Concerning the Sacraments · Part 10

CHAPTER III

Farther illustrations of the blessings of Connnunionfrom Psalm xxiii.

and from Canticles.

12. Therefore thou hast come to the altar, thou has received the body of Christ. Hear again what sacraments thou hast obtained. Hear holy David speaking. He too foresaw these mysteries in the spirit and rejoiced and said that he lacked nothing* Why? Because he that hath received the body of Christ shall never hunger.7

13. How often hast thou heard the twenty-second

1 Cant. i. 2. Cf. de Myst. vi. 29.

2 Cant. i. 3. Cf. de Myst. vi. 29.

3 Jn. xii. 32. * Cant. i. 3.

5 The LXX has rafxuov, which the author renders by the two words promptuarhim and cellarium.

6 Ps. xxiii. (xxii. Vulg. ) 1.

7 Jn- vi- 35- Cf. de Mvst. viii. 48.

Psalm 1 and not understood? See how it is suited to the heavenly sacraments. The Lord is my shepherd; and I shall not want. In a green pasture, there hath he made me to lie down. He hath tended me by the water of comfort, he convert eth my soul. He hath led me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.2 Rod is rule, staff is passion; that is the eternal Divinity of Christ, but also his pas- sion in the body. The one created, the other redeemed. Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that trouble me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my inebriating cup how glorious it is.3

14. Therefore thou hast come to the altar, thou hast received the grace of Christ, thou hast obtained the heavenly sacraments. The Church rejoices in the re- demption of many and is glad with spiritual exultation that her white-robed household stand at her side.4 Thou hast this in the Song of Songs. In joy she calls Christ, having ready a feast which can seem worthy of heavenly banqueting. Therefore she says: Let my brother come down into his garden and take the fruit of his fruit-trees.5 What are his fruit-trees? Thou becamest a dry tree in Adam; but now through the grace of Christ thou hast budded into a fruitful tree.

15. The Lord Jesus willingly accepts and with heavenly condescension answers to his church. / am come down,

1 The author follows the numbering of the Psalms in the Latin Version, which is also that of the LXX.

2 Ps. xxiii. (xxii. Vulg. ) 1-4.

3 Ps. xxiii. (xxii. Vulg.) 5. Cf. de My St. viii. 43 (note).

4 A reference to the newly-baptized in^their white robes. Cf. de Myst. vii. 34. The word familia (rendered "household") is of common occurrence in the prayers of the Western service- books.

5 Cant. v. 1. Cf. de Myst. ix. 56.

he says,1 into my garden; I have gathered the vintage of myrrh with my ointments. 1 have eaten my bread with my honey and I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, he says, my brethren, and be drunk.

1 6. I have gathered the vintage of myrrh with my oint- ments. What is that vintage? Learn the vine and you shall recognize the vintage. Thou hast brought, he says, a vine out of Egypt,2, that is the people of God. Ye are the vine, ye are the vintage; planted as a vine, as a vintage have ye given fruit. I have gathered the vintage of myrrh with my unguents, that is for the sweet savour which you have received.

17. / have eaten my bread with my honey. Dost thou see that in this bread there is no bitterness, but all is sweetness? I have drunk my wine with my milk. Dost thou see that the joy is of that kind which is not defiled with the stains of any sin? For as often as thou drinkest thou receivest remission of sins and art inebriated with the spirit. Whence also the Apostle says: Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.3 For he who is drunk with wine staggers and reels: he who is inebriated with the Spirit is rooted in Christ. And therefore it is a glorious inebriation, which works sobriety of mind. This is what we briefly mention with respect to the sacraments.

CHAPTER IV

Exposition of the Lord's Prayer.

18. Now, what remains save prayer? And think not that it is a matter of little worth, to know how to pray.

1 Cant. v. 1. Cf.de Myst. ix. 57, 58.

2 Ps. lxxx. 8 (lxxix. 9, Vulg.).

3 Eph. v. 18. The reading "Holy Spirit" is also found in Ambrose, de Noe et Area, 29.

The holy Apostles said to the Lord Jesus: Lord teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.1 Then the Lord says a prayer, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily2, bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And let us not be led into temptation? but deliver us from evil. Thou seest how short the prayer is and full of all excellencies! What grace in the first word!

19. O man, thou didst not dare to raise thy face to heaven, thou didst direct thine eyes to the earth, and suddenly thou didst receive the grace of Christ; all thy sins were forgiven. From a bad servant thou becamest a good son. Therefore be bold, not because of thy own action, but because of the grace of Christ. For by gracz are ye saved,41 says the Apostle. Therefore there is no arrogance here, but faith; to proclaim what thou hast received is not pride, but devotion. Therefore raise thy eyes to the Father who has begotten thee through the laver, to the Father who has redeemed thee through the Son, and say Our Father. A good boldness5 that, but modest. Thou calledst him "Father" as a son; but do not claim anything specifically for thyself. He is the Father of Christ alone specially, he is Father of us all in common, because he begot him alone, us he created. Therefore say thou also through grace, Our Father, that

1 Lk. xi. 1.

2 quotidianum. So Vulgate in Lk., but snpersitbstantialem in Mt. (see § 24, note). In the following clause the author follows the version in Mt., reading debita ("debts").

3 The Old Latin version of this clause; found in Cyprian, de Or. Dom. 7, and still earlier in Tertullian. See Introd. p. xli.

4 Eph. ii. 8.

5 praesumtio. For the idea cf. the prologue to the Lord's prayer in the Roman Canon, audemus dicere ("we are bold to say"), which is found also in the Eastern rites, and is allurled to by Cyril of Jerusalem, Jerome, and others.

i24 THE TREATISE

thou mayest deserve to be a son. Commend thyself by fixing thy looks and regards on the Church.1

20. Our Father, which art in heaven. What is in heaven? Hear the scripture saying: The Lord is high above all heavens. And everywhere thou findest it written that the Lord is above the heaven of heavens,2 as if there were not in heaven angels too, as if there were not in heaven dominations too,3 but in those heavens of which it was said: The heavens declare the glory of God* Heaven is there where guilt hath ceased, where crimes keep holiday. Heaven is where there is no stroke of death.

21. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. What is hallowed? Is it as if we desired that he should be hallowed who says: Ye shall be holy, for I am holy,5 as if any hallowing could accrue to him from our prayer? Not at all. But may it be hallowed in us, that its hallowing may reach us.

22. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come. As if the kingdom of God were not eternal. Jesus himself says: To this end was I born* and dost thou say to the Father, Thy kingdom come, as if it had not come? But the kingdom of God then comes, when you have obtained his grace. For he himself says: The kingdom of God is within you?