coaptavit, ut etiam nobis conjunctis idem ipse sit; quanto magis illud corpus, quod de virgine assumpsit, aliam non potest in illo habere personam? Quis enim vel in montem, vel in murum, vel in aliquem superiorem locum dicit non eum solum qui descenderit ascendisse, si cum descendisset exutus, ascendat indutus; aut cum descendisset inermis, ascendat armatus? Quemadmodum ergo de hoc dicitur, Nemo ascendit nisi qui descendit, quamvis cum ea re cum qua non descendit ascenderit: sic nemo in coelum nisi Christus ascendit; quia de coelo, nisi Christus, nemo descendit; quamvis sine corpore descenderit, cum corpore ascenderit, ascensuris et nobis non virtute nostra, sed nostra et illius unitate. Duo quippe sunt in carne una; sacramentum magnum est in Christo et in Ecclesia (Ephes. V, 31 et 32). Unde et et ip⟨s⟩e dicit: Igitur jam non duo, sed una caro (Matth. XIX, 6).

3. That Christ ascended with the body. For this also troubles some, while heretics make their slanders: how the Lord descended without a body yet ascended with a body, as though this were contrary to those words in which He says, No one has ascended into heaven except He Who has descended from heaven. A body, they say, which did not descend from heaven, how could it ascend into heaven? As if He had said, Nothing has ascended into heaven except what has descended from heaven; but He said, No one has ascended except He Who has descended. For He referred this to the person, not to the person's attire. He descended without the clothing of a body; He ascended with the clothing of a body. Yet no one ascended except He Who descended. For if He has so fitted us to Himself as His own members that even with us joined to Him He is Himself the same, how much more can that body which He assumed from the virgin not have another person in Him? For who, speaking of a mountain, or a wall, or some higher place, says that it was not the very one who had descended who ascended, if, having descended stripped, he ascends clothed; or, having descended unarmed, he ascends armed? Just as, therefore, it is said of such a one, No one has ascended except him who descended, although he ascended with that thing with which he did not descend: so no one has ascended into heaven except Christ, since no one has descended from heaven except Christ; although He descended without a body and ascended with a body, we too being destined to ascend, not by our own power, but by the unity of ourselves and Him. For the two are in one flesh; it is a great sacrament in Christ and in the Church (Eph. 5:31–32). Hence He Himself also says: Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh (Matt. 19:6).

4. Christus cur quadraginta diebus jejunavit, et totidem dies egit cum discipulis post resurrectionem. Et ideo jejunavit, cum tentaretur ante mortem cibo adhuc indigens: manducavit autem et bibit, cum glorificaretur post resurrectionem jam cibo non indigens. Illic enim ostendebat in se nostrum laborem, hic autem in nobis suam consolationem, quadraginta diebus utrumque definiens. Nam quadraginta diebus jejunavit, cum tentaretur in eremo, sicut in Evangelio scriptum est, ante mortem carnis suae (Matth. IV, 1, 2); et rursum quadraginta diebus cum discipulis fuit, sicut Petrus in Actibus Apostolorum loquitur, intrans et exiens, manducans et bibens, post resurrectionem carnis suae (Act. I, 3, 4). Quo numero quadragesimo hujus saeculi significare videtur excursus in his qui vocantur ad gratiam, per eum qui non venit legem solvere, sed adimplere. Decem namque sunt praecepta legis. Jam gratia Christi diffusa per mundum et quadripartitus mundus, et decem quadriplicata quadraginta faciunt: quoniam qui redempti sunt a Domino, de regionibus congregavit eos, ab Oriente et Occidente

4. Why Christ fasted forty days, and spent as many days with the disciples after the resurrection. And so He fasted when He was tempted before His death, still needing food; but He ate and drank when He was glorified after the resurrection, no longer needing food. For there He was showing in Himself our toil, but here in us His consolation, marking out each of the two by forty days. For He fasted forty days when He was tempted in the desert, as is written in the Gospel, before the death of His flesh (Matt. 4:1–2); and again He was with the disciples forty days, as Peter says in the Acts of the Apostles, going in and going out, eating and drinking, after the resurrection of His flesh (Acts 1:3–4). By this fortieth number the course of this age seems to be signified in those who are called to grace through Him Who came not to abolish the law but to fulfil it. For there are ten precepts of the law. Now the grace of Christ is spread through the world, and the world is fourfold, and ten multiplied by four make forty: since those who have been redeemed by the Lord, He has gathered them from the regions, from the East and the West

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Footnotes

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Hic sermo desinit apud Am. Er. et in nostris manuscriptis.

The sermon ends here in Amerbach [?] and Erasmus [?] and in our manuscripts.

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Vide librum de Agone Christiano, cap. 25.

See the book On the Christian Combat, ch. 25.

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