Letter 5: And you thought you needed an excuse, dearest brother, for not coming to us in person as you had promised and we had...

Paulinus to his brother Severus. Did you really think you had to make excuses, most beloved brother, because you did not come to us yourself in accordance with your promise and our expectation? But in truth, with the better part of you than that with which you remained behind, while you sat at home in body alone, you came to us in will and in spirit and in speech; and yet you were not even bodily entirely absent, since in your young servants, bound to you in the Lord by holy service, members of your body came to us. Therefore, brother truly holy, deservedly most beloved, and of one mind with us in Christ, there is already laid up for you in the heavens a crown of devotion, which the just judge will render on that day to you and to all who together with you love with perfect charity their neighbor in Christ, or Christ in their neighbor. For we who behold spiritual things in carnal ones easily infer, from that clear love which you show to the brother whom you see, that heavenly, faithful, and perfect love by which you love the God whom you do not see. This we prove by the obedience of faith, that is, if by loving one another we prove ourselves, as you prove, to be disciples of that Master who loved his own to the end and laid down his soul for his friends by the same power with which he also took it up again. Therefore for you, brother truly most holy and deservedly blessed, there will be a place and a reward in the region of the living, above the queen of the South. For that sinful woman, although still a companion of nations as yet unvisited, yet already herself a forerunner of those to be visited, having not the law of the letter but having the faith of the law engraved upon the carnal tablets of the heart by the spirit of counsel and devotion, for the sake of her own benefit and from zeal for great and saving gain, summoned from such vast distances of the farthest world, conceived a longing to hear the divine wisdom, that she might receive what she did not have and might drink in the light of knowledge which she lacked. Even then, that is, the queen who was to come from among the nations, desiring her own bridegroom, breathed upon afar through his prophet, clothed round about by Christ with variety in a gilded garment, forgetting both her people and her father's house, ran on, of barbarian nation but not of barbarian mind, and openly a foreigner, but in secret a Jewess, wishing to become a citizen of the saints. Hence she is judged worthy not only of the heavenly reward of the blessed resurrection, but also, by the mouth of the judge himself, of the power of the apostles to judge the adulterous among the Jews, because by marveling at Christ in Solomon she had fulfilled the true affection of the heavenly queen in the mystical image of the foreseeing Church. Therefore, if divine recompense awaits her in the future, even though she herself there and at that time too received her reward in great part, having obtained the longed-for hearing of the heavenly wisdom, what rewards at last shall be repaid to you, who longed for me with equal grace and greater effort, because with less hope at present of any benefit to yourself? For what, I ask, did you find in me to long for? What that you did not already have did you hope to receive from me? What good was there for you in conversation with an unlearned man? What benefit in the sight of a sinner? What could you receive in the Lord from a fool that you, wise, could gain; from a crooked man, you who are upright; from a wretched man, you who are blessed; from a weak man, you who are strong; from a poor man, you who are rich? Truly you seek not the things that are your own, but the things that are Christ's, because you had as your motive neither merit nor profit from me of your own, but that charity alone which is the fullness of the Gospel, whether in the plan of your pilgrimage or in the affliction of your people. Blessed are you, because I have nothing from which to repay you; but it will be repaid to you at the resurrection of the just by him who testifies that in his least ones he is loved and received. Whence he also said this, making himself by his own words a debtor on behalf of any servant who bears his name, whether falsely or uselessly: he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. For me, of course, my own burden shall not be lessened on this account, even though as a sinner I receive the honor of the just from a just man; but for you the very justice of your good opinion is to be taken to your credit as a reward for good, because by a holy error, yet with a true affection of devotion, you have honored the good Lord even in a bad servant. What then shall we wretches do, who are bound on this account also to render an account and a penalty, namely because we receive undeserved honors and are proclaimed by the doers of the law when we are only its hearers? By which all the more, of course, is the torpor of our condemnable sloth reproached to us, the barrenness of our sterile souls and our hands dry of good works, since by hearing through your discourse things true and worthy, such as you are a true servant of Christ, and therefore false praises of us, we recognize by how great a debt we are bound, when, comparing your judgment with our own deeds, we do not find in ourselves the things we hear about ourselves. For in what like manner can we boast? Even if one ought to boast in the Lord, because we have nothing except what we have received by his gift, nevertheless for me my more advanced age and a person already honored from my earliest years could ripen a graver burden; besides, a more infirm body and flesh more worn down could grind away the pursuits of pleasures; and added to this, mortal life itself, frequently exercised in labors and hardships, could beget a hatred of things that disturb us, and from the necessity of hope and the fear of uncertainties could increase the cultivation of religion; and at last, after I seemed to take rest from slanders and from wanderings, no longer occupied with public affairs and removed from the din of the forum, I have practiced the leisure of the countryside and the cultivation of the Church in the chosen tranquility of domestic seclusion, and, my mind being gradually withdrawn from worldly crowds and accommodated to the heavenly precepts, I have contended more easily toward the contempt of the world and the company of Christ, as though by a road already bordering on this purpose. You, most beloved brother, have been converted to the Lord by a greater miracle, because, more flourishing in age, more abounding in praises, less burdened by an inheritance, not more in want of substance of resources, and still dwelling in the very theater of the world, that is, amid the renown of the forum, and holding the palm of an eloquent name, by a sudden impulse you shook off the servile yoke of sin and broke the deadly bonds of flesh and blood. Neither the riches heaped upon you from a marriage into a consular family, nor, after your marriage, the license to sin and a celibate youth, could call you back from the narrow entrance of salvation and the steep path of virtue into that soft and spacious road of the many. Blessed are you, who fled from the counsel of the impious and were unwilling to persist in the way of sinners and disdained to sit in the seat of pestilence, that with exalted humility you might recline at the feet of the Crucified. You, therefore, a true doer of the law and not a deaf hearer of the Gospel, who, nailing your body and the world to the cross, turned away from the delights of youth and the evil joys of the present life as from poisons and griefs, spurning the burdens of inheritances as so much dung, deservedly obtained as an eternal mother a holy mother-in-law more generous than any parent, because you had preferred the heavenly Father to your earthly parent, after the example of the apostles, having left your father in a tossing little boat, that is, in the uncertainty of this life, abandoning him with the nets of his affairs and the entanglement of his patrimony, having followed Christ. And, no less, not receiving from men praise of the gift of your domestic resources and your talent, and loftily despising empty glory, you preferred the preaching of fishermen to all the works of Cicero and to your own writings. You took refuge in the silence of devotion, that you might escape the tumult of iniquity. You wished to become mute to mortals, that with a pure mouth you might speak of divine things, and that you might expiate a tongue polluted by dog-like eloquence with the praises of Christ and with the very remembrance of his holy name. O true Israelite, who saw the God of Jacob with so faithful a mind, and, as if strengthened by wrestling with the Lord himself, prevailed against the prince of this world and overcame the spiritual wickednesses in the heavenly places with the shield of faith and the weapons of justice, preferring to please Christ rather than men, to be a fool to men rather than to God; to all the eloquence and all the wisdom of this world you preferred the scandal of the cross, so that what is folly to those who perish, you, taken into the portion of salvation, might recognize to be the power and the wisdom of God, as it will become plain to all who are to be saved. Blessed are you, brother, because flesh and blood did not reveal these things to you, but the Father who is in heaven, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who turned and made foolish the wisdom of those men and chose the weak and foolish things of the world, that he might confound this world by these very things on account of which it disdains to know God. Remember us, therefore, the more, you who strive after the power of intercession with more abundant merits. For we, although our lamp is now lit in the light of Christ, yet still lie hidden under the bushel of our sins; we desire to be led out by your hand and to have our head anointed with your oil, you who, conspicuous by the light of faith and grace as much as of works, shine through the seven candlesticks of the Lord, so that we may not burn dark with the smoking flax, which even so the merciful Lord does not extinguish, but may shine with the pure light of a faithful example to be preferred above the rest, although by the grace of the Lord shining back amid the darkness we act not obscurely through the brightness of his name, even if, as you have heard, we act removed apart. For in our upper room we are silent in seclusion, because it is good for a man, as the prophet says, to sit alone and to keep silence. Whence also in causes that cry out the Lord himself taught us to be silent, who, like a lamb before its shearer, did not open his mouth, who nevertheless said: I have kept silence; shall I always keep silence? His will, therefore, and his judgment we await in silence, who is able both now to be silent in us and, when he shall will, to intercede for us. But meanwhile we have perceived that our sins have harmed us in this, that we did not deserve to see you, and moreover we think this added to our evils, that we were also a cause of temptations to you, you who, as you have indicated, endured a twofold pair of sicknesses, beaten as often as you attempted to come to us. But because, as it is written, the Lord himself, our God, often tempts us, that he may prove our charity, by which we love one another in his peace, we hope rather from your faith than from our own, that, if the temptation sent beforehand has worked a proving in you, the vows of charity thus proved may avail to be frustrated no further. For we know that so ready a spirit is in you that we do not fear that the always-weak flesh may prevail to the hindrance of our common desire, the flesh which, strengthening it by faith, you will subdue to the mind, so that what it cannot do of itself it may be compelled to be able to do in Christ, if you should say to it: do not fight against the spirit, be in agreement with your adversary in the way, and there will be peace to your bones, and, when my heart shall have exulted in the living God, then also my flesh shall rest in hope. Hold therefore, brother, what you hold, lest another receive your crown; whereto it is like, that you may not cease to will what you had willed, and that you may hold unchangeable your resolve of coming to us. He will carry your religious endeavors through to the fruit of your vow, in whose power and favor it lies that we may prosperously accomplish what we devoutly will. For we know that to one who desires the good all things proceed unto good. But we also -- which indeed was to us a most welcome sign of our concord in all things -- received, ourselves sick, the letters that indicated your infirmities, and we proved in ourselves, according to the saying of the apostle, that the members of one body suffer together with one another. For by that very thing we felt ourselves restored, that you had written that you had recovered, so that, although placed in different lands, we experienced the unity of the Spirit working in us by a silent connection in our separated bodies, agreeing in equal discomforts or remedies. Lay aside, therefore, you too, brother of one mind and better portion of us in Christ, any sadness you may have drawn with a devout mind from the news of our chastisement, because the Lord chastising has chastised us, and has not handed us over to death. For, visited by the healing hand of the Almighty, we were cherished in the hope of recovery from our present sickness, softening our scourges in turn by mutual consolations. For the very fellowship of suffering offered us a great and sweet solace, because not without the will of the Lord -- by whose command not even a sparrow's fall happens to the ground -- the very unity of our beatings seemed to have come together in us. So too a benefit had begun to proceed jointly for us both, whether because each found relief in the relief of the other, or because the Lord, the worker of unity, binding all his own together by his undivided Spirit, would not suffer even the carnal substance in us to be at variance. Yet this was not the only cause that delayed our young men. For our Vigilantius also fell ill of fevers in Campania, both before he reached us and after he arrived, and, because he himself too was a fellow member, he suffered together with our sickness by a shared labor. Finally that catechumen, who was not yet a member of our body, did not feel our wounds and was healthy and free of our sicknesses, because flesh still alien could not feel the pain of a body that was not of its own structure. Therefore, as soon as our Vigilantius began to be able to go about, then at last I judged that the writings ought to be sent back. For we confess that both of them hastened much earlier, but since the one who could not was rashly hastening before the recovery of his strength, and the one who was able was hastening impiously, we held both back against their will by silence, since we could not hold them willing by counsel. And so, as we wrote above, after the sickness endured by our common labor -- by the prayers of the holy and the dear, and in great part too, as we believe, by yours, the Lord regarding us more mercifully -- we were restored, yet still infirm with bodies worn out (in which indeed the apostle teaches us to glory, whom, as he proclaims, infirmity made powerful, because of course the flesh, which wars against the spirit, when it is broken by adverse health, its strength being likewise broken, is unable to vanquish spiritual virtue). Therefore, infirm in the flesh unto the advancement of the spirit, which exults at the loss of the flesh and rejoices as it were at the tribulation of a hostile material and grows strong as the tamed body is weakened, with the sound and vigorous charity which we have, great toward you through the Lord Jesus, we have given these letters for your solace, as in the meantime we hold yours, until we may see you yourself, as you have pledged and as we never cease to hope from the Lord. There are many things that ought to invite you to us and to call you away from your homeland for a while, before all others the love of peace and the flight from rivalry, which is most of all kindled by the sight or the neighborhood of a rival manner of life. In short, the remoteness of the city extinguishes for us at Rome the fires of jealous clergy, and all iniquity there stops its own mouth, because through our absence from there the flame of hatreds, as if its fuel were withdrawn, grows sluggish and cools, and dares not break out into a voice, although envy gnashes its teeth, while, conscious of its own iniquity, it blushes at itself and has not at hand where it may kindle the torches of its envious mind. Yet the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, abounds in the hearts of very many, and all Campania venerates the work of God our Savior in us. At Rome too a few, even in the clergy itself -- by which alone we seem to be scandalized -- are stirred by the bite of envy. But thanks to the Lord, who granted even to me, his most wretched sinner, to say: because they hated me without cause. Yet as far as it concerns me, even with those who hate my peace I am peaceful in mind. For if anyone wishes to be contentious, our custom does not admit this. Yet of these very persons, who are said to hate us and to separate us from the fellowship of their sanctity, scarcely a thin rumor glides to us, and from our ears, fenced as with a hedge of thorns, it is shut out like a cold breeze or the importunate murmur of an empty gnat. But our fellow servants, your young men, will be able to indicate more fully what loss of the Lord's grace the proud aloofness of the city's pope causes us -- he who, in those very few days during which they were present and saw, how assiduous, how diligent the offices of solicitous brothers, monks, bishops, clergy, and even of the laity themselves were often celebrated toward us throughout all that time of our sickness. About which one may glory to your unanimous self, yet concerning the Lord's grace, of which this also is the work and the gift, that almost no bishop in all Campania thought it lawful for himself not to visit us; and those whom some infirmity or necessity had bound, were present by clergy sent in their stead and by letters. The African bishops too sent at the first of summer to revisit us. Since this is so, you see how greatly you ought to hasten to our lowliness, that you may take away even a little occasion from those who seek occasion, and for the increase of grace or of charity may sojourn away from your homeland, while as yet a guest of the body you are a pilgrim away from Christ, because the Truth itself testifies that no prophet is accepted in his own homeland. But I confess, although nothing more welcome than your presence can be given to me, that my desire has been kindled more burningly for your presence, because you have pledged that many spiritual brothers will be present with us along with you. Will there be, I ask, that time, and will that day someday dawn, on which I shall receive your brotherhood, coming accompanied by a cohort of God's elect, into the bosom of my now common patron and master Felix, and on which -- the thing that I now ask to be obtained by his prayers -- we may together in the Lord give thanks before him for what has been obtained, when I, having embraced you all together and each in turn, shall deservedly say, as we sing in harmony: this plainly is the day which the Lord has made; let us exult and rejoice in it, because it is good and pleasant for brothers to dwell together in one. Then I will settle you not only as a tenant in the monastery of the neighboring martyr, but also as a cultivator in his garden, yet freely, because you have already received your denarius from the householder, besides those which the same Lord, generous, has already given to the innkeeper for your wounds, that, cured by the oil of mercy and the wine of grace, you might more profitably, with your body restored, be set to work in the Lord's vineyard. Therefore I now seem to myself to see my little garden made more cultivated by the Lord's hired laborers coming and laboring together with you. For it is not difficult to estimate how easily those whom Christ chose into his vineyard, and whom he did not suffer to stand idle to God in the vain marketplace of this age, will empty out the labor of a lighter cultivation. And I now set before me also domestic joys, in mind and in thought, after the holy kiss, when, with the Spirit of charity making us drunk, we shall mingle a sober gladness through chaste cups, and shall celebrate devout feasts not in the leaven of malice but in the unleavened bread of sincerity, singing psalms to the Lord with hymns and spiritual songs, chanting with tongues and hearts to God, doing whatever we do, in word or in deed, in the name of Jesus Christ, giving thanks to the Father through him. He who makes those of one manner dwell in a house will make us, as I hope, dwell among ourselves in himself; he who made both one and, lifted up, drew all things to himself, who, humbled, had himself made peace over all things, reconciling the world to God -- when he shall have filled our mouth with joy at the presence of your unanimity, we shall say: the Lord has magnified to do with us, and in the abundance of our gladness we shall bless you from the house of the Lord, because blessed are you to the Lord, you who have come in the name of the Lord. May you receive the cup of salvation and eat the bread of the blessed in the kingdom of God; for you are, before the Lord Jesus, our fullness and our joy. Dare, therefore, to break forth, relying and resting not on your own resources and strength but on Christ, because his rod and his staff console and sustain and govern us. He who bears our griefs and has taken upon himself our infirmities gives strength to the weary, comforts feeble knees; he himself will make your way both unstained and unhindered; he will gird you with strength, and will make your feet like a deer's, that you may exult like a giant to run the way, and the infirmity of trembling flesh may not be able to hinder you, you who walk not in the flesh but in the spirit. For we who serve Christ employ the service of the body the more by the command of the mind. And therefore the flesh, when commanded, accompanies our will, directed under Christ's authorship, and the body draws firmness from the fortitude of the mind, and as a servant arranges its compliance to the Lord's disposition. And thus virtue is perfected in infirmity, while the soul, serving God by the consent of the subdued flesh, fulfills the offices of virtue through the ministry of infirmity. Give heed therefore, and proceed prosperously, and the right hand of God will lead you marvelously. His mercy and grace will go before your face, and if you set out infirm from your house, you will acquire strength as you go. For those who hope in the Lord shall change their strength, they shall take up wings like eagles. If therefore you have a burning heart on the way, your youth shall be renewed like the eagle's; you shall run and not grow weary, you shall walk and not faint. No rod, no wallet, no purse shall weigh you down, neither sandals nor a double garment shall hinder you; but, the carnal bonds stripped off, that you may stand with your foot, as it were, on holy ground, and with your loins girded, with no chain of heavy bronze, hastily -- as the Lord's Passover and the work of Christ is to be carried out at the appointed time -- you shall run your way: God will make the journey of our saving ones prosperous; every valley shall be filled for you, and every hill shall be made low, so that the rough places of iniquities may become level ways, lest anywhere on the journey you strike your foot, because he has given his angels charge to keep you in all your ways. And the Lord himself, your protection, will encircle you with the shield of his peace, shining before you in the light of his countenance and stretching out over you in the shadow of his wings, so that by day the sun shall not burn you, nor the moon by night. Everywhere he will guard and bless your goings in and your goings out, so that in every place you may find a son of peace, and upon every host your peace may come. But if perchance, setting out, you should weep at the tearing away from dear persons or accustomed places, your temporal sadness shall be turned into eternal gladness. Going, it says, they went and wept, casting their seeds; but coming they shall come in exultation, carrying their sheaves. So you too, even if you weep in coming, shall rejoice in returning, and shall reap in joy what you have sown in tears. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the charity of God the Father and the communication of the Holy Spirit be with your whole household, not made by hand, because you are the living temple of God, built upon the foundations of the apostles in Christ God. To me of one mind, venerable, most beloved and most longed-for: I ask to greet our holy parent, your mother and co-heir in Christ, with the veneration of which she is worthy. My brotherhood preserved in the Lord greets your brotherhood with the affection with which it is venerated. And do you greet from us all the holy brotherhood, such as we are sure you keep among you, with much deference. All who are with us in the Lord greet you, and, from among the Hebrews, Proforus and Restitutus, who love the Lord and love you, found in Christ, and greatly long for you. In the heading of the letter I was afraid to imitate your brotherhood, which excels me in all things, because I judged it safer to write truly. Beware therefore hereafter, as a servant of Christ called into liberty, of writing yourself the servant of a man and a brother and a fellow servant who is your inferior, because it is rather the sin of flattery than the justification of humility to render to any man whatsoever -- not to say to a most wretched sinner -- the honor owed to the one Lord, the one Master on earth, the one God. Charity from a pure heart and faith unfeigned suffices; but what is beyond this is from evil. I beseech you, brother, through the Lord, that you look upon my presumption about you in the spirit of revelation; otherwise I can even fear your offense at so talkative a letter. But with charity, which bears all things, grace ought to be increased by the very thing by which weariness is usually contracted, where no charity tempers the tedium. For in dictating, while I think of you and am wholly in you, as though I were speaking to one present after a long interval, I forget to finish the discourse I have begun. We have sent you, as a blessing, Campanian bread from our little cell, trusting so much in your merits in the Lord that we believed it would be carried to you with its full grace; and you, although you are already sated with the richer crumbs from the Lord's table, deign also to accept from sinners bread received in the name of the Lord and to turn it into a blessing. And lest the wheaten bread should seem to you to exceed the measure of our humility, we have sent a boxwood dish, a witness to our riches; receive it as a little gift in token of a spiritual vow, to have it as an example, if as yet you do not use the like in silver. But if you have niello-work, send it to us by those little vessels which we have entrusted to your young men, our sons. For we love earthen vessels, because they are both akin to us according to Adam, and we hold the Lord's treasure committed to us in such vessels. Besides, I ask -- since I am confident that I have the highest right over your mind -- that, if it should be necessary that your care be expended, since my freedmen and servants and brothers fail me, you would deign to arrange in what manner the old wine, which we believe we still have at Narbonne, may be conveyed to us. Do not fear, holy brother, a loss, if you make us debtors even of money. For all our own have turned away from us, they have together become impious, and a man's enemies are those of his own household.

V. SEVERO FRATRI PAVLINVS. Et excusandum putasti, frater dilectissime, quod ad nos non ipse uenisses secundum sponsionem tuam expectationemque nostram? tu uero potiore tui parte quam qua manseris, solo corpore domi residens, uoluntate ad nos et spiritu et sermone uenisti; quamquam ne corporaliter quidem penitus afueris, quando in pueris tuis sancta in domino tibi seruitute conexis corporis ad nos tui membra uenerunt. quamobrem, frater uere sancte merito dilectissime et in Christo nobis unanime, tibi reposita iam in caelis est corona pietatis, quam iustus iudex reddet in illa die tibi et omnibus iuxta te caritate 16] II Tim. 4, 8. 1 domini FPU 2 fptamus y domine Y, in domino f, om. M unianime (ia corr. y) rS, om. Y et desiderantissime Y, desideratissime PU, ac (ac om. cp) desiderabilissime Mcp, dilectissime a 4 plurime Y unanimi Y, unianimi y, unianime łJ. 5 pariem f unianimitatis y iudicio f 6 benedicas] uale add. FPsU, ras. 4-5 litt. M . — explicit epia paulini et therasiae ad augustinum rF, explicit Y . FLMOPU . — Meropii paulini episcopi nolani ad seuerum monachum epistola prima incipit F, item epistola eiusdem ad seuerum XVIII. L, ad sulpicium seuerum - XXVI - M, incipiunt epistolae sci paulini ad seuerum 0, sanctissimi paulini episcopi nolani epistolarum liber secundus incipit ad seuerum U . — 8 seuero fratri paulinus peccator U, seuero fratri paulinmt et therasia peccatores LM, om. FOP 9 et om. FLMU 11 patre U quam qua coni. Lebrun, quam Ov, qua L, quamuis FPU quam manseris om. M 12 pr . et om. U 13 nec LM afueris 0, abfueris cet . 14 in pueris] ut imposueras FP (ut s. 1. P) U tibi in domino F seruitute tibi U 15 ad nos corporis tui F, ad nos tui corporis U 17 est iam in celis LM pietas corona U 18 illa] alia U perfecta proximum in Christo uel Christum in proximo diligentibus. spiritalia enim carnalibus intuentes facile conligimus ei dilectione perspicua, quam fratri quem uides exhibes, caelestem illam fidelem atque perfectam, qua deum quem non uides diligis. quod probamus oboedientia fidei, si scilicet inuicem diligendo probemus nos, sicut tu probas, illius magistri esse discipulos, qui usque ad finem dilexit suos et animam suam pro amicis suis posuit potestate eadem qua et sumpsit. Ergo tibi, frater uere sanctissime et merito benedicte, in regione uiuorum supra reginam Austri locus et merces erit. illa enim peccatrix, utpote adhuc inuisitatarum gentium socia, iam tamen uisitandarum praeuia, non habens legem litterae sed habens fidem legis in tabulis cordis carnalibus spiritu consilii et pietatis incisam, utilitatis suae causa et magni ac salutaris lucri studio tantis ab interuallis ultimi orbis excita diuinam audire sapientiam concupiuit, ut quod non habebat acciperet et lucem scientiae qua carebat hauriret. iam tunc scilicet sponsum suum uentura de gentibus regina desiderans in odorem spirantis late a propheta suo Christi circumamicta uarietate in uestitu deaurato et populi et paternae domus oblita currebat, barbara natione, non animo, et in aperto peregrina, sed in occulto Iudaea sanctorum fieri ciuis optabat. unde non solum caelesti praemio resurrectionis beatae, sed etiam potestate apostolorum de Iudaeis adulteris iudicandi ipsius 5] (I Petr. 1, 8). 7] Ioh. 18, 1. 10, 15. 11] (III Reg. 10, 1; n Par. 9,1; Matth. 12, 42; Luc. 11, 31). 14] II Cor. 3,3. 20] Ps. 44,10. 2 spiritalia 0 3 celestam U 4 qua LMv, quia cet . 5 si om. FPU 6 magistri esse discipulus 0, discipulos magistri (magistros M) esse LM 7 ad] in FM 8 suam om. LMv suis om. M 9 et Ov., om. cet . 10 fratri FPU sanctissimo FPU benedicto FU 11 et om. FPU mercis F (i in ras. F) PU 12 adhuc om. LM inuisitatarum] a deo add. FLMPU 13 tandem FU, tn ex tm L et ita saepius 14 carb nalibus om. 0 15 insciam U 16 excitata FPU 17 habeat 0 20 spantis L spirantis-suo om. M 21 ueritate U populi sui M fieri 22 barbarea P 23 fieri cives 0, ciuis fieri F, fieri eius U, ciuis L 24 beata LM ore iudicis digna censetur, quia Christum in Solomone mirata uerum reginae caelestis affectum in imagine mystica ecclesiae prouidentis inpleuerat. ergo si illam in futuro diuina remuneratio manet, cum tamen et ipsa istic illo quoque tempore magna ex parte receperit mercedem suam conpotita desideratum sapientiae caelestis auditum, quae tandem praemia rependentur tibi, qui me pari gratia et maiore opera, quia minore utilitatis ad praesens tuae spe desiderasti? quid enim, quaeso, in me desiderandum habuisti? quid, quod non haberes, a me sumendum sperasti? quod bonum tibi de conloquio inperiti? quae utilitas in aspectu peccatoris foret? quid ab insipiente sapiens, rectus a prauo, beatus a misero, ab infirmo fortis, ab inopi diues in domino capere potuisti? Vere tu non quae tua sunt quaeris, sed quae Christi, quia non meritum nec emolumentum ex me tuum, sed solam illam, quae plenitudo est euangelii, caritatem uel in tuae peregrinationis cogitatu uel in uexatione tuorum causam habuisti. beatus es, quod non habeo unde retribuam tibi; retribuetur autem tibi in resurrectione iustorum ab eo, qui et in minimis suis se diligi testatur et recipi. unde et illud ait pro quolibet nominis sui uel falso aut intili seruo uerbis suis debitorem se faciens: qui recipit prophetam in nomine prophetae, mercedem prophetae accipiet. mihi scilicet non decessura ob hoc sarcina mea, licet a iusto honorem iusti peccator accipiam; tibi uero in remunerationem boni accepto ferenda ipsa opinionis tuae iustitia, quia sancto errore sed uero % pietatis affectu bonum dominum honoraueris et in malo seruo. 1] (Matth. 12, 42). 14] (Phil. 2, 4). 16] (Rom. 13,10). 18] Luc. 14,14. 20] (Matth. 25, 40). 22] Matth. 10, 41. cUp. 1 ore iudicis ore M salomone P 2 regina FPU 3 preuidentis FPU ipleuerit M 4 ipsa ista FP, ista ipsa U 5 suam om. U, tibi M compotita-auditum om. M compotita o, cumpotita O, computet ad cet . 6 quia et eadem FPU 7 patri U 8 utilitati P ad praesens utilitatis M spei L 13 inopi 0, inope eet . 15 emulumentum 0 16 legis est euangelii M 20 diligit U recipit U post et om. FPU 24 ab F 25 uero] enim U remuneratione FL accepta 0 u. LMl 26 ipsa M 27 pieta 0 et] etiam U Quid igitur miseri faciemus hinc etiam rationem et poenam debituri, quod honores accipiamus inmeritos et qui auditores tantum legis sumus a factoribus praedicemur? quo magis scilicet exprobretur nobis condemnandae torpor ignauiae, sterilium ieiunitas animarum et in operibus bonis aridae manus, cum audiendo per sermonem tuum uera dignis, ut tu es, Christi semis atque ideo nobis falsa praeconia quanto debito constringamur agnoscimus, quando iudicium tuum nostris actibus conferentes quae de nobis audimus non inueniamus in nobis. quid enim simile gloriari possumus? etsi in domino gloriandum sit, quia nihil nisi eius munere acceptum habemus, attamen mihi aetas prouectior et a primis iam annis honorata persona potuit maturare grauiorem, praeterea corpus infirmius et decoctior caro obterere studia uoluptatum, ad hoc uita ipsa mortalis in laboribus et aerumnis frequenter exercita odium rerum inquietantium parere et de spei necessitate ac dubiorum metu cultum religionis augere, postea denique ut a calumniis et peregrinationibus requiem capere uisus sum, nec rebus publicis occupatus et a fori strepitu remotus ruris otium et ecclesiae cultum placita in secretis domesticis tranquillitate celebraui, at paulatim subducto a saecularibus turbis animo praeceptisque caelestibus accommodato procliuius ad contemptum mundi comitatumque Christi iam quasi de finitima huic proposito uia dimicauerim. 8] (Rom. 2, 18; Iac. 1, 22). 5] (Luc. 6, 6). 1 huic F, hunc Ll 3 legis tantum LM, tamen legis P 5 aridae manus ex accideramus P m. 2 cum om. LM 6 uerum 0 dignus d FPU 7 sernus FPU 8 quano L actibus] ac tibi FPU 9 inuenimus M in nobis non inueniamus U 11 habeamus 0 attn ex attm L, om. M 12 personam FLPU 13 grauitatem v infirmum LM 14 obdurat F, obturat PU studio 0 ad hec FU, om. M uita] quoque add. M 15 erunnis P 16 inquetantium F 17 postea] potest U fU et SNp . postea m. 2 P 19 foris 0 21 sebducto 0 22 procliuus FU contentum U 24 dimicauerim Lv, demicauerim FOPU, dimicarem M, demigrauerim Bosw . Tu frater dilectissime, ad dominum miraculo maiore conuersus es, quia aetate florentior, laudibus abundantior, oneribus patrimonii leuior, substantia facultatum non egentior et in ipso adhuc mundi theatro id est fori celebritate diuersans et facundi nominis palmam tenens, repentino inpetu discussisti seruile peccati iugum et letalia carnis et sanguinis uincla rupisti. neque te diuitiae de matrimonio familiae consularis adgestae neque post coniugium peccandi licentia et caelebs iuuentas ab angusto salutis introitu et arduo itinere uirtutis in mollem illam et spatiosam multorum uiam reuocare potuerunt. beatus, qui refugisti de consilio inpiorum et in uia peccatorum persistere noluisti et sedere in cathedra pestilentiae dedignatus es, ut humilitate praecelsa pedibus crucifixi accubares. Tu ergo uerus factor legis et euangelii non surdus auditor, qui corpus et mundum configens cruci delicias iuuentutis et uitae praesentis mala gaudia pro uenenis et luctibus auersatus es, respuens patrimoniorum onera ceu stercorum, merito socrum sanctam omni liberaliorem parente in matrem sortitus aeternam, quia caelestem patrem anteuerteras terreno parenti, exemplo apostolorum relicto patre in nauicula fluctuante, scilicet in huius uitae incerto cum retibus rerum suarum et inplicatione patrimonii derelicto Christum secutus. nec minoris domesticis opibus ingenii facultatis laudem ab hominibus non accipiens et inanis gloriae sublimiter neglegens piscatorum 6] (Ps. 115,17). 10] (Matth. 7,13). 11] Ps. 1, 1. 15] (Iac. 1,22). 22] (Matth. 4, 22; Marc. 1, 20; Luc. 5,11). 1 frate U, autem frater M maiore miraculo FPU 2 qui LM habundantior FLU, abondantior P 3 leuiore FLMP 4 id est om. FPU deuersans LM 6 loetalia 0, legalia LM uincula U 8 praeceps M iuuenta LM, iuuentus OU 9 augusto U itinere itinere U ft 10 spatiosam Ov, spetiosam U, speciosam F, speciosam LMP 11 effugisti M consiliis FPU 14 crucifixi pedibus FPU accubaris FPU 15 ergo] uere LM uetus P 18 es] es et F 20 patrem om. M anteuerteras] praeposueras M parenti terreno U 21 relicto om. Schot . patre] eo M in nauicula P m. 2 in marg . fluctuantem LM 23 derelicta LM minor es L, minore M 24 facultate LM 25 gloriae] cupiditatem add. LM praedicationes Tullianis omnibus et tuis litteris praetulisti. confugisti ad pietatis silentium, ut euaderes iniquitatis tumultum. mutescere uoluisti mortalibus, ut ore puro diuina loquereris et pollutam canina facundia linguam Christi laudibus et conmemoratione ipsa pii nominis expiares. 0 uere Israelita, qui deum Iacob tam fida mente uidisti et tamquam ipsius domini conluctatione firmatus praeualuisti aduersus principem huius mundi et spiritalia nequitiae in caelestibus debellasti scuto fidei armisque iustitiae, praeoptans Christo placere quam hominibus, hominibus stultus esse quam deo, omni facundiae omnique sapientiae huius mundi praetulisti scandalum crucis, ut quod pereuntibus stultitia est tu in partem salutis adscitus, ut omnibus saluis futuris patescit, uirtutem et sapientiam dei esse cognosceres. beatus es, frater, quia non caro et sanguis reuelauit tibi haec, sed pater qui in caelis est per dominum nostrum legum Christum, qui conuertit sapientiam eorum et stultam fecit et elegit infirma ac stulta mundi, ut mundum istum his ipsis, propter quae deum dedignatur nosse, confundat. memento ergo tu nostri magis, qui locupletioribus meritis ad exorandi potentiam niteris. nos enim licet iam accensa in lumine Christi lucerna, tamen adhuc sub modio peccatorum latentes, uestra, qui tam fidei et gratiae quam operum luce conspicui per septena domini candelabra fulgetis, educi manu uestroque oleo inpinguari caput cupimus, ut non fumigante lino, quod nec ipsum tamen misericors dominus extinguit, 6] (Ioh. 1,47). 7] (Gen. 32,24). 8] Eph. 6,2. 10] (Gal. 1,10). (I Cor. 3, 18). 12] I Cor. 1, 18. 15] Matth. 16, 17. 17] I Cor. 1, 27. 25J (Apoc. 1, 20). 1 hominibus LM et] e L tuis] totis fort . 2 scilentium 0 6 israhelita OU 7 ipsius 0, in ipsius cet . luctatione FPU 9 deaUasto 0 perobtans L 13 ascitus ut hominibus LM 14 cognosceres esse U 16 haec om. M 17 qui stultam fecit sapientiam mandi et elegit M 18 mondi P 19 modum P dedignatur nosse 111 -5f1 dignatur 0 noscere FPU 20 magis nostri F locupletori- "8 F 21 exorandam PU, exorandum F 23 latentaes (ae ex a corr.) L 24 fu.lgentis U, fulget F 26 misericor U deus LM extingbuit U obscuri ardeamus, sed puro et ceteris etiam praeferendo fidelis exempli lumine luceamus, quamquam domini gratia tenebris relucente non obscuri per nominis ipsius claritatem, etsi remoti, ut audistis, agamus. in cenaculo enim nostro secreti silemus, quia bonum est uiro, ut propheta ait, sedere singulariter et tacere. unde etiam in causis uociferandis silere nos docuit ipse dominus, qui sicut agnus coram tondente non aperuit os suum, qui tamen dixit; tacui, numquid semper tacebo? ipsius ergo uoluntatem et iudicium taciti sustinemus, qui potens est et nunc in nobis tacere et, cum uoluerit, interpellare pro nobis. Verum interim in hoc nobis nostra nocuisse peccata persensimus, quod nec meruimus te uidere, et insuper hoc ad mala nostra cumulatum putamus quod et temptationum tibi causa fuerimus, qui bis geminas, ut indicasti, aegritudines pertulisti, toties uerberatus, quotiens ad nos uenire conatus es. sed quia saepe dominus ipse, ut scriptum est, deus noster temptat nos, ut caritatem nostram probet, qua nos in ipsius pace diligimus, de tua potius fide quam de nostra speramus, ut si praemissa temptatio probationem in te operata est, non ultra ualeat probata ideo caritatis uota frustrari. ita enim tibi promptum inesse spiritum scimus, ut non uereamur, ne ad inpedimentum communis desiderii caro semper infirma praeualeat, quam fide roborans animo subiugabis, ut quod ex se non potest in Christo posse cogatur, si dicas ei: ne pugnes 2] (Matth. 6,22). 3] (Es. 42, 3). 5] Thren. 3,28 sec. LXX. 7] Es. 53, 7. 8] ib. 42, 14. 11] (Rom. 8, 34). 17] Deut. 13, 3. 20] (Rom. 5, 4). 1 proferendo 0 2 gratia] te add. 0, de add. LM 8. I., in add. cet. v tenebris; L 3 pro L 5 ait LM, tacens et FPUv, tacens a 0, in threnis coni. Saech . 6 uociferandi M . 7 tondente se FPU 10 tacere in nobis U 12 nouisse FPU 13 meruerimus FPU a malo nostro V FPU 14 temptationem 01 15 qui bis Ov, quibus FPU, pro quibus LMj bis fort. delendum 17 dominus noster FU 18 qua nos] in uice add. M sed m. 3 exp . 19 tua] qua U peramus U 20 in te probationem FPU 21 ualeant M probatae F, probate UP* ideo] in deo FP" U aduersus spiritum, esto consentiens aduersario tuo in uia, et erit pax ossibus tuis, et, cum exultauerit cor meum in deum uiuum, tunc etiam caro mea requiescet in spe. Tene ergo, frater, quod tenes, ne coronam tuam accipiat alter; cui simile est, ut quod uolueras uelle non desinas et inmutabilem ad nos ueniendi sententiam teneas. religiosa conamina ipse ad uoti fructum peruehet in cuius potestate est ac fauore, ut possimus prospere quod pie uolumus. scimus enim, quia desideranti bonum omnia procedunt in bonum. uerum et nos, quod quidem nobis gratissimum signum concordiae in omnibus nostrae fuit, infirmitatum tuarum indices litteras aegrotantes accepimus, probauimusque in nobis secundum apostoli dictum et affectum conpati sibi unius corporis membra. nam et eo ipso nos refectos sensimus, quod reualuisse te scripseras, ut in diuersis licet terris positi operantis in nobis spiritus unitatem tacita in corporibus separatis conexione paribus aut incommodis aut remediis congruentes experiremur. Pone igitur et tu, frater unanime meliorque in Christo nostri portio, si quam ex nostrae castigationis indicio tristitiam pia mente duxeris, quia castigans castigauit nos dominus et morti non tradidit nos. uisitati enim medica omnipotentis manu in spem sanitatis a praesenti aegritudine fouebamur, flagella inuicem nostra mutuis consolationibus mollientes. nam solatium nobis magnum et dulce praebebat ipsa coniunctio passionis, quod non sine domini numine, cuius iniussu nec passeris casus in terram est, concurrisse in nobis ipsa unitas uerberum uidebatur. sic et commoditas coeperat ambobus una procedere, seu quod alter alterius leuamine respirabat siue 1] Matth. 5, 25. 3] Ps. 87, 4. 83, 3 et 15, 9. 4] Apoc. 3, 11. 9] (Rom. 8,28). 13] (I Cor. 12, 26). 20] Ps. 117,18. 25] (Matth. 10,29). 6 uiuendi U 8 ac] et U 10 quod - l. 11 fuit om. M nobis om . PU 11 concordiae nostre P in omnibus Rosic., hominibus w nostrae om. U 13 affectu fort . 14 sensimus refectos LM 15 scripseris U 16 connectione F 18 melior LMPlV 19 nostri om. FLU, nos exp. P 23 fouebamus FI0 24 solacium P 25 nomine LMOPv (sed P in tnarg.: numine) sine cuius iussu LM quod dominus unitatis operator indiuiduo spiritu omnes suos nectens neque carnalem in nobis substantiam discrepare pateretur. Non haec tamen tantum causa pueros nostros morata est. nam Vigilantius quoque noster in Campania et antequam ad nos perueniret et posteaquam peruenit, ui febrium laborauit et aegritudini nostrae, quia et ipse sociale membrum erat, socio labore conpassus est. denique ille catechumenus, qui necdum nostri corporis erat membrum, uulnera nostra non sensit et sanus fuit atque expers languorum nostrorum, quia non suae conpaginis dolorem caro adhuc aliena sentire non poterat. ergo ut coepit Vigilantius noster progredi posse, tum demum censui scripta esse reddenda. fatemur enim ambos multo ante properasse, sed cum ante uirium receptionem temere festinaret qui non poterat, inpie qui ualebat, ambos quia non poteramus uolentes consilio, retinuimus inuitos silentio. Itaque, ut supra scripsimus, post aegritudinem communi labore toleratam orationibus sanctorum atque carorum, parte etiam, ut credimus, maxima tuis respiciente clementius domino recreati, adhuc tamen exhaustis corporibus infirmi — in quo quidem nos gloriari apostolus docet, quem potentem, ut praedicat, faciebat infirmitas, quia scilicet caro, quae aduersus spiritum militat, cum aduersa ualitudine frangitur, pariter infractis uiribus spiritalem non ualeat expugnare uirtutem — carne igitur infirmi ad profectum spiritus, qui damno carnis exultat et tamquam inimicae materiae tribulatione laetatur atque infirmatione domiti corporis conualescit, sana et ualida caritate, quam erga te per dominum Iesum magnam habemus, dedimus has litteras in solatium tui, ut nos interim tenemus tuas, donec te ipsum, 20] (II Cor. 12, 10). 21] (Gal. 5,17). 2 neque] ne U, me F, neque (que exp.) P 3 ne FUP tam P 8.1 . •oeio cause Fl causa tantum M 6 sociale 0 v, sociabile cet . 7 solacio P, solaeio 0, solatio LM, solatiuo v et labore M catecumiuus FLMU, cathecuminus Ov, caticumnen P 9 exper U langorum L 10 pr . non om. FP\'U copaginis M 14 impari aequiualebat v, ire par et qui ualebat coni. Sacch . 15 inuitos. Silentio itaque M 19 remeati U 20 docet apostolus U 23 ualet U 24 quidam non 0 28 denec Ll ut spopondisti et quod numquam desinimus a domino sperare, uideamus. Multa sunt, quae ad nos inuitare te et de patria parumper debeant seuocare, prae ceteris amor pacis et zeli fuga, qui maxime conspectu aut uicinia aemulae conuersationis accenditur. denique a nobis Romae zelotyporum incendia clericorum longinquitas urbis extinguit et omnis illic iniquitas . obstruit os suum, quia per absentiam inde nostram quasi subducto fomite segnis odiorum flamma frigescit nec in uocem audet erumpere, licet dentibus frendat inuidia, dum iniquitatis suae conscia ipsa se erubescit nec in promptu habet ubi faces liuidae mentis accendat. pax tamen dei, quae praecellit omnem sensum, abundat in cordibus plurimorum, et opus dei saluatoris in nobis Campania tota ueneratur. Romae quoque pauci etiam in clero ipso, a quo solo uidemur scandalizari, morsu inuidiae commouentur. sed domino gratias, qui et mihi miserrimo peccatori suo dedit dicere: quoniam oderunt me gratis. quod tamen ad me pertinet, cum ipsis quoque, qui oderunt pacem meam, mente pacificus sum. si quis enim uult contentiosus esse, hoc nostra consuetudo non recipit. horum tamen ipsorum, qui nos odisse et a consortio sanctitatis suae segregare dicuntur, uix ad nos tenuis fama perlabitur et ab auribus nostris spinarum sepe munitis ut aura frigida uel inportunum uacui culicis murmur excluditur. Sed plenius indicare poterunt conserui nostri, pueri tui, quantum nobis gratiae dominicae detrimentum faciat urbici papae superba discretio, qui paucis ipsis diebus quibus 7] (Ps. 106, 42). 12] Phil. 4,7. 17J Ps. 34,19. 18] Ps. 119,7. 19] I Cor. 11, 16. 23] (Eccli. 28, 28). 1 a domino sperare 0 v, sperare in domino U, in domino sperare cet . 3 parumper de patria M, parum perdebant P1 5 quae 0 6 zelotiporum u 8 abstinentiam 0 9 segnes 0 10 frendeat U, fremat F ft 11 ipse P se Ov, om. cet . 12 praecellis U 16 commuuentur P, commouetur 0 sed et F 18 quod L, quid FOPUv, quantum M ad me pertinet] mihi attinet M 19 oderant FPU meam Ov, mea FPU, m- LM 20 hunc U 23 muniti FU 25 potaerunt FU 27 diseretio superba U quibus MO v, om. cet . nVllU. Pfculini Nol. epittalae. 3 interfuere uiderunt, quam adsidua nos, quam sedula sollicitorum fratrum monachorum antistitum clericorum atque etiam ipsorum saepe saecularium officia toto illo nostro aegritudinis tempore celebrauerint. quod apud unanimitatem tuam de dominica tamen gratia, cuius hoc quoque opus et munus est, gloriari licet, nemo propemodum tota Campania episcoporum non uisitare nos fas existimauit sibi. et quos infirmitas uel necessitas aliqua deuinxerat, missis uice sua clericis et litteris adfuerunt." Afri quoque ad nos episcopi reuisendos prima aestate miserunt. quod cum ita sit, uides quantopere ad humilitatem nostram festinare debeas, ut et paululum occasionem auferas quaerentibus occasionem et pro gratiae uel caritatis augmento peregrineris a patria, dum adhuc hospes corporis peregrinaris a Christo, quia ueritas ipsa testatur neminem prophetam acceptum esse in patria sua. Fateor autem, licet mihi nihil praesentia tua gratius dari possit, accensum esse desiderium meum flagrantius in praesentiam tuam, quod multos fratres spiritales tecum nobis adfore spopondisti. eritne quaeso tempus illud et inlucescet ille aliquando dies, quo fraternitatem tuam comite electorum dei cohorte uenientem in gremio iam communis patroni dominaedii mei Felicis excipiam et, quod nunc ipsius orationibus inpetrari rogo, id inpetratum coram apud ipsum pariter in domino gratulemur, cum ego uos simul et uicissim conplexus omnes merito dicam concinentibus nobis: haec plane dies quam fecit dominus; exultemus et laetemur in ea, quia 13] (II Cor. 5, 6). 14] Luc. 4, 24. 25] Ps. 117,24. 1 nos exp. M m. 1, ad nos FPU 2 monacorum MU 3 illo] nos I illo LM nostrae LMU Pgretudinis 0 4 quo LM 7 nefas L, non uefas Jf sibi om. M ys in uicem suam FPU et Ov, ex cet., et ex fort . 11 et ut coni. Sacch . afferas (ex auferas) P querentibus occasionem FP, om. U 12 et om. FPU Sacch . augumento P, agmento U peregrinari FP\'Ų Sacch . 14 propheta L 17 flagrantius in exp. M 19 spospoudisti U 21 iam OP1, sane FP\'U, sancto LM dnedii MO, domni P, domini FU 23 impetrare conor FP\' U 24 ego] O g L, ergo 0 conplexos omnes OP, omnes complexos U, complexos omnes F 25 conscientibus FPU 26 et exultemus F bonum et iocundum habitare fratres in unum? tum ego te non in monasterio tantum uicini martyris inquilinum, sed etiam in horto eiusdem colonum locabo, sed gratis, quia iam a patrefamilias accepisti denarium tuum praeter illos, quos idem dominus iam pro uulneribus tuis largus stabulario dedit, ut curatus oleo misericordiae et uino gratiae utilius ad dominicam uineam integrato corpore locareris. Videre ergo iam mihi uideor hortulum meum aduentantibus tecum domini mercennariis et cooperantibus cultiorem. neque enim difficile aestimari quam facile depleturi sint leuioris culturae laborem quos in uineam suam Christus elegit et otiosos deo in uano huius saeculi foro stare non passus est. iam et domestica mihi post osculum sanctum gaudia mente et cogitatione propono, cum inebriante spiritu caritatis sobriam misceamus per pocula casta laetitiam nec in fermento nequitiae, sed in azymis sinceritatis pia festa celebremus, psallentes domino hymnis et canticis spiritalibus, cantantes linguis et cordibus deo, omne quodcumque agimus in uerbo uel in facto in nomine Iesu Christi, gratias agentes patri per ipsum. qui facit unius moris habitare in domo, ut spero, nos faciet inter nos in semet . ipso habitare. qui fecit utrumque unum et exaltatus omnia traxit ad se, qui humiliatus ipse pacificauerat omnia, reconcilians mundum deo, cum repleuerit gaudio os nostrum praesentia uestrae unanimitatis, dicemus: magnificauit dominus 1] Ps. 132,1. 4] (Matth. 20, 9). 5] (Luc. 10, 35). 11] (Matth. 20,4). 15] I Cor. 5, 8. 17] Eph. 5, 19. 18] Col. 3, 16. 17; I Cor. 10, 31. 20] Ps. 67, 7. 22] Eph. 2,14. (Ioh. 12,32). 23] (Col. 1,20). 25] Ps. 125, 3. a 1 tom 0 2 martyris om. F 3 orto FLMU quia] tamen quia M 8 ortulum FI LMU 9 cultu iri LM 10 estimari LMOP*, extimari UP1, existimari F 11 otiosos] occisos U 13 obsculum U 16 azimis OJ sinceritatis et ueritatis F 17 ymnis M, in hymnis v spiritualibus FU eordiboB 18 linghuis U canticis M 20 deo patri v 21 et ut M nos faciat FLPU, faciet nos M inter nos om. M 22 traxit omnia U 23 omnia pacificauerat M reoncilians U 24 mondum P os nostrum gaudio FPU presentie F\'P\'U 3* facere nobiscum, et in abundantia laetitiae nostrae benedicemus uos de domo domini, quia benedicti uos domino, qui uenistis in nomine domini. calicem salutaris accipiatis et edatis panem beatorum in regno dei; uos enim estis coram domino Iesu satietas nostra et gaudium. Aude igitur erumpere non tuis opibus et uiribus sed fretus et nixus in Christo, quia uirga eius et baculus ipsius nos consolatur et sustinet et gubernat. qui portat aegrimonias nostras et infirmitates nostras suscepit, dat lasso uirtutem, confortat genua debilia, ipse statuet et inmaculatam et inoffensam uiam tuam; praecinget te uirtute, et perficiet pedes tuos tamquam cerui, ut exultes sicut gigans ad currendam uiam nec inpedire te possit trepidae carnis infirmitas, qui non carne sed spiritu incedis. seruientes enim Christo corporis seruitio, animi imperio magis utimur. atque ideo uoluntatem nostram Christo auctore directam caro iussa comitatur trahitque corpus ab animi fortitudine firmitatem et ad domini habitum famulus conponit obsequium. atque ita uirtus in infirmitate perficitur, dum anima consensu carnis edomitae deo seruiens per infirmitatis ministerium inplet officia uirtutis. Intende igitur et prospere procede, et deducet te mirabiliter dextera dei. misericordia eius et gratia praeibunt faciem tuam, et si infirmus domo prodeas, robur adquires eundo. sperantes enim in domino mutabunt fortitudinem, adsument pennas sicut aquilae. si ergo habeas cor ardens in uia, renouabitur sicut aquilae iuuentus 1] Ps. 117,26 et 115, 3. 4] Luc. 14,15. 8] Ps. 22, 4. 9] (Es. 53, 4). 11] (ib. 35, 3). Ps. 17, 33 et 18, 6. 15] (Rom. 8,9). 16] (Sallust. Cat. c. 1). 20] II Cor. 12, 9. 23] Ps. 44, 5. 24] Ps. 88, 15. 26] Es. 40,31. 27] (Luc. 24, 32). 28] Ps. 102, 5. 8 nexus LMO 9 consulatur U, osculatur F 10 suscipit M 11 pr . et om. LM 12 uirtutem 0 perficiet] precinget FPU 13 gigans 0, gigas cet . 14 currendum F nec OU, ne cet . 15 quia FP7U in carne sed in spiritu Lebrun 16 utimini U 18 firmitate U 24 dni 0 et misericordia FPU 25 adquiris 0 26 eundos L 28 ut U tua, curres et non lassabis; ambulabis et non deficies. non te uirga, non pera, non sacculus praegrauabit, non calciamenta nec duplex uestis inpediet; sed exuto carnalibus uinculis ut in terra sancta licet stare uestigio lumbisque praecinctis nullo aere graui zona festinanter, ut pascha domini et opus Christi in tempore conlecto gerendum est, uiam tuam curres: prosperum iter faciet deus salutarium nostrorum; omnis tibi uallis inplebitur, et omnis collis humiliabitur, ut fiant aspera iniquitatum in uias planas, ne usquam itineris offendas pedem tuum, quia angelis suis mandauit, ut custodiant te in omnibus uiis tuis. et ipse dominus protectio tua scuto pacis suae circumibit te, praelucens tibi in lumine uultus sui et praetendens in umbra alarum suarum, ut per diem sol non urat te neque luna per noctem. ubique loci custodiet atque benedicet introitus et exitus tuos, ut in omni loco filium pacis inuenias et super omnem hospitem pax tua ueniat. Quod si forte proficiscens cogitata carorum hominum uel adsuetorum locorum diuulsione lacrimaueris, temporalis tristitia tua in aeternam laetitiam conuertetur. euntes, inquit, ibant et flebant, mittentes semina sua; uenientes autem uenient in exultatione portantes manipulos suos. ita tu etsi ueniendo fleueris, redeundo gaudebis et in gaudio metes quae in lacrimis seminaueris. gratia domini Iesu Christi et caritas dei patris et communicatio spiritus sancti cum tota domo tua non manufacta, quia uos estis templum dei uiuum, aedificatum in fundamentis 1] Es. 60, 31. 2] (Matth. 10, 10). 4] (Exod. 12, 11). 7] Ps. 67, 20. 8] Es. 40, 4; Luc. 3, 4. 9] Ps. 90, 11 et 12. 12] Ps. 120, 5. 12] (Ps. 88, 16). 13] (Ps. 16, 8). 14] Ps. 120, 6. 16] (Luc. 10, 6). 20] Ps. 125, 6. 24] II Cor. 18, 13. 26] I Cor. 3, 16 et 6,19. 27] Eph. 2, 20. 1 lassabis 0, lassaberis cet. v 2 saculus L 3 impediat FPU uinclis FIP 4 licaeat F, liceat v 6 et opus Christi om. M 8 omnis et F 11 te] de te FM 12 tue U circuibit LM 13 protegens M 15 loci om. 0 22 uenient] uenit U in] cum M elultatione. (s ems.) L 23 tu] ut U, et tu M 24 sit (si U) gratia FPU nostri yiiu U, nostri ihu LM 25 spiritu U sancti spiritus LM 27 uiui FPU apostolorum in Christo deo. mihi unanime uenerabilis dilectissime et desiderantissime, sanctam parentem "nostram, matrem in Christo coheredem tuam ueneratione, qua digna est, salutari peto. conserua in domino mea fraternitatem tuam quo ueneratur affectu salutat. et uos a nobis omnem sanctam fraternitatem, qualem agere uobiscum certi sumus, multo obsequio salutate. salutant uos omnes, qui in domino nobiscum sunt, ut ex Hebraeis Proforus et Restitutus amans dominum et te in Christo conpertum diligens et multum desiderans. In epistulae titulo imitari praestantem in omnibus mihi fraternitatem tuam timui, quia tutius credidi uere scribere. caue ergo posthac seruus Christi in libertatem uocatus hominis et fratris et conserui inferioris seruum te scribere, quia peccatum adulationis est magis quam humilitatis iustificatio honorem uni domino, uni magistro super terram, uni deo debitum homini cuilibet, ne dicam miserrimo peccatori, deferre. sufficit caritas de corde puro et fide non ficta; quod autem abundantius est, a malo est. obsecro te, frater per dominum, ut praesumptionem de te meam spiritu reuelationis inspicias; alioquin et offensam tuam possum uereri de epistola tam loquaci. sed apud caritatem, quae omnia sustinet, ex eo ipso gratia debet augeri, quo fastidium conparari solet, ubi nulla caritas taedium temperat. in dictando enim dum te cogito et totus in te sum, quasi apud praesentem longo interuallo loquar, obliuiscor inpositum finire sermonem. Panem Campanum de cellula nostra tibi pro eulogia misimus, tantum meritis in domino tuis freti, ut plena ad te perferendum sui gratia crederemus; tu licet uberioribus micis a domini mensa iam saturatus sis, dignare et a peccatoribus 17] I Tim. 1, 5. Matth. 5, 37. 21] I Cor. 13, 7. 2 desideratissime PU 4 qua U 6 uobiscum agere M 8 hebreus U a prophorus M 10 imitati IJ 11 tucius (tu ex ti) L, totius 0 12 posthac v, posthaec LMO, posthec FPU 14 caue honorem FU 16 peocatore F 17 de] et de LM puro L s. I . 19 releuatiouis coni. SaccA . 20 alioquim F 21 eo] te F 22 quod FU 24 loquor FPU 25 obliuisor F 26 cellula 0v, eella cet . proeulogiam 0 acceptum in nomine domini panem in eulogiam uertere. ac ne panis siligineus tibi modum nostrae humilitatis excedere uideretur, misimus testimonialem diuitiarum nostrarum scutellam buxeam; ut apophoreta uoti spiritalis accipies, habiturus exemplo, si necdum simili argento uteris. quod si nigellatum habes, mitte nobis per ea uascula, quae pueris, filiis nostris, demandauimus. amamus enim uasa fictilia, quia et secundum Adam cognata nobis sunt et domini thesaurum in talibus uasis commissum habemus. Praeterea peto, quia summum animi tui ius habere me confido, ut, si necesse fuerit deficientibus a me et libertis et semis et fratribus tuam curam inpendi, ordinare digneris, qua- Uter ad nos uinum uetus, quod Narbone adhuc nos habere credimus, peruehatur. ne timeas, frater sancte, damnum, si nos feceris etiam pecuniae debitores. omnes enim nostri a nobis declinauerunt, simul inpii facti sunt, et inimici hominis domestici eius.