Chapter L.

The Levites ought to be utterly free from all earthly desires. What their virtues should be on the Apostle’s own showing, and how great their purity must be. Also what their dignity and duty is, for the carrying out of which the chief virtues are necessary. He states that these were not unknown to the philosophers, but that they erred in their order. Some are by their nature in accordance with duty, which yet on account of what accompanies them become contrary to duty. From whence he gathers what gifts the office of the Levites demands. To conclude, he adds an exposition of Moses’ words when blessing the tribe of Levi.

255. If, then, in the Gospel of the Lord the people themselves were taught and led to despise riches,320    S. Mark x. 23. how much more ought ye Levites no longer to be bound down by earthly desires. For your portion is God. For when their earthly possessions were portioned out by Moses to the people of our fathers, the Lord suffered not the Levites to have a share in that earthly possession,321    Num. xviii. 23. for He Himself would be the strength of their inheritance. Wherefore David says: “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup.”322    Ps. xvi. 5. Whence we get the name “Levite,” which means: “Himself is mine,” or “Himself for me.” Great, then, is his honour, that God should say of him: Himself is Mine. Or, as was said to Peter about the piece of money found in the fish’s mouth: “Give to them for Me and for thee.”323    S. Matt. xvii. 27. Wherefore the Apostle, when he said: “A bishop should be sober, modest, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not covetous, nor a brawler, one that rules well his own house,” also added: “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let them also first be proved, and so let them serve, being found blameless.”324    1 Tim. iii. 2–10.

256. We note how much is required of us. The minister of the Lord should abstain from wine, so that he may be upheld by the good witness not only of the faithful but also by those who are without. For it is right that the witness to our acts and works should be the opinion of the public at large, that the office be not disgraced. Thus he who sees the minister of the altar adorned with suitable virtues may praise their Author, and reverence the Lord Who has such servants. The praise of the Lord sounds forth where there is a pure possession and an innocent rule at home.

257. But what shall I say about chastity, when only one and no second union is allowed? As regards marriage, the law is, not to marry again, nor to seek union with another wife. It seems strange to many why impediment should be caused by a second marriage entered on before baptism, so as to prevent election to the clerical office, and to the reception of the gift of ordination; seeing that even crimes are not wont to stand in the way, if they have been put away in the sacrament of baptism.325    The question kept coming up from time to time: Did Baptism annul all previous impedimenta ordinationis? Even in the fifth century, as Pope Innocent I. (Ep. XXIX.) shows, some maintained that as Baptism puts away all sins committed previous to its reception, so also it removes all impediments to ordination. This same idea St. Ambrose combats here. But we must learn, that in baptism sin can be forgiven, but law cannot be abolished. In the case of marriage there is no sin, but there is a law. Whatever sin there is can be put away, whatever law there is cannot be laid aside in marriage. How could he exhort to widowhood who himself had married more than once?

258. But ye know that the ministerial office must be kept pure and unspotted, and must not be defiled by conjugal intercourse; ye know this, I say, who have received the gifts of the sacred ministry, with pure bodies, and unspoilt modesty, and without ever having enjoyed conjugal intercourse. I am mentioning this, because in some out-of-the-way places, when they enter on the ministry, or even when they become priests, they have begotten children. They defend this on the ground of old custom, when, as it happened, the sacrifice was offered up at long intervals. However, even the people had to be purified two or three days beforehand, so as to come clean to the sacrifice, as we read in the Old Testament.326    Ex. xix. 10. They even used to wash their clothes. If such regard was paid in what was only the figure, how much ought it to be shown in the reality! Learn then, Priest and Levite, what it means to wash thy clothes. Thou must have a pure body wherewith to offer up the sacraments. If the people were forbidden to approach their victim unless they washed their clothes, dost thou, while foul in heart and body, dare to make supplication for others? Dost thou dare to make an offering for them?

259. The duty of the Levites is no light one, for the Lord says of them: “Behold I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel, instead of every first-born that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel. These shall be their redemption, and the Levites shall be Mine. For I hallowed unto Me all the first-born in the land of Egypt.”327    Num. iii. 12, 13. We know that the Levites are not reckoned among the rest, but are preferred before all, for they are chosen out of all, and are sanctified like the firstfruits and the firstlings which belong to the Lord, since the payment of vows and redemption for sin are offered by them. “Thou shalt not receive them,” He says, “among the children of Israel, but thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it. They shall bear the tabernacle and all the vessels thereof, and they shall minister in it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle setteth forward the Levites shall take it down, and when the camp is pitched they shall set up the tabernacle again. And the stranger that cometh nigh shall surely be put to death.”328    Num. i. 49–51.

260. Thou, then, art chosen out of the whole number of the children of Israel, regarded as the firstfruits of the sacred offerings, set over the tabernacle so as to keep guard in the camp of holiness and faith, to which if a stranger approach, he shall surely die. Thou art placed there to watch over the ark of the covenant. All do not see the depths of the mysteries, for they are hid from the Levites, lest they should see who ought not to see, and they who cannot serve should take it up. Moses, indeed, saw the circumcision of the Spirit, but veiled it, so as to give circumcision only in an outward sign. He saw the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth; he saw the sufferings of the Lord, but he veiled the unleavened bread of truth in the material unleavened bread, he veiled the sufferings of the Lord in the sacrifice of a lamb or a calf. Good Levites have ever preserved the mystery entrusted to them under the protection of their own faith, and yet dost thou think little of what is entrusted to thee? First, thou shalt see the deep things of God, which needs wisdom. Next, thou must keep watch for the people; this requires justice. Thou must defend the camp and guard the tabernacle, which needs fortitude. Thou must show thyself continent and sober, and this needs temperance.

261. These chief virtues, they who are without have recognized,329    Cic. de Off. I. 43. but they considered that the order resting on society was higher than that resting on wisdom; though wisdom is the foundation, and justice the building which cannot stand unless it have a foundation. The foundation is Christ.330    1 Cor. iii. 11.

262. First stands faith, which is a sign of wisdom, as Solomon says, in following his father: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”331    Prov. ix. 10, and Ps. cxi. [cx.] 10. And the law says: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, thou shalt love thy neighbour.”332    Deut. vi. 5. It is a noble thing to do one’s kindnesses and duties towards the whole of the human race. But it is ever most seemly that thou shouldst give to God the most precious thing thou hast, that is, thy mind,333    Cic. de Off. I. 45. for thou hast nothing better than that. When thou hast paid thy debt to thy Creator, then thou mayest labour for men, to show them kindness, and to give help; then thou mayest assist the needy with money, or by some duty, or some service that lies in the way of thy ministry; by money to support him; by paying a debt, so as to free him that is bound; by undertaking a duty, so as to take charge of a trust, which he fears to lose, who has put it by in trust.

263. It is a duty, then, to take care of and to restore what has been entrusted to us. But meanwhile a change comes, either in time or circumstances,334    Cic. de Off. I. 10. so that it is no longer a duty to restore what one has received. As, for instance, when a man demands back his money as an open enemy, to use it against his country, and to offer his wealth to barbarians. Or, if thou shouldst have to restore it, whilst another stood by to extort it from him by force. If thou restore money to a raving lunatic when he cannot keep it; if thou give up to a madman a sword once put by with thee, whereby he may kill himself, is it not an act contrary to duty to pay the debt? Is it not contrary to duty to take knowingly what has been got by a thief, so that he who has lost it is cheated out of it?

264. It is also sometimes contrary to duty to fulfil a promise,335    Cic. de Off. I. 10, § 32. or to keep an oath. As was the case with Herod, who swore that whatever was asked he would give to the daughter of Herodias, and so allowed the death of John, that he might not break his word.336    S. Matt. xiv. 6 ff. And what shall I say of Jephthah,337    Jud. xi. 30 ff. who offered up his daughter in sacrifice, she having been the first to meet him as he returned home victorious; whereby he fulfilled the vow which he had made that he would offer to God whatever should meet him first. It would have been better to make no promise at all, than to fulfil it in the death of his daughter.

265. Ye are not ignorant how important it is to look to this. And so a Levite is chosen to guard the sanctuary, one who shall never fail in counsel, nor forsake the faith, nor fear death, nor do anything extravagant, so that in his whole appearance he may give proof of his earnestness. For he ought to have not only his soul but even his eyes in restraint, so that no chance mishap may bring a blush to his forehead. For “whosoever looketh on a woman to desire her hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.”338    S. Matt. v. 28. Thus adultery is committed not only by actual committal of the foul deed, but even by the desire of the ardent gaze.

266. This seems high and somewhat severe, but in a high office it is not out of place. For the grace of the Levites is such that Moses spoke of them as follows in his blessing: “Give to Levi his men, give Levi his trusted ones, give Levi the lot of his inheritance, and his truth to the holy men whom they tempted in temptation, and reviled at the waters of contradiction. Who said to his father and mother, I know thee not, and knew not his brethren, and renounced his children. He guarded Thy word and kept Thy testimony.”339    Deut. xxxiii. 8, 9.

267. They, then, are His men, His trusty ones, who have no deceit in their hearts, hide no treachery within them, but guard His words and ponder them in their heart, as Mary pondered them;340    S. Luke ii. 19. who know not their parents so as to put them before their duty; who hate the violators of chastity, and avenge the injury done to purity; and know the times for the fulfilling of their duty, as also which duty is the greater, which the lesser, and to what occasion each is suited. In all this they follow that alone which is virtuous. And who, where there are two virtuous duties, think that which is the more virtuous must come first. These are in truth rightly blessed.

268. If any one makes known the just works of the Lord, and offers Him incense, then: “Bless, O Lord, his strength; accept the work of his hands,”341    Deut. xxxiii. 11. that he may find the grace of the prophetic blessing with Him Who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.

CAPUT L.

Levitas a terrenis cupiditatibus maxime alienos esse debere. Quae sint illorum virtutes ex Apostolo, quantave in ipsis castimonia requiratur: item quae dignitas eorum atque officium, ad quod primariae virtutes sunt necessariae. Hasce ignotas non fuisse philosophis, sed in ordine illos peccavisse: nonnulla esse natura secundum officium, quae ob adjuncta fiant contra officium; unde colligitur quantas dotes postulet dignitas levitarum: quae sequitur verborum Moysis tribui leviticae benedicentis expositio.

245. Quod si Evangelio Domini etiam populus ipse ad despicientiam opum informatus atque institutus 0096B est; quanto magis vos levitas oportet terrenis non teneri cupiditatibus, quorum Deus portio est? Nam cum divideretur a Moyse possessio terrena populo parum, excepit levitas Dominus a terrenae possessionis consortio, quod ipse illis esset funiculus haereditatis (Num. XVIII, 23). Unde ait David: Dominus pars haereditatis meae, et calicis mei (Psal. XV, 5). Denique sic appellatur levita ipse meus, vel ipse pro me. Magnum ergo munus ejus, ut de eo Dominus dicat: Ipse meus; vel quemadmodum Petro dixit de statere in ore piscis reperto: Dabis eis pro me et pro te (Matth. XVII, 26). Unde et Apostolus cum episcopum dixisset debere esse sobrium, pudicum, ornatum, hospitalem, docibilem, non avarum, non litigiosum, domui suae bene praepositum, addidit: 0096C Diaconos similiter oportet esse graves, non bilingues, non multo vino deditos, non turpe lucrum sectantes, habentes mysterium fidei in conscientia pura (I Tim. III, 8). Et hi autem probentur primum, et sic ministrent, nullum crimen habentes.

66 246. Advertimus quanta in nobis requirantur: ut abstinens sit a vino minister Domini, ut testimonio bono fulciatur non solum fidelium, sed etiam ab his qui foris sunt. Decet enim actuum operumque nostrorum testem esse publicam existimationem, ne derogetur muneri; ut qui videt ministrum altaris congruis ornatum virtutibus, auctorem praedicet, et Dominum veneretur, qui tales servulos 0097A habeat. Laus enim Domini, ubi munda possessio, et innocens familiae disciplina.

247. De castimonia autem quid loquar, quando una tantum (Dist. 26, Una tantum), nec repetita permittitur copula? Et in ipso ergo conjugio lex est non iterare conjugium, nec secundae conjugis sortiri conjunctionem. Quod plerisque mirum videtur, cur etiam ante baptismum iterati conjugii ad electionem muneris et ordinationis praerogativam impedimenta generentur; cum etiam delicta obesse non soleant, si lavacri remissa fuerint sacramento. Sed intelligere debemus quia baptismo culpa dimitti potest, lex aboleri non potest. In conjugio non culpa, sed lex est. Quod culpae est igitur in baptismate relaxatur: quod legis est in conjugio non solvitur. Quomodo autem potest hortator esse viduitatis qui ipse 0097B conjugia frequentaverit?

248. Inoffensum autem exhibendum et immaculatum ministerium, nec ullo conjugali coitu violandum 0098A cognoscitis, qui integri corpore, incorrupto pudore, alieni etiam ab ipso consortio conjugali, sacri ministerii gratiam recepistis? Quod eo non praeterii, quia in plerisque abditioribus locis cum ministerium gererent, vel etiam sacerdotium, filios susceperunt: et id tamquam usu veteri defendunt, quando per intervalla dierum sacrificium deferebatur; et tamen castificabatur etiam populus per biduum aut triduum, ut ad sacrificium purus accederet, ut in veteri Testamento legimus (Exod. XIX, 10); et lavabant vestimenta sua. Si in figura tanta observantia, quanta 67 in veritate? Disce, sacerdos atque levita, quid sit lavare vestimenta tua, ut mundum corpus celebrandis exhibeas sacramentis. Si populus sine ablutione vestimentorum suorum prohibebatur accedere ad hostiam suam, tu illotus 0098B mente pariter et corpore audes pro aliis supplicare, audes aliis ministrare?

249. Non mediocre officium levitarum, de quibus 0099A dicit Dominus: Ecce eligo levitas de medio filiorum Israel pro omni primogenito aperiente vulvam filiis Israel: redemptiones eorum erunt isti, et erunt mihi levitae. Mihi enim sanctificavi primogenitum in terra Aegypti (Num. III, 12 et 13). Cognovimus quia non inter caeteros levitae computantur, sed omnibus praeferuntur, qui eliguntur ex omnibus, et sanctificantur; ut primogenita fructuum atque primitiae quae Domino deputantur, in quibus est votorum solutio, et redemptio peccatorum. Non accipies, inquit, eos inter filios Israel: sed constitues levitas super tabernaculum testimonii, et super omnia vasa ejus astare, et super quaecumque sunt in ipso. Ipsi tollant tabernaculam et omnia vasa ejus, et ipsi ministrent in eo, et in circuitu tabernaculi castra ipsi constituant, et promovendo, 0099B tabernaculum ipsi deponant levitae: et constituendo castra, rursum ipsum tabernaculum ipsi statuant. Alienigena quicumque accesserit, morte moriatur (Num. I, 49 et seq.).

250. Tu ergo electus es ex omni numero filiorum Israel, inter sacros fructus quasi primogenitus aestimatus, praepositus tabernaculo, ut praetendas in castris sanctitatis et fidei, ad quae si alienigena accesserit, morte morietur, positus ut operias arcam Testamenti. Non enim omnes vident alta mysteriorum, quia operiuntur a levitis; ne videant qui videre non debent, et sumant qui servare non possunt. Moyses denique circumcisionem vidit spiritualem: sed operuit eam, ut in signo circumcisionem praescriberet. Vidit azyma veritatis et sinceritatis, vidit passionem 0099C Domini: operuit azymis corporalibus azyma veritatis, operuit passionem Domini, agni vel vituli immolatione. Et boni levitae servaverunt mysterium, fidei suae tegmine; et tu mediocre putas quod commissum est tibi? Primum ut alta Dei videas, quod est sapientiae: deinde ut excubias pro populo deferas, quod est justitiae: castra defendas, tabernaculumque 0100A 68 tuearis, quod est fortitudinis: te ipsum continentem ac sobrium praestes, quod est temperantiae.

251. Haec virtutum genera principalia constituerunt etiam hi qui foris sunt: sed communitatis superiorem ordinem quam sapientiae judicaverunt; cum sapientia fundamentum sit, justitia opus sit, quod manere non potest, nisi fundamentum habeat. Fundamentum autem Christus est (I Cor. III, 11).

252. Prima ergo fides, quae est sapientiae, ut Salomon dicit, secutus patrem: Initium sapientiae timor Domini (Prov. IX, 10). Et lex dicit: Diliges Dominum Deum tuum, diliges proximum tuum (Deut. VI, 5). Pulchrum est enim ut gratiam tuam atque officia in societatem humani generis conferas. Sed 0100B primum illud decorum est, ut quod habes pretiosissimum, hoc est, mentem tuam, qua nihil habes praestantius, Deo deputes. Cum solveris auctori debitum, licet ut opera tua in beneficentiam et adjumenta hominum conferas, atque opem feras necessitatibus, aut pecunia, aut officio, aut etiam quocumque munere; quod late patet in vestro ministerio: pecunia, ut subvenias: debito, ut obligatum liberes: officio, ut servanda suscipias, quae metuat amittere, qui deponenda credidit.

253. Officium est igitur depositum servare ac reddere. Sed interdum commutatio fit, aut tempore, aut necessitate, ut non sit officium reddere quod acceperis; ut si quis contra patriam, opem Barbaris ferens, pecuniam apertus hostis reposcat: aut si cui 0100C reddas, cum adsit qui extorqueat: si furenti restituas, cum servare non queat: si insanienti gladium depositum non neges, quo se ille interimat, nonne solvisse contra officium est? Si furto quaesita sciens suscipias, ut fraudetur qui amiserat, nonne contra officium est?

254. Est etiam contra officium (22, quaest. 4, c. 0101A Est etiam) nonnumquam solvere promissum, sacramentum custodire: ut Herodes qui juravit quoniam quidquid petitus esset, daret filiae Herodiadis, et necem Joannis praestitit, ne promissum negaret (Matth. XIV, 7 et seq.). Nam de Jephthe quid dicam, qui immolavit filiam, quae sibi victori prima occurrerat, quo votum impleret, quod spoponderat, ut quidquid sibi primum occurrisset, offerret Deo (Judic. XI, 39)? Melius fuerat 69 nihil tale promittere, quam promissum solvere parricidio.

255. Haec quanti consilii sit prospicere, non ignoratis. Et ideo eligitur levita , qui sacrarium custodiat, ne fallatur consilio, ne fidem deserat, ne mortem timeat, ne quid intemperantius gerat, ut specie ipsa gravitatem praeferat : nec solum animum, 0101B sed etiam oculos continentes habere quem deceat; ne vel ipse frontem sobrietatis fortuitus violet occursus; quoniam: Qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendam eam, adulteravit eam in corde suo (Matth. V, 28). Ita adulterium non solum facti colluvione, sed etiam aspectus intentione committititur.

256. Magna haec videntur, ac nimis severa, sed in magno munere non superflua; quando tanta est levitarum gratia, ut de his Moyses in benedictionibus 0102A diceret: Date Levi viros ejus, date Levi manifestos ejus, date Levi sortem suffragii sui, et veritatem ejus viro sancto, quem tentaverunt in tentationibus, maledixerunt super 70 aquam contradictionis. Qui dicit patri suo et matri: Non novi te; et fratres suos non cognovit, et filios suos abdicavit: hic custodit verba tua, et testamentum tuum observavit (Deut. XXXIII, 8 et seq.).

257. Illi ergo viri ejus, et manifesti ejus, qui nihil in corde doli habeant, nihil fraudis occultent, sed verba ejus custodiant, et in corde suo conferant, sicut conferebat et Maria (Luc. II, 19): qui suos parentes officio suo non noverint praeferendos, qui violatores oderint castitatis, pudicitiae ulciscantur injuriam, noverint officiorum tempora; quod majus, 0102B quod minus sit, quod cui aptum tempori est, et ut id solum sequantur quod honestum est; sane ubi duo honesta, id quod honestius est, praeponendum putent; hi jure benedicti.

28. Si quis ergo manifestet justitias Dei, incensum imponat: Benedic, Domine, virtutem ipsius, opera manuum ejus suscipe (Deut. XXXIII, 10); ut gratiam prophaeticae benedictionis inveniat apud eum qui vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum, Amen.