Lectio 4 Lecture 4 Spiritus adversus carnem Spirit against the flesh ^5:16 Dico autem: Spiritu ambulate, et desideria carnis non perficietis. [n. 307] ^5:16 I say then: walk in the Spirit: and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. [n. 307] ^5:17 Caro enim concupiscit adversus spiritum, spiritus autem adversus carnem: haec enim sibi invicem adversantur, ut non quaecumque vultis, illa faciatis. [n. 310] ^5:17 For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: for these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you would. [n. 310] 307. Postquam Apostolus manifestavit in quo consistit status spiritualis, quia scilicet in caritate, consequenter hic agit de causa status, scilicet de Spiritu Sancto, quem dicit esse sequendum. Ubi ponit triplex beneficium Spiritus Sancti. Quorum primum est liberatio a servitute carnis; secundum est liberatio a servitute legis; et tertium est collatio vitae seu securitas a damnatione mortis. 307. After indicating what the spiritual state consists in, namely, in charity, the Apostle then deals with the cause of the state, namely, of the Holy Spirit whom he says they must follow. And he mentions three benefits obtained from the Holy Spirit. First, freedom from the bondage of the flesh; second, freedom from the bondage of the law; third, the conferring of life, or security from the damnation of death. Secundum, ibi quod si ducimini, et cetera. The second is at but if you are led by the Spirit (Gal 5:18). Tertium, ibi si Spiritu vivimus, et cetera. The third is at if we live in the Spirit (Gal 5:25). Circa primum duo facit. As to the first, he does two things: Primo ponit primum beneficium Spiritus; first, he sets down the first benefit of the Spirit; secundo beneficii necessitatem ostendit, ibi caro enim, et cetera. second, he shows the need for this benefit, at for the flesh. 308. Dicit ergo: dico quod debetis per caritatem Spiritus invicem servire, quia nihil prodest sine caritate. Sed hoc dico in Christo, id est per fidem Christi, spiritu ambulate, id est mente et ratione. Quandoque enim mens nostra spiritus dicitur, secundum illud Ephes. IV, 23: renovamini spiritu mentis vestrae; et I Cor. IV: psallam spiritu, psallam et mente. Vel Spiritu ambulate, id est Spiritu Sancto proficite bene operando. Nam Spiritus Sanctus movet et instigat corda ad bene operandum. Rom. c. VIII, 14: qui Spiritu Dei aguntur, et cetera. 308. He says therefore: I say that you are obliged by charity of the Spirit (Gal 5:13) to serve one another, because nothing profits without charity. But this I say in Christ, i.e., by the faith of Christ, walk in the spirit, i.e., in the mind and reason. For sometimes our mind is called a spirit, according to Ephesians: be renewed in the spirit of your mind (Eph 4:23), and I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding (1 Cor 14:15). Or, walk in the Spirit, i.e., make progress in the Holy Spirit, by acting well. For the Holy Spirit moves and incites hearts to do well: whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Rom 8:14). Ambulandum est ergo spiritu, id est mente, ut ipsa ratio sive mens legi Dei concordet, ut dicitur Rom. VII, 16. Nam spiritus humanus per se vanus est, et nisi regatur aliunde, fluctuat hac atque illac, ut dicitur Eccli. c. XXXIV, 6, et sicut parturientis cor tuum phantasias patitur nisi ab Altissimo fuerit emissa visitatio, et cetera. Unde de quibusdam dicitur Ephes. IV, 17: ambulant in vanitate sensus sui, et cetera. Non ergo perfecte stare potest ratio humana, nisi secundum quod est recta a Spiritu divino. One should walk, therefore, by the spirit, i.e., the mind, so that one’s reason or mind is in accord with the law of God, as it is said in Romans (Rom 7:16). For the human spirit is fickle, and unless it is governed from elsewhere, it turns now in one direction and now in another, as is said in Sirach: the heart fancies as that of a woman in travail. Unless it be a vision sent forth from the Most High, do not set your heart upon them (Sir 34:6). Hence Ephesians says of certain ones: they walk in the vanity of their mind (Eph 4:17). Therefore the human reason cannot stand perfectly except to the extent that it is governed by the divine Spirit. Et ideo dicit Apostolus Spiritu ambulate, id est per Spiritum Sanctum regentem et ducentem, quem sequi debemus sicut demonstrantem viam. Nam cognitio supernaturalis finis non est nobis nisi a Spiritu Sancto. I Cor. II, 9: oculus non vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit, etc., et sequitur: nobis autem revelavit Deus per Spiritum suum. Item sicut inclinantem. Nam Spiritus Sanctus instigat, et inclinat affectum ad bene volendum. Rom. VIII, 14: qui Spiritu Dei aguntur, et cetera. Ps. CXLII, 10: Spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terram rectam. Accordingly the Apostle says, walk in the Spirit, i.e., under the rule and guidance of the Holy Spirit, whom we should follow as one pointing out the way. For knowledge of the supernatural end is in us only from the Holy Spirit: eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man what things God has prepared for them that love him, and immediately is added, but to us God has revealed them by his Spirit (1 Cor 2:9). Also as one who inclines us. For the Holy Spirit stirs up and turns the affections to right willing: whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Rom 8:14); your good Spirit shall lead me into the right land (Ps 142:10). 309. Ideo autem Spiritu ambulandum est quia liberat a corruptione carnis. Unde sequitur et desideria carnis non perficietis, id est delectationes carnis, quas caro suggerit. Hoc desiderabat Apostolus, dicens Rom. c. VII, 24: infelix ego homo, quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius? Gratia Dei, et cetera. Et postea concludit in octavo capite: nihil ergo damnationis est his, qui sunt in Christo Iesu, qui non secundum carnem ambulant. Huius rationem, ibidem, subiungit dicens: quia lex Spiritus vitae in Christo Iesu liberavit me a lege, et cetera. 309. Now one ought to walk in the Spirit, because it frees him from the defilement of the flesh. Hence he follows with: and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, i.e., the pleasures which the flesh suggests. This the Apostle yearned for, saying: unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Rom 7:24). Later he concludes: there is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh (Rom 8:1). And at once he gives the reason for this: for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has delivered me from the law of sin and of death (Rom 8:2). Et hoc est speciale desiderium sanctorum, ut non perficiant desideria ad quae caro instigat, ita tamen, quod in hoc non includantur desideria quae sunt ad necessitatem carnis, sed quae sunt ad superfluitatem. And this is the special desire of the saints, that they not fulfill the desires to which the flesh stirs them, but always understanding that in this are not included desires which pertain to the necessities of the flesh, but those that pertain to superfluities. 310. Consequenter cum dicit caro enim concupiscit, etc., ponit necessitatem huius beneficii, quae est ex impugnatione carnis et spiritus. Et 310. Then when he says, for the flesh lusts against the spirit, he tells why this benefit is needed, namely, because of the struggle between flesh and spirit. primo ponit ipsam impugnationem; First, he asserts that there is a struggle; secundo manifestat eam per evidens signum, ibi haec enim invicem adversantur, et cetera. second, he elucidates this by an obvious sign, at for these are contrary to one another. 311. Dicit ergo: necessarium est quod per spiritum carnis desideria superetis. Nam caro concupiscit adversus spiritum. 311. He says therefore: it is necessary that by the spirit you overcome the desires of the flesh, for the flesh lusts against the spirit. Sed hic videtur esse dubium, quia cum concupiscere sit actus animae tantum, non videtur quod competat carni. But one might have a doubt here, because, since lusting is an act of the soul alone, it does not seem to come from the flesh. Ad hoc dicendum est, secundum Augustinum, quod caro dicitur concupiscere inquantum anima secundum ipsam carnem concupiscit, sicut oculus dicitur videre, cum potius anima per oculum videat. Sic ergo anima per carnem concupiscit, quando ea, quae delectabilia sunt secundum carnem, appetit. Per se vero anima concupiscit, quando delectatur in his quae sunt secundum spiritum, sicut sunt opera virtutum et contemplatio divinorum et meditatio sapientiae. Sap. VI, 21: concupiscentia itaque sapientiae deducet ad regnum perpetuum, et cetera. I answer that, according to Augustine, the flesh is said to lust inasmuch as the soul lusts by means of the flesh, just as the eye is said to see, when as a matter of fact, it is the soul that sees by means of the eye. Consequently, the soul lusts by means of the flesh, when it seeks, according to the flesh, things which are pleasurable. But the soul lusts by means of itself, when it takes pleasure in things that are according to the spirit, as virtuous works, contemplation of divine things, and meditation of wisdom: the desire of wisdom leads to the everlasting kingdom (Wis 6:21). 312. Sed, si caro concupiscit per spiritum, quomodo concupiscit adversus eum? In hoc, scilicet quod concupiscentia carnis impedit concupiscentiam spiritus. Cum enim delectabilia carnis sint bona quae sunt infra nos, delectabilia vero spiritus bona quae sunt supra nos, contingit quod cum anima circa inferiora, quae sunt carnis, occupatur, retrahitur a superioribus, quae sunt spiritus. 312. But if the flesh lusts by means of the spirit, how does it lust against it? It does so in the sense that the lusting of the flesh hinders the desires of the spirit. For since the pleasures of the flesh concern goods which are beneath us, whereas the pleasures of the spirit concern goods which are above us, it comes to pass that when the soul is occupied with the lower things of the flesh, it is withdrawn from the higher things of the spirit. 313. Sed videtur etiam dubium de hoc quod dicit, scilicet quod spiritus concupiscit adversus carnem. Si enim accipiamus hic spiritum pro Spiritu Sancto, concupiscentia autem Spiritus Sancti sit contra mala, consequens videtur quod caro, adversus quam concupiscit Spiritus, sit mala, et sic sequitur error Manichaei. 313. But his further statement that the spirit lusts against the flesh may cause a problem. For if we take spirit for the Holy Spirit, and the desire of the Holy Spirit is against evil things, it seems to follow that the flesh against which the Spirit lusts is evil—which is the Manichean error. Respondeo. Dicendum est quod spiritus non concupiscit adversus naturam carnis, sed adversus eius desideria, quae scilicet sunt ad superfluitatem. Unde et supra dictum est: desideria carnis, scilicet superflua, non perficietis. In necessariis enim spiritus non contradicit carni, quia, ut dicitur Ephes. c. V, 29, nemo carnem suam odio habuit. I answer that the spirit does not lust against the nature of the flesh, but against its desires, namely, those that concern superfluities; hence he said above, you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, i.e., superfluous things. For in things necessary the spirit does not contradict the flesh, as we are told in Ephesians: no man hates his own flesh (Eph 5:29). 314. Consequenter cum dicit haec enim, etc., ponit signum compugnationis, quasi dicat: experimento patet, quod contra se invicem pugnant et adversantur, intantum ut non quaecumque vultis, bona scilicet vel mala, illa faciatis, id est, facere permittamini. Rom. VII, 19: non quod volo bonum, hoc ago, sed quod, et cetera. 314. Then when he says, for these are contrary to one another, he gives evidence of the struggle. As if to say: it is obvious from experience that they fight and struggle against one another, insofar as you do not do, i.e., are not suffered to do, the things, good or evil, that you would: the good which I will I do not: but the evil which I will not, that I do (Rom 7:19). Non tamen tollitur libertas arbitrii. Cum enim liberum arbitrium sit ex hoc quod habet electionem, in illis est libertas arbitrii, quae electioni subsunt. Non autem omnia quae in nobis sunt simpliciter subsunt nostrae electioni, sed secundum quid. In speciali enim possum vitare hunc, vel illum motum concupiscentiae seu irae, sed in generali omnes motus irae vel concupiscentiae vitare non possumus, et hoc propter corruptionem fomitis ex primo peccato introductam. However, free will is not taken away. For since free will consists in having choice, there is freedom of the will with respect to things subject to choice. But not all that lies in us is fully subject to our choice, but only in a qualified sense. In specific cases we are able to avoid this or that movement of lust or anger, but we cannot avoid all movements of anger or lust in general—and this by reason of the fomes introduced by the first sin. 315. Sed notandum est quod quatuor sunt genera hominum circa concupiscentias, quorum nullus facit quaecumque vult. 315. Here it should be noted that with respect to lusts there are four categories of men who do not that which they would. Nam intemperati, qui ex proposito sequuntur carnales passiones, secundum illud Prov. c. II, 14: laetantur cum malefecerint, faciunt quidem quod volunt, inquantum ipsas passiones sequuntur, sed inquantum ipsa eorum ratio remurmurat, et ei displicet, faciunt quae non volunt. For intemperate men, who of set intention follow the passions of the flesh—according to Proverbs: they are glad when they have done evil (Prov 2:14)—do, indeed, what they will, inasmuch as they follow their passions; but inasmuch as their reason complains and is displeased, they are doing what they would not. Incontinentes autem qui habent propositum abstinendi, et tamen a passionibus vincuntur, faciunt quidem quod non volunt, inquantum ipsas passiones contra eorum propositum sequuntur, et sic intemperati faciunt plus de eo quod volunt. But incontinent persons, who resolve to abstain but are, nevertheless, conquered by their passions, do what they would not, inasmuch as they follow such passions contrary to what they resolved. As between these two types, the intemperate do more of the things that they would. Continentes autem, qui vellent omnino non concupiscere, faciunt quod volunt dum non concupiscunt, sed quia omnino non concupiscere non possunt, faciunt quod nolunt. Those, however, who are continent, i.e., who would prefer not to lust at all, do what they intend, as long as they are not subject to lust; but because they cannot completely repress lust, they do what they would not. Temperati vero, quod volunt quidem faciunt, inquantum in carne domata non concupiscunt, sed quia non ex toto domari potest, quin in aliquo repugnet spiritui, sicut nec malitia intantum crescere potest quin ratio remurmuret, ideo, cum aliquando concupiscunt, faciunt quod nolunt, plus tamen de eo, quod volunt. Finally, those who are temperate do what they would, inasmuch as there is no lust in the tamed flesh; but because it cannot be totally tamed so as never to rise up against the spirit—just as neither can malice so abound that reason would never complain—therefore, in those instances in which they do lust, they are doing what they would not; but for the most part they do what they would. Lectio 5 Lecture 5 Opera carnis Works of the flesh ^5:18 Quod si Spiritu ducimini, non estis sub lege. [n. 316] ^5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. [n. 316] ^5:19 Manifesta sunt autem opera carnis, quae sunt fornicatio, immunditia, impudicitia, luxuria, [n. 319] ^5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, lust, [n. 319] ^5:20 idolorum servitus, veneficia, inimicitiae, contentiones, aemulationes, irae, rixae, dissensiones, sectae, [n. 324] ^5:20 Idolatry, witchcrafts, enmities, contentions, emulations, wraths, quarrels, dissensions, sects, [n. 324]