Chapter VII.

An exhortation to mourning and confession of sins for Christ is moved by these and the tears of the Church. Illustration from the story of Lazarus. After showing that the Novatians are the successors of those who planned to kill Lazarus, St. Ambrose argues that the full forgiveness of every sin is signified by the odour of the ointment poured by Mary on the feet of Christ; and further, that the Novatian heretics find their likeness in Judas, who grudged and envied when others rejoiced.

52. Let us, then, mourn for a time, that we may rejoice for eternity. Let us fear the Lord, let us anticipate Him with the confession of our sins, let us correct our backslidings and amend our faults, lest of us too it be said: “Woe is me, my soul, for the godly man is perished from the earth, and there is none amongst men to correct them.”202    Mic. vii. 2 [LXX.].

53. Why do you fear to confess your sins to our good Lord? “Set them forth,” He says, “that thou mayest be justified.” The rewards of justification are set before him who is still guilty of sin, for he is justified who voluntarily confesses his own sin; and lastly, “the just man is his own accuser in the beginning of his speaking.”203    Prov. xviii. 17. The Lord knows all things, but He waits for your words, not that He may punish, but that He may pardon. It is not His will that the devil should triumph over you and accuse you when you conceal your sins. Be beforehand with your accuser: if you accuse yourself, you will fear no accuser; if you report yourself, though you were dead you shall live.

54. Christ will come to your grave, and if He finds there weeping for you Martha the woman of good service, and Mary who carefully heard the Word of God, like holy Church which has chosen the best part, He will be moved with compassion, when at your death He shall see the tears of many and will say: “Where have ye laid him?”204    S. John xi. 34. that is to say, in what condition of guilt is he? in which rank of penitents? I would see him for whom ye weep, that he himself may move Me with his tears. I will see if he is already dead to that sin for which forgiveness is entreated.

55. The people will say to Him, “Come and see.”205    S. John xi. 34. What is the meaning of “Come”? It means, Let forgiveness of sins come, let the life of the departed come, the resurrection of the dead, let Thy kingdom come to this sinner also.

56. He will come and will command that the stone be taken away which his fall has laid on the shoulders of the sinner. He could have removed the stone by a word of command, for even inanimate nature is wont to obey the bidding of Christ. He could by the silent power of His working have removed the stone of the sepulchre, at Whose Passion the stones being suddenly removed many sepulchres of the dead were opened, but He bade men remove the stone, in very truth indeed, that the unbelieving might believe what they saw, and see the dead rising again, but in a type that He might give us the power of lightening the burden of sins, the heavy pressure as it were upon the guilty. Ours it is to remove the burdens, His to raise again, His to bring forth from the tombs those set free from their bands.

57. So the Lord Jesus, seeing the heavy burden of the sinner, weeps, for the Church alone He suffers not to weep. He has compassion with His beloved, and says to him that is dead, “Come forth,”206    S. John xi. 43. that is, Thou who liest in darkness of conscience, and in the squalor of thy sins, as in the prison-house of the guilty, come forth, declare thy sins that thou mayest be justified. “For with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”207    Rom. x. 10.

58. If you have confessed at the call of Christ the bars will be broken, and every chain loosed, even the stench of the bodily corruption be grievous. For he had been dead four days and his flesh stank in the tomb; but He Whose flesh saw no corruption was three days in the sepulchre, for He knew no evils of the flesh, which consists of the substances of the four elements. However great, then, the stench of the dead body may be, it is all done away so soon as the sacred ointment has shed its odour; and the dead rises again, and the command is given to loose his hands who till now was in sin; the covering is taken from his face which veiled the truth of the grace which he had received. But since he has received forgiveness, the command is given to uncover his face, to lay bare his features. For he whose sin is forgiven has nothing whereof to be ashamed.

59. But in the presence of such grace given by the Lord, of such a miracle of divine bounty, when all ought to have rejoiced, the wicked were stirred up and gathered a council against Christ,208    S. John xi. 47. and wished moreover to kill Lazarus also.209    S. John xii. 10. Do you not recognize that you are the successors of those whose hardness you inherit? For you too are angry and gather a council against the Church, because you see the dead come to life again in the Church, and to be raised again by receiving forgiveness of their sins. And thus, so far as in you, you desire to slay again through envy those who are raised to life.

60. But Jesus does not revoke His benefits, nay, rather He amplifies them by additions of His liberality, He anxiously revisits him who was raised again, and rejoicing in the gift of the restored life, He comes to the feast which His Church has prepared for Him, at which he who had been dead is found as one amongst those sitting down with Christ.

61. Then all wonder who look upon him with the pure gaze of the mind, who are free from envy, for such children the Church has. They wonder, as I said, how he who yesterday and the day before lay in the tomb is one of those sitting with the Lord Jesus.

62. Mary herself pours ointment on the feet of the Lord Jesus.210    S. John xii. 3. Perchance for this reason on His feet, because one of the lowliest has been snatched from death, for we are all the body of Christ,211    1 Cor. xii. 27. but others perchance are the more honourable members. The Apostle was the mouth of Christ, for he said, “Ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me.”212    2 Cor. xiii. 3. The prophets through whom He spake of things to come were His mouth, would that I might be found worthy to be His foot, and may Mary pour on me her precious ointment, and anoint me and wipe away my sin.

63. What, then, we read concerning Lazarus we ought to believe of every sinner who is converted, who, though he may have been stinking, nevertheless is cleansed by the precious ointment of faith. For faith has such grace that there where the dead stank the day before, now the whole house is filled with good odour.

64. The house of Corinth stank, when it was written concerning it: “It is reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles.”213    1 Cor. v. 1. There was a stench, for a little leaven had corrupted the whole lump. A good odour began when it was said: “If ye forgive anything to any one I forgive also. For what I also have forgiven, for your sakes have I done it in the person of Christ.”214    2 Cor. ii. 10. And so, the sinner being set free, there was great joy in that place, and the whole house was filled with the odour of the sweetness of grace. Wherefore the Apostle, knowing well that he had shed upon all the ointment of apostolic forgiveness, says: “We are a sweet savour of Christ unto God in them that are saved.”215    2 Cor. ii. 15.

65. At the pouring forth, then, of this ointment all rejoice; Judas alone speaks against it.216    S. John xii. 4. So, too, now he who is a sinner speaks against it, he who is a traitor blames it, but he is himself blamed by Christ, as he knows not the remedy of the Lord’s death, and understands not the mystery of that so great burial. For the Lord both suffered and died that He might redeem us from death. This is manifest from the most excellent value from His death, which is sufficient for the absolution of the sinner, and his restoration to fresh grace; so that all may come and wonder at his sitting at table with Christ, and may praise God, saying: “Let us eat and feast, for he was dead and is alive again, had perished and is found.”217    S. Luke xv. 24. But any one devoid of faith objects: “Why does He eat with publicans and sinners?” This is his answer: “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick.”218    S. Matt. ix. 11, 12.

428 CAPUT VII.

Ad flenda et confitenda peccata hortatur, asserens peccatoris et Ecclesiae lacrymis Christum excitari, ut illum justificet: quod accommodata Lazari suscitati historia mire illustrat. Ubi postquam ostendit Novatianos Judaeorum de interficiendo Lazaro cogitantium successores esse, perfectam cujuscumque peccati justificationem per odorem unguenti a Maria in Christi pedes effusi expressam docet: rursusque eosdem haereticos in Judae, cum caeteri gauderent, invidentis persona signatos monstrat.

0510B 52. Fleamus igitur ad tempus, ut exsultemus in aeternum. Timeamus Dominum, praeveniamus eum confitendo peccata nostra, corrigamus lapsus nostros, emendemus errorem; ne et de nobis dicatur: Heu me, anima mea! quia periit reverens a terra, et qui corrigat in hominibus non est (Mich. VII, 2).

53. Quid vereris apud bonum dominum tuas iniquitates fateri? Dic, inquit, iniquitatis tuas, ut justificeris (Esai. XLIII, 26). Adhuc reo culpae justificationis praemia proponuntur; ille enim justificatur, qui proprium crimen sponte agnoverit: denique justus in exordio sermonis accusator est sui (Prov. XVIII, 17). Novit omnia Dominus, sed exspectat vocem tuam; non ut puniat, sed ut ignoscat: non vult ut insultet tibi diabolus, et celantem peccata tua arguat. Praeveni 0510C accusatorem tuum: si te ipse accusaveris, accusatorem nullum timebis: si te detuleris ipse, etsi mortuus fueris, revivisces.

54. Veniet ad monumentum tuum Christus, et si viderit flere pro te Martham boni feminam ministerii, flere Mariam quae attente audiebat verbum Dei, sicut sancta Ecclesia quae optimam partem sibi elegit; movebitur misericordia, cum viderit in tuo obitu lacrymas plurimorum, et dicet: Ubi posuistis eum (Joan. XI, 34)? hoc est, in quo reorum statu est, in quo poenitentium ordine. Videam quem fletis; ut lacrymis suis ipse me moveat. Videam si jam peccato ei cujus venia poscitur, defunctus est.

55. Dicet ei plebs: Veni, et vide (Ibid.). Quid est, 0511A veni? Hoc est, veniat peccatorum remissio, veniat defunctorum vita, mortuorum resurrectio, veniat et in hunc peccatorem regnum tuum.

56. Veniet, et levari lapidem jubebit, quem cervicibus peccatoris lapsus imposuit. Potuit removere lapidem imperio sermonis; jubenti enim Christo etiam insensibilis solet natura obedire: poterat tacita vi operationis occultae transferre saxum sepulcri in cujus passione remotis 429 subito lapidibus, plurima defunctorum sepulcra patuerunt: sed hominibus jussit ut removerent lapidem; in veritate quidem, ut increduli crederent quod videbant, et aspicerent resurgentem mortuum: in typo autem, quod nobis donaret ut levaremus delictorum onera, moles quasdam reorum. Nostrum est onera removere; 0511B illius est resuscitare, illius educere de sepulcris exutos vinculis.

57. Videns itaque grave onus peccatoris, illacrymat Dominus Jesus; solam enim flere non patitur Ecclesiam. Compatitur dilectae suae, et dicit defuncto: Veni foras (Joan. XI, 43), hoc est: Qui jaces in tenebris conscientiae, et delictorum tuorum sordibus, quodam reorum carcere, exi foras, delictum proprium prode, ut justificeris: Ore enim confessio fit ad salutem (Rom. X, 10).

58. Si confessus fueris, a Christo vocatus, claustra rumpentur, et omnia solventur vincula, etiam si corruptelae corporeae fetor gravis sit. Quatriduum enim habebat ille, cujus fetebat in tumulo caro: cujus autem caro non vidit corruptionem, triduo fuit 0511C in sepulcro; carnis enim vitia nescivit, quae ex quatuor constat elementorum substantiis. Quantuslibet ergo (De Poenit., dist. I, cap. Quantuslibet) mortui fetor sit, aboletur omnis, ubi sacrum redoleverit unguentum: et resurgit defunctus, et solvi jubentur ejus vincula, qui adhuc in peccato est: tollitur velamen de facie ejus, quod veritatem gratiae quam acceperat, obumbrabat. Sed quia venia donatus est, revelare faciem, aperire vultum jubetur: non habet enim quod erubescat, cui peccatum remissum est.

59. In tanta vero Domini gratia, tantoque divini muneris miraculo, cum oporteret universos laetari, commovebantur impii, et adversus Christum concilium congregabant: Lazarum quoque interficere volebant (Joan. XI, 47). Nonne merito eorum successores 0511D vos fore cognoscitis, quorum duritiae haeredes estis (Joan. XII, 10)? Nam et vos indignamini, et contra Ecclesiam congregatis concilium; quia videtis mortuos in Ecclesia reviviscere, et peccatorum indulta venia resuscitari. Itaque quod in vobis est, per invidiam rursus vultis interficere suscitatos.

60. Sed Jesus non revocat beneficia, immo cumulo liberalitatis amplificat: revisit sollicite resuscitatum, et celebratae resurrectionis gratia laetus ad coenam venit, quam ei sua praeparavit Ecclesia, in 0512A qua ille qui fuerat mortuus, unus inter discumbentes cum Christo invenitur.

61. Tunc mirantur omnes qui vident puro utique obtutu mentis, qui invidere non norunt; tales enim Ecclesia filios habet. Mirantur, ut dixi quomodo ille qui jacebat in tumulo heri et nudiustertius (Ibid., 3), unus sit de discumbentibus cum Domino Jesu.

62. Ipsa Maria mittit unguentum in pedes Domini Jesu. Ideo forte in pedes, quia unus de infimis ereptus est morti; omnes enim corpus Christi sumus, sed alii forte superiora membra sunt (I Cor. X, 17). Os erat Christi Apostolus, qui dicebat: Experimentum quaeritis ejus, qui in me loquitur Christus (II Cor. XIII, 3). 430 Os ejus prophetae, per quos loquebatur futura: utinam et ego pes ejus esse merear, et mittat 0512B in me Maria unguentum suum pretiosum, et ungat, et peccatum extergat!

63. [Alias cap. VIII.] Quod igitur de Lazaro legimus, in unoquoque debemus converso peccatore credere: qui licet fetorem habeat, tamen fidei pretioso emundatur unguento: tantum enim gratiae fides habet, ut ubi ante diem fetebat mortuus, illic bono odore tota repleatur domus.

64. Fetebat Corinthia domus, quando scriptum est de ea: Auditur inter vos fornicatio, et talis fornicatio, qualis nec inter gentes (I Cor. V, 1). Fetor erat, quia modicum fermentum totam massam corruperat. Coepit bene olere, cum dicitur: Si cui quid donastis, et ego. Nam et ego quod donavi, propter vos in persona Christi (II Cor. II, 10). Itaque, liberato peccatore, 0512C factum est in ea gaudium magnum, et redoluit domus tota suavitate gratiae. Unde bene conscius Apostolus quod omnes Apostolicae remissionis perfudisset unguento, ait: Christi bonus odor sumus Deo in his, qui salvi fiunt (Ibid., 15).

65. Hujus igitur effusione unguenti laetantur omnes, solus Judas contradicit (Joan. XII, 4). Ergo et nunc qui praevaricator est, contradicit; reprehendit, qui proditor: sed a Christo ipse reprehenditur, qui Dominicae remedium mortis ignorat, et tantae mysterium sepulturae non intelligit. Ideo enim et passus et mortuus est Dominus, ut nos redimeret a morte. Hoc excellentissimum indicat pretium suae mortis, quo peccator absolvitur, et in novam assumitur gratiam; ut veniant et mirentur omnes quomodo cum 0512D Christo recumbat, et laudantes Deum, dicant: Manducemus et epulemur; quia hic mortuus erat, et revixit: perierat, et inventus est (Luc. XV, 24). Si quis autem infidelis objecerit, quare cum publicanis et peccatoribus manducat; respondetur ei: Non opus est sanis medicus, sed his qui male habent (Matth. IX, 12).