LETTER LXX. 

S. AMBROSE in this Letter considers a part of the prophecy of Micah as describing the recovery of a fallen soul.

AMBROSE TO HORONTIANUS.

1. THE Prophets indeed announced the gathering together of the Gentiles, and the future establishment of the Church; but as the Church sees not only the continuous progress of strong souls, but likewise the relapse of weak ones, and their subsequent conversion, we are able to gather from the Prophetical books both how the gracious and strong soul advances without stumbling, and also how the weak soul falls, and how she repairs her falls and recovers her steps.

2. Accordingly as in the Song of Songs we read of this continuous progress of blessed souls, so let us now consider, as set forth in the prophet Micah, concerning whom we have begun to speak, the conversion of a fallen soul. For it is not without good reason that the prophet's words,  But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, excited your attention. For how can that house where Christ was born be the house of wrath? Such is, indeed, what the name of the place signifies, but certain mysterious operations are declared thereby.

3. Let us first consider what Micah signifies in Latin. It means 'Who is from GodI or as we find elsewhere 'who is this man,' the son of the Morasthite, that is, the heir? Now, who is this heir, but the Son of God, Who says,  All things are given unto Me of My Father; and Who, being Himself the Heir, would have us His co-heirs. And well may we say 'Who is that man?' not one of the people, but chosen to receive the grace of God, in whom the Holy Spirit speaks, who began to prophesy  in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah kings of Judah. By which order is signified the course of the vision, for the progress is from the times of evil kings to that of a good king.

4. Thus as the afflicted soul was first oppressed under evil kings, let us consider what was the progress of her conversion. Being weak she was overthrown, and all her fences were made as a way for the passers-by, or for the inroads of passion; dissolved in luxury and pleasure, she was trodden down and removed from the presence of the Lord. Her  tower was decayed, that tower which, as we read in the song of Isaiah, was placed in the midst of a choice vineyard. Now this is the case with the tower, when the vine is withered, and her flock wanders; but when the verdure of the vine comes back, or the sheep returns, it grows bright again, for nothing is so decayed as iniquity, or so bright as righteousness.

5. To this tower the sheep is recalled, when the soul is recalled from her relapse, and in that sheep that reign of Christ returns, which was in the beginning, for He is  the Beginning and the Ending, even the beginning of our salvation. Still the soul is first severely rebuked, in that she has grievously transgressed, and she is asked,  Why hast thou learnt evil? was there no king in thee? that is, thou hadst a king to govern and protect thee, thou oughtest not to have strayed from the path of righteousness, nor to have left the ways of the Lord, Who imparted to thee sense and reason. Where were thy thoughts and counsels, whereby by innate vigour thou mightest have guarded against unrighteousness and warded off transgression? Why have  pangs taken thee, as a woman in travail; that thou shouldest be in labour of iniquity, and bring forth unrighteousness? For there is no greater grief than for a man to wound his conscience with the sword of sin; nor is there any heavier burden than the weight of sin and the load of transgression. It bows down the soul, it bends it even to the earth, so that it cannot raise itself. Heavy, my son, heavy indeed is the weight of sin. Thus that woman in the Gospel, who was bowed together, and thus bore the semblance of a heavy-laden soul, could be made straight by Christ alone.

6. To such a soul it is said,  Be in pain and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Sion. For the pains of child-birth work tribulation, and  tribulation patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed. At the same time all that is opposed to virtue is plucked up and cast forth, lest its seeds should remain behind and revive, and put out new buds and fruit.

7. Nor is it without a meaning that horns and hoofs were given to her, that she might bruise all the sheaves of the floor, like the calf of Mount Lebanon. For unless the sheaves were bruised, and the straw winnowed, the corn that is within cannot be found and separated. Wherefore let the soul that would advance in virtue first bruise and thrash out its superfluous passions, that so, when the harvest is come, it may shew forth its fruits. How many are the weeds which choke the good seed! These must first be rooted out, that they may not destroy the fertile crop of the soul.

8. Then the provident guide of the soul has regard to this, that he may circumscribe her pleasures and cut off her desires, that she may not delight herself in them. That father's corrections are profitable, who spares not the rod, that he may render his son's soul obedient to salutary precepts. For he visits with a rod, as we read, I  will visit their offences with the rod. And so he who smites the soul of the Israelites with a rod on the cheek, by this Divine punishment instructs her in the discipline of patience. But no man need despair who is chastised and corrected, for he who loveth his son chastiseth him. Let no man therefore despair of a remedy.

9. Behold therefore, that house which was to thee 'the house of one seeing wrathI is become 'the house of bread;' where rage was, there is now piety; where the slaughter of the Innocents, there now the redemption of all mankind, as it is written,  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth that is Ruler in Israel.  Bethlehem is the house of bread; Ephratah the house of one seeing wrath. This is the interpretation of these names. In Bethlehem Christ was born of Mary, but Bethlehem is the same as Ephratah. Thus Christ was born in the house of wrath, and therefore it is no longer a house of wrath, but the house of bread, for it received that  bread which came down from heaven. But Ephratah is the house of one that was wrath, because while Herod searches there for Christ, he commands the Innocents to be slain, wherefore  In Rama was there a voice heard, Rachel weeping for her children. 

10. But let no man fear any longer; for that rest which David sought after  is heard of at Ephrata, and found in the fields of the wood. A wood, as yet, was the assembly of the

Gentiles, but after it believed in Christ it became fruitful, receiving the fruit of the blessed womb. And Rachel died in childbirth, because even then, as the patriarch's wife, she saw the wrath of Herod, which spared not the tenderest age. Or again, because in Ephratah she gave birth to that Benjamin who excelling in beauty came last in the order of the mystery, I mean Paul, who before his birth caused no small grief to his Mother, by persecuting her sons. And she died, and was buried there, that we, dying and being buried together with Christ, may rise again in His Church. Therefore according to another interpretation, Ephratah signifies 'enriched or filled with fruit.'

11. Now here, that is, in the book of the Prophet, we find the expression, thou art o)ligosto&j, that is, one of few. But in Matthew we find,  And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not among the few. In one the expression is house of Ephratah, in the other house of Juda; but this is a difference of words not of meaning. For inwardly Judaea saw this exhibition of wrath, outwardly she suffered it. And she is among the few, because they are few who enter the house of bread by the narrow way. But he is not among the few, that is among those that make progress, who knows not Christ. Nor is she the least, who is the house of blessing, and the receptacle of Divine grace; yet in this she is the least, for any thing which is offered to Christ seems to be offered to her. And he who seeks for the Church seeks for Christ; and He is either honoured or despised in every little one, wherefore He says Himself,  Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto Me. 

12. Now that Bethlehem is the very same place as Ephratah we learn from the passage in Genesis, which says,  And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. Holy Rachel, being a type of the Church, was buried in the way, that they who go by might say,  The Lord prosper you, and  they shall come again with joy. 

13. Wherefore every soul which receives that bread which comes down from heaven is the house of bread, that is, the Bread of Christ, being nourished and supported and having its heart strengthened by that heavenly bread which dwells within it. Hence Paul also says,  For we being many are one bread. Every faithful soul is Bethlehem, as Jerusalem also is said to be, which has the peace and tranquillity of that Jerusalem which is above, in heaven. That is the true Bread which, when broken into pieces, fed all men.

14. The fifth version  07-29 29. a Whether the true reading here be 'traditio' as Ben. has, or 'editio' as Rom, the reference must he to the e0kdo&seij or versions which Origen brought together in his Hexajila, of which the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh, (for there was a seventh,) were only known by their numbers. See Art, by Tregelles on 'Ancient Versions,' in Smith's Dict. of the Bible, vol. iii. p. 1623. has the words, 'the house of Bread.' For 'Beth' signifies a house, and 'lehem' signifies bread. From the other versions I imagine that the unbelief of the Jews, who feared to convict themselves, either led the writers to omit it or others to erase it.

15. And that Bethlehem is of the tribe of Judah we learn from that passage in the book of Judges, where the Levite took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah, and his concubine was incensed against him, and returned to her father's house in Bethlehem-judah.

16. Now Christ's  goings forth were from everlasting  ^{07-30 30. 1 a diebus saeculi. Mic. v. 2.} , because our life  07-31 31. 2 Saeculum. Mic. v. 3. then commenced, when He  went forth to run His course, and gave to Israel the day of salvation.  Until the time that that she which travaileth hath brought forth. To that soul to which Christ hath come fruitfulness or bringing forth hath come also; so it was with the Church, who has  brought more than she that had children; who has brought forth seven, that is, a lawful peaceful and tranquil progeny. Now that soul begins to conceive, and Christ to be formed in her, which welcomes Him on His arrival and is so fed by His plenty that she is in want of nothing, and other souls by seeing her return unto the way of salvation.

17.  And there shall be peace to him, but it is by temptations that he must be tried; then, when he has shut out or repulsed vain thoughts, when he has subdued all the motions of his rising passions, when distress and persecution and hunger and peril and the sword press hard upon him, will the value of his peace and tranquillity be tested. Then, it is said,  shall be peace; because in all these things  we are conquerors through Him that loved us, because we trust in Him that neither death nor the power of temptations shall cast off or separate us from His love. He will send temptations, that the just may be proved. The Lord sends temptations, not that He wishes any man to be beguiled, but because the weak are for the most part vanquished by temptation, whilst the strong are proved by them.

18. Then there shall be to them  dew from the Lord, and rest; then the soul of the just shall be  as a young lion among the flocks of sheep. I cannot doubt but that this similitude should, after the manner of the Gospel, be referred to Christ, for He has said,  Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. For  his chariots shall be broken; that is to say, the senseless impulses and motions of the body shall be appeased; that condition shall cease wherein  Without are fightings, within are fears, and over all, that is, within and without, tranquillity shall prevail; nor shall there be any resistance or repugnance to this good will, because the obedience of the flesh, when  the middle wall of partition is broken down, and both are made one, shall abolish all discord.

19. But if any weak soul, like Israel according to the flesh have stumbled, and, shaken by persecutions, have separated herself in some degree from the love of Christ, she is checked and reproved as faithless, and ungrateful, and unbelieving, as one who, after being freed from the vanities of the world, has looked behind her and so relapsed into them again; as one from whom no gifts, no sacrifice of bulls, but only to know what is good and to do justly, has been required.  He hath showed thee, o man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to have mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?  But since the weaker soul has not kept this commandment, the Lord says to her,  Woe is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage. And the prophet, in whom the Lord spoke, says to that soul,  Woe is me, the good man is perished out of the earth. This is as though the Lord Himself spoke, in compassion for the future punishment of sin, and as weeping over our transgressions.

20. Then the soul, learning that she will gather no fruit from what she has sown; that in the loss of her harvest nothing will remain to strengthen her, that she will press her olives, but will find no oil of gladness, nor will drink the wine of pleasantness; finding also in the works of the flesh all things full of blood, full of circumvention, of fraud and deceit, hollow shows of affection, and pre-concerted guile; nay, those of her own household adverse to her; and therefore that the motions of her companion the body, which are grievous enemies of the soul, must be guarded against; turns to God, and begins to hope in Him, and knowing that the flesh is truly an enemy to her, says to it,  Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, when I fall I shall arise, when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. 

21. Finding moreover that she is mocked by some power which opposes her following a better path, and domineers over her, so that she has been delivered  for the destruction of the flesh, to be afflicted with various evils, assigned to her either by the Lord to satisfy for her sins, or by the Evil One who is envious of her conversion, and desires to harass and regain her to himself, finding this, she says, I  will bear the indignation of the Lord, Who either chastens me in my fall, or has given thee power to persecute me,  because 1 leave sinned against Him, but I will endure  until He plead my cause. For unless I shall confess, and pay the price of my iniquities, I cannot be justified. But being justified and having paid double for my sins, He shall  execute judgment for me, laying aside His wrath, since the sentence against me is satisfied.  He will bring me forth to the light ,  and I shall behold His righteousness and gaze on His delights. Then she that is mine enemy, that is, the malice of the devil, shall see the light of my reconciliation and  shame shall cover her which saith to me, Where is the Lord thy God? She shall behold in me His pity and His love.

2.2. Wherefore let us not listen to him when we are in any of the troubles of this world, be it bodily pain, or the loss of our children, or of other necessaries, let us not listen to his words,  Where is the Lord thy God? It is under severe pain that his temptations are to be feared, it is then that he seeks to turn the sick soul astray.

23. Wherefore the soul which has not listened to his allurements, seeing afterwards the wonderful works of God, seeing herself in heaven, and the devil creeping upon the earth, will congratulate herself saying,  Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by transgression? Thou hast not been mindful of Thy indignation, but hast cast all our iniquities into the sea as the lead of Egypt, and hast graciously returned to have pity upon us, both forgiving and hiding our offences, as it is written,  Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. For some sins Thou dost wash away in the blood of Thy Son, others Thou dost remit unto us, that by good works and confession we may cover our errors. The expression therefore  that pardoneth iniquities, appertains to remission; because He takes them away altogether, so that the things which He remembers not are as though they did not exist. But the words  passeth by transgression, signify that inasmuch as we confess our failings, and cover them with the fruit of our good works, they are referred to the author of our fault, and the instigator of our sin. For what else does he who confesses his fault do but prove himself to have been beguiled by the craft and malice of that spiritual wickedness which is his adversary?

21. For this therefore this soul gives thanks, that the Lord both  pardoneth iniquities and passeth by transgressions, and  casts them into the deep of the sea. Which may also be referred to Baptism, wherein the Egyptian is drowned, the Hebrew rises again; and whereby by the depths of His wisdom, and the multitude of her good works her former sins are covered, through the riches of the mercy of our God, Who is mindful of the promise which He gave to Abraham, and suffers not that soul which is heir of Abraham to perish.

25. It is by these means that such a soul is recovered. But do you, my son, who from the first flower of boyhood have been an heir of the Church which bore and which sustains you, persevere in your purpose, mindful of the grace of God, and of the gift which you have received by the imposition of my hands, that in this degree  07-32 32. f i.e. the priesthood, cf. 1 Tim. iii. 13. also, as in the holy office of deacon, you may shew faith and industry, and expect a recompense from the Lord Jesus.

Farewell; love me as a son, for I also love you.

[Footnotes moved to the end and numbered. Biblical references from margin and running titles omitted]

Ante expectatum positis stat in agmine custris. Georg. iii, 348.

There is a difficulty about S. Ambrose's statement, as there is nothing on the subject in the Canons of Nicaea. The Benedictine editors, after discussing other explanations, suggest that S. Ambrose may have had an inaccurate copy of the Canons, with the one he here quotes inserted from some other Council. Some unauthentic documents professing to give Nicene regulations on the subject are quoted in Dict. of Christian Antiq. Art. Digamy.

EPISTOLA LXX.

 1233D   Quemadmodum fortis animae est in bono stare, ita debilis   1234A   labi, ac resurgere. Quocirca cum in Canticis processus animae robustioris describantur, in Michaeae vero prophetia lapsae conversio; eam considerandam   proponit. Praemissa igitur nominis Michaeae interpretatione, miseriam peccatricis animae exponit, internas correptiones narrat, addit exhortationes ac paratum Domini auxilium, felicem ejusdem immutationem aperit, et quam ei Christus largitur, fecunditatem ac tranquillitatem. Deinde ubi repetivit non pauca ex superioribus, subjungit ejusdem animae pro sua liberatione gratiarum actiones. Post quae Horontianum ad perseverantiam exhortatur. 

AMBROSIUS HORONTIANO.

1. Prophetae quidem congregationem gentium, atque  1234B Ecclesiae annuntiarunt aedificationem futuram; sed tamen quia in Ecclesia non solum fortium animarum jugis profectus, verum etiam infirmarum lapsus, et rursus conversio est: ideo possumus ex propheticis libris colligere quemadmodum aut praeclara illa et fortis anima sine ulla gradiatur offensione, aut infirmior labatur, aut lapsa reparet, ac reformet gradum.

2. Itaque sicut in Canticis canticorum beatae illius animae continuos processus legimus, ita in Michaea, de quo nobis propheta sermo 1063 exortus est, consideremus lapsae conversionem. Non enim otiose te movit:  Et tu, Bethleem, domus Ephrata (Mich. V, 2), quod dictum est ab hoc propheta. Quomodo enim potest domus furoris esse, ubi Christus natus  1234C est? Hoc enim exprimunt locorum vocabula, sed illustrant operationum mysteria.

3. Ac primum consideremus quid interpretationis in Latino habeat Michaeas. Significat autem, Quis a Deo: vel, ut alibi invenimus, Quis iste, Morathi filius, id est, haeredis (Mich. I, 1). Quis autem haeres, nisi Filius Dei, qui ait:  Omnia mihi tradita sunt a Patre meo (Matth. XI, 27); et cum ipse esset haeres, nos esse voluit cohaeredes? Merito  quis iste, non e populo unus, sed electus ad gratiam Dei, in quo loquitur Spiritus sanctus, qui prophetare coepit  in diebus Joathan, et Achaz, et Ezechiae regum Juda (Mich. I, 1). Quo ordine significatur visionis profectus; a malis enim regibus ad boni regis pervenit tempora.

 1234D 4. Et ideo quoniam anima afflicta sub malis ante  1235A laborabat regibus, quem processum conversionis suae habeat, considerandum videtur. Destructa erat quasi infirmior, et omnis munitio ejus facta erat via transeuntium, et incursus passionum, luxuria resoluta, ac deliciis, contrita erat, ac relegata a facie Domini:  Turris ejus squalida erat, quae posita est, ut in Esaiae cantico legimus (Esai. V, 2), in medio florentis vineae. Squalet etenim turris, quando vitis arescit, et ovis sua errat: regrediente autem vitis viriditate, vel ove, resplendet; nihil enim squalidius iniquitate, nihil splendidius justitia.

5. Ad hanc turrim revocatur ovis, quando anima revocatur a lapsu, et in illa ove Christi regnum redit, quod est initium: quia ipse est initium et finis (Apoc. I, 8), vel initium salutis; sed tamen corripitur prius, eo quod tam graviter erraverit, et dicitur ei:  Ut quid cognovistis mala? numquid rex non erat tibi (Mich. IV, 9)? Hoc est, habebas regem, qui te regeret, et tueretur, deviare a justitiae tramite non debuisti, nec relinquere vias Domini, qui tibi rationabiles sensus impertivit. Ubi erant cogitationes tuae, ubi consilia, quibus praevidere injustitiam, propulsare iniquitates insito tibi vigore potuisti?  Cur comprehenderunt te dolores ut parturientis (Ibid.); ut parturires iniquitates, et pareres injustitias? Nullus enim major est dolor, quam is qui peccati mucrone vulnerat conscientiam: neque ullum gravius est onus, quam peccatorum sarcina, et pondus flagitiorum. Deprimit animam, curvat usque ad terram, ne se erigere possit. Gravia, fili,  1235C gravia nimis delictorum pondera. Denique illa in Evangelio mulier, quae curvata erat, speciem praetendens animae laborantis, a Christo potuit solo erigi (Luc. XIII, 11).

6. Huic ergo animae dicitur:  Viriliter age, 1064  et appropinqua, filia Sion, ut parturias (Mich. IV, 10). Dolores enim parturientis tribulationem operantur,  tribulatio patientiam, patientia probationem, probatio spem, spes autem non confundit in aeternum (Rom. V, 3, 4). Simul egeritur atque excluditur omne quod adversum est bonis moribus; ne residentia ejus frutescant semina, atque in novos iterum germinent partus.

7. Nec otiose dantur ei cornua et ungulae; ut conterat omnes manipulos areae, sicut vitulum Libani  1235D (Mich. IV, 13). Nisi enim manipuli contriti fuerint, paleae ventilatae, fructus apparere interiores et absolvi nequeunt. Comminuat igitur atque excutiat prius anima proficiens passionum superflua; ut fructus suos demonstrare possit in ipsa segete. Quanta adversa sunt, quae partus impediant bonos!  1236A Haec prius exstirpanda sunt; ne his fruct fera internecentur animae sata.

8. Tunc etiam illud prospicit providus animae consultor, ut concludat eam in voluptatibus suis, atque intercludat ejus cupiditates, ne in iis delectetur. Utiles enim sunt correptiones parentis, qui non parcit virgae; ut obedientem praeceptis salutaribus praestet animam filii sui (Prov. XIII, 24). Virga enim visitat, sicut legimus:  Visitabo in virga iniquitates eorum (Psal. LXXXVIII, 33). Itaque qui virga maxillam percutit Israeliticae animae, erudit eam ad disciplinam patientiae Dominica correptione. Nemo enim desperare debet, quicumque corripitur atque arguitur; qui enim diligit filium, corripit (Eccli. XXX, 1). Nemo de remedio diffidat.

 1236B 9. Ecce tibi ubi domus furorem videntis erat, ibi domus panis est: ubi crudelitas, ibi pietas: ubi poena innocentium, ibi universorum redemptio, sicut scriptum est:  Et tu, Bethleem, domus Ephrata, non es minima inter principes Juda; ex te enim exibit Princeps in Israel (Mich. V, 2). Bethleem domus panis est, Ephrata domus furorem videntis. Hoc habet interpretatio istorum nominum. In Bethleem natus est de Maria Christus: eadem autem Bethleem, quae Ephrata (Luc. II, 6). In domo igitur furoris generatus est Christus: et ideo jam non domus furoris, sed domus panis, quia panem recepit eum, qui descendit de coelo (Joan. VI, 50). Domus autem furorem videntis est Ephrata; quia illic Herodes dum Christum requirit, perimi statuit infantulos; unde  Vox in   1236C   Rama audita est Rachel plorantis filios suos (Matth. II, 18).

10. Sed jam nemo timeat, quia requies illa quam quaerebat David (Psal. CXXXI), audita est in Ephrata, inventa est in campis silvae. Tunc adhuc silva erat nationum congregatio: sed posteaquam in Christum credidit, fructuosa facta est (Luc. I, 42), quia benedicti ventris fructum recepit. Mortua est ergo Rachel parturiens (Gen. XXXV, 19); quia jam tunc quasi patriarchae uxor furorem Herodis videbat, qui nec minusculae aetati pepercit. Simul quia in Ephrata peperit Benjamin specie superiorem, 1065 mysterio posteriorem, Paulum scilicet, qui antequam generaretur, non minimos dolores matri praestitit, cujus filios persequebatur. Et illic mortua et sepulta  1236D est; ut nos commortui et consepulti cum Christo, in Ecclesia resurgamus. Inde enim alia interpretatione, vel fecundata, vel repleta fructibus, Ephrata significatur.

11. Hic tamen, id est, in libro prophetico invenimus ὀλιγοστὸς εἶ, id est, in paucioribus es. In  1237A Matthaeo autem:  Et tu Bethleem, domus Juda, non es in paucioribus (Mich. V, 2). Ibi domus Juda, hic domus Ephrata: in quo verborum discrepantia, non sensuum est. Nam et Judaea interior vidit furorem, et exterior pertulit. Et in paucioribus est; quia pauci sunt, qui intrant in domum panis per angustam viam. Et non est in paucioribus, id est, de proficientibus, quae Christum non agnovit. Nec minima est, quae est domus benedictionis, et divinae gratiae receptaculum: et in eo minima, cui is qui aliquid confert Christo, videtur deferre. Et qui appetit Ecclesiam, Christum appetit; in quovis minimo enim Christus aut laeditur, aut honoratur, secundum quod ipse ait:  Quod enim uni horum minimorum fecistis, mihi fecistis (Matth. XXV, 40).

 1237B 12. Ipsam autem Bethleem esse quae est Ephrata, docet lectio Genesis, ubi ait:  Mortua est autem Rachel, et sepulta est in via Ephrata, ipsa est Bethleem (Gen. XXXV, 19). In via sepultura est sanctae Rachel, quae typus fuit Ecclesiae, ut transeuntes dicant:  Benedictio Domini super vos (Psal. CXXVIII, 8); et:  Venientes venient in exsultatione (Psal. CXXV, 6).

13. Omnis itaque anima, quae recipit panem illum descendentem de coelo, domus panis est, hoc est, panis Christi, quae habitantis in se panis coelestis firmamento alitur, et corde confirmatur. Unde et Paulus ait:  Omnes enim  unus panis sumus (I Cor. X, 17). Omnis anima fidelis Bethleem est, sicut Jerusalem dicitur, quae pacem et tranquillitatem habet superioris Jerusalem, quae in coelo est. Verus panis  1237C est, qui fractus et comminutus satiavit universos.

14. Quinta autem traditio habet, Domus panis.  Beth enim domus est,  leem panis dicitur. De aliorum traditionibus propter perfidiam Judaicam, ne ipsi se redarguerent, vel ab ipsis praeteritum putamus, vel sublatum ab aliis.

15. De Juda quoque tribu esse Bethleem docet lectio in Judicum libro, quia vir ille levita accepit sibi concubinam de Bethleem Juda, et irata est ei concubina ejus, et rediit in domum patris sui in Bethleem Juda (Judic. XIX, 2).

16. Egressus itaque Christus a diebus saeculi; tunc enim nobis incipit saeculum, quando dies salutis, et egressus ad currendam viam dedit Israel. 1066  1238A   Usque ad tempus parientis (Psal. XVIII, 7). Cui advenit Christus, advenit fecunditas, advenit partus (Mich. V, 3); sicut advenit Ecclesiae, quae peperit plures, quam quae filios habebat: et peperit septem, id est, legitimos, tranquillos, pacificos. Incipit ergo concipere anima, et formari in ea Christus, quae receperit adventum ejus, et pascitur in divitiis ejus; ut nihil ei desit, ut videntes etiam eam aliae animae revertantur ad viam salutis.

17.  Et erit ei pax (Mich. V, 5), sed non potest probari nisi tentationibus. Tunc enim pax ejus estimabitur et tranquillitas; cum excluserit vanas cogitationes, vel compresserit, cum motus omnes edomuerit passionum insurgentium, cum increbuerint angustiae, persecutio, fames, periculum, gladius.  1238B Tunc  erit, inquit,  pax ; quia in his omnibus superamus propter eum, qui nos dilexit, quoniam confidimus in eo quia neque mors, neque vis tentationum nos ab ejus divellat charitate et separet (Rom. VIII, 35). Tunc ergo dabit tentationes, ut justi probentur. Et Dominus quidem dat tentationes ea voluntate, ut neminem decipi velit: sed quia plerique vincuntur infirmi tentationibus, qui fortes sunt, probantur.

18. Tunc illis  erit ros a Domino (Mich. V, 7), tunc requies: tunc erit anima justi, sicut  catulus leonis   in ovilibus pecorum (Ibid., 8). Quod Evangelico exemplo ad Christum referre non dubitaverim; quia ipse dixit:  Tunc justi fulgebunt sicut sol in regno Patris sui (Matth. XIII, 43). Comprimentur enim quadrigae ejus irrationabiles scilicet impetus et motus  1238C istius corporis (Mich. V, 10); sedabitur illud:  Foris pugnae, intus timores (II Cor. VII, 5); sed ubique, id est, intus et foris, tranquillitas erit: et non erit qui respondeat et resistat bonae voluntati; quia obedientia carnis, sublato pariete maceriae, cum fuerint utraque unum, omnes abolebit discordias (Ephes. II, 14).

19. Si qua autem anima infirma, sicut ille secundum carnem Israel, titubaverit, et ab illa Christi charitate persecutionibus turbata se aliquantulum separarit, corripitur atque arguitur quasi infida, quasi ingrata, quasi incredula, quae liberata a vanitatibus saeculi, in eas respiciendo reciderit: a qua non munera, non taurorum sacrificia; sed tantummodo ut  1239A bonum cognosceret, justitiam faceret, postulatum est.  Renuntiatum est (inquit)  tibi, homo, quid sit bonum, aut quid Dominus exquirat a te, nisi ut facias judicium et justitiam, et diligas misericordiam, et paratus sis ire cum Domino tuo  (Mich. VI, 8). Sed quia non servavit haec illa infirmior anima, ideo Dominus ait:  Heu me, quia factus sum sicut qui colligit stipulam in messe, et sicut racemum in vindemia (Mich. VII, 1)? Audiens ergo haec propheta, in quo loquebatur Deus, ait ad illam animam:  Heu me 1067  anima!   quod non est plenus timoris a terra. Vel si ipse Dominus dicit, miseratus futuras pro peccatis ultiones, atque pro nostris erroribus ingemiscens.

20. Audiens haec anima, quia seminum suorum fructus non colliget, nullum, messe amissa, firmamentum  1239B inveniet sui, premet olivam, et unctionem laetitiae non habebit, neque bibet vinum jucunditatis. Cognoscens etiam in operibus carnis omnia plena sanguinis, plena circumscriptionis, fraudum, fallaciae, ficta officia pietatis, compositas simulationes, et inimicos sibi omnes qui in domo sunt; ideoque proximi sibi corporis motus cavendos, qui sunt graves animae nostrae adversarii; convertitur, et de Deo sperare incipit, et intelligens vere inimicam sibi carnem existere, ait ad eam:  Noli supergaudere mihi, inimica mea, quia cecidi: sed resurgam; quia si sedero in tenebris, Dominus illuminabit me (Ibid., 8).

21. Considerans etiam insultare sibi aliquam potestatem, quae resistebat sibi; ne meliorem sequeretur viam: et inequitare, quod tradita esset in interitum  1239C carnis (I Cor. V, 5); ut diversis attereretur malis, quae vel a Domino propter peccatorum solutionem decernerentur, vel ab iniquo propter invidiam conversionis; ut ad se revocaret afflictam, dicit adhuc:  Iram Domini sustinebo; qui vel lapsam castigat, vel tibi potestatem affligendi dedit:  quia peccavi, sustinebo tamen,  donec justificet ipse causam meam (Mich. VII, 9). Nisi enim confessa fuero, et exsolvero pretia iniquitatum mearum, non potero justificari. Cum autem fuero justificata, solvens duplicia peccata:  Educet judicium meum, deponens indignationem; quia satisfactum sententiae est.  Educet me ad lumen, ut videam justitiam ejus (Ibid.), et aspiciam delectationem ejus.  Videbit hoc  1240A lumen reconciliationis meae  inimica mea, id est, diaboli nequitia;  et operietur confusione, quae nunc dicit: Ubi est Dominus Deus tuus (Ibid., 10)? Videbit in me misericordiam ejus, videbit pietatem ejus.

22. Et ideo non audiamus eum, quando sumus in adversis aliquibus saeculi; cum aut dolor corporis est, aut filiorum amissio, vel caeterarum necessitudinum: non audiamus, inquam, dicentem:  Ubi est Dominus Deus tuus? Tunc ejus tentationes cavendae sunt, cum gravis urget dolor, tunc animam aegram avertere studet.

23. Ergo anima, quae illum non audierit insidiantem sibi, videns postea mirabilia Dei, videns se in coelo, diabolum autem sicut colubrum reptantem in terrestribus, gratulabitur dicens:  Quis Deus sicut   1240B   tu, auferens peccata, et 1068  transferens impietates (Ibid., 18)? Qui non fuisti memor indignationis tuae: sed sicut in mari mersisti omnes iniquitates nostras, sicut Aegyptium plumbum, et redisti ad misericordiam voluntarius, quam gemino contulisti munere, dimittens peccata, atque abscondens, secundum quod scriptum est:  Beati quorum remissae sunt iniquitates, et quorum tecta sunt peccata (Psal. XXXI, 1)! Alia enim sanguine Filii tui abluis, alia donas nobis; ut bonis operibus et confessionibus nostros errores tegamus. Quod ergo ait:  Auferens peccata, ad remissionem pertinet; quia penitus ea tollit, ita ut non sint quorum memor non erit. Quod vero ait:  Transferens   iniquitates; eo quod confitentibus nobis lapsus nostros, et obumbrantibus eos bonae operationis  1240C fructu referantur in auctorem culpae, et peccati incentorem. Quid enim aliud agit, qui culpam fatetur, nisi ut adversantis nequitiae spiritalis dolo se et malitia transductum probet?

24. In eo itaque gratias agit anima ista; quia et aufert Dominus peccata, et transfert iniquitates, et demergit in profundo maris. Quod potest et ad baptismum referri, quo Aegyptius mergitur, Haebraeus resurgit: et quo altitudine sapientiae, et bonorum operum abundantia tegantur peccata superiora, per divitias misericordiae Dei nostri, qui memor promissionis suae, quam dederat Abrahae, haeredem ejus animam non est passus perire.

25. Et illa quidem anima hoc revocatur modo. Tu  1241A autem, fili, qui a primo flore pueritiae es haeres Ecclesiae, quae te suscepit et tenet, perseverato in proposito, memor gratiae Dei et muneris, quod per impositionem suscepisti manuum mearum; ut et in hoc gradu, sicut in ministerio sacro, fidem tuam demonstres atque industriam, et exspectes remunerationem Domini Jesu. Vale, et nos ut filius dilige; quia nos te diligimus.