Letter 40: To the holy brothers Aper and Amanda — Meropius Paulinus and Therasia send greetings in God and Christ.

40. MEROPIUS PAULINUS AND THERASIA, TO THE HOLY BROTHERS SANCTUS AND AMANDUS, GREETING IN GOD CHRIST. There is a time, and there is a time for everything under heaven; for above heaven there is no time, since eternity has no time -- eternity which the Creator has given in heaven even to His creatures, He who alone possesses His own proper eternity and dwells in light inaccessible. For true eternity exists nowhere except in Him, who alone is what He is, just as He Himself says: I am who I am. But other things have no existence except in Him. There is therefore under heaven a time for everything. A time for leisure, a time for business, a time for silences and a time for conversations, a time for hungering and a time for feasting -- as up till now we have had a time of fasting from your discourses, and now a time has arisen for us to be fed by those same things. For you have fed us with your letters, sweet with the word of God and anointed with the oil of gladness, with which we gladly anoint our head, since in you there is no false work of the olive, in whom there dwells charity from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned. But because no one who hungers greatly can be satisfied with a single loaf, we confess that we are not yet filled, but rather are stirred up to a desire for your letters by this single epistle of yours, which we reckon as one, because such a letter as could fill our soul, as it were, with marrow and fatness, we have so far received only once. Yet even though among our exchanges there have been alternations of the seasons, so that there is a time to keep silence and a time to speak, it has not likewise been so with the time of loving and of neglecting. For long ago, as without doubt you recognize, holy brother, I began to love you; and I loved you continually, although not with that love which is of Christ, but with that friendship of human familiarity, which has flatteries on the lips and has no root in the heart, because it is not founded upon the rock which is not built upon Christ. Whence at times, agitated by whatever wind of slackness, it is dissolved, and holding a brief flower by temporal favor, it quickly dries up like the grass and falls swiftly like the flower of the field; but the charity of the Lord remains forever, by which we have been bound to one another both for living together and for dying together, because the charity of Christ is strong as death. For just as the law of death is unbroken, so also the chain of charity attests that the force of charity and of death is equal. For just as the prophet says: What man is he that shall live and not see death? so also the apostle cries out: Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ? Wherefore to you, blessed one, a more abundant fruit will come from it, you who, first wounded by the darts of this charity, anticipated us in the blessing of sweetness through the eloquence of your letters, chaste and faithful, in which your tongue distilled honey and milk from the word of the Lord. Now I had indeed written even before to your unanimity, and when I had received your brief letter from you in return for the one I myself had sent, as though the debt of duty had been discharged, I had again given myself up to a lengthy silence. But, with Christ keeping watch more keenly in your mind, you flowered first again in wisdom, to rouse up in us the observance of charity, lest it should fall asleep into the death of forgetfulness; and because my inhumanity had abounded toward you, your humanity has superabounded toward me. For you have multiplied your enriching of me with the affection and service of your love, in that you took to yourself the Lord's blessed servant, the brother Amandus, the companion of our visitation, and set him by us as a sturdy patron. For we trust that, just as he has been made a partner with you in writing to us, so also he may be a colleague in praying for us. And indeed spiritual brotherhood demands this, that just as the spirit is one for you in the faith and confession of Christ, so let there be one love and one labor in tending to your neighbors. Whence you will reap together a generous common reward from the supreme Recompenser, exalted upon His towers, because a brother helping a brother shall be exalted -- provided only that you always remember to pray and sigh for us, and that for the rest you beware of burdening us with words that bless, lest you perhaps procure a stumbling block for yourselves, if you call sweet what is bitter. For you have read that praise befits the upright who are truly holy, but not sinners set in the gall of bitterness and bound still by no slender bond of iniquity, so that affliction and unhappiness cannot be present in our ways. Yet even so contrition ought to dwell in our minds, because a heart bruised and humbled God does not despise. And who will give us a heart of flesh, so that, the hardness of our senses being softened, we may feel the arrows of the Lord piercing our flesh with holy fear, and, the pain of our wounds being roused, we may weep before the Lord who made us? Let Jeremiah lend us that fountain of tears with which he lamented his day and his people; let David too pour over us the rivers of his eyes, with which he watered his bed, and washed not only the cheeks of his face but his whole bodily couch with overflowing tears. For our iniquities have gone over our head, and have been multiplied above the hairs of our head, because more works of iniquity than of justice are reckoned in us; and therefore our scars have rotted and grown worse before the face of our foolishness, and our bones have grown old, because we kept silent toward God; and adding iniquity upon iniquity, when we had set our eyes to bend down to the earth, slowly and with difficulty we lifted them to the mountains of God, whence help came to us from the Lord, who alone is able to heal all our infirmities and to rescue us from the body of this death, because, bound through Adam, we are loosed through Christ -- if only we so bear the image of the heavenly man as we have borne that of the earthly, that is, if we serve justice and truth as faithfully for our salvation as we diligently served injustice and inhumanity for death. For the apostle demands of us what is human; as we have presented our members to serve iniquity unto destruction and confusion, so let us present those same members to serve justice unto life and glory. For with ourselves we have the fruit of those works of which we are now ashamed. But thanks be to the wisdom of God, to Christ God, who, remaining in Himself, makes all things new and orders all things sweetly, so that there is a time for all things: a time for killing, a time for healing, a time for laughing and a time for weeping, a time for building and a time for destroying. Let there now pass away from us, I pray, the time for killing, destroying, laughing, and at last let the time come for healing, building, weeping. For behold, now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation. The night has gone before, but the day has drawn near. Let us cast off the works of darkness and lay hold of the arms of light, that we may walk as sons of the day in the light, since behold our enemies have prepared their arrows in the quiver, that they may shoot in the dark. For they will not be able to shoot at those set in the light, before they strike, since they can be foreseen and easily avoided by those who take precautions. But it is possible, in this very same work, for the reckoning of both times to be joined together, so that those times distinguished above may work together in us. For both in that by which we are made alive we are killed, and in that by which we are killed we are made alive, through Him who said: I will kill and I will make to live. For unless Christ kills us, we shall not live; of whom it is written: The Lord mortifies and makes alive, because unless He destroys our sins, He will not give life to our souls. Therefore to Him the prophet says: I rose up, and I am still with You -- if You should kill, O God, the sinner. We shall rise up, emerging from the mire of the dregs and from the shadow of death, and we shall remain to be with Him, if He kills the sinner in us and creates the just man, because the cup of our frailty is in the hand of the Lord, in which He humbles this one and exalts that one. For unless the outer man be humbled, the inner is not exalted. And so the times of killing and of healing, or of destroying and of building, come together into one work, when the life of sin is destroyed in us, that the life of justice may be built up. For neither can the newness be built up unless the oldness is destroyed, nor can we love Christ unless we begin to hate mammon. But neither shall we be able to rejoice in that world, unless in this one we mourn, because they that sow in tears shall reap in joy. There befits us therefore now that prayer from the Psalms of the anxious and mourning poor man, since our days have already almost failed like smoke, and yet our malice has not failed. For behold, He has made our days old, prolonged in the course of life, nor does old age sprinkle the head with white but pours it over us, and we still are passing the infancy of the spiritual age, creeping with its first efforts, occupied with little senses, and scarcely just now beginning to speak in the word of God, as though with first voices, the soul wailing, we loosen our mute and uncultivated tongue to the holy letters; and we who once were talkative in the letters of human tales, now stammer in the eloquence of truth -- wise in foolishness and foolish in wisdom, robust in vices and still tender in virtues, raw recruits with our will scarcely being born to justice, and veterans with our age consumed in sins. For for some time, as you, holy blessed brother, know, we have grown old in this world in our wallowing among our enemies, and would that we had grown old to our enemies, so that for us now at leisure the life of the spacious journey might fail, and our youth be renewed in Christ like the eagle's, that we might be stripped of the old age of the old man, putting on that new man who was created according to God. But we who cannot yet even be like the pelican of the wilderness, when shall it come about that we are made like the night-raven in its dwelling? When shall we be roused into that vigor of the lofty mind, so that, birds in spiritual eagerness and perfected upon the steep summit of the virtues, we may be able to say: I have kept watch, and have become like a sparrow alone upon the housetop? Let us see in this place, if it please you, into what meaning and in what order the prophetic discourse arranges these kinds of birds, under the person of the anxious poor man, that is, of the penitent, reduced by some lapse to a poverty of hope. You will bear, I suppose, the loquacity of my foolishness, which you have provoked to the contempt of yourselves. For I received from a certain holy man, most learned and most dear to me, who came to know many things not only by reading but also by traveling, that the pelican is a bird common in Egypt or those parts nearby, that it wanders about the deserts close to the river Nile, feeds on serpents which it strikes down in combat; therefore it fights to conquer, and the conquered serpent dies; but the victor both escapes death and obtains nourishment. But as for what is written, nycticorax, he asserted that it was more truly nycticora; and he seemed to show this by a probable reasoning, since he said that the bird placed in this passage was the one we call the night-owl [noctua], because it exercises its song and flight by night in secret, and is given light in the obscurity of the darkness by which nearly all animals are blinded; whence it is more fitly called nycticora than nycticorax, because nycticorax is interpreted night-raven, but nycticora means seeing-by-night, in that the pupil of the eye is called kore by the Greeks. But it is clear that the night-owl has nothing in common with the raven. Furthermore it is evident that it, as I said, like certain other birds of the night, sees better in the darkness and is blind in the light, suffers the night by day, and usurps the light by night. Now therefore, my blessed ones, see how this bird agrees with the sorrowful poor man, that is, the penitent, made poor of the riches of grace and, with a mind conscious of its wretched lapses, mourning the losses of its glory and laboring in a wretched affliction in its groaning, and striving to receive again the life of the soul from the destruction of its own flesh, and through the expenditures of prayers and the supports of groanings seeking the ambitious remedies of tears for its wounded salvation. How aptly is such a poor sinner called an Egyptian or nocturnal bird! For indeed, in that, to weep over and confess his sins, he sorrowfully shuts himself away in secret from the common assembly of the church within the prison-house of his little cell, and removes himself far off, fleeing from this world, so that he may remain in the solitude of lamentation and there contend against the desires of his flesh and fight in spiritual combat to wear down his sins, surely both in dwelling-place and in battle alike he is made like the pelican of the wilderness, and he imitates that bird hostile to serpents, fighting to wage war against the devil himself and the princes of darkness in subduing the sins and thoughts of the flesh. And if in that contest he overcomes, he will live as the survivor of his enemies; he seeks food for himself from his victory, because the victor over sin and the devil acquires the reward of life -- the devil, whom we experience, with all the army of spiritual wickedness, creeping by various arts unto our ruin through the daily perils of our inner self. But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through Christ our Lord, so that we may walk upon the asp and the basilisk, and trample the lion and the dragon. Therefore against arts of this kind, who are the princes of darkness, that is, the men powerful in sins, whom the apostle calls darkness, with whom we have an emulous contention for our salvation -- pray that, while we act in the desert of this world, we may lift up these serpents after the example of that solitary bird. And when they have been crushed and devoured through victory, then, as though the cloud of darkness were dispersed, our inner self will be illumined, and then it will become as a nycticora in its dwelling, that is, in the house of the Lord, so that amid the darkness of this world it may direct the sharp gaze of a purified mind, and may be able, according to the prophet, with eyes so enlightened, to say: For the darkness shall not be darkened from me, and the night shall be illumined like the day. And this indeed comes to pass when both substances in man agree together, so that even the flesh, denying its earthly nature, may pass over by spiritual affection to concord with the soul; and then the night shall be illumined like the day, when the flesh too, like the soul, is made spiritual. But if through your prayers it be granted that, both in wearing down the viperous enemy, we may emulate the pelican of the wilderness, and with the eyes of the nycticora discern amid the obscurities of this world, then, at the consummation, our feet being set upon the heights of perfect virtue, placed there by keeping watch in prayers and meditating in the law of the Lord, we shall be made like the lone sparrow upon the housetop, and, with body and spirit agreeing in the will of God, we shall rightly say: I am alone, until I pass over. And who is this sparrow, in whom is the form of the perfect, but that sparrow who has found a home for himself and, with the turtledove, has made himself a nest -- Your altars, O Lord of hosts? Perhaps this is the sparrow of those two, of whom one does not fall upon the earth without the will of the Father. For this highest sparrow fell in the body, but also rose again. And he fell by the assent of his will, made obedient to the Father unto the death of the cross. This sparrow is that wisdom which shows herself cheerfully to those who seek her in the ways, now meets them in the gates, now runs to them in the streets, now from the walls or towers on high calls her lovers to herself and invites them into the heights of her dwellings, that she may fulfill her word, because, being lifted up, He draws all things to Himself. Who will give us the wings of a dove silvered over, so that through the chaste eloquence of the Lord, like silver tried in the fire, we may fly winged to the prize of the supernal calling, following that lone sparrow, who is the only Son of God, soaring above, because He dwells on high and looks upon lowly things, and who descended into the lower parts of the earth -- He it is also who ascended above all the heavens, leading captivity captive, that He might fill all things? If we be able to follow this sparrow by direct imitation, walking in those same footsteps in which the beautiful feet of those who preach the gospel have entered, then, established on high, we shall be able to say: I have kept watch, and have become like the lone sparrow upon the housetop. Yet let us, even when carried up on high, remember that word of the Lord, that he who is on the roof should not return into his house to take up his vessels, that is, lest we run back to our very selves and seek again the carnal works as though vessels left behind in the lower regions. For no one, He says, putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. But even if we are upon the housetop, that is, if we have flown up above the earthly nature, not consenting to the flesh, let us fear, after the example of the birds, to fly back down to lowly things. For it is written that not without cause are nets stretched out for birds. And we know that thus the fowlers, lying in wait for the simplicity of the birds, set their snares on the ground; and most often by scattered bait, or by blind decoys, they bring down the birds by deceit, and entangle the credulous ones in snares hidden by deceitful turf. But let us, armed by faith and enlightened by truth against those who solicit us by like art through the enticements of this world held out as bait by the fowlers of spiritual wickedness, say: In the Lord I trust; how do you say to my soul: Migrate to the mountain like a sparrow? Depart from me, all you who work iniquity. Therefore let us pray to the Lord, who enlightens every man coming into this world. I think every man is said, because no one is a man unless he acknowledges God and unless he has rather deserved to be acknowledged by God. Those who do not acknowledge Him have been compared to the beasts and have been made like them. Let us therefore, by His great mercy, justified from the impious through faith and not from works, hasten on in the fragrance of His ointments, that from His name we may draw the fragrance of life and be made the good fragrance of Christ unto God, given to drink, as it is written, of the wine of ointments from the cup of salvation, in which He Himself, like a perfumer, as it is written in Ecclesiasticus, mingles ointments of sweetnesses, dividing His gifts to each as He wills, that all things may be fulfilled in all, and that He may make manifest in us the fragrance of His knowledge, because His name is an ointment poured out. And that this name may be invoked over us always and named in us, let our conversation be in heaven. For thus we shall be made like the lone sparrow upon the housetop, if we do not savor or seek the things that are on earth, but the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of the Father, with innumerable eyes the beholder of our deeds and the spectator of this contest, in which, walking in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against invisible enemies and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places -- not that the wicked spirits act in the heavenly places, but that they oppose those who live in heavenly conversation. Let us therefore put on the arms of light; in our God let us pass over that wall separating us from God, and let us not, on account of our carnal weakness, fear the adversary, violent in his spiritual nature, because virtue is perfected in weakness, and a man is mighty not by his own strength, but the Lord makes his adversary weak -- the adversary whom the Lord of hosts Himself, the King of glory, confounds for us by such a kind of contest, that it was not the divine power but human weakness that overcame him on the cross of Christ. Let us therefore follow the triumphant Jesus, and let His truth surround us with the shield of faith, that we may not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow flying by day. A thousand shall fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand -- not by our own strength but by Christ's, whose is the fight by which we fight, and whose the crown by which we conquer, because we are members of His body, if only we mortify our members upon the earth, that they may become arms of justice, girt with which we may furnish both to Christ and to His angels and to ourselves a joyful spectacle of our contest, and, flying out from the snare of the hunters, may sing with chattering thanksgiving: Our soul, like a sparrow, has been snatched from the snare of the hunters; the snare is broken, and we are set free, because our help is in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, in which we must be saved. In this name, triumphing, let us confess to the Lord His mercies, and let us glory in His praise, not in our own. For, as the prophet says, if there is any good in us, it is from Him, and if there is anything best, it is His: for He made us, and not we ourselves. And therefore He says: But what have you, O man, that you have not received? But if you have received, why do you glory as though you had not received? In which He admonishes that he who glories should glory in the Lord; whence our straits become light for us when we seem to be praised; for we are conscious of nothing in ourselves of our own good, so that the one who praises us, as it were, may press hard upon the shame of those who acknowledge it, because we recognize that not we ourselves but the gifts and works of the divine goodness are being proclaimed; for if any good is seen or believed to be in us, it is His who alone is good, and of whose fullness we all receive, and according to the capacity of our merit or faith we are besprinkled. For the dew which is from Him is health to us, and we rejoice in His droppings. Therefore even this error, by which you praise us, will be harmless to you. Moreover so pious a faith heaps up for you a copious reward, because, in order that you may esteem us, who are iniquitous in our own mind and depraved from the perverse generation of this world, to have been made good, you believe in the Lord almighty, who is able to justify the impious and to make the dead alive, and to enlighten the darkness, and to make scarlet white. Wherefore pray with solicitude, that we may receive a heart worthy of so great a work or gift of God, and that we who have received the contempt of our patrimony may receive also the contempt of ourselves; for we walk a narrow way and, as it were, doubtful upon a hanging rope, and unless we fix the steps of our mind by a sure balancing, so as not to turn aside to right or left, the enemy will easily drive us into ruin on this side or that. Therefore wisdom sings to us in Solomon: Do not turn away from the Lord, lest you fall. For the Lord Jesus Himself is the way, the truth, the life, who says: With all watchfulness guard your heart, because through the very ways of the virtues we can slip down into vices, and unless, as I said, directing the movements of the mind by a sure poise, we balance them, from humility itself we shall conceive pride, and the appearance of piety will vanish, if through the praise of poverty a puffing-up creeps in. And what will it profit to have lacked riches, if we remain rich in vices? Whence we ask that you do not flatter us out of that word of the Lord, as though we had done it: Sell what you possess -- because greater is that which remains: And come, follow me. But it is easy to see how great it is to follow Christ, that man may imitate God. But you also know this, that God has spoken once, these two things I have heard; for this discourse too, like almost all divine Scripture, lies open in two directions: Go and sell all that is yours. For we possess not only money and lands, external goods, but also the inner riches of our soul, which are truly our substance. To sell this, that is, to alienate it from ourselves, is a victory the greater the higher the difficulty, since it is harder to separate the inborn than the added, and to tear away what is fixed within than to cast off what is fastened on outside. For he changes and overcomes himself who renounces his own habits and abdicates himself from himself, that he may fulfill that most powerful word of God: He who shall lose his soul for my sake shall find it. Recalling these things of the Lord, let us pour out our soul to Him, and He will nourish us and will cherish our life hidden in Himself, and will reveal Himself with glory, if only we pray for this same soul at the opportune time, that is, now in this world. For in hell who shall confess to Him? Here let us die to sins, that we may not there live in punishments. For the death which is called second is nothing else than a life of punishments. Let us therefore beware of the lower hell, where Gehenna will torment body and soul forever, while the soul of the sinner is dying, his sense remaining and the matter of his corruption enduring. For the dead also, as it is written, shall rise incorruptible -- not by the immortality of glory but of punishment. Unhappy man that I am, who shall free me from the body of this death? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, who has broken the iron bars and humbled the accuser, that He might exalt me from the gates of death and that I might recount His marvels in the gates of the daughter of Sion. May the Lord bless you from Sion, and may you see the good things that are of Jerusalem, and may you pray for us all the days of your life, that our portion may be in common in the land of the living.

XXXX. MEROPIVS PAVLINVS ET THERASIA SANCTO ET AMANDO FRATRIBVS IN DEO CHRISTO SALVTEM. Omnibus tempus et tempus omni rei sub caelo; super caelum enim non est tempus, quia non habet tempus aeternitas, quam in caelo etiam creaturis creator dedit, qui solus habet aeternitatem propriam et lucem habitat inaccessibilem. uera enim aeternitas nisi in ipso non est, qui solus quod est est, sicut ipse dicit: ego sum qui sum. cetera uero nisi in ipso non sunt. tempus ergo sub caelo omni rei. tempus otio, tempus negotio, tempus silentiis et tempus alloquiis, tempus esuriendi et tempus epulandi, ut nobis hactenus fuit tempus ieiunandi a sermonibus uestris et nunc isdem cibari tempus exortum est. pauistis enim nos litteris uestris uerbo dei dulcibus et oleo laetitiae delibutis, quo libenter ungimus caput nostrum, quia non est in uobis mendax opus oliuae, in quibus habitat caritas de corde puro et bona conscientia et fide non ficta. sed quia nemo qui multum esurit potest uno pane satiari, fatemur nos necdum expletos, sed potius incitatos ad desiderium litterarum uestrarum una ista epistola uestra, quam unam conputamus, quia talem a nobis, qua 4] Eccl. 3,17. 15] (Matth. 6, 17). 16] (Habac. 3,17). 17] I Tim. 1, 5. FLMPUpirx- — incipit epistola s paulini epi ad scm et amadu L, epistola sci paulini ad sanctum et amandum • VIIII • M, epistola sancti paulini episcopi ad sanctum et amandum presbiteros, ubi de kritate et penitentia: et de quinque sensuum cura habenda per maxima pulcre et perlonga disputatione proloquitur scripturarum testimoniis condecenter superaductis U (sancti paulini nolae episcopi epia ex codice antiquo manuscripto transcripta est Nolae iuuento nec adhuc quod sciatur typis impressa fil) 2 thesarsia U amando et fi sanctis fratribus FLPUfir 3 domino β 6 in celis M 7 et lueem-l . 10 non sunt em. Metcod. Cluniac., om. cet . 9 dixit cod. Cluniac . 12 exuriendi Pl et infra 18 13 et] sic M hisdem LMr 14 nos om. FPUfil 15 delibut (18 "...9) F inumimus Rosw . 16 nobis 1 18 fidei FPU 19 nos om. U 20 ista] illa Lebrun epistula r X sicut adipe et pinguedine repleatur anima nostra, adhuc semel accepimus. Verumtamen etsi inter officia nostra uicissitudines temporum fuerint, ut tempus tacendi et tempus loquendi, non ita etiam diligendi ac neglegendi tempus fuit. dudum enim, ut procul dubio recognoscis, Sancte frater, diligere coepi te; et dilexi iugiter, quamquam non ista dilectione quae Christi est, sed illa familiaritatis humanae amicitia, quae blandimenta in labiis habet et radicem in cordibus non habet, quia non est fundata super petram quae non aedificatur in Christo. unde quolibet interdum uento lenitatis agitata dissoluitur et temporali gratia breuem florem tenens sicut fenum uelociter arescit et sicut flos agri cito decidit; caritas uero domini manet in aeternum, qua inuicem nexi sumus et ad conuiuendum et ad commoriendum, quia fortis ut mors caritas Christi. sicut enim lex mortis inrupta, ita et caritatis catena parem uim caritatis et mortis esse testatur. nam sicut propheta dicit: quis est homo qui uiuet et non uidebit mortem? ita et apostolus clamat: quis nos separabit a caritate Christi? quamobrem tibi, benedicte, fructus uberior ex ea ueniet, qui prior huius caritatis spiculis uulneratus praeuenisti nos in benedictione dulcedinis per eloquia litterarum tuarum casta et fidelia, in quibus a uerbo domini mel et lac distillauit lingua tua. Scripseram uero et prius unanimitati tuae et cum a te epistolam tuam breuem pro ea, quam ipse miseram, 1] Ps. 62, 6. 4] Eccl. 3, 7. 12] Ps. 36,2. 128,6 15] Cant. 8, 6. 18] Ps. 88, 49. 19] Rom. 8, 35. 22] Ps. 20, 4. 24] (Cant. 4, 11). 7 iugiter X s. l . tn. 2 10 petratam x1 13 et] et euanuit /3 domini uero M 14 quia FPUfii-x connexi M et eras. L 15 et ad commoriendum exh. L, om. cet. et Ohiffl. sed r m. 2 ante et ad conuiuendum imeruit 16 caritas FU, charitas /5X post catena p in mg. add.: cantica 17 parem] aliquid deesse suspic. Sacch . testatur testantur sed testantur tł in mg . prepheta U -18 uiuet M, uiuit cet . 19 seperabit U, separauit "IX 20 quapropter tibi huius karitatis fructus M benedicite r 21 ex ea om. M prior huius caritatis spiculis] eadem M 22 benedictionibus M 23 et] ac FPU 24 destillauit rl 26 pro ea M s. I., om. cet . miseras FU, misseras P recepissem, tamquam persoluto officii debito iterum me diuturnae taciturnitati refuderam. sed acrius uigilante Christo apud mentem tuam prior refloruisti sapere ad excitandam in nobis obseruantiam caritatis, ne obdormiret in mortem obliuionis, et quia abundauerat tibi inhumanitas mea, superabundauit mihi humanitas tua. multiplicasti enim locupletare me affectu et officio dilectionis tuae, quo benedictum domini puerum fratrem Amandum uisitationis nostrae socium adsumpsisti tibi et nobis ualidum adposuisti patronum. confidimus enim, quia, sicut scribendi ad nos particeps tibi factus est, ita etiam orandi pro nobis collega sit. et quidem germanitas spiritalis ita postulat, ut sicut spiritus uobis unus in fide et confessione Christi est, ita sit amor et labor unus in proximis adserendis. unde communem largiter a summo retributore mercedem metetis exaltati in turribus eius, quia frater fratrem adiuuans exaltabitur, si tamen semper orare tantum et suspirare pro nobis memineritis et de cetero caueatis onerare nos uerbis beatificantibus, ne et uobis forsitan offendiculum conparetis, si dicatis dulce quod amarum est. legistis etenim quia rectos uere sanctos decet conlaudatio, non uero peccatores M in felle amaritudinis positos et adhuc non tam tenui nexu iniquitatis adstrictos, ut contritio et infelicitas in uiis nostris adesse non possit. Verumtamen sic quoque mentibus nostris debet inesse contritio, quia cor contribulatum et humiliatum deus non spernit. et quis nobis dabit cor carneum, ut emollita 15] Prou. 18, 19. 19] Es. 5, 20. Ps. 32, 1. 21] (Act. 8, 23). 22] (Ps. 13, 3). 25] Ps. 50, 19. 26] (Ezech. 36, 26). 3 exercitandam FPUfH . 9 ualidum fil, ualidum salutis cet . 11 spiritualis M 12 uobis spiritus in 13 sustinendis (af asserendis in mg. m. 2) M 14 largiter om. FPU, post mercedem exh. M 16 tantum om. Cluniac . 18 et] ut U forsitam /3r comparetur U 19 enT M 20 non Mx, nos cet., non nos fort . uero om. M 21 positos et ex posito r m. 2, positi FPU et LM, sed cet., sed et Rosw . 22 astrictos FLPUfil, obstrictos M- adesse] deesse M 23 non] iam M RoStO . possint FPU 24 sic quoque om. FPU sic debet FPU \'esse P 25 contritum FPU 26 spernit] despiciet FPU dabit nobis FPU sensus nostri duritia sentiamus sagittas domini configentes timore sancto carnes nostras et excitato uulnerum nostrorum dolore ploremus ante dominum qui fecit nos? commodet nobis Hieremias illum fontem lacrimarum, quo diem suum et populum lamentatus est; superfundat nobis et Dauid flumina oculorum suorum, quibus rigabat lectum suum, neque tantum genas uultus sui sed et totum corporis stratum lacrimis exundantibus proluebat. superposuerunt enim iniquitates nostrae caput nostrum, et multiplicatae sunt super capillos capitis nostri, quia plura in nobis iniquitatis quam iustitiae opera numerantur; et ideo conputruerunt et deteriorauerunt cicatrices nostrae a facie insipientiae nostrae, et inueterata sunt ossa nostra, quoniam tacuimus deo; et adponentes iniquitatem super iniquitatem, cum statuissemus oculos nostros declinare in terram, tarde eos et aegre leuauimus ad montes dei, unde nobis auxilium uenit a domino, qui solus potens est sanare omnes languores nostros et eripere nos de corpore mortis huius, quia per Adam constricti per Christum soluimur, si tamen ita portemus caelestis hominis imaginem sicut terreni portauimus, hoc est si tam fideliter iustitiae et ueritati seruiamus pro salute nostra, quam diligenter iniustitiae et inhumanitati pro morte seruiuimus. humanum enim a nobis apostolus postulat; quemadmodum 1] (Ps. 118,120. 119,4). 3] Ps. 94, 6. 4] (Hier. 9, 1). 6] (Ps. 6,7). 8] Ps. 37, 5. 39, 13. 11] Ps. 37, 6. 13] Ps. 31, 3. 14] Ps. 68, 28. 15] Ps. 16, 11. 16] Ps. 120, 1. 18] Ps. 102, 3. Rom. 7, 24. 20] I Cor. 15, 49. 1 sensus] cordis FPU 2 exitato p 4 iheremias LM quod idem Xl 5 superfondat PU 6 rigat F 8 superposuere fiX 11 conput*uerunt r (r eras.), computauerunt P1 13 inueterata] numerata FPU 14 doa mino pi opponentes U 18 langores FLMP 19 quia] q; M (corr . m. 2), qua Chiffl., qui Rosw . 21 hoc est ut (est ut M in ras.) LM si tam] uitam Plrl, ut tam plr*, uti tam X 22 seruimus Lrl 23 inhumanitati] uanitati uel iniquitati coni. Sacch., inanitati coni. Chiffl . at 24 a otn. LMXrx quemadmodum (nt m. 2) M exhibuimus membra nostra seruire iniquitati ad interitum et confusionem, sic eadem exhibeamus seruire iustitiae ad uitam et gloriam. nobiscum enim habemus fructum illorum operum, de quibus nunc erubescimus. Sed gratias sapientiae dei, Christo deo, qui in se manens omnia innouat et disponit omnia suauiter, ut sit rebus omnibus tempus, tempus occidendi, tempus sanandi, tempus ridendi et tempus plorandi, tempus aedificandi et tempus destruendi. abierit, quaeso, iam nobis tempus occidendi destruendi ridendi, et tandem sanandi aedificandi plorandi tempus aduenerit. ecce enim nunc tempus acceptum, ecce nunc dies salutis. nox praecessit, dies autem adpropinquauit. abiciamus opera tenebrarum et adprehendamus arma lucis. ut filii diei ambulemus in lumine, quoniam ecce inimici nostri parauerunt sagittas in pharetra, ut sagittent in obscuro. neque enim in luce positos poterunt sagittare, antequam feriant prouidendi et praecauentibus facile uitandi. potest autem in eodem ipso opere utrorumque temporum ratio conecti, ut illa superius distincta tempora pariter operentur in nobis. nam et in quo uiuificamur occidimur, uel in quo occidimur uiuificamur per eum qui dixit: ego occidam et uiuere faciam. nisi enim nos Christus occiderit, non uiuemus; de quo scriptum est: dominus mortificat et uiuificat, quia nisi peccata nostra peremerit, non uiuificabit animas. ideo illi propheta dicit: exurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum. si occidas deus peccatorem. exurgemus emergentes de luto faecis et umbra mortis 1] Rom. 6, 19. 6] Sap. 8, 1. Eccl. 8, 17. 7] ib. 3, 3 et 4. 11] II Cor. 6, 2. 12] Rom. 13, 12. 14] Ps. 10, 3. 22] Dent. 32, 39. 24] I Reg. 2, 6. 25] Ps. 138, 18. 19. 1 iniquitati om. (H 3 fructum habemus LMrx 5 gratiae FPU domino /31 6 et] ac FPU rebus omnibus FPUX 7 occidendi U et M 9 struendi x1 10 tamen). 13 appropinquabit M 14 diei] die r1, dei FMUl 15 quando FU 17 praeuidendi Rosw . 22 dicit FPU et] et ego FPU 23 in nos FPU 25 perimerit FPU 26 sum tecum fJ). 27 emergentes coni. Sacch., enim gentes w et cum ipso esse permanebimus, si occiderit in nobis peccatorem et iustum creauerit, quia calix fragilitatis nostrae in manu domini, in quo hunc humiliat et hunc exaltat. nisi enim humilietur exterior, non exaltatur interior. ac sic occidendi et sanandi uel destruendi et aedificandi tempora simul in unum opus coeunt, cum destruitur in nobis uita peccati, ut aedificetur uita iustitiae. neque enim aedificari potest nouitas, nisi destruatur uetustas, aut amare possumus Christum, nisi mammonam incipiamus odisse. sed neque gaudere poterimus in illo saeculo, nisi in isto lugeamus, quia qui seminant in lacrimis in gaudio metent. Conuenit ergo nunc nobis illa de psalmis pauperis anxii et lugentis oratio, quoniam pene iam defecerunt sicut fumus dies nostri, et necdum malitia nostra defecit. ecce enim ueteres posuit dies nostros productos cursu aetatis, nec spargit canis caput, sed perfundit senectus, et nos adhuc primis reptantem conatibus aeui spiritalis infantiam paruulis sensibus agimus et uix modo in uerbo dei incipientes loqui tamquam primis uocibus anima uagiente mutam et rudem sanctis litteris linguam soluimus et, quondam in litteris humanarum fabularum loquaces, nunc in ueritatis balbutimus eloquiis, stultitiae sapientes et sapientiae stulti, robusti uitiis et uirtutibus adhuc teneri, uix nascente ad iustitiam uoluntate tirones et consumpta in peccatis aetate ueterani. aliquamdiu enim, ut tu, Sancte benedicte frater, nouisti, in hoc saeculo 2] Ps. 74, 8. 5] (Eccl. 3,3). 9] (Matth. 6,24). 10] Ps. 125, 5. 13] Ps. 101,4. 1 cum et FPU esse permanebimus] semper manebimus coni. Sacch . 4 bumiliemur rl at FPU sic] si F 5 sanandi] uiuificandi M Cluniac . simul om. F in unum simul coeunt opus FPU 7 enim om. 0, et 1 8 aut] nec M, haud Lr 9 odisse F 8. I . 12 uobis LplfJlrx anni om. FPU 13 poena Ur iam pene 01 deficierunt 1 14 defecit] deserit 1 15 nec] nisi 1 16 spergit U canis] annis 0 profundit FU 19 primus U uagiente anima M rudem in nudam corr. 0 22 sapientes U robusti om. U 24 alinquandiu 0 25 enim om. 0 tu sancte] cum sancte P1, tum sancte Xl, tum sanctae r uolutati inueterauimus inter inimicos nostros, atque utinam inueterauerimus inimicis, ut illa iam nobis otiosis spatiosi itineris uita defecerit et renouetur in Christo sicut aquilae iuuentus nostra, ut senio ueteris hominis exuamur induentes nouum illum, qui secundum deum creatus est. sed qui nec pelicano solitudinis adhuc similes esse possumus, quando erit ut efficiamur sicut nycticorax in domicilio? quando excitabimur in eum mentis excelsae uigorem, ut spiritali alacritate uolucres et in alta uirtutum arduo fine perfecti possimus dicere: uigilaui, et factus sum sicut passer singularis super tectum. uideamus hoc loco, si placet, in quam rationem haec auium genera et hoc ordine sub persona pauperis anxii id est paenitentis, ad inopiam spei per aliquem lapsum redacti, propheticus sermo disponat. feretis, ut opinor, loquacitatem insipientiae meae, quam ad contemptum uestri prouocastis. accepi enim a quodam sancto doctissimo uiro et carissimo mihi, qui non solum legendo sed etiam peregrinando multa cognouit, pelicanum auem esse in Aegypto uel illis iuxta partibus usitatam, proximis Nilo flumini desertis oberrare, serpentibus uesci, quos dimicando perculerit. ergo pugnat, ut uincat, et uicta moritur; uictrix uero et euadit mortem et adquirit alimoniam. quod autem nycticorax scriptum est, nycticoram esse uerius adserebat; idque probabili ratione uidebatur ostendere, cum illam auem hoc loco 3] Ps. 102, 5. 4] Eph. 4, 24. 7] Ps. 101, 7. 10] ibid. 8. 1 uolutati LMplJ.IX, uoluntati FpplJ.l,., uolumptati U 2 inueterauimus U otiosa coni. Sacch . 3 acquilae 0 4 uidentes PXU 6 necdum LM 6 pelicano p J.,., pellicano cet . solitudini U adhuc om. U a possimus ex possumus F 7 sicut om. FPUfli . niticoras M, nocticorax FPU, noctichorax r domocilio r1 8 excelsae mentis FPU 9 sffuali M ardua penna peruecti Rosto . 10 possumus F1 11 singularis] solitarius FP, solitaris U super tectum] in tecto FPU 14 fertis FPU 16 uestri Mfikrx, uestrum cet . sancto et pl 18 pellicanum FLMUr* auem] autem FPUX 19 Sumine FPUalarx 20 quos] quod P1, in quos Sacch. ex Vatic . pretulerit P1, praeualuerit FPU 21 pr . et om. fii- 22 nocticorax FPU, nictychorax r 23 nyctocaram U, niticoram M, nicticoram cet . positam diceret, quam appellamus noctuam, quia secreto noctibus cantus exerceat et uolatus et obscuritate tenebrarum, qua fere cuncta caligant animalia, luminetur; unde nycticora aptius quam nycticorax dicitur, quia nycticorax nocturnus coruus interpretatio est, nycticora autem nocte uidens, eo quod pupilla oculi xipr , Graecis uocetur. nihil autem noctuam simile corui habere manifestum est. porro perspicuum eam, ut dixi, sicut quasdam alias aues noctis in tenebris magis cernere et in lumine caecutire, noctem diebus pati, lucem noctibus usurpare. Nunc ergo, benedicti mei, uidete qualiter haec auis congruat ad pauperem maestum hoc est paenitentem, opibus gratiae pauperatum et conscia miserorum lapsuum mente gloriae suae damna lugentem et adflictatione miserabili laborantem in gemitu suo et de propriae carnis interitu uitam animae recipere nitentem perque orationum inpendia et gemituum suffragia ambitiosa lacrimarum uulneratae salutis remedia quaerentem. quam apte huiusmodi pauper peccator Aegyptia uel nocturna auis dicitur! etenim quod se ad deflenda et confitenda peccata secretum a communi ecclesiae coetu intra ergastulum cellulae suae maestus includit et elongatur ab hoc saeculo fugiens, ut maneat in solitudine deplorationis et illic aduersus carnis suae desideria confligat et in peccata sua spiritali certamine conterenda depugnet, certe et habitaculo pariter et proelio fit similis pelicano solitudinis et illam inimicam serpentibus uolucrem ipsi diabolo et principibus 1 noctis fort . 3 niticora M, nicticora cet . 4 nicticorax Mfil, noctycorax r1, nocticorax FLPU nicticorax LM, nicticora FPUpl interpretatur LM 5 nicticora M pupi illa r 6 core LM/Hrx, cor FPU est grece L, agraecis FPU uocatur x eam (rrt m. 2) x 8 quosdam r1 9 caecuttire r, cçcutare L, cecare FPUX\', caecari X 8. I . 12 lapsum U U mentem l 13 affictatione F, afflicatione U 15 gemitum i (a m. 2), ingentium FPUrx suffragia et ambitionem uel patrocinia et suffragia ambitiosa coni. Sacch . 17 huiusmodi sed modi l m. 2 pauper om. Xl; et add. fiXr (sed et corr. r), uel add. M, aut add. L uel] aut FPU 18 etenim quod se scripsi, et in quod se pl, et in quo se FPUrx, qui enim se M Chiftl., qui se enim L 19 secernens LM Chiffl . intra] iuxta. M 20 elongatus FUpirx, ellongatus P 21 et fugiens fH 23 certe et] certet FPU 24 pellicano FLMPU 25 ipsi scilicet LM tenebrarum in peccatis et cogitationibus carnis expugnandis dimicans aemulatur. et si in eo agone superauerit, uiuet hostium suorum superstes; escam de uictoria sua sibi quaerit, quia uitae meritum peccati et diaboli uictor adquirit, quem cum omni nequitiae spiritalis exercitu in perniciem nostram uariis artibus serpere cotidianis interioris nostri periculis experimur. sed gratias deo, qui dedit nobis uictoriam per legum Christum dominum nostrum, ut super aspidem et basiliscum ambulemus et conculcemus leonem et draconem, ergo aduersus huiusmodi artes, qui sunt principes tenebrarum, hoc est homines peccatorum potentes, quos tenebras apostolus dicit, cum quibus a nobis aemula pro salute contentio est. orate ut hos serpentes, dum in istius mundi deserto agimus, exemplo illius solitariae alitis tollamus. quibus obtritis et per uictoriam deuoratis quasi discussa nube tenebrarum inluminabitur noster interior et tunc fiet quasi nycticora in domicilio hoc est in domo domini, ut inter huius saeculi tenebras acutam aciem defectae mentis intendat et possit secundum prophetam talibus oculis luminatum dicere: quia tenebrae non obscurabuntur a me, et nox sicut dies inluminabitur. quod utique fit, cum utraque substantia in homine sibi 8] Ps. 90,18. 11] (Eph. 6, 12). 19] Ps. 138, 12. et qaoqnt 1 in] ut FPU 2 si add. X\' 8 escam (8\' m. 2) r denictoria M (quoqM B. l. m. 2) sibi M 8. I . 4 uictoria FPU acquiritur FPU 5 spiritalis om . fii. 6 cotidianis artibus serpere (om . uariis) FPU hominis fffi Mpl 8 nostrum om. X badaliscum U 9 ergo-artes post contentio est l . 12 transl. Sacch . 10 huiusmodi (modi add. m. 2) l arces fort . artes qui sunt om. M tenebrarum] pugnemus add. M Cluniac . 11 hominum M Cluniac . apostolus tenebras FPU 12 a om. M 13 dum] uincamus quos dum M 14 solitariae] salutaris FPU 14 tollamus Rosw., toleremus fJIX\', tolerimus 1, tolleramus FU, toleramus cd . oela 15 illuminabitor U 16 homo noster fJ Į, noster homo M, ñf L nicticora FLMPUfi 17 in om. U ut] hoc est FPU 18 defectae (defecatae x* et in mg . fJIĮI) mentis /3Ir1#, defectementis FLPU, defaecatae mentis M 19 illuminatum pi, lumiuatus M 20 obscurabunt l1 me] te F luminabitur x 21 sibi congruit om. FPU congruit, ut etiam caro terrenam infitiata naturam ad animae concordiam spiritali migret affectu; et tunc nox sicut dies inluminabitur, cum et caro sicut anima spiritalis efficitur. Quod si per orationes uestras fuerit indultum, ut et in hoste uipereo conterendo pelicano solitudinis aemulemur et nycticorae oculis inter huius saeculi obscura cernamus, tunc in consummatione pedibus constitutis super excelsa perfectae uirtutis inpositi uigilando in orationibus et meditando in lege domini efficiemur sicut passer unicus super tectum et corpore ac spiritu congruente in uoluntate dei iure dicemus: singulariter sum ego, donec transeam. et quis iste passer est, in quo forma perfecti est nisi passer ille, qui inuenit sibi domum et cum turture nidum sibi fecit altaria tua, domine uirtutum? iste forsitan passer est de duobus illis, quorum unus non cadit super terram sine uoluntate patris. cecidit enim passer hic summus in corpore, sed et resurrexit. cecidit autem ex uoluntatis adsensu factus oboediens patri usque ad mortem crucis. hic passer est illa sapientia, quae requirentibus se in uiis hilariter ostendit, nunc in portis fit obuia, nunc in plateis occurrit, nunc in muris uel turribus celsa conuocat ad se amatores suos et inuitat eos in altitudines habitationum suarum, ut inpleat uerbum suum, quia exaltatus omnia ad se trahit. quis dabit nobis pennas columbae deargentatas, ut per eloquia domini casta et sicut argentum igne examinatum pennati 9] Ps. 101,8. 11] Ps. 140,10. 12] Ps. 88,4. 15] Matth. 10,29. 17] Phil. 2, 8. 20] (Prou. 8, 2). 22] (Ioh. 12, 32). 23] Ps. 7,4. 54, 7. 25] Ps. 11, 7. i A 1 terrena 131 terrenam-naturam x inuiciata (ł. m. 2) M, inuiciatam FPUr, inuiciatam X, immutata ftl natura 131 2 spuali M affectum U 3 illuminatur Mr efficietur p Rosw . 4 nostras 1 5 pellicanum LMX\' 6 nicticorae FLMPU 8 mendicando U 10 ac LMIHrx, et cet . in om. FPU uoluntatem M, uoluntates FUrx1 12 est iste passer Eosw . 14 uirtututum F forsitam firx, forsan P, forsam FU 16 hic passer M sed om. L 18 obedies F 23 quia] ut FPU trahat FPU 25 casta] iusta {JJ.l examinata LMr, exinanitum FPlU, exinanita X preuolemus FPU, prouolemus Mfilrx peruolemus ad brauium supernae uocationis, sequentes istum passerem singularem, qui unicus est dei filius, superuolitantem, quia in altis habitat et humilia respicit, et qui descendit in inferiora terrae, ipse est et qui adcendit super omnes caelos captiuam ducens captiuitatem, ut adinpleret omnia? hunc passerem si directa imitatione ualeamus sequi, isdem uestigiis ambulantes, quibus ingressi sunt speciosi euangelizantium pedes, tunc in edito constituti poterimus dicere: uigilaui et factus sum sicut passer unicus super tectum. Meminerimus tamen etiam in sublime prouecti uerbum illud domini, ut qui fuerit in tecto non reuertatur in domum suam tollere uasa, id est ne in nosmet ipsos recurramus et opera carnalia quasi uasa in inferioribus derelicta repetamus. nemo enim, inquit, mittens ad aratrum manum et respiciens retro aptus est regno dei. sed etsi super tectum fuerimus, id est super naturam terrenam euolauerimus non adquiescentes carni, timeamus auium exemplo ad humilia deuolare. scriptum est enim, quia non sine causa tenduntur auibus retia. et scimus, quia sic insidiantes uolucrum simplicitati aucupes humi ponunt tendiculas; et aspersae plerumque escae uel caeci inlices fraude deponunt aues et opertis doloso cespite laqueis inplicant credulas. sed nos simili arte nos sollicitantibus per obtentas mundi huius inlecebras 1] (Ps. 112, 5). 8] Eph. 4, 8. 9. 10. 8] Es. 52, 7; Rora. 10, 15. 9] Ps. 101, 8. 12] Matth. 24, 17. 15] Luc. 9, 62. 19] Prou. 1,17. 2 est unicus FPU superuolitantem fJl, om. M, super uoluntatem cet . 3 quia] qui FMP\'U qui om. FPU 4 et om. L est et qui — omnia hunc add. in mg. Ml 7 hisdem M, iisdem FPU 8 pedes euangelizantium M aedito fH 9 sum om. U solitarius in tecto unicus FPU p. s. i. t. M 11 memineribus 1 12 tectum (i 13 nos de ipsos F 14 relicta F 15 mittens manum ad aratrum M manum LMlfirx, manus cet . 20 simus F 21 ancipes r 22 esca FPU uel caeci om. M inlices ftt-r1#, illices FLPUl*x*> illicis M, exp. r* faude r et plerumque esca uel caeci illicis aspersa fraude Bosw . operti M 23 caespite r laquei M 24 solicitantibus /9A obtentus fJ1, sed fJ in mg . obtentas nequitiae spiritalis aucupibus armati fide et inluminati ueritate dicamus: in domino confido, quomodo dicitis animae meae: transmigra in montem sicut passer? discedite a me omnes qui operamini iniquitatem. propterea oremus dominum, qui inluminat omnem hominem uenientem in hunc mundum. omnem hominem dictum puto, quia nemo homo nisi agnoscens deum et qui potius meruerit agnosci a deo. quem non agnoscentes conparati sunt iumentis et similes facti sunt illis. nos ergo magna eius misericordia ex inpiis iustificati per fidem et non ex operibus percurramus in odorem unguentorum eius, ut ex illius nomine odorem uitae trahamus et efficiamur odor Christi bonus deo, potionati, ut scriptum est, a uino unguentorum de calice salutaris, in quo ipse ut pigmentarius, ut in ecclesiastico scribitur, unguenta suauitatum miscet, diuidens dona sua singulis prout uult, ut omnia in omnibus inpleantur et odorem notitiae suae manifestet in nobis, quia unguentum exinanitum est nomen eius. quod ut nomen inuocetur super nos semper et in nobis nominetur, fiat conuersatio nostra in caelis. ita enim efficiemur sicut passer unicus super tectum, si non quae in terra sunt sapiamus aut quaeramus, sed quae sursum sunt, ubi Christus est sedens ad dexteram patris, innumerabilibus oculis speculator actuum nostrorum et spectator agonis istius, quo in carne ambulantes non secundum carnem militamus. 2] Ps. 10, 2. 3] Ps. 6, 9. 5] Ioh. 1, 9. 8] Ps. 48, 13. 10] Cant. 1, 3. 12] II Cor. 2, 15. 13] (Ps. 115, 13). 14] (Eccli. 49, 1). 15] I Cor. 12,11. 17] Cant. 1, 2. 18] (Iac. 2, 7). 19] Phil. 3, 20. 20] Ps. 101, 8. 22] Col. 3, 2. 24] II Cor. 10, 3. 1 spiritali U aucibus rx1 2 d. a. m. t. i. m. s. passer in mg. exh. M 7 agnoscens nisi /3 et] uel LMrx meruit F 8 iumentis] insipientibus add. Rosw . 10 et om. FPU curramus M 11 ungentorum MPx semper 13 uiuo U 14 pimentarius r 15 sua uitacium F, suauitatium PUr 16 impleantur /3 in textu, sed impleatur in mg. m. 1, quod Sacch. maluit 18 exinanitum om. U ei FPUjSlx nomen ut M 19 semper om. F et om. fii . 20 uestra /Si 22 sedens om. FMPU 23 dei patris f3 Į I inenarrabilibus coni. Sacch . 24 et eispectator M Non enim est nobis conluctatio aduersus carnem et sanguinem, sed aduersus inuisibiles inimicos et aduersus spiritalia nequitiae in caelestibus, non quod spiritus nequam in caelestibus agant, sed quod in caelesti conuersatione uiuentibus aduersentur. induamus itaque arma lucis, in deo nostro transgrediamur murum illum inter nos et deum separantem nec de carnali infirmitate timeamus aduersarium spiritali natura uiolentum, quia uirtus in infirmitate perficitur, et non in uirtute sua potens est uir, sed dominus infirmum facit aduersarium eius, quem ipse dominus uirtutum, rex gloriae, tali pro nobis congressionis genere confundit, ut illum in cruce Christi non diuina uirtus sed humana superaret infirmitas. sequamur itaque triumphantem Iesum, et scuto fidei circumdet nos ueritas eius, ut non timeamus a timore nocturno et a iaculo uolante per diem. cadent a latere nostro mille et decem milia a dextris nostris, non nostra uirtute sed Christi, cuius pugna est qua pugnamus et cuius corona qua uincimus, quia membra sumus corporis eius, si tamen mortificemus in terra membra nostra, ut fiant arma iustitiae, quibus accincti et Christo et angelis eius et nobis laetum de nostro certamine spectaculum praebeamus et euolantes de laqueo uenatorum garrula gratulatione cantemus: anima nostra sicut passer erepta est de laqueo uenantium; laqueus contritus est, et nos liberati sumus, quia adiutorium nostrum est in nomine domini Iesu Christi. non est enim aliud nomen sub caelo datum hominibus, in quo oporteat saluos fieri nos. in hoc nomine triumphantes confiteamur domino 1] Eph. 6, 12. 5] Eom. 13, 12. 6] Ps. 17, 30. 8] II Cor. 12,9. 14] Ps. 90, 5. 6. 7. 23] Ps. 123, 7. 8. 26] (Act. 4, 12). 28] Ps. 106, 8. 3 in] in ea (H 5 induamur M 6 in FPUr, et M, et in cet . 7 seperantem PU 8 aduersarium - infirmum facit om. U 9 et non] nec FPUX 13 separaret X 14 circumdet Ppk 17 sed uirtute FPU 18 eius /3 19 summus 0 mortificamus /3A 21 laetum om. L certamur F 23 auima-uenantium om. M 24 de laqueocontritus est om. U 25 nostrum om. FPU 26 dm fiW L enim aliud nomen est pi 28 confitemur 1 misericordia FPU misericordias eius et gloriemur in laude eius, non in nostra. quoniam, ut propheta dicit, si quid bonum nobis, ab ipso est et si quid optimum, ipsius est: ipse enim fecit nos, et non ipsi nos. et propterea dicit: quid autem habes, o homo, quod non acceperis? quod si accepisti, quid gloriaris quasi non acceperis? in quo monet ut qui gloriatur in domino glorietur, unde iam nobis leues angustiae fiunt, quando laudari uidemur; nihil enim nobis conscii sumus de proprio bono, ut tamquam agnoscentium pudorem laudator perurgeat, quia non ipsos nos sed diuinae bonitatis munera atque opera praedicari cognoscimus; si quid enim in nobis boni uidetur aut creditur, illius est, qui solus bonus est et de cuius plenitudine omnes accipimus et pro meriti uel fidei capacitate respergimur. ros enim qui ab illo est sanitas est nobis, et laetamur in stillicidiis eius. ergo et error iste, quo nos laudatis, innocuus erit uobis. insuper et mercedem nobis copiosam tam pia fides congerit, quia, ut nos nostra mente iniquos et de peruersa huius saeculi generatione prauos existimetis bonos factos, domino omnipotenti creditis, qui potens est iustificare inpium et uiuificare mortuos et inluminare tenebras et phoenicium candidare. Quamobrem orate solliciti, ut tanto opere uel munere dei dignum cor accipiamus et qui accepimus contemptum patrimonii accipiamus etiam nostri contemptum; angusta enim 1] Ps. 105, 47 8] Ps. 99, 3. 4] I Cor. 4, 7. 6] I Cor. 1, 31. 12] Matth. 19,17. 13] Ioh. 1, 16. 15] Ps. 64, 11. 21] (Es. 1, 18). 2 in nobis M 3 ipsius scripsi, ab ipso fHr, abfipsius L, ab ipsius maiestate FP\'U, ab ipsius cet . 4 ipsi] ipsum f31 et propterea om. /3A dicit] et paulus dicit flX 5 ecceperis U 10 sed om. L 11 praedicare FPU 13 accepimus LMfiX 16 ei X quo] qui FPUfil nos om. FP\'U laudatis in nobis (innocuus - uobis om.) U 17 uobis LMlpir, nobis cet . congeret Rosw . 18 qui aut FPU et] aut FPU peruersa ex persa r m. 2 19 prauos] probos FPU bonosue FPU facitis r deo FPU 21 foenicium f3J.rx, fenicium FP, fenitium U, fęnicium M 22 opere LMrx, ore cet . 23 dignum] dignum deo Rosw . quia fJJ. accipimus P XXVIlIl. Paulini Nol. epistulae. 23 uia gradimur et quasi in fune suspenso ancipites ambulamus, et nisi certo libramine mentis uestigia fixerimus, ut non declinemus dextra uel sinistra, facile nos in huius aut illius partis ruinam inimicus inpellet. ideo nobis in Salomone sapientia canit: non deflectatis a domino, ne cadatis. ipse enim dominus Iesus uia ueritas uita est, qui dicit: omni uigilia serua cor tuum, quia per ipsas uirtutum uias in uitia delabi possumus, et nisi certo, ut dixi, statu dirigentes animi momenta libremus, de ipsa humilitate capiemus superbiam, et euanescet species pietatis, si per laudem paupertatis obrepat inflatio. et quid proderit caruisse diuitiis, si remanemus diuites uitiis? unde quaesumus, ne ex illo nobis uerbo domini blandiamini, quia fecerimus: uendite quae.possidetis, quia plus est quod superest illud: et ueni, sequere me. facile est autem uideri quantum sit sequi Christum, ut homo imitetur deum. sed et illud scitis, quia semel locutus est deus, duo haec audiui; nam et iste sermo, sicut omnis fere scriptura diuina, in biuium patet: uade et uende omnia tua. non enim pecuniam tantum et fundos, extraneas facultates, sed etiam animi nostri internas opes, quae uere nostra substantia est, possidemus. hanc uendere hoc est alienare a nobis tanto maior uictoria, quanto altior difficultas est ingenita quam adposita separare et intus infixa diuellere quam adfixa extrinsecus reicere. se enim ipsum mutat et superat qui 5] Eccli. 2, 7. 6] Ioh. 14, 6. Prou. 4, 28. 13] Matth. 19,21. 16] Ps. 61, 12. > I 1 in om. FPU suspenso e t m. rec.) M 2 et Mrs, om . cet. nsi F libramine mentis LMfJrxs (sed r ine ex corr.), libram in mentis cet., libramine RoBW., certis libramentis coni. Sacch . 3 sinixtra rlx1 4 in om. U solomone UfJ, salamone P 5 cauet (in mg.: af canit) 0 a domino r ti 8. l. m. 2 6 Iesus] Christus Rosw . et uita pi. 8 delabi (l 1 m. 2) M, dilabi i. statu X 8. 1. m. 2 9 liberemus X 10 speties Ux, spes F 12 quaesumus] qs MPUrx 15 uideria M, uidere Rosw . imittetur P, mictetur U 16 qui fJ 18 biuiis f31 21 hoc] id U 23 seperare LPU intus infixa diuellere quam adfixa extrinsecus (extrinsecus affixa M Rosw.) reicere Mx Rosw., affixa extrinsecus reicere quam intus (uiciis F) infixa diuellere cet . 24 se M, si cet . mutat <0 nisi quod uincit 0* et Įt in mg . renuntiat moribus suis et se abdicat sibi, ut illud fortissimum dei uerbum inpleat: qui perdet animam suam propter me inueniet eam. haec domini recordantes effundamus in illum animam nostram, et ipse nos enutriet et absconditam in se uitam nostram fouebit et se cum gloria reuelabit, si tamen pro hac eadem anima oremus in tempore oportuno id est nunc in isto saeculo. in inferno enim quis confitebitur ei? istic morimur peccatis, ne illic uiuamus poenis. mors enim, quae secunda dicitur, nihil est aliud quam uita poenarum. Caueamus igitur ab inferiore inferno, ubi corpus et animam gehenna torquebit aeternum moriente peccatoris anima, permanente sensu et durante materia corruptionis. nam et mortui, ut scriptum est, resurgent incorrupti, non gloriae inmortalitate sed poenae. infelix ego homo, quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius? dominus fortis et potens, dominus potens in proelio, qui uectes ferreos confregit et humiliauit calumniatorem, ut exaltaret me de portis mortis et narrarem mirabilia eius in portis filiae Sion. benedicat uos dominus ex Sion, et uideatis quae bona sunt Hierusalem et oretis pro nobis omnibus diebus uitae uestrae, ut portio nostra communiter sit in terra uiuentium. 2] Ioh. 12, 25. 7] Ps. 6, 6. 12] I Cor. 15,52. 14] Rom. 7, 24. 15] Ps. 23, 8. 16] Ps. 106,16. 17] Ps. 71, 4. Ps. 9, 12. 15. 19] Ps. 127,5. 21] Ps. 141, 6. 1 fortissimum illum FPU 2 uerbum om. M 3 hac f3 domini] uerba add. M effundimus FPU 5 in se om. F secum FUr ln gloria (ill m. 2) r reuelauit x1 6 hec F opportuno PU id est scripsi, quod est M, est Lrx, et 0A, om. cet . 8 ei] tibi FPU moriamur r\' Rosw . in penis FPU 9 eenim F aliud est FLPU 10 anima U 11 in aeternum LIMIXS 12 manente Rosw . 15 liberauit rxxl 16 ferreos] hereos F, ereos PU 18 et] ut Lebrun narrem FPU 19 exion U 20 in hierusalem FUlrx, in ierfm Mfi 21 et F communis fJ 22 uiuentium finit II • r, uiuentium. Finit x epistolam 40 sequitur sine inscriptione epistola 41 in U, uerbo continuatur interiecto in FP . 23*