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Appendix to Augustine's Sermones: Sermones supposititii, Sermones 285-297

Sermon CCXCVII

simul et cupiditatem, sine qua esse non potest, damnat. Quomodo enim charitas et humilitas velut duae alae sunt, quibus humiles animae elevantur ad coelum; et si una defuerit, alia prodesse nihil poterit: ita et e contrario cupiditas et superbia velut duae compedes esse probantur, cum quibus infelices superborum animae, dum se per elationem in altum erigunt, justo Dei judicio in inferni profunda descendunt. Et ideo quoties in Scripturis divinis aut in quibuscumque praedicationibus audieritis laudes humilitatis, ibi etiam praeconia charitatis agnoscite; sicut e diverso vituperationem superbiae, cupiditatis exsecrationem intelligite. Et quia de cupiditate superbia nascitur, et de charitate humilitas generatur; ita sibi invicem copulantur, ut unaquaeque mater sine filia sua esse non possit. Quicumque ergo se desiderat de malo superbiae liberari, prius in se cupiditatem, de qua nascitur, conetur exstinguere; sicut e contrario qui veram humilitatem concupiscit jugiter obtinere, charitatem matrem ipsius contendat fideliter custodire. Unde totis viribus Dei misericordiam deprecemur, ut nos de malo superbiae vel cupiditatis liberare, et bonum humilitatis et charitatis per suam misericordiam largiri dignetur: ut non superbiae principem diabolum imitando descendamus in infernum; sed sequendo magistrum humilitatis Christum, ascendere mereamur in coelum. Quod ipse praestare dignetur, qui cum Patre et Spiritu sancto vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

at the same time condemns covetousness also, without which it cannot exist. For just as charity and humility are like two wings, by which humble souls are lifted up to heaven, and if one is missing, the other can be of no benefit: so, on the contrary, covetousness and pride are shown to be like two fetters, with which the unhappy souls of the proud, while they raise themselves on high through elation, descend by the just judgement of God into the depths of hell. And therefore, as often as you hear praises of humility in the divine Scriptures or in any preachings whatever, recognize there also the commendations of charity; just as, conversely, in the reproof of pride understand the execration of covetousness. And because pride is born of covetousness, and humility is begotten of charity, they are so joined to one another that each mother cannot exist without her own daughter. Whoever, therefore, desires to be freed from the evil of pride, let him first try to extinguish in himself covetousness, from which it is born; just as, on the contrary, he who longs to hold true humility continually, let him strive to guard faithfully charity, its mother. Hence let us beseech the mercy of God with all our strength, that He may deign to free us from the evil of pride or covetousness, and to bestow the good of humility and charity through His mercy: so that we may not, by imitating the devil, the prince of pride, descend into hell; but, by following Christ, the master of humility, may merit to ascend into heaven. May He Himself deign to grant this, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ages of ages. Amen.

SERMO CCXCVII. De Humilitate et Timore Domini.

Sermon 297. On Humility and the Fear of the Lord.

1. Humilitatem a suis exigit Deus. Hac virtute coelum conscenditur. Sine hac nec Spiritus sancti gratia, nec veritatis lux: nulla bona. Quid praestet coram Deo. David propheta et psalmista, qui teste Scriptura secundum cor Dei electus fecit omnes voluntates ejus, ipse, fratres charissimi, quid Creator noster in his appetat et diligat, quodam loco ostendit, ita dicens: Quis sicut Dominus Deus noster, qui in altis habitat, et humilia respicit in coelo et in terra (Psal. CXII, 5 et 6)? Si ergo Dominus altissimus, cujus excellentiae et magnitudinis non est finis, in omni creatura sua, et ea quae in supernis, et ea quae in infimis est constituta, in Angelis videlicet et in hominibus humilitatem considerat et probat; quantum necesse est nobis humilitati semper studere, ipsamque in omnibus conservare, ut sic placeamus Conditori nostro? Quanta autem sit verae humilitatis virtus, facile ex verbis Domini agnoscitur, qui, ut superbiam Pharisaeorum damnaret, dixit: Omnis qui se exaltat, humiliabitur; et qui se humiliat, exaltabitur (Luc. XIV, 11). Humilitatis quippe passibus ad coeli culmina conscenditur; quia Deus excelsus non superbia, sed humilitate attingitur, de quo dictum est, Deus superbis resistit, humilibus autem dat gratiam (Jacobi IV, 6): unde et in Psalmis dicitur, Excelsus Dominus, et humilia respicit, et alta a longe cognoscit (Psal. CXXXVII, 6). Alta posuit pro superbis. Humilia vero respicit ut attollat; alta, id est, superba cognoscit ut dejiciat. Discamus humilitatem, per quam Deo propinquare poterimus, sicut ipse in Evangelio ait: Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde, et invenietis requiem animabus vestris (Matth. XI, 29). Per superbiam mirabilis angelorum creatura cecidit de coelo, per humilitatem Dei fragilitas humanae naturae ascendit in coelum. Honesta est enim inter homines humilitatis consuetudo, sicut Salomon ait: Ubi fuerit superbia, ibi erit et contumelia; ubi autem humilitas, ibi et sapientia (Prov. XI, 2). Item alius Sapiens: Quanto, inquit, major es, tanto humilia te in omnibus; et coram Deo invenies gratiam (Eccli. III, 20). Item

1. God requires humility of His own. By this virtue heaven is ascended. Without it there is neither the grace of the Holy Spirit nor the light of truth: no good things. What it affords before God. David, prophet and psalmist, who, as Scripture testifies, chosen according to God's heart, did all His wills, himself, dearest brothers, shows in a certain place what our Creator seeks and loves in these [creatures], saying thus: Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high, and regards lowly things in heaven and on earth? (Ps. 112:5–6). If, then, the most high Lord, of Whose excellence and greatness there is no end, in every creature of His, both that which is set on high and that which is set below, that is to say in the Angels and in men, considers and approves humility, how necessary it is for us always to be zealous for humility and to preserve it in all things, that so we may please our Maker? And how great the virtue of true humility is, is easily recognized from the words of the Lord, Who, to condemn the pride of the Pharisees, said: Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted (Luke 14:11). For by the steps of humility one ascends to the heights of heaven; because God on high is reached not by pride but by humility, of Whom it is said, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Jas. 4:6): whence it is also said in the Psalms, The Lord is high, and regards lowly things, and knows high things from afar (Ps. 137:6). He put high things for the proud. He regards lowly things in order to raise them up; high things, that is, proud things, He knows in order to cast them down. Let us learn humility, through which we shall be able to draw near to God, as He Himself says in the Gospel: Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest for your souls (Matt. 11:29). Through pride the wondrous creation of the angels fell from heaven; through the humility of God the frailty of human nature ascended into heaven. For the practice of humility is honourable among men, as Solomon says: Where there is pride, there will also be insult; but where there is humility, there also is wisdom (Prov. 11:2). Likewise another Wise man: The greater you are, he says, the more humble yourself in all things; and you will find grace before God (Sir. 3:20). Likewise

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Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCXCVII› · call in col 2313

Alias, de Tempore 213.

Otherwise numbered: De Tempore 213.

(printed under page 419)

(b) ‹anchor: Timore Domini› · call in col 2313

In Appendice nunc primum collocatur. Erat dubius Lovaniensibus, falsus Verlino et Vindingo. Conflatus est ex cap. 10 et 15 operis Alcuini de Virtutibus et Vitiis : et quaedam ex Benedictinae Regulae capite 7 verbis prope iisdem refert in conclusione.

It is now placed in the Appendix for the first time. It was doubtful to the Louvain editors, spurious to Verlinus and Vindingus. It is put together from chapters 10 and 15 of Alcuin's work On the Virtues and Vices; and in its conclusion it repeats some things from chapter 7 of the Benedictine Rule in almost the same words.

(printed under page 419)

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Deus per prophetam ait : Ad quem autem respiciam, nisi ad humilem et quietum et trementem verba mea (Isai. LXVI, 2)? Quicumque humilis et quietus non fuerit, non potest in eo habitare gratia Spiritus sancti. Deus humilis factus est nostrae salutis causa : erubescat homo superbus esse. Quantum humilitate inclinatur cor ad ima, tantum proficit in excelso. Qui enim humilis erit, exaltabitur in gloria. Primus humilitatis gradus est, veritatis sermonem humiliter audire, memoriter retinere, voluntarie perficere. Eam quippe quam non invenerit humilem, veritas fugit mentem. Quanto quisque humilior erit de se ipso, tanto major erit in conspectu Dei. Superbus vero quanto gloriosior apparet inter homines, tanto dejectior erit ante Deum. Qui enim sine humilitate bona opera agit, in ventum pulverem portat. Item Scriptura dicit, Quid superbit terra et cinis (Eccli. X, 9), dum vento superbiae dispergitur, quod jejuniis vel eleemosynis congregari videtur? Noli, o homo, in virtutibus tuis gloriari; quia alterum habiturus eris judicem, non te ipsum : in cujus conspectu te ipsum in corde tuo studeas humiliare, quatenus ille te exaltet in tempore retributionis suae. Descende ut ascendas, humiliare ut exalteris; ne exaltatus humilieris. Qui enim sibi vilis est, ante Deum pulcher est; et qui sibi displicent, Deo placent. Esto igitur parvus in oculis tuis, ut sis magnus in oculis Dei. Tanto enim eris apud Deum pretiosior, quanto fueris ante oculos tuos despectior. In summo honore summa tibi sit humilitas. Honoris laus est, humilitatis virtus.

God says through the prophet: But to whom shall I look, except to the humble and quiet and him who trembles at My words (Isa. 66:2)? Whoever is not humble and quiet, the grace of the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in him. God became humble for the sake of our salvation: let man be ashamed to be proud. As far as the heart is bowed down to the lowest things by humility, so far does it advance on high. For whoever is humble will be exalted in glory. The first step of humility is to hear the word of truth humbly, to retain it in memory, to carry it out willingly. For truth flees the mind which it does not find humble. The humbler each one is in himself, the greater he will be in the sight of God. But the proud man, the more glorious he appears among men, the more cast down he will be before God. For whoever does good works without humility carries dust into the wind. Again Scripture says, Why is earth and ashes proud (Sir. 10:9), while what seems to be gathered by fasts or almsgiving is scattered by the wind of pride? Do not, O man, glory in your virtues; for you will have another as judge, not yourself: in His sight be eager to humble yourself in your heart, so that He may exalt you at the time of His recompense. Descend that you may ascend, be humbled that you may be exalted; lest, exalted, you be humbled. For he who is vile to himself is beautiful before God; and those who displease themselves please God. Be small, therefore, in your own eyes, that you may be great in the eyes of God. For you will be the more precious with God, the more despised you have been before your own eyes. In the highest honour let there be for you the highest humility. The praise of honour is the virtue of humility.

2. Nulla est sine timore Dei. Timor alius filiorum, alius servorum. Timor Dei expellit peccata. Ideo et gehennae metum. Sed hanc verae humilitatis virtutem nemo sine timore Dei habere potest; quia eorum neuter sine altero esse potest. Quid autem timor Dei efficiat, fratres, audite. Initium sapientiae timor Domini (Psal. CX, 10). Magna est cautela peccati, Dei semper praesentiam timere. Qui perfecte Deum timet, diligenter se a peccatis custodit. Timenti Deum in novissimo die bene erit (Eccli. I, 13), et merces ejus in aeternum permanet. Qui erubescit in conspectu hominis peccare, quanto magis dignum est quod erubescat in conspectu Dei iniquitatem agere, qui non solum opera, sed et corda considerat? Qui timore sancto Deum metuunt, inquirunt quae beneplacita sunt illi. Alius est timor filiorum, alius est timor servorum. Servi enim propter tormenta dominos timent; filii vero propter amorem patris timent. Si filii Dei sumus, timeamus eum ex charitatis dulcedine, non de timoris amaritudine. Homo sapiens in omnibus operibus suis Deum timet, sciens se nunquam ejus praesentiam effugere posse, sicut Psalmista Deo dicit : Quo ibo a spiritu tuo? et quo a facie tua fugiam (Psal. CXXXVIII, 7)? Item, Quia neque ab oriente neque ab occidente (Psal. LXXIV, 7) : subauditur, patet locus fugienti Deum. Qui timet Dominum, accipiet doctrinam ejus; et qui vigilaverit in mandatis ejus, inveniet benedictionem (Eccli. XXXII, 18) sempiternam. Timentis Deum beata est anima (Id. XXXIV, 17), et a tentatione diabolica tuta remanet. Beatus homo qui semper est pavidus (Prov. XXVIII, 14), et cui donatum est Dei timorem semper ante oculos habere. Qui timet Dominum, recedit ab itinere pravo, et ad virtutum semitam vias suas dirigit. Timor Dei repellit peccata, et adjicit virtutes. Timor cautum facit hominem, et sollicitum ne peccet. Ubi vero timor Dei non est, ibi dissolutio vitae est. Qui Deum in prosperis non timet, timeat vel in adversis; refugiat ad illum qui flagellat et sanat. Beatus vir qui timet Dominum, in mandatis ejus cupit nimis (Psal. CXI, 1). Timor Dei timorem expellit gehennae; quia facit hominem peccatum cavere, et justitiae opera augere. Post haec ad illum perveniet timorem, qui dicitur sanctus, et permanet in saeculum saeculi (Psal. XVIII, 10); quia est in dilectione.

2. There is none without the fear of God. One fear is of sons, another of servants. The fear of God drives out sins, and therefore also the dread of hell. But this virtue of true humility no one can have without the fear of God; for neither of them can exist without the other. And what the fear of God effects, hear, brethren. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (Ps. 110:10). Great is the safeguard against sin, always to fear the presence of God. Whoever fears God perfectly guards himself diligently from sins. It will go well on the last day with him who fears God (Sir. 1:13), and his reward endures for ever. If one is ashamed to sin in the sight of man, how much more fitting is it that he should be ashamed to commit iniquity in the sight of God, Who considers not only deeds but also hearts? Those who dread God with holy fear seek out the things that are well pleasing to Him. One is the fear of sons, another is the fear of servants. For servants fear their masters because of torments; but sons fear because of love for their father. If we are sons of God, let us fear Him out of the sweetness of charity, not from the bitterness of fear. The wise man fears God in all his works, knowing that he can never escape His presence, as the Psalmist says to God: Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? and whither shall I flee from Thy face (Ps. 138:7)? Again, For neither from the east nor from the west (Ps. 74:7): there is understood, does a place lie open to one fleeing God. Whoever fears the Lord will receive His teaching; and whoever is watchful in His commandments will find blessing (Sir. 32:18) everlasting. Blessed is the soul of him who fears God (Sir. 34:17), and it remains safe from diabolical temptation. Blessed is the man who is always fearful (Prov. 28:14), and to whom it has been granted always to have the fear of God before his eyes. Whoever fears the Lord withdraws from the crooked road, and directs his ways to the path of the virtues. The fear of God repels sins and adds virtues. Fear makes a man cautious, and anxious not to sin. But where the fear of God is not, there is dissolution of life. Whoever does not fear God in prosperity, let him fear Him at least in adversity; let him take refuge with Him Who scourges and heals. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; in His commandments he desires exceedingly (Ps. 111:1). The fear of God drives out the fear of hell; for it makes a man beware of sin and increase the works of justice. After this he will come to that fear which is called holy, and endures for ever and ever (Ps. 18:10); for it is in love.

3. Inde pax et omnia bona. Sic ergo, fratres, timeamus Deum, ut diligamus eum; quia perfecta charitas foras mittit timorem (I Joan. IV, 18) servilem :

3. Thence peace and all good things. Thus therefore, brethren, let us fear God, that we may love Him; for perfect charity casts out fear (1 John 4:18), the servile [fear]:

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atque ita abundantiam habere possumus securitatis et plenitudinem omnium bonorum. Unde et propheta ait: Timete Dominum, omnes sancti ejus; quoniam nihil deest timentibus eum. Divites eguerunt et esurierunt; inquirentes autem Dominum non minuentur omni bono (Psal. XXXIII, 10 et 11). Quapropter obsecro vos, dilectissimi, ut timorem Dei semper ante mentis vestrae oculos habeatis, et oblivionem praeceptorum Dei omnino fugiatis, illudque sedulo cogitetis, qualiter timentes Deum et mandatis ejus obedientes ad vitam vadunt perpetuam; contemnentes vero et praecepta ejus spernentes, in poenam ibunt aeternam: humilitatemque veram in corde vestro intus habeatis, sicque eam non ficte moribus coram proximis vestris insinuetis, ut et ip⟨s⟩i bonis exemplis vestris instructi glorificent Deum, et vobiscum aeternam in coelis studeant percipere remunerationem: praestante Domino nostro, etc

and so we can have an abundance of security and a fullness of all good things. Hence the prophet too says: Fear the Lord, all His saints; for nothing is lacking to those who fear Him. The rich have been in want and have hungered; but those who seek the Lord shall not be diminished in any good (Ps. 33:10–11). Therefore I beseech you, most beloved, that you keep the fear of God always before the eyes of your mind, and utterly flee forgetfulness of the commandments of God, and consider carefully how those who fear God and obey His commandments go to life everlasting, but those who despise and spurn His precepts will go into eternal punishment: and that you have true humility inwardly in your heart, and so make it known without pretence by your conduct before your neighbours, that they too, instructed by your good examples, may glorify God, and strive to receive with you an eternal reward in heaven: by the grace of our Lord, etc

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Footnotes

(none) The foot of page 420 carries notes (a) and (b), called on the title and subject line of SERMO CCXCVIII., and note 1, called in col 2316: all belong to Sermon 298 (a later unit) and are not set here.