secundo ex hoc concludit instructionis documentum, ibi quae sursum. second, he draws his conclusion, at seek the things that are above. 136. Beneficium est, quod surreximus cum Christo resurgentes, sed hoc dupliciter: uno modo per spem corporalis resurrectionis. I Cor. XV, 12: si autem Christus praedicatur quod resurrexit a mortuis, quomodo quidam dicunt in vobis quoniam resurrectio mortuorum non est? Item cum eo resurgente reparamur ad vitam iustitiae. Rom. IV, 25: traditus est propter delicta nostra, et resurrexit propter iustificationem nostram. Quasi dicat: si Christo resurgente et vos resurrexistis. II Cor. IV, 14: qui suscitavit Dominum Iesum, et nos cum Iesu suscitabit. 136. The benefit that we have received is that, with the resurrection of Christ, we also have risen. And we have risen in two ways. First, by a hope for our bodily resurrection: now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? (1 Cor 15:12). In the second way, with the resurrection of Christ we are restored to the life of justice: he was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification (Rom 4:25). Paul is saying in effect: when Christ arose, you also arose: he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus (2 Cor 4:14). 137. Deinde cum dicit quae sursum, etc., concludit documentum debitum fini. Et 137. Then when he says, seek the things that are above, he draws his conclusion about the end: primo per comparationem ad finem, et ut finem principaliter aliquis intendat; first, that a person should aim at some principal end; secundo ut secundum finem de aliis iudicet. and second, that he should judge other things in the light of that end. 138. Dicit ergo si consurrexistis cum Christo, quae sursum sunt quaerite. Matth. c. VI, 33: primum quaerite regnum Dei et iustitiam eius, et cetera. Hic enim est finis. Ps. XXVI, 4: unam petii a domino, et cetera. Et ideo hoc quaerite, ubi Christus sedet in dextera. Mc. ult.: Dominus quidem Iesus postquam locutus est eis, assumptus est in caelum, et sedet a dextris Dei. Ps. CIX, 1: sede a dextris meis. 138. Paul says, therefore, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above: seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well (Matt 6:33). For this is our end: one thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life (Ps 27:4). Therefore, seek this, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God: so then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19); sit at my right hand (Ps 110:1). Et intelligenda est dextra, non pars aliqua corporalis, sed similitudinaria. Dextra enim est potior pars hominis. Christus ergo sedet ad dextram, quia secundum quod homo, in potioribus bonis Patris est, sed secundum quod Deus, in aequalitate eius est. Et sic sit ordo in vobis, ut quia Christus est mortuus, et surrexit, et sic est assumptus a dextris Dei, ita et vos moriamini peccato, ut postea vivatis vita iustitiae, et sic assumamini ad gloriam. By the right hand of God he does not mean a member of a body, but he is speaking figuratively, for the right hand of a person is the stronger. Christ sits at the right hand of the Father because, as man, he shares in the stronger and better goods of the Father, while as God, Christ is equal to the Father. Consequently, you should have this intention: that just as Christ died and arose, and was taken up to sit at the right hand of God, so you should die to sin in order to live a life of justice and so be taken up into glory. Vel nos resurreximus per Christum; ipse autem ibi sedet, ergo desiderium nostrum debet esse ad ipsum. Matth. XXIV, 28: ubi fuerit corpus, illuc congregabuntur et aquilae, et cetera. Matth. VI, 21: ubi est thesaurus tuus, ibi est et cor tuum. Or, we could say, that we arose through Christ; but he is seated at the right hand of God, and so our desire should be to be with him: wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together (Matt 24:28); where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt 6:21). 139. Item debemus iudicare de aliis secundum ipsum. Et ideo dicit quae sursum sunt sapite, et cetera. Astruit unum, et aliud negat. Sapit autem quae sursum sunt, qui secundum supernas rationes ordinat vitam suam, et de omnibus iudicat secundum eam. Iac. III, 15: haec est sapientia de sursum descendens. Sapit autem quae sunt super terram, qui secundum terrena bona omnia ordinat et iudicat, iudicans ea summa bona. Phil. III, 19: et gloria in confusione eorum, qui terrena sapiunt. 139. Furthermore, we should judge of other things in the light of Christ; and so Paul says, mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. Here he is affirming one way of life, and rejecting another. A person sets his mind on things that are above, when he governs his life according to heavenly ideas, and judges all things by such ideas: the wisdom from above (Jas 3:15). And a person sets his mind on things that are on earth when he orders and judges all things according to earthly goods, considering them the highest goods: they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things (Phil 3:19). 140. Deinde cum dicit mortui enim, etc., ponit rationem monitionis. Et 140. When Paul continues, for you are dead, he gives the reason for his advice. primo commemorat quandam mortem; First, he mentions their death; secundo innuit occultationem cuiusdam vitae, ibi et vita; second, their hidden life, at and your life; tertio docet huius vitae manifestationem, ibi cum autem Christus. and third, he teaches when this life will be revealed, at when Christ shall appear. 141. Prius enim unum prohibuit, et aliud astruxit, et nunc ad haec duo redit. Primo sic: non sapite quae sunt terrena, quia mortui estis terrenae conversationi. Mortuus enim huic vitae non sapit ea quae sunt huius mundi, ita et vos, si mortui estis cum Christo, ab elementis huius mundi. Rom. VI, v. 11: existimate vos mortuos quidem esse peccato, viventes autem Deo. Is. XXVI, 14: morientes non vivant, gigantes non resurgant, et cetera. 141. Just before, Paul had rejected one way of life and affirmed another. Now he returns to these two ways. As to the first he says: do not set your minds on earthly things, because you are dead to an earthly way of life. And a person who has died to this kind of life does not set his mind on the things of this world. This is the way you should act if you have died, with Christ, to the elements of this world: so you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Rom 6:11); they are dead, they will not live (Isa 26:14). Cum autem dixit existimate, etc., subdit: viventes. When he said, consider yourselves dead, he followed this with, and alive (Rom 6:11). 142. Et ideo alia vita est occulta, unde etiam hic dicit et vita vestra, et cetera. Et hanc vitam acquirimus nobis per Christum. I Petr. c. III, 18: Christus pro peccatis nostris mortuus est, iustus pro iniustis, et cetera. Quia vero haec vita est per Christum, Christus autem est occultus a nobis, quia est in gloria Dei Patris. Et similiter vita, quae per eum nobis datur, est in occulto, ubi scilicet Christus est in gloria Dei Patris. Prov. III, 16: longitudo dierum in dextra eius, et in sinistra eius divitiae et gloria. Ps. XXX, 20: quam magna multitudo dulcedinis tuae, quam abscondisti timentibus te, et cetera. Apoc. II, 17: vincenti dabo manna absconditum, et cetera. 142. And so there is another life which is hidden. And thus Paul also says here, and your life is hid with Christ in God. We acquire this life through Christ. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God (1 Pet 3:18). But because this life is obtained through Christ, and Christ is hidden from us because he is in the glory of the Father, this life which is given to us through him is also hidden, namely, where Christ is, in the glory of the Father: long life is in his right hand; in his left hand are riches and honor (Prov 3:16); O how abundant is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you (Ps 31:19); to him who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna (Rev 2:17). 143. Ideo cum dicit cum autem Christus, etc., ostendit quomodo manifestatur, scilicet sicut et Christus, quia dicitur in Ps. XLIX, 3: Deus manifeste veniet. Et ideo dicit cum autem apparuerit Christus, vita vestra, quia ipse est auctor vitae vestrae, et quia in amore eius et cognitione consistit vita vestra. Gal. II, 20: vivo ego iam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus. Tunc et vos apparebitis. I Io. III, 2: cum apparuerit, similes ei erimus, scilicet in gloria. Abac. III, 3: ab Austro veniet et sanctus de monte Pharan, et cetera. 143. When he says, when Christ shall appear, he shows how this life will be manifested, that is, just as Christ’s; for we read, our God comes (Ps 50:3). And so Paul says, when Christ shall appear, who is your life, because he is the author of our life, and because our life consists in knowing and loving him: it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Gal 2:20). When Christ appears then you also shall appear: when he appears we shall be like him (1 John 3:2), that is, in glory: God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran (Hab 3:3). 144. Deinde cum dicit mortificate ergo, ordinat humanam actionem. 144. Then when he says, mortify therefore, Paul puts order into their actions: Primo per cohibitionem peccatorum; first, by restraining them from sin; secundo per instructionem bonorum morum, ibi induite vos. second, by teaching them about good habits, at put on therefore (Col 3:12). Circa primum duo facit, quia In regard to the first he does two things: primo praemittit monitionem; first, he starts with a warning; secundo eius rationem exponit, ibi expoliantes vos. second, he explains it, at stripping yourselves of the old man (Col 3:9). Iterum prima in duas, quia The first is divided into two parts: primo prohibet vitia carnalia, first, he forbids carnal vices; secundo rationem assignat, ibi propter quae. second, he gives his reason, at for which things. Circa primum duo facit; quia With respect to the first he does two things: primo ponit generalem prohibitionem; first, he lays down a general prohibition; secundo explicat in speciali, ibi quae sunt. second, he goes into detail about it, at which are upon the earth. 145. Dicit ergo. Non debetis sapere quae sunt super terram, sed mortificate quicquid terrenum et specialiter membra quae sunt, et cetera. Quod potest exponi similitudinarie, quia conversatio nostra est continens multos actus, sicut corpus multa membra, et in conversatione bona, prudentia est sicut oculus dirigens, fortitudo autem sicut pes portans. In mala vero, astutia sicut oculus, pertinacia vero sicut pes. Haec ergo membra sunt mortificanda. 145. He says, mortify therefore: you ought not to set your minds on things that are on earth, but mortify whatever is earthly, and in particular, your members which are upon the earth. We can explain this by making a comparison: our life involves many actions, just as our body contains many members. In a good life, prudence is like the eye, which directs a person; and courage is like the feet, which support and carry him. But in an evil life, craftiness becomes the eye, and obstinacy becomes the feet. Therefore, these members must be put to death. Vel aliter. De membris corporis carnalibus dixit: mortui estis, etc., scilicet terrenae conversationi. Quomodo? Et respondens dicit mortificate, et cetera. In tantum ergo morimur culpae, inquantum vivificamur per gratiam. Vita enim gratiae reparat nos quantum ad mentem, non totaliter quantum ad corpus propter fomitem. Rom. VII, 25: ego ipse mente servio legi Dei; carne autem, legi peccati. Et paulo ante: video aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis meae, et cetera. Qui ergo mortui estis quantum ad mentem, mortificate concupiscentiam in membris, quae sunt super terram, inquantum sunt super terram, et terrena corpora. I Cor. VI: castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo, etc., id est, non permittendo ei se pertrahi ad carnalia. Or we could say that in reference to the members of the body, he had said, you are dead, that is, to an earthly way of life. But how is this death accomplished? He answers: mortify therefore your members. Thus, to the extent we have died to sin, to that extent we are alive with grace. For the life of grace heals us with respect to our mind; but not entirely as to our body, because it retains a tendency to sin: I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin (Rom 7:25); and he said, a little before this: I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members (Rom 7:23). Therefore, because you have died so far as concerns your mind, put to death the sinful desires in your members that are on earth, insofar as they are on earth and are earthly bodies: I pommel my body and subdue it (1 Cor 9:27), by not allowing it to be drawn to carnal things. 146. Et ideo ponit peccata in speciali. Et primo pure carnalia; secundo media, ibi et avaritiam. 146. Now he mentions particular sins: first, those that are purely carnal; second, those that are partly carnal, at and covetousness. Inter carnalia maxime concupiscentia inclinat ad luxuriam, ubi est actus turpis. Et hoc vel secundum naturam animalis, non dicam rationis, quia omne peccatum est contrarium rationi. Et ideo dicit fornicationem. Tob. IV, v. 13: attende tibi ab omni fornicatione, et cetera. Vel contra naturam, et sic dicit immunditiam. Item delectatio est immunda, unde dicit libidinem. Item concupiscentia prava, unde dicit concupiscentiam malam. Among the carnal sins, we are inclined to lust especially by concupiscence. Lustful actions are shameful and although they may accord with the nature of man as animal, they are not fitting to it as rational, because every sin is opposed to reason. And so Paul says, fornication: beware, my son, of all immorality (Tob 4:13). Or, a sin can be against nature, and so he says, uncleanness. Again, pleasure might be impure, and so he says, lust; and desire can be depraved, and so he says, evil concupiscence. Secundo ponit peccata media; et primo avaritiam, cuius obiectum est corporale, scilicet pecunia, et completur in delectatione spirituali, scilicet dominio talium. Et ideo communicat cum carnalibus peccatis. Et subdit quae est idolorum servitus. Eph. V, 5: aut avarus, quod est idolorum servitus. Second, he lists the intermediate sins. The first of these is covetousness, whose object is something corporeal, that is, money, but it is completed in a spiritual delight, that is, in the ownership of such. And thus it has some part among the carnal sins. Paul adds, which is the service of idols: one who is covetous that is, an idolater (Eph 5:5). 147. Sed numquid avaritia ex suo genere est species idololatriae, et avarus peccat tamquam idololatra? 147. But is covetousness by its nature really a kind of idolatry, and does a covetous person sin as an idolater sins? Respondeo. Dicendum est non secundum speciem, sed secundum similitudinem, quia avarus ponit vitam suam in pecunia. Idololatra est quando quis exhibet alicui imagini honorem debitum Deo. Avarus autem honorem debitum Deo exhibet pecuniae, quia tota sua vita circa hoc est. Quia vero avarus non intendit circa pecuniam se habere ut ad Deum, sicut idololatra, ideo est minus peccatum. I say, not specifically, but by resemblance, because a covetous person puts his very life in money. We have idolatry when someone gives to some image the honor owed to God; but a covetous person gives to money the honor owed to God, because he builds his whole life around it. But because a covetous person intends to act towards money as to God, like an idolater, it is a lesser sin.