On the Instruction of the Virgin and the Ever-Virginity of Saint Mary

The essay “On the Instruction of the Virgin and the Ever-Virginity of Saint Mary” (392, 114 chapters) contains the speech of St. Ambrose of Milan at the tonsure of the virgin Ambrose and the heretical teaching of Bonosus of Sardica, who rejected the Ever-Virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is refuted. In chapters 1-15, the dedication of the virgin is compared to the sacrifice made by Abel, and she herself is likened to a bride entering into marriage. Chapters 16-32 recall the creation of man by God, and answer the question: why does God praise all other creations at creation, but praise for man is delayed. A person must shine with inner beauty, and he cannot be praised until he completes his journey. When telling the story of the fall of our first parents, the saint defends Eve and woman in general from the accusation that through her sin entered the world. This part ends with praise to the woman transformed by righteousness and repentance. In chapters 33-57, the saint refutes the heresy of Bonosus, defends the personal sinlessness of the Mother of God and emphasizes the idea of ​​Her Ever-Virginity. She was a Virgin before the birth of the Savior, at His birth, and remained a Virgin after her birth (chap. 44-45). Chapters 58-62 contain praise for virgins and virginity. In chapters 63-86 St. Ambrose gives a prophecy about the holy Gates of the future church, through which only the Lord God could pass and which were to remain closed to all others (Ezek. 44:22). In his understanding, the Gate is a prototype of the Virgin Mary, through whom the Savior entered the world. In chapters 87-103, the saint calls on the virgins to follow the example of the Mother of God and praises Her in the poetic and mystical images of the Song of Songs. The final chapters 104-114 are a prayer for the consecrated virgin. *This publication presents a translation from Latin by D.E. Afinogenova, prot. A. Grinya, M.V. Gerasimova. **The title of the essay in Latin is De institutione virginis. The title De institutione uirginis, adopted in publications, does not appear in the manuscripts; in them this work is called De perpetua uirginitate sanctae Mariae. Two letters are also addressed to Eusebius, a resident of Bologna: epist. 26 (54 in the Moorish edition) and 38 (55). For Eusebius, see the preface. 1. 1. You entrust me with your child 1 dedicated to the Lord 2 Ambrose, which at the same time is also my property; because of your pious love for her, you care about her much more than about other children. And indeed, this is how it should be with a pious heart; You raise others in order to let them leave home and marry with strangers, but you will always have this one with you. Of course, in relation to others you act according to the irreducible attraction of fatherly love; in relation to this, you rise above the duties of a father: you strive, both by vow and by care, to ensure that it is pleasing to God. But still, she is the main reason for the vows, and she alone can pay everything that you owe both for yourself and for all your children. 2. This is the sacrifice that Abel offered from his firstborn sheep. The apostle praises such a sacrifice preferentially over others when he says to the Corinthians: For whoever is steadfast in his heart and has decided in his heart to keep his virgin, he does well. Therefore, he who gives his maiden in marriage does well; but he who does not give out does better (1 Cor. 7:37–38). That is why David, having beautifully described the grace of the Church, all the glory of which is within, and not without, because the highest praise lies in good thoughts, in an immaculate impulse towards chastity and in the intentions of a clear conscience, then continued, saying this: Virgins will be brought to the King after her. And, gathering to God the Father: Her neighbors will be brought to You: they will be brought in with joy and joy, they will be brought into the church of the King (Ps. 45:14-16). 3. Who is this neighbor? Of course, the one who approaches Christ and to whom the Word says: arise, come, my neighbor, my good one, my dove; now the winter has passed ( Song 2:10–11 ). While the Word of God had not yet been received, there was an inglorious, barren winter; when the Word of God was received and the world was crucified through Him, 3 summer came. Then, warmed by the warmth of the Holy Spirit, the flower blossomed and began to exude the aroma of faith, the fragrance of chastity and the sweetness of grace. 4. Therefore, he also adds in another place: your eyes are like a dove besides your silence (Song.4:1) 4. This means that she, being completely spiritual and simple-minded, like the dove, under whose image John saw the descending Holy Spirit 5, can see spiritual secrets 6 and be able to hide what he sees in silence. Indeed, the virtue of silence is important 7: there is a time when you need to be silent, just as there is a time when you need to speak 8. It is written about this like this: The Lord gives me a tongue of teaching, so that I may understand when it is proper to speak a word (Is. 50:4). 5. So, as if a kind of dowry of virginity is modesty, which silence loves. That is why the glory of the Church 9 is within her 10, and, in any case, it does not lie in much verbiage 11, but in sensation, or even in hidden sacraments, as she herself says to her groom: Who will give you, my brother, who sucks my mother’s breasts? When I find you outside the house, I will kiss you, and they will not reproach me. I will take you and bring you into the house of my mother, and into the upper room of the one who conceived me (Song.8:1-2). And above he says: the king brought me into his upper room (Song. 1:3). 6. The Church kisses Christ outside, and is led by Him into the upper room. He kissed her outside when, like a bridegroom leaving his palace, he rejoiced, like a giant beginning his journey (Ps. 18:6). As a giant He remains outside 12, since, not considering equality with God as prey, He took on the form of a slave 13. So, He who was inside found himself outside. When you read that He is in the bosom of the Father, 14 then consider Him to be within; when He seeks to redeem us, then recognize Him as being outside. He appeared outside of Himself in order to be inside me and stand among us 15. 7. So, let us be where Christ dwells among us, indwelling and established in our hearts. That is why He Himself gave such instruction: when you pray, go into your room (Matthew 6:6) and pour out your soul 16; your room is your hidden secrets, your room is your conscience 17. Further, Ecclesiastes says to you: in your conscience do not curse the king, and in the depths of your room do not curse the rich man (Eccl. 10:20). This is where, therefore, pray, and pray in secret, so that He who hears in secret may hear you 18; and pray without anger and doubt 19, rejecting secret dishonor 20: the righteous fear not the discovery of a crime, but defilement by it. 2. 8. How good is prayer combined with mercy! 21 Good prayer is one that is done in order and begins, first of all, with divine praises. Indeed, if in human relationships we strive to appease the judge, 22 then how much more should we care about this when we pray to our Lord? So, first of all, let us offer God a sacrifice of praise 23; after all, the apostle says: So, first of all, I ask you to make prayers, petitions, supplications, thanksgiving (1 Tim. 2:1). 9. Let David’s eighth psalm, which begins with praises to God, teach you: O Lord our Lord, how wonderful is Your name in all the earth! For Your splendor is above the heavens. From the mouth of a child and suckling teats You have made praise (Ps. 8:2-3). Still a prayer; then follows a prayer for the overthrow of the enemy 24; a request to see the moon and stars 25: the moon - the Church, the stars - the sons of the Church, shining with the light of heavenly grace (and the prophet hopes that with the prophetic spirit he will see 26 what he promises), finally, thanksgiving 27 for the fact that the Lord looks upon man 28 and strengthens this earth of our body with a Divine visitation 29, and also for the fact that He has subjugated to man all the generations of the living 30. 10. All this is also contained in the Lord’s Prayer, which should not be divulged 31. You, reader, investigate for yourself how to divide; but, first of all, as I said above, prayer done in silence and tranquility of spirit is commendable; everyone must be attentive to himself and collected, and so that what is written is fulfilled: if two of you agree on earth to ask for anything, then whatever they ask will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them (Matthew 18:19–20) 32. 11. Who are these two if not the soul and the body? 33 Therefore Paul also exhausted his flesh and enslaved it, so that it would submit 34 to the soul as its mistress and obey the dictates of reason; so that there is no internal strife and war in one person, and so that the law of the flesh does not conflict with the law of the mind 35. In a word, he combined these two opposites with a certain reasoning and peace, as he himself testified, saying: For Christ is our peace, having made both one and destroyed the barrier that stood in the middle - enmity in His flesh (Eph. 2:14-15); so that a person does not do what he does not want, and does not do what he hates. So, these two are soul and body. That is why David says: I will not be afraid of what the flesh does to me (Ps. 55:5); flesh, which he recognized as the enemy of his soul. 12. However, these two things, to put it more clearly, are not just two givens, but also two people: one internal 36, the second external. If these two, left to themselves, begin to rush forward evenly, so that thoughts correspond to deeds, and deeds to thoughts, then the wheel of our life will roll without any stumbling 37, according to what is written: the sound of Your thunder is in the wheel (Ps. 76:19) 38. Consequently, these two are one, and not only one, but also one person 39. Therefore, the apostle says: in order to create one man from two, establishing peace, and in one body to reconcile both to God through the Cross, killing hostility in ourselves, so that for both we have access to the Father in one Spirit (Eph. 2:15, 16, 18). 13. So there are two people, the old and the new. The old one, whom we nail to the Cross in baptism, is guilty and defiled by sin and, like an old garment, worn out and torn. That is why the apostle says: our old man was nailed along with Him to the Cross, so that the body of sin might be abolished, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin (Rom. 6:6). So, the old man is nailed down and dies to sin, but the new man, renewed by grace 40, rises. So we talked about these two. 14. But perhaps someone will say: What can you say about three 41, in view of the fact that Scripture says so: for where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20). The meaning of this place is also clear: after all, the apostle says the same thing: May the God of peace Himself sanctify you in everything, and may your spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:23). So where these three blameless ones are, there is Christ in the midst of them; He internally controls these three, dominates them and unites them with unshakable peace 42. 15. So, these are the three things that a virgin must first of all guard in herself, so as not to cause any offense to holy virginity, and to be intact, without spot or blemish 43. Although we have already talked about this a lot in our books, but for the sake of the mentioned brainchild, we decided to compile this book for you as well. 3. 16. Beautiful is virginity, which not only freed both sexes from condemnation, but also led to grace. But we blame, predominantly, only the female sex for bringing the cause of sin: we do not notice in this case that such a reproach, in fact, would be much fairer in relation to ourselves. Indeed, if we remember everything from the beginning and explore the original origin of things, then we will understand what natural inclinations are: how, despite the regrettable frailty of human existence, a woman nevertheless achieved grace. 17. When God approved all His works - heaven, earth, seas, night and day 44; for one was needed for use in work, and the other for enjoying peace - He also praised the beasts of the field; but as soon as the matter came to man, it seems that only he, for whose sake everything was created, was not praised. What is the reason? Isn’t it the same, perhaps, that others are all in sight, but man is in what is hidden? In animals you will find only what you see; and in a person what you see is the most insignificant; it consists of soul and body, and what you see in it is only something auxiliary, but the controlling principle in it is invisible. 18. It is not without reason, therefore, that other creatures receive praise at their very origin, but praise is not given to a person, but is deferred, for the beauty of others is external, but within him; for others in birth, but in his heart. And in fact, what could be more sublime and deeper than human thought, which is closed and hidden, as it were, behind some kind of bodily veil, so that not everyone can easily notice and discern it? So, a person is not praised earlier because he should be glorified only after a preliminary examination not of his outer shell, but of his inner man, which the Apostle Peter perfectly defined when he said that the hidden man of the heart, precious before God, consists in the integrity of a meek and silent spirit 45 . 19. It is not without reason, therefore, that praise is postponed, so that later it can be said purely: its postponement is not a loss, but an increase. Therefore, no one should despise himself as a being of little value, should not evaluate himself by appearance. Although righteous Job said: naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I will go from here (Job 1:21), but he possessed something that made him rich not only among people, but also with God. 20. And what is more precious than that which pertains to the image and likeness of God? 46 The image of God lies in the inner man, and not in the outer; it abides in that man who is perceived by the senses, but is not comprehended by the gaze of the eyes. Consequently, we must also consider the one that is revealed later. That is why God did not consider it necessary to praise the external structure of man, in view of the fact that the main part of it consists in virtue. Of course, his appearance is beautiful and much better than the appearance of other living creatures; but only in relation to irrational beings is assessment based on bodily appearance applicable; that which is full of intelligence should not be subject to general praise. 21. So, a person who, in my opinion, deserves admiration not so much in his outer appearance as in his inner disposition, must have advantage and superiority, but in such a way as to find his praise in the same thing in which, according to the prophetic judgment, God is praised, as it is written: terrible in deeds, He is above the sons of men (Ps. 65:5). Man's deeds must shine before the face of God, Who constantly adds one good deed to another. Therefore, a person’s praise is not at the beginning, but at the end, for no one is crowned unless he strives lawfully 47 . Therefore, the sage tells you: do not praise any person to the point of death (Sir.11:30). And in what sense this is said, he explained above, saying: for at the death of a man his deeds are laid bare (Sir.11:29). 22. Consider the third proposition, where God revealed His thought. Having created man and placed him in paradise, to cultivate it and protect it, 48 He said that it was not good for man to be alone. Let us make, he says, a helper for him (Gen. 2:18). So, a man without a wife does not deserve praise; he is glorified in a wife. And indeed, when God says that it is not good for man to be alone, He thereby, of course, affirms that the human race is good if the female sex is added to the male sex. 23. At the same time, one should pay attention to the fact that the man was created from earth and clay 49, and the wife was taken from the husband 50. Of course, the flesh is also clay, but that clay has not yet received an image, and this one has already received an image 51. 24. Now let us cite that beautiful apostolic example that is found in Scripture: For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great; I speak in relation to Christ and to the Church (Eph. 5:31-32). So, we see that through the wife the heavenly sacrament of the Church was fulfilled; she typified the grace for which Christ came to earth and fulfilled the eternal work of human redemption. That is why Adam called his wife by his own name: “life” (Gen. 3:10) 52; for just as among nations the continuous succession of the human race is maintained through a wife, so through the Church eternal life is created. 4. 25. Of course, we cannot deny that the wife sinned. But why are you surprised that the weaker sex sinned and fell when even the stronger sex fell? The wife has an excuse for sin, the husband does not. She, as Scripture says 53, was deceived by the wisest of all serpents, and you by a wife: she was deceived by the highest creation, and you by the lowest; After all, your wife deceived you, and although she is evil, she is still an angel. If you could not resist a lower being, then how could she resist a higher one? Your guilt excuses her guilt. 26. If you doubt the justice of the accusation, then we will ask what the sentence is. It is said to him: in sorrow you will give birth to sons, and your desire will be for your husband, and he will be your master (Gen. 3:16). And the husband is told: you are earth and to earth you will go (Gen. 3:19). And truly this decision is fair; in fact, if Adam could not even fulfill what he heard from the Lord God 54, then how could the wife fulfill what she heard from her husband? If the voice of God could not restrain him, then how could the voice of man restrain his wife? 27. And so Adam, convicted of eating contrary to the Divine commandments given to him from the mouth of God Himself, could only say what his wife gave him, and he ate. Meanwhile, the wife says: the serpent deceived me, and I ate it (Gen. 3:13). How much stronger is the wife's excuse! He is exposed, and this one is questioned. Add also that she is the first to confess to the crime; By saying that she was deceived, she thereby testifies to her sin. After all, recognition is the cure for error 55. 28. And how much more humble was the woman than her husband during the trial itself! He accused his wife, and this serpent, that is, in view of the accusation, she did not deflect the crime from herself, but, if only it were possible, she wanted to release her accuser rather than bind him. 29. So, in confession you have remission of sin, and in punishment you have the revocation of the sentence. In sorrow, He says, you will bear sons (Gen. 3:16). And so she bears the weight of her condemnation and fulfills the duty of a punished nature. For you, a woman serves with her suffering and finds her reward in punishment, so that through the very sons for whom she suffers, she can receive justification. So, from crime grace came, from weakness - salvation; and indeed, it is written: He will be saved through childbearing (1 Tim. 2:15). Thus, with the hope of salvation, she gives birth to those whom she gave birth to in sorrow; and raises for glory those whom she gave birth to in illness 56. 30. But you, O husband, say that the wife was a temptation for the husband. Fair. And if she is beautiful, then this is also a temptation. However, Abraham, who traveled to Egypt, was not harmed by the beauty of his wife, but rather even benefited; after all, for the sake of his wife, he was surrounded by honor, and was not disgraced in her person 57. Why do you look for beauty of face in your wife rather than beauty of morals? A wife should be liked more for her good behavior than for her beauty. You need to choose one that resembles Sarah in character. There is no vice for a woman to be what she is born to be; but it is shameful for a husband to look for in his wife what temptation often lies in. If he is weak in this regard, then the wife herself comes to a fall; if he is harder than her, then he himself may be in danger. We cannot blame the creations of the Divine Artist; but whoever is delighted by physical beauty should be delighted even more by the beauty of the image of God, which serves as an adornment not externally, but internally 58 . 31. So, if a wife is a temptation, then be careful, seek a cure against the safety of this temptation: watch, it is said, and pray so as not to fall into temptation (Matthew 26:41). The Lord said it, the husband heard it, and the wife did it. Wives fast daily and even perform non-prescribed fasts: they recognize sin and use medicine. Only once did the wife partake of the forbidden fruit 59 and daily atones for the sin by fasting. You followed the one who sinned, follow the one who repents 60. You both tasted it, why is she the only one fasting? That is: you both have fallen, why is she the only one seeking healing for her sin? 5. 32. Come, Eve, now sober; come, Eve, who once proved intemperate, but is now fasting in the person of her offspring. Come, Eve, no longer expelled from paradise 61, but raptured into heaven 62. Come, Eve, now Sarah, giving birth to children not in sorrow 63, but in joy, not with sorrow, but with laughter 64. Many Isaacs will be born from you 65. I cry again - come, Eve, now Sarah, about whom it was said to her husband: Hear Sarah, your wife 66. Although you are subordinate to your husband 67, for this becomes you 68; however, you soon canceled the sentence, so that the husband receives a command to obey you. 33. If, by the birth of the prototype of Christ, she deserves to be obeyed by her husband, then how much more successful is the sex that, having preserved virginity, gave birth to Christ? So, come, Eve, now Mary, who has given us not only the foundation of virginity, but also brought us God. That is why, rejoicing and rejoicing over such a gift, Isaiah says: behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel (Is. 7:14), which means God is with us (Matt. 1:23). Where does this gift come from? Not from the earth, of course, but from heaven, Christ chose for Himself this Vessel of His condescension to earth and consecrated this Church of Chastity 69. He descended through One, but He called many. Why did Mary receive that special name of the Lord, which means “God of My kind.” 34. And previously many women were called Marys; in fact, Aaron's sister was also called Miriam 70; but this name - Mariam - meant the bitterness of the sea 71. Consequently, the Lord came into the bitterness of human frailty in order to sweeten the bitterness of our condition, dissolving it with the sweetness and grace of the Heavenly Word. This circumstance prefigured the source of Marah, which became sweet from the tree 72; Indeed, the entire pagan people, previously bitter from sins, and even our very flesh, as a result of the pacifying effect of the Lord’s suffering, changed for a different life. 35. So, beautiful is Mary, who presented the image of sacred virginity and raised the holy banner of immaculate purity to Christ 73 . And while everyone, by the example of Saint Mary, is called to honor virginity, there are people who deny that She was a Virgin. We have known about this terrible sacrilege for a long time, but preferred to remain silent. Since this circumstance has now become generally known, and one bishop 74 was even exposed in this error, we no longer consider it possible to leave it without condemnation, especially in view of the fact that in Scripture She is called a Woman. So, for example, the Lord Himself, being in Cana of Galilee, answered the words addressed to Him: “Son, they have no wine,” and answered: “What is it for me and for you, O woman” (John 2:3–4). And in another place we read the words of Matthew spoken about Joseph and Mary: before they were united, it turned out that She was pregnant with the Holy Spirit; and below: and I did not know Her until She finally gave birth (Matthew 1:18, 25); and also about Joseph: not wanting to make Her public (Matthew 1:19). Further, it seems that the name “brothers of the Lord” seems to indicate that they were born of Mary. And the apostle says: but when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, who was born of a woman, made subject to the law (Gal. 4:4). Each of these passages must be examined separately, so that the reader is not confused by expressions of this kind. So, let's look at them in order. 36. Why should we be embarrassed by the name “wife”? 75 It refers to gender; it is a name for gender, not an indication of a lack of innocence. Folk usage does not prejudge the truth. In addition, virginity received this name from the very beginning. Regarding the fact that God took one of Adam's ribs and filled its place with flesh, it is said that He created a wife from it 76. Undoubtedly, then she had not yet known her husband and, however, was already called a wife. Scripture is not silent about the meaning of this name; it says the following about this: Adam said: bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she will be called wife, for she was taken from her husband (Gen. 2:23). Because, she says, she was taken from her husband, and not because she knew her husband. So, while she was in paradise, she was not known by her husband and, however, was called wife; when she was expelled from paradise, then we read: Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son 77 . So, the first difficulty is eliminated. 37. The second question comes down to understanding the words of Scripture: before they were combined, it turned out that She was with child (Matthew 1:18). But the custom of Divine Scripture is such as to reveal only the main thought 78 and leave secondary thoughts without explanation. 38. This also resolves the third question, which is connected with the words: and he did not know Her, but at last She gave birth to the Son (Matthew 1:25). So what? Did you find out later? Not at all! Here you have the words of Scripture: I am God, and when you are old, I will be (Is. 46:4). The question arises: did God really cease to exist after those who were told “how” grew old? Yes, and in the prophecy of David we read: The Lord said to My Lord: Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool (Ps. 109:1). After the conquest of the pagan peoples, who previously seemed enemies because they denied the Author of salvation and served idols, did the Son cease to sit at the right hand of the Father or will he not sit forever? 79 39. But why does Joseph express his judgment about Mary in advance, if he did not understand the secret of the heavenly council and believed that she was not the virgin whom he saw not idle? 80 But even the angels were perplexed about the resurrection of the Lord; The following verses testify to this: Lift up your heights, O gates; and be lifted up, O everlasting gates, and the King of glory will enter. Who is this King of glory (Ps. 23:7–9)? They ask as if they don’t know; and others answer: The Lord is strong and mighty, the Lord is mighty in battle, He is the King of glory (Ps. 23:8-10). And the prophet repeated the same verses; but, despite this, they, as if perplexed, asked again. And the Scripture says this: lift up your high places, O gates, and be lifted up, O everlasting gates, and the King of glory will enter. Who is this King of glory (Ps. 23:7)? How, one wonders, could a person learn a divine secret that the angels did not know? So in the Book of Isaiah you read: Who is this One who came from Edom? His robe was scarlet from Bozrah 81 (Isa.63:1). And, undoubtedly, the resurrection of a person was less of a miracle than the birth of a Virgin. For the dead were raised both through the prayers of Elijah and through the prayer of Elisha, 82 but never before and never after did the Virgin give birth. 40. But Joseph thought to expose Her 83 as guilty, until he received a revelation from an angel 84; Afterwards, confident and not doubting Her virginity, he kept this revelation. 6. 41. The words should not confuse us: Joseph took his wife (Matthew 1:24) and went to Egypt; for she who is betrothed to her husband receives the name of wife. Even when marriage is just beginning, it already acquires the name of marriage; and it is not the deprivation of virginity that determines marriage, but the marriage contract 85 . In general, marriage for a girl comes when a marriage union is concluded, and not when she meets her husband. 42. And regarding the fact that She was promised into marriage, we have already spoken in detail in another place, 86 and now it will be enough to touch only on the reason for the heavenly mystery, so that those who saw Mary as not idle would consider Her offspring not the fruit of virginal adultery, but the legitimate offspring of the betrothed. The Lord wished that some people would rather doubt His origin, but not the purity of His Mother 87 . 43. Brothers, as the Lord Himself teaches, is a collection of tribes, clans, and people. He says: I will tell your name to my brethren, in the midst of the Church I will sing praises to you (Ps. 21:23). And Paul also says: I myself would like to be excommunicated from Christ for my brothers (Rom. 9:3). Moreover, there could be brothers from Joseph, but not from Mary 88. And everyone will agree with this if only he carefully examines this issue. We did not consider it necessary to study it because the name “brothers” is associated with many common concepts. 44. The question arises, could the Lord Jesus really have chosen for Himself such a Mother who could defile the heavenly abode with male seed, such as it was even impossible for her to preserve the guard of virgin chastity? 89 Following Her example, other virgins are called to be zealous for chastity, but She Herself could evade fulfilling the duty that is offered to others through Her? 45. And to whom else, if not His Mother, could the Lord bestow merit and prepare a reward? Scripture teaches us that for nothing else did the Lord assign such a generous reward as for virginity. Indeed, the Lord said this through Isaiah: let not the eunuch say: “I am dry wood.” This is what the Lord says to the eunuchs: those who keep My commandments and choose what I want and keep My covenant, to them I will give in My house and within My walls a renowned place, the best, I will give them an everlasting name of sons and daughters, and they will not fail (Is. 56:3-5) 90. He promises others that they will not become poor: could He allow His Mother to become poor? No, Mary does not become impoverished, the teacher of virginity does not become impoverished; and it could not be that She who bore God thought about the womb of a man; and Joseph, a righteous man, could not reach such madness as to have carnal intercourse with the Mother of the Lord. 7. 46. However, Mary can find protection for herself in her own life, but, in any case, not in the lives of others. She, as I said, has not become poor. The witness of this is the Son of God Himself, Who, when on the Cross, handed His disciple over to the Mother as a son, and entrusted Her to the disciple as a Mother 92. John, who primarily wrote about mysterious subjects, told us about this. Other evangelists described how during the Lord's suffering the earth shook 93 , the sun darkened 94 and forgiveness was sought for his enemies 95 ; and this beloved disciple of the Lord, who drew from the very breast of His innermost wisdom and the secrets of the holy will, 96 omitting what was stated by others, took special care to establish with his judgments the immutability of maternal virginity; he rejoices at the Mother’s chastity like a son, fearing that someone might offend Her with a grave reproach for not observing chastity. 47. In any case, it was fair that He, who granted forgiveness to the robber, protected His Mother from suspicions regarding Her chastity 97; The Lord says to the Mother: Woman, behold Your son! Then he says to the disciple: Behold Your Mother! ( John 19:26–27 ). The one to whom the Mother is entrusted is himself His disciple. How, one wonders, would He begin to take His Wife from her husband 98 if Mary were bound by marriage, or if She had known the marital bed? 99 48. Close your lips, wicked 100 , listen, ye pious, listen to what Christ says. The Lord Jesus postpones general salvation for a short time and commands from the Cross that His Mother should not be dishonored. John signs this will of Christ 101, bequeathing the protection of maternal purity, evidence of Her chastity 102; and the disciple is also bequeathed to preserve the Mother, to love Her tenderly. And from that time on, this disciple took Her to himself (John 19:27). Of course, Christ did not divorce, Mary did not leave her husband 103. And with whom should the Virgin dwell, if not with the one whom She knew as the heir of the Son and the guardian of chastity? 49. The Mother stood before the Cross 104, and stood fearlessly, while the men fled. He looks to see if the Mother of Jesus, who did not change the mood of her spirit, could change her chastity. With reverent eyes She looked at the wounds of the Son, through Whom, as She knew, the redemption of all was to be accomplished 105. The Mother stood and looked at her own Son, not fearing the killer. The Son was hanging on the Cross, and the Mother was exposing herself to danger from her pursuers. If at the same time She only wanted to die before the Son, then such a pious feeling, due to which She did not want to outlive Her Son, is worthy of praise; if She wanted to die with the Son, then it means that She longed to rise with Him and knew the secret that She gave birth to the One who would rise. At the same time, She knew that the death of the Son was accomplished for the common salvation, and therefore waited to see if Her death would add something to the common cause. But the suffering of Christ did not need help, as the Lord Himself predicted it in advance 106: and I looked, and there was no helper, and I thought, and no one supported: and I will free them with My hand (Is. 63:5). 50. So, how could Mary be deprived of her virginity, who, during the flight of the apostles, was not afraid of execution, but exposed herself to danger: She had so much grace that she could not only observe the gift of virginity in herself, but even overshadowed those whom she visited with the sign of chastity. She visited John the Baptist, and he leapt in his mother's womb before birth 107. The baby jumped up at Mary’s voice, and thus showed obedience even before birth. And it was not without reason that he remained physically immaculate, whom the Mother of God, as it were, with some oil of Her presence and the fragrance of chastity 108 prepared for this when he was still three months old 109 . And so, She was then handed over to the evangelist John, who did not know marriage. Therefore, I am not surprised that he, before whose face stood the chamber of 111 heavenly mysteries, spoke more than others about the divine mysteries. 8. 51. Now let those who are interested in this question tell me: what do the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet mean: Today I will bring Jacob back from captivity and have mercy on the house of Israel (Ezek. 39:25)? And further: I will return from the pagans and gather from the countries of the pagans and will sanctify myself in them before the pagans; and they will know that I am the Lord their God when I appear to them among the Gentiles; And I will no longer turn My face away from them, for I have poured out My wrath on the house of Israel, says the Lord (Ezek. 39:27-29). 52. And below the prophet says that he saw a city built on the highest mountain, at which he notes numerous gates 112; and some of them he describes as closed; He says this about them: And I turned to the path of the outer gates of the holy ones, looking towards the east: and they were closed. And the Lord said to me, “This gate will be closed and will not be opened, and no one will pass through it, for the Lord God of Israel will enter through it, and it will be closed.” For this elder shall sit among them to eat bread before the Lord. The gate will go in along the way of Elam, and the gate will go out along the way (Ezek.44:1-3). Who, if not Mary, do these gates represent? They are locked because She is a Virgo. So, the gates signify Mary, through whom Christ entered this world 113, appearing from a virgin birth and without damaging the gates 114 of virginity. When He, whose greatness the world could not contain, came from the Virgin, the fence of chastity remained intact, and the signs of chastity 115 remained intact. 53. These gates, it is said, will be closed and will not be opened (Ezek.44:2). The beautiful gate is Mary, who was imprisoned and was not opened. Christ passed through these gates and did not open them 116. 54. And to show that every person has a gate through which Christ enters, it is said: lift up, O gates, your heights, and lift up, O eternal gates, and the King of glory will come in (Ps. 23:7). How much more excellent, then, was the gate of Mary, in whom Christ dwelt and from whom He came? There are also gates of the womb. Therefore, Saint Job says: let the stars of that night darken; for she did not close the gates of my mother’s womb (Job 3:9–10). 55. There are, therefore, gates of the womb, but they are not permanently closed. Only those gates could remain closed through which the Child passed without damaging the virgin gates. That is why the prophet says: these gates will be closed and will not open, and no one will pass through them, that is, no man; for the Lord God of Israel, says, will enter them (Ezek. 44:2), and they will be closed, that is: both before and after the passage of the Lord they will remain closed - they are not open, and no one will open them; after all, Mary always had Christ as Her Door, Who said: I am the Door (John 10:9), no one can tear this Door off its hinges. 56. This door was facing the East 117, for She shed the true light, gave birth to the East 118, revealed the Sun of truth 119. So, let the foolish listen: those gates will be closed, he says, which will receive only the God of Israel. And in fact, could He really not protect His gates, about whom in His relation to the Church it is said: for He has strengthened the faith of your gates (Ps. 147:2). No, He, of course, strengthened them and kept them intact. Therefore, they are not open 120 . 57. Let them listen to the prophet, who says: they will not be opened and will be shut up, 121 that is, they will not be revealed to those to whom She will be betrothed; for it is impossible to open those gates through which the Lord will pass. And after Him, he says, they will be closed, that is, Joseph will not open them; it will be said to him: do not be afraid to accept Mary your wife, for what is born in her is from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). 9. 58. So, virginity is a closed gate; virginity is a reserved garden, virginity is a sealed source 122. Listen more attentively, virgin, with open ears, and, having concluded shame, open your hands so that the poor may know you 123. Lock the door so that the defiler does not sneak in; watch and keep the seal. 59. Virginity is also a branch from the root 124; for thus it is written: A rod shall come out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall spring up from its root (Isa. 11:1). This industry did not bend, but remained firm. Therefore no one should burn your branches, so that you can preserve your color. You are a branch, maiden: do not bend and bow to the ground, so that the color of your father’s root may appear on you. 60. You are a reserved garden, virgin, guard your fruits. The thorns must not grow in you, but let the grapes flourish in you. You, daughter, are a reserved garden; no one should violate the fence of your chastity, for it is written: and the one who destroys the fence will be bitten by a serpent (Eccl. 10:8). And let them destroy only the one about which it is written: why was the fence damaged? 125 No one should destroy your walls, lest you be trampled upon. You are paradise 126, maiden, beware of Eve. 61. You are the sealed source 127, virgin; no one should defile your waters, so that in your source you can always see your image 128. 62. You are the closed gate, virgin; no one shall open your door, which the Holy and True One, who has the key of David, once closed; He opens, and no one shuts; He shuts, and no one opens (Rev.3:7). He has opened the Scriptures for you, and no one should shut them; He has sealed your chastity, and no one should open it. 10. 63. I am coming quickly, he says, hold fast what you have, so that no one takes your crown (Rev. 3:11). What kind of crown do you have? This is the one about whom it is said: and you will be a crown of kindness in the hand of the Lord (Is.62:3). 64. Who says this? Of course, the One about whom Ecclesiastes said: there is one, and there is no second (Eccl. 4:8). Who is this? The one, of course, about whom it is said: you have one Teacher - Christ (Matthew 23:10). He is one because He is the only begotten Son of God; He is one, because He is the only one, as it is written: one who stretches out the sky and walks on the sea as on earth 129. He, therefore, is not the second, for He is the first; He is not the second, for He is one: one God the Father, from whom are all things, and we are for Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we through Him (1 Cor. 8:6). There is one God the Father, and one God the Son, and one Holy Spirit, as it is written: But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually, as He pleases (1 Cor. 12:11). One, he says. One, because there is one God. There is no one second, for He does what He wants, and not what is commanded. So, there is one God the Father and one Son of God. One and one, for there are no two Gods. One Son, for He is one with the Father, as He himself said: I and the Father are one (John 10:30). And the Spirit is one, for there is a unity of the Trinity, not divided by either order or time. 65. But the following words are quoted: go, baptize the nations in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19); here they indicate that first the evangelist named the Father, secondly, the Son and, thirdly, the Holy Spirit 130. But the question is, does it really follow from the fact that the Gospel says: in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God (John 1:1) 131 that the Father is placed lower in it, since the Word of God is mentioned first, that It is and was in the beginning? Or when the apostle says: in the kingdom of Christ and God (Eph. 5:5), is he really indicating order in this case? Or when the Lord Himself says: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; for He anointed Me to preach good news to the poor, and sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach liberation to the captives (Luke 4:18), then does He really testify by this that the Spirit is superior to the Son of God? 66. You see, maiden, how these perplexities are resolved. Open your ears and shut your lips; open your ears to hear about faith; close your lips to maintain reverence 132. 67. Further they point out what He said: in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). But at the same time they do not take into account what He prefaced this by saying: in the name. He pointed to three persons, but gave one name of the Trinity 133. 68. So, one God, one name, one Divinity, one greatness. There is, therefore, no second, for the beginning of everything is the Trinity and the primacy of the Trinity over everything. So, there is one God and there is no second. One is He Who has no second; for He is the only one without sin, He alone has no helper, as He Himself says: and I looked, and there was no helper (Is. 63:5). 11. 69. There is no end to His work 134, for He is the Intercessor for us all before the Father 135, He accepted our infirmities, suffers for us, for our sake is weak, as it is said: He was sick and did not visit Me 136. 70. And His eye is not satisfied with riches, 137 for He Himself is the depth of wealth, wisdom and understanding of God; in Him are the treasures of heavenly mysteries 138 . Why, one may ask, do we, who must serve only this Master and no one else, work more for this age and deceive our souls of the gift of such great goodness? 71. So He is not the second. I, of course, omit the evidence of this position, because from the books I see that He is the first, from them I see that He is not the second. And those who call Him second, let them prove their position also from books. 72. Someone will say that here it is written: The first man from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven, heavenly (1 Cor. 15:47). But look at what is said here. The second, it is said, is a man; he called Him as if he were a second man. And I affirm that He is first in Godhead, 139 before whom there is nothing, but He is second in flesh, 140 because He is after Adam. 73. I affirm even more; I call Him not only the second Man, but even the last. After all, this is how it is written: the first man Adam became a living soul; and the last Adam is a life-giving spirit (1 Cor. 15:45). Look what Christ's mercy is like: He is both the first and the last (Rev. 1:17); He who was first became last for our sake. He is the first, for through Him are all things 141; He is the last, for through Him Himself there is resurrection 142. In fact, He came down and gave Himself up to death, He humbled Himself above all others, in order to exalt all who lay down. 74. That is why Ecclesiastes says: for if one falls, he will raise up his companion: and woe to that lonely one when he falls, and there is no second to raise him up. And if two people fall asleep, they will be warm, but how can one keep warm (Eccl. 4:10–11)? This means that he who has Christ with him, even if he falls, will rise; if he dies, then he is alive, for he remains with Him who came to send fire to the earth 143. That is why Elisha, resurrecting the boy, blew on him in order to pour the warmth of life into him 144. So, keep this fire in your chest so that it will resurrect you, so that the cold of eternal death does not creep up on you. 75. So, this Youth, who came through Mary, appeared and poured the warmth of life into the hearts of those who listened to him. That’s why they say in the Gospel: didn’t our heart burn within us when He spoke to us on the road and when He explained the Scripture to us (Luke 24:32)? 12. 76. Isn’t this the second Youth about whom Ecclesiastes says: I have seen everyone who lives, who walks under the sun with the second youth who will rise in his place (Eccl. 4:15)? And who will be resurrected instead of Christ, since He was resurrected for everyone, and in Him, having received the hope of resurrection, everyone was resurrected? 77. If you turn to the comparison of this passage with the blessing or prophecy 145 of Jacob, who says about Judas: Who will awaken Him (Gen. 49:9), then it will be clear to you that this is talking about Christ. In any case, not anyone else, but He Himself resurrected Himself, as He Himself says: Destroy this church, and in three days I will raise it up. And He said this about the church of His body (John 2:19, 21). 78. What is said next is also suitable only for Christ alone: ​​there is no end to all his people 146; indeed, the people of Christ have no end; faith in the resurrection imparts to him eternal, endless life. So, there is no doubt that in the flesh He is called a youth, but in the flesh He dies and is resurrected. In the same sense, of course, it was further added that the best young man is a poor but intelligent young man 147: after all, He, being rich, became poor (2 Cor. 8:9). 79. So, the King of Israel Himself passed through these gates, the Leader Himself sat in them 148; it was then when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), sitting like a King in the royal palace of the virgin womb, in this boiling cauldron, as it is written: Moab is the palace of hope, or: the vessel of My hope (Ps. 59:10). In various lists, it should be noted, both readings 149 are found. The royal palace is the Virgin, who is not subject to her husband, but only to God alone. And the vessel is the womb of Mary, Who, having given birth to the Savior, filled the entire circle of the earth with the warmth of the Spirit that descended on Her. 80. Undoubtedly, sitting in these gates, He ate the food about which He says: My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work (John 4:34). 13. 81. O the wealth of Mary's virginity! She heated up like a meager vessel, and like a cloud 151 shed the grace of Christ on the earth! After all, this is written about Her: behold, the Lord comes, sitting on a light cloud (Is. 19:1). Truly easy, for She did not know the burden of marriage 152; truly easy, for She has lightened this world from a heavy sinful growth. Light was She Who bore the remission of sins in her womb. So She strengthened even John, who was still in the womb, 153 who rejoiced at Her voice and, being a baby, jumped joyfully and was inspired by a sense of vow before being filled with the breath of the life-giving spirit. 82. So, receive, receive, sacred virgins, the spiritual rain of this Cloud, this dissolution of bodily ardor, and extinguish with it all bodily inflammations, and moisten your inner thoughts with it. Our fathers told us about the rain of this sacred cloud 154 that it would be the salvation of the world 155 . The coming of this rain was marked by those drops falling on the ground (Ps. 71:6), which Jerubbaal asked for and received 156. Follow this good Cloud, which produced from itself a Source that watered the entire circle of the earth. Receive the free rain 157, the rain of blessing that the Lord poured out on His inheritance. Receive the water and hold it within yourself; being a cloud, let Mary wash and water you with sacred moisture; being a meager vessel, may She warm you with the soaring of the eternal spirit. 83. So, accept from this vessel of Moab the ointment of heavenly grace 158 and do not be afraid that there will not be enough of it, since it has been poured out and is being poured out more and more, 159 and its fragrance has spread throughout the whole earth, as it is written: The ointment poured out is your name; therefore the maidens loved you (Song.1:2). Let this myrrh penetrate into the very depths of the heart and into the recesses of its depths; Through this ointment, Holy Mary was fragrant not with worldly delights, but with the breath of Divine grace. 84. This rain quenched Eve's lust; this ointment destroyed the stench of hereditary sin 160; Mary, the sister of Lazarus, poured this ointment on the feet of the Lord, and the whole house then became fragrant, filled with the fragrance of piety 161. 85. Let no one consider herself poor, let no one recognize herself as having no property, let no one fear that she will not be able to buy this precious world, and let no one think that this source is subject to sale. Those who are thirsty, it is said, go to the water, and those who do not have silver, go and buy and drink without silver (Is. 55:1). And above he says: you were sold in vain and you will not be redeemed with money (Is. 52:3). The Lord, being rich, became poor for this reason (2 Cor. 8:9), so that everyone could buy Him, and especially so that He could enrich the poor through His poverty. 86. So, prepare the vessels of the Lord and receive this source of living water - the source of virginity, the ointment of chastity, the fragrance of faith, the flower garden filled with the grace of sweet mercy. Clothe yourself with the integrity of that Lamb, who, although reviled, did not revile one another; while He suffered, did not threaten (1 Pet. 2:23). 14. 87. Подражайте же, дочери, той, к которой всецело приложимо предсказание пророка о Церкви: прекрасны стопы твои в сандалиях твоих, дочь Аминадавова ( Песн.7:2 ); это сказано потому, что Церковь прекрасно шествует вперёд с проповедью Евангелия. Прекрасно шествует и та душа, которая пользуется телом как обувью 162 и без всякого препятствия может обращать свои стопы куда хочет. 88. В этом-то обутии прекрасно шествовала Мария: Она, без какого-либо обычного плотского смешения пребывая Девой, родила Виновника спасения 163 . Вот почему Иоанн превосходно сказал: я не достоин развязать ремень у обуви Его ( Ин.1:27 ), т. е. не достоин объять тайну воплощения 164 ограниченной человеческой мыслью и выразить её при посредстве убогой и бедной речи. That is why Isaiah also says: who will explain His generation (Acts 8:33; Isaiah 53:8)? Итак, прекрасны стопы как Марии, так и Церкви, ибо прекрасны ноги благовествующих ( Рим.10:15 ; Ис.53:8 ). 89. Как прекрасно и то, что под образом Церкви предречено о Марии; of course, if only you pay attention not to the bodily members, but to the sacraments of His birth. This is what is said about Her: The proportionality of 165 your hips is like a necklace, the work of a skilled artist; живот твой – круглая чаша, в которой не истощается вино; чрево твоё – груда молотой 166 пшеницы посреди лилий ( Песн.7:2–3 ). This means that the descent of Christ from the Virgin, in itself perfect in everything 167, lightened our yoke and crowned the necks of the faithful with signs of virtue - just as the winners of worldly battles usually reward distinguished men with gifted necklaces 168. 90. And in fact, Mary’s womb is a round cup in which Wisdom dissolved Her wine 169, promoting the fullness of Her Divinity 170 with the unfailing grace of Divine knowledge 171. 91. In this virgin womb at the same time there was a pile of wheat, and at the same time the grace of the lily flower grew, and indeed She gave birth to a Grain of Wheat and a Lily. A grain of wheat, as it is written about: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone (John 12:24). And that from one grain of wheat a pile was formed, in this regard the following prophecy was fulfilled: and the valleys will abound in wheat (Ps. 64:14); and indeed, this dead Grain bore very abundant fruit. This Grain thus satisfied all people with the eternal food of heavenly gifts, and in this case that saying of the prophetic lips was fulfilled when David said: He fed them with the fat of wheat and satisfied them with honey from the rock (Ps. 80:17). 92. According to the testimony of Divine sayings, in this Grain there is also a lily, for it is written: I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys, like a lily among thorns (Song. 2:1-2). Christ was precisely the lily among the thorns when he was among the Jews. 15. 93. Listen, virgin, to what is said: Christ, it is said, is the lily of the valleys, that is, the souls of the humble and meek 172. So, be meek, humble and quiet, so that Christ may grow in you like a lily. And in another place it is written about Him: His lips are lilies, dripping with the purest myrrh (Song. 5:13), that is, those who speak of the suffering of Christ, glorify Him with their lips and carry deadness in their bodies - they are the lilies of Christ; in particular, these are sacred virgins, whose virginity is brilliant and unsullied 173. That is why the majority 174 recognizes that the following words belong to the Church: I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys (Song. 2:1); it is the Church in this vale of this world that exudes the sweetness of the incense through the profession of self-sacrificing piety. And in another place it also says: my brother went down into his garden, into the vials of fragrance, to tend the gardens and gather lilies. I belong to my brother, and my brother belongs to me, he feeds among the lilies (Song. 6:2-3). 94. So from this womb of Mary this heap of ground wheat was cast into the world, among the lilies; this happened when Christ was born from Her, to whom the prophet David said: You will bless the crown of summer of Your goodness, and Your fields will be filled with abundance. The borders of the desert will be fattened, and the hills will be girded with joy. The rams are clothed with sheep, and the valleys abound with wheat: they will shout and sing a hymn (Ps. 65:12-13). 95. What kind of summer of the Lord's goodness is this? This, of course, is what it is said about: in an acceptable time I listened to you and on the day of salvation I helped you (Is. 49:8); this is the summer when the Church began to abound in the faith of the nations and clothed the priests with the truth. That is why the apostle says: Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2); this is the time when the Lord came to preach the pleasant summer of the Lord and the day of recompense 176, as He Himself mentioned in His Gospel, saying: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; for He has anointed Me (Luke 4:18). 96. So, this is when the Lord crowned the time of His coming with His deeds, glory and honor. In fact, the entire “summer” of His stay in the world was a struggle with various sufferings. As a baby, He defeated Herod, triumphing over him during the massacre of the infants 177. He was hungry 178, thirsty 179, for our sake he was strangled, for our sake he endured the shame of reproach 180, he ascended the Cross and for our sake he died. 16. 97. You see how great the feats are! And yet He, whose only wealth was the crown of heavenly virtue, was not an acquisitive seeker of reward. Therefore, you, daughters of Jerusalem, do the same as the Divine Scripture exhorts you in the Song of Songs: go and look at King Solomon in the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his marriage, a day of joy for his heart (Song. 3:11); since he acquired love for himself from the daughters of Jerusalem (Song. 3:10). This means: get away from this tightness and bodily sorrow, get away from this carnal delusion, free yourself from the flesh, so that you have the opportunity to be with the Lord, for those who are in the flesh cannot please their Lord 181. Therefore, it is said that you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit (Rom. 8:9), you will be in the Spirit if you can acquire from this true peacemaker 182 Solomon the same love that he directed towards himself 183 and for which he was crowned by his mother. 98. Blessed is mother Jerusalem, blessed is also the womb of Mary, which crowned so great a Lord. She crowned Him when she conceived; crowned Him when she gave birth; after all, although She conceived Him without any of Her participation, for the Holy Spirit descended on the Virgin 184, which is why He Himself says: Thy eyes have seen my undone (Ps. 139:16), however, by the very fact that She conceived and gave birth to Him for the common salvation, She placed on His head the crown of eternal love, so that, according to the faith of believers, Christ would become the head of every man 185. So, the flesh of Christ is also unmade: Mary conceived Him, remaining a Virgin, in some extraordinary and new sacrament of incarnation 186 without any participation of the seed of the husband 187: the grace of the Divine economy received from the Virgin only the flesh and formed from Her the members of an immaculate Man - the new Adam 188. 99. You hear about man, but understand more than man, for it is written, Do not boil a lamb in its mother’s milk (Exodus 34:26) 189. And in another place it is written: both man is, and he who knows him (Jer. 17:9). That is why you should not evaluate this Lamb, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Col. 2:9), from the point of view of the powers of the human condition and conclude about the greatness of incomprehensible power from the point of view of powerless and weak knowledge. Look, Jacob did not boil in milk that food of perfect faith 190 with which Isaac his father so delighted that in prophetic sobriety 191 he gave him all the advantage of blessing. That is why the apostle wrote that liquid, easily acceptable milk serves as food for learning, saying this: Everyone who is fed on milk is ignorant of the word of righteousness, because he is a child; But solid food belongs to the perfect (Heb. 5:13). 100. And you, daughter, take that garment woven by the labor of a pious wife 192 who opens her hands to the poor 193 and whose lamp does not go out all night 194, dress in it and make such a vow to your father that he, praising prudence and love for a pious vow even at such a young age, will say: what did you find so quickly, daughter? 195 And he will then say to you: draw near to me (Gen. 27:26), daughter, and, smelling the fragrance of your garments, he will bless you, saying: behold, the smell 196 of my daughter is like the smell of a full field, which the Lord has blessed; and may God give you abundance from the dew of heaven and from the fatness of the earth. And then he will add: he who curses you will be cursed, but he who blesses you will be blessed (Gen. 27:27-29) 197. 101. Dressed in this robe, Jacob saw a man and from him, as from the Lord God, he asked for a blessing 198, and called that place: the sight of God 199. Clothed in these clothes 200, he saw the clothes of Christ, about which he says: he will wash his clothes with wine (Gen. 49:11). And he also blessed Joseph, saying: raised son 201 Joseph, my exalted son, who aroused envy 202, my youngest son 203, come back to me - he marked here the image of the Lord's resurrection. And then he added: the blessing from your father and your mother prevailed over the blessings of the abiding mountains and the wishes of the everlasting hills (Gen. 49:22, 26), that is, over the king of grace 204. 102. Take this robe, and you will be clothed with Christ 205 and renewed in the knowledge of Him 206 . This means, as God’s chosen one, put on the generosity of mercy, kindness, humility, patience, modesty and love, which is a union of unity 207; Don’t be obligated to anyone for anything, love each other 208 only your sister and don’t envy her grace 209; if you see that he is more perfect, then, on the contrary, imitate her, and then the peace of Christ and grace will be in you 210, then the Word of God will dwell in your heart 211 and you will escape the thoughts of this world. 103. Once you have died to the world, do not touch it anymore, I pray you, and do not touch what belongs to this world 212, but always in psalms, songs and spiritual songs 213 withdraw from circulation in this world, singing not to man, but to God. And as Saint Mary acted, so do you in your heart 214. Like a good lamb, chew the Divine commandments with your lips, so that you too can say: I will 215 meditate on Your wonders (Ps. 119:27). Let your soul not slumber and not languish in tears from the burden 216. After all, drops during winter drive a person even from his home 217; a perfect soul, which does not have too heavy sinful wells, does not shed tears. She remains in her home and joyfully enjoys her new, immaculate life 218. And if she is confused by something, then say: confirm me in Your words (Ps. 119:28). 17. 104. Now, having considered everything, I turn with a prayer to You, Father of Glory 219. We offer unceasing thanks to Your mercy for the fact that in the consecrated virgins we see on earth the angelic life 220 which we once lost in paradise 221 . And so that you could arouse the zeal of virgins and confirm them in virtue, so that you could praise the glory of virginity, what exactly could You do better than for God to be born of a Virgin? The crime brought us more benefit 222 than harm, since our redemption was a divine gift. 105. And Your Only Begotten Son Himself, intending to come to earth to seek what was lost 223, could not have found for His flesh a more pure birth than to choose for His dwelling the palace 224 of the heavenly Virgin, Who was both the sanctuary of immaculate chastity and the church of God 225. 106. And should we also say here that by the power of Your Divine gift the virgin Mariam, together with the saints Moses and Aaron, walking on foot, led the Jewish camp across the waters? 226 I will leave the ancient examples, I will not look for private ones: this glory is enough for a virgin family. 107. I beg You, look at this Your servant, who has chosen to serve You, doomed her soul to You, and chosen the feat of chastity. Out of priestly duty, I offer her as a sacrifice to You, out of parental feeling, I entrust her, so that You, the merciful Patron, would grant her that grace, by the power of which she could gain the Bridegroom who resides in the heavenly secret palaces, be worthy to behold Him, enter the palace of her King-God 227 and be worthy to hear His following words addressed to her: Come here from Lebanon, bride, come here from Lebanon: come and pass from the beginning of faith (Song.4:8) 228; so that, leaving the temporary, move into eternity. 108. So, look, Father, on Your gift, for the sanctification of which You did not ask anyone’s advice, but without any supplicant or intermediary, bestowed upon it such great grace, which no one could even believe in before Divine revelation: that the Virgin would bear God in Her womb. Under the influence of the demonstrated advantages of this gift, jealousy for virginity increases, and at the same time, examples of holy chastity become more frequent. It is precisely these advantages that Thy servant is attracted to such grace-filled virtue. Let her appear before Thy throne 230 and bring not the golden hair doomed to the wedding veil 231, but those hairs with which the Gospel wife, Saint Mary, wiped the feet of Christ with tender care and at the same time filled the whole house with the fragrance of the poured-out myrrh 232, let her offer these hairs for consecration through the holy veil 233. 109. Here comes a young woman who is not oppressed by the grief so desired among those entering into marriage, neither by wedding festivities, nor by gifts, nor by the burden of an idle womb; on the contrary, she asks for the immaculate offspring of faith and piety, in order to receive in her womb from the Holy Spirit and, bearing God in her womb 234, give birth to the spirit of salvation. And so, so that she can succeed in her grace-filled merits, You, Almighty Father God, extend to her the help of favor. After all, the gift of chastity is not the only one. Let the hair of immaculate virginity be tied up by modesty, sobriety, and abstinence; let the virgin, strengthened by numerous virtues, adorned with the scarlet veil of the blood of the Lord, bear in her body the deadness of the Lord Jesus 235. After all, the robe of virtues is the best veil with which guilt is covered and innocence is revealed. 110. So, with this robe, which can be clean at any time, and clothe Your servant, everything that, coming, cannot be darkened by any sin, truly remains pure - then in justice it will be possible to say to her: how pleasing to God are your creations (Eccl. 9:7). And may her robes be snow-white at all times, may the oil on her head not be scanty, so that she can light her mysterious torches; so that when the Bridegroom comes, she, along with those wise virgins, will be recognized as worthy of the heavenly palace 236 and can illuminate the gift of her holy service with the light of piety, faith and achievement. 111. So, look, Father of love and glory 237, on Your servant, so that she, as if in a closed garden and a sealed spring 238, preserves the keys of her chastity and the seal of truth 239. Let her learn to cultivate that field of hers that Saint James cultivated 240, and let her reap from it fruits sixty-fold and hundred-fold 241. For the virtues and virtues of this field, increase grace 242 in it and strengthen love. Let her find her Beloved, let her hold and not let Him go 243 until she receives those beneficial wounds of love 244 that are placed above kisses 245. With constant readiness let her be awake both day and night with all her spirit and thought, so that the Word does not ever find her asleep. And since her Beloved, in order to experience favor, wants to be constantly sought after, let her run after Him when He moves away, let her faith and soul go out into your word 246, move from the body and appear to God 247. Let her heart be awake 248 and her body indulge in sleep, so that she does not begin to viciously become stuck in sins 249 . 112. Add, O Lord, other beauties of holy virginity, add a non-slothful, pious way of life, so that she knows how to control her vessel 250, knows how to humble herself 251, hold on to love 252, this fence of truth, the stronghold of chastity. Even if the pines and cypresses do not exceed her cover, 253 and the turtle doves of her innocence, 254 the doves of her simplicity. Let there be simplicity in her heart, measure in her words, modesty in her attitude towards others, love for her neighbors, mercy for the needy and poor. Let her preserve all that is good, and abstain from all manifestations of evil 255. Let the blessing of the dying man come upon her, and let the lips of the widow bless her 256. 113. Place your Word as a seal on her heart, like a ring on her hand (Song.8:6); so that Christ would shine in all her thoughts and deeds, so that she would listen to Christ and talk about Christ. Let neither abundant water, nor sword, nor the danger of persecution be able to destroy her love 257; but, having been established in every good deed and word, 258 may she be clothed with Your glory and may she live in Your grace in this world. Sanctify her in truth 259, strengthen her in virtue, establish her in love and raise her with Your Divine cover, for her chastity and purity to heavenly glory and to an incorruptible and immaculate crown, so that she may walk there in the footsteps of the Lamb 260, shepherd at noon, and rest at noon 261, and not enter into the flock of her fellows. 262, but, mingling with Your lambs, without stumbling 263 she remained a companion of the virgins, a follower of Mary 264. 114. So, come, Lord Jesus, on the day of Your betrothal 265 , take her who has long since dedicated herself to You in spirit, and now she has made the vows themselves 266 , fulfill her with the knowledge of Your will 267 , lead her from the beginning to salvation, in sanctification of the spirit and faith in the truth (2 Thess. 2:13), so that Your servant may say: You restrained my hand on my right hand, and guided me with Your advice, and received me with glory (Ps. 72:23-24). Open Thy hand and fill her soul with blessing 268, save the one who trusts in You, so that she may become a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful to the Master, fit for every good work (2 Tim. 2:21), through that eternal cross, through that venerable glory of the Trinity, to Him is honor, glory, eternity, to God the Father and the Son and the Holy One Spirit, from time immemorial, and now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen 269. The word pignus literally means “pledge,” including “pledge of love.” This word is often applied to children, but does not indicate a certain degree of relationship. Wed. in Prudentius (perist. 11. 209–219): quisque sua laetus cum coniuge dulcibus et cum / pigneribus rapidum carpere gestit iter. That is, by the time the letter was written, Virgin Ambrosia had already accepted initiation. Quoting this verse – oculi tui sicut columbae – St. Ambrose understands the form columbae to be genetiuus, while in the Septuagint it is nominatiuus. Wed: exp. ps. 118, 16. 21: habe ergo oculos columbae ad similitudinem Christi. An allusion to the “theology of mystery.” A similar exegesis of Song 4:1 with the same words (however referred to the Church) in obit. V. 7: ...eo quod et uideant spiritaliter et nouerint ea, quae uiderint, tacere mysteria; exp. ps. 118, 16. 20, where the dove is a symbol of the Church; myst. 7. 37 indicating the Church or the soul. Wed. also in Origen exc. Proc. 4. 3. See: Eccl.3:7. Wed. exp. ps. 118, 16. 20: ...nouerit (ecclesia) tempus tacendi esse et tempus loquendi; expl. ps. 43.72. For a parallel between virginity and the Church, see also: uirgb. 1.5.22; exh. u. 5. 28. Virginity - not a natural virtue, but a heavenly one - makes possible the mystical union of the Church with Christ and the spiritual fruitfulness of the Church. And such virtues as modesty and silence, which accompany virginity, are also characteristic of the Church. See: Matthew 6:7; Proverbs 10:19. The “giant” is the Man-Christ, in whom the greatness of the Divine is felt, is “outside” - foris, thereby expressing the idea that the humanity of Christ is external, and the divinity is internal (Gori 1989, II: 115). See: Phil.2:6–7. Understanding St. Ambrose of this place emerges from his explanations in other works. Wed: fid. 2. 8. 62: non amittens utique quod erat, sed adsumens quod non erat, quia formam serui accepit; ibid. 2. 8. 70: quod enim quis non habet, rapere conatur. Ergo non quasi rapinam habebat aequalitatem cum patre. Thus, non rapinam arbitratus means that on the part of Christ equality with the Father was not an appropriation, and rapina is not a process of theft, but its object, prey. Wed: sacr. 6. 3. 12: cubiculum tuum mens tua est; Cain et A. 1. 9. 35: cubiculum tuum mentis Arcanum animique secretum est. The discourse on mercy (misericordia) is not connected with the previous chapter. Perhaps the logical transition to it is explained by the fact that the reference to Matthew 6:6 led the thought to the Lord's Prayer, the penultimate verse of which - et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris - and explains the subsequent words about mercy. The so-called captatio beneuolentiae - that is, winning the sympathy of listeners or superiors - was considered an important skill in oratory, including judicial art. The passage si enim – precamur applies this general passage to the theme of prayer. Wed: exp. ps. 118, 9. 15: etiam usus disciplinae saecularis accepit, ut unusquisque iudicem suum laudet; sacr. 6. 5. 23. Wed. also in Tertullian orat. 16, 6; St. Basil the Great, reg. 108; in Evagrius of Pontus, rer. monach. 1; St. John Chrysostom uirg. 32; also in monastic rules: reg. mag. 48, 1–2; reg. Ben. 20, 1–2. On the four types of prayer cf.: sacr. 6.5.22; the source of these two Ambrosian passages is Origen: orat. 14.2 et seq.; 33. 1 et seq. “Our Father,” along with the Creed and the Eucharist, belonged to the “secret discipline” to which the unbaptized were not allowed. There is evidence of the existence of such a discipline in the ancient Church starting from the 2nd century. (by Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian) until the second half of the 5th century. (see: Gori 1989, II: 117). St. Ambrose speaks about this more than once, cf. above: 1. 4; also: Cain et A. 1. 9. 35: est etiam illa commendandae orationis et uoti disciplina, ut non diuulgemus orationem, sed abscondita teneamus mysteria. Mysteriorum quoque premendam esse doctrinam; ibid. 1. 9. 37; myst. 9.55; 9.57; exc. fr. 1. 43; obit. V. 75, as well as the introduction to sacr. and myst. Exactly the same reading of Matthew 18:19, according to Vetus Latina, is also attested in exp. Luc. 7. 138; 7.192; epist. ex. c. 14.3. The same interpretation of Matthew 18:19 – in exp. Luc. 7. 193: itaque alii duos animam et corpus accioiunt, alii animam et spiritum. A similar exegesis goes back to Origen: in Matt. 14.3; Wed also in Jerome: in Matt. 3; John Cassian the Roman coll. 12.11. Quoting this passage, St. Ambrose refers to another biblical image - Eze. 1:16, which says that “the wheel was within the wheel.” There are two possible interpretations of this image: harmony of soul and body or harmony of two Testaments, Old and New. Wed: uirgt. 18.118 and approx. On restoring the harmony of the “inner man” and the “outer man”, see also: expl. ps. 36, 64; exp. Luc. 3.26. Having considered man as a combination of soul and body, here St. Ambrose moves on to the concept of the three-part structure of man (spirit - soul - body). Wed: parade. 11.53; Cain et A. 2. 1. 6; Abr. 1. 4. 19; 2. 4. 13. A similar exegesis of Matthew 18:20 with the same rapprochement with 1 Thessalonians 5:23 is found in Origen in Matt. 14.3. See: 1 Pet.3:4. The adjective locuples refers to homo cordis. Wed: sacr. 6.5.21; expl. ps. 40, 13: ille absconditus cordis homo noster consummator interior, qui solus ante deum locuples Petri apostolico testimonio repperitur/ The allegorical meaning of the words "to cultivate" and "to guard" is explained in parad. 11. 51: hominem autem et ad operandum et ad custodiendum paradisum esse positum, hoc est mentem hominis, cuius uirtus animam uidetur excolere, non solum excolere, sed etiam cum excoluerit custodire. Here the somewhat “privileged” position of woman at the moment of creation is emphasized. In parade. 10.48 another aspect is emphasized: nec illud otiosum, quod de eadem terra, de qua plasmatus est Adam, sed de ipsius Adae costa facta sit mulier, ut sciremus unam in uiro et muliere corporis esse naturam, unum fontem generis humani. In this explanation they see the influence of Philo of Alexandria, who, polemicizing with those who belittle the dignity of women, encourages St. Ambrose praises a woman (Gori 1989, II: 129). A similar, but more extensive discussion of the typological relationship between Eve and Mary is given in exp. Luc. 2. 86 and expl. ps. 36, 37, where the idea of ​​Eve as a prototype of the Church is also built on the idea of ​​“life” associated with spiritual fertility. Winged expression. Wed. in Pseudo-Cicero ep. ad Oct. 7, in Pseudo-Seneca mor. 94; in Jerome in Hier. 66: dic, inquit, tu prius iniquitates tuas, ut iustificeris. The sinful Eve hopes for redemption not only for herself, but also for her husband, and this redemption is deserved not by her very suffering during childbirth, but by the production of offspring. Wed: parade. 10. 47: quamus enim Adam non est seductus, mulier autem seducta in praeuaricatione fuerit, “salua tamen”, inquit, “erit per filiorum generationem”, inter quos generauit et Christum; expl. ps. 36, 20: ut salua fieret Eua per generationem filiorum, fidem sancti Abel, prophetarum gratiam, ecclesiae posteritatem; ibid. 37: Eua quae perierat salua facta est per ecclesiam, hoc est: per filiorum suorum generationem. On the qualities of a wife cf.: Abr. 1. 2. 6; 1. 9. 84–85; exp. ps. 118, 20.48; exp. Luc. 8.2; epist. 19, 7. Wed. from Peacock: uita A.: when Theodosius, justifying himself, used the example of David, Ambrose responded with the same maxim: qui secutus... Rapi ad caelum - in St. Ambrose is a stable formula for denoting the ascent of a virgin to heaven. See: Gen.18:12 or Gen.21:6. Wed. Abr. 1. 5. 43: risit autem Sara. Quod indicium future magis quam incredulitatis arbitrato. Risit enim, licet adhuc quid rideret ignoraret, quod publicam esset in Isaac paritura laetitam; Wed etc. Abr. 1. 7. 62: risim mihi fecit dominus... non utique hoc de hac generatione intellegitur... sed de generatione, qua unusquisque peccator agens paenitentiam, cum redimitur a morte, angelis solet exhibere laetitiam. On the spiritual fertility of the virgin cf. uirgb. 3. 1. 1; uirgt. 4.20; exh. u. 7.42; epist. ex. c. 15.3. See: Gen. 21:12. More precisely this passage is quoted in Abr. 1. 7. 65 and epist. 14. 8 (Omnia quaecumque tibi dixit Sarra, audi uocem eius). The paraphrase given here is also found in Abr. 2.5.19, this presentation emphasizes the weight of Sarah’s opinion. Compare: Wutz. Onomastica sacra. 1. P. 442: glossae Colbertinae: Mariamna pikra thalassa. See: Exodus 15:23ff. The exegesis of this passage cf. in sacr. 2. 4. 12; 4. 4. 18; myst. 3.14; 9.51. An example of the virginity of the Virgin Mary cf. in uirgb. 2. 2. 6. This refers to Bonoz, Bishop of Serdica (Sofia), who denied the ever-virginity of the Mother of God and attributed to her other children besides Jesus. His question was discussed at the synod in Capua (winter 391/92). The solution of the issue was entrusted to the Illyrian bishops, who deposed him. Pope Siricius approved the verdict. Then Bonoz turned to St. Ambrose for support, but he was outraged by his heresy and did not provide support. Supporters of Bonosus, according to the testimony of Pope St. Gregory the Great, existed back in the 6th century. Mulier meant woman, not virgin, so the use of this term in Scripture to refer to the Virgin Mary was problematic. Wed. also in Tertullian uirg. uel. 4–6; in Origen in. Leu. 8.2; at Maria Quiz in Gal. 4. 4. 59 et seq.; in Jerome in Gal. 2. 3 ; in Augustine serm. 51.11.18. See: Gen.4:1. Wed: exh. u. 6.36. That is, in this place the purpose of Scripture is to present the mystery of the Incarnation. In this context, the idea of ​​the ever-virginity of the Mother of God is not emphasized. The same idea is expressed more clearly in exp. Luc. 2. 6. The same argument is reproduced verbatim in exp. Luc. 2. 6. Wed. epist. 5, 13: unde et Joseph, cui desponsata erat uirgo, suspectum habebat uitium, dum adhuc nesciret dominicae incarnationis sacramentum. The angels, heavenly beings, were perplexed when they saw the risen Christ. The same theme is present in myst. 7. 36, where, as in this case, the quotation of Ps. 23:7-8 is followed by Is. 63:1. It seems that St. Ambrose here takes his cue from Origen, in Matt. 18. 19, which also describes the triumphal entry of the risen Christ into heavenly Jerusalem, although Origen does not have the motive of the bewilderment of the angels. The same influence of Origen is also felt in fid. 4. 1. 9–13, where the same two verses are cited to confirm that it was difficult for the angels to recognize the risen Christ. See: 1 Kings 17:21; 2 Kings 4:35. See: Matthew 1:19. The term traducere is to expose, to expose. At St. Ambrose is only a hypothesis; the Gospel text speaks only of the desire of righteous Joseph to “let go” of the Mother of God, that is, to divorce Her. The reasoning about the term coniunx is similar to the reasoning about the term mulier (see above: 5.36). Wed: exp. Luc. 2. 5: nec te moueat quod frequenter scriptura coniugem dicit; non enim uirginitatis ereptio, sed coniugii testificatio nuptiarum celebratio declaratur. Source for St. Ambrose also serves as Jerome adu. Helu. 4 (see preface). The expression non enim defloratio uirginitatis facit coniugium, sed pactio coniugalis is a legal formulation, cf. the wording of official documents (Digestum 35. 1. 15): nuptias enim non concubitus sed consensus facit (or 23. 1. 4: sufficit nudus consensus ad constituenda sponsalis); the concept of “marital consent” was introduced by the famous Roman lawyer Ulpian (3rd century AD). St. Ambrose carries this formulation into the emerging church law. The same concept is confirmed by blzh. Augustine (bon. coniug. 1. 1), Isidore of Seville in His Etymologies (9. 7. 8). Subsequently, it was adopted by canon law, cf.: Decretum Gratiani, c. 27, q. 2, p. 5. Wed: exp. Luc. 2. 1–3; however, there is an influence of Origen's exegesis that is not present here. The same phrase is reproduced almost verbatim in exp. Luc. 2. 1. St. Ambrovius follows here blzh. Jerome adu. Helu. However, the idea that the "brothers of the Lord" were Joseph's children from a previous marriage is not taken from Jerome, who claims that Joseph was also a virgin (cf. adu. Helu. 19), but rather from Origen (in Matt. 10. 17), who, in turn, "refers to the Gospel attributed to Peter" and to the "book of James." In the surviving fragment of the apocryphal Gospel of Peter there are no such indications, but in the Proto-Gospel of James (chapter 8) Joseph says that he is old and already has sons. This passage has a counterpart in epist. 71 about Bonosa, which was also attributed to Pope Siricius. Gori (Gori 1989, II: 145), relying on the work of De Aldamae (De Aldamae. La carta Ambrosiana De Bonoso // Marianum. 25 (1963). P. 1–22), considers it an authentic work of Ambrose. Wed: epist. 71, 3: sane non possumus negare de Mariae filiis iure reprehensum meritoque uestram sanctitatem abhorruisse quod ex eodem utero uirginali, ex quo secundum carnem Christus natus est, alius partus effuses sit. Neque enim elegisset dominus Iesus nasci per uirginem, si eam iudicasset tam inconuenientem fore, ut illud genitale dominici corporis, illam aulam regis aeterni concubitus humani semine coinquinaret. The verb deficere should be understood in relation not to the person, but to the virginity of the Mother of God. See: Luke 23:34. Wed: epist. ex. c. 14, 109: nullus me hoc docuit nisi sanctus Johannes euangelista. Mundum alii concussum in passione domini conscripserunt, caelum tenebris obductum, refugisse solem, in paradisum latronem sed post piam confessionem receptum: Iohannes docuit, quod alii non docuerunt. The fact that the Evangelist John differs from other evangelists in his attention to the secret wisdom, which he drew from the very bosom of Christ, is from St. Ambrose is repeated many times. Wed: expl. ps. 36, 26; incarn. 29; exp. Luc. 10.65; 10.130; epist. 2, 4; exp. ps. 118, 2.6; sacr. 3. 2. 11; exh. u. 5.32. Wed: exp. Luc. 10. 130: nam si religiosum est quod latroni uenia donator a domino, multo religiosius quod mater honoratur a filio; epist. ex. c. 14, 109. Wed: exp. Luc. 10. 133: neque enim abrogatur uxor marito. Wed: epist. 71, 4: quid sibi istud uult, quod cum in cruce dominus positus peccatum mundi tolleret, pronuntiauit etiam de integritate materna?.. desponsata fuerit uiro tantummodo Ioseph, nulla tamen coniugalis coitus consuetudine tori iura cognouerit. Wed. exp. Luc. 10. 133: claudat ora sua perfidia. St. Ambrose believes that the Evangelist John is the editor and witness of the will/Covenant of Christ. Same interpretation in exp. Luc. 10. 131: testabatur de cruce Christus et testamentum eius signabat Iohannes, dingus tanto testatore testis; epist. ex. c. 14, 109. Wed: exp. Luc. 10. 133: quo loco uberrimum testimonium Mariae uirginitatis adhibetur. Wed: exp. Luc. 10. 133: quae propter mysterium coniugium praetexuit completis iam coniugio non egebat; hymn 3: praetenta nuptae foedera / alto docens mysterio, / ne uirginis partus sacer / matris pudorem laederet. St. Ambrose imagines a situation that at the time of Christ’s suffering on the cross, Joseph was still alive, and the Mother of God could leave him and go to live in the house of the Apostle John, because Her marriage was not a real marriage, but had the only purpose: to preserve Her virginity and the mystery of the Nativity of Christ. Reflections of St. Ambrose seems to have formed the basis of the Stabat Mater plot, widespread in Western Christianity, the most famous embodiment of which was the famous 13th-century sequence attributed to the poet Jacopone di Toda or the Popes Innocent III and Gregory XI and set to music many times. Wed. exp. Luc. 10. 132: fugientibus apostolic ante crucem stabat et piis spectabat oculis filii uulnera, quia exspectabat non pignoris mortem, sed mundu salutem. Wed: exp. Luc. 10. 132: aut fortasse quia cognouerat per filii mortem mundi redemptionem, aula regalis putabat se et sua morte public muneri aliquid addituram. Sed Iesus non egebat adiutore ad omnium redemptionem. And Ps. 87:6 is quoted as evidence from Scripture. Even more clearly St. Ambrose expresses the idea of ​​the participation of the Mother of God in the work of redemption in epist. ex. c. 14, 100: ...quia cognouerat per filii mortem mundi redemptionem aula regalis, etiam sua morte putabat se aliquid public addituram muneri. Suscepit quidem affectum parentis, sed non quaesiuit alterius auxilium. Wed: exp. Luc. 2. 29: unguebatur itaque et quasi bonus athlete exercisebatur in utero matris propheta. These reflections on the Gospel of John may have their source in Origen in Io. 1.23 (Gori 1989, II: 151). The word aula in relation to the Mother of God is used metaphorically, as the “abode” of Christ. Wed: epist. ex. c. 15, 6. Wed. exh. u. 5.29; 6.35; Wed also: exam. 4. 4. 19. Integritatis signacula - cf. above: 17. 111, and also: epist. ex. c. 14, 33: intemerata uirginitas conseruauit signacula; hymn 4, 10: claustrum pudoris permanent; Wed epist. ex. c. 14, 33: uirgo portauit quem mundus iste capere ac sustinere non potest. Beginning with Ambrose, the Mariological exegesis of Ezekiel 44:1–3 becomes customary. Wed. in Rufinus of Aquileia: exp. symb. 8: quid tam euidens dici de consecration uirginis potuit? Clausa fuit in ea uirginitatis porta: per ipsam introiuit dominus deus Israhel in hunc mundum, et per ipsam de utero uirginis processit, et in aeternum porta uirginis clausa, seruata uirginitatis permansit; John Cassian the Roman (c. Nest. 7.25) contains a fragment of the Ambrosian homily In natale domini. The reading of Zechariah 3:8 is attested in epist. 46, 11: ecce ego mittam serum meum. Oriens nomen ei est. Church of the 4th century made efforts to replace the pagan myth of the “invincible sun” (sol inuictus) with the idea of ​​Christ - the East and the Sun of Truth. At St. Ambrose Christ is often called the “east” and the “sun.” The exegesis of the expression porta clausa (Ezek. 44:2) is also present in the letter of Jerome (epist. ad Pammachium 49.21), written at the end of 393, and in the letter of Ambrose, written a little earlier, epist. ex. c., (mid 393), both use the document of the Synod of Rome 392 - beginning. 393, which condemns the heresy of Jovinian. This place inst. u. reveals greater affinity with Jerome's text than epist. ex. c. (in particular, both texts mention sol iustitiae). F. Gori (Gori 1989, II: 157) concludes that in the final period of work on inst. u. St. Ambrose used the materials of the Roman Synod sent to him by Pope Siricius, who notified him of the condemnation of Jovinian (cf. Sirici epistula, to which Ambrose responded with his epist. ex. c.). The exegesis of Ezekiel 44:2, originally directed against Jovinian, who denied virginity in partu, is here directed against Bonosus, who denied virginity post partum. Thus, the time of writing this treatise is established as the end of 393. Among the virtues of a virgin (or widow) are works of mercy. Wed: uirgb. 1. 9. 54; uid. 5.27. Another symbolic image of virginity, continuing the series: porta clausa, hortus clausus, fons signatus, taken from Is. 11:1. Paronomasia is clearly played on in the Latin language: uirga – uirgo – uirginitas. Wed. ex. Luc. 2. 24. Wed. also: apol. alt. 8.43; part. 4.19; spir. s. 2.5.38; exh. u. 5.31. “Paradise” is a synonym for “garden”, and at the same time this image evokes the idea of grace and bliss. Its use by St. Ambrose explains in epist. 34, 3–4: Paradisus graece, latine hortus dicitur… Ergo non te moueat quod alii codices latini hortum habent, alii paradisum. Elsewhere at St. Ambrose speaks of the image of God reflected in the clear waters of virginity. Wed: uirgb. 1. 8. 45; Isaac 5. 48: merito fons signatus dicitur, eo quod imago in ea dei inuisibilis. If the pronoun tuam is not a mistake, then perhaps we are talking about the sober concentration of the virgin, who never loses control of herself. The heretics referred to here, who used Matthew 28:19 to establish the subordination of the Persons of the Trinity, are obviously Arians. According to the testimony of St. Basil the Great (Eunom. 3.2 and 3.5), Eunomius, a representative of the radical wing of the Arians, also resorted to him. Wed. also: fid. 5. 9. 116 et seq.: ... ex uerborum ordine differentiam diuinae faciunt potestatis. Ego autem possum testimoniis adserere scripturarum in plerisque locis prius filium nominatum, postea patrem dictum. Numquid igitur, quia filii significatio ante praemissa est, uerborum – ut Arriani uolunt – praeiudicio pater secundus a filio est? Absit, inquam, absit! That John 1:1 cannot be interpreted in favor of the Arian doctrine is also stated in fid. 5.9.118. Similar calls for silence cf. in uirgt. 18. 80–81; uirgb. 1. 8. 46; 2. 2. 7; 2. 2. 11; 3. 3. 9. Here St. Ambrose argues with the Arian interpretation of Matthew 28:19. Wed: fid. 1. 1. 8; spir. s. 1. 13. 132. The use of Matthew 28:19 as a baptismal formula in the practice of the Church supported the consciousness of the unity of the three Persons of the Divine (cf. already in Tertullian Prax. 26. 9). There could be, in essence, two unorthodox interpretations: modalist and subordinationist, which the Arians followed. Of the formulations of conciliar decrees in which this verse is quoted, one can name the second formula of the Council of Antioch (see St. Athanasius of Alexandria, synod. 23); the second formula of the Council of Sirmium (see St. Hilary of Pictavia synod. 11). For the use of Matthew 28:19 by the Homiusians, see St. Epiphany of Cyprus pan. 73. 16. Wed. also in various patristic works: in Epiphanius of Cyprus (ancor. 74.3); Hilary of Pictavia (Trin. 1.21); (2.5); (12.52); Lucifer of Cagliari (conu. 9); Maria Victorina (Arr. 4. 18); Athanasius of Alexandria (or. c. Ar. 2.42; epist. ad. Ser). See: 1 John 2:1. About Christ the Intercessor and Mediator cf. uid. 10.62. Wed: Col.2:8; also: Ioseph 7. 41: mysteriorum caelestium thesaurus sententiae sapientiaeque patefecit absconditos. The unusual interpretation of 1 Cor. 15:47, according to which primus homo means the Divinity of Christ, and secundus homo means His humanity, is not found either in the previous exegetical tradition or in St. himself. Ambrose, for whom in other cases the “first man” is the sinned Adam (cf.: exp. ps. 118, 15. 36; exp. Luc. 5. 31; Iacob 1. 3. 9). Emphasizing the Divinity of Christ, St. Ambrose does not give his opponents the opportunity to interpret the biblical verse in an Arian sense. An important point in the Christology of St. Ambrose - the distinction between Christ, “since God,” and Christ, “since Man” (Gori 1989, II: 165). Humility affects only the humanity of Christ. Wed: fid. 2.8. Nouissimus seems to express the extreme humility of Christ the Man. Wed: apol. 1. 17. 81: aeternitate primus, humilitate ultimus, per cuius oboedientiam humani generis culpa deleta, refusa iustitia est. Resurrectio here means not so much “resurrection” as “redemption.” The text of Genesis 49:9 is a prophecy because Judas, to whom Jacob gives the blessing, is a type of Christ. Wed: part. 4. 16: et apostolus ait: “quoniam de Iuda ortus est dominus.” Wed. also: exp. ps. 118, 5.20. The ancient versions of the translations do record the readings aula/olla in Ps.59:10. St. Ambrose, like the ancient exegetes in general, does not see here a philological problem of choosing the most authoritative reading, but explores both meanings on an allegorical level, suggesting that both of them can bring certain shades of meaning. “Light cloud” is a metaphor for virginity as a heavenly state. Wed: exp. Luc. 10.42. Wed: exh. u., about the hardships of marriage, see also: uirgt. 6.32 and uirgb. 1. 9. 54–56. Rain in the Old Testament foreshadows the coming of the Savior. Wed: uid. 3.18; spir. s. I, prol. 79 et seq. See: Judges 6:37–40. Jerubbaal is Gideon's nickname. Compare: Judges 6:32. That is, virginity, which the Mother of God communicates to virgins as a distributed incense. The definition caelestis, as in other places, expresses the idea of ​​​​a supernatural state of virginity, cf.: uirgb. 1. 3. 11. Wed: exp. Luc. 6. 34: ideo exinanitum, ut maiore fides odore fraglaret. Incense - unguentum - a symbol of resurrection. Wed: paenit. 2. 7. 62. Stench – faetor – a symbol of sin or death, a possible allusion to the stench emanating from the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:39); compare: paenit. 2. 7. 63. The interpretation of the body as a shoe is also given in obit. V. 67: speciosos enim processus habuisti in corpore, tamquam calciamento eo usa, non ut inuolucro ut quasi superior et eminentior, quo uelles, tuum circumferres sine ulla offensione uestigium. Wed. below: 16.98; also: paenit. 1. 3. 13. Compare: Cain et A., where such an allegory is caused by the influence of Philo: sacrif. 63.126 (Gori 1989, II: 173). Wed. also: fid. 3. 10. 69–75. These lines from the Song of Songs are quoted by St. Ambrose several times. In epist. 64, 3, the following explanation is first given: cur autem minitum sit, causam accipe: quia et granum sinapis minutum est, - further St. Ambrose develops the idea of ​​the subtlety (subtilitas) of faith, allegorically designated as granum sinapus minutum, and then proceeds to the interpretation of et umbilicus animae ac uenter subtilis est illius, quae ascendit ad Christum; ideoque laudatur uoce sponsi dicentis: umbilicus tuus crater tornatilis, non deficiens mixto, uenter tuus aceruus tritici minuti inter lilia. In obit. V. 69, instead of minutus, munitus was used (the same reading was preserved in this place inst. uirg. in the Moorish edition). The expression continens sibi in omnibus clarifies the concept of perfection contained in the biblical term moduli (Song 7:1) and refers it to the birth of Christ. The expression in obit is exactly the same in syntactic structure. V. 68: hoc est consonans sibi in omnibus. Wed. obit. V. 58: torques autem insignia esse uictoriae dubitari non potest, cum hi qui in bello fortiter fecerint, torquibus honorentur. Necklaces served as battle awards in the Roman army. However, they were not worn around the neck, but were attached to the chest part of the shell using special leather loops. The idea of ​​the body of the Mother of God as a church in which the “fullness of the Divinity” dwelt is more clearly expressed in epist. ex. c. 14, 33 with reference to Col. 2:9. Wed: epist. 64, 6: est enim in omni doctrina tornatus (crater), et potus spiritalis non deficiens plenitudine et caelestium secretorum cognition; exp. ps. 118, 17. 20. Similar interpretation of "valleys" in uirgb. 1. 8. 44; uirgt. 9.51. Wed: obit. Val.: quae (uirgines) sunt sicut lilia myrrha plena, candorem integritatis et mortificatae corporalis inlecebrae gloriam praeferentes; Wed also: uid. 14.83. Including Origen - cf.: in Cant. 3. The theme of the spiritual fertility of the Church is also developed in epist. 18, 15; Abr. 2.10.74. See: Matthew 21:18; Mark 11:12. See: Matthew 26:67, 27:30–31. See: Rom.8:8. A similar exegesis of Song 3:10–11 is given in exp. ps. 118, 15. 11 and Isaac 5. 46. “Peacemaker” is an interpretation of the name Solomon (cf. Jerome: interpr. hebr. nom. 63.5; 71.5). That is, spiritual love. Natural or carnal love is directed towards others. Through faith, a person becomes part of that body, the head of which is Christ, St. Ambrose speaks of corpus fidelium (expl. ps. 47, 7). Here a parallel is drawn between Solomon, who received the crown from his mother, and Christ, whom Solomon prefigures. The crown of Christ is the faithful, i.e. the Church. The interpretation of the "crown" is given in exp. ps. 118, 15. 1: quae est autem corona gloriae nisi ecclesia, quae caput suum Christum coronat? Wed: incarn. 9. 104: generandi usum nouauit… inusitato modo. Wed: myst. 9.53; hymn 4. 5: non ex uirile semine / sed mystic spiramine; exp. Luc. 2. 56: immaculatum, semen inuiolabili utero spiritus sanctus infudit. St. Ambrose here polemicizes with the Manichaeans, who denied that the Divinity could receive flesh while remaining unsullied. The anti-Manichaean polemic regarding the incarnation of Christ can also be seen in fid. 5.14.182; 2.5.44; incarn. 2.8; epist. ex. c. 15. 12. On the reality of the incarnation cf.: exp. Luc. 10.56; fid. 4.3.29; sacr. 1.5.17; incarn. 5.37. The Old Testament commandment is allegorically interpreted in a Christological sense. The lamb is Christ, the milk is human nature. Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, was not subject to the limitations of His Mother's human nature. See also expl. ps. 47, 11. The lamb that Jacob prepared for his father Isaac (Gen. 27:14 et seq.) was not boiled in milk and was a type of Christ (cf. Jacob 2. 2. 8). Isaac's sobriety is spoken of in relation to the situation of Genesis 25:29–34, which tells how his brother Esau exchanged his birthright for lentil stew, while he himself became a prototype of the Christian people. See: Gen.27:15; Proverbs 31:22. About the spiritual fragrance of the virgin cf.: uirgb. 1. 9. 61. The meaning of the quotation is that, just as in the people of Israel the blessing was given to the firstborn, so in the Church the blessing of God is intended for the virgins, who are typified by the sobriety and wisdom of Jacob. The clothing of Esau, in which Jacob dressed, is a prototype of the Church and the New Testament economy. Compare: Iacob 2. 2. 9: hanc stolam ecclesiae typo Rebecca protulit et dedit filio iuniori stolam testament, stolam propheticam et sacerdotalem... et dedit populo christiano. The meaning of the definition of ampliatus becomes clear from Iacob 2.9.41: ipse est ampliatus, habens nomen super omne nomen. The meaning of this definition is also explained in part. 11. 47: unde benedicens illum magis qui expectabatur quam illum qui uidebatur ait: “filius ampliatus meus Ioseph.” Qui est ampliandus nisi Christus, cuius gratia semper augetur et finem processus sui non habet gloria? At St. Ambrose zelatus is obviously understood as a passive participle. Wed: part. 11. 47: et ideo quia uidebant eum crescere fratres ei inuidere coeperunt. Wed: part. 11.48: re uera adulescentior, qui erat paene ultimus natu. More precisely the text of Vetus Latina is quoted in off. 2.85; part. 11.46; obit. Th. 4, where it is entirely consistent with the Septuagint version. The blessing of Joseph's parents is prophetic in nature: it is really not so much in relation to the heir himself, but in relation to Christ, whom Joseph represents. A more detailed exegesis of the same passage is given in Ioseph 3. 13–14, where the symbolic connection between Christ and the expressions “abiding mountains” and “everlasting hills” is explained. The meaning of the name Joseph St. Ambrose understands it as “divine grace,” and therefore it also prefigures Christ (ibid.: quid interpretationis habet nomen Ioseph nisi quod diuinam gratiam significet et expressionem dei summi). This understanding of the name – expressio dei summi – corresponds to the etymology given by Philo of Alexandria: Ios. 28. This does not refer to any specific person, but the instruction to the virgin is given based on the biblical account of Joseph and his brothers quoted above (Gen. 49:22). See Eph.5:19 (Col.3:16). On the meaning of exercebor in Ps.119:2, cf.: exp. ps. 4, 13. See: Ps.119:28. An explanation of the meaning of dormitauit and stillauit is given in exp. ps. 118, 4. 15–16, where St. Ambrose follows the tradition of Origen (frag. in ps. 118). Exp. ps. 118 was written in 388, so it is only natural that St. Ambrose builds on textual analysis that has already been carried out. The final section is a prayer for the dedicated virgin. The motive of virginity as an “angelic” and “heavenly” life cf. in uirgb. 1. 3. 11; 1. 8. 48; 1. 8. 51; 2. 2. 17; Wed also: uirgt. 6.27. The idea that virginity returns a person to the state of sinlessness that a person possessed in paradise before the Fall is consistently developed by Methodius of Olympus in the Feast of the Ten Virgins. The theme here is the so-called felix culpa (an expression taken from the Easter hymn Exultet, which some have attributed to Ambrose). For aula, see above: 7.50 and 12.79. Every virgin is a church of God, not only the Mother of God. Wed: uirgb. 2. 2. 17; hymn 4. 12: uersatur in church deus; at St. Athanasius of Alexandria: uirg. 11. In fact, in Exodus 14:15–31, which talks about the crossing of the Red Sea, Miriam is not mentioned, she is mentioned only in Exodus. 15.20. Conviction of St. Ambrose's claim that Miriam was a virgin is not based on a biblical text. Among his possible sources are Athanasius of Alexandria (epist. ad uirg.), as well as Gregory of Nyssa (uirg. 19). At St. Ambrose for similar reasoning, see exh. u. 5.28 and epist. ex. c. 14, 34; 15, 7. About the meaning that St. Ambrose attributes the word fides, see uirgb. 1. 7. 38. Wed: incarn. 6. 53: incarnationis dominicae praerogatiua. A similar expression in a different context is obit. Th. 3: celebramus adsistente sacris altaribus honorio. The expression referens crinem flammeo nuptial dicatum should be understood as parallel to the following: crinem... sacro offerens uelamine consecrandum. Wed: exh. u. 6.34; uirgt. 5.26. Wed. at St. Pavlina Nolansky: carm. 6. 122: uerbo feta dei; Wed also: fid. 1. 12. 77: mater ante feta quam copulam uxoris expecta. Wed. above: 8. 52. For the relationship between the concepts ueritas and uirginitas, see exh. u. 7.44. There is no mention of Jacob as a farmer in Scripture. St. Ambrose does not refer to any specific passage; his exegetical reflections take as their starting point Gen. 27:27: odor filii mei tamquam odor agri pleni. According to the spiritual interpretation of Ambrose, ager pleni is a soul full of the fruits of virtue, and Jacob cultivated such a “field.” Wed: uirgb. 1. 8. 45; Isaac 5.48; Jacob 2. 1. 3; fug. 8.49; interpr. Iob 4. 1. 3; exam. 3.17.72; expl. ps. 45.9; expl. ps. 48.23. Wed: Matthew 13:8. A similar allusion in uirgb. 1.10.60. Compare: Proverbs 27:6. The same exegetical reflections are presented in more detail in uirgt. 14.91; apol. alt.8. 44; exp. ps. 118, 5. 16; 15.39; Isaac 3.8; 4.10; 6. 50. Apparently, St. Ambrose aimed at a reader familiar with his other works. This refers to the virgin’s love for Christ, her mystical Bridegroom. The word dilectio is also found in John 15:9; 1 Timothy 2:15. The veil of the virgin is a symbol of her fidelity to her vow. To express the eternity of St. Ambrose uses the metaphor of evergreens; in other places he uses the word uelamen to refer to the crown of an evergreen tree. Wed: exam. 3. 11. 47: nec non et laurus adsurgens odorem suum dedit nimquam suo exuenda uelamine; elsewhere in a similar context he applies to tree the word integritas, which is often a synonym for uirginitas. A similar understanding of evergreens as a symbol of eternity is found in Pliny the Elder nat. hist. 16.207: maxima aeternam putant cupressum cedrumque; St. Hippolytus of Rome in Cant. 16.2. About the innocence of the turtle dove cf.: exam. 19.62. See: Song 8:7. The reading excludere in this place is also found in Iacob 1.7.27; 2.12.57. At noon, that is, when the light of Christ shines brightest. Wed: Song 1:7. A paraphrase of the biblical expression that St. Ambrose cites repeatedly: exh. u. 10.66; exam. 4.5.22; exp. ps. 118, 2. 12. See: Ezek.1:17. Wed. above: 2.12; uirgt. 15.17; 18.119; Iacob 2. 11. 49: sine ulla offensione… uersatur. Mary - meaning Moses' sister Mariam and the Mother of God. The word professio has a legal meaning (since the vowed virgins acquire the status of religious). The text of the final doxology is similar in sacr. 6.5.26.