Chapter 13.—Diverse Things are Spoken Concerning the Same Christ, on Account of the Diverse Natures of the One Hypostasis [Theanthropic Person]. Why It is Said that the Father Will Not Judge, But Has Given Judgment to the Son.

28. Yet unless the very same were the Son of man on account of the form of a servant which He took, who is the Son of God on account of the form of God in which He is; Paul the apostle would not say of the princes of this world, “For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”164    1 Cor. ii. 8 For He was crucified after the form of a servant, and yet “the Lord of glory” was crucified. For that “taking” was such as to make God man, and man God. Yet what is said on account of what, and what according to what, the thoughtful, diligent, and pious reader discerns for himself, the Lord being his helper. For instance, we have said that He glorifies His own, as being God, and certainly then as being the Lord of glory; and yet the Lord of glory was crucified, because even God is rightly said to have been crucified, not after the power of the divinity, but after the weakness of the flesh:165    2 Cor. xiii. 4 just as we say, that He judges as God, that is, by divine power, not by human; and yet the man Himself will judge, just as the Lord of glory was crucified: for so He expressly says, “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, and before Him shall be gathered all nations;”166    Matt. xxv. 31, 32 and the rest that is foretold of the future judgment in that place even to the last sentence. And the Jews, inasmuch as they will be punished in that judgment for persisting in their wickedness, as it is elsewhere written, “shall look upon Him whom they have pierced.”167    Zech. xii. 10 For whereas both good and bad shall see the Judge of the quick and dead, without doubt the bad will not be able to see Him, except after the form in which He is the Son of man; but yet in the glory wherein He will judge, not in the lowliness wherein He was judged. But the ungodly without doubt will not see that form of God in which He is equal to the Father. For they are not pure in heart; and “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”168    Matt. v. 8 And that sight is face to face,169    1 Cor. xiii. 12 the very sight that is promised as the highest reward to the just, and which will then take place when He “shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father;” and in this “kingdom” He means the sight of His own form also to be understood, the whole creature being made subject to God, including that wherein the Son of God was made the Son of man. Because, according to this creature, “The Son also Himself shall be subject unto Him, that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”170    1 Cor. xv. 24–28 Otherwise if the Son of God, judging in the form in which He is equal to the Father, shall appear when He judges to the ungodly also; what becomes of that which He promises, as some great thing, to him who loves Him, saying, “And I will love him, and will manifest myself to him?”171    John xiv. 21 Wherefore He will judge as the Son of man, yet not by human power, but by that whereby He is the Son of God; and on the other hand, He will judge as the Son of God, yet not appearing in that [unincarnate] form in which He is God equal to the Father, but in that [incarnate form] in which He is the Son of man.172    [Augustin in this discussion, sometimes employs the phrase “Son of man” to denote the human nature of Christ, in distinction from the divine. But in Scripture and in trinitarian theology generally, this phrase properly denotes the whole theanthropic person under a human title—just as “man”, (1 Tim. ii. 5), “last Adam” (1 Cor. xv. 45), and “second man” (1 Cor. xv. 47), denote not the human nature, but the whole divine-human person under a human title. Strictly used, the phrase “Son of man” does not designate the difference between the divine and human natures in the theanthropos, but between the person of the un-incarnate and that of the incarnate Logos. Augustin’s meaning is, that the Son of God will judge men at the last day, not in his original “form of God,” but as this is united with human nature—as the Son of man.—W.G.T.S.]

29. Therefore both ways of speaking may be used; the Son of man will judge, and, the Son of man will not judge: since the Son of man will judge, that the text may be true which says, “When the Son of man shall come, then before Him shall be gathered all nations;” and the Son of man will not judge, that the text may be true which says, “I will not judge him;”173    John xii. 47 and, “I seek not mine own glory: there is One that seeketh and judgeth.”174    John viii. 50 For in respect to this, that in the judgment, not the form of God, but the form of the Son of man will appear, the Father Himself will not judge; for according to this it is said, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” Whether this is said after that mode of speech which we have mentioned above, where it is said, “So hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself,”175    John v. 22, 26 that it should signify that so He begat the Son; or, whether after that of which the apostle speaks, saying, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:”—(For this is said of the Son of man, in respect to whom the Son of God was raised from the dead; since He, being in the form of God equal to the Father, wherefrom He “emptied” Himself by taking the form of a servant, both acts and suffers, and receives, in that same form of a servant, what the apostle goes on to mention: “He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, in the Glory of God the Father:”176    Phil. ii. 8–11—whether then the words, “He hath committed all judgment unto the Son,” are said according to this or that mode of speech; it sufficiently appears from this place, that if they were said according to that sense in which it is said, “He hath given to the Son to have life in Himself,” it certainly would not be said, “The Father judgeth no man.” For in respect to this, that the Father hath begotten the Son equal to Himself, He judges with Him. Therefore it is in respect to this that it is said, that in the judgment, not the form of God, but the form of the Son of man will appear. Not that He will not judge, who hath committed all judgment unto the Son, since the Son saith of Him, “There is One that seeketh and judgeth:” but it is so said, “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son;” as if it were said, No one will see the Father in the judgment of the quick and the dead, but all will see the Son: because He is also the Son of man, so that He can be seen even by the ungodly, since they too shall see Him whom they have pierced.

30. Lest, however, we may seem to conjecture this rather than to prove it clearly, let us produce a certain and plain sentence of the Lord Himself, by which we may show that this was the cause why He said, “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son,” viz. because He will appear as Judge in the form of the Son of man, which is not the form of the Father, but of the Son; nor yet that form of the Son in which He is equal to the Father, but that in which He is less than the Father; in order that, in the judgment, He may be visible both to the good and to the bad. For a little while after He says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but shall pass177    Transiit in Vulg.; and so in the Greek. from death unto life.” Now this life eternal is that sight which does not belong to the bad. Then follows, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.”178    John v. 24, 25 And this is proper to the godly, who so hear of His incarnation, as to believe that He is the Son of God, that is, who so receive Him, as made for their sakes less than the Father, in the form of a servant, that they believe Him equal to the Father, in the form of God. And thereupon He continues, enforcing this very point, “For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” And then He comes to the sight of His own glory, in which He shall come to judgment; which sight will be common to the ungodly and to the just. For He goes on to say, “And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man.”179    John v. 25, 26 I think nothing can be more clear. For inasmuch as the Son of God is equal to the Father, He does not receive this power of executing judgment, but He has it with the Father in secret; but He receives it, so that the good and the bad may see Him judging, inasmuch as He is the Son of man. Since the sight of the Son of man will be shown to the bad also: for the sight of the form of God will not be shown except to the pure in heart, for they shall see God; that is, to the godly only, to whose love He promises this very thing, that He will show Himself to them. And see, accordingly, what follows: “Marvel not at this,” He says. Why does He forbid us to marvel, unless it be that, in truth, every one marvels who does not understand, that therefore He said the Father gave Him power also to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man; whereas, it might rather have been anticipated that He would say, since He is the Son of God? But because the wicked are not able to see the Son of God as He is in the form of God equal to the Father, but yet it is necessary that both the just and the wicked should see the Judge of the quick and dead, when they will be judged in His presence; “Marvel not at this,” He says, “for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”180    John v. 22–29 For this purpose, then, it was necessary that He should therefore receive that power, because He is the Son of man, in order that all in rising again might see Him in the form in which He can be seen by all, but by some to damnation, by others to life eternal. And what is life eternal, unless that sight which is not granted to the ungodly? “That they might know Thee,” He says, “the One true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.”181    John xvii. 3 And how are they to know Jesus Christ Himself also, unless as the One true God, who will show Himself to them; not as He will show Himself, in the form of the Son of man, to those also that shall be punished?182    [Augustin here seems to teach that the phenomenal appearance of Christ to the redeemed in heaven will be different from that to all men in the day of judgment. He says that he will show himself to the former “in the form of God;” to the latter, “in the form of the Son of man.” But, surely, it is one and the same God-man who sits on the judgment throne, and the heavenly throne. His appearance must be the same in both instances: namely, that of God incarnate. The effect of his phenomenal appearance upon the believer will, indeed, be very different from that upon the unbeliever. For the wicked, this vision of God incarnate will be one of terror; for the redeemed one of joy.—W.G.T.S.]

31. He is “good,” according to that sight, according to which God appears to the pure in heart; for “truly God is good unto Israel even to such as are of a clean heart.”183    Ps. lxxiii. 1 But when the wicked shall see the Judge, He will not seem good to them; because they will not rejoice in their heart to see Him, but all “kindreds of the earth shall then wail because of Him,”184    Apoc. i. 7 namely, as being reckoned in the number of all the wicked and unbelievers. On this account also He replied to him, who had called Him Good Master, when seeking advice of Him how he might attain eternal life, “Why askest thou me about good?185    [Augustin’s reading of this text is that of the uncials; and in that form which omits the article with ἀγαθοῦ.—W.G.T.S.] there is none good but One, that is, God.”186    Matt. xix. 17 And yet the Lord Himself, in another place, calls man good: “A good man,” He says, “out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things: and an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth evil things.”187    Matt. xii. 35 But because that man was seeking eternal life, and eternal life consists in that contemplation in which God is seen, not for punishment, but for everlasting joy; and because he did not understand with whom he was speaking, and thought Him to be only the Son of man:188    [That is, a mere man. Augustin here, as in some other places, employs the phrase “Son of man” to denote the human nature by itself—not the divine and human natures united in one person, and designated by this human title. The latter is the Scripture usage. As “Immanuel” does not properly denote the divine nature, but the union of divinity and humanity, so “Son of man” does not properly denote the human nature, but the union of divinity and humanity.—W.G.T.S.] Why, He says, askest thou me about good? that is, with respect to that form which thou seest, why askest thou about good, and callest me, according to what thou seest, Good Master? This is the form of the Son of man, the form which has been taken, the form that will appear in judgment, not only to the righteous, but also to the ungodly; and the sight of this form will not be for good to those who are wicked. But there is a sight of that form of mine, in which when I was, I thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but in order to take this form I emptied myself.189    Phil. ii. 6, 7 That one God, therefore, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, who will not appear, except for joy which cannot be taken away from the just; for which future joy he sighs, who says, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord:”190    Ps. xxvii. 4 that one God, therefore, Himself, I say, is alone good, for this reason, that no one sees Him for sorrow and wailing, but only for salvation and true joy. If you understand me after this latter form, then I am good; but if according to that former only, then why askest thou me about good? If thou art among those who “shall look upon Him whom they have pierced,”191    Zech. xii. 10 that very sight itself will be evil to them, because it will be penal. That after this meaning, then, the Lord said, “Why askest thou me about good? there is none good but One, that is, God,” is probable upon those proofs which I have alleged, because that sight of God, whereby we shall contemplate the substance of God unchangeable and invisible to human eyes (which is promised to the saints alone; which the Apostle Paul speaks of, as “face to face;”192    1 Cor. xiii. 12 and of which the Apostle John says, “We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is;”193    1 John iii. 2 and of which it is said, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord,” and of which the Lord Himself says, “I will both love him, and will manifest myself to him;”194    John xiv. 21 and on account of which alone we cleanse our hearts by faith, that we may be those “pure in heart who are blessed for they shall see God:”195    Matt. v. 8 and whatever else is spoken of that sight: which whosoever turns the eye of love to seek it, may find most copiously scattered through all the Scriptures),—that sight alone, I say, is our chief good, for the attaining of which we are directed to do whatever we do aright. But that sight of the Son of man which is foretold, when all nations shall be gathered before Him, and shall say to Him, “Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, or thirsty, etc.?” will neither be a good to the ungodly, who shall be sent into everlasting fire, nor the chief good to the righteous. For He still goes on to call these to the kingdom which has been prepared for them from the foundation of the world. For, as He will say to those, “Depart into everlasting fire;” so to these, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” And as those will go into everlasting burning; so the righteous will go into life eternal. But what is life eternal, except “that they may know Thee,” He says, “the One true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent?”196    Matt. xxv. 37, 41, 34 but know Him now in that glory of which He says to the Father, “Which I had with Thee before the world was.”197    John xvii. 3–5 For then He will deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father,198    1 Cor. xv. 24 that the good servant may enter into the joy of his Lord,199    Matt. xxv. 21, 23 and that He may hide those whom God keeps in the hiding of His countenance from the confusion of men, namely, of those men who shall then be confounded by hearing this sentence; of which evil hearing “the righteous man shall not be afraid”200    Ps. cxii. 7 if only he be kept in “the tabernacle,” that is, in the true faith of the Catholic Church, from “the strife of tongues,”201    Ps. xxxi. 21 that is, from the sophistries of heretics. But if there is any other explanation of the words of the Lord, where He says, “Why asketh thou me about good? there is none good, but One, that is, God;” provided only that the substance of the Father be not therefore believed to be of greater goodness than that of the Son, according to which He is the Word by whom all things were made; and if there is nothing in it abhorrent from sound doctrine; let us securely use it, and not one explanation only, but as many as we are able to find. For so much the more powerfully are the heretics proved wrong, the more outlets are open for avoiding their snares. But let us now start afresh, and address ourselves to the consideration of that which still remains.

CAPUT XIII.

28. De eodem Christo diversa praedicantur, ob diversas naturas hypostaseos. Cur Pater dicitur non judicaturus, sed judicium dedisse Filio. Nisi tamen ipse idem esset Filius hominis propter formam servi quam accepit, qui est Filius Dei propter Dei formam in qua est; non diceret Paulus apostolus de principibus hujus saeculi; Si enim cognovissent, nunquam Dominum gloriae crucifixissent (I Cor. II, 8). Ex forma enim servi crucifixus est, et tamen Dominus gloriae crucifixus est. Talis enim erat illa susceptio, quae Deum hominem faceret, et hominem Deum. Quid tamen propter quid, et quid secundum quid dicatur, adjuvante Domino prudens, et diligens, et pius lector intelligit. Nam ecce diximus quia secundum id quod Deus est, glorificat suos, secundum hoc utique quod Dominus gloriae est; et tamen Dominus gloriae crucifixus est, quia recte dicitur et Deus crucifixus, non ex virtute divinitatis, sed ex infirmitate carnis (II Cor. XIII, 4): sicut dicimus, quia secundum id quod Deus est judicat, hoc est ex potestate divina, non ex humana; et tamen ipse homo judicaturus est, sicut Dominus gloriae crucifixus est: ita enim aperte dicit, Cum venerit Filius hominis in gloria sua, et omnes Angeli cum eo, tunc congregabuntur ante eum omnes gentes (Matth. XXV, 31, 32); et caetera quae de futuro judicio usque ad ultimam sententiam in eo loco praedicantur. Et Judaei, quippe qui in malitia perseverantes, in illo judicio puniendi sunt, sicuti alibi scriptum est, videbunt in quem pupugerunt (Zach. XII, 10). Cum enim et boni et mali visuri sint judicem vivorum et mortuorum, procul dubio eum videre mali non poterunt, nisi secundum formam qua filius hominis est; sed tamen in claritate in qua judicabit, 0841 non in humilitate in qua judicatus est. Caeterum illam Dei formam in qua aequalis est Patri, procul dubio impii non videbunt. Non enim sunt mundicordes: Beati enim mundicordes, quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt (Matth. V, 8). Et ipsa visio est facie ad faciem (I Cor. XIII, 12), quae summum praemium promittitur justis; et ipsa fiet, cum tradet regnum Deo et Patri; in quo et suae formae visionem vult intelligi, subjecta Deo universa creatura, et ipsa in qua Filius Dei filius hominis factus est. Quia secundum hanc et ipse Filius tunc subjectus illi erit, qui ei subjecit omnia, ut sit Deus omnia in omnibus (Id. XV, 24, 28). Alioquin si Filius Dei judex in forma qua aequalis est Patri, etiam impiis cum judicaturus est apparebit, quid est quod pro magno dilectori suo pollicetur dicens, Et ego diligam eum, et ostendam me ipsum illi (Joan. XIV, 21)? Quapropter Filius hominis judicaturus est, nec tamen ex humana potestate, sed ex ea qua Filius Dei est: et rursus Filius Dei judicaturus est, nec tamen in ea forma apparens, in qua Deus est aequalis Patri, sed in ea qua filius hominis est.

29. Itaque utrumque dici potest; et, Filius hominis judicabit; et, Non Filius hominis judicabit: quia Filius hominis judicabit, ut verum sit quod ait, Cum venerit Filius hominis, tunc congregabuntur ante eum omnes gentes; et non Filius hominis judicabit, ut verum sit quod ait, Ego non judicabo (Id. XII, 47); et, Ego non quaero gloriam meam; est qui quaerat, et judicet (Id. VIII, 50). Nam secundum id quod in judicio non forma Dei, sed forma filii hominis apparebit, nec ipse Pater judicabit; secundum hoc enim dictum est, Pater non judicat quemquam, sed omne judicium dedit Filio. Quod utrum ex illa locutione dictum sit, quam supra commemoravimus, ubi ait, Sic dedit Filio habere vitam in semetipso (Id. V, 22, 26), ut significaret quia sic genuit Filium: an ex illa de qua loquitur Apostolus dicens, Propter quod eum suscitavit , et donavit illi nomen quod est super omne nomen. Hoc enim de filio hominis dictum est, secundum quem Dei Filius excitatus est a mortuis. Ille quippe in forma Dei aequalis Patri, ex quo se exinanivit, formam servi accipiens, in ipsa forma servi et agit, et patitur, et accipit, quae consequenter contexit Apostolus: Humiliavit se, factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis: propter quod et Deus illum exaltavit, et donavit ei nomen, quod est super omne nomen, ut in nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur, coelestium, terrestrium et infernorum, et omnis lingua confiteatur quia Dominus Jesus Christus in gloria est Dei Patris (Philipp. XI, 6-11). Utrum ergo secundum illam, an secundum istam locutionem dictum sit, Omne judicium dedit Filio, satis hinc apparet, quia si secundum illud diceretur secundum quod dictum est, Dedit Filio habere vitam in semetipso; non utique diceretur, 0842 Pater non judicat quemquam. Secundum hoc enim quod aequalem Pater genuit Filium, judicat cum illo. Secundum hoc ergo dictum est, quod in judicio, non forma Dei, sed forma filii hominis apparebit. Non quia non judicabit qui dedit omne judicium Filio, cum de illo dicat Filius, Est qui quaerat, et judicet: sed ita est dictum, Pater non judicat quemquam, sed omne judicium dedit Filio; ac si diceretur, Patrem nemo videbit in judicio vivorum et mortuorum, sed omnes Filium: quia et filius hominis est, ut possit et ab impiis videri, cum et illi videbunt in quem pupugerunt.

30. Quod ne conjicere potius quam aperte demonstrare videamur, proferamus ejusdem Domini certam manifestamque sententiam, qua ostendamus ipsam fuisse causam ut diceret, Pater non judicat quemquam, sed omne judicium dedit Filio, quia judex in forma filii hominis apparebit, quae forma non est Patris, sed Filii; nec ea Filii in qua aequalis est Patri, sed in qua minor est Patre; ut sit in judicio conspicuus et bonis et malis. Paulo enim post dicit: Amen dico vobis, quia qui verbum meum audit et credit ei qui misit me, habet vitam aeternam, et in judicium non veniet, sed transiet a morte in vitam. Haec vita aeterna est illa visio, quae non pertinet ad malos. Deinde sequitur: Amen, amen dico vobis, quia veniet hora, et nunc est, cum mortui audient vocem Filii Dei, et qui audierint vivent. Et hoc proprium est piorum qui sic audiunt de incarnatione ejus, ut credant, quia Filius Dei est; id est, sic eum propter se factum accipiunt minorem Patre in forma servi, ut credant quia aequalis est Patri in forma Dei. Et ideo sequitur, et hoc ipsum commendans dicit: Sicut enim Pater habet vitam in semetipso, ita dedit et Filio vitam habere in semetipso. Deinde venit ad visionem suae claritatis, in qua venturus est ad judicium; quae visio communis erit et impiis et justis. Sequitur enim et dicit: Et potestatem dedit ei et judicium facere, quoniam Filius hominis est. Puto nihil esse manifestius. Nam quia Filius Dei est aequalis Patri, non accipit hanc potestatem judicii faciendi, sed habet illam cum Patre in occulto: accipit autem illam, ut boni et mali eum videant judicantem, quia filius hominis est. Visio quippe filii hominis exhibebitur et malis: nam visio formae Dei nonnisi mundis corde, quia ipsi Deum videbunt; id est, solis piis quorum dilectioni hoc ipsum promittit, quia se ipsum ostendet illis. Et ideo vide quid sequatur: Nolite mirari hoc, inquit. Quid nos prohibet mirari, nisi illud quod revera miratur omnis qui non intelligit, ut ideo diceret Patrem dedisse ei potestatem et judicium facere, quia filius hominis est; cum magis quasi hoc exspectaretur ut diceret, quoniam Filius Dei est? Sed quia Filium Dei secundum id quod in forma Dei aequalis est Patri videre iniqui non possunt; oportet autem ut judicem vivorum et mortuorum, cum coram judicabuntur, et justi videant et 0843 iniqui: Nolite, inquit, hoc mirari, quoniam veniet hora, in qua omnes qui in monumentis sunt, audient vocem ejus: et prodient qui bona gesserunt, in resurrectionem vitae; qui autem mala gesseruut, in resurrectionem judicii (Joan. V, 22-29). Ad hoc ergo oportebat ut ideo acciperet illam potestatem, quia filius hominis est, ut resurgentes omnes viderent eum in forma, in qua videri ab omnibus potest, sed alii ad damnationem, alii ad vitam aeternam. Quae est autem vita aeterna nisi illa visio, quae non conceditur impiis? Ut cognoscant te, inquit, unum verum Deum, et quem misisti Jesum Christum (Id. XVII, 3). Quomodo et ipsum Jesum Christum, nisi quemadmodum unum verum Deum, qui ostendet se ipsum illis; non quomodo se ostendet etiam puniendis in forma filii hominis?

31. Secundum illam visionem bonus est, secundum quam visionem Deus apparet mundis corde: quoniam, Quam bonus Deus Israel rectis corde (Psal. LXXII, 1)! Quando autem judicem videbunt mali, non eis videbitur bonus; quia non ad eum gaudebunt corde, sed tunc se plangent omnes tribus terrae (Apoc. I, 7), in numero utique malorum omnium et infidelium. Propter hoc etiam illi qui eum dixerat magistrum bonum, quaerenti ab eo consilium consequendae vitae aeternae, respondit: Quid me interrogas de bono? Nemo bonus, nisi unus Deus (Matth. XIX, 17). Cum et hominem alio loco dicat bonum ipse Dominus: Bonus homo, inquit, de bono thesauro cordis sui profert bona; et malus homo de malo thesauro cordis sui profert mala (Id. XII, 35). Sed quia ille vitam aeternam quaerebat, vita autem aeterna est in illa contemplatione, qua non ad poenam videtur Deus, sed ad gaudium sempiternum; et non intelligebat cum quo loquebatur, qui tantummodo eum filium hominis arbitrabatur: Quid me interrogas, inquit, de bono? id est, Istam formam quam vides, quid interrogas de bono, et vocas me secundum quod vides magistrum bonum? Haec forma filii hominis est, haec forma accepta est, haec forma apparebit in judicio, non tantum justis, sed et impiis; et hujus formae visio non erit in bonum eis qui male agunt. Est autem visio formae meae, in qua cum essem, non rapinam arbitratus sum esse aequalis Deo, sed ut hanc acciperem me ipsum exinanivi (Philipp. II, 6, 7). Ille ergo unus Deus Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus, qui non apparebit nisi ad gaudium quod non auferetur a justis; cui gaudio futuro suspirat qui dicit, Unam petii a Domino, hanc requiram; ut inhabitem in domo Domini per omnes dies vitae meae, ut contempler delectationem Domini (Psal. XXVI, 4): unus ergo Deus ipse est solus bonus, ob hoc , quia nemo eum videt ad luctum et planctum, sed tantum ad salutem et laetitiam veram. Secundum illam formam si me intelligis, bonus sum: si autem secundum hanc solam, quid me interrogas de bono? si inter illos es qui videbunt in quem pupugerunt 0844 (Zach. XII, 10); et ipsa visio malum eis erit, quia poenalis erit. Ex ista sententia dixisse Dominum Quid me interrogas de bono? Nemo bonus, nisi unus Deus, his documentis quae commemoravi probabile est, quia visio illa Dei qua contemplabimur incommutabilem atque humanis oculis invisibilem Dei substantiam, quae solis sanctis promittitur, quam dicit apostolus Paulus, facie ad faciem (I Cor. XIII, 12); et de qua dicit apostolus Joannes, Similes ei erimus, quoniam videbimus eum sicuti est (I Joan. III, 2); et de qua dicitur, Unam petii a Domino, ut contempler delectationem Domini; et de qua dicit ipse Dominus, Et ego diligam eum, et ostendam me ipsum illi (Joan. XIV, 21); et propter quam solam fide corda mundamus, ut simus beati mundicordes, quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt (Matth. V, 8); et si qua alia de ista visione dicta sunt, quae copiosissime sparsa per omnes Scripturas invenit quisquis ad eam quaerendam oculum amoris intendit: sola est summum bonum nostrum, cujus adipiscendi causa praecipimur agere quidquid recte agimus. Visio vero illa filii hominis quae praenuntiata est, cum congregabuntur ante eum omnes gentes, et dicent ei, Domine, quando te vidimus esurientem et sitientem? et caetera, nec bonum erit impiis qui mittentur in ignem aeternum, nec summum bonum erit justis. Adhuc enim vocat eos ad regnum, quod eis paratum est ab initio mundi. Sicut enim illis dicet, Ite in ignem aeternum; ita istis, Venite, benedicti Patris mei, possidete paratum vobis regnum (Id. XXV, 37, 41, 34). Et sicut ibunt illi in ambustionem aeternam; sic justi in vitam aeternam. Quid est autem vita aeterna, nisi, ut cognoscant te, inquit, unum verum Deum, et quem misisti Jesum Christum? Sed jam in ea claritate de qua dicit Patri, Quam habui apud te, priusquam mundus fieret (Joan. XVII, 3, 5). Tunc enim tradet regnum Deo et Patri (I Cor. XV, 24), ut intret servus bonus in gaudium Domini sui (Matth. XXV, 21, 23), et abscondat eos quos possidet Deus in abscondito vultus sui a conturbatione hominum, eorum scilicet qui tunc conturbabuntur audientes illam sententiam: a quo auditu malo justus non timebit (Psal. CXI, 7), si modo protegatur in tabernaculo, id est in fide recta catholicae Ecclesiae, a contradictione linguarum (Psal. XXX, 21), id est a calumniis haereticorum. Si vero est alius intellectus verborum Domini quibus ait, Quid me interrogas de bono? Nemo bonus, nisi unus Deus; dum tamen non ideo credatur majoris bonitatis esse Patris quam Filii substantia, secundum quam Verbum est per quod facta sunt omnia, nihilque abhorret a sana doctrina: securi utamur, non uno tantum, sed quotquot reperiri potuerint. Tanto enim fortius convincuntur haeretici, quanto plures exitus patent ad eorum laqueos evitandos. Sed ea quae adhuc consideranda sunt, ab alio jam petamus exordio.