LETTER LXXXI.

IN this letter S. Ambrose seeks to comfort some of his clergy, who were in despondency on account of their labours and difficulties, and sets before their eyes both the reward they may expect, and also the ready aid they will receive from Christ. He then presses upon them passages of Scripture applicable to their case, and exhorts them not to suffer themselves to be separated from Jesus their Saviour.

AMBROSE TO CERTAIN OF THE CLERGY.

1. IT is a fault which frequently besets the human mind, that, if things do not at once fall out according to their wishes, they lightly take offence, and desist from their duty. In other classes of men this is tolerable, but in those who are devoted to the Divine service it is a frequent cause of sorrow.

2. There are certain persons in the clerical function, into whose minds the Enemy, if he cannot otherwise deceive them, thus seeks to creep, that he may instil evil thoughts of the following kind; ‘What does it avail me to remain among the clergy, to suffer injuries, to bear toil, as if my own farm could not support me, or, if I have no farm, as if I could not otherwise obtain support?’ It is by such thoughts as these that even good dispositions are withdrawn from their duty, as if provision for his own sustenance was the only function of a cleric, and not rather to purchase for himself the Divine assistance after death. Whereas he only shall be rich after death, who on earth has had strength to contend unharmed against the wiles of his numerous adversaries.

Sidenote: Eccles. iv. 9.

3. It is said therefore in Ecclesiastes, _Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour, For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow_. Where are the two that are better than one, but where Christ is, and he whom Christ defends? For if he who is with the Lord Jesus falls, Jesus raises him up.

Sidenote: Ps. lxix. 3.

Sidenote: S. John iv. 6.

Sidenote: 2 Cor. xi. 29.

Sidenote: S. Matt. xxv. 43.

4. But in what sense is it said, _for their labour_? Is Christ then weary[294]? Yes truly, for He says, _I am weary of crying_. He labours, but it is on us. Moreover after His toil He sat down wearied on the well; but what is the mode of His labours? The Apostle by his own humbler example has taught us in the words, _Who is weak, and I am not weak?_ Our Lord Himself has also taught us in the words, _I was sick, and ye visited Me not, naked and ye clothed Me not_. He labours, in order to raise me in my falls.

Sidenote: 2 Kings iv. 34.

Sidenote: Ps. xlv. 8.

5. Hence in Elisha also our Lord is prefigured, for he stretched himself upon the dead child that he might raise him to life, and in this we have a symbol that Christ died with us, that He might rise for us. Thus Christ placed Himself on the level even of our frailty, that He might raise us again. He did not fall, but of His own will cast Himself down, and in rising raised up His fellow. For He has taken us into fellowship with Himself, being anointed, as it is written, _with the oil of gladness above His fellows_.

Sidenote: S. John ii. 19.

Sidenote: Eccles. iv. 10, 11.

Sidenote: Rom. vi. 8.

Sidenote: S. Luke xii. 49.

6. Well says the Preacher, _If they fall, the One_, not being Himself lifted up, _will lift up his fellow_; for Christ needed not the assistance and aid of another to raise Him, but rose by His own power. Again, _Destroy_, He says, _this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But this He said of the Temple of His Body._ And it is well that he who has not fallen should not be raised by another, for he who has been so raised must have fallen, and he who has fallen needs assistance that he may be raised. This is taught also by the words of Scripture which follows, _Woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to lift him up_. Again, _if two lie together, then they have heat_. For _we are dead with Christ, and therefore we also live with Him_. And Christ has thus died that He might give us warmth, as He has said, _I am come to send fire upon the earth_.

7. I was dead, but because in Baptism I died together with Christ, I received the light of life from Christ. And he who dies in Christ, being warmed by Christ, receives the breath of life and resurrection. The boy was cold, Elisha warmed him with his breath, and imparted to him the warmth of life. He slept together with him that being thus buried with him in a figure the warmth of his rest might raise him up. He is cold then who dies not in Christ; he cannot be warmed to whom no burning fire is applied; he who has not Christ with him cannot grow warm by being near another.

Sidenote: Eccles. iv. 12.

8. And that you may understand it to be said as a mystery and not in reference to the bare number that _two are better than one_, he adds a mystical saying, _A threefold cord is not quickly broken_. For that which is threefold and uncompounded cannot be broken. Thus the Trinity, being of an uncompounded nature, cannot be dissolved; for God is, whatever He is, one and simple and uncompounded; and what He is that He continues to be, and is not brought into subjection.

Sidenote: Ib. 13.

Sidenote: Eph. iii. 1.

Sidenote: Ps. lxviii. 18. Eph. iv. 8.

9. It is a good thing therefore to adhere closely to that other One, and to put your neck into His chain, and to bow down your shoulder and bear Him, and be not grieved with His bonds; because He went forth from the house of bondmen to assume His kingdom, that _Child who is better than an older and foolish king_. Wherefore they who follow Him are also bound with chains. Paul too is _the prisoner of Jesus Christ_. And Jesus Himself _led captivity captive_. He thought it not enough to destroy that captivity which the devil had imposed, so that he might not again assault those who were wandering at large. But to dwell in subjection to Christ, putting your feet into the fetters of wisdom, and becoming His captive that you may be free from the adversary, this is what He accounted perfect liberty.

Sidenote: Is. ix. 6.

Sidenote: Ib. xlix. 6. puer, Vulg.

Sidenote: S. Luke ii. 52.

Sidenote: 2 Cor. viii. 9.

10. Rightly is He called a _Child_, for _unto us a Child is born_, and truly a good Child to Whom it has been said by God the Father, _It is a light thing that Thou shouldst be My Servant_; wise also, as the gospel teaches us, for He _increased in wisdom and stature_; and properly called poor, for, _though He was rich, for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich_. Wherefore in His kingdom He does not despise the poor man, but listens to him and frees him from all straits and troubles.

11. Let us then live in obedience to Him, that that _old and foolish king_ may have no power over us. For he, desiring to reign and be supreme after his own will, and not to be under subjection to the Lord Jesus, grows old in sin, and falls into the deformity of folly. For what can be more foolish than for a man to relinquish heavenly and apply himself to earthly things, for him to neglect what is eternal, and to choose the frail and perishing?

Sidenote: 1 Kings xii. 16.

Sidenote: Deut. xxxiii. 8.

Sidenote: Ps. lxviii. 13. Vulg.

Sidenote: Wisd. ii. 15.

Sidenote: Ib. v. 12.

Sidenote: Eccles. x. 4.

12. Let no one then say, _We have no portion in Jacob nor inheritance in Israel_. Let no one say, I am not among the Clergy, for it is written, _Give unto Levi his lots_[295]; and again David says that he who _lieth in the midst among the lots_ ascends to heaven with spiritual wings. Say not of your God, _He is grievous to us_, nor of your place, it _is not for our turn_, since Scripture says, _Leave not thy place_: For the adversary would fain deprive thee of it, he would fain drive thee away, for he envies thee thy hopes and thy function.

Sidenote: Ps. cxxxix. 13.

Sidenote: S. Luke xvii. 7.

13. But thou that art in the lot of the Lord, His portion and possession, depart not therefrom, that thou mayest say to Him, _For Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb_; and that He may say to thee, as to a good servant, _Go, and sit down to meat_.

Farewell, my sons: serve the Lord, for the Lord is good.