§26Potestas uero dupliciter aduersum nos datur, uel ad poenam cum delinquimus uel ad gloriam cum probamur: sicuti de Iob factum uidemus manifestante Deo et dicente: ecce omnia quaecumque habet in tuas manus do: sed ipsum caue ne tangas. et Dominus in euangelio loquitur tempore passionis: nullam haberes potestatem aduersum me nisi data esset tibi desuper. quando autem rogamus ne in temptationem ueniamus, admonemur infirmitatis et inbecillitatis nostrae dum sic rogamus, ne quis se insolenter extollat, ne quis sibi superbe adque adroganter aliquid adsumat, ne quis aut confessionis aut passionis gloriam suam ducat, cum Dominus ipse humilitatem docens dixerit: uigilate et orate, ne ueniatis in temptationem: spiritus quidem promptus est, caro autem infirma, ut dum praecedit humilis et summissa confessio et datur totum Deo quidquid suppliciter cum timore et honore Dei petitur ipsius pietate praestetur.
Power, however, is given against us in two ways: either for punishment when we sin, or for glory when we are tested: as we see done in the case of Job, when God makes it manifest and says: "Behold, all things whatsoever he hath I give into thy hands; but beware lest thou touch him himself." And the Lord in the gospel speaks at the time of His passion: "Thou wouldest have no power against me unless it were given thee from above." But when we ask that we may not come into temptation, we are reminded of our infirmity and weakness while we so pray, lest anyone should insolently exalt himself, lest anyone should proudly and arrogantly assume anything to himself, lest anyone should count the glory either of confession or of passion as his own, since the Lord Himself, teaching humility, said: "Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak"; so that, while a humble and submissive confession goes before, and everything is given to God, whatever is suppliantly asked with fear and honor of God may be supplied by His own piety.
§27Post ista omnia in consummatione orationis uenit clausula uniuersas petitiones et preces nostras collecta breuitate concludens.
After all these things, at the consummation of the prayer, comes the concluding clause, comprising all our petitions and prayers in a condensed brevity.
in nouissimo enim ponimus: sed libera nos a malo, conprehendentes aduersa cuncta quae contra nos in hoc mundo molitur inimicus, a quibus potest esse firma et fida tutela, si nos Deus liberet, si deprecantibus adque inplorantibus opem suam praestet.
For at the very end we place: "But deliver us from evil," comprehending all adversaries which the enemy plots against us in this world, against which there can be a firm and faithful protection, if God deliver us, if He afford His help to us deprecating and imploring.
quando autem dicimus libera nos a malo, nihil remanet quod ultra adhuc debeat postulari, quando semel protectionem Dei aduersus malum petamus, qua inpetrata contra omnia quae diabolus et mundus operantur securi stamus et tuti.
But when we say, "Deliver us from evil," nothing remains which ought to be demanded any further, since we once ask for the protection of God against evil; which being obtained, we stand secure and safe against all things which the devil and the world work.
quis enim uel de saeculo metus est cui in saeculo Deus tutor est?
For what fear even of the world is there for him to whom God is a protector in the world?
§28Quid mirum, fratres dilectissimi, si oratio talis est quam Deus docuit, qui magisterio suo omnem precem nostram salutari sermone breuiauit? hoc iam per Esaiam prophetam fuerat ante praedictum, cum plenus Spiritu sancto de Dei maiestate ac pietate loqueretur.
What wonder is it, beloved brethren, if the prayer is such which God taught, who by His teaching shortened all our prayer with a salutary word? This had already been foretold before through Isaiah the prophet, when, full of the Holy Spirit, he spoke of God's majesty and piety.
uerbum consummans, inquit, et breuians in iustitia, quoniam sermonem breuiatum faciet Deus in toto orbe terrae. nam cum Dei sermo Dominus noster Iesus Christus omnibus uenerit et colligens doctos pariter et indoctos omni sexu adque aetati praecepta salutis ediderit, praeceptorum suorum fecit grande conpendium, ut in disciplina caelesti discentium memoria non laboraret, sed quod esset simplici fidei necessarium uelociter disceret.
"Finishing His word," he says, "and shortening it in righteousness, because a shortened word will God make in all the earth." For when the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, came for all, and gathering together the learned and unlearned alike, issued the precepts of salvation to every sex and age, He made a grand compendium of His precepts, so that in heavenly discipline the memory of those who learn might not labor, but that they might quickly learn what was necessary for a simple faith.
sic cum doceret quid sit uita aeterna, sacramentum uitae magna et diuina breuitate conplexus est dicens: haec est autem uita aeterna ut cognoscant te solum et uerum Deum et quem misisti Iesum Christum. item cum de lege et prophetis praecepta prima et maiora decerperet, audi, inquit, Israel: Dominus Deus tuus Dominus unus est, et: diliges Dominum Deum tuum de toto corde tuo et de tota anima tua et de tota uirtute tua. hoc primum, et secundum simile huic: diliges proximum tuum tamquam te.
Thus, when He taught what eternal life is, He embraced the sacrament of life with a great and divine brevity, saying: "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." Likewise, when He culled the first and greater precepts from the law and the prophets, He said: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord thy God is one Lord"; and: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength." "This is the first, and the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
in his duobus praeceptis tota lex pendet et prophetae. et iterum: quaecumque uolueritis ut faciant uobis homines bona, ita et nos facite illis. haec est enim lex et prophetae.
On these two commandments hangeth the whole law and the prophets." And again: "Whatsoever good things ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."