S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI IN EPISTOLAM JOANNIS AD PARTHOS TRACTATUS DECEM .
TRACTATUS III. De eo quod sequitur, Pueri, novissima hora est usque ad id, Cap.
TRACTATUS IV. De eo quod sequitur, Et verax est, et non est mendax usque ad id, Cap. et cap.
TRACTATUS V. In id quod sequitur, Omnis qui natus est ex Deo, non facit peccatum usque ad id, Cap.
TRACTATUS VI. In illud, Et in hoc cognoscimus quia ex veritate sumus usque ad id, etc. Cap. et cap.
TRACTATUS VII. Ab eo quod sequitur, Jam vos ex Deo estis filioli usque ad id, Cap.
TRACTATUS VIII. De eo quod sequitur, Si diligamus invicem, Deus in nobis manebit usque ad id, Cap.
TRACTATUS IX. De eo quod sequitur, In hoc perfecta est dilectio in nobis usque ad id, Cap.
10. “For all that is in the world, is128 [“Is,” better omitted; also “which.”] the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride129 Ambitio sæculi. of life,”130 1 John ii. 16, 17. three things he hath said, which131 [“Is,” better omitted; also “which.”] are not of the Father, but are of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever, even as He abideth for ever.”132 The last clause, sicut et Deus manet in æternum, is peculiar to the Latin authorities, S. Cyprian ad Quir. 3, 11, quomodo et, &c. and others in Griesbach. It is not received by the Vulgate. Why am I not to love what God made? What wilt thou? Whether wilt thou love the things of time, and pass away with time; or not love the world, and live to eternity with God? The river of temporal things hurries one along: but like a tree sprung up beside the river is our Lord Jesus Christ.133 Ps. i. 3. He assumed flesh, died, rose again, ascended into heaven. It was His will to plant Himself, in a manner, beside the river of the things of time. Art thou rushing down the stream to the headlong deep? Hold fast the tree. Is love of the world whirling thee on? Hold fast Christ. For thee He became temporal, that thou mightest become eternal; because He also in such sort became temporal, that He remained still eternal. Something was added to Him from time, not anything went from His eternity. But thou wast born temporal, and by sin wast made temporal: thou wast made temporal by sin, He was made temporal by mercy in remitting sins. How great the difference, when two are in a prison, between the criminal and him that visits him! For upon a time a person comes to his friend and enters in to visit him, and both seem to be in prison; but they differ by a wide distinction. The one, his cause presses down: the other, humanity has brought thither. So in this our mortal state, we were held fast by our guiltiness, He in mercy came down: He entered in unto the captive, a Redeemer not an oppressor. The Lord for us shed His blood, redeemed us, changed our hope. As yet we bear the mortality of the flesh, and take the future immortality upon trust: and on the sea we are tossed by the waves, but we have the anchor of hope already fixed upon the land.
10. Quia omne quod in mundo est, desiderium est carnis, et desiderium oculorum, et ambitio saeculi, tria dixit, quae non sunt ex Patre, sed ex mundo sunt. Et mundus transit et desideria ejus: qui autem fecerit voluntatem Dei, manet in aeternum, sicut et ipse manet in aeternum. Quare non amem quod fecit Deus ? Quid vis? utrum amare temporalia, et transire cum tempore; an mundum non amare, et in aeternum vivere cum Deo? Rerum temporalium fluvius trahit: sed tanquam circa fluvium arbor nata est Dominus noster Jesus Christus. Assumpsit carnem, mortuus est, resurrexit, ascendit in coelum. Voluit se quodammodo circa fluvium temporalium plantare. Raperis in praeceps? tene lignum. Volvit te amor mundi? tene Christum. Propter te factus est temporalis, ut tu fias aeternus; quia et ille sic factus est temporalis, ut maneret aeternus. Accessit illi aliquid ex tempore, non decessit ex aeternitate. Tu autem temporalis natus es, et per peccatum temporalis factus es: tu factus es temporalis per peccatum, ille factus est temporalis per misericordiam dimittendi peccata. Quantum interest, cum duo sunt in carcere, inter reum et visitatorem ipsius? Homo enim aliquando venit ad amicum suum, et intrat visitare eum, et ambo in carcere videntur; sed multum distant et distincti sunt. Illum causa premit, illum humanitas adduxit. Sic in ista mortalitate, nos reatu tenebamur; ille misericordia descendit: intravit ad captivum redemptor, non oppressor. 1995 Dominus pro nobis sanguinem suum fudit, redemit nos, mutavit spem nostram. Adhuc portamus mortalitatem carnis, et de futura immortalitate praesumimus: et in mari fluctuamus, sed anchoram spei in terra jam fiximus.