I.
Fratres si conresurrexistis cum Christo, quae sursum sunt querite, ubi Christus est in dextera Dei sedens, etc. (Coloss. III, 1). Domini nostri Jesu Christi honorabilem sollempnitatem sua favente clementia, fratres karissimi, fideliter veneremur pietatemq. ejus ineffabilem ad memoriam revocemus, qui non solum nostrae redemptionis causa humanam carnem suscepit, verum etiam diversa genera poenarum pro nostra salute subire dignatus est. Et licet post multum inerciae et pigritiae nostrae somnium non inviti, sed volontariae sanctae et Christianae religionis dulcedine provocante in sanctissime sollempnitatis conventu expergefacti, libenter et devote cum omni sollicitudine 1151Bresurgamus secundum illud quod Apostolus ait in presenti lectione: Si conresurrexistis cum Christo, quae sursum sunt querite, ubi Christus est ad dexteram Dei sedens. Quae sursum sunt sapite, non quae super terram. Acsi dicatur: Nos qui ad imaginem sanctae Trinitatis conditi sumus, trina submersione baptizati per invocationem ejusdem sanctae Trinitatis, ad eamdem renovamur imaginem. Et qui trino peccato maxime decidimus in mortem, idest in cogitatione iniqua, in dilectatione carnis consensu operum malorum, tertio elevati de fonte, remissione omnium peccatorum precepta [percepta], per Christi gratiam, sicut ipse tertia die resurrexit, nos resurgamus ad vitam. Nos vero si consurgere cupimus cum Christo, prius moriamur mundo et concupiscentiis carnalibus, et deponamus veterem hominem, id est malam voluntatem, 1151Cvel usum pravum et delectationes pessimas; induamus nos benignitatem, et proximis nostris cum omni devotione bona faciamus; et post Domini dilectionem nihil amori proximi preponamus, sed ut nos ipsos illos diligamus.
Sequitur: Quae sursum sunt sapite, non quae super terram; tantum ea quae celestia sunt, non quae terrestria querentes; terrae mori, vivere autem Domino; celestem sectari sapientiam, non terrenam, Nam subditur: Mortui enim estis, et vita nostra abscondita est cum Christo in Domino . . . Cum enim mortui erimus mundo et facultatibus ejus atque desideriis ejus, vita nostra abscondita est cum Christo in Domino, quia filii Domini sumus. Unde sequitur: Cum enim Christus apparuerit vita vestra, tunc et vos 1151Dapparebitis cum ipso in gloria. Nondum enim apparet quid aut quales futuri sumus ad judicium; cum autem Christus ad judicandos vivos et mortuos apparuerit, tunc et nos simul cum ipso apparebimus 1152Ain gloria resurrecturi. Nobis enim et pro nobis nascitur Christus, patitur et resurgit, ut nos in vitam per ipsum renascamur, in tribulationibus et cum eo conpatiamur, et cum eo virtutibus resurgamus. Omnia per ipsum in hac nocte restaurata sunt; in hac quippe nocte quasi primitiae dormientium resurrexit, ut nos omnes postea resurgamus. In hac ergo nocte captivitas nostra solvitur, vita in Adam amissa restauratur; in hac nocte protoplaustus Adam peregrinus redit ad patriam paradysi. Ab hac enim nocte Dominicae resurrectionis paradysus omnibus patet; nulli clauditur nisi a se ipso; nulli aperitur nisi a Christo. Et ideo cum omni sollicitudine caveamus ne propter opera diaboli quae pertrahunt ad interitum, apertum nobis iter regni celestis nos ipsi claudamus; 1152Bsed potius per opera justitiae et misericordiae planum nobis iter faciamus ad regna celorum. Ergo humilitate nostra humilitatem pro nobis Domini nostri in memoriam revocemus; humiliter in ista vigilemus, humiliter oremus ad eum qui nobis gloria sui nominis inluminavit hanc noctem. Cui dicimus: Dominus meus, inlumina tenebras meas; illumque rogemus ut prebeat lucem cordibus nostris, ut quemadmodum gaudentibus oculis istum splendorem luminum cernimus, ita hujus noctis praeclaram gloriam inluminata mente videamus; ipsumque precemur ut exaudiat nos vigilantes in sollempnitate sua, quod dormiunt [ sic mss.] pro salute nostra.
Vigilemus ergo et oremus, forinsecus et intrinsecus hanc vigiliam celebremus. Dominus nobis loquitur 1152Cin lectionibus suis; Domino loquamur in precibus nostris. Si eloquia ejus obedienter audiamus, in nobis habitat quem rogamus: cui est honor et gloria in secula seculorum. Amen.
I.
Brethren, if you have risen again with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God, etc. (Coloss. III, 1). Let us faithfully venerate, dearest brethren, by the favor of his own clemency, the honorable solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and let us call back to memory his unspeakable loving-kindness — he who not only took up human flesh for the cause of our redemption, but even deigned to undergo diverse kinds of punishments for our salvation. And although, after much slumber of our sloth and laziness, we have been roused up in the assembly of this most holy solemnity — not unwillingly, but willingly, at the summons of the sweetness of the holy and Christian religion — let us gladly and devoutly rise again with all earnestness, 1151Baccording to that which the Apostle says in the present reading: If you have risen again with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Relish the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. As if it were said: We who were fashioned to the image of the holy Trinity, and baptized by a threefold immersion through the invocation of that same holy Trinity, are renewed unto that same image. And we who by a threefold sin fell utterly into death — that is, in wicked thought, in the delight of the flesh, in consent to evil works — being lifted up the third time out of the font, the remission of all sins having been commanded [percepta] through the grace of Christ, let us rise again unto life, just as he himself rose again on the third day. But if we desire to rise together with Christ, let us first die to the world and to fleshly desires, and put off the old man — that is, the evil will, 1151Cor corrupt habit and the worst delights; let us clothe ourselves with kindness, and do good to our neighbors with all devotion; and after the love of the Lord let us set nothing before the love of our neighbor, but let us love them as ourselves.
There follows: Relish the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth; seeking only those things which are heavenly, not those which are earthly; dying to the earth, but living to the Lord; pursuing heavenly wisdom, not earthly. For it is added: For you are dead, and our life is hidden with Christ in the Lord . . . For when we shall be dead to the world and to its resources and its desires, our life is hidden with Christ in the Lord, because we are sons of the Lord. Whence there follows: For when Christ shall appear, your life, then you also 1151Dshall appear with him in glory. For it does not yet appear what or of what sort we shall be at the judgment; but when Christ shall have appeared to judge the living and the dead, then we too, together with him, shall appear 1152Ain glory, being about to rise again. For Christ is born for us and for our sake, suffers and rises again, so that we may be born again unto life through him, may suffer with him in tribulations, and may rise again with him in virtues. All things have been restored through him on this night; for on this very night he rose again as the first-fruits, as it were, of them that sleep, so that we all might afterward rise again. On this night, therefore, our captivity is loosed, and the life lost in Adam is restored; on this night the first-formed Adam, a pilgrim, returns to the fatherland of paradise. For from this night of the Lord's resurrection paradise lies open to all; it is closed to none save by himself; it is opened to none save by Christ. And therefore let us take heed with all earnestness that we do not ourselves close the way of the heavenly kingdom that has been opened to us, on account of the works of the devil which drag men to destruction; 1152Bbut rather let us make the way to the kingdoms of heaven level for ourselves by works of justice and mercy. Therefore by our own humility let us call back to memory the humility of our Lord borne for us; humbly let us keep watch in this night, humbly let us pray to him who has enlightened this night for us with the glory of his name. To whom we say: My Lord, enlighten my darkness; and let us ask him to grant light to our hearts, so that, just as with rejoicing eyes we behold this splendor of lamps, so with an enlightened mind we may see the surpassing glory of this night; and let us beseech him to hear us who keep watch on his solemnity, seeing that they sleep [ sic mss.] for our salvation.
Let us therefore watch and pray; let us celebrate this vigil outwardly and inwardly. The Lord speaks to us 1152Cin his readings; let us speak to the Lord in our prayers. If we obediently hear his words, he whom we entreat dwells within us: to whom be honor and glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.
II.
Fratres, expurgate vetus fermentum, ut sitis nova consparsio, sicut estis azimi, etc. (I Cor. V, 7). Resurrectio Domini nostri Jesu Christi, fratres karissimi, fidem nostram roborat cum facta ereditur, memoriam ejus renovat cum sollempniter celebratur. Denique cum ante annos plurimos Christus resurrexit, non absurde dicimus, quando anniversario reditu ista sollempnitas presentatur: Hodie Dominus resurrexit. Quod ergo annis omnibus iteratur cum omni devotione agere debemus. Et quod factum est semel 1152Dut redimeremur, hoc institutum est ne oblivisceremur; nam qui istum diem digne cupit celebrare, meminere debet quod apostolus Paulus ait in presenti lectione: Expurgate vetus fermentum, ut sitis 1153Anova consparsio, sicut estis azimi. Excludendum est ergo omne fermentum peccati de cordibus nostris ut pura mente et recta conscientia tamquam panes azimi efficiamus, ut recte Pascha Domini celebrare possimus. Verum si fermentum peccati et malitiae in corde teneamur, non meremur Pascha Domini celebrare; et ideo Apostolus ait: Expurgate vetus fermentum, ut sitis nova consparsio, sicut estis azimi. Azimi sumus, si alieni sumus ab omni conscriptione peccati. Modicum enim fermentum, ut Paulus ait, totam massam corrumpit. Et ideo expurgare et abicere debemus a nobis omne fermentum peccati, ut frui tantae Paschae sollempnitate mereamur. Quia ergo participes nos facere tantae Paschae Dominus voluit, oremus ut sacramenta ejus digne sumamus, ut 1153Bjure benedictionem consequamur. Haec est, fratres karissimi, dies Dominicae resurrectionis, et nostrae initium redemptionis, haec est, inquam, dies quam fecit Dominus; exultemus et letemur in ea. Hanc omnes voce consona, leto spiritu, corde contrito celebremus, et agamus spiritalem in psalmis et hymnis letitiam, in memoriam passionis et resurrectionis Christi in spe futurae vitae letitiam: Ecce ista die quando audivimus Alleluia, quodam modo letatur spiritus noster, et jocunditate totus perfunditur; alleluia namque laus in excelsis Domino dicitur, quod nobis convenit ut devota mente omni tempore, die tamen isto precipue laudem in excelsis Domino decantemus; id est non solum ore, sed etiam opere perfecto Dominum Deum nostrum voce 1153Cet corde in laudibus exaltare studeamus, ut nos in celesti vita per illum exaltare mereamur, qui cum Domino Patre et Spiritu sancto vivit et regnat unus Deus per inmortalia secula seculorum. Amen.
II.
Brethren, purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened, etc. (I Cor. V, 7). The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, dearest brethren, strengthens our faith when it is believed as a deed done, and renews the memory of him when it is solemnly celebrated. And so, although Christ rose again very many years ago, we say not absurdly, when this solemnity is presented to us by its yearly return: Today the Lord has risen. What therefore is repeated every year we ought to perform with all devotion. And what was done once 1152Dthat we might be redeemed, this was appointed lest we should forget; for whoever desires to celebrate this day worthily ought to remember what the apostle Paul says in the present reading: Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a 1153Anew paste, as you are unleavened. Every leaven of sin, therefore, must be shut out from our hearts, so that with a pure mind and an upright conscience we may become as unleavened loaves, and so may be able rightly to celebrate the Pasch of the Lord. But if we are held fast by the leaven of sin and malice in the heart, we do not deserve to celebrate the Pasch of the Lord; and therefore the Apostle says: Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened. We are unleavened, if we are strangers to every enrollment of sin. For a little leaven, as Paul says, corrupts the whole lump. And therefore we ought to purge out and cast away from ourselves every leaven of sin, so that we may deserve to enjoy the solemnity of so great a Pasch. Since therefore the Lord has willed to make us partakers of so great a Pasch, let us pray that we may worthily receive his sacraments, so that 1153Bwe may rightfully obtain the blessing. This, dearest brethren, is the day of the Lord's resurrection and the beginning of our redemption; this, I say, is the day which the Lord has made; let us exult and be glad in it. Let us all celebrate it with one voice, with a joyful spirit, with a contrite heart, and let us keep a spiritual gladness in psalms and hymns — in memory of the passion and resurrection of Christ, a gladness in hope of the life to come. Behold, on this day, when we have heard the Alleluia, in a certain manner our spirit rejoices, and is wholly steeped in gladness; for the Alleluia is said as praise to the Lord in the highest, and it befits us that with a devout mind we should at all times, but on this day especially, sing praise to the Lord in the highest — that is, that not only with the mouth but also with perfected work we should strive to exalt the Lord our God in praises with voice 1153Cand heart, so that we may deserve to be exalted by him in the heavenly life: who with the Lord the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, through the immortal ages of ages. Amen.
III.
Exulta, coelum, et in laetitia esto, terra. Iste dies vobis amplius ex sepulchro radiavit quam de sole refulsit. Ovet et infernus, quia vita ad se descendente a sua impietate resolutus est. Gaudeat, quia in sedibus suis descendente Domino visitatus est. Exultet homo Adam, quia ignotam lucem post saecuta longa vidit, et inter profundae noctis caligines suffocatus tenebris respiravit. O pulchra lux! quae de candido coeli fastigio promicasti, et post fluenta purpurea sedentes 1153Din tenebris et umbra mortis subita claritate vestisti. Confestim igitur aeterna nox inferorum, Christo descendente, resplenduit. Siluit stridor ille lugentium; cecidere vincula dampnatorum. Attonitae mentes obstupuere tortorum; omnis simul impia officina contremuit, cum Christum repente in suis sedibus vidit. Quisnam enim, inquiunt, iste terribilis et niveo splendore coruscus? Nunquam talem noster excepit Tartarus; nunquam in nostram cavernam talem vomit mundus. Judicem videmus, non supplicem; pugnare venit, non succumbere, eripere, non manere. Ubinam, putatis, janitores nostri dormierant. 1154Acum iste debellator nostra claustra vexabat? Iste si reus esset, audax non esset. Si eum aliqua delicta fuscarent, nunquam fulgore suo nostras tenebras dissiparet. Sed si Deus est, qui in sepulchro facit? Si homo est, quare captivos solvit? Numquidnam iste cum auctore nostro pacta composuit? An forte et ipsum adgressus vicit, et sic ad regna nostra transivit? Certe mortuus erat, certe victus erat. Illusus est praeliator noster in mundo; nescit quam stragem procuraverit in inferno. O crux illa, fallens gaudia vestra, et parturiens damna nostra. Per lignum ditati sumus, per lignum evertimur. Perit potestas illa, cunctis semper populis formidata. Nullus sub cede nostra captivus nunc palpitat. En quod gemendum est et insultat. Nusquam antiqui fletus, nulli jam resonant 1154Bejulatus. Turbidum specus obmutuit. Putasne iste sine nostro excidio redit? Nemo unquam ad nos vivus intravit. Nemo sic audax fuit. Nemo sic carnifices terruit. Nunquam in hoc hiatu nigra caligine caeco jocundum lumen apparuit. An forte sol de mundo migravit? Sed nec coelum nobis astraque parent, et tamen infernus lucet. Quid agimus? Quo vertimur? Defendere contra istum cruentas domus et obtinere cavernae nostrae custodias non possumus. Male intrati sumus. Tantam lucem obtinere nequimus; opprimere tanta virtute praeditum non valemus. Nostra quoque colla urgeri conspicimus, et de nostro insuper nunc interitu formidamus. Noctis nostrae tenebris contenti simus. Antris nostris occulimur. Quare radiis prodimur? Quare violentia disturbamur? Quare 1154Cin nostris sedibus captivamur?
Mox igitur Christus in ipsos crudeles poenarum ministros aciem dirigit, atque implacabiles turmas framea divina concidit. Premuntur diri sub tortore carnifices, et rabidiores adactis stridoribus contabescunt. Ipsa quoque antra ferrei cubilis intrantur, et fortes a fortiore aeternis vinculis colligantur. Hoc et Dominus ipse promiserat, dicens: Nemo intrat in domum fortis et vasa ejus diripiet, nisi prius alligaverit fortem, et tunc vasa ejus diripiet. Tristes igitur mox lugentesque diurno squalore turbae populique vexati concurrunt, et redemptoris nostri vestigiis provolvuntur. Ecce apostolica dicta probantur: Ut in nomine Domini omne genu flectatur coelestium et terrestrium et infernorum. Mox ergo captivae animae, de 1154Dcustodiis relaxatae tartareis, proruunt, regi saeculorum moesta supplicatione deplorant: « Venisti tandem, o clementissime Jhesu; succurre jam et parce defessis. Nunc, Christe, saevas extingue minas, jam miserandos resolve gemitus. Redemisti vivos cruce tua; cripe et mortuos morte tua. Pari nobiscum labe mundus interierat. Ad adventum tuum omnis creatura suspirabat. Tibi nostra tormenta suspirabant. Te semper infernus iste pallebat. Dum hic es, absolve reos; dum ascenderis, defende tuos. Tu solus caput draconis comminuere potuisti. Tu portas aereas et vectes ferreos voluisti conterere. Pateat, quaeso, precantibus 1155Ajanua: lux non desit pia. Et si redis ad corpus, majestate tua non privetur infernus. »
Post auditas itaque preces, post compositas leges, post demersos alta voragine ( Leg. voraginis?) fossa tortores judex noster hodie de inferis laureatus exivit. Nec canditatum officium defuit; sed laeta cum principe suo omnis beatorum toga processit. Repedat igitur ad stadium triumphator iterum vivus, ut noverit omnis mundus quod rediit ab inferis Christus. Glorientur ergo credentes; plaudent manibus omnis gens, quia rex noster in saeculo triumphavit, qui cum Patre et Spiritu sancto vivit et regnat Deus, pro nobis crucifixus et resuscitatus, in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
III.
Exult, O heaven, and be glad, O earth. This day has shone upon you more brightly out of the sepulchre than it has blazed from the sun. Let hell too rejoice, for by the descent of Life to it, it has been loosed from its own impiety. Let it be glad, for it has been visited by the Lord descending into its own seats. Let the man Adam exult, for after long saecuta he has seen an unknown light, and, stifled amid the mists of deep night, he has breathed again among the shadows. O lovely light! that flashed forth from the shining summit of heaven, and after the purple streams didst clothe with sudden brightness those sitting 1153Din darkness and in the shadow of death. Straightway, therefore, the eternal night of the lower regions blazed with light at the descent of Christ. That shrieking of mourners fell silent; the chains of the damned fell away. The minds of the tormentors were struck dumb with astonishment; the whole impious workshop trembled together, when suddenly it saw Christ in its own seats. For who, they say, is this terrible one, flashing with snowy splendor? Never has our Tartarus received such a one; never does the world vomit such a one into our cavern. We see a judge, not a suppliant; he has come to fight, not to yield; to snatch away, not to remain. Where, do you suppose, had our doorkeepers been sleeping, 1154Awhen this warrior was battering our bars? If this one were guilty, he would not be so bold. If any offenses darkened him, he would never scatter our darkness with his brightness. But if he is God, what is he doing in a sepulchre? If he is man, why does he loose the captives? Has this one perhaps struck a bargain with our author? Or did he perhaps attack and conquer him too, and so pass over into our realms? Surely he was dead; surely he was conquered. Our warrior has been mocked in the world; he does not know what slaughter he has brought about in hell. O that cross, cheating your joys and bringing our losses to birth! By a tree we were enriched; by a tree we are overthrown. That power perishes, ever dreaded by all peoples. No captive now quivers beneath our slaughter. Behold what must be groaned over — and it exults. Nowhere are the ancient weepings; no wailings 1154Bnow resound. The stormy cave has fallen mute. Do you think this one returns without our destruction? No one ever entered to us alive. No one was ever so bold. No one so terrified the executioners. Never in this chasm, blind with black gloom, has a joyous light appeared. Has the sun perhaps departed from the world? But neither heaven nor the stars obey us — and yet hell is bright. What are we doing? Where do we turn? We cannot defend our bloody houses against this one, nor hold the guard-posts of our cavern. He has broken in upon us to our ruin. We cannot hold back so great a light; we have not the strength to crush one endowed with such power. We see our own necks pressed down as well, and now besides we dread our own destruction. Let us be content with the darkness of our night. Let us hide ourselves in our caves. Why are we betrayed by these rays? Why are we thrown into confusion by violence? Why 1154Care we taken captive in our own seats?
Soon therefore Christ directs his battle line against the cruel ministers of punishments themselves, and cuts down the implacable squadrons with the divine sword. Grim executioners are crushed beneath a tormentor, and the more raging of them waste away with the shrieks forced from them. The very caves of that iron chamber are entered, and the strong are bound with everlasting chains by one stronger. This too the Lord himself had promised, saying: No one enters into the house of a strong man and will plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man, and then he will plunder his goods. Soon therefore the crowds, sorrowful and mourning in their daylong squalor, and the harried peoples run together, and cast themselves down at the feet of our Redeemer. Behold, the apostolic sayings are proved: That in the name of the Lord every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things beneath the earth. Soon, then, the captive souls, released from 1154Dtheir Tartarean prisons, rush forth, and with sorrowful supplication make their lament to the King of the ages: « You have come at last, O most merciful Jesus; help us now and spare the weary. Now, O Christ, quench the savage threats; loose now our pitiable groans. You have redeemed the living by your cross; cripe the dead also by your death. The world had perished in the same ruin with us. For your coming every creature sighed. Our torments sighed for you. This hell always grew pale before you. While you are here, absolve the guilty; when you shall have ascended, defend your own. You alone were able to crush the head of the dragon. You willed to break in pieces the gates of bronze and the bars of iron. Let the door lie open, I beg, 1155Ato those who pray: let the kindly light not fail. And if you return to the body, let hell not be deprived of your majesty. »
And so, after the prayers had been heard, after the laws had been set in order, after the torturers had been sunk in the deep abyss ( Leg. voraginis?), the ditch, our judge today came forth crowned with laurel from the lower regions. Nor was the canditatum office lacking; but the whole company of the blessed, in glad array, went forth with its prince. The triumphant one therefore returns to the arena, alive again, so that all the world might know that Christ has come back from the dead. Let believers, then, glory; every nation will clap their hands, because our King has triumphed in the world — who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God, crucified and raised up again for us, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
IV. Sermo inlustrissimi doctoris sancti Augustini, de resurrectione Domini nostri Jhesu Christi dedicatus.
Salve, dies aeternis frequentande conventibus. Te oriente, vita resurgit; te radiante, lumen redit, et in natales tuos, inferni exclusa caligine, sol justitiae reviviscit. Non equidem moritur Deus, nec aeternitas fine taxatur, aut lumen majestatis extinguitur; sed cum a Deo mors appetitur, per hominem homini subvenitur. Post triumphos igitur crucis, post vexilla victricia Christus ovans inferos petit debellaturus et mortem, qui mortis captivaverat auctorem. O mirabile, fratres, praelium, et facies nova recuperatae victoriae! De ligno Christus vicit, unde diabolus ante vicerat; 1155Cet suis armis prostratus est qui prostraverat; ipsaque illi facta est poena quae fuerat ante victoria. Pugnavit igitur pro mundo Deus, et celata paululum majestate, ut daret hosti fiduciam, virtutem simulavit infirmam. Agebatur enim causa saeculi per sapientiam Dei. Tenebatur ut vinctus, audiebatur ut reus, verberabatur et conspuebatur ut ignobilis et captivus. Ille vero suas vires ad hoc occultando premebat, donec mortuus vinceret quem parabat. Refrenabat potentiam, ut totam impleret in conflictu justitiam, et plenam in resurgendo victoriam. Hinc ad arborem venit, unde jura mortis exierant. Ubi vero ascendit arcem sceleris, ibi subjecit fastigium inimici virtutis. Illa quondam mater et origo poenarum nescia suscepit justum, figit, affligit; non est culpa, et saevit poena. O crudelissime 1155Djusticida! amisisti causae tuae subsidia. Reclamat contra te crux ipsa, mortis et vulneris officina repulsat. Non agnosco, inquit, reum esse quem punio; non sunt ista mei germinis poma, nichil hic caput meam; falleris quia fetum mihi conseris alienum. Nil iste habet ex meo; quare pendit me? Similitudinem speciei video, nam virus in eo vernaculum non agnosco. Tunc ille fortis in praelio, justus in patibulo, innocens in alieno tormento, cornua peccati manibus mundis obtrivit, et dum se totum in ligno figit, aculeum 1156Amortis obtundit, et peccatum quod arbor generabat occidit. Sanguis mox fusus a latere diluit, quicquid ante crimen infecit, et ex pollutis ramusculis crux candida radiavit. Cucurrit cruor innocuus per poenales ligni noxias fibras, et medicante pariunt deinceps sacramenta salutis, quae praebuerant mortis alimenta victuris. Adhuc tamen diabolus nescius vicisse gloriatur, et victum videt crucifixum, videt mortuum, insuper et percussum, et quasi de opima cede letus, nihil est ultra sollicitus. En, inquit, ille qui se Dei sobolem praeferre solebat, qui sibi fidem miraculis conciliaverat, qui socios et participes meos de corporibus animisque humanis dejecerat, qui me insuper praelio temptare est ausus. Mundum, quem ab origine teneo certaminis lege et victoriae jure 1156Bcaptivum, meis manibus eximere gestiebat. Modo, si fortis est, vincat; modo, si praevalet, surgat; modo, si Deus est, reviviscat. O diabole! ignare exitus tui, fallit te ista victoria; gaudia tua non erunt leta sed tristia. In perniciem tuam Judeorum linguas armasti; te illis jaculis peremisti. Illud quidem quod passus est voluit, nobisque consuluit. Nam tum cum justum occidisti, reos quos tenueras amisisti. Sed paululum patere; noli insolentius nec imprudentius exultare. Ecce enim inferi contremiscunt vivum, quem tu gaudebas occisum. Jam ille antiquos carceres fregit, jam praedas tuas diripuit, et cruentos ministros tuae ferocitatis afflixit. Hoccine est vicisse, an vitam ad mortuos transmisisse? Pone hic, sceleratissime, rationem; penset justicia magistra judicium. 1156CMortificasti a principio mundum quem ipse feceras reum; commissam noxam justa ultio sequebatur. Hunc autem nec sua nec aliena culpa devinxerat. Cur ingessisti mortem, ubi non inveneras crimen? Cur supplicium intulisti, ubi delictum invenire non potuisti? Injuste ergo justum pro injusto punisti; juste injustum pro quo justum necaveras amisisti. Mutet jam reus condicionem, quia causa nostra partem tenuit meliorem. Orta est in servitute libertas, facta est in dominatione captivitas. Sublatum est jugum condicionis antiquae; nunc indulgentia regnat pietatis et gratiae. Christus enim surgens a mortuis de sepulchro, nobis hodie radiavit; nec anima tardavit in inferno, nec caro remansit in tumulo, sicut scriptum est: Quia non derelinques animam 1156Dmeam in inferno, neque dabis sanctum tuum videre corruptionem. Ecce nunc Christus mox ut voluit resurrexit. Ubi est mors quam inimicus ingessit? Magnum est, fratres, pietatis indicium, quod sic moriendo Christus vivificavit saeculum, ut eum non teneret mors ipsa captivum. Ergo et causam nostram misericordi bonitate peregit, et suae potentiae nihil ademit, quia, statim ut ei placuit, et revixit, qui vivit et regnat Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
IV. A sermon of the most illustrious doctor Saint Augustine, dedicated to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hail, O day to be thronged with everlasting assemblies! At your rising, life rises again; at your shining, the light returns, and on your birthday, the gloom of hell being shut out, the Sun of justice comes to life again. God indeed does not die, nor is eternity bounded by an end, nor is the light of majesty put out; but when death is sought out by God, help is brought to man through a man. After the triumphs of the cross, therefore, after the conquering standards, Christ in exultation makes for the lower regions, to war down death as well — he who had taken captive the author of death. O wondrous battle, brethren, and new manner of victory regained! Christ conquered by the tree, whereby the devil had before conquered; 1155Cand he who had laid low was laid low by his own arms; and that very thing became his punishment which had before been his victory. God therefore fought for the world, and, hiding his majesty for a little while so as to give the enemy confidence, he feigned his power to be weak. For the cause of the world was being pleaded through the wisdom of God. He was held as one bound, he was heard as one guilty, he was scourged and spat upon as one lowborn and a captive. But he for this purpose was pressing down his own strength by concealing it, until, having died, he should conquer the one he was preparing to conquer. He reined in his power so that he might fulfill all justice in the conflict, and a full victory in rising again. Hence he came to the tree, whence the rights of death had gone forth. But where he mounted the citadel of wickedness, there he subdued the summit of the enemy's power. That tree, once the mother and origin of punishments, unwitting, received the just one, transfixes him, afflicts him; there is no guilt, and the punishment rages. O most cruel 1155Dslayer of the just! You have lost the supports of your own case. The cross itself cries out against you; the workshop of death and wounding drives you back. I do not acknowledge, it says, that he whom I punish is guilty; these are not the fruits of my own stock, nothing here my head; you are deceived, because you graft onto me a fruit not my own. This one has nothing from me; why does he hang upon me? I see the likeness of the outward form, but I do not acknowledge in him the poison native to me. Then he, strong in the battle, just upon the gibbet, innocent under another's torment, ground down the horns of sin with clean hands, and while he fastens his whole self upon the wood, he blunts the sting 1156Aof death and slays the sin which the tree was begetting. The blood soon poured out from his side washed away whatever crime had stained before, and from the polluted little branches the cross shone forth white. The guiltless gore ran through the guilty, punishing fibers of the wood, and thereafter, with its healing, they bring forth sacraments of salvation for those who are to live — they that had once offered the nourishments of death. Yet still the devil, not knowing, glories that he has conquered; and he sees the conquered one crucified, sees him dead, and struck down besides, and, as though glad over a rich slaughter, is troubled no further. Behold, he says, the one who used to put himself forward as God's offspring, who had won belief for himself by miracles, who had cast out my companions and partners from human bodies and souls, who besides dared to try me in battle. He was eager to snatch out of my hands the world which I hold captive from its beginning by the law of contest and the right 1156Bof victory. Now, if he is strong, let him conquer; now, if he prevails, let him rise; now, if he is God, let him come to life again. O devil, ignorant of your own end! This victory deceives you; your joys will not be glad but sorrowful. To your own ruin you armed the tongues of the Jews; you destroyed yourself with those darts. What he suffered he indeed willed, and he took counsel for us. For at the moment when you slew the just one, you lost the guilty whom you had held. But wait a little; do not exult too insolently or too rashly. For behold, the lower regions tremble at him alive, whom you were rejoicing over as slain. Already he has broken the ancient prisons, already he has plundered your spoils, and struck down the bloody ministers of your ferocity. Is this to have conquered — or to have sent life across to the dead? Set down your reckoning here, most wicked one; let justice the schoolmistress weigh the judgment. 1156CFrom the beginning you put to death the world which you yourself had made guilty; a just vengeance followed upon the harm committed. But this one neither his own nor another's guilt had bound. Why did you bring on death where you had found no crime? Why did you inflict punishment where you could find no offense? Unjustly, therefore, you punished the just for the unjust; justly you lost the unjust for whom you had killed the just. Let the guilty one now change his condition, since our cause has taken the better part. Liberty has arisen within servitude; captivity has come about within dominion. The yoke of the ancient condition has been taken away; now the indulgence of mercy and grace reigns. For Christ, rising from the dead out of the sepulchre, has shone upon us today; his soul did not linger in hell, nor did his flesh remain in the tomb, as it is written: For you will not leave my soul 1156Din hell, nor will you give your holy one to see corruption. Behold, Christ has now risen again as soon as he willed. Where is the death which the enemy brought on? It is a great sign of mercy, brethren, that Christ by dying thus gave life to the world, in such a way that death itself did not hold him captive. Therefore he both accomplished our cause with merciful goodness and took nothing away from his own power, since, the moment it pleased him, he also came to life again — who lives and reigns, God, through all the ages of ages. Amen.