Letter 42: Most Blessed and venerable Father Florentius,

42. To the most blessed and rightly venerable father Florentius, from Paulinus. We rejoice in the Lord that we have been visited by the letter of your holiness and called forth, so that we, who before had not even enjoyed the favor of your acquaintance, now by a sudden gift of God may take up the full confidence of your friendship as though it were an old one. "Wine," it says, "and a friend grow old together, and you shall drink it with sweetness." Behold, your holiness has surpassed that saying of the prophet, for you have begun to love us with so perfect an affection that you have rendered to us the sweetness of a long-standing love in the very newness of this bond, so that we have no need to wish for increases of charity, whose consummated maturity we already experience in its abundant beginnings, so that we may compare the richness of your soul to great springs, which, bursting forth from their source with a widely poured mouth, are rivers at the very moment of their rising. Blessed therefore be the Lord, who has so superabounded toward our sins with such grace that he has enriched us, who were not even worthy of your acquaintance, with your charity as well, and to us, who hitherto lacked the lesser good, since we were deprived of your bodily acquaintance, he has granted so much the greater a gift of yourself, in proportion as the substance of a man is more powerful in spirit than in flesh. Therefore our heart exults, and with a mouth filled with joys we say: "The Lord has magnified to do with us," since "you have come before us in the blessing of sweetness" through holy utterances, and "tried as silver purified," visiting us, as I said, and rousing us from the squalor of our sloth to the observance of your charity, in which indeed we were not sleeping through ignorance, but were silent through ignorance. Let therefore the name of the Lord be blessed, and let him rejoice in this work also of his goodness, by which to us, who knew not your face in the flesh, he has shown rather this, the beauty of your mind, by which you are more fairly formed in Christ. "For the speech of a man," it says, "declares concerning him," and "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Your speech, therefore, seasoned for us with apostolic salt, has expressed the savor of the grace that has been given to you, and from the droppings of your lips we have tasted how sweet the Lord is in you, who have been made and set as head over the people, chosen from the sheep to be a man of the flock, that you may rule the sheep of his pasture, he who laid down his soul for his sheep. The same Lamb and Shepherd shall rule us forever, who made us sheep out of wolves, and is now the shepherd guarding those very sheep, for whom he was the Lamb as a victim. This therefore is our Lord and God, who was seen on earth and dwelt among men for our sake, who is sheep and shepherd within us, because he rules us inwardly with an invisible staff and a saving rod, so that even if we walk in the shadow of death, we may not fear evils, because God is with us, that Emmanuel, the Lord of majesty and son of the handmaid, of whom the one he was born, the other he was made. The same is the creator of man and the redeemer, God from God, man for man's sake, son of God before the ages, son of man for the world's sake, the form of a servant for the freedom of servants, and made poor, that he might enrich the poor by his own want, because he himself is rich unto all in every good, who is fulfilled all in all, the fullness of divinity, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of those far off on the sea, our God of salvation, the mediator of men and of God, the man Christ Jesus, who is in the glory of God the Father over all, God blessed forever. He therefore, who deigned to take you up into the lot of his apostles, that by their craft you might become a fisher of men and might draw out from the bitter and deep waves of this age, by the hook of the saving word, a prey to be made alive for God rather than to be destroyed -- which indeed you do daily -- this God, who made you a helper of his building and his cultivation, who deigned to instill the love of our lowliness through the humility of the heart of your soul lofty above us, since without doubt through the meekness of the sheep and the innocence of the lamb you have merited to be a shepherd -- this God, I say, who deigns to make you one who loves us, acting not according to our evil desert but according to the riches of his goodness, so that there may be heaped up for us a help from the patronage of your prayers, and for you a reward from your great charity even toward your lesser neighbors -- may he make you ever mindful of us, may he mingle care for our salvation into all your prayers and offerings, lest this so great outpouring of your love, in which we glory in the Lord, turn into a stumbling-block for us, if we should cover the ravening beasts of untamed senses with the clothing of sheep. So therefore pray, until you prevail, that our heart may be made spotless in the sight of the Lord, that we may not be confounded nor dragged along together with those who speak peace with their neighbor, but evils are in their hearts; but that, harmonious in tongue and mind, we may believe with the heart unto justice, and confess with the mouth unto life. Then at last the piety with which you love us will be returned to you fruitfully, if your prayer for us shall have been so effective that, transformed from our earthly appearance, we may be carried over into your likeness, that we may bear the image of the heavenly man with equal truth. Then truly shall we be blessed by your charity, if you obtain that we be not unlike your charity. In which, however, we do not stretch our vow so far as if presumptuous, as to hope to attain the summit of your merit, but that, enclosed within the bound of salvation, according to the pattern of your faith, we may trace out the footprints of truth on a straight road, and that our very end may be that which is the beginning, the head and foundation of his own body, the Rock, Christ, that Rock which follows after us as we thirst for justice amid the deserts of this age, with an attendant fountain, and refreshes us with sweet drink, lest we be burned through by the heats of carnal desires; that Rock upon which the house established does not fall; and that Rock, which, its side pierced by the lance, flowed with water and blood, so that it might pour forth for us together the saving fountains, the water of grace and the blood of the sacrament, whereby the same is both the fountain of our salvation and its price. But, woe to me a sinner, whither have I now advanced, nay rather slipped? While with many words I plead before you, that I may earn pardon for my sins, or rather against my sins, since you direct prayers, I heap up that very burden from my own loquacity which I ask to be lessened by your prayers, as though forgetful of what is written: "From much talking you shall not escape sin." And what shall I do? With what mouth shall I ask to be cleansed? Or by what reasoning shall I be defended before you, since knowingly and deliberately I have committed what is contrary to the prophetic word, so as to wound myself with the sin of much talking and to weary your holiness? I shall be utterly stuck fast in this fault, nor will even your prayer be able to cover me, unless you yourself first forgive me this guilt of injury done to you, and offer to God for me a sacrifice of propitiation, as blessed Job was commanded to do for his talkative friends. For so much do I claim for myself out of your spirit, that I presume this much talking of mine will pass unpunished through your indulgence, not doubting that you have as much patience as you have charity.

XXXXII. BEATISSIUO AC MERITO VENERABILI PATRI FLORENTIO PAVLINVS. Laetamur in domino uisitatos nos litteris sanctitatis tuae et prouocatos, ut qui neque notitiae tuae prius gratiam gesseramus nunc repentino dei munere plenam tuae tamquam ueteris amicitiae fiduciam sumeremus. uinum, inquit, et amicus ueterescet, et cum suauitate bibes eum. ecce istam prophetae sententiam superauit sanctitas tua, quae tam perfecto diligere nos coepit affectu, ut inueteratae nobis dilectionis suauitatem in prima huius foederis nouitate reddiderit, ut non necesse habeamus optare incrementa caritatis, cuius maturitatem consummatam principiis abundantibus experimur, ut ubertatem animae tuae magnis fontibus conparare possimus, qui originem suam late profuso ore rumpentes statim in ortu suo flumina sunt. benedictus itaque dominus, qui peccatis nostris tali gratia superabundauit, ut nos nec notitia tua dignos etiam caritate ditaret, et minore hactenus bono carentibus, cum uestrae corporalis notitiae essemus expertes, tanto maius de te munus indulsit, quanto potior in 8] Eccli. 9,15. 1 nobis fHX 2 et] ac FPU dilectissimi] ualete in domino add. F, opto uos ualere in domino add. pi U . — explic L, explicit liber quartus epistolarum paulini episcopi nolani U. FLMOPU . — ad florentium caturcensem epm XL. My ad florentium epm cadurcensem XXXII. L, incipit ad florentium epm de ciuitate cadurcensium 0, incipit ad florentinum epm P, epistola sancti paulini episcopi ad florentinum episcopum in qua pro transmissis epistolis plurimum gratias agit: et ad perseuerantiam amicitie et kritatis ipsum obnixe inuitat: et ut oret pro se humiliter deprecatur U 4 ac] et FM fratri Col . florentino FPU Meropius Paulinus epistola uigesima septima XXVII F 7 dei repentino U plenum 0 8 amititiae 0 9 ueterescet LO, ueterascet M, ueterascet cet . cum] in FPU bibis FOPU eum] ipsum v 10 prophetam 0 et superauit FPU, exsuperauit LM 11 et FPU 18 nos PU 14 experiemur 0 15 ut om. FPU, ita ut M 19 minore] in more FPU 21 experientes 0 potior est M homine substantia est spiritus quam caro. propterea exultat cor nostrum, et repleto gaudiis ore dicimus: magnificauit dominus facere nobiscum, quoniam praeuenisti nos in benedictione dulcedinis per eloquia sancta et sicut argentum purgatum examinata, uisitans nos, ut dixi, et excitans de pigritiae nostrae situ ad obseruantiam caritatis tuae, in qua quidem non ignorantia dormiebamus, sed ignorantia silebamus. sit ergo nomen domini benedictum et laetetur in hoc etiam opere pietatis suae, quo ignorantibus in carne faciem tuam hanc potius, qua pulchrius in Christo formatus es, speciem tuae mentis ostendit. sermo enim, inquit, uiri indicat de illo, et ex abundantia cordis os loquitur. Sermo itaque tuus nobis apostolico sale conditus expressit saporem gratiae, quae tibi data est, et de stillicidiis labiorum tuorum gustauimus quam suauis sit in te dominus, qui factus es et positus in caput populi, electus ex ouibus in uirum gregis, ut regeres oues pascuae eius, qui animam pro ouibus suis posuit. idem agnus et pastor reget nos in saecula, qui nos de lupis oues fecit, earumque nunc ouium pastor est ad custodiam, pro quibus fuit agnus in uictimam. hic ergo dominus et deus noster, qui in terris uisus est et inter homines conuersatus est pro nobis, ouis et pastor in nobis est, quia nos inuisibili baculo et salutari uirga intus regit, ut etiamsi ambulemus in umbra mortis, non timeamus mala, quia nobiscum deus est, Emmanuel ille, dominus maiestatis 2] Ps. 125, 8. 3] Ps. 10, 4. 5] Ps. 11, 7. 8] Iob 1, 21; Ps. 103, 31. 112, 2. 11] Matth. 12, 34; Luc. 6, 45. 14] (Col. 4, 6). 15] (Ps. 33, 9). 18] (I Reg. 15, 17. 16, 11; Ps. 77, 70; Ioh. 10, 15). 21] (Ioh. 1,29; Es. 53,7). 22] Baruch 3,38. 26] (Ps. 22, 4). (Es. 7,14). 1 spiritus om. FPU 4 tua sancta U 5 dixi et LM, dixit 0, dixi FPU 7 suae Fl non ignorantia eo (nisi quod M 8. 1 . m. 2: negligentia), somnolentia v 9 laetaetur 0 pietatis suae opere FPU 10 suam U pulcrius LJfl Christo] carni M 11 mentis tuae LM 12 iudicat U 15 laborum Fl 18 animam suam U 20 es F 23 in nobis pastor FPU 24 reget 0 regit intus FPU 26 emanuel FPU, emanuhel LM et filius ancillae, quorum aliud natus, aliud factus est. idem creator hominis et redemptor, deus ex deo, homo pro homine, filius dei ante saecula, filius hominis pro saeculo, forma serui pro libertate seruorum, et pauper factus, ut pauperes sua egestate locupletet, quia ipse est diues in omnes omnis boni, qui omnia in omnibus adinpletur, plenitudo diuinitatis, spes omnium finium terrae et in mari longe, deus salutaris noster, mediator hominum et dei, homo Christus Iesus, qui est in gloria dei patris super omnes deus benedictus in saecula. Hic ergo, qui te in sortem apostolorum suorum dignatus adsumpsit, ut eorum arte hominum piscator existeres et de amaris ac profundis huius saeculi fluctibus uiuificandam potius quam perimendam deo praedam hamo uerbi salutaris extraheres, quod utique cotidie facis, hic deus, qui te adiutorem aedificationis et culturae suae fecit, qui insinuare dignatus est dilectionem humilitatis nostrae sublimi per humilitatem cordis animae tuae, quia procul dubio per mansuetudinem ouis et agni innocentiam pastor esse meruisti, hic te, inquam, deus, qui amantem nostri facere dignatur, non iuxta meritum malum faciens, sed secundum diuitias bonitatis suae, ut nobis adiutorium de patrocinio orationum tuarum, tibi merces de proximorum etiam minorum magna caritate cumuletur, memorem te nostri perpetuo faciat, omnibus orationibus tuis et oblationibus curam nostrae salutis inmisceat, ne in offendiculum nobis 3] (Matth. 1, 16; Luc. 2, 7). 4] II Cor. 8, 9. 5] Rom. 10, 12. 6] Eph. 1,23. Col. 2, 9. 7] Ps. 64, 6. 8] I Tim. 2, 5. 9] Phil. 2,11. 11] (Act. 1, 20; Col. 1, 12). 12] (Matth. 4, 19). 15] (I Cor. 3,9). 22] (Matth. 25,40). 1 alius U natus] natura MO 2 homines 0 3 filius hominis] homo FPU 5 locuplectaret U 6 quia F adimplet U 7 sps L 9 Iesus om. L 12 absumpsit U existeris 0 16 et 0, om. cet . 17 sublimi] sublimiter FPU 23 minimorum LP, minimo FU dBi que kritate magna U 24 omnibus om. U, omnibus (em. et que add. m. 2) M 25 curam tibi M iminisceat F accedat tanta ista qua gloriamur in domino tuae dilectionis inpensio, si rapaces indomitorum sensuum bestias uestitu ouium contegamus. sic igitur ora, donec exores, ut fiat cor nostrum inmaculatum in conspectu domini, ut non confundamur neque simul trahamur cum his, qui loquuntur pacem cum proximo suo, mala autem sunt in cordibus eorum; sed lingua et mente concordes corde credamus ad iustitiam, ore confiteamur ad uitam. ita demum pietas, qua nos diligis, tibi fructuosa referetur, si tam efficax pro nobis oratio tua fuerit, ut a nostra terrestri specie demutati in tuam similitudinem transferamur, ut caelestis hominis imaginem pari ueritate gestemus. Tunc uere erimus de tua caritate felices, si obtineas, ne simus a tua caritate dissimiles. in quo tamen non eatenus quasi superbum tendimus uotum, ut apicem meriti tui speremus adtingere, sed ut salutis fine conclusi iuxta formam fidei tuae in itinere directo ueritatis uestigia perlegamus et sit nobis finis ipse qui initium est, caput et fundamentum corporis sui petra Christus, illa petra, quae nos inter huius saeculi deserta sitientes iustitiam sequaci fonte prosequitur et dulci potu refrigerat, ne carnalium cupiditatum aestibus peruramur, illa petra, super quam domus stabilita non conruit et illa petra, quae latere lancea perforato aqua fluxit et sanguine, ut pariter salutiferos nobis funderet fontes, aquam gratiae et sanguinem sacramenti, qua idem est et fons nostrae salutis et pretium. 2] (Matth. 7,15). 4] (Ps. 118, 80). 5] Ps. 27, 3. 7] (Rom. 10, 10). 11] I Cor. 15, 49. 18] (Apoc. 1, 8; Eph. 1, 22. 4, 15. 5, 23; Col. 1,18; I Cor. 3,11. 10,4; Matth. 7, 24; Luc. 6,48). 23] (Ioh. 19,34). 1 ista 0, om. M, est cet . qui 0 in in F domino] ipso M inpensio] add. M: in offendiculum nobis accedat 2 domitorum FLOP, dominorum U sensum U uestitum 0 3 congregamus 0 faciat FlU 5 iis v 7 ore autem U 8 ad uitam] adiutam 0 ita ad i qoalitate deum F 12 gestamus O1 13 caritate (s. I. corr. m. 2) M 16 ut ex et F 17 in om. M finis nobis F 18 corpori 0 19 inter] in M deserto M 20 sitientis 0 forte Fl refrigerat ne] refrigeratione 0 21 peruramur] per oramus 0 22 supra F 23 ut duos pariter nobis salutiferos M 25 qua idem L, quidem 0, quia idem cd., qui idem v Sed, uae mihi peccatori, quo iam progressus, immo prolapsus sum? dum pluribus apud te uerbis ago, ut pro peccatis meis uel potius aduersus peccata mea promerear, cum orationes intendas, adcumulo eandem de loquacitate mea sarcinam, quam de orationibus tuis minui peto, tamquam inmemor scriptum: de multiloquio non effugies peccatum. et quid agam? quo ore purgari postulem? uel qua a te ratione defendar, cum sciens prudensque contrarium prophetico uerbo commiserim, ut peccato multiloquii me laederem et sanctitatem tuam fatigarem? haerebo prorsus hoc crimine neque uel tua me tegere ualebit oratio, nisi tu ipse mihi prius hanc iniuriae tuae culpam remittas et pro me, sicut beatus Iob pro loquacibus amicis facere praeceptus est, hostiam placationis offeras deo. tantum enim de animo tuo mihi uindico, ut hoc mihi multiloquium de tua indulgentia inpune cessurum praesumam, non ambigens tantam habere te patientiam, quantam habes caritatem.