Works (City of God, On the Trinity, etc.) 43 part 5/5

and thus let him strive so to understand it, that he may refer it to that twofold love. Yet in such a way that he understand 'neighbour' not carnally, but as everyone who can be with him in that holy city, whether he already appears there or not yet: and that he despair of the correction of no man whom he sees, by the patience of God, to be living for no other reason, as the Apostle says, than that he may be led to repentance. 51. If this discourse, by which I have instructed as it were a raw man present before you, seems long to you, you are free to say these things more briefly; yet I do not think it ought to be longer—although it matters much what the very situation, when the matter is being dealt with, prompts, and what the presence of the hearers shows itself not only able to bear, but even to desire.

But when there is need of speed, see how easily the whole matter can be unfolded. Suppose again that someone is present who wishes to be a Christian: so, having been questioned as to that which the previous one was to answer; and even if he does not answer this, it must be said that he ought to have answered this. Then in this way the rest also are to be woven together. 52. Truly, brother, that is the great and true blessedness which is promised to the saints in the age to come. But all visible things pass away, and all the pomp and delights and curiosity of this age shall perish, and drag their lovers with them to ruin.

From which ruin—that is, from everlasting punishments—God, being merciful, willing to free men, if they be not enemies to their own selves and do not resist the mercy of their Creator, sent His only-begotten Son, that is, His Word equal to Himself, through whom He founded all things. And remaining indeed in His divinity, and not withdrawing from the Father, nor changed in anything, yet by taking on manhood, and by appearing to men in mortal flesh, He came to men: so that just as through one man who was first made, that is, Adam, death entered into the human race—because he consented to his wife, seduced by the devil, so that they transgressed the commandment of God—

so through one man who is also God, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, all past sins being blotted out, those who believe in Him might all enter into eternal life. XXVII. 53. For all things which you now see done in the Church of God, and under the name of Christ throughout the whole world, were already foretold before the ages, and just as we read them, so also we see them; and thereby we are built up unto faith. Once a flood was made over the whole earth, that sinners might be destroyed: and yet those who escaped in the ark prefigured the sacrament of the future Church, which now floats amid the waves of the age, and is delivered from submersion through the wood of the cross of Christ.

It was foretold to Abraham, the faithful servant of God, to one man, that from him a people would be born, who would worship the one God among the other nations that worshipped idols: and all the things that were foretold as to come upon that people so came to pass as they were foretold. In that people too was prophesied Christ, the King of all the saints and God, to come from the seed of Abraham himself according to the flesh which He assumed, so that all who imitated his faith might also be sons of Abraham; and so it came to pass: Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, who was of that lineage. It was foretold through the Prophets that He would suffer upon the cross by that same people of the Jews, from whose lineage He was coming according to the flesh;

and so it came to pass. It was foretold that He would rise again; He rose again: and according to the very predictions of the Prophets He ascended into heaven, and sent the Holy Spirit to His disciples. It was foretold, not only by the Prophets, but also by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, that His Church would be throughout the whole world in time to come, disseminated through the martyrdoms and passions of the saints; and it was foretold then, when His name was still hidden from the nations, and where it was known was mocked:

and yet in the powers of His miracles—whether those which He wrought by Himself, or those which He wrought through His servants—while these are announced and believed, we already see fulfilled what was foretold, and the very kings of the earth, who before persecuted Christians, now subjected to the name of Christ. It was also foretold that schisms and heresies would come out of His Church, and, under His name, in the places where they could, would seek their own glory and not Christ's; and these things are fulfilled. 54. Are then those things which remain not going to come?

It is manifest that, just as those foretold things came, so also those things are to come—whatever tribulations of the just still remain, and the day of judgment, which will separate all the ungodly from the just in the resurrection of the dead, and will separate unto the appointed fire not only those who are outside the Church, but even the chaff of the Church herself, which she must most patiently endure until the final winnowing. But those who mock the resurrection, thinking that this flesh, because it rots, cannot rise again, shall rise again in it unto punishments: and God will show them that He who was able to make these bodies before they existed, can in a moment restore them as they were.

But all the faithful, who are to reign with Christ, shall so rise again in the same body that they may even deserve to be changed unto angelic incorruption: so that they may become equal to the angels of God, as the Lord Himself promised; and may praise Him without any failing and without any weariness, ever living in Him and from Him, with such joy and blessedness as can neither be told nor conceived by man. 55. You therefore, believing these things, beware of temptations (because the devil seeks those who may perish with him): so that the enemy may not seduce you, not only through those who are outside the Church, whether pagans, or Jews, or heretics;

but also, those whom you shall see living wickedly within the Catholic Church herself, whether immoderate in the pleasures of the belly and the throat, or unchaste, or given over to vain curiosities or unlawful ones, whether of spectacles, or of remedies or diabolical divinations, whether in the pomp and pride of avarice and haughtiness, or in any life which the law condemns and punishes—do not imitate them: but rather join yourself to the good, whom you shall easily find, if you too are such; that together you may worship and love God freely: because our whole reward shall be He Himself, that in that life we may enjoy His goodness and beauty. But He is to be loved, not as something which is seen with the eyes;

but as wisdom is loved, and truth, and holiness, and justice, and charity, and whatever else of such kind is named: not as these things are in men; but as they are in that very fountain of incorruptible and unchangeable wisdom. Whomever, therefore, you see loving these things, join yourself to them, that through Christ, who was made man in order to be the Mediator of God and men, you may be reconciled to God. But perverse men, even if they enter within the walls of the church, do not suppose they will enter into the kingdom of heaven: because in their own time they will be separated, if they do not change for the better. Imitate, therefore, good men, tolerate the bad, love all: since you do not know what he who today is bad may become tomorrow.

Nor love their injustice; but love them for this reason, that they may lay hold of justice: because not only is the love of God commanded us, but also the love of neighbour, on which two precepts the whole law hangs, and the prophets. And this no one fulfils except him who has received the gift, the Holy Spirit, equal indeed to the Father and the Son; because that same Trinity is God: in which God all hope is to be placed. In man it is not to be placed, whatever kind he may have been. For He from whom we are justified is one thing, and those with whom we are justified are another. And the devil tempts not only through desires, but also through the terrors of insults and pains and of death itself.

But whatever a man shall have suffered for the name of Christ, and for the hope of eternal life, and shall have endured persevering, a greater reward will be given him: but if he yield to the devil, he will be damned with him. But works of mercy, with pious humility, obtain from the Lord that He may not permit His servants to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear.