Tractates on the Gospel of John
216 ST. AUGUSTINE sin? How are sins added to sins? When the sins that have been committed are combined with other sins. He committed a theft; that no one may find out that he committed it, he seeks out an astrologer. It would be enough to have committed the theft; why do you want to join a sin to a sin? Look, two sins. When you are prevented from approaching the astrologer, you blaspheme the bishop. Look, three sins. When you hear, "Send him outside the Church," you say, "I'm taking myself to the party of Donatus." Look, you add a fourth [sin].
(3) The rope is growing; fear the rope. It is good for you that you are corrected here, when you are scourged with it that it might not be said in the end, "Bind his hands and feet, and cast him forth into the darkness outside."-' For, "in the meshes of his own sins each man is held fast." -" The Lord says the former; another Scripture says the latter. But the Lord is speaking in both instances. By their sins men are bound and are sent into the darkness outside.
6. Nevertheless, in order to seek the mystery of the deed in the figurative meaning, who are they who sell the oxen? Who are they who sell the sheep and doves? They are those who seek their own interests in the Church, not those of Jesus
They have everything for sale who do not wish to be redeemed. They do not wish to be bought; they do wish to sell. Yet surely it is good for them that they be redeemed by the blood of Christ, that they may attain the peace of Christ.
(2) For what profit is it to acquire anything temporal or transitory in this world, whether it be money, whether it be pleasure of stomach and gullet, whether it be honor in men's praise? Are not all things smoke and wind? Do not all things pass on, hasten by? And woe to them who will cling to passing things, for they pass with them! Are not all things a hurtling river racing to the sea? And woe to him who will fall, for he will be carried away into the sea! Therefore we ought to keep all our feelings away from such passionate desires.
(3) My brothers, they who seek such things sell them. For
21. Cf. Mt 22.13. 23. Cf. Phil 2.21. 22. Cf. Prv 5.22.