SANCTI AMBROSII MEDIOLANENSIS EPISCOPI DE EXCESSU FRATRIS SUI SATYRI LIBRI DUO .

 LIBER PRIMUS.

 1289 1113 1. Deduximus, fratres dilectissimi, hostiam meam, hostiam incontaminatam, hostiam Deo placentem, 1290 domnum et fratrem meum Satyrum. Memine

 11. Ille nostro, non suo lacrymavit affectu neque enim divinitas lacrymas habet: sed lacrymavit eo, quo tristis fuit (Matth. XXVI, 38): lacrymavit eo

 21. Sentio equidem quod repetendis officiis tuis, recensendisque virtutibus, afficiatur animus: sed tamen in ipsa mei affectione requiesco, atque hae

 31. Ego vero te, frater, cum vitae tuae flore, tum mortis commoditate beatum arbitror. Non enim nobis ereptus es, sed periculis: non vitam amisisti, s

 41. Nam si quando aliquid cum sancta sorore 1125 mihi conferendum fuit, utra melior videretur sententia, te judicem sumebamus, qui nullius laederes os

 51. Qua vero prosecutione simplicitatem ejus edisseram? Ea est enim quaedam morum temperantia, mentisque sobrietas. Date, quaeso, veniam, et permittit

 61. Unde non immerito quantus fuerit, hodie quoque per vocem lectoris parvuli, Spiritus sanctus 1309D expressit: Innocens manibus, et mundo corde, qui

 71. Certe si illi sibi aliqua solatia repererunt, qui finem sensus, defectumque naturae mortem arbitrati sunt quanto magis nos, quibus meliora post m

 LIBER SECUNDUS. DE FIDE RESURRECTIONIS.

 1315

 11. Sit tamen patiens dolor, sit in tristibus modus, qui exigitur in secundis. An si immoderate gaudere non convenit, lugere convenit? Non enim medioc

 21. Scimus tamen quod corpori supervivat, et ea, jam depositis proprii sensus repagulis expedita, libero cernat obtutu, quae ante sita in corpore non

 31. Et quis hoc dixit, nisi ille qui sapientiam poposcit et impetravit (Sap. VII, 7) ut sciret compositionem orbis terrarum, et virtutem elementorum,

 41. Sed quod remedium? Quis me liberabit de corpore mortis hujus? Gratia Dei per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum (Ibid., 24, 25). Habemus medicum, sequ

 51. Et quidem omnia aut usu, aut ratione, aut exemplo, aut eo quia decorum sit ea esse, ideo esse creduntur et ad fidem singula suffragantur. Usus, q

 61. Tamen antequam tempus veniat, nec illa creduntur non enim omne tempus accommodum ad resuscitanda semina. Alio triticum seminatur, alio nascitur:

 71. Sed jam ipsum audiamus prophetam sic enim ait: Et facta est super me manus Domini, et eduxit me in spiritu Dominus, et posuit me in medio campo,

 81. Nec hoc solum exemplum edidit Dominus 1156 noster Jesus Christus sed alios quoque resuscitavit, ut nos vel exemplis uberioribus crederemus. Resus

 91. Ergo resurrexit homo, quoniam homo mortuus est: resuscitatus homo, sed resuscitans Deus. Tunc secundum carnem homo, nunc per omnia Deus: nunc enim

 1161 101. Videmus igitur coelum patere virtuti, nec hoc esse paucorum: Multi enim venient ab Oriente, et ab Occidente, et Aquilone et Austro, et recum

 111. Nec tamen omnium est utraque canere tuba, nec est omnium universam colligere synagogam: sed solis sacerdotibus, et ministris Dei canentibus 1348B

 121. Et ideo beatus qui custodit verba prophetiae hujus (Apoc. XXIII, 7), quae nobis resurrectionem 1350C Et vidi mortuos magnos et pusillos stantes a

 131. Sed videro quid vos de vobis, gentes, opinionis habeatis neque enim mirum debet videri, quod creditis vos in bestias posse mutari, qui bestias a

111. Yet it is not every one’s business to sound each trumpet, nor every one’s business to call together the whole assembly, but that prerogative is granted to the priests alone,179    Num. x. 8. and the ministers of God who sound the trumpets, so that whosoever shall hear and follow thither where the glory of the Lord is, and shall with early determination come to the tabernacle of witness, may be able also to see the divine works, and merit that appointed and eternal home for the entire succession of his posterity. For then is the war finished and the enemy put to flight, when the grace of the Spirit and the energy of the soul act together.

112. And these are salutary trumpets also, if one believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth; “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”180    Rom. x. 10. For with this twofold trumpet man arrives at that holy land, namely, the grace of the resurrection. Let them, then, ever sound to thee, that thou mayest ever hear the voice of God; may the utterances of the Angels and Prophets ever incite and move thee, that thou mayest hasten to things above.

113. David was thinking of this purpose in his breast when he said: “For I will pass into the place of the marvellous tabernacle, even to the house of God, with the voice of exultation and thanksgiving, the sound of one that feasts.”181    Ps. xlii. [xli.] 4 [LXX.]. For not only are enemies overcome by the sound of these trumpets; but without them there could not be rejoicings, and festivals or new moons. For no one, unless he have received the promises of the Divine Word, and believes the message derived therefrom, can keep festivals or new moons, in which he desires to fill himself, freed from bodily pleasure and secular occupation, with the light of Christ. And sacrifices themselves cannot be pleasing to Christ unless confession of the mouth accompanies them, which according to custom stirs up the people to implore the grace of God at the priestly oblation.

114. Let us therefore be preachers of the Lord, and praise Him in the sound of the trumpet,182    Ps. cl. 3. not thinking little or lightly of its power, but such things as can fill the ear of the mind, and enter into the depths of our inmost consciousness, so that we think not that what suits to the body is to be applied to the Godhead, nor measure the greatness of Divine Power by human might, so as to enquire how any one can rise again, or with what kind of body he will come, or how that which has been dissolved can again coalesce, and what is lost be restored, for all these things are accomplished as soon as they are determined by the Divine Will. And it is not a sound of a trumpet distinguishable by the bodily senses which is expected, but the invisible power of the Majesty of heaven operates; for with God to will is to do; nor need we enquire into the force required for the resurrection, but seek its fruit for ourselves. Which will be accomplished all the more easily, if freed from faults we attain to the fulness of the spiritual mystery, and the renewed flesh receives grace from the Spirit, and the soul obtains from Christ the brightness of eternal light.

115. But those mysteries pertain not to individuals only, but to the whole human race. For observe the order of grace according to the type of the Law. When the first trumpet sounds, it collects those towards the east, as the chief and elect; when the second sounds, those nearly equal in merit, who, being placed towards Libanus, have abandoned the follies of the nations; when the third, those who as it were, tossed on the sea of this world, have been driven hither and thither by the waves of this life; when the fourth, those who have by no means been able sufficiently to soften the hardness of their hearts by the commandments of spiritual utterance, and therefore are said to be towards the north—for, according to Solomon, the north is a hard wind.183    Prov. xxvii. 16 [LXX.].

116. And so although all are raised again in a moment, yet all are raised in the order of their merits. And therefore they rise first, who yielding early to the impulses of devotion, and as it were going forth before the rising dawn of faith, received the rays of the eternal Sun. This one may rightly say either of the patriarchs in the course of the Old Testament, or of the apostles under the Gospel. And the second are they who, forsaking the rites of the Gentiles, passed from unholy error under the training of the Church. So, then, those first were of the fathers, those second of the Gentiles, for the light of faith took its beginning from those, among these it will remain to the end of the world. In the third place and in the fourth, those are raised who are in the south and in the north. The earth is divided into these four, of these four is the year made up, in these four is the earth completed, and from these four is the Church collected. For all who are considered to be joined to holy Church, by being called by the Divine Name, shall obtain the privilege of the resurrection and the grace of eternal bliss, for “they shall come from the east and west, and from the north and south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.”184    S. Luke xiii. 26.

117. For it is no small light wherewith Christ encompasses His world: since “His going forth is from the height of heaven, and His progress to the height thereof, nor is there any who can hide himself from His heat.”185    Ps. xix. [xviii.] 6. For with His Goodness He enlightens all, and wills not to reject but to amend the foolish, and desires not to exclude the hard-hearted from the Church, but to soften them. And so the Church in the Song of Songs and Christ in the Gospel invites them, saying: “Come unto Me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you; take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.”186    S. Matt. xii. 28, 29.

118. And you may recognize also the voice of the invitation of the Church, for she says: “Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south, blow upon my garden, and let my ointment flow forth. Let my brother come down into his garden and eat the fruit of his precious trees.”187    Cant. iv. 16. For knowing even then, O holy Church, that from those also there would be fruitful works for thee, thou didst promise to thy Christ fruit from such as they, thou who didst first say that thou wast brought into the King’s chamber, loving His breast above wine, since thou lovedst Him Who loved thee, soughtest Him Who fed thee, and didst despise dangers for religion’s sake.

119. And then, O Bride, thou art called to come from Libanus, being in the Lord’s judgment all fair and without fault. For thus it is written: “Thou art all fair, my love, and there is no fault in thee. Come hither from Libanus, my bride, come hither from Libanus.”188    Cant. iv. 7, 8.

120. Afterwards, thou, fearing no rushing waters, no torrents coming down from Libanus, callest the north and south winds, wishing them to blow upon thy garden, that thy ointment may flow forth upon others, and that thou mayest offer to Christ in others the manifold fruits of thy productiveness.

111. Nec tamen omnium est utraque canere tuba, nec est omnium universam colligere synagogam: sed solis sacerdotibus, et ministris Dei canentibus 1348B ista praerogativa defertur (Num. X, 2 et seq.); ut quicumque audierit, secutus eo fuerit, ubi est Dei gloria, et ad tabernaculum testimonii praematura intentione convenerit: et opera possit spectare divina, et legitimum illud aeternumque domicilium in suae posteritatis seriem promereri. Tunc enim bellum conficitur, hostis fugatur; quando Spiritus gratia concinit, et mentis industria.

112. Sunt et illae salutares tubae, si corde credas, et ore confitearis: Corde enim creditur ad justitiam ore autem confessio fit ad salutem (Rom. X, 10). Hac igitur gemina tuba ad illam sanctam terram, resurrectionis scilicet gratiam, pervenitur; et ideo semper tibi concinant, ut semper audias Dei vocem: semper te angelorum prophetarumque oracula excitent 1348C atque commoveant, ut ad superiora festines.

113. Hanc intentionem David versabat in pectore, cum dicebat: Quoniam transibo in locum tabernaculi admirabilis, usque ad domum Dei; in voce exsultationis et confessionis, sonus epulantis (Psal. XLI, 5). Non enim soli hostes harum tubarum 1165 sonitu vincuntur: sed et delectationes, et dies festi, et neomeniae sine his esse non possunt. Nemo enim potest nisi divini hauriat promissa sermonis, et resultantibus credat oraculis, exsultare laetitia, dies festos aut neomenias agere, quibus se corporali gratia, et saeculari occupatione vacuatum, Christi repleri luce desideret. Sacrificia quoque ipsa Deo probata esse non possunt, nisi confessio vocis aspiret, quae sacerdotali oblatione ad obsecrandam Dei gratiam 1348D populos excitare consuevit.

114. Itaque simus praedicatores Domini, et laudemus eum in voce tubae (Psal. CL, 3), non exigua de virtute ejus et vilia sentientes, sed ea quae possint aurem mentis implere, et intimae conscientiae penetrare secretum; ut ea quae corpori conveniunt, divinitati non putemus aptanda: nec divinae magnitudinem 1349A potestatis humanis viribus metiamur; ut quaeramus quomodo quis resurgat, aut quali corpore veniat, aut quemadmodum soluta coeant, lapsa reparentur; haec enim arbitrio Dei simul ut statuuntur, implentur. Nec sensibilis tubarum exspectatur auditus, sed invisibilis potentia magnificentiae coelestis operatur; Deo enim velle pro facto est: nec resurrectionis requirendus nisus, sed fructus nobis est expetendus. Quae proclivius celebrabitur, si exinaniti vitiis plenitudinem spiritalis mysterii consequamur, gratiamque renovata caro sumat a spiritu, et fulgorem lucis aeternae anima mutuetur a Christo.

115. Sed non solum singulorum, verum etiam universitatis sunt ista mysteria. Adverte enim juxta typum Legis, ordinem gratiae. Cum tuba prima cecinerit, 1349B orientales congregat, quasi praecipuos et electos: cum secunda, suppares meritis, qui secundum libanum siti, dereliquerint ludibria nationum: cum tertia, eos qui tamquam in mari exagitati istius freto mundi, saeculi hujus fluctibus vacillaverint: cum quarta, illos qui duritiam mentium nequaquam satis potuerint eloquii spiritalis mollire praecepto; et ideo secundum boream vocati sunt, boreas enim secundum Salomonem durus est ventus (Prov. XXVII, 16).

116. Itaque licet momento resuscitentur omnes, omnes tamen meritorum ordine suscitantur. Et ideo primi resurgunt, qui maturo devotionis occursu, et quodam antelucano fidei exortu prodeuntes, solis aeterni radios receperunt. Quod vel de patriarchis juxta veteris seriem Testamenti, vel de apostolis 1349C juxta Evangelium jure memoraverim. Secundi autem, qui ritum gentium relinquentes, ab errore sacrilego transierunt in Ecclesiae disciplinam. Et ideo illi primi ex patribus, isti secundi ex gentibus; ab illis enim lux fidei coepit, in istis usque ad mundi occasum suscepta duravit. Tertii suscitantur, et quarti, qui ab austro, et qui ab aquilone sunt. His quatuor terra distinguitur, his quatuor annus includitur, his quatuor mundus 1166 impletur, his quatuor Ecclesia congregatur. Omnes enim qui sacrosanctae Ecclesiae copulati, divini nominis appellatione censentur, praerogativam resurrectionis et delectationis aeternae gratiam consequentur; quoniam venient ab Oriente et Occidente, ab Aquilone et Austro, et recumbent in regno Dei (Luc. XIII, 29).

1349D 117. Non enim exigua mundum suum Christus luce complectitur; quandoquidem a summo coelo egressio ejus, et occursus ejus usque ad summum ejus: nec est qui se abscondat a calore ejus (Psal. XVIII, 7). Omnes enim benignus illustrat, nec refutare levem, 1350A sed emendare vult: nec excludere durum Ecclesia, sed mollire desiderat. Et ideo in Canticis canticorum eos Ecclesia, in Evangelio Christus invitat dicens: Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis, et onerati estis: et ego reficiam vos. Tollite jugum meum super vos, et discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde (Mat. XI, 28, 29).

118. Ecclesiae quoque vocem invitantis agnosce; dicit enim: Exsurge, aquilo, et veni, auster; perfla hortum meum, et defluant unguenta mea. Descendat frater meus in hortum suum, et edat fructum pomiferarum suarum (Cant. IV, 16; V, 1). Sciens enim jam tunc etiam horum tibi fore opera fructuosa, Christo tuo fructum de talibus pollicebare: et quae primo te in cubiculum dixisti Regis inductam, diligens 1350B ubera super vinum, cum diligentem amares, lactantem quaereres, pericula pro religione contemneres.

119. Deinde a Libano, sponsa, rogaris ut venias, judicio Domini adhuc tota formosa, adhuc tota irreprehensibilis. Sic enim scriptum est: Tota es formosa, proxima mea, et reprehensio non est in te. Ades huc a Libano, sponsa, ades huc a Libano (Cant. IV, 7, 8).

120. Postea ipsa jam nullos aquae lapsus, jam nullos impetus descendentes a Libano pertimescens, aquilonem et austrum advocas, perflari cupiens hortum tuum; ut in aliis unguenta tua defluant, in aliis multiplices fecunditatis tuae fructus offeras Christo.