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.