Sermons on the Song of Songs22 Sermon XXII. Of the four perfumes of the Bridegroom, and of the four Cardinal virtues
Sermon XXII. Of the four perfumes of the Bridegroom, and of the four Cardinal virtues
If the perfumes of the Bride are so precious and so distinguished as they were found to be when they were treated of in your hearing, of what value must be those of the Bridegroom? And if I am not capable of expounding these in a manner worthy of their great excellence, yet that their virtue is surpassingly great, and their grace efficacious, is shown, without doubt, by this fact alone, that their fragrance arouses not the young maidens alone, but the Bride herself, to run [in the way of righteousness]. If you take notice, you will see that she does not venture to promise anything of this kind, as to follow from her own perfumes. She does indeed rejoice in thinking that they are most excellent, yet she does not say that in them she has run, or would run; this she only promises to do in the perfumes of the Bridegroom. What would she have said, had she felt the outpouring upon her of that unction itself, of which even the fragrance alone, however slight it were, had such influence UDon her as to cause her to run forward [in the way of godliness? It would be wonderful if she did not even fly. But someone, perhaps, says in himself: * Cease your commendations; it will sufficiently appear what they are when you have begun to define them.' But no. I do not at all promise that. Believe me when I confess that I do not as yet know whether those ideas which are presented to my mind are well founded. I suppose that the Bridegroom has not a few kinds of perfumes and balms, that these are different in nature, that some of these are more a delight to the Bride than others, as being nearer and in closer relation to Him, and that they delight her only; but that there are others which reach as far as the maidens, and some which find their way even to those who are most distant and most entirely strangers to Him, so that there are none hid from his life-giving heat. But although the Lord is good and 2. But these things the intelligence does not comprehend any farther than it is led by experience. That is why I would not rashly arrogate to myself a prerogative which is given only to the Bride. The Bridegroom alone knows the delights which it is given to His Beloved to taste by the Holy Spirit, by what inspirations He marvellously revives her spiritual senses, and by what odours He soothes them. Let her be for thee, then, a fountain proper to Him alone, in which no stranger shares, nor does any unworthy drink thereof; that is to say, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed (Cant. iv. 12); but thence do streams flow into the streets. These, I confess, are at my disposal, provided that no one finds fault or is ungrateful if I drink of them and draw from them for the good of all. For, that I may commend a little my ministry in this respect, it is not without some labour and fatigue that I go forth day by day to draw from the open streams of the Scriptures, in order to distribute to each one according to his need; so that without his own labour every one of you may have a supply of the spiritual waters for his various necessities; as, for example, to drink, and for cleansing, as for cooking his food. For the Divine Word is the saving water of wisdom, not only to drink, but also for cleansing, as the Lord hath said: Now ye are dean through the word which I have spoken unto you (John xv. 2). The Divine Word cooks, so to speak, over the fire which the Holy Spirit kindles, the crude reflections of the carnal mind, and turns them into spiritual teachings, which are nourishment for the soul, so that you may say: My heart was hot within me, and while I was musing the fire burned (Ps. xxxix. 3).
3. Those who, being of a spirit perfectly pure, are capable of apprehending by their own selves truths more lofty than those which have been brought forward by me, I congratulate upon the fact, and I do not dispute their right; but at the same time, they must allow me to bring forward simpler truths for simpler people. Would that it might be granted unto me that all might exercise the gift of teaching (prophetent), and that it might not be needful for me to occupy myself in it! Would that this care might fall upon some other, or at least, which I would prefer, that there were no one among you who had need of it; and that you were also open to the teachings of God Himself, that I might be able to remain in a profound repose, and contemplate the Bridegroom, who is God! For now it is the case (and I do not say it without tears), that it is not permitted to me, I do not say to contemplate, but even to seek after the King in His glory, sitting upon the Cherubfn, sitting upon His Throne, high and lifted up, in that Form in which He was begotten, Equal to His Father, in the splendour of His Saints, before the morning star [was created], in which also the Angels always desire to behold Him, God 4. Leaving, then, to each individual whatever of more sublime and profound truth it has been granted to him by God's special grace to feel and experience regarding the perfumes of the Bridegroom, I offer for the common good what I have drawn from a source common to all. For He is the fountain of life, a Fountain sealed, springing forth from a walled garden, by the mouth of St. Paul, who made of himself a canal for that precious stream. He is truly that Wisdom which, according to the expression of holy Job, is drazun from secret places (Job xxviii. 21); which divides itself into four streams, and flows into the open ways of men; in which the Apostle declares to us the great truth that God hath made Him to be to us tvisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. i. 30). From these four streams, then, as it were of most precious perfumes—for it matters little whether we consider them as of water or of precious perfume, of water which cleanses, or of oil which perfumes—from these four, I say, as from precious ointments, composed of celestial balms upon the mountains of sweet spices, so great a sweetness and fragrance has filled the nostrils of the Church, that, being drawn from the four quarters of the earth by that perfume, [her people hastened to the heavenly Bridegroom, as that queen of the East came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, being attracted by the good odour of his reputation (1 Kings x. 1-7).
5. Now, the Church was before not able to run towards the odour of her Solomon, until He, who was from all eternity Wisdom from the Father, was made by the Father to be for her benefit Wisdom also in time; for it was from that time that she began to perceive the Divine odour which proceeded forth from Him. Thus He was made for her in the same way righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, so that she might be able to follow after the odour of these also, which were in Him before the beginning of all things. For in the Beginning was the Word (John i. 1); but the shepherds made haste to come to see Him, only then at length when His Birth was announced to them. Then it was that they said the one to the other: Let us now go even to Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us (Luke ii. 15, 16). And, it goes on, they came with haste. Before, when the Word was 6. But I do not perceive, you will say, how He was Redemption unto the Angels, or in no passage of the Scriptures does it appear that they were ever captives of sin, or subject unto death, so that they had need of redemption; those only excepted, who, failing by the irremediable lapse of pride, have never deserved to be redeemed. If, then, the Angels have never been redeemed, some having no need to be, and others not deserving it; the one class, because they have not fallen; the other, because their fall was irrevocable: for what reason do you say that the Lord Jesus Christ has been to them redemption? Listen, while I briefly declare it. He who has raised up man who had fallen granted to the Angel, who was upright, the grace not to fall; thus, as He delivered the one from his bondage, so He protected the other from becoming subject to that bondage. And in this manner He was Redemption equally to each class, delivering the one from its fall, and preserving the other from falling. It appears, then, clearly that the Lord Christ was to the holy Angels redemption, as He was righteousness, wisdom, and sanctification; and that, nevertheless, He was made to be these four blessings on account of men, who are able to behold the invisible things of God only by the beholding of the things that are made (Rom. i. 20). So, then, all that He was unto the Angels, He was made to be unto us; that is to say, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption—wisdom in preaching, righteousness in the remission of sins, sanctification in the close relation which He had with sinners by His Life; and redemption by His Passion, which He endured on behalf of sinners. It is then when He was made by God to be all these things; that the Church has perceived His fragrance, and has followed, nay, has run, after Him.
7. Recognise, then, this fourfold anointing; recognise the abundant and inestimable sweetness of Him, whom the Father hath anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows (Ps. xlv. 7). Thou,.O man, wast sitting in the gloomy shadows of death through ignorance of the truth; thou wast sitting bound by the chains of thy sins. He descended to thee in thy prison, not to torment thee, but to deliver thee from the power of darkness. In the first place, that Teacher of truth dissipated by His wisdom the darkness of thy ignorance.
1 Tenebrosis; another reading is tenebris.
The FOUR PERFUMES OF THE BRIDEGROOM Then, by the righteousness which is of faith, He broke the bonds of thy sins, freely justifying the sinner. By that twofold benefit, He accomplished that word of the holy David: The Lord looseth the prisoners; the Lord giveth sight to the blind (Ps. cxlvi. 7, 8). More than this He did, by living a holy life among sinners, and so provided for thee a pattern of life, as a road whereby thou mightest return to thy own fatherland. Lastly, as it were to heap upon thee His goodness, He gave over His soul to death, and drew from His own side the price of thy redemption, and thus rendered satisfaction to the Father. In all this He plainly realized the verse: With the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption (Ps. cxxx. 7). Truly it was plenteous: for it was not a drop, but a flood that poured forth plenteously, of His Precious Blood, from five parts of His Body.
8. What ought He to have done for thee, that He has not done? He has restored sight to one blind, broken the chains of a captive, led back a wanderer, reconciled the guilty. Who will not run with ardour, with rapidity, after Him who delivers from error, and forgives offences; who by His Life bestows merits, and by His Death acquires [for thee rewards? What excuse can there be for him who does not eagerly run in the fragrance of these perfumes, except perchance that their sweetness has not reached him? But the odour of life has gone forth into the whole world; for the whole earth is full of the mercy of the Lord, and His goodness is over all His works. Therefore he who has no perception of that fragrance, sweet, life giving, and everywhere diffused, and because of this%does not run after Christ, is either dead, or he is corrupt. That fragrance is the renown of His Name. The fragrance of faith in Him extends everywhere; it arouses to run the Christian course; it brings to trial of His anointing, to the vision of Him for reward. All who attain it chant with one accord: Like us we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God (Ps. xlviii. 8). We follow after Thee, O Lord Jesus, because of the goodness and kindness which we are fully assured of finding in Thee; because we learn that Thou dost not despise the poor, nor abhor the sinner. Thou didst not abhor the thief when he confessed, the sinful woman who wept tears of penitence, the Canaanite mother who came to Thee with her supplication, nor her who was taken in adultery, nor him who sat at the receipt of custom, nor the publican who implored pardon, nor the disciple who denied Thee, the persecutor of Thy disciples, nor Thy very crucifiers themselves. In the fragrance of these Divine virtues we run. Again, we perceive the fragrance of Thy wisdom from that word which we have heard, that if any lack wisdom, let him ask it of Thee, and Thou wilt give it to him; for Thou givest to all liberally, and upbraidest not (James i. 5). And the great fragrance of Thy righteousness is spread abroad upon every side, inasmuch as Thou art not only Righteous, but also Righteousness itself—yea, a 1 Putidus, or putridus. 2 Pervenit, or pravenit.
9. But we do not all run with equal attraction towards all these perfumes, for you will see that some are more ardently affected by the love of wisdom; others are more carried towards penitence by the hope of obtaining pardon; others, again, are more animated to the practice of virtues by the example of His life and conversation; and others, still, are more fired with ardour for piety by the remembrance of His Passion. I think that we may be able to find examples of each of these classes. Those who had been sent by the Pharisees, for instance, were attracted by the fragrance of His wisdom, when they returned and said: Never man spake like this man (John vii. 46), for they admired His teaching, and confessed His wisdom. The holy Nicodemus did the same, when he came to Jesus by night (iii. 2), drawn by the great light of His wisdom, and returned, enlightened and instructed in many things. But Mary Magdalene came attracted by the fragrance of His righteousness; she, to whom 10. This also must be said, that it is to no purpose that the wise men of this world have disputed at such great length concerning the four great virtues, which they are in no wise able to attain, since they knew not Him, who of God is made unto us wisdom to teach us prudence, righteousness to remit offences, sanctification to give an example of living temperately and chastely, and redemption for a perfect pattern of patience in His Death bravely endured. Someone will perhaps say: The other qualities are very fitting for the virtues named; but sanctification seems to have no proper relation to 11. After having made clear what seemed a little obscure, I return to the point whence I digressed. What have you to do with virtues who know not the power (virttttem) of God, which is Jesus Christ? Where, I ask you, is true prudence, if not in the teaching of Christ? or true righteousness, if not in His mercy? Where is true temperance, if not in the Life of Christ? or true fortitude, if not in the Passion of Christ? Those only, therefore, who are imbued with His teaching are to be called prudent; those alone to be regarded as righteous who from His mercy have attained the pardon of their sins; those alone as temperate who study to imitate His Life; and those alone as courageous who in adversities follow with constancy the example of His patience. That man labours in vain to acquire virtues who looks elsewhere than to the Lord in the hope of obtaining them; for it is His teaching which is the seed-plot of prudence; His mercy is a work of righteousness; His Life a mirror of temperance; and His Death a glorious pattern of courage. To Him be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1. Si ita pretiosa, ita magnifica sponsae unguenta inventa sunt, quemadmodum cum tractarentur audistis; sponsi qualia sunt? Et si digne ea nos, prout sunt, non sufficimus explicare; haud dubium tamen quin excellentior horum virtus et gratia efficacior sit, quorum solus non solum adolescentulas, sed ipsam quoque sponsam odor excitat ad currendum. Si enim advertis, nil tale de propriis unguentis ausa est polliceri. Et quidem illa optima esse gloriatur; sed non dicit tamen, quia in eis cucurrisset, aut curreret; quod in istorum solo odore promittit. Quid, si ipsam unctionem in se effusam sentiret, cujus ita tenui exhilarata fragrantia permovetur ut currat? Mirum si non et volaret. Sed dicit aliquis: Desine jam commendare; satis, cum ea coeperis assignare, apparebit quid sint. Non. Minime ego istud polliceor. Sane an vel ipsa sint quae animo suggeruntur dicenda, crede mihi, adhuc nescire me fateor. Existimo enim sponsum varias aromatum atque unguentorum habere species, et non paucas: et alias quidem esse in quibus singulariter oblectatur sponsa, tanquam propinquior ac familiarior; alias vero quae usque ad adolescentulas perveniunt; alias quae pertingunt etiam ad longe positos et extraneos, ut non sit qui se abscondat a calore ejus. Sed licet suavis Dominus universis, maxime tamen domesticis; et quanto quis ei familiarius pro vitae meritis ac mentis puritate appropiat, tanto eum arbitror recentiorum aromatum et unctionis suavioris sentire fragrantiam.
2. Porro in hujusmodi non capit intelligentia, nisi quantum experientia attingit. Ego vero haud temere mihi arrogarim sponsae praerogativam. Novit sponsus quibus deliciis spiritus foveat dilectam, quibus singulariter refocillet sensus ejus inspirationibus, et mulceat odoramentis. Sit tibi fons proprius, in quo ei non communicet alienus, nec indignus bibat ex eo; est quippe hortus conclusus, fons signatus. Caeterum derivantur aquae inde in plateas. Eas me habere ad manum fateor, dum tamen nemo mihi molestus sit aut ingratus, si de publico haurio et propino. Nam ut paulisper ministerium meum in hac parte commendem, nonnullius profecto fatigationis est atque laboris, quotidie scilicet exire, et haurire etiam de manifestis rivulis Scripturarum, et ex eis singulorum necessitatibus inservire, ut absque suo labore quisque vestrum praesto habeat aquas spirituales ad omne opus; verbi gratia, ad lavandum, ad potandum, ad cibos coquendos. Est nimirum aqua sapientiae salutaris sermo divinus, non modo potans, sed et lavans, dicente Domino: Et vos mundi estis propter sermonem quem locutus sum vobis. Sed et crudos carnis cogitatus igne Spiritus sancti accendente coquit divinum eloquium, ac vertit in sensus spirituales et cibos mentis, ita ut dicas: Concaluit cor meum intra me, et in meditatione mea exardescet ignis.
3. Qui mente sane puriori per se ipsos apprehendere sublimiora sufficiunt, quam per nos proferantur, non solum non prohibeo, sed et multum congratulor, dum et ipsi nos patiantur simpliciora simplicioribus ministrare. Quis dabit mihi ut omnes prophetent? Utinam mihi necesse non esset in his occupari! Utinam aut alteri cura incumberet ista, aut certe, quod mallem, nemo in vobis esset qui ea indigeret, essentque omnes docibiles Dei, et ego possem vacare et videre quoniam sponsus est Deus! Nunc vero quem minime interim, non dico intueri, sed ne inquirere quidem licet (quod sine lacrymis non loquor), regem in decore suo sedentem super cherubin, sedentem super solium excelsum et elevatum, in ea forma, qua aequalis Patri in splendoribus sanctorum ante luciferum genitus est, in qua et semper desiderant angeli eum prospicere, Deum apud Deum: ipsum saltem hominem homo hominibus loquor secundum eam formam, in qua, ut se manifestum nimia sua dignatione et dilectione praeberet, minoratus ab angelis in sole posuit tabernaculum suum et ipse tanquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo. Suavem magis quam sublimem, et unctum, non altum loquor, qualem denique Spiritus Domini unxit, et misit evangelizare pauperibus, mederi contritis corde, praedicare captivis indulgentiam, et clausis apertionem, praedicare annum placabilem Domino.
4. Salvo igitur cuique, quod forte sublimius subtiliusque de Sponsi unguentis speciali munere sentire sibi et experiri donatum est, ego quod de communi accepi, profero in commune. Ipse siquidem fons vitae, ipse fons signatus, de intra hortum conclusum erumpens, per os Pauli fistulam suam, tanquam vere illa sapientia, quae juxta beati Job sententiam trahitur de occultis, in quatuor sese rivos diffudit, et derivavit in plateas, ubi videlicet et assignat nobis eum factum a Deo sapientiam, et justitiam, et sanctificationem, et redemptionem. Ex his utique quatuor rivis, tanquam pretiosissimis unguentis: nil enim obstat utrumque intelligi, et aquam, et unctionem; aquam, quia mundant; unctionem, quia fragrant: ex his, inquam, quatuor praemissis, tanquam unguentis pretiosissimis, super montes aromatum de coelestibus speciebus confectis, tanta Ecclesiae nares odoris suavitas replevit, ut mox a quatuor mundi partibus excitata illa dulcedine, supernum properaret ad sponsum, tanquam vere illa regina austri festinans a finibus terrae audire sapientiam Salomonis, opinionis siquidem odore provocata.
5. Sane et Ecclesia non ante currere valuit in odore sui Salomonis, quousque is qui ab aeterno ex Patre sapientia erat, factus est ei in tempore a Patre sapientia, quo ipsius odorem percipere posset. Sic justitia, sic sanctificatio, sic et redemptio nihilominus ei factus est, ut horum quoque in odore currere posset, cum haec aeque omnia in se ante omnia esset. Nam et in principio quidem erat Verbum; sed tunc demum ad videndum ipsum pastores venerunt festinantes, cum nuntiatum est factum. Denique et loquuntur ad invicem: Transeamus usque Bethlehem, et videamus hoc verbum quod factum est, quod fecit Dominus, et ostendit nobis. Et sequitur, quia venerunt festinantes. Prius non se movebant, dum Verbum erat tantum apud Deum. At ubi Verbum, quod erat, factum est, ubi hoc Dominus fecit et ostendit; tunc venerunt festinantes, tunc cucurrerunt. Quomodo ergo in principio erat Verbum, sed Verbum erat apud Deum, factum est autem quatenus esse inciperet et apud homines: sic nihilominus in principio sapientia erat, erat justitia, erat sanctificatio et redemptio, sed angelis; ut esset et hominibus, fecit eum haec omnia Pater, et fecit quod Pater. Denique qui factus est, inquit, nobis sapientia a Deo. Non ait simpliciter, qui factus est sapientia; sed, qui factus est nobis sapientia: quoniam quod erat angelis, factus est et nobis.
6. At angelis, inquis, quomodo redemptio fuerit, non video. Nec enim auctoritas Scripturarum uspiam assentire videtur, eos aliquando aut peccato exstitisse captivos, aut morti obnoxios, ut necessariam haberent redemptionem, exceptis duntaxat illis qui, superbiae lapsu irremediabili corruentes, redimi deinceps non merentur. Si itaque angeli nunquam redempti sunt, alii utique non egentes, alii non promerentes; alii quidem, quia nec lapsi sunt; hi autem, quia irrevocabiles sunt, quo pacto tu dicis Dominum Jesum Christum eis fuisse redemptionem? Audi breviter. Qui crexit hominem lapsum, dedit stanti angelo ne laberetur, sic illum de captivitate eruens, sicut hunc a captivitate defendens. Et hac ratione fuit aeque utrique redemptio, solvens illum, et servans istum. Liquet ergo sanctis angelis Dominum Christum fuisse redemptionem, sicut justitiam, sicut sapientiam, sicut sanctificationem: et nihilominus tamen haec ipsa quatuor esse factum propter homines, qui invisibilia Dei nonnisi per ea quae facta sunt, intellecta conspicere possunt. Sic ergo omne quod erat angelis, factus est nobis. Quid? Sapientia, justitia, sanctificatio, redemptio. Sapientia in praedicatione, justitia in absolutione peccatorum, sanctificatio in conversatione, quam habuit cum peccatoribus; redemptio in passione, quam sustinuit pro peccatoribus. Ubi ergo haec a Deo factus est; tunc Ecclesia odorem sensit, tunc cucurrit.
7. Vide jam quadrifariam unctionem, vide affluentissimam atque inaestimabilem suavitatem ejus, quem unxit Pater oleo laetitiae prae consortibus suis. Sedebas, o homo, in tenebrosis et umbra mortis per ignorantiam veritatis; sedebas vinctus catenis delictorum. Descendit ad te in carcerem, non ut torqueret, sed ut erueret de potestate tenebrarum. Et primo quidem veritatis doctor depulit umbram ignorantiae tuae luce sapientiae suae. Per justitiam deinde, quae ex fide est, solvit funes peccatorum, gratis justificans peccatorem. Quo gemino beneficio implevit sermonem illum sancti David: Dominus solvit compeditos, Dominus illuminat caecos. Addidit quoque sancte inter peccatores vivere, et sic tradere formam vitae, tanquam viae, qua redires ad patriam. Ad cumulum postremo pietatis tradidit in mortem animam suam, et de proprio latere protulit pretium satisfactionis, quo placaret Patrem; per quod illum plane ad se versiculum traxit: Apud Dominum misericordia, et copiosa apud eum redemptio. Prorsus copiosa; quia non gutta, sed unda sanguinis largiter per quinque partes corporis emanavit.
8. Quid tibi debuit facere, et non fecit? Illuminavit caecum, solvit vinctum, reduxit erroneum, reconciliavit reum. Quis non post illum libenter atque alacriter currat, qui et ab errore liberat, et errata dissimulat; qui deinde merita vivendo tradit, praemia moriendo conquirit? Quam excusationem habet qui in odore horum unguentorum non currit, nisi ad quem forte odor minime pervenit? Sed enim in omnem terram exivit odor vitae; quoniam misericordia Domini plena est terra, et miserationes ejus super omnia opera ejus. Ergo qui vitalem hanc sparsam ubique fragrantiam non sentit, et ob hoc non currit, aut mortuus est, aut putidus [ alias, putridus. Fragrantia fama est. Pervenit [ alias, praevenit] opinionis odor, excitat ad currendum, perducit ad unctionis experimentum, ad bravium visionis. Vox una laetantium, omnium pervenientium: Sicut audivimus, sic vidimus in civitate Domini virtutum. Omnino propter mansuetudinem, quae in te praedicatur, currimus post te, Domine Jesu, audientes quod non spernas pauperem, peccatorem non horreas. Non horruisti confitentem latronem, non lacrymantem peccatricem, non Chananaeam supplicantem, non deprehensam in adulterio, non sedentem in telonio, non supplicantem publicanum, non negantem discipulum, non persecutorem discipulorum, non ipsos crucifixores tuos. In odore horum currimus. Porro sapientiae tuae odorem ex eo percipimus quod audivimus quia si quis indiget sapientia, postulet eam a te, et dabis ei. Aiunt siquidem quod des omnibus affluenter, et non improperes. At vero justitiae tuae tanta ubique fragrantia spargitur, ut non solum justus, sed etiam ipsa dicaris justitia, et justitia justificans. Tam validus denique es ad justificandum, quam multus ad ignoscendum. Quamobrem quisquis pro peccatis compunctus esurit et sitit justitiam, credat in te qui justificas impium, et solam justificatus per fidem, pacem habebit ad Deum. Sanctitatem quoque suavissime et copiosissime tua redolet non solum conversatio, sed et conceptio. Peccatum siquidem non commisisti, nec contraxisti. Qui ergo justificat a peccatis sectari desiderant deliberantque sanctimoniam, sine qua nemo videbit Deum; audiant te clamantem: Sancti estote, quoniam ego sanctus sum. Considerent vias tuas, et discant a te quia justus sis in omnibus viis tuis, et sanctus in omnibus operibus tuis. Jam redemptionis odor quantos currere facit? Cum exaltaris a terra, tunc prorsus omnia trahis ad te ipsum. Passio tua ultimum refugium, singulare remedium. Deficiente sapientia, justitia non sufficiente, sanctitatis succumbentibus meritis, illa succurrit. Quis enim de sua vel sapientia, vel justitia, vel sanctitate praesumat sufficientiam sibi ad salutem? Non quod sufficientes, inquit, simus cogitare aliquid a nobis tanquam ex nobis, sed sufficientia nostra ex Deo est. Itaque cum defecerit virtus mea, non conturbor, non diffido. Scio quid faciam: calicem salutaris accipiam, et nomen Domini invocabo. Illumina oculos meos, Domine, ut sciam quid acceptum sit coram te omni tempore, et sapiens sum. Delicta juventutis meae, et ignorantias meas ne memineris, et justus sum. Deduc me, Domine, in via tua, et sanctus sum. Verumtamen nisi interpellet sanguis tuus pro me, salvus non sum. Pro his omnibus currimus post te: dimitte nos, quia clamamus post te.
9. Nec currimus aequaliter omnes in odore omnium unguentorum: sed videas alios vehementius studiis flagrare sapientiae, alios magis ad poenitentiam spe indulgentiae animari, alios amplius ad virtutum exercitium vitae et conversationis ejus provocari exemplo, alios ad pietatem passionis memoria plus accendi. Putamus nos de singulis posse reperire exempla? Currebant in odore sapientiae, qui missi fuerant a Pharisaeis, cum reversi dicerent: Nunquam homo locutus est; utique admirantes doctrinam, et confitentes sapientiam. Currebat in hoc ipso odore sanctus Nicodemus, qui venit ad Jesum nocte, in splendore multo sapientiae: de multis quippe instructus edoctusque recessit. Verum in odore justitiae cucurrit Maria Magdalena, cui dimissa sunt peccata multa, quoniam dilexit multum. Justa profecto et sancta, et non jam peccatrix, quemadmodum Pharisaeus exprobrabat, nesciens justitiam seu sanctitatem Dei esse munus, non opus hominis; et quia non modo justus, sed et beatus, cui non imputabit Dominus peccatum. An oblitus erat quomodo vel suam ipsius, vel alterius corporalem tangendo lepram fugarat, non contraxerat? Sic tactus a peccatrice justus justitiam impertit, non perdit; nec sorde peccati, qua illam mundat, sed inquinat. Cucurrit et Publicanus, qui cum propitiationem peccatis suis humiliter imploraret, descendit justificatus, teste ipsa Justitia. Cucurrit Petrus, qui lapsus flevit amare, quatenus culpam dilueret, recuperaret justitiam. Cucurrit David, qui reatum agnoscens et confitens, audire meruit: Et Dominus transtulit a te peccatum tuum. Porro in sanctificationis odore Paulus currere se testatur, cum Christi se imitatorem esse gloriatur, dicens ad discipulos: Estote imitatores mei, sicut et ego Christi. Cucurrerunt et omnes qui aiebant: Ecce nos reliquimus omnia, et secuti sumus te. Desiderio quippe sequendi Christum reliquerant omnia. Hortatur generaliter universos ad eumdem odorem ista sententia: Qui se dicit in Christo manere, debet sicut ille ambulavit, et ipse ambulare. Jam qui in odore cucurrerint passionis, si audire vis, universos martyres accipe. En quatuor unguenta assignata habetis; primum, sapientiae; secundum, justitiae; tertium, sanctificationis; quartum, redemptionis. Tenete nomina, percipite fructum; et compositionis modum, vel numerum specierum, quibus confecta sunt, nolite requirere. Non enim facile in sponsi unguentis haec praesto esse possunt nobis, quemadmodum in superioribus illis sponsae fuerunt. In Christo nempe rerum plenitudo est sine numero, et sine modo. Nam et sapientiae ejus non est numerus; et justitia ipsius sicut montes Dei, sicut montes aeterni; et sanctitas singularis, et redemptio inexplicabilis.
10. Dicendum et hoc, quia frustra hujus saeculi sapientes de quatuor virtutibus tam multa disputaverunt, quas tamen apprehendere omnino nequiverunt, cum illum nescierint, qui factus est nobis a Deo sapientia docens prudentiam; et justitia delicta donans; et sanctificatio, in exemplum temperantiae continenter vivens; et redemptio, in exemplum patientiae fortiter moriens. Forsitan dicit aliquis: Caetera bene conveniunt, sed sanctificatio ad temperantiam minus proprie referri videtur. Ad quod respondetur primum, id esse continentiam, quod temperantiam. Deinde usitatum in Scripturis, sanctificationem pro continentia seu munditia poni. Denique quid illae apud Moysen tam crebrae sanctificationes aliud erant, quam quaedam purificationes hominum temperantium se a cibo, a potu, concubitu, hisque similibus? Sed audi ipsum praecipue Apostolum, quam familiare habeat vel uti, vel usurpare sanctificationem in hoc sensu. Haec est, inquit, voluntas Dei, sanctificatio vestra, ut sciat unusquisque vestrum suum vas possidere in sanctificatione, et non in passione desiderii; item: Non enim vocavit nos Deus in immunditiam, sed in sanctificationem. Liquet quod sanctificationem pro temperantia ponit.
11. Educto itaque in lucem quod subobscurum videbatur, redeo ad id unde digressus eram. Quid vobis cum virtutibus, qui Dei virtutem Christum ignoratis? Ubinam, quaeso, vera prudentia, nisi in Christi doctrina? Unde vera justitia, nisi de Christi misericordia? Ubi vera temperantia, nisi in Christi vita? Ubi vera fortitudo, nisi in Christi passione? Soli ergo qui ejus doctrina imbuti sunt, prudentes dicendi sunt; soli justi, qui de ejus misericordia veniam peccatorum consecuti sunt; soli temperantes, qui ejus vitam imitari student; soli fortes, qui ejus patientiae documenta fortiter in adversis tenent. Incassum proinde quis laborat in acquisitione virtutum, si aliunde eas sperandas putat, quam a Domino virtutum: cujus doctrina, seminarium prudentiae; cujus misericordia, opus justitiae; cujus vita, speculum temperantiae; cujus mors, insigne est fortitudinis. Ipsi honor et gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen.