De superexcellenti baptismo Christi
1011DSanguine cognato, sanctitate domino, dilecto suo N., suus qualiscunque R., idem in uno unanimiter velle. Promissionis meae poenitentia ductus, pene malui falso promisisse quam vana scribere, eo quod super his quae a me vobis explanari postulastis, nil omnino sentire quod dictu quidem, necdum scriptu dignum judicarem, maxime tamen idcirco quod in his quae tenuiter sentio verborum inopia laboro. Sed quoniam parvulus Jesus in pannis latere non erubuit (Luc. II), tenuitatis meae pauperem sensum sub 1012Dverborum pannis transmittere minime puduit. Toties Maria parvulum suum pannis involvit, quoties mens casta veritatem quem vel tenuiter sentit verbis simplicibus exponit. Et forte, ni fallor, vaniloquium quam falsiloquium satius erit incurrere. Attendite itaque, obsecro, quis, cui loquatur, magis quam quid quo dicatur. Orationem itaque pro oratione non tam disertam quam devotam, non illam verborum varietate distinctam, sed lacrymarum imbre refertam deposco. Si quae tamen in his quae 1013Aa me exigitis melius ipsi sentitis, id a vobis jure retributionis exquiro. Sed nunc ad prophetae verba novitate plena, admiratione digna quae vobis reserati desideratis stylum converto. Illumina faciem tuam, etc. (Psal. CXVIII). Deus autem incrementum dat intus illuminando et sanctificando. Ecce quam magnus Joannes, quam magnus Paulus. Non tamen magna sed humilia de se sentiebant, quia illuminati erant ut se agnoscerent. Nos nihil sumus, et tamen magna de nobis aestimamus, quia caeci habentes albuginem in oculis: Qui misit me baptizare in aqua ille mihi dixit: Super quem videris, etc. (Joan. I) Spiritus sancti descensionem sicut et ipsius Filii missionem quidam simpliciores, minus sane intelligunt. Cum enim audient ab ipsa Veritate: Ego 1013Bexivi a Patre, et veni in mundum (Joan. XVI), sic intelligunt quasi prius fuerit in Patre, et non in mundo. Et cum a Patre exivit Patrem deservit, et a Patre recessit. Et cum in mundum venit, illuc venit ubi prius non fuit. Haec intelligentia prava, et ab omni corde fideli eliminanda. Hi enim Dei immensitatem non animadvertunt. Deus enim cum sit immensus, est in omnino loco, omnem locum replens. Ideoque non potest transire de loco ad locum, quasi unum locum deserens, et alium occupans. Nec solum est in omni loco quia est immensus, sed etiam ubique est totus, quia simplex. Haec est enim natura simplicitatis quod ubicunque est, ibi tota est. Cum ergo Deus sit immensus et simplex, consequens est quod ubique sit totus. Nec, cum dicitur 1013Cesse ubique totus, praedicatur habere partes, imo in hoc ipso habere negatur partes; quia, si partes haberet, totus ubique non esset. Nec, cum dicitur totus ubique, intelligendum est quasi omni creaturae secundum plenitudinem se infundat. Sed ubique est totus in seipso, id est ubicunque est se totum habet. Hoc de Patre, hoc de Filio, hoc de Spiritu sancto est intelligendum. Quid est ergo Filii missio nisi formae servilis susceptio? Et quid Spiritus sancti descensio, nisi quaedam symbolica ipsius praesentatio et mystica significatio? Non enim sic in columba descendens in se est motus qui semper in se immotus manet. Nec aliquo modo coepit esse in Domino quo prius non fuit in eo. Nobis non 1013Dhabentibus datur, et habentibus ut amplius habeatur. Domino quasi non habenti non est datus, nec habenti ut amplius eum haberet, cui in sua conceptione datus est secundum plenitudinem. Sicut enim Pater cum Filio erat majestate et in homine assumpto gratiae infusione, sic et Spiritus sanctus. Solus autem Filius in eo erat personali unione. Unde ipse solus non Pater, non Spiritus sanctus dicitur Emmanuel, id est nobiscum Deus. Spiritus sancti igitur descensio non est nisi mystica quaedam ipsius significatio. In hoc enim quod visibiliter tali specie super Dominum baptizatum se manifestavit, insinuavit quid in nobis invisibiliter fiat cum in Christo renascimur, sicut Filius non propter se quasi indigens aliquo remedio, sed ut nobis humilitatis 1014Apraeberet exemplum salutis conferret remedium, baptizatus est. Et ipse Pater sic intonuit: Hic est Filius meus dilectus, etc. (Matth. III), sic demonstrans nos ejus filios effici per virtutem tanti sacramenti.
Considerate quanta sit hujus sacramenti dignitas, quod ipse Filius sic commendavit illud suscipiendo, et Spiritus sanctus se praesentando, et Pater sic intonando per efficaciam ejus efficimur membra Christi, templum Spiritus sancti, et filii Dei. Insuper coeli, prius per culpam clausi, nobis aperiuntur; non sine magno mysterio Spiritus sanctus descendit, non in corvo, vel milvo, vel in alia specie, nisi in sola specie columbae. De columba scriptum est in Canticis canticorum: Una columba 1014Bmea, una matri suae (Cant. VI). Per columbam intelligitur Ecclesia. Ecclesia est corpus Christi; Spiritus sanctus est spiritus Christi. Convenienter ergo Spiritus sanctus in columba apparuit, et non in alia specie, quia spiritus Christi non est nisi in corpore Christi. Et solum corpus Christi vivit et spiritu Christi, sicut corpus meum solum vivit ex spiritu meo, et corpus tuum vivit ex spiritu tuo. In corpore Christi nil mortuum, extra nihil vivum invenitur. Ad cujus corporis unitatem nos invitat Apostolus, dicens: Solliciti estote servare veritatem spiritus in vinculo pacis (Ephes. IV). Unitatem vocat spiritus, illam unitatem quam facit spiritus in corpore Christi, quod est Ecclesia, cujus unitatis vinculum est pax ad quam unitatem nos 1014Cinvitat, dicens: Unum corpus, et unus spiritus (ibid.), quasi dicat: Ideo unitatem spiritus servare debemus quia sumus unum corpus, et unus spiritus. Unum corpus cum proximo, et unus spiritus cum Deo; unum corpus adinvicem subministrando, unus spiritus idem volendo. Unum corpus sumus multorum membrorum adunatione et unus spiritus habitat in nobis. Ideo et debemus servare unitatem spiritus, quia nobis est unus Dominus, et una fides, et unum baptisma. Non oportet nos dissentire pro diversitate dominorum, quia nobis est unus Dominus Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus sanctus. Qui enim diversos dominos habent, quandoque discordant pro eorum discordia. 1014DSunt etiam qui habent eumdem Dominum, sed non diu manet unus, sed fere singulis momentis mutatur, modo laetus, modo tristis, modo justus, modo injustus. Noster autem Dominus sicut unus est, sic et unus et idem semper perseverat. Et una fides, idem jubemur omnes credere, sicut et idem dicere. Non decet nos fideles in fidei confessione dissentire. Sit ergo pura et sincera fidei integritas in corde, sit pura et sincera fidei confessio in ore, quia corde creditur ad justitiam, ore autem fit confessio ad salutem. Si non possumus omnia credenda ad plenum intelligere, saltem illum usum et formam loquendi teneamus quas sancti Patres in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt, maxime cum sermo fit de Verbi incarnatione, vel de ipsius aeterna generatione. Veluti 1015Apueri prius erudiuntur ut sciant verba sana formare, deinde docendi sunt ut ea quae dicunt intelligant. Ecce quotidie audio in Ecclesia quod Christus est perfectus homo ex anima rationali et humana carne subsistens.
Et item quod ipse est ex substantia Patris ante saecula genitus. Contra hanc formam loquendi multi loquuntur, dicentes, quia Christus non est aliquid inquantum est homo, nec ex substantia Patris genitus, cum sancti in pluribus locis dicant quod divina essentia genuit divinam essentiam, et natura naturam, et substantia substantiam, sicut Deus Deum, et persona personam. Non est mirum si linguas habent leprosas quorum manus sunt leprosae. Quaedam enim lepra volatilis est, quae transit de membro 1015Bad membrum. Quid ergo mirum, si prave intelligunt qui male vivunt. Caeci et duces caecorum solidissimis sanctorum Patrum auctoritatibus humanae rationis argumenta, imo fragmenta praeferunt, quae omnia ad petram fidei ut baculus arundineus franguntur. Vera est sententia Veritatis quam protulit de fidei soliditate, quia Portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam (Matth. XVI). Et oves meae vocem meam audiunt, et alienum non sequuntur (Joan. X). Et illud Apostoli: Fundamentum fidei firmum stat, habens signaculum hoc: Novit Dominus qui sunt ejus (II Tim. II). Vos autem, fratres, oves Domini; filii columbae, filii matris Ecclesiae, membra Christi, quos ipsa unctio docet de omnibus, manete in unitate, quia nobis est 1015Cunus Dominus, una fides, unum baptisma, unus Deus, et pater omnium. Unum baptisma, id est ejusdem virtutis et efficaciae a quocunque detur, quia intus est qui interius operatur indifferenter, per differentes ministros. Multi gloriantur se habere Spiritum sanctum, cum tamen eum non habeant. Natura columbae nos docet agnoscere eos in quibus est Spiritus sanctus. Est enim columba, simplex, sine omni felle, non vivit rapina, gemit ex amore. In his ergo qui sunt simplices, sine totius malitiae felle, gementes ex amore, et dilatione futurae vitae habitat Spiritus sanctus. Et in his qui sunt concordes, et veram pacem et dilectionem inter se custodientes quam significant oscula columbarum. Hanc simplicitatis innocentiam Scriptura nobis commendat 1015Dper agnum, etiam et puerum. Unde ipse Dominus propter omnimodam innocentiam dictus est Agnus Dei (Joan. I). Et de ejus consimilibus dicit ad Petrum: Pasce agnos meos (Joan. XXI). Et dictum est pastor ovium, et fideles oves pascuae ejus (Joan. X). Et legis praeceptum est ut quotidie sacerdotes duos agnos offerrent, unum mane, et alterum in vespere (Exod. XXIX). In mane incipiunt homines operari. Ideo pro mane intelligitur principium actionis, sicut per vesperam datur intelligi finis. Quid est ergo duos agnos offerre nisi opera innocentiae incipere et ad finem perducere? hoc est sacrificium juge, quia semper Deus requirit a nobis innocentiae virtutem quae per puerum etiam significatur. Ut ibi: Ecce ego et pueri mei (Isai. VIII); et 1016Ain Evangelio: Sinite parvulos venire ad me, talium est enim regnum coelorum (Marc. X); et alibi: Nisi conversi fueritis, et efficiamini sicut parvulus iste, non intrabitis regnum coelorum (Matth. XVIII). Si ergo volumus esse de grege Domini simus agni. Si volumus intrare regnum coelorum simus parvuli, sed malitia, non sapientia. Si volumus ut Spiritus sanctus in nos descendat, et in nobis maneat, simus simplices sicut columbae. Insuper prudentes sicut serpentes, haec est praecipua serpentis prudentia ut caput suum observet. Et nos ergo omni custodia custodiamus caput nostrum in quo vita est nostra, videlicet Christi qui est Dei sapientia. In hoc capite oculos nostros semper fixos habeamus juxta illud: Oculi sapientis in capite suo (Eccle. II). Si quis oculos 1016Bsuos ab hoc capite evulserit, necesse est ut caecus fiat. Sed dicet aliquis hoc caput jam in coelo est, non indiget ut illud custodiam, hic audiat quid dicat Apostolus Christum habitare per fidem in cordibus nostris (Ephes. III): fides enim Christi in corde tuo, Christus est in corde tuo, hoc igitur caput illaesum et integrum custodiamus, quia in hoc capite est vita nostra, quoniam justus ex fide vivit; hoc caput, inquit, custodiamus sicut ille qui ait, fidem servavi quasi serpens prudens. Ne autem simplicitas nostra sit frigida, oportet nos esse ferventes spiritu. Unde Spiritus sanctus super apostolos apparuit in igne. Quoniam vero hic fervor spiritus non solum dicitur esse in corde, sed etiam in 1016Core ut peccantes arguamus, et frigidos inflammemus, ideo in linguis igneis se ostendit Spiritus almus. Sunt quidam qui alienum ignem portant in ore, qui sicut serpens mordent in occulto. Iste ignis non est coelestis, sed gehennalis; nec lucidus, sed caliginosus, quia qui male agit odit lucem. Ille qui misit me baptizare, etc. Joannes baptizabat in aqua solum sicut homo. Jesus in aqua et Spiritu sancto, sicut homo et Deus, baptizare in Spiritu est ab omni sorde peccati mundare, insuper gratias infundere. Prius enim Dominus Jesus baptizans in Spiritu effundit amaritudinem, post infundit dulcedinem, prius vasa cordium mundat, post mundata replet. Unde Apostolus: Christus dilexit Ecclesiam, et tradidit semetipsum pro ea ut eam sanctificaret, 1016Dmundans eam lavacro aquae in verbo vitae, ut exhiberet eam gloriosam, non habentem maculam aut rugam (Ephes. V).
Considerate ordinem et vim verborum. Dilexit, et tradidit. Magnae dilectionis magnum indicium. Quid ei contulit illa traditio? Audite. Ut prius eam mundaret ab omni contagione peccati, deinde eam sanctificaret donorum collatione, et tandem in futuro exhiberet eam sibi gloriosam, id est in animo et corpore rutilantem, et gemina stola decoratam non habentem maculam in carne, nec rugam in mente. Et hoc totum non ex operibus justitiae quae fecimus nos, sed secundum magnam misericordiam suam fecit per lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis Spiritus sancti quem effudit in nos abunde, id 1017Aest per lavacrum baptismatis per quod regeneramur in filios adoptionis qui prius eramus filii perditionis. Et per Spiritum sanctum in hoc sacramento nobis datum, deposita vetustate, quotidie renovamur in cognitione et amore Dei. Quem Spiritum effudit in nos abunde, id est ad omnium peccatorum remissionem et copiam virtutum. Per remissionem peccatorum eripimur de potestate tenebrarum, per copiam virtutum transferimur in regnum filii Dei, per remissionem peccatorum incipimus non esse quod fuimus, per copiam virtutum incipimus esse quod non fuimus. Intuemini una mecum supereminentem scientiae charitatem Christi, ex qua non solum homo fieri, sed etiam homo factus pro nobis mori voluit. Prius se dedit nobis, deinde se dedit 1017Bpro nobis. Nobis per incarnationem, pro nobis per passionem. Spiritum suum in corda nostra misit, Patris visionem promisit, potestatem qua filii Dei efficiamur contulit. Et talem dignitatem tribuit ut ipsum habeamus caput, et simus ejus membra, et haeredes vitae aeternae. Cum ergo sit omnipotens quid amplius nobis dare potuit? Non enim angelicae naturae collata est haec dignitas, ut a Verbo Dei in unitatem personae assumeretur. Tantae igitur gratiae referamus gratias quas possumus quia condignas non valemus. Non simus ingrati. Nemo sanguinem Christi, sanguinem Novi Testamenti, sanguinem quo sanctificatus est pollutum dicat. Nemo Spiritui sancto contumeliam faciat. Dico vobis quia multo 1017Cdeteriora meretur tormenta qui Filium Dei jam glorificatum, jam super omnem supercoelestium essentiarum dignitatem sublimatum, et in sede paternae majestatis locatum contempserit, quam Judaei qui eum adhuc mortalem crucifixerunt per ignorantiam meruerunt. Nos jam cognovimus veritatem, et ideo inexcusabiles erimus si tantam contempserimus salutem. Utraque via nobis annuntiata est, et illa quae ducit ad sinistram, et illa quae ducit ad dextram. Via lata et spatiosa quae ducit ad perditionem, 1018Aet via arcta quae ducit ad vitam. Via salutis arcta quidem est in principio, id est incipientibus quasi in janua, quia inchoatur a timore gehennae et vitiorum mortificatione quae non fit sine amaritudine, priusquam vero quis januam transierit jam in atriis Domini constituto occurret latitudo charitatis et suavitas internae dulcedinis, per quas ea quae prius videbantur amara fient jucunda. Tunc primum proferet gemitum columbae. Quis est gemitus columbae? Heu me, quia incolatus meus prolongatus est (Psal. CXIX)? et: Quando veniam, quando apparebo ante faciem Domini (Psal. XL)? et: Cupio dissolvi et esse cum Christo (Philip. I); et: Veni, Domine Jesu, veni ostende faciem tuam (Psal. LXXIX). Renuit consolari anima mea, memor fui Dei et delectatus 1018Bsum (Psal. LXXVI). Omnis enim anima Deo devota, et vulnerata charitate, et amore languida nihil invenit sub sole in quo consoletur. Sola memoria Dei eam delectat, cujus omne desiderium est ut sit ante Dominum. Corvus vero longe alium habet gemitum. Tunc enim gemit corvus cum ei desunt cadavera in quorum fetore immergat rostrum, tunc gemit corvus cum dicitur ei ut egrediatur de corpore. Tunc clamat, et dicit: Non hodie, sed cras; non hodie, sed cras. Columba non dicit cras, sed hodie, cum monetur exire de carcere. Videat ergo unusquisque quid diligat, et sic unde sit, et qualis sit, corvus an columba intelligat. Fratres, omne studium nostrum et tota animi intentio sit carnis 1018Cmorbidum affectum mortificare, et a concupiscentiis mundi animum avellere, et in amore aeternae vitae corda nostra accendere, quod fit assiduitate orandi, legendi et meditandi. Ad illam vitam in qua nemo moritur, nemo nascitur, nemo esurit, nemo sitit, nemo formidat inimicum, nemo prodit amicum, in qua est aeterna satietas, summa beatitudo. Ad quam nos perducere dignetur qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula. Amen.
On the Surpassingly Excellent Baptism of Christ
1011DTo one kindred in blood, a lord in sanctity, to his beloved N., his own R., such as he is: to will one and the same thing, with one accord, in the One. Led by repentance for my promise, I almost preferred to have promised falsely than to write empty things, for this reason: that concerning those matters which you asked to be explained to you by me, I judged that I perceived nothing at all worthy even to be spoken, still less to be written; but chiefly for this reason, that in those things which I feebly perceive I labor under a poverty of words. But since the little child Jesus did not blush to lie hidden in swaddling-clothes (Luc. II), I was not at all ashamed to convey the poor sense of my slenderness under 1012Dthe swaddling-clothes of words. As often as Mary wraps her little one in swaddling-clothes, so often does a chaste mind expound in simple words the truth which it perceives, even if feebly. And perhaps, if I mistake not, it will be more satisfactory to run into empty speech than into false speech. Attend, therefore, I beseech you, rather to who speaks, and to whom, than to what is said, or by what means. And so I ask for a prayer in return for a prayer, not so eloquent as devout, not distinguished by variety of words, but filled with a shower of tears. If, however, in those things which 1013Ayou require of me you yourself perceive anything better, this I demand of you by the right of recompense. But now I turn my pen to the words of the prophet, full of novelty, worthy of wonder, which you desire to be unlocked for you. Enlighten your face, etc. (Psal. CXVIII). But God gives the increase by enlightening and sanctifying within. Behold how great was John, how great was Paul. Yet they perceived not great but humble things of themselves, because they were enlightened so as to know themselves. We are nothing, and yet we esteem great things of ourselves, because we are blind, having a white film upon our eyes: He who sent me to baptize in water, he said to me: Upon whom you shall see, etc. (Joan. I) The descent of the Holy Spirit, as also the mission of the Son himself, certain simpler folk understand, soundly enough, but too little. For when they hear from Truth itself: I 1013Bwent forth from the Father, and came into the world (Joan. XVI), they so understand it as though he were first in the Father, and not in the world. And that when he went forth from the Father he forsook the Father, and withdrew from the Father. And that when he came into the world, he came thither where before he was not. This understanding is depraved, and to be banished from every faithful heart. For these do not consider the immensity of God. For God, since he is immense, is in every place, filling every place. And therefore he cannot pass from place to place, as though forsaking one place and occupying another. Nor is he only in every place because he is immense, but he is also everywhere whole, because he is simple. For this is the nature of simplicity: that wherever it is, there it is whole. Since, then, God is immense and simple, it follows that he is everywhere whole. Nor, when he is said 1013Cto be everywhere whole, is he predicated to have parts; nay, in this very thing he is denied to have parts; because, if he had parts, he would not be everywhere whole. Nor, when he is said to be whole everywhere, is it to be understood as though he infuses himself into every creature according to fullness. But he is everywhere whole in himself, that is, wherever he is, he has himself whole. This is to be understood of the Father, this of the Son, this of the Holy Spirit. What, then, is the mission of the Son but the assumption of the servile form? And what the descent of the Holy Spirit, but a certain symbolic presentation and mystical signification of him? For he, descending in the dove, is not thus in himself moved, who ever remains in himself unmoved. Nor did he in any way begin to be in the Lord in a manner in which before he was not in him. To us not 1013Dhaving it is given, and to those having it, that it may be had more fully. To the Lord, as not having it, it was not given, nor to him as having it, that he might have it more fully — to whom in his own conception it was given according to fullness. For as the Father was with the Son by majesty and, in the man assumed, by the infusion of grace, so also the Holy Spirit. But the Son alone was in him by personal union. Whence he alone — not the Father, not the Holy Spirit — is called Emmanuel, that is, God with us. The descent of the Holy Spirit, then, is nothing but a certain mystical signification of him. For in this, that he manifested himself visibly in such a form over the Lord when baptized, he intimated what is invisibly done in us when we are reborn in Christ; just as the Son was baptized, not for his own sake as though needing any remedy, but that he might furnish us 1014Aan example of humility and confer a remedy of salvation. And the Father himself so thundered: This is my beloved Son, etc. (Matth. III), so demonstrating that we are made his sons through the power of so great a sacrament.
Consider how great is the dignity of this sacrament, that the Son himself so commended it by receiving it, and the Holy Spirit by presenting himself, and the Father by so thundering; through its efficacy we are made members of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit, and sons of God. Moreover the heavens, before closed through fault, are opened to us; not without great mystery did the Holy Spirit descend, not in a raven, or a kite, or in another form, but in the form of a dove alone. Of the dove it is written in the Song of Songs: One is my dove, 1014Bone to her mother (Cant. VI). By the dove is understood the Church. The Church is the body of Christ; the Holy Spirit is the spirit of Christ. Fittingly, then, did the Holy Spirit appear in a dove, and not in another form, because the spirit of Christ is only in the body of Christ. And only the body of Christ lives also by the spirit of Christ, just as my body alone lives by my spirit, and your body lives by your spirit. In the body of Christ nothing dead, outside it nothing living, is found. To the unity of which body the Apostle invites us, saying: Be careful to keep the truth of the spirit in the bond of peace (Ephes. IV). He calls the unity "of the spirit," that unity which the spirit makes in the body of Christ, which is the Church, of which unity the bond is peace; to which unity he 1014Cinvites us, saying: One body, and one spirit (ibid.), as though he should say: Therefore we ought to keep the unity of the spirit because we are one body, and one spirit. One body with our neighbor, and one spirit with God; one body by ministering to one another, one spirit by willing the same thing. We are one body by the uniting of many members, and one spirit dwells in us. Therefore we also ought to keep the unity of the spirit, because to us there is one Lord, and one faith, and one baptism. It behooves us not to dissent through diversity of lords, because to us there is one Lord — the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For those who have diverse lords sometimes are at discord because of their discord. 1014DThere are also those who have the same lord, but he does not remain one for long, but is changed almost at every moment, now glad, now sad, now just, now unjust. But our Lord, as he is one, so also remains one and the same for ever. And one faith: we are all bidden to believe the same, as also to say the same. It does not become us, the faithful, to dissent in the confession of faith. Let there be, then, a pure and sincere integrity of faith in the heart, let there be a pure and sincere confession of faith in the mouth, because with the heart one believes unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. If we cannot fully understand all the things to be believed, let us at least hold that usage and form of speaking which the holy Fathers handed down to us in the Scriptures, especially when speech is made of the incarnation of the Word, or of his eternal generation. Just as 1015Achildren are first trained to know how to form sound words, and then are to be taught to understand the things that they say. Behold, daily I hear in the Church that Christ is a perfect man, subsisting of a rational soul and human flesh.
And likewise that he himself is, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the ages. Against this form of speaking many speak, saying that Christ is not anything in so far as he is man, nor begotten of the substance of the Father, whereas the saints in many places say that the divine essence begot the divine essence, and nature nature, and substance substance, as God God, and person person. It is no wonder if those whose hands are leprous have leprous tongues; for a certain leprosy is flying, which passes from member 1015Bto member. What wonder, then, if those who live wickedly understand perversely? Blind, and leaders of the blind, they prefer to the most solid authorities of the holy Fathers the arguments — nay, the fragments — of human reason, all of which are broken against the rock of faith like a reed staff. True is the sentence of Truth which he uttered concerning the solidity of faith, that The gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matth. XVI). And my sheep hear my voice, and do not follow a stranger (Joan. X). And that of the Apostle: The firm foundation of faith stands, having this seal: The Lord knows who are his (II Tim. II). But you, brethren, the sheep of the Lord; sons of the dove, sons of mother Church, members of Christ, whom the anointing itself teaches concerning all things, remain in unity, because to us there is 1015Cone Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and Father of all. One baptism, that is, of the same power and efficacy by whomsoever it be given, because he is within who works inwardly without difference, through different ministers. Many glory that they have the Holy Spirit, when nevertheless they do not have him. The nature of the dove teaches us to recognize those in whom the Holy Spirit is. For the dove is simple, without any gall, does not live by rapine, and moans out of love. In those, then, who are simple, without the gall of all malice, moaning out of love and out of the deferral of the future life, the Holy Spirit dwells. And in those who are of one accord, and keep true peace and love among themselves, which the kisses of doves signify. This innocence of simplicity Scripture commends to us 1015Dby the lamb, and also by the child. Whence the Lord himself, on account of his innocence in every way, was called the Lamb of God (Joan. I). And of those like him he says to Peter: Feed my lambs (Joan. XXI). And he was called shepherd of the sheep, and the faithful the sheep of his pasture (Joan. X). And it is a precept of the law that daily the priests should offer two lambs, one in the morning, and the other in the evening (Exod. XXIX). In the morning men begin to work. Therefore by the morning is understood the beginning of action, just as by the evening is given to be understood the end. What, then, is it to offer two lambs but to begin works of innocence and to bring them to their end? This is the perpetual sacrifice, because God ever requires of us the virtue of innocence, which is signified also by the child. As there: Behold, I and my children (Isai. VIII); and 1016Ain the Gospel: Suffer the little ones to come to me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven (Marc. X); and elsewhere: Unless you be converted, and become as this little child, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matth. XVIII). If, then, we wish to be of the flock of the Lord, let us be lambs. If we wish to enter the kingdom of heaven, let us be little ones — but in malice, not in wisdom. If we wish the Holy Spirit to descend upon us, and to remain in us, let us be simple as doves. Moreover prudent as serpents: this is the chief prudence of the serpent, that it guards its head. And we too, then, with all keeping let us keep our head, in which is our life, namely, of Christ, who is the wisdom of God. In this head let us always have our eyes fixed, according to that: The eyes of the wise man are in his head (Eccle. II). If anyone tears his eyes 1016Baway from this head, he must needs become blind. But someone will say: this head is now in heaven, it does not need that I keep it. Let him here hear what the Apostle says: that Christ dwells through faith in our hearts (Ephes. III): for the faith of Christ is in your heart, Christ is in your heart; therefore let us keep this head unharmed and whole, because in this head is our life, since the just man lives by faith; let us keep this head, he says, like him who said, "I have kept the faith," as a prudent serpent. But lest our simplicity be cold, it behooves us to be fervent in spirit. Whence the Holy Spirit appeared over the apostles in fire. But because this fervor of spirit is said to be not only in the heart, but also in 1016Cthe mouth — that we may reprove sinners, and inflame the lukewarm — therefore the gracious Spirit showed himself in fiery tongues. There are certain men who carry an alien fire in the mouth, who like a serpent bite in secret. This fire is not heavenly, but of Gehenna; not bright, but murky, because he who does evil hates the light. He who sent me to baptize, etc. John baptized in water only, as a man. Jesus in water and the Holy Spirit, as man and God: to baptize in the Spirit is to cleanse from all filth of sin, and moreover to infuse graces. For the Lord Jesus, baptizing in the Spirit, first pours out bitterness, afterward infuses sweetness; first cleanses the vessels of hearts, afterward fills them cleansed. Whence the Apostle: Christ loved the Church, and delivered himself up for her that he might sanctify her, 1016Dcleansing her by the laver of water in the word of life, that he might present her glorious, having neither spot nor wrinkle (Ephes. V).
Consider the order and the force of the words. He loved, and he delivered up. A great token of great love. What did that delivering-up confer upon her? Hear. That first he might cleanse her from all contagion of sin, then sanctify her by the bestowal of gifts, and at last, in the world to come, present her to himself glorious — that is, shining in soul and body, and adorned with a twofold robe, having neither spot in the flesh nor wrinkle in the mind. And all this he did not from the works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his great mercy, through the laver of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out upon us abundantly, that 1017Ais, through the laver of baptism, by which we are regenerated into sons of adoption, we who before were sons of perdition. And through the Holy Spirit given to us in this sacrament, our oldness laid aside, we are daily renewed in the knowledge and love of God. Which Spirit he poured out upon us abundantly, that is, unto the remission of all sins and an abundance of virtues. Through the remission of sins we are snatched from the power of darkness; through the abundance of virtues we are translated into the kingdom of the Son of God; through the remission of sins we begin not to be what we were; through the abundance of virtues we begin to be what we were not. Behold with me the charity of Christ that surpasses knowledge, out of which he willed not only to become man, but also, made man, to die for us. First he gave himself to us, then he gave himself 1017Bfor us. To us through the incarnation, for us through the passion. He sent his Spirit into our hearts, he promised the vision of the Father, he conferred the power whereby we are made sons of God. And he bestowed such dignity that we have him as head, and are his members, and heirs of eternal life. Since, then, he is omnipotent, what more could he give us? For not to the angelic nature was this dignity conferred, that it should be assumed by the Word of God into unity of person. For so great a grace, then, let us render such thanks as we can, since we are not able to render worthy ones. Let us not be ungrateful. Let no one call the blood of Christ, the blood of the New Testament, the blood by which he was sanctified, a polluted thing. Let no one do insult to the Holy Spirit. I say to you that he deserves much 1017Cworse torments who has despised the Son of God — now glorified, now exalted above every dignity of the supercelestial essences, and placed on the seat of the Father's majesty — than the Jews deserved who crucified him, still mortal, through ignorance. We have now known the truth, and therefore we shall be inexcusable if we despise so great a salvation. Both ways have been announced to us, both that which leads to the left, and that which leads to the right. The broad and spacious way which leads to perdition, 1018Aand the narrow way which leads to life. The way of salvation is indeed narrow at the beginning, that is, for beginners, as at a doorway, because it is begun from the fear of Gehenna and the mortification of vices, which does not come about without bitterness; but before one has passed the doorway, to him now established in the courts of the Lord there will meet the breadth of charity and the sweetness of inner delight, through which the things that before seemed bitter will become pleasant. Then first will he utter the moan of the dove. What is the moan of the dove? Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged (Psal. CXIX)? and: When shall I come, when shall I appear before the face of the Lord (Psal. XL)? and: I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ (Philip. I); and: Come, Lord Jesus, come, show your face (Psal. LXXIX). My soul refused to be comforted; I remembered God, and was delighted 1018B(Psal. LXXVI). For every soul devoted to God, and wounded by charity, and languishing with love, finds nothing under the sun in which to be comforted. The memory of God alone delights it, whose every desire is to be before the Lord. But the raven has a far different moan. For the raven moans when carcasses are lacking to it, in whose stench to plunge its beak; the raven moans when it is told to go forth from the body. Then it cries out, and says: Not today, but tomorrow; not today, but tomorrow. The dove does not say tomorrow, but today, when it is admonished to go out of the prison. Let each one, then, see what he loves, and thus understand whence he is, and of what sort — whether a raven or a dove. Brethren, let our whole endeavor and the entire intention of our mind be to mortify the diseased affection of the flesh, 1018Cand to tear the mind away from the concupiscences of the world, and to kindle our hearts in the love of eternal life — which is done by assiduity in praying, reading, and meditating. Unto that life in which no one dies, no one is born, no one hungers, no one thirsts, no one dreads an enemy, no one betrays a friend; in which is eternal satiety, the highest beatitude. To which may he deign to lead us who is over all, God blessed unto the ages. Amen.