PL 39 · cols. 2278–2281

Appendix to Augustine's Sermones: Sermones supposititii, Sermones 272-284

Sermons CCLXXXII–CCLXXXIII

audiunt, si antequam divina mysteria compleantur abscedunt. Illis tamen qui in publicis necessitatibus occupantur, et eis qui aliqua infirmitate prohibente exspectare non possunt, imputare non possumus nec debemus. Ipsi tamen videant in conscientia sua, utrum eos necessitas retrahat, an voluntas.

they hear, if they go away before the divine mysteries are completed. Yet we neither can nor ought to impute this to those who are occupied with public necessities, and to those who cannot wait because some infirmity prevents them. Let them, however, see in their own conscience whether it is necessity that draws them away, or their will.

4. Lectioni vel orationi toto die dominico vacandum. Unde iterum atque iterum rogo pariter et contestor, ut omni die dominico, et praecipue in majoribus festivitatibus, donec divina mysteria compleantur, nullus de ecclesia discedat: nisi forte quos supra diximus, quos aut gravis infirmitas, aut publica necessitas stare diutius non permittit. Vere dico, fratres, satis durum et prope nimis impium est ut christiani non habeant reverentiam diei dominico, quam Judaei observare videntur in sabbato. Cum enim ipsi infelices ita sabbatum observent, ut in eo nihil terreni operis exercere praesumant: quanto magis illi, qui non auro, non argento, sed pretioso sanguine Christi redempti sunt (II Petr. I, 18), debent attendere pretium suum, et Resurrectionis die Deo vacare, et de salute animae suae attentius cogitare? Ad extremum si toto die dominico lectioni insistere et Deo supplicare negligimus, non leviter in Deum peccamus; quantum mali est, si vel unius vel duarum horarum spatio, dum divina mysteria celebrantur, in ecclesia standi patientiam non habeamus? Sed quod pejus est, ita nos amor saeculi hujus inebriat, ut nos umbra volaticae falsitatis ad vana et falsa gaudia, quae veros dolores pariunt, et voluptas mundialium cupiditatum jugiter trahant.

4. The whole Lord's day is to be given to reading or prayer. Therefore again and again I ask and at the same time solemnly charge you that on every Lord's day, and especially on the greater festivals, no one should leave the church until the divine mysteries are completed, except perhaps those whom we mentioned above, whom either grave infirmity or public necessity does not permit to stand any longer. Truly I say, brothers, it is quite hard and almost too impious that Christians should not have the reverence for the Lord's day which the Jews are seen to observe on the sabbath. For since those unhappy men observe the sabbath in such a way that they do not presume to do any earthly work on it, how much more ought those who were redeemed not with gold, not with silver, but with the precious blood of Christ (2 Pet. 1:18), to consider their price, and on the day of the Resurrection to give themselves to God, and to think more attentively about the salvation of their soul? In short, if we neglect to apply ourselves to reading and to make supplication to God for the whole Lord's day, we sin not lightly against God; how great an evil is it, if we do not have the patience to stand in church for the space of even one or two hours while the divine mysteries are being celebrated? But what is worse, the love of this world so intoxicates us that the shadow of fleeting falsehood and the pleasure of worldly desires continually drag us to vain and false joys, which bring forth true sorrows.

5. Conclusio. Unde iterum atque iterum rogo, ut nullus ex vobis de ecclesia discedat, nisi cum divina mysteria ad integrum fueri⟨n⟩t celebrata. Et ita vos in ecclesia continete, nt nullus ex vobis otiosis aut terrenis se fabulis studeat occupare. Ego quod et mihi expedit dicere et vobis audire, humiliter admoneo pariter et contestor: qui contemnit praeconem, sentiet judicem. Ille autem qui me libenter audierit, et quod supplicavi implere contenderit, credo de Dei misericordia quod illi et in hoc saeculo et in futuro repensabuntur praemia gloriosa. Ille vero qui contemnere voluerit, non se poterit ante tribunal Christi excusare, dicendo se nec a malis prohibitum, nec ad ea quae sunt sancta et Deo placita admonitione assidua provocatum. Sed credimus de Dei misericordia, quod non de contemptu incursuri estis judicium; sed magis pro benigna obedientia pervenietis ad regnum: praestante Domino nostro Jesu Christo qui cum Patre et Spiritu sancto vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

5. Conclusion. Therefore again and again I ask that none of you leave the church except when the divine mysteries have been celebrated in full. And so conduct yourselves in church that none of you seeks to occupy himself with idle or earthly tales. What it is profitable both for me to say and for you to hear, I humbly admonish and at the same time solemnly declare: he who despises the herald will feel the judge. But whoever listens to me willingly and strives to fulfil what I have entreated, I trust in the mercy of God that glorious rewards will be repaid to him both in this world and in the world to come. But whoever chooses to despise it will not be able to excuse himself before the judgement seat of Christ by saying that he was neither forbidden evil things nor urged by constant admonition towards the things that are holy and pleasing to God. But we trust in the mercy of God that you will not incur judgement for contempt, but rather will come to the kingdom for your kindly obedience, by the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ages of ages. Amen.

SERMO CCLXXXII. Admonitio ut populus ad integrum Missas perexspectet.

Sermon 282. An admonition that the people wait through the Masses to the end.

1. Acriter dolet Missarum finem non exspectari. Doloris causam et paternum animum declarat. Si velletis agnoscere et diligenter attendere, fratres charissimi, quantus dolor et quanta amaritudo sit in animo meo, quando vos video Missas ad integrum perexspectare non velle; et in vobis et in me poteratis habere misericordiam. Qui enim intelligit quid in ecclesia agitur quando divina mysteria celebrantur, agnoscit quantum malum faciunt illi qui de ecclesia, non expletis Missis, sine aliqua grandi necessitate discedunt. Et ideo si et me de tribulatione animae liberare, et vos de peccato vultis absolvere, nolite me contemnere supplicantem; timentes illud quod de sacerdotibus Dominus dixit, Qui vos audit, me audit; et qui vos spernit, me spernit (Luc. X, 16) Nam qui de Ecclesia, non perexspectatis Missis, cito discedere nec metuit nec erubescit; dupliciter se peccare

1. He grieves bitterly that the end of the Masses is not waited for. He declares the cause of his grief and his fatherly mind. If you were willing to recognize and diligently consider, dearest brothers, how great is the grief and how great the bitterness in my soul when I see that you are unwilling to wait through the Masses to the end, you could have mercy both on yourselves and on me. For whoever understands what is done in church when the divine mysteries are celebrated recognizes how great an evil those do who leave the church before the Masses are finished, without some great necessity. And therefore, if you wish both to free me from the tribulation of my soul and to absolve yourselves from sin, do not despise me as I entreat you, fearing what the Lord said about priests: He who hears you, hears Me; and he who despises you, despises Me (Luke 10:16). For whoever neither fears nor blushes to leave the Church quickly, before the Masses have been waited through, that he sins doubly

Editors' notes and page, col. 2278

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible on this page foot› · call in col 2278

Forte, felicitatis.

Perhaps "felicitatis" (of happiness).

(printed under page 401)

(2) ‹anchor: atque iterum rogo› · call in col 2278

Sic Ms. [Unde iterum rogo.]

So a manuscript. [Unde iterum rogo, "Therefore again I ask."]

(printed under page 401)

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCLXXXII› · call in col 2278

Ex Homiliis Caesarii nomine a Stephano Baluzio vulgatis octava est: cui Caesario nostri quoque manuscripti assignant. De num. 2 vide Appendicis serm. 284, n. 5: de num. 3, serm. 130, n. 2; 140, n. 2; 89, n. 5: de num. 4, serm. 292, n. 7.

It is the eighth of the homilies published under Caesarius's name by Étienne Baluze; our manuscripts too assign it to Caesarius. On no. 2 see Appendix sermon 284, no. 5; on no. 3, sermon 130, no. 2; 140, no. 2; 89, no. 5; on no. 4, sermon 292, no. 7.

(printed under page 401)

Page

running head: [S]ERMO CCLXXXII. 2278 (left edge cut off)
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 39:2279

non dubitet, dum divina mysteria deserit, et sacerdotem pro se sollicitum contristat et despicit. Si ad exercenda aliqua terrena et laboriosa opera vos invitaret humilitas nostra, credimus quod nobis obedientiam praestaret Charitas vestra. Cum vero non ad terrena, sed ad coelestia, nec ad temporalia, sed in aeternum animae profutura vos studia provocamus, nec aliqua lucra transitoria requirimus, sed ad coeles⟨t⟩es thesauros vos invitamus; considerate in quo periculo remaneant, qui nobis obedientiam accommodare dissimulant. Ego vero, fratres charissimi, non ideo tantum doleo, quando de ecclesia disceditis, quod mihi damni aliquid corporaliter faciatis; sed quia vos perfectos esse desidero, tam graviter in Deo peccare cognosco.

let him not doubt, while he deserts the divine mysteries and both saddens and despises the priest who is anxious on his behalf. If our humility were inviting you to carry out some earthly and toilsome works, we believe that your Charity would render us obedience. But since we summon you not to earthly but to heavenly pursuits, not to temporal ones but to those that will profit the soul for eternity, and seek no transitory gains but invite you to heavenly treasures, consider in what danger those remain who neglect to yield us obedience. But I, dearest brothers, do not grieve so much, when you leave the church, for this reason, that you do me some bodily harm; but because I desire you to be perfect, I perceive that you sin so gravely against God.

2. Mysterii hujus excellentia. Quo situ et affectu benedictio excipienda. Unde iterum atque iterum rogo, ut quia nos qualescumque, etsi minus digni, imitatores Domini sumus, et quando ad ecclesiam convenitis, non ad terrenum vos convivium invitamus, in quo ministratur cibus hominum, sed ad coeleste ac spirituale, in quo panis ponitur Angelorum; nolite fastidire, nolite despicere convivium Domini vestri, ut vos ille non despiciat in beatitudine regni sui. Timere enim debetis illam evangelicam sententiam, per quam illos qui ad nuptias invitati fuerant, et venire contempserant, indignos convivio suo ipse Dominus dixit, et alios invitare praecepit (Matth. XXII, 8, 9). Et non otiose considerandum est, sed timendum quod illi qui propter impedimenta mundi noluerunt venire, ore ipsius Domini indigni sunt judicati. Et ideo ne etiam et de nobis hoc dici possit, sicut jam supplicavi, unius aut duarum horarum spatio patientiam praebeamus, donec in illa spirituali mensa animarum cibus apponitur, et Sacramenta spiritualia consecrantur. Et quia praemissa oratione dominica, benedictio vobis non ab homine, sed per hominem datur, grato et pio animo, humiliato corpore et corde compuncto, rorem divinae benedictionis accipite; ut secundum promissionem Domini fiat in vobis fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam.

2. The excellence of this mystery. In what posture and disposition the blessing is to be received. Wherefore again and again I ask that, since we, such as we are, though less worthy, are imitators of the Lord, and when you assemble at the church we invite you not to an earthly banquet, in which the food of men is served, but to a heavenly and spiritual one, in which the bread of Angels is set forth, you do not disdain, do not despise the banquet of your Lord, so that He may not despise you in the blessedness of His kingdom. For you ought to fear that gospel sentence by which the Lord Himself declared those who had been invited to the wedding and had scorned to come unworthy of His banquet, and commanded others to be invited (Matt. 22:8–9). And it is not to be considered idly, but to be feared, that those who because of the hindrances of the world would not come were judged unworthy by the mouth of the Lord Himself. And therefore, lest this also be said of us, as I have already entreated, let us show patience for the space of one or two hours, until at that spiritual table the food of souls is set out and the spiritual Sacraments are consecrated. And since, after the Lord's Prayer has first been said, the blessing is given to you not by man but through man, receive the dew of the divine blessing with a grateful and devout mind, with body bowed and heart contrite; so that, according to the Lord's promise, there may be in you a fountain of water springing up into eternal life.

3. Quid quemque detineat ne in ecclesia permaneat. Qualiter ab unoquoque sint corripiendi. Ut enim se omnes non possint in ecclesia continere, diversae et variae occupationes faciunt. Alios enim tenet corporis infirmitas, alios publica necessitas; alios ligat et quasi captivos trahit cupiditas. Quanti etiam tunc in plateis vel in atriis basilicarum aut litigant, aut negotiis vacant? Quanti in porticibus basilicarum, vel in secretariis, detractionibus aut otiosis sermonibus occupantur, inter quos non parvus solet esse etiam numerus clericorum, vel laicorum seu feminarum? Isti tales qualem de divinis Scripturis profectum habere poterunt, qui nec ipsum sonum Scripturae ad aures suas pervenire permittunt? sed impletur in eis illud quod scriptum est, Sicut aspidis surdae obturantis aures suas, ut non exaudiant Scripturarum vocem incantantium (Psal. LVII, 5, 6). Et ideo vos, quibus Deus et timorem et amorem suum conferre dignatus est, et cum grandi compunctione ad ecclesiam convenitis, eos qui venire huc usque aut noluerunt, aut forte non potuerunt, frequentiss⟨i⟩me castigate, monentes eos et salubre consilium dantes, ut illud timeant quod scriptum est, Impedimenta mundi hujus fecerunt eos miseros. Non enim dicimus ut non debeant esse soliciti de victu et vestitu suo, sed hoc rogamus, ut unius aut duarum horarum spatio, dum lectiones leguntur, vel divina mysteria celebrantur, de ecclesia non discedant; et vel tantum laborent pro anima sua, quantum pro carne sua laborare contendunt. Et quamvis multo amplius animae quam carni debeant providere; quia melior est illa quae ad imaginem Dei facta est, quam illa quae de limo terrae formata est: nos tamen ad praesens hoc suademus, ut eis vel aequaliter quod opus

3. What detains each person from remaining in the church. How they are to be rebuked by each one. For that not all can keep themselves in the church is the doing of diverse and various occupations. For some are held by bodily infirmity, others by public necessity; others greed binds and drags off as captives, as it were. How many, moreover, at that time either quarrel or attend to business in the squares or in the forecourts of the basilicas? How many in the porticoes of the basilicas, or in the sacristies, are occupied with slanders or idle talk, among whom there is commonly no small number of clerics too, or of laymen or women? What profit will such people be able to have from the divine Scriptures, who do not allow even the very sound of Scripture to reach their ears? Rather, there is fulfilled in them what is written, Like the deaf asp that stops its ears, so that they may not hear the voice of the Scriptures charming (Ps. 57:5–6). And therefore you, on whom God has deigned to bestow both His fear and His love, and who assemble at the church with great compunction, rebuke most frequently those who up to now either have not wished to come here or perhaps have not been able, admonishing them and giving them wholesome counsel, that they may fear what is written, The hindrances of this world have made them wretched. For we do not say that they ought not to be solicitous about their food and clothing, but this we ask: that for the space of one or two hours, while the lessons are read or the divine mysteries are celebrated, they do not leave the church; and that they labour for their soul at least as much as they strive to labour for their flesh. And although they ought to provide far more for the soul than for the flesh, since that which was made to the image of God is better than that which was formed from the mud of the earth, we nevertheless for the present urge this, that for them at least equally what they need

Editors' notes and page, col. 2279

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: vel in atriis› · call in col 2279

Ms. t., angulis.

Ms. t. [siglum as printed]: "angulis" (corners) [for "atriis", forecourts].

(printed under page 402)

(2) ‹anchor: vel in secretariis› · call in col 2279

Ms. idem vel sacrariis.

The same manuscript: "vel sacrariis" (or in the sacristies).

(printed under page 402)

Page

running head: 22·9 APPENDIX. (column number partly damaged; read as 2279)
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 39:2280

habent providere contendant; carni praeparent quod parvo tempore sufficiat in hoc mundo, et animae quod sine fine opus est in aeternum.

they strive to provide; let them prepare for the flesh what may suffice for a short time in this world, and for the soul what is needed without end for eternity.

4. Et auditis in concionibus informandi. Haec obligatio Scripturis ostenditur. Et ideo rogo vos, fratres charissimi, ut quod in istis praedicationibus, Domino inspirante, libenter accipitis, ubicumque fueritis, vicinis vel proximis vestris, qui vobiscum ad ecclesiam convenire aut non possunt, aut, quod pejus est, forte nec volunt, et illis qui venientes cito discedunt, totum quod audistis cum grandi studio referatis. Nam sicut ego reus ero si vobis ista non dixero; ita et vos, si id quod audistis non ita memoriter tenueritis, ut etiam aliis insinuare possitis, timere debetis, ne vobis necesse sit pro illis reddere rationem. Et ideo Domino vobis inspirante implere contendite illud quod Apostolus ait, Si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in aliquo delicto, vos qui spirituales estis, hujusmodi instruite in spiritu lenitatis (Galat. VI, 1): et illud quod non solum clericis, sed etiam laicis et feminis idem apostolus praedicat, dicens, Corripite inquietos, consolamini pusillanimes, suscipite infirmos (I Thess. V, 14). Si enim in quocumque peccato vos invicem cum charitate castigare volueritis, aut difficile aut nunquam vobis subrepere poterit inimicus; aut si subrepserit, cito malum quod factum fuerit emendabitur atque corrigetur: et implebitur illud in vobis quod scriptum est, Frater fratrem adjuvans exaltabitur (Prov. XVIII, 19); et illud, Qui converti fecerit peccatorem ab errore viae suae, salvabit animam ejus a morte, et operiet multitudinem peccatorum (Jacobi V, 20). Praestante Domino nostro Jesu Christo, cui est honor et imperium cum Patre et Spiritu sancto in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

4. And [others] are to be informed of what has been heard in sermons. This obligation is shown from the Scriptures. And therefore I ask you, dearest brothers, that what you willingly receive in these preachings, by the Lord's inspiration, you relate with great zeal, wherever you may be, all that you have heard to your neighbours or those close to you who either cannot come together with you to church, or, what is worse, perhaps do not even wish to, and to those who, having come, quickly depart. For just as I shall be guilty if I do not say these things to you, so you too, if you do not hold what you have heard so firmly in memory that you can also impart it to others, ought to fear lest it be necessary for you to render an account for them. And therefore, with the Lord inspiring you, strive to fulfil what the Apostle says: If a man has been overtaken in some fault, you who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of gentleness (Gal. 6:1); and what the same apostle preaches not only to clerics but also to laymen and women, saying: Rebuke the restless, console the faint-hearted, support the weak (1 Thess. 5:14). For if you are willing to correct one another with charity in whatever sin, the enemy will be able to creep up on you either with difficulty or never; or if he has crept up, the evil that has been done will quickly be amended and corrected; and there will be fulfilled in you what is written: A brother helping a brother shall be exalted (Prov. 18:19); and this: He who has caused a sinner to be converted from the error of his way shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins (Jas. 5:20). By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom is honour and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit unto the ages of ages. Amen.

SERMO CCLXXXIII. Admonitio orandum esse attente, et de sermonibus otiosis.

Sermon 283. An admonition that one must pray attentively, and on idle talk.

1. Hortatur ut maturius ad vigilias veniatur; nec tum garriatur. Licet in multis rebus, fratres charissimi, nos Deo propitiante conversatio vestra laetificet, et de vestris profectibus frequentius gaudeamus; tamen sunt aliqua de quibus vestra Charitas debeat admoneri: et ideo rogo ut suggestionem nostram, sicut consuevistis, libenter accipiatis. Gaudeo, fratres dilectissimi, et Deo gratias ago, quia vos ad audiendas lectiones divinas video ad ecclesiam fideliter currere: sed si et profectum vestrum et gaudium nostrum complere ad integrum vultis, maturius convenire debetis. Nam in tam prolixis noctibus, quem non infirmitas detinet, non sine reatu animae suae tardius ad ecclesiam venit. Rogo vos, fratres, si sutores, aurifices, fabri, vel reliqui artifices maturius vigilant, ut possint corporis necessaria providere; nos non debemus ante lucem ad ecclesiam surgere, ut peccatorum indulgentiam mereamur accipere? Si negotiatores vigilare solent pro lucro pecuniae; nos quare non vigilemus pro amore vitae perpetuae? Interdum aliqui ventis se tempestatibusque committunt, et navigant ab Oriente usque ad Occidentem, et ab Occidente usque ad Orientem, sustinentes pericula multa, interdum etiam famem ac sitim amarissime tolerantes; sed haec omnia illi patienter sufferunt propter substantiam perituram: et nos quare pigeat vigilare propter vitam aeternam?

1. He exhorts that people come earlier to the vigils, and not chatter then. Although in many things, dearest brothers, your conduct, by God's favour, gladdens us, and we rejoice quite often at your progress, yet there are some things about which your Charity ought to be admonished; and therefore I ask that you willingly receive our suggestion, as you are accustomed to do. I rejoice, most beloved brothers, and give thanks to God, because I see you running faithfully to church to hear the divine readings; but if you wish to bring both your progress and our joy to completion, you ought to assemble earlier. For in such long nights, whoever is not detained by infirmity comes to church later not without guilt to his soul. I ask you, brothers: if shoemakers, goldsmiths, smiths, or other craftsmen keep watch early so that they can provide the necessities of the body, ought we not to rise before daylight to go to church, so that we may deserve to receive the forgiveness of sins? If merchants are accustomed to keep watch for the gain of money, why should we not keep watch for love of perpetual life? Sometimes certain men commit themselves to winds and storms, and sail from the East as far as the West, and from the West as far as the East, enduring many dangers, sometimes also bearing hunger and thirst most bitterly; but all these things they patiently suffer for the sake of perishable wealth: and why should it irk us to keep watch for the sake of eternal life?

Editors' notes and page, col. 2280

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCLXXXIII› · call in col 2280

Homilia erat Caesarii trigesima tertia in Bibliotheca Patrum. Ejus nomen nostris quoque in manuscriptis praefert. Attamen non silendum est hunc sermonem 283 insuper et sermonem 286, necnon Caesarii homiliam 35 in Bibliotheca Patrum, quae incipit, «Si diligenter attenditis,» etc., in codice Compendiensi ab annis saltem 700 exarato, et in codice Ecclesiae Carnutensis nobis occurrisse cum nomine «Domni Effrem» in fronte. Nec alia tot in iisdem Caesarii sermonibus inscribendis diversitatum occurrit ratio, nisi quod optimus ille antistes suas ipse conciones modo Faustino, modo Effrem, nunc Augustino aliisve soleret adscribere, prout scilicet eorum dicta vel sensa in illis expressisset. De num. 1 vide Appendicis serm. 282, n. 1; 255, n. 3, 281, n. 1; 175, n. 3; 174, n. 3: de num. 3, serm. 140, n. 1: de num. 5, et ult. confer conclusionem sermonis 265.

It was the thirty-third homily of Caesarius in the Bibliotheca Patrum. In our manuscripts too it bears his name. Yet it must not be passed over that this sermon 283 [numeral hard to read; possibly 285], and also sermon 286, as well as Caesarius's homily 35 in the Bibliotheca Patrum, which begins "If you attend diligently," etc., came to us in a Compiègne codex written at least 700 years ago, and in a codex of the Church of Chartres, with the name "Dom Ephrem" at the head. Nor is there any other reason for so many differences in the titles of these same sermons of Caesarius, except that that excellent bishop was himself wont to ascribe his addresses now to Faustus, now to Ephrem, now to Augustine or others, according as he had expressed their sayings or thoughts in them. On no. 1 see Appendix sermon 282, no. 1; 255, no. 3, 281, no. 1; 175, no. 3; 174, no. 3; on no. 3, sermon 140, no. 1; on no. 5 and the last [abbreviation hard to read], compare the conclusion of sermon 265.

(printed under page 402)

Page

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

PL 39:2281

Et ideo rog⟨o⟩ vos, ut et maturius veniatis, et cum veneritis, magis orare vel psallere, quam otiosis vos vel saecularibus studeatis fabulis occupare. Qui enim ad ecclesiam veniens verbosari voluerit, melius illi fuerat non venisse: quia dum se infructuosis fabulis occupat, nec ipse psallit, nec alios psallere aut lectiones audire permittit. Qui talis est, etsi cum parvo peccato ad ecclesiam venit, cum majori ad domum propriam redit: quia ibi se verbosando studuit vulnerare, ubi psallendo vel orando et sibi et aliis medicamenta potuit providere.

And therefore I ask you both to come earlier, and, when you have come, to be eager to pray or sing psalms rather than to occupy yourselves with idle or worldly gossip. For whoever, coming to church, wishes to chatter would have done better not to have come: because while he occupies himself with fruitless gossip, he neither sings psalms himself nor allows others to sing psalms or to hear the readings. Whoever is such, even if he comes to church with a small sin, goes back to his own home with a greater one: because he has striven to wound himself by chattering in the very place where, by singing psalms or praying, he could have provided remedies both for himself and for others.

2. Qualiter orandum. Ante omnia, fratres charissimi, quoties orationi incumbimus, cum silentio et quiete supplicare Deo debemus: quia quicumque voluerit cum alta voce orare, omnibus juxta se stantibus orationis fructum videtur auferre. Rugitus tantum et suspiria vel gemitus audiantur. Nam oratio nostra talis esse debet, qualis fuisse legitur sanctae Annae matris beati Samuelis. Sic enim de illa scriptum est, quia flens orabat, et labia ejus tantummodo movebantur, et vox penitus non audiebatur (I Reg. I, 11 et 13). Audiant haec omnes et imitentur, praecipue illi qui ita alta garrulitate sine ulla verecundia cum strepitu vocis orant, ut juxta se alios orare non permittant. Oremus ergo, sicut dixi, cum suspirio, rugitu vel gemitu, secundum illud propheticum, Rugiebam a gemitu cordis mei (Psal. XXXVII, 9). Oremus, inquam, non voce sonante, sed conscientia ad Deum clamante.

2. How one should pray. Above all, dearest brethren, whenever we apply ourselves to prayer, we ought to make supplication to God with silence and quiet: because whoever wishes to pray with a loud voice seems to take away the fruit of prayer from all those standing near him. Let only groans and sighs or moans be heard. For our prayer ought to be such as we read was that of holy Anna, the mother of blessed Samuel. For thus it is written of her, that weeping she prayed, and only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard at all (1 Sam. 1:11, 13). Let all hear this and imitate it, especially those who pray with such loud babbling, without any shame, with the noise of their voice, that they do not allow others near them to pray. Let us pray therefore, as I have said, with sighing, groaning or moaning, according to that prophetic saying, I roared from the groaning of my heart (Ps. 37:9). Let us pray, I say, not with a sounding voice, but with a conscience crying out to God.

3. Evagationes mentis in oratione Deum summe laedunt. Orantes autem, fratres charissimi, quantum possumus, adjuvante Domino laboremus, ut nulla nobis extranea cogitatio subrepere possit; ne forte aliud habeamus in corde, et aliud proferamus ex ore: ne forte dum lingua Deum rogat, cogitatio in rebus variis occupata ab oratione sensu discedat; et inde acquirat peccatum, unde potuit habere remedium. Si enim apud aliquam potentem personam velles aliquam causam necessariam allegare, et subito aversus ab illo, media interlocutione disrupta, aliquibus te velles occupare scurrilitatibus; qualem te putas injuriam illi personae cum qua loquebaris, inferre? quomodo contra te illius iracundiam commoveres? Si ergo cum homine loquentes, tota intentione animi laboramus, ne aliud cogitantes illi cum quo loquimur injuriam facere videamur; cum Deo in oratione loquentes, et ante tantam majestatem peccatorum nostrorum miserias allegantes, non nos pudet et non erubescimus captivis sensibus huc illucque discurrere, et infelicem mentem multis occupationibus a conspectu divin⟨ae⟩ majestatis abstrahere? Et ideo unusquisque, antequam in oratione procumbat, omnes cogitationes superfluas ab animi sui intentione, Deo auxiliante, repellat: ut anima nostra sancti Spiritus fervore succensa, omne vitium compunctionis vel orationis igne consumat, et vagas ac volaticas cogitationes longe dispergat; ut solae virtutes tantum et sanctae meditationes in cordibus nostris locum semper inveniant.

3. Wanderings of the mind in prayer offend God most greatly. But when we pray, dearest brethren, let us labour as much as we can, with the Lord's help, that no extraneous thought may be able to creep in upon us; lest perhaps we have one thing in the heart and utter another from the mouth: lest perhaps, while the tongue entreats God, the thought, occupied with various matters, depart in mind from the prayer; and thence acquire sin, whence it could have had a remedy. For if you wished to plead some necessary case before some powerful person, and, suddenly turning away from him and breaking off in the middle of the conversation, you wished to occupy yourself with some buffooneries; what sort of insult do you think you would be inflicting on that person with whom you were speaking? how would you stir up his anger against you? If, therefore, when speaking with a man, we labour with the whole attention of our mind, lest by thinking of something else we seem to insult him with whom we are speaking; when speaking with God in prayer, and setting forth the miseries of our sins before so great a majesty, are we not ashamed, and do we not blush, to run hither and thither with captive senses, and to draw our unhappy mind away from the sight of the divine majesty by many occupations? And therefore let each one, before he prostrates himself in prayer, drive away all superfluous thoughts from the attention of his mind, with God's help: so that our soul, kindled by the fervour of the Holy Spirit, may consume every vice with the fire of compunction or of prayer, and scatter far away wandering and flighty thoughts; so that virtues alone and holy meditations may always find a place in our hearts.

4. Hoc enim quasi adoratur, quod attentius cogitatur. Quid tum unice cogitandum. Si durum nimis est ut nobis in oratione subrepant quae alio tempore cogitare possumus, quid de illicitis cogitationibus? [Omnis enim homo, fratres charissimi, quod tempore orationis attentius cogitat, hoc sibi pro Deo constituit, et hoc quasi Deum habere et quasi Dominum videbitur adorare. Quae res, dilectissimi, nimium mihi aliquoties intolerabilem dolorem incutit et tremorem, cum in ipsa orationis intentione mens ad diversas occupationes saeculi rapitur: et cum videtur aliud agere, longe alibi cognoscitur cogitatione discedere; quasi sit aliquid, quod plus cogitare debeamus. Quando cum Deo loquimur, nil nobis aliud est cogitandum, nisi ut toto corde et toto animo et tota mente peccatorum indulgentiam et Dei gratiam debeamus expetere. Verbi gratia, cuicumque forte in oratione subripitur ut forum cogitet: si forum cogitat, forum adorat. Subripitur illi ut domum quam fabricat aut reparat, ante oculos proponat: quod ante oculos habuerit, hoc adorat. Forte vineas aut hortum aut aliud aliquid cogitat: quod

4. For that is, as it were, adored which is thought of more attentively. What alone is then to be thought of. If it is very hard that things which we can think of at another time creep in upon us in prayer, what of unlawful thoughts? [For every man, dearest brethren, sets up for himself in place of God whatever he thinks of more attentively at the time of prayer, and he will be seen to hold this, as it were, as God and to adore it, as it were, as Lord. This thing, beloved, sometimes strikes me with exceedingly intolerable grief and trembling, when, in the very attention of prayer, the mind is snatched away to the various occupations of the world: and when it seems to be doing one thing, it is known to depart far elsewhere in thought; as though there were something which we ought to think of more. When we speak with God, nothing else is to be thought of by us, except that with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind we should seek the forgiveness of sins and the grace of God. For example, if it perhaps creeps in upon someone in prayer that he thinks of the forum: if he thinks of the forum, he adores the forum. It creeps in upon him that he sets before his eyes the house which he is building or repairing: what he has had before his eyes, this he adores. Perhaps he thinks of vineyards or a garden or something else: what

Editors' notes and page, col. 2281