Chapter III.
He confirms what he had said about exchanging labor for fruit, using the example of the Jews serving in Egypt, and he confirms it with the testimony of the Gospel; he declares from where and in what way the soul must be freed, and that Christ is our true priest, that is, our liberator. Lastly, he presents the beautiful usefulness that the company of the righteous brings.
10. And to illustrate the precept of the law by an example, when the Egyptians oppressed the Jewish people with various works, with mud and stone, the children of Israel groaned and called upon the Lord for mercy. And he said to Moses: I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, how the Egyptians oppress them into servitude, and I have remembered my covenant. Go and tell the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from the power of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their slavery, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments, and I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from the power of the Egyptians, and I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exod. 3:7 et seq.). See how the people of Hebrews have changed their labor with fruit, so that those who worked in mud would work in the hope of an eternal kingdom. And therefore the Lord, in the Gospel, had compassion on the empty labor of the gentile nations, who were constructing bricks for a muddy superstition and were devoted to the pleasure of the body, and were unable to build a solid wall of faith, as he said to certain offspring of donkeys: Come to me, all you who labor, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29) In this calling, I seem to understand more fully the words of the law and the mysteries: for he taught that the donkey should either be replaced by a sheep or redeemed with money. So that we may not only change the unclean offspring of the donkey, that is, worldly things, for a sheep, but also redeem them. This seems to be expressed by first washing away the impurities of our sins through the sacrifice of purification and the mystery of baptism; and also by redeeming our crimes with good works, the price of faith, and mercy.
11. The price of our blood is Christ's. Hence the Apostle Peter says: 'You were not redeemed with gold or silver, but with precious blood.' (I Pet. I, 18) And Paul says: 'You were bought at a price, do not become slaves of men.' (I Cor. VII, 23) Hence, it is not in vain that we marvel in the Gospel that the Lord Jesus sat upon the foal of an ass (Marc. XI, 7); for the Gentiles began to be the victim of Christ, because according to the law they were considered unclean. And it is written concerning the Levites (Exodus 12:13) that their redemptions are; because they washed away the sins of the people both by the holiness of their life and by their prayers. In this the figure of the lamb preceded the true Levite who was to come, who would take away the sin of the world by the passion of his own body. The Levite is signified as being accepted for me, or he himself is light for me; for he has the mark of perfect virtue to impart to the people's health. Therefore, he who was long-awaited for the salvation of all, was born for me from a virgin womb, offered for me, tasted death for me, and rose again for me. In him, the redemption of all mankind was achieved, and the resurrection was assumed. He is the true Levite, so that he might make us cling to God, pour forth continuous prayers to him, hope for salvation from him, flee earthly affairs, be counted among God's possession, as it is written: Lord, possess us (Exod. XXXIV, 9.). For it is only that possession which bears the fruits of perpetual grace, untouched by any storms. The Redeemer is a physician, for the redemption of the foolish is the wise man's task. Like a physician who comforts the sick mind of the fool and sprinkles stronger remedies of prudence on his soul, imitating the physician who came from heaven to show mankind the ways of prudence and reveal the paths of wisdom to the little ones. For he saw that the suffering could not be saved without remedy, and therefore he gave medicine to the sick. He brought help of salvation to all, so that whoever perishes may attribute the cause of his death to himself, for he did not want to be healed when he had a remedy by which he could escape: but the mercy of Christ must be preached to all openly; because those who perish, perish through their own negligence; but those who are saved, according to the judgment of Christ, shall be set free, for he desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. Finally, if Sodom had fifty righteous people, it would not have been destroyed, and if it had ten, it would have been redeemed; because the word of forgiveness of sins frees the soul from servitude and does not allow the mind to be consumed by the destructive fumes of lustful desires.
However, it matters a great deal and builds moral character if we also consider the number of just individuals who contribute to the welfare of the people as a whole. It suppresses and cuts off envy, confounds wickedness, encourages virtue, and increases favor. For no one should envy the praise that benefits themself; and every wicked individual, when they accept their redeemer, often imitates them, certainly venerates them, and often even loves them. Indeed, even if they know it will be beneficial to others, they are increased by their endeavors, and through that grace they connect people, accumulate the charity of citizens, and enhance the glory of cities. How blessed is the city that has many righteous people, how celebrated it is by the mouths of all! How it is praised from every side, and how its blessed and eternal state is esteemed! How I rejoice when I see some gentle and wise people live for a long time, when I behold chaste virgins, grave widows, elderly women, like a certain grey-haired court of the Church that presents itself with a certain countenance and appearance of gravity, which they revere, which they imitate, which they are adorned with, in order to obtain all the grace of good manners! For I do not rejoice for their own sake, when they experience the many annoyances of this world by living, but because they benefit many others. Similarly, when someone of this kind falls, even though he is laid low by a long old age, I am affected; because the flock of young people is deprived of an old wall. Finally, the first sign of a perishing city, or of impending evils, or of future evils, is this, if wise men depart, or even weighty women. From here, the gate opens for the first onslaught of approaching evils. Therefore, just as a whole city is strengthened and sustained by the gathering of wise people, or is weakened by their deaths: so too weighty speech, indeed one full of wisdom, is accustomed to stabilizing the soul of each individual and confirming the mind. Now if the practice of many readings is added, along with the guidance of many teachers and counsels, a certain senate, like a perpetual state of the city that is in the hearts of individuals, is established.