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Collationes de septem donis Spiritus Sancti · Collatio III: De dono pietatis

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COLLATIO III.

De dono pietatis.

Summarium

Introductio; duplex exercitium, 1. — Tria consideranda, 2. — Pars I. De pietatis exercitio. Hoc consistit in tribus, 3. — Primo, in reverentia venerationis divinae, 4. 5. — Secundo, in custodia sanctificationis intrinsecae, 6. 7. — Tertio, in affluentia miserationis internae, 8. 9. Pars II. De pietatis originali principio. Hoc est triplex, 10. — Oritur primo a Trinitate increata, 11. — Secundo, a Sapientia incarnata, 12. — Tertio, a sancta matre Ecclesia, 13-15. — Pars III. De pietatis emolumento sive utilitate. Valet ad tria, 16. — Primo, ad vera cognoscenda, 17. — Secundo, ad mala declinanda, 18. — Tertio, ad bona consequenda, 19.

1. Exerce temetipsum ad pietatem. Nam corporalis exercitatio ad modicum utilis est, pietas autem ad omnia valet, promissionem habens vitae, quae nunc est et futurae. Verba ista sunt in prima Epistola ad Timotheum1, in quibus Apostolus ostendit, duplex esse exercitium, quod competit homini: unum corporale, et aliud spirituale; et ostendit, quod exercitium spirituale praeferendum est corporali tanquam exercitium nobilius et tanquam utilius. Corporalis enim exercitatio modicam habet utilitatem; unde dicit: Corporalis exercitatio ad modicum utilis est; spiritualis vero exercitatio maximam habet utilitatem. Unde spiritualis exercitatio praeferenda est corporali: quantum spiritualia praeferenda sunt corporalibus, aeterna temporalibus, et invisibilia visibilibus; tantum illa exercitatio spiritualis praeferenda est corporali. Ideo, si quis sapiens est, magis debet quaerere exercitationem spiritualem quam corporalem, quia corporalis exercitatio ad modicum utilis est, quia utilis est ad commoditatem corporis; sed quandoque est causa et occasio contrarii. Credit aliquis ire ad iocum, et vadit ad bellum; quaerit iucunditatem, et invenit tristitiam. Unde dicit Seneca2: « Multos inveni exercitantes corpus, paucos vero ingenia ». Fatuus esset qui posset fodere aurum et vellet fodere lutum. Plus excedit exercitatio spiritualis corporalem, quam aurum transcendat lutum. De ista exercitatione spirituali, in quantum ordinata est ad pietatem, loqui debemus; post timorem enim loqui debemus de pietate. — Sed istam sacratissimam exercitationem non possumus explicare sermone3 nec in opus ponere nisi per adiutorium Spiritus sancti. Ideo in principio invocabimus gratiam Spiritus sancti et rogabimus Dominum, quod det mihi aliquid dicere, quod sit ad eius honorem et ad utilitatem animarum nostrarum.

2. Exerce temetipsum ad pietatem etc. Apostolus Paulus tanquam bonus magister excitat sollicitudinem ingeniorum et mentium nostrarum ad bonum usum divini doni. Et supposito pietatis influxu, invitat nos ad pietatis exercitium et proponit pietatis emolumentum. Si accepisti donum Dei, exerce te ad pietatem, ne cadas a dono; si non habes donum Dei, exerce te ad pietatem obtinendam. Rationem huius assignat, cum subdit: Pietas ad omnia valet etc. Ideo ostendit, quod circa istud donum pietatis tria sunt nobis consideranda, scilicet pietatis exercitium, pietatis emolumentum et pietatis originale principium. Si est donum, tunc oportet scire, qualiter donatur; si est nobile donum, oportet scire, qualiter in ipso proficiamus et nos exerceamus; si est donum utile, videamus, quem fructum inde consequamur. — Videte, tota intentio mea est, quod concipiatis donum pietatis in anima et discatis, quid sit esse pium.

3. Incipiamus ab exercitio. Exercitium autem pietatis in triplici actu consistit, videlicet in reverentia venerationis divinae, in custodia sanctificationis intrinsecae et in superaffluentia miserationis internae. Primi duo modi pietatis sunt magis radicales quam tertius.

4. Primo, dico, consistit exercitium pietatis in reverentia venerationis divinae. Unde in Ecclesiastico4 dicitur de Iosia, quod abstulit abominationes impietatis et gubernavit ad Dominum cor illius et in diebus peccatorum corroboravit pietatem. Certum est, quod ante adventum Christi cultus Dei non vigebat nisi in populo Israelitico et non viguit in toto populo, quia decem tribus tempore Ieroboam adorabant idola, scilicet vitulum aureum; nec etiam secundum totum tempus viguit cultus Dei in duabus tribubus; quia David optimus cultor Dei fuit postea

p. 469 venit Manasses pessimus, qui populum fecit idololatrare; post ipsum vero venit Iosias, qui octavo anno suo coepit regnare et abstulit totam idololatriam et in diebus peccatorum corroboravit pietatem, id est cultum divinum.

5. Quod pietas sit cultus Dei, dicit Iob1: Ecce, inquit, pietas ipsa est sapientia. Alia translatio habet: Ecce timor, ipse est sapientia; sed in translatione Septuaginta habetur: Ecce, pietas ipsa est sapientia. Et Augustinus dicit, quod pietas in Graeco idem est quod theosebia, quod est idem quod cultus Dei. Consistit autem cultus Dei maxime in reverentia Dei, quae non habetur sine timore. Oportet enim, cultorem Dei altissime, piissime, cum reverentia et timore sentire de Deo2. — Si sentis diminute de potentia Dei, scilicet quod non possit omnia de nihilo creare; non sentis altissime. Similiter, si diminute sentis de sapientia Dei, scilicet quod per sapientiam suam non possit intima penetrare; non sentis altissime. Sicut habemus testimonium lucis, quod non solum in se lucet, sed multa alia corpora possit illuminare; ita Deus omnia videt et illustrat, quia ipse est lux3. Si sentis de Dei potentia et de Dei sapientia, quod non possit corpora reparare male, vel bene; tunc male sentis de Deo nec sentis altissime. Item, si non credis condescensiones et miserationes divinas, per quas Deus creaturam sibi servientem gratia, indulgentia et beatitudine replet; non es cultor Dei. — Dico igitur, quod pietas nihil aliud est quam piae, primae et summae originis pius sensus, pius affectus et pius famulatus. Summum bonum non potest haberi nec coli sine pietate. Naturaliter quaelibet res tendit ad suam originem: lapis deorsum, et ignis sursum, et flumina currunt ad mare4, arbor continuatur cum radice, et ceterae res continuationem habent cum radice. Deiformis est creatura rationalis, quae potest redire super originem suam per memoriam, intelligentiam et voluntatem5; et non est pia, nisi refundat se super originem suam. Ideo dixi, quod pietas nihil aliud est quam piae, primae et summae originis pius sensus, pius affectus et pius famulatus. — Prima igitur exercitatio doni pietatis consistit in reverentia venerationis divinae.

6. Secunda exercitatio doni pietatis consistit in custodia sanctificationis intrinsecae; de qua dicit Apostolus6: Obsecro primum omnium, fieri postulationes, obsecrationes, orationes et gratiarum actiones pro omnibus etc.; sequitur: ut quietam vitam agamus in omni pietate et castitate. Intelligere debetis, quod summa christianae religionis consistit in pietate et puritate. Nunquam enim potest homo pie ad se ipsum affici, nisi habeat pacem7. Haec est religio christiana, quae consistit in his duobus. Tranquillitas pacis non est nisi in tranquillitate conscientiae. Et non est conscientia sancta, nisi sit bona et pia, scilicet quod praeferat vitam virtutis et gratiae vitae naturae. — Videatis bene, si homo plus afficeretur ad calceamentum quam ad pedem, non multum diligeret pedem. Qui pedem exponeret fractioni propter calceamentum, nunquid multum diligeret pedem et multum afficeretur ad pedem? Certe non. Qui propter modicam rem exponeret se suspendio non multum diligeret vitam suam. Nunquid oportet, quod homo custodiat animam suam in sanctitate8? Certe sic. Sed animam suam exponit confusioni, qui non cavet sibi de peccato.

7. O, quam pauci sunt, qui pietatem religionis custodiunt! Sed Dominus interrogat impium9. Dicitur in Ecclesiastico: Miserere animae tuae, placens Deo; et congrega et contine cor tuum in sanctitate. — Miserere animae tuae, id est, habeas pietatem ad animam tuam; placens Deo, scilicet, ut studeas placere Deo. Et quomodo? Congrega et contine cor tuum in sanctitate. — Aliqui contenti sunt, quod sanctitatem exteriorem habeant, scilicet in verbo et gestu et exteriori conversatione; sed hoc est ornare sanctitatem exterius, sicut homo, qui se dealbat exterius et facit sepulcrum mortuorum, quod exterius est dealbatum10. Sed sicut « simulata aequitas non est aequitas, sed duplex iniquitas »; ita simulata sanctitas non est sanctitas, sed potius iniquitas. Contra tales dicit Apostolus11: In novissimis temporibus erunt homines voluptatum amatores, habentes speciem pietatis, virtutem autem eius abnegantes. — Habentes speciem pietatis, « id est religionis », dicit Glossa. Speciem pietatis habentes sunt hypocritae.

p. 470 Talis enim filius est perditionis1. De tali dicitur: Spiritu labiorum suorum percutiet impium, scilicet illum qui habebit maximam speciem pietatis. — Igitur secunda exercitatio doni pietatis est per custodiam sanctitatis intrinsecae. — Sed quidam de anima sua non habent misericordiam, immo faciunt animae suae peius, quod possunt. Summe odiunt animam suam, non possent ei peius facere, quam faciunt, quia faciunt omnia, quae diabolus suggerit eis. Miserere animae tuae! Et quidam sub specie pietatis assumunt quae sunt contra animam suam. Dicunt: ibo ad turpitudinem sub specie pietatis. Quae pietas est ista? Certe nulla.

8. Tertia exercitatio doni pietatis est in affluentia miserationis internae. De ista dicitur in Ecclesiastico2: Hi sunt viri misericordiae, quorum pietates non defuerunt; cum semine eorum permanent bona. — Carissimi! debetis percurrere vitas sanctorum Patrum, et videbitis, quod hi sunt viri misericordiae, scilicet Noe, Abraham, Moyses, Ioseph et Samuel. Quae fuit pietas Noe! Per centum annos non fecit nisi aedificare arcam, ut salvaret genus humanum3. Quanta pietas fuit in sacratissimo Abraham! Deus descendit, ut percuteret civitates, in quibus erant abominationes peccati; et intercessit Abraham ad Dominum pro illis et extorsit a Domino, quod si inveniret decem iustos in civitatibus, parceret eis Dominus. Quanta pietas fuit Ioseph! Qui venditus a fratribus suis — immo volebant ipsum interficere fratres sui — et fratres suos custodivit, gubernavit et ditavit et filios eorum; et pietatem habuit ad conservandum universum orbem colligendo et conservando bladum. Quanta pietas fuit Moysi! Qui populum Dominum irritantem dilexit et pro eo oravit ad Dominum dicens4: Audi me, Domine, peccavit populus iste; aut dimitte populo huic hanc noxam, aut si non facis, dele me de libro tuo, quem scripsisti. Ponit Bernardus exemplum de muliere, quae habet infantulum suum et est extra domum. Si dicatur ei: dimitte infantulum tuum extra domum, et tu intra domum; non vellet domum intrare, ita quod puer remaneret extra. Ita Moyses voluit, quod Dominus populo dimitteret peccatum suum, aut quod deleret ipsum de libro vitae. Sic fuit de Samuele, quando populus petiit regem; postea cognovit populus, quod Samuel bene rexerat populum, et cum populus peccasset, timebat, ne Samuel pro ipso vellet ad Dominum orare. Et rogavit eum populus, ut pro ipso oraret, et dixit Samuel5: Absit a me, ut cessem orare pro vobis. Quantae pietatis fuit David rex Israel! Saul quaerebat eum ad interficiendum, et David habebat Saulem in manu sua; potuit ipsum interficere, nec prohibente Deo, quia Deus dixit ei: Tradam eum in manus tuas6. Potuit ipsum interficere, nec prohibente homine, nec prohibente lege; et tamen pepercit ei et domui suae. Hi sunt igitur viri misericordiae, quorum pietates non defuerunt.

9. Ad istam pietatem invitat nos beatus Petrus, qui fuit alter Apostolus, in secunda Canonica sua dicens7: Ministrate in fide virtutem, in virtute scientiam, in scientia abstinentiam, in abstinentia patientiam, in patientia pietatem, in pietate amorem fraternitatis et in amore fraternitatis caritatem. Quid vult dicere? Pietatem ponit in medio duorum, scilicet inter patientiam et caritatem. Pietatem dicit esse vestem purpuream, et patientiam et caritatem dicit esse vestem regiam. Qui vult esse pius ad proximum, oportet, quod supportet ipsum patienter et caritative diligat. David patienter et caritative se habuit ad hostem; ita oportet, quod homo se habeat ad proximum. — Ubi est pietas hodie? Non est medium, quia Deus abstulit extrema; tanta est hodie crudelitas, quod homo non potest satiari de vindicta; regnat hodie impatientia et iracundia; male iudicat homo; etiam si non offendit me homo, male tamen iudicabo de ipso. Unde est hoc? Certe, quia non habeo caritatem. Beatus Petrus bene scit dicere, quomodo potero habere caritatem, quia, si habeo patientiam ex una parte et caritatem ex altera; ecce, exercitium pietatis.

10. Dices forte, frater: non habeo istud donum. Oportet igitur, ut explicem tibi originale principium pietatis. Et dices: tu debuisti incipere a principio; et incepisti ab exercitio. Non, frater, non possem te ducere ad originale principium pietatis nisi per actum et exercitium pietatis. Originatur autem donum pietatis primo a Trinitate increata, secundo a Sapientia incarnata, et tertio a sancta matre Ecclesia per Spiritum sanctificata.

11. Videte, dico, quod donum pietatis oritur primo a Trinitate increata, scilicet a Deo Patre. Quamquam Deus habeat omnes proprietates nobilis-

p. 471 simas, excellentissimus tamen est in ista proprietate, scilicet pietatis; unde dicitur in oratione1: « Deus, cui proprium est misereri semper et parcere » etc. Et in Ecclesiastico: Pius et misericors Deus, et in tempore tribulationis peccata dimittit et protector est omnibus exquirentibus se in veritate. — Pius est et misericors, quia parcit et protegit. Dicit Dominus2: Quomodo miseretur pater filiorum, sic misertus sum tui. — Quaere omnia opera Dei a principio usque in finem, semper invenies operationes miserationis magnas, maiores et maximas. Magnae operationes miserationis divinae sunt operationes naturae; maiores operationes miserationis divinae sunt operationes gratiae, sed maximae operationes sunt operationes gloriae. Audi! es imago Dei; et imago dicitur quasi imitago3: igitur si vere es imago Dei, debes te configurare Deo in pietate. Unde in Ecclesiastico: In iudicando esto pupillis misericors ut pater et pro viro matri illorum; et eris velut filius Altissimi obediens, et miserebitur tui. — In iudicando, id est in fovendo ius, esto pupillis misericors, scilicet ut sis vere filius Altissimi. Quando Deus gloriosus compatitur in miseros; quare tu non imitaris ipsum? Si esset aliquis fons, qui faceret virescere plantas desiccatas, multum appretiaretur. Anima sine pietate habet plantas desiccatas. Fluvius miserationis divinae copiosissime se infundit et facit virescere plantas mortuas. Nonne oportet, quod tu introducas in animam tuam illum fluvium? Sed non potes eum introducere nisi per pietatem. Prima igitur originalis influentia pietatis est a Trinitate increata.

12. Secunda influentia originalis ipsius pietatis est a Sapientia incarnata. Unde Apostolus ad Timotheum4: Manifeste magnum pietatis est sacramentum, quod manifestatum est in carne, iustificatum in spiritu, apparuit Angelis, praedicatum est gentibus, creditum est in mundo, assumtum est in gloria. Mysterium redemptionis humanae factum per Verbum incarnatum et crucifixum est magnum pietatis sacramentum. — Dicit, quod manifestatum est in carne, per incarnationem; iustificatum est in spiritu, in crucis patibulo; apparuit Angelis, in glorificatione; praedicatum est gentibus, in Spiritus sancti missione; creditum est in mundo, per dilatationem fidei; assumtum est in gloria, per examen fina-

<!-- page 471 (right column) --> lis iudicii. Dico, quod Filius Dei incarnatus assumsit inopiam nostram. Quid fecit hoc? Certe pietas. Unde debuit per omnia fratribus similari, ut misericors fieret et fidelis pontifex ad Deum, ut repropitiaret delicta populi5. Per pietatem carnem assumsit, crucem ascendit, resuscitatus est a mortuis, Spiritum sanctum in terram misit, Ecclesiam ad se vocavit et omnes idoneos a miseria per pietatem liberavit. Apostolus ad Romanos dicit6: An divitias bonitatis eius et patientiae et longanimitatis contemnis? An ignoras, quod benignitas Dei ad poenitentiam te adducit? Tu vero secundum duritiam tuam et cor impoenitens thesaurizas tibi iram in die irae et revelationis iusti iudicii Dei. Filius Dei obtulit holocaustum, scilicet se ipsum pro nobis; hoc est magnum pietatis sacramentum. — Hoc sacramentum quotidie iteratur in altari. Pro istis rationibus dedit nobis Sacramentum altaris, ut, memores sacramenti pietatis, induamur viscera pietatis7. Crudele est cor, quod ad ista non emollitur.

13. Tertia influentia originalis doni pietatis est a sancta matre Ecclesia per Spiritum sanctum sanctificata, quae habet pignus Spiritus sancti. Sancta mater Ecclesia omnibus pietatem indixerat. Qui nati sunt ab uno patre et una matre plus se diligunt invicem, quam qui nati sunt ab uno patre, vel ab una matre tantum. Spiritus sanctus facit nos filios unius patris et unius matris et membra unius corporis. Apostolus8: Apparuit gratia Domini nostri Iesu Christi, Salvatoris nostri omnibus hominibus, erudiens nos ut, abnegantes impietatem et saecularia desideria, sobrie et iuste et pie vivamus in hoc saeculo. — Carissimi! videte, si pietas vestra est fratris ad fratrem, et fratris uterini ad fratrem uterinum! Quis est pater noster? Certe Deus. Quae mater nostra? Est Ecclesia, quae de utero suo genuit nos per Spiritum sanctum et pariet nos, quando praesentati erimus in luce aeterna. Nonne videtis, quod sicut unum membrum compatitur alteri membro9, sic et nos debemus nobis invicem compati? Omnes sumus membra unius corporis, uno cibo cibamur, ab eodem utero producimur, ad eandem hereditatem tendimus; et magnificabitur hereditas nostra, quanto plures erimus, non angustiabitur10. Sumus unum corpus, pie debemus affici ad invicem. Veni ad patrem, pater

p. 472 recipit te, vel mater; si assistat sancta mater Ecclesia, etiam flagitiosi peccatores compellentur redire. Debemus igitur nobis invicem compati.

14. In huius designationem scribitur in Psalmo1: Ecce, quam bonum et quam iucundum habitare fratres in unum. Sicut unguentum in capite, quod descendit in barbam, barbam Aaron. Unum Patrem habemus, unum sacrificium, unum Sacramentum et unum praemium. Dicit: Sicut unguentum in capite etc. Primo est unguentum pietatis in capite; postea descendit in omnes alios, qui appropinquant capiti. — Primo debet esse pietas in praelatis et maioribus et postea in plebe; unde dicit: quod descendit in oram vestimenti eius2. De isto oleo pietatis dicitur in quarto Regum, quod mulier quaedam venit ad Eliseum et dixit, quod creditores sui volebant pueros suos accipere; et dixit: Vir meus fuit vir timens Deum. Et dixit Eliseus, quod afferret omnia vasa vicinorum suorum et imponeret in quolibet aliquid de illo oleo, donec omnia impleta essent. Ad quid praecepit ei afferre vasa vicinorum? Nunquid multiplicare non potuit oleum et implere dolium, et non laborasset tantum mulier? Dico, quod mulier tenet typum Ecclesiae, Eliseus tenet typum Christi. Quando Ecclesia paupercula est in meritis, et oportet, quod fenus reddat; per quid reddet? Oportet, quod impleat vasa vicinorum. Vis, quod pietas matris Ecclesiae ad te descendat? Impleas vasa vicinorum. Istud oleum pietatis apud omnes debet haberi. Unde in Cantico3: Oleum effusum nomen tuum.

15. Specialiter debet esse in cordibus pontificum. Unde pontifices unguntur in capite, et ipsi inuncti postea omnes de plebe debent purificare. Dicitur in libro Machabaeorum4: Cum sancta civitas in pace habitaretur, et leges optime custodirentur propter Oniae pietatem et animos odio habentes malum; fiebat, ut locum reges et pontifices in reverentia ducerent et multis muneribus illustrarent. Postea Menelaus et sui intraverunt templum, et Antiochus contaminavit templum. Credo, quod impedimentum fuit, quod Spiritus sanctus non fuit in plebe, quia impedimentum fuit in pastore. — Beatus Gregorius fuit nobilis et dives; septem monasteria fundavit et ditavit et in septimo in urbe Romana

<!-- page 472 (right column) --> factus est monachus5, postea cardinalis et Papa tandem. Consuevit beatus Gregorius, cum fuit Papa, habere pauperes duodecim, qui comedebant ante ipsum. Quadam die fuit cum illis duodecim unus, qui aliquando apparuit iuvenis, aliquando venerandae canitiei. Post prandium surrexit beatus Gregorius et duxit illum in cameram suam et quaesivit, quis esset. Qui respondit: ego naufragus ille sum, cui tu fecisti misericordiam circa portum maris. Dixi, quod navis mea erat periclitata, et petii a te eleemosynam, unde possem sustentari. Fecisti mihi dari quinquaginta aureos6, postea omnes scutellas argenteas, quae fuerunt in domo tua; et tunc scivi, quod Deus aeternus disposuit te ad istum honorem, et dispensative ad istam dignitatem devenisti, ut posses multum dare pro Deo. Et dixit beatus Gregorius: quis es tu? Respondit ille: ego sum Angelus eius. Et territus est beatus Gregorius, quia vidit Angelum; et sic consolatus est, quia opera pietatis tantum placent Deo. Martinus et Nicolaus quia viri misericordes fuerunt, ideo ex ipsorum tumba manat oleum7. — Patet modo de exercitio pietatis et de eius originali influentia.

16. Sed quae est utilitas doni pietatis? Dicit8: Pietas ad omnia valet, promissionem habens vitae, quae nunc est, et futurae. Non scio plus addere. Habes bona temporalia? Ad illa valet pietas; et similiter ad bona spiritualia. Qui lubricum carnis passi sunt, liberati sunt quandoque per donum pietatis, et postea misericordiam consecuti sunt. Pietas enim valet ad omnia: valet ad vera cognoscenda, ad omnia mala declinanda et ad omnia bona consequenda.

17. Primo, dico, valet pietas ad vera cognoscenda, scilicet salutaria; unde in Ecclesiastico9: Omnia fecit Dominus et pie agentibus dedit sapientiam. Dat Deus dona sua super quamlibet creaturam; sed notitiam veritatis non dat nisi pie agentibus. Quomodo posset attingere originata qui non attingit originem veritatis? Quomodo originem sciret veritatis qui adversatur origini veritatis? Dicit Apostolus ad Timotheum10: Si quis aliter docet et non acquiescit sanis sermonibus Domini nostri Iesu Christi, et ei quae secundum pietatem est doctrinae, superbus est et nihil sciens et languens circa quaestiones et pugnas verborum. Oportet, quod homo

p. 473 assentiat doctrinae, quae est secundum pietatem. Dicitur in Daniele1: Porro impie agent impii; claudetur revelatio impiis. Si vultis esse veri scholares, oportet, vos habere pietatem.

18. Secundo valet pietas ad omnia mala declinanda. Unde beatus Petrus2: Novit Dominus pios de tentatione eripere, impios autem cruciandos in diem iudicii reservare. Impii sunt qui non recognoscunt pietatem divinam. Impius autem, cum in profundum peccatorum venerit, contemnit. Impius est qui propriam impietatem defendit, scilicet peccatum. De talibus dicit Psalmus3: Sepulcrum patens est guttur eorum, linguis suis dolose agebant; iudica illos Deus. Decidant a cogitationibus suis; secundum multitudinem impietatum eorum expelle eos, quoniam irritaverunt te, Domine. Vis liberari a malo? Audi David, qui dicit: Dixi: Confitebor adversum me iniustitiam meam Domino, et tu remisisti impietatem peccati mei. Lauda Deum et irascaris contra peccatum et noli defendere peccatum, quia defendere peccatum est duplex peccatum. Notabile est quod dicit Psalmus4: Beatus vir, qui non abiit in consilio impiorum, peccato consentiendo; et in via peccatorum non stetit, in peccato permanendo; et in cathedra pestilentiae non sedit, peccatum suum defendendo.

19. Tertia utilitas doni pietatis est, quod facit consequi omne bonum. Unde dicitur in libro Machabaeorum5, quod considerabat Iudas, quod hi qui cum pietate dormitionem acceperant, optimam reportabant gratiam, quam nobis praestare dignetur qui cum Patre etc.

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English Translation
p. 468

COLLATION III.

On the gift of piety.

Summarium

Introduction; the twofold exercise, 1. — Three things to be considered, 2. — Part I. On the exercise of piety. It consists in three things, 3. — First, in the reverence of divine veneration, 4. 5. — Secondly, in the guarding of inward sanctification, 6. 7. — Thirdly, in the overflow of inward compassion, 8. 9. Part II. On the original principle of piety. This is threefold, 10. — It arises first from the uncreated Trinity, 11. — Secondly, from the incarnate Wisdom, 12. — Thirdly, from holy mother Church, 13-15. — Part III. On the benefit or usefulness of piety. It avails for three things, 16. — First, for knowing the things that are true, 17. — Secondly, for turning aside from evils, 18. — Thirdly, for obtaining goods, 19.

1. Exercise thyself unto piety. For bodily exercise is profitable to little, but piety avails for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. These words are in the first Epistle to Timothy1, in which the Apostle shows that there is a twofold exercise belonging to man: one bodily, and another spiritual; and he shows that the spiritual exercise is to be preferred to the bodily as an exercise both nobler and more useful. For bodily exercise has little usefulness; whence he says: Bodily exercise is profitable to little; but spiritual exercise has the greatest usefulness. Hence spiritual exercise is to be preferred to bodily: by as much as spiritual things are to be preferred to bodily, eternal things to temporal, and invisible to visible; by so much is that spiritual exercise to be preferred to the bodily. Therefore, if anyone is wise, he ought rather to seek spiritual exercise than bodily, because bodily exercise is profitable to little, since it is useful for the convenience of the body; but sometimes it is the cause and occasion of the opposite. A man thinks he is going to sport, and he goes to war; he seeks pleasantness, and he finds sorrow. Whence Seneca says2: "I have found many exercising the body, but few the mind." He would be a fool who could dig gold and chose to dig mud. Spiritual exercise surpasses bodily more than gold surpasses mud. Of this spiritual exercise, in so far as it is ordered to piety, we ought to speak; for after fear we ought to speak of piety. — But this most sacred exercise we cannot explain by word3 nor put into practice except by the help of the Holy Spirit. Therefore at the outset we shall call upon the grace of the Holy Spirit and shall ask the Lord that he grant me to say something that may be to his honour and to the profit of our souls.

2. Exercise thyself unto piety etc. The Apostle Paul, like a good master, rouses the concern of our minds and understandings to the good use of the divine gift. And presupposing the inflowing of piety, he invites us to the exercise of piety and sets before us the benefit of piety. If you have received the gift of God, exercise thyself unto piety, lest you fall away from the gift; if you have not the gift of God, exercise thyself unto piety in order to obtain it. He assigns the reason for this when he adds: Piety avails for all things etc. Therefore he shows that concerning this gift of piety three things are to be considered by us, namely the exercise of piety, the benefit of piety and the original principle of piety. If it is a gift, then one must know how it is given; if it is a noble gift, one must know how we may make progress in it and exercise ourselves; if it is a useful gift, let us see what fruit we may obtain from it. — See, my whole intention is that you conceive the gift of piety in your soul and learn what it is to be pious.

3. Let us begin from the exercise. Now the exercise of piety consists in a threefold act, namely in the reverence of divine veneration, in the guarding of inward sanctification and in the overflowing abundance of inward compassion. The first two modes of piety are more radical than the third.

4. First, I say, the exercise of piety consists in the reverence of divine veneration. Whence it is said in Ecclesiasticus4 of Josiah that he took away the abominations of impiety and directed his heart towards the Lord, and in the days of sinners he strengthened piety. It is certain that before the coming of Christ the worship of God did not flourish except in the people of Israel, and it did not flourish in the whole people, because the ten tribes in the time of Jeroboam worshipped idols, namely the golden calf; nor even for the whole time did the worship of God flourish in the two tribes; because David was the best worshipper of God, and afterwards

p. 469 came Manasses, the worst, who made the people commit idolatry; but after him came Josiah, who began to reign in his eighth year and took away all idolatry and in the days of sinners strengthened piety, that is, the divine worship.

5. That piety is the worship of God, Job says1: Behold, he says, piety itself is wisdom. Another translation has: Behold the fear, that itself is wisdom; but in the Septuagint translation it stands: Behold, piety itself is wisdom. And Augustine says that pietas in Greek is the same as theosebia, which is the same as the worship of God. Now the worship of God consists chiefly in reverence for God, which is not had without fear. For the worshipper of God must think of God most highly, most piously, with reverence and fear2. — If you think diminishingly of the power of God, namely that he cannot create all things out of nothing, you do not think most highly. Likewise, if you think diminishingly of the wisdom of God, namely that by his wisdom he cannot penetrate the innermost things, you do not think most highly. Just as we have the witness of light, that it not only shines in itself but can illuminate many other bodies, so God sees and illumines all things, because he himself is light3. If you think of God's power and of God's wisdom that he cannot restore bodies either for ill or for good, then you think ill of God and do not think most highly. Again, if you do not believe the divine condescensions and compassions, by which God fills the creature that serves him with grace, forgiveness and beatitude, you are no worshipper of God. — I say therefore that piety is nothing other than the pious perception, pious affection and pious service of the pious, first and highest origin. The highest good cannot be had nor worshipped without piety. Naturally every thing tends to its own origin: the stone downwards, and fire upwards, and the rivers run to the sea4; the tree is continuous with its root, and other things have continuity with their root. Godlike is the rational creature, which can return upon its own origin through memory, understanding and will5; and it is not pious unless it pours itself back upon its own origin. Therefore I said that piety is nothing other than the pious perception, pious affection and pious service of the pious, first and highest origin. — The first exercise, then, of the gift of piety consists in the reverence of divine veneration.

6. The second exercise of the gift of piety consists in the guarding of inward sanctification; of which the Apostle says6: I beseech, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men etc.; and it follows: that we may lead a quiet life in all piety and chastity. You ought to understand that the sum of the Christian religion consists in piety and purity. For a man can never be piously affected towards himself unless he have peace7. This is the Christian religion, which consists in these two. The tranquillity of peace is nowhere but in the tranquillity of conscience. And a conscience is not holy unless it be good and pious, namely that it prefer the life of virtue and grace to the life of nature. — Consider well: if a man were more attached to his shoe than to his foot, he would not love his foot much. He who would expose his foot to breaking for the sake of a shoe — would he love his foot much and be much attached to his foot? Certainly not. He who for a trifling thing would expose himself to hanging would not love his own life much. Ought a man then to guard his soul in holiness8? Certainly so. But he exposes his soul to confusion who does not beware of sin.

7. O, how few there are who guard the piety of religion! But the Lord questions the impious9. It is said in Ecclesiasticus: Have pity on thy own soul, pleasing God; and gather and contain thy heart in holiness. — Have pity on thy own soul, that is, have piety towards your soul; pleasing God, namely, that you be zealous to please God. And how? Gather and contain thy heart in holiness. — Some are content to have an outward holiness, namely in word and gesture and outward conversation; but this is to adorn holiness outwardly, like the man who whitens himself outwardly and makes a sepulchre of the dead, which is whitened outwardly10. But just as "feigned fairness is not fairness, but a double unfairness," so feigned holiness is not holiness, but rather iniquity. Against such men the Apostle says11: In the last times there shall be men lovers of pleasures, having an appearance of piety, but denying the power thereof. — Having an appearance of piety, "that is, of religion," says the Gloss. Those who have an appearance of piety are hypocrites.

p. 470 For such a man is a son of perdition1. Of such a one it is said: With the spirit of his lips he shall slay the impious, namely him who will have the greatest appearance of piety. — Therefore the second exercise of the gift of piety is through the guarding of inward holiness. — But some have no mercy on their own soul; nay, they do to their soul the worst they can. They hate their own soul utterly; they could not do it worse than they do, because they do everything that the devil suggests to them. Have pity on thy own soul! And some, under the appearance of piety, take up what is against their own soul. They say: I shall go to filthiness under the appearance of piety. What piety is that? Certainly none.

8. The third exercise of the gift of piety is in the abundance of inward compassion. Of this it is said in Ecclesiasticus2: These are men of mercy, whose pious deeds have not failed; with their seed good things remain. — Dearly beloved! you ought to run through the lives of the holy Fathers, and you will see that these are men of mercy, namely Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph and Samuel. What piety was Noah's! For a hundred years he did nothing but build the ark, that he might save the human race3. How great was the piety in most holy Abraham! God came down to strike the cities in which were the abominations of sin; and Abraham interceded with the Lord for them and wrung from the Lord that if he found ten just men in the cities, the Lord would spare them. How great was Joseph's piety! Who, sold by his brothers — nay, his brothers wanted to kill him — yet guarded, governed and enriched his brothers and their sons; and he had piety towards preserving the whole world by gathering and preserving grain. How great was Moses' piety! Who loved the people that provoked the Lord and prayed for them to the Lord, saying4: Hear me, Lord, this people has sinned; either forgive this people this offence, or, if thou dost not, blot me out of thy book which thou hast written. Bernard offers the example of a woman who has her little child and is outside the house. If it be said to her: leave your little child outside the house, and you come inside; she would not want to go into the house, so that the boy should remain outside. So Moses willed that the Lord should forgive the people their sin, or else blot him out of the book of life. So it was with Samuel, when the people asked for a king; afterwards the people recognized that Samuel had governed the people well, and when the people had sinned, it feared that Samuel would not be willing to pray to the Lord for it. And the people begged him to pray for them, and Samuel said5: Far be it from me that I should cease to pray for you. Of how great piety was David king of Israel! Saul sought him to kill him, and David had Saul in his hand; he could have killed him, with God not forbidding, since God had said to him: I will deliver him into thy hands6. He could have killed him, with no man forbidding and no law forbidding; and yet he spared him and his house. These, then, are men of mercy, whose pious deeds have not failed.

9. To this piety blessed Peter invites us, who was the other Apostle, in his second Canonical Epistle, saying7: Minister in your faith virtue, in virtue knowledge, in knowledge abstinence, in abstinence patience, in patience piety, in piety love of brotherhood, and in the love of brotherhood charity. What does he mean to say? He sets piety in the middle of two, namely between patience and charity. He says that piety is the purple garment, and that patience and charity are the royal garment. He who wishes to be pious towards his neighbour must bear with him patiently and love him charitably. David bore himself patiently and charitably towards his enemy; so ought a man bear himself towards his neighbour. — Where is piety today? There is no middle, because God has taken away the extremes; so great is cruelty today that a man cannot be satisfied with vengeance; today impatience and anger reign; a man judges ill; even if a man does not offend me, yet I shall judge ill of him. Whence comes this? Certainly, because I have not charity. Blessed Peter well knows how to say how I shall be able to have charity, since, if I have patience on the one side and charity on the other — behold, the exercise of piety.

10. You will say perhaps, brother: I have not this gift. It is necessary, then, that I explain to you the original principle of piety. And you will say: you ought to have begun from the principle; and you began from the exercise. No, brother; I could not lead you to the original principle of piety except through the act and exercise of piety. Now the gift of piety takes its origin first from the uncreated Trinity, secondly from the incarnate Wisdom, and thirdly from holy mother Church, sanctified through the Spirit.

11. See, I say, that the gift of piety arises first from the uncreated Trinity, namely from God the Father. Although God has all the noblest

p. 471 properties, yet he is most excellent in this property, namely of piety; whence it is said in the collect1: "O God, whose property is ever to have mercy and to spare" etc. And in Ecclesiasticus: God is pious and merciful, and in the time of tribulation he forgives sins and is a protector to all that seek him in truth. — He is pious and merciful, because he spares and protects. The Lord says2: As a father has compassion on his children, so have I had compassion on thee. — Search out all the works of God from the beginning to the end; you will always find works of compassion, great, greater and greatest. The great works of divine compassion are the works of nature; the greater works of divine compassion are the works of grace; but the greatest works are the works of glory. Hear! you are the image of God; and imago is so called as it were imitago3: therefore if you are truly the image of God, you ought to conform yourself to God in piety. Whence in Ecclesiasticus: In judging be merciful to orphans as a father, and to their mother in the place of a husband; and thou shalt be as the obedient son of the Most High, and he will have mercy on thee. — In judging, that is, in fostering right, be merciful to orphans, namely that you may be truly the son of the Most High. Since the glorious God has compassion on the wretched, why do you not imitate him? If there were some fountain that made withered plants grow green again, it would be highly prized. The soul without piety has withered plants. The river of divine compassion pours itself out most abundantly and makes dead plants grow green. Ought you not to bring that river into your soul? But you cannot bring it in except through piety. The first original inflowing of piety, then, is from the uncreated Trinity.

12. The second original inflowing of piety itself is from the incarnate Wisdom. Whence the Apostle to Timothy4: Manifestly great is the sacrament of piety, which was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, appeared to Angels, was preached to the Gentiles, was believed in the world, was taken up in glory. The mystery of human redemption, wrought through the Word incarnate and crucified, is the great sacrament of piety. — He says that it was manifested in the flesh, through the incarnation; was justified in the spirit, on the gibbet of the cross; appeared to Angels, in the glorification; was preached to the Gentiles, in the mission of the Holy Spirit; was believed in the world, through the spreading of the faith; was taken up in glory, through the examination of the final

<!-- page 471 (right column) --> judgment. I say that the Son of God incarnate took up our poverty. What did this? Certainly piety. Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest before God, that he might expiate the sins of the people5. Through piety he took flesh, ascended the cross, was raised from the dead, sent the Holy Spirit onto the earth, called the Church to himself and freed all who were fit from misery through piety. The Apostle says to the Romans6: Dost thou despise the riches of his goodness and patience and long-suffering? Dost thou not know that the benignity of God leads thee to penance? But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart thou treasurest up to thyself wrath in the day of wrath and of the revelation of the just judgment of God. The Son of God offered a holocaust, namely himself for us; this is the great sacrament of piety. — This sacrament is repeated daily at the altar. For these reasons he gave us the Sacrament of the altar, that, mindful of the sacrament of piety, we may put on the bowels of piety7. Cruel is the heart which is not softened by these things.

13. The third original inflowing of the gift of piety is from holy mother Church, sanctified through the Holy Spirit, who has the pledge of the Holy Spirit. Holy mother Church has enjoined piety upon all. Those who are born of one father and one mother love one another more than those who are born of one father only, or of one mother only. The Holy Spirit makes us sons of one father and of one mother and members of one body. The Apostle8: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, has appeared to all men, instructing us that, denying impiety and worldly desires, we should live soberly and justly and piously in this world. — Dearly beloved! see whether your piety is that of brother to brother, and of a brother of the same womb to a brother of the same womb! Who is our father? Certainly God. Who is our mother? It is the Church, who from her own womb bore us through the Holy Spirit and will bring us to birth when we shall be presented in the eternal light. Do you not see that as one member suffers with another member9, so we too ought to suffer with one another? We are all members of one body, we are fed with one food, we are brought forth from the same womb, we tend to the same inheritance; and our inheritance will be magnified the more of us there are; it will not be straitened10. We are one body; we ought to be piously affected towards one another. Come to the father: the father

p. 472 receives you, or the mother; if holy mother Church stands by, even scandalous sinners will be compelled to return. We ought therefore to suffer with one another.

14. In token of this it is written in the Psalm1: Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity. Like the ointment on the head, which ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron. We have one Father, one sacrifice, one Sacrament and one reward. He says: Like the ointment on the head etc. First the ointment of piety is on the head; afterwards it runs down upon all the others who draw near to the head. — First there must be piety in prelates and in the greater, and afterwards in the people; whence he says: which ran down to the hem of his garment2. Of this oil of piety it is said in the fourth book of Kings that a certain woman came to Elisha and said that her creditors wished to take her boys; and she said: My husband was a man who feared God. And Elisha said that she should bring all her neighbours' vessels and pour into each of them some of that oil, until all were filled. Why did he command her to bring her neighbours' vessels? Could he not have multiplied the oil and filled a cask, and the woman would not have laboured so much? I say that the woman holds the type of the Church, Elisha holds the type of Christ. When the Church is poor in merits, and it is needful that she pay the interest — with what will she pay? She must fill her neighbours' vessels. Do you wish that the piety of mother Church come down to you? Fill your neighbours' vessels. This oil of piety must be had among all. Whence in the Canticle3: Thy name is oil poured out.

15. Especially must it be in the hearts of bishops. Whence bishops are anointed on the head, and they, once anointed, must afterwards purify all of the people. It is said in the book of Maccabees4: When the holy city was inhabited in peace, and the laws were very well kept, because of the piety of Onias and the souls that hated evil; it came to pass that kings and princes held the place in reverence and honoured it with many gifts. Afterwards Menelaus and his men entered the temple, and Antiochus defiled the temple. I believe that the hindrance was that the Holy Spirit was not in the people, because the hindrance was in the shepherd. — Blessed Gregory was noble and rich; he founded and endowed seven monasteries, and in the seventh, in the city of Rome,

<!-- page 472 (right column) --> he became a monk5, afterwards a cardinal and at last Pope. Blessed Gregory was accustomed, when he was Pope, to keep twelve poor men who ate before him. On a certain day there was with those twelve one who sometimes appeared as a youth, sometimes of venerable grey hairs. After the meal blessed Gregory rose and led him into his chamber and asked who he was. He answered: I am that shipwrecked man to whom you showed mercy near the harbour of the sea. I said that my ship had been wrecked, and I begged an alms of you whereby I might support myself. You had fifty gold pieces given me6, and afterwards all the silver dishes that were in your house; and then I knew that the eternal God had appointed you to this honour, and that you came to this dignity by dispensation, so that you might be able to give much for God. And blessed Gregory said: who are you? He answered: I am his Angel. And blessed Gregory was terrified, because he saw an Angel; and so he was consoled, because works of piety please God so much. Martin and Nicholas, because they were men of mercy, therefore oil flows from their tomb7. — Now the exercise of piety and its original inflowing are plain.

16. But what is the usefulness of the gift of piety? He says8: Piety avails for all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. I do not know what more to add. Have you temporal goods? Piety avails for them; and likewise for spiritual goods. Those who have suffered the slipperiness of the flesh have sometimes been set free through the gift of piety, and afterwards have obtained mercy. For piety avails for all things: it avails for knowing the things that are true, for turning aside from all evils and for obtaining all goods.

17. First, I say, piety avails for knowing the things that are true, namely those that are salutary; whence in Ecclesiasticus9: The Lord made all things, and to them that act piously he gave wisdom. God gives his gifts upon every creature; but the knowledge of truth he gives only to those who act piously. How could he attain the things originated who does not attain the origin of truth? How would he know the origin of truth who sets himself against the origin of truth? The Apostle says to Timothy10: If any man teach otherwise and does not consent to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to that doctrine which is according to piety, he is proud, knowing nothing, but languishing about questions and strifes of words. A man must

p. 473 assent to the doctrine which is according to piety. It is said in Daniel1: Moreover the impious shall act impiously; the revelation shall be closed to the impious. If you wish to be true scholars, you must have piety.

18. Secondly, piety avails for turning aside from all evils. Whence blessed Peter2: The Lord knows how to deliver the pious from temptation, but to reserve the impious unto the day of judgment to be tormented. The impious are those who do not acknowledge the divine piety. But the impious man, when he has come into the depth of sins, contemns. He is impious who defends his own impiety, namely sin. Of such the Psalm says3: Their throat is an open sepulchre; they dealt deceitfully with their tongues; judge them, O God. Let them fall from their devices; according to the multitude of their impieties cast them out, for they have provoked thee, O Lord. Do you wish to be delivered from evil? Hear David, who says: I said: I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord, and thou hast forgiven the impiety of my sin. Praise God and be angry against sin, and do not defend sin, because to defend a sin is a double sin. It is worth noting what the Psalm says4: Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the impious, by consenting to sin; and has not stood in the way of sinners, by remaining in sin; and has not sat in the chair of pestilence, by defending his own sin.

19. The third usefulness of the gift of piety is that it makes a man obtain every good. Whence it is said in the book of Maccabees5 that Judas considered that those who had taken their rest with piety were carrying back the best grace — which may he deign to grant us who with the Father etc.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 1
    Cap. 4, 7. et 8. Pro ad omnia valet Vulgata ad omnia utilis est. — De hoc dono cfr. III. Sent. d. 35. q. 6.
    Chapter 4:7 and 8. For avails for all things the Vulgate has is profitable to all things. — On this gift cf. III Sentences, d. 35, q. 6.
  2. 2
    Vide supra pag. 421, nota 1.
    See above, page 421, note 1.
  3. 3
    Eccle. 1, 8: Cunctae res difficiles, non potest eas homo explicare sermone.
    Ecclesiastes 1:8: All things are hard; man cannot explain them by word.
  4. 4
    Cap. 49, 3. et 4: Et tulit abominationes etc. — De Ieroboam cfr. III. Reg. 11, 31. seqq. et 12, 15. seqq.; de Manasse vide IV. Reg. 21, 1. seqq.; ibid. 22, 1. seqq. de Iosia, de quo dicitur: Octo annorum erat Iosias, cum regnare coepisset etc.
    Chapter 49:3 and 4: And he took away the abominations etc. — On Jeroboam cf. III Kings 11:31 ff. and 12:15 ff.; on Manasses see IV Kings 21:1 ff.; ibid. 22:1 ff. on Josiah, of whom it is said: Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign etc.
  5. 1
    Cap. 28, 28. — Sententia August. habetur Enchirid. c. 2. n. 1; X. de Civ. Dei, c. 1. n. 3. et XII. de Trin. c. 14. n. 22. Cfr. III. Sent. d. 9. a. 2. q. 1. seqq.
    Chapter 28:28. — Augustine's statement is found in the Enchiridion, ch. 2, n. 1; City of God X, ch. 1, n. 3, and On the Trinity XII, ch. 14, n. 22. Cf. III Sentences, d. 9, a. 2, q. 1 ff.
  6. 2
    Cfr. supra in Hexaëm. collat. 9. n. 24. seqq.
    Cf. above in the Hexaemeron, collation 9, n. 24 ff.
  7. 3
    Epist. I. Ioan. 1, 5: Deus lux est.
    First Epistle of John 1:5: God is light.
  8. 4
    Eccle. 1, 7: Omnia flumina intrant in mare etc. Aristot., II. Ethic. c. 1: Nihil enim ex iis quae natura fiunt, assuescere aliter potest, ut lapis, cum natura deorsum feratur, nunquam sursum ferri assuescet, neque si millies quispiam eum sursum proiiciendo velit assuefacere; neque ignis deorsum ferri, neque aliud quidpiam aliter quam natura comparatum sit, unquam assuescet.
    Ecclesiastes 1:7: All the rivers run into the sea etc. Aristotle, Ethics II, ch. 1: For nothing that comes to be by nature can be habituated otherwise; as the stone, since by nature it is borne downwards, will never be habituated to be borne upwards, not even if someone should wish to habituate it by throwing it upwards a thousand times; nor will fire be habituated to be borne downwards, nor will anything else ever be habituated otherwise than as it has been constituted by nature.
  9. 5
    Cfr. supra Breviloq. p. II. c. 12. et Itinerarium mentis in Deum, c. 3.
    Cf. above, Breviloquium, part II, ch. 12, and the Itinerarium mentis in Deum, ch. 3.
  10. 6
    Epist. I. Tim. 2, 1. Ibid. v. 2: Ut quietam et tranquillam vitam etc.
    First Epistle to Timothy 2:1. Ibid. v. 2: That we may lead a quiet and tranquil life etc.
  11. 7
    Manifestum est, sermonem hic a codd. imperfecte et confuse referri.
    It is plain that the discourse is here reported by the codices imperfectly and confusedly.
  12. 8
    Deut. 4, 9: Custodi igitur temetipsum et animam tuam sollicite etc.
    Deuteronomy 4:9: Keep thyself therefore and thy soul carefully etc.
  13. 9
    Psalm. 10, 6: Dominus interrogat iustum et impium. — Seq. locus est Eccli. 30, 24: Miserere... Deo, et contine; congrega cor tuum in sanctitate eius.
    Psalm 10:6: The Lord questions the just man and the impious. — The following passage is Ecclesiasticus 30:24: Have pity... God, and contain; gather thy heart in his holiness.
  14. 10
    Respicitur Matth. 23, 27. seq.: Vae vobis! Scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae, quia similes estis sepulcris dealbatis etc. — Seq. sententia est August., Enarrat. in Ps. 63. n. 11, ubi addit hanc rationem: « Quia et iniquitas est et simulatio ».
    Reference is made to Matthew 23:27 f.: Woe to you! Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you are like whited sepulchres etc. — The following statement is Augustine's, Enarration on Psalm 63, n. 11, where he adds this reason: "Because there is both iniquity and pretence."
  15. 11
    Epist. II. Tim. 3, 1. 2. 4. et 5. Plura in Vulgata interseruntur. — Glossa secundum Petr. Lombard., in hunc locum, dicit: Habentes quidem speciem pietatis, id est religionis, quia eadem Sacramenta habent cum piis, et ideo periculosi sunt. Cfr. August., XIX. contra Faustum, c. 11. et 12.
    Second Epistle to Timothy 3:1, 2, 4 and 5. More is inserted in the Vulgate. — The Gloss according to Peter Lombard, on this passage, says: Having indeed an appearance of piety, that is, of religion, because they have the same Sacraments as the pious, and are therefore dangerous. Cf. Augustine, Against Faustus XIX, ch. 11 and 12.
  16. 1
    Ita vocatur Iudas Ioan. 17, 12. et antichristus II. Thess. 2, 3. — Seq. locus est Isai. 11, 4. Vulgata interficiet pro percutiet.
    Judas is so called in John 17:12, and antichrist in II Thessalonians 2:3. — The following passage is Isaiah 11:4. The Vulgate has shall kill for shall slay.
  17. 2
    Cap. 44, 10. seq.: Sed illi viri... etc.
    Chapter 44:10 f.: But those men... etc.
  18. 3
    Cfr. Gen. 6. et 7. — De Abraham deprecante pro Sodoma vide ibid. 18, 20. seqq.; de Ioseph ibid. 37. et 41. seqq.
    Cf. Genesis 6 and 7. — On Abraham pleading for Sodom see ibid. 18:20 ff.; on Joseph ibid. 37 and 41 ff.
  19. 4
    Exod. 32, 31. seq.: Obsecro, peccavit etc. — Bernard., Serm. 12. in Cantic. n. 4, his verbis Moysi allegatis, adiungit: O vere hominem unctum unctione misericordiae! Loquitur plane parentis affectu... verbi gratia, si dives quispiam mulieri paupercualae dicat: Ingredere tu ad prandium meum, sed quem gestas infantulum relinque foris, quoniam plorat et molestus est nobis, nunquid faciet? Nonne magis eliget ieiunare, quam exposito pignore caro, sola prandere cum divite? Ita nec Moysi sedet solum se introduci in gaudium Domini sui, foris scilicet remanente populo, cui, licet inquieto et ingrato, vice pariter et affectione matris inhaeret.
    Exodus 32:31 f.: I beseech thee, this people has sinned etc. — Bernard, Sermon 12 on the Canticle, n. 4, having cited these words of Moses, adds: O truly a man anointed with the anointing of mercy! He speaks plainly with the affection of a parent... for example, if some rich man should say to a poor woman: Come in yourself to my meal, but leave outside the little child you carry, since he cries and is troublesome to us — would she do it? Would she not rather choose to fast than to dine alone with the rich man, with her dear pledge left outside? So neither does it suit Moses that he alone be brought into the joy of his Lord, with the people, that is, remaining outside, to whom he clings with the office and no less the affection of a mother, unquiet and ungrateful though it be.
  20. 5
    Libr. I. Reg. 12, 23: Absit autem a me hoc peccatum in Dominum, ut etc.
    I Kings 12:23: But far be this sin from me against the Lord, that etc.
  21. 6
    Libr. I. Reg. 24, 5: Ego tradam tibi inimicum tuum, ut facias ei, sicut placuerit in oculis tuis. Cfr. ibid. v. 11. et 26, 23. Vide supra pag. 416, nota 9.
    I Kings 24:5: I will deliver thy enemy to thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall please thee. Cf. ibid. v. 11 and 26:23. See above, page 416, note 9.
  22. 7
    Cap. 1, 5-7.
    Chapter 1:5-7.
  23. 1
    Apud Gregor. in libro Sacramentorum, oratio 4. inter orationes pro peccatis (ed. Migne, Patrol. lat. tom. 78. col. 197). S. Bonav. in Exposit. libri Sapientiae 12, 15. ait: Virtus enim Dei est pietas, secundum illud Gregorii: Deus, cui proprium est misereri semper et parcere. — Seq. locus est Eccli. 2, 13.
    In Gregory, in the book of Sacramentaries, collect 4 among the collects for sins (ed. Migne, Patrologia latina, vol. 78, col. 197). St Bonaventure in his Exposition of the book of Wisdom 12:15 says: For the power of God is piety, according to that saying of Gregory: O God, whose property is ever to have mercy and to spare. — The following passage is Ecclesiasticus 2:13.
  24. 2
    Psalm. 102, 13: Quomodo miseretur pater filiorum, misertus est Dominus timentibus se. Isai. 54, 8: In misericordia sempiterna misertus sum tui, dixit redemptor tuus Dominus.
    Psalm 102:13: As a father has compassion on his children, so has the Lord had compassion on them that fear him. Isaiah 54:8: In everlasting mercy I have had compassion on thee, said the Lord thy redeemer.
  25. 3
    Vide tom. I. pag. 540, nota 1. Aristot., VI. Topic. c. 2: Imago, id est, cuius generatio per imitationem est. — Seq. locus est Eccli. 4, 10. et 11.
    See vol. I, page 540, note 1. Aristotle, Topics VI, ch. 2: An image, that is, something whose coming to be is by imitation. — The following passage is Ecclesiasticus 4:10 and 11.
  26. 4
    Epist. I. 3, 16.
    First Epistle 3:16.
  27. 5
    Hebr. 2, 17.
    Hebrews 2:17.
  28. 6
    Cap. 2, 4. et 5.
    Chapter 2:4 and 5.
  29. 7
    Col. 3, 12: Induite vos ergo... viscera misericordiae etc.
    Colossians 3:12: Put ye on therefore... the bowels of mercy etc.
  30. 8
    Tit. 2, 11. et 12. Rom. 12, 5: Ita multi unum corpus sumus in Christo, singuli autem alter alterius membra. Cfr. I. Cor. 12, 12. seqq. — Post videte, si adiecimus pietas vestra.
    Titus 2:11 and 12. Romans 12:5: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Cf. I Corinthians 12:12 ff. — After see whether we have supplied your piety.
  31. 9
    Epist. I. Cor. 12, 26: Et si quid patitur unum membrum, compatiuntur omnia membra. Ibid. 10, 17: Quoniam unus panis, unum corpus multi sumus, omnes qui de uno pane participamus.
    First Epistle to the Corinthians 12:26: And if one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with it. Ibid. 10:17: For we, being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake of one bread.
  32. 10
    De extensione et mutua communicatione gaudiorum in patria cfr. III. Sent. d. 31. a. 3. q. 3. et Breviloq. p. VII. c. 7.
    On the extension and mutual communication of joys in the fatherland cf. III Sentences, d. 31, a. 3, q. 3, and Breviloquium, part VII, ch. 7.
  33. 1
    Psalm. 132, 1. et 2. Cfr. supra pag. 441, nota 9.
    Psalm 132:1 and 2. Cf. above, page 441, note 9.
  34. 2
    Psalm. 132, 2. — De seqq. vide IV. Reg. 4, 1. seqq.: Mulier autem quaedam... clamabat ad Eliseum, dicens: Servus tuus, vir meus, mortuus est, et tu nosti, quia servus tuus fuit timens Dominum, et ecce, creditor venit, ut tollat duos filios meos etc. Cfr. Raban. in hunc locum.
    Psalm 132:2. — On what follows see IV Kings 4:1 ff.: Now a certain woman... cried out to Elisha, saying: Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant feared the Lord; and behold, the creditor is come to take away my two sons etc. Cf. Rabanus on this passage.
  35. 3
    Cap. 1, 2.
    Chapter 1:2.
  36. 4
    Libr. II. 3, 1. et 2. — De Menelao vide ibid. 4, 23. seqq. De contaminato templo 6, 2. seqq. et 10, 3.
    Second book 3:1 and 2. — On Menelaus see ibid. 4:23 ff. On the defiling of the temple 6:2 ff. and 10:3.
  37. 5
    Cfr. S. Gregorii vita a Ioanne diacono scripta, lib. I. n. 5. et 6. Ibid. n. 10. et II. n. 23. narratur, quod duodecim pauperibus invitatis, tertium decimum, Angelum sibi divinitus deputatum, recognoverit.
    Cf. the life of St Gregory written by John the deacon, book I, nn. 5 and 6. Ibid. n. 10 and book II, n. 23 it is related that, twelve poor men having been invited, he recognized a thirteenth, an Angel divinely appointed to him.
  38. 6
    B quinque obolos aureos.
    B reads five gold obols.
  39. 7
    Surius (Histor. seu vitae Sanctorum) in vita S. Nicolai (6. Dec.), § 20: Ex purissimis autem illis et redolentibus membris per anteacta saecula in hunc usque diem nectareus distillat liquor, certissima spiritualium ac corporalium aegritudinum medicina. De Martino cfr. Gregor. Turon., III. de Miraculis S. Martini, c. 24.
    Surius (Histories or Lives of the Saints) in the life of St Nicholas (6 December), § 20: From those most pure and fragrant limbs, through the ages gone by down to this very day, a nectar-like liquid distils, a most certain medicine for spiritual and bodily sicknesses. On Martin cf. Gregory of Tours, On the Miracles of St Martin III, ch. 24.
  40. 8
    Epist. I. Tim. 4, 8. Cfr. supra pag. 468, nota 1.
    First Epistle to Timothy 4:8. Cf. above, page 468, note 1.
  41. 9
    Cap. 43, 37.
    Chapter 43:37.
  42. 10
    Epist. I. 6, 3. et 4. — Subinde pro secundum pietatem codd. secundum veritatem.
    First Epistle 6:3 and 4. — Just below, for according to piety the codices have according to truth.
  43. 1
    Cap. 12, 9. seq.: Vade Daniel, quia clausi sunt signatique sermones usque ad praefinitum tempus... et impie agent impii, neque intelligent omnes impii; porro docti intelligent.
    Chapter 12:9 f.: Go, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the appointed time... and the impious shall act impiously, and none of the impious shall understand; but the learned shall understand.
  44. 2
    Epist. II. 2, 9. Pro impios autem Vulgata iniquos vero. — Seq. locus est Prov. 18, 3.
    Second Epistle 2:9. For but the impious the Vulgate has but the unjust. — The following passage is Proverbs 18:3.
  45. 3
    Psalm. 5, 11. — Seq. locus est Ps. 31, 5.
    Psalm 5:11. — The following passage is Psalm 31:5.
  46. 4
    Psalm. 1, 1.
    Psalm 1:1.
  47. 5
    Libr. II. 12, 45. Pro reportabant Vulgata haberent repositam.
    Second book 12:45. For were carrying back the Vulgate has had laid up for them. ---
Cited by

1 place in the Opera Omnia citesthis question. Derived from Quaracchi’s own apparatus, never tagged by hand.

On the gift of knowledge
Collationes de septem donis Spiritus Sancti · Collatio IV: De dono scientiae
supra pag. 471, nota 9