Book II covers the works written as a bishop, from the questions to Simplician (396) to the last before the review itself (c. 427). The translator numbers the chapters straight on from Book I.
Chapter XXVII. To Simplician, in Two Books
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Of the books which I worked out as a bishop, the first two are addressed to Simplician, Bishop in the church at Milan, who succeeded the most beloved Ambrose; they have to do with different questions, two of which I brought together in the first book out of the epistle of Paul to the Romans.
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The first of these (questions) is; “Concerning. what was written: ‘Therefore, what shall we say? Is the law sin? God forbid,” up to that place where he says: Who will free me from the body of this death? The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.’” In that section, these words of the apostle: “‘The law is spiritual, but I am carnal, ” etc., in which the flesh is ‘shown to be in conflict against the spirit, I have set forth as though man is described as constituted until now “under the law,” not yet “under grace;” for, a long time afterwards I learned: that those words could also be applied to the spiritual man—and this is more likely.
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The second question in this book is from that passage where he says: “‘Now, not only that, but also Rebecca having conceived from one coitus with our father Isaac, ’” up to that hastens where he says: “‘Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been made like Sodom and been similar to Gomorrah.” In the solution of this question, without doubt, I worked in behalf of the freedom of the will of man, but the grace of God conquered, end it could not have reached anything except that, as the apostle is understood to have said with very clear truth: “For who sets you apart? Now, what do you have which you have not received? But if you did receive it, why do you glory as if you had not received it? The martyr Cyprian, desiring also to indicate this whole matter, explained it under this same title, saying: “There is nothing of which to boast when nothing is ours,
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In the second book other questions are discussed and are explained so far as our moderate ability allowed; these all have to do with that part of the Scripture which is called Kings. The first of these is “concerning what was written: ‘And the spirit of the Lord leapt in on saul, since it was said at another place: “And an evil spirit of the Lord was in Saul, ”
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When I was explaining that I said: “Although what one wills is within his power, nevertheless, what he can do is not within his power, ” This was said because we only say that is within our power which, when we will it, is done, where to will is first and foremost. To be sure, that will is present without any interval of time when we will, but this power we also receive from above for the purpose of living correctly, since “the will is prepared by the Lord,
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The second question is: “In what manner it was said: ‘I repent that I designated soul,
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The third: “Whether the unclean spirit which was in the witch would have been able to bring it about that Samuel was seen by Saul and that he spoke with him, ”
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The fourth: “Concerning what was written: ‘King David went in and set before the Lord.’”
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The fifth: “Concerning what Elijah said: ‘0 Lord, a witness of this widow, with whom I dwell at her house, you have done ill to kill her son.’”
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This work begins with these words: “Certainly very pleasant and very gratifying.”
Chapter XXVIII. Against the Epistle of Manichaeus Which They Call Fundamental, in One Book
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The book against the epistle of manichaeus which they call fundamental refutes only the beginning of the letter; but to other parts of it notations have been attached where it seemed proper, by which the entire work is overthrown and which would serve as reminders to me, if the leisure time had ever come to write against the entire work.
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This book begins in this manner: “The one true almighty God.”
Chapter XXIX. On Struggle, in One Book
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A book was written on Christian Struggle in the form of a colloquial discourse to the brethren who were unlearned in Latin rhetoric; it contains a rule of faith and precepts for living.
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In this book, the following passage was set forth: “Let us not listen to those who deny the future resurrection of the flesh and who remind us of what the apostle Paul says: ‘Flesh and blood will not take possession of the kingdom of God, ’ not understanding what that same apostle says: ‘This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mor tal must put on immortality; ” for when this will have been accomplished, it will not be flesh and blood any longer but a heavenly body. ” This must not be understood as though the future substance will not be flesh, but the apostle is to be understood to have called by the name of flesh and blood that corruption of flesh and blood which will not exist st all in that kingdom where flesh will be incorruptible; but these words of the apostle can be understood in another way; that by flesh and blood he meant the works of flesh and blood, and that those who perseveringly cherished those works would not take possession of the kingdom of God.
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This book begins with these words: “The crown of victory.”