PL 39 · cols. 2190–2193

Appendix to Augustine's Sermones: Sermones supposititii, Sermones 241-257

Sermons CCXLI–CCXLIII

SERMO CCXLI. De Symbolo, V.

Sermon 241. On the Creed, 5.

1. Symbolum fidei est comprehensio. Quare sic dictum. Quid ex illo apostolus quisque composuit. Symbolum quod vobis tradituri sumus, fratres charissimi, comprehensio est fidei nostrae atque perfectio, simplex, breve, plenum; ut simplicitas consulat audientium rusticitati, brevitas memoriae, plenitudo doctrinae. Quod enim graece Symbolum dicitur, latine Collatio nominatur. Collatio ideo, quia collata in unum catholicae legis fides Symboli colligitur brevitate, cujus textum vobis modo, Deo annuente, dicemus. Petrus dixit, Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem. Joannes dixit, Creatorem coeli et terrae. Jacobus dixit, Credo et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus unicum Dominum nostrum. Andreas dixit, Qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto, natus ex Maria virgine. Philippus ait, Passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus et sepultus. Thomas ait, Descendit ad inferna, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis. Bartholomaeus dixit, Ascendit ad coelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis. Matthaeus dixit, Inde venturus judicare vivos et mortuos. Jacobus Alphaei, Credo et in Spiritum sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam. Simon Zelotes, Sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum. Judas Jacobi, Carnis resurrectionem. Matthias complevit, Vitam aeternam. Amen.

1. The Creed is a summary of the faith. Why it is so called. What each apostle composed of it. The Creed which we are about to hand over to you, dearest brothers, is the summary and the completion of our faith, simple, brief, full: so that its simplicity may provide for the unlettered state of the hearers, its brevity for their memory, its fullness for their instruction. For what in Greek is called Symbolum is named in Latin Collatio. Collatio for this reason: because the faith of the catholic law, brought together into one, is gathered in the brevity of the Creed, whose text we shall now tell you, God assenting. Peter said, I believe in God the Father almighty. John said, Creator of heaven and earth. James said, I believe also in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord. Andrew said, Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. Philip said, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. Thomas said, He descended to the lower regions, on the third day He rose again from the dead. Bartholomew said, He ascended into the heavens, He sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty. Matthew said, Thence He is to come to judge the living and the dead. James son of Alphaeus, I believe also in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church. Simon the Zealot, The communion of saints, the remission of sins. Jude of James, The resurrection of the flesh. Matthias completed it, Life eternal. Amen.

2. Verba Symboli, coelestia sunt Domini sacramenta quae gratiam in nobis servant incorruptam. Audite ergo, fratres charissimi, Redemptoris nostri vocem per prophetam dicentem: Venite, filii, audite me; timorem Domini docebo vos (Psal. XXXIII, 12). Filios vocat, quos in gremio Ecclesiae collocat. Nec enim potest mater vocari, nisi filios procreaverit. Ergo, charissimi, ad perenne praemium vos invitari cognoscite, qui fideliter cum Dei adjutorio lavacrum aquae vitalis accepistis; vel qui expetitis ut cum ad sacrum fontem vel veram poenitentiam perveneritis, per Spiritum sanctum salutaris et coelestis vos unda perfundat. Ideo, charissimi, hujus mysterii sacramentum sic, ut fide concepimus, et corde credimus, perfectis vocibus declaremus. Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, et reliqua sicut supra. Ergo, dilectissimi, haec verba non humana, sed Domini sunt coelestia sacramenta, quae in vestris cordibus ipsius misericordia praestante resideant, ut gratiam Domini incorruptam et immaculatam usque ad finem percipiatis. Repetimus adhuc, charissimi, Symbolum; ut cum mysterio conveniat Trinitatis.

2. The words of the Creed are heavenly sacraments of the Lord which keep grace uncorrupted in us. Hear, then, dearest brothers, the voice of our Redeemer saying through the prophet: Come, sons, hear me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord (Ps. 33:12). He calls sons those whom He places in the bosom of the Church. For she cannot be called mother unless she has brought forth sons. Therefore, dearest ones, recognize that you are invited to an everlasting reward, you who with God's help have faithfully received the bath of the life-giving water; or you who desire that, when you have come to the sacred font or to true penance, the saving and heavenly wave may pour over you through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, dearest ones, let us declare with perfect voices the sacrament of this mystery just as we have conceived it by faith and believe it in the heart. I believe in God the Father almighty, and the rest as above. Therefore, most beloved, these words are not human, but are heavenly sacraments of the Lord, which by His mercy may abide in your hearts, so that you may receive the grace of the Lord uncorrupted and unstained until the end. We repeat the Creed once more, dearest ones, so that it may accord with the mystery of the Trinity.

3. Personarum distincta proprietas, una majestas. Mariae virginitatem fides attingit, non sermo. Credo in Deum. Credendum nobis est, fratres charissimi, in Deum Patrem, ita et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus. Pater sine Filio credi non potest: quia licet distincta sit in eis personarum proprietas, tamen una est et indiscreta majestas. Sicut totum ergo potuit semper Pater, ita totum potest semper Filius. Qui conceptus

3. The distinctive property of the Persons, one majesty. Faith attains to the virginity of Mary, not speech. I believe in God. We must believe, dearest brothers, in God the Father, and so also in Jesus Christ His Son. The Father cannot be believed in without the Son: for although the property of the Persons is distinct in Them, yet the majesty is one and undivided. Just as, therefore, the Father was always able to do all things, so the Son is always able to do all things. Who was conceived

Editors' notes and page, col. 2190

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 2190

Olim, de Tempore 115; et post, in Appendice 42.

Formerly [Sermon] 115 de Tempore; and afterwards, in the Appendix, 42.

(printed under page 357)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 2190

Incerti auctoris, qui Symbolum hic, « ut cum mysterio, » ait, « conveniat Trinitatis, » tertium usque repetit. Qua in re consentientem habet subsequentis sermonis scriptorem; sed nequaquam Augustinum, qui suo scripto sermone 214, de Symbolo, religione impediebatur, quominus Symbolum ipsum vel semel litteris mandaret. Symboli sententiae non eaedem hic semper, imo paucae iisdem Apostolis tribuuntur, quibus in superiore sermone.

By an uncertain author, who here repeats the Creed as many as three times, "so that," he says, "it may agree with the mystery of the Trinity." In this he has the writer of the following sermon agreeing with him; but by no means Augustine, who in his written Sermon 214, on the Creed, was restrained by scruple from committing the Creed itself to writing even once. The clauses of the Creed are not always the same here; indeed few are assigned to the same Apostles as in the preceding sermon.

(printed under page 357)

Page

running head: SERMO CCXLI. 2190
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: the column opens with the end of the previous work (another unit); not set here: the unit begins at SERMO CCXLI.
other: the foot of the left column on page 357 carries the end of a note continued from the previous page, called in Sermon 240 (another unit); not set here (removed by QA Q1 under the unit's boundary rule).

PL 39:2191

est de Spiritu sancto, natus ex Maria virgine. Sacramentum hic suscepti corporis demonstratur; ut quem ante saecula Pater genuit, in fine jam saeculi Maria virgo, Spiritu sancto inspirante, conceperit. Et ideo de ipsa Domini Matre angelus Gabriel dicit: Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi (Luc. I, 35). Ad excipiendum enim Dominicae majestatis adventum, necesse fuit ut humanae infirmitati divinum adesset auxilium. Sancta enim Maria ut virgo peperit, ita virgo concepit. Qualiter haec aut quomodo salva virginali integritate perfecta sint, credere magis quam enarrare possumus. Fidei in his plurimum licet, sermoni parum. Passus ergo sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus et sepultus. Descendit ad inferna, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis. Ascendit ad coelos; sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris. Sedere ad dexteram Patris dicitur, non ut dicatur major, sed ut ostendatur aequalis. Haec omnia testimonia sunt Dominicae passionis, ut Dominum Jesum Christum sicut vere passum, et vere mortuum, sic vere resurrexisse et triumphasse credamus. In quo nobis Christus Dominus reliquit exemplum, ut sicut eum non dubitamus natum et mortuum, et resurrexisse et vivere: ita nos quoque sicut natos et mortuos esse novimus, sic post mortem resurrecturos, et in aeternum esse victuros noscamus. Sequitur, Inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos.

of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. Here the mystery of the body He took up is shown; so that He Whom the Father begot before the ages, the Virgin Mary, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, conceived now at the end of the age. And therefore concerning the very Mother of the Lord the angel Gabriel says: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you (Luke 1:35). For to receive the coming of the Lord's majesty, it was necessary that divine help should be present to human weakness. For as holy Mary gave birth as a virgin, so she conceived as a virgin. How these things, or in what manner, were accomplished with her virginal integrity preserved, we can believe rather than recount. In these matters very much is permitted to faith, little to speech. He suffered therefore under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven; He sits at the right hand of God the Father. He is said to sit at the right hand of the Father, not so that He may be said to be greater, but so that He may be shown to be equal. All these are testimonies of the Lord's passion, so that we may believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, as He truly suffered and truly died, so truly rose again and triumphed. In this Christ the Lord has left us an example, so that, just as we do not doubt that He was born and died, and rose again and lives, so we too, just as we know that we are born and die, may know that after death we shall rise again and shall live for ever. There follows: From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

4. Sola Ecclesia catholica sancta est. Credo et in Spiritum sanctum: utique ut aequalis credulitas Dei Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti aequalem ostenderet potestatem. Credo sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam. Bene Symbolum Ecclesiam catholicam nominavit et sanctam, quia multae ecclesiae haereticorum sunt; sed quae non est catholica, nec sancta dici potest. Sequitur, Sanctorum communionem. Credentes ergo sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum habentes communionem, quia ubi est fides sancta, ibi est et sancta communio, credere vos quoque in corpore resurrectionem et remissionem peccatorum oportet. Omne sacramentum Baptismi in hoc constat, ut resurrectionem corporum et remissionem peccatorum nobis a Deo praestanda credamus. Superest ut cujus audistis passionem, audistis ascensionem, audistis judicium, quotidie exspectetis adventum.

4. The Catholic Church alone is holy. I believe also in the Holy Spirit: so, indeed, that equal belief in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit might show equal power. I believe the holy Catholic Church. Rightly has the Creed named the Church Catholic and holy, because the churches of heretics are many; but that which is not Catholic cannot be called holy either. There follows: The communion of saints. Believing therefore the holy Catholic Church, having the communion of saints, since where there is holy faith there is also holy communion, you must also believe the resurrection in the body and the remission of sins. The whole sacrament of Baptism consists in this, that we believe the resurrection of bodies and the remission of sins to be granted to us by God. It remains that you should daily await the coming of Him Whose passion you have heard, Whose ascension you have heard, Whose judgement you have heard.

SERMO CCXLII. De Symbolo, VI: ad Competentes.

Sermon 242. On the Creed, 6: to the Competentes.

1. Symbolum breve est et diffusum. Quaeso vos, fratres charissimi, ut nobis reserantibus expositionem Symboli attentius audiatis. Quae doctrina Symboli virtus est sacramenti, illuminatio animae, plenitudo credentium; in eo quod docetur aut discitur et unitas Trinitatis, et Trinitas distincta personis, et opulentia Creatoris, et redemptio passionis. Hoc nexus infidelitatis absolvitur, hoc vitae janua panditur, hoc gloria confessionis ostenditur. Symbolum, dilectissimi, breve est verbis, sed magnum est sacramentis: parvum ostendens imminutione latitudinis, sed totum continens compendio brevitatis. Exiguum est, ut memoriam non obruat; sed diffusum, ut intelligentiam supercedat: confirmans omnes perfectione credendi, desiderio confitendi, fiducia resurgendi. Digne ergo

1. The Creed is brief and wide-reaching. I beseech you, dearest brethren, to listen more attentively as we open up the exposition of the Creed. This teaching of the Creed is the power of the sacrament, the illumination of the soul, the fullness of believers; in what is taught or learned there are both the unity of the Trinity, and the Trinity distinct in Persons, and the bounty of the Creator, and the redemption of the passion. By this the bond of unbelief is loosed, by this the door of life is opened, by this the glory of confession is displayed. The Creed, dearly beloved, is brief in words, but great in its mysteries: showing itself small by the diminution of its breadth, but containing the whole in the compendium of its brevity. It is slight, so as not to overwhelm the memory; but wide-reaching, so as to surpass the understanding: confirming all by the perfection of believing, the desire of confessing, the confidence of rising again. Worthily therefore

Editors' notes and page, col. 2191

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCXLII› · call in col 2191

Alias, de Tempore 131.

Elsewhere, [Sermon] 131 de Tempore.

(printed under page 358)

(b) ‹anchor: ad Competentes› · call in col 2191

In Appendice nunc primum collocatur. In Lovaniensium editione dubius, Verlini autem et Vindingi sententia falsus est. Non sapit Augustinum, nisi in conclusione, quae ex sermone 212 desumpta est. In caeteris convenit plerumque cum Eusebianis de symbolo sermonibus 1 et 2, auctore forsitan Fausto conscriptis. Confer censuram sermonis praecedentis. Caeterum is ipse sermo olim in Ecclesia Gallicana legebatur Competentibus in traditione symboli, uti liquet ex vetustissimo Missali Gallicano quod Thomasius edidit, ex quo et noster Edmundus Martene illum suo de antiquis Ecclesiae ritibus libro primo, pag. 95, inseruit; cum prius idem, pag. 85, observasset, in Ecclesia Gallicana, ante receptum in ea ordinem Romanum usitatum fuisse, ut inter tradendum Competentibus Symbolum, illud ter repeteretur.

Placed in the Appendix now for the first time. In the Louvain edition it is doubtful, and in the judgement of Verlinus and Vindingus spurious. It does not savour of Augustine, except in the conclusion, which is taken from Sermon 212. In the rest it mostly agrees with the Eusebian sermons 1 and 2 on the Creed, written perhaps by Faustus. Compare the critique of the preceding sermon. Moreover, this very sermon was formerly read in the Gallican Church to the Competentes at the handing-over of the Creed, as is clear from the very ancient Gallican Missal which Thomasius edited, from which our Edmund Martène also inserted it in the first book of his work on the ancient rites of the Church, p. 95; the same having earlier observed, p. 85, that in the Gallican Church, before the Roman order was received there, it was customary for the Creed to be repeated three times while it was being handed over to the Competentes.

(printed under page 358)

Page

running head: 2191 APPENDIX.
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 39:2192

et attentiores et frequentiores, et pro ratione temporis ipsius puriores ad audiendum Symbolum convenistis. Quidquid praefiguratum est in Patriarchis, quidquid nuntiatum est in Scripturis, quidquid praedictum est in Prophetis vel de Deo ingenito, vel ex Deo Dei unigenito, vel de Spiritu sancto, quamvis latenter ostensum sit, vel de suscipiendi hominis sacramento, vel de morte Domini resurrectionisque mysterio; totum hoc breviter, juxta oraculum propheticum, Symbolum in se continet confitendum. Tenendo ergo, fratres charissimi, collationem fidei et gratiam, professionis mysterium memoriae commendatum, jam ad istius Symboli professionis sacramentum textumque veniamus, quod in hunc modum incipit.

both more attentive and more numerous, and, as befits the nature of this very season, purer, you have come together to hear the Creed. Whatever was prefigured in the Patriarchs, whatever was announced in the Scriptures, whatever was foretold in the Prophets, whether concerning God the unbegotten, or concerning the only-begotten of God from God, or concerning the Holy Spirit, although it was shown in a hidden way, or concerning the sacrament of the assumption of man, or concerning the mystery of the Lord's death and resurrection: all this, briefly, according to the prophetic oracle, the Creed contains within itself to be confessed. Holding fast, therefore, dearest brothers, the bestowal of faith and the grace, the mystery of the profession committed to memory, let us now come to the sacrament and text of the profession of this Creed, which begins in this manner.

2. Judicia sua credi a nobis vult Deus, non discuti. Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, creatorem coeli et terrae. Et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum: qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto, natus ex Maria virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus. Descendit ad inferna, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis. Ascendit ad coelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis: inde venturus judicare vivos et mortuos. Credo in Spiritum sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, hujus carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen. Repetendus est nobis, dilectissimi, sermo Symboli hujus, qualiter ea quae dicimus, vestris sensibus melius inseramus. Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, creatorem coeli et terrae. Tertia igitur vice repetitur; ut ad reliqua capienda fideli cursu pervenire possimus. Et quia lex fidei nostrae in Trinitate consistit; ut ipse numerus repetitionis cum signo veniat Trinitatis, tertia vice ordo Symboli recensendus est. In primis, dilectissimi, qualis sermo sit, in capite Symboli diligenter advertite, et quali principio inchoetur, sollicitius pertractate. Ergo in primo habet, Credo. Vide quod Dominus noster non nos jubet discutere divina judicia, sed credere: nec rationem requirere, sed fidem simpliciter et immobiliter exhibere. In Deum Patrem. Advertite, quod cum Dei Patris nomen in confessione conjungit, ostendit quod non ante Deus esse coeperit, et postea pater; sed sine ullo initio et Deus semper et pater est. Quia ergo semp⟨e⟩r fuit pater, semper habuit filium cui pater est. Omnipotentem vero ideo dicit, quia omnipotens est, eique nihil impossibile est qui coelum, terram, mare, homines, atque omnia animalia et reptilia non aliquo operis actu, sed solo verbi creavit imperio. Et ideo non nobis veniat in cogitationem quomodo hoc aut illud potuit fieri, qui omnipotentem praecipimur confiteri. Creatorem coeli et terrae. Hoc ait quod superius dixi, quia omnia sola verbi potestate perfecit.

2. God wills that His judgements be believed by us, not scrutinized. I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, He sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty: from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the remission of sins, the resurrection of this flesh, life eternal. Amen. The wording of this Creed must be repeated by us, dearly beloved, so that we may better implant in your minds the things we say. I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. It is repeated, then, a third time, so that by a faithful course we may succeed in grasping the rest. And because the law of our faith consists in the Trinity, the order of the Creed is to be gone through a third time, so that the very number of the repetition may come with the sign of the Trinity. First of all, dearly beloved, attend carefully to what kind of word stands at the head of the Creed, and consider more earnestly with what beginning it opens. So in the first place it has: I believe. See that our Lord does not bid us scrutinize the divine judgements, but believe; nor seek a reason, but show faith simply and unshakeably. In God the Father. Notice that, when it joins the name of God and of Father in the confession, it shows that He did not first begin to be God and afterwards Father, but without any beginning He is both always God and always Father. Since, therefore, He was always Father, He always had a Son whose Father He is. And it says almighty for this reason, because He is almighty, and nothing is impossible to Him Who created heaven, earth, sea, men, and all living creatures and creeping things, not by any act of labour, but by the sole command of His word. And therefore let it not come into our thought how this or that could have come about, we who are commanded to confess Him almighty. Creator of heaven and earth. This says what I said above, that He accomplished all things by the sole power of His word.

3. Pilati cur fiat mentio. Credo et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus. Advertite, quod quomodo in Patrem, sic et in Filium credendum sit. Et quia cum Patre aequalis est majestate, tantum ipsi quantum et Pat⟨r⟩i honoris nos debere novimus, et servitutis obsequium. Jesum Christum. Jesus Salvator interpretatur, Christus vero a chrismate dicitur: quia sicut antiqui reges a sacerdotibus oleo sacro perfundebantur, sic Dominus noster Jesus Christus Spiritus sancti infusione repletus est. Qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto. Non poterat aliunde quam de Deo concipere, quae Deum meruit pr⟨o⟩creare. Natus ex Maria virgine. Non potuit non talem habere conceptum, quae virgo erat permansura post partum. Passus est sub Pontio Pilato. Iste Pilatus judex erat in illo tempore, ab imperatore positus in Judaea, sub quo Dominus passus est: cujus mentio ad temporis significationem, non ad personae illius pertinet dignitatem. Crucifixus et sepultus. Crucem illam in qua ille crucifixus est in corpore, nos gestamus in fronte. Sepultus est. Sicut in veritate natus, ita in veritate mortuus et sepultus. Tertia die resurrexit. Triduana sepulturae mora evidenter ostendit quod dum corpus in sepulcro jacuit, anima illa de inferis triumphavit. Ascendit ad coelos: id est, conditionem

3. Why mention is made of Pilate. I believe also in Jesus Christ His Son. Notice that, as one must believe in the Father, so too one must believe in the Son. And since He is equal with the Father in majesty, we know that we owe Him as much honour as we owe the Father, and the homage of service. Jesus Christ. Jesus is interpreted Saviour, while Christ is named from chrism: for just as the ancient kings were anointed by the priests with sacred oil, so our Lord Jesus Christ was filled with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit. She who merited to bring forth God could not conceive from any other source than from God. Born of the Virgin Mary. She could not but have such a conception, who was to remain a virgin after giving birth. Suffered under Pontius Pilate. This Pilate was judge at that time, placed in Judaea by the emperor, under whom the Lord suffered: the mention of him pertains to the indication of the time, not to the dignity of his person. Crucified and buried. That cross on which He was crucified in the body, we bear on our forehead. He was buried. Just as He was truly born, so He truly died and was buried. On the third day He rose again. The three-day delay of the burial clearly shows that, while the body lay in the tomb, that soul triumphed over hell. He ascended into heaven: that is, the condition

Editors' notes and page, col. 2192

Page

running head: APPENDIX. 2192
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: latenter: final letter blurred, looks like i, set as r; dexteram: t looks like f, set dexteram; semp⟨e⟩r, Pat⟨r⟩i, pr⟨o⟩creare: letters lost to damaged type; last word con- split at column break; cut-off line ends of column 2191 at left (text and a note-like passage) not set; Google digitization stamp not set
other: the word conditionem was split at the column break and stands whole here (joined on receipt); check that the English reads whole across the break into col 2193

PL 39:2193

naturae nostrae, quam de homine matre natus assumpsit, super coelos in dexteram Dei Patris collocavit. Inde venturus judicare vivos et mortuos. In ipso corpore venturus est ad judicium, in quo ascendit ad coelum. Christianos judicat et Paganos, justos et peccatores, fideles et impios.

of our nature, which, born of a human mother, He assumed, He has placed above the heavens at the right hand of God the Father. Thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. In the very body in which He ascended to heaven He will come to the judgement. He judges Christians and pagans, the just and sinners, the faithful and the impious.

4. Trinitatis confessio necessaria. Credo et in Spiritum sanctum. Advertite quod sicut in Patrem, ita et in Filium et in Spiritum sanctum sit credendum. Nam qui vel in unam de Trinitate personam non crediderit, in duabus illi credidisse non proderit. Sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam. Sciendum est quod Ecclesiam credere, non tamen in Ecclesiam credere debeamus: quia Ecclesia non est Deus; sed domus Dei est. Catholicam dicit toto orbe diffusam; quia diversorum haereticorum ecclesiae ideo catholicae non dicuntur, quia per loca atque per suas quasque provincias continentur: haec vero a solis ortu usque ad occasum unius fidei splendore diffunditur. Sanctorum communionem: id est, cum illis sanctis qui in hac quam suscepimus fide defuncti sunt, societate et spei communione teneamur. Remissionem peccatorum. Oportet enim ut post remissionem quae nobis praestatur munere Redemptoris in Baptismo, plenae credulitatis teneamus affectum. Carnis hujus resurrectionem. Carnem quam in hac vita sub mortali conditione portamus, resurrecturam esse immortalem, ac rationem reddituram pro animae consortio credamus. Vitam aeternam. Absque ulla dubitatione fatemur, nos vitam aeternam consecuturos, si haec quae vobis exponimus sacramenta fideliter teneatis, ac bonis actibus conservetis.

4. The confession of the Trinity is necessary. I believe also in the Holy Spirit. Note that just as one must believe in the Father, so also in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. For whoever does not believe in even one person of the Trinity, it will not profit him to have believed in the two. The holy catholic Church. It must be understood that we ought to believe the Church, yet not believe in the Church: because the Church is not God, but is the house of God. It says "catholic", [that is] spread throughout the whole world; because the churches of the various heretics are not called catholic for this reason, that they are confined to places and to their own several provinces: but this one is diffused from the rising of the sun to its setting with the splendour of the one faith. The communion of saints: that is, that we are held in fellowship and in communion of hope with those saints who have died in this faith which we have received. The remission of sins. For it is fitting that after the remission which is granted to us in Baptism by the gift of the Redeemer, we should hold to the disposition of full belief. The resurrection of this flesh. Let us believe that the flesh which we bear in this life under a mortal condition will rise again immortal, and will render account for its partnership with the soul. Eternal life. Without any doubt we confess that we shall attain eternal life, if you faithfully hold these sacraments which we are expounding to you, and preserve them by good deeds.

5. Conclusio. Hunc brevem sermonem de universo Symbolo vobis debitum reddidi, etc.

5. Conclusion. This short sermon on the whole Creed I have rendered to you as owed, etc.

SERMO CCXLIII. De Symbolo; VII.

Sermon 243. On the Creed, 7.

1. Ipse qui Deus, ipse pater noster. Oportet attendere, fratres charissimi, quanta Dei pietas sit erga humanum genus. Omnipotens Deus creator et conditor Angelorum et hominum, omnis creaturae visibilis et invisibilis, Patrem se voluit vocari ab homine, et pro filiis habere quos fecit ex limo terrae. Si ergo credis Deo, daemonem relinque; si Deum sequi volueris, quidquid Deo non placeat devitare procura. Gaude et exsulta, quia unum eumdemque Deum habes et patrem; ipsum cole, ipsum dilige, ipsius fac voluntatem. Nihil de idolorum cultu vel superstitionibus Paganorum cogites: quia Deus est omnipotens, qui omnia quae tibi promittit, potens est reddere.

1. He Who is God is Himself our Father. We must consider, dearest brothers, how great the kindness of God is towards the human race. Almighty God, the creator and founder of angels and of men, of every creature visible and invisible, willed to be called Father by man, and to have as sons those whom He made from the slime of the earth. If then you believe God, abandon the demon; if you wish to follow God, take care to avoid whatever may not please God. Rejoice and exult, because you have one and the same God as your father too; worship Him, love Him, do His will. Give no thought to the cult of idols or to the superstitions of the pagans: because God is almighty, Who is able to deliver all that He promises you.

2. Mariae virginitas ante et post partum unde credatur. Et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus unicum Dominum nostrum. Nisi enim eumdem Dei Filium, eumdemque Christum filium hominis tota mente absque ulla haesitatione credideris atque confitearis, nec Patrem tibi proderit confiteri. Crede ergo Filium Dei unigenitum ab ingenito Deo Patre, vitam a vita, verum Deum de Deo vero, coaeternum et coessentialem, omnipotentem et coaequalem per omnia Patri; et ad aeterna cum eo et cum omnibus sanctis ejus gaudia mereberis pervenire. Qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto, natus ex Maria virgine. Cum Spiritum sanctum ministratorem tantae nativitatis audieris, nullatenus dubites virginem potuisse concipere. Cur non credis eum in utero incorruptae Virginis potuisse figurare, quem credere debes hominem fecisse de limo terrae? Nec dubites Mariam virginem mansisse post partum, quia qualiter hoc factum sit, non humanus sermo

2. On what ground the virginity of Mary before and after childbirth is believed. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. For unless, with your whole mind and without any hesitation, you believe and confess that the same Son of God is also the same Christ, the son of man, it will not profit you even to confess the Father. Believe therefore that the Son of God is only-begotten of the unbegotten God the Father, life from life, true God from true God, coeternal and coessential, almighty and coequal with the Father in all things; and you will deserve to attain to eternal joys with Him and with all His saints. Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. When you hear that the Holy Spirit was the minister of so great a birth, by no means doubt that a virgin could conceive. Why do you not believe that He could fashion [Him] in the womb of the incorrupt Virgin, Who, as you must believe, made man from the slime of the earth? Nor doubt that Mary remained a virgin after childbirth, because how this was done neither human speech

Editors' notes and page, col. 2193

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: reddidi, etc.› · call in col 2193

Conclusio est sermonis 212 inter Augustinianos.

The conclusion is that of Sermon 212 among the Augustinian [sermons].

(printed under page 359)

(b) ‹anchor: SERMO CCXLIII› · call in col 2193

Alias, de Tempore 125.

Elsewhere, [Sermon] 125 de Tempore.

(printed under page 359)

In Appendice nunc primum collocatur. Erat apud Lovanienses dubius, apud Verlinum autem et Vindingum falsus. Initio quidem plures alloquitur concionator, utens isthac appellatione, quae in spuriis sermonibus solemnis et consueta est, « fratres charissimi : » deinceps vero ad unum quempiam in singulari verba dirigit; nec Augustinum in Symbolo explicando imitatur.

Placed in the Appendix now for the first time. With the Louvain editors it was doubtful, but with Verlinus and Vindingus spurious. At the beginning the preacher addresses many, using that form of address which is customary and usual in the spurious sermons, "dearest brethren"; but thereafter he directs his words to some one person in the singular; nor does he imitate Augustine in explaining the Creed.

(printed under page 359)