Sermon 153

SERMO 153

ON THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE, ROMANS 7: 5-13:
"When we were in the flesh"
The passions of sins which are through the law
They were working in our members,
"SO THAT THEY MIGHT BEAR FRUIT TO DEATH," ETC.
AGAINST THE MANICHAEANS OPENLY, AND SILENTLY AGAINST THE PELAGIANS

The place of the Apostle to be explained is so difficult.

We have heard, and we have answered in unity, and we have sung to our God with harmonious voice: Blessed is the man whom you instruct, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law. If you would offer silence, you would hear. Wisdom finds no place where there is no patience. We speak, but God instructs; we speak, but God teaches. For no one is called blessed by being taught by a man, but by being instructed by you, O Lord. We can plant and water, but it is God's task to give the increase. He who plants and he who waters works outwardly; he who gives the increase assists inwardly. What reading from the holy Apostle's Epistle has been proposed for us to speak upon, how difficult, how obscure, how (if not understood or misunderstood) dangerous; I think, brothers, rather I know, that as it was recited among us, you have heard; and you were troubled, if you paid attention; or if some of you did understand, you have seen how arduous it is without doubt. Hence we have undertaken to explain this reading and the whole troublesome and obscure but, for those who understand, salutary portion of the Apostle's Epistle, with the aid of God's mercy, by expounding it through discussion. I know we are debtors to your charity, I feel that you are our exactors. Just as we pray that you may grasp these things, so also pray that we may be able to explain them to you. For if our prayer is in harmony; then God will make you capable listeners, and us the most faithful payers of this debt.

Here the Manicheans abuse.

For when we were in the flesh, says the Apostle, the passions of sins which were by the law worked in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. Here it seems (which is the first and great danger for those not understanding) that the Apostle reproaches and blames the law of God. Someone might say: Far be this from the mind of any kind of Christian; who would even in madness dare suspect this of the Apostle? And yet, my brothers, these words, poorly understood, have fueled the madness and fury of the Manichaeans. For the Manichaeans claim that the law given by God through Moses was not given by God and assert it is contrary to the Gospel. And when they are engaged with, they try to convince by these testimonies of the Apostle Paul—which they do not understand—what shall I say, Catholics who do not understand and rather neglect it? For it is not much, if anyone wishes to be diligent, after hearing slanders from a heretic, at least to consider the context of the reading in the text. If someone does this, they will soon find wherewith to refute the verbose adversary, wherewith to overthrow the hostile and rebellious enemies of the law. For even if one is slow to understand the words of the Apostle, the praise of the law of God is there manifestly expressed.

The calumny of the Manichaeans must be refuted by what follows.

For first consider and observe. For when we were in the flesh, he says, the passions of sins which are by the law worked. Here now the Manichaean raises his neck, lifts up his horns, attacks you, makes an onslaught: Behold, he says, the passions of sins which are by the law. How is the law good, through which in us are the passions of sins, and work in our members, so that they bear fruit unto death? Read, proceed somewhat further, hear the whole thing patiently, and if not intelligently. For this which he says: "The passions of sins which are by the law worked in our members," it is much to understand; but first be with me in praising the law, and then you will deserve to understand. Do you have a closed heart, and blame the key? Behold, for the moment what we do not understand, let us put aside a little, let us come to what is open about the praise of the law. The passions of sins, he says, which are by the law worked in our members, to bear fruit unto death. Now therefore we are delivered from the law of death, wherein we were held, so that we may serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. Still it seems to accuse, blame, disapprove, detest the law; but not to the understanding. For when he says: "When we were in the flesh, the passions of sins which are by the law worked in our members, to bear fruit unto death. Now therefore we are delivered from the law of death, wherein we were held, so that we may serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter," it indeed seems to accuse and blame the law. He saw this too, he saw, he felt himself not understood, and against the obscurity of his words the thoughts of men are moved; he felt what you can say, he felt what you can object; and he wanted to say this first, so that you may not find what to say.

The Apostle himself condemns the critics of the law there.

What then shall we say? he says. This follows: What then shall we say? Is the law sin? By no means! With one word he absolves the law, condemns the accuser of the law. You were citing the authority of the Apostle against me, O Manichean, and you were saying to me, while you were criticizing the law: Behold, hear the Apostle, read the Apostle: The passions of sins which are through the law were at work in our members, to bear fruit unto death. Now, therefore, we are freed from the law of death, in which we were held, so that we might serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. You boasted yourself, you shouted, you said: Hear, read, see; you had said these things and already wanted to turn your back and go. Wait, I have heard you, hear me; rather, neither I you, nor you me; but let us both listen to the Apostle, who frees himself and binds you. What then shall we say? he says. Is the law sin? You said this: The law is sin, indeed you said this. Behold, you heard what you said, hear what you should say. You were saying that the law of God is sin, when you, blind and imprudent, were criticizing it. You erred: Paul saw your error. What you said, he said. What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Do we say what you said? Is the law sin? By no means! If you were following the authority of the Apostle, weigh the word, and take counsel from it. Hear: Is the law sin? By no means! Hear: By no means! If you follow the Apostle, if you highly value his authority, hear: By no means! and let what you thought be far from you. What then shall we say? What shall we say? Because I said: The passions of sins which are through the law were at work in our members, to bear fruit unto death; because I said: We are freed from the law of death, in which we were held; because I said: Let us serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter: Is the law sin? By no means! Why then, Apostle, did you say such things?

The law forbidding to covet evil is not evil.

The law is far from being sin: But sin, he says, I did not know except through the law. For I would not have known desire, unless the law said: You shall not desire. Now I question you, Manichee, now I question you, answer me. Is the law which says: You shall not desire, evil? Not even a depraved and wicked person would answer me this. For even the same outrageous men, when they are reproached, are ashamed; and when they are among the chaste, they do not dare to be wanton. If therefore you say the law which says: You shall not desire, is evil; you wish to desire freely; you accuse the law, because it strikes at lust. My brethren, if we did not hear the Apostle saying: Is the law sin? Far from it! but merely recounting the words of the law, where it was said: You shall not desire; even if he did not praise the law, we should nonetheless praise it; it deserves praise, we deserve accusation. Behold the law, behold the divine trumpet above crying out to man: You shall not desire. You shall not desire, rebuke it if you can; do it, if you cannot rebuke it. You heard: You shall not desire, you do not dare to rebuke it. Because it is good that it said: You shall not desire; it is evil to desire. The law reproves evil, it forbids you your evil. Therefore the law reproves evil desire, it forbids your evil. Therefore do what the law commands, do not do what the law forbids, do not desire.

The evil of lust was unknown before the law.

But what does the Apostle say? I would not have known desire, if the law had not said: Do not covet. For I followed my desire, and I ran where it led, and I considered its sweet temptations and the pleasures from bodily indulgence as great happiness. For the sinner is praised, says the law, in the desires of his soul; and he who commits iniquity is blessed. You find a man following his carnal desires and giving himself entirely as a servant to them, seeking pleasures everywhere, fornicating, getting drunk; I say no more; fornicating, I repeat, and getting drunk. I have mentioned things that are lawfully committed, but not according to God's laws. For who was ever brought before a judge for entering a prostitute's brothel? Who was ever accused in the public tribunals for descending into lewdness and impurity through his own revelries? Who ever, having a wife, for corrupting his maid found it a crime? But before the worldly court, not the heavenly one; under the law of the world, not the law of the World's Creator. However, the lascivious, the impure, and the lewd are said to be happy, to abound in pleasures, to enjoy delights. Indeed, if he even revels in wine, if he drinks measureless quantities; it's not just that he doesn't find it a crime, he's even called a strong man; so much the worse, the more undefeatable he is under the cup. When these things are praised, and it is said: He is happy, he is great, it is well with him; and not only is this not considered a sin, but it is also thought to be either God's gift, or at least a pleasant, sweet, and lawful good: the law of God goes forth, and says: Do not covet. That man who thought it was a great good, who considered it great happiness to deny nothing to his desire, to follow where it led; hears: Do not covet; and recognizes it as sin. God spoke, man heard. He believed God, saw his sin; what he thought good, he recognized as evil; he wanted to restrain his desire, not to follow it, he constrained himself, tried, and was overcome. He who was previously ignorant of his evils, became knowledgeable, and worse, was defeated; he began to be not only a sinner but also a transgressor. For he was a sinner even before; but before he heard the law, he did not know he was a sinner. He heard the law, saw his sin; tried to conquer it, was overcome and thrown down; he became also a lawbreaker, who was previously an ignorant sinner. This is what the Apostle says: Is the law sin? By no means! But I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known desire, if the law had not said: Do not covet.

Desire increased by the law, not conquered.

Taking the opportunity, sin, through the commandment, worked in me all manner of concupiscence. Desire was lesser when, before the law, you were unconcerned sinning; now, however, with the obstacles of the law placed before you, the river of desire is somewhat restrained, not dried up; but as the impetus that drove you on increases without obstacles, it overwhelms you once the barriers are broken. Your desire was lesser when it moved your lust, but it is all-encompassing when it transcends the law. Do you want to know how great it is? See what it has broken: You shall not covet. Not a man said it, God said it, the Creator said it, the eternal Judge said it. Not just anyone said it. Therefore, do what He said. Do you not do it? Observe Him who judges and who said it. But what can you do, O man? You have not conquered because you presumed upon yourself.

Presuming about oneself is defeated.

Therefore, pay attention now to the previous words, which seemed obscure: For when we were in the flesh. Pay attention to the previous words we mentioned, from where the passage that seemed obscure began: For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins which were by the law. From where are they by the law? Because we were in the flesh. What does it mean: Because we were in the flesh? We assumed upon the flesh. For did the Apostle who was speaking no longer live in that flesh, or was he speaking to those who had already died and left that flesh? Certainly not; but according to the manner of this life, both he who was speaking, and those to whom he was speaking, were in the flesh. What then does it mean: When we were in the flesh; except: When we were assuming upon the flesh, that is, considering ourselves? For it was said to a man, and about men: All flesh shall see the salvation of God. What does it mean: All flesh shall see, except: All men shall see? And what does it mean: The Word was made flesh, except: The Word was made man? For not the Word and flesh without a soul; but man is signified by the name of flesh, in that which is read: The Word was made flesh. Therefore, when we were in the flesh, that is, we were engaged in the lusts of the flesh, and placed all our hope in them as in ourselves: the passions of sins, which are by the law, were increased by the law. For by prohibiting, they made the transgressor of the law; because he who was made a transgressor did not have God as a helper. Therefore, they worked in our members to bear fruit, to whom, except to death? If a sinner was to be condemned, what hope does a transgressor have?

Trust not in oneself, but in God.

Therefore, O man, your desire has conquered you; it has conquered because it found you in a bad place; it found you in the flesh, therefore it conquered you. Migrate from there: why are you afraid? I did not tell you to die. Do not be afraid because I said: Migrate from the flesh. I did not tell you to die, rather I dare to say, I told you to die. If you have died with Christ, seek the things that are above. Living in the flesh, do not be in the flesh. All flesh is grass, but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Let the Lord be your refuge. Desire presses upon you, it urges you, it has received great strength against you, it has become greater by the prohibition of the law, you suffer a greater enemy: let the Lord be your refuge, a tower of strength from the face of the enemy. Therefore, do not be in the flesh, be in the spirit. What does it mean: Be in the spirit? Place your hope in God. For if you place your hope in the very spirit by which you are human, your spirit will again slip back into the flesh, because you did not give it to Him by whom it may be upheld. It does not hold itself if it is not held. Do not remain in yourself, transcend even yourself: place yourself in Him who made you. For if you have hope in yourself, having received the law, you will be a transgressor. The enemy found you without refuge, he invades you; beware lest he snatch you, like a lion, and there is no one to deliver you. Attend to the words of the Apostle praising the law, accusing himself, making himself guilty under the law, and perhaps transfiguring your own person in himself, and saying to you: I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known desire, except the law had said: You shall not covet. But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, worked in me all kinds of desire. For without the law, sin is dead. What does it mean: it is dead? It lies hidden, does not appear at all, it is unknown as if buried. But when the commandment came, sin revived. What does it mean: revived? It began to appear, began to be felt, began to rebel against me.

Delight in the law of God, and delight in desire.

But I have died. What does it mean: I have died? I have become a transgressor, and the commandment that was found to be unto life was found for me unto death. See that the law is praised, the commandment which was for life. For what kind of life is it not to covet? O sweet life! Sweet indeed is the pleasure of covetousness: it is true, and men would not follow it unless it were sweet. The theater, the spectacle, the wanton prostitute, the most shameful song, these are sweet to covetousness; sweet indeed, pleasant, delightful: but: The unjust have told me of their delights, but not as your law, O Lord. They are pleasant, sweet, delightful; but hear better: The unjust have told me of their delights, but not as your law, O Lord. Happy the soul that is delighted by such pleasures, where no foulness stains, and which is purified by the serenity of truth. But he who delights in the law of God, and delights in such a way that he overcomes all pleasures of wantonness, should not attribute this pleasure to himself: The Lord will give sweetness. What should I say? Lord, give me that sweetness, or that one? You are sweet, Lord, and in your sweetness teach me your statutes. In your sweetness teach me, and you teach me. Then I learn so that I may act, if you teach me in your sweetness. Otherwise, as long as iniquity flatters and is sweet, truth is bitter. In your sweetness teach me: that truth may be sweet, and by your sweetness iniquity may be despised. Truth is much better and sweeter, but sweet bread is for the healthy. What is better and more excellent than heavenly bread? But it does not dull the teeth of iniquity. For Scripture says: As sour grapes are harmful to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes; so is iniquity to those who use it. What does it profit you to praise the bread, if you live badly? What you praise you do not eat. When therefore you hear the word, when you hear the word of justice and truth, and you praise it; it is much more praiseworthy if you act. Therefore do what you praise. Or will you say: I want to, but I cannot? Why cannot you? Because there is no health. Whence did you lose health, unless by sinning you offended the Creator? Therefore, so that you may eat the bread you praise with sweetness, that is, with health, say to Him: I said, Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you. Therefore, he says: The commandment which was found to be unto life was found to be unto death. For he was previously unknown to himself as a sinner, and has become manifest as a transgressor. Behold, it was found unto death when it was unto life.

The proud man slain by his own sword.

But, taking occasion, sin deceived me through the commandment, and by it killed me. Thus it happened first in paradise: Sin deceived me, he said, taking occasion through the commandment. See the serpent whispering to the woman. He asked her what God had said: she replied: God told us: From every tree which is in the paradise, you shall eat; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat. For if you eat from it, you will die by death. This is the commandment of God. The serpent, however, said: No, you will not die by death. For God knew that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods. Therefore, taking occasion, sin deceived me through the commandment, and by it killed me. The enemy killed you with the sword you carried; he conquered you with your own weapons, he destroyed you with your own arms. Take up the commandment: know that it is a weapon, not by which you are killed, but by which the enemy is killed by you. But do not presume on your own strength. See little David against Goliath, see the small against the large; but relying on the name of the Lord. You come to me, he says, with shield and spear; I come in the name of the Almighty Lord. Thus, thus; no other way: in no way else is the enemy laid low. He who presumes on his own strength is laid low before he even fights.

The Apostle is again and again the most evident praiser of the law.

Nevertheless, see, beloved, see again and again that the apostle Paul is the most open praiser of the divine law against the madness of the Manicheans; see what he adds: "Therefore, the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Could it be praised more abundantly? A little earlier, with that phrase he said: "God forbid!" he defended it from crime, he did not praise it. It is one thing to defend from an alleged crime, another to proclaim with due praise. The alleged crime was: "What shall we say then? Is the law sin?" The defense, "God forbid!" The truth is defended with one word; because the authority of the Apostle defending it is great. Why defend it long? It suffices. "God forbid!" Or do you want, he says, to receive proof of Christ who speaks in me? Now, however: "Therefore, the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."

The same argument is treated.

What, then, is good become death to me? By no means! Because death is not good. But sin, that it might appear as sin, worked death in me through what is good. Death is not the law, but sin is death. He had already said: Without the law, sin is dead. Where I reminded you, saying: It is dead, it lies hidden, it does not appear. Now see how truly it is said thus: Sin, he says, that it might appear as sin. He did not say: That it might be, because it was even when it did not appear. Sin, that it might appear as sin. What is it: That it might appear as sin? Because I did not know covetousness, unless the law said: You shall not covet. He does not say: I did not have covetousness; but: I did not know covetousness. So also here he does not say: That it might be sin; but: That it might appear as sin, it worked death in me through what is good. What death? That sin by the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. Note well: exceedingly sinful. Why exceedingly? Because now there is also transgression. For where there is no law, there is no transgression.

Sin derived from the first man.

Therefore, see, brothers, see the human race flowing from the first death of that first man. For indeed: Sin entered into this world through the first man, and through sin, death, and thus it passed into all men. It passed; pay attention to the word you have heard; consider, see what "passed" means. It passed: hence even a little one is guilty; has not yet committed sin, but has inherited it. For that sin did not remain at the source, but has passed; not into this or that person, but has passed into all men. The first sinner, the first transgressor, begot sinners subject to death. The Savior came from the Virgin to heal. For He came not in the way that you came; for He was not from the concupiscence of man and woman, not from that bond of concupiscence. "The Holy Spirit," He says, "will come upon you." This was said to the Virgin, said to the fervent faith, not to the burning concupiscence of the flesh: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." How could one who had such a shadow be burning with the heat of lust? Therefore, since He did not come to you in the way you came, He frees you. Where did He find you? Sold under sin, lying in the death of the first man, dragging the sin of the first man, having guilt before you could have will. Behold where He found you, when He found you as a little one. But you have outgrown the age of a little one: behold you have grown, you have added many sins to the original sin; you received the law, you became a transgressor. But do not be anxious: where sin abounded, grace abounded more. Converted to the Lord, etc.