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דIV. Littera DALETH

Sermon 4 · Ps 118:25–32 · CSEL 62, pp. 68–82

Textus Latinus

IV. LITTERA DELETH.

1. 'Deleth' quarta littera secundum Hebraeos significat Latine 'timorem' uel, ut alibi inuenimus, 'natiuitatem'. sed utrumque potest construere et conuenire sensui. natiuitas enim eorum est quae generantur in hoc saeculo, per quam intellegimus corporalia et materialia quae sunt caduca, et ideo a timore non distat; ex corporalibus enim et materialibus nascitur timor. quid enim est terrena natiuitas nisi timor?

2. Denique inde incipit uersus: adhaesit pauimento anima mea; uiuifica me secundum uerbum tuum.1 per pauimentum terram intellegimus, per terram materialia. peccatori autem dictum est: terra es et in terram ibis,2 eo quod diuinis mandatis inhaerendum non putauerit, sed in materialia et corporalia deflexerit, cui inpressa fuerit uitae huius saecularis delectatio. denique eiectus de paradiso, hoc est ex illo sublimi et caelesti loco ad quem raptus est Paulus siue in corpore siue extra corpus nesciens,3 ex illo ergo eminenti loco deiectus in terram deplorat Adam dicens: adhaesit pauimento anima mea, sicut alibi ait: humiliata est in puluere anima mea et adhaesit in terra uenter meus.4 paenitentiam gerentis haec uox est, qui meminisset adhaerentem se deo nescisse nec potuisse discernere quod non discreuit et Paulus, utrum in corpore esset an extra corpus: ita infirmitatem pigritiamque corporis minime sentiebat cui domini adhaerebat praesentia. spiritus ergo propheticus, qui dolorem expressit, uel dominus, qui suscepit eius infirmitatem, personam repraesentat Adae eiusque adsumit adfectum.

3. Loquatur ergo Adam: adhaesit pauimento anima mea. qui ante beatissimus auram carpebat aetheriam,5 curas uitae huius et taedia nesciebat, is nunc sollicitudine mundi huius, luxuriae studio pecuniaeque cupiditate curuatus ut uulpis foueis se inserit latibulisque terrestribus. merito adhaerebat pulueri qui se leuare non poterat, nisi eum supra crucem suam Christus leuasset, merito adhaerebat pauimento qui se abscondebat a Christo. non adhaeret pauimento cui dicit Iesus: sequere me,6 non adhaeret pauimento qui audit et sequitur legem dicentem: post dominum deum tuum ambulabis et ipsi adhaerebis.7

4. Quomodo ergo pauimento adhaereat unusquisque, quomodo deo, audi dicentem: qui adhaeret meretrici unum corpus est, qui autem adhaeret domino unus spiritus est.8 terra ista, quam gerimus, meretriciis quibusdam nos inlecebris capit et quasi uultus quosdam uoluptatum corporalium delectationum fucis inlinit, ut lateat in his ueritas et forensi quadam specie decipiant adpropinquantes. sed cum interiorem oculum mentis ad tempus obduxerint, postea tamen decusso uelut quodam puluere uoluptatum huiusmodi decore, quam sit inanis gratia saeculi huius aut corporis, facile deprehenditur.

5. Bonum est igitur adhaerere domino nec inflexam ceruicem habere ad iugum mundi. ideoque ecclesiae uel forti animae dicit Sapientia: sicut turris Dauid ceruix tua, quae aedificata est in Thalpioth. mille ostia pendent in ea et omnia iacula potentium.9 erecta enim ad deum ceruix et iugo Christi habilis, quae nulla in terrarum inlecebras inflexione curuetur, sicut Christi regalis est turris, cui iugum suum Nabuchodonosor10 non possit inponere. condidit enim turrem illam Dauid manu fortis et supra murorum aedificauit excelsa, ut subsidio pariter et decori sit, subsidio, quia hostem praeuidet et repellit, decori, quia non solum inter humilia, sed etiam inter excelsa supereminet; ita tamen subsidio uel decori, si habeat in se uerbi dogmata uelut quaedam falerum monilia, habeat etiam iacula potentium prophetarum, quae aduersus omnem extollentem se altitudinem11 lacertis quibusdam fidei diriguntur.

6. Non igitur in puluerem mortis12 deducere animam tuam, cui dominus etiam naturalem altitudinem tribuit et uigorem, quo se excitet et adsurgat. unde etiam de hac coniunctione animae et corporis dictum oportune accipitur, eo quod in naturali uitae nostrae mysterio conexa anima corpori uelut humi reptet et pauimento adhaereat partim propter hoc terrenum habitaculum, partim quia corpus istud e terra est. et regionis igitur diuersorium et materia ipsa corporis nostri huic concurrit sententiae. ideoque pulchre apostolus de mortis huius corpore liberari cupit,13 quia carcere quodam claudimur et in quodam luxuriae gurgustio siti tenebris inuoluimur delictorum.

7. Ergo secundum uoluntatem dei ambulemus, ut adhaerere dicamur deo. nam qui secundum corporis adpetentiam uiuit, caro est, qui secundum praecepta dei, spiritus est. non ergo fiat anima nostra caro, hoc est, ut dicamur caro sicut et illi, qui in diluuio perierunt, de quibus dictum est: quia caro sunt.14 sed magis caro nostra oboediens animae gubernaculo fiat anima et hoc appellari mereatur nomine, sicut appellata est familia patriarchae Iacob et generationis eius sancta posteritas. sic enim scriptum est: hi filii Ballae, quam dedit Laban Rachel filiae suae, et peperit hos Iacob: omnes animae septem,15 et alibi: omnes autem animae quae intrauerunt in Aegyptum, qui exierunt de femoribus illius, praeter mulieres sexaginta, inquit, et sex.16 et in principio Exodi legimus: erant autem omnes animae de Iacob quinque et septuaginta, qui erant cum Iacob.17 ergo illi, qui habitabant cum Ioseph, et de Aegypto exierunt et animae sunt.

8. Qui autem, cum essent angeli dei, hoc est uitae probitate angelorum imitantes gratiam — qui enim non ducunt uxores et quae non nubunt erunt sicut angeli in caelo18 —, qui ergo, cum angeli uiderentur, capti sunt decore femineo,19 hi caro sunt. sicut dominus deus dixit: non permanebit spiritus meus in hominibus istis in aeternum, propter quod caro sunt.20 et merito expertes libidinis angelis conparantur. caro non sunt, quia non sunt in carne sed in spiritu. quales erant illi qui doctorem apostolum sequebantur, quibus ait: uos autem non estis in carne sed in spiritu.21 qui autem corporea feminarum capiuntur libidine, caro sunt, atque utinam caro tantum et non etiam equi adhinnientes, quia in uxorem, inquit, proximi sui adhinniebant.22

9. Rogat ergo, qui deiectionem animae suae sentit ad pauimentum usque curuatae, ut uiuificetur secundum uerbum dei, quod animas ad se trahit quascumque miseratione sui leuare cupiens abducit a terris. uiuificatur autem anima, quae uias ambulat Christi, peccato mortua deo uiuens, ita ut mors peccati dominatum in ea posthaec habere non possit, posteaquam consepulta cum Christo iustificata est a peccato.23 sed qui iustificari cupit, uias suas ante pronuntiet.

10. Ideoque secundo uersu ait: uias meas pronuntiaui, et exaudisti me; doce me iustificationes tuas.24 pulchro ordine ad iustificationes dei perueniendum putat, ut primum sua peccata fateatur. sic enim docemur et alibi: dic iniquitates tuas, ut iustificeris.25 itaque scire debemus, quid sit uias suas ambulare hominem et uias dei. qui facit uoluntates carnis26 et uiuit secundum concupiscentiam mundi huius, uias suas ambulat, quibus delectatur et gaudet; qui autem uenit uoluntatem facere patris sui qui in caelis est,27 cuius cibus est ut mandatum dei conpleat,28 qui non quaerit quod sibi uoluptati sit, sed quod placeat deo, ille uiam domini pergit, illam uiam, quae ait: ego sum uia et ueritas et uita.29 uides ergo, quia ille uiuit secundum uerbum dei, qui uiam ambulat Christi. ipse etiam dominus deus in Deuteronomio docet, quomodo in uiis suis ambules, dicens: et nunc, Israel, quid dominus deus petit a te, nisi ut timeas dominum deum tuum et ambules in uiis eius et diligas eum et seruias domino deo tuo ex toto corde tuo et ex tota anima tua, custodias mandata eius et iustitias eius?30 liquet igitur alias uias esse carnis, alias dei, et si quis uelit ambulare uias dei, ei prius esse uias carnis et corporis et saecularis sapientiae deserendas.

11. Relinquens itaque eas Dauid pronuntiat et apud deum non tacet: confitetur errores, non negat lapsus. simile illi hoc dixit: adnuntiabo aduersus me iniquitatem meam domino.31 si enim se accusauerit iustus, uocem parati accusatoris exclusit, qui solet coacerbare peccata et uniuscuiusque exaggerare flagitia. obstruit enim os eius, qui ipse de se fuerit ante confessus, et praestruit ueniam confitentis uerecundia. excusat reum pudor suus, accusat auctorem; qui enim sua delicta non tacuit, uidetur in se doluisse quod fecit, in diabolo prodidisse quod suasit. ideoque ait scriptura: iustus in exordio sermonis accusator est sui.32 qui se accusat, etsi peccator sit, iustus esse incipit, quia nec sibi parcit et dei iustitias confitetur, quem putat latere nihil posse. utinam Adam se prius accusare quam celare uoluisset!33 sed non satis est ut confiteamur errorem, uerum etiam, si corrigi uolumus, a domino postulemus, ut doceat nos iustificationes suas, ne postea errare possimus. a domino igitur doceri petit, quia unus est magister noster,34 ut ait Christus, nec otiose hoc petit: non enim ille beatus quem docet homo, sed quem tu erudieris, domine.35

12. Ibique meminit sui nec putat satis esse, ut doceat nos iustificationes suas dominus deus noster, sed addidit: uiam iustificationum tuarum insinua mihi, et exercebor in mirabilibus tuis.36 uide ordinem. prius est ut discamus domini iustificationes, deinde ut gradus quosdam iustificationum et ordinem nouerimus, quid prius, quid consequens esse debeat. nam scire quid facias et ordinem nescire faciendi iam est perfectae cognitionis; offendunt plerumque praepostera. denique iustus est, qui se in exordio sermonis accusat,37 iniustus autem, qui quod prius negauerat confitetur: ille uerecundiae inuenit gratiam, hic notam incurrit inpudentiae. ita ordinis ignorantia conturbat negotiorum naturam formamque meritorum. ille autem, qui didicerit primo mysteria dei, deinde ordinem mysteriorum, exercetur in mirabilibus dei.

13. Graecus ἀδολεσχήσω posuit, quod dicit Latinus halucinabor.38 in quo uidetur esse aliqua sermonis offensio secundum uulgarem consuetudinem, quia ἀδολεσχία uulgo aestimatur uel halucinari uel plus quam oportet aliquid loqui et superfluum uideri, quod audienti fastidio est; et uidetur esse praeter ordinem, cum ordo rerum uideatur adferre fastidium, ut si causam uelis enarrare aliquam et ordinem serues, auditor autem ad rerum festinet exitum, superiora fastidit. sed non potest plene instrui nisi qui ordine sui cuncta cognouerit; inde non solum factum deprehenditur, sed etiam facti pondus et facientis affectus. ideoque Dauid quasi bonus sui iudex atque arbiter prope usque ad fastidium uult doceri et uel superfluo immorari tempore quam necessarium ordinem praeterire. ἀδολεσχία enim uel halucinatio uidetur longa quaedam esse meditatio uel morosa quaedam mentis intentio: a quo non longe abest exercitium uel animi uel corporis. nam ut ille, qui exercet membra sua palaestra, diutius exercet, ut roboret, ita qui exercet mentem suam in scripturis diuinis uel in consiliis, diutius exercere debet.

14. Exiuit in campum Isaac.39 Graecus dixit ἀδολεσχῆσαι, Latinus deambulare uel exercere. Rebecca ueniebat — typus in ea praefigurabatur ecclesiae —, parabantur nuptiae, in quibus sacramentum foret magnum. uidens patriarcha ista mysteria exiuit in campum diffundens acrimoniam suae mentis et deambulans in innocentia cordis sui.40 diuersis utique cogitationibus exercebat animum et in mirabilibus mysteriis delectabatur. cuius ut imitator euaderet sanctus propheta, doceri iustificationes dei et uiam iustitiarum caelestium cognoscere gestiebat, ut non dormiret anima eius saeculi istius somno nec mundanae captus uanitatis inlecebris a persequenda ueritatis intentione difflueret.

15. Qua ratione igitur doceri uelit, subtexuit dicens: stillauit anima mea prae taedio. confirma me in uerbis tuis.41 aliqui codices habent dormitauit,42 quia ἐνύσταξεν et ἔσταξεν duabus litteris dissonant. potuit interpres uel antiquarius scriptor hic falli: ἐνύσταξεν 'dormire' est, ἔσταξεν 'stillare'. perfectior non dormitat, qui diuinis animum intendit mysteriis — denique ipse alibi dicit: si dedero somnum oculis meis aut palpebris meis dormitationem43 —, sed uigilat semper et, si caro dormit, cor uigilat.44 non ergo dormiebat, qui templum condere domino cogitabat uerborum caelestium aedificatione, non lapidum. uerbum enim dei repulsorium taediorum est, quo somnus animae, sopor mentis excluditur: ex tristitia enim et sollicitudine saecularium somnus inrepit. qui autem adhaeret deo, curarum fugitans uoluptatem capit cognitionis aeternae, nullam illic mutationem rerum, sicut saecularium, pertimescens.

16. Qui facilioribus utuntur laborum conpendiis, dormitauit accipiunt; sed Origenes, qui multorum interpretationes diligenti discussit indagine,45 stillauit secutus est, eo quod perfecti anima quasi bene conposita et confirmata non stillat, ut fastigia culminum, quae bene tecta atque munita sunt; ceterum inconposita cito stillant. inde usurpatum est: stillicidia eiciunt hominem in die hiemali de domo sua,46 in quo frigoris asperitate et frequenti aeris mutatione temptamur. denique docemur prouidere, ne fuga nostra fiat hieme aut sabbato;47 probatos enim iam nos dies debet repperire uel iudicii uel mortis, ne uiduatos uirilitatibus prosperorum et omni spoliatos secundorum flore successuum exitus mortis inueniat.

17. Caueamus ergo, ne unusquisque nostrum eiciatur de statu mentis suae et naturali quadam mansione, si habeat foramina mansionum, e quibus fluentia stillicidia tamquam ex fundamentis subruant hominem nulla sapientiae soliditate fundatum. ideoque ait propheta: fili, ne defluas.48 confirmanda est igitur anima nostra, ne stillet, et indiuidua uirtutum conpage solidanda, ut possit regis aeterni seruare mysterium. ceterum is, quicumque est facilis in uerbis, uelut plenus rimarum hac atque illac effluens interiora euacuat sua et exterioribus passionibus inundatur, tegere se nesciens nec tenere uerbum quod acceperit, sicut sancta Maria, quae conseruabat omnia uerba in corde suo,49 ne quid ex eius corde deflueret.

18. Tali se munitam dote uirtutum ecclesia loquitur, ut digna uideatur in cuius inuitatus sponsus succedat hospitium: hinc primum se praesumit esse placituram, si bene tectam et fida seruantem silentia50 Christus aspiciat: ecce es, inquit, formosus, consobrinus meus, et quidem pulcher; adclinatio nostra opaca. trabes domorum nostrarum cedri, lacunaria nostra cypressi.51 laudat sponsi decorem ecclesia, quem plus unusquisque tacito laudat affectu et fidus mysteriorum interpres tacendo plus praedicat: nam qui arcana diuulgat, inminuit Christi decorem. ideo nemo mittat margaritas suas porcis,52 ne conculcari faciat ornamenta pretiosa. non ergo in tabernaculo loquacis et garruli, quia in multiloquio peccatum admittitur,53 sed in uiri serii, qui sit parcus alloquii nec sermonis intemperans et uerborum sobrietate redundantiam loquacitatis euitans, caput suum Christus inclinat.

19. Et merito opacam significat adclinationem, quia in ecclesia constitutos uirtus obumbrat altissimi.54 hac umbra Dauid protegi se postulabat, ne eum per diem sol ureret uel luna per noctem;55 hanc umbram spiritalis ministrat gratia torrida saeculi huius et mundi aestiua fugientibus. opaca igitur adclinatio Christi et ecclesiae, quibus dei patris aeterna illa requies adspirat. in hac ergo requiescamus umbra peccatorum nostrorum aestibus fatigati. si quos adussit libido, his domini crux refrigeret, in qua se reclinauit, ut nostra delicta susciperet: si quos culpa lassauit, hos Iesus gremio suscipiat et molli foueat amplexu.56 unde audeo dicere, quod caro Christi adclinatio sit ecclesiae.

20. Trabes domorum nostrarum cedri.57 cedri specie maiorum qui iusti fuerunt gloria declaratur: iustus ut palma florebit et sicut cedrus quae in Libano est multiplicabitur.58 sicut enim cedrus non putrescit, ita nec maiorum gloria ulla uetustate corrumpitur.

21. Lacunaria nostra cypressi.59 genus hoc arboris numquam amittit uiriditatem suam: hieme perusta atque aestate comam pascit nec diuerso colore mutatur. solam hanc arborem uentus suo numquam honore despoliat. sola numquam ueteri exuitur amictu aut nouo flore uestitur. sic apostolica quoque gratia nescit defectum et uenustate sui floret. anima ergo corrumpi nescit, quae florentibus membris uiget, semper iustitiae ceterarumque uirtutum culmina patienti magnanimitate sustentat et ideo non defluit neque deficit, quia nihil in ea rimosum est ac remissum, nihil mobile, nihil lubricum, nihil quod uitio sermonis ex ea possit effundi. ideoque confirmari se petit in uerbis [suis] propheta,60 ne moueantur pedes eius, ne effundantur gressus eius.61 quae, si quis recto uigeat corde, non patitur, sed radicatus atque fundatus aduersus omnes passionum fluctus inmobilis perseuerat.

22. Confirmatus igitur in uerbis ait: uiam iniquitatis amoue a me et lege tua miserere mei.62 non dixit: 'amoue me a uia iniquitatis', sed: uiam iniquitatis amoue a me, quasi in nobis sit et nobis inesse uideatur. quamdiu enim exercemus aliquid inprobum, uia iniquitatis interius manet et non recedit a nobis: ideoque studiose agamus, ut eam a nobis separemus. sed quia hereditarium iniquitatis glutinum mentibus inhaesit humanis, opus est liberantis auxilio. precare et tu, dicito: 'infelix ego homo, quis amouebit a me iniquitatis uiam? gratia dei per Iesum Christum dominum nostrum.'63 et pulchre uiam dixit iniquitatis, non iniquitatem, eo quod non quasi naturalis iniquitas sit in nobis, sed maiorum post peccata currentium sit adtrita uestigiis.

23. Meritoque, quia uulnus grande ac uetus est, diu serpens, perfectioris medicinae remedia deposcit obsecrans, ut domini legitima miseratione curetur. cito enim refricatur uulnus quod sanatum medicinae lege non fuerit, immo etiam seriorem curatio sentit profectum. ideoque si uirus in interiora proserpit, medicamenta foris adposita non sentit. exurit ergo medicinae ratio, ut aut sectione aut adustione curetur. nisi enim putrefacta recidantur aut umor inutilis decoquatur, frustra medicinae manus adhibentur ad uulnera. ideoque bonus medicus huiusmodi aegrum legitime dicit esse curandum, ut possit medicina proficere. lege ergo miseretur, qui cum iustitia sapientiaque miseretur, ut ea dimittat quae scit iure posse dimitti, ne, cum alterius miseretur, se ipsum legi faciat obnoxium. Agag postquam miserationi donatus est, fecit peccare Saul: peccauit enim in ipsa misericordia et ideo peccauit post misericordiam.64

24. Consideremus etiam, ne et ipsum deteriorem faciamus, cuius miseremur iniuste; plerumque enim non coercere delinquentes maioris austeritatis est quam si ulciscaris. traduntur enim in passiones ignominiae,65 quicumque aliquid inhonestum commiserint, nullumque culpae pretium ferunt. denique eos, qui cognitorem deum suorum scelerum non putabant et quasi sine iudice et sine lege uiuebant, tradidit, inquit, illos deus in reprobum sensum,66 quia elegerunt uiam iniquitatis. uiam autem ueritatis eligere noluerunt.

25. Sed propheta, qui sincero conuerti uoluit affectu, uiam, inquit, ueritatis elegi; iudicia tua non sum oblitus.67 non potest hoc dicere qui errat in dogmate, non potest Arrianus dicere, non potest Sabellianus, non Manicheus; non potest dicere auarus, qui saecularia et materialia concupiscit, non potest dicere qui negotiatur; non est enim uia ueritatis habendi studium, cupiditas possidendi. quomodo uia ueritatis, cum ille diues in saeculo nequeat secum suas transferre diuitias et incipiat mendico illo Lazaro egentior esse post mortem?68 non est uia ueritatis honor saeculi, sollicitudo mundi. denique, qui uiam ueritatis elegit, paulo post dicit: auerte oculos meos, ne uideant uanitates.69 uanitas temporalium est, ueritas aeternorum. si uolumus igitur ambulare uiam ueritatis, peregrinemur saeculo magis quam deo et ambulemus per fidem.70 qui enim per fidem ambulat deo praesens est, qui ambulat per speciem adest saeculo, peregrinatur a domino: sed hic cito confunditur.

26. Unde refugus ab huiusmodi uiro dicit Dauid: adhaesi testimoniis tuis, domine, ne confundas me.71 adhaesit testimoniis domini qui eius mandata non respuit, iudicia non obliuiscitur nec uoluptatibus indulget suis. qui adhaeret domini testimoniis, renuntiat mundo, posteriora obliuiscitur, ad priora contendit, ut perueniat ad brauium,72 quod est insigne uictoriae. non ergo confunditur quem mundi huius inlecebrosa non ceperint, non confunditur, etiamsi erubescenda commiserit, qui ueniam delictorum poscit a Christo. ideoque respondetur ei: dimissa sunt tibi peccata tua, uade in pace.73 sed ita non confunditur, si fuerit in eo operata peccatorum remissio, ut non solum peccata, sed etiam peccandi affectum auferat. iustitia remittat iniquitates, fortitudo timorem, temperantia impuritates, ut non solum temporalis, sed etiam perpetua fiat remissio peccatorum. intret in animam tuam Christus, inhabitet in tuis Iesus mentibus, ut in tabernaculo uirtutis peccato locus esse non possit.

27. Uiam, inquit, mandatorum tuorum cucurri, cum dilatasti cor meum;74 neque enim poterat uiam currere, si cor eius coartaretur angustiis. denique currentibus uiam domini ait apostolus: dilatamini et uos et nolite iugum ducere cum infidelibus75 et de se ait: os nostrum patet ad uos, o Corinthii, cor nostrum dilatatum est.76 ideo et de Salomone dicitur: latitudo cordis eius sicut harena maris.77 et uide distantiam: uia sit angustior, cor latius, ut patris et filii et spiritus sancti sustineat mansionem, ne ueniat uerbum dei et pulset et uidens cordis eius angustias dedignetur habitare. denique sapientia in exitu canitur, in plateis autem cum fiducia agit.78 plateae latae sunt: non igitur in uiis, sed in cordis latitudine sapientia decantatur. in hoc igitur campo interioris hominis, non in angustiis mentis currendum nobis est, ut conprehendamus; scriptum est enim: sic currite, ut omnes conprehendatis.79 denique conprehendit, qui ita cucurrit, ut diceret: cursum consummaui:80 cucurrit enim ut bonus equus.

28. Siquidem habet equos suos Christus, de quibus dicit propheta: inmisisti in mare equos tuos turbantes aquas multas,81 eo quod gentium populos, qui mouentur ut aquae multae et excitantur ut fluctus aquarum, euangelizando commouerint apostoli, ut adsurgentes a terrenis idolorum caeremoniis in Christum crederent. et supra ait: ascendisti in equos tuos, equitatus tuus sanitas.82 o bonorum equorum duodecimorum mirabile, quibus frena pacis, habenae sunt caritatis! constricti inter se concordiae uinculis et iugo fidei subiecti, quattuor rotis euangelii mysterium totius orbis finibus inuehentes, bonum aurigam portantes dei uerbum, cuius flagello fugatae sunt inlecebrae saeculares, exterminatus mundi istius princeps, iustorum cursus impletus est. o rationabilium equorum grande certamen, o mirandum mysterium! rota intra rotam currebat et non inpediebatur,83 nouum testamentum in ueteri testamento: intra illud currebat per quod adnuntiabatur. in quattuor partes ibant rotae et non reuertebantur retrorsum,84 quia spiritus uitae erat in his85 qui currebant in quattuor partes totius mundi, et sine offensione currebant, quia bona uita equorum quadrabat. currebant igitur equi, quia non dormiebat qui ascenderat equos.

29. Animarum igitur nostrarum auriga Iesus, qui nos quoque iubet ascendere equos nostros, hoc est nostra corpora, sed uigilare semper, ne dicatur nobis: dormitauerunt qui ascenderunt equos.86 transeundum est nobis mare inpigre. uix transitur a uigilantibus; si quis autem dormierit, transire non poterit, sed demergetur ut Aegyptius, cuius et anima et corpus interiit: equum enim et ascensorem proiecit in mare,87 qui non sequebantur legem, sed persequebantur.

English Translation
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IV. LITTERA DELETH.

1. Deleth, the fourth letter according to the Hebrews, signifies in Latin fear, or, as we find elsewhere, birth. Yet either may be construed and accord with the sense. For birth belongs to those things which are generated in this world, by which we understand the corporeal and material things which are perishable, and so it is not far from fear; for from corporeal and material things fear is born. For what is earthly birth except fear?

2. Accordingly the verse begins from this point: My soul hath cleaved to the pavement; quicken thou me according to thy word.1 By pavement we understand the earth, by earth, material things. To the sinner it was said: Thou art earth, and into the earth thou shalt go,2 because he had not thought he ought to cleave to the divine commandments, but had bent down toward material and corporeal things — one upon whom the delight of this worldly life had been imprinted. Indeed, cast out of paradise — that is, from that sublime and heavenly place to which Paul was caught up whether in the body or out of the body, he knew not3 — Adam, cast down from that lofty place onto the earth, mourns saying: My soul hath cleaved to the pavement, as elsewhere he says: My soul is humbled in the dust, and my belly hath cleaved to the earth.4 This is the voice of one who is doing penance, who would remember that, while cleaving to God, he had not known nor been able to discern, as Paul too could not discern, whether he was in the body or out of the body: so little did he feel the body's weakness and sloth, to whom the Lord's presence was cleaving. The prophetic spirit, then, who has expressed the grief, or the Lord, who took up his weakness, represents the person of Adam and assumes his affection.

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3. Let Adam, then, speak: My soul hath cleaved to the pavement. He who, before, most blessed, drank the ethereal air,5 knew not the cares and weariness of this life, now, bowed down by the solicitude of this world, by the eagerness for luxury and the desire of money, thrusts himself like a fox into pits and earthly hiding-places. Rightly was he cleaving to the dust, who could not lift himself, unless Christ had lifted him upon his cross; rightly was he cleaving to the pavement, who was hiding himself from Christ. He does not cleave to the pavement to whom Jesus says: Follow me;6 he does not cleave to the pavement who hears and follows the law saying: After the Lord thy God thou shalt walk, and thou shalt cleave to him.7

4. How, then, each man cleaves either to the pavement or to God, hear it said: He who cleaves to a harlot is one body, but he who cleaves to the Lord is one spirit.8 This earth which we bear takes us with certain harlot-like enticements, and as it were smears certain faces of bodily pleasures with the rouge of delights, so that the truth lies hidden in them and by a certain forensic show they deceive those approaching. But when, for a time, they have drawn the inner eye of the mind under their veil, afterward, when the dust has been struck off — that ornament, as it were, of pleasures of this kind — how empty the grace of this world or of the body is, is easily caught out.

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5. It is good, therefore, to cleave to the Lord and not to have the neck bent to the world's yoke. And so to the Church, or to the brave soul, Wisdom says: Thy neck is as the tower of David, which is built in Thalpioth: a thousand bucklers hang upon it, and all the arms of valiant men.9 For a neck erect toward God, and apt to the yoke of Christ, that is curved by no bending into the enticements of earthly things, is, as it were, the royal tower of Christ, upon which Nebuchadnezzar10 cannot impose his own yoke. For David, mighty of hand, founded that tower and built upon the heights of the walls, that it might be at once for defense and for adornment — for defense, because it foresees and repels the enemy; for adornment, because it stands eminent not only among lowly things but also among lofty. Yet so for defense or for adornment only if it have in itself the doctrines of the Word like certain ornaments of trappings, and have also the arms of valiant prophets, which are aimed against every height that exalteth itself11 by certain sinews of faith.

6. Do not, then, lead down your soul into the dust of death12 — the soul to which the Lord has given even a natural loftiness and vigor by which she may rouse herself and rise up. Whence also it is fittingly understood as said about this conjunction of soul and body, in that, by the natural mystery of our life, the soul, joined to the body, as it were creeps along the ground and cleaves to the pavement, partly on account of this earthly habitation, partly because this body itself is from earth. So both the lodging-place of our region and the very matter of our body concur with this judgment. And therefore the Apostle beautifully desires to be delivered from the body of this death,13 because we are shut up in a kind of prison and, parched in a kind of hovel of luxury, we are wrapped in the darkness of our offenses.

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7. Therefore, let us walk according to the will of God, that we may be said to cleave to God. For he who lives according to the appetite of the body is flesh; he who lives according to the precepts of God is spirit. Let not, then, our soul become flesh — that is, let us not be called flesh, like those who perished in the flood, of whom it was said: for they are flesh.14 But rather let our flesh, obeying the soul's governance, become soul and deserve to be called by this name, just as the family of the patriarch Jacob and the holy posterity of his generation was so named. For thus it is written: These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel: and she bore these to Jacob: all the souls, seven15; and elsewhere: And all the souls that entered into Egypt, who came forth from his thighs, besides the women, were sixty, he says, and six.16 And in the beginning of Exodus we read: And all the souls of Jacob were five and seventy, who were with Jacob.17 So those who dwelt with Joseph and went forth out of Egypt are also souls.

8. But those who, when they were angels of God — that is, by uprightness of life imitating the grace of angels (for those who do not take wives nor are given in marriage shall be as angels in heaven18) — those, then, who, while they appeared to be angels, were caught by feminine beauty,19 they are flesh. As the Lord God said: My spirit shall not abide in these men forever, because they are flesh.20 And rightly are those without lust compared to angels. They are not flesh, because they are not in the flesh but in the spirit. Such were those who followed the apostle as their teacher, to whom he says: But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit.21 But those who are caught by the bodily lust of women are flesh — and would that they were only flesh, and not also neighing horses; for each man neighed, he says, after his neighbor's wife.22

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9. He prays, then, who feels the casting-down of his soul, bowed even to the pavement, that he may be quickened according to the word of God, which draws souls to itself, and, wishing to lift them up by his pity, draws them away from earthly things. The soul is quickened that walks the ways of Christ, dead to sin, living to God, so that the death of sin can have no dominion in her hereafter, when she has been buried together with Christ and justified from sin.23 But he who desires to be justified, let him first declare his ways.

10. And so in the second verse he says: I have declared my ways, and thou hast heard me; teach me thy justifications.24 In a beautiful order he supposes one should come to the justifications of God, namely, to confess one's own sins first. For so we are taught elsewhere also: Tell thy iniquities, that thou mayest be justified.25 Thus we ought to know what it is for a man to walk his own ways, and what to walk God's ways. He who does the wills of the flesh26 and lives according to the concupiscence of this world walks his own ways, in which he takes delight and rejoices; but he who comes to do the will of his Father who is in heaven,27 whose food is to fulfill the commandment of God,28 who does not seek what is for his own pleasure but what may please God, he goes the Lord's way, that way which says: I am the way and the truth and the life.29 You see, then, that he who walks the way of Christ lives according to the word of God. The Lord God himself also teaches in Deuteronomy how you may walk in his ways, saying: And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, that thou keep his commandments and his justices?30 It is clear, therefore, that the ways of the flesh are one thing, the ways of God another; and that, if anyone wishes to walk the ways of God, he must first abandon the ways of the flesh and of the body and of worldly wisdom.

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11. Leaving them, therefore, David declares them and is not silent before God: he confesses his errors, he does not deny his lapses. Like to this he said: I will declare my iniquity against myself to the Lord.31 For if the just man accuse himself, he has shut out the voice of the ready accuser, who is wont to amass our sins and exaggerate the offenses of each. For he stops his mouth who has himself first confessed concerning himself, and the modesty of one confessing prepares pardon. The defendant's own shame excuses him, and accuses the author of the sin; for he who has not been silent about his own offenses appears to have grieved in himself for what he did, to have betrayed in the devil what he had suggested. And so Scripture says: The just man is the accuser of himself in the beginning of his speech.32 He who accuses himself, even if he be a sinner, begins to be just, because he does not spare himself and confesses the justices of God, whom he supposes nothing can escape. Would that Adam had been willing to accuse himself rather than to hide himself!33 But it is not enough that we confess our error; we must, if we wish to be corrected, also ask of the Lord that he teach us his justifications, lest hereafter we be able to err. He asks, then, to be taught by the Lord, because one is our master,34 as Christ says, and not idly does he ask this: for he is not blessed whom man teaches, but: whom thou shalt instruct, O Lord.35

12. And there he is mindful of himself, and does not think it enough that the Lord our God should teach us his justifications, but he adds: Make me to understand the way of thy justifications, and I shall be exercised in thy wonders.36 Mark the order. First it is that we learn the Lord's justifications, then that we know certain steps and the order of the justifications, what should come first, what should follow. For to know what you do and not to know the order of doing it is not yet of perfect knowledge; preposterous things often give offense. Indeed he is just who accuses himself in the beginning of his speech,37 but unjust who confesses what he had previously denied: the one finds the grace of modesty, the other incurs the mark of impudence. Thus ignorance of order disturbs the nature of one's affairs and the form of one's deserts. But he who has learned, first the mysteries of God, then the order of those mysteries, is exercised in the wonders of God.

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13. The Greek has set down ἀδολεσχήσω, which the Latin renders I will hallucinate.38 In which there seems to be a certain offense of speech according to vulgar usage, because ἀδολεσχία is in common opinion taken to be either to hallucinate or to speak more than is fitting and to seem superfluous, which is wearisome to the hearer; and it seems to be out of order, since the order of things is taken to bring weariness — as if you should wish to recount some matter and keep its order, while the hearer hastens to the issue of the matter and finds the earlier parts wearisome. But no one can be fully instructed except he who has come to know all things in their own order; thence is grasped not only the deed but also the weight of the deed and the affect of the doer. And so David, like a good judge and arbiter of himself, wishes to be taught nearly to the point of weariness, and to dwell longer on a needful order rather than pass it by — even at the price of superfluous time. For ἀδολεσχία or halucinatio seems to be a certain long meditation or a certain morose intentness of mind: from which exercise of mind or body is not far. For just as he who exercises his limbs in the wrestling-school exercises longer in order to strengthen, so he who exercises his mind in the divine Scriptures or in counsels ought to exercise the longer.

14. Isaac went out into the field.39 The Greek said ἀδολεσχῆσαι, the Latin to walk or to exercise. Rebecca was coming — in her was prefigured a type of the Church —, the nuptials were being prepared, in which there would be a great sacrament. The patriarch, beholding these mysteries, went out into the field, pouring forth the keenness of his mind and walking in the innocence of his heart.40 By diverse thoughts, surely, he was exercising his soul, and was taking delight in the wondrous mysteries. That the holy prophet might come forth as imitator of him, he longed to be taught the justifications of God and to know the way of the heavenly justices, that his soul should not sleep with the sleep of this world, nor, caught by the enticements of worldly vanity, should melt away from the pursuit of truth's purpose.

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15. By what reasoning, then, he wishes to be taught, he subjoined, saying: My soul hath dropped through weariness; strengthen thou me in thy words.41 Some codices have hath slumbered,42 because ἐνύσταξεν and ἔσταξεν differ by two letters. Either translator or copyist could have been deceived here: ἐνύσταξεν is to sleep, ἔσταξεν to drop. He who is more perfect does not slumber, who turns his soul to the divine mysteries — indeed elsewhere he himself says: If I shall give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids43 —, but always watches; and if the flesh sleeps, the heart watches.44 He was not, then, sleeping, who was thinking to build the Lord a temple by the building of heavenly words, not of stones. For the word of God is the repulsion of weariness, by which the soul's sleep, the mind's torpor, is shut out: for from the sadness and solicitude of worldly affairs sleep creeps in. But he who cleaves to God, fleeing cares, takes the pleasure of eternal knowledge, fearing there no change of things, as in worldly matters.

16. Those who use the easier shortcuts of labor receive hath slumbered; but Origen, who has examined the interpretations of many with diligent inquiry,45 followed hath dropped, because the soul of the perfect man, as it were well-composed and confirmed, does not drip — like the gables of roofs which are well-tiled and protected; but the ill-composed quickly drip. Whence is taken the saying: The droppings cast a man out of his own house in a winter day,46 in which we are tested by the harshness of cold and the frequent change of air. So we are taught to take care, that our flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath;47 for the days of judgment or of death ought to find us already proven, lest the issue of death find us widowed of the manhood of prosperity and stripped of every flower of favorable successes.

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17. Let us beware, then, lest each of us be cast out from the standing of his mind and from a certain natural dwelling, if he have holes in his dwellings, from which the dropping water-drops, as it were, undermine from the foundations a man not founded on any solidity of wisdom. And so the prophet says: Son, do not flow forth.48 Therefore our soul must be confirmed, lest it drip, and made firm by the indivisible joining of the virtues, that it may keep the mystery of the eternal King. For the rest, anyone who is loose in words, as it were full of cracks, flowing out this way and that, empties his interior parts and is flooded with exterior passions, knowing not how to cover himself nor to keep the word he has received — like holy Mary, who kept all the words in her heart,49 lest anything from her heart should flow forth.

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18. With such a dowry of virtues fortified the Church speaks, that she may seem worthy in whose lodging the invited Bridegroom should come: hence she first presumes she will be pleasing to him, if Christ behold her well-roofed and keeping faithful silences50: Behold thou art fair, she says, my cousin, and indeed beautiful: our couch is shaded. The beams of our houses are of cedar; our ceilings are of cypress.51 The Church praises the beauty of the Bridegroom, whom each one praises the more by silent affect, and the faithful interpreter of the mysteries proclaims the more by being silent: for he who divulges secret things diminishes Christ's beauty. Therefore let no one cast his pearls before swine,52 lest he cause his precious ornaments to be trodden under foot. Christ does not, then, incline his head in the tabernacle of the talkative and the chatterer (for in much talking sin is committed53), but in the tabernacle of the serious man, who is sparing of speech and not intemperate of word, and who avoids the redundance of garrulity by sobriety of words.

19. And rightly does she signify the couch as shaded, because for those set in the Church the power of the Most High overshadows.54 By this shadow David asked to be protected, lest the sun burn him by day or the moon by night;55 this shadow spiritual grace ministers to those fleeing the parched and summer-heat of this world. The couch of Christ and the Church is shaded, then, on whom the eternal repose of God the Father breathes. In this shadow, then, let us rest, wearied by the heats of our sins. Whomever lust has scorched, let the Lord's cross refresh, on which he reclined himself that he might take up our offenses; whomever guilt has wearied, let Jesus take up in his bosom and cherish in soft embrace.56 Whence I dare to say that the flesh of Christ is the couch of the Church.

20. The beams of our houses are of cedar.57 By the figure of the cedar is declared the glory of the elders who were just: The just shall flourish like the palm tree, and shall be multiplied like the cedar of Libanus.58 For just as the cedar does not rot, so neither is the glory of our elders corrupted by any age.

21. Our ceilings are of cypress.59 This kind of tree never loses its greenness: parched by winter and by summer it nourishes its foliage and is not changed by diverse color. This tree alone the wind never strips of its honor. It alone is never put off from its old garment, nor clothed with a new flower. So apostolic grace too knows no failing, and flourishes by its own loveliness. The soul, therefore, knows no corruption, which thrives with flourishing members, ever sustains the heights of justice and of the other virtues by patient magnanimity, and so does not flow away nor fail, because in her there is nothing cracked or remiss, nothing moveable, nothing slippery, nothing which by the fault of speech can be poured out from her. And so the prophet asks to be confirmed in [his] words,60 that his feet be not moved, that his steps be not poured out.61 If anyone be vigorous in upright heart, he does not suffer this, but, rooted and founded against all the floods of the passions, perseveres unmoved.

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22. Confirmed, therefore, in words, he says: Remove from me the way of iniquity, and out of thy law have mercy on me.62 He did not say, 'Remove me from the way of iniquity,' but: Remove from me the way of iniquity, as though it were in us and seemed to inhere in us. For so long as we are doing anything wicked, the way of iniquity remains within and does not depart from us: therefore let us act diligently, that we may separate it from us. But because the inherited glue of iniquity has clung to human minds, there is need of a Liberator's help. Pray you also, say: 'Unhappy man that I am, who shall remove from me the way of iniquity? The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.'63 And beautifully he said the way of iniquity, not iniquity, because iniquity is not as it were natural in us, but is the worn track of our forebears, who, after sinning, are running on it.

23. And rightly, because the wound is great and old, long creeping, it demands the remedies of a more perfect medicine, beseeching that it be cured by the Lord's lawful pity. For a wound is quickly inflamed again that has not been healed by the law of medicine; nay rather, the cure feels its progress more slowly. And so, if the venom creeps within, it does not feel the remedies applied without. The reason of medicine, then, burns it, that it may be cured either by cutting or by cautery. For unless the rotted parts are cut away, or the useless humor boiled down, in vain are the hands of medicine applied to wounds. And so a good physician says that such a sick man must be cured according to the rule, that the medicine may make progress. He, then, has mercy according to the law, who has mercy with justice and with wisdom, so that he may forgive what he knows can be lawfully forgiven, lest, while he has mercy on another, he make himself liable to the law. After Agag had been granted mercy, he caused Saul to sin: for Saul sinned in the very mercy and so sinned after the mercy.64

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24. Let us also consider, lest we make even the man himself worse on whom we unjustly have mercy; for often it is of greater severity not to coerce sinners than if you should punish them. For they are delivered to passions of dishonor,65 whoever has committed anything dishonorable, and they bear no penalty for their fault. So those who supposed God was no judge of their crimes and lived as if without judge and without law, God, he says, delivered them up to a reprobate sense,66 because they chose the way of iniquity. But they refused to choose the way of truth.

25. But the prophet, who wished to be converted with sincere affection, says: I have chosen the way of truth; I have not forgotten thy judgments.67 He cannot say this who errs in doctrine; the Arian cannot say it, the Sabellian cannot, nor the Manichee; the covetous man cannot say it, who lusts after worldly and material things, the man who traffics cannot say it; for the eagerness for possessing, the desire of owning, is not the way of truth. How is it the way of truth, when that rich man cannot transfer his wealth with him from this world, and begins to be poorer after death than that beggar Lazarus?68 The honor of the world, the solicitude of the world, is not the way of truth. So he who has chosen the way of truth says a little after: Turn away mine eyes, that they may not see vanities.69 Vanity belongs to things temporal, truth to things eternal. If, therefore, we wish to walk the way of truth, let us be pilgrims to the world rather than to God, and let us walk by faith.70 For he who walks by faith is present to God; he who walks by sight is present to the world, but is a pilgrim from the Lord: yet such a one is quickly confounded.

26. Whence, fleeing back from such a man, David says: I have stuck to thy testimonies, O Lord; put me not to shame.71 He has stuck to the testimonies of the Lord who does not spurn his commandments, does not forget his judgments, nor indulges his own pleasures. He who cleaves to the Lord's testimonies renounces the world, forgets the things behind, reaches forth to the things before, that he may attain the prize,72 which is the badge of victory. He, then, is not put to shame whom the alluring things of this world have not taken; he is not put to shame, even if he have committed shameful things, who asks pardon for his sins from Christ. And so it is answered to him: Thy sins are forgiven thee, go in peace.73 But so he is not put to shame, if there has been wrought in him a remission of sins such that not only the sins, but even the affection of sinning, is taken away. Let justice remit iniquities, fortitude fear, temperance impurities, that there may be remission of sins not merely temporary but perpetual. Let Christ enter into your soul, let Jesus inhabit your minds, that in the tabernacle of virtue there may be no place for sin.

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27. I have run, he says, the way of thy commandments, when thou didst enlarge my heart;74 for he could not run the way, if his heart were straitened with narrowness. So to those running the way of the Lord, the Apostle says: Be ye also enlarged, and bear not the yoke with unbelievers,75 and of himself he says: Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians; our heart is enlarged.76 So too of Solomon it is said: The breadth of his heart was as the sand of the sea.77 And see the difference: let the way be narrower, the heart broader, that it may sustain the dwelling of Father and Son and Holy Spirit, lest the word of God come and knock and, seeing the narrowness of the heart, scorn to dwell there. Indeed Wisdom is sung at the gate, and in the streets she acts with confidence.78 The streets are wide: not, then, in highways, but in the breadth of the heart, is Wisdom sung. In this field of the inner man, then, not in the narrows of the mind, must we run, that we may attain; for it is written: So run, that you all may attain.79 So then he attains who has so run that he could say: I have finished my course,80 for he ran like a good horse.

28. For Christ has his horses, of whom the prophet says: Thou hast sent thy horses into the sea, troubling many waters,81 in that the apostles, by preaching, have stirred the peoples of the Gentiles — who are moved like many waters and roused like the surges of waters — that, rising up from the earthly ceremonies of idols, they should believe in Christ. And above he says: Thou hast mounted upon thy horses, and thy riding is health.82 O the wonder of the twelve good horses, whose bridles are of peace, whose reins are of charity! Bound to one another with the bonds of concord and subjected to the yoke of faith, bearing on four wheels the mystery of the Gospel into the ends of the whole world, carrying the good charioteer, the Word of God, by whose lash the worldly enticements have been put to flight, by whom the prince of this world has been driven out, and the course of the just is fulfilled. O great contest of the rational horses, O wondrous mystery! A wheel ran within a wheel, and was not impeded83 — the New Testament within the Old Testament: it was running within that by which it was being announced. The wheels went into four parts, and they did not turn back,84 because the spirit of life was in them85 who were running into the four parts of the whole world, and they were running without stumbling, because the good life of the horses fitted square. The horses, then, were running, because he was not sleeping who had mounted the horses.

29. The charioteer, then, of our souls is Jesus, who bids us also mount our horses — that is, our bodies — but ever to watch, lest it be said to us: They have slumbered who mounted upon the horses.86 We must cross the sea unwearied. Hardly is it crossed by the watchful; but if anyone has slept, he will not be able to cross, but will be drowned like the Egyptian, whose soul and body alike perished: for the horse and the rider hath he cast into the sea,87 who did not follow the law, but persecuted it.

Apparatus Criticus
  1. Scr. Ps. 118, 25.
    Psalm 118, 25. Var. Heading: IV.] Explicit de tertia littera (litera III f), Incipit de quarta (de Aml), littera quarta (IIII litterа T) APRT, om. cet. l. 7 Deleth (Deleht Sm, Daleth a) post Hebraeos tr. ISa, om. AOPndv; eorum enim M; est eorum O. l. 11 a om. GMm1SRm1; ex] e O. l. 12 est enim M; coepit av. l. 18 non putauerit inhaerendum O. l. 19 huius om. O; saecu[laris] om. AR. l. 20 eicitur G, add. est O. l. 21 ad quem] atque Gm1, ad quae [?]. l. 22 ergo] enim M[?]; terra O; deploret [?].
  2. Scr. Gen. 3, 19.
    Genesis 3, 19.
  3. Scr. cf. II Cor. 12, 3–4.
    cf. 2 Corinthians 12, 3–4.
  4. Scr. Ps. 43 (44), 26.
    Psalm 43 (44), 26.
  5. Scr. cf. Verg. Aen. 1, 388 et 546 (auram carpebat aetheriam — Vergilian echo).
    cf. Vergil, Aeneid 1, 388 and 546 (auram carpebat aetheriam, "he drank the ethereal air" — first of three Vergilian intertexts in Daleth, with Aen. 3, 112 at fn. 50 and Aen. 8, 388 at fn. 56; classical-poetic register applied to pre-lapsarian Adam). Var. l. 2 meminit O; l. 4 qui AR; praesentiae ARm1; l. 5 qui om. AGMXuPa; l. 6 eiusque] et av; adsumit (adsumpsit b) eius cet.; l. 8 aurum Pml; aethereani ORm2av; l. 9 mundi] uitae MXT; luxoriae Rml; l. 10 curuatur GXPT, add. atque Gm2Tm2a, ut om. cod. Monac. 2564 v, om. cet. a; uulpes XO; uulpium Ta (uulpis primi casus at); l. 11 leuare Pml; l. 12 super M; leuauisset O; l. 13 adhaerit Pml.
  6. Scr. Ioh. 1, 43.
    John 1, 43.
  7. Scr. Deut. 6, 13.
    Deuteronomy 6, 13. Var. l. 19 autem om. AR; deo AMXOav, cf. tractat. 11. cap. 4; l. 20 meretricis Mv.
  8. Scr. I Cor. 6, 16. 17.
    1 Corinthians 6, 16. 17. Var. l. 22 suis[?] O; ueritas] uel feditas [?] O Mm2; l. 23 obduxerunt Gv, abduxerint a; l. 25 huius mundi O; dedecore M; decora XPm1T; gratia] gloria O.
  9. Scr. Cant. 4, 4.
    Song of Songs 4, 4. Var. l. 1 donum GMm2R; igitur est O; ergo M; deo CAi[?]; l. 4 tha(ta-)lp[i]o codd. a; ostia] scuta cod. Sigmar. 2564 b; l. 6 in om. MX; terrenarum M, terras D; inlecebrarum M, in inlecebris R; l. 7 curuatur A\; l. 8 turrim GXTav; l. 9 muros MXPT; excelsa] ecclesia MXT; pariter subsidio O; l. 11 expellit O; l. 13 faleranum OPm2(v), phaleranum[?] si habeat* O.
  10. Scr. cf. Hier. 35 (28), 11.
    cf. Jeremiah 35 (28), 11.
  11. Scr. cf. II Cor. 10, 5.
    cf. 2 Corinthians 10, 5.
  12. Scr. cf. Ps. 21, 16.
    cf. Psalm 21, 16. Var. l. 16 puluere AMXOPR; l. 19 opportunae R; l. 22 e om. Aml; et] e A\; regione Rm2; materialia Mm1; l. 23 pulcre* M.
  13. Scr. cf. Rom. 7, 24.
    cf. Romans 7, 24. Var. l. 24 clauditur GOPR; l. 25 luxoriae Rml; seu M; l. 27 ambulemur O; l. 28 dicamus Tm2a; non dicamur MX.
  14. Scr. Gen. 6, 3.
    Genesis 6, 3. Var. l. 2 alt. caro om. AR; l. 4 gubernaculum a; animae Pm1a.
  15. Scr. Gen. 46, 25.
    Genesis 46, 25. Var. l. 6 hii APR; l. 7 ballae R, balae cet. a, Bala v; hos] haec AGPndRm1a, hoc Pml; Iacob] in O; omnes om. v; animae scripsi, animas codd. av.
  16. Scr. Gen. 46, 26.
    Genesis 46, 26. Var. l. 9 intrauerunt] add. cum Iacob v; l. 10 qui] quae MSOav; l. 11 inquit. sexaginta b; inquid Pml.
  17. Scr. Ex. 1, 5.
    Exodus 1, 5. Var. l. 14 et AOav, om. cet.; l. 15 et] LXXa O cod. Monac. 2564, om. av.
  18. Scr. cf. Matth. 22, 30.
    cf. Matthew 22, 30.
  19. Scr. cf. Gen. 6, 2 ("filii dei … filiae hominum" — Petschenig flags as background to decore femineo).
    cf. Genesis 6, 2 ("filii dei … filiae hominum" — Petschenig flags as background to decore femineo).
  20. Scr. Gen. 6, 3.
    Genesis 6, 3. Var. l. 19 dixit (dicit O) dominus deus MXO; l. 22 et merito — p. 74, l. 17 mentis intentio desunt in A (long lacuna in codex A spanning ~3 printed pages).
  21. Scr. Rom. 8, 9.
    Romans 8, 9. Var. ll. 23–25 quales — spiritu om. Mm1X.
  22. Scr. Hier. 5, 8.
    Jeremiah 5, 8. Var. l. 27 inquit in uxorem O; inquid GX; l. 28 adhinniebant OMS.
  23. Scr. cf. Rom. 6, 2–14 (Pauline death-and-resurrection logic).
    cf. Romans 6, 2–14 (Pauline death-and-resurrection logic). Var. def. A (codex A still in lacuna). l. 3 et miseratione av; liberare GO; cupiens liberare O; l. 5 deo om. Mm1; eum Om1; l. 6 habere posthaec OR.
  24. Scr. Ps. 118, 26.
    Psalm 118, 26. Var. l. 9 dicit O; enuntiaui M; l. 11 pulcro M.
  25. Scr. Esai. 43, 26.
    Isaiah 43, 26. Var. l. 13 debemus scire O; l. 14 suas om. MN; uoluptates P; l. 15 concupiscentias O; huius] add. hic O.
  26. Scr. cf. Eph. 2, 3.
    cf. Ephesians 2, 3. Var. l. 16 facere uoluntatem O.
  27. Scr. cf. Matth. 7, 21.
    cf. Matthew 7, 21. Var. l. 17 cuius] eius.
  28. Scr. cf. Ioh. 4, 34.
    cf. John 4, 34. Var. l. 18 sibi] suae Mm2, om. av; uoluptatis GMm1SPa; uoluntatis Mm1OR.
  29. Scr. Ioh. 14, 6.
    John 14, 6. Var. l. 20 pr. et om. MSPav; qui 1°] qui Pml, quomodo Sm.
  30. Scr. Deut. 10, 12–13.
    Deuteronomy 10, 12–13. Var. l. 22 tuis MN; l. 23 israhel PR; l. 27 ut custodias O; et (s.l.) custodias R; l. 28 esse carnis uias O; alt. dei] add. sciat MR[?].
  31. Scr. Ps. 31, 5.
    Psalm 31, 5. Var. l. 1 eas itaque OR; dominum MS; l. 2 negat] tacet v; dixit hoc O; l. 3 aduersum MSm; iniustitiam Mm1; l. 5 excludit a; coacerbire scripsi, coacerbare MXOPRT, acerbare Gm1v, aceruare cod. Casin. a, exaggregare [?]; l. 6 fuerat SR; l. 7 perstruit GOPR; in uerecundia O; l. 8 suum auctorem accusat O; doluisse[?] MNT.
  32. Scr. Prou. 18, 17.
    Proverbs 18, 17. Var. l. 10 primordio Mm1; l. 11 sit] est Gav, add. est iustus R; l. 12 putet Pml.
  33. Scr. cf. Gen. 3, 8 (Adam hiding in the garden).
    cf. Genesis 3, 8 (Adam hiding in the garden).
  34. Scr. cf. Matth. 23, 8.
    cf. Matthew 23, 8. Var. l. 15 iustificationes suas doceat nos O; l. 17 uester N; beatus ille OR.
  35. Scr. Ps. 93, 12.
    Psalm 93, 12.
  36. Scr. Ps. 118, 27.
    Psalm 118, 27. Var. l. 20 addidit] add. tertio MXT; l. 21 iusticiarum a.
  37. Scr. cf. Prou. 18, 17 (recap).
    cf. Proverbs 18, 17 (recap). Var. l. 26 plerumque offendunt MS; l. 29 inpudicitiae O.
  38. Scr. Ps. 118, 27 (LXX ἀδολεσχήσω; Vulg. exercebor; Ambrose discusses the variant halucinabor).
    Psalm 118, 27 (LXX ἀδολεσχήσω; Vulg. exercebor; Ambrose discusses the variant halucinabor). Var. def. A (codex A in lacuna). l. 4 ΑΔΟΛΕΣΧΗΣΑΙ (s. ser. adolescesai) et similia codd.; alucinabor OMSPm2Rm2; adlucinabor O; allucinabor a; hallucinabor v; l. 5 aliqua sermonis esse O; l. 6 adlucinari O; alucinari cet.; allucinari a; hallucinari v; alt. uel] uelut Gm2MSTm2a, om. a; l. 7 loqui aliquid R; uidere a; l. 10 non seruus Gm2MSTm2a; fastidiat Tm1; l. 11 ordinem R; l. 13 ideo G; l. 15 ΑΔΟΛΕΣΧΗΣΕΙ, ΑΔΟΛΕΣΧΗΣΑΙ et similia codd.; alucinatio GMSRm2; adlucinatio O; allucinatio a; hallucinatio v; l. 16 esse quaedam O; uel] et Gav; l. 17 a quo] pergit A[?]; l. 18 ut OP, om. cet.; pr. exerceat P; l. 19 suam om. Av; diuinis scripturis O.
  39. Scr. Gen. 24, 63.
    Genesis 24, 63. Var. l. 21 adolescb-/-c-/esae (-e) codd.; l. 22 exerceri av; l. 24 foret magnum sacramentum O.
  40. Scr. cf. Ps. 100 (101), 2 (in innocentia cordis mei).
    cf. Psalm 100 (101), 2 (in innocentia cordis mei). Var. l. 25 effundens MS; mentis suae N.
  41. Scr. Ps. 118, 28.
    Psalm 118, 28. Var. l. 1 iustitiarum] iustificationum MN; l. 2 caelitus G, caelestibus PR; l. 3 huius O; somnum Gav; uanitatis] uoluptatis O; l. 5 ergo AMOar; dicens] add. dauid AMR.
  42. Scr. Ps. 118, 28 (variant rendering: dormitauit for stillauit; Ambrose pivots on Greek ἐνύσταξεν / ἔσταξεν).
    Psalm 118, 28 (variant rendering: dormitauit for stillauit; Ambrose pivots on Greek ἐνύσταξεν / ἔσταξεν). Var. l. 9 ἐνύσταξεν et σταζειν v; perfectus a.
  43. Scr. Ps. 131, 4.
    Psalm 131, 4. Var. l. 11 aut] et N; l. 14 domino condere MO.
  44. Scr. cf. Cant. 5, 3 (LXX 5, 2 ego dormio et cor meum uigilat).
    cf. Song of Songs 5, 3 (LXX 5, 2 ego dormio et cor meum uigilat).
  45. Scr. Origenes, ad Ps. 118, 28 (Selecta in Psalmos / Commentary on Psalm 118, fragments).
    Origen, on Psalm 118 (119), 28 — Ambrose attributes the stillauit reading (against the variant dormitauit = LXX ἐνύσταξεν) to Origen's exegetical preference for ἔσταξεν. This is one of the most explicit Origen attributions in the Expositio (cf. similar attributions at the Symmachus loci of Sin/Tau); a key fons for Ambrose's debt to Origen on this Psalm. Var. l. 16 exprimitur MSPm1T; l. 17 curas a; l. 18 caput AOP; cogitationis AT; l. 19 sicut om. v; l. 20 dormitauit] add. non N; l. 21 origenis Mm2Pm1.
  46. Scr. Prou. 27, 15.
    Proverbs 27, 15. Var. l. 24 munita N, monita Pm1; l. 26 hiemali in (id'a Mi[?]) die MS; qua a.
  47. Scr. cf. Matth. 24, 20.
    cf. Matthew 24, 20. Var. l. 28 prouidere MN; aut] uel AXav, cf. tractat. 5. cap. 36.
  48. Scr. Prou. 3, 21 (LXX μὴ παραρρυῇς; Petschenig prints fili, ne defluas per the LXX).
    Proverbs 3, 21 (LXX μὴ παραρρυῇς; Petschenig prints fili, ne defluas per the LXX). Var. l. 4 si] sed MSPRTm1; sed et ne Gm2Tm2; mansio O cod. Monac. 2564; l. 5 e] ex O; fluenta Gm1R; l. 6 ideo Mag[?]; l. 8 inuidia X; l. 9 seruire AR; mysterio ARm2; l. 11 sua euacuat O; tegere N; l. 13 quod Gm1a; ote[?] a; fluet Gm1; fluerit MSPT.
  49. Scr. cf. Luc. 2, 51 (Mary keeping all things in her heart).
    cf. Luke 2, 51 (Mary keeping all things in her heart). Var. l. 14 munita AR, monitam P; l. 16 fide P, fidam a.
  50. Scr. Verg. Aen. 3, 112 (fida silentia — direct Vergilian borrowing flagged by Petschenig).
    Vergil, Aeneid 3, 112 (fida silentia, "faithful silences" — direct Vergilian borrowing; second Vergilian intertext in Daleth, applied here to the Bride/Church keeping the mystery of the Bridegroom in silence).
  51. Scr. Cant. 1, 16–17 (LXX 1, 15–16). The quote begins at p. 76 l. 17 (ecce es… adclinatio nostra opaca. trabes domorum nostrarum) and closes here at p. 77 l. 1 (cedri, lacunaria nostra cypressi); Petschenig's locus marker is at p. 76 l. 17.
    Song of Songs 1, 16–17 (LXX 1, 15–16). The quote begins at p. 76 l. 17 (ecce es… adclinatio nostra opaca. trabes domorum nostrarum) and closes here at p. 77 l. 1 (cedri, lacunaria nostra cypressi); Petschenig's locus marker is at p. 76 l. 17. Var. p. 76 l. 17 christo Xm1S; inquites M; inquid N; p. 77 l. 1 ac declinationem Aml.
  52. Scr. cf. Matth. 7, 6.
    cf. Matthew 7, 6. Var. p. 76 l. 23 atchana GMSOPR; mittit MN[?]; l. 25 in om. GMSOPa.
  53. Scr. cf. Prou. 10, 19.
    cf. Proverbs 10, 19. Var. p. 76 l. 26 alloquio R; l. 28 christus N; reclinat a.
  54. Scr. cf. Luc. 1, 35.
    cf. Luke 1, 35. Var. l. 2 se om. MSOPRT.
  55. Scr. cf. Ps. 120 (121), 6.
    cf. Psalm 120 (121), 6. Var. l. 3 uel] neque O; l. 4 umbram om. O; huius saeculi P; l. 5 ecclesiae] add. sunt a; l. 6 aeternae R.
  56. Scr. Verg. Aen. 8, 388 (molli foueat amplexu — third Vergilian intertext in the sermon, after Aen. 1, 388/546 at p. 69 and Aen. 3, 112 at p. 76).
    Vergil, Aeneid 8, 388 (molli foueat amplexu, "may cherish in soft embrace" — third Vergilian intertext in Daleth; Ambrose strikingly re-deploys the erotic Vulcan-and-Venus scene to figure Christ's gentle bosoming of the sin-wearied soul). Var. l. 8 his] hos AGMm1SRm1av; reclinauit se O; l. 9 lassauerit a; suo suscipiat O; suscipiat suorum[?]; l. 10 caro Christi] christus Mm2NP.
  57. Scr. Cant. 1, 17 (15) — partial requote (cedars).
    Song of Songs 1, 17 (15) — partial requote (cedars). Var. l. 13 fuerint NMm2O; iustus] add. enim Oav.
  58. Scr. Ps. 91 (92), 13.
    Psalm 91 (92), 13. Var. l. 15 putrescet a.
  59. Scr. Cant. 1, 17 (15) — partial requote (cypresses).
    Song of Songs 1, 17 (15) — partial requote (cypresses). Var. l. 17 laquearia GMm2; cupressi UOav; l. 18 perusta] iuxta uere (uer u-) ar, om. O; aestatem a; l. 19 pascit ἀδολεσχήσει cet.[?]; l. 20 dispoliat AGMm1NOPm1Rm1T; l. 22 et] sed GMav; uetustate MPRv; l. 23 membris] meritis Ov; uigens MSPv; l. 24 patientiae O.
  60. Scr. cf. Ps. 118, 28 (echoing the verse-base of §15).
    cf. Psalm 118, 28 (echoing the verse-base of §15). Var. l. 26 se om. MSOPRT; l. 27 suis incertum, cf. p. 78 l. 4 (Petschenig flags the bracketed ⟨suis⟩ as conjectural, supported by parallel at p. 78 line 4).
  61. Scr. cf. Ps. 72 (73), 2 (paene effusi sunt gressus mei).
    cf. Psalm 72 (73), 2 (paene effusi sunt gressus mei).
  62. Scr. Ps. 118, 29.
    Psalm 118, 29. Var. l. 1 uigeat recto O; uigere APR; uiget MST; l. 2 atque V[?]; l. 4 ait] add. v A; l. 7 in nobis esse M; l. 8 interius] in nos N.
  63. Scr. Rom. 7, 24–25.
    Romans 7, 24–25. Var. l. 11 auxilium MSPm1ORm1; tu] add. et M; l. 12 dixit uiam MN; iniquitatis dixit O; l. 15 currentia PR; l. 16 trita MNT.
  64. Scr. cf. I Reg. (1 Sam.) 15, 8 sqq. (Saul sparing Agag).
    cf. 1 Samuel (1 Sam.) 15, 8 sqq. (Saul sparing Agag). Var. l. 17 ac uetus] acutus O; est et av; l. 18 perfectius N; l. 19 enim om. N; l. 20 seriore curatione O; curato Rml; l. 21 uirus si M; serpit O; l. 23 ustione O; humor GMSOPm2Rm2; l. 24 decoquatur Aml OP; decoquitur Oml; medicinae] medici O; l. 26 lege Rml; legi MSP; l. 29 miserationi AOm2Pm1R, miseratione cet. av; donatus O.
  65. Scr. cf. Rom. 1, 26 (passiones ignominiae).
    cf. Romans 1, 26 (passiones ignominiae). Var. l. 2 miseretur Rml; iniuste miseremur (-tur N) MN; l. 3 auctoritatis AGm1OPRmn; ulciscare O; l. 4 qui cum a; commiserunt AOPv; nullum a; l. 5 conditorem P.
  66. Scr. Rom. 1, 28.
    Romans 1, 28. Var. l. 7 illos inquit (inquid S) MSPav; illos deus inquit O; l. 8 elegere PmlRml.
  67. Scr. Ps. 118, 30.
    Psalm 118, 30. Var. l. 10 uoluit sincero conuerti O; l. 11 inquid M; l. 12 in] add. uano a; Arianus p; l. 13 sabellus O; auarus dicere O; l. 14 post qui om. in A; l. 16 uiam PmlS, add. est AMm2.
  68. Scr. cf. Luc. 16, 19 sqq. (Dives and Lazarus).
    cf. Luke 16, 19 sqq. (Dives and Lazarus). Var. l. 17 suas secum O; illi Am2; l. 19 quia Mml.
  69. Scr. Ps. 118, 37 — anticipatory citation (the verse falls in a later section of Daleth/He but Ambrose previews it).
    Psalm 118, 37 — anticipatory citation (the verse falls in a later section of Daleth/He but Ambrose previews it). Var. l. 20 uanitatem av; l. 21 uiam ueritatis ambulare O.
  70. Scr. cf. II Cor. 5, 6–7.
    cf. 2 Corinthians 5, 6–7. Var. l. 23 alt. qui] add. autem a; l. 24 domino] deo MS.
  71. Scr. Ps. 118, 31.
    Psalm 118, 31. Var. l. 26 adhaesit M; l. 27 tuis om. NRml; adhaeret [continues p. 80].
  72. Scr. cf. Phil. 3, 13–14.
    cf. Philippians 3, 13–14. Var. l. 2 indulgit PmlRml; suis indulget O; testimoniis domini MN; l. 3 posteriora] superiora Gm1a.
  73. Scr. Luc. 7, 48 + Luc. 7, 50 (conflated lemma).
    Luke 7, 48 + Luke 7, 50 (conflated lemma). Var. l. 6 poscit a christo delictorum O; l. 7 a christo poscit MS; l. 10 remittit Mm1a; l. 11 impuritatem a; l. 12 in perpetua Rml; l. 13 redundantibus[?] Iesus N; l. 14 locos Oml, lucus Rml.
  74. Scr. Ps. 118, 32.
    Psalm 118, 32. Var. l. 16 dilataris a, dilatares v.
  75. Scr. II Cor. 6, 13 + 6, 14 (Petschenig conflates the two; Vulg. dilatamini et uos = 6, 13, nolite iugum ducere = 6, 14).
    2 Corinthians 6, 13 + 6, 14 (Petschenig conflates the two; Vulg. dilatamini et uos = 6, 13, nolite iugum ducere = 6, 14).
  76. Scr. II Cor. 6, 11.
    2 Corinthians 6, 11.
  77. Scr. III Reg. (1 Kgs.) 4, 25 LXX = 4, 29 Vulg. (Solomon's wisdom).
    1 Kings (1 Kgs.) 4, 25 LXX = 4, 29 Vulg. (Solomon's wisdom). Var. l. 21 de Salomone] salomoni O; l. 22 arena AGSR.
  78. Scr. Prou. 1, 20.
    Proverbs 1, 20. Var. l. 23 ut uia O; l. 24 domini R; l. 26 canitar[?]; l. 27 agitur AOR; l. 28 decantat a.
  79. Scr. I Cor. 9, 24 (continues to p. 81 line 3).
    1 Corinthians 9, 24 (continues to p. 81 line 3).
  80. Scr. II Tim. 4, 7.
    2 Timothy 4, 7. Var. l. 1 est uobis M; l. 3 cucurrit in O.
  81. Scr. Hab. 3, 15.
    Habakkuk 3, 15. Var. l. 5 suos M, O; l. 6 mare GTa, mari cet. v; l. 8 aquarum] add. multarum av; commouerunt N; l. 9 surgentes NO; cerimoniis GSOPRm[2].
  82. Scr. Hab. 3, 8.
    Habakkuk 3, 8. Var. l. 10 ascendi Mv; l. 13 constricti] add. sunt Ao; se om. M; l. 14 bonam Ga; l. 16 istius mundi M; l. 17 admirandum T.
  83. Scr. cf. Ezek. 1, 16 (the "wheel within a wheel" — rota intra rotam; not flagged in djvu apparatus but Petschenig surely cites; verify against Petschenig's printed apparatus).
    cf. Ezekiel 1, 16 (the "wheel within a wheel" — rota intra rotam; not flagged in djvu apparatus but Petschenig surely cites; verify against Petschenig's printed apparatus). Var. l. 19 testamento] add. erat AOav; l. 20 conuertebantur[?].
  84. Scr. cf. Ezek. 1, 9 (non reuertebantur retrorsum / non conuertebantur).
    cf. Ezekiel 1, 9 (non reuertebantur retrorsum / non conuertebantur). Var. l. 21 iis Gv; heis (he in mtu) M; currebat MXPm1Rm1T; l. 22 totius mundi partes[?].
  85. Scr. cf. Rom. 8, 2 (lex spiritus uitae).
    cf. Romans 8, 2 (lex spiritus uitae). Var. l. 23 equorum uita MXa; l. 24 ascenderet A; l. 26 corpora nostra O; uigilare] add. debemus O; l. 29 hoc om. O.
  86. Scr. Ps. 75 (76), 7 (continues onto p. 82).
    Psalm 75 (76), 7 (continues onto p. 82).
  87. Scr. Exod. 15, 1 (Song of Moses; same line at Exod. 15, 21). Note: djvu line 712 prints "LXII. Jatbrn. Pnn 9. Ftlnkiilt- 6" — this is the trailing apparatus block for the last 4 lines of Daleth on p. 82. The OCR is too garbled to recover (likely citing Exod. 15, 1 or Exod. 15, 21 + a codex stamp / library shelfmark). Verify against Petschenig's printed apparatus.
    Exodus 15, 1 (Song of Moses; same line at Exodus 15, 21). Note: djvu line 712 prints "LXII. Jatbrn. Pnn 9. Ftlnkiilt- 6" — this is the trailing apparatus block for the last 4 lines of Daleth on p. 82. The OCR is too garbled to recover (likely citing Exodus 15, 1 or Exodus 15, 21 + a codex stamp / library shelfmark). Verify against Petschenig's printed apparatus.
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