26. These are truly the ones that produce twins, in whom there is no infertility of any virtues, no sterility of any merits. They truly produce twins; because they double their senses. From where do you have written in Proverbs: And you write these things for yourself threefold, in counsel, and in knowledge (Prov. XXII, 20). It precedes the triple writing, and adds two, counsel and knowledge: but knowledge is twofold: one of incorporeal things, the other of corporeal things.
27. We have spoken about fertility; let us now speak about teeth. For many sailors, as well as those on a journey on land, when they see a beautiful place, they stay there for the sake of delight, they feed their eyes and lift their spirits; they do not think of it as merely stopping to eat, but as a gratification. Similarly, it is dear to us to contemplate the most beautiful teeth of righteous souls. For the Scripture has taught us that the teeth of the righteous are beautiful, saying literally of the patriarch Judah, but spiritually of Christ: His eyes are brighter than wine, and his teeth are like milk (Gen. 49:12). In which he preaches not the duties of human flesh, but the gifts of divine grace. Therefore, it teaches by example that teeth should not be passed over, where we have spoken of the eyes.
28. So who are the teeth of righteous souls, if not those who, receiving formless and hard food, either crush it, often cold or excessively hot, or nurture it, or temper it, depending on the quality of the nourishment? They crush it, lest the harshness of the letter in the Old Testament, and the rigid understanding of the world, unless resolved by a spiritual tooth, block the vital passages of nourishing foods, and a certain throat of the soul, with careless greediness, suffocate. Therefore, it is right for you to divide first, if the food that is consumed seems solid to you, and to separate and soften it without any harm to the soul, and to transfer it to all its limbs through natural division, so that every part of its body may be nourished by vital juice. Do not take anything putrid or dead into your mouth, so that it may not be said: 'The throat of these ones is an open grave' (Psalm 13:3), but rather receive the living word, so that it may work in the depths of your mind.
Hi teeth are whiter than milk, because they are the teeth of the righteous. Finally, even though all our ancestors were baptized in the cloud and in the sea with Moses, it is not in vain that it is written, because they all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink (I Cor. X, 3 and 4); so that a greater brightness may come to these holy teeth, which we know were cleansed after crossing the Red Sea, by the bitterness of the well of myrrh tempered through the grace of the wood (Exod. XV, 25 and 27), and then by the drink of the twelve fountains, and finally by the spiritual wave of the rock that bountifully provided water; for the rock was Christ. Therefore they ate manna (Num. XX, 11); as often as they were washed they ate bread, as it is written, the bread of angels (Psal. LXXVII, 25). Now also in the mysteries of the Gospel you recognize that although you are baptized with your whole body, you are afterwards cleansed by spiritual food and drink.
30. Therefore, David rightly brings forth the internal purified eyes and the teeth as if enlightened by the brightness of spiritual teeth, saying: I have done judgment and justice (Sup. 5,121). For he is the true splendor of teeth, where the melodious confession resounds to a well-conscious mind. That purified eye, which no beam of serious sins has pressed down, which no mote of light rubbish has disturbed. This eye has failed in the word of justice. For whoever is joined to Christ is one spirit (I Cor. VI, 17). And Balaam sought that his soul would fail among the souls of the righteous (Num. XXIII, 10), that is, that he would forget his own error: that he would lay aside what was his own and take on what belonged to justice and equity. But let us proceed to the rest.
31. (Verse 124.) It follows: Deal with your servant according to your mercy, and teach me your ways of justice. He has paved the way and has presumed the increase of his commendation. He demanded above that he not be handed over to the wicked (Above verses 121 and 122): he asked again to be received in good; lest the proud slander him, that is: I do not deviate from judgment, but from the slander of the treacherous; for they do not know how to judge, but they know how to slander. I take refuge in you, who know how to represent judgment. And it is not good to be handed over to slanderers; for many things did the just Job suffer after he was handed over to the guilty. But that was a difficult and great struggle, which no one could easily overcome without excessive patience, except Job; however, he was not completely handed over, but was taken in with a better portion. He who says: Do not hand me over, understands greater things. But we are more in soul than in flesh; for the just are said: 'You are not in the flesh, but in the spirit' (Rom. 8:9). Therefore, he who refuses to give up his soul, wastes away in his body like a spider (Psalm 38:12).
Therefore, in this place, presuming on a certain familiarity, he says: Act with your servant according to your mercy, and teach me your justice. He seeks mercy to be shown to him, and justice to be taught. Elsewhere also, that is, in subsequent verses, you have this meaning: And do not enter into judgment with your servant (Ps. 142:2). For being aware of our sins, we ought to seek more the mercy of our God than to implore justice. He grants one pardon, he imposes another punishment. What hope do people have in contending with him whom hidden things do not deceive, whom sins cannot hide? Therefore, knowing the power of him whom the person did not fear, he says: I have sinned only against you (Psalm 50:6). No just person can deny this, because no one is without sin. The king cannot, because even though he has laws under his power, he is subject to God. In fact, he owes even more, to whom more has been entrusted.
33. Therefore, He says this: 'Do with your servant according to your mercy; for even if I have done something good, I owe more as a servant. A servant is not absolved by one act; for no one who has a servant plowing or tending sheep would say to him: 'Pass, recline', but would say to him: 'Prepare what I will eat and gird yourself and minister to me'... Does the servant have thanks if he did what was commanded of him (Luke XVII, 7 and 8)? Therefore, even when we have done what is commanded of us, we should not immediately exalt ourselves, but rather humble ourselves; for not immediately if we have done something, have we fulfilled all the duties of servitude.' Who can match the great gifts of nature, the benefits of health and life preserved, with worthy service? Who can repay what he has received? Therefore, knowing all things, he seeks mercy rather than reward: For, it is said, no man living shall be justified in your sight (Psalm 142:2).
34. (Verse 125.) The following verse says: I am your servant: give me understanding, and I will know your testimonies. Understanding is a spiritual gift; and therefore, because it belongs to God, it is requested from the Lord. He does not request it as a stranger, who confesses himself as a servant. He says well: I am your servant. For a servant does the will of his master. A servant seeks the rewards of servitude, hopes for recompense. The servant of the Lord cannot also be a servant of sin: and therefore, he asks for understanding to be given to him, so that he may know how to avoid sin. He indeed had understanding, but not such that he believed it to be excessive: he seeks for something more abundant.
35. And there is also the intellect of nature, and there is the non-good intellect. Therefore Solomon says: But good understanding giveth grace (Prov. XIII, 15). For if every intellect were good, there would be no need for an addition. He rightly seeks the grace of his Lord, for otherwise he cannot know the secrets of the Lord unless he has received the gift of spiritual intellect. You have this in Jeremiah: Make it known unto me, O Lord, and I shall know (Jerem. XI, 18); for unless God makes His mystery known to men, we cannot know.
36. (Verse 126.) The sixth verse follows: Tempus faciendi, Domine: dissipaverunt legem tuam iniqui. It says well that it is the time to act; For there is a time to be silent, and a time to speak (Eccles. III, 7). But the time to speak has come: and by this it mentions that the time of the Lord's coming has already arrived; so that because transgression of the Law has occurred, the end of the Law may come, and its fulfillment, and the fullness of the Lord Jesus, who will forgive all sins to mankind: and having annulled the handwriting of debts, he may absolve all and free sinners. It is time to act, so that if someone's illness worsens, you run to the doctor, so that they may come quickly; otherwise, they may not be able to help later. The doctor is most needed when a serious illness strikes the weak. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit, the Prophet, sees the transgressions of the people - their luxury, indulgence, deceit, fraud, greed, and drunkenness - he intervenes for us, he runs to Christ, whom he knows alone can help with such sins: he urges him to come and does not allow any delay. Time, he said, for you, Lord, to ascend the cross for us, to undergo death. The whole world is being driven into extreme danger: come to take away the sin of the world. Let life come to the dying: let resurrection come to those already buried. May your deed come to our aid; for your commandments were not able to help. In the Law there was command, in the Gospel there is ministry.
37. The blind people could not see their own creator. The world was lame, and by the faltering step of faith, it wavered. There was no ointment to apply, nor oil, nor binding. That Evangelical woman had spent all her inheritance on doctors (Luke VIII, 43), having the appearance of a human congregation, which gathered from the nations: neither the flowing blood, nor the deadly outflow of an old passion could be restrained by the physicians of this age. The future generations of the Prince of the people had perished, and his entire inheritance had been destroyed. Seeing this, the Prophet says to Christ: 'It is time to act, Lord: not to command, he says, but to act; for he is not an ambassador or messenger, but the Lord who will save his people.' And indeed, he knew the right time and did not delay, but we did not know at what better time he would come to help.
38. Perhaps he wants to be reminded by us, he wants to be asked: in fact, if he is asked, he comes before the time. He comes to the fig tree: and he comes before the hour, as he says to his mother. She was pleading for us, she was hastening, saying: They have no wine, son. Jesus answered: What is that to me and to you, woman? My hour has not yet come (John 2:3-4). And the mother, who knew his disposition, said to the servants: Whatever he tells you, do (Ibid., 5). Jesus, who had also denied that his hour had come, did what he had been putting off. For God does all things in his own time. Whatever he does is not outside of time, but all things are opportune that he has done. And he came to me at his own time; for every time is opportune for salvation, nothing is prematurely rushed for the sake of those in danger. But he wanted to wait for the correction of the Synagogue. Therefore, he came to the fig tree before its time (Mark 11:13), that is, he came quickly to the Jews, timely to the Gentiles: he came quickly to those who were perishing, conveniently to those who were ready to believe.
39. (Verse 127.) The seventh verse follows: Because of this, I have loved your commandments more than gold and topaz. The Law is the herald of Christ: therefore, the precepts of the Law bring hope for future goods. For it is the command of the Lord: Take heed to yourself, lest you forsake the Levite throughout all the time in which you live upon the earth (Deut. XII, 19). Who is this Levite? You understand if you consider who is he who comes to serve, who is the eternal priest. He says another command: Keep the month of the new ones, and you shall make the Passover for the Lord your God (Deut. XVI, 1). And below: In the place which the Lord your God shall choose to have his name invoked, there you shall sacrifice the Passover in the evening at the setting of the sun, at the time when you came out of Egypt (Ibid., 6). Therefore, the commandments of God have indications of future redemption, signs of resurrection; hence he mentions that they are dear to him above gold and topaz. For what is more pleasing than salvation, more precious than resurrection?
Or because those things which are foolish in the world, Christ has chosen; so that because through wisdom the world did not know God, through the foolishness of preaching he might bring salvation to those who believe; and therefore he says: Above the wisdom of heavenly operation, and worldly constitution, and above the adornments of the sun and moon, and the precious necklaces of the stars, I have loved the obedience of the Lord's passion. For by redeeming me, he has bestowed more on me than by creating me; for then I was born without reason, now I am saved by will. But not everyone who says: I have loved your commandments above gold and topaz. It is not said by the greedy person, who lies on gold, covets wealth, desires ornaments: but it is said by the one who is able to say: I do not have silver and gold (Acts 3:6); because I do not seek, because gold is of no benefit to me: but the heavenly precept and commandment have redeemed me.
We have spoken of the continent of sense; now let us recount the story of the topaz stone. Regarding this, we have found it written in the history of Xenocrates, who wrote as if in a treatise on stones, that it is born or found around the city of Thebes, either in a form of alabaster or topaz, as some believe; from which it is also named after the place in which it is born. However, there are those who have thought that the island is called Topazion, to which the Troglodytes arrived: because of a sudden maritime commotion, since they did not have the use of ships, they were unable to return. Then, after spending a long time, they found a stone on the island, and being delighted by its color, they brought it back home and sold it to Arabian merchants. They bought it from them and it was brought to the mother of Ptolemy II, whose name was Berenice. She, although she abounded in royal ornaments, was amazed by its color and worked hard to make the appearance of such a precious stone last longer. Therefore, the stone sought by her diligence came into more common use.
42. We have explained how the topaz stone is recognizable, now let us speak more specifically about its quality. This stone has two colors, a mixture of tempered κρᾶσις, which means a certain moderate blending. It is similar to Πρασοιδὴς and chrysopa in appearance, extending certain figures of colors in both, and is said to extend them more fully by experts. It is pale yellow and fairly pure, and golden yellow and fatty, similar to something shining, especially when struck by the brightness of the sun. It is also the most beautiful and remarkable above all in size, and, as I have said, more pleasing to the eye. Its nature is such that if you want to polish and smooth it, it becomes rougher, and its use diminishes. However, there is a certain kind of elegant work of nature, which is well distinguished and remarkable: and to be considered worthy of the highest praise, it is rarely found: and once found, it is seldom used by humans, as if it were the one that a wealthy queen admired.
43. But now, just as those Troglodytes, having found the price of their dwelling, returned home, so let us also return, having received the benefit of this delay, to the place from which we diverged. It is not fitting for us to attach certain ornaments of the royal court to our conversation any longer, when we have the cross of Christ in our hands, which the Prophet admonishes us to prefer over gold and topaz, for it recalls and corrects us from every error and fault. For who among the just does not desire the solace of Christ in death, and a share in the resurrection? Who does not hesitate, when they hear that all their sins are forgiven, to reconsider their steps? For many were accustomed to be deterred from the pursuit of conversion because, being conscious of their own sins, they presumed no hope of forgiveness; and in the Church, the more holy the precepts, the more they thought that sins were committed without forgiveness.
44. (Verse 128.) Therefore he says in the eighth verse: Therefore I have corrected myself for all your commandments: I have hated every unjust way. He was rightly corrected because he loved; for love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). See how much it covers, how much it corrects. Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, does not act wrongly, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, does not think evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Charity never fails (2 Corinthians, XIII, 4 et seq.). In the lower things, he placed three perfect ones, hope, faith, charity: but he said charity is greater, and rightly so; for charity hopes all things, believes all things (Ibid., 13). Therefore, since hope and faith are in charity, there is no doubt that charity is greater. And the Prophet responded well to himself. For he said above: The law of the Lord is blameless, converting the soul (Psalm XVIII, 8). If the Law converts the soul, surely the one who loves is loved by the Law. Then, in this very 118th psalm, it says first: Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord (Sup. v. 1). If one is undefiled who walks in the law of God, surely the one who loves the law of God is converted. Therefore, if the Law makes one undefiled, rightly charity covers a multitude of sins; because the fullness of the Law is charity.
45. 'I have hated every unjust way,' he says. If someone loves the precepts of justice, they do what they love; certainly, someone who hates injustice does not do what they hate. And it is not without reason that he is corrected by all the commands of the Lord, who hates every path of iniquity. For unless you hate every path of iniquity, you cannot be corrected by all the commands of God. For it is possible for someone to restrain themselves from the horror of cruelty; however, being deceived by the slippery love of a prostitute, and having entered the paths of youthful incontinence, they may not be able to retract the once engraved footprint.' For many vices deceive with a more pleasing appearance, and on the contrary, sad and excessively severe cruelty turns away many others from itself. But the youth is freer in love, more careless in falling, more fragile in weakness, and harsher in correction. One restrains oneself from luxury: but is carried away by the desire for greed. For often sins of this kind are such that if you avoid one, you incur another: and the use of nature assists weakness. You hated luxury as if it were barrenness, but the desire to possess frugality frequently creeps in. Greed itself is subject to robbery. And how much more tolerable it is to waste one's own, than to plunder others'! There are those who, fearing to diminish anything from their own income, even deny themselves the necessary expenses, and consider compassion to be a loss. There are those who, avoiding degenerate ignobility, are driven by the allure of secular ambition, and, like shaken reeds, are carried here and there uncertainly. There are also those who, while following the state of their ancestors, are satisfied with a worthy conversation, not even considering that their fathers' errors should be avoided; so that they do not think that faith should be changed for perfidy: because the purpose of changing for the better is not levity, but virtue: and it is not fault, but grace. However, when occupied with other games or theatrical pleasures, or other vanities, they do not attend the Church: another, enjoying the quiet of the countryside, has rare access to the Church for that reason. And so, each one converges towards the same error of indevotion with different usage. But he who hates every path of iniquity is corrected and improved in all things. And he rightly states, 'The Path of Iniquity'; for he more easily avoids iniquity, who has not entered its paths.
Sermon 17. Phe.
The seventeenth letter, which in Latin means, I have erred, or, I have opened my mouth. Therefore, this lamentable series of psalms is fittingly placed under this letter: Look upon me, and have mercy on me . . . and let not all my iniquity have dominion over me. Shine your face upon your servant (below, verses 132, 133, and 135); so that to the one who was in the shadow of death, the light of the heavenly mercy might arise, Christ might come for the forgiveness of sins, the redemption of captives, and the assistance of those who labor. But because it seemed too slow to those who desired to come, my eyes directed the course of the waters (Inferno, canto 1, line 136).
In the book of Lamentations, there is also a more tearful series under this letter: 'Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her.' (Lam. 1:17) She received a worthy recompense. For she, who neglected to hear him spreading forth his hands and to take shelter under his wings, later spread forth her own hands and could not find anyone to comfort her. For although Jeremiah seems to bewail the captivity of the Jews by the Babylonians before the coming of the Lord, yet with his prophetic spirit he foresaw this captivity more, which the intelligible Babylonian subjected them to the chains of perpetual error and, expelling them from the state of paternal devotion, afflicted them with the exile of a long journey and deplored them with miserable sorrow. For there is no truer homeland than faith, which made those who were far away, near, and connected the laws of the heavenly city to foreigners and strangers, as it is written: So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19).
Also Jeremiah says under this letter: All your enemies have opened their mouths against you, they hissed, they gnashed their teeth, and said: We have swallowed her; yet this is the day that we hoped for, we found her, we saw her (Lamentations 2:6). And here, just as the Jewish people opened their mouth against Christ, as you read in the twenty-first Psalm about his passion, that they opened their mouths to curse (Psalm 22:14): you acknowledge the worthy fate of retribution; that they themselves should endure such things from their enemies, and that the understandable enemy Satan would gnash his teeth against them, like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Therefore, they did not say: Blessed be the Lord who did not give us as prey to their teeth (Psalm 123:6); because they did not think to hope in the Lord. Therefore, the devil found the destruction that he presumed. He swallowed them up; because there was no offended shepherd who would pull the legs of the lamb out of the mouth of the lion, or the cartilage.
They did not want to follow, they did not want to hear: therefore, as the shepherd departs, their footsteps and ears are filled with their own desires; because they did not receive the face of the saints, and did not show mercy to the nobles (Lamentations 4:16), as Jeremiah says for the third time under this letter in Lamentations. Who are the nobles, if not those who lived not according to this dark life, but in the light of holiness. Indeed, mercy is owed to all the needy by right: but a certain greater compassion is stirred when affliction casts some of the wealthy and noble into the lowest state and necessity of poverty.