LETTER LXIV[277

S. AMBROSE replies to Irenæus, who had asked why the manna, which was given to the children of Israel, was not given now, that the Body of Christ, Which is given to Christians, is the true Manna, of which the other was a type; as it was also of Divine Wisdom, which is the food of souls.

AMBROSE TO IRENÆUS, GREETING.

Sidenote: 1 Cor. xiii. 10.

Sidenote: S. John vi. 58.

1. YOU ask me why the Lord God does not now rain manna as He did on our fathers. If you consider, He does rain manna from heaven on those who serve Him, and that day by day. The earthly manna indeed is to this very day found in many places, but it is not now an event so miraculous because _that which is perfect is come_. Now _that which is perfect_ is the Bread from heaven, the Body born of the Virgin, as to which the Gospel sufficiently instructs us. O how greatly does this excel what went before it! For they who eat that manna or bread, are dead, _but he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever_.

Sidenote: S. Matt. iv. 4.

Sidenote: Exod. xvi. 15, 16.

Sidenote: Prov. xvi. 24.

2. But there is also a spiritual manna, the dew that is of spiritual Wisdom, which descends from heaven upon those who sincerely seek for it, and which waters the souls of the righteous, and puts sweetness into their mouths. Wherefore he who comprehends this out-pouring of divine wisdom receives pleasure from it, nor requires any other food, _nor lives by bread alone, but by every word of God_. He who is more curious, will ask what that is which is sweeter than honey. The servant of God answers him, _This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat_. And hear further what this bread is, _the word_, he says, _which the Lord hath commanded_. Now this food so commanded by God nourishes the soul of the wise, imparting light and sweetness, brightened by the beams of truth, and communicating to it the soothing sweetness of divers virtues and the word of wisdom like that of an honey-comb; for _pleasant words_, it is written in the Proverbs, _are as an honey-comb_.

Sidenote: S. Luke xiii. 19.

Sidenote: Ib. xvii. 6.

Sidenote: Ib. xiii. 21.

Sidenote: Exod. xxxii. 20.

Sidenote: S. Matt. xxiv. 41.

3. And now hear the reason why it was small; it was because a grain of mustard-seed which is compared to the kingdom of heaven is also small, and because faith, which is as a grain of mustard-seed, can remove mountains and cast them into the sea. Again, _the kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened_. Again, Moses ground the head of the golden calf to powder, and cast it into water, and made the people drink of it; for their heart was hardened by the greatness of their perfidy, and he did thus that it might be softened and made refined by faith. Lastly, that woman who grinds meal well and fine shall be taken, but she who grinds ill shall be left.

Sidenote: Cant. iii. 6.

4. Follow then these examples as regards thy faith, that thou mayest be like that soul which excites in itself the love of Christ, and which, as it ascends aloft, is admired by the host of heaven; that it may rise without impediment, that it may soar above this world with joy and gladness, lifting itself on high like the vine stock and like the smoke, sending forth the fragrance of a holy resurrection, and the sweetness of faith, as it is written, _Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like the stock of vine burned with smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of ointment?_

Sidenote: Exod. xxx. 8.

Sidenote: Ps. cxli. 2.

Sidenote: Rev. viii. 3, 4.

5. The refined nature of this faith is well expressed by being compared with powder or by the mention of perfume; for we read in Exodus of that prophetic incense which is the prayer of the Saints, as being a subtile perfume and compounded of many things, that it may be set forth in the sight of the Lord, as David also says, _Let my prayer be set forth in Thy sight as the incense_. And so it is in the Greek also, κατευθυνθήτω ἡ προσευχή μου ὡς θυμίαμα ἐνώπιον σου. And in the Revelation of John we read that _an Angel stood at the Altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense_, it is said, _with the prayers of the Saints, ascended up before God out of the Angel’s hand_.

Sidenote: Cant. vii. 2.

6. Small too is the navel and the belly of that soul which ascends up to Christ, and therefore it is praised by the words of the spouse saying, _Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor, thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies_. For it is rounded and polished with all kinds of learning, and is a spiritual drink not failing in fulness, and in the knowledge of heavenly secrets. The belly of the soul is also like the navel, mystical, and not only strong food whereby the heart is strengthened, but also sweet and flowery food whereby it is delighted, is received therein. And perhaps this is what Moses meant, that by many and pious prayers the sacrilege was to be atoned for.

Sidenote: Wisd. vii. 22.

Sidenote: Rev. xviii. 22.

7. In the book of Kings also, when the Lord revealed Himself to holy Elijah, a small still voice was first heard, and then the Lord revealed Himself to him; thereby to teach us that bodily things are solid and gross, but such as are spiritual tender and so fine as not to be perceptible to the eye. In the same way we read in the book of Wisdom that the Spirit of Wisdom is subtile and lively _for in her is an understanding spirit, holy, one only, manifold, subtile and lively_; and she grinds her words before she speaks, that neither her mode of speech nor her meaning may give offence. Lastly, it shall be said to Babylon herself, when about to be destroyed, _And the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee_.

8. The manna then was fine, and was gathered each day, not reserved for the day following; because the extemporaneous inventions of Wisdom please the most; when made at leisure they excite not the same admiration as when struck out at the moment by the spark of genius. Or it may be that future mysteries are revealed herein: the manna kept till the rising of the sun was unfit to be eaten, in other words, after the coming of Christ, it lost its grace. For when the Sun of Righteousness arose, and the more illustrious Sacraments of the Body and Blood of Christ appeared, lower things were to cease, and the people were to take in their stead what was more perfect.

Farewell; love me, for I also love you.