De dcemoniaco cceco et muto
The Healing of the Demoniac
Christ heals the blind and mute demoniac, signifying the spiritual liberation and restoration of the faithful.
— Following the events already mentioned, a man who was blind, mute, and possessed by a demon was brought to Him; however, Luke mentions only that he was mute, not blind, omitting what Matthew recorded. Such conditions aren't present in a demon formally, but only affectively, because the demon had made the man blind and mute; therefore, once the demon was cast out, the man could see and speak. Hence it follows: And He healed him, in which the liberation from the demon is noted; so that he might see, in which the illumination of blindness is noted; and that he might speak, in which the restoration of speech is noted. Where Jerome says: “Three signs were performed in the man at once: the blind man sees, the mute man speaks, and the one possessed by a demon is set free.” This was indeed done literally at that time, but it is fulfilled daily in the conversion of the faithful, so that once the demon is cast out, they first receive the light of faith, and then their mouths, previously silent, are loosened to praise God. Augustine also says: “For the one who has a demon is blind and mute if he doesn't believe in God; and he is subject to the devil if he doesn't understand and doesn't confess the faith itself, or if he doesn't give praise to God.” Chrysostom also says: “Lest anyone think that it's enough for a faithful person to know God, it's also necessary to confess God; and therefore He healed the blind and mute man—the eyes for knowing, the mouth for confessing God.” Whoever knows but doesn't confess it, even if the eyes of his mind are healed, is still mute. Therefore, anyone who sees but doesn't follow God's commands, and anyone who speaks but doesn't speak of God's praise and grace—even if he speaks and sees in God's eyes, he is still both mute and blind. A person doesn't see God just because he knows Him; he sees God because he fears and loves Him. And anyone who prays and sings psalms, but doesn't do what he praises, speaks with his body but is silent in his soul—this is Chrysostom's point: spiritually, that person has a demon who persists in mortal sin. For as long as sin reigns in a person, he is possessed and held captive by the devil. A threefold demon harasses him: pride in the mind, desire in the flesh, and greed in material things, because 'everything in the world is either the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, or the pride of life.' This threefold demon makes a person mute. Since speech was given to man to praise God, to give thanks, to speak the truth, to build up his neighbor, and to confess sin and ask for mercy, pride takes away the first kind of speech by usurping what belongs to God—namely, praise. Greed takes away the second, as it looks only to itself and not to one's neighbor. Lust takes away the third, and does so most especially against nature. Hence, Sodom is interpreted as 'blindness' or 'mute.' It also makes a person blind, so that he doesn't see what pertains to his own salvation or what is beneficial to himself; he doesn't follow that Light which says, 'I am the light of the world,' but instead wanders in darkness. If this demon-possessed, blind, and mute person is offered to the Lord, and if he is converted to repentance, Jesus will soon heal him so that, once the demon is cast out, he may see and speak. The malice of the demon abounds; the divine mercy superabounds. In this demoniac, the malice of the demon abounded, because when it held him captive, it made him blind and mute, and, according to Chrysostom, even deaf; but the mercy of God abounded in him, because He cast the demon out of the captive, restored his speech, repaired his sight, and opened his hearing.
The Fourfold Restoration of the Sinner
The author details the four spiritual benefits Christ grants to the justified sinner: liberation, speech, sight, and hearing.
Through this, we can understand the demon-possessed man. In this way, we can understand the justified sinner, to whom God spiritually grants the four benefits mentioned above. The first is that He drives the devil out of him. For the sinner invites the devil into the house of his soul, but Christ drives him out so that He may dwell there Himself. The house of the soul has three stories: the upper one, which is the spirit; the lower one, which is the body; and the middle one, which is the soul. God dwells in the upper story—the spirit—when it is given to contemplation; He dwells in the middle story, the soul, when it is intent on internal meditation; He dwells in the lower story, the body, when it is disciplined and intent on mortification. The second benefit is that God opens the sinner's tongue. God gave man a tongue for three purposes: to praise God, to build up his neighbor, and to rebuke and accuse himself in confession before God. But because the sinner doesn't use his tongue for these three things, he's rightly called mute. When, therefore, he begins to praise God and his neighbor, to build up others, and to accuse himself, then he speaks, and his tongue is used for its proper duties. The third benefit is when God restores light to the sinner. The sign that he has been enlightened in this way is when he sees what is before and behind, to his right and to his left. He has eyes in every direction. He has eyes in front who considers and thinks about the sins he has committed—how shameful, how many, and how grave they are—and from this feels sorrow. He has eyes in front who sees and thinks about the future judgment of God, and from this feels fear. He has eyes to the right who sees and thinks about the prosperity of the world, how fleeting and vain it is, and is not drawn to it by love, but resists it through reflection. He has eyes to the left who sees the present life and how brief it is. And because of this, he isn't broken by impatience in these things. The fourth benefit is when God restores hearing to the sinner. A sinner is deaf because they don't hear God when He warns them, nor when He blesses them, nor when He inspires them, nor when He threatens them; but that deaf person receives their hearing back when they hear God in all these things.
The Slander of the Pharisees
The crowds marvel at Christ's power, but the Pharisees respond with malicious slander, attributing His works to Beelzebub.
The crowds were amazed, clearly admiring the divine power in Christ, and they asked, "Could this be the Son of David?" It was as if they were saying, "Yes, because this is the Christ promised to us from the seed of David." In a moral sense, the demon is cast out in contrition, and the one who was previously mute speaks in confession; the crowds marvel in satisfaction, especially when they see those who were accustomed to doing nothing but evil now performing good works. The scribes and Pharisees, however—those men of letters and leaders full of the malice of envy—hearing the crowds confessing that he was indeed the Christ, and seeing the evidence of his deeds, said in their hearts and thoughts, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons." In this way, they brought insults against the Spirit whose work it is to cast out demons and perform healings. Because they could not deny the miraculous deed, they slandered the method by which it was done; and in this way they tried to defame the act, saying that Jesus Christ cast out the lesser demons from the bodies of the possessed by means of some demon superior to himself—one who was his own familiar and private associate. As Chrysostom says, "Envy doesn't seek what to say, but only that it might say something." It's the same today: many people, when they can't directly criticize the words or deeds of others, attempt to slander their intentions and their methods. Bede says, "While the crowds, who seemed less learned, were marveling at the Lord's deeds, the scribes and Pharisees..." They worked to deny these things, or to twist them with a sinister interpretation, as if they were not the works of divinity, but of an unclean spirit. 5. The origin of idols. According to Bede, the names of idols originated with Bel. For Ninus, the king who founded—or rather, rebuilt—Nineveh, consecrated a statue to his father Bel, who was the first king of the Assyrians; those who had committed crimes would flee to it and earn forgiveness. From this, they began to venerate the statue itself; and eventually, at the devil's instigation, divine honors were attributed to the statue, and thus the cult of idolatry began. The Chaldeans, adopting the custom of this image, called it Bel; the Palestinians, Baal; and the Moabites, Beelphegor, according to the diversity of their languages. The Jews, however, as worshippers of the true God, called it Beelzebub in derision of the Gentiles—which means 'man' or 'prince of flies'—because of the multitude of flies that were in its temple due to the filth of the sacrificed blood that the flies were accustomed to follow. The Jews said that the prince of demons lived in this idol, partly because it was the beginning of idolatry, partly because no idol was found to be more effective than it, and partly because its cult was more widespread among all the Gentiles. Although every nation had its own special gods, everyone still worshipped this one as a universal God. So, the Pharisees claimed that the Lord performed miracles by the power of the prince of demons who lived in this idol. Remigius notes: "Beelzebub is the same as Beel, Baal, and Beelphegor." Bel was the father of Ninus, king of the Assyrians; he was called Baal because he was worshipped on high places, and Beelphegor from Iocus, that is, from Mount Phegai. Zebub was a servant of Abimelech, son of Gideon, who, after killing his seventy brothers, built a temple to Baal and appointed him as priest there to drive away the flies that gathered because of the excessive blood of the sacrifices; since 'Zebub' means fly, 'Beelzebub' is interpreted as 'lord of the flies'. Therefore, because of this filthy rite of worship, they said he was the prince of demons. Finding nothing more shameful to charge the Lord with, they said that He cast out demons by Beelzebub—so says Remigius. They did all this out of envy, regarding which Chrysostom says here: "Envy is such a thing that there is surely no malice worse than it." Just as a pig delights in the mire and demons in our downfall, so too does the person who envies their neighbor delight in their misfortunes; and just as beetles are nourished by dung, so too is this person nourished by the troubles of others—so says Chrysostom.
The Hierarchy of Demonic Influence
A classification of demonic powers—Lucifer, Asmodeus, Mammon, and Beelzebub—and the virtues required to overcome them.
It's worth noting that demons have their own duties, which are highly organized toward evil. For instance, there is one. He is the demon who presides over pride and is called Lucifer; he has many satellites who stand by him, and many subjects over whom he rules—namely, the proud. As Job says: "He is king over all the children of pride." And this one is cast out through true humility of heart. There is another who presides over lust; he is called Asmodeus, of whom it is said in the Book of Tobit that he killed the seven husbands of Sarah. For he hates legitimate marriage, and that is why he wanted to drag that girl into the vice of fornication; this demon has many satellites who assist him, and many subjects—namely, all the lustful. And he is cast out through fasting and the mortification of the body. The third is the one who presides over greed, and he is called Mammon. That’s why it says in Matthew: "You cannot serve God and Mammon." He has many satellites who help him, and many subjects he reigns over—namely, all the greedy. He is cast out by rejecting temporal things, which happens either totally, as the perfect do when they leave everything behind, or partially, as those do who share their abundance with the poor. The fourth is the one who presides over impure thoughts, rancor, envy, and evil affections; he is called Beelzebub, which means "man of flies." He sends in flies—that is, impure thoughts, hatreds, and evil desires—which are called flies because they fly quickly to the soul and defile it.1 This demon, however, has many satellites who assist him, and many subjects he presides over—namely, all the envious. And he is cast out through confession and priestly absolution.
Christ's Defense and the Stronger Man
Christ refutes the Pharisees' accusations through logical arguments and the parable of the strong man being overcome by a stronger one.
Jesus, however, knowing their thoughts, proves through several arguments that he casts out demons not by Beelzebub, but by the finger and Spirit of God; and that the miracles he was performing couldn't be attributed to an evil spirit, but had to be attributed to the divine Spirit. The Holy Spirit is compared to a finger for three reasons. First, because of the procession: just as the hand and arm proceed from the substance of the body, and the finger from the hand and arm—and indeed from the body itself—so the Son proceeds from the Father, and the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son. Second, because of the division: just as there are several distinct joints in a finger, so the gifts of the Holy Spirit are diverse and distinct. Third, because of the operation: just as the hand and arm work through the fingers, so the Son works through the Holy Spirit; and the Son is called the hand and arm of the Father because all things are worked through him. He responded to their thoughts, and in this he showed his divinity, because only God knows thoughts; he did this so that they might be compelled to believe in him who saw the hidden things of the heart. For, according to Chrysostom, since their suspicion was irrational, they didn't dare to make it public for fear of the crowd. He proves this first with this reasoning: if He were casting out others by some demon, it would follow that there was division among them, and thus the power of the devil could not stand for long; and from this follows the coming of Christ, by whom the power of the demon was destined to be taken away. So He said to them: Every kingdom divided within itself and against itself—as by the discord of leaders fighting one another—will be laid waste and scattered; and every city or house divided against itself, through contrary wills and actions, will not stand, but will be dissolved. For, according to Sallust, through concord small things grow; through discord the greatest things fall apart. He uses an induction in three areas: in a kingdom, in a city, and in a house, according to the threefold unity under which people live. For some live only under one law or right, and these are represented by the kingdom; others under one custom, and these by the city; others under one way of life and fellowship, and these by the house. Likewise, He takes an example from a kingdom, a city, and a house—that is, from the great, the middling, and the small—so that by this He might show His reasoning to be stronger and sufficient. Hence Chrysostom says: Nothing on earth is more powerful than a kingdom, yet it perishes through internal strife. What, then, must be said of a city or of a house? Whether it's great or small, anything that fights against itself perishes—so says Chrysostom. But if Satan casts out and expels Satan through me and by my authority, then the kingdom of demons is divided against itself and at odds with itself, because they are fighting each other; therefore, their kingdom and the power of their malice cannot stand, and so the end of the world will come, because they will remain here until the end of the world to tempt us. For Satan's kingdom exists in evil people whom he holds in subjection, and this will not cease before the end of the world, partly because of the ordering of divine justice—and this is to stir up humanity—and partly because the prophecies have not yet been fulfilled. Hence the same Chrysostom says: 'As if to say: A kingdom divided against itself by civil war must be laid waste; this is seen in a house and in a city as well.' Therefore, even if Satan's kingdom is divided against itself, so that Satan drives Satan out from people, the desolation of the kingdom of demons has drawn near; however, their kingdom consists in the fact that they hold people in subjection. If, therefore, they are driven out by people, this is nothing other than their kingdom being dissolved. But if they still hold power in people, it's clear that the kingdom of the wicked one still stands and isn't divided against itself—so says Chrysostom. Morally speaking, a kingdom divided is the soul of an evil person whose sensuality rebels against reason; and this kingdom is laid waste because Christ, who is the Truth, withdraws from it, and the devil enters in. Furthermore, a kingdom divided against itself represents any community lacking harmony and peace, where two Satans exist, each striving to expand his own side to prevail over the other; such a community will be laid waste and its harmony shattered, because if they are divided against themselves, they cannot endure due to the conflict of their actions, and so their house and community fail. But, alas! it’s hard to find any people who have as much harmony in doing good as evil spirits have in doing evil. For although they are infinite and countless, they all agree on this: they desire nothing but to do evil. If only people were as harmonious in doing good, and encouraged one another to do it! Next, he proves this same point with a second argument, as follows. The casting out of demons by me and by your own sons is of the same power; but they, according to you, do not cast out demons by the prince of demons, and therefore, neither do I. Hence he says: 'And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub'—that is, by the authority of the prince of demons—'by whom do your sons cast them out?'—that is, the exorcists, according to Bede and Rabanus, or the Apostles born of them, according to Augustine and Jerome—'in what,' that is, by what power, 'do they cast them out?'2 It's as if he were saying: Since you cannot attribute the casting out of demons by your own sons to anything other than divine power, you must consequently admit the same for the casting out done by me. Therefore, they themselves will be your judges—the exorcists—condemning you for the lie you tell against me; for if they cast out demons by the power of God, then I do so all the more, even though you falsely claim the opposite by attributing it to the devil. Alternatively, the Apostles—born of their lineage and well aware that they learned no evil arts from Christ—will be their judges in the future, sitting in judgment and giving their approval; for they will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having exposed the falsehood of the Pharisees, he establishes the truth: since he doesn't cast them out by the power of the devil, it follows that he does so by the power of God, as there is no other middle ground. He says, therefore: If—that is, because—I cast out demons in the Spirit, or as Luke says, by the finger of God, and thus I drive out the kingdom of the devil, as is concluded from the premise, since the expulsion of one contrary and the introduction of another necessarily leads to the kingdom of God—that is, I, Christ, who as God must reign in you—why then do you blaspheme against me? Alternatively, the kingdom of God is the time of grace, for earning the kingdom of glory, which is offered to you while it is preached through the words of truth and the miracles of power. Alternatively, the kingdom of God has come upon you, meaning that access to the kingdom of heaven has been opened to you and to those who believe. Therefore, it is clear that the demon does not. He is the actor of the miracle; then, consequently, Christ proves in many ways that he is not a minister of the devil. The primary reasoning is this: a minister is not more powerful than the actor, but Christ is more powerful than the devil; therefore, Christ is not a minister of the devil. He shows it this way: For no one can enter a strong man's house to guard his own home and plunder his goods unless he first, as one stronger, binds the strong man; and then, having defeated him, he will seize his house, weapons, armor, and spoils, and carry them off and distribute them. The devil is strong by the strength of natural goods, and it is written of him in Job that there is no power on earth that can be compared to him. His weapons are the cunning and deceit of spiritual wickedness, and all kinds of sins; his house and courtyard is the world in which he ruled until the coming of the Savior; his vessels and spoils are people who are obsessed or deceived by the devil. While he was guarding his courtyard, in which he lived as if in his own home, all his possessions were in peace because no one resisted him; and even now, they are in peace for him—all those he possesses, that is, all sinners who obey him and favor him, because, according to Gregory, he neglects to strike those whom he feels he possesses by a quiet right. But the stronger one, namely Christ, coming from above, defeated him by resisting his temptations manfully and by patiently enduring the suffering brought about by him. Having cast him into hell and crushed him under the Lord's foot, he took away all his armor—that is, the most cunning tricks of spiritual wickedness in which he trusted—by restraining and exposing them all. He rescued his vessels, that is, the sinners who were previously subjugated to the devil, from his power; and he distributed his spoils, that is, the sinners previously captured by the devil, and assigned them to various ecclesiastical offices, because he himself gave some as Apostles, some as Prophets, others as Evangelists, and others still. Pastors and teachers. According to Bede, he distributes the spoils in the kingdom of the Church, both militant and triumphant, in various dignities and rewards. And because Christ did these things, it follows that he is more powerful than the demons; therefore, he isn't their servant, nor does he need their power to cast them out. From this, it is also concluded that he is truly Christ, because at the coming of Christ, the power of the demon was to be restrained and warded off. We ought, therefore, to feel secure, because our adversary is proven to be strong and victorious; nor should we despair, because our Prince and Master is undoubtedly stronger than he. Hence Chrysostom: “He who has a stronger prince ought not to fear a strong enemy, but we must be vigilant and sober, lest we despise our adversary through the negligence of our prince.” For: if we contend against him, he is stronger; if, however, we are negligent, he is the stronger one.
The Unforgivable Blasphemy
Christ warns against the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, defining it as the persistent hardness of an unrepentant heart.
It's our own negligence that makes the devil strong, not his own power. Chrysostom says this: 'When the devil is resisted, he's as weak as an ant; but when his suggestion is accepted, he's as strong as a lion.' And Jerome says: If you respond to temptations, they're great; but if you turn to God, the strongest warrior, they're mere games and shadows. Next, he provides a second reason: a minister and his master are in agreement, but Christ and the devil have opposing wills; therefore, Christ isn't the devil's minister. And this is what he says: 'Whoever isn't with me'—that is, in the good that aligns with my will—'is against me.' The devil is like this because Christ wants to save souls, but the devil wants to destroy them. Christ wants to... ...draw people away from sins and call them back to virtues; the devil wants to drag them into sins and distract them through vices. Hence Jerome says: 'The devil...' Anyone who isn't with the Lord is against Him, because he wants to hold onto the souls that Christ longs to set free. Next, a third reason is offered to the same point: the purpose of a master and his servant is the same, but that of Christ and the devil is not; therefore, Christ isn't a minister of the devil in His work. And this is what He means: 'Whoever doesn't gather or collect with Me'—that is, into the unity of faith, into the bosom of the Church, into the heavenly fold—'scatters or disperses,' like a wolf. This is the devil, who introduces various sects, heresies, and schisms as much as he can. The works of Christ and the devil are different, because Christ gathers what is scattered, but the devil scatters what is gathered. The one promotes idols, the other the knowledge of the one God; the one drags toward evil, the other calls back to good. For these and other reasons, the devil is contrary to Christ and doesn't agree with Him in will and deed; therefore, he isn't with Him, nor does he join Him in casting out demons. Hence Chrysostom says: 'Whoever therefore is not with Me, nor gathers with Me, will not be My cooperator in casting out demons; rather, he desires to scatter what I have gathered.' ... Then, after this instruction on the truth, He adds a warning of condemnation. Because He sees that they are hardened by their own words and refuse to be persuaded, He turns to warnings and threats; He asserts that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—the sin of claiming that the work of the Holy Spirit was done by Beelzebub—is entirely unforgivable in this age and in the age to come, unless, of course, they repent of it. Hence Chrysostom says: "Because the Lord had answered the Pharisees by way of excuse, He now terrifies them; for this is no small part of correction—not only to answer by way of excuse, but also to threaten." He says, therefore: "Because you refuse to agree with the arguments or the works, and instead blaspheme, I tell you truly and for certain that every sin and blasphemy—that is, whatever proceeds from human weakness or ignorance—will be forgiven to people through repentance; that is, it is a forgivable sin in itself, because it does not directly oppose the principle by which the forgiveness of sins is accomplished, as does the sin against the Holy Spirit, which has six species: despair, presumption, obstinacy, final impenitence, envy of a brother's grace, and the impugning of the truth." Hence it is added: 'But the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven,' which means it is difficult and will scarcely be forgiven, because such people rarely or never repent; and this sin does not have any accompanying reason for excuse. From this, the difference between sin, blasphemy, and the spirit of blasphemy is clear; because the first two are forgivable, but the third is not. Sin is against oneself or against another; blasphemy is against God, which, if it arises from ignorance or weakness, is called simply blasphemy, but if it arises from certain malice, it is called the spirit of blasphemy. Thus, blasphemy existed among the crowds, but the spirit of blasphemy existed in the Pharisees, who, knowing the Scriptures, impugned the works of Christ out of envy and blasphemed God out of certain malice. They said false things about Him when they attributed miracles done by divine power to the devil, which was an impugning of the known truth—a specific species of sin against the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy, indeed, is that by which false things are said about God. But, as Augustine notes, it’s rare to find people who blaspheme with their tongues anymore, though many do so with their lives. Some blaspheme out of compulsion, and these sin against the Father through weakness, which is contrary to the Father's power; some out of deception, and these sin against the Son through ignorance, which is contrary to the Son's wisdom; some out of deliberate intent, and these sin against the Holy Spirit through malice, which is contrary to the goodness of the Holy Spirit. The first and second are forgiven to those who are truly repentant, because they are worthy of forgiveness due to certain circumstances—namely, that they were committed out of weakness or ignorance, which lessen the sin; but the third will not be forgiven, meaning it won't be worthy of forgiveness, because it lacks any excusing circumstance. For someone who could have avoided the sin if they had wanted to deserves punishment without excuse. Hence Bernard says: 'Power belongs to the Father, wisdom to the Son, and love to the Holy Spirit.' This is what is meant elsewhere by sinning against the Father, sinning against the Son, and sinning against the Holy Spirit. For when we sin out of weakness, we sin against the Father, as if against power; when we sin out of ignorance, we sin against the Son, as if against wisdom; but when we sin out of malice, we sin against the Holy Spirit, as if against love. And that is why sinning against the Father and the Son is forgiven, either here or in the future; because whoever sins out of weakness or ignorance has some excuse for the fault, and so ought to have some relief in the punishment—either in this life, if they repent, so that they may more easily obtain indulgence, or in the future life, if they have persisted in evil, so that they may feel a more tolerable punishment. But those who sin out of malice have no excuse for their offense; and therefore their punishment shouldn't have any remission, because if they repent in this life, they must be punished with full satisfaction; if they don't repent, they face full condemnation in the life to come—not because mercy is denied to the repentant, but because full retribution is owed for a full sin. Bernard says this: 'The blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven a person, not because forgiveness is denied to them if they repent, but because this blasphemer, due to the demands of their own evil merits, is as unlikely to reach repentance as they are to reach forgiveness.' Hence John says: 'There is a sin that leads to death; I don't say that one should pray for that.' According to Gregory, the "sin unto death" is a sin that goes all the way to death, for which one is not to pray; this is because, for a sin that is not corrected in this life, its forgiveness is sought in vain. 12 — PROCEEDING BY REASON. Sin against the Holy Spirit is an obstinacy or stubbornness in wickedness that has become hardened, arising from either presumption or despair. Anyone who presumes upon the mercy of God, promising themselves immunity and thinking that God will leave sins unpunished, is by that very fact becoming obstinate—that is, they are becoming stubbornly hardened in sin, adding sin upon sin. And so they sin against the justice of the Holy Spirit, who is so merciful to the blind and the mute. 671 justice, which is also being just in mercy; who has oil with wine, and vice versa. But anyone who, because of the magnitude of their wickedness, despairs of the mercy of God—as if the magnitude of their own sin exceeded the magnitude of God's mercy—becomes obstinate, adding sin upon sin, rushing from one sin to another with unbridled freedom, until they arrive at the full measure of damnation. But although the entire Trinity also forgives sins, this kind of sin is nevertheless attributed specifically to the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit is the love of the Father and the Son, and the kindness of both. Anyone who either despairs or presumes does a special injury to Him to whose kindness the forgiveness of sins is attributed, by thinking Him unmerciful or unjust; for just as He forgives sins out of mercy, so He does not leave them unpunished out of justice. Therefore, anyone who despairs or presumes has a wrong understanding of the justice or mercy of the Holy Spirit. Just as a disease is called incurable when it directly removes the remedies by which the disease is expelled and cured—as when it removes the strength of nature or natural powers, though God, who is above all things, can still cure it—so sin against the Holy Spirit despises and excludes the very things by which sin ought to be cured and avoided, such as the fear of divine justice, the hope of forgiveness, and the like, and thus by its own nature it is called unforgivable; yet God, in His kindness, forgives every sin to those who repent. Hence it is called unforgivable, as if it were difficult and barely forgivable. On this subject, Augustine says: "I tell your charity, perhaps in all the holy Scriptures, no question is greater or more difficult than the one where He says: 'Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit does not have forgiveness in eternity.'" It isn't that just any blasphemy makes one guilty of this unforgivable offense; it is a specific kind of blasphemy that He who uttered this true and terrible sentence wanted us to search for and understand. For in the Holy Spirit, by whom the people of God are gathered into one, the spirit that is contrary is cast out, which is said to be divided against itself. The unrepentant heart speaks against this gift, against this grace of God. Impenitence itself, therefore, is the spirit of blasphemy, which will not be forgiven, neither in this age nor in the age to come. For it is a very grave and wicked word, or even a thought, against the Holy Spirit by whom they are baptized, whose sins are all forgiven, and whom the Church has received so that to whomever she forgives sins, they are forgiven. Or even when someone says with their own tongue what the patience of God, when it leads them to repentance, says against the hardness of their own heart. The impenitent heart stores up for itself wrath on the day of wrath and the revelation of the just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to their works. This impenitence, therefore, has absolutely no forgiveness, neither in this age nor in the future; because repentance obtains forgiveness in this age, which... is valid in time. But this impenitence, or impenitent heart, cannot be judged as long as anyone lives in this way; for one must not despair of anyone as long as the patience of God leads them to repentance; nor does He who does not want the death of the sinner, but rather that they turn and live, despise them in this way. Therefore, every sin whatsoever. Blasphemy will be forgiven to people, because where this sin of an unrepentant heart against the Holy Spirit—by whom sins are forgiven in the Church—is not present, all other sins are forgiven. How, then, will this be forgiven, when it even prevents the forgiveness of others? Everything is forgiven in those in whom this sin is not present, but in those in whom it is, it is never forgiven; nor are other sins forgiven, because the forgiveness of all is blocked by the bond of this one. Therefore, every sin and every blasphemy will be forgiven to people in this congregation, which Christ gathers in the Holy Spirit and not against himself. But that blasphemy of the Spirit itself, by which one resists this gift of God in an unrepentant heart until the end of this life, will not be forgiven. There is, therefore, one refuge, so that the blasphemy may not be unforgivable: let the unrepentant heart be guarded against, and let it not be believed that repentance is of any use, unless one holds to the Church, where the forgiveness of sins is given and the fellowship of the Spirit is kept in the bond of peace—this is Augustine.
The Tree and Its Fruit
Using the parable of the tree and its fruit, Christ exposes the Pharisees' evil intentions and the necessity of a good heart.
Then, to refute and correct the error of the Pharisees, the Lord introduces the parable of the tree, showing that His miracles don't come from a malignant and diabolical power, but from a good and divine one. Hence He says: 'Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad.' He is speaking in common terms: 'make' means 'call'—as in the saying, 'this person makes good,' which means 'he calls him good.' Here, the tree is understood to be the source of the works themselves, and the fruit, the works themselves. Between the tree and the fruit, however... The fruit is always a likeness; because a good tree always produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. Therefore, because the miraculous works that Christ performed were not bad and vain—like those done by magic—but were good and wholesome, He concludes that... The source of what He was doing was holy and good. As if He were saying: 'Consider the fruit of a good tree and the fruit of a bad tree, so that by the fruit you may know whether it is good or bad.' For a tree is known by its fruit. Similarly, consider the work of the actor, whether it is good or bad, because a good work proceeds from a good source, and a bad work from a bad one. And so, from the goodness of the works that I do, you can perceive that the power by which I do them is not bad, but good; and from the works that are done through magic, since they are bad and vain, you can perceive those that are done by a malignant power. Casting out demons is a good work, so it doesn't come from an evil source like the demons themselves, but from a good source: the Holy Spirit. You're wrong, then, to claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebub. ... Augustine says: 'In this, the Lord warned us to be good trees, so that we might be able to produce good fruit.' When he says, 'Make the tree good and its fruit good,' it's a healthy command that requires our obedience. But when he says, 'Make the tree bad and its fruit bad,' it's not a command to do so, but a warning to be on your guard—or so says Augustine. Then, as if explaining and applying this comparison to the Pharisees, he reveals the root of their falsity. That root was envy and hatred. Although the Pharisees and the experts in the Law first recognized Christ, they conceived hatred and envy against him once he began to rebuke their vices. Blinded by these, they fell from their initial knowledge into error, because such things pervert the right judgment of reason; from then on, they began to interpret all his deeds as evil in order to defame him. He shows, therefore, that they are a bad tree from a bad root, and that they bear bad fruit, with the intention of a heart that is blind and mute. He rebukes their malice, which overflows with envy, saying: 'You brood of vipers—that is, you poisonous children of poisonous Jewish ancestors. Because you have drawn the poison of envy from your parents, who persecuted the prophets out of envy, and you for the same reason persecute me, the Father Christ, and my mother, the Church—how can you speak what is good when you are evil?' It is as if to say: 'You cannot speak well of me because envy prevents you; for when the tree is bad, you cannot bear good fruit. You may indeed speak things that are useful to others, but they aren't meritorious for yourselves.' On this, Chrysostom says: 'It cannot happen that different shoots are produced, unless the root in the earth is of that same kind.' For the human will is the root; words and deeds are the fruits of that will. Therefore, whatever kind of heart a person has, such are the words they speak and the deeds they do.' So says Chrysostom, in the sense that 'out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.' And therefore it is added: 'For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,' because the outward word is a sign of the inner thought. It is as if to say: 'Your heart is full of poison, and it pours out what it is full of.' Understand the whole by the part: through the speech of the mouth, understand the speech of the heart and the speech of action. For by the speech of the mouth, the Lord signifies everything brought forth from the heart, whether by act, by thought, or by word. Sometimes a word is used to stand for a deed. Hence Isaiah says of Hezekiah: 'There was no word that he did not show them,' meaning no matter worthy of a word. Chrysostom says on this: 'See, for the greater accusation of the wicked and the greater praise of the good, what he says: "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks," meaning that when a person has spoken a good or evil word, don't think they only have as much good or evil in their heart as they show in their word, but much more.' For speech proceeds from the abundance of the good or evil that is in the heart. What is said outwardly is an overflow of what is within. In this, he touched them deeply. If what they said is truly that evil, just imagine how evil the root of those words must be! That’s what Chrysostom says. And therefore, as Gregory says, we must be careful and guard our minds with every watchfulness; for our thoughts do not fly past before the eyes of God, and not a single moment of the year passes without a reckoning.3 And because the mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart, it follows well: a good person brings forth good things of thought, speech, and action from a good treasure—that is, from a good intention and will, which lies hidden within the mind like a buried treasure; and a bad person brings forth evil things from their evil treasure, because contrary causes have contrary effects. It is as if he were saying: 'You are evil, and therefore you bring forth nothing but evil from the treasure of your heart.' For according to the Gloss, the treasure of the heart is the intention by which God judges our actions. Thus, sometimes smaller things have a greater reward, and greater things a smaller one. Often, things that are greater in kind are done with less charity, and vice versa. For instance, someone might give alms with greater charity than another person sings a Mass; therefore, the former earns more from the alms than the latter does from the Mass.
The Accountability of Words
A stern warning that every idle word will be judged, emphasizing the need for restraint and discipline over the tongue.
This is why the poor widow, by giving two small coins, was made equal to the rich Zacchaeus; for God doesn't weigh how much you give, but from how much you give it. You can find more on this aforementioned comparison of the tree and other matters already touched upon above, near the end of the Lord's Sermon on the Mount. An account must be given. After He has proceeded by testing and arguing, He then proceeds by warning, so that they don't think it's a small vice to speak evil, or that evil words go unpunished. So then, the evil person brings forth evil words, which are certainly not to be taken lightly, since for every idle word—not just for every harmful one—people will render an account. This will be very difficult, because they spoke without reason; or, they will render an account, meaning they will pay the penalty on the day of judgment. That judgment will be terrible, because it will be without hope of mercy. If, however, it is said that an idle word is one that is void of reason, and therefore one shouldn't be questioned about it, nor can an account be rendered, the answer is that although an idle word is void of reason, yet because the word ought to have had reason, an account is demanded for it—namely, the account of the omission of reason. From this it is clear that a harmful and criminal word will be punished far more severely, and will render people condemnable on the day of judgment; such is the word of those who slandered the works of the Holy Spirit and blasphemed, saying, 'He casts out demons by Beelzebub.' And the meaning, according to Jerome, is this: if an idle word is not without danger to the one who speaks it, and on the day of judgment everyone will render an account of their words, how much more will you be held to account for your slander? Let detractors therefore beware, as they diminish or defame the works of their neighbors by saying they were done in hypocrisy, or for vain glory, or for some improper end, and thus act in the spirit of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. For if the Lord judges an idle word in this way, how much more will He judge a harmful and criminal one? As Jerome says: "An idle word is one spoken without benefit to the speaker or the listener; it's what happens when we set aside serious matters to talk about trivial things and tell old stories." However, anyone who repeats vulgarities, breaks into loud laughter, or utters anything shameful will be held guilty not just of an idle word, but of a criminal one; for the proof of a human life is found in the weight of its words. And again: "Whatever doesn't build up those who hear it turns into a danger for the listeners." And Origen says: "Every word is empty if it contains nothing interiorly for God, or for God's command." Hence Gregory also says: "An idle word is one that lacks either the reason of just necessity or the intention of pious utility." And if an account must be rendered on the last day for an idle word and the smallest thought, we must consider what great sins follow many people. For God considers the ways of everyone and counts their steps in such a way that not even the smallest thoughts or the most fleeting words, which we have treated as worthless, remain undiscussed in His judgment. Hence Chrysostom also says: "An idle word is understood not as a wicked one, but as one that doesn't produce good—that is, one that doesn't build up the listener." If we're to be held accountable for every good and idle word, what can we expect for our evil ones? And if we must give an account for an evil word, what can we expect for an evil deed? That is what Chrysostom says. Therefore, we must be on our guard against both idle and evil words. For if your words are good, in harmony with a good mind, and spoken in the right circumstances, you will be justified—that is, you will earn merit or be rewarded as a righteous person; but if your words are evil and contrary to what has been said, you will be condemned by them. It's written, after all, that death and life are in the power of the tongue. So, you'll be justified or condemned by your own speech, which is the most just outcome of all. After all, you're the master of when to speak and when not to speak. This is why Chrysostom says: "The gentle Life of Jesus Christ, T0HU8 II." Judgment isn't based on what someone else says about you, but on what you yourself have said; the Judge will bring the accounts, and you are the master of your own speech. And again: "Every person is established as either a sinner or a just person by their own will alone." Chrysostom also says that the will of every sinner is convicted by three witnesses: thoughts, words, and deeds. From this, we learn to guard our mouths so we don't speak idle or evil words. Just as a vessel that isn't covered quickly becomes unclean and its contents grow cold, so it is with the heart, unless the mouth—its lid—is kept closed with careful restraint. And, as Gregory says, they fall from every state of righteousness. Those who slip away through harmful words. Therefore, let us pray frequently: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth, and a door of restraint." on my lips. Chrysostom says: "You should guard your tongue more carefully than you would a virgin." The tongue is a royal steed. If, therefore, you bridle it and teach it to walk with good discipline, it settles down, and a king will sit upon it. But if you let it run unbridled and jump about, it becomes a seat for the devil and his demons," says Chrysostom. Origen adds: "God opens the mouths of those who speak the words of God; but the devil opens the mouths of those who speak lies, false testimony, vulgarity, filth, or the words of gossips and slanderers, and of those who speak idle words." It is a great danger, therefore, to talk about worldly and vain things when there are so many divine and useful things we could be talking about. Ambrose says: "It’s no small danger to talk about the things of this world, while setting aside the great words of God and the works He has done, which we have at our disposal."
The Discipline of Speech and Silence
Practical advice on avoiding slander, contention, and false silence, concluding with a prayer for spiritual transformation.
We must be especially careful to avoid disparaging words, so that we don't speak ill of others. Augustine says: “How can you be angry with another when he speaks ill of you? Be just as angry with yourself when you speak ill of another.” We must be careful not only to avoid speaking disparaging words, but also to avoid listening to them; for if there were no listener, there would be no slanderer. Bernard also says: “I couldn't easily say which of these is more damnable: to slander, or to listen to a slanderer.” And again: “The devil sits upon both the tongue of the slanderer and the ear of the listener.” We must also be very careful to avoid contentious and quarrelsome words, because they give rise to many evils. Chrysostom says: “Contention is a long-drawn-out argument.” It is born, however, from vanity—what is called the love of victory. After all, no one struggles for long unless they're eager to win. You think it’s a glory if you win, but you’ve killed a friend and their friendship with that same sword; and for that reason, you’ll have to give an account as if for a murdered friend. For even if you haven’t killed a person with a steel sword, you’ve still killed a friend with the sword of a contentious tongue—so says Chrysostom. Furthermore, we must be very careful not to judge our neighbor in word or thought. Regarding this, Chrysostom says: "You will be condemned by your own words." He adds: "Don't you hear that even the Pharisee spoke the truth, yet he still brought upon himself the ultimate judgment?" For whoever has sinned already has a Judge. Don't seize the dignity of the Only-Begotten; the throne of judgment is reserved for Him. But if you want to judge, there is a judgment that is very profitable for you. Set a discerning mind to sit in your conscience, bring all your own faults into the light, investigate every sin of your soul, seek out your failings with diligence, and say: [ProCAPUT LXXIII]. Why did you dare to do this and that? And if it has indeed escaped all those things, but has investigated what belongs to others, say to it: "I do not judge you for these things; it is not for these that you have entered in to accuse yourself." What does it matter if someone else is in debt; why have you committed this sin and that one? Accuse yourself, not the one who makes excuses; look at what is your own, not what belongs to others. Keep pushing yourself into this struggle. Then, if your soul claims it has nothing to answer for but is just being held back, tear into it; scourge it like an arrogant and unfaithful servant. Set this judgment for yourself every single day; sign your name to the river of fire, the worm of conscience that spits out poison, and the other places of torment—and don't let your soul remain with the devil. And if your soul feels pain hearing this, don't pull back your hand. It won't die if you strike it; instead, you'll rescue it from death. And seek out the great faults in small things, so that you don't end up near great ones. If you do this, you'll stand before that terrible tribunal every day with clear confidence. That is how Paul was made pure; for this reason he also said: 'If we judged ourselves, we would not be judged.' So says Chrysostom.✦ Morally speaking, there are five things to consider regarding your words and your speech: what is said, to whom, where, when, and how it is said. These are the five fingers on the hand of the tongue. The Apostle defines this when he says: 'Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,' meaning it should be pleasing, useful, and free of idle talk. Idle talk is anything that is useless, dishonest, or harmful. Useless words are those that benefit neither the speaker nor the listener. Dishonest words are those that don't befit the dignity of either the speaker or the listener. Harmful words are those that lead to error or depravity. The Wise Man addresses the 'to whom' when he says: 'Do not speak a word to a fool.' So, when you speak with someone, consider whether you're speaking for your own sake or for theirs; and if for theirs, consider whether they're the kind of person who needs correction, or the kind who won't accept it. As for where: there are some places where you shouldn't speak at all, like in a sanctuary; some where you should speak rarely, like at a meal; and some where you should speak with moderation, like in a parlor. As for when: Ecclesiastes settles this, saying, "A time to keep silence, and a time to speak."✦ You must keep silence sometimes because of the weakness of your listeners, sometimes to avoid acting too hastily, sometimes out of respect for another person, and sometimes because of the unworthiness of the listeners—not to mention how, or in what way, or with what gesture, tone, and meaning you speak. Therefore, let your manner be simple and humble; your words mild and pleasant; your meaning truthful and sweet. The short version of all this seems to be that one should speak slowly and rarely. Hence Seneca says: "The sum of it all is this: I command you to be slow to speak." And again: "Whatever you're about to say, say it to yourself before you say it to others." Finding the right balance between speaking and silence is a great achievement. And again, Seneca says: "Don't tell anyone what you want to keep quiet, because you can't demand silence from someone else if you don't practice it yourself." But, alas! There are some—not just secular people, but religious ones too—who sometimes, even without a reasonable cause, show others angry, fierce eyes and faces. On top of that, they grind their teeth and let out furious shouts, revealing the demon that possesses them from within. These things are well illustrated in the case of the blessed Vincent, about whom it is said in a sermon of Augustine: "For the furious voices of the possessed, their twisted eyes, and their threatening facial expressions and bodily movements showed the inhabitant within them; and through these visible signs, as if through the cracks of the vessel he had filled, he was seen."—so says Augustine. Some people occasionally hold their tongues and keep to themselves, insisting on silence; yet they are sacrificing to demons, not to God. While good people offer silence to God out of religious obedience, these people offer it out of the malice of their own perversity. Hence, in the conference of Abbot Joseph on friendship, it is said of such people: "What kind of thing is it that we sometimes believe ourselves to be patient because we disdain to answer when provoked? Instead, we mock our agitated brothers with bitter silence or with a mocking look and gesture, so that we provoke them to anger more with a silent face than we could have by inciting them with swollen insults. In this, we are not considered guilty before God, because we have uttered nothing with our mouths that could have caused us to be noted or condemned by the judgment of men." So, it’s useless to be silent if we impose it on ourselves just to do with silence what should have been done with a rebuke, using gestures that make the very person we should have helped burn with even greater anger. Such silence is just as harmful, because just as it increases sadness in another person's heart, it doesn't allow it to be extinguished in one's own. Some also, out of care... ...when they are saddened or angry, they stubbornly abstain even from food itself. In this, they clearly commit the crime of sacrilege, for they are enduring for the sake of diabolical pride those fasts which should be offered specifically to God alone, for the humiliation of the heart and the purging of vices. This is the same as if they were to offer prayers and sacrifices not to God, but to demons, as well as the Mosaic rebuke. They deserve to hear: "They sacrificed to demons, and not to God; to gods they did not know." These miserable people serve demons just as much through their perverse arguing as through their malicious silence, inserting themselves into both and mocking others. They wouldn't fall into such illusions if they possessed not a fake, but a true humility and love; for then they wouldn't descend into such impatience. And what is even worse, such people... They approach the altar without reconciling with the brother they have offended; and by approaching in this way, they eat and drink judgment upon themselves. Furthermore, blinded by the devil, they sometimes excuse themselves by saying they have nothing against anyone, not understanding that, according to the Gospel, they ought to consider if someone else has something against them. Lord, take away the reproach of such perverse people from the religious life of your servants. PRAYER: O true virtue, cast out the demon from me through compunction! O Word of the Father, heal the mute through confession! O inner light, illuminate the blind through satisfaction! And so that the strong armed one doesn't possess me, turn all his weapons—that is, the inner powers of my soul and the outer senses of my body—into your service. I also desire and long, most high God, that whenever the evil spirit casts abominable thoughts of blasphemy into me, just as often may an ineffable praise and thanksgiving be yours from the vow of all my desires for all eternity, and may his blasphemy remain with him for his destruction. Amen.
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ti. — Post praedicta, oblatus est ei homo dcemonium habens ccecus et mutus; sed Lucas mutum tantum, non caecum dicit, tacens quod Matthaeus expressit. Nec talia sunt in daemone formaliter, sed solum affective, quia effecerat hominem caecum et mutum ; et ideo ipso ejecto, vidit, et loquebatur homo. Unde sequitur : Et curavit eum, in quo notatur a daemonio liberatio, ita ut videret, in quo caecitatis illuminatio, et loqueretur, in quo loquelae restitutio. Ubi Hieronymus : « Tria signa simul in homine perpetrata sunt : caecus videt, mutus loquitur, possessus a daemone liberatur. Quod tunc quidem carnaliter factum est; sed quotidie completur in conversione fidelium, ut expulso daemone primum lumen fidei accipiant, deinde in laudes Dei tacentia prius ora relaxentur. » Unde et Au~ gustinus : a Daemonium enim habens, caecus et mutus est, qui non credit Deo; et subditus est diabolo, qui non intelligit, et non confitetur ipsam fidem, vel qui non dat Iaudem Deo. » Unde etiam Chrysostomus ; a Ne aliquis putet quia sufficit homini fideli cognoscere Deum, est et necessarium confiteri Deum; et ideo caecum et mutum curavit, oculos ad cognoscendum, os ad confitendum Deum.
Qui cognoscit, et non confitetur, ille etsi oculos mentis habeat curatos, tamen adhuc mutus est. Qui ergo videns non facit praecepta Dei, et qui loquens non loquitur laudem Dei et gratiam; ille etsi loquitur, et videt quantum ad Deum, tamen et mutus et caecus est. Non enim ille videt Deum, qui scit Deum; sed qui timet et diligit Deum. Et qui orat et psallit, et non facit quae laudat, ille corpore loquitur, animo autem tacet : » haec Chrysostomus, ' 2 FlGURA — SpiHtualiter daemonium ille habet, qui in peccato mortali perseverat. Quamdiu enim peccatum in homine regnat, tamdiu victus et captivus a diabolo possidetur et captivatur, Vexat autem dasmonium triplex : superbia, in mente; concupiscentia, in carne ; cupiditas, in rebus, quia : Omne quod est in mundo, concupiscentia carnis est, aut cdncupiscentia oculorum, aut superbia vita*. Hoc autem triplex daemonium facit mutum : nam cum loquela data sit homini ad laudandum Deum, et gratias agendum, ad loquendum veritatem, et aedificandum proximum, ad confitendum peccatum et veniam de eo petendum, primam loquelam aufert superbia, quae quod Dei est, scilicet laudem, usurpat sibi; secundam aufert avaritia, quae soli sibi intendit, non proximo; tertiam aufert luxuria, et maxime contra naturam. Unde Sodoma interpretatur sitentmm, sriro mutcu Item facit cataeim, tit ad saiutem suam pectinentia et srbi pnaficua non videat, et eam lucem, quae ait : Ego sum lux mundi, tson sequatcr; scd iii tenebris arnrbiitet. Hic d»moniacus, caecu», et mutus si Domiwo offeratur, si ad pceni tentiam coBvertDCur, mox Jesus curabit eum; iita ut, ejecto daemonk), videat et loquatirr.
Abundst dawnonis mafttia; swperabundat cftvina dementia. In isto daoaioniaccv, mafttia daemonis mukum abunckrvit, quia cum teaebat obsessum, ipsum fecersjt caecan* et mutum, ac, secundiuna Gkrysostomxm, etiam sterdum; sed Dci misexicorekia in ipso abundavity quia daemonium ab obsesso ejecit, loquelam sibi restituit, lumea reparavit, et auditum reseramc.
Per faunc igkux hamiCAPUT LXXUI. nem sic curatum, intelligere possumus peccatorem justificatum; cui Deus spiritualiter quatuor beneficia supradicta concedit. Primum est, quod diabolum ab eo expellit. Peccator enim diabolum in domum animae suae inducit; sed Christus eum expellit ut eam inhabitet. Domus autem animae tria habet sofaria : unum superius, scilicet spiritum; aliud inferius, scilicet corpus; tertium medium, scilicet animam. Deus in superiori solario, scilicet spiritu, habitat, quando ipse spiritus contemplationi vacat; habitat in solario medio, id est in anima, quando ipsa intendit internae meditationi; habitat in solario inferiori, id est in corpore, quando ipsum corpus exercitatur et intendit mortificationL — Secundum beneficium est, quia Deus peccatori linguam aperit. Deus dedit homini linguam ad tria, scilicet : ut Deum laudet, ut proximum aedificet, ut in confessione coram Deo se reprehendat et accuset. Peccator autem, quia lingua sua ad ista tria noa utitur, ideo reote mutus dicitur.
Cum ergo Deum incipk laudare, proxinaum. aedificare, et se accusare, tunc loquitur, et lingua ad debita officia utitmr. — Tertiura beneficium est, , quando Deus peccatori lumen restituk. Signum autem quod ipse sic ilhiminatus est, quando videt ante et retro, a dextris et a sinistris. Ille habet oculos retno,. qui considerat et cogitat peccata quae fecft, quam tuTpia, cruam mwJta, quam gwwiav et iade habet dolorem,; ille hahet» oculos ante sev qui videt et cogitat dejaidicio Dei futuro, et inde habet twnorem; ilie habet oculos a dextria qui videt et cogxtat mundi prospevra, quam sint caduca et vana et ad ea non aUickur per amorem, sed res€Kt per Rspetnmtionem; ilte habet ocuios a sinistris, qui videt manM ad*BK«Sy qusm sint bvevia. et viha^ et ideo, in eis non frangitur per impatientiam. — Quartum beneficium est, quando Deus peccatori auditum restituit.
Est enim peccator surdus, quia non audit Deum admonentem, nec Deum benefacientem, nec Deum inspirantem, nec Deum comminantem, tunc autem surdus auditum recipit, quando Deum in hujusmodi audit.
Et stupebant turbar, scilicet simpHce» divinam virtutem in Ghristo admirantes; et dicebant : Nwnquid iste est fttius David? Quasi dicerent : Sic, quia hic est Christus nobis promissus de semine David. Moraliter ejicitur daamonium, in contrrtione , 5 loquiturnqui prius erat mutus, in confessione; admirantur turbce, in satisfactione, scilicet quando vident bene operari eos qui non solebant nisi mala facere. Scribre autem et Pkariseei, scilicet litterati et majoTes invidiae nequitia pleni, audientes turbas, scilicet ipsum confitentes esse Ghristum, propter evidentiam facti, dixerunt, in corde et cogitatione : In Beel%ebub principe dcemoniorum, ejicit damtonia; et sic in Spiritum cujus opus est daemones ejicere, et sanitates perfieere contumeliam in^ferebant. Quia enim factum mirabile negaxe non poterant, ideo modum faciendi calumniabantur; et sic factum irtfamare conabantur, dicentes Jesum Christum per aliquem daemonem superiorem sibi, etiam familiarem et privatum, ejicere daemonesinferiores de corporibus obsessorum. Nam, ut ait Chrysostomus : « Invidia non quaerit quid dicat; sed solum ut dicat. Sic et hodie, nrulti cum-non possunt aliorum verba vei facta directe reprehendere , conantur intentionem et modum eorum infamare. » Ubi Beda : « Turbis autem, quae minus eru^ ■ditar videbantur, Dommi facta mirantibus, Scribae et Pharisaei, vel .
negare, vel sinistra interpretatione pervertere laborabant; quasi non divinitatis, sed immundi spiritus opera fuissent. » 5 Idolokum obigo. — Secundum eumdem Bedam, nomina idolorum a Belo habuerunt originem. Ninus enim rex conditor, vel potius reparator N4nivae, Belo patri suo qui fuit primus rex Assyriorum, statuam post mortem ejus consecravit, ad quam confugientes qui forfecerant, veniam merebantur. Unde ipsam statuam coeperunt venerari; et tandem, instigante diabolo, divini honores sunt ipsi statuae attributi, et sic incepit cultus idololatriae. Cujus simulacri consuetudinem Chaldaei suscipiemes, vocaverunt Beel, Palaestini Baal, Moabitae Beelphegor, secundum diversitatem linguarum. Judaei autem, urjjus Dei cultores, in derisionem Gentium Beelzebub appellabant, quod sonat vir, seu princeps muscarum, propter multitudinem muscarum, qua5 in templo ejus erant, propter sordes immoiati sanguinis, quem muscae sequi solebant. In hoc simulacro dicebant Judaei principem daemoniorum habitare^, tum quia in eo fudt principium idololatriae, tum qrtia nuilum idolum irrveniebatur iilo efficacius, tum quia cultus ejus erat generalior apud omnes Gentes.
Licet enfm quaelibet natio haberet alios Deos speciales, hunc tamen tanquam universalem Deum venerabantur omnes. Itaque in virtute principis daemoniorum, qui in hoc idolo habitabat, Pharisaei Dominum facere miracula dlcebant. Unde Remigius : « Beelzebub autem, ipse est Beel, et Baal, et Beelphegor. Bel fuit pater Nini regis Assyriorum ; Baal dictus est, quia in excelso colebatur; Beelphegor a Ioco, id est a monte Phegai. Zebub servus fuit Abimelech filii Gedeonis, qui, occisis lxx fratribus, aedificavit templum Baal, et constituit eum sacerdotem in ipso, ad abigendas muscas, quae ibi congregabantur, propter nimium cruorem victimarum; Zebub namque musca dicitur, Beelzebub ergo vir muscarum interpretatur. Unde propter spurcissimum ritum colendi, dicebant eum esse principem daemoniorum. Nihil ergo sordidius invenientes, quod Domino objicerent, dicebant eum in Beelzebub ejicere daemonia : » haec Remigius. Hoc autem totum ex invidia faciebant, de qua hic dicit Chrysostomus : « Tale quid est aemulatio, qua non utique erit malitia alia deterior.
Sicut enim porcus gurgite, et daemones jactura nostra, ita et aemulator proximi laetatur malis; et quemadmodum scarabaei nutriuntur stercore, ita et hic aliorum infortuniis : » haec Chrysostomus.
Ubi notandum quod daexnones habent sua officia valde ordinata in malum. Est enim unus. daemon, qui praeest superbiae, et vocatur Lucifer; et iste multos habet satellites qui sibi adstant, et multos subjectos quibus principatur, scilicet superbos. Unde Job : Jpse est rex super omnes filios superbioe. Et hic expellitur per veram humilitatem cordis. Alius est qui praeest luxuriae ; et iste vocatur Asmodaeus, de quo dicitur in Tobia, quod interfecit septem viros Sarae. Iste enim odit legitimum matrimonium, et ideo per hunc modum volebat trahere hanc puellam ad fornicationis vitium; et iste daemon multos habet satellites, qui sibi assistunt, et multos habet subjectos, scilicet omnes luxuriosos. Et hic expellitur per jejunium et mortificationem corporis.
Tertius est qui praeest avaritiae ; et vocatur Mammona. Unde dicitur in Matthaeo : Non potestis servire Deo et Mammona*. Et iste multos habet satellites qui eum juvant, et multos subditos super quos regnat, scilicet super omnes avaros. Et hic expelHtur per temporalium abjectionem, quae fit aut totaliter, sicut faciunt perfecti qui omnia dimittunt, aut particulariter, sicut faciunt qui de sua abundantia pauperibus largiuntur. Quartus est qui praeest immundis cogitationibus, et rancoribus, et invidiis, et malis affectionibus; et vocatur Beelzebub, id est vir m«scarum, immittit enim muscas, id est cogitationes immundas, odia, et voluntates malas, quae dicuntur muscae, quia ad animam cito volant, et ipsam commaculant. Iste autem daemon multos habet satellites qui eum adjuvant, et multos subditos, quibus praeest, scilicet omnes invidos. Et expellitur per confessionem et sacerdotalem absolutionem.
Jesus autem, sciens cogitationes eorum, probat pluribus rationibus quod non in Beelzebub, sed in digito et spiritu Dei ejicit datmonia; et quod miracula quae faciebat, non poterant attribui spiritui maligno, sed oportebat ea attribui Spiritui divino. Comparatur autem Spiritus Sanctus digito, propter tria. Primo, propter processionem, quia sicut manus et brachium procedunt de substantia corporis, et digitus de manu et brachio, et etiam a corpore; ita Filius a Patre, et Spiritus Sanctus a Patre et Filio. — Secundo, propter partitionem, quia sicut in digito sunt plures articuli distincti; ita diversa et distincta sunt dona Spiritus Sancti. — Tertio , propter operationem , quia sicut manus et brachium operatur per digitos; sic Filius per Spiritum Sanctum ; Filius autem, manus et brachium Patris dictus est, quia cuncta per eum operatur. Ad cogitationes vero eorum respondit, et in hoc deitatem suam ostendit, quia solus Deus cogitationes scit; ut vel sic compellerentur credere in eum, qui cordis occutta videbat. Nam, secundum Chrysostomum, cum eorum suspicio irrationalis esset, metu multitudinis non audcbant eam divulgare.
Probat ergo primo ratione tali, quia si per daemonem aliquem ejiciebat alios, sequitur quod divisio esset inter eos; et sic non posset diu stare potestas diaboli, et ex hoc sequitur adventus Christi, per quem potestas daemonis debebat auferri. Unde dixit eis : Omne regnum in se et contra se divisum, utpote per discordias principum contra se alternatim pugnantium, desolabitur et dissipabitur; et omnis civitas vel domus divisa contra se, per contrarias voluntates et operationes, non stabit, sed dissolvetur. Nam, secundum Satustium, concordia parvas res crescunt; discordia maximae dilabuntur. Inductionem facit in tribus : in regno, in civitate, in domo; secundum triplicem unitatem, sub qua vivunt homines. Aliqui enim vivunt tantum sub una lege vel jure, et hi per regnum; alii sub una consuetudine, et hi per civitatem; alii sub uno victu et societate, et hi per domum. Item a regno, civitate et domo sumit exemplum,id est a magnis, mediocribus et parvis; ut per hoc rationem suam ostendat fortiorem et sufficientem. Unde Chrysostomus : a Nihil est in terra regno potentius; sed tamen per altercationem perit. Quid autem dicendum de civitate, vel de domo ?
Sive magnum, sive parvum fuerit, contra seipsum pugnans perit : » haec Chrysostomus. Sed si Satanas per me et ad meum imperium expellit et ejicit Satanam, daemonum regnum divisum est contra se, et discors sibi, quia contra se pugnant; et ergo regnum et potestas malitiae ipsorum stare non potest; et ita finis mundi erit, quia usque ad iinem mundi stabunt hic, ad tentandum nos. Regnum enim Satanae est in malis hominibus, quos sibi subditos tenet, quod ante finem mundi non cessabit, tum propter divinae justitiae ordinationem, et hoc ad hominum excitationem ; tum propter prohetiarum nondum impletionem. Unde idem Chrysostomus : a Quasi diceret : Regnum contra se intestino bello divisum, necesse est desolari; quod etin domo et in civitate videtur. Quocirca, et si Satanae regnum in seipsum divisum est, ita quod Satanas ab hominibus Satanam repellat, desolatio regni daemonum appropinquavit ; regnum autem eorum in hoc est quod homines subditos tenent. Si igitur ab hominibus pelluntur, hoc non est aliud, quam regnum eorum dissolvi. Si autem adhuc in hominibus potestatem tenent, manifestum est quod regnum maligni adhuc stat, et non est contra seipsum divisum : » haec Chrysostomus. Moraliter regnum divisum est anima hominis mali, cujus sensualitas rebellat rationi ; et hoc regnum desolatur, quia Christus qui est veritas, inde recedit, et diabolus ingreditur.
Item, per regnum in se divisum signatur omnis congregatio carens concordia et pace, in qua sunt duo Satanae, quorum quilibet nititur suam partem ampliare, ut sic possit alteri parti praevalere; et talis congregatio desolabitur, et concordia dissipabitur, quia si sint a se divisi, per contrarietatem effectuum non potest durare, sed deficit domus et congregatio eorum. Sed, heu! vix inveniuntur aliqui homines, qui tantam concordiam habent in bono, quantam mali spiritus in malo. Cum enim sint infiniti et innumerabiles, omnestamen in eo concordant, quod nihil i»si malefecere desiderant. Et utinam sic homines in bono concordarent, et ad fecien— dum bonum se muttio^animarent! Dernde probat idem hoc secunda ratione, quse talis est. Ejusdem potestatis est ejectio dsemonum per me et per filios vestros, sed illi, secundum vos, non ejiciunt dsemonia in principe daemoniorum, ergo nec ego. 'Unde dicit : Et si ego in Beel^ebub, id est auctoritate principis daemoniorum, ejicio dcemonia a corporibu* obsessis, ftiii vesiri, id est exorcistse, secundum Bedam et Rabanum, vel Apostofi de eis nati , secundum Augustimtm et Hieronymum, in quo, id est in qua potestate, ejiciunt ?
Qoasi dicat : Cum non possitis attribuere ejectionem per filios vestros foc^ttrm, msi virtuti divinae, per consequens wec ejectionem fectam per me. Ideo ipsi jtidices vestri erunt, sciKcet exorcist», vos condemnantes de mendacio quod dicitis contra me, quia si ih virtute Dei ejichmt, multo plus et ego, cujus opposrtum mendaciter affirmatis, hoc daenrerni attribuendo. • Vel, Apostoli de eorum stirpe gerrrti, qui sibi bene conscii sunt nil malae artis a Christo didicisse, ernnt judices eorum ra ftrturD, scilicet assessione et aoprobatrerne judieid ; quia sedebunt * super sedes dmdecim judvcantes duodecim tribus IsraeU Deinde elisa felsitate Pharisttoram , astruit veritatem ; qiria ex quo aaa ejich vrrtute diaholi T sequirtsir quod eficit virtute Dei, cum aliud medium non possit dari. Dicit ergo : Si, id est qaia, in Spiritu vel, utadit Lncas, m digvto Dei ejioio damwnia, et sic expello regnum dtiaboli, ut ccniclusum est ex praedmti&, cum expulsio unius coatrarii «t mtroductio afterkis, profecto per+enit in ms regnum Dei, id est ego Christus qui Deus debeo regnare in vobis, quare erga me btesphematis ? Vel, regnum Der, id est tempus gratise, ad merendum regnum gloriae, quod vobis offertur, dum per verba verhatis et miracula potestatis prasdicatuT. Vel, pervenrt in vos regnum Dei, id est adkus regni coelorum patefectus est vobi» et credentibus.
PT0>bato ergo quod dacrmon non. est actor miraculi, deinde consequenter pr©>bat Christos multrpliciter, quod if«e non est ministcr diafeoli, et prhna ratio talis est : Minister non est poterrtior actore r sed Christus poten*tior est diabolo, ergo Christus non est minister diaboli. Moc autem oster*dit sic : ! *on enim potest quisquam ihtrare* in domunt /ortis, donrom suam custodientis, et bona ejus dhnpere, nim prrus, tan*quam fortior, allrgaverit fortem et tunc eo victo dontum ei vasa, arma et spolia ittii» cOripiet, auferer, «t distribuet. ©iaboius fortis est fortttudine naturalkrm bonorum , de quo scribitur in Job, quod non est potestas mtper Kerram, quar ei eomparetur. — Arma' 67*18 sunt astutrae et doK nequitiarmn spirituaiium, et omnes speeies peccatorum; domus et atrium ejus est mundus m quo princrpabatur usque ad Salvatoris adventum ; vaea et spetia ejus sunt homines» obsessi vel decepti a diabolo. Quo custodiente atrium suum, in quo sicut rn domo habitabat, irt pace faenmt omnia sua, qura nemor sibi resiatebat, et adhuc, m pace sunt, ad enm, omnia quce possidet, id est onmes peccatores qui ei obes ditmt et favent , qtria, sectmdtnw Gregorrum, rilos pulsare negligit, quos quieto jure possidere se sentit. Sed forthr eo, sciHcet Christus, su> perveniem, id est desuper d& corit»' veniens, vicit eum, tentationibus ejus viriliter resistendo, et passionem ab eo procuratam patienter sostroendo ; eoque in infernum relegato, et sub pede Dotnini contrito, universa ejus anmt, id est callidissium versutias nequitis* spirituali*, in qmims confidebat, abstulit, oms compescendo et detegendo; et vttsa ejus dtripmty id est peccatores diaboJo subjugatoa a potestace ejus eripuit; €t spolia ejpis distribuit, id est peceacoces prius a diaboio captos, diversis officiis ecdesiasticis assignavit, quia ipse dedit qumsdam qwdem Apostolos, quosdam autewn Propketas, aUas vero Ewangeiistss, aiios autem.
pastores et d&ctores. Seeundum Bedam, distribuit spolia in regno Ecciesise tam militantia, quam trknnphantis, im dbversis dignitatrbus et prasmiis. Et quia Cbristus ista fecit, seqmitur quod potentior est daemonrtous ; e* ideo non est noornasaer eonrm, nec virtute eorum egens ad ejkrendnnv Ex quo etiam conclnditur quod ipse sit vere Christus, quia, in adventu Christi, potestas daemonis erat dkninttenda et arcenda. Nora ergo debemus esse secnri, quia advcraarius noster fortisv victorisque vocibus comprobattrr; ncc debcmixs desperace, quia prmoeps- rMSter fbortior iUo non dubitatur. Unde Chrysostowms . - « Non debet hostem ttmere fortem qui habet principean fortiorem, Sed vtgilenrus et h«boreinus y ne nttucia principisv ibrtkn-is contemnzmus auVecsariurn nostrum. Nsm. si contendimus ocntra eum, fbrtusrcs idlo snrauS; si sutem ncghgiinusy ii&e fortior invcnitUT.
Fortem enhn dia*bohnn nosttta negtigentia facit, notx iHkts potentia z. » haec Chrjrsostomus m Urvde et Gi*egorms r « , Diabolus, cum ed resistitur T est debdii» sicut formica; cam wro ejus suggestio rectfattur, est fortis ut leev r> Et Hieronymus : «. Tentamenta, si adite respknas, grandia sunt, si aa\ Deum bellatorem fortissimum, ludus et umbra sunt. » Deinde ponit seccmdam rationem, quse talis est: Minister et actor concordant in vo~ luntate, sed Christus et diabolus habent contrarias voluntates, ergo Chtistus non est minister diaboH* Et hoc est quod dicrt : Qui non est mecum, in bono conveniens mese voluntati, contra seu adversum mt est. Et hisfusmodi est diabolus, qmia Christus vult aniraas salvare; sed diabolus vult eas perdere. Christus vult. homsnes a peccatis retrahere, et ad virtutes revocare; diabolus ad peccata tcahere, ct per vitia distrahene. Unde Hieronymus : « Diabolus.
qui cum Domino non est, cootra ipsum est; quia ille vuit aninms tenere eaptlfas, quas Christus liberace desiderat. « Deinde ad idein ponitur tertia ratio talis : Eadem stuit ©pcm actoris et ministri, sed non eadem Chrisri et diaboli, ergo Chxsstus non cst in operando ejus minister. Et hoc est quod dicit : Et qui nan congregat seu colligit mecmm, scilioet in fidei unitatem, m Ecclesise sinum, in ovile supernuxn, spargit sive dispergit, sicut lupus^ et hic est diabahis, qui diversas sectas et hjsreses, acscbiwmata quan>tum potest introducit. Diversa enim sunt opesa Christi et diaboli, quia Christus colligit dispersa; sed diabolus dispergit colHgata ; ilie prsr* dicat idola, hdc unius Dei notitiam; iile trahit ad malum, hic revocat ad bonum. His ergo et atiis modis diaboius est contraria» Christo, et non est securn per coircorcriam in voiuntale et fectD; et ideo non est secnm, nec conperatur sibi im qiciendo ds> mones et espelkndo. Unde ChrySQStomus: a Qui igitor non mecunz est, nequc mecum congnegat, nost erit mihi cooperator, mt mecum daer mones ejtciat; sed magis quse nmat snnv sfargere desiderat. » 1« Quu» smrs wbbcatom, blm^ -K? — Deinde, post instructionem veritatis, subdit comminationem damnationis.
Quia enim eos induratos sermonibus insuasibiles videt, ad comminationes et terrores se convertit; et blasphemiam Spiritus Sancti per quam peccabant, dicentes opus Spiritus Sancti in Beelzebub fieri, asserit omnino carere venia in hoc seculo et in futuro; intellige tamen, nisi poeniteant de peccato. Unde Chrysostomus : « Quia Dominus Pharisaeis excusando responderat, jam eos terret; est enim haec correctionis non parva pars, non solum excusando respondere, sed et comminari. » Dicit ergo : Quia non vultis acquiescere rationibus nec operibus, imo blasphematis, ideo dico vobis veraciter et pro certo, quod omne peccatum et blasphemia, scilicet procedens ex humana infirmitate, vel ignorantia, remittetur hominibus per pcenitentiam, id est remissibile peccatum est de se, quia non obviat directe principio per quod fit peccatorum remissio ; sicut obviat peccatum in Spiritum Sanctum, cujus sex sunt species, scilicet : desperatio, praesumptio, obstinatio, finalis impoenitentia, invidentia fraternae gratiae, impugnatio veritatis. Unde subditur, Spiritus autem blasphemice non remittetur, id est difficile et vix remittetur, quia vix aut nunquam tales pcenitent; et hoc peccatum non habet annexam excusationis rationem. Ex hoc patet differentia inter peccatum, blasphemiam, et spiritum blasphemiae; quia duo prima sunt remissibiha, tertium non. Peccatum in se vel in alterum; blasphemia in Deum, quae si est ex ignorantia vel infirmitate, dicitur simpliciter blasphemia, si est ex certa malitia, dicitur spiritus blasphemiae. Unde blasphemia erat in turbis; sed spiritus blasphemiae in Pharisaeis, qui scientes Scripturas r ex invidia impugnabant opera Christi, et ex certa malitia blasphemabant Deum, dicentes falsa de ipso, quando miracula divinitus facta attribuebant diabolo, quod erat impugnatio veritatis agnitae, quaedam species peccati in Spiritum Sanctum. Blasphemia quippe est per quam de Deo falsa dicuntur.
Sed, secundum Augustinum, raro jam inveniuntur qui blasphemant lingua, sed multi vita. Quidam autem blasphemant ex coactione, et hi peccant in Patrem per infirmitatem, quae est contraria Patris potentiae; quidam ex deceptione, et hi peccant in Filium per • ignorantiam , quae contrariatur Filii sapientiae; quidam ex studio, et hi peccant in Spiritum Sanctum per malitiam, quae est contraria bonitati Spiritus Sancti.
Primum et secundum dimittetur digne poenitentibus, quia ex aliqua circumstantia remissione dignum est, scilicet quia per infirmitatem vel ignorantiam commissum est, quae peccatum attenuant; sed tertium non remittetur, id est remissione dignum non erit, quia circumstantiam excusantem non hab ( et. Inexcusabiliter enim meretur suppjicium, qui si voluisset potuit vitare peccatum. Unde Bernardus : «,Potentia ad Patrem, sapientia ad Filium, caritas pertinet ad Spiritum Sanctum. Hoc est quod alibi dicitur peccare in Patrem, peccare in Filium, peccare in Spiritum Sanctum. Quando enim ex fragilitate peccamus, in Patrem quasi contra potentiam peccamus; quando ex ignorantia peccamus, in Filium quasi contra sapientiam peccamus; quando vero ex malevolentia peccamus, in Spiritum Sanctum peccamas, quasi contra dilectionem. Et ideo pswcare in Patrem et Filium, hic sive in futuro remittitur; quia qui ex fragilitate vel ignorantia peccat, sicut aliquam excusationem habet in culpa, ita etiam aliquam remissionem habere debet in pcena ; sive in hoc seculo, si poenituerit, ut facilius consequatur indulgentiam ; sive in futuro, si in malo perseveraverit , ut tolerabiliorem sentiat poenam. Qui vero ex malitia peccant , eorum delictum nullam excusationem habet; et ideo poena eorum remissionem habere non debet, quia si poenituerint in hoc seculo, plena satisfactione mulctandi sunt; si non poenituerint , plena damnatione in futuro seculo, non quia poenitentibus venia denegetur; sed quia pleno peccato, plena retributio debeatur : » haec Bernardus, Spiritus ergo blasphemiae non remittetur homini, non quod ei negetur remissio si poeniteat; sed quia hic blasphemus, exigentibus malis meritis, sicut nunquam ad remissionem , ita nec ad poenitentiam perventurus est. Unde ait Joannes : Est peccatum ad mortem, non pro illo dico ut roget quis.
Secundum Gregorium, peccatum ad mortem est peccatum usque ad mortem, pro quo non est rogandum ; quia scilicet peccatum quod hrc non corrigitur, ejus venia frustra postulatur. 12 — RATIONE PROCEDENS. — PeCCatUm ergo in Spiritum Sanctum est obstinatio vel pertinacia merftis in nequitia obduratae, procedens ex praesumptione vel desperatione. Qui enim praesumit de misericordia Dei, promittens sibi impunitatem, putans ita Deum peccata impunita relinquere, eo ipso obstinatur, id est pertinaciter in peccato obduratur, peccata peccatis^ superaddens. Et ita peccat contra justitiam Spiritus Sancti; qui ita misericors est in CjECO ET MUTO. 671 justitia, quod est et justus in misericordia; qui oleum habet cum vino, et vice versa. Qui autem propter magnitudinem sceleris desperat de misericordia Dei, tanquam magnitudo peccati sui excedat magnitudinem misericordiae Dei ; inde obstinatur, peccata peccatis superaddens, de peccato in peccatum effrenata libertate ruens, quousque ad cumulum damnationis veniat. Sed quamvis tota etiam Trinitas peccata remittat ; hujusmodi tamen peccatum ideo specialiter attribuitur Spiritui Sancto, quia Spiritus Sanctus amor est Patris et Filii, et benignitas utrorumque.
Qui autem vel desperat, vel praesumit, specialiter facit illi injuriam, cujus benignitati attribuitnr remissio peccatorum, putans eum immisericordem vel injustum ; quia sicut ex misericordia peccata remittit, ita ex justitia ea impunita non relinquit. Male ergo de justitia vel misericordia Spiritus Sancti sentit, qui desperat vel praesumit. Sicut ergo morbus incurabilis dicitur, qui directe tollit remedia per quae expellitur morbus et curatur, ut cum tollit virtutem naturae vel virium naturalium, Deus tamen qui est super omnia potest curare eum ; sic peccatum in Spiritum Sanctum , contemnit et excludit illa per quae peccatum debet curari et vitari, ut timorem divinae justitiae, et spem veniae, et hujusmodi, et sic ex sui natura dicitur irremissibile ; Deus tamen sua benignitate, omne peccatum poenitentibus remittit. Unde dicitur irremissibile, quasi de difficili et vix remissibile. De hac materia sic dicit Augustinus : « Dico caritati vestrae, forte in omnibus sanctis Scripturis nulla major quaestio, nulla difficilior invenitur, in eo quod ait : Qui blasphemaverit in Spiritum Sanctum, non habet remissionem in aeternum. Non quocunque xnejdo blasphemaveri* , icus erit hujus irremissibilis delicti ; sed modo quodam , quem nos {Hiaerere atque intelligere voluit , qui hanc sententiam verarcm terribilemque dcprompsit. In Spiritu enim Sancto, quo m unum Dei populus congregatur, ejicitur spiritus in>fflxundus, qui in seipsum divism dicitur. Contra hoc donum grafiuitum, corrtra istam Dei gratiam , loquitur cor impoenitens.
Ipsa ergo impoeniteatia est spiritus blasphemiae : quce non remittetur, neque in hac seculo , neque in futumx. Contra Spiritum enim Sanctum quo baptizantur, quorum peccata omnia dimittuntur, et quera accepit Ecclesia» ut cui dimiserit peccata, dimattantur ei , verbum valde maium et nimis impium , sive cogitatione. , sive etiam lingua sua dicit^ quern patientia Dei, cum ad poenitentiam adducat ipse, secuiidum duritiam cordis sui. , et cor hrspcenitens, thesaurizat sibi iram in die ira* et rev«Iationis justi judicH Dei^ qui reddet unicuique secundum opera eju&. Haec ergo omnino impoenitentia non habet remissionem neque in hoc seculo, neque in futuro; quia poenitentia impetrat remissionem in hoc seculo, qua? valet in tauro. Sed ista impoenitentia vel cor impoenitens, quamdiu quisque in hac vha vivit, non potest judicari; de nullo enim desperandum est, quatndiu patientia Dei ad poenhentiam adducit; nec de hac vifianrpit impium, qui non vult mortem impii, quantum ut convertatur et vivat. Ideo autem omne prorsus peccatum.
et blaephemia remittetur hominibus; quia ubi hoc peccatum non fuerrt cordis impccnitenris contra Spiritum Sanctum , quo m Ecclesia peccata solvuntux, cnncta alia dimittuntur- Quomodo autem hoc dimrttetur, quod etiam remissionem impedit aliorum t Omnia ergo mrrrirtrtuntur eas, in qurfcms hoc non est quod nunquam dimittetur, in quibus autem est , quoaiam hoc nunquam drmittitur; nec alia dimittuntur, quia ©mnium remissio vinculo istiu* nrrpeditur. Ideo peccatvrm oraae atque ©mnis biasphemia dimittetur hominibra in hac congregatione , quam m Spbritu Sancto, et non adversum seipsum diviio congregat Christu*. ipsius autem Spirhus illa blasphemaa qua rit at corde rmpoenitenti huic tarcto dono Dei usque in nnem vitae isthis resistatur, mon remtttetur. Umxm ergo suffuginm est, ne sit rrremissibilis blasphemia; cor impeenitens caveatur, nec aliter poenitentia prodsesse credatar , nisi ut teneatur Ecclesia^ ubi remissio peccatorum datur, et soxdetas spiritus in pacis vinculo custodrtar : » hsec AMgustinus.
Deinde ad refeiiendum et corrigendtrm Pharisaeorum errorem, inducit Dominus sejrteatdam sub [srjnilhudinje arboris, o&teadens quod miracula sua non sunt a virtute maiigna et dtabolica; sed a virtute bona et divina. Unde dicit : Aut faciie nrborem bonam, et fructum ejus bonum; aut facite arborem malam, et fructum ejus malum. Loquilair vulgariter, facite, id est dicite, secundum quod dicitur, iste facit bormm; id est, dicit. Arbor aumm hic accipitur principimm ipsorum operum ; et fructus, ipsa opera. Jnter arborem vero et. fructum, semper est similitudo; quia arbor bona semper fructnm bomim, et arbor mala fructum malum produck:; ergd quia opera miraculosa quae Christus feciebat, non erant raala et vana, sicut qu» auat arte magica, aed erant bona et saiubria^ concludit quod. principium par quod taha faciebat, erat samctum et bonum. Quasi diceret Considerate fructum arboris honae , et fructum arboris rnalae , ut ex fructu cognoscatis utrum stt bona an mala : Siquidem ex fructu arbor agnoscitur^ Similiter considerate opus actoris, utrum sit borurni an raalum, quia opus bonum procedit a bono princrpio, et malum a malo; et sic ex bonitateoperum quae ego facio, potestis perpendere quod virtus per quam ea fecio, non est mala, sed bona; et ex operibus quae nunt per artem magicam , cum 6int mala et vana , potestis perpendere quae fiunt virtute maligna.
Opus ergo ejiciendi daemonia, cum sit bonum, non est a malo principio, quale est daemonurrn; sed a bono principio, quod est Spiritus Sanctus. Male ergo dicitis, quia ego in Beel^ebub ejicio da? mo~ * mVz. Ubi Augustinus : « In hoc admonuit nos Dominu6 ut bonae arbores simus; ut bonos fructus habere possimus. Ubi enim ait : Facite arborem bonam et fructum ejus bonum; est praeceptum salubre, cui obedientia necessaria est. Quia autem dicit : Facite arborem malam, et fructum ejus malum; non est prseceptum ut faciatis, sed monitio ut caveatis : » haec Augustinus. Deinde quasi explanando et aptando dictam similitudinem Pharisaeis, ostendit falsitatis eorum radicem. Radix enim ista erat invidia et odium ; quia Iicet Pharisaei et Legisperiti primo cognoverint Christum, tamen quia coepit reprehendere vitia eorum, ideo conceperunt odium et invidiam contra ipsum; ex quibus excaecati, ceciderunt a prima notitia in errorem, quia talia pervertunt judicium rationis rectum; et ex tunc inceperunt omnia facta ejus interpretari in malum, ad diffamandum ipsum.
Ostendit ergo illos esse malam arborem ex mala radice, et malos fructus dare, cum intentione cordis CjECO ET MUTO. 673 eonira malitia abunrtet invidiee^ dicens : Frogenuis seu genimma vi~ pevarum, id est venenati filii venenatorum Judeaorum ; quia venenum invidiee ex vestris parentibus traxistis, qui persecuto sunt Prophetas ex invidia, et vos ex eadem ratione persequimini me patrem Christum, et matrem Ecclesiam , quomodo potestis bona loqui, cum sitis mali ? Quasi diceret : Non potestis de me bona loqui, invidia prohibente, cum enim sitig arbor mala, non poteritis fructum bonum ferre; utilia quidem aliis possunt loqui, «ed non meritoria sibi. Ubi Chrysostomus : a Non Dotest fieri ut aiia germina producantur, nisi qualis fuerit radix in terra. Voluntas enim hominum radix est; verba autem et opera, fructus sunt voluntatis. Ideo quale cor unusquisque habuerit, talia et verba loquitur, et opera facit : » haec Chrysostomus, 14 Qwo sensu ex abundantia GORDIS 08 LOQUATUR. — Et ideO subditur : Ex abundantia enim cordis os loquitur; quia verbum exterius est significativum interioris coneeptus. Quasi diceret : Cor vestrum plenum est veneno , et eructat de pleno.
A parte autem totum intellige, scilicet per locutionem oris, locutionem cordis, et locutionem operis. Per oris enim locutionem , universa quae actu, vel cogitatu, vel sermone de corde proferuntur Domimis significat. Nam verbum ^pro facto quandoque poni solet. Unde Isaias de Ezechia : Non fuit verbum quod non ostenderet eis, id est res digna verbo. Ubi Chrysostomus : « Et vide ad majorem accusationem malorum, et majorem laudem bonorum, quod dicit : Ex abundantia cordis os loquitur, id est cum homo locutus fuerit verbum bonum vel malum; ne putes quia tantum boni vel mali habet in corde quantum ostendit in verbo, sed multo amplius. Ex abundantia enim boni vel mali quae est in corde, sermo procedit. Quod enim exterius dicitur, est supereffluentia ejus quod intus est. In quo eos vehementer tetigit.
Si enim quod dictum est ab eis, ita malum est, excogita radicem verborum quam est mala ! » Haec Chrysostomus. Et ideo, ut dicit Gregorius, curandum est et omni custodia mens servanda ; non enim ante oculos Dei transvolant cogitationes nostrae, et nulla momenta temporis per annum transeunt sine statu Tetjibutionis. Et quia ex abundantia cordis os loquitur, ideo bene sequitur : Bonus homo de bono thesauro, id est de bona intentione et voluntate, quae sicut thesaurus absconditus latet interius in mente, profert bona cogitationis , locutionis et operis ; et malus homo de malo thesauro suo profert mala, quia contrariae causae habent contrarios effectus. Ac si dicat : Vos mali estis, ideo de thesauro cordis vestri non nisi mala profertis ; secundum Glossam enim, thesaurus cordis est intentio ex qua Deus judicat opera. Unde aliquando minora majorem, et majora minorem habent mercedem. Saepe enim majora in genere, minori fiunt caritate, et e converso. Sicut saepe aliquis majori caritate dat eleemosynam, quam alius cantat missam; ideoque hic magis meretur de eleemosyna, quam ille de missa.
Unde paupercula vidua dando duo minuta, parificata est diviti Zachaeo; quia Deus non pensat quantum , sed ex quanto. De praedicta similitudine arboris et aliis jam tactis, habes etiam supra circa finem sermonis Domini in monte; ubi plura de his videre poteris. l5 t)E reddenda est. — - Postquam autem | processit probando et arguendo , consequenter procedit comminando, ne credant parvum vitium male loqui, et mala verba non puniri. Ita ergo malus profert mala verba, quae quidem non sunt parvipendenda, quoniam de omni verbo o/ioso, non tantum pernicioso, reddent ' homines rationem , quod erit valde difficile, quia locuti sunt sine ratione; vel, reddent, rationem, id est solvent in die judicii poenam ; quod judicium erit terribile, quia sine spe veniae. Si autem dicitur, quod verbum otiosum est quod ratione vacuum est , ergo de eo non debet quaeri, nec potest ratio reddi ; respondendum quod licet otiosum sit ratione vacuum, tamen quia verbum debuit habere rationem , ideo de ipso exigitur ratio , scilicet omissionis rationis. Et ex hoc patet quod longe magis verbum nocivum et criminosum acriter punietur , et reddet homines in die judicii condemnabiles; quale est verbum eorum quo opera Spiritus Sancti calumniabantur, et blasphemabant, dicentes : In Beel^ebub ejicit da>monia, Et est sensus secundum Hieronymum, si otiosum verbum non est absque periculo ejus qui loquitur, et in die judicii reddet unusquisque rationem sermonum suorum; quanto magis vos reddituri estis rationem calumniae vestrae 't Caveant ergo sibi detractores, opera proximorum minuentes vel infamantes, dicendo illa esse facta in hypocrisi, vel pro vana gloria, vel aliquo indebito fine; et ita in Beelzebub daemoniorum principe. Si enim ita judicat DominuS de verbo otioso ; quanto magis de nocivo et criminoso ?
Ut autem dicit Hieronymus : « Otiosum verbum est quod sine utilitate loquentis dicitur et audientis ; si omissis seriis, de rebus frivolis loquamur, et 6 7 5 fabulas narremus antiquas. Ceterum qui scurrilia repiicat, et cachinnis ora dissolvit, et aliquid profert turpitudinis, hic non otiosi sermonis, sed criminosi tenebitur reus ; ideoque in verborum pondere probatio consistit humanae vitae. » Et iterum : « Quidquid non aedificat audientes, in periculum vertitur audientium. » Et Origenes : « Inanis est omnis sermo, in quo non est intrinsecus aliquid pro Deo, vel pro Dei mandato. » Unde etiam Gregorius : « Otiosum verbum est quod aut ratione justae necessitatis, aut intentione piae utilitatis caret. Et si de verbo otioso et cogitatione minutissima reddenda est ratio in die novissimo, pensandum est quanta peccata sequantur multos. Sic enim Deus uniuscujusqueviasconsiderat, sic gressus enumerat, ut nec minutissimae cogitationes, aut tenuissima verba, quae apud nos viluerunt, ejus judicio indiscussa remaneant. » Unde et Chrysostomus : « Otiosum verbum intelligitur, non malum, sed quod bonum non operatur, id est quod non aedificat audientem.
Si ergo pro bono verbo et otioso rationem sumus reddituri, quid speramus de malo? Et si de malo verbo rationem daturi sumus, quid speramus de opere malo? » haec Chrysostomus. Et ideo cavendum est a verbis otiosis et malis. Ex verbis enim tuis si fuerint bona, ac bonitati mentis consona, et sub debitis circumstantiis prolata, justificaberis, id est mereberis, vel tanquam justus remuneraberis ; et ex verbis tuis condemnaberis, si fuerint mala, et praedictis contraria. Scriptum est enim, quia mors et vita in manibus linguas. Et ideo ex sermonibus tuis justificaberis vel condemnaberis, quod omnium est justissimum. Etenim tu dominus es et dicendi, et non dicendi.
Unde idem Chrysostomus : « Mansuetum VlTA JESU ChRISTI, T0HU8 II. judicium ; non enim ex quibus\ alius dicit de te, sed ex quibus ipsemet locutus es, calculationes Judex feret; et tu dominus es dicendi. » Et iterum : « Unusquisque hominum ex voluntate sua sola, aut peccator, aut justus constituitur. Convincitur autem uniuscujusque peccatoris voluntas testimoniis tribus, id est cogitationum, verborum et operum : » haec Chrysostomus. l6 custodire, — Hic ergo docemur ut os nostrum custodiamus, ne verba otiosa vel mala loquamur ; quia sicut vas quod non operitur, cito immundum fit, et quidquid est interius frigescit ; sic est et de corde, nisi os, quod est ejus operculum, teneatur cum discreta custodia clausum. Et, ut dicit Gregorius, ab omni rectitudinis statu pereunt. qui per noxia verba dilabuntur. Et ideo frequenter oremus, dicentes : Pone, Domine, custodiam ori meo ; et ostium circumstantia?
labiis meis. Unde Chrysostomus : « Magis utique virgine aliqua custodi linguam. Equus est regalis lingua. Si igitur imposueris frenum, et docueris ambulare cum bona compositione, quiescit super eam, et desuper sedebit rex. Si autem infrenatam dimiseris ferri, et saltare; diaboli et daemonum sessio fit : » haec Chrysostomus. Unde et Origenes : « Eorum qui verba Dei loquuntur, os Deus aperit; illorum vero qui loquuntur mendacium, falsum testimonium, scurrilitates, turpitudines, susurronum quoque et detractorum, et eorum qui otiosa loquuntur, diabolus os aperit. Magnum ergo periculum est loqui de secularibus et vanis, cum multa sint divina et utilia de quibus loqui possumus. » Unde Ambrosius : « Non mediocre periculum est, cum tanta habeamus eloquia Dei, et opera quae fecit, his praetermissis, loqui quae seculi sunt.
Et maxime a verbis detractoriis cavere debemus, ne male loquamur de aliis. » Unde Augustinus : « Vi- . de quomodo irasceris alteri, quando de te male Ioquitur ; sic irascere tibi, quando de altero male loqueris. Et non solum cavere debemus ne verba detractoria loquamur ; sed etiam ne audiamus, quia si non esset auditor, non esset detractor. » Unde et Bernardus : « Detrahere, et detrahentem audire, quid horum damnabilius sit, non facile dixerim. » Et iterum : « Lingua detractoris, et auris auditoris, diabolus sedet super utramque. » Caventhim est etiam valde a verbis contentiosis et rixosis; quia occasionem dant multis malis. Unde Chrysostomus : « Gontentio est altercatio longa.
Nascitur autem ex vana gloria, quae dicitur amor victoriae. Nemo enim diu contendit, nisi qui vincere concupiscit. Gloriam tibi putas esse, si viceris; sed occidisti gladio amicum et amicitiam ejus in ipso; et ideo quasi de amico occiso dabis rationem. Nam si hominem non occidisti ferreo gladro, amicum tamen occidisti gladio contentiosi sermonis : » haec Chrysostomus.
Multum insuper cavere debemus, ne proximum verbo vel cogitatu judicemus. Unde idem Chrysostomus super hoc : Ex sermonibus tuis condemnaberis, ait : « Non audis quoniam et Pharisaeus vera locutus est; sed tamen ultimam dedit vindictam. Etenim habet Judicem qui deliquit. Ne igitur capias dignitatem Unigeniti; illi judicii thronus conservatus est. Sed si vis judicare, est tibi \udicium multum lucrum habens. Sedere fac in conscientia tua intellectum discernentem, et affer in medium omnia delicta tua , et investigaomnia peccata animae, et expete cum diligentia noxas, et dic : ProCAPUT LXXIII. pter quid haec et haec tu facere ausus es ? Et si haec quidem fugerit omnia, quae autem aiiorum sunt investigaverit, dic ad eam : Non pro his te judico, non pro his intrasti te accusatura.
Quid enim si ille debeat; tu cur haec et haec deliquisti? Excusantem te accusa; quae tuiipsius sunt intuere, non quae aliorum. El continue in hanc deduc agoniam*. Deinde si nihil habere dicat, sed retardatur, dilania, flagella eam velut quamdam ancillam elatam et fornicatam. Et hoc secundum unamquamque diem constitue judichim ; et subscribe flumen ignis, vermem conscientiae venenum emittentenx, alia loca tormentorum ; et ne dimittas eam esse cum diabolo. Et si doluerit haec audiens, ne subtrahas manum. Non enim morietur si percusseris; a morte autem eam eripies. Et parvorum magnas expete noxas, ut neque prope magna deveniat.
Si haec feceris, secundum unamquamque diem cum Hbera propalatione stabis secus tribunal illud terribile. Ita Paulus factus est purus, propter hoc et dixit : Si nosmetipsos dijudicaremus, non ntiqut judicaremur : » haec Chrysostomus.
Moraliter autem in verbis, sive in loquendo, attendenda sunt quinque, scilicet : quid, cui, ubi, quando, et qualiter dicatur. Isti sunt quinque digiti m manu linguae. Quid determinat Apostolus, dicens : Sermo vester sit semper in gratia sale conditus, id est gratus, utilis, sine otiositate. Otiosa sunt omnia quae aut inutilia, aut inhonesta, aut nociva sunt. Inutilla sunt quae nec loquentibus, nec audientibus prosunt. Inhonesta, quae nec dignitati Ioquentis, nec audientis conveniunt. Nociva sunt, quae vel ad errorem, vel ad pravitatem ducunt. — Cui determmat Sapiensv dicens : Cum stulto ne muttum /0quaris.
Qui crgo cum aiio loquitur, consideret an propter se, vel propter atium loqui habeat, Si propter Hlum, utrum sit taHs qui sua correctioae indigeat, vel qui correctionem non recipiat. — Ubi, quaedam enim sunt loca ubi nullo modo, ut in sanctuario ; quaedam ubi raro, ut in convivio ; quaedam ubi moderate, ut in locutoria est loquendum. — Quando determmat Ecclesiastes, dicens : Tempus tacendi, €t tempus loquendi. Tacendum est, aliquando propter auditorum infirmitatem ; aliquando propter vitandam praecipitationem ; aliquando propter personae alterius reverentiam ; aiiquando propter audstonim iridignitatem^ — Quaditer autem vei quomodoy id cat qoo gesru, quo sono r et qua signincatione. Srt ergo gestus simpbex et bumihs; sarms mitis et suavis ; signifieatio 1 verax et dulcis. Compemdium awteip, omniuna praedictorum hoc esae videtur, ut tarde et raro quis loquatur. Unde Seneca : « Summa summarum haec est, tardiloquum te esse jubeo. » Et iterum : « Quidquid dicturus es, antequam aliis, dixeris tibi.
Magna est res vocis et ailentii temperamentum. » Et iterum : « Quod tacitum esse vis, nemini dixeris, quia non poteris ab alio exigere silentium, si trbiipsi non praestas : » haec Seneca. Sed, heu ! sunt aliqui non sohun seculares, sed et religiosi, qui quandoque etiam sine causa rationabili aliis irati torvos oculos et vultus ostendunt ; ac insuper dentibus stridendo, voces furiosas emittunt; et sic daemonem, qui intus eos possidet, alii* extra produnt. Hr tafes bene in fmc Baciano in Beatnm Vineentrum seevientr awsimtrantmr, de qao in serm«me Augttstbti sic drcitttr ; «r Pe* furvosas enim Daciani voces> per ttrture» ocuft* et minaces vultuay e* ttofiua eorpom mottrs ille habitator ejxis interior monstraba*tur \ et per haec sigwa visibiliav, tamquam per sui vascul* quod impievverat crepantis rimulas, videbatur : * haec Augustinu».
Tales etiam qmandoque suis linguis acutw parcunf, et se abscondentes taciturnitati insistunt^ ac silentium quod boni ex religionis obedientia Deo sacriticanu, ipsi ex perversrtatis raalitia daemo^ niis, et non Deo, immolant. Unde in collatione abbatis Joseph, de amicitia, sic de talibus dicitur : « Illud vero quale est, quod interdum patientes esse nos credimus, quia respomiere contemnimus laeessiti ; sed ita commotos fratres amara tacifurnitate, vel rootu ge*stuque irrisorio subsannamus, ut eos magis ad iBacundiawa vultu tacito provocemus, quam tumida potuissent incitare convkia; in eo nos atstimantea minime apud Deum reos, quia nihil ore profulirnusi quod nos notare hominum judicio aut condemnare potuisset. Ita igitur tacere nihil prodest , si idcirco nobis indicimus silentium, ut quod agendum convitio fuerat, hoc taciturnitate faciamus, assimilantes quosdam gestus, quibus et ille quem curare nos oportuit, vehementiore inardescat iracundia. Utique* enifti tale silentium erit aequaliter noxium, quia sicut exaggerat in alterius corde tristitiam, ita in suo non permittit exstingui. Nonnulli quoque cura. tristificati fuerint, vel irati, ab ipso etiam pertinaciter abstinent cibo. In quo plane sacrilegii crimen evidenter incurrunt, jejunia scilicet quae soli Deo, pro humiTiatione cordis et purgatione vitiorum, sunt specialiter offerenda T pro diaboUco tumore tolerantes. Quod tale est ac si orationes atque sacrificia non Deo, sed daemonibus deferant, fllam quoque Mosaicam increpationem.
mereantur audire : Immolaverunt damoniis, et non Deo; diis quos ignorabant : » haec ubi supra. Sic ergo praedicti miseri tam perverse litigando, quam malitiose tacendo daemonibus serviunt, qui utrobique se ingerendo els illudunt. Quorum illusiones non incurrerent, si non fictam, sed veram humilitatem et caritatem haberent ; quia nec tunc ad tantam impatientiam devenirent. Et, quod adhuc pejus est, tales saeCAPUT LXXIV. pe absque fratris offensi reconciliatione accedunt ad altare ; et sic accedentes judicium sibi manducant et bibunt; et insuper a diabolo excaecati, quandoque se excusando dicunt : quia nihil adversus alium habent; non intelligentes, quia, secundum Evangelium, attendere debent, si alius adversus eos quid habet. Aufer, Domine, opprobrium talium perversorum a religione servorum tuorum. ORATIO O vera virtus, ejice a me daemonium per contritionem ! O Verbum Patris, sana mutum per confessionem !
O intima lux, illumina caecum per satisfactionem ! Et ut fortis armatus me non possideat, universa arma ejus, scilicet vires animae meae interiores et corporis sensus exteriores in tuum converte obsequium. Opto etiam et desidero, Deus altissime, ut quotiescunque malignus spiritus abominandas cogitationes blasphemiae mihi immiserit, toties ex voto omnium desideriorum meorum ineffabilis laus et gratiarum actio tibi sit in perpetuas aeternitates, et blasphemia sua secum sit in perdhionem. Amen.
Scripture echoes
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin text contains a typo 'm«scarum' for 'muscarum'.
- 2 ↩The Latin text contains several corruptions in the names and terms (e.g., 'ftiii vesiri', 'Apostofi', 'augustimtm'). These have been rendered according to their clear intended meaning.
- 3 ↩The source text contains a likely typo 'Tetjibutionis'; translated here as 'reckoning' or 'accountability' based on the context of divine judgment.
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