LETTER XXII .[A.D.386.]

S. AMBROSE here recounts to his sister the discovery of the relics of S. S. Gervasius and Protasius, which occurred during the time of trial referred to in the last letter, and seems, by the pitch of excitement to which it raised the people of Milan, to have alarmed the court-party, and so to have caused the persecution to be dropped. The simple narrative needs no further introduction. It is strikingly told, and the question of the miracles discussed, in the 'Church of the Fathers' ch. iii. S. Augustine gives a brief account of the event in his Confessions, (ix. 7.) fully corroborating S.Ambrose's statements, and also speaks of it in De Civ. Dei xxii. 8, 2, and in Serm. de Divers. cclxxvi. 5.

TO THE LADY HIS SISTER WHOM HE LOVES MORE THAN HIS LIFE AND EYES AMBROSE HER BROTHER SENDS GREETING.

As I am wont to keep your holiness informed of all that goes on here in your absence, I would have you know that we have found the bodies of some holy martyrs. After the consecration of a Church  03-56  56. a This is said to be the Church now called 'S. Ambrose the greater.' The Roman Church is the one called in the previous letter the ' New Basilica,' and also the Church of the Apostles. It was probably called 'Romana' from being near the Porta Romana. , many began to interrupt me crying with one voice; Consecrate this as you did the Roman Basilica. 'I will do so,' I replied, 'if I find any relics of Martyrs:' and immediately my heart burned within me as if prophetically.

2. In short the Lord lent us aid  03-57  57. b S. Augustine says that it was revealed to him in a dream. , though even the very clergy were alarmed. I caused the ground to be opened before the rails of the Church of S.S. Felix and Nabor. I found the suitable tokens; and when some persons were brought for us to lay our hands upon, the power of the holy martyrs became so manifest that before I began to speak, one of them, a woman  03-58  58. c These were ἐνεργούμενοι, or persons possessed by evil spirits. On them see Bingh. Antiq. iii. 4, 6. The laying on of hands was part of the rite of exorcism. , was seized by an evil spirit and thrown down upon the ground in the place where the martyrs lay. We found two men of stupendous size, such as belonged to ancient days. All their bones were entire, and there was much blood.  03-59  59. d The text stands 'arriperetur urna,' nor is there any variation of MSS. noted. But it seems absolutely necessary to read 'una.' An 'urna' could have nothing to do with the matter. It might hold ashes, but surely not the bones of two men of marvellous size. The histories founded on the letter all tacitly adopt the emendation, and speak of 'a woman among the possessed.' See Fleury. B. xviii. 46. Tillemont in Vit. The people flocked thither in crowds throughout the whole of those two days. We arranged all the bones in order, and carried them when evening set in, to the Basilica of Fausta  03-60  60. 1 now of S. Vitalis and S. Agricola Fleury p. 104. Eng. Tr. ; where we kept vigils throughout the night, and some possessed persons received imposition of hands. The following day we transferred them to the Basilica which they call Ambrosian. During their transportation a blind man was healed  03-61  61. e This is distinctly asserted by S. Augustine in all the three passages referred to in the Introduction. . My discourse to the people was as follows. When I considered in what overflowing and unprecedented numbers you were met together, and thought on the gifts of Divine Grace which shone forth in the holy Martyrs, I felt myself, I confess, unequal to this task, and thought it impossible that I could find language to express that which we can hardly conceive in mind or endure with our eyes. But when the reading of the regular Lessons of Holy Scripture began, the Holy Spirit, Who spoke by the Prophets, granted us grace to speak somewhat worthy of this great and expectant concourse, and of the merits of the holy Martyrs.

4.  The heavens, the Psalmist says,  declare the glory of God.   03-62  62. Ps. xix. 1, On reading this Psalm the thought arises that it is not so much the material elements as the heavenly merits that seem to offer praise worthy of God. But by the coincidence of the Lesson being read to-day it is made plain what are the  heavens which  tell of the glory of God. Behold on my right hand and on my left the holy relics, behold men of heavenly conversation, behold the trophies of a lofty mind. These are the  heavens which  declare the glory of God; these are  the works of His hands which  are told by the firmament. For it was not worldly snares, but the favour of the Divine operation, which raised them to the firmament of the most sacred Passion, and long beforehand by the evidence of their conversation and virtues bore this testimony of them, that they remained stedfast against the slippery wiles of this world.

5. Paul was an heaven, when he says,  Our conversation is in heaven.   03-63  63. Phil. iii. 20. James and John were heavens; they are called  sons of thunder;   03-64  64. S. Mark iii. 17. and therefore being as it were, an heaven, John saw  the Word with God.   03-65  65. S. John i. 1. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself was an heaven of perpetual light, when He told forth the glory of God, that glory which no man had before beheld. And therefore He said,  No man hath seen God at any time, but the Only-Begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.   03-66  66. Ib. 18. Moreover, if you look for the handiwork of God, hear what Job says,  The Spirit of God hath made me.   03-67  67. Job. xxxiii. 1. And so, strengthened against the temptations of the devil, he preserved his steps stedfast and without stumbling. But let us proceed to what follows.

6.  Day unto day, the Psalm says,  uttereth speech.   03-68  68. Ps. xix. 2. These are the true  days, which no shades of night obscure; these are the true  days, full of light and eternal radiance, who have  uttered the word of God not by any mere transient utterance but from their inmost heart, continuing constant in their confession, persevering in their testimony.

7. Another Psalm we read saith,  Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath His dwelling so high, and yet regardeth the lowly things that are in heaven and earth.   03-69  69. Ps. cxiii. 5,6. Truly God hath  regarded the lowly, Who hath discovered the relics of the martyrs of His Church as they lay hid under the unnoted sod, of those whose souls are in heaven, while their bodies are in the earth,  taking up the simple out of the dust and lifting the poor out of the mire,   03-70  70. Ps. cxiii. 7,8. even those whom ye see,  to set them with the princes of His people. For whom but the holy martyrs shall we deem to be  princes of the people? In their number Protasius and Gervasius heretofore long unknown are enrolled, they who have caused the Church of Milan, once  barren of martyrs, but now  the mother of many children,   03-71  71. Ib. 9. to exult both in the honors and examples of her own sufferings?

8. Nor let this be considered alien from the true Faith:  Day unto day uttereth speech, soul to soul, life to life, resurrection to resurrection.  And night unto night uttereth knowledge, that is, flesh to flesh, the flesh whose sufferings have declared to all the true knowledge of faith. Bright and fair nights, full of stars:  For one star differeth from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead.   03-72  72. 1 Cor. xv. 41.

9. But many not improperly call this the resurrection of the martyrs; whether they have risen for themselves is another question, for us beyond a doubt they are risen. Ye have heard, nay, yourselves have seen, many cleansed from evil spirits; many also, after touching with their hands the garments of the saints, delivered from the infirmities under which they suffered: ye have seen the miracles of old time renewed, when through the coming of the Lord Jesus, a fuller Grace descended upon the earth; ye see many healed by the shadow, as it were, of the holy bodies. How many napkins are passed to and fro? How many garments placed on these holy relics, and endowed by the mere contact with the power of healing are reclaimed by their owners. All think themselves happy in touching even the outer-most thread, and whoever touches them will be made whole.

10. Thanks be to Thee, Lord Jesus, that at this time, when Thy Church requires greater guardianship, Thou hast raised up for us the spirits of the holy martyrs. Let all be well aware what kind of champions I desire, such as are wont to be protectors not assailants. Such are they, O holy people, whom I have obtained for you, a benefit to all, and a hurt to none. These are the defenders whom I desire, these are my soldiers, not the world's soldiers, but Christ's. I fear no odium on account of these; their patronage is safe in proportion to its power. Nay, I desire their protection for the very men who grudge them to me. Let them come then and see my body-guard: I deny not that I am surrounded by such weapons as these;  Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will magnify ourselves in the Name of the Lord our God.   03-73  73. Ps. xx. 7.

11. The Lesson from Holy Scripture relates how Elisha, when surrounded by the army of the Syrians, told his trembling servant not to fear,  for they, said he,  that are for us are more than they which are against us;   03-74  74. 2 Kings vi. 16 sqq. and in order to convince Gehazi of this, he prayed that his eyes might be opened, and when this was done he saw a countless host of Angels present with the prophet. And we, though we see them not, yet are conscious of their presence. Our eyes were held, as long as the bodies of the saints lay hid in their graves. Now God has opened our eyes, and we have seen the aids which had so often succoured us. Before, we saw them not, although we possessed them. And so, as though the Lord said to our trembling hearts, 'Behold what great martyrs I have given you;' even so  with opened eyes we behold the glory of the Lord,   03-75  75. 2 Cor. iii. 18. which as to the passion of the martyrs is past, as to their operation is present. We have escaped, my brethren, no light load of shame; we had patrons and we knew it not. This one thing we have found, wherein we seem to excel our ancestors; they lost the knowledge of the holy martyrs, and we have gained it.

12. These noble relics are dug out of an ignoble sepulchre; these trophies are displayed in the face of day. The tomb is moist with blood, the tokens of a triumphant death are displayed, the uninjured relics are found in their proper place and order, the head separated from the body. Old men now relate that they have formerly heard the names of these martyrs, and read their titles. The city which had seized on the martyrs of other places had lost her own. This is the gift of God, and yet the favour which the Lord Jesus has conferred in the time of my episcopate I cannot deny, and since I myself am not counted worthy to be a martyr, I have gained these martyrs for you.

13. Bring these victorious victims to the spot where Christ is the sacrifice. But He, Who suffered for all, upon the Altar, they, who have been redeemed by His passion, under the Altar. This spot I had destined for myself, for it is fitting that the priest should rest where he hath been wont to offer, but I give up the right side to the sacred victims: that spot was due to the martyrs. Wherefore let us bury the hallowed relics, placing them in a worthy home, and let us employ the whole day in faithful devotion.

14. The people loudly requested that the deposition of the martyrs should be deferred until the Lord's Day; but at length I prevailed that it should take place on the following day. On that day I delivered a second sermon to the people to the following effect.

15. Yesterday I discoursed upon the verse,  Day unto day uttereth speech,   03-76  76. Ps.xix.2. speaking according to my capacity: to-day Holy Scripture seems to me to have prophecied, not only before, but now. For seeing that this your devout celebration has continued night and day, the oracles of prophetic song have declared that these, even yesterday and to-day, are the days of which it is most opportunely said  day unto day uttereth speech, and these the nights to which the saying is appropriate that  night unto night uttereth knowledge. For what else have ye done during these two days but utter the word of God with deep emotion, and prove yourselves to have the knowledge of faith?

16. This your celebration some, as is their wont, are envious of. And since their envious minds cannot endure it, they also hate its cause, and proceed to such a pitch of folly as to deny the merits of the martyrs, whose power the very devils confess. But this is not strange; for such is the faithlessness of unbelievers that the confession of the devil himself is often less intolerable. For the devil said,  Jesus, Thou Son of the living God, art Thou come to torment us before the time?   03-77  77. S. Matt. viii. 29. And yet when the Jews heard this they even then denied the Son of God. And now ye have heard the devils crying out, and owning to the martyrs that they cannot bear their tortures, and saying  ' Why are ye come to torment us so grievously?' And the Arians say, 'These are not martyrs, nor can they torment the devil nor dispossess any one:' while yet their own words are evidence of the torments of the evil spirits, and the benefits of the martyrs are shewn by the recovery of the healed, and the manifest proof of those that were dispossessed.

17. They deny that the blind man received his sight, but he denies not his own cure. He says, 'I who was blind now see.' He says, 'My blindness has left me;' he evidences it by the fact. They deny the benefit, though they cannot deny the fact. The man is well known: when in health he was employed in public trade, his name is Severus, a butcher by business. When his affliction befell him he laid down his employment. He calls as his witnesses those men by whose charities he was supported; he summons as witnesses of his present visitation the very men who bore testimony to his blindness. He declares that when he touched the border of the garment with which the martyrs' bodies were clothed, his sight was restored to him.

18. Is not this like what we read in the Gospel? For the power which we admire proceeds from one and the same Author; nor does it signify whether it is a work or a gift, seeing that He confers gifts in His works and works by His gifts. For what He has enabled some themselves to perform, this in the work of others His Name effects. Thus we read in the Gospel that the Jews, when they saw that the blind man had received his sight, required the testimony of his parents. They asked,' How has your son received his sight?' That blind man said,  Whereas I was blind now I see,   03-78  78. S. John ix. 25. and so too our blind man says, 'I was blind, and now I see.' Enquire of others, if ye believe me not; question strangers, if you suspect his parents of being in collusion with me. The obstinacy of these men is more detestable than that of the Jews, for the latter inquired of the man's parents to solve their doubts; they secretly inquire but openly deny, no longer refusing credit to the miracle but to its Author.

19 and 20. But I would fain ask, what it is they will not believe; is it that any one can be relieved by the martyrs? But this is not to believe in Christ, for He hath said,  And greater things than these shall ye do.   03-79  79. S. John xiv. 12. Or only by those martyrs, whose merits have long been efficacious, and whose bodies have long been discovered? Here I ask whether it is of myself or of the holy martyrs that they are jealous? If of me, have I wrought any miracles by my own means, in my own name? Why then do they envy me that which is not mine? But if of the martyrs (for if not of me it must be of them they are envious) they show that their Creed is different from that of the martyrs. For they would not envy their works unless they deemed the faith which was in them to be that which they themselves have not. This is that Faith sealed by the tradition of our ancestors, which the devils themselves cannot deny, though the Arians do.

21. We have heard to-day those on whom hands were laid, profess that no man can be saved who does not believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: that he was dead and buried who denied the Holy Ghost, who believed not the Almighty power of the Trinity. This the devil confesses, but the Arians will not own it. The devil says, Let him who denies the divinity of the Holy Spirit be tormented as he himself was tormented by the Martyrs.

22. What I accept from the devil is not his testimony, but his confession. He spoke unwillingly, compelled and tortured. That which wickedness suppressed, force extorted. The devil yields to blows, but as yet the Arians have not learned to yield. How much have they suffered, and like Pharoah, they are hardened by their calamities! The devil said, as we find it written,  I know Thee Who Thou art, the Son of the Living God.   03-80  80. S.Mark i. 24. The Jews said,  We know not who He is.   03-81  81. S. John ix. 29. Yesterday, and the preceding night and day the devils said, 'We know that ye are martyrs,' while the Arians said, 'We know not, we will not understand nor believe.' The devils say to the martyrs, 'Ye are come to destroy us,' the Arians say, 'These torments of the devil are not true torments but pretended and counterfeit.' I have heard of many counterfeits, but no man could ever feign himself a devil. Again, what is the meaning of the agony we see in them, when the hand is laid on them? What room is here for fraud and what suspicion of imposture?

23. But I will not call the words of devils as a testimony to the martyrs: let the sacred sufferings of the martyrs be established by their own supernatural acts; judges indeed they have, namely, those that have been cleansed, witnesses, namely those that have been dispossessed. Better than that of devils is their voice who came diseased and are now healed, better is that voice which the martyrs blood sends forth, for blood has a loud voice which reaches from earth to heaven. Ye have read those words of God,  Thy brother's blood crieth unto Me!   03-82  82. Gen. iv. 10. This blood cries by its purple stains, it cries by its signal efficacy, it cries by its triumphant suffering.

We have granted your request and have put off till today the burial of the relics which should have taken place yesterday.

EPISTOLA XXII.

 1019A 

 Inventione corporum Gervasii ac Protasii martyrum nuntiata, refert se ad populum illa dixisse: Coelos esse martyres, sicut et apostolos: diem quoque fuisse illorum confessionem: eosdem a Domino humiliatos, ac deinde suscitatos de terra; idque   eorum resurrectionem esse, cum tot miracula operati sint: gratias ob tantum praesidium Deo egisse, illudque amplificasse ex gestis Elisaei: tandem reliquiarum descriptionem, ac translationis consilium populari plausu excepta. Subjungit sequentis diei sermonem, quo, memorata Catholicorum laetitia, invidentiam Arianorum exagitavit, ostendens eos, dum evidenti miraculo fidem negant, Judaeorum similes esse, atque aliter credere, quam martyros crediderunt: dum   1019B  vero Trinitatem quam daemones confitebantur, non agnoscerent, ipsis daemoniis esse pejores. 

Dominae sorori vitae atque oculis praeferendae frater.

1. Quia nihil sanctitatem tuam soleo eorum praeterire, quae hic te geruntur absente; scias etiam sanctos martyres a nobis repertos. Nam cum ego basilicam dedicassem, multi tamquam uno ore interpellare coeperunt dicentes: Sicut Romanam basilicam dedices. Respondi: Faciam, si martyrum reliquias invenero. Statimque subiit veluti cujusdam ardor praesagii.

2. Quid multa? Dominus gratiam dedit: formidantibus etiam clericis jussi eruderari terram eo loci, qui est ante cancellos sanctorum Felicis atque Naboris.  1019C Inveni signa convenientia: adhibitis etiam quibus  1020A per nos manus imponenda foret, 875 sic sancti martyres eminere coeperunt; ut, adhuc nobis silentibus, arriperetur urna, et sterneretur prona ad locum sancti sepulcri. Invenimus mirae magnitudinis viros duos, ut prisca aetas ferebat. Ossa omnia integra, sanguinis plurimum. Ingens concursus populi per totum illud biduum. Quid multa? Condivimus integra ad ordinem: transtulimus vespere jam incumbente ad basilicam Faustae: ibi vigiliae tota nocte, manus impositio. Sequenti die transtulimus ea in basilicam, quam appellant Ambrosianam. Dum transferimus, caecus sanatus est. Talis mihi ad populum fuit sermo:

3. Cum tam effusam, tamque inauditam considerarem conventus vestri celebritatem, et divinae gratiae  1020B munera, quae in sanctis martyribus refulserunt, imparem me, fateor, huic muneri judicabam; nec fieri posse, ut sermone absolverem, quod vix possumus animo intendere, oculis comprehendere. Sed ubi sanctarum legi coepit series Scripturarum, largitus est Spiritus sanctus, qui [locutus] est in prophetis, quo dignum aliquid tanto coetu et exspectatione vestra, martyrumque sanctorum meritis proferamus.

4.  Coeli, inquit,  enarrant gloriam Dei (Psal. XVIII, 2). Cum legitur hic psalmus, occurrit quod non tam elementa materialia, quam coelestia merita dignum Deo praeconium deferre videantur. Hodierno tamen fortuita lectione patuit qui coeli enarrant gloriam Dei. Aspicite ad dextram meam, aspicite ad sinistram  1020C reliquias sacrosanctas: videte coelestis conversationis  1021A viros, spectate animi sublimis tropaea. Isti sunt coeli, qui enarrant gloriam Dei: haec opera manuum ejus quae annuntiat firmamentum. Non enim eos saecularis illecebra, sed divini operis gratia, ad firmamentum sacratissimae passionis evexit: multoque ante morum virtutumque documentis annuntiavit in his martyrium, quod adversus lubricum saeculi hujus stabiles permanserunt.

5. Coelum erat Paulus, qui ait:  Nostra conversatio in coelis est (Phil. III, 20). Coeli erant Jacobus et Joannes: denique filii tonitrui nuncupantur (Marc. III, 17); et ideo quasi coelum Joannes Verbum apud Deum vidit (Joan. I, 1). Ipse Dominus Jesus perpetui luminis erat coelum, cum enarraret Dei gloriam, sed eam quam nemo ante conspexerat. Et  1021B ideo dixit:  Deum nemo vidit umquam, nisi unigenitus Filius, qui est in sinu Patris, ipse enarravit (Joan. I, 18). Opera quoque manuum Dei si quaeris, audi Job dicentem:  Spiritus divinus, qui fecit me (Job XXXIII, 4). Et ideo adversus diaboli tentamenta firmatus, inoffensae vestigium 876 constantiae servavit. Sed veniamus ad reliqua.

6.  Dies, inquit,  diei eructat verbum (Psal. XVIII, 3). Ecce veri dies, quos nulla caligo noctis interpolat. Ecce veri dies pleni luminis et fulgoris aeterni, qui non perfunctorio sermone verbum Dei, sed intimo corde eructarunt in confessione constantes, in martyrio perseverantes.

7. Alius psalmus lectus dicit:  Quis sicut Dominus Deus noster, qui in altis habitat, et humilia respicit  1021C  in coelo et in terra (Psal. CXII, 5)? Respexit sane humilia Deus, qui latentes sub ignobili cespite reliquias sanctorum martyrum suae Ecclesiae revelavit, quorum anima in coelo, corpus in terra:  Suscitans a terra inopem, et de stercore erigens pauperem (Ibid, 7); quos videtis ut eos cum principibus populi sui collocarit. Principes populi quos alios nisi sanctos martyres aestimare debemus, quorum jam in numerum diu ante ignorati Protasius Gervasiusque praeferuntur, qui sterilem martyribus Ecclesiam Mediolanensem, jam plurimorum matrem filiorum laetari passionis propriae fecerint et titulis et exemplis?

8. Nec hoc abhorreat a vera fide:  Dies diei eructat verbum (Psal. XVIII, 2), anima animae, vita vitae,  1021D resurrectio resurrectioni.  Et nox nocti indicat scientiam,  1022A hoc est, caro carni, quorum passio veram fidei scientiam omnibus indicavit. Bonae noctes, noctes lucidae, quae habent stellas;  Sicut enim stella a stella differt in claritate, ita et resurrectio mortuorum (I Cor. XV, 1).

9. Non immerito autem plerique hanc martyrum resurrectionem appellant; videro tamen utrum sibi, nobis certe martyres resurrexerint. Cognovistis, immo vidistis ipsi multos a daemoniis purgatos: plurimos etiam, ubi vestem sanctorum manibus contigerunt, iis quibus laborabant, debilitatibus absolutos: reparata vetusti temporis miracula, quo se per adventum Domini Jesu gratia terris major infuderat, umbra quadam sanctorum corporum plerosque sanatos cernitis. Quanta oraria jactitantur!  1022B quanta indumenta super reliquias sacratissimas et tactu ipso medicabilia reposcuntur! Gaudent omnes extrema linea contingere; et qui contigerit, salvus erit.

10. Gratias tibi, Domine Jesu, quod hoc tempore tales nobis sanctorum martyrum spiritus excitasti, quo Ecclesia tua praesidia majora desiderat. Cognoscant omnes quales ego propugnatores requiram, qui propugnare possint, impugnare non soleant. Hos ego acquisivi tibi, plebs sancta, qui prosint omnibus, nemini noceant. Tales ego ambio defensores, tales 877 milites habeo: hoc est, non saeculi milites, sed milites Christi. Nullam de talibus invidiam timeo, quorum quo majora, eo tutiora patrocinia sunt. Horum etiam illis ipsis, qui mihi eos  1022C invident, opto praesidia. Veniant ergo et videant stipatores meos; talibus me armis ambiri non nego:  Hi in curribus, et hi in equis: nos autem in nomine Domini Dei nostri magnificabimur (Psal. XIX, 8).

11. Elisaeum Scripturae divinae series refert, cum ab exercitu Syrorum esset obsessus, dixisse timenti servulo, ne timeret:  quia plures, inquit,  pro nobis sunt, quam contra nos (IV Reg. VI, 16); et ut hoc probaret, petisse ut oculi Giezi aperirentur: quibus ille apertis, innumeros adesse vidit propheta exercitus Angelorum. Nos etsi eos videre non possumus, sentimus tamen. Erant clausi isti oculi, quamdiu obruta sanctorum corpora delitescebant. Aperuit oculos nostros Dominus; vidimus auxilia, quibus sumus saepe defensi. Non videbamus haec, sed habebamus  1022D tamen. Itaque trepidantibus nobis quasi  1023A dixerit Dominus: Aspicite quantos vobis martyres dederim: ita reseratis oculis gloriam Domini speculamur, quae est martyrum passione praeterita, et operatione praesens. Evasimus, fratres, non mediocrem pudoris sarcinam: patronos habebamus, et nesciebamus. Invenimus unum hoc, quo videamur praestare majoribus. Sanctorum martyrum cognitionem, quam illi amiserunt, nos adepti sumus.

12. Eruuntur nobiles reliquiae e sepulcro ignobili, ostenduntur coelo [tropaea.] Sanguine tumulus madet, apparent cruoris triumphalis notae, inviolatae reliquiae loco suo et ordine repertae, avulsum humeris caput. Nunc senes repetunt audisse se aliquando horum martyrum nomina, titulumque legisse. Perdiderat civitas suos martyres, quae rapuit alienos.  1023B Etsi hoc Dei munus est; tamen gratiam quam temporibus sacerdotii mei Dominus Jesus tribuit, negare non possum: et quia ipse martyr esse non mereor, hos vobis martyres [acquisivi.]

13. Succedant victimae triumphales in locum, ubi Christus hostia est. Sed ille super altare, qui pro omnibus passus est. Isti sub altari, qui illius redempti sunt passione. Hunc ego locum praedestinaveram mihi; dignum est enim ut ibi 878 requiescat sacerdos, ubi offerre consuevit: sed cedo sacris victimis dexteram portionem; locus iste martyribus debebatur. Condamus ergo reliquias sacrosanctas et dignis aedibus invehamus, totumque diem fida devotione celebremus.

14. Acclamavit populus, ut in Dominicum differretur  1023C diem martyrum depositio: sed tandem obtentum, ut sequenti fieret die. Sequenti die talis mihi ad populum iterum sermo fuit.

15. Hesterno tractavi versiculum:  Dies diei eructat verbum (Psal. XVIII, 3), prout nostri captus tulit ingenii: hodie mihi non solum superiore tempore, sed praesenti quoque prophetasse videtur Scriptura divina. Nam cum diebus ac noctibus continuatam  1024A videam sanctitatis vestrae celebritatem, istos esse dies prophetici carminis oracula declararunt, hesternum atque hodiernum, de quibus opportunissime dicitur:  Dies diei eructat verbum; et istas noctes, de quibus aptissime disputatur, quia  nox nocti indicat scientiam. Quid enim aliud hoc biduo, nisi verbum Dei intimo eructastis affectu, et scientiam vos habere fidei probavistis?

16. Cui tamen celebritati vestrae, qui solent, invident. Et quia celebritatem vestram invidis animis ferre non possunt, causam celebritatis oderunt: atque in tantum amentiae prodeunt, ut negent martyrum merita, quorum opera etiam daemones confitentur. Sed hoc non mirum; siquidem tanta est incredulorum perfidia, ut tolerabilior sit diaboli  1024B plerumque confessio. Dicebat enim diabolus:  Jesu, Fili Dei vivi, quid venisti ante tempus torquere nos (Matth. VIII, 29)? Et cum haec audirent Judaei; ipsi tamen Dei Filium denegabant. Et nunc audistis clamantes daemones, et confitentes martyribus quod poenas ferre non possint, et dicentes: Quid venistis, ut nos tam graviter torqueatis? Et Ariani dicunt: Non sunt isti martyres, nec torquere diabolum possunt, nec aliquem liberare; cum tormenta daemonum ipsorum voce probentur, et beneficia martyrum remediis sanatorum, et absolutorum indiciis declarentur.

17. Negant caecum illuminatum, sed ille non negat se sanatum. Ille dicit: Video, qui non videbam. Ille dicit: Caecus esse desivi; et probat facto. Isti  1024C beneficium negant, qui factum negare non possunt. Notus homo est, publicis 879 cum valeret mancipatus obsequiis, Severus nomine, lanius ministerio. Deposuerat officium, postquam inciderat impedimentum. Vocat ad testimonium homines, quorum ante sustentabatur obsequiis: eos indices suae visitationis arcessit, quos habebat testes et arbitros caecitatis. Clamat quia ut contigit fimbriam de veste  1025A martyrum, qua sacrae reliquiae vestiuntur, redditum sibi lumen sit.

18. Nonne simile istud est, atque illud quod in Evangelio legimus? Unius enim potentiam laudamus auctoris: nec interest utrum opus sit, an munus; cum et muneretur in opere, et operetur in munere. Quod enim aliis faciendum donaverit, hoc in aliorum opere nomen ejus operatur. Legimus ergo in Evangelio Judaeos, cum viderent in illo caeco sanitatis remedium, requisisse parentum testimonium. Interrogabant: Quomodo videt filius vester? Cum ille diceret:  Caecus cum essem, modo video (Joan. V, 35). Hoe et iste dicit: Caecus fui, et modo video: Interrogate alios, si mihi non creditis; interrogate extraneos, ne astipulari mihi parentes putetis. Detestabilior  1025B istorum quam Judaeorum pertinacia. Illi cum dubitarent, vel parentes interrogabant: isti occulte interrogant, palam negant; jam non operi increduli, sed auctori.

19  et 20. Sed quaero quid non credant, utrum a martyribus possint aliqui visitari? Hoc est Christo non credere: ipse enim dixit: Et majora his facietis (Joan. XIV, 12). An ab istis martyribus, quorum merita jam dudum vigent, corpora dudum reperta sunt? Quaero hic utrum mihi, an sanctis martyribus invideant? Si mihi, numquid a me aliquae virtutes fiunt? numquid meo opere, meo nomine? Cur igitur mihi invident, quod meum non est? Si martyribus (restat enim ut si mihi non invident, martyribus invidere videantur), ostendunt alterius fidei fuisse  1025C martyres, quam ipsi credunt. Neque enim aliter eorum operibus inviderent; nisi fidem in his fuisse eam, quam isti non habent, judicarent. Fidem illam majorum traditione firmatam, quam daemones ipsi negare non possunt; sed Ariani negant.

21. Audivimus hodie dicentes eos, quibus manus imponebatur, neminem posse esse salvum, nisi qui in Patrem et Filium et Spiritum sanctum credidisset: illum mortuum, illum funereum, qui Spiritum sanctum negaret, qui Trinitatis omnipotentem virtutem non crederet. Confitetur hoc diabolus, sed Ariani nolunt fateri. Dicit diabolus: Sic torqueatur, 880 quemadmodum ipse a martyribus torquebatur, qui Spiritus sancti deitatem negaret.

22. Non accipio a diabolo testimonium, sed confessionem.  1025D Invitus dixit diabolus, sed exactus et tortus.  1026A Quod nequitia supprimit, extorquet injuria. Cedit diabolus plagis, et adhuc cedere nesciunt Ariani. Quanta perpessi sunt, et quemadmodum Pharao, malis suis indurantur? Dicebat diabolus, ut scriptum legimus:  Scio te quis sis, tu es Filius Dei vivi (Marc. I, 24). Dicebant Judaei:  Nescimus quis sit (Joan. IX, 29). Dicebant hodie et superiore die vel nocte daemones: Scimus quia martyres estis. Et Ariani dicunt: Nescimus, nolumus intelligere, nolumus credere. Dicunt daemones martyribus: Venistis perdere nos; Ariani dicunt: Non sunt daemonum vera tormenta, sec ficta et composita ludibria. Audivi multa componi, hoc nemo umquam fingere potuit, ut daemonem se esse simularet. Quid illud, quod ita exagitari eos videmus, quibus manus imponitur?  1026B Ubi hic locus fraudi est? ubi suspicio simulandi?

23. Sed non ego ad suffragium martyrum usurpo vocem daemoniorum. Beneficiis suis sacra passio comprobetur. Habet judices, sed purgatos: habet testes, sed absolutos. Melior vox est, quam sanitas loquitur eorum, qui debiles advenerunt: melior vox est, quam sanguis emittit; habet enim sanguis vocem canoram, quae de terris ad coelum pervenit. Legistis dicente Deo:  Sanguis fratris tui clamat ad me (Gen. IV, 10). Et hic sanguis clamat coloris indicio: sanguis clamat operationis praeconio: sanguis clamat passionis triumpho. Satisfactum est petitioni vestrae, ut condendas hesterno in hodiernum diem differremus reliquias.