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וVI. Littera VAU

Sermon 6 · Ps 118:41–48 · CSEL 62, pp. 108–127

Textus Latinus

VI. LITTERA UAU.

1. Sexta littera 'Uau', cuius interpretatio sonat 'uel sic non ille'; alius interpres 'et non est' ait.

2. Et ueniat super me misericordia tua, domine, salutare tuum secundum eloquium tuum.1 quid significet interpretatio litterae, quoniam subobscura est, ex psalmi serie colligendum putaui. nam cum propheta postulet: 'ueniat super me misericordia tua, domine, ueniat salutare tuum', non est dubium quem uidere deposcat, hoc est: in quo fructus et misericordiae ueniat et salutis. denique in superioribus idem poposcit in psalmo octogesimo quarto, in quo euidentius domini Iesu prophetauit aduentum. nam terram quam benedici postulet satis notum est, illam uidelicet quae peccatum in Adam contraxerat, cui dicitur: terra es et in terram ibis.2 maledixerat autem deus non elementum naturae carnis, sed carnem praeuaricantium. benedicitur caro igitur in Christo, ut maledicto superiore caro soluatur, benedicitur caro, quam benedictus filius dei adsumpta hominis condicione suscepit.

3. Et ideo subdidit: deus, tu conuertens uiuificabis nos et plebs tua laetabitur in te. ostende nobis, domine, misericordiam tuam et salutare tuum da nobis. audiam quid loquatur in me dominus deus, quoniam loquetur pacem in plebem suam et super sanctos suos et in eos qui conuertunt ad ipsum cor suum. uerum tamen prope timentes eum salutare ipsius, ut inhabitet gloria in terra nostra.3 totus hic locus Iesum dominum sonat, qui uiuificauit mortuos, Lazarum ante passionem, plurimos tempore propriae passionis. ipse est misericordia, utpote remissio peccatorum. ideo dicit 'ostende', quem uidere possit in corpore; nam deum in maiestate sua uidere non poterat, quia deum nemo uidit umquam.4 auidus propheta desiderat uidere quem sperat tenere, quem si uiderit desiderat propriis manibus conprehendere. ideoque ait: et salutare tuum das nobis. salutare dei uirtus est, salutare dei Christus est et ideo prope timentes hoc salutare. longe erat Christus a nobis, longe erat a nationibus; descendit in terras, factus est prope, coepimus non timere. nam qui Christum timet, non timori est subditus, sed deuotioni; pietatis hic timor, non infirmitatis est. denique nihil deest timentibus eum. quomodo autem factus sit prope, audi: ut inhabitet, inquit, gloria in terra nostra. quis est gloria nisi dominus Iesus? unde et apostolus Paulus ait: deus domini nostri Iesu Christi, pater gloriae.5 merito conplacet in eo pater, quia patris gloria est. hunc qui a patre separat maiorem patri iniuriam facit, quem uult esse sine gloria. hunc quisque aequalem patri non putat, inferiorem et patrem iudicat, cum alio uerbo patrem plus laudare non possit, quia summa laus gloriae Christus est.

4. Rogatur ergo, ut ueniat salutare dei. ille est qui rogatur, hoc est dominus Iesus, et non est alius, sicut habet litterae interpretatio. et uel sic non solus pater rogatur; est et ille, hoc est: et filius qui rogatur et rogatus aduenit et salutare mundo dedit. ideo σωτήρ, hoc est 'saluator', ideo Iesus, sicut angelus dixit: qui saluum faciet populum suum.6 cum inuocaret igitur propheta, aderat, ut probaret illud, quia adhuc loquentibus nobis dicit: adsum.7

5. Adest, quia suscitatus a filiabus Iudaeae quasi resuscitatur a filiabus Hierusalem.8 audit ecclesia sonum uocis eius et dicit: uox consobrini mei. ecce hic aduenit saliens super montes, transiliens super colles.9 manipularis est liber multas habens personas nobiles uelut manipulos triumphales multosque actus significans, quos intellegere magis quam expressos tenere possimus. nam quasi aduenientem sponsum audierit cum aliquibus pariter uiantibus conloquentem, dicit sponsa: uox consobrini mei. dum loquitur cum filiabus Hierusalem et rogat, ut excitent et resuscitent sponsum,10 subito tamquam de longinquo missae uocis sonum sentiens dicit: uox consobrini mei, adnuntians quem nuntiari sibi ante quaerebat. quem cupiebat ab aliis suscitari, sua prece resuscitatum a patre uenire iam credens laeta dicit: uox consobrini mei. bene addidit 'consobrini mei', ut non aliae, sed consobrina sola sibi eius uindicaret aduentum.

6. Ecce, inquit, iste aduenit.11 adhuc ego eum quaero et ille iam uenit, adhuc ego suffragia capto,12 ut ueniat, et ille iam proximus est. ego suscitari mihi caritatem cupio, ego me uulneratam caritatis puto13 et ad me plus caritas ipsa festinat. ego dixi 'ueni', ille salit et transilit. ego rogo eum uenire cum gratia, ille gratiarum operatur augmenta et, dum uenit, incrementa gratiae secum uehit et ueniendo adquirit, quia studet etiam ipse suae placere dilectae. salit super excelsa, ut ascendat super sponsam — sponsae enim thalamus tribunal est Christi —, salit super Adam, transilit super synagogam, salit super gentes, transilit super Iudaeos. uideamus salientem: salit de caelo in uirginem, de utero in praesepe, de praesepio in Iordanem, de Iordane in crucem, de cruce in tumulum, in caelum de sepulchro. proba mihi, Dauid, salientem, proba currentem: tu enim dixisti: exultauit tamquam gigans ad currendam uiam. a summo caelo egressio eius et occursus eius usque ad summum eius, nec est qui se abscondat a calore eius.14 ergo et nunc salit et nunc currit de corde patris super sanctos suos, de Oriente super occidentem, de septentrione super meridiem.15 ipse est qui ascendit super occasum,16 ipse super caelos caelorum ad orientem; ipse ascendit super montes, ipse super colles.

7. Utinam ego miser dicam, dicat anima mea: ecce iste aduenit17 et aduenit non super terrena, non super ualles, sed aduenit saliens super montes! deus enim deus montium est, non uallium.18 ubi ergo salit? super montes salit. si sis mons, salit super te. salit super Esaiam, salit super Hieremiam, salit super Petrum Iohannem Iacobum. montes in circuitu eius.19 si tu non potes mons esse nec praeuales, esto uel collis, ut super te Christus ascendat et, si transilit, ita transiliat, ut te transitus eius umbra custodiat.

8. Diximus de Christo et ecclesia; dicamus de anima et uerbo. anima iusti sponsa est uerbi. haec si desideret, si cupiat, si oret et oret adsidue et oret sine ulla disceptatione et tota intendat in uerbo, subito uocem sibi uidetur eius audire quem non uidet et intimo sensu odorem diuinitatis eius agnoscit, quod patiuntur plerumque qui bene credunt. replentur subito nares animae spiritali gratia et sentit sibi praesentiae eius flatum adspirare, quem quaerit, et dicit: 'ecce iste ipse est quem requiro, ipse quem desidero'.

9. Nonne, cum aliquid de scripturis cogitamus et explanationem eius inuenire non possumus, dum dubitamus, dum quaerimus, subito nobis quasi super montes altissima dogmata uidetur ascendere, deinde quasi super colles apparens nobis inluminat mentem, ut infundat sensibus quod inuenire posse difficile uidebatur? ergo quasi ex absente fit praesens uerbum in cordibus nostris. et rursus, cum aliquid nobis subobscurum est, tamquam subducitur uerbum et tamquam absentis aduentum desideramus et iterum apparens ostendit se nobis, tamquam praesens sit nobis in his quae requirimus cognoscendis. salit ergo in uniuscuiusque corde frequenter; transilit et exit et reuertitur, si sequaris, si requiras, si tibi fidelium grata disceptatione doctorum uerbum, quod exierat atque transierat, postules resuscitari, sicut illa, quae quaesiuit et inuenit, quae dixit: frater meus transiuit; anima mea exiuit in uerbo eius.20

10. Ergo et si super montes salit, sequere, et si super colles, sequere. repperiuntur enim in montibus et in collibus uenatores domini, qui inuestigant eos qui capiuntur ad uitam. sic enim dixit per Hieremiam deus: ecce mitto multos piscatores et multos uenatores et uenabuntur eos super omnem montem et super omnem collem.21 ibi ergo populus dei quaeratur et inueniatur in Petri et in Pauli doctrina gratia disciplinae, ut non in conualle sint, ubi fletus,22 sed in montibus, a quibus unumquemque Christus inluminat. et cum Petrum legimus Christus inluminat, et cum Paulum legimus Christus inluminat. curauit Paulus, Christus inluminauit,23 quoniam inuocato domini Iesu nomine resurrexit cuius sanatus est munere. suscitauit mortuam Petrus,24 Christus inluminauit; et ideo ait: inluminans tu mirabiliter a montibus aeternis.25

11. Nos igitur, qui montes esse non possumus, stemus in montibus uel in collibus, ut, cum miserit piscatores suos dominus et uenatores, ut uenentur eos, qui super omnem montem sunt uel super omnem collem, id est in legis et prophetarum praeceptis et noui et ueteris testamenti cognitione omnem habentes conuersationem, inueniant nos paratos et uelut bonas colligant spicas oportuno missi26 messores tempore, quia, si quis extra montem aut collem fuerit repertus, colligi uelut bona spica non poterit ab his, qui, ut conparationis faciamus alterius mentionem, triticum a paleis separare mittentur. plurimarum operationum sollertes ministros dominus habet; idem piscatores, idem etiam uenatores sunt atque messores.

12. Si in tempore messis, quo diriguntur isti, meriti maturus expectes, salientem in montibus poteris intueri et uidebis dominum Iesum similem capreolo aut hinulo ceruorum super montes Bethel,27 salit enim super ecclesiam, quae est domus panis,28 eo quod fidelium corda confirmet. merito sicut capreola, quia caprea in altis pascitur. δορκάς dicitur a uidendo; δορκαντικόν etenim uisus acutioris est. quid hoc aptius Christo, qui patrem uidit quem uidit nemo,29 aut si qui uidit in Christo, ipse filius reuelauit?30 merito sicut hinulus ceruorum; hinulus quasi filius, cui paternae inoleuerit uis naturae, ut eum occulta non lateant, serpentes fugiant, uenena non laedant. denique eductus de latibulis suis serpens, qui producebatur ex homine, dicebat: quid uenisti ante tempus torquere nos?31

13. Spectemus ergo salientem hunc hinulum, ut non possimus timere serpentem. non timebat Dauid; denique de his dicebat serpentibus: et respondebo exprobrantibus mihi uerbum, quoniam speraui in uerbis tuis.32 quasi bonus ceruus, qui bibisset de fontibus aquarum,33 nequaquam humanorum serpentium spiras et maledicorum uenena metuebat. coluber illi non erat noxa, sed praeda. cibus erat serpentini uirus adloquii et cibus laudis, de quo dicebat: deus, laudem meam ne tacueris, quoniam os peccatoris et os dolosi super me apertum est.34 saginabatur uenenatorum sermonibus; illi sibila obtrectationis35 ora tollebant et sermonibus odii circumdabant innocentem. bonus ceruus inter multos colubres positus non timebat, ceruus amicitiae et pullus gratiarum. simulabant caritatem, fundebant obtrectationem; ego autem, inquit, orabam. bonus ceruus in medio uiperarum innocuus pascebatur. illi trisulcis ore linguis36 micabant, hunc autem sancta pascebat oratio, immo cibum obtrectantibus offerebat. respondit obtrectantibus sibi uerbum, uerbum enim cibus est; denique non in pane solo uiuit homo, sed in omni uerbo dei.37 uiderunt me, inquit, et mouerunt capita sua.38 maledicebant, ego autem benedicebam.39 maledicebant qui obtrectabant, benedicebam qui uerbum domini praedicabam.

14. Quam bonum est ferre conuicium et conuicium non referre! deum praesulem adquirit qui conuicianti nescit irasci. denique quanta patientiae gratia dicentis: maledicent ipsi, et tu benedices!40 beatus qui maledicta non sentit, beatus quem maledicta non permouent; non enim potest maledicto moueri, qui maledicta hominum diuino munere benedictionis excludit. non potest sentire maledictum, qui habet uerbum, et non potest referre maledictum, cui in ore semper est uerbum.

15. Sed est etiam bonus serpens, quem iste ceruus non laedat: estote astuti sicut serpentes,41 et: sicut Moyses exaltauit serpentem in deserto, ita exaltari oportet filium hominis.42 in serpente aereo43 figuratus est meus serpens, in ligno illo exaltatus est meus serpens, serpens bonus. bonus serpens, qui de ore suo remedia, non uenena fundebat. potest non timere serpentes, qui hunc nouit adorare serpentem. de hoc serpente dicit illa quae diligit: ecce hic post parietem nostrum prospiciens per fenestras, eminens super retia. respondet consobrinus meus et dicit mihi: surge, ueni, proxima mea, formosa mea, columba mea, quia ecce hiems praeteriit, imber abiit, discessit sibi; flores uisi sunt in terra.44 serpens profecto est, qui decursa hieme amictu corporis se uolebat exuere, ut specioso decore uernaret. idem ergo est ceruus et serpens; ceruus habens cornua legis et gratiae — cornua eius duo sunt testamenta —, uelox gressu, impiger incessu, qui totum facile orbem percurrat uno momento, ubique celebrabilis; serpens quoque bonus, cuius priora dente legis non mordeant, posteriora non uulnerent euangelii lenitate. caput defendit a uulnere, qui legem uenit non soluere,45 sed tueri ab interpretationibus perfidorum. caudam in flagella diffundit liberam, cupiens aduersarios magis flagellare quam perdere. bonus coluber in gremium dilectae atque in ipsum intimae sinum mentis facilis inlabitur et adtactu nullo implicans ignem ossibus46 praecordia ipsa depascitur.

16. Pulchre lectum est hodie: ecce ego mitto uos sicut agnos in medio luporum.47 celebramus enim diem sanctorum, quo reuelata sunt populis corpora sanctorum martyrum,48 qui uelut boni serpentes depositis carnis exuuiis temptationum hiemalium rigore superato et Spiritus sancti renouati gratia aestiua mundo luce fulserunt, missi uere ut agni in medio luporum. lupi sunt enim persecutores, lupi sunt haeretici omnes; docere nesciunt, ululare consuerunt.

17. Sed nemo moueatur, si in medio luporum mittitur. beneficio Christi et lupus ipse mutatus est; Beniamin lupus rapax49 apostolus Paulus50 factus est, non iam insidiator ouilium Christi, sed defensor et custos. cum hoc lupo uersari libet, per hunc lupum factum est, ut simus tuti in medio luporum.51 nemo iam ueretur lupos; cum his pascimur, sicut scriptum est: tunc lupi et agni simul pascentur.52

18. Sed iam consideremus, quid sit quod ait propheta: et non auferas ex ore meo uerbum ueritatis usque quaque, quia in iudiciis tuis supersperaui.53 uiderat ecclesia uel anima iusti salientem sicut hinulum super montes;54 repente proximum aspiciens post parietem domus suae prospicientem per fenestras, eminentem super retia exultat et gaudet, quia etiam ipsa amatur a sponso, qui tamquam et ipse uulneratus caritatis55 decore dilectae primo, cum abesset, ad oscula rogatus adfuerit — rogatur enim, cum dicitur: osculetur me ab osculo oris sui56 —, deinde preces sponsae blanditiasque non spreuerit dilecta sibi ubera praedicantis atque in interiora domus eam benignus induxerit,57 denique tamquam lasciuienti ludens amore, quia uellet pertemptare sensus amantis, saepe egressus, ut quaereretur a sponsa, saepe regressus, ut inuitaretur ad oscula, adstiterit post parietem, prospexerit per fenestras eminens super retia, ut non totus abesset nec quasi totus intraret et ipse ad se sponsam uocaret, ut ueniendi ad se inuicem fierent gratiora commercia amorisque uim mutuis adolerent sermonibus. exurge, inquit, ueni, proxima mea, formosa mea, columba mea.58

19. Et tu si habeas fundatum parietem, non illum medium qui domus unius separet membra,59 sed aedificatum supra fundamentum apostolorum et prophetarum, ut compaginata eius structura crescat in templum60 nec disterminet eius interna sed muniat, si habeas ergo in te aedificationem dei et ad orientem pateant semper fenestrae tuae, uenit uerbum, stat post tuum parietem — oculi enim domini super iustos61 —, prospicit per fenestras tuas.62

20. Quae sunt fenestrae istae? legimus fenestras, de quibus dicit Hieremias: intrauit mors per fenestras,63 per quas intrauit auaritia, intrauit libido. oculus tuus fenestra est, intrauit mors per oculum tuum. si uideris mulierem ad concupiscendum eam,64 intrauit mors per oculum tuum. si uideris possessionem uiduae uel minoris et concupieris inuadere, indefensam putans aetatem esse uel sexum — sed non sunt indefensi quos dominus uult esse defensos —, intrauit mors per fenestram. si audieris decorem mulieris aut thesauros minoris et tuas excitaueris cupiditates, intrauit mors per fenestram. sicut ergo per haec intrat mors, intrat et uita, si decorem puellae aspiciens sacrae uenereris dominum Iesum, quod in teneros annos uenerit aetas senectutis, uita inmaculata,65 et ipse filiam tuam offeras, ut pio consecretur uelamine; si possessionem minoris non tamquam sollicitus inuasor aspicias, sed quasi parens sedulus religioso tuearis affectu. per has fenestras prospicit Christus et uocat sponsam, eminens super retia.

21. Bene 'eminens', quia solus est quem retia non inuoluerint peccatorum.66 omnes intra retia erant, immo adhuc intra retia sumus, quia nemo sine peccato nisi solus Iesus, quem non cognoscentem peccatum peccatum pro nobis fecit pater,67 etenim tradidit eum laqueis, tradidit eum retibus, mittens eum non in peccato, in quo erant omnes homines, sed in similitudine carnis peccati, ut de peccato damnaret peccatum in carne.68 peccatum erat caro secundum illud, quia hereditario erat damnata maledicto, peccatum erat inlecebra et ministra peccati. uenit dominus Iesus et in carne peccato obnoxia militiam uirtutis exercuit. facta sunt membra nostra iam non arma libidinis, sed arma uirtutis;69 namque ubi erant incentiua libidinis, ibi nunc sunt domicilia castitatis. hic ergo uenit ad laqueos, sed uoluntarius, uenit ad retia, sed securus.

22. Plena erant omnia retibus, referta laqueis. audi dicentem: in uia hac qua ambulabam absconderunt laqueum mihi,70 et in libro Sapientiae Sirach moneris, ut cognoscas quia in medio laqueorum ambulas.71 quot uitia, tot retia, quot peccata, tot laquei; hereditarii iam te nexus tenebant. uenit ad laqueos Iesus, ut Adam solueret, uenit liberare quod perierat.72 omnes retibus tenebamur, nullus alium eruere poterat, cum se ipsum non posset exuere. talis ergo necessarius fuit, quem uincula generationis humanae delictis obnoxia non tenerent, non cepisset auaritia, non ligasset dolus, is solus erat Iesus, qui cum huius carnis se circumdedisset uinculis, captus non erat, non erat alligatus, sed disrumpens ea atque dissoluens ad se magis uocauit ecclesiam, prospiciens per laqueos, eminens super retia,73 ut et ipsa disceret uinculis non teneri. denique eo usque non longe a uinculis fuit, ut pro nobis subiret et mortem, sed tamen non seruus mortis effectus, sed liber inter mortuos; liber enim erat, qui soluendae mortis potestatem habebat. denique ipse te doceat, qui ait: soluite hoc templum, et in triduo resuscitabo illud.74

23. Audiamus itaque quid dicat: exsurge, ueni, proxima mea,75 hoc est: surge a mortuis, exsurge a uinculis quibus circumdata tenebaris. exsurge, quia ego resurrexi tibi, solue uinculum iniquitatis, quia ego iam solui tibi, ueni, quia iam retia soluta sunt, uirgo peperit, puer natus ex uirgine est, nihil debet muliebri hereditati, quasi filius mulieris non tenetur. cerne medium parietem maceriae76 iam solutum, qui interiorum affectuum concordiam diuidebat et in diuersum excitabat dissensiones corporalium passionum. ueni ergo secura; cupio uidere faciem tuam et audire uocem tuam. ueni, ut iam me non per retia uideas, sed facie ad faciem uultibus amatoris dilecta potiaris. ethice ista decursa sint; mystica autem illa, si possumus, uel linea77 intueamur extrema.

24. Sedebat intra domum sponsa deuota domino intra parietem legis et prophetarum spiritalium lapidum exaedificatione fundatum, qui claudebat atque uallabat domum regiam plenam iucunditatis atque laetitiae. mirabatur thesauros regios et intuebatur sollicite, cupiens sapientiam, quae has sibi diuitias demonstraret, adsciscere. in secreto erat, sed secreti ipsius interpretem requirebat. uenit dominus Iesus saliens super montes78 — nobis sero uidebatur uenire, sed ille properabat —, saliebat denique et transiliebat, ut Iudaeorum corporalia et saxosa dogmata transiliret. adstitit post parietem domus79 quae erat in ueteri testamento, prospiciens per legis fenestram, per prophetarum cauernas. nondum erant domus illius aperta uestibula, nondum claues scientiae80 portarum claustra patefecerant, quibus legis claudebantur interna, de superiore tamen, hoc est spiritali parte prospectans ecclesiam uocat, ut per legem et prophetas euangelii uertice sublimis adsurgens retia Iudaicae interpretationis et nodos intrepido calcet uestigio. ideoque proxima uocatur,81 ut adhaereat Christo, mundana non quaerat, ideo formosa, ut speciosos euangelizantium pedes proferat, ideo columba, ut spiritalia petat, terrestria derelinquat.

25. Ecce, inquit, hiems praeteriit, imber abiit, discessit sibi; flores uisi sunt in terra.82 ante aduentum Christi hiems erat; uenit Christus, fecit aestatem. tunc omnia erant florum indigua, nuda uirtutum; passus est Christus et omnia coeperunt nouae gratiae fecundari germinibus. imber abiit luxuriae profluentis et nubila taetris orta flagitiis aestiua iam purae conscientiae serenitate laxantur. ideo non euadunt, quorum fuga hieme fit,83 quia non sequuntur domini passionem, non tollunt crucem suam et Christum sequuntur.84 imber impedit flores, et nunc flores uidentur in terra; boni flores apostoli, qui diuersorum scriptorum atque operum suorum fuderunt odorem.

26. Tempus secandi aduenit,85 quoniam matura in horreis frumenta conduntur et qui metit, mercedem accipit. uox turturis audita est,86 quia inuenit sibi nidum; ecclesia enim domus est castitatis. ficus, quae propter infecunditatem iubebatur excidi, fructus ferre iam coepit.87 uinea translata ex Aegypto88 iam non maceriis destructa depositis incursatur a bestiis nec informis sentibus, sed odora iam floribus, quae solebat facere spinas, fructu curuescit uuarum.

27. Merito igitur sanctus Dauid pascha domini celebrans et feruenti spiritu tempora ingressus aestiua, qui in uerbo dei fructus uarios colligebat, hiemis aduersa declinans ait: et ne auferas ex ore meo uerbum ueritatis usque quaque, quia in iudiciis tuis supersperaui.89 quantus labor est, ut uerbum percipias, quantum iterum periculum, si amittas! et ideo tibi dicitur: noli neglegere gratiam quae in te est.90 excole diligenter quasi bonus agricola campum tuum, ut pascantur agni tui et sata tua floreant. non auferatur ex ore tuo uerbum, ne forte uerbis facta non congruant et deforment iniquitatis opera magisterium disciplinae. tollitur ex ore uerbum, cum dicitur peccatori: quare tu enarras iustitias meas?91 et ipsa obmutescit facundia, si aegra sit conscientia. ueniunt aues caeli; etiam ipsae tollunt uerbum ex ore tuo quae tollunt uerbi semen e saxo,92 ne fructum adferat.

28. Nunc consideremus, utrum etiam ex corde possit auferri uerbum ueritatis; radicatum enim uerbum atque depressum et infixum mentibus nostris difficile auferri potest. denique dictum est a domino: quare tu enarras iustitias meas — non dixit: 'quare cogitas iustitias meas?' — et adsumis testamentum meum per os tuum?93 non dixit 'per cor tuum'. sermo cohibetur indigni animi, non obstruitur paenitentia; insolentiam prohibet, non excludit correctionem. cauendum tamen est, ne et ipsa interius corda turbentur et offundat tenebras malitia, ut cor uanis cogitationibus obcaecatum lucem ueritatis amittat fulgoremque uerbi capere non possit. si igitur Dauid orat, ne auferatur ex ore suo uerbum et, si auferatur, non usque quaque, id est non penitus auferatur, quis tantus est, qui in potestate sua gratiam disputationis esse commemoret, praesertim si uita redarguat quod doctrina praesumat et iudicio dei damnanda committat? is enim, qui in iudiciis dei sperat, seruare potest uerbum ueritatis, quia, dum ueretur poenam, custodit gratiam.

29. Ideoque ait: et custodiui legem tuam semper, in aeternum et in saeculum saeculi.94 duo dixit, cum unum satis esse posset, si unum significare uoluisset. sed quia non solum in praesenti uitae huius tempore, sed etiam futuro post huius uitae curriculum custodienda promittitur, ideo arbitror et secundum eos, qui exemplari et umbrae seruiunt caelestium,95 et secundum eos, qui in caelestibus siti secundum ueram legem cultus deo deferunt, pollicetur sibi esse uiuendum, ut et hic et ibi legem custodiat, hic in exemplari, in speculo, in aenigmate,96 illic in ipsa facie ueritatis.

30. Possumus et illud intellegere, quia διὰ παντός non solum id significat quod dicitur 'semper', sed etiam id quod 'per omnia', quia ille per omnia legem custodiat, qui, cum sit eruditus in lege, sub lege natus et supra legem deuotionis suae gradum prouehens, liberatus a lege — Christus enim nos redemit a maledicto legis97 — non sine lege dei, sed in lege factus est Christi,98 aut certe sic per omnia legem custodiamus, si legitimam pueritiae atque adulescentiae disciplinam, iuuentutis conuersationem, senectutis maturitatem tramitemque singulis praescriptum aetatibus nequaquam uitae nostrae usus excedat. similiter etiam animae nostrae quaedam esse uidentur aetates, per quas percurrit et transit, ut possit dicere: cursum consummaui.99 denique animae aetas est illa, de qua dicitur: et aetas senectutis uita inmaculata.100 per omnia ergo legem custodit, qui et in his corporis nostri aetatibus et in illis animae nostrae processibus non deuiarit a lege.

31. Quintus uersus est: et ingrediebar in latitudine, quia testimonia tua exquisiui.101 qui secundum mandata angustam et artam graditur uiam,102 ambulat in latitudine. unde legimus: in tribulatione dilatasti mihi,103 et alibi: in tribulatione inuocaui dominum et exaudiuit me in latitudine.104 sapiens enim in cordis sui105 ambulat innocentia et de eius fonte superfluunt aquae super eius plateas,106 qui mentem suam non intra corporalia et terrena concludit, sed dirigit ad caelestia, ut conuersatio eius in caelo107 sit. audi nullas angustias sentientem: pressuram, inquit, patimur, sed non angustamur.108 et quomodo coangustari poterat, cuius os semper patebat, ne credentes coartarentur? ipse exponat, quid sit ingredi in latitudine. dicit enim, quia, si corpus angustum est, cor nostrum dilatatum est. non angustamini in nobis, coartamini autem in uisceribus uestris.109

32. Coangustari in Paulo non poterant, in quo erat altitudo sapientiae et fidei latitudo. quomodo enim poterant coartari in eo, qui erat uas electionis110 aeternae? sed coartabantur in semet ipsis, quia inprobus in se ipso coartatur, malitiae suae laqueis strangulatur. constitue mihi auarum, uillarum cotidie terminos proferentem, excludentem uicinos: utrum is tibi dilatari an coangustari uidetur, quem terra ipsa non capit? quantacumque spatia domus suae porrexerit, clauditur angustis opinionis suae finibus cui quod habet non est satis. sed non talis est, qui potest dicere: et ingrediebar in latitudine. addidit etiam causam: quia testimonia, inquit, tua exquisiui.111

33. Et loquebar in testimoniis tuis in conspectu regum et non confundebar.112 grate conuenit ista uox martyri, qui uocatus ad sacrilegium exprobrantibus sibi regibus crucifixum Iesum non erubescebat, sed magis gloriabatur in cruce Christi et illam mundi salutem esse testimoniis caelestibus adstruebat. hos uocat Christus in sponsa, dicens in Canticis canticorum: et ueni, tu columba mea, in tegimento petrae iuxta praemunitionem, hoc est: ueni iuxta euangelium. propugnacula fidei tuae gesta sunt Christi, muri tui subsidia uerba sunt domini, passio dominici corporis tua uirtus est. ostende mihi faciem tuam et insinua uocem tuam, quia uox tua suauis est et facies tua pulchra.113 suauis est uox, quia ore confessio fit ad salutem,114 et decora facies, quae non erubescit auctorem, non confunditur redemptorem. ostendit ergo faciem suam signaculum crucis praeferens et insinuat uocem suam auctoritatem praedicationis adsumens. in tegimento enim corporis Christi, quo redemptus est a peccato, munimentum gratiae spiritalis inuenit, ut salutaria sibi et sentiat et loquatur. suauis ergo uox quae in diuinis testimoniis loquebatur, decora facies quae in conspectu regum non confundebatur.

34. Possumus et illos reges intellegere, quibus dicitur a Petro: uos autem genus electum, regale sacerdotium, gens sancta, populus in adoptionem.115 sunt enim reges, qui offerunt in Hierusalem sapientiae suae munera,116 quibus data est gratia uerbum loqui et quadam potestate regali flectere populos et animas mulcere sanctorum, non erubescentes in eo, quia nihil alienum ab honestate loquerentur, quos nemo redarguat et refellat, quasi quia non sint digni quos idoneos Christus ministros noui fecerit testamenti et iam in illo non erubescentes, eo quod non metuerent, ne confunderentur disceptantium contra adsertione superati. rex igitur est qui non erubescat, ne in actu reprehendatur, redarguatur in sermonibus, eo quod et uita debeat esse fundatus et uerbo. itaque quamuis perfectus ita esset propheta, ut non erubesceret in conspectu regum, tamen meditabatur in praeceptis dei omni uitae suae tempore et opera sua eleuabat, nihil agens quod terrenis cupiditatibus adhaereret.

35. Ideoque ait: et meditabar in mandatis tuis quae dilexi nimis et leuaui manus meas ad mandata tua quae dilexi nimis et exercebar in iustificationibus tuis.117 pulcherrimus ordo iste, ut primo meditemur et eorum praeceptorum, quae diligimus, sit nobis adsueta meditatio; meditatione enim mandatorum caelestium operis boni usus inolescit. nam sicut meditationi uerborum finis memoria est, ut quae meditamur uerba teneamus, sic meditationis praeceptorum caelestium intentio uel finis operatio est actusque directus ad implenda praecepta diuina, quae nisi quis diligat implere non poterit nec solum diligat, sed etiam nimis diligat.

36. Ideo prius posuit: et meditabar in praeceptis tuis quae dilexi nimis et subiecit: et leuaui manus meas ad praecepta tua quae dilexi nimis.118 post meditationem etenim bonum est leuare actus nostros ad praecepta dei atque id facere cum caritate, cum gaudio, ut non ex necessitate sit bonum nostrum, non cum maerore atque maestitia, sed uoluntarium, quia seruus inuitus facit, amicus uoluntarius. nos autem studeamus, ut dicatur nobis: 'iam non dico uos seruos, sed amicos, quia quasi amici mandatum dei ex uoluntate fecistis'.119 qui autem meditatur et diligit et actus suos leuat, ut faciat quae placeant deo, is debet non neglegere nec transcurrere mandata diuina, sed exerceri in his, immorari plurimum, iustificationes dei crebro reuoluens sollicitae mentis affectu.

English Translation

VI. LITTERA UAU.

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1. The sixth letter is Vau, whose interpretation sounds or so not he; another translator says and is not.

2. And let thy mercy come upon me, O Lord, thy salvation according to thy word.1 What the interpretation of the letter signifies — since it is somewhat obscure — I have thought must be gathered from the sequence of the psalm. For when the prophet asks: 'Let thy mercy come upon me, O Lord; let thy salvation come,' there is no doubt whom he is asking to see — that is, the one in whom comes the fruit both of mercy and of salvation. Likewise above, in the eighty-fourth psalm, he asked the same thing — a psalm in which he prophesied more plainly the coming of the Lord Jesus. For it is well enough known what land it is that he asks to be blessed: namely, that land which had contracted sin in Adam, to which it is said: Earth thou art, and into the earth thou shalt go.2 Now God had cursed not the element of nature in the flesh, but the flesh of those who transgressed. Therefore the flesh is blessed in Christ, that with the earlier curse the flesh might be loosed; the flesh is blessed which the blessed Son of God took up when he assumed the condition of man.

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3. And so he added: O God, thou wilt turn and quicken us, and thy people shall rejoice in thee. Show us, O Lord, thy mercy, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me, for he will speak peace to his people, and over his saints, and to those who turn their heart unto him. Yet his salvation is near to those that fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.3 This whole place sounds of the Lord Jesus, who quickened the dead — Lazarus before the Passion, and very many at the time of his own Passion. He himself is mercy, since he is the remission of sins. Therefore he says 'show' — namely, the one whom he might see in the body; for he could not see God in his majesty, since no man hath seen God at any time.4 The eager prophet desires to see the one whom he hopes to hold, the one whom — if he sees him — he longs to grasp with his own hands. And so he says: And thy salvation thou givest us. The salvation of God is power; the salvation of God is Christ; and therefore his salvation is near to those that fear him. Christ was once far from us, far from the nations; he came down to earth, drew near, and we began not to fear. For he who fears Christ is not subject to terror but to devotion: this is the fear of piety, not of weakness. Indeed nothing is wanting to them that fear him. And how he drew near, hear: that glory, he says, may dwell in our land. Who is the glory but the Lord Jesus? Whence the apostle Paul also says: The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory.5 Rightly does the Father take pleasure in him, because he is the glory of the Father. He who separates this one from the Father does the Father a greater injury, when he wills him to be without glory. He who does not think this one equal to the Father judges the Father also as inferior, since he could not praise the Father with any other word more highly, because the supreme praise of glory is Christ.

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4. He is asked, then, that the salvation of God may come. It is he who is asked — that is, the Lord Jesus — and there is not another, as the interpretation of the letter has it. And 'or so': not the Father alone is asked; he also is, that is: the Son too is asked, and being asked has come, and given salvation to the world. Therefore σωτήρ, that is, Saviour; therefore Jesus, as the angel said: He shall save his people.6 When, then, the prophet was calling, he was at hand, that he might prove that text: while we are still speaking, he says: I am here.7

5. He is at hand, since when raised by the daughters of Judaea he is, as it were, raised again by the daughters of Jerusalem.8 The Church hears the sound of his voice and says: The voice of my kinsman. Behold, this one comes, leaping over the mountains, skipping over the hills.9 The book is full of sheaves: it has many noble characters, like sheaves of triumph, and signifies many actions, which we are more able to understand than to hold expressed. For it is as if she had heard the bridegroom coming, conversing along the way with certain travelers, that the bride says: The voice of my kinsman. While she is speaking with the daughters of Jerusalem, and asking them to rouse and waken the bridegroom,10 suddenly, sensing as it were the sound of a voice sent from afar, she says: The voice of my kinsman, announcing the one whom she had been seeking earlier to have announced to her. Whom she had been longing to have raised by others, now believing him already to be coming, raised by the Father at her own prayer, she says joyfully: The voice of my kinsman. Well did she add 'my kinsman', so that no others, but only the kinswoman herself, might claim his coming for herself.

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6. Behold, she says, this one comes.11 Still I am seeking him, and he has already come; still I am canvassing for votes,12 that he may come, and he is already near at hand. I long for love to be roused for me; I think myself wounded with love,13 and love itself hastens to me all the more. I said, 'Come'; he leaps and skips. I beg him to come with grace; he works increases of graces, and as he comes, he carries with him the increments of grace, and acquires them by his coming, because he himself too is eager to please his beloved. He leaps over things lofty, that he may ascend over the bride — for the bride's bridal-chamber is the tribunal of Christ —; he leaps over Adam, skips over the synagogue, leaps over the gentiles, skips over the Jews. Let us see him leaping: he leaps from heaven into a virgin, from the womb into the manger, from the manger into the Jordan, from the Jordan onto the cross, from the cross into the tomb, from the sepulchre into heaven. Show me, David, the one leaping; show me the one running: for thou hast said: He hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way. From the highest heaven is his going forth, and his circuit even to the end thereof; nor is there any that can hide himself from his heat.14 Therefore even now he leaps, and now he runs, from the heart of the Father over his saints — from the East over the West, from the North over the South.15 He himself is the one who ascends above the setting,16 he himself above the heavens of heavens to the East; he himself ascends over the mountains, he himself over the hills.

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7. Would that I, wretch, might say it; let my soul say it: Behold, this one comes17 — and he comes not over earthly things, not over valleys, but he comes leaping over the mountains! For God is the God of mountains, not of valleys.18 Where, then, does he leap? Over the mountains he leaps. If thou be a mountain, he leaps upon thee. He leaps upon Isaiah, he leaps upon Jeremiah, he leaps upon Peter, John, James. Mountains are round about him.19 If thou canst not be a mountain, nor hast strength for it, be at least a hill, that Christ may ascend upon thee, and, if he skips over, that he may so skip that the shadow of his passing-over may protect thee.

8. We have spoken of Christ and the Church; let us speak of the soul and the Word. The soul of the just is the bride of the Word. If she desires, if she yearns, if she prays — and prays unceasingly, and prays without any wavering, and is wholly intent upon the Word — suddenly she seems to herself to hear the voice of the one she does not see, and with her inmost sense she perceives the fragrance of his divinity — which is the experience of those, mostly, who believe well. The nostrils of the soul are suddenly filled with spiritual grace, and she feels the breath of his presence breathing upon her, the one she seeks, and she says: 'Behold, this is the very one I am asking for, the very one I desire.'

9. When we are pondering something from the Scriptures and cannot find its explanation, while we hesitate, while we seek, does it not seem suddenly that the Word ascends, as it were, over very high mountains, with its loftiest doctrines, and then, appearing as if upon hills, illumines our mind, that he may pour into our senses what seemed difficult to find? Thus, as it were from being absent, the Word becomes present in our hearts. And again, when something is somewhat obscure to us, the Word is, so to speak, withdrawn, and we long, as it were, for the coming of one absent; and again, appearing, he shows himself to us, as if he were present with us in the things we seek to understand. Therefore in the heart of each one he leaps frequently; he skips over and goes out and returns — if thou follow, if thou seek, if by the welcome discussion of the faithful teachers thou dost ask that the Word, which had gone out and skipped over, may be raised up again — like her, who sought and found, who said: My brother passed by; my soul went out at his word.20

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10. And so, if he leaps over the mountains, follow; and if over the hills, follow. For on the mountains and on the hills are found the Lord's hunters, who track down those who are caught for life. For so God said through Jeremiah: Behold, I will send many fishers and many hunters, and they shall hunt them out of every mountain and every hill.21 There, then, let the people of God be sought and found in Peter's and Paul's teaching, by the grace of discipline, that they may not be in the valley, where weeping is,22 but on the mountains, from which Christ illumines each one. Both when we read Peter, Christ illumines, and when we read Paul, Christ illumines. Paul healed, Christ illumined,23 since by the calling of the name of the Lord Jesus the man rose, by whose gift he was healed. Peter raised the dead woman,24 Christ illumined; and so he says: Thou enlightenest wonderfully from the everlasting mountains.25

11. We, therefore, who cannot be mountains, let us stand on the mountains or on the hills, that, when the Lord shall send his fishers and hunters to hunt those who are upon every mountain or every hill — that is, in the precepts of the law and the prophets, and in the knowledge of both the New and Old Testament, having all their conversation there — they may find us ready, and gather us up like good ears of corn, the reapers sent in due season,26 because, if anyone is found outside the mountain or the hill, he cannot be gathered up like a good ear by those who, to make mention of another comparison, are sent to separate the wheat from the chaff. The Lord has skilful ministers for very many works: the same are fishers, the same are hunters and reapers.

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12. If thou shouldst await, ripe in merit, the time of harvest when these are dispatched, thou wilt be able to behold him leaping on the mountains, and thou wilt see the Lord Jesus like a roe or a young hart over the mountains of Bethel,27 for he leaps over the Church, which is the house of bread,28 in that he confirms the hearts of the faithful. Rightly like a roe, because the roe-deer feeds in the heights. δορκάς is so called from seeing, for δορκαντικόν belongs to keener sight. What is more fitting for Christ, who saw the Father whom no one hath seen,29 or, if any has seen, the Son himself revealed?30 Rightly like a young hart: a young hart, as it were a son, in whom the paternal force of nature has grown, that hidden things may not lie hid from him, that serpents may flee, that poisons may not harm. Indeed the serpent, drawn out from his lurking-places — the one who was being brought forth from the man — was saying: Why hast thou come to torment us before the time?31

13. Let us watch, then, this young hart leaping, that we may not be able to fear the serpent. David did not fear; for of these serpents he was saying: I shall answer them that reproach me with a word, since I have hoped in thy words.32 Like a good stag who had drunk from the fountains of waters,33 he in no way feared the coils of human serpents and the venoms of slanderers. The adder was no harm to him, but prey. The poison of serpentine address was food, and food of praise, of which he said: O God, be not silent on my praise; for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me.34 He was being fattened on the speeches of the venomed; they raised mouths whistling with detraction35 and surrounded the innocent man with words of hatred. The good stag, set among many adders, did not fear — the stag of friendship, the foal of graces. They feigned love, poured out detraction; but I, he says, prayed. The good stag was harmlessly grazing in the midst of vipers. They flickered with triple-tongued mouths36; but holy prayer fed him — nay, he was offering food to the slanderers. He answered with a word those who were detracting from him, for the word is food; for man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word of God.37 They saw me, he says, and they wagged their heads.38 They cursed, but I blessed.39 They cursed who detracted; I blessed who preached the word of the Lord.

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14. How good it is to bear reviling and not to give it back! He gains God as protector who knows not how to be angry with one who reviles him. Hence how great the grace of patience in him who says: They shall curse, and thou shalt bless!40 Blessed is he who is not affected by curses; blessed is he whom curses do not move. For he cannot be moved by a curse who excludes the curses of men by the divine gift of blessing. He cannot feel a curse who has the Word, and he cannot give back a curse who always has the Word in his mouth.

15. But there is also a good serpent, whom this stag does not harm: Be ye wise as serpents,41 and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up.42 In the brazen serpent43 my serpent was prefigured; on that wood my serpent was lifted up — a good serpent. A good serpent, who from his mouth poured remedies, not poisons. He cannot fear serpents who knows how to adore this serpent. Of this serpent she who loves says: Behold, this one is behind our wall, looking through the windows, gazing through the lattices. My kinsman answers and says to me: Arise, come, my neighbour, my fair one, my dove, for behold the winter is past, the rain is gone, has departed; flowers have appeared in the land.44 He is plainly a serpent, who, the winter run through, was wishing to strip off the covering of his body, that he might burst forth in springtime grace. The same, then, is both stag and serpent: a stag having the horns of law and grace — for his two horns are the two testaments —, swift of foot, untiring of pace, who easily traverses the whole world in a moment, everywhere worthy of celebration; a good serpent also, whose front parts do not bite with the tooth of the law, whose hind parts do not wound with the gentleness of the gospel. He who came not to dissolve the law45 defends its head from wounding, but rather defends it from the interpretations of the perfidious. He spreads his free tail to scourges, wishing rather to scourge his adversaries than to destroy them. The good adder slips easily into the bosom of his beloved and into the very innermost recesses of her mind, and entwining without any touch, fire in her bones46, he feeds upon those very inward parts.

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16. Beautifully has it been read today: Behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves.47 For we celebrate the day of the saints, on which the bodies of the holy martyrs were revealed to the peoples,48 who, like good serpents, having laid aside the cast-off skins of the flesh, having overcome the cold of wintry temptations and renewed in the grace of the Holy Spirit, shone forth on the world with summer light, sent forth truly as lambs in the midst of wolves. For wolves are the persecutors; wolves are all heretics: they know not how to teach, they have grown accustomed to howl.

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17. But let no one be moved if he is sent into the midst of wolves. By the gift of Christ the wolf himself has been changed: Benjamin a ravening wolf49 became the apostle Paul,50 no longer the ambusher of Christ's sheepfolds, but their defender and guardian. With this wolf one delights to be in company; through this wolf it has come to pass that we are safe in the midst of wolves.51 No one now dreads wolves; with these we feed, as it is written: Then shall wolves and lambs feed together.52

18. But let us now consider what is meant when the prophet says: And take not thou utterly the word of truth out of my mouth, for in thy judgments I have hoped above measure.53 The Church, or the soul of the just, had seen him leaping like a young hart upon the mountains;54 suddenly, looking upon him as kinsman behind the wall of her house, looking through the windows, gazing through the lattices, she exults and rejoices, because she too is loved by the bridegroom, who, as if he himself were wounded with love55 by the beauty of his beloved — when first, being absent, he was begged for kisses (for he is begged when it is said: Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth56), then did not despise the prayers and caresses of the bride who was praising the breasts dear to him, and graciously brought her into the inner chambers of his house;57 then, as it were sportively playing with wanton love, since he wished to test the senses of his lover, often going out, that he might be sought by the bride, often returning, that he might be invited to kisses, has stood behind the wall, has gazed through the windows, gazing over the lattices, that he might neither be wholly absent nor as it were wholly enter, and that he himself might call the bride to himself, that the exchanges of mutual coming might become more welcome and they might kindle the force of love by mutual conversations. Arise, he says, come, my neighbour, my fair one, my dove.58

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19. And thou too, if thou hast a wall well-founded — not that middle one which divides the limbs of one house,59 but built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, that the structure of it being framed together may grow into a temple60 — and which does not split its inner parts but fortifies them: if thou hast in thee, then, the building of God, and thy windows always open to the East, the Word comes, stands behind thy wall — for the eyes of the Lord are upon the just61 —, gazes through thy windows.62

20. What are these windows? We read of windows of which Jeremiah says: Death has entered through the windows,63 through which avarice has entered, lust has entered. Thy eye is a window: death has entered through thy eye. If thou hast looked at a woman to lust after her,64 death has entered through thy eye. If thou hast looked upon the possession of a widow or of a minor and hast desired to seize it, supposing the age or the sex undefended — yet they are not undefended whom the Lord wishes to be defended — death has entered through the window. If thou hast heard of the beauty of a woman or the treasures of a minor and hast stirred up thy desires, death has entered through the window. As, then, through these things death enters, so also enters life, if, beholding the beauty of a sacred maiden, thou venerate the Lord Jesus, because the age of old age has come into tender years, a life unspotted,65 and offer thy own daughter, that she may be consecrated by the holy veil; if thou look upon the possession of a minor not as an anxious invader but, as a careful parent, defend it with religious affection. Through these windows Christ gazes and calls the bride, eminent above the lattices.

21. Well eminent, since he alone is the one whom the lattices of sins did not entangle.66 All were within the lattices — nay, we are still within the lattices, for no one is without sin save Jesus alone, whom the Father, knowing no sin, made sin for us67 — for he handed him over to snares, handed him over to nets, sending him not in sin, in which all men were, but in the likeness of sinful flesh, that of sin he might condemn sin in the flesh.68 The flesh was sin in this respect: that by hereditary it was condemned with a curse; the flesh was an enticement and a handmaid of sin. The Lord Jesus came, and in flesh subject to sin he plied the warfare of virtue. Our members became now not weapons of lust, but weapons of virtue69; for where there were the inflamings of lust, there now are the dwelling-places of chastity. Therefore he came to the snares, but voluntarily; he came to the nets, but secure.

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22. All things were full of nets, packed with snares. Hear the one who says: In this way wherein I walked they have hidden a snare for me,70 and in the book of Wisdom of Sirach thou art warned to recognize that thou walkest in the midst of snares.71 How many vices, so many nets; how many sins, so many snares; the bonds of inheritance already held thee. Jesus came to the snares, that he might loose Adam, he came to free what had perished.72 We were all held by nets; no one could rescue another, since he could not strip himself. Such a one, then, was needed whom the bonds of human generation, subject to faults, would not hold, whom avarice would not have caught, whom guile would not have bound. He alone was Jesus, who, when he had girded himself with the bonds of this flesh, was not captured, was not bound, but breaking and dissolving them, called the Church the more to himself, gazing through the snares, eminent over the nets,73 that she too might learn not to be held by bonds. Indeed he was so far from being far from bonds, that for us he underwent even death — yet not made a slave of death, but free among the dead. For he was free who had the power of loosing death. Indeed let him himself teach thee, who says: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.74

23. Let us hear, then, what he says: Arise, come, my neighbour,75 that is: arise from the dead, arise from the bonds with which thou wast surrounded and held. Arise, since I have risen for thee; loose the bond of iniquity, since I have already loosed it for thee; come, since the nets are now loosed; the Virgin has given birth, the Boy is born of a virgin, owes nothing to womanly inheritance, as the Son of woman is not held. See the middle wall of partition76 now loosed, which divided the concord of inward affections and stirred up dissensions of bodily passions to opposite ends. Come, then, secure; I long to see thy face and to hear thy voice. Come, that thou mayest no longer see me through nets, but, beloved, mayest enjoy the countenance of thy lover face to face. Let these things be run through ethically; but the mystical things, if we can, let us at least look at along the outermost line.77

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24. The bride, devoted to the Lord, was sitting within the house, within the wall of the law and the prophets, founded upon the building-up of spiritual stones, which closed in and walled around the royal house, full of pleasantness and joy. She was admiring the royal treasures and gazing carefully, longing to gain wisdom that might show her these riches. She was in secret, but she sought an interpreter of that very secret. The Lord Jesus came, leaping over the mountains78 — to us he seemed to come late, but he was hastening — and so he was leaping and skipping, that he might skip over the bodily and stony doctrines of the Jews. He stood behind the wall of the house79 which was in the Old Testament, gazing through the window of the law, through the openings of the prophets. The vestibules of that house were not yet open; the keys of knowledge80 had not yet thrown back the bolts of the gates by which the inner things of the law were closed; yet from the upper, that is, the spiritual part, gazing forth he calls the Church, that, rising sublime through the law and the prophets to the summit of the gospel, she might tread with intrepid step the nets of Jewish interpretation and their knots. And so she is called neighbour,81 that she may cleave to Christ and not seek worldly things; fair, that she may hold forth the beautiful feet of those preaching the gospel; dove, that she may seek spiritual things and abandon earthly ones.

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25. Behold, he says, the winter is past, the rain is gone, has departed; flowers have appeared in the land.82 Before Christ's coming there was winter; Christ came, made it summer. Then all things were lacking in flowers, naked of virtues; Christ suffered, and all things began to be made fruitful with the buds of new grace. The rain of overflowing luxury has gone, and the clouds, dark and risen with foul outrages, are now relaxed in the summer serenity of pure conscience. So they do not escape, whose flight happens in winter,83 because they do not follow the Lord's Passion, they do not take up their cross and follow Christ.84 Rain hinders the flowers, and now flowers are seen in the land; the apostles are good flowers, who have poured forth the fragrance of their various writings and works.

26. The time of cutting is come,85 since ripe grain is stored in granaries, and he who reaps receives a wage. The voice of the turtledove has been heard,86 since she has found a nest for herself; for the Church is the house of chastity. The fig-tree, which because of its barrenness was being commanded to be cut down, has now begun to bear fruit.87 The vine, transplanted from Egypt,88 is no longer ravaged by beasts because its hedges have been cast down, nor is it shapeless with thorns; but, fragrant now with flowers, the vine that used to make spines, is bowed down with the fruit of grapes.

27. Rightly, then, holy David, celebrating the Lord's pasch and entering with fervent spirit upon the summer seasons — gathering varied fruits in the word of God, declining the adversities of winter — says: And take not utterly out of my mouth the word of truth, for in thy judgments I have hoped above measure.89 How great is the labour to receive the word, how great again the danger if thou let it go! And so to thee it is said: Neglect not the grace which is in thee.90 Cultivate diligently like a good husbandman thy field, that thy lambs may be fed and thy crops may flower. Let not the word be taken from thy mouth, lest perchance deeds disagree with words and the works of iniquity disfigure the magisterium of discipline. The word is taken out of the mouth, when it is said to the sinner: Why dost thou declare my justices?91 And eloquence itself falls silent, if conscience be sick. The birds of the air come; even they themselves take the word out of thy mouth, who carry off the seed of the word from the rock,92 lest it bring forth fruit.

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28. Now let us consider whether the word of truth can also be taken away from the heart; for a word that is rooted, pressed down and fixed in our minds can be taken away with difficulty. So it has been said by the Lord: Why dost thou declare my justices — he did not say, 'Why dost thou think upon my justices?' — and takest my testament in thy mouth?93 He did not say 'through thy heart'. The speech of an unworthy soul is restrained; repentance is not blocked. He prohibits insolence, he does not exclude correction. Yet care must be taken lest even the inward heart itself be disturbed and malice spread shadows, so that the heart, blinded by vain thoughts, may lose the light of truth and not be able to receive the splendour of the word. If, then, David prays that the word may not be taken from his mouth and, if it be taken, not utterly — that is, not deeply taken — who is so great as to claim that the grace of discoursing is in his own power, especially if life refute what doctrine presumes, and he commit things to be condemned by the judgment of God? For he who hopes in the judgments of God can keep the word of truth, since, while he stands in awe of the punishment, he guards the grace.

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29. And so he says: And I have kept thy law always, for ever and ever.94 He said two things, when one might be enough, if he had wished to signify only one. But because not only in the present time of this life but also in the future, after the course of this life, the law is promised to be kept, therefore I think that, both according to those who serve the example and shadow of heavenly things,95 and according to those who, set in heavenly places, render worship to God according to the true law, he promises himself a life in which both here and there he may keep the law — here in the example, in the mirror, in an enigma,96 there in the very face of truth.

30. We can understand it also thus: that διὰ παντός signifies not only what is meant by 'always' but also 'through all things', because that one keeps the law through all things who, since he has been instructed in the law, born under the law, and lifting the step of his devotion above the law, freed from the law — for Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law97 — not without the law of God, but is in the law of Christ,98 or, certainly, we keep the law thus through all things, if the lawful discipline of childhood and adolescence, the manner of life of youth, the maturity of old age, and the path prescribed for each of the ages do not exceed the use of our life. Likewise the soul too is seen to have certain ages through which it runs and passes, that it may say: I have finished the course.99 Indeed there is that age of the soul, of which it is said: And the age of old age is a life unspotted.100 Through all things, then, he keeps the law who, both in these ages of our body and in those advances of our soul, has not deviated from the law.

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31. The fifth verse is: And I walked at large, because I sought thy testimonies.101 He who walks according to the commandments by the narrow and strait way102 walks at large. Whence we read: In tribulation thou hast enlarged me,103 and elsewhere: In tribulation I called upon the Lord, and he heard me at large.104 For the wise man walks in the innocence105 of his heart, and from his fountain waters overflow upon his streets,106 he who shuts not his mind within bodily and earthly things, but directs it to heavenly things, that his conversation may be in heaven.107 Hear the one who feels no straits: We suffer, he says, pressure, but we are not straitened.108 And how could he be straitened, whose mouth was always open, lest those who believe should be cramped? Let him himself explain what it is to walk at large. For he says that, if the body is narrow, our heart is enlarged. You are not straitened in us, but you are straitened in your own bowels.109

32. They could not be straitened in Paul, in whom there was the height of wisdom and the breadth of faith. For how could they be straitened in him who was the vessel of election110 eternal? But they were straitened in themselves, since the wicked is straitened in himself, is strangled by the snares of his own malice. Set before me the avaricious man, daily extending the bounds of his estates, shutting out his neighbours: does he seem to thee to be enlarged or to be straitened — he whom the very earth does not contain? However broad the spaces of his house he extend, he is closed within the narrow limits of his own opinion, since what he has is not enough for him. But not such is he who can say: And I walked at large. He added even the cause: Because, he says, I sought thy testimonies.111

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33. And I spoke of thy testimonies in the sight of kings, and I was not ashamed.112 This voice fits well the martyr, who, summoned to sacrilege, with kings reproaching him, did not blush at the crucified Jesus, but rather gloried in the cross of Christ, and, with heavenly testimonies, established that this was the salvation of the world. These Christ calls in the bride, saying in the Song of Songs: And come, my dove, in the covering of the rock, near the rampart — that is: come near the gospel. The bulwarks of thy faith are the deeds of Christ; the supports of thy walls are the words of the Lord; the Passion of the Lord's body is thy strength. Show me thy face and let thy voice insinuate itself, for thy voice is sweet and thy face is fair.113 Sweet is the voice, since with the mouth confession is made unto salvation,114 and lovely the face which does not blush at the author, is not confounded by the redeemer. She shows, then, her face bearing the seal of the cross, and insinuates her voice, taking up the authority of preaching. For in the covering of the body of Christ, by which she has been redeemed from sin, she finds the safeguard of spiritual grace, that she may both feel and speak salutary things. Sweet, then, is the voice that spoke in divine testimonies, lovely the face that was not confounded in the sight of kings.

34. We can also understand those kings of whom Peter says: But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for adoption.115 For there are kings who offer in Jerusalem the gifts of their wisdom,116 to whom the grace of speaking the word has been given, and by a kind of regal power they may bend peoples and soothe the souls of the saints, not blushing in this, since they would speak nothing alien from honour, whom none refute and confute, as if they were not worthy whom Christ has made fit ministers of the New Testament; and now, not blushing in him, in that they fear not lest they be confounded, overcome by the assertion of those disputing against them. He, therefore, is a king who does not blush, lest he be reproved in his act, refuted in his speech, since he must be founded both in life and in word. And so, although the prophet was so perfect that he was not abashed in the sight of kings, yet he meditated in the precepts of God all the time of his life, and lifted up his works, doing nothing that clung to earthly desires.

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35. And therefore he says: And I meditated in thy commandments which I loved exceedingly, and I lifted up my hands to thy commandments which I loved exceedingly, and I exercised myself in thy justifications.117 Most beautiful is this order: that first we meditate, and that the meditation of those precepts which we love be habitual to us; for by meditation on the heavenly commandments the use of good work grows. For just as the end of meditation on words is memory, that we may hold the words on which we meditate, so the intention or end of meditation on the heavenly precepts is action and act directed to fulfilling the divine precepts, which, unless one love, he cannot fulfil; nor only love, but also love exceedingly.

36. Therefore he placed first: And I meditated in thy precepts which I loved exceedingly, and he subjoined: And I lifted up my hands to thy precepts which I loved exceedingly.118 After meditation, indeed, it is good to lift our acts to the precepts of God, and to do this with charity, with joy, that our good may not be from necessity, not with grief and sadness, but voluntary, since a slave acts unwillingly, a friend voluntarily. Let us, then, strive that it may be said to us: 'Now I do not call you servants, but friends, since like friends you have done the commandment of God by your will.'119 But he who meditates and loves and lifts up his acts to do the things that please God ought not to neglect or run lightly past the divine commandments, but to be exercised in them, to dwell upon them very much, often turning over the justifications of God with the affection of a careful mind.

Apparatus Criticus
  1. Scr. Ps. 118, 41.
    Psalm 118, 41. Var. djvu apparatus heading variants for the sermon-VI title clause: l. 19 Uau sexta littera G; sonat — 20 ait AR est (om. G) 'ut ille'; alius interpres 'non est' ait Ga; sonat 'est' uel 'et' MNT; sonat 'est' uel 'sic' (sic s. uocabulum erasum) P; 'ille est, et non' / 'et ille' Ov, add. O: alius interpres 'et non est'; profeta R.
  2. Scr. Gen. 3, 19.
    Genesis 3, 19. Var. l. 2 quem] quin Mm2; hoc est om. GmlMNOPR; l. 3 pr. et] est O, om. MNT; ueniae O; l. 4 LXXXIIII GOR; octuagesimo a; domini Iesu / euidentius O; l. 5 profetauit R; terram post postulet tr. M, om. N, postulat N; l. 6 contraxerat in adam MN; l. 8 naturae om. MN; l. 9 in Christo — 20 nostra om. N; superato (ato in ras.) Ta; l. 10 benedictus] benedicitur R, om. A; assumptam T; l. 11 conditione AGOPR.
  3. Scr. Ps. 84, 7–10 (Vulg. 85, 7–10).
    Psalm 84, 7–10 (Vulg. 85, 7–10). Var. l. 15 audiam — 20 nostra om. Mml T (qui addit: et reliqua usque ut inhabitet gloria in terra nostra); l. 18 conuertuntur codd.; l. 19 ipsius] add. usque M; l. 21 mortuos uiuificauit O; l. 25 profeta R.
  4. Scr. Ioh. 1, 18.
    John 1, 18.
  5. Scr. II Cor. 1, 3 (cf. Eph. 1, 17 — pater gloriae).
    2 Corinthians 1, 3 (cf. Eph. 1, 17 — pater gloriae). Var. l. 1 pr. est] add. dei O; l. 4 timore Rml; l. 6 prope factus sit OR; l. 7 inquid G; l. 10 quia] qui MNT; est gloria ROT; maiorem — gloria om. N; l. 11 quisquis Mm2av; l. 12 cum] quia R, add. in MN; uerbo] add. et O; l. 13 quia] cum GN; P aciüus MOv; laus summa O; gloria AGOPR (defendit Engelbrecht) et gloria v.
  6. Scr. Matth. 1, 21.
    Matthew 1, 21. Var. l. 16 et uel] est et Mm3, est. Uel si a, est ille (om. et) v, et ante filius om. MN; l. 17 rogatus] rogator AR; sother O, om. N; l. 18 ideo] idem v; quia Om2Tab; fecit Mm2a.
  7. Scr. Esai. 58, 9 (ecce adsum).
    Isaiah 58, 9 (ecce adsum).
  8. Scr. cf. Ioh. 11, 43–44 (Lazarus) + cf. Matth. 27, 52 (the saints raised at the crucifixion).
    cf. John 11, 43–44 (Lazarus) + cf. Matth. 27, 52 (the saints raised at the crucifixion).
  9. Scr. Cant. 2, 8.
    Song of Songs 2, 8.
  10. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 7.
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 7.
  11. Scr. Cant. 2, 8 (recapitulated).
    Song of Songs 2, 8 (recapitulated). Var. djvu/Zelzer apparatus l. 1 possumus Oa; l. 2 colloquentibus a; l. 5 uox — 10 aduenit om. N; l. 6 adnuntiant Pml; l. 7 resuscitauit T; l. 9 aliena O; l. 10 inquid G; inquit iste M, iste] add. iam O; eum] enim N.
  12. Scr. Hor. Epist. 2, 2, 103 (suffragia capto) — Petschenig flags this Horatian classical echo.
    Horace, Epistles 2, 2, 103 (suffragia capto, "I canvass for votes"). Petschenig flags this Horatian classical echo: Ambrose lifts the political-canvassing idiom from Horace's verse-epistle on Roman literary patronage and applies it (in the bride's voice) to her ardent solicitation of the bridegroom. First explicit Horatian intertext in Expos. ps. CXVIII (cf. Aleph fn. 9 Ovid; Vau fnn. 35–36, 46 Vergil; Vau fn. 77 Terence — Vau is the corpus's most classically-saturated sermon to date). Var. l. 11 capto] peto O.
  13. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 5 (uulnerata caritatis).
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 5 (uulnerata caritatis).
  14. Scr. Ps. 18, 6–7 (Vulg. 19, 6–7).
    Psalm 18, 6–7 (Vulg. 19, 6–7). Var. l. 13 caritatis] caritate Mm2a; uenit Om2; l. 14 alt. ille] iste GMNOPRa; l. 15 augmentum O; l. 16 studebit ex studiet Nm2; l. 17 super sponsam] ad sponsam Ov; l. 18 Adam] ecclesiam Gm2MNPTa; l. 20 uirgine P; de praesepio in Iordanem om. AGmlOR; l. 21 Iordanem] iordane a; crucem] cruce a; de sepulchro in caelum MN; l. 23 tamquam] ut MN; gigas AGm2MNORm2av, gygas P; currendum ARml; l. 24 caeli P; l. 26 ergo om. Gml.
  15. Scr. cf. Ps. 67, 5 + cf. Ps. 67, 34.
    cf. Psalm 67, 5 + cf. Ps. 67, 34.
  16. Scr. Ps. 67, 5.
    Psalm 67, 5.
  17. Scr. Cant. 2, 8 (recapitulated again).
    Song of Songs 2, 8 (recapitulated again).
  18. Scr. III Reg. 21 (20), 28.
    1 Kings 21 (20), 28.
  19. Scr. Ps. 124, 2 (Vulg. 125, 2).
    Psalm 124, 2 (Vulg. 125, 2). Var. l. 3 caelos — 7 montes om. N; l. 6 et] ecce O; l. 7 montes] add. salit si sis mons O; ubi ergo salit om. N; ita transiliat om.; l. 8 est] add. et v; l. 11 non potes om. P; nec] non Mm2NP; l. 12 si] sic O; l. 16 assiduo a; l. 17 uidit ORml; uerbum av; patientur AGmlOPR; l. 18 odorem] ore NTml; ora Tm2; l. 20 iste om. MN; l. 21 ipse om. a; in om. O; l. 24 uidentur NT; l. 26 inueniri Om2; l. 27 uerbum—rursus om. N; l. 28 tamquam — et om. b; rursum MOT.
  20. Scr. Cant. 5, 6.
    Song of Songs 5, 6.
  21. Scr. Hier. 16, 16.
    Jeremiah 16, 16.
  22. Scr. cf. Ps. 83, 7 (Vulg. 84, 7) — in conualle lacrimarum.
    cf. Psalm 83, 7 (Vulg. 84, 7) — in conualle lacrimarum.
  23. Scr. cf. Act. 14, 7–10 (Paul healing the crippled man at Lystra).
    cf. Acts 14, 7–10 (Paul healing the crippled man at Lystra).
  24. Scr. cf. Act. 9, 37–41 (Peter raising Tabitha).
    cf. Acts 9, 37–41 (Peter raising Tabitha).
  25. Scr. Ps. 75, 5 (Vulg. 76, 5).
    Psalm 75, 5 (Vulg. 76, 5). Var. l. 1 et] add. cum G (s. l.) MNTa; appvtet GMNPmlRTa; l. 2 iis v; l. 4 sit tibi G, si tu Mm2, sibi N; gratia GMmlNRav, gratiae P; l. 5 atque] et M; postulet MmlNT; l. 7 exiuit] transiuit MN; l. 10 reperiuntur GOPm2av; alt. in om. N; l. 15 alt. in om. MNO; gratia — 16 fletus om. N; l. 16 disciplina Ov; ut om. A; ualle T; l. 17 et cum — 18 alt. Christus inluminat om. APml; l. 19 paulum O; inluminauit] illuminat MN; l. 21 inluminas PmlRT; l. 25 pr. super — 28 spicas om. N; l. 28 uelud MRml; opportune v.
  26. Scr. cf. Matth. 13, 30 — citation completes on p. 114 (messores tempore).
    cf. Matthew 13, 30 — citation completes on p. 114 (messores tempore).
  27. Scr. Cant. 2, 9.
    Song of Songs 2, 9.
  28. Scr. cf. Ps. 103, 15 (Vulg. 104, 15 — panis cor hominis confirmet).
    cf. Psalm 103, 15 (Vulg. 104, 15 — panis cor hominis confirmet).
  29. Scr. cf. Ioh. 6, 46.
    cf. John 6, 46.
  30. Scr. cf. Matth. 11, 27.
    cf. Matthew 11, 27.
  31. Scr. Matth. 8, 29.
    Matthew 8, 29.
  32. Scr. Ps. 118, 42.
    Psalm 118, 42.
  33. Scr. cf. Ps. 41, 2 (Vulg. 42, 2).
    cf. Psalm 41, 2 (Vulg. 42, 2). Var. l. 2 iis v; l. 3 mittuntur AR; l. 4 plurimarum] add. igitur av; minus O; l. 5 etiam om. O; l. 7 espectes A, expectet GMmlPR; l. 8 hinnulo GMNORmlav; l. 10 caprea] capreola O; l. 11 dorcas codd. av; dorcaticon AGmgm2MNPTa, dorcatikon GMmgm2R, diorcation O, dorcadion v; enim MNv; acutior a; quod O; l. 12 hoc om. v; aptius] acutius av, add. a OR; pr. et alt. uidet Ov; quis MNOav; l. 13 ipsi MN; 13.14 hinnulus GMNOav; l. 16 ex] de O; l. 18 hinnulum GMNOav.
  34. Scr. Ps. 108, 2 (Vulg. 109, 2 — citation continues p. 115 with Ps. 108, 3).
    Psalm 108, 2 (Vulg. 109, 2 — citation continues p. 115 with Ps. 108, 3). Var. l. 21 quia MNOav; uerbis] sermonibus ORv; l. 22 seruus AGml; l. 26 quoniam] quia NTa, quo R.
  35. Scr. cf. Verg. Georg. 3, 421 (sibila ora attollens) — Petschenig flags this Vergilian classical echo at apparatus l. 2.
    cf. Vergil, Georgics 3, 421 (sibila ora attollens, "raising hissing mouths" — of the serpent in the Georgics's pestilence-passage). Ambrose's sibila obtrectationis ora tollebant directly transposes Vergil's serpent-imagery to the slanderers ringing David round. First of two consecutive Vergilian Georgics echoes on this page (cf. fn. 36).
  36. Scr. cf. Verg. Georg. 3, 439 (linguis micat ore trisulcis) — second Vergilian echo on this page; flagged at apparatus l. 6.
    cf. Vergil, Georgics 3, 439 (linguis micat ore trisulcis, "with three-forked tongues he flickers in his mouth" — again of the serpent). Ambrose's trisulcis ore linguis micabant lifts both lexicon (trisulcus, micare) and rhythm from Vergil's hexameter, casting the slanderers as Vergilian serpents. Pair with fn. 35.
  37. Scr. Luc. 4, 4.
    Luke 4, 4.
  38. Scr. Ps. 108, 25.
    Psalm 108, 25.
  39. Scr. cf. Ps. 108, 28.
    cf. Psalm 108, 28.
  40. Scr. Ps. 108, 28.
    Psalm 108, 28. Var. l. 2 obtrectationes AMNm2PRT, obtrectationum Gav; attollebant Mm2Pm2; l. 3 colubros ANOPm2av; l. 4 fundabant APm2R; ore Ihm ora codd. av; l. 7 cibum—9 enim om. R; l. 8 sibi om. N; sibilo Gm2; l. 10 uidebant a; l. 11 benedicebam] inquit orabam MNT; alt. qui] quia O; l. 12 pr. qui] quia Om2; l. 13 dei O; l. 19 diuinae GOPm2av; l. 22 etiam om. MN; astuti] prudentes O; l. 23 estote] add. inquit av; l. 25 eneo O; l. 26 serpens, serpens] serpens a.
  41. Scr. Matth. 10, 16.
    Matthew 10, 16.
  42. Scr. Ioh. 3, 14.
    John 3, 14.
  43. Scr. cf. Num. 21, 8.
    cf. Numbers 21, 8.
  44. Scr. Cant. 2, 9–12.
    Song of Songs 2, 9–12.
  45. Scr. cf. Matth. 5, 17.
    cf. Matthew 5, 17.
  46. Scr. cf. Verg. Aen. 7, 347.350.355 + Aen. 2, 215 (sibila colla / ignem ossibus) — Petschenig flags multiple Vergilian Aeneid echoes at apparatus l. 17 sqq. Striking density of Vergilian intertexts in §§13–16 (cf. Daleth pp. 69, 76, 77 for similar Vergilian zones).
    cf. Vergil, Aeneid 7, 347, 350, 355 (Allecto's serpent slipping into Amata's bosom — fit tortile collo aurum ingens coluber / tum uipeream inspirans animam / ille inter uestes et leuia pectora lapsus) + Aen. 2, 215 (Laocoön: perfusus sanie uittas atroque ueneno and the ignem / bone-imagery of the destruction-of-Troy book). Ambrose's bonus coluber in gremium dilectae atque in ipsum intimae sinum mentis facilis inlabitur et adtactu nullo implicans ignem ossibus praecordia ipsa depascitur compactly reuses Vergil's most famous serpent-into-bosom (Allecto/Amata, Aen. 7) and the ignis ossibus idiom — but inverts the diabolical Vergilian image into a christological-pneumatic one (the Word/Christ as bonus coluber). With fnn. 35 + 36, this gives five Vergilian echoes in two pages (§§13–16) — densest classical-pagan zone in the project so far.
  47. Scr. Matth. 10, 16 / Luc. 10, 3.
    Matthew 10, 16 / Luc. 10, 3.
  48. Scr. Geruasii et Protasii — Petschenig's apparatus explicitly identifies the sancti martyres as Gervasius and Protasius (Milanese martyrs), citing Ambrose's Epist. 22 where Ambrose narrates their inuentio and translation in 386 CE. Concrete dating evidence for this sermon's celebramus enim diem sanctorum, quo reuelata sunt populis corpora — preached on the Gervasius/Protasius feast day at Milan.
    Gervasius and Protasius — Petschenig's apparatus identifies the holy martyrs whose natalis (i.e. the anniversary of the inuentio of their bodies) is being celebrated as Gervasius and Protasius, the two Milanese martyrs whose relics Ambrose discovered on 17 June 386 CE at the Milanese basilica of SS. Felix and Nabor and translated to the new Basilica Ambrosiana (today Sant'Ambrogio). Ambrose narrates the inuentio in Epist. 22 (to his sister Marcellina). The marginal note geruasii et protasii in mss PR (and in textu in O) is a medieval scribal annotation confirming the liturgical occasion. *Significant for dating: this sermon (Vau) was preached on or near the Gervasius/Protasius feast day at Milan, giving a terminus post quem of June 386 CE for Vau. Cf. Res §44 (the Sebastian natalis = Jan 20 anchor). Var. l. 1 serpente—12 celebrabilis om. N; l. 2 hic] add. stat Gm2Tm2a; l. 4 super AOv, per cet.; respondit AGOPRa; l. 5 exsurge b; l. 6 hiemps GOPmlR; l. 7 sibi; def. A — p. 119, 3 hereditario desunt in A; l. 8 terram R; l. 11 toto MmlOPRmlT; l. 12 orbe OPRmlT, ibique Gml; l. 13 dentes a, non om. MRT, im(in-)mordeant MNPTa; l. 15 caudam—19 ossibus om. N; l. 18 adtactam R; l. 19 igne GR; l. 20 pulcre M, add. in mg. geruasii et protasii PR (in textu O); l. 21 agnos] oues a; l. 22 pr. sanctorum om. a; quo—sanctorum om. P; l. 23 carnis om. N; l. 25 fulsere a; uero a; l. 27 consueuerunt* v.
  49. Scr. Gen. 49, 27.
    Genesis 49, 27.
  50. Scr. cf. Rom. 11, 1 (Paul's Benjaminite descent).
    cf. Romans 11, 1 (Paul's Benjaminite descent).
  51. Scr. cf. Matth. 10, 16 (recapitulated).
    cf. Matthew 10, 16 (recapitulated).
  52. Scr. Esai. 65, 25.
    Isaiah 65, 25.
  53. Scr. Ps. 118, 43.
    Psalm 118, 43.
  54. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 8–9 (recapitulated).
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 8–9 (recapitulated).
  55. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 5 (recapitulated).
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 5 (recapitulated).
  56. Scr. Cant. 1, 2.
    Song of Songs 1, 2.
  57. Scr. cf. Cant. 1, 4 (introduxit me rex in cubiculum suum).
    cf. Song of Songs 1, 4 (introduxit me rex in cubiculum suum).
  58. Scr. Cant. 2, 10.
    Song of Songs 2, 10. Var. l. 1 medium Ra; l. 2 iste R; l. 4 custus G; l. 8 non] ne av; l. 10 speraui GPRmla; l. 11 ecclesiam MT, animam MNT; hinnulum GMNOav; l. 12 aspiciens] aspicientem O; l. 13 super] per GPR; retia] add. et M, AAhOPR; l. 15 abisset MN; l. 16 me ab] enim me MN; osculis b; l. 19 deinde GOm2Pa; lasciuienti—25 adolerent om. N; qui O, uelit av; l. 20 queretur O; ab MP; l. 21 mutaretur Rml; l. 22 prospexerat Mml; l. 24 amoremque OR, amorumque P; uim] suum O, om. R; mutuis] ut suis Gml; l. 25 adoleret GmlR; inquid Pml.
  59. Scr. cf. Eph. 2, 14 (medius paries maceriae).
    cf. Ephesians 2, 14 (medius paries maceriae).
  60. Scr. Eph. 2, 20–21.
    Ephesians 2, 20–21.
  61. Scr. Ps. 33, 16 (Vulg. 34, 16).
    Psalm 33, 16 (Vulg. 34, 16).
  62. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 9 (recapitulated).
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 9 (recapitulated).
  63. Scr. Hier. 9, 21.
    Jeremiah 9, 21.
  64. Scr. cf. Matth. 5, 28.
    cf. Matthew 5, 28.
  65. Scr. Sap. 4, 9.
    Wisdom 4, 9.
  66. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 9 (recapitulated).
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 9 (recapitulated).
  67. Scr. cf. II Cor. 5, 21.
    cf. 2 Corinthians 5, 21. Var. l. 2 super O; l. 3 structura om. N; l. 4 minuat GMNPml; l. 5 semper om. N; l. 7 per] post GNPR; l. 9 hieremias dicit MN; l. 13 inuadere] add. et a; esse aetatem MN; l. 15 per fenestram mors MN; audis N, uideris Oav; l. 17 pr. intrauit MNT; alt. intra O; l. 18 teneris annis Ov; l. 19 uenerit—23 retia om. N; l. 20 auferas GPmlR; l. 23 Christus] deus M; ut Tav; uocet Rav; l. 24 inuoluerunt Mm2; l. 26 Iesus] deus MNT; l. 27 alt. peccatum eras. N; pro nobis om. MN.
  68. Scr. cf. Rom. 8, 3.
    cf. Romans 8, 3.
  69. Scr. cf. Rom. 6, 13.
    cf. Romans 6, 13.
  70. Scr. Ps. 141, 4 (Vulg. 142, 4).
    Psalm 141, 4 (Vulg. 142, 4).
  71. Scr. cf. Eccli. 9, 13 (Vulg. 9, 20).
    cf. Sirach 9, 13 (Vulg. 9, 20).
  72. Scr. cf. Matth. 18, 11 (cf. Luc. 19, 10).
    cf. Matthew 18, 11 (cf. Luc. 19, 10).
  73. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 9 (recapitulated).
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 9 (recapitulated).
  74. Scr. Ioh. 2, 19.
    John 2, 19. Var. l. 1 similitudinem Pm2; l. 3 pr. erat] pergit A; peccato Am2; l. 5 uirtutis mi (ma- N) liciam MN; l. 7 hic ergo] inc. prius fragm. Cantabrigiense; l. 8 uenit—securus COav, om. cet.; l. 9 omnia retibus om. AR; laqueis, referta retibus av; l. 10 absconderunt] add. superbi a; l. 11 syrac C, sirahac N, Syrach a; noueris N; l. 12 ambulabas a; l. 13 ad om. N; l. 16 possit GPa; eruere Nm2; exuere (eruere O) non posset (-it Rml) AOR; l. 18 his O; l. 19 dirumpens OMOPm2Rav; l. 21 et om. MNT; l. 22 a om. R; l. 24 potestatem mortis M; habet O; l. 25 templum hoc O; l. 26 illud resuscitabo Cb; l. 27 exurge COPa; l. 28 exurge COa; a om. RmT.
  75. Scr. Cant. 2, 10 — citation continues onto p. 120.
    Song of Songs 2, 10 — citation continues onto p. 120.
  76. Scr. cf. Eph. 2, 14 (recapitulated).
    cf. Ephesians 2, 14 (recapitulated).
  77. Scr. Terence, Eunuch. 640 (linea extrema) — Petschenig flags this Terentian classical echo at apparatus l. 10. Distinct from the Vergilian intertexts of §§13–16 (Georg. 3, 421/439 + Aen. 2/7); Ambrose deploys both Vergil and Terence within Vau.
    Terence, Eunuchus 640 (linea extrema, "the outermost line"). In Terence's idiom (Parmeno's monologue) linea extrema = "from afar, only the outline" — a metaphor from a viewer marking the boundary of a stage or course. Ambrose's uel linea intueamur extrema deploys the Terentian idiom for hermeneutic restraint: of the mystical sense we will glimpse only the outermost line, not enter all the way in. *First Terence citation in Expos. ps. CXVIII* — a notable shift from the corpus's previous near-monopoly of Vergilian classical intertexts. With fnn. 12 (Horace), 35–36 + 46 (Vergil), Vau exhibits the densest classical-pagan saturation of any sermon to date in this project. Var.* l. 1 exurge Oa; resurrexi tibi om. N; surrexi MT; uincula Ca; l. 2 iam—tibi om. N; retia iam Cml; l. 4 quia quasi a; l. 5 macheriae CPR, mecherie O; l. 8 me non — 16 requirebat om. N; facie] faciem Cml; l. 9 amatoiiis MTa; ethice] et hic ei AOR, et hic G, et hicce (-ce in ras.) M; l. 10 illa om. R, add. iam Pm2; linea] mea Cml; l. 12 fundamentum APmlR; l. 13 quid R; iocunditatem Cml, iocunditatis cet. praeter Aml, a; l. 15 adsciscere] addiscere CO, add. et C; l. 16 querebat M; l. 17 Iesus om. Cml; l. 20 alt. per AOv, om. cet.; l. 23 supenariore Cml, superiori Gm2MNP; l. 24 profetas* R.
  78. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 8 (recapitulated).
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 8 (recapitulated).
  79. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 9 (recapitulated).
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 9 (recapitulated).
  80. Scr. cf. Luc. 11, 52.
    cf. Luke 11, 52.
  81. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 10.
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 10.
  82. Scr. Cant. 2, 11–12.
    Song of Songs 2, 11–12.
  83. Scr. cf. Matth. 24, 20.
    cf. Matthew 24, 20.
  84. Scr. cf. Matth. 16, 24.
    cf. Matthew 16, 24.
  85. Scr. Cant. 2, 12.
    Song of Songs 2, 12.
  86. Scr. Cant. 2, 12 (recapitulated).
    Song of Songs 2, 12 (recapitulated). Var. l. 3 delinquat N; l. 4 inquid CmlM; hiemps CNOR; praeterit Pml; l. 5 uisi sunt sibi flores AR, uisi sunt flores O; l. 6 hiemps NOR; l. 7 erunt G; florum indigua] floruerant indicia C; indiga GMNav; l. 8 fecundare AGORa; l. 9 luxoriae Rml; profluentis luxuriae M; tetris codd. praeter P; ora CAM, NPRa; horrida M (s. l. m2); l. 11 sequuntur Aav, sequentur C, sequuntur ARa, secuntur Christum MN; impetit Cml; l. 12 sequuntur Cml; et] at Cav; l. 13 diuersum; l. 15 quo MNTa; l. 16 condantur MNT; accipiat Mm2, accepit Pml; l. 18 quae] qui AGmlPmlR; uidebatur MN; l. 19 iam ferre av; uinea om. Cml; l. 20 macheriis CPmlR; ne a; l. 21 odora iam] odoratam Cml; turgescit Gm2Mm2Tm2; l. 23 pasca a; l. 24 quia R; fructos Cml; l. 25 ex] de MNO.
  87. Scr. cf. Cant. 2, 13 + cf. Luc. 13, 6–9 (the barren fig tree).
    cf. Song of Songs 2, 13 + cf. Luc. 13, 6–9 (the barren fig tree).
  88. Scr. cf. Ps. 79, 9.13.14 (Vulg. 80, 9.13.14) + Cant. 2, 13 (uinea, uitis).
    cf. Psalm 79, 9.13.14 (Vulg. 80, 9.13.14) + Cant. 2, 13 (uinea, uitis).
  89. Scr. Ps. 118, 43.
    Psalm 118, 43.
  90. Scr. I Tim. 4, 14.
    1 Timothy 4, 14.
  91. Scr. Ps. 49, 16 (Vulg. 50, 16).
    Psalm 49, 16 (Vulg. 50, 16).
  92. Scr. cf. Matth. 13, 4 (the parable of the sower — birds eating seed from rocky ground).
    cf. Matthew 13, 4 (the parable of the sower — birds eating seed from rocky ground).
  93. Scr. Ps. 49, 16 (Vulg. 50, 16) — recapitulated.
    Psalm 49, 16 (Vulg. 50, 16) — recapitulated. Var. l. 1 iustitias om. Cml; l. 2 speraui Ca; l. 6 uerbo G; l. 7 factis uerba v; deformet CmlMm2Pm2T; l. 8 est tamen O; l. 9 ipse N; MNPRT; l. 10 obmutiscit AmlPm2Rm2; l. 11 tuo] add. sunt enim (et Ta) tempora temptationum Gm2Tm2a; l. 12 ad (af-)ferant AAlmlNPRTa; ne] add. radicem habentes a; l. 13 Nunc] non Aml; utrum] uerum Cml; est enim AGmlR; l. 14 uitam T; l. 15 meas om. AGOPR; adsumes C; l. 17 cogitasti AGOPRv; is] ipse O; l. 20 correptionem O; l. 21 offendat Cml; effundat GOP; malitie Cml; l. 23 posset N; praesertim — redarguat om. N; l. 25 aufertur; l. 26 commemoretur AR; docere Al, doceri NPmlT, doctrinam Rml; l. 27 committatur R; qui in in —] desinit C.
  94. Scr. Ps. 118, 44.
    Psalm 118, 44.
  95. Scr. Hebr. 8, 5.
    Hebrews 8, 5.
  96. Scr. cf. I Cor. 13, 12 (per speculum in aenigmate).
    cf. 1 Corinthians 13, 12 (per speculum in aenigmate). Var. l. 3 custodiam Ov, custodibo a; l. 4 aeternum] seculum MN; quum Pml; l. 6 etiam] add. in Rm2av; l. 7 custodienda] add. lex Gm2av; promittit Pm2; et] et quia GNOPPa, quia M, quia et v; l. 11 speculo] add. et OP.
  97. Scr. Gal. 3, 13.
    Galatians 3, 13.
  98. Scr. cf. I Cor. 9, 21.
    cf. 1 Corinthians 9, 21. Var. l. 13 διὰ παντός av; Mau (NR') o>N AR, dionon M, AIONON NOP, diapsalma (s. scr. m2 AYAN<aN) G; δι' ὅλων susp. Ihm, cf. p. 93, 19; l. 15 sub lege O; l. 16 promouens Gav; liberatur codd. av, correxi; liberauit M; l. 18 legis] add. et ideo Gm2Tm2a; l. 19 custodiemus a; NPml; adolescentiae Am2GMNORm2; l. 21 praescriptam Pm2; Pml; l. 23 quas—25 qua om. N; l. 25 senectutis] add. illius MN; l. 27 deuiauerit MNO.
  99. Scr. II Tim. 4, 7.
    2 Timothy 4, 7.
  100. Scr. Sap. 4, 9 (recapitulated from §20).
    Wisdom 4, 9 (recapitulated from §20).
  101. Scr. Ps. 118, 45.
    Psalm 118, 45.
  102. Scr. cf. Matth. 7, 14.
    cf. Matthew 7, 14.
  103. Scr. Ps. 4, 2 (Vulg. 4, 2 — Zelzer apparatus prints "Ps. 4, 23" but Ps 4 has only 9 verses; in tribulatione dilatasti mihi is canonically Ps 4, 2; treat the apparatus number as a print/OCR typo).
    Psalm 4, 2 (Vulg. 4, 2 — Zelzer apparatus prints "Ps. 4, 23" but Ps 4 has only 9 verses; in tribulatione dilatasti mihi is canonically Ps 4, 2; treat the apparatus number as a print/OCR typo).
  104. Scr. Ps. 117, 5 (Vulg. 118, 5).
    Psalm 117, 5 (Vulg. 118, 5).
  105. Scr. cf. Ps. 100, 2 (Vulg. 101, 2 — in innocentia cordis mei).
    cf. Psalm 100, 2 (Vulg. 101, 2 — in innocentia cordis mei).
  106. Scr. cf. Prou. 5, 16.
    cf. Proverbs 5, 16.
  107. Scr. cf. Phil. 3, 20.
    cf. Philippians 3, 20.
  108. Scr. II Cor. 4, 8.
    2 Corinthians 4, 8.
  109. Scr. II Cor. 6, 11–12.
    2 Corinthians 6, 11–12. Var. l. 1 quintus—est om. Mv; l. 3 latitudinem PmlR; l. 9 caelis MRT; nullas] in illas a; l. 10 inquid M; l. 11 angustiamur Ga, angustari O; l. 12 ipse] in se M; l. 13 etsi Rav; angustatum MNv; l. 14 nostrum] meum NT; angustiamini Oa; l. 20 semet O; strangulatus Gav, transgulatur O; l. 21 uillanum a; cottidie Pm2; l. 22 an] in A, non Ov; uideatur Mm2; l. 23 spatie Pml; l. 24 angustiis GmlPRml; l. 26 addit A; l. 27 inquid Pml, om. O; tua inquit a.
  110. Scr. cf. Act. 9, 15.
    cf. Acts 9, 15.
  111. Scr. Ps. 118, 45 (recapitulated).
    Psalm 118, 45 (recapitulated).
  112. Scr. Ps. 118, 46.
    Psalm 118, 46.
  113. Scr. Cant. 2, 13–14.
    Song of Songs 2, 13–14. Var. l. 3 uocatur a; l. 4 gloriabitur N; l. 7 ueni tu] uenit AGR, ueni MNP, ueni O a tegumento Ov; l. 8 uenit AGR, om. N; l. 13 pulcra MN; l. 14 quae] quia MNT; confundit MO, add. ut arguat Tm2; l. 15 redemptore a; tuam Rml; l. 16 efferens Mml; l. 17 tegumento Ov; redempta MNPav; l. 18 et om. MN; l. 19 suauis] add. est MN; l. 20 fundebatur Pml.
  114. Scr. Rom. 10, 10.
    Romans 10, 10.
  115. Scr. I Petr. 2, 9.
    1 Peter 2, 9.
  116. Scr. cf. Ps. 67, 30 (Vulg. 68, 30 — tibi offerent reges munera) — context completes on p. 126.
    cf. Psalm 67, 30 (Vulg. 68, 30 — tibi offerent reges munera) — context completes on p. 126. Var. l. 22 speraui Ca; l. 23 in adoptionem] in adoptione acquisitionis M, adquisitionis NO; l. 26 erubescentis O; l. 27 loquuntur a; repellat codd. av, correxi.
  117. Scr. Ps. 118, 47–48.
    Psalm 118, 47–48.
  118. Scr. Ps. 118, 47–48 (recapitulated in different order).
    Psalm 118, 47–48 (recapitulated in different order). Var. l. 1 quasi om. G; quia] qui Oml, om. MNTa, add. si s. l. G; quia non sunt G; christi MNO; fecerit—10 ait om. N; testamenti fecerit AOR; l. 2 metuerant G; l. 3 contraria v; ad(as-)sertionem GMOPT; l. 4 erubescit Ga; nec MmlT, nec redarguatur T; l. 6 ita perfectus M; profeta R; l. 8 operae suae Mm2; eleuat G, ele(-a-Pml)uatus Pa, eleuatur R; fort. quo; l. 10 meditabor P; l. 12 et om. AG; l. 13 odor Mml; iste ordo b; l. 16 meditationis O; l. 17 meditatione Mm2; l. 18 oratio codd. praeter O; l. 19 implendum MNT; l. 20 alt. diligat om. MmlNT; l. 23 mandata O; l. 25 cum gaudio] et gaudio a; l. 27 inuitus] add. bonum Tm2; l. 28 dicam AMNav.
  119. Scr. Ioh. 15, 15 — citation completes on p. 127 (amicos, quia quasi amici mandatum dei ex uoluntate fecistis).
    John 15, 15 — citation completes on p. 127 (amicos, quia quasi amici mandatum dei ex uoluntate fecistis). Var. l. 5 affectu] add. Explicit de littera VI (sexta P). Incipit de littera VII (septima P) APR, om. cet.
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