Volume 13 · p. 490
Sermon XVII. On Saint George, Martyr, Opening
SERMO XVII.
DE SANCTO GEORGIO MARTYRE,
Militia est vita hominis super terram. Job, VII, 1.
Notate, quod hodie festum agitur illustrissimi ac victoriosissimi militis beati Georgii, qui triplicem hostem, videlicet mundum, carnem, ac dæmones gloriosissime debellavit. Ipse enim bona hujus mundi contempsit, ipse concupiscentias carnis sibi subegit, ipse etiam contra hostes fidei, hoc est, dæmones et eorum ministros decertans pro fide, quam plurima tormenta sustinuit et devicit. Hæc autem erant tormenta Beati Georgii. Primo in equuleum fuit extensus. Secundo ungulis fuit laceratus. Tertio lampadibus fuit adustus. Quarto verberibus ac diversis plagis fuit cruentatus. Quinto sal missum fuit in vulnera ejus. Sexto retrusus est in carcerem tenebrosum. Septimo bibit calicem veneno ac maleficio plenum. Octavo positus fuit in rotam æneam gladiis acutissimis undique circumseptam, et sic de alto fuit demissus. Nono missus fuit in sartaginem æneam plumbo repletam bullientem. Decimo prostratus in faciem distractus fuit per vicos et plateas. Undecimo gladio percussus fuit et occisus.
Nos igitur, charissimi, ad imitationem triumphatoris istius, Christi milites esse debemus: Militia enim est vita hominis super terram.
Unde tria sunt hic notanda:
I. Qui sint hostes, contra quos dimicamus? II. Quibus armis uti debeamus? III. Quæ sit merces, quam, si vicerimus, exspectamus?
I.
De primo nota, quod triplex est hostis noster, videlicet mundus, caro, et diabolus. De istis tribus hostibus cantatur in quadam Sequentia:
Mundus, caro, dæmonia, Diversa movent prælia, In cursu tot phantasmatum Turbatur cordis sabbatum.
SERMON XVII.
ON SAINT GEORGE, MARTYR,
The life of man upon the earth is warfare. Job 7:1.
Note that today the feast is celebrated of the most illustrious and most victorious soldier, Blessed George, who most gloriously fought down a threefold enemy, namely the world, the flesh, and demons. For he himself despised the goods of this world; he himself subjected to himself the concupiscences of the flesh; he himself also, fighting against the enemies of the faith, that is, demons and their ministers, for the faith, sustained and conquered very many torments. But these were the torments of Blessed George. First, he was stretched upon the rack. Secondly, he was torn by hooks. Thirdly, he was burned by lamps. Fourthly, he was made bloody by blows and different wounds. Fifthly, salt was put into his wounds. Sixthly, he was thrust back into a dark prison. Seventhly, he drank a cup full of poison and sorcery. Eighthly, he was placed on a bronze wheel surrounded on every side with very sharp swords, and thus he was let down from on high. Ninthly, he was sent into a bronze frying pan filled with boiling lead. Tenthly, prostrate on his face, he was dragged through streets and squares. Eleventhly, he was struck with a sword and killed.
Therefore we, dearest ones, in imitation of that triumphator, ought to be soldiers of Christ: for the life of man upon the earth is warfare.
Hence three things are to be noted here:
I. Who are the enemies against whom we fight? II. What arms ought we to use? III. What is the reward which, if we have conquered, we await?
I.
On the first, note that our enemy is threefold, namely the world, the flesh, and the devil. Concerning these three enemies it is sung in a certain Sequence:
The world, the flesh, demons Move different battles; In the course of so many phantasms The sabbath of the heart is disturbed.
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