LETTER XLVI. [A.D.389.]

Sabinus, who was Bishop of Placentia, had written to S. Ambrose to tell him of an Apollinarian heretic, who appears, after being condemned at Placentia, to have gone to Milan. S. Ambrose in this reply states how he had answered him from Holy Scripture, and refuted his false interpretations, especially of the passage in the Epistle to the Philippians, and announces that he has baffled him, and that he is 'preparing to flee.'

AMBROSE TO SABINUS.

1. The man of whom you have written to me as a disseminator of pernicious doctrines is a very light character, and has already received the reward of his poison. For he has been replied to publicly, and what he had sown in private he has reaped openly. I had previously esteemed him vain and envious only, but when this language of his reached my ears, I immediately answered that he was infected by the venom of Apollinaris, who will not admit that our Lord Jesus became a servant for us when He took upon Him our flesh; and this, although the Apostle declares that  He took on Him the form of a servant. This is the bulwark, this is the hedge of our faith; he who destroys this shall be destroyed himself, as it is written,  Whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 

 2. At first I gently asked him, Why do you what is in itself good with evil intent? For I esteem it a favour if any one who reads my writings will tell me of any thing which causes him surprise. And this, first, because even in things which I know I may be deceived. Many things pass by the ear unheeded, many tilings sound differently to others, it is well, if it be possible, to be on one's guard in all matters. Next, because it does not become me to be disturbed, seeing that many questions are mooted concerning the words of the Apostles and those of the Gospel and our Lord Himself, if things are found in my writings also, which people consider subjects of dispute. For many indulge their own humour, like that man who compassed the whole world, that he might find some one to censure, not one whom he might deem worthy of imitation.

3. Now this man discovered a nasty means of cavilling at something in my writings, since in commenting upon the passage in which the Lord Jesus said, I  thank Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I stated that it was intended to show that He is the Father of the Son and the Lord of the creature. Nevertheless in the Psalm the Son has plainly called the Father, Lord:  They that looked upon Me shaked their heads: help Me, O Lord My God. For speaking in the form of a servant He called Him Lord Whom He knew to be His Father; though equal in the form of God, proclaiming Himself to be a servant according to the substance of His flesh; for slavery is of the flesh, lordship of the Godhead.

4. First then your great sagacity perceives that what is said in the Gospel has reference to the times of the Gospel, when the Lord Jesus dwelt among men in human form; but now  we know Christ according to the flesh no longer. Be it that He was so seen and known by them of old, now  old things are passed aivay, all things are become new. But all things are from God, Who has reconciled us by Christ unto Himself; for we were dead, and therefore One was made a servant for all. Why do I say, a servant? He was made sin, a reproach, a curse. For the Apostle has said that  He was made sin for us, that the Lord Jesus  was made a curse for us. He has said,  when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall He also Himself be subject. Peter also said in the Acts of the Apostles,  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. Then he said also, that God had  glorified His Servant Jesus, and no one brings any charge against him concerning the time. But in the Apocalypse He is called  a Lamb by John, in the Psalm He is called  a worm and no man. He was made all these things that He might blunt the sting of our death, that He might take away our slavery, that He might abolish our curses, our sins, our reproaches.

5. These things and others and many more you have written me word that you answered to one who consulted you; and, seeing that they are contained in Holy Scripture, how should any one hesitate to utter what has been thus piously written, tending as they do to the glory of Christ, not to His disparagement? For if it is said of His gift, that is, of the manna, that  he that gathered little had no lack  ^{05-21 21. 1 diminuit. Exod. xvi. 18.}  , he that gathered much had nothing over  ^{05-22 22. 2 ampliavit.} , could He Himself suffer diminution or increase? For in what respect was He diminished by taking upon Him our bondage, our infirmities? He was humbled, He was in the form of a servant, but He was also in the glory of God the Father. He was a worm upon the Cross, but He also forgave the sins of His persecutors. He was a reproach, but He is also the glory of the Lord, as it is written,  The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. What did He lose Who is wanting in nothing?  He had indeed  no form or comeliness, but He had the fulness of the Godhead. He was accounted weak, but He ceased not to be the Power of God. He was seen in human form, but there shone upon earth the Divine Majesty and the glory of the Father.

6. Well therefore has the Apostle repeated the same word, saying of the Lord Jesus,  Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant.  What is the meaning of  in the form of God but in the fulness of the Godhead, in the expression of the Divine perfection? Being therefore in the fulness of the Godhead, He  emptied Himself of it, and received the fulness of human nature and perfection: as nothing was wanting to Him as God so neither was there any thing wanting to His completeness as Man, that in either  form He might be perfect. Wherefore David also says,  Thou art fairer than the children of men. 

 7. The Apollinarian is confuted, he has no refuge to turn to, he is caught in his own net. For he himself had said, He took upon him the form of a servant, He was not chosen to be a servant. I ask again therefore, what is the meaning of  in the form of God? He replies, In the nature of God. For there are those, says the Apostle,  which by nature are no gods. I enquire, what is the meaning of  took upon Him the form of a servant? Doubtless, as I have stated, the perfection of the nature and condition of man, that He might be in the likeness of man. And he has said well  the likeness, not of the flesh, but  of men, for He is in the same flesh. But since He alone was without sin, but all men are in sin, He was seen  in the form of man. Wherefore the prophet also says,  He is a man yet who can know him  05-23 23. a This agrees with the LXX, καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι καὶ γνώσεται αὐτόν; ? Man according to the flesh, but beyond man according to the Divine operation. When he touched the leper He was seen as man, but above man when He cleansed him. When He wept over Lazarus dead, He wept as man, but He was above men when He commanded the dead to come forth with bound feet. He was seen as man when He hung upon the cross, but above man when the graves were opened and He raised the dead.

8. Nor has the Apollinarian venom any cause for complaining because it is thus written,  And being found in fashion  ^{05-24 24. 1 specie.}  as a man, for Jesus is not hereby denied to be man, for in another place Paul himself calls Him,  The Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, but rather His manhood is established. For it is the custom and manner of Scripture so to express itself, and we read also in the Gospel,  And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father. In the same way therefore that He is called  as the only-begotten, yet it is not denied that He is truly the only-begotten Son of God, so He is said to be  as man, yet it is not denied that the perfection of manhood existed in Him.

9. While, then, He was in the form of a servant, humbled even unto death, He yet remained in the glory of God. What injury then was His state of subjection to Him? We read that He was made a servant, because we read that He was made of a Virgin and created in the flesh, for every creature is a servant, as the Prophet says;  For all things serve Thee. Wherefore also God the Father says, I  have found David My servant, with My holy oil have 1 anointed him. He shall call Me, Thou art my Father, my God, and my strong salvation; and I will make him My first-born;  and in another Psalm,  Preserve Thou my soul for I am holy: save Thy servant, and afterwards in the same Psalm,  Give Thy strength unto Thy servant, and help the son of Thy handmaid. Thus I have collected the words of the Father and of the Son, that I may answer not with human arguments but by the Divine oracles.

10. In another passage He says,  Into Thy hands I commend My spirit, and,  Thou hast set My feel in a large room, and,  I became a reproof among all Mine enemies. And in the same Psalm,  Shew Thy servant the light of Thy countenance. By the mouth of Isaiah too the Son of God Himself says,  From my mother's womb the Lord hath called My name, and He hath made My mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of His hand hath He hid Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver hath He hid Me; and said unto Me, Thou art My servant, O Israel.  For the Son of God is also called Israel, as in another place,  But thou, Israel, My Servant Jacob, whom I have chosen. For He alone hath truly not only seen but also declared God the Father.

11. And it goes on,  In whom I will he glorified. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for  nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. And now saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him and Israel.  Who hath gathered the people of God but Christ? Who is glorified before the Lord? Who is the Power of God? He to Whom the Father hath said,  It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My servant  ^{05-25 25. 2 puerum.}  , and He to Whom He says  Behold, I will give Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, that Thou mightest be My Salvation unto the end of the earth.  Of Him He has also spoken by the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel, saying,  I will set up one Shepherd over them, and He shall feed them, even My Servant David, He shall feed them, and He shall be their Shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and My Servant David a Prince among them.  Now king David was already dead, and therefore the true David, the truly humble, the truly meek, the true Son of God, strong of hand, is announced by this name; he also is intended in the book of the prophet Zechariah, where God the Father says,  Behold I will send my servant, the Orient  ^{05-26 26. b 'Ecce ego mittam servum meum, Oriens nomen Ejus.' Vulg. has 'Ecce ego adducam servum meum Orientem.' 'Oriens nomen Ejus' comes in v. 12. 'Behold I will bring forth my servant the Branch.' The same word in the original is used also in Is. iv. 2. Jerem. xxiii. 5. xxxiii. 15. and in all those passages the Vulg. renders it by 'Germen.' In the passages of Zech. and, Jerem. the LXX. have the word ἀνατολή . The word in the original means 'a sprout' or 'shoot.'}  is His name. Did then His being  clothed in filthy garments deprive the Sun of righteousness of the brightness of His Godhead?

12. And why need I say more? Shall we deem servitude to be a state of greater weakness than that of being made sin, of being a curse, a reproach, than the infirmities which He bore for our sakes that we might be saved from them? For He was made all of these that He might relieve the world from them. But they will not admit that He was made a servant, a reproach, a curse, because they affirm that the Word and the flesh are of one substance, and say, Because He redeemed us He is called a servant, and ought to be called sin. And they do not perceive this to be the glory of Christ, that in His Incarnation He took upon Him the state of a servant that He might restore liberty to all; He bore our sins, that He might take away the sin of the world.

13. He was made a servant, He was made sin and a curse, that thou mightest cease to be a servant of sin, and that He might absolve thee from the curse of the Divine judgment. He therefore took upon Him thy curse, for  Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. He was made a curse upon the cross, that thou mightest be blessed in the kingdom of God. He was disgraced, He was vilified and set at nought. He said, I  have laboured in vain, through Whom Paul was enabled to say, I  have not laboured in vain. This He did that He might confer on His servants the fruit of good works and the glory of the preaching of the Gospel, whereby the world might be released from the burthen of its toil.

14. On hearing these things  the partridge  ^{05-27 27. b See Letter xxxii. 1.}  was left in the midst of her days, she who cried  that she might gather the things which she did not lay, and was overcome by the voice of the Lord Jesus. And even now is she preparing for flight.

Farewell; love me, for I love you.

EPISTOLA XLVI.

 Ambrosius Sabino scribit maledicum Apollinaristam publice fuisse confutatum: sese cum eo, etsi servilem in Christum formam non admitteret, humaniter egisse: at illa verba, Deum scilicet  Patrem Filii esse et Dominum creaturae,  quae illi comprimis displicebant, cum verbis Davidicis convenire. Post quae eumdem Filium sine injuria divinitatis factum non modo servum, verum etiam maledictum, opprobrium atque peccatum multiplici Scripturae testimonio demonstrat. 

AMBROSIUS SABINO.

 1145C 

1. Quem scripsisti maledici sermonis seminatorem, levissimus est, qui jam veneni sui mercedem recepit. Siquidem responsum est ei publice; et quod privatim severat, palam messuit. Ego autem vanum ante et invisorem tantum habebam: at ubi iste sermo ad aures pervenit meas, statim respondi quod eum virus infecerit Apollinaris, qui non potest audire quod Dominus noster Jesus pro nobis servitutem susceperit in istius corporis susceptione; cum Apostolus clamet quod formam servi acceperit (Phil. II, 7). Hoc munimentum, haec sepes est fidei nostrae; qui hanc destruit, destruetur ipse, sicut scriptum est:  Quia destruentem sepem mordebit serpens (Eccl. X, 8).

 1145D 2. Equidem primo leniter mandavi ei: Qua ratione bonam rem malo animo facis? Ego enim beneficio  1146A annumero, si quis mea legens scripta, dicat mihi quo videatur moveri. Primum quia et in iis quae scio, falli possum. Multa aurem praetereunt, multa quibusdam aliter sonant: pulchrum est, si fieri potest, cavere omnia. Deinde quia non debeo moleste ferre, cum de apostolicis et ipsis Evangelicis Dominicisque verbis plerique multas quaestiones serant; 985 si etiam in meis scriptis reperiant, de quo disputandum putent: plerique enim studio indulgent suo, ut iste qui propterea orbem circuivit, ut quaereret quem reprehenderet, non quem sibi imitandum arbitraretur.

3. Hic igitur ut arroderet aliquid de meis scriptis, eam sibi amplam viam reperit, quoniam eo loci ubi dixit Dominus Jesus:  Confiteor tibi, Pater, Domine   1146B   coeli et terrae (Matth. XI, 25); diximus ideo dictum, ut nos intelligamus patrem filii esse, et dominum creaturae. Quamquam in psalmo evidenter Dominum dixerit Patrem Filius:  Viderunt me, et moverunt capita sua: adjuva me, Domine, Deus meus (Psal. CVIII, 25, 26). Etenim secundum formam servi locutus, dominum vocavit, quem Patrem noverat, aequalis in Dei forma, servum secundum carnis substantiam se praedicans; servitus enim carnis, dominatus autem divinitatis est.

4. Advertis igitur primum pro tua admirabili prudentia ea quae in Evangelio dicuntur, ad Evangelii tempus referri, quo Dominus Jesus inter homines humana specie conversabatur; nunc enim secundum hominem jam non novimus Christum (II Cor. V, 16).  1146C Sit ita visus et cognitus veteribus, jam  transierunt vetera, et omnia nova facta sunt (Ibid., 17). Omnia tamen ex Deo, qui nos sibi per Christum reconciliavit; eramus enim mortui, et ideo unus pro omnibus servus factus est (Philip. II, 7). Quid dicam, servus? Peccatum, opprobrium, maledictum factus est. Dixit enim Apostolus:  Quia pro nobis peccatum factus est (II Cor. V, 21), quia  maledictum factus est (Galat. III, 13) Dominus Jesus. Dixit quia cum sibi subjecerit omnia, tunc et ipse subjectus erit. Dixit et Petrus:  In nomine Jesu Nazareni surge, et ambula, in Actibus apostolorum (Actor. III, 6). Dixit ibi quia  glorificavit puerum suum Jesum (Ibid., 13), et nemo calumniatur de tempore. In Apocalypsi autem et agnus dictus est a Joanne (Apoc. V, 12); dictus est  1146D in psalmo  vermis, et non homo (Psal. XXI, 17). Haec omnia factus est, ut nostrae obtunderet mortis aculeum,  1147A nostram servitutem tolleret, maledicta, peccata, opprobria deleret (I Cor. XV, 55).

5. Haec et alia, quae consulenti cuidam, et multo plura a te scripsisti relata, cum Scriptura divina habeat (Exod. XVI, 18), quemadmodum quisquam dubitabit dicere quae pie scripta sunt, quoniam ad gloriam Christi spectant, non ad imminutionem? Nam cum de dono ejus, hoc est manna, dictum sit quia et  qui minus collegit, non diminuit: et qui plurimum, non ampliavit; num potuit ipse vel minui vel augeri? Quid enim in eo imminutum est, quod nostram servitutem, nostras infirmitates susceperat? Erat humiliatus, erat in servi forma, sed idem in gloria Dei Patris. Erat vermis in cruce, sed idem dimittebat peccata etiam persecutorum suorum. Erat opprobrium,  1147B 986 sed idem majestas Domini, sicut scriptum est:  Et videbitur majestas Domini, et videbit omnis caro salutare Dei (Esai. XL, 5). Quid amisit, cui nihil minus est? Non habebat quidem speciem neque decorem, sed habebat plenitudinem divinitatis. Infirmus aestimabatur, sed non destiterat esse Dei virtus. Videbatur, ut homo, sed fulgebat in terris majestas divina et Patris gloria.

6. Unde pulchre Apostolus ejusdem verbi repetitione usus est, dicens de Domino Jesu:  Qui cum in forma Dei esset, non rapinam arbitratus est esse se aequalem Deo; sed semet ipsum exinanivit, formam servi accipiens (Philipp. II, 6, 7). Quid est in Dei forma, nisi in plenitudine divinitatis, in illa perfectionis divinae expressione? Ergo cum esset in plenitudine  1147C divinitatis, exinanivit se, et accepit plenitudinem naturae et perfectionis humanae: sicut Deo nihil deerat, ita nec hominis consummationi, ut esset perfectus in utraque forma. Unde et David dicit:  Speciosus forma prae filiis hominum (Psal. XLIV, 3).

7. Concluditur Apollinarista, nec quo se vertat, habet, suis clauditur retibus. Ipse enim dixerat: Formam servi accepit, non servus lectus est. Iterum ergo interrogo, quid est in forma Dei? Respondet: In natura Dei. Sunt enim, ait Apostolus,  qui non sunt natura dii (Philip. II, 7). Quaero quid sit,  formam servi accipiens (Galat. IV, 8)? Sine dubio perfectionem naturae et conditionis, ut dixi, humanae, ut esset in hominum similitudine. Et pulchre non carnis, sed hominum dixit similitudinem; quia in  1147D carne eadem. Sed quia sine peccato erat solus, omnis autem homo in peccato, in specie hominis videbatur. Unde et propheta ait:  Et homo est, et quis cognoscet eum (Jerem. XVII, 9)? Homo secundum carnem, sed  1148A ultra hominem secundum divinam operationem. Denique cum leprosum tangeret, homo videbatur: sed ultra hominem, cum emundaret. Et cum Lazarum fleret mortuum (Matth. VIII, 3), quasi homo flebat: sed supra hominem erat, cum mortuum juberet vinctis pedibus exire (Joan. XI, 33, 44). Homo videbatur, cum penderet in cruce: sed supra hominem, cum reseratis tumulis, mortuos resuscitaret (Matth. XXVII, 52).

8. Nec sibi blandiatur virus Apollinaris, quia ita legitur:  Et specie   inventus est ut homo (Philip. II, 7); non enim negatus est homo Jesus, cum alibi ipse Paulus de eo dicat:  Mediator Dei et hominum homo Christus Jesus (I Tim. II, 5), sed confirmatus est. Id enim est usus et moris Scripturae sic significare,  1148B sicut et in Evangelio legimus:  Et vidimus gloriam ejus, gloriam quasi unigeniti a Patre (Joan. I, 1). Sicut ergo quasi unigenitus dicitur, et non abnuitur unigenitus Dei Filius; ita ut homo dicitur, et perfectio fuisse in eo hominis non negatur.

987 9. Cum esset igitur in forma servi, humiliatus usque ad mortem, erat tamen in Dei gloria. Quid ei igitur obfuit servitus? Servus autem factus legitur, quia legitur factus ex Virgine, et creatus in carne; omnis enim creatura servit, dicente Propheta:  Quia universa serviunt tibi (Psal. CXVIII, 91). Unde et Deus Pater ait:  Inveni David servum meum, in oleo sancto unxi eum. Ipse vocabit me: Pater meus es tu, Deus salutis meae. Et ego primogenitum ponam eum  (Psal. LXXXVIII, 27, 28); et in alio psalmo:  1148C   Custodi animam meam; quoniam sanctus sum: salvum fac servum tuum (Psal. LXXXV, 2); et infra in eodem psalmo:  Da potestatem puero tuo, et salvum fac filium ancillae tuae (Ibid., 16). Congessi enim Patris et Filii voces; ut ei non argumenta humana, sed divina responderent oracula.

10. Alibi inquit:  In manus tuas commendo spiritum meum (Psal. XXX, 6); et:  Statuisti in loco spatioso pedes meos (Ibid., 9); et:  Super omnes inimicos meos factus sum opprobrium (Ibid., 12). Et in eodem psalmo:  Illustra faciem tuam super servum tuum (Ibid., 17). Per Esaiam quoque dicit ipse Filius Dei:  Ex utero matris meae vocavit Dominus nomen meum, et posuit os meum ut gladium acutum, et sub tegumento manus suae protexit me. Posuit me sicut   1148D   sagittam electam, et pharetra sua texit me; et dixit mihi: Servus meus es tu, Israel (Esai. XLIX, 2, 3). Dicitur enim Dei Filius et Israel, sicut alibi:  Jacob puer meus, Israel dilectus meus (Esai. XLIV, 1). Solus  1149A enim vere Deum Patrem non solum vidit, sed etiam enarravit (Joan. I, 18).

11. Et sequitur:  In te glorificabor. Et ego dixi: In vacuum laboravi, et in nihilum dedi vires meas; ideo judicium meum ante Dominum, et dolor meus ante Deum meum.  Et nunc sic dicit Dominus,  qui finxit me servum ex utero sibi ad congregandum   Jacob et Israel (Esai. XLIX, 4, 5). Quis congregavit Dei populum, nisi Christus? Quis glorificatus est ante Dominum? Quis est Dei virtus? Cui dixit Pater:  Magnum tibi est vocari te puerum meum? Et cui dicit:  Ecce posui te in testamentum generis mei, in lucem gentium; ut sis in salutem usque ad extremum terrae (Ibid., 6)? De quo etiam per os Ezechiel locutus est, dicens:  Suscitabo super eos pastorem unum, et   1149B   reget eos servus meus David, et erit eorum pastor: et ego Dominus ero illis in Deum, et David in medio eorum princeps (Ezech. XXXIV, 23, 24). David utique rex jam defunctus erat, et ideo verus David, verus humilis, verus mansuetus, verus manu fortis Dei Filius, hoc annuntiatur nomine: qui etiam in Zachariae prophetae libro significatur, dicente Deo Patre:  Ecce ego mittam servum meum, Oriens nomen est ei (Zach. III, 8). Numquid quia habebat vestimenta sordida, ideo fulgorem divinitatis suae sol justitiae non habebat?

12. Et quid plura? An infirmius putamus servitium esse quam peccatum, quam maledictum, 988 quam opprobrium, quam infirmitates, quas pro nobis suscepit, ut a nobis averterentur? Factus est enim  1149C haec omnia; ut universa vacuaret. Sed haec ideo non recipiunt, quod servus, opprobrium, peccatum, maledictum factus sit; quia Verbum et carnem unius asserunt esse substantiae, et dicunt: Ergo quia nos redemit, servus dictus est, et peccatum debuit dici. Nec advertunt quod haec Christi gloria sit, quia servitutem suscepit in corpore suo, ut libertatem omnibus redderet: peccata nostra portavit, ut mundi peccatum tolleret.

13. Servus, peccatum, maledictum factus est, ut tu peccati servus esse desisteres, et te divinae sententiae maledicto absolveret. Ille ergo maledictum suscepit tuum:  Maledictus enim  omnis, qui pendet in ligno (Galat. III, 13). Ille maledictum in cruce factus est, ut tu benedictus esses in Dei regno. Ille  1149D dehonestatus et depretiatus est, nec aliquid aestimatus.  1150A Ille dicebat:  In vacuum laboravi (Esai. XLIX, 4); per quem meruit Paulus dicere:  Non in vacuum laboravi (Phil. II, 16); ut boni operis fructum, et Evangelicae praedicationis gloriam suis conferret servulis, per quam universi sarcina laboris absolverentur.

14. His igitur auditis, derelictus est in dimidio dierum suorum perdix, qui clamavit ut congregaret quae non peperit (Jerem. XVII, 11), et oppressus est voce Domini Jesu. Denique adornat fugam. Vale, et nos dilige; quia nos te diligimus.