LETTER VIII. [A.D.381.]

S. AMBROSE in this letter answers the objections raised against the Scriptures, that they were not written according to the rules of art, and illustrates his argument with various passages.

AMBROSE TO JUSTUS.

1. VERY many deny that the Sacred writers wrote according to the rules of art. Nor do we contend for the contrary; for they wrote not according to art, but according to grace, which is above all art; for they wrote that which the Spirit gave them to speak.  01-99 99. Acts ii. 4. And yet they who wrote on art made use of their writings from which to frame their art, and to compose its comments and rules.

2. Again, in art there are principally required, a cause, a subject, and an end. When then we read that holy Isaac said to his father,  Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering,  01-100 100. αἴτιον, ὕλη, ἀποτέλεσμα. Gen. xxii. 7. which of these is wanting? For he who asks, doubts, he who answers the query pronounces and solves the doubt.  Behold the fire, that is the cause,  and the wood, that is ὕλη  , which in Latin is 'materia,' what third thing remains but the end, which the son asked for, saying,  Where is the lamb for a burnt-offering, and the father replied,  My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering?  01-101 101. Ib. 8.

3. Let us discuss for a little while the mystery.  God shewed a ram hanging by his horns. Now the ram is the Word, full of tranquillity, moderation, and patience; whereby is shewn that Wisdom is a good sacrifice, and that He was well skilled in the mode of meritorious propitiation. Wherefore the Prophet also says,  Offer the sacrifice of righteousness.  01-102 102. Ps. iv. 5. And so it is a sacrifice both of righteousness and of wisdom.

4. Here then is a mind fervent and glowing as fire which worketh; here is the thing to be understood, that is the subject-matter, where is the third, the understanding? Behold the colour, where is the seeing? behold the object of sense, where is the sense itself? For matter is not seen by all, and therefore God gives the gift of understanding, and feeling, and seeing.

5. The Word of God then is the end or completion; that is, the determination and completion of the discussion, which is communicated to the more prudent, and confirms things doubtful. Well do even they who believed not in the Coming of Christ refute themselves, so that they confess what they think to deny. For they say that the ram is the Word of God, and yet believe not the mystery of the Passion, whereas in that mystery is the Word of God, in Whom the Sacrifice was fulfilled.

6. Wherefore let us first kindle within us the fire of the mind, that it may work within us. Let us seek for the subject-matter, what it is that nourishes the mind, as if we were looking for it in darkness. For neither did the Fathers know what manna was: they found manna, it is said, declaring it to be the Discourse and word of God,  01-103 103. Exod. xvi. 15, 16. from Whom all instruction as from a perennial fountain flows and is derived.

7. This is that heavenly food. And it is signified by the Person of the Speaker,  Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you.  01-104 104. Exod. xvi. 4. The 'cause' then we have in the operation of God, Who waters our minds with the dew of wisdom; the 'subject-matter' we have in that the minds which see and taste it are delighted, and inquire whence comes this which is brighter than light, sweeter than honey. They have their answer from the text of Scripture:  This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat;  01-105 105. Ib. 15. and this is the Word of God, Which God appointed and ordained, whereby the minds of the prudent are fed and comforted, which is white and sweet, enlightening the minds of the hearers with the splendour of truth, and soothing them with the sweetness of virtue.

8. The Prophet had learned in himself what was the 'cause' of the thing to be completed. For when he was sent to the king of Egypt to deliver the people of God, he says,  Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and deliver my people from the king's power? the Lord answers,  I  will be with thee. Moses asked again,  What shall I say unto them, if they ask, Who is the Lord that hath sent thee, and what is His Name? The Lord said,  I  am that I am, thou shalt say, I AM  hath sent me unto you.  01-106 106. Ib. iii. 11-14. This is the true Name of God----Eternity. Wherefore the Apostle also says of Christ,  For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Who was preached among you by us, by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not Yea and Nay, but in Him was Yea.   01-107 107. 2 Cor. i. 19. Moses answered,  But behold they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice, for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.  01-108 108. Exod. iv 1. Then He gave him power to work miracles, that it might be believed that he was sent by God, A third time Moses says,  I  am not eloquent, but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue; how shall Pharaoh hear me?  01-109 109. Ib. 10. the Lord answers,  Go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.  01-110 110. Ib. 12.

9. These intermingled questions and answers contain the seeds and science of wisdom. The 'end' or 'completion' too is good, for He says,  I will be with thee! And although He had given him power to work miracles, yet as he was still doubtful, that we might know that signs are for them that believe not, but the promise for believers, the weakness of his deserts or of his purpose receives this answer,  I  will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say!  01-111 111. Exod. iii. 12, Thus a perfect 'end' is preserved.

10. This you have also in the Gospel,  Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  01-112 112. S. Matt. vii. 7. Ask from the 'cause,' that is, from the Author. You have as your subject-matter things spiritual which cause you to seek;  knock, and God the Word  opens to you. That which asks is the mind, which works like fire; it is in things spiritual that the glow of the mind works, as fire on wood; God the Word opens unto you, this is the 'end.' We have also in another part of the Gospel these words of our Lord,  But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.   01-113 113. Ib. x. 19, 20.

11. These words too of Isaac you have in Genesis,  How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me.  01-114 114. Gen. xxvii. 20. The Lord is the end. He who seeks in the Lord finds. And thus Laban who sought not in the Lord, for he sought idols, found not.  01-115 115. Ib. xxxi. 33.

12. And he has well observed the rules  01-116 116. 1 ὅροι . and distinctions as they are called. The first is  Go and take me some venison, that I may eat.  01-117 117. Ib. xxvii. 4. He excites and inflames his mind with the fire, as it were, of his exhortation, that he may labour and seek. The second is,  How is it that thou hast found it so quickly? This is in the form of a question; the third is an answer,  Because the Lord thy God brought it to me. The 'end' is God, Who concludes and perfects all things, of Whom we are not to doubt.

13. And there is a 'distinction' too as to spontaneous things; If you sow not, you shall not reap  01-118 118. a There is no text in Holy Scripture exactly corresponding to this. Lev. xxv, 11 which is referred to by Ed. Ben. is hardly to the point. ; for although culture calls forth seeds, yet nature by a certain spontaneous impulse, worketh in them that they spring up.

14. Wherefore the Apostle says,  I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God That giveth the increase!   01-119 119. 1 Cor. iii. 6,7. God gives to you in the spirit, and the Lord sows in your heart. Take care then that He breathe life and sow in you, that you may reap; for if you sow not, neither shall you reap. This is a sort of admonition to you to sow. If you sow not you shall not reap, is a proverb. The end agrees with the beginning; the seed is the beginning, the harvest the end.

15. Learn, he says, of me; nature aids the learner, and God is the Author of nature. It is of God too that we learn well, for it is a natural gift to learn well; the hard of heart learn not. Nature, which is preserved by the Divine bounty, gives the increase. The final consummation God giveth, that is, the most excellent and Divine Nature and Essence of the Trinity.

Farewell: love us, as you do, for we love you.

EPISTOLA VII .

JUSTO  sciscitanti quidnam didrachmi dimidium pro redemptione afferri praeceptum significasset. AMBROSIUS  rescribit fidem ac misericordiam, in quibus redemptio est, eo signari: hac de re idem pretium cunctis praescriptum, in quo cum manna, cujus mensura de sapientia et Christi sanguine explicatur, congruit: congruit praeterea cum paschali agno, qui aequaliter distributus aequalem singulis redemptionem tribui indicabat; quo etiam refertur promissa in Evangelio eadem merces. His subdit Christum nostram esse redemptionem, qua cum pro se non indigeat, staterem non sua, sed nostra causa dari jussisse. Quid   0904D   eodem statere significetur, aut cur illum ignoraverint Judaei a Christianis haud imitandi. Adjicit dimidium didrachmi eorum figuram esse, qui vitae partem mundo impendunt: quod non fecerunt Hebraei pueri. Denique ubi exposuit, quare   Dominus quod non debebat, solverit, mystica quaedam enucleat ad instituendos mores idonea. 

AMBROSIUS JUSTO, salutem.

1. Pulchre admones, frater, ut epistolares fabulas,  0905A et sermonem absentium ad interpretationem conferamus oraculi coelestis, interrogans me quid significet illud didrachmum, cujus dimidium Hebraeus praecipitur offerre pro redemptione animae suae (Exod. XXX, 12 et seq.). Quid enim tam consociabile, quam de divinis rebus sermonem contexere?

2. Est autem dimidium didrachmi, drachma; redemptio autem animae, fides: fides ergo drachma, quam illa mulier in Evangelio, ut legimus, amissam diligenter requirit, lucernam accendens, et mundans domum suam; et si invenerit, convocat amicas et vicinas petens congratulari eas secum, quod invenerit drachmam, quam perdiderat (Luc. XV, 8 et seq.). Magnum enim damnum animae, si quis fidem amiserit, vel gratiam, quam fidei pretio acquisivit  0905B sibi. Et tu ergo accende lucernam tuam:  Lucerna tua oculus tuus est (Matth. VI, 22), ille scilicet interior oculus mentis. Istam fucernam accende, quae accipit oleum spiritale, et lucet in tota domo tua. Quaere drachmam redemptionem animae tuae, quam qui amiserit, turbatur: qui invenerit, exsultat.

3. Est et redemptio animae misericordia; redemptio enim animae hominis divitiae ejus, quibus utique fit misericordia, quae sumptu pauperes juvat (Prov. XIII, 8). 778 Fides igitur, gratia, misericordia, redemptio est animae, quae drachmae, id est, integro pretio summae plenioris expenditur. Sic enim scriptum est, dicente Domino ad Moysen:  Cum acceperis computationem filiorum Israel in visitatione ipsorum,   0905C   dabunt singuli   redemptionem animae suae Domino, et non erit in his ruina, in visitatione eorum. Et hoc est quod dabunt, quotquot perambulant visitationem, didrachmi dimidiam partem, quod est secundum didrachmum sanctum. Viginti oboli didrachmum: dimidia   0906A   autem pars didrachmi illatio Domino. Omnis qui intraverit visitare a viginti annis et supra, dabunt illationem Domino. Qui dives est, non adjiciet: et qui pauper est, non minorabitur a dimidia parte   didrachmi; cum coeperint dare oblationem Domino, exorare pro animabus suis. Et accipies pecuniam illationis a filiis Israel, et dabis illam in opus Tabernaculi testimonii, et erit filiis Israel legitimum memoriale in conspectu Domini, exorare pro animis vestris  (Exod. XXX, 12 et seq.).

4. Ita ergo deerat vel dives, qui plus offerret; vel pauper, qui minus haberet, si in pecunia dimidium didrachmum istud, et non in virtute esset? Unde advertendum quod non materialis ista, sed intelligibilis drachma sit, quae ex aequo ab omnibus conferenda  0906B aestimatur.

Denique etiam de illa coelesti esca (esca autem et delectatio alimenti coelestis sapientia est, qua vescebantur in paradiso locati, qui erat indeficiens animae cibus, quem vocavit manna divinus sermo) ita legimus distributionem factam per singulas animas, ut aequalis fieret divisio. Et collegerunt secundum dispositionem Moysi, qui plurimum, et qui minimum: et mensuram fecerunt gomor, et non abundavit, nec superfuit ei, qui multum, et ei qui minus, non defuit (Exod. XVI, 17, 18). Unusquisque enim pro numero animarum, qui apud se erat in tabernaculis, collegerunt per singula capita gomor, id est, mensuram vini, sicut habet interpretatio.

6. Est autem mensura sapientiae, quae si supra  0906C mensuram sit, nocet; quia scriptum est:  Noli esse multum sapiens (Eccl. VII, 17). Et Paulus docuit secundum mensuram dari divisionem gratiarum, cum dicit:  Quia unicuique datur manifestatio spiritus ad utilitatem, alii sermo sapientiae,   alii sermo scientiae,   0907A   alii fides sapientiae per spiritum scientiae secundum eumdem spiritum, fides in eodem spiritu (I Cor. XII, 7 et seq.); et dividi 779 eam gratiam secundum voluntatem Spiritus. Quod dividit, aequitatis est: quod autem secundum voluntatem suam dividit, potestatis. Vel quia id velit unicuique conferre, quod profuturum noverit.

7. Gomor ergo mensura est, et mensura vini, quod laetificat cor hominis (Ps. CIII, 15). Quid autem nisi sapientiae potus jucunditas cordis est? Hoc est illud vinum, quod miscuit in cratere Sapientia (Prov. IX, 2), et offert bibendum, ut sumamus nobis sobrietatem et prudentiam: quod ea aequalitate transfundi oportet sensibus et cogitationibus nostris, et omnibus motibus, qui intra hanc nostram sunt domum;  0907B ut sciamus posse abundare omnibus, deficere nulli.

8. Plenius autem de sanguine Christi intelligitur, cujus ad gratiam nihil minuitur, nihil adjungitur. Et si parum sumas, et si plurimum haurias, eadem perfecta est omnibus mensura redemptionis.

9. Pascha quoque Domini, hoc est, agnum, ita Patres epulari jubentur (Exod. XII, 4), ut secundum numerum animarum epulentur suarum, neque plures, neque pauciores: neque aliis plus dari, aliis minus, sed secundum animas singulorum; ne aut fortiores amplius sumant, aut infirmiores minus. Gratia enim aequalis singulis dividitur, redemptio dividitur, donum dividitur. Neque plures oportet esse, ne quis vacuus spei et redemptionis recedat.  0907C Plures sunt, quando aliqui extra numerum sunt: sancti autem numerati sunt omnes, et capilli eorum (Matth. X, 30); cognovit enim Dominus qui sunt ipsius: neque pauciores, ne magnitudine gratiae sit ad recipiendum infirmior.

10. Et ideo omnes aequalitatem devotionis et fidei deferre praecepit ad pascha Domini, id est, ad transitum. Pascha autem est, quando anima irrationabilem deponit passionem, sumit autem bonam compassionem; ut compatiatur Christo, et transitum ejus in se suscipiat, ut inhabitet in ea, et deambulet, et fiat ejus Deus. Gratia itaque aequalis per omnes, virtus autem diversa in singulis. Unusquisque ergo portionem competentem suis viribus sumat, ne aut fortior indigeat, aut oneretur infirmior.

 0908A 11. Habes hoc in Evangelio (Matth. XX, 10), quia merces aequalis omnibus solvitur in vinea laborantibus: sed pauci ad bravium, pauci ad coronam perveniunt, pauci dicunt:  Reposita est mihi corona justitiae (II Tim. IV, 8). Alia est enim merces liberalitatis et gratiae, aliud virtutis stipendium, laboris remuneratio.

12. Ergo didrachmum redemptio est, imo dimidium didrachmi. Redemit autem nos a morte, redemit a servitute; ne subjecti simus 780 mundo, cui renuntiavimus. Unde Dominus in Evangelio dicit ad Petrum, ut vadat ad mare, mittat hamum, et in ore piscis inventum staterem sumat, et det pro Domino et pro se exigentibus didrachma (Matth. XVII, 26). Hoc est igitur didrachma, quod exigebatur secundum  0908B Legem: sed non debebat illud filius regis, sed alienus. Quid enim se Christus redimeret ab hoc mundo, qui venerat ut tolleret peccatum mundi (Ibid., 24)? Quid se a peccato redimeret, qui descenderat, ut omnibus peccatum dimitteret (Joan. I, 29)? Quid se redimeret a servitute, qui se exinaniverat, ut universis libertatem daret (Phil. II, 7)? Quid se redimeret a morte, qui carnem susceperat, ut morte sua omnibus resurrectionem acquireret?

13. Non utique opus habuit redemptione redemptor universorum: sed sicut circumcisionem accepit, ut legem impleret (Luc. II, 22); et ad baptismum venit, ut impleret justitiam (Matth. III, 15): ita etiam didrachma exigentibus solutionem non recusavit;  0908C sed statim staterem pro didrachmo jussit pro se et Petro dari (Matth. XVII, 26). Maluit enim supra Legem solvere, quam id quod erat Legis negare. Ostendit autem contra Legem Judaeos facere, qui ab uno didrachmum exigerent; cum dimidium didrachmi exigendum Moyses praescripserit. Et ideo, et pro se et pro Petro tamquam singulas drachmas in statere solvi mandavit. Bonus autem census Christi, qui statere solvitur; quia statera justitia est, justitia autem supra Legem. Denique finis Legis Christus ad justitiam omni credenti (Rom. X, 4). Hic stater in ore piscis invenitur: illius piscis, quem capiunt piscatores hominum: illius piscis, qui ponderat sermones suos, ut igne examinatos proferat (Psal. XVII, 31).

 0909A 14. Hunc staterem nescierunt Judaei, quem proditori dederunt. Lex autem dimidium didrachmi pro redemptione animae exigit, quam drachmam Deo deputat; quia totum didrachmum vindicare non poterat. Vix enim in Judaeo vel portio devotionis poterat investigari. Qui autem verus est liber, verus Hebraeus, totus est Dei; totum quod habet, libertatis est. Nihil habet illius, qui libertatem recusat dicens:  Dilexi dominum meum, et uxorem et infantes: non abibo liber (Exod. XXI, 5). Quod non solum ad dominum, sed etiam ad ejus refertur infirmitatem, qui se subjecerit mundo, quod diligat mundum, vel mentem suam, id est, νοῦν, hujus auctorem voluntatis. Nec solum ad uxorem, sed etiam ad delectationem refertur, quae domesticam, non illam aeternam  0909B curam suscipit. Huic ergo ad limen et ostium suum dominus suus aurem pertundit; ut meminerit sermonis sui, quo servitutem elegit.

781 15. Et ideo tu, christiane, istum non imiteris; quia tibi scriptum est, non ut didrachmi dimidium, si tamen vis perfectus esse, Deo offeras: sed ut omnia tua vendas, et des pauperibus (Matth. XIX, 21). Nec ut portionem servitutis mundo reserves: sed ut totum te abneges, et Domini crucem tollas, et sequaris eum.

16. Cognovimus itaque ideo dimidium didrachmi Lege postulari, quia dimidium generi hujus mundi, id est, conversationi saeculari, et usui domestico, et posteritati reservabatur, quibus necesse erat et sortem ex sorte, id est, transmissionis deputari.  0909C Unde et Dominus tentantibus se Pharisaeis subdola interrogatione utrum suaderet censum dari Caesari, respondit:  Quid me tentatis, hypocritae? Ostendite mihi numisma census (Matth. XXII, 8, 19). At illi obtulerunt ei denarium, in quo erat imago Caesaris. Ait illis:  Reddite quae sunt Caesaris, Caesari; et quae sunt Dei, Deo (Ibid., 21); ostendens illos ita esse imperfectos, qui sibi perfecti viderentur, ut prius Caesari quam Deo solverent. Quibus enim prior esset cura mundi, ab iis prius solvendum foret, quod erat mundi. Unde et ait;  Reddite, id est, vos reddite,  quae sunt Caesaris (Dan. II, 17), apud quos figura et imago invenitur Caesaris.

17. Illi ergo Hebraei pueri Ananias, Azarias, Misael (Dan. III, 18), ille Daniel sapientior (Dan. I, 8),  0909D qui non adoraverunt imaginem regis, qui non receperunt eam, qui nihil de illa mensa regis accipiebant, non tenebantur ad solutionem tributi. Nihil enim eorum, quae sub rege terreno erant, possidebant  0910A (Deut. XVIII, 2). Ergo eorum imitatores non solvunt tributum, quibus portio Deus est. Ideo Dominus ait:  Reddite, id est, vos reddite, qui protulistis imaginem Caesaris, apud quos invenitur: ego autem nihil debeo Caesari, quia nihil hujus mundi habeo:  Venit enim hujus mundi princeps, et in me inveniet nihil (Joan. XIV, 30). Nihil debet Petrus, nihil apostoli mei; quia non sunt de hoc mundo, etsi in hoc mundo sunt. Ego misi eos in hunc mundum; sed jam non sunt de hoc mundo, quia mecum sunt supra mundum.

18. Ergo quod divinae legis est, solvi jubetur, non quod Caesaris. Sed tamen et ipsum perfectus, id est, praedicator Evangelii jam non debebat, qui plus praedicabat. Non debebat Filius Dei, non debebat et  0910B Petrus in adoptionem a Patre adscitus per gratiam: sed  ne scandalizentur, inquit,  vade ad mare, et mitte hamum, et eum piscem, qui primus ascenderit, tolle; et aperto ore ejus, invenies ibi staterem, illum sumens da iis pro me et te  (Matth. XVII, 26). O magna mysteria! dat dimidium didrachmi quod Lex jubebat, et non negat quod Legis est, quasi factus ex muliere, factus sub Lege (Galat. IV, 4). Factum secundum incarnationem locutus sum, ex muliere secundum sexum; mulier sexus est, virgo species: sexus generis, virgo integritatis. In quo ergo venit sub Lege, in eo 782 factus est ex muliere, id est, in corpore. Et ideo didrachmum solvi jubet pro se et Petro, quia uterque sub Lege generati. Jubet ergo secundum Legem solvi, ut eos qui sub Lege erant, redimeret  0910C (Galat. IV, 5).

19. Et tamen staterem dari jubet, quo vectes imponerent ori suo, ne ex multiloquio peccatum admitterent. Et jubet dari in ore piscis repertum, ut agnoscerent Verbum. Qui enim quod Legis est, exigebant; cur quod Legis est, nesciebant? Verbum enim Dei ignorare non debebant; quia scriptum est:  Prope est Verbum in ore tuo, et in corde tuo (Deut. XXX, 14). Totum igitur didrachmum Deo solvit, qui saeculo nihil reservavit. Deo enim justitia solvitur, quae est mentis sobrietas: Deo solvitur sermonis custodia, quae est sermonis sobrietas:  corde enim creditur ad justitiam, ore confessio fit ad salutem (Rom. X, 10).

20. Potest autem et drachma pro veteri Testamento  0910D accipi, didrachmum pro utriusque Testamenti pretio; quia secundum Legem unusquisque per Legem redimebatur: qui autem secundum Evangelium redimitur, solvit drachmam secundum Legem, sanguine  0911A redimitur Christi secundum gratiam, geminam habens redemptionem, et devotionis et sanguinis. Nec enim fides sola ad perfectionem satis est, nisi etiam baptismatis adipiscatur gratiam, et sanguinem Christi redemptus accipiat. Bona ergo drachma quae Deo solvitur.

Non est drachma denarius, sed diversum est. Denique in denario imago Caesaris est, in drachma imago Dei (Matth. XXII, 21); quia unius est Dei, ad imitationem ipsius. Ab uno incipit, et in infinitum diffunditur: et iterum de infinito numero in unum, quasi in finem omnia revertuntur; quia Deus et principium et finis omnium est. Unde nec numerum monada, sed elementum numeri, quibus ea cura est, appellaverunt. Et hoc propterea diximus, quia  0911B scriptum est:  Ego sum α  et ω,  primus et novissimus (Apoc. I, 8); et:  Audi Israel, Dominus Deus tuus Deus unus est (Deut. VI, 4).

22. Et tu ergo ad similitudinem Dei unus esto atque idem: non hodie sobrius, cras ebrius: hodie pacificus, crastina die litigiosus: hodie frugi, crastina die incontinens; mutatur enim unusquisque morum varietate, et fit alter: in quo non agnoscitur, quod fuit, et incipit esse, quod non fuit, sui degener. Grave est enim mutari in pejus: sed esto sicut imago in drachma, immutabilis, eumdem habitum servans quotidie. Videns drachmam, attende imaginem, hoc est, videns Legem, attende in Lege imaginem Dei Christum; quia ipse imago Dei invisibilis et incorruptibilis, luceat tibi velut in speculo Legis  0912A (Col. I, 15). Confitere eum in Lege, ut eum in Evangelio recognoscas. Si cognovisti in mandatis, recognosce in operibus. Vale, et si non infructuose didrachmum istud commissum mihi 783 arbitraris, iterum si quid habes, committere ne dubitaveris.