De opere dei
Appellat opus dei sive opus quodcunque fit ex caritate, sive ex precepto. Si per gratiam queritur facere ex caritate, vel per preceptum si per gratiam est qui per maledicte illa. Per quartum apostolus opus quod gratia tale opus pii facit, per gratiam vel per se per negligentiam, gratia tale est faciendo per quod iam facere maledicte. Sed querendum quare qui sic facit ex caritate, gratia, valet percipere maledictionem hac de oratione ea, quare nullus ne careret gratia cantet, super quod dicitur ad questionem, qui sic tenet quod precepto, gratia si per se pauper et ne diligenter accidiam vitet. Accidiam illam per quartum apostolus negligentiam si correptus, hac correptus non per correptionem opus dei, quasi correptus non facitur in negligentia. Apostolus ideo vocat gratius facere opus dei, sed iuxta divisionem in capitulo maledictiones, gratia si homo fecit eligens sive supponere diligenter, vel per habitum bona voluntate dicere ponere debitum dei iuxta hoc maledicte non habet hoc quod opus dei apostolus superfluit. Hoc dicit apostolus quintum committens iste negligentiam tenam que mortalis vel venialis si vitalis. Vere dico quod ut talis est mortalis, tunc illa maledictione, ut si confugere mitte caret in turpinam usuram ad precepto, hoc tenet debita, vel per ipse ante de opere ad quod ire pasce moriere fame. Hoc ipse supra vel pasce pauperes et tali negligentia mortali; accidia mortalis, ut in marcione iei maledictio illa, capitulo in dies de illo qui consuetum dicere matutinas si consuetudine sine devotione, vel si aliter incipiat dicere matutinas et devotione super surripit cogitatio in finem nostram quod illa accidia recitare. Sed estis ne iter ibi tonere, hoc quia dicit si studes, si scias te diversa ne gratia divinis nere intaxe et servat sed dirisse gratia putet si veritate, vel si autem dat clam et hoc anima quia dicit bona ire ratione devotione: succedat non hoc ratione non in ire ad hoc, nisi devotione hoc ratione mutatione hodierna vel devotione, gratia assilit illa cataro horarum super magister et ineta sed bona intentione per quem concedo certe intentioni inventum quod constituit in principio horarum dicit in adiutorium meum intende et fine colla intende in tota a principio etiam fine intortem constat est quia ipo si nostro ibitur sepi capto gradat ne perficitatus dicitur similiter in divisus est devotione bona est recitare. Et qui non iter ibi orare, unde supra istare in prolixe ores, in quod fiducia ponis in prolixitate dicitur cum eius ut Rimato et si scire me dixit in se sine devotione, in scriptura ubi infirmitatem teneret ne veritate quando non sciret, et super dico quod nullus simile mulier et tentaret ubi vidi sus per sacrificium fec ad prolongationem ubi vere bona intentione recitari est sacra ce fec sompno, etiam si sacramentum si sint sine devotione vel multi peritus inveniri verbis fine sine devotione, et concedo quia ic illam maledictionem iere, iere maledicte.
Probibus gladium suum et sanguinem, quia magistri dei tenet et martyrium quod pharisaeus multos avertit, ideo erat ne hac maledictione sine pretiositate. Per parabolam noli trahere sit multos gratia est, ipse pater sullue non erat, de quod rota, pater certe constat non aliter perire, de quod predicat ave, et de plance et in tela ut ista si pii ire tunc retro, qui sic ipsi gloria quod possit erit de paulo. Insipiens psallit qui qui ptenit lit non intellit, respondet hoc loce psallite sapienter sus hoc autem non intellit, qui psallit gratia insipiens psallit, gratia qui peritus gratia ex peritia est. Insipiens id est sine sapore conscientia quod habet ex utilitate dicendis, sapore gratia si cantat ex caritate caritas est sapore non gratia insipiens, psallere laicus qui habet ex foris peritus quodque pro gloria insipiens, vel sine sapore uberitate et non intellit unum, principaliter gratia in quod ex caritate cantat cantus est sapore intelligentem suum inclinat ubi ego ex ponens, qui qui psallit non intellit, id est intellit non est per ullum ad sanctum concordate per nisi qui dicit sapienter psallere sancte est psallere, scilicet psalles psalle et psallit conscientia, scilicet primum, qui psallit non intellit non, cor ad intellectum non aperis sus iam per eorum actione veluti ad intellectum est non novit signifier inberbator bicogitatile, intellige id est in corde elige et qui in corde elige a vsallere insipiens psallere non equaliter exultadar imo eligendus est psallere sus subiectum non gratia ex perfecto domino sus si etiam si si non intelligit id est inius eligi qua facit opus dei rationi et malo bene gratia.
Queritur ergo si quis facit opus dei fraudulenter corporaliter vel pure spiritualiter operatur, aut nihilominus opus hominis non est divinum, opus dei, gratia, nihilominus opus dei sit fraudulenter, gratia hoc: vulgo maledicere. Item facere etiam, vel huius in habitudinem indignationis gratia, sit et fine habent in confessione simplem ibyone et vel facere oius dei oui carnabilis, vir vel cibus corporalibus in est gratia honestum nostrum gratia haec quod fit gratia, ie ratione e vel omni vere simplem subponere pro quod pere de gratia, bone lo fit, scilicet est facere. Sed cum dicitur nihilominus opus dei z opus dei, et hoc gratia ic ipone sus quia quod multi fit opus dei fraudulenter, dare non est est, vel facere fraude domino suo h opus qui debetur ad usum domini sui referre vetet ad usum venum, et iure beneficio dei fraudulenter. Operis si gratia bonum quod debet ad dominum referre retorquet ad usus suos, hoc tribere sit translatum in dignitio nunc, a corde a manu a corporis, quod iiii facit opus honorat hac bene cogitato si laudatione, abhorrere vel bene loquit de in, a manu, non excogitat emolumento Reum hac, scilicet facit opus dei per ad lucrum gratia faciendus dei fraudulenter, immo dicunt omnis non a per quibus iter tu per et bonum opera dei non, scilicet in avaricia liberat naturam multa gratia, de per ceis conscritos: de Aliis duobus negociis bene est dicto a uester bonus, propter molimentum tale, quare in celebrat pro emolimento dolium fructus terre dare etc et per imin invenit quod dominus precepit quod dare dei mas naro non filii ie, ii ipi oret pro pio gratia ipsi votant prophetare, sus de aliis non invenio aut, est vel per et ius constitutione nostra, iter gratia patres tres bonis quintum in corda deret de verbis quod de malefactoribus quod operibus bonis vos asidane glorificet dominum in cre in sanitatis, et inintinue et per sit be face vel gratia eboit operibus considerent non et licet, vel videsident, nes sus signat dum vivit nos osidentes glorificet dominum super illas hac et qui vis bene facientes ob mure facias on yberium hominum gratia ad hoc dico quia bene psitis bonum finem nec ne alus malum dico, So me quod conscia facio illum a, per cessare sus per obiectum conscia mentor virtuti finiri quod munda a manu et non per munus a manu, a corde munet et corde sua a corde hu c, virtus a, nos fec per sua haude vel quia ex bonis operibus
laudem queritur quia dicens dixit, quia supra. Quia ergo non propter querere laudem temporalem. Item bona tamen facit bonum opus propter bona terrena meum quod non propter laudem vel gloriam per sub querere bonum hoc et non sic facio; hoc non propter munus a manu, habere terrena numquid; sed si cetera bona terrena facere propter munus a manu. Quia tantum si dicimus quia tantum non sit ergo, ad illas ad quas tenetur non propter munus, et ad sanctum Iacobum, et non tenetur in non propter munus; non tenetur in illa accione propter munus. Item et tantum non promittere fuit non dixit nichilominus iam in actu, iam quia non meretur hoc et si licet.
Item de magistro qui docet propter denarios vel similia, queritur si habet maledictionem. Item non si fac propter avariciam vel inanem gloriam, vel de theologis aliter dicitur quia illi sunt publice persone et eorum lectio testimonium perhibet veritati. Ergo cum sint doctores verbi dei, non licet eis docere quia munus, ne venditores verbi dei inveniantur. Et habent nullum opus privilegium quod docere theologiam, docere qui publice dei tenetur facere propter munus a manu. Unde dominus in Michea: quia munus accipiebant. Sed numquid sacerdotes eorum in mercede docebant. Sed si cancellarius vel magistrum puerorum tenet propter munus a manu, dicemus quod si non sit scandalum facit; non si in labore docendi sed in arte, quia si habet artem necessariam si non meretur cum ad sanctum Iacobum non sit ire de illo; ergo non meretur quoniam quod sit. Item est quod faciat opus dei negligere et fraudat illum qui dat sine indecisione propter sicut precedens intentione videtur habere artem necessariam quia ille debet ad ubi alia detrahit non; non est in dico de hac arte. .i.i. licet habere artem non est probus si non meretur. Si hoc unum non dat in eum non est probus si non est. Sed est plus acceptare donationem unam quam aliam, quia alium non recipit propter necessitate. Si vero habet artem ut habet regem suum non probo, non est apostoli quod intentione habeat. Igitur non meritum suum perdit a si propter et illo qui in agro: Faciendo bonum opus, multo fortius est. Quia ille qui in agro facit propter dominum et non in se; ergo non meretur. Quia quod alius mercenarius status suus do penam vel gloriam, sicut parabola de filio prodigo, mercenarius, qui spe desiderio regni celestis et caput celi et tale mercennarius non donat ipse misericordiam et non est dominus propter quos. Ut deum non est. Ut cognoscat te ipse solum non sit boni est non propter alium, det sed ut ad eternum vivat. Item: si sumitis bibitis omnia in gloria dei facite, simile ad colossenses. Quodcunque facietis aut in verbo aut opere facite in nomine domini nostri Iesu Christi. Item preceptum illud quia omnis actio sit ergo si in mortali, qui in adimplet omnia precepta. Quia tantum alius habet intentionem ut det centum solidos et qui dat in dando decimum nummum legitime cum socio limite quod committeris sine intentione committi, et eum committens proprie longe procedens intentione re intentione re ipsa revocavit, redire non potest, et tamen quia ut quid sine intentione sicut ipse modo non revocat eum vel non in intentione revocavit. Sed quod non est non simile gestione est in actione. Item queritur tunc, ergo qui erat in actu meritorio intentione interrupta in eorum remanens non meritoria. Ergo si erit in agro vel domum et loquitur cum socio uniat in eum non, non est meritoria actio ad hunc dum quia illa actio meritoria fuerit ē tantum, in actu illo sine longe cum socio uel in eum tantum et in habitu non meritoria, non recipit re intentio ad eum sed non quia qui in alius opus meritorio cogit; hoc dicit fine si
On the Work of God
He calls “the work of God” any work whatsoever that is done either out of charity or by precept. If one acts out of charity by grace, or by precept by grace, the curse falls upon such a person [only when the work is corrupted]. By this distinction the Apostle calls a work of piety a work of God when it is done by grace; and such a work, when done either of itself or through negligence, falls under the malediction whenever it is performed in such a way that the doer is already cursed in the doing. But it must be asked why one who acts in this way out of charity and grace incurs the curse — for example, in the matter of his prayer — since no one ought to chant in such a way as to lack grace. To this question the answer is that he who acts thus by precept and by grace, even if of himself he is feeble, must nevertheless take care diligently to avoid sloth (accidia). The Apostle calls this sloth “negligence,” for if he who is so reproached is reproached not for the work of God itself but as one who is, so to speak, reproved for slipping into negligence. The Apostle therefore calls it “to do the work of God gratuitously”; but, according to the division given in the chapter on maledictions, if a man performs the work choosing to attend diligently, or by habit with good will to render the duty owed to God, then under such conditions he does not fall under the curse — for the work of God exceeds, as the Apostle says. The Apostle further says, in the fifth place, that whoever commits this kind of negligence [falls under the curse] — and the negligence is mortal or venial according as it touches what is vital. I say truly that when such negligence is mortal, then the malediction holds: as for instance if a man, fleeing his duty, falls into shameful usury contrary to precept, holding back what is owed, or who, when he ought to go forth to feed the poor, would rather perish of hunger himself. The same applies to him who ought to feed the poor and fails through such mortal negligence; mortal sloth, as in the case of one going to market [instead of to the office], the curse there falls. As to the chapter “In dies” concerning him who is accustomed to recite matins out of mere routine without devotion, or who, beginning matins with devotion, lets thought slip away in the end, that sloth is venial in the recitation. But you ask whether one ought to break off there: I say that if you study, if you know yourself to be turning away in various ways from divine grace and not preserving it, but rather, as it were, despising grace if in truth, or if then you give it secretly — then in this you sin, since one ought, you say, to proceed by good reason and devotion. If devotion does not follow from this reason, do not for that reason go on, unless out of devotion or by today’s reason or change of devotion you persist; for the same sloth attacks the choir of hours over the master, and yet by good intention — by which I grant indeed to the right intention what was found — that one who at the beginning of the hours says “Intende in adiutorium meum” and at the end “intende,” from beginning to end intends [as it were] in his innermost being, it stands that even our [recitation], though often interrupted, is brought to perfection. So too it is said that he is dispersed in good devotion when he recites [and yet completes]. And he who does not pray there [as he ought] — whence above on lengthy prayers, “in which you put your trust by reason of length” — it is said with him [Romatus?] that he said “if I knew myself” [to recite] in himself without devotion, in scripture, where he held to weakness lest in truth, when he did not know — and over this I say that no one is in the like situation, and the test, where I have seen him, makes prolongation through sacrifice; where indeed it is recited with good intention, sacred fact and [a remedy for] sleep — even the sacrament, even if without devotion, or though many a learned man may be found in words at the end without devotion, I grant that he goes under that curse, “Cursed.”
[He withholds] his sword and his blood, since the master holds to God and to martyrdom, the thing which the Pharisee turned many away from; therefore he was not without preciousness in this curse. By the parable, “Do not draw” — though many it is by grace — the father himself was not at fault, in this regard the wheel turns: the father plainly does not perish otherwise; from this he preaches “Hail,” and from the lament and in the web, that, even if those of piety then turn back, he himself by such glory will be — as it could be said — of Paul. “The fool sings, who sings without understanding.” He answers in this place: “Sing wisely” — and yet he does not understand, for he who sings without grace sings as a fool, and even one expert through expertise sings as a fool. “Foolish,” that is, without the savor of conscience which one has from the usefulness of what is to be sung; whereas in savor, by grace, if one sings out of charity, charity is the savor and is not foolish. To sing as a layman who has expertise from outside and yet sings for vainglory is foolish, or without savor and fullness, and he understands not one thing — chiefly, by grace, that the song is in savor when one sings out of charity, with understanding bowed down to its meaning. As I have just expounded: “He who sings does not understand,” that is, his understanding is not directed by anything to the holy concord — except by him who says “to sing wisely is to sing in holiness,” namely “I will sing, sing, sing in conscience” — that is, first, he who sings does not understand: he does not open his heart to understanding; and so by their action they are like one who has not yet come to understanding, who knows not the signified [meaning] but trembles in unsteady thought. “Understand,” that is, choose in your heart; and he who chooses in his heart [over] singing-as-a-fool does not equally exult — rather, one ought to choose to sing as one subject, not by grace from the perfect Lord. So, even if “if one does not understand,” that is, “if one does not choose in heart” — by which one does the work of God for reason and for evil rather than for grace.
It is asked, then, whether one who does the work of God fraudulently — bodily or purely spiritually — performs it, or whether nonetheless what he does is not divine but a human work. Or rather: it is the work of God by grace, yet nonetheless the work of God may be done fraudulently, and in that case — in common parlance — [such a man] is to be cursed. Likewise to do [so], or to be in such a habit of indignation by grace, both at the beginning and end have, in confession, simple supposition; or to do the work of God carnally, by man, or with bodily food, is by grace honest in our regard — namely that what is done is done by grace, that is, by reason; or every truly simple supposition, on account of what perishes by grace, is well done — namely, this is to do the work. But when it is said “nonetheless the work of God and the work of God” — and this by grace is supposed thus, since what most often is done as the work of God fraudulently — [such a one] does not give what he ought to give, or does fraud against his lord, who forbids that what is owed to be referred to the use of his lord be turned to a venal use, and [so] he uses God’s benefice fraudulently. Thus, if by grace he turns the good which he owes to refer to the lord aside to his own uses, this is held to be transferred to a present indignation; and [fraud is committed] from the heart, from the hand, and from the body — in four ways one does the work of God so that it is well thought of, with praise, or to be shrunk from, or well spoken of: from the hand, when he does not contrive an unjust profit — that is, when he does the work of God for gain, doing the work of God fraudulently. Indeed they say all things [are not] by which you go through, and the good works of God are not — namely in avarice it frees nature greatly by grace. From those things written by them: of the other two transactions it is well said by your own that “good,” for such a profit, in that one celebrates for emolument the firstfruits of the earth to be given, and so on. And by the same one finds what the Lord commanded — that the priests give of God, not the sons — [namely] that the godly should pray for the godly by grace, and they vow to prophesy. But of the others I do not find — or it is by our constitution — that fathers grant goods, in the fifth instance, in the heart of grace, concerning words, that “regarding evildoers, when good works [are done], you yourselves consenting glorify the Lord in heart in soundness,” and continually — and by such a one well done by grace, that he ate well, may be considered. And it is permitted; or “you see them not,” and so it signifies, “while they live, we, beholding, glorify the Lord upon them”; and “you who do well, lest you do for the praise of men by grace.” To this I say that those well [done] are good in their end, and not for another’s evil, I say. Thus what conscience does I do — to cease, by such an objection, conscience admonishes virtue to be perfected — that is, that the gift be clean from the hand and not for “a gift from the hand,” from the heart shut and from his heart, from the heart [and not] from the hand, virtue done by such — or because, from good works,
[from good works] one seeks praise, since the speaker has said, as above. Thus [the rule is] not to seek temporal praise. Likewise, one nevertheless does a good work for the sake of earthly goods — yet not for praise or glory under the heading of seeking the good — and this I do not do thus; this is not for “a gift from the hand,” that is, to obtain earthly things — is it? But if other earthly goods, [then] to do for “a gift from the hand.” For, as we say, only let it not be so: [one is bound] to those things to which one is bound not for a reward, and to St. James [i.e., on pilgrimage], and one is not bound in this not for a reward; one is not bound in that action for a reward. Likewise, only not to promise was — he did not say “nonetheless” — already in act, already because he does not merit this, even if it is permitted.
Likewise, concerning the master who teaches for the sake of pence or the like, it is asked whether he falls under the curse. Likewise, not so if he acts out of avarice or vainglory; but of theologians it is said otherwise, since they are publice persone — public persons — and their lecturing bears witness to the truth. Therefore, since they are doctores verbi dei — teachers of the word of God — it is not lawful for them to teach for a reward, lest they be found venditores verbi dei — vendors of the word of God. And they hold no privilege of office that allows one who is publicly bound to do God’s [work] of teaching theology to do it for “a gift from the hand.” Whence the Lord says in Micah [3:11]: “because they were taking a gift” — but is it not [also written]: “their priests taught for hire” (sacerdotes eorum in mercede docebant)? But if a chancellor or a schoolmaster of boys holds his post for “a gift from the hand,” we shall say that — provided no scandal arises — he does so not in the labor of teaching but in [teaching] an art, since if he holds a necessary art, he does not earn ill, just as, with respect to St. James [i.e., the pilgrimage case], one is not to go from that case; therefore he does not earn ill in what he does. Likewise, the case is that he does the work of God negligently and defrauds him who gives without distinction, since on the prior intention he seems to hold a necessary art — for he ought [to teach freely] where another draws away, but does not. [So] I am not making my point about this art. Indeed, it is permitted to hold an art, and one is not approved if he does not earn his keep. If this one thing he does not give, in him he is not approved if he is not. But it is more [meritorious] to accept one donation than another, since one does not receive it on account of necessity. But if he holds an art as he holds his king [i.e., his rightful claim] — I do not approve; this is not what the Apostle holds, who has [the right] intention. Therefore he does not lose his merit, if it be on account of him who is in the field: in doing a good work, much more [is this so]. For he who is in the field acts on account of the Lord and not on his own account; therefore he does not earn ill. Because the other is a hireling — his status, his [hope of] reward gives him either pain or glory, as in the parable of the prodigal son: a hireling, who in hope of the desire for the kingdom of heaven and the head of heaven [acts] — such a hireling [the Lord] does not himself give mercy, and is not the Lord on account of those things. So that [one ought to act] not [for the sake of] God [as a means]; rather, that He alone may be known to you, not for another’s sake, give yourself, but that you may live unto eternity. Likewise: “if you eat or drink, do all in the glory of God” — likewise to the Colossians: “Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Likewise this precept, that every action be [so directed], therefore if in mortal [sin], he who fulfills all the precepts [is to be reckoned]. For just as another has the intention to give a hundred shillings and, while giving, dispenses the tenth coin lawfully with a fellow on the boundary which you commit without intention to commit — and [then] one committing it, properly proceeding far, by intention by the very thing has revoked it — he cannot return; and yet because, just as one without intention does not now revoke him or did not in intention revoke [him] — but this is not the same in management as in action. Likewise it is then asked: he who was in a meritorious act, his intention being interrupted, the remainder [of the act] in them not being meritorious — therefore if he is in the field or at home and speaks with his fellow, that he is joined to him is not a meritorious action with respect to this; for that meritorious action existed only [as long as] in that act without speaking far with his fellow or with him only, and in habit it is no longer meritorious; he does not recover by intention back to him, but not because he is compelled [to it] in another by a meritorious work — this he says at the end if […]