PL 65 · cols. 451–492

Fulgentius of Ruspe, Letters

Letter XVII

documentis, ita adjuvante Domino confirmati sumus, ut omnium bonorum affectuum atque operum, et omnium studiorum omniumque virtutum, quibus ab initio fidei ad Deum tenditur, Deum profiteamur auctorem, et non dubitemus ab ipsius gratia omnis hominis merita praeveniri, per quem fit ut aliquid boni, et velle incipiamus et facere. Quo utique auxilio et munere Dei non aufertur liberum arbitrium, sed liberatur, ut de tenebroso lucidum, de pravo rectum, de languido sanum, de imprudenti sit providum.» Terminat autem idem magister (Idem, c. 15) hanc ipsam epistolam, atque concludit ita, dicens: «Quia ad confitendam gratiam Dei, cujus operi ac dignationi nihil penitus subtrahendum est, satis sufficere credimus, quidquid secundum praedictas regulas apostolicae sedis nos scripta docuerunt, ut prorsus non opinemur catholicum, quod apparuerit praefixis sententiis esse contrarium.» Haec, sanctissimi, non quasi ignorantibus suggerere necessarium aestimavimus, sed ad confutandam eorum amentiam qui ea ut nova dogmata et penitus (al. pene) Ecclesiis inaudita refugiunt, huic parvitatis nostrae libello inserere utile judicavimus.

we are so strengthened, the Lord helping us, that we profess God to be the author of all good affections and works, and of all endeavours and all virtues by which, from the beginning of faith, one tends towards God, and do not doubt that all the merits of man are preceded by the grace of Him through Whom it comes about that we begin both to will and to do anything good. By this help and gift of God free choice is certainly not taken away but set free, so that from dark it becomes bright, from crooked straight, from sick sound, from imprudent provident.» And the same master (the same, ch. 15) ends this very letter and concludes it thus, saying: «For the confession of the grace of God, from Whose work and condescension nothing at all is to be taken away, we believe it fully sufficient, whatever the writings of the apostolic see have taught us according to the aforesaid rules, so that we by no means think catholic what shall appear contrary to the judgements set down above.» These things, most holy [fathers], we have thought it necessary to lay before you, not as before men who did not know them, but we have judged it useful to insert them in this little book of our lowliness in order to confute the madness of those who shun them as new doctrines and wholly (another reading: almost) unheard of in the Churches.

28. Quorum omnium sanctorum Patrum imbuti doctrinis, anathematizamus Pelagium et Coelestium, simul etiam Julianum †Edanensem, et qui illis similia sapiunt; praecipue libros Fausti Galliarum episcopi, qui de monasterio Lirinensi provectus est, quos contra praedestinationis sententiam scriptos esse non dubium est. In quibus non solum contra horum omnium sanctorum Patrum, verum etiam contra ipsius Apostoli traditionem veniens, humano labori subjungit gratiae adjutorium, atque totam omnino Christi evacuans gratiam antiquos sanctos non ea gratia qua et nos, secundum quod docet beatissimus Petrus apostolus (Act. XV, 11), sed naturae possibilitate salvatos impie profitetur.

28. Steeped in the teachings of all these holy Fathers, we anathematize Pelagius and Caelestius, and with them Julian of Eclanum, and those who are of like mind with them; especially the books of Faustus, a bishop of the Gauls, who was promoted from the monastery of Lérins, which there is no doubt were written against the doctrine of predestination. In them, coming out against the tradition not only of all these holy Fathers but of the Apostle himself, he makes the help of grace follow upon human labour, and, emptying out altogether the whole grace of Christ, impiously professes that the ancient saints were saved not by that grace by which we too [are saved], as the most blessed apostle Peter teaches (Acts 15:11), but by the capability of nature.

Petrus misericordia Dei diaconus subscripsit,

I, Peter, by the mercy of God deacon, have signed,

Joannes misericordia Dei monachus subscripsit,

I, John, by the mercy of God monk, have signed,

Leontius misericordia Dei monachus subscripsit,

I, Leontius, by the mercy of God monk, have signed,

Joannes lector misericordia Dei subscripsit.

I, John, by the mercy of God reader, have signed.

EPISTOLA XVII,

LETTER XVII,

SEU LIBER S. FULGENTII ET ALIORUM QUINDECIM EPISCOPORUM AFRICANORUM,

OR BOOK OF ST FULGENTIUS AND FIFTEEN OTHER AFRICAN BISHOPS,

Ad Petrum diaconum et alios qui ex Oriente in causa fidei Romam missi sunt, de Incarnatione et Gratia Domini nostri Jesu Christi.

To Peter the deacon and the others who were sent from the East to Rome in the cause of the faith, on the Incarnation and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dilectissimis et in Christi fide atque gratia plurimum amplectendis sanctis fratribus, Petro diacono, Joanni, Leontio, et alii Joanni, caeterisque fratribus quos una vobiscum in causa fidei Romam directos litteris intima⟨s⟩tis, Datianus, Fortunatus, Boethus, †Victor, Scholasticus, Orontius, Vindicianus, Victor, Januarius, †Victorianus, Photinus, Quodvultdeus, Fulgentius, Felix et Januarius in domino salutem.

To the most beloved holy brethren, most warmly to be embraced in the faith and grace of Christ, Peter the deacon, John, Leontius and the other John, and the other brethren whom you have made known by letter as sent to Rome together with you in the cause of the faith, Datianus, Fortunatus, Boethus, Victor, Scholasticus, Orontius, Vindicianus, Victor, Januarius, Victorianus, Photinus, Quodvultdeus, Fulgentius, Felix and Januarius [send] greeting in the Lord.

Editors' notes and page, col. 451

Footnotes

(a) ‹Galliarum episcopi› · call in col 451

Libr. Fausti contra prædestinationem.

The books of Faustus against predestination.

(printed under page 231)

(b) ‹Apostoli traditionem› · call in col 451

Sic mss., editi autem, contradictionem.

So the manuscripts; the printed editions, however, have "contradictionem" (contradiction).

(printed under page 231)

Page

running head: 451 S. FULGENTII EPISCOPI ... (right part cut off in the image)
marginal letters: A ‹documentis, ita adjuvante›; B ‹non opinemur catholicum›; C ‹Apostoli traditionem veniens›; D ‹fidei Romam missi sunt›
old-edition numerals: 285 after ‹lucidum,›; 286 before ‹EPISTOLA XVII›

PL 65:452

Caput. I. Recta fides in hac vita salus est hominum. — 1. Beatus frater noster Joannes, diaconus a vestra societate directus, litteras nobis quas misistis exhibuit, quibus recensitis, vestram simul alacres, et fidem cognovimus, et salutem: imo in agnitione fidei vestra nobis salus innotuit. Quae enim vera in hac vita salus est hominum, nisi recta in Deum fides, quae per caritatem operatur, per quam non gratia divina salvatos Apostolica testatur auctoritas, diceus: Gratia salvi facti estis per fidem, et hoc non ex vobis: Dei enim donum est, non ex operibus, ut ne quis extollatur (Ephes. II, 8). Et quia caritas rectae fidei debet jugiter adhaerere, quae studio atque efficacia bonorum operum cooperit multitudinem peccatorum, ideo Doctor gentium in fide et veritate, ne quid sibi humani tumoris auderet arrogantia vindicare, post commendationem fidei, per quam gratis salvi facti sumus, operum quoque bonorum gratiam muneribus divinae benignitatis assignans, subsequenter adjunxit: Ipsius enim sumus factura, creati in Christo Jesu in operibus bonis, quae praeparavit Deus, ut in illis ambulemus (Ibid., 10). In eis vos Deo dirigente ambulare, ipso rerum gaudemus effectu. Sollicitudine quippe non pigri, et Spiritu ferventes (Rom. XII, 11), quo devotione laudabiliore Domino servitis, eo caritas de corde puro, et conscientia bona, et fide non ficta, nos instigat pro fidei communione plenius agnoscenda vestri consilii secreta perquirere. Quia igitur sermo Dei non est alligatus (II Tim. II, 9). qui vivus est et efficax (Heb. IV, 12), idcirco nos quoque ea quae de incarnatione ac dispensatione Domini nostri Jesu Christi, et de gratia (quae gratis indignis ita tribuitur, ut ipsa in nobis, et exordium, et profectum bonae voluntatis operetur), canonicorum sancta auctoritate voluminum, paternorum quoque dictorum doctrina atque institutione percipimus et tenemus, vestra caritati rescripte indice demonstrabimus, confidentes in Domino, a quo et fides infunditur, ut corde credamus ad justitiam, et sermo datur ut ore confiteamur ad salutem (Rom. X, 10), quod nostrum pariter et sensum gubernabit et stylum, ut vestrae interrogationi talis reddatur nostra responsio, in qua et de incarnatione Domini ea dicamus quae nostrae redemptionis continet veritas; et de gratia Dei ea loquamur quae nobis ipsa gratis infuderit (al. infundit vel infudit) superna majestas.

CHAPTER I. Right faith is the salvation of men in this life. — 1. Our blessed brother John, a deacon sent from your company, delivered to us the letter you sent; and on going through it we gladly came to know both your faith and your well-being together: nay rather, in the knowledge of your faith your salvation became known to us. For what true salvation of men is there in this life but right faith in God, which works through charity, by which the Apostle's authority testifies that we are saved by divine grace, saying: By grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves: for it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should be lifted up (Eph. 2:8–9). And because charity, which by the zeal and efficacy of good works covers a multitude of sins, ought constantly to cleave to right faith, therefore the Teacher of the nations in faith and truth, lest the arrogance of human swelling should dare to claim anything for itself, after commending faith, through which we have been saved freely, assigned the grace of good works also to the gifts of the divine kindness, and added next: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God has prepared, that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10). That you walk in them, God directing you, we rejoice by the very outcome of things. For, not slothful in care and fervent in spirit (Rom. 12:11), the more praiseworthy the devotion with which you serve the Lord, the more charity from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned urges us, for the sake of the communion of faith, to search out the secrets of your counsel so as to know them more fully. Since therefore the word of God is not bound (2 Tim. 2:9), which is living and effective (Heb. 4:12), we too will therefore set out to your charity, as the index of our reply, the things which we receive and hold concerning the incarnation and dispensation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and concerning grace (which is given freely to the unworthy in such a way that it itself works in us both the beginning and the progress of good will), by the holy authority of the canonical books and also by the teaching and instruction of the Fathers' sayings; trusting in the Lord, by Whom both faith is poured in, that we may believe with the heart unto justice, and speech is given, that we may confess with the mouth unto salvation (Rom. 10:10), that He will govern alike our thought and our pen, so that our response may be rendered to your question in such a way that we say about the incarnation of the Lord what the truth of our redemption contains, and speak about the grace of God what the supreme Majesty Itself shall freely have poured into us (another reading: pours in, or poured in).

Cap. II. Duae naturae in Christo, et una persona. Verbum carnem conceptam non accepit. — 2. Dicitis itaque vos, juxta sanctorum Patrum traditionem, Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum in duabus naturis unitis et inconfusis, id est divinitatis et humanitatis, in una persona sive subsistentia confiteri. Unde consequenter beatum quoque Mariam proprie et secundum veritatem vos credere asseritis genitricem Dei: eo quod scilicet peperit vere et proprie Deum Verbum incarnatum et hominem factum, atque essentialiter

CHAP. II. Two natures in Christ, and one person. The Word did not receive a flesh already conceived. — 2. You say, then, that, following the tradition of the holy Fathers, you confess our Lord Jesus Christ in two natures united and unconfused, that is, of divinity and of humanity, in one person or subsistence. Consequently you also declare that you believe the blessed Mary to be properly and in truth the Mother of God: because, that is, she truly and properly bore God the Word incarnate and made man, and essentially

Editors' notes and page, col. 452

Footnotes

Sic Basil.; in ms. autem habetur nostri exsilii secreta; in reliquis excusis, vestri exsilii secreta. Forte vos instigat nostri exsilii vel consilii secreta.

So the Basel edition; in the manuscript, however, is found "nostri exsilii secreta" (the secrets of our exile); in the remaining printed copies, "vestri exsilii secreta" (the secrets of your exile). Perhaps: "vos instigat nostri exsilii vel consilii secreta" (urges you [to search out] the secrets of our exile or counsel).

(printed under page 231)

Page

running head: II EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 552 (left part cut off; the column number is printed 552 for 452)
marginal letters: A ‹Caput. I. Recta fides›; B ‹commendationem fidei›; C ‹Domini nostri Jesu Christi›; D ‹Cap. II. Duae naturae›
old-edition numerals: 287 after ‹praeparavit›
other (QA Q3): "per quam non gratia divina salvatos" is printed so, a misprint for "nos"; kept in the source, the English translates "nos". "diceus" (turned n), "vestra caritati rescripte" printed so and kept.

PL 65:453

sive naturaliter carni unitum. †Haec ex epistolae vestrae tenore †posuisse sufficiat: ex his enim pendent caetera quae de incarnatione Domini sermonis vestri professio comprehendit.

or naturally united to flesh. Let it suffice to have set down these things from the tenor of your letter: for on these hang the other things which the profession of your discourse comprehends concerning the incarnation of the Lord.

3. Si quis igitur in Domino nostro Jesu Christo, aut duas naturas aut unam noluerit sive dubitaverit credere ac praedicare personam, vel si quis noluerit confiteri eumdem Deum atque hominem, id est Verbum incarnatum, de Maria Virgine pro nostra salute veraciter natum, tantum a catholica fide deprehenditur ac demonstratur extraneus, quantum sacramento redemptionis humanae resistit ingratus. Hoc enim est illud magnum pietatis commendatum fidelibus cunctis ore apostolico sacramentum, quod manifestatum est in carne, justificatum est in spiritu, apparuit angelis, praedicatum est gentibus, creditum est in hoc mundo, assumptum est in gloria (I Tim. III, 16): quia scilicet Verbum, quod in principio erat, et apud Deum erat, et Deus erat, id est (al. idem) Dei Unigenitus Filius, Deique virtus, et sapientia, per quem, et in quo facta sunt omnia, et sine quo factum est nihil, idem (al. id est), Deus unigenitus, cum in forma Dei esset, id est, cum aequalis per omnia genitori unitatem cum eo naturalis essentiae possideret, et in ea natura quam sempiternus habet ex Patre, hoc quod naturaliter Pater est, id est (al. idem Deus verus, summus, incommutabilisque esset, neque alter a Patre Deus, sed manente personali discretione, unus naturaliter cum Patre Deus esset, nec minor scilicet, nec posterior Patre, nec diversae potestatis, nec alterius essentiae (non enim rapinam arbitratus est esse se aequalem Deo [Philip. II, 6, 7]); tamen semetipsum exinanivit formam servi accipiens, id est (al. idem), in similitudine hominum factus, idem habitu inventus ut homo (Ibid.) in quo nulla potuit esse rapinae arbitratio; quia de substantia Patris, ineffabili ac sempiterna nativitate, genita naturalis aequalitatis in eo permanet plenitudo. Semetipsum igitur exinanivit formam servi accipiens. In eo quippe Deus homo esse naturaliter voluit, et Dominus omnium rerum servilem naturam sine amissione propriae dominationis assumpsit, in quo servi formam misericorditer exinanitus accepit. Quam bene autem sanctus Apostolus Novi Testamenti, sicut ipse testatur (II Cor. III, 6), factus a Deo minister idoneus, nequisquam nostrum exinanitum Dei Filium audiens, amissam vel diminutam aequalitatem paternae formae in Deo Unigenito noxia cogitatione conciperet, et obliquos sequens serpentinae deceptionis anfractus, rectae fidei tramitem non teneret, exinanitionem illam, submotis reservavit (forte reseravit) ambagibus quando subsequenter adjecit, formam servi accipiens. Illa igitur exinanitio Unigeniti Dei acceptio fuit formae servilis, non amissio vel diminutio deitatis: divina quippe natura nec minui potest aliquatenus, nec augerit quia incommutabilis manens hoc habet semper esse quod est. Nam si Deus ille verus et summus,

3. If anyone, therefore, should be unwilling or should doubt to believe and to preach in our Lord Jesus Christ two natures and one person, or if anyone should be unwilling to confess the same to be God and man, that is, the Word incarnate, truly born of the Virgin Mary for our salvation, he is found and shown to be as much a stranger to the catholic faith as he is ungrateful in resisting the mystery of human redemption. For this is that great mystery of godliness commended to all the faithful by the apostolic mouth, which was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, appeared to angels, was preached to the Gentiles, was believed in this world, was taken up in glory (1 Tim. 3:16): namely, that the Word, which was in the beginning, and was with God, and was God, that is (another reading: the same), the only-begotten Son of God, both the power and the wisdom of God, through Whom and in Whom all things were made, and without Whom nothing was made, the same (another reading: that is), the only-begotten God, though He was in the form of God, that is, though, equal in all things to the One who begot Him, He possessed unity with Him of natural essence, and in that nature which He everlastingly has from the Father was what the Father naturally is, that is (another reading: the same), true, supreme and unchangeable God, and not a God other than the Father, but, the personal distinction remaining, was naturally one God with the Father, neither less, that is, nor later than the Father, nor of a different power, nor of another essence (for He did not think it robbery to be equal to God [Phil. 2:6–7]); yet He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, that is (another reading: the same), made in the likeness of men, the same found in fashion as a man (ibid.); in Whom there could be no reckoning of robbery, because the fullness of natural equality, begotten from the substance of the Father by an ineffable and everlasting birth, abides in Him. He emptied Himself, therefore, taking the form of a servant. For in this God willed to be naturally man, and the Lord of all things took up the nature of a servant without loss of His own lordship, in which, emptied out of mercy, He received the form of a servant. And how well the holy Apostle, made by God, as he himself testifies (2 Cor. 3:6), a fit minister of the New Testament, lest any of us, hearing that the Son of God was emptied, should conceive with a harmful thought that the equality of the Father's form was lost or diminished in the only-begotten God, and, following the crooked windings of the serpent's deceit, should not keep the path of right faith, kept (perhaps: disclosed) that emptying, with ambiguities removed, when he added straight after, taking the form of a servant. That emptying of the only-begotten God, therefore, was the taking of the servile form, not the loss or diminution of the deity: for the divine nature can neither be diminished in any degree nor be increased, since, abiding unchangeable, it has this, always to be what it is. For if that true and supreme God,

Editors' notes and page, col. 453

Footnotes

(a) ‹call not visible in the page foot› · call in col 453

Ms., et Deus erat, editi, et Deus Verbum erat.

The manuscript has "et Deus erat" (and was God); the printed editions, "et Deus Verbum erat" (and the Word was God).

(printed under page 232)

(b) ‹call not visible in the page foot› · call in col 453 or 454

Editi, quod nefas est, ms. vero, quod dictu nefas est.

The printed editions have "quod nefas est" (which is impious); the manuscript, however, "quod dictu nefas est" (which is impious to say).

(printed under page 232)

Page

running head: 453 EPISTOLA XV… (the rest of the head is cut off at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A ‹liter sive naturaliter carni›; B ‹est in hoc mundo, assumptum›; C ‹tratus est esse se aequalem›; D ‹amissam vel diminutam›
old-edition numerals: 288 after ‹neque›

PL 65:454

qui propter nos egenus factus est, cum esset dives, ut illius paupertate nos divites essemus (II Cor. VIII, 9), plenitudinem suam, quod dictu nefas est, exinanitus amitteret, aut aliquid mutabilitatis in illa formae servilis acceptione sentiret, non diceret beatus Joannes evangelista de Verbo incarnato: Et vidimus gloriam ejus, gloriam quasi Unigeniti a Patre, plenum gratiae et veritatis (Joan. I, 14). Verbum itaque caro factum in veritate humana caro esse coepit, sed in veritate divina Verbum esse non destitit, et susceptionis ac redemptionis humanae mysterium ideo efficaciter peregit Redemptoris Dei admiranda benignitas, quia nec mutabilitatis nec diminutionis unquam receptrix esse potuit divina majestas.

Who for our sake became needy, though He was rich, that by His poverty we might be rich (2 Cor. 8:9), had, in being emptied, lost His fullness, which it is wicked to say, or had felt any mutability in that taking of the servile form, blessed John the evangelist would not have said of the Word incarnate: And we saw His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). The Word, therefore, made flesh, began to be flesh in human truth, but in divine truth did not cease to be the Word; and the wonderful kindness of God the Redeemer accomplished the mystery of the taking up and redemption of man effectually for this reason, that the divine majesty could never be receptive either of mutability or of diminution.

4. Verbum igitur Dei, idemque Verbum Deus, humanam carnem de carne matris accipiens, †sicut ubique formam servi accepit, ut permanens in forma Dei, aeternus atque incommutabilis Deus per unitatem personae, in qua servi formam accepit, fieri dignaretur ipse quod fecit. In similitudinem quippe hominum factus, habitu est inventus ut homo, et incommutabilem habens de natura Patris per omnia deitatem, creari dignatus est non creatus, et fieri voluit ex muliere, non factus a Patre, sed genitus; atque ita, Verbum caro factum est, ut esset unus mediator Dei et hominum homo Christus Jesus, qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula, unus et verus Dei atque hominis Filius, unus idemque de Patre sine initio Deus semper genitus, de matre homo verus secundum carnem temporaliter conceptus et natus. Quam carnem non conceptam accepit Unigenitus Deus, sed in ea est Deus ipse altissima humilitate conceptus Idem quippe Deus creatus est in virgine et de virgine secundum carnem, qui sibi de qua et in qua creaverat genitricem.

4. The Word of God, therefore, and the same Word God, taking human flesh from the flesh of His mother, so everywhere took the form of a servant that, abiding in the form of God, eternal and unchangeable God through the unity of the person in which He took the form of a servant, He deigned Himself to become what He had made. For, made in the likeness of men, He was found in fashion as a man, and, having from the nature of the Father a deity unchangeable in all things, He, uncreated, deigned to be created, and He willed to be made of a woman, Who was not made by the Father but begotten; and so, the Word was made flesh, that there might be one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who is over all, God blessed for ever, one and true Son of God and of man, one and the same, from the Father God ever begotten without beginning, from His mother true man, conceived and born in time according to the flesh. The only-begotten God did not take a flesh already conceived, but in it God Himself was conceived in the deepest humility. For the same God was created in the virgin and of the virgin according to the flesh Who had created for Himself the mother of whom and in whom [He would be born].

CAP. III. Verbum non solum in virgine caro factum est, sed etiam ex virgine. — 5. Si autem Deus Verbum sic in virgine caro fieret, ut ex ea non fieret, procul dubio non de carne matris idem Deus haberet substantiam carnis, essetque ejus per virginem transitus, atque ita nec mediatoris sacramentum nobis proficeret ad salutem, nec humanae divinaeque plenam in se Christus Dei Filius inconfusibiliter uniret substantiae veritatem. Hoc ergo medicinaliter usa est bonitas divina remedio, ut ille Unigenitus Deus, qui est in sinu Patris, non solum in muliere, sed etiam ex muliere fieret homo. Quod indubitanter divinis credere atque confiteri (al. profiteri) jubemur oraculis. In ea quippe Deum hominem factum propheta non tacuit, dicens: Mater Sion dicet: homo et homo factus est in ea, et ipse fundavit eam Altissimus (Psal. LXXXVI, 5). Esaias quoque Spiritu sancto plenus, futurae incarnationis Filii Dei sic praenuntiat sacramentum: Ecce virgo in utero concipiet, et pariet filium, et vocabitur nomen ejus Emmanuel, quod interpretatur Nobiscum Deus (Isa. VII, 14; Matth. I, 23). Quia ergo ille quem in utero virgo concepit et peperit,

CHAPTER III. The Word was made flesh not only in the virgin but also of the virgin. — 5. But if God the Word had been made flesh in the virgin in such a way as not to be made from her, beyond doubt the same God would not have had the substance of His flesh from the flesh of His mother, and His passage would have been through the virgin; and so neither would the mystery of the mediator avail us for salvation, nor would Christ the Son of God unite in Himself, without confusion, the full truth of the human and the divine substance. Divine goodness, therefore, used this remedy by way of healing, that that only-begotten God, Who is in the bosom of the Father, should become man not only in a woman but also of a woman. This we are commanded by the divine oracles to believe and confess (another reading: profess) without doubting. For the prophet did not keep silent that God was made man in her, saying: Mother Sion shall say: a man, and a man was made in her, and the Most High Himself has founded her (Ps. 86:5). Isaiah also, full of the Holy Spirit, thus foretells the mystery of the future incarnation of the Son of God: Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel, which is interpreted God with us (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23). Since, then, He Whom the virgin conceived in the womb and bore

Editors' notes and page, col. 454

Footnotes

Sic ms.; at editi. de matre vero Deus.

So the manuscript; but the printed editions have "de matre vero Deus" (but God from the mother).

(printed under page 232)

Page

running head: EPISTOLA XVII. 454
marginal letters: A ‹qui propter nos egenus›; B ‹manam carnem de carne›; C ‹tus Deus, sed in ea›; D ‹etiam ex muliere›
old-edition numerals: 289 before ‹Quam carnem›

PL 65:455

Nobiscum Deus vocatur, Deus utique in utero virginis conceptus, natusque cognoscitur. In Evangelio quoque dicitur de Maria: Inventa est in utero habens de Spiritu sancto (Ibid., 18). Joseph etiam, quem virum Maria non ad concubitum corruptelamque carnis, sed ad testimonium custodiamque sacrae virginitatis et castissimae fecunditatis habuit, angelico sic admonetur oraculo: Joseph fili David, ne timeas accipere Mariam conjugem tuam. Quod enim in ea natum est, de Spiritu sancto est (Ibid., 20). Ex ipsa quoque factus coelestibus demonstratur eloquiis; dicit enim Apostolus: Postquam autem venit plenitudo temporis, misit Deus Filium suum, factum ex muliere, factum sub lege (Gal. IV, 4). Romanis etiam scribens, ut verum firmumque ponere se demonstraret fundamentum fidei, epistolae suae tale collocavit exordium: Paulus servus Jesu Christi, vocatus apostolus, segregatus in Evangelium Dei, quod ante promiserat per prophetas suos, in Scripturis sanctis de Filio suo, qui factus est ei ex semine David secundum carnem (Rom. I, 1, 2). Timotheo quoque dilecto filio in fide, principaliter hujus fidei sollicita commendat affectione memoriam, dicens: Memor esto Christum Jesum resurrexisse a mortuis ex semine David secundum Evangelium meum (II Tim. II, 8). Ad ipsam quoque beatam virginem, futuram scilicet creatoris sui, imo omnium rerum, genitricem, Gabriel angelus hoc usus invenitur alloquio ((al. eloquio): Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi; ideoque quod nascetur ex te sanctum vocabitur Filius Dei (Luc. I, 35).

is called God with us, He is certainly recognized as God conceived and born in the virgin's womb. In the Gospel too it is said of Mary: She was found with child of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18). Joseph also, whom Mary had as husband not for intercourse and the corruption of the flesh, but for the witness and guarding of her sacred virginity and most chaste fruitfulness, is admonished thus by the angelic oracle: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Mary your wife. For that which is born in her is of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:20). That He was made from her is also shown by the heavenly oracles; for the Apostle says: But when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the law (Gal. 4:4). Writing also to the Romans, to show that he was laying a true and firm foundation of faith, he placed such an opening at the head of his letter: Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Gospel of God, which He had promised before through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, Who was made to Him of the seed of David according to the flesh (Rom. 1:1–3; Migne gives only verses 1–2). To Timothy also, his beloved son in the faith, he commends with anxious affection the remembrance of this faith above all, saying: Remember that Christ Jesus is risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Gospel (2 Tim. 2:8). To the blessed virgin herself too, the future mother, that is, of her own creator, nay of all things, the angel Gabriel is found to have used this address (another reading: utterance): The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the holy thing that shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).

6. Ad hoc pertinet salutis nostrae mysterium, quod pater noster Abraham dispensatorem domus suae praecepit sub ejus femore manum ponere, et jurare per Deum coeli (Genes. XXIV, 2). Quod non nisi prophetico spiritu fecisse credendus est, tunc scilicet quando omnia in figura contigisse Vas electionis insinuat (I Cor. X, †11). Illud igitur ideo sanctus Abraham pater gentium fecit, non quia carni suae credebat aliquod jam esse cum Deo coeli naturale consortium, sed ut ostenderet Deum coeli ex ea carne nasciturum hominem quae (al. qui) de semine ipsius Abrahae propaginis duceret veritatem. Unus est igitur Christus Dei Filius in natura divinitatis et carnis, in quo singularitas personalis non confundit humanam divinamque naturam, et inconfusa unitio naturarum non facit geminam inesse personam: veritas enim propterea nostrae reconciliationis permanet et salutis, quia et Deus Unigenitus verus homo pro nobis est factus, et idem homo non alius conceptus et natus est quam Unigenitus Deus.

6. To this mystery of our salvation belongs the fact that our father Abraham commanded the steward of his house to put his hand under his thigh and swear by the God of heaven (Gen. 24:2). He must be believed to have done this only by the prophetic spirit, namely at that time when, as the Vessel of election suggests, all things happened in figure (1 Cor. 10:11). Holy Abraham, the father of the nations, therefore did this, not because he believed that his flesh already had some natural fellowship with the God of heaven, but to show that the God of heaven would be born a man from that flesh which (another reading: Who) would draw the truth of its lineage from the seed of Abraham himself. There is, therefore, one Christ, the Son of God, in the nature of the godhead and of the flesh, in Whom the singleness of person does not confound the human and the divine nature, and the unconfused union of the natures does not make a twofold person to be present in Him: for the truth of our reconciliation and salvation abides precisely because both the only-begotten God was made true man for us, and the same man was conceived and born no other than the only-begotten God.

7. Beata igitur Maria Deum Verbum, secundum quod caro factum est, et concepit et peperit: cujus utero Verbum Deus non carnem in qua conciperetur intulit; nec ex ea materiam conceptae sive formatae carnis non ipse Deus concipiendus, sed tantum nasciturus assumpsit; sed ex eadem et in eadem virgine

7. Blessed Mary, therefore, both conceived and bore God the Word, according as He was made flesh: into whose womb God the Word did not bring a flesh in which He might be conceived; nor did He take from her the matter of a flesh conceived or formed, not Himself as God to be conceived but only to be born; but from the same and in the same virgin

Editors' notes and page, col. 455

Footnotes

(a) ‹nisi prophetico› · call in col 455

Non legitur in editis vox prophetico, legitur in ms.

The word "prophetico" (prophetic) is not read in the printed editions; it is read in the manuscript.

(printed under page 233)

Page

running head: 455 S. FULGENTII EPISCOP… (the rest of the head is cut off at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A ‹rit, Nobiscum Deus vocatur›; B ‹monstraret fundamentum fidei›; C ‹6. Ad hoc pertinet›; D ‹rum non facit geminam›
old-edition numerals: 290 after ‹pater gentium›

PL 65:456

humanae carnis naturam, secundum quam temporaliter Deus sempiternus conciperetur et nasceretur, accepit. Ipsa quippe acceptio carnis fuit conceptio virginalis: neque enim in utero sanctae illius et matris et virginis illa spiritalis et ex Deo Patre sine initio genita Verbi Dei natura poterat absque carne temporaliter concipi, sicut nec caro sine Verbi Dei unitione potuit aliquatenus, nullius viri coitu seminata, in intimo vulvae virginalis innasci. Hanc ergo carnem tunc ex se natura virginis concipientis exhibuit, cum in eam Deus concipiendus advenit. Non est igitur aliquod intervallum temporis aestimandum inter conceptae carnis initium et concipiendae majestatis adventum. Una quippe fuit in utero Mariae Virginis conceptio divinitatis et carnis, et unus est Christus Dei Filius in utraque natura conceptus, ut maculam vitiatae propaginis inde inciperet abolere, unde in unoquoque nascentium videbatur existere.

He took the nature of human flesh, according to which the everlasting God would be conceived and born in time. For the very taking of the flesh was the virginal conception: for neither could that spiritual nature of the Word of God, begotten without beginning of God the Father, be conceived in time without flesh in the womb of that holy one, both mother and virgin, just as neither could the flesh, sown by the intercourse of no man, in any way come to be in the inmost part of the virginal womb without union with the Word of God. This flesh, then, the nature of the conceiving virgin brought forth from herself at the moment when God, to be conceived, came into her. No interval of time, therefore, is to be reckoned between the beginning of the conceived flesh and the coming of the majesty to be conceived. For there was one conception of the godhead and of the flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and there is one Christ, the Son of God, conceived in both natures, so that He might begin to abolish the stain of a vitiated lineage from the very point where it was seen to exist in each one of those who are born.

CAP. IV. Ad delendum originis peccatum. Dei Filius humanam sibi naturam immaculatam immaculatus univit. — 8. Nam quia omnes homines ex coitu maris feminaeque nascentes ipsius conceptionis exordium originalis peccati habent contagione respersum, quia peccatum quod primus homo, cum, esset natura bonus diabolica malignitate seductus admisit in postero quoque cum poena, hoc est cum morte, transivit (quod in veritate sanctus David enuntiat, dicens: Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in delictis peperit me mater mea [Psalm. L, 7]); necessarium utique admodum fuit ut misericors Dominus et justus, iniquitatis humanae vestigia deleturus, in ipso conceptu sibi humanam naturam dignaretur immaculatam immaculatus unire, ubi eam consueverat per inflictam peccati originalis maculam suae parti dominioque diabolus vindicare. Naturae igitur humanae, cujus veritatem plenitudinemque Deus, Unigenitus assumere voluit, conceptum quoque ejus nativitatemque suscepit. Absit enim ut quisquam catholicus credat aut dicat quod Unigenitus Deus, suo nos sanguine redempturus in ea carne qua idem Deus factus est homo, respuerit humanae conceptionis initia, cum, in eadem carne Deus ipse immortalis permanens humanae mortalitatis esset passurus extrema. Sicut enim carne moriens incommutabilem atque inamissibilem naturalem sui statum Deus verus vivusque non perdidit; sic idem Deus immensus naturaliter et aeternus cum parva carne conciperetur, immensitate naturali non caruit; et cum temporaliter carne nasceretur, aeternitatem naturalem, in qua de Patre atque in Patre sempiternus Deus est, non amisit: quia vita illa suum voluit esse quem in carne suscepit obitum, et aeternitas illa suum habuit in matre conceptum.

CHAPTER IV. To blot out the sin of origin, the Son of God, Himself immaculate, united to Himself an immaculate human nature. — 8. For since all men born of the intercourse of male and female have the very beginning of their conception sprinkled with the contagion of original sin, since the sin which the first man, though by nature good, committed when seduced by the devil's malice passed into his posterity too with its penalty, that is, with death (which holy David declares in truth, saying: For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother bear me [Ps. 50:7]); it was certainly altogether necessary that the merciful and just Lord, being about to blot out the traces of human iniquity, should deign, Himself immaculate, to unite to Himself an immaculate human nature in the very conception, where the devil had been wont to claim it for his own party and dominion through the stain of original sin inflicted on it. Of human nature, therefore, whose truth and fullness God the Only-begotten willed to assume, He took up its conception and its birth as well. For far be it that any catholic should believe or say that the only-begotten God, who was to redeem us by His blood in that flesh in which the same God was made man, rejected the beginnings of human conception, when in the same flesh God Himself, abiding immortal, was to suffer the extremities of human mortality. For as the true and living God, dying in the flesh, did not lose the unchangeable and unlosable natural state of His being, so the same God, naturally immeasurable and eternal, when He was conceived in a small flesh, did not lack His natural immensity; and when He was born in time in the flesh, He did not lose the natural eternity in which He is everlasting God from the Father and in the Father: for that life willed the death which it took up in the flesh to be its own, and that eternity had its own conception in the mother.

9. Verbum igitur Deus, id est Unigenitus Dei Filius, qui est in omnibus (sicut ipse testatur) alpha et omega, initium et finis (Apoc. I, 11), sic initialiter secundum humanam naturam concipi carne non abnuit, sicut eadem carne moriens Deus humanae naturae

9. God the Word, therefore, that is, the only-begotten Son of God, Who is in all things (as He Himself testifies) the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end (Rev. 1:11), as He did not refuse to be conceived in the flesh, in a beginning according to human nature, so, dying in the same flesh, God paid the final debt of human nature.

Editors' notes and page, col. 456

Footnotes

(b) ‹cum morte› · call in col 456

Sic ms., at edd., ac cum morte.

So the manuscript; but the editions have "ac cum morte" (and with death).

(printed under page 233)

Editi, universus... universitate, ms. immensus... immensitate. [the letter of the note is faint in this image and may read (e); the call in the text is (c)]

The printed editions have "universus ... universitate" (universal ... universality); the manuscript, "immensus ... immensitate" (immense ... immensity).

(printed under page 233)

Page

running head: …I EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 456 (the start of the head is cut off at the image's left edge)
marginal letters: A ‹gine humanae carnis naturam›; B ‹maculam vitiatae propaginis›; C ‹sibi humanam naturam›; D ‹nus cum parva carne›
old-edition numerals: 291 after ‹passurus›

PL 65:457

debitum finale persolvit. Nullatenus namque humana natura ad auferendum peccatum mundi sufficiens atque idonea fieret, nisi in unionem Verbi Dei, non naturali confusione, sed solum personali unitate transiret: Verbum quippe cum caro fieret, unitione mirabili suam naturam fecit quam ex nobis accepit. In qua tamen unitione deifica et omnino mirabili Verbi divinitas mutata non est in carnem, veraque Verbi humanitas naturalem prorsus tenuit nostri generis veritatem. Virgo igitur (quod saepe commemorandum est) ipsum Deum Verbum, secundum hoc quod in ea caro factum est, et concepit et peperit, et illum Unigenitum Deum, virtutem scilicet et sapientiam Dei, candorem lucis aeternae, et speculum sine macula Dei majestatis, et imaginem bonitatis illius (Sap. VII, 26), splendorem gloriae, et figuram substantiae ejus, quem sine ullo initio de sua natura sempiternum atque incommutabilem, genuit incommutabilis ac sempiterna divinitas Patris, eumdem in humana natura totum plenumque Deum et hominem initialiter concepit, et peperit uterus virginalis.

For in no way would human nature become sufficient and fit to take away the sin of the world, unless it passed into union with the Word of God, not by a natural confusion but only by personal unity: for the Word, when He was made flesh, by a wonderful union made His own the nature which He received from us. Yet in that deifying and altogether wonderful union the godhead of the Word was not changed into flesh, and the true humanity of the Word kept entirely the natural truth of our race. The virgin, therefore (as must often be recalled), both conceived and bore God the Word Himself, according as He was made flesh in her; and that only-begotten God, namely the power and wisdom of God, the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of the majesty of God, and the image of His goodness (Wis. 7:26), the splendour of His glory and the figure of His substance, Whom the unchangeable and everlasting godhead of the Father begot without any beginning from its own nature, everlasting and unchangeable, the same, whole and full God and man in human nature, the virginal womb conceived in a beginning and bore.

CAP. V. Deus et homo in Christo non duas personas, sed duas naturas sine confusione significant. — 10. Cum autem Dominum Christum Deum hominemque dicimus, non personalem dualitatem, sed utriusque naturae unitionem verissimam sine ulla facta confusione monstramus. Idem quippe Deus qui homo, idem homo qui Deus est: quia sic Deo Verbo mirabiliter unita est humana natura, ut ipse verus Deus verus homo fieret, alteram vero personam incarnati Verbi vera humanitas non haberet. Accessit enim Deo humana substantia, non persona. Deus itaque cum sua carne unus est Christus, Filius Dei et filius hominis, idem Verbum simul et caro, imo idem Verbum caro, quia idem Deus et homo.

CHAPTER V. God and man in Christ signify not two persons but two natures without confusion. — 10. And when we say that the Lord Christ is God and man, we show not a duality of persons but a most true union of each nature, with no confusion brought about. For the same is God Who is man, the same is man Who is God: because human nature was so wonderfully united to God the Word that the true God Himself became true man, while the true humanity of the incarnate Word did not have another person. For human substance, not a person, was joined to God. God, therefore, with His flesh is one Christ, Son of God and son of man, the same at once Word and flesh, nay the same Word flesh, because the same is God and man.

CAP. VI. Non est Deus in Christo, sicut in patriarchis et prophetis. Caro Mariae caro peccati fuit. — 11. Non autem sic Deus Verbum carnem accepit, ut caro non fieret, cum evangelista dicat: Verbum caro factum est (Joan. I, 14). Neque naturam carnis ita Deus summus atque immensus assumpsit, ut tanquam in uno de patriarchis aut prophetis, in illo quidem homine Deus esset, sed idem Deus homo non esset. Absit ut hoc Christiana conscientia teneat, aut se quisquam fidelium profanari tanta impietate permittat. Cum enim Verbum caro factum est, sic divinitas humaniiatem sibi mirabiliter unire dignata est, ut, utriusque naturae veritate servata, in uno eodemque Deo atque homine Christo pro vita mundi divina (al. victima) fieret illa ejus humanitas. Deus enim non continens in ira misericordias suas (Psal. LXXVI, 10) ad hoc homo factus est, ut quidquid homine creaverat integrum, idem Deus in se totum redintegraret assumptum.

CHAPTER VI. God is not in Christ as in the patriarchs and prophets. The flesh of Mary was flesh of sin. — 11. But God the Word did not so receive flesh as not to become flesh, since the evangelist says: The Word was made flesh (John 1:14). Nor did the supreme and immeasurable God so assume the nature of flesh that, as in one of the patriarchs or prophets, God would indeed be in that man, but the same God would not be man. Far be it that the Christian conscience should hold this, or that any of the faithful should allow himself to be profaned by such impiety. For when the Word was made flesh, the godhead so deigned wonderfully to unite humanity to itself that, the truth of each nature being preserved, that humanity of His became divine (another reading: a victim) for the life of the world in the one and the same God and man, Christ. For God, not withholding His mercies in His anger (Ps. 76:10), was made man for this purpose, that whatever He had created whole in man, the same God, having assumed it all in Himself, might restore it to wholeness.

Editors' notes and page, col. 457

Footnotes

(a) ‹call not visible in the page foot› · call in col 457

Ita ms. et Basil.; at Lov. et Ant., unione Verbi Dei.

So the manuscript and the Basel edition; but the Louvain and Ant. have "unione Verbi Dei" (by union of the Word of God).

(printed under page 234)

(b) ‹idem Verbum caro› · call in col 457

Verba hæc, imo idem Verbum caro, quæ leguntur in edd. absunt a ms.

These words, "imo idem Verbum caro" (nay, the same Word [is] flesh), which are read in the editions, are missing from the manuscript.

(printed under page 234)

Edd., universus; ms., immensus.

The editions have "universus" (universal); the manuscript, "immensus" (immense).

(printed under page 234)

Page

running head: 457 EPISTOLA X… (the rest of the head is cut off at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A ‹turae debitum finale›; B ‹illius (Sap. VII, 26), splendorem›; C ‹humana substantia, non persona›; D ‹maniiatem sibi mirabiliter›
old-edition numerals: 292 before ‹Cum enim Verbum›

PL 65:458

12. †Hoc itaque habuit Dei hominisque mirabilis quidem, sed verus ille secundum carnem conceptus et partus, quo Deum coeli virgo ineffabiliter concepit et peperit, et virgo genitrix inviolata permansit: illa scilicet gratia plena et benedicta in mulieribus (Luc. I, 28) veraciter ab angelo nuncupata; †quod gratiae praevenientis ope atque opere Spiritus sancti superveniente in se, et virtute Altissimi obumbrante sibi, Deum Dei Filium conceptura, viri coitum nec pertulit omnino, nec voluit, sed virginitatem retinens et mentis et corporis, ab eo quem conceptura, et paritura erat, donum incorruptae fecunditatis et fecundae integritatis accepit. Ita Deum Verbum secundum quod caro factum est, virgo sancta concepit, angelorum hominumque factorem, eumdemque nihilominus virgo peperit hominum Redemptorem. Neque enim sancta Virgo Maria Deum sine carnis assumptione, aut carnem sine Dei unitione concepit, quia ille conceptus virginis Deo fuit carnique communis.

12. This, then, was what that conception and birth according to the flesh of God and man had, wonderful indeed, but true: by it the virgin ineffably conceived and bore the God of heaven, and the virgin mother remained inviolate: she, that is, who was truly named by the angel full of grace and blessed among women (Luke 1:28); and because, by the help of prevenient grace and the work of the Holy Spirit coming upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowing her, she was to conceive God the Son of God, she neither endured the intercourse of a man at all nor desired it, but, keeping virginity both of mind and of body, she received from Him Whom she was to conceive and bear the gift of an incorrupt fruitfulness and a fruitful integrity. Thus the holy virgin conceived God the Word, according as He was made flesh, the maker of angels and men, and the same nonetheless the virgin bore, the Redeemer of men. For the holy Virgin Mary did not conceive God without the assumption of flesh, nor flesh without union with God, because that conception of the virgin was common to God and to the flesh.

13. Haec est gratia qua factum est ut Deus, qui venit peccata tollere, quia peccatum in eo non est, homo conciperetur atque nasceretur in similitudine carnis peccati, de carne peccati. Caro quippe Mariae, quae in iniquitatibus humana fuerat solemnitate concepta, caro fuit utique peccati, quae Filium Dei genuit in similitudinem carnis peccati. Testatur enim Apostolus: Quia misit Deus Filium suum in similitudinem carnis peccati (Rom. VIII, 3): illum scilicet qui, cum in forma Dei esset, non rapinam arbitratus est esse se aequalem Deo, sed semetipsum exinanivit, formam servi accipiens, in similitudine hominum factus (Philip. II, 6, 7). Propterea vero in similitudine carnis peccati missus est Dei Filius, idemque est in similitudinem hominum factus, ut et similis hominibus fieret in veritate carnis quam ipse creaverat, et dissimilitudinem nostram Deus in carne sine peccato creatus auferret, quam nostrae carni non ex opere suo, sed ex nostro peccato inesse cernebat. In similitudine igitur carnis peccati Dei Filius missus apparuit, quia in ejus vera humana carne non iniquitas hominis, sed mortalitas fuit. Similitudo vero carnis peccati cum in Dei Filio, vel potius Dei Filius in similitudine carnis peccatii cum dicitur, credendum est Unigenitum Deum de Virginis carne mortali non traxisse peccati sordem, sed accepisse naturae integram veritatem, ut veritatis ortus de terra existeret, quem prophetali sermone beatus David insinuat dicens: Veritas de terra orta est (Psal. XXIV, 12). Vere igitur Deum Verbum Maria concepit, quod in carne peccati peperit, quam Deus accepit.

13. This is the grace by which it came about that God, Who came to take away sins, because there is no sin in Him, was conceived and born a man in the likeness of the flesh of sin, from the flesh of sin. For the flesh of Mary, which had been conceived in iniquities in the customary human manner, was certainly flesh of sin, and it bore the Son of God in the likeness of the flesh of sin. For the Apostle testifies: For God sent His Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin (Rom. 8:3): namely Him Who, being in the form of God, did not think it robbery to be equal to God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, made in the likeness of men (Phil. 2:6–7). And the Son of God was sent in the likeness of the flesh of sin, and the same was made in the likeness of men, for this reason: that He might both become like men in the truth of the flesh which He Himself had created, and that God, created in the flesh without sin, might take away our unlikeness, which He saw to be present in our flesh not from His own work but from our sin. The Son of God, therefore, appeared sent in the likeness of the flesh of sin, because in His true human flesh there was not the iniquity of man but his mortality. And when the likeness of the flesh of sin is said to be in the Son of God, or rather the Son of God in the likeness of the flesh of sin, it is to be believed that the only-begotten God did not draw the filth of sin from the Virgin's mortal flesh, but received the whole truth of the nature, so that there might arise from the earth the rising of truth which blessed David suggests in prophetic speech, saying: Truth is sprung from the earth (Ps. 84:12). Truly, then, Mary conceived God the Word, because she bore [Him] in the flesh of sin which God received.

CAP. VII. Beata Virgo Deum et hominem concipere, non humanis meritis, sed Dei dignatione promeruit. — 14. Sed ipsum Deum hominem factum et concipere et parere, non humanis moritis, sed concepti nascentisque

CHAPTER VII. The blessed Virgin merited to conceive God and man not by human merits but by God's condescension. — 14. But to conceive and to bear God Himself made man, not by human merits, but by the condescension of the One conceived and born

Editors' notes and page, col. 458

Footnotes

(d) ‹call not visible in the page foot› · call in col 458

Edd., beata; ms., benedicta.

The editions have "beata" (blessed); the manuscript, "benedicta" (blessed, i.e. spoken well of).

(printed under page 234)

(e) ‹sed semetipsum› · call in col 458

Edd., et semetipsum; ms., sed semetipsum, juxta Apostoli textum. [the note's letter looks like (c) in this image; the call in the text is (e)]

The editions have "et semetipsum" (and himself); the manuscript, "sed semetipsum" (but himself), in agreement with the Apostle's text.

(printed under page 234)

(f) ‹in similitudinem› · call in col 458

Editi, idem qui in similitudine: sed melius legitur in ms., idemque est in similitudinem.

The printed editions have "idem qui in similitudine" (the same who in the likeness); but the reading in the manuscript is better, "idemque est in similitudinem" (and the same [is made] into the likeness).

(printed under page 234)

Page

running head: …ISTOLA XVII. 458 (the start of the head is cut off at the image's left edge)
marginal letters: A ‹12. Hoc itaque habuit›; B ‹nus virgo peperit hominum›; C ‹(Philip. II, 6, 7). Propterea›; D ‹quem prophetali sermone›
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 65:459

ex ea summi Dei dignatione promeruit, Nisi enim Verbum Deus humanam sibi uniens singulariter naturam ex virgine homo verus nasceretur, et plenus, nunquam nobis carnaliter natis spiritaliter ex Deo nascendi conferretur exortus: sed ut carnalibus donaretur divina nativitas, prius concepta et nata est in veritate carnis Unigeniti Filii divina majestas. Longe enim erat (al. fuit) a peccatoribus salus (Psal. CXVIII, 155): et iniquitates nostrae magna nos a Deo separatione disjunxerant (Isa. LIX, 2). Et quia in ipsa nativitate carnis nostrae, mortis vinculo tenebamur obstricti, a quo solius beneficio spiritalis nativitatis possumus absolvi, Deus natus est ex homine, ut homines nascerentur ex Deo. Ideo namque Christus Filius Dei, id est verus Deus et vita aeterna, natus et mortuus est in veritate carnis, ut nos spiritaliter in uno Trinitatis nomine renasceremur in sacramento baptismatis. Hoc docet Apostolus, dicens: Quicunque baptizati sumus in Christo Jesu, in morte ipsius baptizati sumus (Rom. VIII, 3).

from her, the most high God, she merited. For unless God the Word, uniting human nature to Himself in a singular way, had been born of the virgin true and full man, there would never have been granted to us, born in the flesh, the rising of being born spiritually of God: but that divine birth might be given to carnal men, the divine majesty of the only-begotten Son was first conceived and born in the truth of the flesh. For salvation was (another reading: has been) far from sinners (Ps. 118:155): and our iniquities had parted us from God by a great separation (Isa. 59:2). And since in the very birth of our flesh we were held bound by the chain of death, from which we can be released only by the benefit of the spiritual birth, God was born of man, that men might be born of God. For this reason Christ the Son of God, that is, the true God and eternal life, was born and died in the truth of the flesh, that we might be reborn spiritually in the one name of the Trinity in the sacrament of baptism. The Apostle teaches this, saying: All we who have been baptized in Christ Jesus have been baptized in His death (Rom. 6:3).

15. Christi ergo Filii Dei prima nativitas ex Deo, secunda ex homine: nostra vero prima nativitas ex homine, secunda ex Deo. Et quia Deus nasciturus ex utero veritatem carnis accepit, ideo nobis renatis in baptismo spiritum adoptionis indulsit. Ille quod ex prima nativitate natura non fuit, secunda nativitate per gratiam factus est, ut nos quod primae nativitatis natura non fuimus, gratia secundae nativitatis essemus. Sed Deus, ut ex homine nasceretur, gratiam nobis attulit, nos autem gratiam gratis accipimus, ut divinae consortes natuae, Dei ex carne nascentis munere, fieremus. Quia ergo Filius Dei factus est Filius hominis, propterea, quotquot receperunt eum (sicut beatus Joannes evangelista testatur) dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri, his qui credunt in nomine ejus, qui non ex sanguinibus, neque ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex Deo nati sunt Joan. I, 13). Si vero unigenitus Filius, qui est in sinu Patris, post aeternam nativitatem, quam ex aeterno Patre Filius coaeternus habet, secundam nativitatem sanctificandi hominis gratia non susciperet, homo in iniquitatibus conceptus primae nativitatis nexibus non careret. Sed quia, secundum beati Joannis eloquium, in hoc apparuit Filius Dei, ut solvat opera diaboli (I Joan. III, 8); ille qui in prima nativitate, qua de Patris natura verus Deus est et vita aeterna, nullum habet nativitatis initium, idem Deus ex virgine temporaliter sumpsit secundae nativitatis exordium.

15. The first birth, then, of Christ the Son of God is from God, the second from man: but our first birth is from man, the second from God. And because God, about to be born from the womb, received the truth of flesh, He therefore granted to us, reborn in baptism, the spirit of adoption. What He was not by nature from the first birth He was made by grace in the second birth, so that what we were not by the nature of the first birth we might be by the grace of the second birth. But God, in order to be born of man, brought grace to us, and we receive grace freely, that we might become partakers of the divine nature by the gift of God born from the flesh. Since, then, the Son of God was made Son of man, therefore, as many as received Him (as blessed John the evangelist testifies), He gave them power to become sons of God, to those who believe in His name, who are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13). But if the only-begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, had not, after the eternal birth which He has as Son co-eternal from the eternal Father, taken up a second birth for the sake of sanctifying man, man, conceived in iniquities, would not be free of the bonds of the first birth. But since, according to the word of blessed John, for this the Son of God appeared, that He might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), He Who in the first birth, by which He is true God and eternal life from the Father's nature, has no beginning of birth, the same God took in time from the virgin the commencement of a second birth.

CAP. VIII. Mors Christi secundum carnem utramque mortem in nobis destruxit. Nomine carnis totus homo intelligitur. — 16. Ille itaque vivus sermo Dei, vitae suae statu incommutabiliter permanente, post primam nativitatem cum Patre de quo natus, una naturaliter vita est (quia sicut habet Pater vitam in semetipso, sic

CHAPTER VIII. The death of Christ according to the flesh destroyed both deaths in us. By the name of flesh the whole man is understood. — 16. That living word of God, therefore, the state of His life abiding unchangeably, after the first birth is naturally one life with the Father of Whom He was born (for as the Father has life in Himself, so

Editors' notes and page, col. 459

Footnotes

(a) ‹call not visible in the page foot› · call in col 459

Hæc verba ex Deo non leguntur in edd., sed habentur in ms.

These words, "ex Deo" (from God), are not read in the editions, but are found in the manuscript.

(printed under page 235)

(b) ‹gratis accipimus› · call in col 459 [the call after "accipimus" looks like (d) in this image]

Legendum forte accepimus, propter subsequentia verba; edd. omnes et ms. habent accipimus.

Perhaps "accepimus" (we have received) should be read, because of the words that follow; all the editions and the manuscript have "accipimus" (we receive).

(printed under page 235)

Ms. justificandi.

The manuscript has "justificandi" (of the man to be justified).

(printed under page 235)

Page

running head: 459 S. FULGENTII EPISCOPI… (the rest of the head is cut off at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A ‹tisque ex ea summi›; B ‹natus et mortuus est›; C ‹nere, fieremus›; D ‹habet nativitatis initium›
old-edition numerals: 293 after ‹dignatione›

PL 65:460

dedit et Filio vitam habere in semetipso [Joan. V, 26]); idem ipse Dei Filius in natura carnis per gratiam pro mortuis natus est ad mortem, ut nos post mortem primae nativitatis quam habemus ex carne, in gratia Spiritus renasceremur ad vitam. Sed Deus verus et vivus, imo Deus veritas et vita aeterna, nisi idem verus homo fieret, mortem gustare non posset, et idem homo qui mortem gustavit, si verus Deus et vita aeterna non esset, mortem vincere non valeret. EXCEPTO ENIM ILLO qui sic homo est, ut idem sit Deus, quis est homo qui morte dextruxerit mortem? aut quis eruit animam suam de manu inferi (Lsal. LXXXVIII, 49)? Proinde Unigenitus Deus vivus et verus, secundum carnem quam ex nobis accepit, sicut conceptus et natus est, ita etiam mortuus resurrexit: quia veniens quaerere et salvum facere quod perierat (Luc. XIX, 10), traditus est propter delicta nostra, et resurrexit propter justificationem nostram (Rom. IV, 25). Mors autem Filii Dei, quam sola carne suscepit, utramque in nobis mortem, animae scilicet carnisque, destr⟨u⟩xit; et resurrectio carnis ejus gratiam nobis et spiritalis et corporalis resurrectionis attribuit; ut, prius justificati per fidem mortis ac resurrectionis Filii Dei, resuscitaremur ab infidelitatis morte; qua cum naturaliter essemus filii irae, sicut et caeteri (Ephes. II, 3), tenebamur obstricti, et post primam resurrectionem, scilicet animarum, quae nobis in fide collata est, etiam ista carne in qua nunc vivimus resurgamus, nunquam denuo morituri. Nec ob aliud Deus verus et vita aeterna mortem nostram dignatus est accipere destruendam, nisi ut nobis in ejus resurrectione credentibus vitam suam donaret sine fine mensuram. Dominus quoque gloriae ideo contumeliam sustinuit crucis, ut gloriam suam donaret fidelibus, sicut ipse testatus est dicens: Et ego claritatem quam dedisti mihi, dedi illis (Joan. XVII, 22). Verbum igitur caro factum unus et plenus est Christus. Carnis autem nomine totus his accipiendus est homo, id est anima rationalis et caro. Christus enim Dei Filius, sicut veram et sine peccato accepit carnem nostram, sic veram et sine peccato accepit animam suam. Et carnem quidem nostram cum conditione humanae mortalitatis induit, animam vero nostram cum infirmitatibus sine macula humanae iniquitatis accepit, ut divinitas Christi per suam virtutem in anima sua infirmitates nostras portans, sine peccato justitiam custodiret, et per eam etiam ab ipsa carne sua mortalitatis supplicium dono resurrectionis auferret. Ideo Christus surgens ex mortuis jam non moritur; et mors illi ultra non dominabitur (Rom. VI, 9).

gave also to the Son to have life in Himself [John 5:26]); the same Son of God was born by grace unto death for the dead in the nature of flesh, so that we, after the death of the first birth which we have from the flesh, might be reborn to life in the grace of the Spirit. But the true and living God, nay God the truth and eternal life, unless the same had become true man, could not taste death; and the same man who tasted death, were He not true God and eternal life, would not have been able to conquer death. FOR EXCEPT HIM Who is so man that the same is God, who is the man who has destroyed death by death? or who has delivered his soul from the hand of hell (Ps. 88:49)? Accordingly the only-begotten God, living and true, according to the flesh which He received from us, as He was conceived and born, so also died and rose again: because, coming to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10), He was delivered up for our offences, and rose again for our justification (Rom. 4:25). And the death of the Son of God, which He took up in the flesh alone, destroyed both deaths in us, that is, of soul and of flesh; and the resurrection of His flesh has bestowed on us the grace both of spiritual and of bodily resurrection; so that, first justified through faith in the death and resurrection of the Son of God, we might be raised from the death of unbelief, by which we were held bound when we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest (Eph. 2:3), and after the first resurrection, namely of souls, which has been conferred on us in faith, we might rise also in this flesh in which we now live, never to die again. Nor for any other reason did the true God and eternal life deign to take our death to be destroyed, except that He might give His life without end or measure to us who believe in His resurrection. The Lord of glory also bore the shame of the cross for this reason, that He might give His glory to the faithful, as He Himself testified, saying: And the glory which Thou hast given Me, I have given them (John 17:22). The Word, therefore, made flesh is one and full Christ. And by the name of flesh the whole man is here to be understood, that is, the rational soul and the flesh. For Christ the Son of God, as He received our flesh true and without sin, so He received His soul true and without sin. And He put on our flesh with the condition of human mortality, but He received our soul with its infirmities without the stain of human iniquity, so that the godhead of Christ, bearing our infirmities by its power in His soul, might keep righteousness without sin, and through it might also take away from His very flesh, by the gift of resurrection, the punishment of mortality. Therefore Christ, rising from the dead, dies now no more; and death shall no more have dominion over Him (Rom. 6:9).

CAP. IX. Secundum Scripturae consuetudinem nomine carnis aut animae saepe totus homo intelligitur. — 17. Quia vero familiare est divinis eloquiis vocabulo carnis simul in hominem carnem atque animam nuncupare,

CHAPTER IX. According to the custom of Scripture, by the name of flesh or of soul the whole man is often understood. — 17. But since it is familiar to the divine oracles by the word flesh to name together flesh and soul in man,

Editors' notes and page, col. 460

Footnotes

(d) ‹call not visible in the page foot› · call in col 460

Sic ms.; at edd. non habent morte, leguntque aut quis eruet.

So the manuscript; but the editions do not have "morte" (death), and read "aut quis eruet" (or who will deliver).

(printed under page 235)

(e) ‹accipiendus est homo› · call in col 460

Ms., totus accipiendus est homo.

The manuscript has "totus accipiendus est homo" (the whole man is to be understood).

(printed under page 235)

(f) ‹humanæ iniquitatis› · call in col 460

Editi, humanæ infirmitatis; sed rectius ms., iniquitatis.

The printed editions have "humanae infirmitatis" (of human weakness); but the manuscript more correctly has "iniquitatis" (of iniquity).

(printed under page 235)

(g) ‹surgens ex mortuis› · call in col 460

Ms., ex mortuis; editi, a mortuis.

The manuscript has "ex mortuis"; the printed editions, "a mortuis" (both: from the dead).

(printed under page 235)

Page

running head: …EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 460 (the start of the head is cut off at the image's left edge)
marginal letters: A ‹dedit et Filio vitam›; B ‹rexit: quia veniens›; C ‹gnatus est accipere›; D ‹custodiret, et per eam›
old-edition numerals: 294 after ‹si verus›

PL 65:461

sicut scriptum est: Effundam de spiritu meo super omnem carnem (Joel. II, 28); et: Videbit omnis caro salutare Dei (Luc. III, 6); et: Sicut dedisti ei potestatem omnis carnis (Joan. XVII, 2); et: Nisi breviati fuissent dies illi, non salva fieret omnis caro (Matth. XXIV, 22); ex hac utique consuetudine sic in Scripturis sanctis totus homo carnis appellatione dicitur, sicut ibidem rursus homo totus solius animae nuncupatione monstratur. Abraham namque patriarcha de terra sua, et de cognatione sua, et de domo patris sui, praecepto atque auxilio Dei vocantis, egrediens (Genes. XII, 1) (neque enim quod Deus jubebat, ullatenus implere posset, nisi eum ille qui praeceperat adjuvaret; cum secum homines quos habuit duceret exiturus, animas quas acquisierat in Charan secum tulisse narratur. Jacob quoque in Aegyptum descendente, septuaginta quinque animas in ejus comitatu fuisse Scriptura sancta commemorat (Genes. XLVI, 27) Beatus etiam Petrus apostolus octo animas dicit diluvii tempore per aquam fuisse salvatas (I Petr. III, †39). In Actibus quoque apostolorum, cum fuissent Judaei repentina mirandaque ejusdem beati Petri praedicatione compuncti, et mutatione dexterae Excelsi ad fidem ex infidelitate conversi, scriptum est: quia applicatae sunt in illa die animae circiter tria †millia (Act. II, 41). His itaque testimoniis agnoscimus et carnis solius et animae nomine plerumque naturae humanae plenitudinem nuncupari. Verbum ergo caro factum unus et plenus est Christus; unus ex utraque atque in utraque, id est in humana divinaque natura, in quo sic utriusque naturae prorsus unitio gloriosa persistit, ut sive divinitati Christi humanitatem quis demat, sive humanitati divinitatem detrahat, Christum sacrilegia infidelitate et blasphema praedicatione dissolvat. Joannes autem apostolus, plenus veritate, testatur qui omnis spiritus qui solvit Jesum ex Deo non est, et hic est Antichristus (I Jaan. IV, 3).

as it is written: I will pour out of My spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28); and: All flesh shall see the salvation of God (Luke 3:6); and: As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh (John 17:2); and: Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would be saved (Matt. 24:22); it is surely from this custom that in the holy Scriptures the whole man is spoken of under the name of flesh, just as in the same Scriptures, again, the whole man is shown under the name of the soul alone. For the patriarch Abraham, going out from his land, and from his kindred, and from his father's house, at the command and with the help of God Who called him (Gen. 12:1) (for he could in no way fulfil what God commanded unless He Who had commanded helped him), when, about to go out, he was taking with him the people he had, is related to have taken with him the souls which he had gained in Haran. When Jacob too went down into Egypt, holy Scripture records that seventy-five souls were in his company (Gen. 46:27). Blessed Peter the apostle also says that eight souls were saved through water at the time of the flood (1 Pet. 3:20). In the Acts of the Apostles too, when the Jews had been pricked to the heart by the sudden and wonderful preaching of the same blessed Peter, and by the change of the right hand of the Most High had been converted from unbelief to faith, it is written: that there were added that day about three thousand souls (Acts 2:41). By these testimonies, therefore, we recognize that the fullness of human nature is often named by the name of flesh alone and of soul alone. The Word, then, made flesh is one and full Christ; one from both and in both, that is, in the human and the divine nature, in Whom the glorious union of each nature so entirely persists that whether anyone should take away the humanity from the godhead of Christ, or withdraw the godhead from the humanity, he dissolves Christ by sacrilegious unbelief and blasphemous preaching. And John the apostle, full of truth, testifies that every spirit that dissolves Jesus is not of God, and this is Antichrist (1 John 4:3).

CAP. X. Verbum, priusquam caro fieret, non erat Christus. — 18. Illud vero quis facile Christianus aut ignoret aut dubitet, quod Verbum Deus priusquam caro fieret non fuit Christus, sed tantum Deus? Tunc autem idem Deus Verbum, quod semper in forma Dei erat, Christus esse coepit, eum Deus semetipsum exinaniens formam servi absque diminutione plenitudinis naturalis accepit. Deus ergo factus est Christus, ut Christus esset Deus homoque perfectus: quia Verbum dignatum est caro fieri, ut caro posset Verbi, hoc est Dei, nomine nuncupari. Neque enim caro Christi, priusquam a Verbi susciperetur eadem caro, Christus fuit; neque ipsa caro, id est ipse homo, in se formam Dei viventis accepit: sed Deus, qui in forma Dei erat, formam servi accepit, et Deus aequalis Patri, in similitudinem hominum factus, habitu est inventus ut homo (Philip. II, 6, 7), et qui dives erat, propter nos pauper factus est, ut illius paupertate nos ditaremur (II Cor. VIII, 9).

CHAPTER X. The Word, before He was made flesh, was not Christ. — 18. But what Christian would readily either be ignorant of or doubt this, that God the Word, before He was made flesh, was not Christ, but only God? And the same God the Word, Who was always in the form of God, began to be Christ at that time when God, emptying Himself, took the form of a servant without diminution of His natural fullness. God, therefore, became Christ, that Christ might be God and perfect man: because the Word deigned to become flesh, so that the flesh could be called by the name of the Word, that is, of God. For neither was the flesh of Christ Christ before that same flesh was taken up by the Word; nor did that flesh itself, that is, the man himself, receive in himself the form of the living God: but God, Who was in the form of God, took the form of a servant, and God equal to the Father, made in the likeness of men, was found in fashion as a man (Phil. 2:6–7), and He Who was rich became poor for our sake, that by His poverty we might be enriched (2 Cor. 8:9).

Editors' notes and page, col. 461

Footnotes

(a) ‹call not visible in the page foot› · call in col 461

Basil., quos amavit; cæteri, habuit..

The Basel edition has "quos amavit" (whom he loved); the others, "habuit" (he had).

(printed under page 236)

(b) ‹call not visible in the page foot› · call in col 461 or 462

Ita ms.; at edd. præter Basil., in ipsum Deum Verbum.

So the manuscript; but the editions other than the Basel have "in ipsum Deum Verbum" (into God the Word himself).

(printed under page 236)

Page

running head: 461 EPISTOLA XV… (the rest of the head is cut off at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: A ‹pare, sicut scriptum est›; B ‹descendente, septuaginta›; C ‹unitio gloriosa persistit›; D ‹factus est Christus, ut›
old-edition numerals: 295 after ‹quos habuit›

PL 65:462

Verbum itaque caro factum unus est Christus; sed Verbum illud sine carne Deus aeternus fuit, caro autem Christi sine Verbo non solum Christus aliquando non fuit, sed nec personaliter concepta fuit. Verbum ergo quod caro factum est, antequam caro fieret, mansit aeternum, caro autem Verbi in ipso Deo Verbo personale sumpsit initium. Sed quia Verbum caro factum unus Christus est Dei et hominis Filius, nec alter est Verbum, alter est caro, sed idem unus Verbum caro; propterea idem unus est, qui initium non habet aeternus Deus generatus ex Patre, et qui initium habet temporaliter secundum carnem, idem Deus homo creatus ex virgine, unus Unigenitus Dei Filius ex aeternitate divinitatis, et ex initio carnis. Ex aeternitate scilicet divinitatis, creator visibilium invisibiliumque rerum, ex initio autem carnis, salvum faciens populum suum a peccatis eorum. Ex aeternitate divinitatis idem coaeternus Patri, de quo natus est semper vivus: ex initio autem carnis idem posterior matre, de qua temporaliter natus est in tempore moriturus. Testatur enim Apostolus: Quia Christus secundum tempus pro impiis mortuus est (Rom. V, 6).

The Word, therefore, made flesh is one Christ; but that Word without flesh was eternal God, whereas the flesh of Christ without the Word not only was at no time Christ, but was not even personally conceived. The Word, then, which was made flesh, before it was made flesh remained eternal, but the flesh of the Word took its personal beginning in God the Word Himself. But since the Word made flesh is one Christ, Son of God and of man, and the Word is not one and the flesh another, but the same one is the Word flesh; therefore the same is one Who, without beginning, is eternal God begotten of the Father, and Who has a beginning in time according to the flesh, the same God-man created from the virgin, one only-begotten Son of God from the eternity of the godhead and from the beginning of the flesh. From the eternity of the godhead, that is, the creator of things visible and invisible; but from the beginning of the flesh, saving His people from their sins. From the eternity of the godhead the same is co-eternal with the Father, of Whom He was born, ever living: but from the beginning of the flesh the same is later than His mother, of whom He was born in time, to die in time. For the Apostle testifies: For Christ according to the time died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6).

18 bis. Igitur non Trinitas, id est, non simul Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus, nec solus Pater aut solus Spiritus sanctus; id est, non ille qui Filium genuit, nec ille qui de Patre procedit, sed solus Filius, id est ille quem in unitate naturae Pater coaeternum sibi Filium et coaequalem genuit, id est una ex Trinitate persona Christus Dei Filius unicus, ut nos salvos faceret, carne conceptus et natus est de ventre Virginis matris, qui verus et summus Deus est ex utero Dei Patris. Non Trinitas, sed Unigenitus a Patre Christus Dei Filius, carne parvulus fuit, et carne crevit. Quem perfectus atque immensus Pater, per unitatem divinitatis, aequalem suae perfectioni atque immensitati cognoscit. Non Trinitas, sed via, veritas et vita (Joan, XIV, 6), Christus Dei Filius per curricula temporum, ab infantia usque ad perfectam juventutem, humanas aetates carne misericorditer transcurrit, qui permanens in unitate paternae naturae sempiternus, saecula mirabiliter fecit, et incommutabilis temporum mutabilitates instituit. Non Trinitas, sed splendor paternae gloriae Christus, pro nobis est carne passus, qui de Patre Deo solus natus est impassibilis Deus. Ipsum utique, quod dubitandum non est, Christum Filium Dei pro nobis mortem carne gustasse, salva immortalitate divinitatis ejus, veraciter credimus, quem verum Dei Patris Filium, verumque Deum, et vitam aeternam praedicatione veridica sancti apostoli Joannis audimus (I Joan. V, 20). Non Trinitas, sed Verbum caro factum Christus Dei Filius, eadem carne qua crucifigi et mori dignatus est, resurrexit, qui de sepulcro eamdem carnem suam, vita permanens, suscitavit. Non Trinitas, sed Christus qui est super omnia Deus, videntibus eum discipulis, carne in coelum, carne de

18 bis. Therefore not the Trinity, that is, not the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit together, nor the Father alone or the Holy Spirit alone; that is, not He Who begot the Son, nor He Who proceeds from the Father, but the Son alone, that is, He Whom the Father begot in unity of nature as a Son co-eternal and co-equal with Himself, that is, one person of the Trinity, Christ the only Son of God, was conceived and born in the flesh from the womb of the Virgin mother, to save us, He Who is true and supreme God from the womb of God the Father. Not the Trinity, but the Only-begotten of the Father, Christ the Son of God, was a little child in the flesh and grew in the flesh. Him the perfect and immeasurable Father knows, through the unity of the godhead, to be equal to His own perfection and immensity. Not the Trinity, but the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), Christ the Son of God, ran through the courses of time, from infancy to full youth, passing mercifully in the flesh through the ages of man, He Who, abiding everlasting in the unity of the Father's nature, wonderfully made the ages, and, unchangeable, established the changes of the times. Not the Trinity, but Christ, the splendour of the Father's glory, suffered in the flesh for us, He Who alone was born of God the Father, God impassible. That He Himself, Christ the Son of God, tasted death in the flesh for us, the immortality of His godhead remaining unimpaired, which is not to be doubted, we truly believe; Him we hear, by the truthful preaching of the holy apostle John, to be the true Son of God the Father, and true God, and eternal life (1 John 5:20). Not the Trinity, but the Word made flesh, Christ the Son of God, rose again in that same flesh in which He deigned to be crucified and to die, He Who, abiding life, raised that same flesh of His from the tomb. Not the Trinity, but Christ, Who is God over all, while His disciples watched Him, ascended in the flesh into heaven, He who is to come in the flesh from

Editors' notes and page, col. 462

Footnotes

Edd., universus.

The editions have "universus" (universal).

(printed under page 236)

(d) ‹Non Trinitas, sed› · call in col 462

Hæc verba Non Trinitas, sed aberant ab editis legebantur autem in ms.

These words, "Non Trinitas, sed" (not the Trinity, but), were missing from the printed editions, but were read in the manuscript.

(printed under page 236)

Page

running head: …STOLA XVII. 462 (the start of the head is cut off at the image's left edge)
marginal letters: A ‹Verbum itaque caro›; B ‹tor visibilium invisibiliumque›; C ‹Virginis matris, qui verus›; D ‹dum non est, Christum›
old-edition numerals: 296 before ‹Testatur enim›

PL 65:463

coelo venturus, ascendit: qui nec deseruit coelum cum in terra carnem accepit, et carne conscendens in coelum suos in terra divinitate non deseruit (al. deserit). Hoc enim promisit, dicens: Ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem saeculi (Matth. XXVIII, 20). Deus ergo ille qui in forma Dei, secundum beati Hieremiae vaticinium, Magnus est, et non habet finem, excelsus et immensus; de quo etiam paulo post idem propheta dicit: Hic est Deus noster, et non aestimabitur alius ad eum: adinvenit omnem viam disciplinae, et dedit eam Jacob puero suo, et Israel dilecto suo (Baruch, III, 36, 37): ipse, secundum formam servi, in qua minoratus est paulo minus ab angelis, Post haec, sicut idem propheta decit, in terris visus est, et cum hominibus conversatus est (Ibid., 38). Ipsum hominem mortalem atque mutabilem infideles viderunt, quem Deum naturaliter immortalem atque incommutabilem illi mundo corde visuri sunt, qui nunc in eum veraciter credunt. Fides enim vera nunc corda hominum mnndat, quae capacia vivendo Deo gloria futurae resurrectionis exhibeat.

heaven: He Who did not leave heaven when on earth He received flesh, and, ascending into heaven in the flesh, did not leave His own on earth by His divinity (another reading: does not leave). For this He promised, saying: Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the age (Matt. 28:20). Therefore that God Who in the form of God, according to the prophecy of blessed Jeremiah, is Great, and has no end, lofty and immeasurable; of whom also a little after the same prophet says: This is our God, and no other shall be accounted beside Him: He found out every way of discipline, and gave it to Jacob His servant, and to Israel His beloved (Bar. 3:36–37): He Himself, according to the form of a servant, in which He was made a little lower than the angels, afterwards, as the same prophet says, was seen upon earth, and conversed with men (ibid. 3:38). Him, as a mortal and mutable man, unbelievers saw, whom, as God by nature immortal and immutable, those clean of heart shall see who now truly believe in Him. For true faith now cleanses the hearts of men, so that, by living for God, it may render them capable of the glory of the future resurrection.

CAP. XI. Vera fides unum eumdemque Christum, verum Deum et verum hominem credit. Romana Ecclesia mundi cacumen. — 19. Quae est autem vera fides, nisi unum eumdemque Christum verum Deum verumque hominem sine aliqua haesitatione credere; unum eumdemque de Patre Deo secundum divinitatem, et de Virgine Maria secundum carnem, genitum praedicare? Apostolica quippe testatur auctoritas quia unus idemque est Christus ex patribus secundum carnem, qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula (Rom. XI, 5); unus idemque crncifixus ex infirmitate, sed vivens ex virtute Dei (II Cor. XIII, 4); unus idemque et (al. est) feciens in hominibus virtutes, et sustinens pro hominibus passiones: quia cum miracula secundum divinitatem faceret Christus Dei Filius, in eodem Deo fuit passibilis humanitas sua; et cum pateretur secundum carnem idem Christus Dei Filius, in eodem homine fuit impasibilis divinitas sua. Quia igitur in Christo Dei unigenito Filio personam non dividunt propria naturarum, neque unitas personae potest utriusque naturae propria confundere vel auferre: quia illic qui se esse veritatem naturaliter dicit, utrumque in se uno, manente naturali veritate, servavit; propterea neque in passionibus ab illa humanitate Christi divinitatem suam impassibilem sejungimus, neque ab illa divinitate humanitatem suam ullatenus separandam in virtutibus aestimamus. Neque ergo dividimus, neque confundimus in virtutibus et passionibus Christum, quem Filium Dei vivi, revelante Patre, beatus Petrus confessus est, cum se tamen prius filium hominis veraciter Christus ipse dixisset (Matth. XVI, 16). Ideo verum Christum in

CHAPTER XI. True faith believes one and the same Christ to be true God and true man. The Roman Church the summit of the world. — 19. And what is true faith, if not to believe without any hesitation that one and the same Christ is true God and true man; to proclaim one and the same begotten of God the Father according to the divinity, and of the Virgin Mary according to the flesh? For apostolic authority testifies that one and the same is Christ, of the fathers according to the flesh, Who is over all, God blessed for ever (Rom. 9:5); one and the same crucified out of weakness, but living by the power of God (2 Cor. 13:4); one and the same both (another reading: is) working mighty works among men, and enduring sufferings for men: because when Christ the Son of God worked miracles according to the divinity, in the same God His humanity was passible; and when the same Christ the Son of God suffered according to the flesh, in the same man His divinity was impassible. Since therefore in Christ the only-begotten Son of God the properties of the natures do not divide the person, nor can the unity of the person confound or take away the properties of either nature: because He Who says that He is by nature the truth kept both in His one self, the truth of each nature remaining; therefore neither in the sufferings do we separate His impassible divinity from that humanity of Christ, nor do we consider His humanity to be in any way separated from that divinity in the mighty works. Therefore we neither divide nor confound Christ in the mighty works and the sufferings, Him whom blessed Peter, by the Father's revelation, confessed to be the Son of the living God, though Christ Himself had first truly called Himself the Son of man (Matt. 16:16). Therefore the true Christ in

Editors' notes and page, col. 463

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: adinvenit› · call in col 463

Ms , qui adinvenit.

The manuscript has qui adinvenit ("who devised/found out").

(printed under page 237)

(b) ‹anchor: exhibeat› · call in col 463

Locum hunc restituimus ex ms.: editi enim habebant qua corda capacia videndo (Basil). reddendo) Deo gloriam futurae resurrectionis exhibeat.

We have restored this passage from the manuscript; for the editions had qua corda capacia videndo (Basil.: reddendo) Deo gloriam futurae resurrectionis exhibeat ("by which [it] may show to God, by seeing [Basil: by rendering], hearts able [to receive] the glory of the future resurrection").

(printed under page 237)

Sic ms.; at excusi, credere, unum eumdemque.... unius Deum genitum praedicare.

So the manuscript; but the printed editions have credere, unum eumdemque .... [and] of one Deum genitum praedicare ("to believe, one and the same ... to proclaim God begotten").

(printed under page 237)

(d) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 463 or 464)

Habentur haec verba verus Deus ex ms., non ex edd.

These words verus Deus ("true God") are had from the manuscript, not from the editions.

(printed under page 237)

Page

running head: 463 S. FULGENTII EPISCOPI [rest of the head lies over the facing column, not in these images]
marginal letters: A ‹coelo venturus, ascendit›; B ‹est (Ibid., 38). Ipsum hominem›; C ‹stus ex patribus secundum carnem›; D ‹vavit; propterea neque in passionibus›
old-edition numerals: 297 before CAP. XI
other: the calls (a) after adinvenit and (b) after exhibeat are printed in the column; the calls are not set in the source.
other: (Rom. XI, 5) is printed so; the passage is Rom. 9:5, which the English gives.
other: misprints checked on the page and kept as printed (clearly other letters): decit, mnndat, crncifixus, feciens, impasibilis. impassibilem: the second s is lost in worn type (a gap is visible), set whole.

PL 65:464

passionibus atque virtutibus nec confundit fides vera, nec dividit, quia personalis unitas in eo divisionem non recipit, et utriusque naturae veritas inconfusa persistit. Traditus est enim Deus Christus propter delicta nostra, quia verus homo est: et resurrexit idem homo Christus propter justificationem nostram (Rom. IV, 25), quia Deus verus est. Nisi enim idem verus Deus homo verus esset, tardi morique non posset; et idem verus homo, si verus Deus non esset, resuscitare semetipsum solutis inferni doloribus nequivisset. Sed quia non est alter Deus, alter homo, sed ⟨i⟩dem unus est Christus Deus et homo, profecto idem Deus Christus est qui mortem sua carne suscepit, et idem homo Christus est qui mortem sua divinitate destruxit. Idem quippe Christus Dei Filius, qui divinitate mori non potuit, carne mortuus est, quam mortalem Deus immortalis accepit. Et idem Christus Dei Filius carne mortuus resurrexit, quia immortalitatem suae divinitatis carne mortuus non amisit.

in sufferings and mighty works true faith neither confounds nor divides, because the personal unity in Him does not admit division, and the truth of each nature persists unconfused. For God the Christ was delivered up for our sins, because He is true man: and the same man Christ rose again for our justification (Rom. 4:25), because He is true God. For unless the same true God were true man, He could not suffer and die; and the same true man, if He were not true God, could not have raised Himself up, the pains of hell being loosed. But because God is not one and man another, but one and the same is Christ, God and man, assuredly the same God Christ is He who underwent death in His flesh, and the same man Christ is He who destroyed death by His divinity. For the same Christ the Son of God, who could not die in His divinity, died in the flesh, which, mortal, the immortal God received. And the same Christ the Son of God, having died in the flesh, rose again, because, having died in the flesh, He did not lose the immortality of His divinity.

20. Hinc est quod etiam post resurrectionem suam sicut in cicatricibus veris, et in vera comestione piscis et mellis soliditatem in se verae carnis edocuit, ita clausis foribus ingrediens, veram in se virtutem sempiternae divinitatis ostendit: ut agnosceretur et naturalis fuisse Christi morientis infirmitas, et eidem resurgenti naturalis inesse majestas. Inde Thomas, dum injecta manu jubetur in latere mortui ac resurgentis Christi veritatem vulneris experiri, veram in illis cicatricibus patientis ac resurgeutis virtutem divinitatis agnoscens, in quo jubetur ut clavorum loca digitis tangat, ipsum Dominum ac Deum suum fideli confessione pronuntiat, dicens: Dominus meus, et Deus meus! Agnovit enim non alterum per naturalem divinitatis suae virtutem resurrexisse in carne sua, nisi eum qui de natura Dei Patris Deus verus est, et vita aeterna (Joan. XX, 28).

20. Hence it is that even after His resurrection, as by true scars and by truly eating fish and honey He taught the solidity of true flesh in Himself, so by entering through closed doors He showed in Himself the true power of everlasting divinity: so that it might be acknowledged both that the weakness of Christ dying had been natural, and that in the same Christ rising a natural majesty was present. Hence Thomas, while he is bidden to put in his hand and test in the side of the dead and risen Christ the reality of the wound, acknowledging in those scars the true power of the divinity of Him who suffered and rose, in Him in whom he is bidden to touch with his fingers the places of the nails, pronounces with faithful confession that He is his very Lord and God, saying: My Lord, and my God! For he recognized that no other had risen in his own flesh through the natural power of his divinity, but He who is true God from the nature of God the Father, and eternal life (John 20:28).

21. Hujus fidei nobis intimans veritatem ipse humani generis conditor ac redemptor, opifex nostrae particepsque naturae, postquam veram in se carnem cicatricibus veris, veramque divinitatem virtute resurrectionis ostendit; ut unum eumdemque se Deum et hominen credendum praedicandumque monstraret, simul in se divinam humanamque naturam unius Filii nomine nuncupavit dicens apostolis: Ite, docete omnes gentes, baptizantes eos in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti (Matth. XXVIII, 19). Doctor igitur et largitor aeternae salutis hanc ideo formam sancti baptismatis dedit, ne quis in eodem Dei Filio naturas dividens, mortifero illaquearetur errore, si aut humanam Filii Dei naturam ab opere redemptionis humanae alienam in sacramento baptismatis crederet, aut duas in Christo confitendo personas, non jam verax Trinitatis cultor, sed nefarius esset quaternitatis assertor, ac per hoc cum Patre et Spiritu sancto non Filium, sed filios coleret, quisquis in Christo

21. Making known to us the truth of this faith, the very Creator and Redeemer of the human race, the maker and sharer of our nature, after He had shown the true flesh in Himself by true scars, and the true divinity by the power of the resurrection, in order to show that He, one and the same, is to be believed and proclaimed God and man, named together the divine and the human nature in Himself by the name of the one Son, saying to the apostles: Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). The Teacher and Giver of eternal salvation therefore gave this form of holy baptism for this reason, that no one, dividing the natures in the same Son of God, should be ensnared in deadly error, if either he believed the human nature of the Son of God to be foreign to the work of human redemption in the sacrament of baptism, or, by confessing two persons in Christ, were no longer a truthful worshipper of the Trinity but a wicked asserter of a quaternity, and so worshipped with the Father and the Holy Spirit not the Son but sons, whoever in Christ

Editors' notes and page, col. 464

Footnotes

(e) ‹anchor: carne sua› · call in col 464

Ms. in carne sua; editi, carne sua.

The manuscript has in carne sua ("in his flesh"); the editions, carne sua ("by his flesh").

(printed under page 237)

Page

running head: EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 464
marginal letters: A ‹passionibus atque virtutibus›; B ‹nitate mori non potuit›; C ‹suum fideli confessione›; D ‹tur et largitor aeternae salutis›
old-edition numerals: 298 after ‹in quo›

PL 65:465

personae repudiandam fidem aliquatenus aestimaret: cum idem sit unus Filius in Trinitate cum Patre et cum Spiritu sancto Christus Jesus, qui mundum creavit et pro nobis sanguinem fudit. Propterea omnis qui in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti sacramento sanctae regenerationis abluitur, non nisi in Christi morte ac nomine baptizatur, ut evidenter appareat illi nos consepultos esse per baptismum in morte (Rom. VI, 4), in cujus uno cum Patris et Spiritus sancti constat nomine baptizatos. Quod duorum magnorum luminarium, Petri scilicet Paulique, verbis, tanquam splendentibus radiis illustrata, eorumque decorata corporibus, ROMANA, QUAE MUNDI CACUMEN EST, tenet et docet Ecclesia, totusque cum ea Christianus orbis, et ad justitiam nihil haesitans credit, et ad salutem non dubitat confiteri. Nam beati Petri Judaeis Filium Dei praedicantis haec verba sunt: Poenitentiam agite, et baptizetur unusquisque vestrum in nomine Jesu Christi in remissionem peccatorum (Act. II, 38). Beatus quoque Paulus, ut in morte Christi nos baptizatos firmissime crederemus, in ea quam Romanis scribit epistola, hoc salutis nostrae mysterium, tanquam in eminentissima cunctis ad videndum specula collocavit, dicens: Quicunque in Christo baptizati sumus, in morte ipsius baptizati sumus; consepulti enim sumus cum illo per baptismum in mortem (Rom. VI, 3).

should think the faith of the person in any way to be rejected: since one and the same is the one Son in the Trinity with the Father and with the Holy Spirit, Christ Jesus, who created the world and shed His blood for us. Therefore everyone who is washed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit by the sacrament of holy regeneration is baptized only in the death and name of Christ, so that it may plainly appear that we are buried together with Him through baptism into death (Rom. 6:4), in whose one name, with that of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, we are agreed to have been baptized. This the ROMAN Church, WHICH IS THE SUMMIT OF THE WORLD, illumined by the words of two great luminaries, namely Peter and Paul, as by shining rays, and adorned with their bodies, holds and teaches, and with her the whole Christian world both believes unto justice without any hesitation and does not doubt to confess unto salvation. For these are the words of blessed Peter preaching the Son of God to the Jews: Do penance, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Blessed Paul also, that we might most firmly believe that we have been baptized in the death of Christ, in the letter which he writes to the Romans set this mystery of our salvation as on a most lofty watch-tower for all to see, saying: All we who have been baptized in Christ have been baptized in His death; for we are buried together with Him through baptism into death (Rom. 6:3–4).

22. Quisquis igitur duas asserere nititur in Christo personas, et tamen, secundum regulam ore atque imperio Domini constitutam, in uno se Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti baptizatum nomine confitetur; aut evidentissima blasphemia se in morte Christi baptizatum neget, ut inimicus apostolicae praedicationis appareat; aut cultorem se non Trinitatis, sed quaternitatis agnoscat. Si vero utriusque metuit impietatis abruptum, rectam catholicae fidei teneat toto corde sententiam, nec se dubitet in Christi baptizatum morte, in cujus est baptizatus et nomine. Unum quoque Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti naturale nomen agnoscens, seque in illius morte ac nomine baptizatum esse considerans, de cujus latere sacramentum fontis et calicis manavit (Joan. XIX, 34) pendentis in cruce, illum pro nobis crucifixum agnoscat, quem Dei virtutem Deique sapientiam Paulus et credit et praedicat, dicens: Nos autem praedicamus Christum crucifixum, Judaeis quidem scandalum, gentibus autem stultitiam, ipsis autem vocatis Judaeis atque Graecis Christum Dei virtutem et Dei sapientiam (I Cor. I, 23). Hoc est magnum pietatis sacramentum, quo scilicet Unigenitus Deus verus, homo verus dignatus est fieri, et aeternus temporaliter nasci, et impassibilis pati, et incomprehensibilis crucifigi, et immortalis mori, et immensus non solum praesepis cum nasceretur, verum etiam sepulcri cum moreretur, parvitate concludi. Quae omnia secundum veritatem carnis vera sunt in Dei Filio, quia manente in eo inconfusibiliter atque inseparabiliter humana divinaque

22. Whoever therefore strives to assert two persons in Christ, and yet, according to the rule established by the mouth and command of the Lord, confesses himself baptized in the one name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, must either with most evident blasphemy deny that he has been baptized in the death of Christ, so as to appear an enemy of the apostolic preaching; or acknowledge himself a worshipper not of a Trinity but of a quaternity. But if he fears the precipice of either impiety, let him hold with his whole heart the right judgement of the catholic faith, and not doubt that he has been baptized in the death of Christ, in whose name too he has been baptized. Acknowledging also the one natural name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and considering that he has been baptized in the death and name of Him from whose side, as He hung on the cross, flowed the sacrament of the font and of the cup (John 19:34), let him acknowledge as crucified for us Him whom Paul both believes and preaches to be the power of God and the wisdom of God, saying: But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed a stumbling-block, to the Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (I Cor. 1:23–24). This is the great sacrament of godliness, by which, namely, the only-begotten true God deigned to become true man, and the eternal to be born in time, and the impassible to suffer, and the incomprehensible to be crucified, and the immortal to die, and the immeasurable to be enclosed in the smallness not only of a manger when He was born, but also of a tomb when He died. All these things are true in the Son of God according to the truth of the flesh, because, there remaining in Him unconfusedly and inseparably the human and divine

Editors' notes and page, col. 465

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: baptismum in mortem› · call in col 465

Sic ms. juxta textum Apostoli; edd. vero, ni morte.

So the manuscript, following the Apostle's text; but the editions have ni morte [i.e. in morte, "in death"].

(printed under page 238)

Page

running head: 465 EPISTOLA X[...] (the letter numeral is cut at the image edge)
marginal letters: A ‹personae repudiandam fidem›; B ‹fiteri. Nam beati Petri›; C ‹evidentissima blasphemia›; D ‹autem stultitiam, ipsis autem vocatis›
old-edition numerals: 299 after ‹Trinitatis,›

PL 65:466

natura, una est Filii Dei Jesu Christi in utriusque naturae veritate persona.

nature, there is one person of the Son of God Jesus Christ in the truth of both natures.

CAPUT XII. Per Christum non solum deletur iniquitas, sed etiam cogitationis sanctae recipitur facultas quam Deus primo homini in sua creatione contulerat. — 23. Sic humano generi gratuitam gratiam divina bonitas contulit, per quam in hominibus non solum propaginis obligatione contracta et vitio propriae voluntatis adjecta deleretur omnis iniquitas, quin etiam cogitationis sanctae amissa pridem in homine primo per hominem secundum reciperetur facultas, ac sic homine Deo in carne (al. †carne) pro hominibus mortuo ac resurgente captivaretur, quae in nostro corpore regnante peccato consueverat dominari, captivitas, et ubi abundavit peccatum delinquentis hominis, superabundaret gratia Redemptoris (Rom. V, 21), atque ita hominis arbitrium, quod sub ditione peccati male liberum fuit, verae salubrisque libertatis reciperet denuo statum, praevenientis gratiae munere liberatum. De qua gratia Dei, non qua homines nascimur, sed cujus opere per fidem mediatoris vinculis peccati originalis atque actualis absolvimur, quantum possumus epistolari brevitate, ut etiam in hac quaestione interrogationi vel potius professioni vestrae responsio nostra non desit, ipsius gratiae fulti juvamine disseremus.

CHAPTER XII. Through Christ not only is iniquity blotted out, but also the faculty of holy thought is recovered, which God had conferred on the first man in his creation. — 23. Thus the divine goodness conferred on the human race a gratuitous grace, through which in men not only should all iniquity be blotted out, both that contracted by the bond of descent and that added by the fault of one's own will, but also the faculty of holy thought, long since lost in the first man, should be recovered through the second man; and so, the man-God dying and rising in the flesh for men, that captivity should be taken captive which, sin reigning in our body, had been wont to hold sway; and where the sin of offending man abounded, the grace of the Redeemer should more abound (Rom. 5:20–21); and so the choice of man, which under the dominion of sin was wrongly free, should recover again the state of true and wholesome freedom, set free by the gift of prevenient grace. Of this grace of God, not that by which we are born men, but that by whose working we are loosed through faith in the Mediator from the bonds of original and actual sin, we shall discourse, as far as we can within the brevity of a letter, upheld by the help of that same grace, so that in this question too our answer may not be wanting to your enquiry, or rather your profession.

24. Quisquis igitur Christianae religionis non vult inaniter, imo damnabiliter portare vocabulum, credat firmissime Deum nostrum, id est sanctam Trinitatem, quae unus summus et verus est Deus, primo homini, quem ad suam imaginem gratuita bonitate bonum fecit, cui facultatem quoque suae cognitionis ac dilectionis inseruit, non solum bonae voluntatis donum, quin etiam ad habendam custodiendamque justitiam integrum sanumque creasse libertatis arbitrium: ut facultas atque motus inditae libertatis si juvantem se gratiam Dei non desereret, praemium vitae aeternae tribueret Dei bonitas homini; si autem justitiam divinam contemnens a gratia excidisset, supplicium retribueret justitia peccatori. Proinde a bono justoque creatore illi homini, quem in corpore animali conditum ditavit intelligentiae ac justitiae dono, justa est utrinque statuta conditio, ut scilicet si obedientiam, quae prima virtus est, custodiret, ex animali, in qua creatus erat, corporis qualitate ad spiritalem immortalemque statum sine corporis morte (quia sine animae iniquitate) transiret; accepissetque divino munere, si praecepta servasset, non solum perfectam atque inamissibilem corporis immortalitatem, verum etiam in anima talem gratiam sancte justeque vivendi, ut peccare deinceps omnino non posset, si non peccaret donec peccare potuisset.

24. Whoever therefore does not wish to bear the name of the Christian religion in vain, nay, to his damnation, let him most firmly believe that our God, that is, the holy Trinity, which is the one supreme and true God, created for the first man, whom by gratuitous goodness He made good after His own image, and in whom He also implanted the faculty of knowing and loving Him, not only the gift of a good will, but also a free choice whole and sound for having and keeping justice: so that, if the faculty and movement of the freedom given him did not forsake the grace of God that helped it, the goodness of God would grant man the reward of eternal life; but if, despising the divine justice, he fell away from grace, justice would repay punishment to the sinner. Accordingly, by the good and just Creator a just condition was laid down on either side for that man, whom, made in an animal body, He enriched with the gift of understanding and justice: namely that, if he kept obedience, which is the first virtue, he would pass from the animal quality of body in which he had been created to a spiritual and immortal state without death of the body (because without iniquity of the soul); and he would have received by divine gift, had he kept the commandments, not only a perfect and unlosable immortality of the body, but also in the soul such grace of living holily and justly that thereafter he could not sin at all, if he did not sin while he was able to sin.

25. Creatus ergo primus homo de terra terrenus (I Cor. XV, 47), accepit quidem gratiam qua posset non peccare, si vellet; nondum tamen tantam acceperat gratiam, qua nec peccare vellet omnino, nec

25. The first man, therefore, created of the earth, earthly (I Cor. 15:47), received indeed a grace by which he could not sin, if he willed; yet he had not yet received so great a grace that he would not will to sin at all, nor

Editors' notes and page, col. 466

Footnotes

(b) ‹anchor: posset non peccare› · call in col 466

Sic ms.; at edd., quae non posset peccare, sic peccare nollet.

So the manuscript; but the editions have quae non posset peccare, sic peccare nollet ("which could not sin, so would not wish to sin").

(printed under page 238)

Page

running head: [EPI]STOLA XVII. 466
marginal letters: A ‹natura, una est Filii›; B ‹hominis, superabundaret gratia›; C ‹bonum fecit, cui facultatem›; D ‹morte (quia sine animae iniquitate)›
old-edition numerals: 300 after ‹quae›

PL 65:467

posset: ut scilicet a bono justoque Domino post esset illud munere largiendum, si voluntarie fuisset hoc a servo prius in opere custoditum. Quod si bono justoque neglexisset obedire mandato, post mortem animae quam delinquendo ipse sibi noxius intulisset, etiam per corporis mortem vitae praesentis multaretur (al. mutaretur) incommodo; nec tenere sineretur jugiter in carne peccati damnabilem vitam qui noluisset in corde servare justitiam; essetque poenaliter etiam corporeae mortis deinceps necessitate constrictus, qui, contumaciter salubria jussa transgrediens, spiritali morti sponte fuisset obnoxius. Nisi enim praecessisset in peccato mors animae, nunquam corporis mors in supplicio sequeretur. Hoc apostolica docet auctoritas quae ait: Corpus quidem mortuum est propter peccatum (Rom. VIII, 10). Ideo post peccatum voluntaria praevaricatione commissum sententiam Dei punientis hoc audire meruit sermone peccator: Terra es, et in terram ibis (Genes. III, 19). Homo igitur in terram carne non iret, si terra peccando non fieret.

be able [to sin]: so that, namely, that would afterwards be bestowed as a gift by the good and just Lord, if this had first been kept in deed by the servant of his own will. But if he neglected to obey the good and just command, after the death of the soul which, guilty, he had brought on himself by offending, he would be punished also through the death of the body with the loss of the present life (another reading: be changed); nor would he be permitted to hold for ever in the flesh of sin a damnable life who had refused to keep justice in his heart; and he would thereafter be bound, as a penalty, by the necessity of bodily death also, who, contumaciously transgressing wholesome commands, had of his own accord made himself liable to spiritual death. For unless the death of the soul had gone before in sin, the death of the body would never have followed in punishment. This the apostolic authority teaches, which says: The body indeed is dead because of sin (Rom. 8:10). Therefore, after the sin committed by voluntary transgression, the sinner deserved to hear the sentence of God punishing him in these words: Earth you are, and into earth you shall go (Gen. 3:19). Man therefore would not go into the earth in the flesh, if by sinning he had not become earth.

CAPUT XIII. Homo per peccatum facultatem bonae cogitationis et bonae voluntatis amisit. Initium bonae voluntatis non nisi a Deo est. — 26. Peccans itaque ille qui sine peccandi necessitate creatus est, in eo quod animae sanitatem delinquendo perdidit, etiam illa cogitandi quae ad Deum pertinent amisit protinus facultatem. Oblitus est enim manducare panem suum (Psal. CI, 5), et exspoliatus vestimento fidei, carnaliumque concupiscentiarum vulneribus sauciatus, sic jacuit oppressus ditione peccati, ut nullatenus aliquod bonae voluntatis initium habere potuisset, nisi hoc Deo gratis donante sumpsisset. Servus quippe factus peccati, liber factus est justitiae (Rom. VI, 18); et ideo a justitia factus est alienus, quia (al. qui) sponte dominio est iniquitatis addictus. Venundatus ergo sub peccato, cunctam in se prolem de carnis concubitu nascituram nexibus mortiferae servitutis obstrinxit. Quod beatus Paulus evidenter his verbis insinuat: Per unum hominem peccatum in hunc mundum intravit, et per peccatum mors, et ita in omnes homines mors pertransiit, in quo omnes peccaverunt (Rom. V, 12). Hoc in illo qui primus factus est patre orbis terrarum universi pertulimus, in quo omnes peccaverunt antequam nati essent, qui per seipsos peccare non potuerunt. Hinc factum est ut jam filios irae propagaret massa damnata, quae in illius hominis posteros et iniquitatem simul transfudit et mortem, ut omnis qui per legem peccati (quam certum est mortalibus usque ad mortem inesse corporibus) de peccatoris semine nasciturus in ipso conceptionis exordio excepisset peccati parentalis maculam, exinde sub jugo gravi quod est super filios Adam a die exitus de ventre matris eorum, usque in diem sepulturae in matrem omnium (Eccli. XL, 1), ducturus esset aerumnosam infeliciter vitam, brevitati scilicet, peccato, mortique subjectam. Scripturum est enim:

CHAPTER XIII. Man through sin lost the faculty of good thought and of good will. The beginning of a good will is from God alone. — 26. And so he who was created without necessity of sinning, sinning, in that by offending he lost the health of the soul, forthwith lost also the faculty of thinking the things that pertain to God. For he forgot to eat his bread (Ps. 101:5), and, stripped of the garment of faith and wounded with the wounds of carnal desires, he lay so oppressed by the dominion of sin that he could in no way have had any beginning of a good will, unless he had received it by God's gift freely given. For, made the servant of sin, he became free from justice (Rom. 6:20); and therefore he became estranged from justice, because (another reading: who) of his own accord he was given over to the dominion of iniquity. Sold, then, under sin, he bound all the offspring to be born from him by carnal intercourse in the bonds of a deadly servitude. This blessed Paul plainly intimates in these words: Through one man sin entered into this world, and through sin death, and so death passed into all men, in whom all have sinned (Rom. 5:12). This we underwent in him who was made first, the father of the whole world, in whom all sinned before they were born, who could not sin by themselves. Hence it came about that the condemned mass now propagated children of wrath, and transmitted to the descendants of that man both iniquity and death together, so that everyone who was to be born of a sinner's seed through the law of sin (which, it is certain, is present in mortal bodies until death), having contracted in the very beginning of his conception the stain of the parental sin, should thereafter, under the heavy yoke that is upon the sons of Adam from the day of their coming forth from their mother's womb until the day of their burial into the mother of all (Sir. 40:1), lead unhappily a life of toil, subject, that is, to brevity, to sin, and to death. For it is written:

Editors' notes and page, col. 467

Page

running head: 467 S. FULGENTII EPISCOPI [rest of the head lies over the facing column, not in these images]
marginal letters: A ‹posset: ut scilicet a bono›; B ‹est propter peccatum (Rom. VIII, 10)›; C ‹sic jacuit oppressus ditione›; D ‹pagaret massa damnata›
old-edition numerals: 301 after ‹exordio›

PL 65:468

Homo natus de muliere brevis vitae, plenus irae (Job XIV, 1): quae ad secundam quoque mortem natum mortaliter traheret, si quem alienum a gratia Dei redemptoris vitae hujus miserabilis obitus inveniret.

Man born of woman, of short life, full of wrath (Job 14:1): [a life] which would drag the one born to the second death also, deadly, if the end of this wretched life found anyone estranged from the grace of God the Redeemer.

27. Ut ergo peccati originalis vinculo, quo per hominem primum tenebamur obstricti, miserantis Dei gratia solveremur, unus exstitit mediator Dei et hominum, homo Christus Jesus (I Tim. II, 5). Nam quia Deus immortalis et justus est, nos autem iniquos et mortales primi hominis transgessio fecerat, ut congrua nostris adhiberetur medela vulneribus, natus est de homine homo Unigenitus Deus, qui de Patre natus est immortalis et justus. Hic in humana natura, in qua mediator Dei et hominum factus est, justitiam habuit ex Patre, mortem ex matre; ut per ipsum liberaremur ab omni peccato, qui peccatum nec nascendo nec vivendo contraxit, et ab ipso acciperemus justitiam, per quam mortis aeternae vinculo solveremur, ut per eum et in hac vita justi, et post hanc vitam immortales esse possemus. Ipse igitur in similitudine carnis peccati mirabiliter, quia singulariter, natus, solus est masculus adaperiens vulvam qui in veritate sanctus Domino vocaretur. Vulvam quippe matris ejus non concupiscentia mariti concumbentis, sed omnipotentia Filii nascentis aperuit. Ideo solus est in quo princeps mundi hujus veniens nihil invenit, solus homo sine adjutorio inter mortuos liber (Joan. XIV, 30), solus qui non noverat peccatum (Psal. LXXXVII, 5); et ob hoc sufficit ut pro nobis peccatum fieret, id est sacrificium pro peccatis, ut nos essemus justitia Dei in ipso (II Cor. V, 21). Solus panis qui de coelo descendit, et dat vitam mundo (Joan. VI, 33): panis autem quem dat, caro ejus est pro mundi vita (Ibid., 52): caro utique justi atque immortalis Dei, cujus acceptione justitia atque vita confertur illi carni quae nascitur cum poena mortis et pollutione peccati.

27. So then, that we might be loosed by the grace of the merciful God from the bond of original sin, by which we were held bound through the first man, there came forth one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus (I Tim. 2:5). For since God is immortal and just, while the transgression of the first man had made us unjust and mortal, in order that a fitting remedy might be applied to our wounds, the only-begotten God, who was born of the Father immortal and just, was born man of man. He, in the human nature in which He was made mediator of God and men, had justice from the Father, death from the mother; so that we might be set free from all sin through Him who contracted sin neither by being born nor by living, and might receive from Him justice, through which we might be loosed from the bond of eternal death, so that through Him we might be both just in this life and immortal after this life. He then, born in the likeness of sinful flesh wonderfully, because uniquely, is the only male opening the womb who should in truth be called holy to the Lord. For it was not the desire of a husband lying with her, but the omnipotence of the Son being born, that opened His mother's womb. Therefore He alone is the one in whom the prince of this world, coming, found nothing (John 14:30), the only man without help, free among the dead (Ps. 87:5–6), the only one who had not known sin (II Cor. 5:21); and for this reason it sufficed that He should be made sin for us, that is, a sacrifice for sins, that we might be the justice of God in Him (II Cor. 5:21). He alone is the bread which came down from heaven, and gives life to the world (John 6:33): and the bread which He gives is His flesh, for the life of the world (ibid. 6:52): the flesh, that is, of the just and immortal God, by the receiving of which justice and life are conferred on that flesh which is born with the penalty of death and the defilement of sin.

CAPUT XIV. Ex peccato primi hominis poenam trahimus et culpam. Quicunque regnum Dei non ingreditur, poenis aeternis cruciatur. — 28. Si qui ergo mortem solam et non etiam peccatum ex homine primo transiisse in genus humanum nituntur asserere, mirum si non intelligunt quibus sententiae suae laqueis obligentur. Primo, quia Deum dicunt injustum, in eo quod mori faciat parvulos, quos nulla volunt isti originalis peccati contagione pollutos, quosque manifeste c⟨o⟩nstat infantili aetate aliquid actualis peccati propria non posse voluntate contrahere, cum mortem stipendium peccati Apostolus esse definiat (Rom. VI, 23), et rursus aculeum mortis dicat esse peccatum, quo utique pungente mors illata (al. illigata) est homini. Sic enim peccatum aculeus mortis dicitur, non quia peccatum per mortem, sed quia per peccatum mors in mundum intravit (I Cor. XV, 56): sicut virulentum poculum, mortis poculum dicimus, non quod a morte poculum detur, sed quod mors poculo illo comparetur. Qua igitur justitia

CHAPTER XIV. From the sin of the first man we draw both penalty and guilt. Whoever does not enter the kingdom of God is tormented with eternal punishments. — 28. If any, then, strive to assert that death alone, and not sin also, passed from the first man into the human race, it is a wonder if they do not understand in what snares of their own opinion they are bound. First, because they call God unjust, in that He makes little ones die, whom these men will have defiled by no contagion of original sin, and who, it is plainly agreed, cannot in infant age contract any actual sin by their own will; whereas the Apostle defines death as the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23), and again says that the sting of death is sin, by whose stinging, surely, death was brought upon man (another reading: bound upon). For sin is called the sting of death thus, not because sin [entered] through death, but because through sin death entered into the world (I Cor. 15:56): just as a poisonous cup we call a cup of death, not because the cup is given by death, but because death is procured by that cup. By what justice, then,

Editors' notes and page, col. 468

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: justitia atque vita› · call in col 468

Verba haec atque vita desunt in editis, habentur in ms.

These words atque vita ("and life") are missing in the editions; they are found in the manuscript.

(printed under page 239)

(b) ‹anchor: mors poculo illo› · call in col 468

Editi, poculo illi; ms., illo; et quidem melius, ut patet.

The editions have poculo illi ("by that cup", dative form); the manuscript, illo; and indeed better, as is evident.

(printed under page 239)

Page

running head: EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 468
marginal letters: A ‹Homo natus de muliere›; B ‹ipsum liberaremur ab omni peccato›; C ‹nos essemus justitia Dei›; D ‹feste constat infantili aetate›
old-edition numerals: 302 after ‹comparetur.›

PL 65:469

parvulus subjicitur peccati stipendio, si nulla est in eo peccati pollutio? Vel quomodo videmus morte punctum, si non sensit aculeum? Et cum non sit iniquitas apud Deum, qui fecit hominem ad imaginem suam, quae justitia est, ut imago Dei, quae nihil potuit per seipsam delinquere, si non redimatur sanguine Filii Dei, in regnum Dei non permittatur intrare; quo utique quisquis non ingredietur (al. ingreditur), interminabilibus ignis aeterni poenis cruciabitur? Qua igitur justitia Deus justus infantibus sine peccato nascentibus ingerit poenam, in quibus poenae non invenit causam? Haecne est creatoris Dei benignitas, ut imaginem suam creet, eamque sine ulla iniquitate condemnet, cum non sit iniquus Deus, qui infert (al. inferat) iram (Rom. III, 5)? Si ergo nolunt in ipsius Dei contumeliam mortifera impietate versari, fateantur hominis primi in omnes homines cum morte transisse peccatum.

is the little one made subject to the wages of sin, if there is in him no defilement of sin? Or how do we see him pierced by death, if he has not felt the sting? And since there is no iniquity with God, who made man after His own image, what justice is it that the image of God, which could commit no offence by itself, if it is not redeemed by the blood of the Son of God, should not be permitted to enter the kingdom of God; into which, surely, whoever shall not enter (another reading: does not enter) shall be tormented with the endless punishments of eternal fire? By what justice, then, does the just God inflict punishment on infants born without sin, in whom He finds no cause for punishment? Is this the kindness of God the Creator, that He should create His own image and condemn it without any iniquity, though God is not unjust, who brings (another reading: should bring) wrath (Rom. 3:5)? If then they do not wish to busy themselves, with deadly impiety, in insult to God Himself, let them confess that the sin of the first man passed into all men together with death.

CAPUT XV. Absurda quae sequuntur eos qui negant infantes habere peccatum. — 29. Aliam rursus impietatem debent in hac sua videre ac vitare sententia. Dicentes enim parvulos ex Adam non trahere originale peccatum, negant eos profecto habere carnem peccati quos tamen humanam carnem habere non negant. Ex eo vero quod eos sic humanam carnem habere non negant, ut eam esse carnem peccati negent, consequens est ut humanam carnem negent carnem esse peccati. Fatentur, Apostolo compellente, quia misit Deus Filium suum in similitudinem carnis peccati (Rom. VIII, 3). Ad hoc igitur istos caecitas impiae professionis impellit, ut quia (al. qui) carnem humanam negant carnem esse peccati, Christum autem in similitudinem carnis peccati venisse non negant, ipsam Christi carnem non humanam esse, sed alterius naturae sacrilega infidelitate confingant. Isti enim carnem in qua parvuli nascuntur humanam dicunt esse carnem, quam tamen esse carnem peccati negare contendunt; Christum autem in similitudine carnis peccati venisse pari nobiscum professione consentiunt. Aut igitur carnem Christi humanam esse non dicant, aut omnium hominum carnem, in cujus similitudinem Deus Filium suum misit, carnem peccati esse consentiant (al. consenserint). Quod cum fecerint, nullus remanebit labor quo eis peccatum carni parvulorum inesse monstretur. Si enim caro peccati non mendaciter dicitur, habet in se caro ipsa peccatum. Si vero peccatum non habet, falsum portat carnis peccati vocabulum. Sed eam de qua loquimur carnem peccati verax discipulus Veritatis Paulus appellat. Restat igitur ut sicut vere caro est cum caro peccati ore apostolico nuncupatur.

CHAPTER XV. The absurdities that follow those who deny that infants have sin. — 29. Again, they ought to see and avoid another impiety in this opinion of theirs. For in saying that little ones do not draw original sin from Adam, they deny that they have the flesh of sin, though they do not deny that they have human flesh. But from the fact that they do not deny that they have human flesh in such a way that they deny it is the flesh of sin, it follows that they deny that human flesh is the flesh of sin. They confess, under the Apostle's compulsion, that God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3). To this, then, the blindness of their impious profession drives them: that since (another reading: who) they deny that human flesh is the flesh of sin, yet do not deny that Christ came in the likeness of the flesh of sin, they feign with sacrilegious unbelief that the flesh of Christ itself is not human but of another nature. For these men say that the flesh in which little ones are born is human flesh, yet strive to deny that it is the flesh of sin; but that Christ came in the likeness of the flesh of sin they agree with an equal profession with us. Either, then, let them not say that the flesh of Christ is human, or let them agree that the flesh of all men, in whose likeness God sent His Son, is the flesh of sin (another reading: have agreed). When they have done this, no labour will remain to show them that sin is present in the flesh of little ones. For if it is not falsely called the flesh of sin, that flesh has sin in itself. But if it has not sin, it bears falsely the name of the flesh of sin. But the flesh of which we speak Paul, the truthful disciple of the Truth, calls the flesh of sin. It remains, therefore, that as it is truly flesh, [so it is truly of sin,] when it is named by the apostle's mouth the flesh of sin.

30. Sed forsitan dicent in illius carnis peccati similitudine missum Filium Dei, qualem habent homines qui propria voluntate peccare jam possunt,

30. But perhaps they will say that the Son of God was sent in the likeness of that flesh of sin which men have who can already sin by their own will,

Editors' notes and page, col. 469

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 469 or 470)

Abest justus a ms.

justus ("just") is absent from the manuscript.

(printed under page 240)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 469 or 470)

Ms. sic habet; at editi, fateantur hominem primum in omnes homines cum morte transmisisse peccatum.

The manuscript has it thus; but the editions have fateantur hominem primum in omnes homines cum morte transmisisse peccatum ("let them confess that the first man passed sin, together with death, into all men").

(printed under page 240)

Editi, Apostolum compellentem.

The editions have Apostolum compellentem (accusative: "the Apostle compelling").

(printed under page 240)

(d) ‹anchor: in similitudinem› · call in col 469

Sic ms.; in editis autem, in similitudine.

So the manuscript; but in the editions, in similitudine ("in the likeness", ablative).

(printed under page 240)

Page

running head: 469 EPISTOLA X[...] (the letter numeral is cut at the image edge)
marginal letters: A ‹parvulus subjicitur peccati›; B ‹ipsius Dei contumeliam›; C ‹negant carnem esse peccati›; D ‹catum. Si vero peccatum non habet›
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 65:470

unde caro eorum caro peccati non immerito nuncupatur; non quali carne parvuli sine aliqua peccandi voluntate nascuntur. Ubi non attendunt quia si caro parvulorum a carne majorum diversa qualitate fuisset, non nisi in similitudine carnis parvulorum (quos nullum originaliter dicunt habere peccatum) Deus advenisset. Magis enim similis esset caro Christi carni parvulorum, cum qua veritatem haberet substantiae qualitatisque communem, quam carni hominum majorum, cum quibus illi communis esset sola carnis natura, non macula. Sed hoc illi forsitan volunt, ut caro Christi cum carne hominum majorum solam habuerit naturae similitudinem, cum carne vero parvulorum munditiam quoque potuerit habere communem. Fateantur ergo parvulos in similitudine carnis peccati, quos asserunt nasci quidem in carne humana, sed originalis peccati contagio non polluta. Quibus ostendendum est quanta eos etiam hic sequatur absurditas. Negantes enim in parvulis nascentibus originale peccatum, humanam eos carnem habere non negant, Filium autem Dei carnem humanam de virgine sine peccato accepisse concedunt: consequens igitur est ut inter carnem nascentis ex virgine Unigeniti Dei et cujuslibet alterius parvuli nihil distare fateantur. Unde conficitur ut omnes parvulos, quos nasci asserunt sine peccato, dicant non egere Salvatoris auxilio; atque ita laqueum Pelagiani erroris incurrunt, dum fidei catholicae infideliter contradicunt. Si enim sine peccato infantes nasci asserunt, quid restat, nisi ut dicant nihil esse in eis quod debeat spiritali regeneratione mundari? Et si removent peccati originalis maculam a nascentibus parvulis, quid aliud nituntur nisi divinae veritati succensere mendacium, quando eos in remissionem peccatorum vident baptismatis accipere sacramentum? quod ideo uniformiter infantibus majoribusque confertur, ut omnibus originalis inesse peccati macula cognoscatur?

whence their flesh is not undeservedly called the flesh of sin; not such flesh as little ones are born in without any will to sin. Here they do not observe that, if the flesh of little ones had been of a different quality from the flesh of grown men, God would have come only in the likeness of the flesh of little ones (who, they say, have no sin by origin). For the flesh of Christ would be more like the flesh of little ones, with which it would have in common the reality of substance and of quality, than the flesh of grown men, with whom it would have in common only the nature of flesh, not the stain. But perhaps they mean this: that the flesh of Christ had with the flesh of grown men only a likeness of nature, but with the flesh of little ones could have in common their cleanness as well. Let them then confess that little ones are in the likeness of the flesh of sin, little ones who, they assert, are born indeed in human flesh, but flesh not defiled by the contagion of original sin. To them it must be shown how great an absurdity follows them here too. For, denying original sin in little ones as they are born, they do not deny that these have human flesh, and they grant that the Son of God received human flesh from the virgin without sin: it follows therefore that they must confess there is no difference between the flesh of the only-begotten God born of the virgin and that of any other little one. Whence it is concluded that they say all little ones, whom they assert to be born without sin, have no need of the Saviour's help; and so they fall into the snare of the Pelagian error, while they faithlessly contradict the catholic faith. For if they assert that infants are born without sin, what remains but that they say there is nothing in them which ought to be cleansed by spiritual regeneration? And if they remove the stain of original sin from little ones as they are born, what else are they striving at but to charge the divine truth with a lie, when they see them receive the sacrament of baptism for the remission of sins? which is conferred alike on infants and on grown men precisely so that the stain of original sin may be known to be present in all.

31. Quisquis igitur salutem veram sempiternamque desiderat adipisci, sensum haereticae pravitatis abjiciens, quos cum poena peccati natos videt, cum peccato quoque natos esse non dubitet: audiatque beatum Job dicentum: Quia non est mundus a sorde nec infans cujus unius diei vita est super terram (Job XIV, 4, juxta LXX). Beati quoque David luctus pii cordis humilitate consideret, dicentis: Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in delictis peperit me mater mea (Psal. L, 7). Sancto quoque Abrahae videat circumcisionis sacramentum non sine tremenda parvuli comminatione mandatum. Ibi quippe Deus fidelis et justus, qui non infert iram ubi culpam non invenit, patri nostro Abrahae sic loquitur: Masculus qui non fuerit circumcisus carne (al. carnem) praeputii sui octavo die, exterminabitur anima illa de populo suo; quia Testamentum meum transgressus est (Genes. XVII, 14). Quisquis itaque negat in parvulis secundum

31. Whoever therefore desires to attain true and everlasting salvation, casting off the mind of heretical depravity, let him not doubt that those whom he sees born with the penalty of sin were born with sin also: and let him hear blessed Job saying: For no one is clean from filth, not even an infant whose life upon the earth is of one day (Job 14:4, according to the Septuagint). Let him consider also with humility of heart the lament of blessed David, who says: Behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins my mother bore me (Ps. 50:7). Let him see also the sacrament of circumcision commanded to holy Abraham not without a fearful threat against the little one. For there God, faithful and just, who does not bring wrath where He finds no guilt, speaks thus to our father Abraham: The male who has not been circumcised in the flesh (another reading: as to the flesh) of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be destroyed from his people; because he has transgressed My covenant (Gen. 17:14). Whoever therefore denies original sin in little ones born according to

Editors' notes and page, col. 470

Footnotes

(e) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 470, above the cropped area

Ms., in similitudinem.

The manuscript has in similitudinem ("into the likeness", accusative).

(printed under page 240)

(f) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 470, above the cropped area

Sic ms., at editi, sed originalis peccati negant contagione pollutos.

So the manuscript; but the editions have sed originalis peccati negant contagione pollutos ("but they deny that [they are] polluted by the contagion of original sin").

(printed under page 240)

Page

running head: [E]PISTOLA XVII. 470
marginal letters: A ‹unde caro eorum caro peccati›; B ‹quos asserunt nasci quidem›; C ‹maculam a nascentibus parvulis›; D ‹ter mea (Psal. L, 7)›
old-edition numerals: 303 after ‹originaliter›

PL 65:471

carnem nascentibus originale peccatum, dicat in quo potuit infans octo dierum Testamentum Dei transgredi, si non in illo transgressus est in quo omnes peccaverunt? Cum et antequam nascerentur asserat Apostolus infantes nihil egisse boni vel mala (Rom. IX, 11); et videamus jam natos, non solum intra octavum diem nativitatis suae (quo tunc tempore circumcidi jubebantur infantes), sed etiam post ipsum diem toto infantiae suae tempore in tantum non posse Testamentum Dei transgredi, ut eis nec ejusdem Testamenti cognitio valeat intimari.

the flesh, let him say in what an infant of eight days could transgress the covenant of God, if he did not transgress in him in whom all sinned? Since the Apostle asserts that infants, even before they were born, had done nothing good or evil (Rom. 9:11); and we see that, once born, not only within the eighth day of their birth (at which time infants were then commanded to be circumcised), but even after that day, through the whole time of their infancy, they are so far from being able to transgress the covenant of God that not even the knowledge of that covenant can be made known to them.

32. An illo quisquam beati Pauli sermone in parvulis evacuare nititur originale peccatum, quo dicit regnasse mortem ab Adam usque ad Moysen, etiam in eos qui non peccaverunt in similitudinem praevaricationis Adae (Rom. V, 14)? Cui si fuerit illud econtrario replicatum, quod idem Apostolus ait: Per unius delictum in omnes homines in condemnationem (Ibid., 18); quod paulo post exponens ait: Per inobedientiam unius hominis peccatores constituti sunt multi (Ibid., 19); et cum de Judaeis atque Graecis loqueretur, generaliter intulit: Omnes enim peccaverunt et egent gloria Dei justificati gratis per gratiam ipsius, per redemptionem quae est in Christo Jesu (Rom. III, 23): nonne illico in magnas trudetur angustias, si non utrumque sensum secundum professionem catholicae credulitatis acceperit; ut scilicet infantes propriis quidem operibus nihil deliquisse dicat, in illo autem primo homine omnes homines generaliter peccasse cognoscat?

32. Or does anyone try to make void original sin in little ones by that saying of blessed Paul in which he says that death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned after the likeness of the transgression of Adam (Rom. 5:14)? If there is put to him in reply what the same Apostle says: Through the offence of one, unto all men unto condemnation (ibid. 5:18); which a little after he explains, saying: Through the disobedience of one man many were made sinners (ibid. 5:19); and, when he was speaking of Jews and Greeks, he concluded generally: For all have sinned and need the glory of God, justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:23–24): will he not at once be thrust into great straits, unless he takes both meanings according to the profession of the catholic faith; that is, that he should say that infants have committed no offence by their own works, but acknowledge that in that first man all men sinned universally?

CAPUT XVI. A peccato originis non liberat nisi fides Redemptoris. Natura caeca sine lege peccat. — 33. Ab hoc peccato quod originaliter carnalis nativitas trahit neminem facultas naturalis, neminem littera sanctae legis, sed sola fides eripit Jesu Christi Filii Dei, qui veniens (al. venit) quaerere et salvum facere quod perierat (Luc. XIX, 10), pro impiis mortuus est (Rom. V, 6), offerens semetipsum pro nobis (sicut Apostolus dicit) oblationem et hostiam Deo in odorem suavitatis (Ephes. V, 2). In hoc mediatore Dei et hominum, et humanae naturae status reparatus est, et implendae legis est consummatus effectus (al. affectus); quia nec sibi ad virtutem sufficere ullatenus potuit naturalis infirmitas, quae utique ex quo omnes dies nostri defecerunt, et in ira Dei defecimus (Psal. LXXXIX, 9), lumine simul et virtute privata, in tantum caeca sine lege peccat, ut peccare se nesciat. Propter quod dicitur: Concupiscentiam nesciebam, nisi lex diceret: Non concupisces (Rom. VII, 7). Legalis quoque auditus non solum neminem de potestate tenebrarum eripuit, quin etiam peccatoribus cumulum praevaricationis adjecit. Sine gratia quippe fidei gravius lex agnita quam ignota condemnat. Ubi quantum ignorantia

CHAPTER XVI. Nothing frees from the sin of origin but faith in the Redeemer. Blind nature sins without the law. — 33. From this sin which carnal birth draws by origin no natural faculty, no letter of the holy law rescues anyone, but only faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God, who, coming (another reading: came) to seek and to save what had perished (Luke 19:10), died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6), offering Himself for us (as the Apostle says) an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odour of sweetness (Eph. 5:2). In this mediator of God and men both the state of human nature has been restored, and the fulfilment of the law has been brought to completion (another reading: the disposition to fulfil it); because natural weakness could in no way suffice to itself for virtue, which, ever since all our days failed, and we failed in the wrath of God (Ps. 89:9), deprived at once of light and strength, is so blind that without the law it sins and does not know that it sins. For which reason it is said: I did not know concupiscence, unless the law had said: You shall not covet (Rom. 7:7). The hearing of the law, too, not only rescued no one from the power of darkness, but even added to sinners a heap of transgression. For without the grace of faith the law condemns more heavily when known than when unknown. Where, as much as ignorance

Editors' notes and page, col. 471

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 471)

Ms., cum et antequam nasceretur asserat cum Apostolus, etc.

The manuscript has cum et antequam nasceretur asserat cum Apostolus ("since even before he was born the Apostle asserts him"), etc.

(printed under page 241)

(b) ‹anchor: in Christo Jesu (Rom. III, 23)› · call in col 471

Abest hic a ms. Domino nostro, et ea textu Apostoli; legitur in editis.

Domino nostro ("our Lord") is absent here from the manuscript, and from the Apostle's text; it is read in the editions.

(printed under page 241)

Ita ms.; at editi, in tantum natura caeca.

So the manuscript; but the editions have in tantum natura caeca ("nature, so far blind").

(printed under page 241)

Page

running head: 471 S. FULGENTII EPISCOPI [rest of the head lies over the facing column, not in these images]
marginal letters: A ‹dum carnem nascentibus›; B ‹econtrario replicatum›; C ‹hoc peccato quod originaliter›; D ‹sine lege peccat, ut peccare›
old-edition numerals: 304 before ‹32.›

PL 65:472

peccati minuitur, tantum reatus peccatoris angetur. Ideo Apostolus ait: Lex enim iram operatur; ubi enim non est lex, nec praevaricatio (Rom. IV, 15). Idem quoque dicit: Quia lex propter transgressionem posita est (Galat. III, 19); et, Quia conclusit Scriptura omnia sub peccato, ut justificatio ex fide Jesu Christi daretur credentibus (Ibid., 22). Quomodo igitur de possibililate solius liberi arbitrii (si non praeveniatur adjutorio gratiae Dei, per quam bona voluntas reparatur et servatur in homine) natura tanto magis superba, quanto magis dominio peccati mortique subjecta, quantulumcunque sibi bonae voluntatis et operis exordium repromittit, quae nec sana potuit Dei servare mandatum, nec vulnerata quantulumcunque curationis sumpsit de lege remedium, sed insuper auxit mandati cognitione peccatum? Lex enim subintravit, ut abundaret peccatum (Rom. V, 20), de quo liberari nemo potest, nisi per Agnum Dei, qui tollit peccata mundi. De corpore enim mortis hujus non liberum hominis arbitrium, neque legis sanctum, justum, bonumque mandatum; sed sola nos liberat gratia Dei per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Lex enim spiritus vitae in Christo Jesu liberavit non a lege peccati et mortis (Rom. VIII, 3).

of sin is lessened, so much is the guilt of the sinner increased. Therefore the Apostle says: For the law works wrath; for where there is no law, neither is there transgression (Rom. 4:15). He also says: That the law was set because of transgression (Gal. 3:19); and, That Scripture has shut up all things under sin, that justification by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe (ibid. 3:22). How then does nature, the prouder the more it is subject to the dominion of sin and death, promise itself any beginning, however small, of good will and good work from the capacity of free choice alone (if it is not anticipated by the help of the grace of God, through which a good will is restored and preserved in man), nature which, when sound, could not keep the commandment of God, and, when wounded, took from the law no remedy of healing however small, but over and above increased sin by the knowledge of the commandment? For the law entered in, that sin might abound (Rom. 5:20), from which no one can be set free except through the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. For from the body of this death it is not the free choice of man, nor the holy, just and good commandment of the law, but the grace of God alone through Jesus Christ our Lord that sets us free. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).

CAP. XVII. Christus hominem liberat, non inveniendo fidem, sed dando. — 34. Liberavit autem non in quolibet homine fidem inveniendo, sed dando. Deus enim qui impium justificat, ipse infideli fidem, quae per caritatem operatur, gratia suae bonae voluntatis inspirat. Unde quod ad bene cogitandi attinet facultatem, testatur Apostolus dicens, quia non sumus idonei cogitare aliquid ex nobis quasi ex nobis, sed sufficientia nostra ex Deo est (II Cor. III, 5). Revera enim, secundum ejusdem Apostoli dictum, Deus quibus voluerit dat poenitentiam ad cognoscendam veritatem, ut resipiscant a diaboli laqueis, a quo captivi tenentur ad ipsius voluntatem (II Tim. II, 25). Unde ille apostolorum primus et digue beatus veritatis eloquio nuncupatus, de credulitate gentium loquens, Deum dixit fidem undasse corda eorum; et rursus ait eamdem gratiam divinitus datam gentibus quam et ipsis (Act. XV, 9), ut crederent: ubi gratuitum gratiae donum apostoli et majores natu in doctrina sancti Spiritus agnoverunt; omnesque unanimes uno ore in beati Petri sententiam transierunt dicentes: Ergo et gentibus Deus poenitentiam ad vitam dedit (Act. XI, 8). Nempe cum ipse Salvator noster propriae vocis imperio humanam convenerit voluntatem, dicens: Poenitemini et credite Evangelio (Marc. I, 15); claret tamen quia ut homo in Deum credere incipiat, a Deo accipit poenitentiam ad vitam, ita ut omnino credere non possit, nisi poenitentiam dono Dei miserantis acceperit: quae est autem poenitentia hominis, nisi mutatio voluntatis.

CHAPTER XVII. Christ sets man free, not by finding faith but by giving it. — 34. And He set free not by finding faith in any man, but by giving it. For God who justifies the ungodly Himself breathes into the unbeliever, by the grace of His good will, the faith which works through charity. Hence, as regards the faculty of thinking well, the Apostle testifies, saying that we are not sufficient to think anything of ourselves as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God (II Cor. 3:5). For truly, according to the saying of the same Apostle, God gives to whom He will repentance to know the truth, that they may recover themselves from the snares of the devil, by whom they are held captive at his will (II Tim. 2:25–26). Hence that first of the apostles, worthily called blessed by the word of the Truth, speaking of the believing of the Gentiles, said that God had cleansed their hearts by faith; and again he says that the same grace was given by God to the Gentiles as to themselves (Acts 15:9), that they might believe: where the apostles and elders recognized in the teaching of the Holy Spirit the free gift of grace; and all with one mind and one mouth went over to the judgement of blessed Peter, saying: Then to the Gentiles also God has given repentance unto life (Acts 11:18). Indeed, though our Saviour Himself addressed the human will with the command of His own voice, saying: Repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15); yet it is clear that, for a man to begin to believe in God, he receives from God repentance unto life, so that he cannot believe at all unless he has received repentance by the gift of the merciful God: and what is the repentance of man but a change of will?

Editors' notes and page, col. 472

Footnotes

(d) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 472, above the cropped area

Sic legitur in editis; at in ms. haec praefertur lectio, Quomodo igitur de possibilitate solvitur liberi arbitrii, si non praeveniatur.... Aut quantulumcunque sibi bonae voluntatis, etc.

So it is read in the editions; but in the manuscript this reading is offered: Quomodo igitur de possibilitate solvitur liberi arbitrii, si non praeveniatur.... Aut quantulumcunque sibi bonae voluntatis ("How then is it released by the power of free will, if it be not prevented [by grace].... Or however little of good will to itself"), etc.

(printed under page 241)

(e) ‹anchor: humanam convenerit› · call in col 472

Ita ms.; Lov. vero et Ant., convenit; Basil., convertit.

So the manuscript; but the Louvain and Antwerp editions have convenit ("addresses"); the Basel edition, convertit ("turns").

(printed under page 241)

Page

running head: EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 472
marginal letters: A ‹rantia peccati minuitur›; B ‹sed insuper auxit mandati›; C ‹idonei cogitare aliquid›; D ‹ipse Salvator noster›
old-edition numerals: 305 after ‹De corpore›

PL 65:473

Deus ergo, qui homini poenitentiam dat, ipse voluntatem hominis mutat.

God therefore, who gives repentance to man, Himself changes the will of man.

35. Proinde si quis dicit, Meum est velle credere, Dei autem gratiae est adjuvare, mutet dictorum ordinem, imo non mutet, sed servet, nec quod posterius est in priore loco, nec quod est prius in loco posteriore constituat. Male enim gratiam Dei suae voluntati postponit, cum ista bona esse non possit, si illa defuerit. Non ergo (al. enim) dicat, Meum est velle credere, Dei autem gratiae est adjuvare; sed dicat, gratiae Dei est adjuvare, ut sit meum velle credere. Tunc enim vere recteque agit hoc ejus velle, cum eum gratia praeveniens coeperit adjuvare. Fides enim quae per caritatem operatur, humilem facit eum cui datur, quia caritas non inflatur (Rom. XIII, 4). Adjutorio igitur atque munere gratiae sibi fidem dari unusquisque non dubitet; ne dum initium sibi fidei nititur assignare, poenitentiam quoque, quam Deus ad vitam dat, sibi homo non sanitate validus, sed infirmitate praejudicatus assignet, tantique medicaminis beneficio careat, cujus gratiam contumax atque ingratus oppugnat: cum cordis humilitas divinis sit eloquiis admonenda, ubi principaliter ipsa bona voluntas, qua incipimus velle credere, a Domino praeparari demonstratur ac dirigi, Salomone dicente: Praeparatur voluntas a Domino (Prov. VIII, 35, juxta LXX). Et David canit in Psalmis A Domino gressus hominis dirigentur, et viam ejus cupiet (Psal. XXXIV, 23).

35. Accordingly, if anyone says, "To will to believe is mine, but to help belongs to the grace of God," let him change the order of his words, or rather let him not change it but keep it, and place neither what is later in the prior place nor what is prior in the later place. For he does ill to set the grace of God after his own will, since the will cannot be good if grace is absent. Let him not therefore (al. for) say, "To will to believe is mine, but to help belongs to the grace of God"; but let him say, "It belongs to the grace of God to help, so that to will to believe may be mine." For then this willing of his truly and rightly acts, when grace, going before, has begun to help him. For faith which works through charity makes humble the one to whom it is given, because charity is not puffed up (1 Cor. 13:4). Let each one therefore not doubt that faith is given him by the help and gift of grace; lest, while he strives to ascribe to himself the beginning of faith, the man ascribe to himself repentance also, which God gives unto life, not as one strong in health but as one already condemned by weakness, and so go without the benefit of so great a remedy, whose grace he attacks, stubborn and ungrateful: since humility of heart must be urged by the divine words, where principally that very good will by which we begin to will to believe is shown to be prepared and directed by the Lord, as Solomon says: The will is prepared by the Lord (Prov. 8:35, according to the Septuagint). And David sings in the Psalms: By the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall desire his way (Ps. 34:23).

CAP. XVIII. Si velle credere ex nobis est, fides non est gratia, sed merces bonae voluntatis. — 26. Si vero, secundum illorum opinionem, nostrum est velle credere priusquam nos Dei gratia incipiat adjuvare, injuste gratia dicitur, quia non gratis datur homini, sed bonae retribuitur voluntati. Hanc enim (sicut illi volunt) gratia in nobis invenit quam ipsa non dedit; imo si sic est, nos priores Deo voluntatem damus, atque ita gratiam non miseratione tribuentis, sed aequitate Dei retribuentis accipimus. Verumtamen, Quis prior dedit illi, et retribuetur ei Rom. XI, 35)? Nemo utique, quia Non potest homo accipere quidquam, nisi ei datum fuerit de coelo (Joan. III 27). Quid enim habet quod non accepit? si autem accepit, quid gloriatur, quasi non acceperit (I Cor. IV, 7)? Non autem misericordia Dei aliquando praevenit hominem, si nunquam bonam facit (al. fecit), sed exspectat ut inveniat voluntatem. Et ubi est quod David dicit: Deus meus, misericordia ejus praeveniet me (Psal. LVIII, 11)? In quo autem Dei nos misericordia praeveniat, vel praeveniens quales inveniat, non in quolibet alio, sed in seipso nobis gentium magister ostendit, dicens: Qui prius fui blasphemus, et persecutor, et contumeliosus, sed misericordiam consecutus sum quia ignorans feci in incredulitate (I Tim. I, 13). Quomodo ergo aliquam credendi voluntatem ex seipso Paulus habere poterat, qui blasphemum se, et

CHAPTER XVIII. If to will to believe is from us, faith is not grace but the wage of a good will. — 36. But if, according to their opinion, to will to believe is ours before the grace of God begins to help us, it is wrongly called grace, because it is not given to man gratis but is paid back to a good will. For this will (as they would have it) grace finds in us, though grace itself did not give it; nay, if it is so, we are the first to give God our will, and thus we receive grace not by the mercy of one who bestows but by the equity of God who repays. And yet, Who has first given to Him, and it shall be repaid him (Rom. 11:35)? No one, surely, because A man cannot receive anything unless it has been given him from heaven (John 3:27). For what has he that he has not received? And if he has received it, why does he glory as if he had not received it (1 Cor. 4:7)? But the mercy of God never goes before a man if it never makes (al. made) his will good, but waits so as to find it. And where then is what David says: My God, His mercy shall go before me (Ps. 58:11)? In what way the mercy of God goes before us, or of what sort it finds us when it goes before, the teacher of the Gentiles shows us not in some other man but in himself, saying: I who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and insolent, but I obtained mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief (1 Tim. 1:13). How then could Paul have any will to believe from himself, who [knew] himself a blasphemer, and

Editors' notes and page, col. 473

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 473)

Sic ms.; at Lov. et Ant., ait ejus hoc velle; Basil. vero, ait ejus esse velle.

So the manuscript; but the Louvain and Antwerp editions have ait ejus hoc velle ("he says this willing [is] his"); the Basel edition, ait ejus esse velle ("he says the willing is his").

(printed under page 242)

(b) ‹anchor: viam ejus cupiet› · call in col 473

Editi, cupiet nimis; sed non legitur nimis in ms.

The editions have cupiet nimis ("he will desire exceedingly"); but nimis is not read in the manuscript.

(printed under page 242)

Basil., aequitate retribuentis; nec habet hanc vocem, Dei.

The Basel edition has aequitate retribuentis ("by the equity of one repaying"), and does not have this word, Dei ("of God").

(printed under page 242)

(d) ‹anchor: not visible› · call not seen in the cropped area (col 473 or 474)

Habetur hic in editis Domino nostro, sed non habetur in ms. nec textu Apostoli.

Domino nostro ("our Lord") is found here in the editions, but it is not found in the manuscript nor in the Apostle's text.

(printed under page 242)

Page

running head: 473 EPISTOLA XVII.
marginal letters: A tis. Deus ergo, qui homini; B Adjutorio igitur atque munere; C secundum illorum opinionem; D spectat ut inveniat voluntatem
old-edition numerals: 306 after in Psalmis
other: column opens with the tail of a word divided at the previous column's end ("-tis"); English leaves it to the join.

PL 65:474

persecutorem, et contumeliosum, caecus atque incredulus ignorabat? Quod humili corde considerans, alio loco dicit: Non sum dignus vocari apostolus, quia persecutus sum Ecclesiam Dei (I Cor. XV, 9). Statimque fidem suam non propriae voluntati, sed gratiae Dei miserantis assignans, dicit: Gratia autem Dei sum id quod sum (Ibid., 10). Quid autem jam erat (al. fuit), nisi fidelis? quod ut esset, misericordiam est utique consecutus, sicut ipse testatur, dicens: Consilium do, tanquam misericordiam consecutus a Domino ut sim fidelis (I Cor. VII, 25). Nam et cum se prius blasphemum, et persecutorem, et contumeliosum fuisse fateretur, fidem suam et caritatem gratiae assignare non destitit statim subjiciens: Superabundavit autem gratia Dei in fide et dilectione, quae est in Christo Jesu (I Tim. I, 14).

a persecutor and insolent, blind and unbelieving, did not know? Considering this with a humble heart, he says in another place: I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God (1 Cor. 15:9). And at once, ascribing his faith not to his own will but to the grace of God who shows mercy, he says: But by the grace of God I am what I am (ibid. 10). And what was he now (al. was he) but faithful? That he might be so, he certainly obtained mercy, as he himself testifies, saying: I give counsel, as one who has obtained mercy from the Lord to be faithful (1 Cor. 7:25). For even when he confessed that he had formerly been a blasphemer and a persecutor and insolent, he did not cease to ascribe his faith and charity to grace, adding at once: But the grace of God abounded exceedingly in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 1:14).

37. Si ergo fidem Paulo gratia Dei non dedit, nec caritatem ei dedisse credenda est: ergo, quod absit, mentitus est Paulus, qui ait, quia caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis (Rom. V, 5). Sed quia Paulus Christo in se loquente mentiri non potuit, ipso Spiritu nobis tribui fidem firmissime fateamur, per quem caritatem Dei in nostris diffundi cordibus negare nequimus. Cum ergo Paulus esset blasphemus, et persecutor, et contumeliosus, non ideo est adjutus Dei gratia, quia credere voluit, sed ut credere vellet donum gratiae praevenientis accepit; quae in ejus voluntate non aliquod credulitatis initium, sed blasphemiam, saevitiam, contumelias, et ignorantiam in incredulitate reperit. Cujus usque adeo caeca fuit voluntas, ut non solum non posset credere, sed nec ipsum suae credulitatis posset initium praevidere. Non enim ignorans fecisset, si suam in se ignorantiam praevidisset. Digne igitur in Paulo assignatur praevenientis misericordiae dono non solum credulitatis initium, sed etiam ipsius incredulitatis agnitio; quam ei propterea Dei misericordia contulit, ut incredulitatem suam illuminatus atque adjutus, et agnosceret, et vitaret. Dominus enim est illuminatio nostra et salus nostra (Psal. XXVI, 1); qui nos illuminat, ut peccata nostra cognoscamus, et sanat ut a peccatis nostris separati cum justitia vivamus. Ob hoc ipse, qui ut fidelis esset, fatetur se misericordiam consecutum, salubriter nos instruit, dicens: Igitur non volentis, neque currentis, sed miserentis est Dei (Rom. IX, 16). Quia revera et ut velimus misericordiae praevenientis illuminamur dono, et ut curramus, misericordiae subsequentis fulcimur auxilio. Ut ergo sibi quisque tribuat bonam voluntatem, qua velle incipit credere, non viventis animae vigor, sed mortuae carnis est tumor.

37. If, then, the grace of God did not give Paul faith, neither must it be believed to have given him charity: therefore, which God forbid, Paul lied, who says that the charity of God is poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Rom. 5:5). But since Paul, with Christ speaking in him, could not lie, let us most firmly confess that faith is bestowed on us by the very Spirit through whom we cannot deny that the charity of God is poured out in our hearts. When Paul, therefore, was a blasphemer and a persecutor and insolent, he was not helped by the grace of God because he willed to believe; rather, that he might will to believe, he received the gift of prevenient grace, which found in his will not some beginning of belief but blasphemy, savagery, insults, and ignorance in unbelief. So blind was his will that not only could he not believe, but he could not even foresee the very beginning of his belief. For he would not have acted ignorantly had he foreseen his own ignorance in himself. Fittingly, then, in Paul not only the beginning of belief but also the recognition of his very unbelief is ascribed to the gift of prevenient mercy; and the mercy of God conferred it on him for this reason, that, enlightened and helped, he might both recognize his unbelief and shun it. For the Lord is our enlightenment and our salvation (Ps. 26:1); He enlightens us so that we may know our sins, and heals us so that, separated from our sins, we may live with righteousness. For this reason he who confesses that he obtained mercy so as to be faithful instructs us for our health, saying: So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy (Rom. 9:16). For in truth, that we may will, we are enlightened by the gift of prevenient mercy, and that we may run, we are upheld by the help of subsequent mercy. That anyone, therefore, should ascribe to himself the good will by which he begins to will to believe is not the vigour of a living soul but the swelling of dead flesh.

CAP XIX. Liberum hominis arbitrium post peccatum, sine adjutorio gratiae nonnisi ad serviendum peccato reperitur idoneum. Libertas a bona voluntate sumit initium. — 38. Ex quo enim primus homo naturam suam voluntarie vitiavit atque oppressit, ita crevit

CHAPTER XIX. Man's free choice after sin, without the help of grace, is found fit only for serving sin. Freedom takes its beginning from a good will. — 38. For from the time when the first man of his own will corrupted and crushed his nature, there grew so

Editors' notes and page, col. 474

Page

running head: EPISTOLA XVII. 474
marginal letters: A persecutorem, et contumeliosum; B quae est in Christo Jesu; C non posset credere; D ut velimus misericordiae
old-edition numerals: 307 after dono

PL 65:475

infirmitas, ut nisi divinae gratiae medicamento praeventum in unoquoque homine sanetur atque adjuvetur liberum indesinenter arbitrium, sit quidem liberum, non tamen bonum; sit liberum, non tamen rectum; sit liberum, non tamen sanum; sit liberum, non tamen justum: et quanto magis a bonitate, rectitudine, sanitate, justitiaque liberum, tanto magis malitiae perversitatis, infirmitatis atque iniquitatis mortifer, servitute captivum. Qui enim facit peccatum servus est peccati (Joan. VIII, 34); et a quo quis devictus est, huic et servus addictus est (II Petr. II, 19). Regnante igitur peccato, habet quidem liberum arbitrium, sed liberum sine Deo, non liberum sub Deo, id est, liberum justitia, non liberum sub gratia, et ob hoc pessime atque serviliter liberum, quia non gratuito miserentis Dei munere liberatum. Hoc Apostolus evidenter insinuat, dicens: Cum enim servi essetis peccati, liberi fuistis justitiae (Rom. VI, 20). Servire igitur justitiae non potest qui justitiae liber est: quia quandiu est peccati servus, nonnisi ad serviendum peccato reperitur idoneus. Ab ista servitute peccati nemo liber efficitur, nisi qui liberatoris Christi gratia liberatur, ut scilicet liberatus a peccato, servus fiat Deo. Hoc autem quemadmodum fiat, ipse liberator noster ostendit: Si vos, inquiens, Filius liberaverit, vere liberi eritis (Joan. VIII, 35). Ideo Vas electionis beneficium nobis gratiae liberatricis insinuans, non solum liberos, sed etiam liberatos nos esse testatur his verbis: Nunc autem liberati a peccato, servi autem facti Deo, habetis fructum vestrum in sanctificationem, finem vero vitam aeternam (Rom. VI, 22).

weakness that, unless free choice, forestalled by the medicine of divine grace, is unceasingly healed and helped in each man, it may indeed be free, yet not good; free, yet not upright; free, yet not sound; free, yet not just: and the more free it is from goodness, uprightness, soundness and justice, the more is it, deadly as it is, held captive in servitude to the malice of perversity, of weakness and of iniquity. For whoever commits sin is the slave of sin (John 8:34); and by whom a man has been overcome, to him also he is bound as a slave (2 Pet. 2:19). While sin reigns, then, a man has indeed free choice, but free without God, not free under God; that is, free from righteousness, not free under grace, and for that reason free in the worst and most servile way, because not set free by the gratuitous gift of God who shows mercy. This the Apostle plainly suggests, saying: For when you were slaves of sin, you were free of righteousness (Rom. 6:20). He who is free of righteousness, therefore, cannot serve righteousness: because so long as he is the slave of sin, he is found fit for nothing but serving sin. From this servitude of sin no one is made free except him who is set free by the grace of Christ the Liberator, so that, set free from sin, he may become a servant of God. How this comes about our Liberator Himself shows: If the Son, He says, sets you free, you will be truly free (John 8:36). Therefore the Vessel of election, pointing out to us the benefit of liberating grace, testifies that we are not only free but set free, in these words: But now, set free from sin and made servants of God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end, eternal life (Rom. 6:22).

39. Haec vero libertas, quae non ex humano arbitrio nascitur, sed gratuita Dei miseratione confertur, a bona voluntate sumit exordium, et per fructum sanctificationis in vita aeterna plenum sui sortitur effectum. Sed sicut in nativitate carnali omnem nascentis hominis voluntatem praecedit operis divini formatio; sic in spiritali nativitate, qua veterem hominem, qui corrumpitur secundum desideria erroris, deponere incipimus, ut novum qui in justitia et sanctitate veritatis creatus est (Ephes. IV, 22) induamus, nemo potest habere bonam voluntatem motu proprio nisi mens ipsa, id est interior homo noster, renovetur ac reformetur ex Deo. Ideo nos beatus Paulus praecipit (Rom. XII, 2) non conformari huic saecula, sed reformari in novitate sensus nostri. Cujus reformationis initium ne nostrae facultati assignare aliquatenus deberemus, Dominus per prophetam seipsum formatorem lucis ostendit, dicens: Ego Dominus formans lucem et creans tenebras (Isa. XLV, 7). Quod et beatus Apostolus sua praedicatione confirmat, dicens: Deus, qui dixit de tenebris lucem splendescere,

39. But this freedom, which is not born of human choice but is conferred by the gratuitous mercy of God, takes its beginning from a good will, and through the fruit of sanctification attains its full effect in eternal life. But just as in fleshly birth the forming work of God precedes every will of the man who is born, so in spiritual birth, by which we begin to put off the old man, who is corrupted according to the desires of error, so as to put on the new, who has been created in justice and holiness of truth (Eph. 4:22, 24), no one can have a good will by his own motion unless the mind itself, that is, our inner man, is renewed and re-formed from God. Therefore blessed Paul commands us (Rom. 12:2) not to be conformed to this world but to be re-formed in the newness of our mind. And lest we should in any measure ascribe the beginning of this re-forming to our own power, the Lord through the prophet shows Himself to be the former of light, saying: I am the Lord, forming light and creating darkness (Isa. 45:7). This the blessed Apostle also confirms by his preaching, saying: God, who said that light should shine out of darkness,

Editors' notes and page, col. 475

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 475)

Locus hic alias obscurus restitutus est ope ms., qui praefert haec verba, ita crevit infirmitas, ut nisi, etc., sit.... sit..... etc.

This passage, otherwise obscure, has been restored with the help of the manuscript, which offers these words: ita crevit infirmitas, ut nisi ("so grew the weakness that unless"), etc., sit .... sit ....., etc.

(printed under page 243)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 475)

Ms., insinuans ait; editi uniformiter, insinuat dicens.

The manuscript has insinuans ait ("intimating, he says"); the editions uniformly, insinuat dicens ("he intimates, saying").

(printed under page 243)

Page

running head: 475 S. FULGENTII EPISCOP… (rest of head beyond this column's image)
marginal letters: A infirmitas, ut nisi divinae; B grauito miserentis Dei munere / stolus evidenter insinuat; C nam (Rom. VI, 22); D saecula, sed reformari
old-edition numerals: 308 after Ideo

PL 65:476

illuxit in cordibus nostris (II Cor. IV, 6). Et eidem luci quam jam formaverat Deus, alio loco dixit: Eratis enim aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in Domino (Ephes. V, 6). Quibusdam vero ex illa lucis formatione laudabili ad vituperabilem tenebrarum informitatem relapsis, affectum piae mentis ostendens, ita loquitur: Filioli mei, quos iterum parturio, donec formetur Christus in vobis (Galat. IV, 19). Quomodo autem Christus in suis formari potest, nisi quomodo in eis habitare incipit, id est per fidem? Quod beatus Paulus ita confirmat: In interiore, inquiens, homine habitare Christum per fidem in cordibus vestris [al. nostris] (Ephes. III, 16). Dum ergo reformamur, renovamur; et in eo quo renovamur, vivificamur.

has shone in our hearts (2 Cor. 4:6). And to that same light which God had already formed he said in another place: For you were once darkness, but now light in the Lord (Eph. 5:8). But to some who had fallen back from that praiseworthy forming of light into the blameworthy formlessness of darkness, showing the affection of a loving mind, he speaks thus: My little children, of whom I am in labour again until Christ be formed in you (Gal. 4:19). And how can Christ be formed in His own, except in the way that He begins to dwell in them, that is, through faith? Which blessed Paul confirms thus: In the inner man, he says, that Christ may dwell through faith in your [al. our] hearts (Eph. 3:16–17). While, therefore, we are re-formed, we are renewed; and in that by which we are renewed, we are given life.

CAP. XX. Vita sancta a fide sumit initium. Per gratiam non aufertur liberum arbitrium. — 40. Vita autem nostra a fide sumit initium, quia justus ex fide vivit (Rom. I, 17). Quam fidem non ex voluntate nostra nasci, sed per Spiritum sanctum unicuique dari, beatus Paulus ostendit, dicens: Alii quidem datur per Spiritum sermo sapientiae: alii autem sermo scientiae secundum eumdem Spiritum, alteri (al. alii) fides in eodem Spiritu (I Cor. XII, 8, 9). Non ergo Spiritum sanctum, quia credidimus, sed ut crederemus, accepimus. Forma enim praecessit in carne Christi, quam in nostra fide spiraliter agnoscamus. Nam Christus Filius Dei secundum carnem de Spiritu sancto conceptus et natus est. Carnem autem illam nec concipere Virgo posset aliquando, nec parere, nisi ejusdem carnis Spiritus sanctus operaretur exortum. Sic ergo in hominis corde nec concipi fides poterit, nec augeri, nisi eam Spiritus sanctus infundat et nutriat. Ex eodem namque Spiritu renati sumus, ex quo natus est Christus. Eodem igitur Spiritu Christus formatur secundum fidem in corde uniuscujusque credentis, quo Spiritu secundum carnem formatus est in utero Virginis. Ideo propheta ex persona fidelium clamat ad Dominum: Propter timorem tuum, Domine, in utero concepimus et parturivimus Spiritum salutis tuae; justitiam non fecimus super terram (Isa. XXVI, 18). Sicut autem non solum priusquam Virgo Maria Christum conciperet, sed etiam priusquam se concepturam agnosceret, gratia plena angeli voce nuncupata est, cum nulla ejus praecessisset (al. praecederet) concipiendi Filii Dei vel cognitio, vel voluntas, ut agnosceretur ex gratia Dei esse tam ipsa obediens voluntas Virginis, quam conceptio Domini Salvatoris; sic homo priusquam credere velle incipiat, gratia donantis infunditur cordi, ut incipiat in homine per fidem Christus formari. Cum autem Christus in unoquoque formatur, ipse se forma; quia ipse fidem in corde uniuscujusque credentis initiat. Propterea in Epistola quae ad Hebraeos scripta est

CHAPTER XX. A holy life takes its beginning from faith. Free choice is not taken away by grace. — 40. Our life takes its beginning from faith, because the just man lives by faith (Rom. 1:17). And that this faith is not born of our will but is given to each one through the Holy Spirit, blessed Paul shows, saying: To one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another (al. to another) faith in the same Spirit (1 Cor. 12:8–9). We received the Holy Spirit, therefore, not because we believed, but that we might believe. For the pattern went before in the flesh of Christ, which we are to recognize spiritually in our own faith. For Christ the Son of God according to the flesh was conceived and born of the Holy Spirit. And the Virgin could never have conceived or brought forth that flesh, had not the Holy Spirit wrought the rising of that same flesh. So, then, in the heart of man faith can neither be conceived nor increased unless the Holy Spirit pours it in and nourishes it. For we have been reborn of the same Spirit of whom Christ was born. By the same Spirit, therefore, Christ is formed according to faith in the heart of each believer, by which Spirit He was formed according to the flesh in the Virgin's womb. Therefore the prophet, in the person of the faithful, cries to the Lord: Because of Thy fear, O Lord, we have conceived in the womb and brought forth the Spirit of Thy salvation; we have not wrought righteousness upon the earth (Isa. 26:18). And just as the Virgin Mary, not only before she conceived Christ but even before she knew that she would conceive, was named full of grace by the angel's voice, when no knowledge or will on her part of conceiving the Son of God had gone before (al. went before), so that it might be recognized that both the Virgin's obedient will itself and the conception of the Lord the Saviour were from the grace of God; so a man, before he begins to will to believe, has the grace of the Giver poured into his heart, so that Christ may begin to be formed in the man through faith. And when Christ is formed in each one, He Himself [is] the pattern; for He Himself begins faith in the heart of each believer. Therefore in the Epistle written to the Hebrews

Editors' notes and page, col. 476

Footnotes

Ant. et Lov., quia credimus; ms. et Basil., credidimus.

The Antwerp and Louvain editions have quia credimus ("because we believe"); the manuscript and the Basel edition, credidimus ("we have believed").

(printed under page 243)

(d) ‹anchor: Spiritus sanctus infundat› · call in col 476

Sic Basil.; at Lov. et Ant., effundat.

So the Basel edition; but the Louvain and Antwerp editions have effundat ("pour out").

(printed under page 243)

(e) ‹anchor: natus est Christus› · call in col 476

Ms., Dominus Christus.

The manuscript has Dominus Christus ("the Lord Christ").

(printed under page 243)

(f) ‹anchor: justitiam non› · call in col 476

Sic Basil.; at Lov, et Ant. non habent haec verba, justitiam non; sed sic praeferunt locum: concepimus et parturivimus. Spiritum salutis tuae fecimus super terram.

So the Basel edition; but the Louvain and Antwerp editions do not have these words, justitiam non ("justice ... not"); they offer the passage thus: concepimus et parturivimus. Spiritum salutis tuae fecimus super terram ("we have conceived and been in labour. We have wrought the spirit of Thy salvation upon the earth").

(printed under page 243)

Page

running head: …I EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 476
marginal letters: A illuxit in cordibus nostris; B tiam non aufertur liberum arbitrium / tem nostra a fide; C poterit, nec augeri; D sa obediens voluntas Virginis
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: "ipse se forma" as printed; the sense wants "ipse est forma" (or "sit"); English renders "He Himself [is] the pattern". † not used as the print is clear.

PL 65:477

admonemur ut aspiciamus in auctorem fidei et consummatorem Jesum (Hebr. XII, 2): qui procul dubio sic est auctor fidei nostrae, cum ipse fidem non habentibus donat, sicut est ejusdem fidei consummator, cum eam in habentibus augendo multiplicat, et sancta operatione consummat. Dicit enim beatus apostolus Jacobus quia fides Abrahae patris nostri ex operibus consummata est (Jac. II, 12).

we are admonished to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith (Heb. 12:2): who without doubt is the author of our faith in this way, when He gives faith to those who do not have it, just as He is the finisher of that same faith when, by increasing it, He multiplies it in those who have it, and by holy working brings it to completion. For the blessed apostle James says that the faith of Abraham our father was made complete by works (Jas. 2:22).

41. Auctor est ergo fidei nostrae, consummatorque Jesus, quia ipse operatur in nobis et velle et perficere, pro bona voluntate. Quod si in eo tantum est auctor fidei nostrae, quia nostram voluntatem exspectat, ut ex nobis esse fides incipiat, consequens est ut etiam consummator fidei nostrae ideo dicatur, quia exspectat ut nostro tantum conatu ad consummationem fides quae a nobis exorta est perveniat; ac sic totum Deo adimitur, si et initium et consummatio fidei nostrae humani arbitrii viribus applicetur. Quod quia valde impium est, si Scripturarum sanctarum eloquiis salutaribus non resistimus, omnia quae pertinent ad bonae voluntatis initium vel profectum, Deum in nobis et incipere et perficere sine aliqua haesitatione credamus. Ipse est enim qui operatur in nobis et velle et perficere, pro bona voluntate (Philip. II, 13). Clamemus igitur in humilitate cordis et veritate fidei cum propheta: Scio, Domine, quia non est in homine via ejus, neque viri est ut corrigat viam suam (Jer. X, 53). Non est itaque in homine via ejus quam habet ex Deo, neque viri est ut corrigat viam suam quam habet ex seipso. Viam ergo suam non habet in se, nec viam suam corrigit, nisi cum rectitudine cordis donum gratiae spiritalis acceperit. Ideo Salomon dicit: Dirigit autem corda Dominus (Prov. XXI, 2). Beatus quoque apostolus Jacobus testatur quia omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a Patre luminum (Jac. I, 17): eorum scilicet luminum quibus per Ezechielem novi cordis gratiam repromittit, dicens: Dabo vobis cor novum, et Spiritum novum ponam in medio vestri, et auferetur cor lapideum de carne vestra, et dabo vobis cor corneum, et Spiritum meum dabo in vobis, et faciam ut in justificationibus meis ambuletis, et judicia mea observetis, et faciatis (Ezech. XXXVI, 26). Beatus quoque Paulus humanae comprimens praesumptionis audaciam dicit: Quis enim te discernit? quid autem habes quod non accepisti? si autem accepisti, quid gloriaris quasi non acceperis (I Cor. IV, 7)? Cum quo nos oportet humiliter salubriterque cognoscere pariter et fateri, gratia Dei nos esse quod sumus, si tamen aliquid sumus. Qua gratia humanum non aufertur, sed sanatur; non adimitur, sed corrigitur; non removetur, sed illuminatur; non evacuatur, sed adjuvatur atque servatur arbitrium: ut in quo infirmitatem homo habuit, in eo habere incipiat sanitatem; quo errabat, eodem in viam (al. in via) redeat; in quo

41. Jesus, then, is the author and finisher of our faith, because He Himself works in us both to will and to accomplish, according to [His] good will. But if He is the author of our faith only in this, that He waits for our will so that faith may begin to exist from us, it follows that He is also called the finisher of our faith for this reason, that He waits for the faith which has arisen from us to reach completion by our effort alone; and thus the whole is taken away from God, if both the beginning and the completion of our faith are attributed to the powers of human choice. And since this is utterly impious, if we do not resist the saving words of the holy Scriptures, let us believe without any hesitation that God both begins and accomplishes in us all that pertains to the beginning or the progress of a good will. For it is He who works in us both to will and to accomplish, according to [His] good will (Phil. 2:13). Let us cry, then, in humility of heart and truth of faith, with the prophet: I know, O Lord, that a man's way is not in himself, nor is it in a man to direct his own way (Jer. 10:23). So the way which he has from God is not in man, nor is it in a man to direct his way which he has from himself. He does not, therefore, have his way in himself, nor does he direct his way, except when he has received with uprightness of heart the gift of spiritual grace. Therefore Solomon says: But the Lord directs hearts (Prov. 21:2). The blessed apostle James also testifies that every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (Jas. 1:17): of those lights, that is, to whom through Ezekiel He promises the grace of a new heart, saying: I will give you a new heart, and a new Spirit I will put in your midst, and the heart of stone shall be taken from your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put My Spirit in you, and I will make you walk in My justifications, and keep My judgements, and do them (Ezek. 36:26–27). Blessed Paul also, curbing the boldness of human presumption, says: For who distinguishes you? And what have you that you have not received? And if you have received it, why do you glory as if you had not received it (1 Cor. 4:7)? With him we ought, humbly and for our health, both to acknowledge and to confess that by the grace of God we are what we are, if indeed we are anything. By this grace human choice is not taken away but healed; not removed but corrected; not set aside but enlightened; not made void but helped and preserved: so that in that in which man had weakness, in that he may begin to have soundness; by that by which he went astray, by the same he may return to the way (al. in the way); in that in which

Editors' notes and page, col. 477

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 477)

Sic ms.; at Basil., nos insistimus. Lov. et Ant., nos resistimus, sed male.

So the manuscript; but the Basel edition has nos insistimus ("we press on"); the Louvain and Antwerp editions, nos resistimus ("we resist"), but wrongly.

(printed under page 244)

(b) ‹anchor: quod sumus› · call in col 477

Lov. et Ant., quod et sumus.

The Louvain and Antwerp editions have quod et sumus ("what we also are").

(printed under page 244)

Lov., Ant et Basil., si volentes.

The Louvain, Antwerp and Basel editions have si volentes ("if willing").

(printed under page 244)

(d) ‹anchor: not visible› · call not seen in the cropped area (col 477 or 478)

Sic ms.; at editi, cum voluerit.

So the manuscript; but the editions have cum voluerit ("when he wills").

(printed under page 244)

Page

running head: 477 EPISTOLA XV… (rest of head beyond this column's image)
marginal letters: A admonemur ut aspiciamus; B tionem fides quae a nobis; C tudine cordis donum; D nos oportet humiliter
old-edition numerals: 309 after admonemur ut

PL 65:478

caecus fuit, in eo accipiat lumen; et ubi fuit iniquus, serviens immunditiae et iniquitati ad iniquitatem, ibi gratia praeventus atque adjutus serviat justitiae in sanctificationem.

he was blind, in that he may receive light; and where he was unjust, serving uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, there, forestalled and helped by grace, he may serve righteousness unto sanctification.

CAP. XXI. Deus, dum quos vult credentes facit, personarum acceptor non est. Nemo a se habet velle credere. — 42. Miramur autem quosdam dicere: Si nolentes Deus facit ut velint credere, nullus autem est qui naturaliter possit credere in Filium Dei, aut aliquid boni velle quod pertinet ad vitam aeternam, cur ergo non facit omnes velle, cum non sit personarum acceptor Deus? Ex quibus verbis, quae vestris litteris indita sunt, apparet eos minus considerare quod dicunt. Personarum quippe acceptio apud Deum tunc esset, si (quemadmodum isti volunt) in quolibet hominum aliquod inveniret bonae voluntatis initium. Cum autem in nullo bonam voluntatem invenit, sed eam gratis cui voluerit ipse concedit, agnoscitur nulla esse personarum acceptio, quando gratuita est donantis in unoquoque largitio. Quod autem dicunt, cur non facit omnes velle? Itane vero in nemine hoc facit, quia non in omnibus facit? An non habet potestatem figulus luti, ex eadem massa facere aliud quidem vas in honorem, aliud vero in contumeliam (Rom. IX, 21)? aut culpari potest justitia in vasis irae, quae juste pro meritis aptavit in interitum; vel misericordia in vasis misericordiae, quae sine ullis meritis solo gratiae dono praeparavit in gloriam. Quibus ipsam quoque praeparari a Domino voluntatem Scriptura teste docuimus. Quae si non a Deo datur, sed in homine invenitur, falsum est quod eam Scriptura praeparari dicit a Domino. Omnis autem Scriptura divinitus inspirata, cuncta quae dicit vera dicit, qui ex veritate sunt universa quae dicit: Eloquia enim Domini, eloquia casta (Psal. XI, 7). Deus ergo, qui voluntatem praeparat, ipse donat. Quam si Deus per suam gratiam homini non dederit, nunquam potest homo in Deum velle credere, quia ipsam voluntatem gratia non invenit, sed operatur in homine.

CHAPTER XXI. God, when He makes whom He wills believers, is not a respecter of persons. No one has from himself the will to believe. — 42. We are surprised, however, that some say: "If God makes the unwilling will to believe, and there is no one who can by nature believe in the Son of God, or will any good that pertains to eternal life, why then does He not make all will, since God is not a respecter of persons?" From these words, which are set down in your letter, it appears that they give too little thought to what they say. For there would be respect of persons with God if (as these men would have it) He found in any man some beginning of good will. But since He finds a good will in no one, but Himself grants it freely to whom He wills, it is recognized that there is no respect of persons, since the largesse of the Giver is gratuitous in each one. As for their saying, "Why does He not make all will?": does He then do this in no one, because He does not do it in all? Or has not the potter power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour (Rom. 9:21)? Or can justice be blamed in the vessels of wrath, which it has justly, according to their deserts, fitted for destruction; or mercy in the vessels of mercy, which without any deserts it has prepared for glory by the sole gift of grace? For these, as we have shown on the witness of Scripture, the will itself also is prepared by the Lord. If this is not given by God but found in man, then what Scripture says, that it is prepared by the Lord, is false. But all Scripture, divinely inspired, says truly all that it says, [since] all that it says is from the truth: For the words of the Lord are pure words (Ps. 11:7). God, therefore, who prepares the will, Himself gives it. And if God has not given it to a man by His grace, a man can never will to believe in God, because grace does not find that will, but works it in the man.

CAP. XXII. Credendi facultas humanae potest inesse naturae, quia Deus potest eam sanare. Adam peccando perdidit fidem — 43. Cum autem dicimus neminem posse in Deum credere, nisi per gratiam Dei cor illuminetur, ut credat, non credendi possibilitatem humanae naturae omnino inesse non posse dicimus, sed ut habeat ipsum posse, unde debeat sperare ac poscere demonstramus. Nam utique naturaliter homini, cum coeperit in Dei Filium credere, si posse credere in conditione primi hominis datum non esset, nunquam peccatum de infidelitate contraheret; neque ulli naturae credendi facultas insita est, quam rationalem non fecit Deus. Nunquid enim de bobus cura est Deo (I Cor. IX, 9)? In quibus nec punitur impietas, nec pietas coronatur. De hominibus autem omnibus curam esse Deo coelestibus eloquiis edocemur.

CHAPTER XXII. The capacity for believing can be present in human nature, because God can heal it. Adam by sinning lost faith. — 43. But when we say that no one can believe in God unless his heart is enlightened by the grace of God so that he believes, we do not say that the possibility of believing cannot be present in human nature at all; rather we show whence it ought to hope for and ask that it may have that very ability. For surely, if the ability to believe had not been given by nature to man in the creation of the first man, he would never contract sin from unbelief, [even] when he has begun to believe in the Son of God; and no nature has the faculty of believing implanted in it which God did not make rational. For is God concerned about oxen (1 Cor. 9:9)? In them neither is impiety punished nor piety crowned. But that God has care for all men we are taught by the heavenly words.

Editors' notes and page, col. 478

Footnotes

(e) ‹anchor: praeparari dicit› · call in col 478

Ita ms.; at in Basil., quod ea in Scriptura praeparari dicitur; Ant., ea Scriptura praeparari dicitur.

So the manuscript; but in the Basel edition, quod ea in Scriptura praeparari dicitur ("that it is said in Scripture to be prepared"); the Antwerp edition, ea Scriptura praeparari dicitur.

(printed under page 244)

Page

running head: …STOLA XVII. 478
marginal letters: A caecus fuit, in eo accipiat lumen; B in quolibet hominum aliquod; C Deo datur, sed in homine; D demonstramus. Nam utique
old-edition numerals: 310 after cur ergo
other: "qui ex veritate sunt universa quae dicit" as printed (the sense wants "quia"); English supplies [since]. The sentence "Nam utique naturaliter homini ... contraheret" is set as printed; its construction is awkward and the English follows it closely, UNSURE.

PL 65:479

44. Naturae igitur humanae competit fides, cujus tantam curam Creator habere dignatur, ut etiam capillos capitis nostri numeratos esse Veritas dicat (Luc. XII, 17): ut scilicet, dum se tantum a Deo diligi humana natura cognoscit, diligentem se Deum diligat, eique per fidem puri cordis inhaereat, cui ad beatitudinem fides est via, cui infidelitas est magna miseria: et ideo digne punitur, cum in Dei Filium non credit, quia vitium est ejus infidelitas, sicut virtus est fides, non qualis in daemonibus invenitur, sed qualem Deus sanctis suis donat, quos ex impietate justificat. Ipsa est fides quae per caritatem operatur. Nam et daemones credunt, et contremiscunt (Jac. II, 19); sed non diligunt eum a quo per superbiam recesserunt. In quam superbiam quia primus homo diabolica est persuasione (al. suasione) dejectus, in quo perdidit humilitatem, perdidit fidem: perdens autem fidem, perdidit divinam protectionem. Scriptum est enim: Qui non credit Deo, a Deo non protegitur (Eccli. II, 15). Exinde coepit superbire terra, et cinis, quia in vita sua projecit intima sua (Eccli. X, 9, 10). Ad ipsa intima ut homines redeant, divinus non desinit sermo clamare, dicens: Redite, praevaricatores, ad cor (Isa. XLVI, 8). Verum, quia illi caro sunt, spiritus vadens, et non rediens (Psalm. LXXVII, 39), nec unquam redire velle potest ovis errans, nisi fuerit boni Pastoris inquisitione praeventa et humeris reportata: propterea pastor bonus venit quaerere et salvam facere ovem perditam, quae pastorem suum quaerere non potest, priusquam ab eo quaeratur, sed a quaerente praevenitur, ut quaerat. Pastor autem eam frustra quaereret, si quaerere ipsa pastorem quaesita non posset. Sed hoc ei quaerentis pastoris bonitas donat, ut etiam ipsa quaerendi pastoris habeat voluntatem. Quaeritur autem ut quaerat, quando illuminatur ut credat. Hoc ergo in homine divinitus agitur, cui fidem Deus infundit ut gratiae dono virtutem credendi natura recipiat quam amisit, et quod non poterat vitiata per culpam, incipiat poscere ⟨f⟩ormata per gratiam, ac sic operante illo medico qui non est opus sanis, sed male habentibus, infirmitas expellatur, natura sanetur. Quam sanitatem poscebat qui dicebat: Ego dixi, Domine, miserere mei, sana animam meam, quia peccavi tibi (Psalm. XL, 5). Nullus autem sanctorum sanitatem posceret, si humana natura sana esset; et frustra sanitatem quisque posceret, si sanari humana natura non posset. Natura igitur humana sanari potest; sed illius gratia sanitatis accipit donum ex quo creationis sumpsit initium. Nam si homo naturaliter sanari nullatenus posset, ad sanandum eum coelestis medicus non venisset. Rursus si se ipse sanare posset, coelesti medico non egeret. Sanatur enim per fidem, quam si ex seipso aliquis habere posset, Deus eam homini non donaret. Donat autem, quoniam alteri datur fides in eodem Spiritu (I Cor. XII, 9), sicut

44. Faith, then, befits human nature, for which the Creator deigns to have such care that the Truth says even the hairs of our head are numbered (Luke 12:7): so, that is, that human nature, knowing itself so loved by God, may love God who loves it, and cleave to Him through the faith of a pure heart, for whom faith is the way to blessedness, for whom unbelief is great misery: and therefore it is deservedly punished when it does not believe in the Son of God, because its unbelief is a vice, just as faith is a virtue; not such faith as is found in the demons, but such as God gives to His saints, whom He justifies from impiety. This is the faith which works through charity. For the demons also believe, and tremble (Jas. 2:19); but they do not love Him from whom they withdrew through pride. And since the first man was cast down into this pride by the devil's persuasion (al. suasion), in that in which he lost humility he lost faith; and losing faith, he lost the divine protection. For it is written: He who does not believe God is not protected by God (Sir. 2:15). From then on earth and ashes began to be proud, because in his life he cast away his inmost parts (Sir. 10:9–10). That men may return to those inmost parts the divine word does not cease to cry out, saying: Return, you transgressors, to the heart (Isa. 46:8). But since they are flesh, a spirit going and not returning (Ps. 77:39), and the straying sheep can never will to return unless it has been forestalled by the good Shepherd's search and carried back on His shoulders: therefore the good shepherd came to seek and to save the lost sheep, which cannot seek its shepherd before it is sought by him, but is forestalled by him who seeks, so that it may seek. Yet the shepherd would seek it in vain if, once sought, it could not itself seek the shepherd. But the goodness of the seeking shepherd gives it this, that it too should have the will to seek the shepherd. And it is sought so that it may seek when it is enlightened so that it may believe. This, then, is done divinely in the man into whom God pours faith, so that by the gift of grace nature may receive the power of believing which it lost, and what it could not do when corrupted through guilt, it may begin to ask for when formed through grace; and so, by the working of that physician of whom the healthy have no need, but those who are ill, weakness may be driven out and nature healed. This health he was asking for who said: I said, O Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee (Ps. 40:5). But none of the saints would ask for health if human nature were healthy; and in vain would anyone ask for health if human nature could not be healed. Human nature, therefore, can be healed; but it receives the gift of health by the grace of Him from whom it took the beginning of its creation. For if man by nature could in no way be healed, the heavenly physician would not have come to heal him. Again, if he could heal himself, he would not need the heavenly physician. For he is healed through faith; and if anyone could have it from himself, God would not give it to man. But He does give it, since to another is given faith in the same Spirit (1 Cor. 12:9), just as

Editors' notes and page, col. 479

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: quaesita non posset› · call in col 479

Sic editi; at ms., si quaerere ipsa pastorem non quaesita posset.

So the editions; but the manuscript has si quaerere ipsa pastorem non quaesita posset ("if she, not [yet] sought, could seek the shepherd").

(printed under page 245)

(b) ‹anchor: medicus non venisset› · call in col 479

Ms., non veniret.

The manuscript has non veniret ("would not come").

(printed under page 245)

Sic editi; at ms., quia divinitus ei non datur ut credat.

So the editions; but the manuscript has quia divinitus ei non datur ut credat ("because it is not given him from God to believe").

(printed under page 245)

Page

running head: 479 S. FULGENTII EPISCOP… (rest of head beyond this column's image)
marginal letters: A 44. Naturae igitur humanae; B suasione (al. suasione) dejectus / militatem, perdidit fidem; C si quaerere ipsa pastorem; D non posset. Natura igitur
old-edition numerals: 311 after perdidit (before fidem)

PL 65:480

Apostolus dicit: Deus ergo unicuique divisit mensuram fidei (Rom. XII, 3).

the Apostle says: God, then, has apportioned to each one the measure of faith (Rom. 12:3).

CAP. XXIII. Potest homo naturaliter credere, licet ei divinitus donetur ut credat. — 45. Non ergo propterea non potest homo naturaliter credere, quia divinitus ei donatur ut credat; imo in hoc maxime ad habendam fidem homo creatus agnoscitur, quia per fidem humana natura ex vetustate renovatur. Sic enim est omnis homo voluntario peccato primi hominis vitiatus, ut Deus voluntate sua bona voluntatem hominis possit sanare si velit. Creavit enim, sicut scriptum est, ut essent omnia, et sanabiles fecit nationes orbis terrarum (Sap. I, 14). Verumtamen ne homini ex seipso putaretur esse sanitatis initium, mox sermo divinus adjecit: Et non est in illis medicamentum exterminii (Iid.). Quamvis igitur homini primo diabolus abstulerit fidem, Deo tamen reddendi quod dederat non abstulit potestatem, nec humanam naturam diabolus potuit usque adeo vitiare, ut deinceps non posset quod amiserat, Deo rursus largiente, recipere. Omnipotens enim qui potuit humanam formare, potest etiam infirmam sanando per gratiam reformare et custodire naturam a quo ipsa natura sicut in primo homine fidem ad salutem acceperat, ita nunc in singulis munere divinae bonitatis accipit (al. accepit) quos idem Deus praedestinatos et per fidem salvandos ex parentibus creat.

CHAPTER XXIII. Man can believe by nature, although it is given him by God to believe. — 45. It is not, then, because it is given him by God to believe that man cannot believe by nature; on the contrary, man is recognized to have been created for having faith chiefly in this, that through faith human nature is renewed from its oldness. For every man has been so corrupted by the voluntary sin of the first man that God, by His good will, can heal the will of man if He wishes. For He created all things, as it is written, that they might be, and He made the nations of the world curable (Wis. 1:14). Yet lest the beginning of health should be thought to be in man from himself, the divine word at once added: And there is no medicine of destruction in them (ibid.). Although, therefore, the devil took faith away from the first man, he did not take away from God the power of restoring what He had given; nor could the devil so corrupt human nature that it could not thereafter receive again what it had lost, when God bestowed it once more. For the Almighty, who was able to form human nature, is able also, by healing it through grace, to re-form and guard it in its weakness; from whom nature itself, as it received faith unto salvation in the first man, so now receives (al. received) it by the gift of divine goodness in each of those whom the same God creates from their parents, predestined and to be saved through faith.

46. Potest igitur Deo donante homo in Deum naturaliter credere. Contra naturam quippe hominis est quod in Deum non credit; quia incredulitatem non habet ex creatione Dei, sed ex voluntaria praevaricatione nandati, per quam sanitate privatus et lumine, hoc per seipsum potest, ut caecitatem atque infirmitatem suam proprio arbitrio augere possit, removere non possit. Cujus tamen illuminatis atque sanatio in tantum est omnipotenti Creatori possibilis, ut ad gloriam nominis ejus, ipso donante, non solum possit infidelis credere, verum etiam ad immortalem atque incorruptibilem vitae statum per fidei gratiam pervenire: ubi, accipiens gratiam pro gratia, peccare omnino non possit, et possit feliciter videre quod credidit. Unde vox illa fidei resultat in Psalmis: Credo videre bona Domini in terra viventium (Psal. XXVI, 13). Deus igitur licet non ad hoc humanam naturam fecerit, ut vitiaretur per culpam, ipse tamen omnipotenti bonitate potest vitiatam sanare per gratiam. Arbitrium itaque hominis sanat Deus atque illuminat, ut homo in Deum naturaliter credat. Ita fit ut homo fidem habere possit, sed eam nisi ex dono Dei habere possit.

46. Man, then, God giving it, can by nature believe in God. For it is against the nature of man that he does not believe in God; because he has unbelief not from the creation of God but from the voluntary transgression of the commandment, through which, deprived of health and light, he is able of himself only so much as this: to increase his blindness and weakness by his own choice, not to remove them. Yet his enlightenment and healing are so far possible to the almighty Creator that, to the glory of His name and by His gift, the unbeliever can not only believe but also, through the grace of faith, attain to the immortal and incorruptible state of life: where, receiving grace for grace, he cannot sin at all, and can blessedly see what he believed. Hence that voice of faith resounds in the Psalms: I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 26:13). Although, therefore, God did not make human nature in order that it might be corrupted through guilt, He is nevertheless able by His almighty goodness to heal it, corrupted, through grace. So God heals and enlightens man's choice, so that man may by nature believe in God. Thus it comes about that man can have faith, but [cannot] have it except from the gift of God.

CAP. XXIV. Non omnia quae habere possumus, ex nobis habere possumus. — Non enim consequens est ut omnia quae habere nos possumus, etiam ex nobis habere possimus. Nam et caro nostra sic a Deo facta est, ut possit naturaliter vivere, hoc ipsum tamen

CHAPTER XXIV. Not all that we can have can we have from ourselves. — For it does not follow that all that we can have we can also have from ourselves. For our flesh too was so made by God that it can live by nature; yet this very thing

Editors' notes and page, col. 480

Page

running head: …I EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 480
marginal letters: A Apostolus dicit; B camentum exterminii (Iid.); C varicatione nandati; D tiam. Arbitrium itaque
old-edition numerals: 312 after accipit (al. accepit)

PL 65:481

non ex se sed ex anima possit habere. Vita igitur, ut inesse carni naturaliter incipiat, manifestum est eam ab anima ministrari; ac sic quidem potest caro nostra vivere, sed si in ea sit anima, quae vita ejus est.

it can have not from itself but from the soul. Life, then, so that it may begin to be present in the flesh by nature, is manifestly supplied by the soul; and thus our flesh can indeed live, but only if the soul, which is its life, is in it.

47. Verumtamen in anima nostra et carne non parvum nobis gratiae Dei monstratur exemplum. Nam sicut ex seipsa caro vitam non habet, sed ab anima accipit; sic homo non potest habere fidem, nisi munere Dei donantis acceperit. Sicut etiam (al. enim) ut caro vivat, solius opus est animae, ita quoque ut homo credat, solius opus est gratiae; et sicut caro nihil operari potest, si eam vivificare anima desinat, sic homo nihil bene velle potest, si ab eo gratiae juvamen abscedat. Ut ergo caro et vivere possit et operari, praesentis animae vivificatione fulcitur; homo quoque ut bonum velit aut faciat, gratiae vivificantis subsidio jugiter adjuvatur. Interest autem ut caro nostra quantum (forte quandiu) vivificatur ab anima, non solum bene, sed etiam male operandi accipiat facultatem. Cum autem nos gratia vivificat, non nisi ad bene volendum, nec nisi ad bene operandum nobis adjutorium subministrat. Agnoscat igitur homo in eo se naturaliter credere posse, in quo naturam habet credulitatis ac fidei capacem (quod animalibus irrationalibus datum divinitus non est); non tamen se putet ad habendam fidem usque adeo esse idoneum, ut ex voluntate sua constare fidei arbitretur exordium. Volens enim homo habet fidem; sed Deus qui fidem donat, ipse hominis mutat et dirigit voluntatem. Dominus enim dabit suavitatem, et terra nostra dabit fructum suum (Psal. LXXXIV, 13).

47. Yet in our soul and flesh no small example of the grace of God is shown us. For just as the flesh does not have life from itself but receives it from the soul, so man cannot have faith unless he has received it by the gift of God who gives. And just as (al. for) that the flesh should live is the work of the soul alone, so too that man should believe is the work of grace alone; and just as the flesh can do nothing if the soul ceases to give it life, so man can will nothing well if the help of grace withdraws from him. As, then, the flesh is upheld by the life-giving of the soul present in it so that it can both live and act, so man too is continually helped by the support of life-giving grace so that he may will or do good. But there is this difference, that our flesh, so far as (perhaps: so long as) it is given life by the soul, receives the capacity to act not only well but also ill. Whereas when grace gives us life, it supplies us help only for willing well and only for doing well. Let man acknowledge, then, that he can believe by nature in this, that he has a nature capable of belief and faith (which has not been given by God to irrational animals); yet let him not think himself so fit for having faith that he judges the beginning of faith to rest on his own will. For man has faith willingly; but God who gives faith Himself changes and directs the will of man. For the Lord will give sweetness, and our earth shall yield its fruit (Ps. 84:13).

CAP. XXV. Gentes quae naturaliter ea quae legis sunt faciunt, nonnisi Christiani fideles intelligendi sunt. — 48. De his igitur in quibus natura divino sanatur munere, ut in Deum naturaliter credant, quique gratis per fidem justificati, etiam ad bene operandum auxilium gratiae subsequentis accipiunt, Apostolus dicit: Cum enim gentes quae legem non habent, naturaliter quae legis sunt faciunt, ejusmodi legem non habentes ipsi sibi sunt lex, qui ostendunt opus legis scriptum in cordibus suis (Rom. II, 14). Quem quidem Apostoli locum hi QUI GRATIAE CONTRADICUNT gentibus incredulis assignare contendunt, ex hoc videlicet quod etiam illi qui fidei gratiam non recipiunt illa quae ad honestatem morum et humanae societatis vinculum pertinent naturali quadam lege sic servant, ut etiam eos qui illa violare contendunt judiciorum aequitate ac severitate coerceant. Ubi minus attendunt apostolico suam sententiam prorsus enervari sermone, quem superius praemisit dicens: Non enim auditores legis justi sunt apud Deum, sed factores legis justificabuntur (Ibid., 13); justificari autem sine fide neminem posse idem beatus Apostolus ostendit, dicens: Scientes autem quod non justificabitur homo ex

CHAPTER XXV. The Gentiles who by nature do the things of the law are to be understood only as faithful Christians. — 48. Of those, then, in whom nature is healed by the divine gift so that they believe in God by nature, and who, justified freely through faith, receive also the help of subsequent grace for doing well, the Apostle says: For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts (Rom. 2:14–15). This passage of the Apostle those WHO GAINSAY GRACE strive to assign to unbelieving Gentiles, on the ground, namely, that even those who do not receive the grace of faith so keep, by a kind of natural law, the things that pertain to uprightness of conduct and the bond of human society, that they even restrain by the equity and severity of their courts those who strive to violate them. Here they pay too little heed to the fact that their opinion is wholly undone by the apostolic word which he set down earlier, saying: For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified (ibid. 13); and that no one can be justified without faith the same blessed Apostle shows, saying: But knowing that a man is not justified by

Editors' notes and page, col. 481

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 481)

Editi hic addunt quod vivit. Ms. non addit, nec ad sensum requiritur.

The editions add here quod vivit ("that he lives"). The manuscript does not add it, nor is it required for the sense.

(printed under page 246)

(b) ‹anchor: non tamen se putet› · call in col 481

In editis, ut se putet.

In the editions, ut se putet ("that he should think himself").

(printed under page 246)

Sic ms. juxta Graecum textum S. Pauli; editi vero, in Christo Jesu.

So the manuscript, following the Greek text of St Paul; but the editions have in Christo Jesu ("in Christ Jesus").

(printed under page 246)

(d) ‹anchor: not visible› · call not seen in the cropped area (col 481 or 482)

Editi, Paulus ostenderet; sed abest Paulus a ms.

The editions have Paulus ostenderet ("Paul would show"); but Paulus is absent from the manuscript.

(printed under page 246)

Page

running head: 481 EPISTOLA XV… (rest of head beyond this column's image)
marginal letters: A non ex se sed ex anima; B operari, praesentis animae; C 313 Cap. XXV / sunt. — 48. De his igitur (C beside the Cap. XXV heading's end); D culum pertinent naturali
old-edition numerals: 313 before Cap. XXV

PL 65:482

operibus legis, nisi per fidem Jesu Christi: et nos in Christum Jesum credimus, ut justificemur ex fide Christi, et non ex operibus legis. Propter quod ex operibus legis non justificabitur omnis caro (Galat. II, 16). Et paulo post fidei gratiam commendans, per quam vera confertur unicuique justitia, sic ait: Non abjicio gratiam Dei: si enim per legem justitia, ergo gratis Christus mortuus est (Ibid., 21). Item cum patrem nostrum Abraham non ex operibus legis, sed ex fide justificatum assereret, dicens: Sicut Abraham credidit Deo, et reputatum est illi ad justitiam (Galat. III, 6); ut etiam gentes quas semini Abrahae divinus sermo promisit ex fide justificari ostenderet, secutus adjunxit: Cognoscite ergo quia ex fide sunt, hi sunt filii Abrahae. Providens autem Scriptura quia ex fide justificantur gentes, Deus praenuntiavit Abrahae dicens: Quia benedicentur in te omnes gentes (Genes. XII, 3). Igitur qui ex fide sunt, benedicentur cum fideli Abraham (Galat. III, 7, 8, 9). Hunc autem patrem nostrum Abraham non ex operibus, sed ex fide justificatum esse confirmans, alio loco sic loquitur: Si enim Abraham ex operibus justificatus est, habet gloriam, sed non apud Deum. Quid enim Scriptura dicit? Credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est illi ad justitiam (Gen. XV, 6): ei autem qui operatur, merces non imputatur secundum gratiam, sed secundum debitum, ei vero qui non operatur, credenti autem in eum qui justificat impium, reputatur fides ejus ad justitiam (Rom. IV, 2, 3, 4, 5).

the works of the law, but through the faith of Jesus Christ, we too believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law. Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified (Gal. 2:16). And a little later, commending the grace of faith through which true righteousness is conferred on each one, he says thus: I do not cast away the grace of God; for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing (ibid. 21). Again, when he asserted that our father Abraham was justified not by the works of the law but by faith, saying: As Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him unto righteousness (Gal. 3:6); so as to show that the Gentiles too, whom the divine word promised to the seed of Abraham, are justified by faith, he went on to add: Know, then, that those who are of faith, these are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, announced beforehand to Abraham, saying: For in you all nations shall be blessed (Gen. 12:3). So those who are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham (Gal. 3:7–9). And confirming that this our father Abraham was justified not by works but by faith, he speaks thus in another place: For if Abraham was justified by works, he has glory, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him unto righteousness (Gen. 15:6): now to him who works, the wage is not reckoned according to grace but according to debt; but to him who does not work, yet believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned unto righteousness (Rom. 4:2–5).

49. Cum ergo Apostolus de his gentibus loquens quae, naturaliter ea quae legis sunt facientes, ostendunt opus legis scriptum in cordibus suis (Rom. II, 14), de his se loqui testetur qui justificantur, Abraham autem patrem nostrum non ex operibus, sed ex fide justificatum esse commemoret, quis audeat illas in hoc loco gentes accipere quas constat non esse justificatas ex fide, cum ipse testetur Apostolus quia omne quod non est ex fide peccatum est (Rom. XIV, 23), et quia sine fide impossibile est placere Deo (Hebr. XI, 6)? Quod si Abraham ex fide justificatum esse constat, cujus semini gentes Apostolus promissas esse commemorat, quisquis asserit gentes non ex fide, sed ex operibus justificari posse, quid superest, nisi ut eas neget ad Abrahae semen, cui gentes promissae sunt, pertinere? cum Abraham (sicut Apostolus dicit) pater sit omnium credentium per praeputione, ut reputetur et illis ad justitiam (Rom. IV, 11). Quoniam igitur unus Deus, qui justificat circumcisionem ex fide, et praeputium per fidem (Rom. III, 30), Apostolus autem de his qui justificantur se loqui monstravit, cum de gentibus naturaliter quae legis sunt facientibus et opus legis in suo corde habentibus disputaret: ille sensus est veritati conveniens, quod (al. quo) gentes in eodem loco accipiuntur quas Deus fidei dono justificat, et in eo quod eis

49. Since, then, the Apostle, speaking of those Gentiles who, doing by nature the things of the law, show the work of the law written in their hearts (Rom. 2:14–15), testifies that he is speaking of those who are justified, and recalls that our father Abraham was justified not by works but by faith, who would dare to take as the Gentiles in this passage those who are known not to have been justified by faith, when the Apostle himself testifies that all that is not of faith is sin (Rom. 14:23), and that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6)? But if it is established that Abraham was justified by faith, to whose seed the Apostle recalls that the Gentiles were promised, whoever asserts that the Gentiles can be justified not by faith but by works, what is left but that he deny that they belong to the seed of Abraham, to whom the Gentiles were promised? since Abraham (as the Apostle says) is the father of all who believe through uncircumcision, that it may be reckoned to them also unto righteousness (Rom. 4:11). Since, therefore, there is one God, who justifies the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith (Rom. 3:30), and the Apostle showed that he was speaking of those who are justified when he was discussing the Gentiles who by nature do the things of the law and have the work of the law in their heart: that sense accords with the truth by which (al. in which) the Gentiles in that passage are taken to be those whom God justifies by the gift of faith, and in that He grants them

Editors' notes and page, col. 482

Footnotes

(e) ‹anchor: per praeputione› · call in col 482

Sic editi; at ms., pater sit omnium credentium, ut reputetur et illis fides ad justitiam.

So the editions; but the manuscript has pater sit omnium credentium, ut reputetur et illis fides ad justitiam ("he is the father of all who believe, that faith may be reputed to them also unto justice").

(printed under page 246)

Page

running head: …STOLA XVII. 482
marginal letters: A operibus legis, nisi per fidem; B ex fide justificantur gentes; C opus legis scriptum in cordibus suis; D praeputione, ut reputetur
old-edition numerals: 314 after semini

PL 65:483

fidei gratiam tribuit, opus legis suae in eorum cordibus donata justificatione conscribit, ut sine Testamenti Veteris littera per Novi Testamenti gratiam natura renovata opus legis ad hoc scriptum habeat, ut ad populum Dei, non operum praecedentium merito, sed justificationis gratuito munere incipiat pertinere. Quod nobis ore prophetico coelestis dignata est vulgare doctrina, sancto Hieremia dicente: Ecce dies venient (al. veniunt), dicit Dominus, et consummabo super domum Israel, et super domum Juda Testamentum Novum (Jer. XXXI, 31). Et Paulo post: Quia hoc est Testamentum quod disponam domui Israel, post dies istos (al. illos), dicit Dominus, dabo leges meas in corda eorum, et in sensibus eorum superscribam eas, et ero eis in Deum, et ipsi erunt mihi in populum; et non docebit unusquisque proximum suum, et unusquisque fratrem suum dicens: Cognosce Deum: quoniam omnes scient me a majore usque ad minorem eorum, quia propitius ero iniquitatibus eorum, et peccatorum illorum jam non memorabor (Ibid., 33, 34).

the grace of faith, He writes the work of His law in their hearts by the gift of justification, so that without the letter of the Old Testament, nature renewed through the grace of the New Testament may have the work of the law written to this end: that it may begin to belong to the people of God not by the merit of preceding works but by the free gift of justification. This the heavenly teaching has deigned to make known to us by the prophetic mouth, when holy Jeremiah says: Behold, the days will come (another reading: are coming), says the Lord, and I will accomplish upon the house of Israel and upon the house of Judah a New Testament (Jer. 31:31). And a little after: For this is the Testament which I will dispose for the house of Israel after these days (another reading: those days), says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their understandings I will write them over, and I will be to them for God, and they shall be to Me for a people; and each one shall not teach his neighbour, and each one his brother, saying: Know God; for all shall know Me from the greater to the lesser of them, because I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins I will no longer remember (Jer. 31:33–34).

CAP. XXVI. Cognitio Dei sine dilectione nihil prodest. Fides sine caritate potest esse, non prodesse. — 50. Haec autem scientia in qua sic Deus agnoscitur, ut peccatorum remissio divinae propitiationis munere tribuatur, longe alia est ab illa cognitione illorum qui, cognoscentes Deum, non sicut Deum glorificaverunt, aut gratias egerunt, sed evanuerunt in cogitationibus suis; qui dicentes se esse sapientes, stulti facti sunt, et mutaverunt gloriam incorruptibilis Dei in similitudinem imaginis corruptibilis hominis (Rom. I, 21, 22, 23). Isti enim quia sine gratia fidei, quae per caritatem operatur, Deum cognoverunt, ipsa sua cognitione inexcusabiles facti sunt; hi vero qui Deum fidei perceptione cognoscunt, inaccusabiles fiunt. Quis enim accusabit electos Dei (Rom. VIII, 33)? Nemo utique: Diligentibus enim eis Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum (Ibid., 28). Et ideo eos nullus accusat, quia Deus eos secundum propositum praescitos, et praedestinatos, vocatosque justificat, atque glorificat; ut gloriatione legis factorum qua se homo superbus extollit exclusa, per legem fidei, quae per caritatem operatur, qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur (I Cor. I, 31).

CHAPTER XXVI. Knowledge of God without love profits nothing. Faith can exist without charity, but cannot profit. — 50. But this knowledge, in which God is so acknowledged that the remission of sins is granted by the gift of divine propitiation, is far other than that knowledge of those who, knowing God, did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, but became vain in their thoughts; who, calling themselves wise, became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of corruptible man (Rom. 1:21–23). For these, because they knew God without the grace of faith which works through charity, were made inexcusable by their very knowledge; but those who know God by the receiving of faith become unaccusable. For who shall accuse the elect of God (Rom. 8:33)? No one, surely: for to them that love God all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28). And therefore no one accuses them, because God justifies and glorifies them, foreknown according to His purpose, and predestined, and called; so that, the boasting in the law of works by which proud man exalts himself being excluded, through the law of faith which works through charity, he who glories may glory in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:31).

51. Quod si quibusdam cognoscentibus Deum, nec tamen sicut Deum glorificantibus, cognitio illa nihil profuit ad salutem, quomodo hi poterunt justi esse apud Deum, qui sic in suis moribus atque operibus bonitatis aliquid servant, ut hoc ad finem Christianae fidei caritatisque non referant? quibus aliqua quidem bona, quae ad societatis humanae pertinent aequitatem, inesse possunt; sed quia non fide et caritate Dei fiunt, prodesse non possunt. Etenim fieri potest ut quisquam Deum esse credat, qui Deum non diligit; ut autem quisquam Deum diligat

51. But if to some who knew God, and yet did not glorify Him as God, that knowledge was of no profit for salvation, how shall those be able to be just before God who keep something of goodness in their conduct and works in such a way that they do not refer it to the end of Christian faith and charity? Some goods, indeed, which belong to the fairness of human society, can be present in them; but because they are not done in the faith and charity of God, they cannot profit. For it can happen that someone believes God exists who does not love God; but that someone should love God

Editors' notes and page, col. 483

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: quomodo hi poterunt› · call in col 483

Editi, potuerunt. Ms., poterunt.

The editions have potuerunt ("could"). The manuscript, poterunt ("will be able").

(printed under page 247)

(b) ‹anchor: non fide et caritate› · call in col 483

Editi, quia non caritate. Ms., quia non fide et caritate.

The editions have quia non caritate ("because not by charity"). The manuscript, quia non fide et caritate ("because not by faith and charity").

(printed under page 247)

Page

running head: 483 S. FULGENTII EPISCOPI
marginal letters: A fidei gratiam tribuit; B in populum; et non docebit; C 22, 23). Isti enim; D hil profuit ad salutem
old-edition numerals: 315 after humanae

PL 65:484

qui in Deum non credit, fieri nullatenus potest; Quia potest unusquisque credere aliquid esse quod non diligit, diligere vero nemo potest quod esse non credit. Apostolus autem dicit sine caritate fidem, caeteraque bona opera cuiquam prodesse non posse; dicit enim: Si habuero omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferam; et si distribuero in cibos pauperum omnes facultates meas, et tradidero corpus meum ut ardeam, caritatem autem non habeam, nihil mihi prodest (I Cor. XIII, 2, 3). Si ergo opera cum fide sine caritate prodesse non possunt quomodo proderunt opera quae in fide non fiunt? Unde non immerito beatus Apostolus pro Thessalonicensibus orat ut eis Deus impleat omnem voluntatem bonitatis, et opus fidei in virtute (II Thess. I, 11). Nam et in eodem loco, ubi de gentibus legem naturaliter facientibus loquebatur, ante praemiserat dicens: Gloria autem, et honor, et pax omni operanti bonum, Judaeo primum, et Graeco (Rom. II, 10). Quomodo autem infidelibus potest esse gloria, quae non datur nisi justificatis? Quos enim Deus justipcavit, illos et glorificavit (Rom. VIII, 30): Justitia autem Dei fidem Jesu Christi super omnes qui credunt (Rom. III, 22); aut quis honor incredulis dabitur, cum hunc non nisi credentibus tribui beatus Petrus edoceat, dicens: Vobis igitur honor credentibus (I Petr. II, 7)? Vel quomodo erit pax ei qui non est redemptus sanguine Jesu Christi, in quo Deus pacificavit, sive quae in terris sunt (Ephes. I, 10), sive quae in coelis? Ipse est enim pax nostra, qui fecit utraque unum (Ephes. II, 14). Haec autem pax sine caritate et fide Christi non potest possideri, quia justificati ex fide pacem habemus ad Deum per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, per quem et accessum habemus per fidem in gratia ista, in qua stamus et gloriamur in spe gloriae filiorum Dei (Rom. V, 1, 2). Quae spes ideo non confundit, quia caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis (Ibid., 5). Accepimus enim spiritum adoptionis filiorum, in quo clamamus, Abba Pater (Rom. VIII, 16). Ut igitur homines filii Dei fiant, Filium Dei unicum per fidem recipiunt, et ipso donante hanc accipiunt potestatem, ut et in eum credant, et ad numerum filiorum Dei pertineant: Quotquot enim receperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri, his qui credunt in nomine ejus (Joan. I, 12). In eorum cordibus dat legem suam, et in sensibus eorum scribit eam, id est legem fidei, quae inspirata justificat, non legem factorum, quae etiam observatores suos sine dubitatione condemnat.

who does not believe in God can in no way happen; because each one can believe that something exists which he does not love, but no one can love what he does not believe to exist. And the Apostle says that faith and the other good works can profit no one without charity; for he says: If I have all faith, so that I move mountains; and if I distribute all my means for the food of the poor, and deliver my body to be burned, but have not charity, it profits me nothing (1 Cor. 13:2–3). If, then, works with faith cannot profit without charity, how will works profit which are not done in faith? Hence not undeservedly the blessed Apostle prays for the Thessalonians that God may fulfil in them all the will of goodness and the work of faith in power (2 Thess. 1:11). For in the same place too, where he was speaking of the Gentiles who do the law by nature, he had said beforehand: But glory and honour and peace to everyone who works good, to the Jew first, and to the Greek (Rom. 2:10). But how can there be glory for unbelievers, when it is given only to the justified? For those whom God justified, them He also glorified (Rom. 8:30): and the justice of God [is] faith of Jesus Christ upon all who believe (Rom. 3:22); or what honour will be given to unbelievers, when blessed Peter teaches that it is granted only to believers, saying: To you therefore who believe, honour (1 Pet. 2:7)? Or how will there be peace for him who is not redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, in whom God made peace, whether the things that are on earth (Eph. 1:10) or the things that are in heaven? For He is our peace, who has made both one (Eph. 2:14). But this peace cannot be possessed without the charity and faith of Christ, because, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have access by faith into this grace, in which we stand and glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God (Rom. 5:1–2). And this hope does not confound, because the charity of God is poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Rom. 5:5). For we have received the spirit of adoption of sons, in which we cry, Abba, Father (Rom. 8:16). So, that men may become sons of God, they receive through faith the only Son of God, and by His gift they receive this power, both to believe in Him and to belong to the number of the sons of God: For as many as received Him, He gave them power to become sons of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1:12). In their hearts He puts His law, and in their understandings He writes it: that is, the law of faith, which, being inspired, justifies; not the law of works, which without doubt condemns even those who observe it.

CAP. XXVII. Lex factorum, quae naturaliter esse potest in cordibus infidelium, ab impietate non liberat. — 52. Nam illa quae lex factorum est, quae hominem justificare non potest, quia ex operibus legis non justificabitur omnis caro, potest quidem naturaliter esse et in corde gentium et in corde infidelium Judaeorum

CHAPTER XXVII. The law of works, which can exist by nature in the hearts of unbelievers, does not set free from ungodliness. — 52. For that which is the law of works, which cannot justify a man, because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified, can indeed exist by nature both in the heart of the Gentiles and in the heart of unbelieving Jews,

Editors' notes and page, col. 484

Footnotes

In edd., quos spes ideo, etc.

In the editions, quos spes ideo ("whom hope therefore"), etc.

(printed under page 247)

(d) ‹anchor: hanc accipiunt› · call in col 484

In excusis habetur accipiunt a Domino. in ms., non habetur a Domino, melius quidem: quia cum dicitur ipso donante accipiunt, frustra additur a Domino.

In the printed editions there is accipiunt a Domino ("they receive from the Lord"); in the manuscript a Domino is not found, and better indeed: for when it is said ipso donante accipiunt ("they receive, he giving it"), a Domino is added to no purpose.

(printed under page 247)

(e) ‹anchor: observatores suos› · call in col 484 (the note is printed with the letter (c))

Ms., factores suos.

The manuscript has factores suos ("its doers").

(printed under page 247)

Page

running head: EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 484
marginal letters: A ligat qui in Deum non credit; B de gentibus legem naturaliter; C fide Christi non potest possideri; D fidei, quae inspirata justificat
old-edition numerals: (none)

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quae tamen sine fide Christi nullatenus justificat sectatores suos, sed eos tenet vinculo impietatis obstrictos. Haec utique fuit in corde Pauli, quando fuit incredulus, secundum aemulationem persequens Ecclesiam Dei, et secundum justitiam, quae in lege est, conversatus sine querela (Rom. †III, 20). Quam tamen quia ex Deo non habuit, ideo dicit: Quae mihi fuerunt lucra, haec arbitratus sum propter Christum detrimenta: verumtamen existimo omnia detrimentum esse propter eminentem scientiam Jesu Christi Domini mei, propter quem omnia detrimentum feci et arbitror ut stercora, ut Christum lucrifaciam et inveniar in illo non habens meam justitiam, quae ex lege est, sed illam quae est ex fide Christi, quae ex Deo justitia ex fide ad cognoscendum illum (Philip. III, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

which nevertheless without the faith of Christ in no way justifies its followers, but holds them bound by the chain of ungodliness. This certainly was in the heart of Paul when he was an unbeliever, persecuting the Church of God according to zeal, and, according to the justice which is in the law, living without complaint (Phil. 3:6; Migne wrongly gives Rom. III, 20). Yet because he did not have this from God, he therefore says: The things that were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ; nay more, I count all things to be loss for the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as dung, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own justice, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ, the justice which is from God by faith, unto knowing Him (Phil. 3:6–10).

53. Quis non his verbis apostolicis videat justitiam quae ex lege est esse ex homine, justitiam vero quae ex fide Christi est non esse nisi ex Deo? Illa est igitur justitia per quam impius erigitur ut cadat in poenam, ista autem est per quam justificatus humiliatur ut exaltetur ad gloriam. Ideo cum in illa quae ex lege est sine querela conversaretur Apostolus, fuisse se impium non negat, dicens: Ut quid enim Christus cum adhuc infirmi essemus secundum tempus pro impiis mortuus est (Rom. V, 6)? Inimicum quoque Dei se fuisse veraciter confitetur dicens: Si enim, cum inimici essemus, reconciliati sumus Deo per mortem Filii ejus, multo magis reconciliati salvi erimus in vita ipsius ab ira per ipsum (Ibid., 10). Quid ergo prodesset Paulo sine cognitione Christi illam quae in lege factorum est, servare justitiam: cum ipse Salvator noster Judaeis dicat: Nisi cognoveritis quia ego sum, moriemini in peccatis vestris (Joan. VIII, 24)? Ergo quia justitiam quae est ex fide Christi ad cognoscendum illum esse testatur Apostolus, manifestum est legem fidei esse quam se Deus in corde suorum scripturum esse promisit. Quod ejusdem tenor evidenter ostendit. Ibi enim dicit Deus: Et non docebit unusquisque proximum suum, et unusquisque fratrem suum, dicens: Cognosce Dominum, quia omnes scient me a minore usque ad majorem eorum (Jer. XXXI, 34).

53. Who does not see from these apostolic words that the justice which is of the law is from man, but the justice which is of the faith of Christ is from none but God? That, then, is the justice by which the ungodly man is lifted up that he may fall into punishment; but this is the justice by which the justified man is humbled that he may be exalted to glory. Therefore, though the Apostle lived without complaint in that justice which is of the law, he does not deny that he was ungodly, saying: For why did Christ, when we were still weak, at the appointed time die for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6)? He also truthfully confesses that he was an enemy of God, saying: For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved in His life from wrath through Him (Rom. 5:10). What then would it have profited Paul to keep, without the knowledge of Christ, that justice which is in the law of works, when our Saviour Himself says to the Jews: Unless you know that I am, you will die in your sins (John 8:24)? Since, therefore, the Apostle testifies that the justice which is of the faith of Christ is unto knowing Him, it is plain that it is the law of faith which God promised He would write in the heart of His own. And the drift of the same passage shows this clearly. For there God says: And each one shall not teach his neighbour, and each one his brother, saying: Know the Lord; for all shall know Me from the lesser to the greater of them (Jer. 31:34).

54. Haec est lex, quam Deus scribit in cordibus eorum omnium, non per conditionem naturae, sed per largitatem gratiae; non per liberum arbitrium hominis, sed per ministerium evangelicae praedicationis; non in lapide per litteram Veteris Testamenti, sed in corde per Spiritum Dei vivi. Quod beatus Paulus evidenter insinuat dicens: Epistola estis Christi ministrata a nobis, et scripta non atramento, sed Spiritu Dei vivi; non in tabulis lapideis, sed in tabulis cordis carnalibus (II Cor. III, 3). Hoc ergo Deus scribit in cordibus hominum per Spiritum suum, quod exinde diaboli delevit invidia, per quam mors intravit in orbem terrarum. Scribit itaque legem fidei, per quam justificat

54. This is the law which God writes in the hearts of them all, not through the condition of nature but through the bounty of grace; not through man's free will but through the ministry of the preaching of the Gospel; not on stone through the letter of the Old Testament but in the heart through the Spirit of the living God. This blessed Paul plainly suggests when he says: You are a letter of Christ, ministered by us, and written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone but on fleshly tablets of the heart (2 Cor. 3:3). This, then, God writes in men's hearts through His Spirit, which the envy of the devil had thence erased, through which death entered into the world. So He writes the law of faith, through which He justifies

Editors' notes and page, col. 485

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: …rum (a) quae tamen› · call in col 485, on the first line of the column, after the tail of the word split from col 484 (set whole there) (the note is printed with the letter (c); it stands first, before (b))

Sic ms. At editi, et in corde gentilium, et in corde fidelium Judaeorum.

So the manuscript. But the editions have et in corde gentilium, et in corde fidelium Judaeorum ("both in the heart of the gentiles and in the heart of faithful Jews").

(printed under page 248)

(b) ‹anchor: ministrata a nobis› · call in col 485

Ms., ministratu per nos.

The manuscript has ministratu per nos ("by ministry through us").

(printed under page 248)

Page

running head: 485 EPISTOLA XVII.
marginal letters: A rum quae tamen sine fide; B 53. Quis non his verbis; C torum est, servare justitiam; D non in lapide per litteram
old-edition numerals: 316 after sectatores

PL 65:486

gentes Deus, ut dando gratiam renovet naturam. Caritatem quippe, quae plenitudo est legis (Rom. XIII, 10), ad hoc per Spiritum suum diffundit, ut faciat impleri quod praecipit, et illuminationis gratiam per spiritum fidei propterea largitur, ut quod Deo placitum est, fides per caritatem operetur. Quae quamdiu in homine non est, quidquid sine lege fidei per legem naturalem scriptum remansit in homine operantem nullatenus salvat, quia neminem Deus sine fide justificat, nec potest operanti salutem acquirere, quia sine fide impossibile est placere Deo (Hebr. XI, 6). Nemo ergo naturali legi conetur assignare legem quam Deus non condendo naturam, sed donando gratiam in corde gentium scribit. Haec est enim lex, non qua homo societatis humanae vinculum etiam sine fide custodit, sed per quam credendo Deum cognoscit et diligit; non per quam sibi etiam bona opera vel ipsam fidem quisque superbus vindicat, sed qua Deo in se misericorditer operanti tam fidem suam quam bona opera subjectus assignat: haec enim cor hominis ita componit et dirigit, ut cum homo praecepta Dei audit, id donari sibi quod praecipitur poscat, et cum in fide operatur, gratia Dei se jugiter adjuvari non ambigat.

the Gentiles, so that by giving grace He may renew nature. For charity, which is the fullness of the law (Rom. 13:10), He pours out through His Spirit to this end, that He may cause what He commands to be fulfilled; and He bestows the grace of illumination through the spirit of faith for this reason, that faith may work through charity what is pleasing to God. So long as this is not in a man, whatever has remained written in man by the natural law, without the law of faith, in no way saves the one who works, because God justifies no one without faith, nor can it gain salvation for the one who works, because without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Let no one, then, try to assign to the natural law the law which God writes in the heart of the Gentiles, not by founding nature but by giving grace. For this is the law, not that by which a man keeps the bond of human society even without faith, but that through which, by believing, he knows and loves God; not that through which any proud man claims for himself even his good works or faith itself, but that by which, made subject, he ascribes both his faith and his good works to God working mercifully in him: for this law so orders and directs a man's heart that, when he hears God's commands, he asks that what is commanded be given him, and when he works in faith, he does not doubt that he is continually helped by the grace of God.

CAP. XXVIII. Quod Deus non faciat omnes credere velle, pertinet ad secreta ejus judicia. — 55. Quod autem interrogant isti de Deo dicentes: Cur ergo non fecit omnes homines velle credere, cum non sit personarum acceptio apud Deum? scire debent hoc in illis altioribus positum a quibus sancta Scriptura humanae curiositatis coercet audaciam dicens Altiora te ne quaesieris et fortiora te ne scrutatus fueris, sed quae praecepit tibi Deus, illa cogita semper (Eccli. III, 22). Haec altiora ille qui usque in tertium coelum raptus est, eo magis territus quo magis illuminatus, expavit. Unde magis clamare non cessat. O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae et scientiae Dei! Quam incomprehensibilia sunt judicia ejus et investigabiles viae ejus! Quis enim cognovit sensum Domini? aut quis consiliarius ejus fuit? aut quis prior dedit illi, et retribuetur ei? quoniam ex ipso, et per ipsum, et in ipso sunt omnia: ipsi gloria in saecula (Rom. XI, 33, 34 et seq.). Sat est ergo nobis, et in his qui salvantur, gratuitam Dei misericordiam, et in his qui condemnantur veram Dei justitiam sine dubitatione credere, et corde contrito atque humiliato misericordiam Domino judiciumque cantare (Psal. C, 1), qui et in vasis irae atque aptatis in interitum ostendit justitiae suae nullam iniquitatem placere, et demonstrat in vasis misericordiae quia potest ejus bonitas omnia quibus voluerit peccata dimittere.

CHAPTER XXVIII. That God does not make all men will to believe belongs to His secret judgements. — 55. As for what these men ask about God, saying: Why then did He not make all men will to believe, since there is no respect of persons with God? they ought to know that this is set among those higher things from which holy Scripture restrains the boldness of human curiosity, saying: Seek not things higher than you, and search not into things stronger than you, but the things that God has commanded you, think on them always (Ecclus. 3:22). These higher things he who was caught up even to the third heaven dreaded, the more terrified the more he was enlightened. Hence he does not cease to cry out the more: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgements and unsearchable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been His counsellor? or who first gave to Him, and it shall be repaid him? For from Him, and through Him, and in Him are all things: to Him be glory for ever (Rom. 11:33–36). It is enough for us, then, to believe without doubting the free mercy of God in those who are saved, and the true justice of God in those who are condemned, and with a contrite and humbled heart to sing mercy and judgement to the Lord (Ps. 100:1), who both shows in the vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction, that no iniquity pleases His justice, and demonstrates in the vessels of mercy that His goodness can forgive all sins to whom He will.

CAP. XXIX. Falluntur qui existimant divinam voluntatem aequaliter se habere erga salvandos et damnandos. — 56. Illud vero Apostolicum ubi dicitur de Deo: Qui vult omnes homines salvos fieri, et ad agnitionem veritatis

CHAPTER XXIX. They are deceived who think that the divine will stands equally towards those to be saved and those to be damned. — 56. But that apostolic saying where it is said of God: Who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth

Editors' notes and page, col. 486

Footnotes

Sic ms.; Basil. vero, arcet audaciam. Ant. et Lov., exercet.

So the manuscript; but the Basel edition has arcet audaciam ("wards off the boldness"); the Antwerp and Louvain editions, exercet ("exercises").

(printed under page 248)

(d) ‹anchor: peccata dimittere› · call in col 486

Ms., et in vasis misericordiae, qua postestatis ejus bonitas omnia quibus voluerit peccata valet dimittere.

The manuscript has et in vasis misericordiae, qua potestatis ejus bonitas omnia quibus voluerit peccata valet dimittere ("and in the vessels of mercy, by which [it shows that] the goodness of his power is able to forgive all sins to whom he will"); postestatis as printed.

(printed under page 248)

Page

running head: [EP]ISTOLA XVII. 486
marginal letters: A ficat gentes Deus; B Deum cognoscit et diligit; C Altiora te ne quaesieris; D mino judiciumque cantare
old-edition numerals: 317 after quia

PL 65:487

venire (I Tim. II, 4), non sicut oportet intelligunt, qui hanc Dei voluntatem, sicut in vasis misericordiae, sic et in vasis irae accipiendam existimant minus considerantes veracissimam Scripturae sententiam, quae divinae commendans omnipotentiam voluntatis: Omnia (inquit) quaecunque voluit fecit, in coelo et in terra, in mari et in omnibus abyssis (Psal. CXXXIV, 6); ipsique Deo rursus dicit: Subest enim tibi cum voles, posse (Sap. XII, 18). Quomodo igitur omnia quae vult facit, si volens hominem salvum fieri, cujus salus non nisi a bona incipit voluntate, ipsum velle non in homine Deus inchoat, sed ut ab homine nascatur exspectat? O quam pessimum nefas asseritur, dum gratiae Dei contumaciter repugnatur! et homines opere Dei se in bonum mutari negant, qui homines non essent, nisi bonitate Dei operantis existerent. Itane vero rerum ordo credi putarive permittit, ut Deus, qui creator est hominis, valeat hominem facere, non mutare; et qui nullius eget adjutorio ut hominem faciat, operari tamen quod vult in hominis voluntate non possit priusquam in homine ipsum velle repererit; et ut sit homo, habeat ex Deo, ut autem melior sit, habeat ex seipso; ac sic voluntatem bonitatis qua in Deum creditur, non divina bonitas, sed humana pravitas operetur? Pravus est enim omnis homo, priusquam in Deum credat; et quia scriptum est: Erunt parva in directa (Psa. XL, 4), ex pravo fit homo rectus, ex infideli fidelis efficitur. Igitur si Deus pravae voluntati bonitatem non tribuit, sed ut ex se ipsa bona fiat exspectat, potest ergo prava voluntas ex se bonitatem gignere, ita ut cum ex Deo habeat ut sit, non nisi ex se habere possit ut bona sit; ac sic (al. ac si) omnipotens et bonus de voluntatibus hominum malis bonum possit operari cum velit, ut autem ipsae voluntates bonae sint, velit quidem, facere autem nullatenus possit.

(1 Tim. 2:4), is not understood as it ought to be by those who think this will of God is to be taken as holding for the vessels of wrath just as for the vessels of mercy, paying too little heed to the most truthful sentence of Scripture, which, commending the omnipotence of the divine will, says: All things whatsoever He willed He has done, in heaven and on earth, in the sea and in all the deeps (Ps. 134:6); and again says to God Himself: For it is in Your power, when You will, to be able (Wis. 12:18). How then does He do all things that He wills, if, willing a man to be saved, whose salvation begins only from a good will, God does not begin that very willing in the man, but waits for it to be born from the man? O how very wicked an impiety is asserted, when the grace of God is stubbornly resisted! and men deny that they are changed for the good by the work of God, who would not be men unless they came into being by the goodness of God at work. Does the order of things, then, really permit it to be believed or thought that God, who is the creator of man, is able to make a man but not to change him; and that He who needs no one's help to make a man nevertheless cannot work what He wills in a man's will until He has found the willing itself in the man; and that a man has it from God that he exists, but has it from himself that he is better; and so that the will of goodness by which one believes in God is worked not by the divine goodness but by human crookedness? For every man is crooked before he believes in God; and because it is written: The crooked shall become straight (Isa. 40:4), from crooked a man is made upright, from an unbeliever he is made a believer. If, then, God does not give goodness to a crooked will, but waits for it to become good of itself, then a crooked will can beget goodness of itself, so that, while it has from God that it exists, it can have only from itself that it is good; and so the almighty and good One could work good out of men's evil wills when He pleased, but that the wills themselves should be good, He would indeed will, yet could in no way bring about.

57. Quis enim nesciat malae voluntatis fuisse Paulum cum persequeretur Ecclesiam Dei et expugnaret illam? cujus tamen malitia bene usus est Deus, quando persequente Saulo beatus Stephanus est martyrio coronatus. Ergone potuit Deus Stephanum coronare per Sauli persecutoris infidelitatem, et persecutorem Saulum Deus convertere nequivit ad fidem? Ergone Paulus prior voluntatem suam Deo dedit, et sic Deus fidem Paulo volenti retribuit? Et ubi est quod ipse dicit: Quis prior dedit illi, et retribuetur ei (Rom. XI, 35)? Quod utique non dixisset, si a se voluntatem Deo datam, et a Deo sibi fidem cognosceret retributam. Hanc itaque amentiam, et a fidelibus suis arceat, et ab infidelibus Deus auferat. Ille enim tam profana cogitatione polluitur, cui gratia, vel obdurato non datur, vel ingrato aufertur. Deus enim convertens vivificat quos vult salvos fieri; Deus voluntates hominum mutat, ut esse bonae incipiant Ideo scriptum est: Et dixi, nunc coepi, haec est mutatio dexterae Excelsi (Psal. LXXVI, 11). Prophetae

57. For who does not know that Paul was of an evil will when he was persecuting the Church of God and laying it waste? Yet God made good use of his malice when, as Saul persecuted, blessed Stephen was crowned with martyrdom. Could God, then, crown Stephen through the unbelief of Saul the persecutor, and was God unable to convert Saul the persecutor to the faith? Did Paul, then, first give his will to God, and so God repaid faith to Paul because he willed it? And where is what he himself says: Who first gave to Him, and it shall be repaid him (Rom. 11:35)? He would surely not have said this if he knew that his will had been given by himself to God, and faith repaid to him by God. Let God, then, both keep this madness away from His faithful and take it away from the unfaithful. For he is defiled by so profane a thought to whom grace is either not given, because he is hardened, or taken away, because he is ungrateful. For God, converting them, gives life to those whom He wills to be saved; God changes the wills of men, so that they begin to be good. Therefore it is written: And I said, Now I have begun; this is the change of the right hand of the Most High (Ps. 76:11). The prophet's

Editors' notes and page, col. 487

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 487)

Editi, permittitur.

The editions have permittitur ("is permitted").

(printed under page 249)

(b) ‹anchor: bonitatem non tribuit› · call in col 487

Sic Basil. At Lov. et Ant., bonam non tribuit, supple voluntatem.

So the Basel edition. But the Louvain and Antwerp editions have bonam non tribuit ("does not grant [it] good"); supply voluntatem ("will").

(printed under page 249)

Ms., Saulo; editi, Paulo.

The manuscript has Saulo ("Saul"); the editions, Paulo ("Paul").

(printed under page 249)

(d) ‹anchor: haec est mutatio› · call in col 487

Ms., Haec mutatio.

The manuscript has Haec mutatio ("This change").

(printed under page 249)

(e) ‹anchor: not visible› · call not seen in the cropped area (col 488)

Sic editi,; at ms., Sicut in vasis misericordiae, sic et in vasis irae accipiendam asserunt.

So the editions; but the manuscript has Sicut in vasis misericordiae, sic et in vasis irae accipiendam asserunt ("they assert that it must be taken in the vessels of wrath just as in the vessels of mercy").

(printed under page 249)

Page

running head: 487 S. FULGENTII EPISCOPI
marginal letters: A tatis venire (I Tim.; B nes non essent, nisi bonitate; C cum ex Deo habeat ut sit; D se voluntatem Deo datam
old-edition numerals: 318 after adjutorio

PL 65:488

sensus aperto sermone se praebuit agnoscendum, qui utique non posteaquam coepit, sed hoc ipsum quod coepit, mutationem dexterae Excelsi esse non tacuit. Proinde hi qui voluntatem Dei quia omnes homines vult salvos fieri, aequalem circa redimendos et damnandos existimant, cum interrogati fuerint cur velit Deus omnes homines salvos fieri, nec tamen omnes salvi fiant, quid respondebunt?

mind showed itself in plain speech to be recognized, for he did not keep silent that, not after he had begun, but the very fact that he had begun, was the change of the right hand of the Most High. Accordingly, those who think that the will of God, by which He wills all men to be saved, is equal towards those to be redeemed and those to be damned, when they are asked why God wills all men to be saved and yet not all are saved, what will they answer?

CAP. XXX. Bonam voluntatem hominis non exspectat Deus, sed tribuit. Salus gratuita adultis sicut parvulis Cruciatus infantium. — 58. An illud quod vestra eos dicere testatur epistola; id est, quia Deus exspectat hominis voluntatem, ut aequum sit in volentibus praemium, in nolentibus autem justa damnatio? Sed ut prolixitatem vitantes omittamus alia quae possunt pro veritate fidei huic pravae sententiae replicari, interim testimonio convincantur atque confundantur non loquentium hominum, sed tacentium parvulorum, in quibus ad evacuandam sapientiam verbi multum resplendet virtus crucis Christi, quae gratis in omnibus hominibus propria utentibus voluntate eamdem salutem a se ostendit fieri, quam in infantibus nullam voluntatem habentibus dignatur operari. In eis namque nec bona voluntas est ut aequum sit in volentibus praemium; nec mala, ut sit in nolentibus justa damnatio. Si ergo ad salvandos homines, sicut isti volunt, non excitat neque mutat, sed exspectat hominum voluntates; quomodo infantibus qui baptizantur, et in eadem infantia moriuntur, donat aeternam salutem, quorum bonam nec exspectat nec invenit voluntatem? Item alios quomodo sine baptismate mortuos aeternis cruciatibus damnat, cum in eis nullam culpam malae voluntatis inveniat?

CHAPTER XXX. God does not wait for man's good will, but gives it. Salvation is free for adults as for little ones. The torment of infants. — 58. Or will they answer what your letter testifies that they say: that is, that God waits for man's will, so that there may be a fair reward in those who will and a just damnation in those who do not will? But that, avoiding prolixity, we may pass over the other things that can be answered to this crooked opinion on behalf of the truth of the faith, let them meanwhile be refuted and confounded by the testimony not of men who speak but of little ones who are silent, in whom, to make void the wisdom of the word, there shines out greatly the power of the cross of Christ, which shows that the same salvation comes about from itself freely in all men who use their own will as it deigns to work in infants who have no will at all. For in them there is neither a good will, that there should be a fair reward in those who will, nor a bad one, that there should be a just damnation in those who do not will. If, then, for saving men He does not, as these men would have it, rouse or change men's wills but waits for them, how does He give eternal salvation to infants who are baptized and die in that same infancy, whose good will He neither waits for nor finds? Again, how does He condemn to eternal torments others who have died without baptism, when He finds in them no fault of an evil will?

59. Nonne istos inimicos gratiae Dei, nec defensores humani, sed deceptores arbitrii, ad hoc sua perversitas cogit, ut Deum putent iniquum in obitu omnium parvulorum, ubi nulla interveniente vel bonitate, vel malitia voluntatis, alios vident potiri regno, alios interminabili deputatos incendio? Poinde si ita est ut ipsi sentiunt, nullus debet parvulus mori priusquam ad aetatem perveniat in qua possit vel bonam voluntatem habere, vel malam; ut Deus nec baptizatos parvulos sine bona voluntate salvet, neque non baptizatos sine mala voluntate condemnet. Si enim Dei bonitas salutem non incipit hominis operari, nisi bonam ejus invenerit volutatem, iniquum erit eum vel damnari vel redimi, qui bene nec velle, nec nolle potuerit. Sed non est iniquitas apud Deum (II Paralip. XIX, 7). cujus universae viae misericordia et veritas (Psal. XXIV, 10).

59. Does not their own perversity drive these enemies of the grace of God, not defenders but deceivers of human choice, to this: that they think God unjust in the death of all little ones, where, with no goodness or malice of the will intervening, they see some gain the kingdom and others assigned to unending fire? Accordingly, if it is as they themselves think, no little one ought to die before he reaches the age at which he can have either a good will or a bad one; so that God may neither save baptized little ones without a good will nor condemn the unbaptized without a bad will. For if the goodness of God does not begin to work a man's salvation unless it has found his will good, it will be unjust for him either to be damned or to be redeemed who could neither will well nor refuse. But there is no iniquity with God (2 Chr. 19:7), all whose ways are mercy and truth (Ps. 24:10).

60. Igitur quia Deum justum bonumque catholica veraciter credit et confitetur Ecclesia, certissimo credendum est et fiducialiter confitendum unam eamdemque Dei gratiam in majoribus salvandis operari bonae voluntatis initium, qnae in parvulis sine voluntate operatur salvationis effectum. Ipsa gratia

60. Therefore, since the Catholic Church truly believes and confesses God to be just and good, it is to be believed most certainly and confessed with confidence that one and the same grace of God works the beginning of a good will in older people who are to be saved, which in little ones works without the will the effect of salvation. That same grace

Editors' notes and page, col. 488

Page

running head: EPISCOPI RUSPENSIS 488
marginal letters: A sensus aperto sermone; B pro veritate fidei huic; C voluntatem? Item alios; D erit eum vel damnari
old-edition numerals: 319 after nullam

PL 65:489

infantes neque volentes, neque nolentes redimit, quae majores illuminando volentes ex nolentibus facit. Et hoc in parvulis salutis opus sine propriae voluntatis assensu gratia Dei operante perficitur, quod bonae voluntatis exordio divinitus dato in majoribus inchoatur, ut opere solius gratiae voluntas quae mala fuit bona fiat, et deinceps gratiae secum operanti servitium obedientiae cooperatricis exhibeat. Sic autem Deus crudelis non est in infantibus damnandis quibus baptismatis beneficium non tribuit, sicut injustus non est in majoribus, quibus bonam non donat voluntatem. Et sicut illos voluntas sua mala, sic istos jure puniri facit origo damnata. Deus autem in hominibus nec maculam vitiatae originis, nec malitiam condidit propriae voluntatis. In hominibus igitur quos salvat, voluntatem bonam non invenit, sed sicut aetatum exigit diversitas, aut in majoribus bonam voluntatem gratis facit quam invenit malam, aut sine voluntate hominis vel bona vel mala, perficit in parvulis gratiam sacramenti, ille cujus nemo potest bonae resistere voluntati.

redeems infants who neither will nor refuse, which by enlightening older people makes them willing from unwilling. And this work of salvation is accomplished in little ones, without the assent of their own will, by the working of God's grace, which in older people is begun by the beginning of a good will given from God, so that by the work of grace alone the will which was evil becomes good, and thereafter renders to grace working with it the service of a co-operating obedience. And thus God is not cruel in condemning infants to whom He does not grant the benefit of baptism, just as He is not unjust in older people to whom He does not give a good will. And as their own evil will makes the latter justly punished, so a condemned origin makes the former. But God did not create in men either the stain of a vitiated origin or the malice of their own will. In the men, therefore, whom He saves He does not find a good will; but, as the difference of ages requires, either in older people He freely makes good the will which He finds evil, or without the will of the man, whether good or evil, He accomplishes in little ones the grace of the sacrament: He whose good will no one can resist.

CAPUT. XXXI. Quos omnes homines Deus vult salvos fieri. Per omnes homines non semper totum genus humanum intelligitur. — 61. Quocirca illos omnes quos Deus vult salvos fieri, sic intelligere debemus, ut nec aliquem putemus salvum fieri posse nisi voluntate Dei, nec existimemus voluntatem omnipotentis Dei, aut in aliquo non impleri, aut aliquatenus impediri. Omnes enim quos Deus vult salvos fieri, sine dubitatione salvantur, nec possunt salvari, nisi quos Deus vult salvos fieri, nec est quisquam quem Deus salvari velit qui (al. et) non salvetur: quia Deus noster omnia quaecunque voluit fecit (Psal. CXXXIV, 6). Ipsi omnes utique salvi fiunt, quos omnes vult salvos fieri: quia haec salus non illis ex humana voluntate nascitur, sed ex Dei bona voluntate praestatur. Verumtamen in his omnibus hominibus quos Deus vult salvos facere non totum omnino genus significatur hominum, sed omnium universitas salvandorum. Ideo autem omnes dicti sunt, quia ex omnibus hominibus omnes istos divina bonitas salvat, id est, ex omni gente, conditione, aetate, ex omni lingua, ex omni provincia. In his omnibus ille sermo nostri Redemptoris impletur, quo ait: Cum exaltatus fuero a terra, omnia traham ad meipsum (Joan. XII, 32). Quod non ideo dixit, quia omnes omnino trahit, sed quia nemo salvus fit, nisi quem ipse traxerit. Nam et alibi dicit: Nemo potest venire ad me, nisi Pater, qui misit me, traxerit eum (Joan. VI, 37). Item alibi: Omne quod dedit mihi Pater ad me veniet. Hi ergo sunt omnes quos vult Deus salvos fieri et ad agnitionem veritatis venire.

CHAPTER XXXI. Who are the "all men" whom God wills to be saved. By "all men" the whole human race is not always to be understood. — 61. Wherefore we ought so to understand all those whom God wills to be saved that we neither think anyone can be saved except by the will of God, nor suppose that the will of almighty God is either not fulfilled in some case or in some measure hindered. For all whom God wills to be saved are without doubt saved, and none can be saved except those whom God wills to be saved; nor is there anyone whom God wills to be saved who (another reading: and) is not saved: for our God has done all things whatsoever He willed (Ps. 134:6). All those, surely, are saved, all of whom He wills to be saved: for this salvation is not born in them from the human will but is bestowed from the good will of God. Yet in these "all men" whom God wills to save, it is not the whole race of men altogether that is meant, but the whole company of all who are to be saved. And they are called "all" because from all men the divine goodness saves all these: that is, from every nation, condition and age, from every tongue, from every province. In all these is fulfilled that word of our Redeemer in which He says: When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to Myself (John 12:32). He did not say this because He draws absolutely all, but because no one is saved unless He has drawn him. For elsewhere too He says: No one can come to Me unless the Father, who sent Me, draws him (John 6:37). Again elsewhere: All that the Father has given Me shall come to Me. These, then, are the "all" whom God wills to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

62. Est autem familiare divinis eloquiis ut omnes nonnunquam dicant, nec tamen omne humanum genus in ipsis omnibus semper intelligi debere commoneant; sicut est illud quod dicit Dominus per

62. Now it is usual in the divine utterances that they sometimes say "all", and yet do not give notice that the whole human race is always to be understood in that "all"; as is that which the Lord says through

Editors' notes and page, col. 489

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 489)

Editi, cum bonam non donat voluntatem.

The editions have cum bonam non donat voluntatem ("when he does not give a good will").

(printed under page 250)

(b) ‹anchor: nisi voluntate Dei› · call in col 489

Sic ms.; edd. autem, salvari posse nisi volente Deo.

So the manuscript; but the editions have salvari posse nisi volente Deo ("can be saved except by God's willing it").

(printed under page 250)

Editi, super illos homines. Ms., omnes.

The editions have super illos homines ("upon those men"). The manuscript, omnes ("all").

(printed under page 250)

Page

running head: 489 EPISTOLA X[VII.]
marginal letters: A tia infantes neque volentes; B bonam non invenit, sed sicut; C salvari velit qui (al. et); D salvus fit, nisi quem ipse
old-edition numerals: 320 after salvos

PL 65:490

prophetam Johel: In novissimis diebus effundam de Spiritu meo super omnem carnem (Joel. II, †28). Quod in centum viginti hominibus in quos Spiritus sanctus linguis igneis venit factum beatus Petrus ostendit. Si ergo hic omnem carnem omnes omnino putaverimus homines intelligi, incipiet (quod absit) mendax aestimari sermo divinus. Est autem Deus verax, et eloquia Domini eloquia casta (Rom. III, 4; Psal. XI, 7). Super omnem igitur carnem sicut se Deus effusurum de spiritu suo repromisit, sic fecit, sic facit, sic usque in finem saeculi facturus est. Prorsus super omnem carnem, id est super omnes homines effundit de Spiritu suo, scilicet super illos omnes quos vult salvos fieri.

the prophet Joel: In the last days I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28). That this was done in the hundred and twenty men upon whom the Holy Spirit came in tongues of fire, blessed Peter showed. If, then, we should think that here by "all flesh" absolutely all men are meant, the divine word will begin (God forbid) to be thought a liar. But God is true, and the words of the Lord are pure words (Rom. 3:4; Ps. 11:7). As God promised that He would pour out of His Spirit upon all flesh, so He did, so He does, so He will do even to the end of the world. Indeed upon all flesh, that is, upon all men, He pours out of His Spirit: that is to say, upon all those whom He wills to be saved.

63. Et ut qui sint omnes isti plenius noverimus, ejusdem beati Petri sermonibus auscultemus, qui illam praedicationem suam sancto spiritu repletus hac exhortatione conclusit: Poenitentiam (inquit) agite, et baptizetur unusquisque vestrum in nomine Jesu Christi in remissionem peccatorum vestrorum et accipietis donum Spiritus sancti: vobis enim est repromissio et filiis vestris, et omnibus qui longe sunt, quoscunque advocaverit Dominus Deus noster (Act. II, 38, 39). Omnes itaque dixit, sed quoscunque Dominus advocaverit. Quos etiam beatus Paulus secundum propositum vocatos insinuat, qui alio quoque loco ait, conclusisse Deum omnia in incredulitate, ut omnium misereatur (Rom. XI, 32). Et tamen Deus non ita omnium omnimo miseretur quos in incredulitate conclusit, ut omnibus infidelibus gratiam fidei misericorditer donet, cum tamen eamdem gratiam fidei non infidelibus Deus misericors donet, sed illis procul dubio de quibus ad Moysen dicit: Miserebor cui misereor, et misericordiam praestabo cujus miserebor (Exod. XXXIII, 19). Gratiam igitur voluntariae donationis ostendit, sicut Dominus suis dignatus est loqui discipulis: Vobis datum est nosse mysterium regni coelorum, illis autem non est datum (Matth. XIII, 11); item dicit: Qui potest capere capiat (Matth. XIX, 13). Sed (al. sic) ut ipsam capacitatem divina doceret largitate concedi, alio loco ait: Non omnes capiunt hoc verbum, sed quibus datum est (Ibid., 11).

63. And that we may know more fully who these "all" are, let us listen to the words of the same blessed Peter, who, filled with the Holy Spirit, concluded that preaching of his with this exhortation: Do penance (he says), and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit: for the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call (Acts 2:38–39). So he said "all", but "whomsoever the Lord shall call". These blessed Paul also suggests are called according to purpose, who in another place too says that God has shut up all things in unbelief, that He may have mercy on all (Rom. 11:32). And yet God does not so have mercy on absolutely all whom He has shut up in unbelief as to give the grace of faith mercifully to all unbelievers, since the merciful God gives that same grace of faith not to unbelievers but, beyond doubt, to those of whom He says to Moses: I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will show mercy to whom I will have mercy (Exod. 33:19). He shows, then, the grace of a voluntary giving, as the Lord deigned to say to His disciples: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given (Matt. 13:11); again He says: He who can take it, let him take it (Matt. 19:13). But (another reading: thus), to teach that the very capacity is granted by the divine bounty, in another place He says: Not all take this word, but those to whom it is given (Matt. 19:11).

64. Hi sunt ergo omnes quorum Deus miseretur, quia misericordia ipsius praeveniuntur, ut credant et gratis salvi fiant per fidem. Eorum namque credulitas non ex humana voluntate sumit initium, sed ipsi voluntati fides gratuita Dei miserantis largitate donatur. Hanc omnium discretionem, quam fidelis debet intellectus omnino servare, beatus Paulus uno Epistolae suae loco sic posuit, ut omnes homines sine aliqua exceptione dicens, statim quosdam omnes homines exceptis aliis intimaret. Ait enim: Sicut per unius delictum in omnes homines in condemnationem, et sic per unius justitiam in omnes homines in justificationem vitae (Rom. V, 18). Nunquidnam quia in omnes homines in

64. These, then, are the "all" on whom God has mercy, because they are forestalled by His mercy, so that they believe and are saved freely through faith. For their believing does not take its beginning from the human will, but faith is given freely to the will itself by the bounty of God having mercy. This distinction of "all", which a faithful understanding ought by all means to keep, blessed Paul set down in one place of his Epistle in such a way that, saying "all men" without any exception, he at once indicated certain men as "all men", others being excepted. For he says: As through the offence of one unto all men to condemnation, so also through the justice of one unto all men to justification of life (Rom. 5:18). Is it, then, because "unto all men to

Editors' notes and page, col. 490

Footnotes

(d) ‹anchor: misericorditer donet› · call in col 490

Haec verba, cum tamen eamdem gratiam fidei non infidelibus Deus misericors donet, absunt a ms., leguntur in editis.

These words, cum tamen eamdem gratiam fidei non infidelibus Deus misericors donet ("though the merciful God does not give this same grace of faith to unbelievers"), are absent from the manuscript; they are read in the editions.

(printed under page 250)

Page

running head: [E]PISTOLA XVII. 490
marginal letters: A prophetam Johel; B ejusdem beati Petri; C fidei non infidelibus Deus; D non ex humana voluntate
old-edition numerals: 321 after misericordiam

PL 65:491

condemnationem, et in omnes homines in justificationem Apostolus dicit, ideo prorsus omnes homines, quos per peccatum Adae originaliter constat esse damnatos, simul omnes eosdem credere debemus justificatos esse per Christum; cum innumerabiles infidelium mortes obsistant, qui sine gratia justificationis de hac vita transeunt, et absque sacramento baptismatis ad sedem mortis aeternaque supplicia rapiuntur? Restat ergo ut non omnes omnimo quos in condemnationem ponit Apostolus transire ad justificationis gratiam sentiamus, sed quosdam ex illis omnibus omnes istos: itaque omnes per Adam in condemnationem esse filios irae, et ex eis quosdam per Christum omnes esse filios gratiae; illos ergo esse omnes, quos per primum hominem propago peccatrix carnali generatione condemnat. Omnes enim terreni sunt, qui terreni hominis imaginem gerunt, et omnes coelestes qui ad aeternam vitam imaginem hominis coelestis accipiunt. Iterum dicit propheta: Omnes gentes quascunque fecisti venient, et adorabunt coram te, Domine, et glorificabant nomen tuum (Psal. LXXXV, 9). Dominus quoque suis fidelibus dicit: Eritis odio omnibus gentibus propter nomen meum (Matth. X, 22). Nunquid ergo contrariis sibi repugnat Scriptura divina sententiis? Absit. Sed et illos omnes, et istos omnes veraciter dicit, id est et omnes fideles qui nomen Domini in omnibus gentibus glorificant, et omnes incredulos qui per easdem omnes gentes in odio nominis Christi fideliumque ejus mortifera impietate perdurant.

condemnation" and "unto all men to justification" that the Apostle says, that we must therefore believe that absolutely all men, who are known to be condemned by origin through the sin of Adam, are all of them likewise justified through Christ, when the countless deaths of unbelievers stand against it, who pass from this life without the grace of justification and are snatched away without the sacrament of baptism to the seat of death and to eternal punishments? It remains, then, that we should hold that not absolutely all whom the Apostle places in condemnation pass over to the grace of justification, but certain men out of all those as these "all": so that all through Adam are children of wrath unto condemnation, and certain of them through Christ are all children of grace; and that those, then, are "all" whom the sinful stock through the first man condemns by carnal generation. For all are earthly who bear the image of the earthly man, and all are heavenly who receive the image of the heavenly man unto eternal life. Again the prophet says: All the nations which Thou hast made shall come and shall worship before Thee, O Lord, and they shall glorify Thy name (Ps. 85:9). The Lord also says to His faithful: You will be hated by all nations for My name's sake (Matt. 10:22). Does divine Scripture, then, fight against itself with contrary statements? God forbid. Rather, it speaks truly of both those "all" and these "all": that is, both of all the faithful who glorify the name of the Lord among all nations, and of all the unbelievers who, throughout the same nations, persist with deadly ungodliness in hatred of the name of Christ and of His faithful.

65. Tale quiddam est etiam in Epistola quam Colossensibus beatus Apostolus scribit, ubi dicit: Quia in Christo condita sunt universa in coelis et in terra, visibilia et invisibilia, sive Throni, sive Dominationes, sive Principatus, sive Potestates. Omnia per ipsum, et in ipso creata sunt, et ipse est ante omnes, et omnia in ipso constant (Coloss. I, 16, 17). Et paulo post aii: Quia in ipso complacuit omnem plenitudinem inhabitare, et per eum reconciliari omnia in ipsum pacificans per sanguinem crucis ejus, sive quae in terris sunt, sive quae in coelis sunt (Ibid., 19. 20). Nunquidnam omnia quae in coelis et in terris sunt per eum pacificari credemus? Absit. Qui enim sic sentire voluerit, bicipitem laqueum geminae impietatis incurret, ut aut diabolum et angelos ejus per Christum creatos esse neget, aut eos reconciliandos per sanguinem crucis ejus affirmet. Verumtamen quisquis harum sententiarum pravitate qualibet involvitur, caveat ne cum ipso diabolo atque angelis ejus aeternae combustionis punitione damnetur. Unius enim ejusdemque impietatis est reus, si quis diabolum aut non a Christo creatum, aut reconciliationi Christi credat quandoque reddendum. Cum utique si eum Christus Dominus non creasset, ejus damnabilis a Christo

65. Something of the same kind is found also in the Epistle which the blessed Apostle writes to the Colossians, where he says: For in Christ were all things founded in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers. All things were created through Him and in Him, and He is before all, and all things hold together in Him (Col. 1:16–17). And a little after he says: For in Him it pleased all the fullness to dwell, and through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, making peace through the blood of His cross, whether the things that are on earth or the things that are in heaven (Col. 1:19–20). Shall we, then, believe that all things that are in heaven and on earth are pacified through Him? God forbid. For whoever chooses to think so will run into the two-headed snare of a double impiety: either he will deny that the devil and his angels were created through Christ, or he will affirm that they are to be reconciled through the blood of His cross. Yet whoever is entangled in the crookedness of either of these opinions, let him beware lest he be condemned with the devil himself and his angels to the punishment of eternal burning. For one and the same impiety makes him guilty who believes that the devil was either not created by Christ or is at some time to be restored to the reconciliation of Christ. Since surely, if Christ the Lord had not created him, his damnable departure from Christ

Editors' notes and page, col. 491

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 491)

Sic ms. At editi, quosdam ex illis omnibus. Omnes istos itaque.

So the manuscript. But the editions have quosdam ex illis omnibus. Omnes istos itaque ("some out of all those. All these, therefore").

(printed under page 251)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call above the cropped area (col 491)

In editis deest Domine, additurque in aeternum. Ms. autem addit Domine, nec habet in aeternum.

In the editions Domine ("O Lord") is lacking, and in aeternum ("for ever") is added. The manuscript, however, adds Domine, and does not have in aeternum.

(printed under page 251)

Ms., in ipso. Editi, in ipsum, juxta Graecum εἰς αὐτόν.

The manuscript has in ipso ("in him"). The editions, in ipsum ("unto him"), following the Greek εἰς αὐτόν.

(printed under page 251)

(d) ‹anchor: pacificari credemus› · call in col 491

Sic ms. At editi. Nunquid diabolum et angelos ejus pacificari credemus?

So the manuscript. But the editions have Nunquid diabolum et angelos ejus pacificari credemus? ("Shall we believe that the devil and his angels are reconciled?").

(printed under page 251)

(e) ‹anchor: not visible› · call not seen in the cropped area (col 491 or 492)

Ms., sine crucis Christi fide.

The manuscript has sine crucis Christi fide ("without faith in the cross of Christ").

(printed under page 251)

(f) ‹anchor: not visible› · call not seen in the cropped area (col 492)

Ms., voluntate.

The manuscript has voluntate ("by the will").

(printed under page 251)

Page

running head: 491 S. FULGENTII EPISCOPI
marginal letters: A condemnationem, et in omnes; B trix carnali generatione; C lossensibus beatus Apostolus; D guinem crucis ejus affirmet
old-edition numerals: 322 after ipsum, (before "et in ipso creata")

PL 65:492

discessio non fuisset; et si eum Christus quandoque salvaturus esset, non ore Christi pronuntiaretur ejus aeterna combustio. Omnia ergo per Christum et in Christo creata sunt, quia nihil est quod non per Filium et in Filio creaverit Pater. Et omnia per ipsum atque in ipso reconciliantur, quia nullus est hominum qui sine cruce Christi reconciliationis beneficium consequatur.

would not have taken place; and if Christ were at some time going to save him, his eternal burning would not be pronounced by the mouth of Christ. All things, therefore, were created through Christ and in Christ, because there is nothing which the Father has not created through the Son and in the Son. And all things are reconciled through Him and in Him, because there is no one among men who obtains the benefit of reconciliation without the cross of Christ.

66. Ex hac igitur regula quae coelestibus inserta monstratur oraculis, sic intelligamus omnes homines quos vult Deus salvos fieri, ut noverimus omnes qui salvantur, non nisi ex ejus gratuita bonitate salvari. Ut enim quisque salvetur, nulla praecedunt humanae voluntatis bona merita, sed sola Dei voluntas humanae salvationis est causa. Ira enim in indignatione ejus, et vita in voluntate ejus (Psal. XXXIX, 6). Ira igitur ejus nostrae iniquitatis est meritum, vita vero nostra voluntatis ejus est donum. Sicut enim Pater suscitat mortuos et vivificat, sic et Filius quos vult vivificat (Joan. V, 21): eosdem autem vivificari vult quos vult salvos fieri. Sic ergo quos vult salvat, quemadmodum quos vult vivificat. Nihil namque voluit et non fecit qui, Scriptura teste, omnia quaecunque voluit fecit (Psal. CXIII, 11). Proinde non indigne dicimus aliquid Deum nolle quod possit; nefas est autem si quis omnipotentem dicat aliquid facere non posse quod velit: Voluntati enim ejus quis resistit (al. resistet) (Rom. IX, 19? Nemo utique, quia non est aliqua natura quae ab ejus creatione sit aliena. Et sicut nihil naturaliter subsistit quod ille non fecerit, ita nihil provenit in salutem hominum, quod ille non in aeterna bonae voluntatis suae dispositione faciendum praedestinaverit, a quo et fides gratis infunditur, per quam bene ambulemus: et perseverantia donatur, per quam ad speciem pervenire possimus. Haec autem dona sua semper Deus in aeterna atque incommutabili habuit voluntate disposita, in qua praeordinavit atque praeparavit et quae daret, et quibus daret. Ipse enim praedestinando praeparavit gratiae donum, qui gratiam donando implet praedestinationis effectum.

66. By this rule, then, which is shown to be set in the heavenly oracles, let us so understand the "all men" whom God wills to be saved that we know that all who are saved are saved only by His free goodness. For that anyone should be saved, no good merits of the human will go before; the will of God alone is the cause of human salvation. For wrath is in His indignation, and life in His will (Ps. 39:6). His wrath, then, is what our iniquity has merited, but our life is the gift of His will. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son too gives life to whom He wills (John 5:21): and He wills those to be given life whom He wills to be saved. So, then, He saves whom He wills, just as He gives life to whom He wills. For He willed nothing and did not do it who, as Scripture witnesses, has done all things whatsoever He willed (Ps. 113:11). Accordingly we do not speak unworthily when we say that God does not will something which He could do; but it is impious if anyone says that the Almighty cannot do something which He wills: for who resists (another reading: shall resist) His will (Rom. 9:19)? No one, surely, because there is no nature which is foreign to His creation. And as nothing subsists by nature which He has not made, so nothing comes about for the salvation of men which He has not predestined to be done in the eternal disposition of His good will: by whom both faith is poured in freely, through which we may walk well, and perseverance is given, through which we may come to sight. And these His gifts God has always had disposed in His eternal and unchangeable will, in which He foreordained and prepared both what He would give and to whom He would give it. For He who by predestining prepared the gift of grace by giving grace fulfils the effect of predestination.

EPILOGUS. — 67. Habetis, dilectissimi fratres, tam de incarnatione Domini nostri Jesu Christi quam de gratia paucis expressam fidei nostrae confessionisque sententiam, qua certissime continetur, Unigenitum Deum de Deo Patre naturaliter sine initio natum, ex virgine naturaliter secundum carnem progenitum. Unus enim idemque est Deus Verbum, quem prima nativitate coaeternum sibi genuit aeternitas Patris, et quem temporaliter conceptum secunda nativitate filium hominis protulit uterus virginalis. Cujus gratia nobis, et initium bonae voluntatis donatur ad fidem, et ipsi voluntati adjutorium tribuitur, ut quod bene vult bene operetur, Deus enim, qui hominem condidit

EPILOGUE. — 67. You have, most beloved brothers, the meaning of our faith and confession, set out in few words, both concerning the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ and concerning grace, in which it is most certainly held that the only-begotten God was born by nature of God the Father without beginning, and was begotten by nature of a virgin according to the flesh. For one and the same is God the Word, whom the eternity of the Father begot co-eternal with Himself by the first birth, and whom, conceived in time, the virginal womb brought forth by the second birth as the son of man. By whose grace both the beginning of a good will is given to us unto faith, and help is granted to the will itself, so that what it wills well it may work well. For God, who created man

Editors' notes and page, col. 492

Footnotes

(g) ‹anchor: incommutabili habuit› · call in col 492

Editi, habet.

The editions have habet ("has").

(printed under page 251)