Part 20

1. IN the writings of certain authors we find a precept of Pythagoras forbidding his disciples to enter upon the common path trodden by the people. Now the source from whence he drew this is not unknown. For as he derived (according to the general opinion) his descent from the Jews, from their learning he derived also the precepts of his school. This rendered him highly esteemed among philosophers, so that he hardly met, it is said, with his equal. Now he had read in the book of Exodus that by the Divine command Moses was bid _put off his shoes from off his feet_. This command was also given to Joshua the son of Nun, namely that they, when desired to walk along the Lord’s path, should shake off the dust of the beaten and vulgar tracks. He had also read the command to Moses to go up to the mount with the priests, while the people stood apart. So God separated the priests from the people, and subsequently commanded Moses himself to enter into the cloud.

2. You see then the separation. Nothing vulgar, nothing popular, nothing in common with the desires and usages and manners of the rude multitude is looked for in priests. The dignity of the priesthood claims for itself a sober and unruffled calmness, a serious life, an especial gravity. How can he be respected by the people, who is in nothing distinct from the people, or different from the multitude? And what can a man look up to in you who recognizes himself in you, who sees nothing in you which is beyond himself, and who finds in you, to whom he deems respect to be due, the things which he blushes at in himself?

Sidenote: Job ix. 25.

Sidenote: Ib. vi. 19–21.

3. Wherefore let us pass over the opinions of the people, and the resorts of the common herd, and the line of the beaten track, the ground also of that common path along which he runs, whose _days are swifter than a post_, of whom it is said, _they flee away, they see no good_. But let us find for ourselves a path secluded from the conversation of the proud, inaccessible to the works of the unlearned, trodden by no polluted person, polluted that is by the stains of his own sloth, and smeared by the smoke of iniquity, his soul darkened and ruinous, one who has never tasted the sweetness of virtue, or at any rate has thought that she should be looked upon askance rather than met with direct regard and with open arms, who moreover (as is the wont of many who seem to themselves witty and polite, and transform the beauty of wisdom into dishonourable guile,) regards not true Grace, but shrouded as it were in darkness, gives no credence to those who live in the light of day, being of the number of the men of Tema and Sheba, who fall off and turn away from the truth; of whom Job says, _Behold ye the ways of them of Tema, the paths of the Sabæans, for they shall be confounded who put their hopes in cities and in riches. So ye also have risen against me without pity, therefore when ye see my wound, be afraid._

Sidenote: Ib. xxviii. 14.

4. Let us then abandon these devious paths of them that turn aside, and this dust of those who fail, who through their lust fall oftentimes in the desert, and let us be converted and follow the way of wisdom, that way which the children of those who boast and glorify themselves have not trodden, that way which destruction knows not, and death is ignorant of; for God hath marked it out; _the depth saith, It is not in me, and the sea saith, It is not with me_. But if you seek for the way of wisdom and discipline, to worship God, and to be subject to Him is wisdom, and to abstain from sin is discipline.

5. What then have we to do with the way of this world, wherein is temptation; yea the life itself of men is temptation, and more empty even than vain fables, living in houses of clay, spending nights and days in quest of gain, with their thoughts ever upon it, seeking like hired servants their daily wages, and as they say grasshoppers do[160], feeding on the empty breath of desires. Truly, like grasshoppers, living from day to day, they burst with their own complainings[161]. For what is the semblance of men without gravity or discipline, but that of grasshoppers, born to a daily death, chirping rather than speaking? These beneath the heat of burning desires soothe themselves with a song hurtful to themselves, and quickly die bearing no fruit, and possessed of no grace. Noxious and crooked are their ways as those of serpents, whose bodies are drawn along in poisoned folds, who gather themselves up into a coil of wickedness[162], and cannot raise themselves to heavenly things.

Sidenote: Ps. cxviii. 19.

Sidenote: S. Matt. vii. 14.

6. But let us enter the gates of the Lord, _the gates of righteousness_, which the righteous entereth and _giveth praise unto the Lord_. But few enter in here, wherefore the Lord saith, _Straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it_. But the wide gate and broad way, wherein the many walk, leads to death, and carries thither them that travel on it.

Sidenote: Prov. ii. 13.

7. Let our way then be narrow, our virtue abundant, our steps more careful, our faith more lofty, our path narrow, our energy of mind overflowing, our paths straight, for the steps of virtue cannot be turned aside; wherefore Solomon saith, _Who leave the paths of uprightness_.

Sidenote: Is. xxxi. 1.

Sidenote: Exod. vii. 1.

8. Let our steps tend upward, for it is better to ascend. Lastly, as we read to-day, _Woe to them that go down to Egypt!_ Not that to pass over into Egypt is blameable, but to pass into their habits, to pass into their cruel perfidy and hideous lusts. He that passes over thither descends, he that descends falls. Wherefore let us avoid the Egyptian, who is man, not God. For the king of Egypt himself was given over to the dominion of his vices, and compared with him Moses was accounted a god, ruling over kingdoms and subjecting to himself powers. Hence we read that he was addressed thus, _See I have made thee a god to ♦Pharaoh_. Farewell, and love me, as indeed you do, with the affection of a son.

LETTER XXIX. A.D. 389.

THIS letter is in fact a meditation on Christ as the true Chief good of man, the true Source of happiness, and Food of the soul, and Fountain of life, to be sought therefore with eagerness, and clung to with all the affection of the soul, which must therefore scorn all meaner delights.

AMBROSE TO IRENÆUS, GREETING.

Sidenote: Ps. xlv. 3.

Sidenote: Rom. x. 15. Is. lii. 7.

1. WHILE engaged in reading, after resting my mind for a while and desisting from study, I began to meditate on that versicle which in the evening we had sung at Vigils, _Thou art fairer than the children of men_, and, _How beautiful are the feet of them that bring good tidings_ of Him. And truly nothing is more beautiful than that chief good, the very preaching of which is beyond measure lovely, and specially the progress of continuous discourse, and the foot-steps, so to speak, of Apostolic preaching. But who is equal to these things? They to whom God gave not only to preach Christ, but also to suffer for Him.

Sidenote: Ps. lxiii. 6.

Sidenote: Ib. xxii. 29.

2. Let us, as far as we can, direct our minds to that which is beautiful seemly and good, let us be occupied therein, let us keep it in mind, that by its illumination and brightness our souls may become beautiful and our minds transparent. For if our eyes, when obscured by dimness, are refreshed by the verdure of the fields and are able by the beauty of a grove or grassy hill to remedy every defect of the failing vision, while the very pupils and balls of the eye seem to be coloured with the hue of health: how much more does this eye of the mind, beholding that chief good, and dwelling and feeding thereupon, brighten and shine forth, so as to fulfil that which is written, _My soul shall be satisfied even as it were with marrow and fatness_. Moreover, he who has a skilful knowledge of the souls of his flock, pays attention to wild grasses, that he may obtain much pasturage: for by the sweeter kind of herbage lambs are made fatter, and the milky juice more healthful. On these pastures those _fat ones_ have fed, who _have eaten and worshipped_, for good indeed are those pastures wherein is placed the saint of God.

Sidenote: Prov. xxvii. 25.

Sidenote: Deut. xxxii. 2.

Sidenote: 2 S. Pet. i. 4.

3. There is grass also, whereby the flocks of sheep are nourished, for whence come the fleeces of wisdom, and the clothing of prudence. And perchance this is the _grass of the mountain_, upon which the words of the prophet distil _as the showers upon the grass_, and which the wise man carefully gathers, that he may have a fleece for a covering, that is, for a spiritual garment. And thus proper food and clothing are provided for that soul which cleaves to the chief Good, that Good Which is Divine, and which the Apostle Peter exhorts us to seek for, that by the acquisition of such knowledge we may become _partakers of the Divine nature_.

Sidenote: Deut. xxviii. 11, 12.

Sidenote: Ib. xxxii. 2.

4. The knowledge hereof the good God opens to His saints, and grants it out of His good treasury, even as the sacred Law testifies, saying, _The Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee and open unto thee His good treasure_. From this heavenly treasure He gives rain to His lands, to bless all the works of thy hands. By this rain is signified the utterance of the Law, which moistens the soul fruitful and fertile in good works, that it may receive the dew of Grace.

Sidenote: Ps. xxvii. 4.

Sidenote: v. 13.

Sidenote: Ps. lxv. 4.

Sidenote: Ps. cxxviii. 5.

5. The knowledge of this good David sought; as he himself declares, saying, _One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will require, even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit His temple_. And that this is the chief Good he straightway added in the same Psalm, _I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living_. He must be sought after, there He will be clearly seen face to face. This good is in the house of God, in His secret and hidden place. Wherefore he says again, _He shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house_. In another place too he has shown this to be the highest blessing, saying, _The Lord shall bless thee out of Sion, and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem_. Wherefore blessed is he who dwells then in the vestibule of faith and in the spiritual abode, the dwelling place of devotion and the life of virtue.

Sidenote: Isa. lii. 7.

Sidenote: 1 Cor. i. 1.

Sidenote: S. Matt. vii. 17.

Sidenote: Ps. cxliii. 10.

Sidenote: S. Matt. xx. 15.

Sidenote: Ps. iv. 6.

Sidenote: Heb. i. 3.

6. In Him therefore let us be and in Him abide, of Whom Isaiah says, _How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace_. Who are they that preach but Peter, Paul, and all the Apostles? What do they preach to us but the Lord Jesus? He is our Peace, He is our chief Good, for He is Good from Good, and from a good tree is gathered good fruit. And good also is His Spirit, Who takes of Him and _leads_ His servants _forth into the land of righteousness_. For who that hath the Spirit of God within him will deny that He is good, since He says Himself, _Is thine eye evil because I am good?_ May this Good which the merciful God gives to them that seek Him come into our soul, and into our inmost heart. He is our Treasure, He is our Way, He is our Wisdom, He is our Righteousness, our Shepherd, the good Shepherd, He is our Life. Thou seest how many goods are in this one Good! These goods the Evangelists preach to us. David seeking for these goods saith, _Who will shew us any good?_ And he shews that the Lord Himself is our Good by adding, _Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy Countenance upon us_. But Who is the Light of the Father’s Countenance, but _the Brightness of His Glory_, and the Image of the invisible God, in Whom the Father is both seen and glorified, as He also glorifies His Son?

Sidenote: 1 Tim. iii. 16.

Sidenote: Heb. i. 3.

Sidenote: S. John xi. 35.

Sidenote: Ib. i. 29.

♦8. Wherefore the Lord Jesus Himself is that chief Good which was announced to us by Prophets, declared by Angels, promised by the Father, preached by Apostles. He hath come to us as ripeness; nor as ripeness only, but as ripeness in the mountains; to the intent that in our counsels there should be nothing sour, or unripe, nothing harsh or bitter in our actions or manners, the first Preacher of good tidings hath come among us. Wherefore also He saith, I, Who spoke, am present with[163] you, that is, I Who spoke in the Prophets, am present in that Body which I took of the Virgin; I am present as the inward Likeness of God, and the _express Image of His person_, I am present too as Man. But who knows Me? For they saw the Man, but His Works made them believe He was above man. Was He not as man when weeping over Lazarus? again, was He not above man, when He raised him to life? Was He not as man when scourged? and again, above man when _He took away the sin of the world_?

Sidenote: S. Matt. iv. 17.

Sidenote: Amos v. 14.

Sidenote: Col. ii. 9.

Sidenote: S. John i. 16.

9. To Him therefore let us hasten in Whom is the chief Good: for He is the bounty and patience of Israel, Who calls thee to repentance, that thou come not into condemnation but mayest receive the remission of thy sins. He saith, Repent. This is He of Whom the Prophet Amos cries, _Seek good_. He is the chief Good, Who is in need of nothing, but abounds in all things. And well may He abound, _in Whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily_; of _Whose fulness we have all received_, and _in Whom we are filled_, as saith the Evangelist.

Sidenote: Ps. cxix. 68.

Sidenote: Cant. i. 3.

10. If then the mind with its capacities of desire and pleasure hath tasted the chief Good, and by means of these two affections hath drank It in, unalloyed by sorrow and fear, it is wonderfully inflamed. For having embraced the Word of God, she knows no measure and yet feels no satiety, as it is written, _Thou art good and gracious, O teach me Thy statutes_: having embraced the Word of God, she desires Him above all beauty, she loves Him above all joy, she is delighted with Him above all perfumes, she desires often to see, often to look upon Him, often to be drawn to Him that she may follow. _Thy Name_, it is said, _is as ointment poured forth; therefore we maidens love Thee_, therefore we strive but cannot attain to Thee. _Draw us_ that we may _run after Thee_, that by the _fragrance of Thy ointments_ we may gain power to follow Thee.

Sidenote: Ps. cxix. 103.

Sidenote: Exod. xxxiv. 28.

Sidenote: 1 Kings xix. 4.

Sidenote: S. Matt. xvii. 4.

Sidenote: 1 Pet. i. 12.

11. And the mind presses forward to the sight of internal mysteries, to the place of rest of the Word, to the very dwelling of that chief Good, His light and brightness. In that haven and home-retreat she hastens to hear His words, and having heard, finds them sweeter than all other things. Learn of the Prophet who had tasted and saith, _O how sweet are Thy words unto my throat, yea sweeter than honey unto my mouth_. For what can that soul desire which hath once tasted the sweetness of the Word, and seen His brightness? When Moses received the Law he remained forty days on the mount and required no bodily food; Elijah, hastening to this rest, prayed that his life might be taken away; Peter, himself also beholding on the Mount the glory of the Lord’s Resurrection, would fain not have come down, saying, _It is good for us to be here_. How great then is the glory of the Divine Essence and the graces of the Word, _which things the Angels desire to look into_.

Sidenote: Acts vii. 55.

Sidenote: 2 Cor. xii. 2.

12. The soul then which beholds this chief Good, requires not the body, and understands that it ought to have as little connexion with it as possible; it renounces the world, withdraws itself from the chains of the flesh, and extricates itself from all the bonds of earthly pleasures. Thus Stephen beheld Jesus, and feared not being stoned, nay, while he was being stoned, prayed not for himself but for his murderers. Paul also, when _caught up to the third heaven_, knew not _whether he was in the body or out of the body: caught up_, I say, _into Paradise_, he became invisible to the presence of his own body, and having heard the words of God he blushed to descend again to the infirmities of the body.

Sidenote: Col. ii. 20–22.

Sidenote: 2 Cor. v. 8.

13. Thus, knowing what he had seen and heard in Paradise, he cried saying, _Why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances? Touch not, taste not, handle not, which all are to perish with the using._ For he would have us of this world in figure and semblance, not in use or possession, _using as though we used it not_, as our place of sojourn, not of rest, walking through it as in a vision, not with desire, so as to pass as lightly as possible over the mere shadow of this world. In this way S. Paul, who walked by faith not by sight, was _absent from the body and present with the Lord_, and although upon earth conversed not with earthly but with heavenly things.

Sidenote: S. John i. 1.

Sidenote: Acts xvii. 28.

Sidenote: 2 Cor. i. 19.

Sidenote: Exod. iii. 14.

14. Wherefore let our soul, wishing to draw near to God, raise herself from the body, and ever adhere to that chief End which is divine, Which is everlasting, _Which was from the beginning_, and _Which was with God_, that is, the Word of God. This is that Divine Being, _in Whom we live and move and have our being_. This is _That which was in the beginning_, the true _I AM_. _For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was not yea nor nay but in Him was yea._ He bid Moses say, _I AM hath sent me_.

Sidenote: Ps. cxix. 109.

15. With this Good therefore let our soul be, and if possible, be continually, that each of us may say, _My soul is continually in my hand_. And such will be the case, if it be not in the flesh, but in the spirit, and does not entangle itself in earthly things. For when it turns back to carnal things, then the allurements of the body creep over it, then it swells with rage and anger, then it is pierced with sorrow, then it is lifted up with arrogance, then it is bowed down with grief.

Sidenote: S. Matt. v. 44, 45.

Sidenote: Ib. 48.

Sidenote: Rom. xiii. 10.

16. These are the heavy griefs of the soul by which it is often brought down to death, while its eyes are blinded so that they see not the light of true glory, and the riches of its eternal heritage. But by keeping them always fixed on God, it will receive from Christ the brightness of wisdom, so as to have its vision enlightened by the knowledge of God, and to behold that hope of our calling, and see that which is good and well-pleasing and perfect. For that which is good is well-pleasing to the Father, and that which is well-pleasing is perfect, as it is written in the Gospel, _Love your enemies, that ye may be the children of your Father Which is in heaven, for, He sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust_, which is surely a proof of goodness. Afterwards He concludes by saying, _Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father Which is in heaven is perfect_. For charity is perfect; in short it is _the fulfilling of the Law_; for what can be so good as _charity_ which _thinketh no evil_?

Sidenote: Isa. xl. 31.

Sidenote: Wisd. ix. 15.

Sidenote: Rom. xi. 36.

17. Fly then those regions where dwell envy, ambition, and contention. Therefore let thy mind open itself to receive this Good, that it may mount above the clouds, that it may be _renewed as the eagle_, and like the eagle spread abroad its wings, that with new vigour in its pinions it may fearlessly soar aloft and leave its earthly dwelling-place behind it, _for the earthly habitation weigheth down the mind_. Let it put off old things, let it cast off wandering desires, let it purge its eyes that it may see that Fountain of true wisdom, that Source of eternal life Which flows and abounds with all things and is in want of nothing. For who hath given to Him, seeing that _of Him and through Him and to Him are all things_?

Sidenote: Ps. xvi. 2.

18. The Fountain of life then is that chief Good from Which the means of life are dispensed to all, but It hath life abiding in Itself. It receiveth from none as though It were in need, It confers good on others rather than borrows from others for Itself, for It hath no need of us. Thus in the person of man it is said, _my goods are nothing unto Thee_. What then can be more lovely than to approach to Him, to cleave to Him; what pleasure can be greater? He who has seen and tasted freely of the Fountain of living water, what else can he desire? what kingdoms? what powers? what riches? perceiving how miserable even in this world is the condition of kings, how mutable the state of empires, how short the space of this life, in what bondage sovereigns themselves must live, seeing that their life is according to the will of others, not their own.

Sidenote: S. Matt. xix. 26.