LETTER XXXVII. [A.D.387.]

Simplician, to whom this and the following Letters, and several later ones, are addressed, seems, from what little we know of him, to have been a very learned and yet simple-minded man. He was older than S. Ambrose, who speaks in this Letter of his 'fatherly love' towards himself, and was probably his adviser in the early days of his episcopate, and possibly, as the Benedictine Editors, (note on Letter lxv,) suggest, his 'father in the faith,' as having prepared him for his ordination, or even taught him as a catechumen at Rome in earlier days. Paulinus tells us that when S. Ambrose was on his death-bed he overheard some of his Clergy discussing the probabilities as to his successor, and when they mentioned Simplician's name, he said, "as if he were taking part in the conversation, 'An old man, but a good one.'" Certainly Simplician was unanimously chosen his successor.

In this Letter he dwells in detail upon the theme that goodness is true freedom and sin slavery, which he illustrates at great length and with much rarity of argument. It is one of the most interesting of his expository Letters.

AMBROSE TO SIMPLICIAN, GREETING.

1. When we were lately conversing together, in the intimacy of an old-standing affection, you let me see that you were much pleased by my taking a passage from the writings of the Apostle Paul to preach upon to the people. You said further that this was the case, because the depth of his counsels is difficult to grasp, while the loftiness of his sentiment rouses the audience, and stimulates the preacher; and also because his discourses are so fully, for the most part, the interpreters of his meaning, that the expounder of them finds nothing to add of his own, and, if he would say ought, fills the part of a critic rather than of a preacher.

2. However since I recognize herein the feelings of long friendship, and what is still more precious, the tenderness of your paternal regard, (for in length of attachment many may participate, but in paternal love they cannot;) since moreover you consider that I have already done what you ask satisfactorily, I will comply with what you desire, and that the more, as I am admonished and stimulated by my own example, an example not difficult for me to follow, since I shall imitate no great one, but myself only, thus returning to my own humble customs.

3. As to the plan pursued in my discourse, seeing that the image and character of the blessed life is delineated therein, I think I have so arranged the argument of it that it will not be disapproved by others, certainly not by yourself who are so partial to me, although it is more difficult to satisfy your judgment than theirs, only your affection softens its severity and renders it more indulgent to me.

4. Now this Letter, written as it is in your absence, has for its subject the sentence of the Apostle Paul, who calls us from slavery into liberty, saying,  Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men, shewing that our liberty lies in the knowledge of wisdom. This opinion has been bandied to and fro by philosophers in energetic discussions, while they assert that every wise man is free and every fool a slave.

5. But this was said long before by the son of David,  The fool changeth as the moon. The wise man on the other hand is not dispirited by fear, nor changed by power, nor exalted by prosperity, nor cast down by sadness; for where wisdom is, there also is strength of mind, constancy, and fortitude. Now the wise man remains the same in mind, neither depressed nor exalted by the vicissitudes of things, he is not  tossed to and fro as a child, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, but continues perfect in Christ, grounded in charity, rooted in faith. Hence he is not conscious of failure, he knows not the various losses which befal the soul, but  shall shine forth as the Sun of righteousness Who shines in the kingdom of His Father. 

6. But let us now consider from what source Philosophy more fully derived this, from what discipline and wisdom of the Patriarchs. Did it not come first from Noah who, perceiving that his son Ham had foolishly derided the nakedness of his father, cursed him in these words,  Cursed be Ham   ^{04-19  19. 1 Canaan E.V.} ,  a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren, and set his brethren as lords over him, seeing that they had wisely deemed their fathers old age worthy of honour?

7. Did not also that source of all good discipline, Jacob, who on account of his wisdom was preferred to his elder brother, instil into the breasts of all the riches of this copious subject? So also the pious father, whose paternal affection was equally strong towards his two sons, although his judgment varied, (for while the ties of blood sway the affections, our judgments are formed according to desert,) and who therefore dispensed to the one grace, to the other mercy, to the wise grace, to the foolish mercy, seeing that Esau could not raise himself to virtue by his own proper strength nor make progress spontaneously, blessed him in rendering him the subject and servant of his brother, shewing thereby that folly was so much worse than slavery that slavery itself is a remedy for it; because a fool cannot govern himself, and unless he has some director he falls by his own will.

8. His father therefore, loving him and careful for his welfare, made him the servant of his brother that he might be ruled by his counsels. And thus wise rulers are given to an indiscreet nation, that by their vigour they may guide the weakness of the people, ruling them by a show of power, and by this weight of authority constraining them against their wills to obey those wiser than themselves, and to submit to the laws. On the foolish son therefore he laid a yoke as on one untamed, and to him who had said he would live by his sword he denied even freedom; that he might not fall away through presumption he set his brother over him, that being subdued by his authority and governance he might make progress towards conversion. And since there are two kinds of service, (for that which proceeds from necessity is weaker, that from free will stronger, for that good is more transcendent which proceeds not from necessity but from free will,) he therefore first laid upon him the yoke of necessity, and afterwards imparted to him the blessing of voluntary subjection.

9. It is not then nature which makes a person a slave, but folly; not manumission which sets free, but discipline. Esau was born free, and was made a servant, Joseph was sold into slavery, and then elected to power, to rule over those who bought him. He disdained not to be sedulous and obedient, but he maintained the height of virtue, he preserved the liberty of innocence, the dignity of integrity. The Psalmist therefore says well,  Joseph was sold to be a bond-servant; they humbled his feet in fetters. He was sold, it is said,  to be a bond-servant, but they could not make him a bond-servant;  they humbled his feet, not his soul.

10. For how was that soul humbled of which it is said:  His soul pierced the iron? For while sin pierces the souls of others, (for  the iron means sin, which has a penetrating power,) the soul of holy Joseph was so far from being vulnerable by sin that it pierced through sin itself. The blandishments of his mistress' charms moved him not, and with reason was he insensible to the flames of lust, seeing that he was consumed by the brighter fire of Divine grace. It is therefore well said of him also,  The word of the Lord inflamed him; for thereby  he quenched the fiery darts of the Devil. 

11. How was he a bond-servant who directed the princes of the people to store up the corn, that thus they might forestall and provide for future dearth? Or how was he a bond-servant, who gained the whole land, and reduced all the Egyptians to bondage? And this, not in order to impose upon them the condition of an ignoble bondage, but that he might establish a tribute from all but the lands of the priesthood, which he preserved free from tribute, that among the Egyptians also respect for the priesthood might be held inviolable.

12. His being sold then did not make him a slave; for though of a truth he was sold to merchants, yet, if you regard price merely, you will find many who have bought for themselves maidens of an elegant form, and then, captivated by love, have basely enslaved themselves to them.  Apame the concubine of King Darius was once seen sitting at his right hand, taking his diadem off his head, and placing it on her own, and with the palm of her left hand striking his face, while the King gazed upon her with open mouth, glad if she would only smile upon him, and thinking himself miserable and afflicted if she scorned him, laying aside his authority, and seeking to soothe and persuade her to be reconciled to him. 

13. But why should I quote this at so great a length? Do we not often see parents who have been made slaves by pirates or cruel barbarians ransomed by their children? Are then the laws of mercy more powerful than the laws of nature? Is natural affection produced in slavery? People often buy lions and yet have no mastery over them, nay are so much their slaves that if they see them becoming enraged and shaking out their manes on their brawny necks, they run away and hide themselves. Money then determines nothing, for it often buys masters over itself, nor do catalogues of auctions, for by them the purchaser himself is often sold and allotted to another. A contract of sale does not change a man's nature, nor deprive wisdom of her liberty. Many free men, as it is written, serve a wise servant, and  there is a wise slave, who governs foolish masters. 

14. Whom then do you consider as more truly free? Wisdom alone is free, she sets the poor over the rich, and makes the servants lend at usury to their own masters; lend, that is, not money but understanding, lend the talent of that Divine and eternal Treasure which is never wasted, the mere loan of which is precious: to lend that mystical money of the heavenly oracles of which the Law says,  Thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow. This the Jew lent to the Gentiles, for he received not instruction from them but imparted it; to him the Lord opened His treasures, that He might moisten the Gentiles with the dew of His Word, and might become the Head of the nations, while He Himself had no head over Him.

15. He then who is wise is free, bought with the price of the heavenly oracles, with that gold, that silver of the Divine Word; bought with the price of blood (for it is no small tiling to acknowledge one's Redeemer;) bought with the price of Grace: he who heard and understood the words,  Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and drink and eat. 

16. He is free who going forth to war, if he have seen a beautiful woman, and when he spoils his enemies' goods has found her among them and  has a desire unto her, takes her to wife, having first  shaved her head and pared her nails,   and taken off from her the raiment of her captivity, taking her no longer as a slave but free, for he understands that prudence and discipline are not liable to a state of bondage. And therefore the Law says,  Thou shalt not sell her at all for money, for truly she is above all price. And Job says,  Take   ^{04-20  20. a The Vulgate has, 'Trahitur antem sapientia de occultis.' The B. V. is, 'The price of wisdom is above rubies.'}  wisdom into thine inmost parts. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, for it is more precious than gold and silver.

17. Freedom therefore is not his alone who has never had the auctioneer for his master, nor seen him raising his finger, but he is more truly free, who is free within himself, who is free by the laws of nature, knowing that this law has a moral not merely an arbitrary sanction, and that the measure of its obligations is in accordance not with the will of man but with the discipline of nature. Does such a person therefore seem to you free merely? Does he not rather appear to you in the light of a censor and director of morals? Hence the Scripture says truly that  the poor shall be set over the rich, and private men over those who administer the state   ^{04-21  21. b This is referred by the Benedictine Editors to Prov. xxii. 7. but it does not agree with either the Sept. or Vulgate.} .

18. Think you that he is free who buys votes with money, who courts the applause of the people more than the approbation of the wise? Is he free who is swayed by the popular breath, who dreads the hisses of the populace? That is not liberty which he who is manumitted receives, which he obtains as a gift from the blow of the lictor's palm. For it is not munificence but virtue that I hold to constitute liberty; liberty, which is not bestowed by the suffrages of others, but is won and possessed by a man's own greatness of mind. For a wise man is always free, always honoured, always one who presides over the laws.  For the law is not made for the righteous but for the unrighteous, for the just man is a law unto himself, having no need to fetch for himself from a distance the form of virtue, seeing that he bears it within his heart, having  the works of the law written on the tablets of his heart, to whom it is said,  Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. For what is so near to us as the Word of God? This word is in our hearts, and in our mouth; we see it not, and yet possess it.

19. The wise man therefore is free, for he who does that which he wills is free. But it is not every will that is good, but it is the part of a wise man to will all things which are good, for he hates what is evil, having chosen that which is good. If therefore he has chosen what is good, he whose choice is free and who has chosen what he will do is free, for he does what he wills to do: the wise man therefore is free. All that the wise man does he does well. But he that does all things well does all things rightly, and he that does all things rightly does them all without offence or reproach, without causing disturbance or loss to himself. Whoever then has this power of doing all things without offence or reproach, without loss or disturbance to himself, does nothing foolishly but does all things wisely. For he who acts wisely has nothing to fear, for fear is in sin. But where no fear is, there is liberty, and where liberty is, there is the power of doing what one wishes: the wise man therefore alone is free.

20. He who can neither be compelled nor forbidden is no slave; now it belongs to the wise man to be neither compelled nor forbidden; the wise man, therefore, is not a slave. Now he is forbidden who does not execute what he desires, but what does the wise man desire but the things which belong to virtue and discipline, without which he cannot exist? For they subsist in him, and cannot be separated from him. But if they are separated from him he is no longer wise, seeing that he is without the use and discipline of virtue, of which he would deprive himself if he were not the voluntary interpreter of virtue. But if he be constrained, it is manifest that he acts unwillingly. Now in all actions there are either corrections proceeding from virtue, or falls proceeding from malice, or things between the two and indifferent. The wise man follows virtue not compulsorily but voluntarily, for all things that are pleasing he does, as flying from malice, and admits not so much as a dream of it. So far is he from being moved by things indifferent, that no forces have the power to move him hither and thither as they do the herd of men, but his mind hangs as in a balance in equal scales, so that it neither inclines to pleasure, nor in any respect directs its desires however slightly to things which ought to be avoided, but remains unmoved in its affections. Whence it appears that the wise man does nothing unwillingly or by compulsion, because were he a slave he would be so compelled; the wise man therefore is free.

21. The Apostle likewise gives this definition, saying,  Am I not an Apostle, am I not free? Truly he was so free that when certain persons had  come in privily to spy out his liberty, he  gave place, as he himself says,  by subjection, no not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might be preached. He therefore who yielded not preached voluntarily. Where free will is, there is the reward of free will; where obligation is, there is the service of obligation. Free will therefore is better than obligation; to will is the part of the wise man, to obey and to serve is the part of the fool.

22. This is also the Apostle's definition, who says,  For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward : but if against my will a dispensation is committed to me. On the wise man therefore a reward is conferred, but the wise man acts willingly, according to the Apostle therefore the wise man is free. Wherefore he also exclaims,  Ye have been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh. He separates the Christian from the Law, that he may not seem to yield to the Law against his will; he calls him to the Gospel, which the willing both preach and practise. The Jew is under the Law, the Christian is by the Gospel; in the Law is bondage, in the Gospel, where is the knowledge of wisdom, is liberty. Every one therefore who receives Christ is wise, and he who is wise is free, every Christian therefore is both wise and free.

23. But the Apostle has taught me something even beyond freedom itself, namely that to serve is real freedom,  Though I be free from all, he says,  yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. What is that which surpasses liberty but to have the Spirit of grace, to have charity? Liberty renders us free to men, but charity genders us beloved by God. Wherefore Christ also says,  But I have called you friends. Good indeed is charity; whereof it is said,  By love of the Spirit   04-22  22. c τοῦ πνεύματος is inserted in a few MSS, and Spirit us is in the Vulgate.  serve one another. Christ also became a servant that He might make all free.  His hands served in the baskets: He Who  thought it not robbery to be equal with God, took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made all things to all men, that He might bring salvation to all. Following this example, Paul was both, as it were, under the Law, and lived without the Law, for the benefit of those whom he desired to gain: to the weak he voluntarily became weak that he might strengthen them;  he ran so as to obtain, he kept under his body that he might be victorious over heavenly powers in Christ. 

24. To the wise man therefore even bondage is freedom; whence we may gather that even to be in power is bondage to the fool, and what is worse, while he rules over a few, he serves more and severer masters. For he serves his own passions, his own lusts, their tyranny he can escape neither by night nor day, for he carries these masters within his own breast, and suffers within himself an intolerable bondage. For there is a double bondage, one of the body, another of the soul; now the lords of the body are men, but the lords of the soul are evil dispositions and passions, from which liberty of the mind alone frees the wise man and enables him to depart from his bondage.

25. Let us seek therefore that truly wise man, that truly free man, who although he live under the dominion of many, says freely,  Who is he that will plead with me? from Whose sight I shall not be able to hide myself, only do Thou withdraw Thy hand far from me, and let not Thy dread make me afraid. 

26. And King David, who followed him, said,  Against Thee only have I sinned. For being supported by the royal dignity, and being, so to speak, master of the laws, he was not subject to them but was liable to God alone, Who is the Lord of hosts.

27. Hear another free man;  But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment : yea, I judge not mine own self, for I know nothing  against myself, ....  but He that judgeth me is the Lord. The freedom of the spiritual man is a true freedom, because  he judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man, because he knows himself to be subject to nothing which has any participation in the creature, but to God alone, Who only is without sin, of Whom Job also says,  God liveth Who hath taken away my judgment, for the just man can only be judged by Him  in Whose sight the heavens are not clean, nor the light of the stars pure and clean. 

28. Will any one bring forward those verses of Sophocles which say 'Jupiter, and no mortal man is ruler over me?' How much more ancient is Job, how much older is David? Let them acknowledge then that they have borrowed from us the more excellent of their sayings.

29. Who then is wise but he who has arrived at the very mysteries of the Godhead, and has known the hidden things of wisdom to be manifested to him. He then alone is wise who has taken God as his guide, to conduct him to the secret resting-place of truth, and although but a mortal man has become by grace the heir and successor of the eternal God, and partaker, as it were, of His sweetness, as it is written,  Wherefore God, even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 

30. Now if any man will examine more closely these matters, he will perceive what great assistance the wise man finds and what great obstacles the foolish, in the very same things; that to the one freedom is an aid, to the other bondage is an impediment. For the wise man rises as a conqueror, having vanquished and triumphed over lust, fear, sloth, sadness and other vices. This he does until he casts them out from the possession of his mind, driving and excluding them from all its bounds and limits, for as a cautious general he knows how to guard against the incursions of robbers, and those hostile stratagems which the wicked enemies of our soul are frequently attempting with their fiery darts; for we have both wars in peace and peace in war. Whence also he says,  Without were fightings, within were fears. But  in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. He says this because he was terrified neither by straits nor persecutions, nor hunger, nor danger, nor death.

31. But he who fears these things, who dreads death, how is he not a slave? Truly he is a slave, and that in a miserable bondage; for nothing so subjects the mind to all kind of bondage as the fear of death. For how can the abject and vile and ignoble sense raise itself up, when it is deeply sunk in the pit of corruption, through the lusts of this life. Behold, how much he is a slave:  I shall be hid, he says,  and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth, and it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me.  Therefore as a slave he received a sign, but even thus he could not escape death. Thus the sinner is a slave to fear, to cupidity, to avarice, to lust, to malice, to anger, nay, he is a greater slave than if he were set under tyrants.

32. But they are free who live by the laws. Now true law is right reason, true law not sculptured on tablets, nor engraved in brass, but impressed on the mind, and fixed in the senses; for the wise man is not under the law, but is a law unto himself, bearing the work of the Law in his heart, inscribed and formed therein by a kind of pen natural to himself. Are we then so blind as not to see the manifest characters of things, and the images of virtues? And how unworthy is it that whole nations should obey human laws, that they may become thereby partakers of liberty : but that wise men should neglect and abandon the true law of nature formed according to the image of God, and true reason, the sign-bearer of liberty; since there is so much liberty therein, that when children we are unconscious of any bondage to vice, being removed from anger, free from avarice, ignorant of lust. How miserable therefore, that we who are born in liberty should die in bondage!

33. But this arises from the levity of our mind and the infirmity of our character; because we are occupied by idle cares, and superfluous actions: but the heart of the wise man, his works and deeds, ought to be stedfast and immoveable. Moses taught us this, when his hands became heavy, so that Joshua the son of Nun could scarcely hold them up. And therefore the people were victorious when works not of a perfunctory kind, but full of gravity and virtue were being carried on, not the works of a mind unsteady, and staggering to and fro in its affections, but of one firmly rooted and established. The wise man therefore stretches out his hands, but the fool draws them together, as it is written,  The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh , meditating on carnal more than spiritual things. But not so did that daughter of Juda, who stretched forth her hands and cried to the Lord,  Thou knowest thai they have borne false witness against me. She thought it better not to sin and to incur the calumnies of her accusers, than to commit sin under the veil of impunity. And by the contempt of death she preserved her innocence. Not so, either, the daughter of Jepthah, who by her own consent confirmed and even encouraged her father's vow concerning her own immolation.

34. For I will not produce the books of philosophers on the contempt of death, or the gymnosophists of the Indians, of whom the answer of Calanus  04-23  23. a The story of Calanus and Alexander is related in Arian vii.2. It is also more briefly alluded to by Putarch. Alex. 65. Neither writer mentions this letter. to Alexander, when he commanded him to follow him, is especially commended. 'To what praise' said he 'do you consider me entitled, that you require me to travel to Greece, if I can be compelled to do that to which my will consents not?' A reply truly full of dignity, and yet his mind was more full of liberty. He wrote this letter also.

CALANUS TO ALEXANDER.

35. "Your friends persuade you to lay hands and even constraint on the Indian philosophers, not even in their dreams beholding our works. Our bodies you may remove from place to place, our souls you cannot compel to do what they do not will, no more than wood or stone to utter sounds. A great fire burns pain into living bodies and begets corruption; on this fire we are, for we are burning alive. There is neither king nor prince who can compel us to do what we have not determined to do. Nor are we like the philosophers of Greece, who have conceived words rather than realities, in order to give celebrity to their opinions; in our case realities are associated with words and words with realities; our acts are swift and our discourses short, we enjoy a delightful freedom in the exercise of virtue."

36 and 37. Excellent words, but still words; excellent constancy, but that of a man; excellent letter, but that of a philosopher. But amongst us, even maidens through desire of death have mounted even up to heaven by the lofty steps of virtue. Why should I mention Thecla, Agnes, or Pelagia, who sprouting forth as noble tendrils  ^{04-24  24. 1 vibulamina. Gr. μοσχεύματα.} have hastened to death as if to immortality? The virgin exulted among lions, and dauntlessly beheld the roaring beasts. And to compare our history with that of the Indian philosophers, what Calanus boasted in words holy Laurence proved by his acts, for he was burnt alive, and surviving the flames said, 'Turn me and eat me.' Nor did the youths of the race of Abraham  04-25  25. 2 i. e. the three children in the furnace. or the sons of the Maccabees strive less boldly; the former sung while in the midst of the flames, and the latter, during their punishment, asked not to be spared, but reproached their persecutor in order to enrage him more. The wise man therefore is free.

38. But what can be more sublime than holy Pelagia, who was surrounded by persecutors, but before she came into their presence said; 'I die willingly, no man shall touch me, no one with wanton look shall defile my chastity, I will carry away with me my modesty, my honour untainted; these ruffians shall reap no profit from their insolence. Pelagia will follow Christ, no man shall deprive her of her liberty, no man shall see her free faith made captive, her illustrious chastity, her inheritance of wisdom. What is enslaved shall remain here, not amenable to any duty.' Great therefore is the freedom of that pious virgin, who encircled by her persecutors gave way not the least in the midst of these great dangers to her integrity and her life.

39. But he is not free over whom anger reigns, for he is subject to the yoke of sin; for  an angry man diggeth out sin, and,  Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin. Neither is he free who is enslaved to avarice, for he cannot possess his vessel. Neither is he free who seeing his desires and pleasures, fluctuates in his devious course. He is not free who is bowed down by ambition, for he obeys the rule of another. But he is free who is able to say,  All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient, all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meals for the belly, and the belly for   meats. He is free who says,  For why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? 

40. Liberty therefore belongs to the wise man not to the fool; for  he who binds a stone in a sling is like him who giveth honour to a fool, for he wounds himself, and while brandishing his dart chiefly endangers his own body. Certainly as he is stung by the sling, and by the falling of the stone the evil is increased, so the fall of a fool when he is set at liberty is more rapid. Wherefore the power of a fool is rather to be retrenched than any new liberty added, for slavery is suitable for him. And therefore it is added,  As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. For as he is wounded by his cups, so is the fool by his deeds. The one by drinking involves himself in sin, the other by acting subjects himself to censure, and by his deeds is drawn into bondage. Paul saw himself  brought into captivity by the taw of sin, and therefore, in order to be freed, he fled to the grace of liberty.

41. Fools then are not free, for it is said to them,  Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding, whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle lest they fall upon thee. Great plagues remain for the ungodly;  for they have need of these, in order that their folly may be restrained. It is good discipline which requires this, not severity. Further,  he that spareth his rod hateth his son: for a man's own sins scourge him still more severely. For heavy is the weight of crime, heavy the scourges of sin; they are heavy as a sore burthen, they inflict wounds upon the soul, and make the ulcers of the mind to stink.

42. Wherefore let us lay aside this grievous burthen of slavery, let us renounce sensuality, and the evil delights which bind us with the bonds, as it were, of lusts, and fetter us with chains. For these delights profit not the fool, and whoever has given himself to them from his boyhood will abide in bondage; living he will be as dead. Let sensuality then be cut down, let evil delights be pruned away, and let him who has been wanton bid farewell to his former courses. For the vine which has been cut down bears fruit, that which has been partly pruned puts forth leaves, that which has been neglected grows too luxuriantly. Therefore it is written,  Like a field is the foolish man, and like a vineyard the man void of understanding; if you leave him alone, he will become desolate. Let us then tend this body of ours, let us chasten it, let us reduce it to subjection, let us not neglect it.

43. For our members are  instruments of righteousness, they are also  instruments of sin. If they are raised upwards, they are instruments of righteousness, that sin should not reign in them: if our body has died to sin, transgression will not reign therein, and our members will be free from sin. Let us not therefore obey its lusts, nor  yield our members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. If you have looked upon a woman to lust after her, your members are the instruments of sin. If you have spoken and solicited her, your tongue and your mouth are instruments of sin. If you have removed the landmarks which your fathers set up, your members are instruments of sin. If you have hasted  with swift feet to shed the blood of the innocent, your members ars instruments of sin.

44. On the other hand, if you have seen a poor man, and taken him into your house, your members are instruments of righteousness. If you have rescued one who was suffering wrong, or one who was being led to execution; if you have cancelled the bond of the debtor, your members are instruments of righteousness. If you have confessed Christ (for  the lips of knowledge are the instruments of understanding, ) your lips are the members of righteousness. He who can say,  I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame, I was a father to the poor, his members are members of righteousness.

45. Being therefore set free from sin, and redeemed, as it were, at the price of the Blood of Christ, let us not be made subject to the bondage of men or of passion. Let us not blush to confess our sins. Behold how free he was who could say,  I   feared not the multitude of the people; that I should not confess my sin in the sight of all. For he that confesses his sin is released from servitude, and  the just accuses himself in the beginning of his speech. Not only the free but the just man also; but justice is in liberty and liberty in confession, for as soon as a man shall confess he is absolved. Lastly,  I   said I will confess my sins unto the Lord, and so Thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin. The delay of absolution depends on confessing, the remission of sins follows closely on confession. He therefore is wise who confesses; he is free whose sin is remitted, for he contracts now no debt of guilt. Farewell: love me as indeed you do, for I also love you.

EPISTOLA XXXVII.

 Cum SIMPLICIANUS AMBROSIO  testatus esset eum utiliter facturum, si quid ex Apostolo dissereret apud populum, ipsius voluntati se hoc daturum spondet sanctus vir, maxime cum amicum in eo judicem sibi futurum noscat. Itaque mittit ad eum, quod eodem absente disputaverat, scilicet libertatem nostram in sapientia positam esse: quam sententiam a philosophis ambitiose jactatam dicit. Hanc tamen a Patribus proditam cum ex Salomone astruit, tum exemplis Jacobi ac Josephi. Ex his ostendit non venditione servum, at sapientia liberum quemque fieri. Hinc   1084A  demonstrato quis liber, an secus, eum solum definit sui juris esse, qui non cogitur; unde colligit servire cum libertate interdum jungi. Sub haec sequuntur vere liberorum quaedam exempla et descriptiones, quibus subditur libertate hunc demum frui, qui vivat ex legibus. Deinde nonnullis contra philosophos disputatis, eorum heroibus Christianos opponit. Ac tandem ubi confirmavit eos, qui pravis affectibus serviunt, liberos non esse; quomodo membra nostra justitiae serviant, docet. 

AMBROSIUS SIMPLICIANO salutem.

1. Proxime cum veteris amoris usu familiaris inter nos sermo caederetur, delectari te insinuasti mihi, cum aliquid de Pauli apostoli scriptis coram populo ad disputandum assumerem; quod ejus profundum  1084B in consiliis vix comprehendatur, sublime in sententiis audientem erigat, disputantem accendat: tum quia in plerisque ita se ipse suis exponat sermonibus, ut is qui tractat, nihil inveniat quod adjiciat suum; ac si velit aliquid dicere, grammatici magis quam disputatoris fungatur munere.

931 2. In eo tamen quoniam et veteris affectum amicitiae, et quod plus est, paternae gratiae amorem recognosco (nam vetustas habet aliquid cum pluribus consociabile, patrius amor non habet) tum quia non jejune me fecisse jam, quod postulas, arbitratus es, parebo voluntati tuae, admonitus praesertim, et provocatus exemplo meo, quod mihi non difficillimum; quia non magnum aliquem, sed me ipsum imitabor, cum in meos non magnos aliquos usus revertor.

 1084C 3. Et de consiliis quidem, cum beatae vitae imago atque effigies nostro sermone exprimeretur, putamus eam factam complexionem, ut pluribus fortasse aliis, tibi certe amanti nostri non improbemur; licet difficilius sit tuo judicio, quam plurium non displicere: sed judicii pondus affectu ablevas, coque mihi blandior.

4. Haec autem epistola, quoniam te absentem offendit, de sententiis Pauli est apostoli, qui nos a servitute in libertatem vocat dicens:  Pretio  empti estis, nolite fieri servi hominum (I Cor. VII, 23), ostendens libertatem nostram in cognitione esse sapientiae.  1085A Quae sententia magno a philosophis fluctuata atque jactata est disputationis molimine, dicentibus quia omnis sapiens liber, omnis autem insipiens serviat.

5. Sed multo hoc prius David filius dixit, qui ait:  Stultus sicut luna mutatur (Eccl. XXVII, 12). Sapiens enim non metu frangitur, non potestate mutatur, non attollitur prosperis, non tristibus mergitur; ubi enim sapientia, ibi virtus animi, ibi constantia et fortitudo. Sapiens ergo idem est animo, non minuitur, non augetur rerum mutationibus: nec ut parvulus fluctuat, ut circumferatur omni vento doctrinae, sed manet perfectus in Christo, fundatus charitate, radicatus fide. Sapiens ergo defectus rerum ignorat, et varios animi casus nescit: sed fulgebit  1085B sicut sol justitiae, qui in regno Patris sui fulget (Matth. XIII, 43).

6. Unde tamen hoc plenius hauserit Philosophia, de qua Patrum disciplina et prudentia, consideremus. Nonne primus Noe, cum advertisset quia insipienter filius suus Cham riserat nudatum patrem, maledixit ei, dicens:  Maledictus Cham, servus domesticus erit fratribus suis (Gen. IX, 25); et praeposuit ei fratres ejus dominos, qui sapienter patris senectutem honorandam putarunt?

7. Nonne etiam fons ille disciplinarum omnium Jacob, ubertatem disputationis hujus omnium pectoribus infudit, qui sapientiae merito praelatus est fratri seniori (Gen. XXVII, 29)? Denique pater pius, 932 qui inter duos filios affectu certaret paterno,  1085C sed discreparet judicio (affectus enim necessitudine defertur, meritis autem judicia formantur) cum divideret alteri gratiam, alteri misericordiam: sapienti gratiam, insipienti misericordiam; quia ad virtutem se propriis viribus erigere non poterat, nec spontaneum gressum attollere, benedixit eum, ut serviret fratri suo, et esset ipsius servus, ostendens ita deteriorem esse servitute insipientiam, ut remedio ei servitus sit; quia stultus regere se non potest, et nisi moderatorem habeat, praecipitatur propriis voluntatibus.

8. Diligens ergo pater et consulens, servum eum fratris sui fecit, ut ejus regeretur consilio. Ideo inconsultis populis sapientes quique adhibentur rectores, qui plebeiam insipientiam vigore proprio  1085D regant; ut potentiae specie dominentur, quo  1086A vel invitos auctoritate potestatis subjiciant ad obediendum prudentioribus, et obsequendum legibus. Imposuit igitur insipienti velut indomito jugum, et cui in gladio suo vivendum dixerat, libertatem negavit; ne temeritate laberetur, praefecit ei fratrem, cujus auctoritate et moderatione subjectus proficeret ad conversionem. Et quia servitus habet discretionem (est enim necessitatis infirmior, voluntatis fortior; quia pulchrius est bonum, quod non ex necessitate fit, sed ex voluntate) ideo ei primo jugum imposuit necessitatis, postea benedictionem ei voluntariae subjectionis impertivit.

9. Non igitur natura servum facit, sed insipientia: nec manumissio liberum, sed disciplina. Denique Esau liber natus est, et servus factus est: Joseph  1086B venditus in servitutem est (Gen. XXXVII, 28), et electus est ad potestatem (Gen. XLI, 41); ut suis emptoribus imperaret. Non dedignabatur tamen obsequium sedulitatis, sed tenebat virtutis fastigium, conservabat libertatem innocentiae, integritatis auctoritatem. Unde pulchre psalmista ait:  In servum venumdatus est Joseph: humiliaverunt in compedibus pedes ejus (Psal. CIV, 18).  In servum, inquit,  venumdatus est, non servus factus.  Humiliaverunt pedes ejus, non animam ejus.

10. Quomodo enim humiliata est anima, de qua dicit:  Ferrum pertransivit anima ejus? Nam cum aliorum animas peccatum transeat (ferrum enim peccatum est, quod est penetrabile) Joseph sancti anima ita non patuit peccato, ut magis peccatum ipsa penetraret.  1086C Denique nec herilis illecebrae flexus est delinimento, nec immerito flammas non sensit libidinis, quia 933 majore divinae flagrabat ardore gratiae. Unde et hoc pulchre de eo dictum est:  Quia eloquium Domini ussit eum (Psal. CIV, 19); quo restinxit ignitas diaboli sagittas.

11. Quomodo hic servus, qui erudivit principes populi in illa frumentaria dispensatione; ut futurae inopiae consulerent et providerent? Aut quomodo servus, qui totam terram acquisivit, et universum populum Aegyptiorum in servitutem redegit (Gen. XLVII, 20)? Non ut conditionem servitii ignobilis irrogaret, sed ut tributum constitueret, praeter possessionem tamen sacerdotalem, quam a tributis immunem reservavit; ut apud Aegyptios  1086D quoque inviolabilis haberetur religio sacerdotalis.

 1087A 12. Non fecit igitur eum servum venditio; nam utique negotiatoribus erat venditus: verum si pretium spectes, multos invenies qui emerunt sibi puellulas formae elegantioris, quarum amore capti, turpi servitio sese dederunt. Videbatur Apeme concubina Darii regis sedens ad dexteram ejus, auferens de capite ejus diadema, et suo imponens vertici, palmis faciem ejus sinistra manu verberans: quam rex aperto ore intuebatur, gaudens si quando arrideret ei mulier: quod si ea indignaretur, miserum se atque afflictum putaret; ut potestate submissa, blanditias obtexeret, et conciliari sibi eam deprecaretur (III Esdr. IV, 29, 30).

13. Sed quid ista magno allegamus ambitu?  1087B Non videmus plerumque in potestatem piraticam vel immanium barbarorum redactos parentes a filiis redimi pecunia? Numquid leges pecuniae potiores quam leges naturae? Numquid in servitute accersitur pietas? Plerique emptores leonum sunt, et tamen non dominantur leonibus: sed ita subjiciuntur versa vice, ut si exasperatos eos excutere cervice toros viderint, fugiant et delitescant. Nihil ergo praejudicat pecunia, quae plerumque sibi dominos emit: nihil tabulae auctionales, quibus emptor frequenter adjudicatur atque addicitur. Contractus non mutat genus, nec sapientiae libertatem adimit. Denique famulo sapienti multi, ut scriptum est (Prov. XVII, 2), serviunt liberi: et est servus intelligens, qui regat dominos stultos.

 1087C 14. Quem ergo magis liberum censes? Sola est sapientia libera, quae divitibus pauperes praeficit, et quae servos propriis fenerare dominis facit: fenerare non pecuniam, sed intellectum: fenerare talentum illius Dominici aeternique thesauri, qui numquam corrumpitur, cujus et usura pretiosa est: fenerare illud intelligibile eloquiorum argentum coelestium, de quo Lex dicit:  Fenerabis gentibus, tu autem non mutuaberis (Deut. XV, 6). Quod Hebraeus feneravit gentibus, ipse autem non accepit a populis doctrinam, sed tradidit: cui aperuit Dominus thesaurum suum, ut gentes pluvia sermonis sui faceret 934 humescere, et fieret princeps gentium, ipse autem supra se principem nullum haberet.

15. Liber est ergo qui sapiens est, pretio emptus  1087D oraculorum coelestium, illo auro, illo argento sermonis divini: pretio emptus sanguinis (non enim minimum est emptorem agnoscere) pretio emptus gratiae, qui audivit et intellexit dicentem:  Qui sititis, ite ad  1088A  aquam; et quicumque non habetis argentum, ite, emite, et bibite, et manducate (Esai. LV, 1).

16. Liber est ille, qui progrediens in bellum, si viderit mulierem bonam aspectu, et depraedatus opes inimicorum suorum, repertam illic concupierit eam, demptis superfluis, et indumento captivitatis detracto, in uxorem sibi copulaverit, jam non servam, sed liberam (Deut. XXI, 10, 11); intelligit enim famulatui prudentiam et disciplinam non subjacere. Ideoque Lex dicit:  Non venumdabitur pecunia (Ibid., 14); omne enim pretiosum non est ea dignum. Et Job dicit:  Attrahe sapientiam in interiora (Job. XXVIII, 18). Non illi comparabitur Aethiopiae topazion, quod auro habetur argentoque pretiosius.

17. Sed non ille solum liber, qui dominum licitatorem  1088B non pertulit, aut tollentem digitum non vidit, sed ille magis liber, qui intra se liber est, qui legibus naturae liber est, legem sciens naturae praescriptam esse moribus, non conditionibus; et mensuram officiorum consentaneam non hominis arbitrio, sed naturae disciplinis. Utrum igitur iste liber tibi tantummodo, an quidam censor videtur, et praefectus moribus? Unde vere ait Scriptura quia pauperes divitum praepositi erunt, et privati utique administrantium (Prov. XXII, 7).

18. An tibi liber videtur, qui pecunia suffragium sibi emit? qui plausum populi magis, quam judicium requirit prudentium? Ille ergo liber est, qui popularibus auris movetur; ille qui reformidat sibilum vulgi? Sed non ista libertas, quam manumissus accipit,  1088C et palma lictoris donatus acquirit. Non enim munificentiam, sed virtutem libertatem esse arbitror: quae non suffragiis defertur alienis, sed magnanimitate propria vindicatur ac possidetur. Sapiens enim semper liber est, semper honoratus, semper is qui praesit legibus. Denique justo non est posita lex, sed injusto (I Tim. I, 9); justus enim ipse sibi lex est, non habens necesse longius sibi accersere formam virtutis, quam corde inclusam gerat, scriptum habens opus legis in tabulis cordis sui, cui dictum sit:  Bibe aquam de tuis vasis, et de puteorum tuorum fontibus (Prov. V, 15). Quid enim nobis tam proximum, quam Dei verbum? Hoc est verbum in corde nostro, et in ore nostro, quod non videmus et tenemus.

19. Sapiens ergo liber, quoniam qui ea facit, quae  1088D vult, liber est. Sed non omnis bona voluntas, sed sapientis est omnia quae bona sunt velle; 935 odit enim malum, quia quod bonum est, elegit. Ergo si quod bonum est elegit, arbiter electionis, et eligens  1089A operationis liber est; quia quod vult facit: liber ergo sapiens. Sapiens omnia quae facit, bene facit. Qui autem bene facit omnia, recte facit omnia: qui vero recte facit omnia, utique inoffense, et irreprehensibiliter, et sine damno et commotione sui facit omnia. Cui igitur hoc subest, ut inoffense faciat omnia, faciat irreprehensibiliter, faciat sine commotione sui, sine damno; nihil insipienter facit, sed sapienter omnia. Qui autem sapienter facit, nihil habet quod metuat; metus enim in peccato est. Ubi autem nulla formido, ibi libertas: ubi libertas, ibi potestas faciendi quod vult: solus ergo sapiens liber est.

20. Etenim qui neque cogi potest, neque prohiberi, is nequaquam servus: sapientis autem est neque cogi neque prohiberi: non est igitur servus sapiens. Prohibetur  1089B enim, qui non fungitur iis, quae desiderat: quae autem desiderat sapiens, nisi ea quae virtutis et disciplinae sunt, sine quibus esse non potest? In ipso enim sunt, nec divelluntur ab eo. Quod si divelluntur, jam non sapiens, qui sit sine virtutis usu ac disciplina, quibus ipse se fraudet, si non sit voluntarius virtutis interpres. Quod si cogitur, manifestum est quod invitus faciat. In omnibus autem factis aut a virtute correctiones sunt, aut a malitia prolapsiones, aut media, aut indifferentia. Virtutis non coactus, sed voluntarius exsecutor est sapiens; quoniam omnia quae placent, agit malitiae fugitans, nec somnium ejus admittit. Indifferentibus ita non movetur, ut nullis momentis sicut vulgus hominum huc atque illuc inclinetur, sed tamquam in statera mens  1089C ejus aequa lance pendeat; ut neque ad voluptaria propendeat, neque omnino ad ea, quae sunt aversanda, vel leviter studium inclinet suum, sed immobilis maneat affectu. Unde liquet quia nihil invitus facit sapiens, neque cogitur; quia si servus esset, cogeretur: liber igitur est sapiens.

21. Apostolus quoque sic definit dicens:  Non sum ego liber, non sum apostolus (I Cor. IX, 1)? Sed adeo liber, ut cum subintrassent quidam tentare libertatem ejus, nec ad horam, ut ipse ait (Galat. II, 5), cederet subjectioni, ut veritas Evangelii praedicaretur. Qui ergo non cessit, volens praedicavit. Ubi voluntas, ibi merces voluntatis: ubi necessitas, ibi obsequium necessitatis. Melior ergo voluntas quam necessitas. Velle ergo sapientis est, parere et servire  1089D insipientis.

22. Haec etiam est Apostoli definitio dicentis:  Si enim volens hoc ago, mercedem habebo: si autem invitus, dispensatio mihi credita est (I Cor. IX, 17). Sapienti igitur merces defertur, sapiens autem ex voluntate facit: liber itaque secundum Apostolum sapiens. Unde et ipse clamat:  Vos enim in libertatem vocati estis, tantum ne libertatem in occasionem carnis detis (Galat. V, 13). Sequestrat a lege Christianum, ne invitus videatur legi succumbere: 936 vocat in Evangelium, quod volentes et praedicant et operantur. Judaeus sub Lege, Christianus per Evangelium: in Lege servitus, in Evangelio libertas, ubi cognitio  1090A sapientiae. Omnis ergo qui Christum recipit, sapiens: qui autem sapiens, liber: omnis igitur Christianus et liber et sapiens.

23. Docuit me tamen Apostolus quod ultra ipsam libertatem sit, ut servire libertas sit:  Cum liber, inquit,  essem omnium me servum feci; ut plures lucrifacerem (I Cor. IX, 19). Quid est ultra libertatem, nisi habere Spiritum gratiae, habere charitatem? Libertas enim liberum facit hominibus, charitas amicum Deo. Unde ait Christus:  Vos autem dixi amicos (Joan. XV, 15). Bona charitas, de qua dicitur:  Per charitatem Spiritus servite invicem (Galat. V, 13). Servivit et Christus, ut omnes liberos faceret.  Manus ejus in cophino servierunt (Psal. LXXX, 7): qui non rapinam est arbitratus esse se aequalem Deo, formam servi  1090B accepit (Phil. II, 6); et omnia omnibus factus est, ut omnibus salutem afferret (I Cor. IX, 22). Cujus imitator Paulus, et quasi sub Lege erat, et quasi sine Lege vivebat pro eorum utilitate, quos cupiebat lucrari: et infirmis volens fiebat infirmus, ut eos confirmaret: et currebat, ut comprehenderet: et corpus suum castigabat, ut potestates aereas in Christo triumpharet.

24. Est ergo sapienti et servire libertas. Unde colligitur quia stulto et imperare servitus est; et quod pejus est, cum paucioribus praesit, pluribus dominis et gravioribus servit. Servit enim propriis passionibus, servit cupiditatibus suis, quarum dominatum nec nocte potest fugere, nec die; quia intra se dominos habet, intra se servitium patitur intolerabile,  1090C Gemina enim servitus est, altera corporis, animarum altera: domini autem corporis quidem homines, animarum autem malitiae et passiones, a quibus sola animi libertas sapientem vindicat; ut servitio ei liceat exire.

25. Quaeramus igitur illum vere sapientem, vere liberum, qui quamvis sub plurimorum dominatu degat, libere dicit:  Quis est, qui mecum judicio contendat? Tu solus manum tuam a me abstine, a cujus conspectu non potero me abscondere; et timor tuus non me percellat  (Job XIII, 19 et seq.).

26. Quem secutus David rex ait:  Tibi soli peccavi (Psal. L, 6). Regali enim subnixus fastigio, quasi legum dominus legibus reus non erat, soli Deo obnoxius tenebatur, qui dominus est potestatum.

 1090D 27. Alium audi liberum:  Mihi autem pro minimo est, ut a vobis dijudicer, aut ab humano die: sed neque me ipsum dijudico; nihil enim mihi sum  conscius . . . . qui autem dijudicat me, Dominus est (I Cor. IV, 3, 4). Vera libertas hominis spiritalis, quia dijudicat omnia, ipse autem a nemine dijudicatur, nec a quocumque creaturae participe, sed soli Deo se subditum novit, qui solus sine peccato est (I Cor. II, 15), de quo dicit Job:  Vivit Dominus, qui sic me judicat (Job XXVII, 2); solus enim ille potest judicare justum, cujus in conspectu coelum non est mundum, nec stellarum pura et clara lumina.

28. Quis est qui Sophoclea in medium ferat aliis plurimis matuatus videtur Ambrosius; at inter  1091A 937 carmina dicentia: Jupiter mihi praeest, nullus autem hominum? Quanto antiquior Job, quanto vetustior David? Agnoscant ergo de nostris se habere, quaecumque praestantiora locuti sunt.

29. Quis igitur sapiens, nisi qui ad ipsa pervenit divinitatis secreta, et manifestata sibi cognovit occulta sapientiae? Solus igitur sapiens, qui duce Deo usus est ad cognoscenda veritatis cubilia, et mortalis homo immortalis Dei haeres et successor est factus per gratiam, et quidam jucunditatis particeps, sicut scriptum est:  Propterea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus oleo laetitiae prae consortibus tuis (Psal. XLIV, 8).

30. Si quis igitur propius ea introspiciat rerum negotia, cognoscet quanta sapienti adjumenta, et quanta in ipsis insipienti refragia sint; quod huic adjumento  1091B libertas, illi impedimento servitus sit. Insurgit enim sapiens quasi victor debellatis a se ac triumphatis libidine, timore, ignavia, moestitudine, caeterisque vitiis; donec ea de possessione suae mentis eliminet, et omnibus terminis finibusque suis propulset atque arceat: quoniam dux cantior novit excursus cavere latrocinantium, et quaedam furta belli, quae iniquissimi animae nostrae adversarii ignitis saepe pertentant spiculis; sunt enim nobis quaedam et in pace praelia, et in bello pax. Unde et ille ait:  Foris pugnae, intus timores. Sed in his omnibus superamus propter eum, qui dilexit nos (II Cor. VII, 5). Dicit quia neque angustiis, neque persecutionibus, neque fame, periculo, morte terretur (Rom. VIII, 37).

31. Qui vero haec timet, qui mortem reformidat,  1091C quomodo non servus? Servit profecto, et miseram qui lem servitutem; nihil enim sic animam ad omnem servitutem dejicit, quomodo formido mortis. Quomodo enim se erigat abjectus et vilis sensus atque ignobilis, demersus in omnem infirmitatis voraginem vitae hujus cupiditate? Vide quam servus:  Abscondam me, inquit,  et ero gemens et tremens super terram; et erit, omnis qui invenerit me, occidet me (Gen. IV, 14). Itaque quasi servus signum accepit, nec sic tamen necem potuit evadere. Servit igitur peccator formidini, servit etiam cupiditati, servit avaritiae, servit libidini, servit malitiae, servit iracundiae, et videtur hujusmodi sibi liber: sed magis servit, quam si sub tyrannis positus.

32. Illi autem liberi sunt, qui legibus vivunt. Lex  1091D autem vera sermo rectus, lex vera non insculpta tabulis, nec aere incisa, sed impressa mentibus, atque infixa sensibus; quando sapiens non sub lege, sed  1092A ipse sibi lex est, opus legis in corde suo continens, naturali sibi stylo et quadam inscriptione formatum (Rom. II, 14, 15). Tantumne igitur caecitatis est, ut non videamus manifestas rerum expressiones, et virtutum imagines? Et 938 quam indignum, ut populi integri obediant humanis legibus, quo sint libertatis participes: sapientes autem veram legem naturae expressam ad imaginem Dei, veramque rationem signiferam libertatis negligant et derelinquant; cum in ea tanta libertas sit, ut parvuli servire vitiis nesciamus, alieni ab ira, exsortes avaritiae, ignari libidinis! Quam miserum igitur, ut qui nascimur in libertate, moriamur in servitute!

33. Sed hoc fit levitate animi, atque infirmitate morum; quia curas inanes volvimus, et operamur  1092B supervacua: sapientis autem cor, actumque et opus radicatum esse decet atque immobile. Hoc docuit Moyses, quando manus ei graviores fiebant, ita ut vix sustineret eas Jesus Nave. Ideoque vincebat populus, quando non perfunctoria gerebantur opera, sed plena ponderis atque virtutis, non nutantis animi, nec titubantis affectu, sed fundatae mentis stabilitate (Exod. XVII, 12). Ergo sapiens extendit manus suas, stultus autem contrahit, sicut scriptum est:  Quia stultus complexus est manus suas, et voravit viscera sua (Eccles. IV, 5), carnalia magis cogitans quam spiritalia. At non filia Juda, quae expandens manus, clamavit ad Dominum:  Tu scis quia falsum testimonium adversus me dicunt (Dan. XIII, 43). Melius est arbitrata non peccare, sed et incidere in calumnias  1092C accusantium, quam peccatum subire sub impunitatis velamine. Ea ergo contemptu mortis servavit innocentiam. Sed nec filia Jephte, quae votum patris de immolatione sua proprio atque hortatorio firmavit assensu (Judic. XI, 36).

34. Non enim ego de contemptu mortis libros philosophorum depromo, aut gymnosophistas Indorum, quorum prae caeteris Calani laudatur responsum Alexandro, cum eum juberet sequi: Qua me, inquit, laude dignum Graeciam petere poscis, si possum cogi facere quod nolo? Et vere plenus auctoritatis sermo, sed magis mens plena libertatis. Denique et epistolam scripsit.

«Calanus Alexandro.

35.«Amici persuadent tibi manus et necessitatem  1092D inferre Indorum philosophis, nec in somnis quidem videntes nostra opera. Corpora enim transferes de loco ad locum: animas non coges facere, quod nolunt,  1093A non magis quam saxa et ligna vocem emittere. Maximus ignis viventibus corporibus dolorem inurit, et gignit corruptionem: super hunc nos sumus; viventes enim exurimur. Non est rex, neque princeps, qui extorqueat nobis facere, quod non proposuimus. Nec similes sumus Graeciae philosophorum, qui verba pro rebus meditati sunt ad opinionis celebritatem: nobis res sociae verbis, et verba rebus: res celeres, et sermones breves: in virtute nobis libertas beata est.»

36  et 37. Praeclara verba, sed verba: praeclara 939 constantia, sed viri: praeclara epistola, sed philosophi. Apud nos autem et puellae de mortis appetentia sublimes usque ad coelum erexere virtutum gradus. Quid Theclam, quid Agnem, quid Pelagiam loquar,  1093B quae tamquam nobilia vitulamina pullulantes, ad mortem quasi ad immortalitatem festinaverunt? Inter leones virgo exsultavit, et rugientes bestias spectavit intrepida. Et ut nostra cum Indorum gymnosophistis conferamus, quod ille verbis gloriatus est, sanctus Laurentius factis probavit; ut vivus exureretur, et flammis superstes diceret: Versa, manduca. Haud degener Abrahamidarum, et Machabaeorum concertatus puerorum, quorum alii super flammas canebant: alii cum exurerentur, non rogabant, ut parceretur: sed invehebantur, ut amplius persecutor inflammaretur (II Macch. VII, 5 et seq.). Liber igitur sapiens.

38. Quid autem sublimius sancta Pelagia, quae vallata persecutoribus; priusquam tamen in eorum  1093C conspectum veniret, aiebat: Volens morior, nemo me continget manu, nemo oculo protervo violabit virginem, mecum feram pudorem, mecum incolumem verecundiam: nullum praedones lucrum suae capient insolentiae. Pelagia Christum sequetur, libertatem nemo auferet, nemo captivam videbit liberam fidem, insignemque pudicitiam, et prosapiam prudentiae. Quod servum est, hic manebit, nullos in usus debitum. Magna igitur piae virginitatis libertas, quae septa agminibus persecutorum, inter maxima pericula integritatis et vitae nequaquam inclinata est.

39. At non ille cui dominatur ira, subjicitur enim jugo peccati; homo etiam iracundus peccatum effodit (Prov. XXIX, 22):  Qui autem peccatum facit, servus est peccati (Joan. VIII, 34). At non ille liber, qui  1093D servit avaritiae; non potest enim possidere vas suum. Non ille liber, qui serviens desideriis et voluptatibus,  1094A vago fluitat errore. Non ille liber, qui curvatur ambitu; servit enim alieno imperio. Sed ille liber, qui potest dicere:  Omnia mihi licent,  sed non omnia mihi utilia; omnia mihi licent, sed ego sub nullius redigar potestate. Esca ventri, et venter escis (I Cor. VI, 12). Ille liber, qui ait:  Quid enim libertas nostra judicatur ab infideli conscientia (Ibid., 13)?

40. Libertas igitur sapienti, non insipienti convenit; quoniam qui deligat lapidem in fundibalo, similis est ei, qui dat imprudenti claritatem (Prov. XXVI, 8): se ipsum vulnerat, sibique potius, dum intorquet jaculum, affert periculum. Certe sicut tormento acerbatur, et geminatur malum saxi ruina; sic insipientis in libertate ruina vehementior est. Recidenda igitur insipienti potestas, non adjicienda  1094B libertas est; servitus enim ei convenit. Ideoque addidit:  Spinae nascuntur in manu ebriosi, servitus autem in manu imprudentis (Ibid., 9); quia sicut ille suis vulneratur poculis, ita insipiens suis factis. Ille bibendo se peccato 940 inserit, iste operando se culpae adjudicat, et factis suis trahitur in servitutem. Videbat se Paulus in captivitatem trahi a lege peccati (Rom. VII, 23); et ideo ut liberaretur, confugit ad libertatis gratiam.

41. Non sunt igitur liberi insipientes, quibus dicitur:  Nolite fieri sicut equus et mulus, quibus non est intellectus. In freno et chamo maxillas eorum constringe, qui non appropinquent tibi. Multa flagella peccatorum  (Psal. XXXI, 9 et seq.); quia multis flagellis opus est, ut eorum imprudentia coerceatur.  1094C Disciplina hoc exigit, non inclementia. Denique  qui parcit baculo suo, odit filium suum (Prov. XIII, 24): simul quia unusquisque gravius suis peccatis flagellatur. Gravia enim delictorum pondera, gravia criminum verbera, sicut onus gravantur grave, et infligunt animae cicatrices, et putrescere faciunt mentis ulcera (Psal. XXXVII, 5, 6).

42. Deponamus igitur tam gravem servitutis sarcinam, renuntiemus luxuriae ac deliciis, quae nos quibusdam astringunt nexibus cupiditatum, et vinculis ligant. Nihil enim prosunt deliciae stulto: et quicumque a pueritia dederit se deliciis, manebit in servitute: ut vivens mortuus sit. Recidatur ergo luxuries, deliciae recesentur: et si quis fuit luxuriosus, valedicat superioribus. Recisa enim vinea  1094D fructum affert, semiputata frondescit, neglecta luxuriat. Ideoque scriptum est:  Tamquam agricultura  1095A  homo imprudens, et tamquam vinea homo egens sensu; si reliqueris eum, desertus erit (Prov. XXIV, 30). Colamus ergo corpus hoc nostrum, castigemus illud, redigamus in servitutem, non illud despiciamus.

43. Sunt enim nostra membra arma justitiae, sunt et arma peccati. Si elevantur, arma justitiae sunt, ut peccatum in his non dominetur: si mortuum fuerit corpus nostrum peccato, non regnabit in eo culpa, et erunt membra nostra a peccato libera. Non obediamus igitur cupiditatibus ejus, neque exhibeamus membra nostra arma iniquitatis peccato. Si videris mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, membra tua arma peccati sunt. Si locutus es ad sollicitandam eam, lingua tua et os tuum membra peccati sunt. Si abstulisti terminos a patribus positos, membra tua arma peccati sunt. Si festinasti velocioribus  1095B pedibus ad effundendum innocentium sanguinem, membra tua arma iniquitatis sunt.

44. Contra, si vidisti egenum, et induxisti in domum tuam, membra tua arma justitiae sunt. Si eripuisti injuriam accipientem, vel eum qui ducebatur ad mortem, si scidisti chirographum debitoris, membra tua arma justitiae sunt. Si confessus es Christum (arma enim intellectus (Prov. XIV, 7) labia sapientiae) labia tua membra justitiae sunt. Qui potest dicere:  Oculus eram caecorum, pes claudorum, pater infirmorum (Job XXIX, 15), membra ejus membra justitiae sunt.

941 45. Ergo liberati a peccato, quasi pretio empti sanguinis Christi, non subjiciamur servituti hominum vel passionum. Non erubescamus peccatum  1095C nostrum fateri. Vide quam liber, qui poterat dicere:  Non reveritus sum multitudinem populi; ut non annuntiarem in conspectu omnium peccatum meum (Job. XXXI, 33). Qui enim confitetur Domino, exuitur a servitute;  Justus enim  accusator est sui in principio sermonis (Prov. XVIII, 17). Non solum liber, sed etiam justus: sed justitia in libertate est, et libertas in confessione; simul enim ac confessus quis fuerit, absolvitur. Denique  Dixi, pronuntiabo adversum me injustitiam meam Domino, et tu remisisti impietatem cordis mei (Psal. XXXI, 5). Mora ergo absolutionis in confitendo est, confessionem sequitur peccatorum remissio. Sapiens est igitur, qui confitetur: liber, cui peccatum dimissum est, nulla jam contrahens aera peccati. Vale, et nos dilige, ut facis; quia  1095D et ego te diligo.