25. Therefore, like one conscious of carnal weakness and an explorer of hostile persecution, he says: They have slightly consumed me on earth. In this very earth, where Adam first fell and, through a shameful transgression, was cast down, he turned the footsteps of all future posterity (Gen. III, 17). In this earth, where Cain, sorrowing for the preference shown to his brother's gifts, was laid low by the ruin of envy. Lastly, the voice of his brother's blood cried out from the earth (Gen. IV, 10). In this land, Noah, the holy man whom the floods of the whole world approved as vigilant amidst such great storms and waves, where he, however, relaxed his cares with an idle body, was overcome by the sleep of drunkenness, incurred the reproach of paternal piety, teaching that dangerous idleness is secure for virtue. In this land, Lot, the imitator of his venerable parent, was not stained by the impurity of the luxuriant Sodomitic people, nor was he enveloped by the burning flame of Sodom; he did indeed escape the deserved punishment of ignorance, but he did not avoid the disgraceful act of incest. This man is burned by the flames of women, whom the sulphurous flame does not consume.
26. In this world, David also said that he was almost consumed. For he barely felt his feet and steps move, because he considered secular riches and the success of earthly prosperity to abound for sinners in place of blessedness. Because of this, he was also chastised; but the lashes of the Lord are remedies for salvation. For the Lord disciplines every son whom he receives (Heb. XII, 6). Therefore, David, turned towards the love of the Lord, and instructed by His precepts, not ignorant that things that are fleeting are bestowed upon the fleeting by a chance occurrence, and that it is not the abundance of riches, but the grace of virtues that weigh the merits of a worthy life, loved the commandments of God more than he abandoned them. By them alone, he was able to overcome the impending spiritual wickedness and the rising desires of this body in the weakness of such a fragile nature. Great indeed is the virtue that, established under such great persecutions and almost suppressed, has not forgotten its protection, nor abandoned the commands of the Lord.
27. (Vers. 88.) Therefore, because he knew that only God had profited him, directing his prayers to the Lord, he says in the following verse: According to your mercy, give me life: and I will keep the testimonies of your mouth (Sup. v. 17). We have already mentioned this plea for his own enlivening; for he did not ask for what he possessed, but for what he desired, that is, to live forever, understanding that the blessedness of life cannot be found in this fluctuating and untrustworthy body of ours, whose weakness forsakes the soul's purpose. Therefore, the mercy of God is necessary, so that there may be a continuous and perpetual vivification in this body; so that the righteous may live for God every day and die to sin. For if guilt dies in us, there will be a living for God and a persevering in the keeping of heavenly precepts, which is certainly kept by the one who is vivified by the Lord.
28. Finally, he asks to be revived by the Lord beforehand, and afterwards promises to keep the testimonies of heaven; for this common life does not keep the heavenly commandment, but the one that is supported by the eternal office through the operation of spiritual grace. We can also understand it this way: because the Prophet had already acknowledged the things that were of the Law, he prays for the mercy of the Lord's coming, so that he may receive the precepts by which the Law is fulfilled; so that he not only knows that adultery is to be avoided, but also that the desire for adultery is to be turned away from. For the Lord Jesus, the Son of the Father, spoke in the Gospel, that whoever looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matt. V, 28). How much progress has been made in the Gospel on the pursuit of chastity, by which not only the disgrace of a shameful act, but also the reproach of degenerate pursuit, is removed!
29. But who are those of whom he says that they have almost accomplished him on earth, if not the persecutors? Concerning one of them the Lord Jesus says: Go, tell that fox (Luke XIII, 32), that is, about Herod. And elsewhere, when he noticed that he was dishonestly interrogated, he said: Foxes have dens, and birds of the air have nests where they can rest (Matthew VIII, 20); because they deceitfully dwell in certain hiding places of earthly passions. And Samson also tied together two foxes, to whose tails he tied torches, and he released them into the Allophylus fields (Judges 15:4-5); by this action he symbolized that wicked and deceitful people, especially heretics, have free rein to bark with their tongues, but their escape is hindered: or they may have contentious beginnings, but the end of their deceit is consumed by fire. And so he also released three hundred foxes, because those who desire to commend themselves by preaching the treacherous cross are not able to understand its mystery; instead, they attempt to burn the fruits of others with their false and feigned preaching. However, the true cross of the Lord does not consume the merits of others, but rather enriches them. And rightly is it written in the Song of Songs: Take for us the little foxes, that spoil the vines; for our vineyard hath flourished. (Cant. II, 15). By which it is shown that either the Lord Jesus or the Church commands the deceitful tricks of the fraudsters to be exterminated from their vineyards; lest they harm the young vines, for they cannot harm the mature vines. For a heretic can attempt to deceive the imperfect, but he cannot overthrow the perfect.
Sermon 12. Lamed.
The twelfth letter is Lamed, whose interpretation is heart, or as another interpretation has it, servant. Hence, it seems to admonish that these things should be understood wisely or diligently preserved. For this is immediately proclaimed by the first verse. Indeed, this Prophet asks that a clean heart be created for him in the heavens, as we read (Psalm 50:12). This wise son Solomon prayed to the Lord for a wise heart to be given to him. Therefore, he who has a clean heart, he who has a wise heart, understands the sequence of subordinate verses, and the strength (1 Kings 9:9). We find the heart alone or elsewhere, that is, either singular or that nothing of this world's allurements may impede it, and that the wisdom of the flesh may not disturb it. But he who has a heart keeps the commandments of God: just as you read about Mary, who kept all the words or deeds of the Lord and Savior in her heart (Luke 2:51).
2. Therefore, let us circumcise our hearts: let us seek nothing carnal, nothing base; let us consider all earthly things base. Let us establish nothing earthly, nothing worldly, nothing corporeal, nothing light and changeable in heavenly discourse. For the words of the Lord are pure words (Psalm XI, 7); so that through them the immaculate and modest purity of heavenly mysteries may shine forth in spiritual interpretation. Let us not mix earthly things with divine things in an adulterous manner, and let us not violate that inviolable sacrament of prophetic vision, or violate the estimation of our perennial oracle of nature. For this reason, he added: Silver tested by fire, purified by earth, proven sevenfold (Ibid.); so that like good coiners, we may examine the silver of prophetic discourse with the spirit, distinguishing the Lord's money and purifying it from all earthly stain by the infusion of the healing fountain, that we may appear to think worthy of Christ, who says: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where rust and moth consume . . . but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-20).
Your treasure is faith, piety, and mercy: your treasure is Christ. Do not value him from earthly things, that is, from creatures; for the Lord is the creator of all things. Cursed, it says, is the one who has hope in man (Jerem. XVII, 5): but salvation came to me through man. However, see what the Old Scripture has said: He is man, and who will know him (Ibid., 9)? Therefore, that man, not by human, but by divine power, has forgiven all sins for me, God in the body, the Lord Jesus, reconciling the world to himself, whom he redeemed from guilt.
Our precious treasure is understanding. If the understanding is earthly, if it is fragile, the heretical moth will consume it, and the rust of impiety will destroy it. Therefore, let us raise and elevate our senses, and let us not judge it impossible that this weakness of the human body may attain knowledge of celestial mysteries; for now the Lord Jesus, in whom the treasures of knowledge and wisdom were hidden, has descended to us by his divine mercy, in order to unlock what is closed, reveal what is hidden, and make known what is secret. Come therefore, Lord Jesus, open to us the door of this prophetic discourse; for it is closed to many, although it appears open at first sight.
5. (Vers. 89.) Forever, says the Lord, your word remains in heaven. You also see that it should remain in you, which also remains and perseveres in heaven. Therefore, keep the word of God, and keep it in your heart, and keep it so that you do not forget. Keep the law of the Lord, and meditate; lest the justifications of the Lord slip from your heart. The interpretation of the letters teaches you to be diligent. The Prophet teaches you in the following, saying: Unless your law had been my meditation, perhaps I would have perished in my humility. I will never forget your justifications (Inferno v. 92 and 93). Therefore, meditation on the law enables us to endure and tolerate times of tribulation, times when we are humiliated by adversities, so that we are neither broken by excessive humiliation nor by dejection. Ultimately, the Lord does not want to break us with humility to the point of despair, but rather to the point of correction.
6. Therefore, even the prophet Jeremiah under this letter in Lamentations says: To humble underfoot all the prisoners of the earth, and to turn aside the judgment of man in the face of the Most High, to condemn man when he is judged, the Lord has not spoken (Lam. 3:34 and following). And further: Evil does not come forth from the mouth of the Most High (Ibid., 38). Therefore, the humility which is from the Lord is full of righteousness, full of equity; because evil does not come forth from the mouth of the Lord. Finally, the one who was humiliated by the Lord said: I have been humiliated, and he saved me (Psalm 115:6).
Therefore, just as it must be wisely considered when humility is the cause of testing from the Lord, and when the impression of humility must also be imposed by man, which nevertheless is usually endured with patience and magnanimity, so also it must be wisely considered what it means for the word of the Lord to remain forever in heaven, or as some codices have it, 'for eternity,' because the Greek εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα has been translated diversely by different interpreters: some as 'forever,' others as 'for eternity.' Therefore, Lord, your word remains forever in heaven. And as you yourself said: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Matthew 24:35). The word remains forever, not beyond the ages and ages; for ages are of time. Therefore, heaven and earth, that is, the works of this world, will pass away, and the times will remain. Another, who is spiritual, and judges the words of the law: Your word, Lord, remains forever in heaven. For the eternity of the abiding word excludes the opinion of the passing word. But how does the word remain in heaven, if it passes through the heaven itself? And how can the highest parts stand, if the foundations give way? Or how can the inhabitant remain in his dwelling, unless the dwelling also endures? But perhaps this objection arises, because it is written: 'There will be a new heaven' (Isaiah 65:17). But even this is not conclusive; for that which passes cannot remain, nor can that which begins be said to have remained. Your understanding will be divided like a moth, if you think that a word is like the sky, either to begin or to pass away.
8. So if we want to understand the virtue of prophetic sense, let us first consider ethical things that are visible and perceptible; so that we may reveal from them what is intelligible. If the word of God remains in heaven, let us imitate the heaven where the word remains, the solemn order of heavenly statutes remains, and the frequent turns of the Lord's benefits persist with solemn gifts. Indeed, abundant fertility is poured into and nourished by these lands through heavenly rains, or warmth, or the nourishment of this air. The year passes through days, and months, and the seasons of autumn and winter, and spring and the serene times of summer. Take an image of your life from the sky. Even when you do not bear fruit, still sow seeds for fruit. There are seeds that come from the sky, and they are sown on the earth. There is also a heavenly harvest; hence the Prophet says: Sow for yourselves righteousness, harvest the fruit (Hos. X, 12). And even when your works do not bloom, still nourish your seeds, so that they do not luxuriate in idleness. What flourishes in the flower of speech is diminished and dull in fruit. Cook the fruits until they are fully ripe.
9. Let us also be imitators of the celestial element itself: the sun does not always burn fiercely, it is often covered by clouds, it shivers in the face of heavy rains, and it covers the earth with thrown snow. Therefore, let not lasting frivolity be in you too; let the sad times of old age follow, and let the gray maturity of this field suppress the desires of your body. Often, sadness is more useful, as it usually has seriousness as its companion. Is there any disobedience in the sun itself? Does not the sun maintain its daily course? Does not the moon know its continuous eclipses, and does it not neglect the tasks of its ministry? Indeed, the year returns in the same cycles, and times are restored in the same state, and the same observances are reformed. The sun illuminates the day, preserving the appointed times. The moon shines with nocturnal splendors, and its light sparkles in darkness. The globe of shining stars glows, and they perform their solemn stationing, rotation, and changing. One law for all, to safeguard the established order, not to exceed the prescribed limits. The very change remains unchanging, and the transformation does not know how to reverse its order. One obedience for all, to maintain the harmony of the prescribed constitution with distinct tasks.
10. Therefore, the Word remains in heaven because Satan fell from heaven: he did not have a place in heaven, therefore he fell. Where did he fall if not to the earth? Therefore, here adultery, murder, and drunkenness began to abound. Excluded from there, he came to us more fiercely and exercises temptations harsher than usual as if angry. Therefore, the Word remains in heaven; because the devil was cast out from there: he does not remain on earth; because he came here entirely. And see whether this Word can remain in us, where the devil has spread so many snares, who, while he was in heaven, could not himself remain there with the Word. Finally, because he himself did not hold on to the Word, he fell from heaven.
11. Therefore, in heaven, the Word remains, and that which is governed and directed according to the disposition of the Word. But because heaven itself passes away, it did not say 'to remain in the ages', but 'to remain in the age': although it passes away, so that a new heaven and a new earth, a new testament, may come to be; so that we may be able to see the glory of the Lord face to face.
12. However, because there was also a place for vices in heaven (for surely the adversary would not have fallen from there unless he had been caught in wrongdoing, for even fools, like the moon, change, and the sky itself is covered in darkness), it seems that it is not said of an element, but of celestial Virtues and Powers. For there are holy Virtues in heaven, in which there is nothing slippery or earthly. There are also in the earth heavens, which declare the glory of God. Who are these heavens? Listen to the one speaking: \"Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, let us also bear the image of the heavenly one\" (I Cor. XV, 49). These, therefore, are the heavens, which, even though situated on earth, dare to say: \"But our citizenship is in heaven\" (Philip. III, 20). These are the heavens, in which faith, gravity, self-control, knowledge, and heavenly life exist. For just as someone is called earthly, who, having fallen from that heavenly grace, is bound by the chains of his own transgression and brought down to these earthly vices, so on the contrary, someone is called heavenly, who exercises a life of angelic integrity and controls his body with self-restraint, and also composes his mind with gentle tranquility, and dispenses his wealth to the poor with merciful generosity. Therefore, there is also heaven on Earth, in which celestial powers can exist. Heaven, to me, is a throne (Isaiah LXVI, 1), more of a spiritual state than a physical element. I consider it to be the heaven to which Christ's soul came, knocking on its door, and if it opens, he enters. And he does not enter alone, but also with the Father, as he himself says: 'We will come to him and make our home with him' (John XIV, 23).
13. Therefore, you see that the Word of God both challenges the idle and awakens the sleeping. For whoever comes and knocks at the door, always wants to enter. But it is within us that he does not always enter, he does not always remain. Open your door to the one who is coming, open your soul, expand the embrace of your mind; so that he may see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the sweetness of grace. Open your heart, meet the sun of eternal light, which illuminates every man. And indeed that true light shines on all: but if someone closes their windows, they deceive themselves of eternal light. Therefore, Christ is also excluded if you close the door of your mind: although he can enter, he does not want to burst in forcefully, he does not want to compel the unwilling. He came forth from a virgin's womb, shining upon the whole world, so that he could illuminate everyone. Those who desire the brightness of perpetual radiance are captivated, which no night can disturb. For only to this sun which we see daily does a dark night succeed; but the sun of justice never sets, because wickedness does not succeed wisdom.
14. Blessed therefore is he whose door Christ knocks. Our door is faith, which, if it is strong, can encompass the whole house. Through this door Christ enters. Hence the Church says in the Canticles: 'The voice of my brother knocks at the door' (Song 5:2). Hear the one knocking, hear the one desiring to enter: Open to me, my sister, my bride, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night (ibid.). Consider when God the Word knocks at your door, especially when His head is filled with the night dew. For He deigns to visit those placed in tribulation and temptations, lest anyone weakly succumb, conquered by hardships. Therefore, His head is filled with dew or drops when His body labors. Thus, one must be watchful, lest when the Bridegroom comes, He departs excluded. For if you sleep and your heart does not stay awake, He departs before knocking; but if your heart stays awake, He knocks and seeks to open the door for Himself. Therefore, we have the gate of our souls; we also have gates of which it is said: Lift up, O gates, your lintels; be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in (Ps. 24:7). Therefore, there is heaven in those things in which there are everlasting gates. If you wish to raise up these gates of your faith, the King of glory will enter, carrying the triumph of His own passion. Justice also has gates. For we also read about these, with the Lord Jesus speaking through His prophet: Open to me the gates of righteousness (Ps. 118:19). And below the prophet David says: Praise, O Jerusalem, the Lord; praise your God, O Zion; for he has strengthened the bars of your gates (Ps. 147:12-13).
15. So is the soul that has a door, it is the one that has gates. To this door comes Christ and knocks, knocks and the gates. Open therefore to him: he wants to enter, he wants to find the vigilant Bride. Do not delay the good lover, he quickly departs: and you seem to have shut out the one knocking with the sleep of your body. You exclude the enemy, when you are lazy, when you are sluggish, when you are sleepy, Christ is excluded by these bars; even if you are chaste, even if you are sober, be careful not to be negligent. He who repels Christ in any way does him a great injury.
16. Sometimes, if you delay, she also sends her hand through the window, as the Bride says: My brother sent his hand through the lattice, and my womb was stirred within me. I arose to open for my brother. My hands dripped with myrrh; my fingers with flowing myrrh (Canticles 5:4-5). First, therefore, she sends her hand as if from a window, when God is considered to be in his works. Hence he says: If you do not believe me, believe the works (John 10:38). Then love increases, and the conceived seed grows within the innermost bowels. From there, our soul desires to draw in the fullness of the Word, which dwells in the intelligible womb as a receptacle, with its seeds infused into it. For the womb of women is not disturbed unless they are burdened with pregnancy.
Therefore, the soul rises in order to open itself to the Word of God, but while it expands and opens itself, it mortifies the works of this world by receiving the word, just as he who says: We bear about the dying of the Lord Jesus in our body (II Cor. IV, 10). Therefore, while it opens, the Bridegroom passes by. For he always wants to be sought, more often to be found, and if he finds the door closed, he knocks, and if he is excluded for a while, he withdraws. But he quickly returns and knocks again, so that he may find the bride prepared afterwards. Indeed, it can be understood in this way: My brother passed (Cant. V, 6), as we read, meaning that he penetrated the innermost marrow of his beloved, and as it was said to Mary: And a sword will pierce through your own soul; so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed (Luke II, 35). Finally, the Bride added that her soul went out in his word, which happens when the soul wanders from the body and is present to God (Cant. V, 6).
18. Therefore, we have explained as best we could what it means: Your word, Lord, remains forever in heaven. However, we can also understand it in this way, that it remains more forever in heaven, where there are Angels and Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim; for although humans are holy, their emotions often change. Now we rejoice, then we mourn, we become angry, we groan. Even in repentance, the Apostle does not want us to be sufficiently crushed, lest we be overwhelmed by sadness (II Cor. II, 7). Where there is anger, where there is heavy sadness, the Word does not remain there. Indeed, only concerning the Lord Jesus was it said by John that he saw the Holy Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remaining on him (Mark 1:10). For even the prophets did not always prophesy, but when the grace of prophesying was poured out on them by the Spirit. Indeed, not even David knew in advance what Nathan, sent by the Lord, would announce, and certainly the lesser prophet Nathan knew what the more excellent David did not know (2 Samuel 22:5 et seq.). And another prophet said: The Lord has hidden me (2 Kings 4:27). Hence, many understand that the Word of God remains in heaven, in the heavenly powers, where there are no changes of affections. However, some understand it to refer to the very Trinity, which alone is unchangeable; therefore, the Word remains in heaven, that is, in the Father, because the Word said: I am in the Father, and the Father is in me (John 14:10).
19. (Verse 90.) From generation to generation, your truth. There are many who are called gods, but they are not. Therefore, among the Gentiles, there is falsehood; in the Church, there is truth. However, the Synagogue had this truth first, which had the words of God; for truth is also in the Old Testament, which existed before in the Jewish people. For God is known in Judah (Psalm 75:1). But God is truth, therefore in Judah there is truth. Therefore, there was truth in the fathers, in Moses, and Joshua, in Samuel, and in David. Elijah, to Elisha, and in those seven thousand men who did not bow their knees to Baal. But because the later generations of the Jews deviated from the customs of their fathers, the truth departed from them and came to the Church. It departed from them when they said of the Lord Jesus: 'Take him away, take him away, crucify him' (John 19:15); for they handed over the truth and chose wickedness. Therefore, all other generations have become devoid of the truth, and the generations of all heretics do not hold the truth. Only the Church possesses the truth with pious affection; because the generation of the Jews, which possessed it before her, lost it. Therefore, the Jewish people are the first generation of faith, and therefore younger and weaker, who could not stand on the slippery ground of adolescence; but the Christian people are the second generation of faith; therefore stronger, and more venerable with mature old age. That generation was of the Law, this of grace. Hence, it is said elsewhere: 'They shall announce Your truth from generation to generation' (Psalm 88:2).