Chapter XIV.

St. Ambrose explains that the flesh given to Satan for destruction is eaten by the serpent when the soul is set free from carnal desires. He gives, therefore, various rules for guarding the senses, points out the snares laid for us by means of pleasures, and exhorts his hearers not to fear the destruction of the flesh by the serpent.

68. The serpent eats this dust, if the Lord Jesus is favourable to us, that our spirit may not sympathize with the weakness of the flesh, nor be set on fire by the vapours of the flesh and the heat of our members. “It is better to marry than to burn,”108    1 Cor. vii. 9; Prov. vi. 27. for there is a flame which burns within. Let us not then suffer this fire to approach the bosom of our minds and the depths of our hearts, lest we burn up the covering of our inmost hearts, and lest the devouring fire of lust consume this outward garment of the soul and its fleshy veil, but let us pass through the fire.109    Isa. xliii. 2. And should any one fall into the fire of love let him leap over it and pass forth; let him not bind to himself adulterous lust with the bands of thoughts, let him not tie knots around himself by the fastenings of continual reflection, let him not too often turn his attention to the form of a harlot, and let not a maiden lift her eyes to the countenance of a youth. And if by chance she has looked and is caught, how much more will she be entangled if she gazes with curiosity.

69. Let custom itself teach us. A woman covers her face with a veil for this reason, that in public her modesty may be safe. That her face may not easily meet the gaze of a youth, let her be covered with the nuptial veil, so that not even in chance meetings she might be exposed to the wounding of another or of herself, though the wound of either were indeed hers. But if she cover her head with a veil that she may not accidentally see or be seen (for when the head is veiled the face is hidden), how much more ought she to cover herself with the veil of modesty, so as even in public to have her own secret place.

70. But granted that the eye has fallen upon another, at least let not the inward affection follow. For to have seen is no sin, but one must be careful that it be not the source of sin. The bodily eye sees, but let the eye of the heart be closed; let modesty of mind remain. We have a Lord Who is both strict and indulgent. The prophet indeed said: “Look not upon the beauty of a woman that is all harlot.”110    Possibly from Prov. v. condensed. But the Lord said: “Whoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”111    S. Matt. v. 28. He does not say, “Whosoever shall look hath committed adultery,” but “Whosoever shall look on her to lust after her.” He condemned not the look but sought out the inward affection. But that modesty is praiseworthy which has so accustomed itself to close the bodily eyes as often not to see what we really behold. For we seem to behold with the bodily sight whatever meets us; but if there be not joined to this any attention of the mind, the sight also, according to what is usual in the body, fades away, so that in reality we see rather with the mind than with the body.

71. And if the flesh has seen the flame, let us not cherish that flame in our bosoms, that is, in the depths of the heart and the inward part of the mind. Let us not instil this fire into our bones, let us not bind bonds upon ourselves, let us not join in conversation with such as may be the cause to us of unholy fires. The speech of a maiden is a snare to a youth, the words of a youth are the bonds of love.

72. Joseph saw the fire when the woman eager for adultery spoke to him.112    Gen. xxxix. 7. She wished to catch him with her words. She set the snares of her lips, but was not able to capture the chaste man. For the voice of modesty, the voice of gravity, the rein of caution, the care for integrity, the discipline of chastity, loosed the woman’s chains. So that unchaste person could not entangle him in her meshes. She laid her hand upon him; she caught his garment, that she might tighten the noose around him. The words of a lascivious woman are the snares of lust, and her hands the bonds of love; but the chaste mind could not be taken either by snares or by bonds. The garment was cast off, the bonds were loosed, and because he did not admit the fire into the bosom of his mind, his body was not burnt.

73. You see, then, that our mind is the cause of our guilt. And so the flesh is innocent, but is often the minister of sin. Let not, then, desire of beauty overcome you. Many nets and many snares are spread by the devil. The look of a harlot is the snare of him who loves her. Our own eyes are nets to us, wherefore it is written: “Be not taken with thine eyes.”113    Prov. vi. 25. So, then, we spread nets for ourselves in which we are entangled and hampered. We bind chains on ourselves, as we read: “For every one is bound with the chains of his own sins.”114    Prov. vi. 2 [LXX.] very loosely.

74. Let us then pass through the fires of youth and the glow of early years; let us pass through the waters, let us not remain therein, lest the deep floods shut us in. Let us rather pass over, that we too may say: “Our soul has passed over the stream,”115    Ps. cxxiv. [cxxiii.] 4. for he who has passed over is safe. And lastly, the Lord speaks thus: “If thou pass through the water, I am with thee, the rivers shall not overflow thee.”116    Isa. xliii. 2. And the prophet says: “I have seen the wicked exalted above the cedars of Libanus, and I passed by, and lo, he was not.” Pass by things of this world, and you will see that the high places of the wicked have fallen. Moses, too, passing by things of this world, saw a great sight and said: “I will turn aside and see this great sight,”117    Ex. iii. 3. for had he been held by the fleeting pleasures of this world he would not have seen so great a mystery.

75. Let us also pass over this fire of lust, fearing which Paul—but fearing for us, inasmuch as by buffeting his body he had come no longer to fear for himself—says to us: “Flee fornication.”118    1 Cor. vi. 18. Let us then flee it as though following us, though indeed it follows not behind us, but within our very selves. Let us then diligently take heed lest while we are fleeing from it we carry it with ourselves. For we wish for the most part to flee, but if we do not wholly cast it out of our mind, we rather take it up than forsake it. Let us then spring over it, lest it be said to us: “Walk ye in the flame of your fire, which ye have kindled for yourselves.”119    Isa. l. 11. For as he who “takes fire into his bosom burns his clothes,”120    Prov. vi. 27. so he who walks upon fiery coals must of necessity burn his feet, as it is written: “Can one walk upon coals of fire and not burn his feet?”121    Prov. vi. 28.

76. This fire is dangerous, let us then not feed it with the fuel of luxury. Lust is fed by feastings, nourished by delicacies, kindled by wine, and inflamed by drunkenness. Still more dangerous than these are the incentives of words, which intoxicate the mind as it were with a kind of wine of the vine of Sodom. Let us be on our guard against abundance of this wine, for when the flesh is intoxicated the mind totters, the heart wavers, the heart is carried to and fro. And so with regard to each that precept is useful wherein Timothy is warned: “Drink a little wine because of thy frequent infirmities.”122    1 Tim. v. 23. When the body is heated, it excites the glow of the mind; when the flesh is chilled with the cold of disease the spirit is chilled; when the body is in pain, the mind is sad, but the sadness shall become joy.

77. Do not then fear if your flesh be eaten away, the soul is not consumed. And so David says that he does not fear, because the enemy were eating up his flesh but not his soul, as we read: “When evil-doers come near upon me to eat up my flesh, my foes who trouble me, they were weakened and fell.”123    Ps. xxvii. 2. So the serpent works overthrow for himself alone, therefore is he who has been injured by the serpent given over to the serpent that he may raise up again him whom he cast down, and the overthrow of the serpent may be the raising again of the man. And Scripture testifies that Satan is the author of this bodily suffering and weakness of the flesh, where Paul says: “There was given unto me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted.”124    2 Cor. xii. 7. So Paul learned to heal even as he himself had been made whole.

CAPUT XIV.

Quod supra dixerit Ambrosius carnem ad interitum Satanae traditam a serpente comedi, hoc ita demum 0487Adocet fieri, si anima carnalibus cupiditatibus liberetur. Quamobrem multa praecipit ad oculorum mentisque custodiam necessaria: quae castissimi Josephi exemplo firmat: dehinc omnes ad retia quibus in voluptatis ignem trahimur, declinanda hortatus; ne timeamus quominus a serpente caro nostra edatur, suadet.

68. Hanc terram serpens manducat, si propitius est nobis Dominus Jesus, ut non compatiatur anima carnis debilitati, non accendatur vapore carnis, et calore membrorum. Bonum est nubere magis quam uri (I Cor. VII, 9); est enim flamma quae interna urit (Prov. VI, 27). Unde hunc ignem non alligemus in sinu mentis, et recessu pectoris, ne interioris nostri uramus exuvias, et forense hoc nostrae animae vestimentum, 0487B velamenque carnale edax libidinis flamma consumat, sed transeamus per ignem (Esai. XLIII, 2). Et si quis incidit amoris incendium, transiliat, et transeat: non alliget adulterinam cupiditatem vinculis cogitationum, nullos sibi nodos assiduae nexu meditationis astringat; non intendat saepius in formam mulieris meretricis, nec adolescentula ad vultum juvenis oculos levet. Et si fortuitu aspexit, et capta est; quanto magis capietur, si curiosa aspexit!

69. Vel consuetudo nos doceat. Ideo velamine obnubit caput suum mulier, ut etiam in publico tuta verecundia sit: non facile vultus ejus adolescentis oculis occurrat, nuptiali velamine tecta sit; ne vel fortuitis occursibus pateat ad vulnus vel alienum, vel 0487C suum: sed utrumque suum vulnus est. Quod si tegmine caput velat (I Cor. XI, 5 et seq.), ne temere aut videatur, aut videat (dum enim caput velatur, vultus absconditur), quanto magis velare se debet pudoris tegmine, ut etiam in publico habeat suum ipsa secretum!

70. Verum esto, inciderit oculus, sed non intendat affectus. Non enim vidisse crimen est, sed cavendum ne origo sit criminis. Videt carnalis oculus, sed premat cordis oculos, maneat mentis verecundia. Habemus moralem et indulgentem Dominum; dixit quidem propheta: Nolo intendas in formam mulieris fornicariae; sed tamen Dominus dixit: Qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, jam adulteravit eam in corde suo (Prov. V, 2). Non dixit: Si 0487D quis viderit, 409 adulteravit; sed: Si quis ad concupiscendum viderit, non aspectum obligavit, sed affectum quaesivit. Bonus tamen pudor, qui ipsos corporis oculos sic premere consuevit, ut saepe non videamus etiam quod videmus. Etenim specie aspicere videmur, quidquid occurrerit; sed si non misceatur animi intentio, hic quoque secundum carnis officium 0488A noster aspectus vanescit; ita plus videmus animo, quam corpore.

71. Et si viderit caro ignem, non alligemus ignem in sinu, hoc est, in secreto mentis, animique arcano. Non implicemus ignem hunc ossibus, non ipsi nobis nodos injiciamus; non misceamus sermonem aliquem cum hujusmodi, unde exaestuet ignis adulterinus. Sermo juvenculae nodus adolescentium est: verba adolescentis vincula sunt amoris.

72. Vidit hunc ignem Joseph, quando eum adulterii cupida mulier allocuta est (Gen. XXXIX, 7); voluit eum capere sermone, misit laqueos labiorum suorum, sed pudicum virum ligare non potuit. Solvit enim vincula mulieris vox pudoris, sermo gravitatis, habena cautelae, fidei custodia, castimoniae 0488B disciplina. Capere igitur eum retibus suis impudica non potuit: misit manum, et apprehendit vestem ejus, ut nodo stringeret. Verba petulantis mulieris cupiditatum retia sunt, manus ejus amoris nodus est (Prov. VII, 21): sed nec retibus capi potuit mens pudica, nec nodo: excussa vestis, solutus est nodus; et ideo quia non alligavit ignem in sinu mentis suae, non combussit corpus suum.

73. [Alias cap. XIV.] Vides ergo, quia animus noster culpae est auctor? Itaque innocens caro, sed plerumque peccati ministra. Ergo non te vincat formae concupiscentia. Multa retia tenduntur a diabolo, multi laquei. Oculus meretricis laqueus amatoris est. Ipsi nobis oculi nostri retia sunt; et ideo scriptum est: Neque capiaris oculis tuis (Prov. VI, 25). Ipsi 0488C nobis ergo tendimus retia, quibus involvimur et implicamur. Ipsi nobis vincula nectimus, sicut legimus: Quia vinculis peccatorum suorum unusquisque constringitur (Prov. VI, 2).

74. Et ideo transeamus ignem adolescentiae, ardoremque juvenilis aetatis: transeamus aquam, non remaneamus in aqua; ne flumina nos profunda concludant. Transeamus magis, ut et nos dicamus: Torrentem pertransivit anima nostra (Psal. CXXIII, 5); qui enim transit, salvus est. Denique Dominus sic ait: Si transeas per aquam, tecum sum, flumina te non concludent (Esai. XLIII, 2); et Propheta dicit: Vidi impium superexaltatum ultra cedros Libani: et transivi, et ecce non erat (Psal. XXXVI, 35, 36). Transi saecularia, et cecidisse aspicies altitudines impiorum. 0488D Moyses quoque transiens saecularia flumina, vidit visum magnum, et ait: Transiens videbo hoc visum (Exod. III, 3); si enim fuisset in corporis vitiis et saeculi istius lubricis voluptatibus, tanta non vidisset mysteria.

75. Transeamus ergo et nos ignem hunc libidinis, quem timens Paulus, sed nobis timens, qui castigando 0489A corpus suum, fecerat ut jam 410 non timeret sibi, dicit nobis: Fugite fornicationem (I Cor. VI, 18). Fugiamus ergo tamquam sequentem, quae non post nos, sed in nobis sequitur nosmetipsos. Ergo videamus diligenter, ne dum illam fugimus, nobiscum eam portemus. Volumus enim plerumque fugere, sed si non penitus eam de nostro excutimus animo, tollimus eam magis, quam relinquimus. Transiliamus ergo eam, ne nobis dicatur: Ambulate in igne flammae vestrae, quem accendistis vobis (Esai. L, 11). Quoniam sicut ille qui alligat ignem in sinu vestimenta comburit (Prov. VI, 27); sic qui ambulat super ignem, pedes comburat necesse est; quoniam scriptum est: Ambulabit quis super carbones ignis, pedes autem non comburet (Prov. I, 28)?

0489B 76. Gravis ignis est, et ideo non demus illi alimenta luxuriae. Pascitur libido conviviis, nutritur deliciis, vino accenditur, ebrietate inflammatur. Graviora his sunt fomenta verborum, quae vino quodam Sodomitanae vitis mentem inebriant. Caveamus tamen et hujus abundantiam vini; ubi enim caro inebriatur, mens titubat, animus vacillat, cor fluctuat. Et ideo ad utrumque utile praeceptum est, quo monetur Timotheus: vino modico utere propter frequentes tuas infirmitates (I Tim. V, 23). Cum calet corpus, trahit vaporem: cum alget morbi frigore caro, refrigeratur anima tua: cum dolet corpus tuum, tristis est mens tua, sed tristitia tua in gaudium veniet.

77. Noli ergo timere si manducetur caro tua, anima tua non devoratur. Ideo David non timere se dicit; 0489C quia carnem ejus, non animam inimici edebant, sicut legimus: Dum appropinquant super me nocentes, ut edant carnes meas: qui tribulant me inimici mei, ipsi infirmati sunt, et ceciderunt (Psal. XXVI, 2). Ruinam igitur solam facit sibi serpens; ideo serpenti traditur, qui a serpente elisus est; ut quem dejecit, hunc erigat: et fiat ruina serpentis hominis resurrectio. Satanam autem corporalis hujus contritionis et carnalis auctorem debilitatis Scriptura ostendit, Paulo dicente: Datus est mihi stimulus carnis meae angelus Satanae, qui me colaphizet, ut non extollar (II Cor. XII, 7). Sic ergo curare Paulus didicit, quemadmodum ipse sanatus est.