721. Deinde cum dicit quis ergo nos separabit, etc., infert conclusionem ex dictis. Et quia haec conclusio quasi incredibilis videtur inexpertis, proponit eam per modum quaestionis; unde tria facit. 721. Then he draws the conclusion, when he says, who then shall separate us. But because this conclusion does not seem credible to the inexperienced, he presents it in the form of a question. Hence he does three things. Primo proponit quaestionem; First, he presents the question; secundo ostendit necessitatem quaestionis propositae, ibi sicut scriptum est, etc.; second, he shows the need for this question, at as it is written; tertio ponit solutionem, ibi in his omnibus, et cetera. third, he presents the solution, at but in all these things. 722. Potest autem haec quaestio ex praemissis duplici ratione concludi. 722. This question can be derived in two ways from the foregoing. Primo quidem sic: tot beneficia sunt nobis divinitus collata, et tam efficacia, ut nullus contra ea possit. Omnia autem praedicta beneficia ad hoc tendunt, ut nos simus in caritate radicati et fundati, ut dicitur Eph. c. III, 17. quis ergo nos separabit a caritate Christi? Qua scilicet Christum diligimus et proximum, secundum quod ipse praecepit, Io. XIII, 34: mandatum novum do vobis, et cetera. One way is this: So many and such powerful benefits have been conferred on us by God that no one can count them. Furthermore, they all tend toward one thing, namely, that we be rooted and grounded in love (Eph 3:17). Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ, i.e., the love by which we love Christ and neighbor as he commanded: a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another (John 13:34). Alio modo sic: dictum est, quod magna beneficia Deus sanctis suis confert, ex quorum consideratione adeo caritas Christi in cordibus nostris fervet, quod nihil eam extinguere potest. Cant. ult.: aquae multae non potuerunt extinguere caritatem. Another way is this: God bestows great benefits on his holy ones, and when we consider them, such love of Christ burns in our hearts that nothing can quench it: many waters cannot quench love (Song 8:7). 723. Proponit autem mala, per quorum passionem aliquis cogi posset, ut caritatem Christi desereret. 723. He mentions the evils which might induce one to abandon love of Christ. Et primo ponit ea quae pertinent ad vitam; secundo, id quod pertinet ad mortem. And first, those that refer to life; second, the one which refers to death. Circa vero ea quae in vita imminent sustinenda, primo ponit mala praesentia; secundo, futura. In regard to those which threaten us in the course of our lives, he mentions present evils and evils to come. Circa praesentia vero primo ponit ea quae pertinent ad tolerantiam malorum; secundo, ea quae pertinent ad defectum bonorum. In regard to present evils he mentions evils to be endured; second, the loss of good things. Mala autem perpessa considerari possunt dupliciter. Evils to be endured can be considered in two ways. Uno modo secundum quod sunt in patiente, qui dupliciter ab eis affligitur, scilicet exterius secundum corpus. Et ad hoc pertinet tribulatio. Dicitur enim a tribulis, quae sunt herbae pungitivae. Gen. III, 18: spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi. Unde aliquis tribulari dicitur, cum exterius pungitur. Nec tamen propter hoc iusti vincuntur. Ps. XXXIII, v. 19: multae tribulationes iustorum, et de his omnibus liberabit eos Dominus. Affligitur etiam homo ab eis per interiorem anxietatem cordis, dum scilicet aliquis non videt quo divertat, vel quomodo evadat. Et quantum ad hoc subdit an angustia? Dan. XIII, v. 22: angustiae mihi sunt undique, et quid eligam ignoro. In one way as they are present in the sufferer who is afflicted by them in two ways: first, externally in the body. Hence he says, tribulation. This word is related to tribulus, a prickly herb: thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you (Gen 3:18). But the just are not overcome by them: many are the tribulations of the just, and the Lord frees them from all of these (Ps 34:19). A person is also afflicted by them internally in the form of mental anxiety, when he does not know where to go or which way to turn. In regard to this he says, or distress: I am hemmed in on every side, and I do not know what to choose (Dan 13:21). Alio modo huiusmodi mala considerari possunt secundum quod sunt in agente. Et quantum ad hoc subdit an persecutio? Quamvis enim persecutio ad hoc proprie pertinere videatur, quod aliquis alium persequitur effugando, secundum illud Matth. X, 23: si vos persecuti fuerint in una civitate, fugite in aliam, tamen communiter persecutio accipi potest pro inflictione cuiuslibet nocumenti. Ps. CXVIII, 157: multi qui persequuntur me et tribulant me. In another way, such evils can be considered as they are present in the one inflicting them. In this respect he says, or persecution, for although persecution in the strict sense would imply pursuit of someone to make him flee: if they persecute you in one city, flee to another (Matt 10:23), yet in a general sense it can mean the infliction of any injury. Many are they that persecute me and afflict me (Ps 118:157). Deinde ponit mala quae pertinent ad subtractionem bonorum, quae sunt necessaria vitae, scilicet cibus et vestimenta, secundum illud I Tim. VI, 8: habentes alimenta et quibus tegamur, his contenti simus. Ad subtractionem autem cibi pertinet fames, unde subdit an fames? Ad subtractionem autem vestitus pertinet nuditas. Unde subdit an nuditas? I Cor. IV, 11: usque in hanc horam esurimus, et sitimus, et nudi sumus. Then he mentions the evils which consist in the removal of good things necessary for life, namely, food and clothing: if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content (1 Tim 6:8). In regard to the removal of food he says: or famine; of clothing, or nakedness: to the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad (1 Cor 4:11). Quantum ad mala futura subdit an periculum, scilicet imminens in futurum? II Cor. c. XI, 26: periculis fluminum, periculis latronum. In regard to future evils he adds, or danger, threatening at any moment: in danger from rivers, danger from robbers (2 Cor 11:26). Quantum autem ad mortem subdit an gladius? Hebr. XI, 37: in occisione gladii mortui sunt. In regard to death he says, or the sword: they were killed with the sword (Heb 11:37). 724. Deinde cum dicit sicut scriptum est, etc., ostendit huius quaestionis necessitatem per hoc quod dicit, quod sanctis omnia ista imminebant patienda propter Christi caritatem. 724. Then when he says, as it is written, he shows the importance of this question, inasmuch as he says that all these things lie at hand to be suffered by the saints for the love of Christ. Et inducit verba Psalmistae, quasi in persona martyrum proposita, in quibus, primo, ponit causam passionis. Martyrem enim non facit poena, sed causa, ut dicit Augustinus. Unde dicit propter te. Matth. X, 39: qui perdiderit animam suam, id est vitam, propter me, inveniet eam. I Petr. IV, 15 s.: nemo vestrum patiatur ut fur, aut homicida; si autem ut Christianus, non erubescat. Patitur etiam propter Christum, non solum qui patitur propter fidem Christi, sed etiam qui patitur pro quocumque iustitiae opere, pro amore Christi. Matth. V, 10: beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iustitiam. And he quotes the words of the Psalmist as though spoken by the martyrs. These words mention, first of all, the cause of the suffering: for it is not the suffering but the cause that makes the martyr, as Augustine says. Hence he says, for your sake: he who loses his life for my sake shall find it (Matt 10:39); let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief; yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed (1 Pet 4:15). One suffers for Christ by suffering not only for the faith of Christ but for any just deed done for the love of Christ: blessed are those who are persecuted for justice’s sake (Matt 5:10). Secundo ponit gravitatem passionis, cum dicit mortificamur, id est morti tradimur. Esth. VII, 4: traditi sumus ego et populus meus, ut conteramur et pereamus. Second, he mentions the severity of the suffering when he says: we are put to death, i.e., handed over to death: for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed (Esth 7:4). Tertio continuitatem persecutionis, cum dicit tota die, id est, per totum tempus vitae. II Cor. IV, 11: semper nos qui vivimus, in mortem tradimur propter Iesum. Third, the duration of the persecution when he says, all the day long, i.e., during the whole period of life; while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake (2 Cor 4:11). Quarto promptitudinem persequentium ad occidendum, cum dicit aestimati sumus ut oves occisionis, id est deputatae ut occidantur in macello, quae cum studio occiduntur. Ita et sancti ex proposito et cum studio occidebantur. Io. XVI, 2: venit hora, ut omnis qui interficit vos, arbitretur obsequium se praestare Deo. Zac. XI, 4: pasce pecora occisionis, quae qui possidebant, occidebantur. Fourth, the persecutor’s readiness to kill, when he says, we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered, i.e., marked to be killed in the meat market. So, too, the saints are intentionally killed: the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God (John 16:2); feed the flock doomed to slaughter (Zech 11:4). 725. Deinde cum dicit sed in his omnibus, solvit quaestionem. 725. Then he answers the question, at but in all these things. Et, primo, proponit solutionem dicens sed in his omnibus, scilicet malis quae supra posui, superamus, dum scilicet circa omnia illibatam caritatem servamus. Sap. c. X, 12: certamen forte dedit illi ut vinceret. First, he gives the answer, saying, but in all these things, namely, the evils mentioned above, we overcome, as long as we preserve our love unsullied: in his arduous contest she gave him the victory (Wis 10:12). Et hoc non nostra virtute, sed per auxilium Christi, unde subdit propter eum qui dilexit nos, id est propter eius auxilium, vel propter affectum quem ad eum habemus, non quasi nos primo dilexerimus eum sed quoniam ipse prior dilexit nos, ut dicitur Io. IV, v. 19; et I Cor. XV, 57: gratias Deo qui dedit nobis victoriam per Iesum Christum. But we do not succeed by our own strength but through Christ’s help; hence he adds, because of him who has loved us, i.e., on account of his help or on account of the affection we have for him; not as though we first loved him, but because he first loved us (1 John 4:19); thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:57). 726. Secundo, ibi certus sum, manifestat solutionem, ostendens inseparabilem esse sanctorum caritatem. 726. Second, he clarifies the solution, showing that the saints’ love is inseparable, at for I am sure. Et primo ostendit quod non potest separari a creaturis quae sunt; First, he shows that it cannot be separated by creatures that exist; secundo, quod nec etiam a creaturis quae non sunt, sed esse possent, ibi neque creatura alia. second, nor by creatures that do not exist but could, at nor any other creature. 727. Circa primum duo facit. 727. In regard to the first he does two things. Primo ponit ea quae sunt in homine, dicens certus sum enim, quia neque mors, quae est praecipuum inter terribilia, neque vita, quae est praecipuum inter appetibilia, scilicet poterit nos separare a caritate Dei. Infra c. XIV, 8: sive vivimus, Domino vivimus: sive morimur, Domino morimur. First, he mentions things that exist in man, saying, I am sure that neither death, which is the first among things we fear, nor life, which is first among things we desire, will be able to separate us from the love of God: if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord (Rom 14:8). In his autem duobus includuntur omnia quae supra posuit. Nam sex praecedentia pertinent ad vitam; unum autem, scilicet gladius, pertinet ad mortem, ut supra dictum est. In these two are included all the ones previously mentioned. For six evils previously mentioned refer to life; but one, namely, the sword, refers to death, as was said above. 728. Deinde ponit ea quae sunt exterius, inter quae, primo, ponit spirituales creaturas, dicens neque angeli, qui scilicet sunt minores deputati ad custodiam hominum singulorum. Ps. XC, 11: angelis suis mandavit de te. Neque principatus, scilicet qui sunt deputati ad custodiam gentium. Dan. X, v. 20 s.: nunc revertar ut praelier adversus principem Persarum. Cum enim egrederer, apparuit princeps Graecorum veniens, et nemo est adiutor meus, nisi Michael noster princeps. Addit autem neque virtutes, qui est supremus ordo ministrantium. Lc. XXI, 26: virtutes caelorum movebuntur. 728. Then he mentions things outside of man. Among these are, first, spiritual creatures; hence he says: nor angels, i.e., the lower ones assigned to guard individual men: he will give his angels charge of you (Ps 91:11). Nor principalities, i.e., those assigned to guard nations: now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I am through with him, the prince of Greece will come. And there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael (Dan 10:20). He adds, nor powers, which is the highest order of ministering angels: the powers of heaven will be shaken (Luke 21:26). Potest autem hoc intelligi dupliciter. Uno modo de malis angelis, qui contra sanctos decertant. Eph. VI, 12: Non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, sed adversus principes et potestates. Alio modo potest intelligi de bonis. Et secundum hoc, ut Chrysostomus dicit in libro de Compunctione cordis, hoc dicebat, non quod angeli affectare possent aliquando eum a Christo separare, sed etiam ea quae sunt impossibilia, verbi gratia, fieri posse dixit magis quam se ab amore Christi seiungi: ut per hoc quanta in eo vis esset divinae caritatis ostenderet, atque omnibus ante oculos poneret. Hic enim amantium mos est, ut amorem suum silentio tegere nequeant: sed necessariis suis et charis asserunt et produnt, et flammas suas infra pectus cohibere non possunt. Enarrant ea frequentius, ut ipsa assiduitate narrandi amoris sui solatium capiant, et refrigeria immensi ardoris assumant. Sic ergo facit beatus hic eximius amator Christi, omnia quae sunt et quae erunt, quaeque accidere possunt, et quae omnino non possunt, simul uno sermone complectitur. Et simile est quod dicitur Gal. c. I, 8: sed licet nos, aut angelus de caelo evangelizet vobis, praeter quam quod evangelizavi vobis, anathema sit. This can be understood in two ways: in one way of wicked angels, who struggle against the saints: our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers (Eph 4:12). In another way it can refer to the good. Here Chrysostom in his book, On Compunction of Heart, says that the Apostle said this, not that the angels would at some time try to separate him from Christ; rather, these impossible things would be more possible, so to speak, than for him to be separated from the love of Christ. He speaks this way to show how great in him is the strength of divine love, and to lay everything out in the open. For this is the way of lovers, that they cannot hide their love in silence but assert and bare it to their friends and to the beloved, and they cannot confine the flames within their heart. They speak of them frequently, so that by constantly recounting their love they may gain some relief, some cooling of the tremendous burning within them. In just this way, blessed Paul here acts as an outstanding lover of Christ: he gathers up in one sentence all things that are and that were, everything that can be and even those that cannot. It is similar to what is said in Galatians: but even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach to you another gospel than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed (Gal 1:8). 729. Deinde posuit etiam creaturas sensibiles, quarum duplicem diversitatem ponit. 729. Then he mentions visible creatures, and he sets out two distinctions. Primo quidem secundum tempus, quo diversificantur secundum praesens et futurum. Unde dicit neque instantia, id est praesentia sive dolorem sive delectationem inferant. II Cor. IV, 18: non contemplantibus nobis ea quae videntur. Addit autem neque futura, quorum nec timor, nec desiderium potest nos separare a Christo. Unde dicebat Act. c. XXI, 13: ego non solum alligari, sed et mori in Ierusalem paratus sum propter nomen Domini Iesu. First according to time, by which they are distinguished according to present and future. Hence he says, nor things present, whether they cause pain or pleasure: we look not to the things that are seen (2 Cor 4:18). Then he adds, nor things to come. Whether we fear them or desire them, they cannot separate us from the love of Christ. Hence it is said: for I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 21:13). 730. Deinde ponit diversitatem sensibilium creaturarum ex parte magnitudinis: et, primo, tangit magnitudinem virtutis, cum dicit neque fortitudo, id est neque quaecumque creatura fortis, potest me separare a Christo, puta fortis ignis, aut fortis aqua: quia, ut Cant. VIII, 6 dicitur, fortis est ut mors dilectio. 730. Then he distinguishes sensible creatures on the basis of magnitude: first he touches on magnitude of strength, when he says, nor might, i.e., no strong creature, such as a raging fire or sea, can separate me from the love of Christ, because love is as strong as death (Song 8:6).