PL 39 · cols. 2338–2341

Appendix to Augustine's Sermones: Sermones supposititii, Sermones 298-317

Sermons CCCIX–CCCX

accipere et custodire cum ipsius adjutorio laboremus: ut non solum indulgentiam peccatorum accipere, sed etiam ad aeterna mereamur praemia pervenire. De illis duabus eleemosynis quae secundo vel tertio positae sunt, est unum ut in nobis peccantibus dimittamus, ut pro inimicis nostris oremus, ut eos toto corde diligamus; et aliud ut per bonam voluntatem et veram charitatem, quae operit multitudinem peccatorum, in nobis Deum propitium fieri laboremus: ita aperta est ipsa admonitio, ut expositore omnino non egeat. Illam vero eleemosynam, quam primo loco posuimus, per quam ex eo quod nobis Deus amplius dat quam opus est, et peccata redimere, et praemia aeterna nobis possumus inspirante Domino praeparare, consilium meum si vultis audire, cum gaudio illam et cum laetitia poteritis, Deo auxiliante, perficere. Quoties aut messes aut vindemias colligitis, et vestras et omnium qui ad vos pertinent computate expensas, simul etiam et illud quod in fisco daturi estis; et id quod vobis superesse cognoscitis, quia non vobis proprie datum est, sed, sicut jam dictum est, dispensandum per vos pauperibus transmissum est, aut totum, aut quantum Deus cordi vestro inspiraverit, sequestrate, et sic sit apud vos, quomodo si hoc jam in manu Dei obtuleritis. Hoc si, secundum quod credimus, fideliter facere volueritis, venientibus captivis et pauperibus non solum non exasperatur aut contristatur animus vester, sed etiam laetificatur et gaudet; dum ea quae pro amore Dei necessitatibus pauperum deputastis, cum summo desiderio expendere festinatis, et impletur in vobis illud quod scriptum est, Hilarem datorem diligit Deus (II Cor. IX, 7): et illud, Qui dat pauperibus, nunquam egebit (Prov. XXVIII, 27): et illud, Sicut aqua exstinguit ignem, sic eleemosyna exstinguit peccatum (Eccli. III, 33): et quod in Evangelio Dominus dixit, Verumtamen date eleemosynam, et ecce omnia munda sunt vobis (Luc. XI, 41). Quod ipse praestare dignetur, qui cum Patre et Spiritu sancto vivit et regnat Deus in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

let us strive, with His help, to receive and to keep: so that we may deserve not only to receive the forgiveness of sins, but also to attain to eternal rewards. Concerning those two kinds of almsgiving which were set second and third, the one is that we forgive those who sin against us, that we pray for our enemies, that we love them with our whole heart; and the other, that through good will and true charity, which covers a multitude of sins, we strive to make God gracious towards us: this admonition is so plain that it needs no expositor at all. But that almsgiving which we set in the first place, by which, out of what God gives us beyond what is needful, we are able, by the Lord's inspiration, both to redeem our sins and to prepare eternal rewards for ourselves, you will be able, if you are willing to hear my counsel, to accomplish with joy and with gladness, God helping you. Whenever you gather in either the harvests or the vintages, reckon up your own expenses and those of all who belong to you, and at the same time also what you are to pay into the treasury; and what you recognize to be left over to you, since it was not given to you as your own but, as has already been said, was sent to be distributed through you to the poor, set it aside, either the whole of it or as much as God shall have inspired in your heart, and let it be with you just as if you had already offered it into the hand of God. If, as we believe, you are willing to do this faithfully, then when captives and poor people come, your mind will not only not be exasperated or saddened, but will even be gladdened and rejoice; while you hasten with the utmost desire to spend what you have assigned, for the love of God, to the needs of the poor, and there is fulfilled in you that which is written, God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7); and this, He who gives to the poor shall never be in want (Prov. 28:27); and this, As water quenches fire, so almsgiving quenches sin (Sir. 3:33); and what the Lord said in the Gospel, Nevertheless give alms, and behold, all things are clean for you (Luke 11:41). May He deign to grant this, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

SERMO CCCIX. Admonitio ad eos qui sic eleemosynas frequentius faciunt, et tamen rapinas exercent et adulteria committunt.

Sermon 209. An admonition to those who give alms quite frequently in such a way, and yet practise robbery and commit adultery.

1. Eleemosyna sola non sufficit ad delenda crimina. Inanis est si non vitentur peccata. Rogo vos, fratres charissimi, diligentius considerate, et quantum potestis expavescite vel cavete, ne vobis ille crudelis humani generis inimicus ita subrepat, quomodo solet incautos et negligentes iniqua calliditate decipere. Nam aliquibus homicidis, raptoribus et adulteris vanam securitatem ingerit; ut cum crimina quotidie committant, credant quod ea quotidianis eleemosynis redimant, putantes quod Deus corruptorum more judicum pecuniam accipiat, et peccata dimittat. Accipit plane pecuniam, et eleemosynis delectatur; ea tamen ratione, ut unusquisque peccator, quando offert Deo pecuniam suam, simul offerat et animam suam. Nam rogo vos, fratres, quae justitia est, ut aliquis criminosus pecuniam suam per eleemosynam Deo offerat, et animam suam diabolo per luxuriam tradat? in pecunia imaginem imperatoris offerat Deo, et in se ipso imaginem Dei tradat diabolo? Non ita Dominus praecipit in Evangelio. Cum enim dicit, Reddite quae sunt Caesaris, Caesari; et quae sunt Dei, Deo (Matth. XXII, 21); quid aliud dicere videtur, nisi ut quomodo in solido imaginem Caesaris Caesari, sic in vobis ipsis reddatis imaginem Dei Deo. Nam quamlibet largas eleemosynas aliquis tribuat; si

1. Almsgiving alone does not suffice to blot out crimes. It is void if sins are not avoided. I beg you, dearest brothers, consider more carefully, and as far as you can, dread and beware lest that cruel enemy of the human race creep up on you in the way he is accustomed to deceive the incautious and negligent with wicked cunning. For he instils a vain security into certain murderers, robbers and adulterers, so that, though they commit crimes daily, they believe that they redeem them by daily almsgiving, supposing that God, in the manner of corrupt judges, accepts money and forgives sins. He does indeed accept money, and takes delight in alms; but on this condition, that every sinner, when he offers his money to God, offers his soul together with it. For I ask you, brothers, what justice is it that some criminal should offer his money to God through almsgiving, and hand over his soul to the devil through lust? that he should offer to God the image of the emperor on his money, and hand over to the devil the image of God in himself? Not so does the Lord command in the Gospel. For when He says, Render the things that are Caesar's to Caesar, and the things that are God's to God (Matt. 22:21), what else does He seem to say, but that, as you render to Caesar the image of Caesar on the gold coin, so you should render to God the image of God in yourselves? For however generous the alms someone may give, if

Editors' notes and page, col. 2338

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(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCCIX› · call in col 2338

Hujus partem non exiguam reperies in homilia Eligii octava. Sed totum Cæsarii esse probat stilus et veterum librorum auctoritas. In Bibliotheca Patrum est homilia hujus sexta decima. De num. 1 vide Appendicis serm. 55, n. 2; 137, n. 2; 274, n. 4; 55, n. 2; Augustini serm. 9, n. 18 : de num. 3, serm. 257, n. 3; 297, n. 7; 274, n. 4 : de num. 4, serm. 280, n. et; 283, nn. 3 et 6; 28[?], nn. 3 et 9; 45, n. 3.

You will find no small part of this in the eighth homily of Eligius. But the style and the authority of the old books prove that the whole is Caesarius's. In the Bibliotheca Patrum it is his sixteenth homily. On n. 1 see sermons of the Appendix 55, n. 2; 137, n. 2; 274, n. 4; 55, n. 2; Augustine's sermon 9, n. 18; on n. 3, sermon 257, n. 3; 297, n. 7; 274, n. 4; on n. 4, sermon 280, n. [number misprinted as "et"]; 283, nn. 3 and 6; 28[?], nn. 3 and 9; 45, n. 3. [One digit illegible in the scan.]

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capitalia crimina non de⟨v⟩itat, timeo, et valde timeo ne forte falsa securitate se decipiens, et pecuniam perdat, et peccata non redimat. Nemo ergo putet quod quotidiana adulteria eleemosynae quotidianae consumant.

he does not avoid capital crimes, I fear, and greatly fear, that perhaps, deceiving himself with a false security, he may both lose his money and fail to redeem his sins. Let no one therefore think that daily alms consume daily adulteries.

2. Vitam mutare vel tolerare. Quid efficiat eleemosyna, si vita non mutetur. Aliud est enim mutare vitam, aliud tolerare vitam. Vitam tolerare est minuta peccata, sine quibus esse non possumus, eleemosyna quotidiana redimere: mutare vitam est a capitalibus criminibus abstinere. Tunc enim, sicut jam supra dixi, largior eleemosyna animam liberat, si criminosus mortifera peccata jam deserat. Si vero, sicut jam supra dictum est, substantiam suam tribuat Deo, et animam suam offerat inimico; impletur in eo quod scriptum est, Qui baptizatur a mortuo, et iterum contingit mortuum, quid proficit lavatio ejus (Eccli. XXXIV, 30)? et illud quod Petrus apostolus clamat, dicens, Si enim effugientes coinquinationes mundi, his rursum impleti superantur, facta sunt eorum posteriora deteriora prioribus (II Petr. II, 20). Considerate, fratres, quia beatus Petrus hoc peccatoribus contestatur, quod si posteaquam redimere peccata coeperint, iterum ad criminum volutabra redierint, efficientur eorum posteriora pejora prioribus: et continget eis illud quod idem apostolus Petrus adjungit et dicit, Canis reversus ad vomitum suum, et sus lota in volutabro luti (Ibid., 22). Quam rem terribilius et apertius etiam Salomon admonet, dicens: Sicut canis odibilis est quando revertitur ad vomitum suum; sic peccator quando revertitur ad peccatum suum (Prov. XXVI, 11). Quod et ipse Dominus in Evangelio confirmat: Ecce, inquit, jam sanus factus es: noli peccare, ne quid tibi deterius contingat (Joan. V, 14). Quod denuo Salomon contestatur et clamat: Fili, peccasti, ne adjicias iterum; sed et de pristinis deprecare ut tibi remittantur (Eccli. XXI, 1). Quam rem non de minutis peccatis, sine quibus esse non possumus, sed de capitalibus criminibus dixisse manifestum est. Unde etiam in Evangelio scriptum est: Cum exierit spiritus immundus ab homine, vadit per loca arida, et quaerit requiem, et non invenit. Post haec revertitur, et invenit domum suam unde exierat mundatam; et ducit secum septem spiritus nequiores se, et erunt novissima hominis illius pejora prioribus (Matth. XII, 43-45). Hoc enim illis contingit, qui per eleemosynam crimina capitalia redimere conantur, sed iterum per luxuriam coinquinantur: quomodo eleemosyna mundat, sic luxuria sordidat. Nam si aliquis stolam suam frequenter abluat, et iterum atque iterum in lutum demergat; nescio qua fronte illam induere in aliqua festivitate praesumat: praecipue cum de Christo Apostolus clamet, Aptavit sibi Ecclesiam non habentem maculam aut rugam (Ephes. V, 27). Si cum macula et ruga intrare in vitam aeternam nemo poterit; qua conscientia capitalibus criminibus oppressus aliquis intraturum se esse in eam confidit, nisi se emendando et eleemosynas dando mundaverit?

2. To change one's life or to endure it. What alms accomplish if the life is not changed. For it is one thing to change one's life, another to endure one's life. To endure one's life is to redeem with daily alms the small sins without which we cannot be; to change one's life is to abstain from capital crimes. For then, as I have already said above, more generous alms set the soul free, if the criminal now forsakes his deadly sins. But if, as has already been said above, he gives his substance to God and offers his soul to the enemy, there is fulfilled in him what is written: He who is washed after a dead body and touches the dead body again, what does his washing profit? (Ecclus. 34:30); and that which the apostle Peter cries out, saying: For if, having escaped the defilements of the world, they are again filled with them and overcome, their latter state has become worse than the former (2 Pet. 2:20). Consider, brethren, that blessed Peter testifies this to sinners: that if, after they have begun to redeem their sins, they return again to the wallowing-places of crimes, their latter state will become worse than the former; and there will befall them that which the same apostle Peter adds and says: The dog returned to its own vomit, and the washed sow to its wallowing in the mire (ibid., 22). This same thing Solomon also warns of still more terribly and more openly, saying: As a dog is hateful when it returns to its vomit, so is a sinner when he returns to his sin (Prov. 26:11). This the Lord Himself also confirms in the Gospel: Behold, He says, you have now been made whole: sin no more, lest something worse befall you (John 5:14). This Solomon again testifies and cries out: Son, you have sinned; do not add to it again, but also pray concerning the former ones, that they may be forgiven you (Ecclus. 21:1). It is plain that he said this not of the small sins without which we cannot be, but of capital crimes. Hence it is also written in the Gospel: When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he goes through dry places, and seeks rest, and does not find it. After this he returns, and finds his house, from which he had gone out, cleansed; and he takes with him seven spirits more wicked than himself, and the last state of that man will be worse than the first (Matt. 12:43–45). For this befalls those who try to redeem capital crimes through alms, but are defiled again through lust: as alms cleanse, so lust soils. For if someone frequently washes his robe, and again and again plunges it into the mud, I do not know with what face he would presume to put it on at some festival: especially since the Apostle cries out concerning Christ: He has fitted to Himself a Church having no spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27). If no one will be able to enter into eternal life with spot and wrinkle, with what conscience does anyone weighed down by capital crimes trust that he will enter into it, unless he has cleansed himself by amending himself and by giving alms?

3. Si mutetur, multum prodest. Et hoc quod suggero, fratres charissimi, diligenter attendite, ne forte aliquis male intelligens, credat me dicere quod eleemosyna non possit prodesse pe⟨c⟩catis. Absit hoc a nobis, fratres. Non solum prodesse credimus, sed et multum prodesse fatemur: ea tamen conditione, ut qui eleemosynas pro peccatis suis erogat, crimina capitalia exercere jam desinat; sic eleemosynam faciat jubente Domino, ut dedignetur servire peccato. De qua re aliquam similitudinem Charitati vestrae insinuare volo. Rogo vos, fratres, numquid aliquis

3. If it is changed, it profits much. And attend diligently, dearest brethren, to this which I suggest, lest perhaps someone, understanding badly, should believe that I am saying that alms cannot profit against sins. Far be this from us, brethren. Not only do we believe that they profit, but we also confess that they profit much: on this condition, however, that he who pays out alms for his sins should now cease to commit capital crimes; let him so give alms at the Lord's command that he disdains to serve sin. On this matter I wish to put a certain comparison before your Charity. I ask you, brethren, would anyone

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¹ ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 2339 Ms. collegii Claromontani et Colbertinus Ms., hic et supra, colorare.

The manuscript of the Collège de Clermont and the Colbert manuscript have, here and above, "colorare" [to colour].

² ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 2339 Ms. t., largior eleemosyna erit (forte proderit), si cum oblata pecunia animam Deo obtulerit. Si vero, etc.

One manuscript has "the alms will be more generous (perhaps 'proderit', will profit more) if with the money offered he offers his soul to God. But if," etc.

³ ‹anchor: per luxuriam coinquinantur› · call in col 2339 Ms. collegii Claromontani, et iterum ad eadem crimina revertuntur : quomodo, etc.

The manuscript of the Collège de Clermont has "and again return to the same crimes: as," etc.

⁴ ‹anchor: jubente Domino› · call in col 2339 Idem Ms., jam desinat; et sic eleemosynam faciat jubente Domino.

The same manuscript has "let him now cease; and so let him give alms at the Lord's bidding."

¹ ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 2340 Post verba, offeramus animam nostram, additur in eodem manuscripto, a secunda manu, sed antiqua, ut ubi est thesaurus noster, ibi esse possit et cor nostrum. Quare enim Deus a nobis pecuniam quærit? Ideo utique, quia scit quod illam satis diligimus, et de ipsa jugiter cogitamus, et ubi est pecunia nostra. Quæ verba nec superflua videntur, nec a Cæsario aliena.

After the words "let us offer our soul", there is added in the same manuscript, by a second hand but an old one: "so that where our treasure is, there our heart too may be. For why does God ask money of us? Surely because he knows that we love it greatly and think of it constantly, and where our money is." These words seem neither superfluous nor foreign to Caesarius.

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nostrum vult ut servus suus sic illi pro opere suo mercedem reddat, ut tamen inimicis suis jugiter serviat, et nunquam de illorum societate discedat? Certum est quod hoc nescio si ullus homo sustinere praevaleat. Quod ergo non vis pati a servo tuo, non est justum ut facias Domino tuo. Et ideo, sicut saepe jam diximus, quando pauperibus erogamus pecuniam, Deo offeramus animam nostram, ubi est et cor nostrum. Propterea Deus nos hortatur, ut per eleemosynam pauperum thesaurizemus in coelo; ut ibi sequatur cor nostrum, quo praemittimus thesaurum nostrum (Matth. VI, 20, 21); et sacerdote dicente, Sursum corda, cum secura conscientia respondeamus, nos habere ad Dominum.

of us want his servant to render him wages for his work in such a way that he nevertheless serves his enemies continually and never departs from their company? It is certain that I do not know whether any man would be able to endure this. What, therefore, you are unwilling to suffer from your servant, it is not just that you should do to your Lord. And so, as we have often said already, when we pay out money to the poor, let us offer to God our soul, where our heart also is. For this reason God exhorts us to lay up treasure in heaven through alms to the poor, so that our heart may follow there, whither we send our treasure ahead (Matt. 6:20–21); and that, when the priest says, Lift up your hearts, we may answer with a secure conscience that we have [them] unto the Lord.

4. Incontinentia reprehenditur. Quam frequens putatur viris licere, non feminis. Sed dicit aliquis: Juvenis sum; et ideo voluptatem vincere et libidinem superare non possum. Si te non potes continere, audi Apo⟨s⟩tolum dicentem, Melius est nubere quam uri (I Cor. VII, 9). Cum enim uxorem ducere liceat, et concubinas habere vel adulterium perpetrare non liceat; quare vis exercere quod non licet, et non vis habere quod licet? Nullus magis illicita vitare debet, quam qui respuit quod licebat. Vere dico, fratres, quia hoc secundum Dominum nulli licuit aliquando, nec licet, nec unquam licebit. Sed, quod pejus est, ita peccata ista in consuetudinem missa sunt, et tanti sunt qui illa faciunt, ut jam quasi ex licito fieri credantur. Si enim nullus est vir qui sponsam suam velit ante nuptias adulterinum habere concubitum, sed omnes homines virgines uxores accipere volunt; qua fronte, qua conscientia ante nuptias concubinas habere non erubescunt? Qua fronte uxorem integram vult invenire, cum ipse sit corruptus? Si enim secundum Scripturam divinam, Anima quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur (Ezech. XVIII, 20); quomodo aliquis vivam conjugem vult accipere, cum ipse sit mortuus? Sed sicut jam dixi, mala et pessima ista consuetudo ita a pluribus sine aliquo Dei timore committitur, ut hoc nec peccatum esse credatur. Sed forsitan aliquis putat licere hoc viris, et feminis non licere: ut enim viris liceat, sicut jam dixi, peccantium obtinuit multitudo. Nam in populo christiano, quidquid feminis non licet, nec viris unquam aut licuit aut licebit. Unde quicumque hoc se fecisse cognoscunt, rogo ut non mihi sed sibi potius irascantur, et magis de sua correctione, quam de nostra oblocutione vel persecutione studeant cogitare: ut cum dies judicii venerit, etsi coronam non merentur accipere, vel peccatorum indulgentiam consequantur, Amen.

4. Incontinence is rebuked. How commonly it is thought to be permitted to men, not to women. But someone says: I am young, and therefore I cannot overcome pleasure and master lust. If you cannot contain yourself, hear the Apostle saying, It is better to marry than to burn (1 Cor. 7:9). For since it is permitted to take a wife, and it is not permitted to have concubines or to commit adultery, why do you want to practise what is not permitted, and do not want to have what is permitted? No one ought to avoid unlawful things more than he who has rejected what was lawful. Truly I say, brethren, that according to the Lord this was never permitted to anyone at any time, nor is it permitted, nor will it ever be permitted. But, what is worse, these sins have so passed into custom, and so many are those who commit them, that they are now believed to be done as though lawfully. For if there is no man who wishes his bride to have had adulterous intercourse before the wedding, but all men want to receive virgins as wives, with what face, with what conscience are they not ashamed to have concubines before the wedding? With what face does he want to find an untouched wife, when he himself is corrupted? For if, according to divine Scripture, The soul that has sinned, it shall die (Ezek. 18:20), how does anyone want to receive a living spouse, when he himself is dead? But, as I have already said, this evil and most wicked custom is committed by very many without any fear of God, so that it is not even believed to be a sin. But perhaps someone thinks that this is permitted to men and not permitted to women: for, as I have already said, the multitude of sinners has prevailed so that it should be permitted to men. For among the Christian people, whatever is not permitted to women neither has been nor ever will be permitted to men either. Hence whoever recognize that they have done this, I ask that they be angry not with me but rather with themselves, and that they be eager to think more of their own correction than of our reproach or persecution: so that, when the day of judgement comes, even if they do not deserve to receive a crown, they may at least obtain pardon for their sins. Amen.

SERMO CCCX. De Eleemosynis

Sermon 310. On Alms

1. Eleemosynae efficacia. Si tamen de alieno non fiat. Hanc de rapinis largientes ad judicium sistuntur. Remedia peccatorum, fratres, medicina est eleemosynarum. Eleemosyna enim a morte liberat, et non patitur hominem ire in tenebras (Tobiae IV, 11). Patrocinatur in die judicii homini, ut flammas aeternas non timeat, sicut Jacobus in Epistola sua dicit, Superexaltat misericordia judicium; et Judicium sine misericordia illi qui non fecit misericordiam (Jacobi II, 13). Sed talis debet esse ipsa misericordia, fratres, quae suscipiatur, non quae repellatur; quae peccata purget, non quae animam gravet; de bono, de justo labore, de propria facultate, et non de pauperis egestate. Fratres, non

1. The efficacy of alms. Provided, however, that it is not given from another's property. Those who bestow it from plunder are brought to judgement. The remedies of sins, brethren, are the medicine of alms. For alms deliver from death, and do not allow a man to go into darkness (Tob. 4:11). It pleads for a man on the day of judgement, so that he need not fear the eternal flames, as James says in his Epistle, Mercy exalts itself above judgement; and, Judgement without mercy to him who has not shown mercy (Jas. 2:13). But such ought mercy itself to be, brethren, as is accepted, not as is rejected; as purges sins, not as weighs down the soul; from what is good, from just labour, from one's own means, and not from the want of the poor. Brethren, God does not

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(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCCX› · call in col 2340

Alias, 47 ex Homiliis 50.

Elsewhere [numbered] 47 of the Fifty Homilies.

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(b) ‹anchor: De Eleemosynis› · call in col 2340

In Appendice nunc primum collocatur. Erat Lovaniensibus ambiguus, Verlino autem et Vindingo falsus. Falsitas certe ex stilo satis manifesta est.

It is now placed in the Appendix for the first time. To the Louvain editors it was doubtful, but to Verlinus and Vindingus spurious. Its spuriousness is certainly clear enough from the style.

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vult Deus hominem a misericordi⟨a⟩ cessare, nec libenter aspicit Deus quemquam de fraudibus dantem: sicut Salomon propheta dicit, Honora Dominum Deum tuum de justis laboribus tuis (Prov. III, 9). De justis laboribus jussit dari; de injustis vero rapinis prohibuit dari. Sed cum judicare coeperit Deus, dicturi sunt hi qui de fraudibus vivunt, et de spoliis miserorum eleemosynas faciunt: Domine praecepta tua servavimus, et in nomine tuo misericordias fecimus; pauperes pavimus, nudos operuimus, et peregrinos hospitio recepimus. Quibus dicturus est Deus: Quod dedistis dicitis; quod rapuistis quare non dicitis? Quos pavistis memoramini; quare non recordamini quos necastis? Quos operuistis, gaudent; et quos exspoliastis, plangunt. Quos hospitio recepistis, retinetis; et obliti estis quantos de suis habitaculis exclusistis? Ego, ego misericordiam fieri jussi; fraudes et rapinas ex⟨e⟩rceri non mandavi. Unus repletur panibus, quem de rapinis satiasti, et benedicit Deum; non te, sed Deum. Quem necasti, ille miser necatus ingemuit, et exaudivit gemitum ejus qui vidit quod feceris ei. De malo acquiris, et gaudes; rapis et laetaris: pauper rog⟨a⟩t, et contristaris; prandium paras, et t⟨a⟩les ad tuum ⟨p⟩randium vocas, qui tibi vicem rependant. Ornas convivium, ne quid desit, et cum amicis tuis epularis; et ante januam tuam rogantem pauperem non audis. Tu diversis bonis repleris; et egenti non misereris. Multis epulis distentus, et multo vino sopitus, pauperem rogantem contemnis. Oblitus es dictum prophetae dicentis, Qui, inquit, averterit aurem suam ab egeno, et ipse invocabit Dominum: et non exaudiet eum (Prov. XXI, 15)? Inclina aurem tuam, audi egentis vocem et fame pereuntis; ut et tuam vocem Deus exaudiat tribulantis. Da de quo tibi donare dignatus est Christus. Ipse te divitem fecit; ideo redde illi quod suum est. Ipse se dicit accipere quod pauperibus datur, sibi collatum clamat quod in corde pauperis fuerit seminatum; sicut in Evangelio dicit, Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis, qui recipiant vos in aeterna tabernacula (Luc. XVI, 9). Ecce habes, christiane, aeternum tabernaculum, si dederis pauperibus victum. Si quid das, illuc transmittis, tibi in futuro reponis: non unde carnaliter satureris, sed unde spiritualiter glorieris; non unde ventrem repleas, sed unde flammas exstinguas: quia scriptum est, Eleemosyna a morte liberat, et non patitur hominem ire in tenebras.

will that a man cease from mercy, nor does God look with favour on anyone giving out of frauds: as Solomon the prophet says, Honour the Lord your God from your just labours (Prov. 3:9). From just labours He commanded that one give; but from unjust plunder He forbade giving. But when God begins to judge, those who live by frauds and make alms out of the spoils of the wretched will say: Lord, we have kept Thy precepts, and in Thy name we have done works of mercy; we have fed the poor, we have covered the naked, and we have received strangers with hospitality. To them God will say: What you have given you speak of; what you have seized, why do you not speak of it? Those whom you have fed you mention; why do you not remember those whom you have killed? Those whom you have covered rejoice; and those whom you have stripped bewail. Those whom you have received with hospitality you keep in mind; and have you forgotten how many you have shut out from their own dwellings? I, I commanded that mercy be done; I did not order frauds and plunder to be practised. One man is filled with loaves, whom you have sated out of plunder, and he blesses God; not you, but God. The man you killed, that wretched man, groaned as he was being killed, and He heard his groaning Who saw what you did to him. You acquire from evil, and you rejoice; you seize and are glad: a poor man asks, and you are saddened; you prepare a luncheon, and you invite to your luncheon such as may repay you in turn. You adorn the banquet, lest anything be lacking, and you feast with your friends; and before your door you do not hear the poor man asking. You are filled with various good things; and you do not have pity on the needy. Distended with many dishes, and lulled to sleep with much wine, you despise the poor man asking. You have forgotten the saying of the prophet who says, Whoever, he says, turns away his ear from the needy, he too will call upon the Lord: and He will not hear him (Prov. 21:13)? Incline your ear, hear the voice of the needy and of one perishing with hunger; so that God too may hear your voice when you are in tribulation. Give from that which Christ has deigned to bestow on you. He Himself made you rich; therefore render to Him what is His. He Himself says that He receives what is given to the poor, He cries out that what has been sown in the heart of the poor man has been conferred on Him; as He says in the Gospel, Make for yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity, who may receive you into eternal tabernacles (Luke 16:9). Behold, you have, Christian, an eternal tabernacle, if you give food to the poor. If you give anything, you send it on ahead to that place, you lay it up for yourself in the future: not whence you may be fleshly sated, but whence you may be spiritually glorified; not whence you may fill your belly, but whence you may extinguish flames: for it is written, Almsgiving frees from death, and does not suffer a man to go into darkness.

2. Iram Dei avertit misericordia. Omnia sunt Dei dona. Cur aliis plus, aliis minus dedit. Misericordia est enim, fratres, quae iram Dei avertit, a peccatis redimit, ignes futuros exstinguit; sicut Salomon propheta dicit, Sicut aqua exstinguit ignem, sic eleemosyna resistit peccatis (Eccli. III, 33). Da ergo egenti, confer non habenti, succurre fame pereunti. Crudele est ut de quo habes, non des ei quem scis non habere. Grave est ut de tua abundantia non sustentes egentis inopiam. Unde semper flagellamur in fructibus: quia bene egentibus non facimus. Revera si consideres, homo; unde damna, unde calumniae, nisi hinc de sterilitate vestra? Tu non das indigenti quod potes, quod te non gravat; venit una calumnia, perdis et quod non habes. Ventre pleno ambulas; et vacuum pauperis ventrem non consideras. Bene est tibi de bonis Dei, nihil indiges, honestis vestibus uteris; et nudum et trementem frigore non vestis. Si tibi dicat Deus: Te ipsum ego feci, quod vivis meum est, quod habes ego dedi; et ingratus es. Aufero quae dedi, nego quod donavi, dimitto te quem feci; et sine me vive, si potes. Plus tibi dedi, ut haberes unde pauperi dares; pauperi non dedi ob hoc, ut te probarem: non quia ambobus non habui unde darem, sed per pauperem te volui probare. Ego sum qui divitem et pauperem feci, praerogatorem te constitui in bonis meis. Fac misericordiam; quia nihil perdes, et me qui tibi dedi, non offendes. Da, quid dubitas? quia si dederis, ego plura dabo. Quid tibi soli vindicas, quod ambobus

2. Mercy turns away the wrath of God. All things are gifts of God. Why He gave more to some, less to others. For it is mercy, brethren, which turns away the wrath of God, redeems from sins, extinguishes the future fires; as Solomon the prophet says, As water extinguishes fire, so almsgiving resists sins (Ecclus. 3:33). Give therefore to the needy, bestow on him who has not, succour one perishing with hunger. It is cruel that out of what you have you should not give to him whom you know not to have. It is grievous that out of your abundance you should not sustain the want of the needy. Hence we are always scourged in our crops: because we do not do good to the needy. Truly, if you consider, O man, whence come losses, whence false accusations, if not from this, from your barrenness? You do not give to the needy what you can, what does not burden you; one false accusation comes, and you lose even what you do not have. You walk about with a full belly; and you do not consider the empty belly of the poor man. It is well with you from the good things of God, you need nothing, you wear respectable clothing; and the man naked and trembling with cold you do not clothe. Suppose God should say to you: I made you yourself, that you live is Mine, what you have I gave; and you are ungrateful. I take away what I gave, I deny what I bestowed, I let go of you whom I made; and live without Me, if you can. I gave more to you, so that you might have whence to give to the poor man; to the poor man I did not give for this reason, that I might test you: not because I did not have whence to give to both, but through the poor man I wished to test you. I am He Who made the rich man and the poor man; I appointed you dispenser of My goods. Do mercy; for you will lose nothing, and Me Who gave to you you will not offend. Give, why do you hesitate? for if you give, I will give more. Why do you claim for yourself alone what to both

Editors' notes and page, col. 2341

Footnotes

¹ ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 2341 Sic Mss. At editi, benedicet Dominus.

So the manuscripts. But the printed editions have "benedicet Dominus" [the Lord will bless].

¹ ‹anchor: currit in cœlum› · call in col 2342 Mss., Beatus est iste dominus qui sic currit in cœlum.

The manuscripts have "Beatus est iste dominus qui sic currit in coelum" [Blessed is this lord who so runs into heaven].

² ‹anchor: cito orientur› · call in col 2342 Er., et sanitas tua citius orietur. At Lov., et sanitates tuæ cito orientur. M.

Erasmus has "et sanitas tua citius orietur" [and your health shall spring up the sooner]. But the Louvain edition has "et sanitates tuae cito orientur" [and your healings shall spring up quickly]. M.

(printed under page 433)