Letter 26: To our holy and most dear brother Sebastian — Paulinus and Therasia, sinners, send greetings in Christ the Lord.

To the holy and deservedly most beloved brother Sebastianus, Paulinus and Therasia send greeting in Christ the Lord. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who chose you and took you up as a vessel of his election, and set you apart from the womb of your ancient mother, and gave you the wings of a dove, so that, flying far away from the din of this present age, you might say: behold, I have fled far off, and I have remained in the wilderness. And yet your solitude is not solitary, for it is not deserted but withdrawn, so that, forsaken by the darkness of this world, it is frequented by the light of God, and is shunned by the mourning demons, and is cultivated by the rejoicing angels. The Lord our God himself granted to us, though we are separated by a long interval, to draw near to you in love through the sweet fragrance of knowing you, which we have received through Victor, a brother most dear in the Lord. He reported to us both the work of your purpose and the secret of your dwelling-place: that, as a vigorous emulator of the ancient saints, you had set up beside the torrent a peaceful abode and a spiritual camp for yourself, just as those sons of the prophets once did at the Jordan with Elisha as their leader; and that the deacon, the blessed brother, attended upon you with the service of that woman of Sarepta, or of the Shunammite. Blessed is he to whom the Lord gave charge, as to one of the birds of heaven, to feed you with the bread of piety, as he fed Elijah sitting in secret beside the torrent, and, under this ministry, to fly back again to your little cell with constant footsteps, like the dove returning to Noah's ark, bringing the fruitful branch of holy growth. Blessed are you by the Lord, who makes those of one manner of life to dwell in one house, and who has doubled the bond of brotherhood in you, whom he both made brothers in the womb of the Church and distinguished, under one faith, with various offices, so that by a differing function you might feed one another: you helping him with spiritual arms, by fasting and praying, and he sowing for himself heavenly goods, while he supplies you with carnal nourishment, not indeed because you are in need of the provision of perishing food, since your hunger hungers for the justice and the kingdom of God. But nevertheless, because the same Lord who made what is within made also what is without, and the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak, therefore the soul, though living in the word of God, which is Christ God, who is the living and true bread, is requited with such service, so that he may serve your body, that is, the earthly frailty in you, with modest food, and may himself be fattened by the abundance of your fasts. For he said this: man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God, because, as he had regard for the limitation of our weaker substance, so the Creator himself likewise showed that bread is necessary for the flesh. But so that we should not set the care of the body before the soul, which is fed by the word of God, he showed that the life of man does not consist in bread alone; and so, when he said: not by bread alone, he also taught that the sustenance of man is established in bread, which, even if the care of the soul does not seek it, the nature of the body nevertheless demands. Therefore blessed is that man for whom the necessity of your condition profits toward the riches of the soul, because you are still a man and must be fed by this visible bread, even though within you are filled with that eternal bread. For spiritual virtue would not avail unless carnal infirmity underlay it; nor would the ministering of the faithful be powerful unless brotherly want for the most part supplied the matter for ministering. Hence the apostle too says that there will be a recompense toward the saints, when he exhorts the Church of God to the consolation of this blessing and says: let your abundance be for their want, so that their abundance too may become a supply for your want. I even dare to say that in each of you the divided figure of John and of the Lord stands together: of John crying in the wilderness, and of the Lord teaching in the temple. And one of you has been called into the servitude of ministry, the other into the liberty of a monk. But both are called together into the one kingdom and glory of God, and both are free, because both are under grace, and both are servants, because both are under the law of faith. Both are free from sin, and both are servants of justice; and both of you keep the day to the Lord in fasts, and both give thanks to the Lord in the feasts of sincerity, who gives food to all flesh, and gives living food to those who hunger for the true life. One of you has heard, so that he may say: I will go in to the altar of God, to the God who gladdens my youth; and the other has learned from the same prophet to say: I am alone, until I pass over. Therefore, since you have thus been chosen and beloved by the Lord, so that you bear one another's burdens, and with perfect charity, by which you feed one another, sustain, instruct, and enrich one another, fulfilling the law of Christ, pray for us; join together the strong hands of prayers, that you may overcome the multitude of our sins. For on this account the Lord himself, merciful and compassionate, procures and grants to his sinners the acquaintance and love of the saints, so that a most powerful advocacy may absolve even inexcusable defendants from the deserts of their damnation. May you remain in the kingdom of the Lord, which he has made to be within you through the pledge of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, in which you cry: Abba, Father, blessed in the Lord, sons of piety and of peace and of light.

XXVI. SANCTO ET MERITO DILECTIBBIMO FRATRI SEBASTIANO PAVLINVS ET THERASIA IN CHRISTO DOMINO SALVTEM. Benedictus dominus deus Israel, qui elegit et adsumpsit te in uas electionis suae et segregauit ab utero matris antiquae et dedit tibi pennas columbae, ut ab huius saeculi strepitu procul auolans diceres: ecce elongaui fugiens, et mansi in solitudine. quamuis tua solitudo non sola sit, quae non deserta est sed secreta, ut ab huius mundi tenebris desolata a dei lumine frequentetur et a daemonis lugentibus fugiatur atque ab angelis gaudentibus excolatur. ipse dominus deus noster donauit nobis licet longo interuallo distantibus appropinquare tibi in dilectione per odorem bonum notitiae tuae, quam per fratrem in domino carissimum Victorem 7] (Matth. 7, 13). 15] Ps. 54, 8. 2 destiteris scripsi, desisteris m 3 ridebis m, gaudebis Gasp . eternum m 4 exaltaueris m si non despexeris uel contempseris add. Casp. recte, nisi praetuleris nisi 5 adhipisceris m 7 uia Ccup., uita m. finit opus feliciter amen m. LMbkuxy . — paulini et therasii ad sebastianum b, epJa hieronymi ad sebastianum x, CXVI epta ad sebastianum y, ad sebastianum • XXV. M, Incipit epistola eiusdem ad sebastianum • XVII. L, sebastiano solitario ad caritatem exhortatoria k 11 tyrasius b, therasius kxy domino om. y 12 benedictus est kxy te et assumpsit kuxy 15 aduolans x, aduolares et b, euolans Col . elongaui LMb, uolaui cet . 16 non otn . u 17 ut L b, et cet . 18 de b daemonibus Col . lugentibus] furentibus Col . 19 ab om. k extollatur b 20 deus om. x nobis om. u 21 ordinem b bonum om. u accepimus, qui nobis et opus propositi tui et secretum tabernaculi nuntiauit, quia ueterum sanctorum strenuus aemulator super torrentem tibi, sicut illi quondam filii prophetarum Elisaeo duce super Iordanem, pacificam mansionem et spiritalia castra posuisses et diaconus tibi frater benedictus Sareptanae illius ant Sunamitidis obsequio ministraret. beatus ille, cui mandauit dominus sicut uni uolatilium caeli, ut te sicut Eliam ad torrentem secreto sedentem panibus pietatis pasceret et ad cellulam tuam assiduis sub hac ministratione uestigiis uelut ad arcam Noe fructiferum pii germinis ramum afferens columba reuolaret. Benedicti uos a domino, qui facit unius moris habitare in domo et qui germanitatis uinculum duplicauit in uobis; quos et in ecclesiae utero fratres fecit et sub una fide uariis distinxit officiis, ut diuerso munere alter alterum pasceretis, tu illum spiritalibus armis ieiunans et orans iuuares et ille caelestia sibi bona sereret, dum carnalia tibi alimenta suppeditat non indigenti quidem pereuntis escae sumptu, quia fames tua iustitiam et regnum dei esurit. sed tamen quia idem dominus, qui fecit quod intus est, fecit et quod foris est, spiritus uero promptus, caro autem infirma, ideo uiuentem licet animam in uerbo dei, quod est Christus deus, 4] (lill Reg. 6, 2; IIII Reg. 4, 8). 8] (III Reg. 17, 4). 10] (Gen. 8,11). 12] Ps. 113, 15. Ps. 67, 7. 19] (Matth. 5, 6). 21] Jfatth. 24, 41; Marc. 14, 38. 2 aemulator] existis (existit x) item tibi add. kxy super torrentem tibi LMb, super (duarum limarum spatio uacuo) u, otn. kxy . super torrentem tibi gratissimum Col . 3 heliseo LMuy, helyseo b, helisaeo x 4 spiritualia k et sic infra 5 benedicte L, benedicte b illius sareptinę.м sareptenae kuy, sareptene bx, saraeptene L illius aut om . u 6 somanitidis xy 7 heliam Mx, helyam Lbuy 9 sub] super Col . 10 arcliam LMuy 12 nos x a om. kuxy 13 in domo habitare k inforuurei\' 14 nobis x1 15 distincxit b ut] et ky sub diuerso Col . 16 ieiunans y (TA,»RNITM m 2) iuuares] ieiunares u 17 ille LMb, ille in te cet . tibi dona b, bona sibi Col . 18 non u s. 1. m. 2 supt\' b, sumptus L 19 dei om. L tamen om. M 20 est om. LM quod et uy, quod Col . 21 uero LMb, quidem cet . 22 in om. LM dominus b qui est uiuus et uerus panis, tali remuneratur obsequio, ut corpori tuo id est terrenae in te fragilitati seruiat cibis modicis et ipse ieiuniorum tuorum abundantia saginetur. ideo enim dixit: non in solo pane uiuit homo, sed in omni uerbo dei, quia ut infirmioris substantiae nostrae rationem habuit, perinde et carni panem necessarium ipse creator ostendit. Sed ne corporis curam animae, quae uerbo dei pascitur, praeponeremus, non in solo pane uitam hominis constare monstrauit atque ideo, cum dixit: non in solo pane, etiam in pane uictum hominis constitutum docuit, quem etsi animae cura non quaerat, tamen corporis natura deposcit. ideo benedictus ille, cui ad opes animae proficit necessitas conditionis tuae, quia adhuc homo et isto uisibili pane pascendus es, etsi interius aeterno illo pane satureris. non enim proficeret spiritalis uirtus, nisi subesset carnalis infirmitas. nec esset potens fidelium ministratio, nisi materiam ministrandi plerumque inopia fraterna praeberet. unde et apostolus ait in sanctos compensationem futuram, cum ecclesiam dei ad consolationem istius benedictionis hortatur et dicit: abundantia uestra sit ad illorum inopiam, ut et illorum abundantia inopiae uestrae supplementum fiat. 1] (Ioh. 6, 41). 4] Matth. 4, 4; Luc. 4, 4; Deut. 8, 3. 20] II Cor. 8, 14. 1 est uiuus et uerus panis LMb, uerus et uiuus panis est cet . remu- nerat b 2 corpore b in te] uite b, uitae ku 4 in] enim in k pane solo xy omni om. u 5 uerbo] quod procedit de ore add. b ut] in k ut-perinde om. M nra roe Luxy, nostrae ratione k 6 habuit Lb, esurire habuit kuxy, ne esuriret habuit Col . proinde bkuxy carnis k creator ipse b, creator k 8 praeponeremus quae uerbo dei pascitur kuxy Col . 9 pane uictum hominis constitutum docuit (mediis are monstrauit-1. 11 con omissis) Col . constrare L 10 cum u s. I. m. 2, quin b, id k pane etiam in pane] pane uiuit homo non in docuit solo pane k 11 ostendit M etsi] licet M 13 cui] quoi b 14 tue b, suae (at tue s. I. x) kx et] in u 16 carnis b 17 materiam ministrando b, ministrandi locum k fraterna inopia Col . 18 agit kx sanetis M 19 cum] quin b 21 et ut k et s . 1. b inopiae uestrae LM, uestrae inopiae cet . 22 sit supplementum b Adhuc audeo dicere in utroque uestrum diuisa Iohannis et domini forma consistit, Iohannis in deserto clamantis et domini in templo docentis. et unus uestrum in seruitutem ministerii uocatus est, alter in monachi libertatem. sed uterque in unum dei regnum et gloriam conuocati et ambo liberi, quia ambo sub gratia, et ambo serui, quia ambo sub lege fidei. ambo liberi peccato et ambo serui iustitiae et ambo in ieiuniis domino diem sapitis et ambo in epulis sinceritatis domino gratias agitis, qui dat escam omni carni et dat escam uiuam esurientibus ueram uitam. unus uestrum audiuit, ut dicat: introibo ad altare dei, ad deum qui laetificat iuuentutem meam; et alter ab eodem propheta didicit dicere: singulariter sum ego, donec transeam. Ergo quia sic electi estis et dilecti domino, ut alter alterius onera portetis, et caritate perfecta, qua inuicem nos pascitis, sustinetis instruitis locupletatis adimplentes legem Christi, orate pro nobis; conserite ualidas orationum manus, ut superetis multitudinem peccatorum nostrorum. ob hoc enim ipse misericors et miserator dominus peccatoribus suis sanctorum notitiam caritatemque procurat et donat, ut etiam inexcusabiles reos praepotens aduocatio meritis damnationis absoluat. maneatis in regno domini, quod intra uos fecit esse per inhabitantem in uobis arrabonem spiritus sancti, in quo clamatis: abba, pater, benedicti domino filii pietatis et pacis et luminis. 2] (Matth. 3, 3; Ioh. 7, 28). 9] Ps. 135, 25. (Matth. 5, 6). 11] Ps. 42, 4. 13] Ps. 140, 10. 14] Gal. 6, 2. 23] Rom. 8,15; Gal. 4, 6. 1 diuersa x Col . ioannis et infra u 3 seruitute L 4 misterii b monacbalem v utrique 161 Col . 5 regnum dei b, regnum u gloriam dei u uocati My 7 a peccato b 10 uitam] iustitiam Col . 11 dnin ex deum u m. 2, dm L, drfifi y 13 ego sum Lu, sum e. k 14 a domino b 15 perfecta om. LM 16 parcitis xy inseruitis b locupletastis u adimplentis x, adimpletis b Col . 17 manus ualidas orationum b 18 multorum u uestrorum u 19 ipse LMb, ipsum cet., om. Col . 20 sanctorum om. LM 21 ameritis M 22 absoluat] ualete add. LMb, finit add. kxy dei xy nos k 23 inhabitatem x arrabonem k sancti spiritus u pater] explicit add. L benedicti-luminis om. LM .