Sermon LI, Conclusion

Latin (Borgnet)English

p. 205

venti, et irruerunt in domum illam, et non cecidit: fundata enim erat super petram.

1. Nota, quod firma petra ipse est Filius Dei, Christus Jesus, supra quem piis eleemosynis et devotis orationibus ac bonis operibus, necnon et mundis laboribus domum nobis aedificare debemus. Qui enim fide integra, et spe firma, et charitate perfecta fundamenta animae suae jecerit super ipsum, etiamsi descenderit pluvia, id est, per voluptates carnis spiritus inquietetur: et etiamsi venerint flumina, id est, per concupiscentiam rerum cor impugnetur: nihilominus etiamsi flent venti, id est, per suggestiones diabolicas anima molestetur: non tamen cadit domus sua. Per firmae enim petrae bonitatem conservabitur.

2. Nota, quod monet nos Dominus, ne domum nostram super terram, id est, super rerum terrenarum confidentiam construamus. Unde dicit Luc. VI, 49: Qui audit verba mea et non facit; similis est homini aedificanti domum suam super terram sine fundamento: in quam illisus est fluvius, et continuo cecidit: et facta est ruina domus illius magna. Qui super terram, id est super hujus mundi confidentiam domum sui laboris construxerit, cum venerit fluvius aeternae desolationis, destruetur. Quidquid enim super terram aedificatur, cum terra destructa fuerit, destruetur.

Quod autem terra destruenda sit, testatur Isa. XXIV, 19 et 20: Confractione confringetur terra, contritione conteretur terra, commotione commovebitur terra, agitatione agitabitur terra. 1. Per petram enim intelliguntur omnes terreni et peccatores, qui confractione confringentur in mundi consummatione. 2. Tunc opera enim omnia peccatorum confringentur contritione, et conterentur in sententiae prolatione. Sententia enim Domini, quam Dominus profert in judicio tamquam lapis molaris conteret omnes peccatores. 3. Commotione etiam commovebuntur in flebili ad inferos detractione. 4. Cum enim prolata fuerit sententia, peccatores a daemonibus ad inferos detrahentur. 5. Agitatione etiam agitabuntur interminabili cruciatuum passione. Cum enim detracti fuerint ad inferos, de una poena in aliam, et de diversis tormentis in diversa interminabiliter agitabuntur.

Rogate ergo Dominum, ut secundum doctrinam Spiritus sancti sic domum nostram super Dei Filium construamus, ut semper cum ipso in caelesti gloria maneamus. Quod nobis, etc.

the winds, and they rushed upon that house, and it did not fall; for it had been founded upon rock.

1. Note that the firm rock is the Son of God himself, Christ Jesus, upon whom by dutiful alms and devout prayers and good works, and also by clean labors, we ought to build a house for ourselves. For he who with whole faith, and firm hope, and perfect charity has cast the foundations of his soul upon him, even if rain should descend, that is, the spirit should be disturbed through the pleasures of the flesh, and even if rivers should come, that is, the heart should be attacked through concupiscence for things, nevertheless even if the winds should blow, that is, the soul should be troubled through diabolical suggestions, still his house does not fall. For it will be preserved by the goodness of the firm rock.

2. Note that the Lord admonishes us not to build our house upon the earth, that is, upon confidence in earthly things. Hence Luke VI, 49 says: He who hears my words and does not do them is like a man building his house upon earth without a foundation; against which the river dashed, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great. He who builds upon earth, that is, upon the confidence of this world, the house of his labor, when the river of eternal desolation has come, will be destroyed. For whatever is built upon the earth will be destroyed when the earth has been destroyed.

But that the earth is to be destroyed Isaiah XXIV, 19 and 20 testifies: With breaking the earth will be broken, with crushing the earth will be crushed, with commotion the earth will be moved, with agitation the earth will be shaken. 1. For by the rock are understood all earthly persons and sinners, who will be broken with breaking in the consummation of the world. 2. Then indeed all the works of sinners will be broken with crushing and crushed in the pronouncement of the sentence. For the sentence of the Lord, which the Lord pronounces in judgment, will crush all sinners like a millstone. 3. They will also be moved with commotion in a mournful dragging down to hell. 4. For when the sentence has been pronounced, sinners will be dragged down by demons to hell. 5. They will also be shaken with agitation by the interminable suffering of torments. For when they have been dragged down to hell, they will be driven interminably from one punishment into another, and from various torments into various ones.

Therefore pray to the Lord that according to the teaching of the Holy Spirit we may so build our house upon the Son of God that we may always remain with him in heavenly glory. This to us, etc.