DE CATECHIZANDIS RUDIBUS
19.31. […]Duae itaque civitates, una iniquorum, altera sanctorum, ab initio generis humani usque in finem saeculi perducuntur, nunc permixtae corporibus, sed voluntatibus separatae, in die iudicii vero etiam corpore separandae. Omnes enim homines amantes superbiam et temporalem dominationem cum vano typho et pompa arrogantiae, omnesque spiritus qui talia diligunt, et gloriam suam subiectione hominum quaerunt, simul una societate devincti sunt; et si saepe adversum se pro his rebus dimicant, pari tamen pondere cupiditatis in eamdem profunditatem praecipitantur, et sibi morum et meritorum similitudine coniunguntur. Et rursus omnes homines et omnes spiritus humiliter Dei gloriam quaerentes, non suam, et eum pietate sectantes, ad unam pertinent societatem. Et tamen Deus misericordissimus, et super impios homines patiens est, et praebet eis paenitentiae atque correctionis locum.
19.31.[…] In this way there are two communities— one of the ungodly, and another of the holy— which are carried down from the beginning of the humane race even to the end of the world, which are at present commingled in respect of bodies, but separated in respect of wills, and which, moreover, are destined to be separated also in respect of bodily presence in the day of judgment. For all men who love pride and temporal power with vain elation and pomp of arrogance, and all spirits who set their affections on such things and seek their own glory in the subjection of men, are bound fast together in one association; nay, even although they frequently fight against each other on account of these things, they are nevertheless precipitated by the like weight of lust into the same abyss, and are united with each other by similarity of manners and merits. And, again, all men and all spirits who humbly seek the glory of God and not their own, and who follow Him in piety, belong to one fellowship. And, notwithstanding this, God is most merciful and patient with ungodly men, and offers them a place for penitence and amendment.
20.36. Per multa itaque et varia signa rerum futurarum quas longum est omnes commemorare, et eas nunc in Ecclesia videmus impleri, perductus est ille populus ad terram promissionis, ubi temporaliter carnaliterque regnaret pro modo desiderii sui: quod tamen regnum terrenum regni spiritalis imaginem gessit. Ibi Ierusalem condita est famosissima civitas Dei, serviens in signo liberae civitatis, quae caelestis Ierusalem dicitur, quod verbum est hebraeum, et interpretatur visio pacis. Cuius cives sunt omnes sanctificati homines qui fuerunt, et qui sunt, et qui futuri sunt; et omnes sanctificati spiritus, etiam quicumque in excelsis caelorum partibus pia devotione obtemperant Deo, nec imitantur impiam diaboli superbiam et angelorum eius. Huius civitatis rex est Dominus Iesus Christus, Verbum Dei quo reguntur summi angeli, et Verbum hominem assumens, ut eo regerentur et homines, qui simul omnes cum illo in aeterna pace regnabunt. Ad huius regis praefigurationem in illo terreno regno populi Israel maxime eminuit rex David, de cuius semine secundum carnem veniret verissimus rex noster Dominus Iesus Christus, qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula. Multa in illa terra promissionis gesta sunt in figuram, venturi Christi et Ecclesiae, quae in sanctis Libris paulatim discere poteris.
20.36. In this manner, then, through many varied signs of things to come, which it would be tedious to enumerate in complete detail, and which we now see in their fulfillment in the Church, that people were brought to the land of promise, in which they were to reign in a temporal and carnal way in accordance with their own longings: which earthly kingdom, nevertheless, sustained the image of a spiritual kingdom. There Jerusalem was founded, that most celebrated city of God, which, while in bondage, served as a sign of the free city, which is called the heavenly Jerusalem which latter term is a Hebrew word, and signifies by interpretation the ‘vision of peace.’ The citizens thereof are all sanctified men, who have been, who are, and who are yet to be; and all sanctified spirits, even as many as are obedient to God with pious devotion in the exalted regions of heaven, and imitate not the impious pride of the devil and his angels. The King of this city is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, by whom the highest angels are governed, and at the same time the Word that took unto Himself human nature, in order that by Him men also might be governed, who, in His fellowship, shall reign all together in eternal peace. In the service of prefiguring this King in that earthly kingdom of the people of Israel, King David stood forth pre-eminent, of whose seed according to the flesh that truest King was to come, to wit, our Lord Jesus Christ, ‘who is over all, God blessed for ever.’ In that land of promise many things were done, which held good as figures of the Christ who was to come, and of the Church, with which you will have it in your power to acquaint yourself by degrees in the Holy Books.
21.37. Post aliquot tamen generationes ostendit alium typum ad rem maxime pertinentem. Nam captivata est illa civitas, et multa pars eius educta in Babyloniam. Sicut autem Ierusalem significat civitatem societatemque sanctorum, sic Babylonia significat civitatem societatemque iniquorum, quoniam dicitur interpretari confusio. De quibus duabus civitatibus, ab exordio generis humani usque in finem saeculi permixte temporum varietate currentibus et ultimo iudicio separandis, paulo ante iam diximus.
21.37. Howbeit, after the lapse of some generations, another type was presented, which bears very emphatically on the matter in hand. For that city was brought into captivity, and a large section of the people were carried off into Babylonia. Now, as Jerusalem signifies the city and fellowship of the saints, so Babylonia signifies the city and fellowship of the wicked, seeing that by interpretation it denotes confusion. On the subject of these two cities, which have been running their courses, mingling the one with the other, through all the changes of time from the beginning of the human race, and which shall so move on together until the end of the world, when they are destined to be separated at the last judgment, we have spoken already a little ago.
Sursă text latin: Aurelii Augustini OPERA OMNIA – editio latina > PL 40 > De Catechizandis Rudibus liber unus: www.augustinus.it
Sursă text englez: Translated by S.D.F. Salmond. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 3. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. www.newadvent.org.