De quatuor parabolis Domini ad turbas, et tribus ad discipulos habitis
The Sower and the Seed
Christ teaches the crowds from a boat using the parable of the sower, illustrating the various ways the Word of God is received in the human heart.
Christ. After this, the Lord Jesus went to the sea to fish for men who were on the land. Because of the crowd gathered around him, he got into a boat with his disciples and, sitting there, taught the simple and devout crowds standing on the shore. Chrysostom says: "He climbed into the boat so he wouldn't leave anyone behind him, but would have all his listeners before his face, so that the people might hear and see him, and that the sight might delight the hearing, and the hearing the sight." Bede adds: "This boat prefigured the Church to be built in the midst of the nations, in which the Lord consecrates a dwelling place beloved to himself." The Lord set forth four different parables to the crowds, suited to the different conditions of people, so that for the variety of their ailments, there might be a variety of medicine; for some are delighted by bitter food, others by sweet, others by harsher, and others by milder food. For as Jerome says, the crowd is not of one mind, but consists of different wills in each individual. Therefore, he speaks to them in many parables so that, according to their various wills, they might receive different teachings—just as a wealthy head of a household, refreshing his guests with different foods, ensures that each one receives the various nourishment suited to the nature of his own stomach. And it should be known, according to that same Jerome, that he did not speak everything to them in parables, but many things. If he had said everything in parables, they would have left without any benefit to the people; he mixes the clear with the obscure so that, through the things they understand, they might be provoked to the knowledge of those things they do not understand. In these four parables, and the other three that follow them, the course of the Church is set forth from the preaching of Christ until the end of the world. The first parable, about the seed scattered on the ground—where only a fourth part bore fruit—represents the preaching of Christ and the Apostles, who taught the Jews indiscriminately, both good and bad; relatively few believed, while the majority remained in unbelief. The first point, then, concerns the seed and the Word of God, which went forth from the Father when He appeared visibly to the world from the Father's invisibility; it was sown in the world and fell in four places: into three types of bad ground that bore no fruit, and into good ground, which bore threefold fruit. He sowed many kinds of seeds, however. First, He sowed the natural law in the mind of every human being: 'Do not do to others what you don't want done to you, and do to others what you want done to you.' Likewise, He sowed revelations through the Angels, the written Law through Moses—namely, commandments and prohibitions—and promises and warnings through the Prophets; but now He has gone forth to sow the Evangelical Law to all the faithful by Himself. He doesn't cease to sow even now in our souls, not only when He teaches, but also when He creates in them the good seeds of virtues, namely, the gifts. li. Therefore, the Son of God came from the bosom of the Father, not according to His divinity, because in that way He is everywhere, but according to His humanity and the assumption of flesh. Hence Chrysostom says: 'He who is everywhere went forth, not locally, but by the Incarnation, and by the covering of flesh He was made closer to us.' "He went out, I say, who sows," meaning the one who has the office, the knowledge, and the grace to sow, to sow his seed—that is, the word of doctrine. The sower, therefore, is properly Christ; for the preacher is more the sower’s basket than the sower himself. And while he sows—that is, scatters doctrine indiscriminately—some fell along the path, meaning upon a heart that is wayward through errors; wandering through lusts; worn down by carnal affections and the suggestions of demons; and exposed to the various temptations of vices like a road, through the cravings of the flesh. By the constant passing and frequent traffic of all these things, the seed of the word is trampled so that it cannot sprout. And the birds of the sky—that is, the aerial ones, the demons (who are called birds of the sky either because they inhabit the air, since they run through it, or because of their celestial nature, since they are of a celestial or spiritual nature, or because of their speed toward evil, since they are always intent on this)—ate it, meaning they snatched it away by their suggestion, hindered the fruit, and thus took the word and the memory of the word from the heart, so that neither memory nor mind holds what it neglected to practice in deed, so that with the word hindered, faith is hindered, lest the believers be saved, because faith comes from hearing. These are they who hear, but aren't moved by the power of the word; hence it doesn't even take root, because the devil takes it from their heart. The words of God, therefore, must be kept in the mind, and just as seed is kept under the earth, so the word of God must be hidden in the memory so that it may bear fruit. For, according to Gregory, just as one despairs of the life of a person who, with a weak stomach, doesn't retain food, so one must fear the danger of eternal death who doesn't keep the words of life—that is, the food of justice—in their memory. Some fell upon rock, meaning upon a heart that is stony, hard, rebellious, and stubborn through pride; and having sprouted immediately, once the sun and the heat of temptation arose, it withered and lost the vigor or greenness of faith, because it didn't have the depth of earth—that is, the stability of patience and the moisture of devotion and grace. These are they who hear and are in some way moved, but don't propose to do what is said; hence the word is not rooted in them through a good intention. In hard hearts, the sprout of compunction sometimes springs up quickly for a moment when they hear a word of warning, but it withers immediately in the heat of persecution or any kind of trouble or temptation; they become desolate and fail through impatience, because the word of preaching does not thrive without the moisture of grace and the love of virtue. These people have no roots—that is, no deep stability or firm desire—and so they believe for a time, but fall away when temptation comes because they reject the word they first received. And just as a tree that is frequently transplanted has no fixed roots, so these people are often changed from good to evil and aren't rooted in what is good. Temptation is, in fact, the test of whether the word of God has taken root, just as the force of the wind shows whether a tree is well-rooted. Such unstable people belong to the family of King Saul, who was a prophet among the prophets, yet a fool among the fools. And another part fell among thorns—that is, into hearts anxious with the ambition for wealth, torn by worries about it, and given over too much to worldly cares through greed; and it sprang up at the same time. The thorns—that is, multiplied riches—choked it; they hindered the fruit of preaching by occupying the mind so that spiritual fruit could not thrive within it. These are the people who hear and are moved, and who resolve to do good, but they don't make progress because their good resolution is choked within them by the cares, riches, and pleasures that prevail in their lives. For when people leave the place of preaching for worldly things, they are choked by the anxieties that bring about greedy acquisition, by the riches that mark greedy hoarding, and by the pleasures of life that bring about wanton enjoyment; they bear no fruit because these three things do not allow the spiritual seed to bear fruit, just as thorns, by their density, choke the seed that has been sown and do not allow it to grow. Riches and honors are indeed thorns, because just as thorns tear and bloody the body with their prickles and make it look shameful and foul in the eyes of people, so the love and ambition for riches and honors—with the prickles of their own thoughts, and with the cares and anxieties that are the hope of acquiring, the fear of losing, and the worry of keeping—tear the soul; and when they drag it all the way to sin, they bloody it as if with an inflicted wound, and make it wretched and unhappy before the eyes of God. And yet, many consider there to be delights under these thorns, and when they begin to think about spiritual things, they immediately involve themselves in temporal ones, and being choked and softened, they lose the rigor of the virtues. Just as a sheep living among thorns always leaves some of its wool behind, someone occupied with worldly cares loses much of their spiritual good. Chrysostom says, 'Just as a thorn pricks whoever holds it, no matter how you grab it, so worldly things distress whoever clings to and cherishes them.' But spiritual things are different; they are like a pearl that delights the eyes however you turn it, as Chrysostom says. Alternatively, riches are called thorns because they prick the soul in this world, in judgment, and in hell. In this world, their prick is threefold: the labor of acquisition, the fear of possession, and the pain of loss. These will also pierce the mind at the judgment, when the Lord says to the greedy: 'I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,' and so on. These stings will be so painful that the greedy themselves will almost wish they didn't exist, for they will say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' In hell, too, these thorns will pierce the soul with perpetual torment, because from them is prepared the fire by which the sinful soul is burned. It is burned. And note the order of those three aforementioned seeds that don't bear fruit: the first doesn't germinate but is trampled and eaten by birds; the second germinates but doesn't grow much because it lacks moisture; the third, however, is already raised into a stalk but doesn't bear fruit because it's choked by thorns. The other—the fourth—fell into good soil, which is black through contempt of the world, rich through affection, cultivated through virtuous exercise, and thus fruitful through its yield—that is, among the faithful and devout—and it brought forth the fruit of good works. Bede says: 'Good soil is the conscience of the elect, which acts in opposition to all three aforementioned soils; for it willingly receives the seed of the word entrusted to it, and once received, it constantly preserves it through both adversity and prosperity until it bears fruit.' Matthew doesn't speak as simply as Luke about the seed producing a hundredfold fruit; instead, he notes a difference in the yield, saying: 'some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty.' A hundredfold fruit, some sixty, and some thirty. We can consider this threefold difference in fruit, first, in relation to the three states of the faithful: beginners, those making progress, and the perfect. Beginners are like the earth that brings forth thirtyfold fruit, because it's enough for them to have faith in the Trinity and to fulfill the Ten Commandments. Those making progress are like the earth that brings forth sixtyfold fruit, because they don't just have faith in the Trinity and keep the Ten Commandments, but they also show the six works of mercy. The perfect are like the best earth, which brings forth a hundredfold fruit, because they possess a twofold perfection, keeping both the commandments of the Old Law and the counsels of the Gospel. This threefold degree—of beginners, those making progress, and the perfect—is touched upon below in the second parable, where it says: 'For the earth brings forth fruit of itself, first the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear.' Secondly, it can be considered in relation to the three states of those to be saved: virgins, widows, and the married. One kind, therefore, produced a hundredfold fruit: that of virgins. Virgins don't seek to multiply through carnal work in others, but through spiritual work within themselves; thus, they are represented by the number one hundred, which is ten multiplied by itself. Another kind produced sixtyfold, namely in widows and those living in continence; the sixtyfold fruit consists of ten multiplied by six, signifying the Decalogue alongside the six works of mercy. Another kind produces thirtyfold, namely in those who are married, because of their faith in the Trinity and their observance of the Decalogue. Here, three degrees of chastity are touched upon. The first is marital chastity, through which illicit sexual relations are avoided, though lawful relations are still retained within the marriage act. The second degree is the chastity of widows, through which all sexual relations are henceforth avoided so that the soul may serve God more freely, even though one is still permitted to enter into marriage. The third degree is virginal chastity, which is superior to these, through which all sexual relations are simply avoided so that the mind itself may be joined to God alone, as to its own spouse, through love. Theophilus says: "Those who bear fruit a hundredfold are those who live a perfect life, like virgins and hermits; those who bear sixtyfold are those who live a moderate life, like the continent and those in monasteries; those who bear thirtyfold are those who, while small in their own virtue, still bear fruit, like laypeople and those who are married." Augustine also says: "The hundredfold fruit belongs to the martyrs, because of the holiness of their lives or their contempt for death; the sixtyfold belongs to virgins, because of their interior peace, since they don't struggle against the habits of the flesh; the thirtyfold belongs to the married, because this is a time of battle, for they have a sharper conflict to avoid being overcome by lusts." Alternatively, one brings forth thirtyfold fruit who steadfastly endures the loss of external goods; sixtyfold, when one endures the loss even of one's own body through scourging, imprisonment, and other things of this kind; a hundredfold, when one despises even one's whole life through martyrdom. Chrysostom says: "Good ground are those who abstain from evil and do good according to their strength, and this is their thirtyfold fruit; if, however, they also despise all their own goods and come to serve God, they have the sixtyfold; if, moreover, a decree of imperial sentence for their death has gone forth, they have the hundredfold." Or, if their goods and children have been struck down, they have the sixtyfold; if, however, some bodily infirmity befalls them and they endure it faithfully, they have the hundredfold. For Job, before his temptation, had the thirtyfold by living justly in his possessions; after the loss of his substance and children, he had the sixtyfold; after the affliction of his body, he achieved the hundredfold. Whoever has the hundredfold in himself also has the sixtyfold and the thirtyfold. Conversely, whoever has the thirtyfold doesn't have the sixtyfold, and whoever has the sixtyfold doesn't also have the hundredfold. For the greater always contains the lesser within itself, but that which is lesser does not contain the greater within itself—so says Chrysostom. Similarly, Remigius notes that the seed of the word of God produces a thirtyfold fruit when it gives birth to a good thought, sixtyfold when it produces good speech, and a hundredfold when it leads to the fruit of a good work. These, then, are the ones designated by the good soil: in a good heart, which intends to hear the word of God, and in an excellent heart, which intends to act according to these things, they hear the word of God devoutly, keep it faithfully in their memory, and bring forth fruit in patience—that is, by waiting for their rewards until the end. For, according to Gregory, while they calmly endure the evils of their neighbors and humbly accept the lash, they are afterwards raised up in glory to their rest. Notice that good soil has conditions entirely opposite to the other places where the seed fell: the fact that these people hear and hold onto the word is the opposite of those by the wayside, where the devil comes and takes the word from their hearts; the fact that they bring forth fruit—that is, holy works—is the opposite of those who are thorns choking the word of God; and the fact that they do this in patience is the opposite of those on rock, who believe for a time and fall away when temptation comes. Bad soil, therefore, is divided into the wayside, the rocky, and the thorny; but good soil is not subdivided, because the Church is one: my dove is one, even though her fruits and virtues are subdivided into the hundredfold, the sixtyfold, and the thirtyfold. The rewards are also different, because one star differs from another in reward, just as it does in merit. Of the seed, therefore, three parts—alas! perish, and only one is saved and makes progress; and even this not equally, but with great difference. For although the seed of the divine word is fruitful in itself, it happens, as we have seen, that it is unfruitful in three different ways. Hence Theophilus says: "See how the wicked are many, and the few are saved; for only the fourth part of the seed is found to be saved." From this it is clear that, following the example of Christ, a preacher of the divine word should not stop preaching, even if he sees few people making progress from it; because by doing what is in his power, he does not lose his merit. Note, according to the same Theophilus, that he didn't say the sower threw some by the wayside, and so on; but that the seed fell. The sower teaches the right word, but it lands on listeners in different ways, because any seed is received according to the condition and disposition of the ground where it is sown. If the ground is fertile and cultivated, it produces good fruit; but if it is barren and uncultivated, it grows thorns and thistles, or perhaps no fruit at all. Just as seed thrives and bears fruit differently depending on the condition of the soil, so the seed that Christ, the true farmer, brought to us from heaven is received in different ways, depending on the condition of our heart. First, we must hear the word of God with devotion, receiving it with joy and desire; then we must understand it and keep it, using it well in both prosperity and adversity; finally, we must produce fruit, whether a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.
The Weeds and the Mustard Seed
The Lord explains the parables of the weeds and the mustard seed, detailing the growth of the Church and the presence of heresy alongside the faithful.
The second parable, about the weeds, describes the state of the Church immediately after the death of Christ and the Apostles. Because the devil envied the faith sown in the hearts of the faithful, he stirred up some of them to the treachery of heresy after Christ and the Apostles had passed away, as if sowing weeds among the wheat to destroy it. Any impurity in the crop can be called weeds, such as darnel, barren oats, and other things of that kind. Therefore, just as weeds are sown over good seed, heresies are sown over good Scriptures and mingle themselves with them. Hence Augustine says: 'Heresies and certain perverse dogmas that ensnare the soul and plunge it into the depths would not have been born, except when the Scriptures are not understood well; and what is not understood well in them is even asserted rashly and boldly.' It should be noted that Christ has His own threefold field where He sows threefold good seed: the first field is the world, where Christ sowed the seed of the word of God, or the doctrine of truth; the second field is the Catholic Church, where Christ sowed faithful men who are children of the kingdom—that is, holy and elect men counted among the children of the kingdom; the third field is the soul, where Christ sows twofold good seed: the first is a good will, which ought to produce the fruit of good action; the second is the knowledge of self, the world, and God. From self-knowledge, as if from a certain seed, sorrow arises, just as the saying in Ecclesiastes goes: "Whoever adds knowledge, adds also labor and sorrow."✦ From knowledge of the world, fear arises, because a person walks in the midst of snares. From knowledge of God, love arises, because He is Creator, Redeemer, and Glorifier. God sows the first seed in the field of the affections, and the second in the field of the intellect; but the enemy, the devil, sows weeds over them—that is, errors in the intellect and evil thoughts in the affections.✦ This evil seed is extinguished in three ways: first, by the fire of contrition; second, by the precision of confession; third, by the eradication of satisfaction. Let the faithful soul strive, therefore, so that the seed of God may germinate within her through holy desires and virtuous works. This field, namely the soul, is sown with faith, plowed by preaching, and watered by the rain of grace and the dew of mercy. The second parable, therefore, is about the weeds and tares sown over the good seed, which describes the assembly of heretics.✦1 For the kingdom of heaven—that is, the Church militant, or its state—is like a man, namely Christ, who grants the ability to reign in the heavens and to whom serving is reigning; he who, through himself and the Apostles, sowed good seed in his field (that is, in the world, or in the Church cultivated by the labor and blood of Christ), meaning holy doctrine and the Catholic faith, and those whom he calls the children of the kingdom. Note that in these parables, the comparison isn't made between person and person, but between matter and matter, or deed and deed. It's as if he were saying: The matter being acted out regarding the kingdom of heaven and the Church is similar to such a deed or affair. “While men were sleeping”—that is, the inner guardians who are appointed for protection and watchfulness, by whom the prelates are signified—the devil sows weeds or tares in the midst of their sleep, which is to say, their negligence. For prelates sleep in three ways: when they are sluggish from laziness, when they are undone by lust, or when they are weighed down by ignorance or guilt. This sleep signifies not only the negligence of superiors regarding the protection of the flock, but also the negligence of anyone regarding the protection of their own person and salvation. For the devil probes both kinds of negligence, and in this way, through evil suggestions, he sows weeds in human hearts. When they were sleeping, therefore, the enemy—that is, the devil—came and sowed weeds, meaning errors and the iniquities that follow, and he mixed those whom the Lord interprets as the children of the evil one among the wheat, that is, among the elect; in other words, he mixed heretics with the elect. Zizania is called by another name, lolium; it is of the feminine gender in the singular, but neuter or feminine in the plural. Hence the verse: "Est zizania, sunt zizania plura." And some say that in the singular, zizania lengthens the penultimate syllable, but in the plural, it shortens it. Let the leaders of the Church and their subjects be vigilant, therefore, so that the devil may not be able to sow weeds through their negligence. But when the grass had grown—through the progress of faith—and had borne fruit—through the effect of good works, since faith without works is dead—then the weeds also appeared, through the manifestation of errors, the filth of sin, and the persecution of Christ's faithful. And when the servants told the Lord this, He said to them, "An enemy has done this." The devil is called an "enemy man" because he deceives humanity under the guise of human reason; or because he has been an enemy to man from the beginning; or because of the outcome, since he conquered man—just as Scipio is called "Africanus" from Africa, because he conquered Africa. These servants are the ancient fathers who lived in the primitive Church; seeing the treachery of heresy rising within it, they approached God through prayer, asking where such treachery came from, and it was revealed to them by God that this was done by the devil's work, with God permitting it, and this so that the steadfastness of the faithful might be tested. The devil had indeed sown three poisonous seeds in the world: ignorance that darkens, guilt that chills, and shameful misery. Therefore, the heavenly farmer came from heaven, carrying three seeds to counter them: wisdom that illuminates, grace that inflames, and glory that exalts. Christ also sowed holy doctrine and the Catholic faith; and the devil sowed errors and manifold iniquities over them. God sowed peace and brotherly love in the world; the devil sowed envy and ill will over them. God sows good intentions daily in the interior field—that is, in the mind—while the devil over-sows them with carnal desires. God sows cleanliness and purity in the exterior field—that is, in the body—while the devil over-sows it with uncleanness and carnality. 7 causes. The servants spoke—meaning the holy fathers sought divine counsel through prayer: "Do you want us to go and gather them?" separating the wicked from the community of the Church through excommunication, and finally handing them over to secular justice to be destroyed by death. And He says: "No, lest perhaps while you are gathering the tares, you also root up the wheat along with them." This refers to what is wheat in itself, as if a faithful person were condemned on mere suspicion; or what is wheat in relation to others, as if, by rooting someone up without a conviction, other faithful people are scandalized because the order of justice wasn't followed, and thus the wheat—other faithful people—is rooted up through scandal; or what is future wheat, because someone who is wicked today might be good tomorrow. Hasty, harmful, and suspicious eradication is prohibited: it's hasty if it isn't preceded by a warning; it's harmful when a multitude or a prince is involved, unless the cause is obvious and harms the Church—which is why Augustine says that sometimes the wicked must be tolerated for the sake of the Church's peace when there is a fear of schism; it's suspicious when there is no certainty regarding someone's heresy or vice. That is Chapter LXIV. They shouldn't be excluded, because in these three ways, this uprooting is forbidden here. "Let both grow together"—that is, the weeds and the wheat, the bad and the good—until the harvest, which means until the end of the age and the day of judgment. This is to be understood as applying to those who are not notorious or stubborn, and through whom no universal harm threatens the Church. Here, a place for repentance is provided, along with an example of discernment. In this, we are warned not to usurp the judgment of hidden things for ourselves, but to reserve that for God, who rewards everyone according to their works. Nor is this contrary to the Apostle, who says, "Drive out the wicked person from among you," because this saying of the Lord is understood to apply to ambiguous cases, while that of the Apostle applies to manifest ones. Here, too, divine kindness and the patience of delay are implied: for divine mercy patiently sustains the weeds along with the wheat—that is, the bad along with the good. God sustains them for three reasons: first, so that if they wish, they may be converted and helped by the good; second, so that the just may give great thanks to God that they were chosen by grace from the number of those who are perishing, and by comparing themselves to them, may strive more toward the good; third, so that they may be of benefit to the good and increase their merits. For the bad are of use to the good by purifying them, so that if any rust of sin is in them, it may be eliminated; by exercising them, so that the virtue hidden in the good may be manifested; by stimulating them, so that the elect may not become sluggish on the journey of this exile, but may hasten toward their homeland; and by crowning them, because while they inflict tribulations upon the just, they add precious stones to the crown of heavenly glory. The wicked, therefore, serve the good in the ways already mentioned, and that is why they are allowed to live among them. The gathering of the wheat? Then the Lord adds: 'And at the time of the harvest,' that is, at the judgment and the final consummation, 'I will say to the reapers,' namely the angels, 'Gather first the weeds,' that is, the wicked, 'excluding them from the company of the good.' This is what is meant by the punishment of loss. Then follows the punishment of sense: 'And bind them in bundles to be burned,' because by the ministry of the angels the wicked will then be separated from the midst of the just and cast into hell, which is believed to be in the center of the earth and surrounded by earth on all sides. It is well said 'in bundles' rather than in one single bundle, because each person will be punished according to the measure of their perversity. The unclean will be with the unclean, the gluttonous with the gluttonous, the greedy with the greedy, the proud with the proud, and so on with other wicked people and their own kind, so that those who were partners in guilt may be tormented together in their punishment. Regarding the punishment of sense, they will be. There are many bundles, but there will be one regarding the punishment of loss. And it is added: 'There will be weeping,' that is, intense sorrow from loss—namely, the lack of the divine vision—which is explained as sadness and pain, because there may not be physical tears there; 'and gnashing of teeth,' that is, an urgent suffering from the punishment of sense and torment, namely, the bitterness of the punishments. In this, a twofold punishment of hell is signified: one on the part of the mind, namely intense sadness, which is signified by weeping; and the other on the part of the body, which is signified by the gnashing of teeth. Or weeping, from the dissolving heat; and gnashing of teeth, from the constricting cold. That is why Job says: From the waters of the snow, it will pass to excessive heat. Then it follows: The wheat—that is, the faithful and the elect who are threshed on the threshing floor of this world by scourges, afflictions, and various temptations so that no chaff or stain remains in them—gather into my barn, which means the heavenly mansions. And then the just will shine like the sun, through a gift of brightness that overflows from the glory of the soul to the body. Where Chrysostom says: Not because it is only like the sun, but because we know of no other star more brilliant than this one, he uses examples known to us—so says Chrysostom. The glory of the just is compared to the sun, especially regarding their body, because the glorified soul will be far more beautiful than the sun. In the sun, four qualities of the glorified body are noted: brightness, because nothing among lower creatures is brighter than the sun; agility, because it rises in the East and immediately appears in the West; subtlety, because it passes through glass unharmed; and impassibility, because its ray is neither damaged nor stained. And it is added: In the kingdom of their Father. Therefore, as children of the King, they will receive the kingdom of splendor. Oh, how glorious is the kingdom! It holds a holy society, because the righteous are there; it holds perfect brightness, because they will shine; it holds perfect delight, because they will be like the sun—for light is sweet and delightful; it holds high dignity, because they are in the kingdom; it holds a father's love, because it is the kingdom of their Father.2 Mark touches on this second parable, mentioning only the good seed, which belongs to the elect alone; like wheat and grain, they will be gathered into the barn of eternal bliss when the weeds and tares are thrown into the furnace of fire. He compares the kingdom of heaven—that is, the Church, which is ruled by God and rules humanity—to a man scattering seed in the ground. The seed represents the word of life, which man—that is, Christ—sowed in human hearts; he slept through his death. Yet the seed rises by night and day, and it sprouts and grows, because after the sleep of Christ, the number of believers grew in faith and increased in works through both adversity and prosperity, while he remains unaware—that is, he makes us unaware of what fruit it will ultimately bring forth. And the earth bears fruit of its own accord, because it is moved by the will to produce fruit: first the blade, then the ear, and finally the full grain. For from this seed received in a person, first the fear of divine judgment is conceived, which is signified by the blade, which is something imperfect; and because through fear a person ceases from evil and begins to practice good, therefore, secondly, the hope of divine benefits is conceived, which is signified by the ear, in which there is already the hope of the future grain; thirdly, from this is given a loving charity, which has a perfect work, and is therefore signified by the full grain, because, as the Apostle says: The fullness of the Law is love. Alternatively, the earth bears fruit first as the blade, then the ear, then the full grain: this represents fear, repentance, and love. Those who produce the blade, that is, fear, are beginners who must start with fear; for just as the blade is the beginning of the ear, so the fear of the Lord is the beginning of life and the start of wisdom. . Those who produce the ear of grain—that is, hard penance—are those who are making progress; just as they once took pleasure in their sins, they must now afflict themselves with penance and lamentation. Those who produce the full fruit—that is, charity and the fullness of good works—are the perfect, who possess the love of God and neighbor; for the fullness of the Law is love, and then a person is prepared to pass from the state of grace to glory. And therefore the Lord then sends the sickle, that is, death, cutting the just from the present life so that He may transfer them to glory, for the harvest is at hand—that is, the gathering of the just into their true homeland. According to Gregory, a person casts seed into the earth when he plants a good intention in his heart. And after he has cast the seed, he sleeps, because he now rests in the hope of a good work. Yet it rises by night and by day, because it makes progress through both adversity and prosperity. And the seed germinates and grows while he is unaware, because even when he isn't yet able to measure his own growth, the virtue once conceived is led toward progress. The earth bears fruit of its own accord, for when grace goes before it, the human heart rises up spontaneously to the fruit of good works. So when we conceive good desires, we are casting seed into the earth; when we begin to do what is right, we are the blade; when we carry the work forward to progress, we reach the ear; and when we are strengthened in the perfection of that same work, we are bringing forth the full grain in the ear. Yet Almighty God puts the sickle to the fruit that has been produced and reaps His harvest; for when He has brought each person to perfect works, He cuts off their temporal life by a sent decree, so that He may bring His grain into the heavenly barns. See to it, then, that you don't remain only in the blade or the ear, expecting maturity in the pain of purgatory; for God does not gather immature fruit into His barn. Still, no one who is seen to be as yet in the tenderness of mind toward a good purpose should be despised, for the grain of God begins from the blade so that it may become grain. A parable of the mustard seed regarding the rise of heresies. The third parable, about the mustard seed, describes the state of the Church immediately following the rise of heresies. The Lord raised up holy, learned teachers in the Church against these rising heresies so they might refute the heretics through reason and Scripture; although they were at first humble and cast aside, they were later exalted by divine disposition. The third parable, therefore, is about the exaltation of the Church and the preaching of the faith and the Gospel, in which the kingdom of heaven is compared to a mustard seed. The kingdom of heaven is like this: it is the preaching of the Gospel, called a kingdom because it teaches us to govern the hand, whose citizens are our actions; the mouth, whose citizens are our words; and the heart, whose citizens are our thoughts and desires. It is like a mustard seed, which warms us with love and drives out poison—that is, error—and cleanses the head, which is the mind. Christ, having received this from the Father, sowed it both through Himself and through His disciples in His field, which is the world. It is the smallest of all seeds—that is, of all teachings—either because it is barely believed at first, or because it teaches things that the world considers small and worthless, for it doesn't rely on the grandiosity of words. But when it has grown, through its spreading it becomes greater than all garden herbs—that is, the physical, natural, and poetic sciences, which are called herbs because they quickly wither and have no eternal fruit, but only temporal. It becomes a tall tree through its elevation, and fruit-bearing through its usefulness, so that the birds of the air—that is, the souls of believers who long for heaven—may come through faith and dwell through love in its branches, which are its doctrines; or the birds, that is, the preachers who fly like clouds, may come by studying and dwell by meditating and working in its branches, which are its various expositions and meanings. For there are four branches: history, tropology, allegory, and anagoge. Thus, the kingdom of heaven can be understood here as the primitive Church, which, because of its humility, poverty, and small number, seemed even despised, yet is great in virtue; or, because of the fervor of its faith, which seemed modest due to the scandal of the cross, but is fervent. Because of the warmth of love, it is compared to a small mustard seed; though it is the smallest in quantity, it is great in virtue and heat. It grew into a great tree because it has spread throughout the whole world, having a trunk through hope, and branches exalted through the love of God and widened through charity toward one's neighbor. It is tall because it has lifted us to heavenly things, and it is wide because it has occupied the whole world. Zacchaeus climbed this tree to see Christ, because Christ is not seen except in the tree of the Church and of faith. And the birds of the air—that is, the princes of this world who seek high things, or those who are high in intellect, namely the wise of this world—dwell in its branches, and being subject to it, they are governed by its counsel. Alternatively, the birds—that is, the saints who ascend to high places on the wings of virtues and strive to fly toward the rewards of heavenly goods—dwell in its branches, meaning its various spiritual meanings. The branches of the Gospel tree are the diversity of its teachings, so that for the variety of ailments, there might be a variety of medicine; in these, each of the birds—that is, of just souls—finds rest. For the birds of the air are faithful souls who, lifting their hearts from earthly things, fly toward heavenly things through longing; and, having neglected the desires for temporal things, they keep their hearts raised in heavenly things, and they breathe and rest in the sayings and consolations of the saints, away from the weariness of this life. Hence the Psalmist says: "Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?"✦ Let us, therefore, also take up the wings of a dove, so that by flying toward higher things, we may dwell in the branches of this tree, build ourselves little nests of teachings, and, fleeing earthly things, hasten toward heavenly ones. May our desire to exalt our faith be great and fervent, so that the Lord Jesus Christ may be feared by all, and known and loved.
The Leaven and the Final Harvest
Through the parables of the leaven, the treasure, the pearl, and the net, Christ reveals the transformative power of faith and the final judgment of the world.
Chapter 64 of the first part. A parable about leaven, describing the state of the Church following the exaltation of the saints. In the fourth parable, which concerns leaven, the state of the Church is described after the exaltation of those saints, because the faith has now spread everywhere through their diligent preaching. In this parable, therefore, He compares the kingdom of heaven to leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour. In Palestine, a measure was a unit equal to one and a half modii. The kingdom of heaven is the Church militant, in which God reigns through faith, or the doctrine of faith that preaches the kingdom of heaven; the woman, however, is the wisdom of God, or the diligence of the saints in preaching the Catholic faith everywhere. The three measures of flour are the three parts of the world—namely, Asia, Africa, and Europe—or the three languages: Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Although leaven is more frequently used in Scripture in a negative sense because it is corruptive, the leaven of weeds is one thing and the leaven of wheat is another; here, it is used only in a positive sense. Because of its power to transform, it signifies the Gospel word, which has transformed a great part of the world to the faith and will transform it even more. This is why, in the imagery of Pentecost—which the Jews celebrate for the gift of the Law given on the fiftieth day after leaving Egypt, and which foreshadowed the Gospel—two loaves made of leavened fine flour were offered. The woman, therefore—that is, the Wisdom of God or the diligence of the Saints—took the leaven, which signifies the Gospel Law (the Law of love) and the fervor of faith because of its inward and hidden heat; she hid or placed it in three measures of flour. She placed it there until the whole was leavened. For this leaven was placed in the three parts of the world from the time of the Apostles, and it will be placed further until the whole is leavened and the faith of the Trinity is multiplied throughout the whole world; for we see that from it, almost the entire world has already been leavened and quickened, having grown into the body of the Church, just as a little leaven transforms a large mass of flour into its own virtue, and quickens it and makes it grow. According to Bede, the woman—that is, the holy soul—hides the leaven (that is, love) by a right intention, concealing it from the praises of the world, in three measures of flour—that is, in three ways of loving: with your whole heart, with your whole soul, and with your whole mind; or, in the three powers of the soul: the rational, the concupiscible, and the irascible, in which charity or doctrine is hidden until it changes the whole mind into its own perfection; this is indeed begun here, but is perfected in the future. According to Hilary, the flour is the people gathered from diverse places; the three measures are the threefold state of the faithful—namely, Noah, Daniel, and Job—or because the whole human race proceeded from the three sons of Noah, to whom the Wisdom of God commends faith, charity, and sound doctrine in the present, until the whole is leavened. That is, until at the end of the world, when the number of the elect is complete, the faithful arrive at the glory of the resurrection, and then they will be made perfectly warm with charity; for now it is a small fire, but then it will be a furnace. Parable: what it is and the way of hearing the Lord. Jesus spoke all these things—that is, the aforementioned and many such things—to the crowds in parables. Although He said many other things to the crowds without parables, at that time He said nothing to them without parables, so that they might be moved to ask about what they had heard. Because he was speaking to simple people about the kingdom of God, it was necessary to lead them in with such parables and with comparisons to sensible things they already knew, so that from these things the mind might rise to what is unknown, and by the example of visible things, be caught up to invisible ones, and through what it has learned by sight, learn to love what it does not yet know; so that those who could not grasp heavenly things might, through a worldly comparison, perceive what they were hearing. In Greek, the word means 'likeness' in Latin, through which truth is demonstrated, and in which one thing is said while another is reasonably understood. Hence he adds the admonition: saying these things, he cried out: 'Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.' The Lord adds this admonition in many places. For, according to Jerome, wherever this word is used, a mystical meaning is indicated; because under parabolic words, another sense must be sought through the intellect. And, according to Bede, 'ears to hear' are the ears of the heart and the interior senses—that is, the ears of understanding, obeying, and doing what is just. He therefore implies a threefold hearing: sensing, understanding, and obeying. The first is exterior in the body, of which he says: 'Whoever has ears'; the second is interior in the mind, of which he adds: 'to hear'; the third encompasses both, of which he adds: 'let him hear.' The first hearing is sensory, the second intellectual, and the third affective. Regarding these, the Psalm says in order: "Listen, daughter," for the first; "and see," for the second; "and incline your ear," for the third.✦ And in Job: "I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear."✦ In this, however, that Jesus... ...saying he cried out, the magnitude of his affection in preaching is touched upon. For this cry was a sign of the great affection within him. Regarding this cry of Christ, Augustine says: "The Lord Jesus Christ thundered, crying out in his words, his deeds, his voice, his life, his descent, and his ascent, so that we might return to him." He cries out to the deaf so that they may hear; he cries out to the sleeping so that they may wake up; he cries out to those passing by so that they may pay attention; he cries out to the ignorant so that they may understand; he cries out to those wandering so that they may return; he cries out to sinners so that they may repent. He cried out through His preaching, through His praying, by raising Lazarus, and finally by dying; and existing daily in heaven, He cries out to us, saying: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you." And we, miserable as we are, still ignore such cries—so says Augustine. Why did Christ speak to the crowds in parables? Then, having dismissed the crowds who didn't ask Him, He withdrew from the noise and went into the house, so that the disciples, being more worthy, might have the opportunity to seek Him and ask Him questions. His disciples approached Him as intimates—not so much in body as in their desire to learn—asking why He spoke to the crowds in parables when they themselves didn't grasp it, and begging Him to explain the parables to them. Because they perceived that Christ was speaking mystically, they sought understanding and asked for it to be explained to them. He answered them: "To you who believe, to you who are humble, to you who are obedient, to you who cling to Me and are beloved, to you who are rejected and hated by the world, to you who are willing and simply worthy, and to your followers who come to Me—to you it is given, divinely and by the grace of God, not by your own merit, to know openly and without the entanglement of parables the mysteries of the kingdom of God. This means the secrets and the understanding of Holy Scripture, which contains the statutes and decrees of that kingdom, or its hidden things, and the depth of the Evangelical truth that leads to the heavenly kingdom." Or, the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, that is, of the Church militant or triumphant. After Christ, the Apostles were the founders of the Church; it was their role to know the Church's secrets, which contained its development until the end of the world, as these things were preordained in the divine plan. This can be called the mystery of the kingdom of heaven—that is, the secret of the Church. But to the others who are on the outside—those who, with closed senses, do not care to enter in and know the truth, namely the common crowds or even the unbelieving Scribes and Pharisees—it is not given or granted to understand these things. For this reason, He spoke to them in parables, so that while seeing—that is, thinking they see—they might not see according to the truth, and while hearing—that is, thinking they understand—they might not understand the inner meaning. This is one of the reasons why the Lord spoke in parables: so that the truth might be hidden from the wicked, and the good might be exercised in searching for it. Hence it follows: 'Whoever has'—that is, the love of the Word—'to him will be given'—that is, the understanding of the Word loved—'and he will have an abundance'—that is, in terms of understanding—because to those who have devotion and faith, the true understanding of Holy Scripture is given. For it is said in Luke that He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and in addition, the development of the Church was revealed to them. Likewise, to the one who has work, understanding will be given, and he will abound in the increase of progress. Likewise, whoever has grace will be given perseverance, and he will abound in glory; for the Lord will give grace and glory, says the Psalmist. But whoever does not have it—that is, the love of the Word—even what he has or seems to have, whether through natural talent or the study of letters, will be taken away from him, because he will enjoy no sweetness of true wisdom. Thus, for those who do not have faith and devotion to the teaching of Christ, the understanding of the Old Testament Scriptures has been taken away because of their unbelief, and it has been given to the Gentiles because of their faith. Also, whoever doesn't have the work, even what they seem to have—namely, understanding—will be taken away from them, because faith without works is dead. Likewise, just as a greedy person has many riches and yet has none, so someone who doesn't have divine wisdom has none at all, because, according to Jerome, they don't know letters who are ignorant of the sacred ones. According to Ambrose, what they have is understood to be what they think they have. But in private, that is, within the house, he explained everything to his disciples. It is clear from this that he explained to them not only the parables they asked about, but others as well, even though those other explanations aren't mentioned. 14. The parable of the treasure hidden in a field describes the state of the Church after the apostolic preaching; at that time, he also spoke to the disciples in parables, proposing three others to them in addition to those already mentioned. In the first of these, regarding the treasure hidden in a field, the state of the Church following the aforementioned period is designated. Once the faith was spread throughout the world through the preaching of the Saints, many capable and learned men, such as Augustine and others, converted to the Catholic faith and began to exert themselves, turning their knowledge to the benefit of souls. He therefore likens the kingdom of heaven—that is, the heavenly homeland—to a treasure hidden in a field, which is bought by selling everything so that the treasure found there may be possessed. This labor is found in the exercise of the active life and in all the works of mercy in the governance of the Church; the hidden treasure, however, is the heavenly reward, whose riches do not yet appear clearly to everyone, according to that Psalm: 'How great is the abundance of your sweetness, which you have hidden for those who fear you!' Yet this treasure is found, though not in its fullness, since the teaching and preaching of the Saints explain it to a great degree; but whoever finds this treasure hides it, for once they know what it is, they keep it in their heart, love it in their mind, and never forget it. And for the joy of it, they travel with the feet of their mind, longing for it; they sell everything they have—that is, temporal things, the pleasures of the flesh, and earthly desires—by despising them; and they buy that field, leaving all other things behind in the Lord's field to work for the heavenly reward, longing entirely for heavenly things. They must therefore despise worldly things so that they may possess everything, and so that they may have the power to use the treasure along with the field; for heavenly riches are not possessed by anyone except through the loss of the world. This parable is told to praise virgins; and thus, the treasure in the field is virginity in the flesh. Regarding this treasure, three things must be considered: first, that it is found; second, that once found, it is hidden; third, that once hidden, it is preferred above all else. Yet it is not found in the lustful, it is not hidden in the vainglorious, and it is not preferred in the greedy. Thus, we have a threefold virtue: namely, virginity, humility, and poverty. Virginity knows how to find the treasure so that it may be possessed; humility knows how to hide the treasure so that it may not be lost; poverty knows how to prefer the treasure above all things so that it may not be held in contempt. This is the parable of the pearl found, which signifies the state of the Church when it was enriched by religious orders, especially contemplative ones. In the second parable, which is about the pearl, the state of the Church immediately following the previous one is declared; for after the state mentioned above, some began, having despised the riches and honors of the world, to aim for the contemplative life, just as blessed Benedict and others followed him in various states and grades of religious life. This state is symbolized by the pearl found in sea shells, because religious life is founded and nourished in the moisture of devotion. This pearl, however, is called one and precious. It is 'one' because it unites a person; the active life, however, divides more, and for this reason it is said that Martha was occupied with many things, but Mary was intent upon the one thing. It is also called 'precious' because the contemplative life is simply and absolutely better than the active, although in some cases the active may be more fruitful; for this reason it is said: Mary has chosen the best part. The kingdom of heaven—that is, the present Church—is therefore likened to a merchant. Just as that man sells everything out of a desire for one pearl to buy it, so this person, having found one precious pearl (the sweetness of the contemplative life), goes to the marketplace of spiritual transactions and sells everything that he... has, through the contempt of earthly things, and buys it through the effort and desire for eternal things. Morally, three things to be imitated are proposed to us in this parable: the office of the Saints, the study of morals, and the desire for eternal things. The duty is found in the trading; the study, in the seeking; the desire, in the working. Blessed is the person who knows how to trade spiritually, whether through the active life by focusing on works of mercy, through the life of perfection by leaving everything behind for Christ, or through the life of supererogation by winning souls for God through preaching. Likewise, blessed is the trader who knows how to seek not what is harmful, as the ambitious do; nor what is useless, as the curious do; but what is life-giving, as the Saints do. Likewise, blessed is the one who, having found good merchandise, knows well how to profit—the one who has departed from self through the mortification of the flesh, sold the earth for heaven through the renunciation of all things, and... —has gained it through the subjection of their own will. The parable of the net cast into the sea describes the current state of the Church. And because this state is to last until the end of the world, no other parable is placed after it except the one that signifies the end of the world: the parable of the net cast into the sea. Therefore, because He led us to the love of eternal beatitude through the parables of the treasure and the pearl, He consequently leads us into fear through the parable of the net, so that we may avoid evil and pursue good. Does the kingdom of heaven, which here represents the present Church, compare to a fishing net? It is cast because it has been entrusted to fishers, and through it, everyone is drawn from the waves of this present age into the eternal kingdom, so they won't be drowned in the depths of eternal death. It is cast into the sea—that is, into the world, which is called a sea because of its vastness and bitterness—and it gathers every kind of fish, meaning all people, both good and bad. Because it is cast into the waves of this age, it rejects no one, but catches the bad along with the good, and calls people of every kind to forgiveness. When it is full—which will happen at the end of the age, when the sum of the human race is concluded and the number of the elect is complete—they draw it out, that is, from the sea and the waves of this life, and pull it to the shore of the life to come; for, according to the Gloss, just as the sea is the age, so the shore of the sea is the end of the age. Those sitting by the shore chose the good for their vessels and cast the bad away. For now, the net of faith holds the bad and the good together, as if they were mixed fish, but the shore reveals those whom the net of the Church was drawing in. For just as good fish aren't distinguished from bad as long as the net is in the water, so in the militant Church, the bad are mixed with the good. But at the end of the world, it will be drawn to the shore for open judgment, because then the hidden things of the heart will be made manifest. Hence it is added: 'So it will be at the close of the age,' that is, at the end of the world. 'Close' is used in three ways: either because the number of the elect will then be complete; or because the state of merit will be finished; or because the succession of mutable things will cease. The angels will go out from the empyrean heaven to summon the people to be judged, and they will separate the bad from the midst of the just. Oh, how harsh a separation that will be for the wicked! Because it’s irremediable, because it’s irrevocable. They will cast them—that is, the wicked—into the furnace of hell's fire to be scorched and dried out, and thus the Church, purified, will be offered to God the Father without spot or wrinkle; for then the good will be placed in the vessels of the heavenly mansions, while the wicked are separated and thrust down into hell. So, with the wise virgins brought in and the foolish ones shut out, the door of the heavenly kingdom will be closed. And it adds regarding the punishments of the wicked when it says: 'There will be weeping' because of the heat, 'and gnashing of teeth' because of the cold. Then the wicked will repent too late and groan; too late they will be angry with themselves and indignant that they sinned with such stubborn wickedness. The torments of the wicked are spoken of openly in many places in Holy Scripture so that no one can excuse themselves through ignorance, and the punishments of hell are mentioned so often so that we might thirst and pant for heavenly joys. Then the main conclusion is set forth: for this reason the process of the Church militant was prescribed in the aforementioned parables, so that the Apostles, who were its founders after Christ, might understand this kind of process. From which it is added: 'Have you understood these things?'
The Scribe of the Kingdom
Christ exhorts his disciples to understand the mysteries of the kingdom, calling them to be like householders who bring forth treasures both new and old.
All of them? Specifically, the parables mentioned above. As if to say: It's your responsibility to understand them. Hence the Gloss: The discourse is directed to the Apostles, whom He wants not only to hear like the crowds, but also to understand. This proves that for those in leadership, it isn't enough just to hear in order to act; they must also understand in order to teach. They say to Him, "Yes, we understand." Next, He uses an exhortation to teach others when it is added: "He said to them: Therefore every scribe," that is, every teacher—for as Augustine says, the Apostles are the scribes and notaries of Christ, writing His word on the tablets of their hearts—"who has been instructed and inspired in those things which are necessary for himself and for others in the kingdom of heaven," that is, in the Church militant. Here He says three things: that he is "instructed" through the habit of knowledge; a "scribe" through the office of teaching; and in the "kingdom of heaven" through the merit of his life. "Is like a man who is a householder," that is, like Me; and this is understood as a likeness of imitation, not of equality. "Who brings out of his treasure," that is, out of the knowledge hidden in his heart, "new things and old," that is, the authorities of the New and Old Testaments, from which Testaments the net of the Church is woven; or, according to Gregory, "new" things concerning the sweetness of the kingdom, and "old" things concerning the terror of punishment, so that the penalties may frighten those whom the rewards do not invite; or "new" things through the admonition of virtues, and "old" things through the detestation of vices. From this it is clear that bishops, who are the successors of the Apostles, ought to have knowledge of both Testaments, in token of which they wear the miter on their heads with its double horn. He is well compared to the head of a household, because just as a father feeds his children with physical bread, so he feeds his faithful little ones with spiritual bread. The Lord therefore urges his disciples to understand the parables so they may know how to teach others, for they will be like him if they teach others. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, help me to leave my old life behind, so that the seed of your word—which you have sown in my intellect as a good intention, in my affection as a good work, and in my action as a good deed—may not be eaten by the birds of vainglory, may not be trampled on the path of constant distraction, may not wither on the rock of stubborn hardness, and may not be choked by the thorns of anxiety; but rather, in the good and fertile soil of a humble, compassionate, and joyful heart, may it bring forth a hundredfold fruit in patience. Help me also to understand and act upon all these things spoken in parables, and to teach others by word or at least by example. Amen. 5 9 6
Read the original Latin
Christus. — Post haec Dominus Jesus fuit ad mare piscaturus homines in terra existentes et prae turba ad eum congregata ascendens cum discipulis in naviculam, et sedens in ea, docebat turbas simplices et devotas in littore stantes. Unde Chrysostomus : « Ascendit in navem, ut post se neminem dimitteret, sed omnes auditores ante faciem haberet, et ut audiret eum populus, et videret, et visus delectaret auditum , et auditus visum. » Ubi et Beda : « Praefigurabat haec navis Ecclesiam in medio nationum aedificandam, in qua Dominus dilectam sibi consecrat mansionem. » Et proposuit Dominus turbis quatuor parabolas diversas diversis conditionibus hominum congruentes, ut pro varietate morborum, varia esset medicina; alii enim amaris, alii dulcibus , alii austerioribus , aHi lenibus delectantur cibis. Ut enim ait Hieronymus, turba non unius sententiae est; sed diversarum in singulis voluntatum , et ideo loquitur ad eam in multis parabolis, ut juxta varias voluntates, diversas reciperent disciplinas; et quasi dives paterfamilias invitatos diversis reficiens cibis, unusquisque secundum naturam stomachi sui alimenta varia susciperet. Et sciendum, secundum eumdem Hierony* mum, quod non omnia locutus sit eis in parabolis, sed multa. Si enim dixisset cuncta in parabolis, absque emolumento populi recessissent; perspicua miscet obscuris, ut per ea quae intelligunt, provocentur ad eo* rum notitiam quae non intelligunt* In his autem quatuor parabolis, et aliis tribus consequentcr sibt succedentibus , ponitur decursus Ecclesiae a praedicatione Christi usque ad finem mundi.
In prima parabola, quas est de semine projecto iti terram, cujus quarta pars tantum fecit fructum, denotatur praedicatio Chri6ti et Apostolorum qui praedicaverunt Judaeis indifferenter bonis et malis; pauci comparative crediderunt, pro majori autem parte in infidelitate remanserunt. Prima ergo est de semine, et Verbo Dei, quod exiens a Patre, quando de invisibilitate Patris mundo visibilis apparuit , seminavit in mundo, et in quatuor locis cecidit, scilicet : in terram tripliciter malam nec ferentem fructum, et in terram bonam, facientem fructum triplicem. Seminavit autem plura genera seminum. Primo seminavit legem naturalem in mente cujuslibet hominis, sicut est : Quod tibi fieri non vis, aliis ne feceris, et quod tibi fieri vis, aliis feceris; item, seminavit per Angelos rcvelationes, per Moysen Legem scriptam, scilicet praecepta et prohibitiones; per Prophetas promissiones et comminationes ; sed nunc exiit seminare per seipsum Legem Evangelicam omnibus fidelibus. Non cessat etiam semper in nostris animabus seminare, non solum cum docet, sed etiam cum creat in eis semina bona virtutum, scilicet donorum. li. xii/ergo Dei Filius de sinu Patris, non secundum divinitatem, quia sic est ubique, sed secundum humanitatem et carnis assumptionem. Unde ait Chrysostomus : « Exiit autem qui ubique est, non localiter sed Incarnatione, et per amictum carnis propinquior nobis factus.
» Exiit, inquam, qui seminat, id est qui habet officium, scientiam et gratiam seminandi, seminare semen suum, id est doctrinae verbum. Seminator ergo proprie Christus estj praedicator enim potius est cophinus seminatoris, quam seminator. Et dum seminat, id est doctrinam indifferenter spargit, aliud cecidit secus viam, id est super cor devium, per errores; vagum, per lascivias ; attritum, per carnales aflectiones ac suggestiones daemonum; et variis tentationibus vitiorum ad modum viae expositum, per carnis concupiscentias : et horum omnium sedulo transitu et frequenti meatu semen verbi conculcatur, ne germinare possit; et volucres ca*li, scilicet aerei, id est daemones, qui volucres coeli dicuntur, sive propter aeris inhabitationem, quia per aera discurrunt, sive propter naturam coelestem, quia coelestis sive spiritualis naturae sunt, sive propter velocitatem ad malum, quia ad hoc semper intendunt, comederunt illud, id est sua suggestione rapuerunt, et fructum impediverunt et sic tollunt verbum et memoriam verbi de corde, ut nec memoria, nec mens teneat quod opere exercere neglexit, ut impedito verbo impediatur fides, ne credentes salvi fiant , quia fides est ex auditu. Hi sunt qui audiunt; sed in verbi virtute non afficiuntur; unde neque nascitur, quia diabolus de corde eorum tollit. Verba ergo Dei mente retinenda sunt, et sicut semen sub terra , ita verbum Dei in memoria debet occultari ut fructificet. Quia, secundum Gregorium t sicut de ejus vita desperatur qui, languente stomacho, alimenta non retinet; sic aeternas mortis periculum formidare debet qui verba vitae, id est alimenta justitiae, in memoria non tenet. — Aliud cecidit supra petram , id est supra cor petrosum et durum ac rebelle, et protervum per superbiam ; et natum statim sole et fervore tentationis orto, aruit, et vigorem seu virorem fidei perdidit, quia non habebat altitudinem terrae, id est star bilitatem patientiae, et humorem de* votionis et gratiae. Hi sunt qui audiunt et aliquo modo afliciuntur, sed non proponunt facere quod di-» citur; unde non radicatur in eis verbum per bonum propositum.
In cordibus enim duris quandoque cito ad horam nascitur germen compunctionis, cum verbum comminationis audiunt, et statim fervore persecutionis vel cujuslibet tribulationis et tentationis arescit ; cum per impatientiam desolantur et deficiunt, quia verbum praedicationis sine humore gratiae et amore virtutis non proficit. Et hi radices non habent, scilicet profundae firmitatis et firmi desiderii, et ideo ad tempus credunt et in tempore tentationis recedunt, quia verbum prius receptum renuunt. Et sicut arbor quae saepe transplantatur, radices fixas non habet; sic hi frequenter de bono in malum mutantur et in bono non radicantur. Tentatione nempe probatur si verbum Dei radices fixerit, sicut impetu ventorum apparet si arbor bene radicata sit. Tales instabiles sunt de familia regis Saul, qui inter Prophetas erat propheta, et inter stultos stultus. — Et aliud cecidit inter spinas, id est in corda divitiarum ambitione sollicita, et sollicitudinibas earum lacerata, ac curis temporalibus nimis dedita per avaritiam ; et simul exorta? spinas, id est multiplicatae divitiae, suffocaverunt i7lud, id est impedierunt fructum praedicationis, occupando mentem, ut in ea proficere non posset fructus spirituaiis. Hi sunt qui audiunt et alficiuntur, et proponunt bonum facere, sed non proficiunt; quia suffocatur in eis bonum propositum, praevalentibus in eis curis et divitiis ct voluptatibus.
Euntes enim a loco praedicationis ad mundana, suffocantur a sollicitudinibus, quae important avaram acquisitionem , et divitiis, quae notant avaram conservationem, et voluptatibus vitae, quae important lascivam fruitionem; et fructum non referunt, quia haec tria semen spirituale fmctificare non sinunt, sicut spinae ex condensatione semen immissum suffocant et oriri non permittunt. Divitiae quippe et honores spinae sunt, quia sicut spinae suis punctionibus corpus laniant et cruentant, ac turpe et fcedum in oculis hominum reddunt ; sic amor et ambitio divitiarum et honorum, cogitationum suarum punctionibus, ac curis et sollicitudinibus, quae sunt spes acquirendi, ac timor perdendi , et sollicitudo conservandi, animam lacerant ; et cum usque ad peccatum pertrahunt, quasi inflicto vulnere cruentant, ac miseram et infelicem coram oculis Dei faciunt. Et tamen sub his sentibus esse delicias multi reputant, et quando de spiritualibus cogitare incipiunt, statim se temporalibus immiscent, ac sufFocati et emolliti rigorem virtutum amittunt. Sicut ovis conversans inter spinas, semper ibi de lana dimittit ; sic vacans curis temporalibus et mundo, multa bona spiritualia amittit. Unde Chrysostomus : a Quemadmodum spina undecunque detineatur, pungit eum qui detinet; ita et secularia undecunque detineantur, contristant eum qui constringit ea et fovet. At non spiritualia talia; sed margaritae alicui assimilantur , quae undecunque circumvolveris delectant oculos : » haec Chrysostomus. Vel, divitiae dicuntur spinae,quia punguntanimam in mundo, in judicio et in inferno. In mundo triplex est earum punctura, scilicet : laboris, in acquisitione; timoris, in possessione; et doloris, in amissione.
In judicio etiam pungent mentem, quando Dominus dicet avaris : Esurivi, et non dedistis mihi manducare; sitivi, et non dedistis mihi bibere, etc. Istae puncturae erunt ita poenosae, quod ipsi avari quasi cupiant non esse, quia dicent montibus : Cadite super nos; et collibus : Cooperite nos. In inferno etiam istae spinoc pungent animam perpetuo cruciatu, quia ex eis paratur ignis quo peccatrix aniPRIMjE partis caput lxiv. ma comburitur. Et nota ordinem istorum praedictorum trium seminum non fructificantium : primum non germinat, sed conculcatur, et ab avibus comeditur; secundum germinat, sed non multum erigitur, quia humorem non habet; tertium vero jam in stipitem elevatur, sed non fructificat, quia a spinis suffocatur. — Aliud, scilicet quartum, cecidit in terram bonam, quae est nigra per despectum, pinguis per affectum, culta per virtuosum exercitium, et sic fecunda per fructum, id est inter fidelem et devotum, et ortum fecit fructum bonorum operum. Ubi Beda : « Terra autem bona est electorum conscientia, quas omnibus praedictis tribus terris contraria facit ; quia et commendatum sibi semen verbi libenter excipit, et exceptum inter adversa et prospera constanter ad fructus usque conservat : » haec Beda.
Matthaeus non simpliciter dicit ut Lucas quod semen fructum centuplum fecit; sed ponit difFerentiam in fructificatione, dicens : aliudiocix. fructum centesimum, aliud sexagesimum, et aliud tricesimum. Ista vero triplex differentia fructuum potest considerari, primo quantum ad tres status fidelium, qui sunt incipientes, proficientes et perfecti. Incipientes sunt tanquam terra quae profert fructum tricesimum, quia sufficit ut habeant fidem Trinitatis , cum impletione Decalogi. Proficientes sunt tanquam terra quae profert fructum sexagesimum , quia non tantum habent fidem Trinitatis et servant decem praecepta; sed etiam exhibent sex opera misericordiae. Perfecti sunt tanquam terra optima, quae profert fructum centesimum, quia habent duplicem perfectionem , servantes Veteris Legis praecepta et Evangelii consilia. Iste triplex gradus, scilicet : incipientium, proficientium et perfectorum, tangitur infra in secunda parabola, ubi dicitur : Ultro enim terra fructiflcat , primo herbam, deinde spicam, et deinde plenum fructum in spica. — Secundo potest considerari quantum ad tres status salvandorum, scilicet : virgines, viduas et conjugatos.
Aliud ergo fecit fructum centesimum, scilicet in virginibus. Virgines enim nolunt multiplicari per opus carnale in aliis, sed per opus spirituale in seipsis, et ideo significantur per centenarium, qui fit ex ductu denarii in seipsum. Aliud autem fecit sexagesimum , scilicet in viduis et continentibus ; sexagesimus enim constat ex denario ducto per senarium, in quo significatur Decalogus cum senario operum misericordiae. Aliud vero facit tricesimum, scilicet in conjugatis, propter fidem Trinitatis, cum observantia Decalogi. Ubi tanguntur tres gradus castitatis. Primus est castitas conjugalis, per quem gradum vitatur illicitus concubitus, licito tamen concubitu retento in matrimoniali actu. Secundus gradus est castitas vidualis, per quem evitatur de cetero omnis concubitus, ut animus possit de cetero liberius Deo servire, licet possit licite matrimonium contrahere. Tertius gradus est virginalis, quae est superior istis, per quem omnis concubitus simpliciter evitatur, ut mens ipsa tanquam sponso suo soli Deo per amorem copuletur.
Unde Theophilus : « Qui in centum fructificant, sunt qui perfectam habent vitam, ul virgmes et eremitae; qui autem in sexaginta, qui mediocriter se habent , ut continentes, et qui in ccenobiis sunt; qui autem in triginta, qui parvi quidem sunt secundum propriam virtutem fructum ferentes, ut laici et qui in conjugio sunt. » Unde et Augustinus : « Centesimus fructus est martyrum, propter sanctitatera vitae, vel contemptum mortis; sexagenarius, virginum, propter otium interius, quia non pugnat contra consuetudinem carnis; tr icesimus vero, conjugatorum , quia haec est aetas praelianum, tiipsi enim acriorem habent conflictum, ne libidinibus superentur : » haec Augustinus. Vel tricesimum fructum affert, qui detrimentum in exterioribus bonis constanter sustinet; sexagesimum, quando sustinet detrimentum etiam proprii corporis, per flagellationem et incarcerationem, et cetera hujusmodi ; centesimum, quando contemnit etiam totam vitam per martyrium. Unde Chrysostomus : a Terra bona sunt qui abstinent se a malis, et secundum vires suas faciunt bona, et est iste fructus eorum tricesimus; si autem et omnia bona sua contemnant, et accedant ad serviendum Deo, habent sexagesimum; si autem et praeceptum imperialis sententiae de morte eorum processerit, habent centesimum. Aut, si bona eorum percussa fiierint et filii , habent sexagesimum; si autem infirmitas aliqua corporis eis contigerit, et fideliter sustinuerint , habent centesimum. Nam Job ante tentationem tricesimum habuit in facultatibus suis juste vivendo; post damna substantiae et filiorum, sexagesimum; post plagam autem corporis, centesimum fecit. Qui centesimum habet in se, et sexagesimum habet, et tricesimum. E contra, qui: tricesimum habet, sexagesimum non habet, et qui sexagesimum habet, non etiam centesimum habet.
Semper enim majus quod minus est in se habet ; illud autem quod minus est, majus in se non habet : » haec Chrysostomus. Item, ut dicit Remigius : p Semen verbi Dei tricesimum fructum facit , quando bonam cogitationem gignit ; sexagesimum, quando bonam lucutionem ; centesimum , quando ad fructum boni operis perducit. » Hi ergo per terram bonam designati, in corde bono quod intendit verbum Dei audire, et optimo quod intendit secundum haec operari , audientes verbum Dei devote, retinent fideliter in memoria, et fructum afferunt inpatientia, scilicet usqueadfinem, exspectando praemia. Quia , secundum Gregorium, dum aequanimiter proximorum mala tolerant, ef humiliter flagella suscipiunt, postmodum ad requiem sublimiter suscipiuntur.
Et adverte quod bona terra habet conditiones penitus oppositas aliis in quibus semen cecidit : quia enim hi audientes verbum retinent, est contra eos qui sunt secus viam, et venit diabolus, et tollit verbum de corde eorum ; quod autem fructum afferunt, sanctarum scilicet operationum, est contra eos qui sunt spince suffocantes Dei verbum ; quod vero hoc faciunt in patientia, est contra eos qui supra petram, qui ad tempus credunt , et in tempore tentationis recedunt. Terra ergo mala in loca secus viam, petrosa et spinosa distinguitur; sed terra bona non subdividitur, quia una est Ecclesia : una est columba mea, licet fructus et virtutes ejus subdividantur in centesimum, sexagesimum et tricesimum ; ita etiam et praemia diversa sunt, quia differt stella a stella in praemio, sicut et in merito. De semine itaque tres partes , proh dolor ! pereunt, ac una tantum salvatur et proficit; et neque hoc aequaliter, sed cum multa difterentia. Quamvis enim semen divini verbi de se sit fecundum, fit tamen ut visum est tripliciter infructuosum. Unde Theophilus : « Vide quomodo mali sunt plurimi, et pauci salvantur; quarta enim pars seminis salvata Invenitur. » Ex quo patet quod, exemplo Christi, praedicator verbi divini non debet cessare a praedicatione , licet videat inde paucos proticere; quia faciens quod in se est, meritum suum non perdit. Unde nota, secundum eumdem Theophilum, quod non dixit, quod seminans aliud projecit secus viam, et cetera; sed quod semen cecidit.
Qui enim seminat, docet rectum sermonem, sed sermo diversimode cadit in audientes, quia semen quodlibet recipitur secundum modum et dispositionem teme in qua seritur. Quae si sit fertilis et culta , profert bonum fructum ; si autem sit sterilis et inculta, germinat spinas et tribulos, vel etiam nullum fructum. Ita quod secundum variam dispositionem terrae, semen diversimode proficij ad fructum ; sic in nobis, secundum variam dispositionem cordis nostri, diversimode recipitur semen, quod Christus verus agricola de coelo nobis adduxit. Primum ergo debemus verbum Dei cum devotione audire, ac cum gaudio et desiderio suscipere; deinde intelligere, ac inter prospera et adversa utiliter conservare; et denique fructus facere, vel centesimum, vel sexagesimum, vel tricesimum. b Parabola de zizania superseMINATA : — In secunda parabola, quae est de zizania, describitur status Ecclesiae sequens immediate post mortem Christi et Apostolorum , quia diaboius fidei in cordibus fidelium seminatae invidit, et ideo post Christi et Apostolorum dormitionem per mortem , aliquos inter fideles ad perfidiam haeresis commovit, quasi seminans zizaniam in medio tritici ad ipsius destructionem. Potest autem omnis immunditia in segete %i\ania dici, ut lolium, sterilesque avenae, et alia hujuscemodi. Sicut ergo zizania bono semini, sic haereses bonis Scripturis superseminantur, et eis se admiscent. Unde Augustinus : « Neque enim natae sunt haereses et quaedam dogmata perversitatis illaqueantis animas et in profundum praecipitantis , nisi dum Scripturae intelliguntur non bene; et quod in eis non bene intelligitur, etiam temere et audacter asseritur, » -Et notandum quod Christus habet triplicem agrum suum proprium , in quo seminat triplex semen bonum : primus ager est mundus, in quo Christus seminavit semen verbi Dei, sive doctrinam veritatis; secundus ager est Ecclesia catholica, in qua Ghristus seminavit fideles homines qui sunt filii regni, id est sancti et electi viri, qui inter filios regni computantur; tertius ager est anima, in qua Christus seminat duplex semen bonum : primum semen est bona voluntas , et hoc semen debet proferre fructum bonae operationis; secundum semen est cognitio sui , mundi et Dei.
Ex cognitione sui, quasi ex quodam semine oritur dolor, secundum illud Ecclesiastes : Qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem seu dolorem. Ex cognitione mundi oritur timor, quia in medio laqueorum homo ingreditur. Ex cognitione Dei oritur amor, quia ipse est creator, redemptor, et glorificator. Primum ergo semen seminat Deus in agro afFectus, secundum, in agro intellectus; sed inimicus diabolus superseminat zizaniam, scilicet errores in intellectu , et cogitationes malas in afFectu. Hoc autem semen malum tripliciter exstinguitur : primo, igne contritionis; secundo, per praecisionem confessionis; tertio, per eradicationem satisfactionis. Studeat ergo anima fidelis, ut semen Dei in ea germinet sanctis desideriis et operibus virtuosis. Hic autem ager, scilicet anima, sepitur fide, aratur praedicatione, compluitur pluvia gratiae et rore misericordiae. Secunda itaque parabola est de zizaniis et loliis, bono 6emini superseminatis, quae describit coetum haereticorum.
Sirnile est enim regnum coslorum , id est Ecclesia militans, seu statusejus, homini, scilicet Ghristo, qui dat regnare in coelestibus , et cui servire regnare est; qui, per se et Apostolos, seminavit in agro suo, id est in mundo, seu in Ecclesia labore et sanguine Christi exculta, bonum semen, id est sanctam doctrinam et fidem catholicam, ac eos quos filios regni vocat. Et nota hic quod in istis parabolis non fit comparatio personae ad personara, sed negotii ad negotium, seu facti ad factum. Ac si diceret : Factum quod agitur circa regnum caelorum et circa Ecclesiam, simile est tali facto vel negotio.
Cum autem dormirent homines, id est custodes interius , qui ad tutelam et custodiam sunt deputati, per quos significantur praelati, quorum somno, id est negligentia, interveniente, diabolus superseminat zizaniam seu lolium« Dormiunt enim praelati tripliciter : vel cum torpent inertia, vel cum resolvuntur lascivia, vel cum premuntur ignorantia sive culpa. Haec autem dormitio non soum significat superiorum negligentiam circa custodiam gregis, sed etiam negligentiam cujuslibet circa custodiam suae propriae personae et salutis. Utramque enim negligentiam explorat diabolus : et sic per suggestionesmaias seminat zizaniam in cordibus humanis. Cum ergo dormirent, venit inimicus, id est diabolus, et superseminavit %i%aniam, id est errores et sequentes iniquitates, ac eos quos filios maligni Dominus interpretatur, in medio tritici, id est electorum, hoc est haereticos permiscuit electis. Zizania alio nomine dicitur lolium; et est feminini ^eneris in singulari, sed neutri vel feminini in plurali. Unde est versus : Est \i\ania, sunt \i%ania plura, [niatque. Et dicunt aliqui quod zizania in singulari penultimam producit, sed in plurali corripit. Vigilent ergo praepositi Ecciesiae et subditi, ne per eorum negligentiam diabolus valeat zizaniam seminare.
Cum autem crevisset herba, per profectum fidei, et fructum fecisset, per effectum operis boni, quia fides sine operibus mortua est; — tunc apparuerunt et %i\ania, per manifestationem errorum et sordium peccati, et persecutionem fidelium Christi. Et cum servi hoc Domino dicerent, ait illis : Jnimicus homo hoc fecit. Diabolus dicitur inimicus homo, quia sub similitudine rationis humanae hominem decipit; vel ex eo quod homini a principio inimiCatus sit; vel ab eventu, quia hominem vicit, sicut ab Africa dicitur Scipio Africanus, qui Africam devicit. Servi isti sunt patres antiqui, qui fiierunt in primitiva Ecclesia : qui admirantes perfidiam haeresis insurgentem in ea, accesserunt ad Deum per orationem , inquirentes unde oriretur talis perfidia , quibus fuit divinitus revelatum, quod hoc erat ex diaboli opere, Deo permittente, factum ; et hoc ut stabilitas probaretur fidelium. Diabolus quidem in mundo seminaverat tria semina pestifera, scilicet : ignorantiam obtenebrantem, culpam infrigidantem, et miseriam ignominiosam. Ideo de coelo venit ccelestis agricola, portans tria semina illis contraria, sciiicet : sapientiam illuminantem , gratiam infiammantem, et gloriam exaltantem. Seminavit quoque Christus sanctam doctrinam et fidem catholicam ; et superseminavit diabolus errores et iniquitates multiylices. Seminavit Deus in mundo pacem et fraternam caritatem; superseminavit diabolus invidiam et malam voluntatem.
Seminat etiam Deus quotidie in agro interiori , id est in mente, bona proposita; diabolus superseminat desideria carnalia. Seminat Deus in agro extepiori, id est in corpore, munditiam et puritatem; superseminat diabohis immunditiam et carnalitatem. 7 causis. — Servi autem dixerunt, id est sancti patres per orationem divinum consilium quaesierunt : Vis, imus et colligimus ea? separando malos a communitate Ecclesiae , per excommunicationem , et tandem dimittendo justitiae seculari exterminandos per mortem. Et ait : Non, ne forte colligentes %i%ania, eradicetis simul , cum eis, et triticum, id est illud quod est triticum quoad se, sicut si aliquis fidelis damnaretur sola suspicione; vel quod est triticum quoad alios , sicut si eradicatur non primo victus, tunc alii fideles scandalizantur, quia non servatur ordo juris, et sic eradicatur triticum, id est alii fideles per scandalum ; vel, quod est futuyum triticum, quia modo est aliquis malus, qui cras erit bonus. Ubi prohibetur eradicatio festinata , damnosa et suspiciosa : festinata est, quam non praecedit admonitio ; damnosa est, quando multitudo est in causa vel princeps, nisi fuerit causa manifesta redundans in injuriam Ecclesiae , unde Augustinus dicit, quod aliquando tolerandi sunt mali pro pace Ecclesiae, quando timetur de schismate; suspiciosa est, quando non habetur certitudo de alicujus haeresi vel vitio. Tales erCAPUT LXIV.
go non sunt excludendi, quia in hif tribus modis prohibetur hic eradicatio fieri. Sinite utraque, scilicet zizaniam et triticum, malos et bonos, crescere usque ad messem, id est usque ad consummationem seculi et diem judicii ; et hoc est intelligendum de illis qui non sunt notorii neque pertinaces, neque per eos imminet universale damnum Ecclesiae. Hic datur poenitentiae locus et discretionis exemplum. In hoc enim monemur ne occultorum judicium nobis usurpemus; sed Deo illud reservemus, qui tribuit unicuique juxta opera sua. Nec istud est contrarium Apostolo, qui ait : Auferte malum ex vobisipsis, quia hoc dictum Domini intelligitur de ambiguis; illud autem Apostoli, de manifestis. Hic etiam innuitur divina benignitas et patientia dilationis : sustinet enim patienter divina clementia zizanias cum tritico, hoc est malos cum bonis. Sustinet autem eos tribus de causis : prima, ut si velint convertantur, et per bonos adjuventur; secunda, ut justi plurimum Deo regratientur; quod electi sunt per gratiam de numero pereuntium, et eorum comparatione, plus nitantur ad bonum; tertia, ut bonis proficiant , et eis merita sua augeant. Prosunt enim mali bonis purgando, ut si qua est in eis peccati rubigo, eliminetur; exercitando, ut virtus in bonis latens manifestetur; ac stimulando, ut electi in via hujus exsilii segnes non efiiciantur , sed ad patriam suam festinent ; et coronando, quia dum tribulationes justis ingerunt, lapides pretiosos in corona ccelestis gloriae apponunt.
Serviunt ergo mali bonis, praedictis modis; et ideo permittuntur vivere cum eis.
Ngregatio tritici? — Deinde Dominus subjungit : Et in tempore messis, id est judicii et finalis consummationis , dicam messoribus , scilicet Angelis : Colligile primum \i\ania, id est malos, a consortio bonorum eos excludendo , et hoc quoad pcenam damni dicitur; sequitur pcena sensus : Et alligate ea in fasciculos ad comburendum, quia ministerio Angelorum separabuntur tunc mali de medio justorum, et mittentur in infernum, qui creditur esse in centro terrae, et terra vallatus undique. Et bene dicit, in fasciculos, non in uno fasce, quia unusquisque punietur pro modo perversitatis suae, et simul erunt immundi cum immundis, gulosi cum gulosis, avari cum avaris, superbi cum superbis, et sic alii impii cum suis similibus; ut qui socii fuerunt in culpa, simul torqueantur in pcena. Quoad pcenam sensus, erunt . plures fasciculi : sed unus erit quoad poenam damni. Et subditur : Jbi erit fletus, id est dolor vehemens ex damno, scilicet pro carentia visionis divinae et exponitur pro tristitia et dolore, quia forte non erunt ibi corporales lacrymae ; et stridor dentium, id est passio urgens ex poena sensus, et tormento , scilicet pro poenarum acerbitate. In quo signatur duplex poena inferni : una ex parte mentis, scilicet tristitia vehemens , quae significatur per fletum ; et alia ex parte corporis, quae significatur per stridorem dentium. Vel fletus, ex calore dissolvente; et stridor dentium y ex frigore constringente.
Unde Job : Ab aquis nivium, transibit ad calorem nimium. Deinde sequitur : Triticum autem, id est fideles et electos, qui in area hujus mundi sunt triturati flagellis, afflictionibus et tentationibus variis, ita ut in eis nulla sit palea vel macula, congregate in horreum meum, sciHcet ccelestium mansionum. Et tunc justi fulgebunt sicut sol, et hoc per dotem claritatis, ex gloria animae ad*corpus redundante. Ubi Chrysostomus : <c Non quia ita solum sicut sol, sed quia hoc sidere aliud magis luculentum non noscimus, 'cognitis nobis utitur exemplis : » haec Chrysostomus. Comparatur autem gloria justorum soli, maxime quoad ipsorum corpus, quia anima glorificata multo pulchrior erit sole. In sole autem quatuor dotes corporis glorificati notantur, scilicet : claritas, quia in creaturis inferioribus nihil sole est clarius; agilitas, quia exiens ab Oriente, statim apparet in Occidente; subtilitas, quia transit per vitrum illaesum; impassibilitas , quia radius ejus non laeditur, nec maculatur. Et subditur : In regno Patris eorum. Ergo tanquam filii Regis accipient regnum decoris.
O quam gloriosum est regnum! In quo sancta societas, quia justi; in quo perfecta claritas, quia fulgebunt; in quo perfecta delectabilitas, quia sicut sol, dulce enim lumen est etdelectabile; in quo sublimis dignitas, quia in regno; in quo paterna caritas, quia Patris eorum.
Hanc parabolam secundam tangit Marcus, faciens tantum mentionem de bono semine, quod ad solos electos pertinet, qui, tanquam triticum et frumentum, in horreum aeternae beatitudinis colligentur , quando \i\ania et lolium in caminum ignis mittentur. Unde comparat regnum coelorum, id est Ecclesiam, quae a Deo regitur et homines regit, homini jacienti semen in terram y etc. Per semen intelligitur verbum vitae, quod homo, scilicet Christus, seminavit in corda humana; et dormivit per mortem. Exsurgit autem semen, nocte et die, ac germinat et crescit, quia post somnum Christi numerus credentium per adversa et prospera germinavit in fide, et crevit in opere, dum nescit ille, hoc est nescire nos facit, quem scilicet fructum usque in finem afferat. Et terra ultro fructificat, quia voluntate adducitur, ut fructum faciat, primo herbam, deinde spicam, et tandem plenum fructum. Ex semine enim isto recepto in aliquo homine, primo concipitur timor divinorum judiciorum, et significatur per herbam , quae est quid imperfectum; et quia ex timore cessat homo a malis, et incipit se exercere in bonis, ideo secundo concipitur spes divinorum beneficiorum, quae significatur per spicam, in qua est jam spes grani futuri ; tertio ex hoc datur caritativus amor, qui habet opus perfectum, et ideo significatur per plenum granum, quia, ut dicit Apostolus : Plenitudo Legis est dilectio. Vel, terra fructificat primo herbam , deinde spicam , deinde plenum fructum : hoc est timorem, pcenitentiam et caritatem. Illi qui generant herbam, id est timorem, sunt incipientes , qui debent incipere a timore; sicut enim herba est principium spicae, sic timor Domini est principium vitae, et initium sapientia?
. Uli qui generant spicam, id est poenitentiam duram , sunt proficientes; qui sicut delectati sunt in peccatis, sic debent se affligere in pcenitentia et lamentis. llli qui producunt plenum fructum , id est caritatem et bonorum operum plenitudinem, sunt perfecti, qui habent caritatem Dei et proximi ; quia plenitudo Legis est dilectio siveczxxtas, et tunc est homo dispositus, ut de statu gratiae transeat ad gloriam. Et ideoDominus tunc mittit falcem, id est mortem, abscindendo justos de praesenti vita, ut transferat ad gloriam, quoniam adest messis, id est collectio justorum in patria. Secundum Gregorium, semen homo jacit in terram, cum cordi suo bonam intentionem inserit. Et postquam semen jactaverit , dormit , quia jam in spe boni operis quiescit. Nocte vero exsurgit ac die, quia inter adversa et prospera proficit. Et semen germinat, et zncrescit dum ille nescit, quia et cum adhuc metiri incrementa sua non valet, semel concepta virtus ad profectum ducitur.
Et ultro terra fructificat, quia praeveniente se gratia, mens hominis spontanea ad fructum boni operis assurgit. Cum ergo desideria bona concipimus, semen in terra mittimus; cum vero operari recta incipimus, herba sumus; cum autem ad profectum opus trahimus, ad spicam pervenimus ; cumque in ejusdem operis perfectione solidamur, jam plenum frumentum in spica proferimus. Omnipotens autem Deus in productum fructum falcem mittit, et messem suam desecat; quia cum unumquemque ad opera perfecta perduxerit, ejus temporalem vitam per immissam sententiam incidit, ut granum suum ad ccelestia horrea perducat. Vide ergo ne sis tantum in herba vel spica, et maturitatem exspectes in purgatorii pcena; non enim fructum immaturum congregat Deus in horreum suum. Nullus tamen qui ad bonum propositum adhuc inmentis teneritudine esse conspicitur, despiciatur : quia frumentum Dei ab herba incipit ut granum fiat. i o Parabola de grano sinapis, in HjERESEON SURRECTIONEM. — In tertia parabola, quae est de grano sinapis, describitur Ecclesiae status sequens immediate post surrectionem haereseon, quia contra haereses insurgentes suscitavit Dominus in Ecclesia doctores sanctos litteratos, ut per rationem et Scripturam confutarent haereticos; et licet p-imo fuerint humiles et abjecti, tamen divina dispositione fuerunt postea exaltati. Tertia ergo parabola est de exaltatione Ecclesiae , ac praedicationis fidei et Evangelii, ln qua comparatur regnum ccelorum grano sinapis.
Simile est enim regnum coslorum, id est praedicatio Evangelii, quae dicitur regnum, quia docet regere manum, cujus cives sunt opera, regere os, cujus cives sunt verba, regere cor, cujus cives sunt cogitationes et desideria. Simile est grano sinapis, qui calefacit in amore; venenum expellit, id est errorem, caput purgat, id est mentem; qttod accipiens homo, scilicet Christus a Patre, seminavit, et per se et per discipulos suos, in agro suo, id est in mundo; quod minimum est omnibus seminibus, id est omnibus disciplinis, vel quia vix ei in principio creditur, vel quia docet quae in mundo minima et vilia reputantur; quia ampullositati verborum non innititur. Cum autem creverit, per divulgationem majus est omnibus oleribus, id est scientiis, physicis, naturalibus, et poeticis, quas dicuntur olera, quia cito decidunt; nec fructum aeternum, sed temporalem habent, et fit arbor alta, per ejus sublimationem , fructifera per ejus utilitatem, ita ut volucres cceli, id est animae credentium coelos affectantium, vcniant, per fidem, et habitent, per amorem, in ramis ejus, id est in dogmatibus; vel volucres, id est praedicatores, qui ut nubcs volant, veniant, studendo, et habitent, meditando etoperando, in ratnis ejus, id est diversis expositionibus et sententiis. Quatuor enim rami sunt : historia, tropologia, allegoria, anagoge. Unde, regnum ccelorum, potest hic intelligi primitiva Ecclesia : quae ratione humilitatis, paupertatis et parvae multitudinis, quae videbatur etiam abjecta, sed virtute estmagna; vel, pro fervore fidei, quae modica videbatur propter scandalum crucis, sed fervida est . propter calorem dilectionis, parvo grano sinapis comparatur ; quod cum sit minimum, quantitate, tamen est magnum in virtute et calore, quae crevit in arborem magnam, quia ubique orbis est expansa, habens stipitem per spem, et ramos exaltatos per dilectionem Dei, dilatatos per caritatem proximi. Alta est, quia ad coelestia sustulit, ampla, quia totum mundum occupavit. Quam arborem ascendit Zachaeus ut Christum videret, quia nisi in Ecclesiae et fidei arbore Christus non videtur.
Et volucres cceli, id est principes hujus mundi, alta petentes, vel alti intellectu, scilicet hujus mundi sapientes, habitant in ramis ejus, et ei subjecti reguntur ejus consilio. Vel, volucres, id est Sancti, qui pennis virtutum in alta ascendunt, et ad praemia ccelestium bonorum volare contendunt, habitant in ramis ejus, id est in diversis eju^ sententiis spiritualibus . Rami Evaugelicae arboris sunt dogmatum diversitates, ut pro varietate morborum, varia sit medicina ; in quibus unaquaeque volucrum, id est animarum justarum, requiescit. Volucres enimcceli sunt animae fideles, quae cor a terrenis levantes ad ccelestia per desiderium volant; et, neglectis temporalium rerum cupiditatibus , sursum cor habent in ccelestibus, atque in Sanctorum dictis et consolationibus respirant, et requiescunt ab hujus vitae fatigationibus. Unde Psalmista : Quis dabit pennas sicut columbce, et volabo et requiescam? Assumamus ergo et nos pennas columbae, ut ad altiora volantes possimus in ramis hujus arboris habitare, et nidulos doctrinarum nobis facere, terrenaque fugientes, ad coelestia festinare. Magnum quoque et fervens sit nobis desideriumexaitandi fidemnostram, ut Dominus Jesus Christus ab omnibustimeatur. cognoscatur et ametur.
PRIMjE partis caput LXIV. 1 1 Parabola de fermento, in qua describitur status ecclesi^ seQUENS EXALTATIONEM SaNCTORUM. — In quarta parabola, quae est de fermento, describitur status Ecclesiae sequens exaltationem praedictorum Sanctorum , quia per diligentiam eorum ad praedicandum, jam fides ubique est divulgata. In hac ergo parabola comparat regnum ccelorum fermento , quod acceptum mulier abscondit in tribus farince fatis. Est autem satum mensura in Palaestina capiens unum modium et dimidium. Regnum coelorum est Ecclesia militans, in qua Deus per fidem regnat, vel doctrina fidei, quae regnum coelorum praedicat ; mulier autem Dei sapientia, vel diligentia Sanctorum ad praedicandum usquequaque fidem catholicam. Tria vero sata farinae, sunt tres parteS mundi, scilicet : Asia, Africa et Europa, vel tres linguae, scilicet : Hebraea, Graeca et Latina. Fermentum autem, licet in Scriptura frequentius accipiatur in malo, eo quod est corruptivum , tamen quia aliud est fermentum zizaniae, et aliud fermentum tritici , hic accipitur in bono tantum ; et propter virtutem alterandi, significat verbum Evangelicum, quod ad fidem transmutavit magnam partem mundi , et adhuc amplius transmutabit ipsum.
Unde in figura, in Pentecoste, quae celebratur a Judaeis propter beneficium Legis datae, quinquagesima die ab exitu de ^Egypto, quae fuit Evangelii figura offerebantur duo panes de simila fermentata. Mulier ergo, id est Dei sapientia, vel Sanctorum diligentia, accepit fermentum, quod propter calorem intrinsecum et inclusum,LegemE vangelicam quae est Lex amoris, et fervorem fidei, significat; et abscondit seu posuit in tribus farina? satis, donec fermentaretur totum. Hoc enim fermentum positum fuit in tribus mundi partibus a tempore Apostolorum; et amplius ponetur donec fermentetur totum, et multiplicetur fides Trinitatis per totum mundum, quia inde totum pene mundum jam fermentatum et vivificatum in Ecclesiae corpus crevisse videmus ; sicut modicum fermenti magnam farinae massam transmutat in suiipsius virtutem, ac vivificat et crescere facit. Secundum Bedam, mulier, id est anima sancta, abscondit per rectam intentionem a mundi laudibus occultando fermentum, id est dilectionem in tribus satis farina>, id est in tribus modis diligendi, scilicet : ex toto corde, ex tota anima , et ex tota mente ; vel, in tribus animae viribus, scilicet : rationali, concupiscibili, irascibili, in quibus caritas sive doctrina absconditur, donec totam mentem in sui perfectionem commutet; quod quidem hic inchoatur, sed in futuro perficitur. Secundum Hilarium, farina est plebs ex diversis collecta; tria sata, triplex status fidelium, scilicet Noe, Daniel, Job, vel quia de tribus filiis Noe processit totum genus humanum, cui Dei sapientia fidem et caritatem , et sanam doctrinam commendat in praesenti , donec totum fermentetur, id est donec in fine mundi, completo numero electorum, fideles ad resurrectionis gloriam perveniant, et tunc perfecta calefient caritate ; modo enim est ignis parvus, sed tunc erit caminus. 1 2 Parabola quid sit et de modo audiendi Dominum ? — Ha>c omnia, scilicet praedicta et talia multa, /ocutus est Jesus ad turbas in parabolis; et licet alia multa sine parabolis dixerit turbis, tunc tamen nihil sine parabolis dixit eis, ut scilicet moverentur ad interrogandum de auditis.
Quia enim hominibus rudibus loquebatur de regno Dei, opus erat induci eos talibus parabolis» et rerum sensibilium eis cognitarum similitudinibus ad divinorum arcana, ut ex his quae animus novit, surgat ad incognita, et exemplo visibilium, rapiatur ad invisibilia, ac per ea quae visu didicit, discat amare quae non novit; ut qui coelestia capere non poterant, per similitudinem terrenam audita perciperent. UapaSokri enim Graece , similitudo dicitur Latine, pcr quam veritas demonstratur, et in qua aliud dicitur, et aliud rationabiliter intelligitur. Unde subdit admonitionem : Hcec dicens, clamabat : Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat. Hanc admonitionem addit Dominus in locis pluribus. Nam, secundum Hieronymum, ubicunque ponitur hoc verbum, designatur mysticus intellectus; quia sub verbis parabolicis, alius sensus est per intellectum requirendus. Et, secundum Bedam, aures audiendi sunt aures cordis et sensus interiores, scilicet aures intelligendi , obediendi , et faciendi quae justa sunt. Innuit ergo triplicem auditum, scilicet : sentiendi, intelligendi, obediendi. Primus est exterior in corpore, de quo dicit : Qui habet aures; secundus interior in mente, de quo subdit : Audiendi; tertius utrumque complectens, de quo addit : Audiat.
Primus auditus est sensitive, secundus intellective, tertius affective. De his dicitur in Psalmo per ordinem : Audi, filia, quoad primum; et vide, quoad secundum; et inclina aurem tuam, quoad tertium. Et in Job : Auditu auris audivi te. In hoc autem quod Jesus ha? c dicens clamabat, tangitur magnitudo affectus ejus in praedicando. Clamor enim iste signum erat magni affectus in ipso. De hoc Clamore Christi dicit Augustinus : « Intonuit Dominus Jesus Christus clamans, dictis, factis, voce, vita, descensu, ascensu, ut redeamus ad eum. Clamat surdis, ut audiant; clamat dormientibus, ut evigilent; clamat transeuntibus, ut attendant; clamat ignorantibus, ut intelligant; clamat errantibus, ut redeant; clamat peccatoribus, ut poeniteant.
Clamavit quippe praedicando, clamavit orando, clamavit Lazarum resuscitando, clamavit tandem moriendo; quotidie in coelis existens clamat ad nos, dicens : Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos. Et nos miseri adhuc tantos clamores contemnimus : » haec Augustinus. i3 Cur Christus in parabolis turbis loqueretur? — Tunc, dimissis turbis, quae eum non interrogaverunt, et secedens a tumultibus, venit in domum, ut discipuli tanquam digniores haberent opportunitatem quaerendi et interrogandi eum. Et accesserunt ad eum discipuli ejus, tanquam familiares, non tam corpore, quam discendi voluntate, quaerentes, quare in parabolis, loqueretur turbis, cum ipsi non caperent; et petentes ut eis parabolas exponeret. Quia enim percipiebant Christum mystice loqui, quaesierunt intellectum et sibi exponi. Qui respondens, ait : Vobis, credentibus, vobis humilibus, vobis obedientibus, vobis mihi adhaerentibus et dilectis, vobis mundo abjectis et odiosis, vobis volentibus, et simpliciter dignis, ac vestris sequacibus ad me accedentibus, datum est, divinitus, et ex gratia Dei, non ex merito vestro, nosse aperte sine parabolarum involutione mystcria regni Dei, id est secreta et intelligentiam sacrae Scripturae, quae continet statuta atque decreta illius regni seu abdita, et profunditatem veritatis Evangelicae, quae (J^cit ad regnum coeleste. Vel, mysterium regni ccelorum, id est Ecclesiae militantis sive triumphantis.
Apostoli enim erant quasi fundatores Ecclesiae post Christum; et ideo ad ipsos pertinebat scire secreta Ecclesiae, de quibus erat processus Ecclesiae usque ad finem mundi, quia ista erant futura in divina dispositione praeordinata; et istud potest hic vocari mysierium regni coelorum, id est secretum Ecclesise. Ceteris autem qui foris sunt, qui clausis sensibus non curant intrare et cognoscere veritatem, scilicet vulgaribus turbis, seu etiam Scribis et Pharisaeis incredulis, non est datum neque concessum ista intelligere, et propter hoc loquebatur eis talia parabolice, ut videntes, id est videre se reputantes, non videant secundum veritatem, et audientes, id est intelligere se putantes, non intelligant, sententiam interiorem; nam haec est una causarum quare Dominus loquebatur in parabolis, ut scilicet veritas occultaretur malis, et boni ad inquirendum exercerentur in eis. Unde sequitur : Qui habet, scilicet amorem verbi, dabitur ei, scilicet intelligentia verbi amati, et abundabit, scilicet sensu intelligendi, quia habentibus devotionem et fidem datus est verus sacrae Scripturae intellectus. Dicitur enim in Luca, quod aperuit eis sensum ut intelligerent Scripturas; et exabundanti revelatus est eis Ecclesiae processus. Item, qui kabet opus, dabitur ei intellectus et abundabit augmento profectus. Item, qui habei gratiam, dabitur ei perseverantia, et abundabit gloria : quia gratiam et gloriam dabit Dominus, ait Psalmista. Qui autem non habet, scilicet amorem verbi, et quod habet aut videtur habere, scilicet naturali ingenio, vel litterarum studio, auferctur ab eo, quia nulla verae sapientise gaudebit dulcedine. Unde non habentibus fidem et devotionem ad Christi doctrinam intellectus Scriptur-e Veteris Testamenti ablatus est, propter eorum increduJitatem ; et datus est Gentibus, propter eorum fldem.
Item, qui non habet opus, id quod videtur habere, scilicet intelligentia, auferetur ab eo, quia fides sine operibus mortua esU Item, sicut avarus multas habet opes et nullas; sic qui non divinam sapientiam habet, nullam habet, quia, secundum Hierony^ mum, litteras nescit, qui sacras ignorat. Secundum Ambrosium, intelligitur, quod habet, id est quod se putat habere. Seorsum autem, scilicet in domo, discipulis suis disserebat omnia. Unde patet quod non solum parabolas, de quibus eum interrogabant, sed etiam alias ibidem eis exposuit, licet de aliarum expositione mentio non fiat. 14 Parabolade thesauro abscondito, in qua descjubitur status, ecclesije post priedicationem apoSTOLiCAM, — Et tunc etiam in parabolis locutus est discipulis, proposuitque eis tres parabolas alias a praedictis. In quarum prima, quae est de thesauro abscondito in agro, designatur status Ecclesiae sequens post praedictum ; quia, divulgata fide in orbe terrarum per praedicationem Sanctorum, multi valentes et litterati viri, ut Augustinus et alii, ad fidem catholicam conversi, inceperunt se exercere, et scientiam suam ad utilitatem animarum convertere. Assimilat ergo regnum ccelorum, id est ccelestem patriam, thesauro ab&condito in agro, qui ager, omnibus venditis, emitur, ut thesaums ibidem inventus habeatur. Agtr iste labor est in exercitio vitae activae, et operibus omnibus misericordise in regimine Ecclesiae ; thesaurtts autem absconditus est praemium coeleste, cujus divitiae nondum oiaanibus apparent manifeste, secundum illud Psalmi : Quam magna muUitudo dulcedinis tuoe, quam abscondisti timentibus te !
Invenitur tamen iste thesaurus, etsi non ad plenum, quoniam Sanctorum doctrina et praedicatio qualis quantave sit, ex magna parte declaratur; hunc autem thesaurum inventum abscondit, qui cognito qualis sit, corde retinet et mente diligit, ejusque nullo modo obliviscitur. Et prce gaudio illius vadit pedibus mentis ipsum affectando ; et vendit universa quce habet y temporalia ac voluptates carnis, et desideria terrena contemnendo; et emit agrum illum, omnibus aliis dimissis in agro Dominico propter coeleste praemium, laborando et totaliter coelestibus inhiando. Contemnere ergo secularia debet, ut totum possideat, et ut sit ei potestas utendi thesauro cum agro; quia coelestes divitiae non nisi damno seculi possidentur ab aliquo. Ad laudem virginum exprimitur ista parabola; et sic thesaurus in agro est virginitas in carne. Circa istum thesaurum consideranda sunt tria : primum est, quod inveniatur; secundum, quod inventus abscondatur; tertium, quod absconditus ceteris praeponatur. Non autem invenitur in luxuriosis, non absconditur in vanigloriosis, non praeponitur in avaris. Sic ergo habemus triplicem virtutem, scilicet : virginitatis, humilitatis et paupertatis; virginitas novit thesaurum invenire, ut habeatur; humilitas novit thesaurum abscondere, ne amittatur; paupertas novit thesaurum omnibus praeponere, ne vilipendatur. 1 5 Parabola de margarita inventa, in qua signatur status ecclbsle -quando ditata fuit ordinibus religiosis maxime contemplativis.
— in secunda parabola, quae est de margarita, declaratur status Ecclesiae immediate sequens praecedentem ; ^uia post statum praedictum inceperunt aliqui, contemptis mundi divitiis et honoribus, intendere vitae contemplativae, sicut beatus Benedictus et alii sequentes eum in diT 5 9 3 versis statibus et gradibus religionum. Et iste status figuratur per margaritam, quae invenitur in conchiliis maris, quia religio fundatur et nutritur in humore devotionis. Ista autem margarita dicitur una et pretiosa. Una, quia hominem unit; activa autem vita magis dividit, et propter hoc dicitur quod Martha erat circa multa occupata, Maria vero circa unum intenta. Dicitur etiam pretiosa, quia vita contemplativa simpliciter et absolute melior est quam activa, licet in casu activa sit magis fructifera; propter quod dicitur : Maria optimam partem elegit. Assimilat ergo regnum c&~ lorum, id est praesentem Ecclesiam, homini negotiatori, quia sicut homo ille unius margaritae desiderio omnia vendit, et emit eam ; sic et ista, inventa una pretiosa margarita, scilicet dulcedine vitae contemplativae, vadit, ad forum spiritualium mercationum, et vendit omnia qua? habet, per contemptum terrenorum, et emit eam, per conatum et desiderium aeternorum. Moraliter in hac parabola proponuntur nobis tria imitanda, scilicet : officium Sancto\ rum, studium morum, desiderium aeternorum.
Officium notatur, in negotiando; studium, in quaerendo; desiderium, in operando. Felix qui novit negotiari spiritualiter, sive quantum ad statum actionis, operibus misericordiae intendendo ; sive quantum ad statum perfectionis, pro Christo omnia relinquendo; sive quantum ad statum supererogationis, per praedicationem animas Deo lucrificando '. Item, felix negotiator, qui novit quaerere non nociva, sicut ambitiosi ; non inutilia, si cut curiosi; sed salubria, sicut Sancti! Item, felix qui, inventis bonis mercibus, bene novit lucrari, qui scilicet abiit a se, per carnis mortificationem ; vendidit terram pro coelo, per omnium abrenuntiationem ; et compa5g4 PRIMjE partis caput lxiv. ravit eam, per propriae voluntatis subjectionem ! 16 Parabola de sagena missa in mare, in qua prjesens ecclesi^ status describitur. — Et quia iste status duraturus est usque ad finem mundi, ideo non ponitur alia parabola post istam, nisi illa quae finem mundi significat, quae est de sagena in mare missa. Igitur quia sub parabola thesauri et margaritae induxit nos ad aeternae beatitudinis amorem, consequenter sub parabola sagenae, inducit nos in timorem, ut mala caveamus et bona sectemur.
Assimilat ergo regnum coelorum, quod hic notat praesentem Ecclesiam, sagena? , quia piscatoribus est commissa, et per eam quisque ad aeternum regnum de praesentis seculi fluctibus trahitur, ne aeternae mortis profundo mergatur, missa? in mare, id est in mundum, qui dicitur mare propter magnitudinem et propter amaritudinem ; et ex omni genere piscium, id est hominum, congreganti, scilicet bonorum et malorum, quia missa in hujus seculi fluctibus, nullum respuit, sed malos cum bonis capit, et omnis generis homines ad veniam vocat. Quam, cum impleta esset, quod erit in fine seculi, quando humani generis summa concluditur, et numerus electorum impletur, educentes, scilicet de mari et de fluctibus vitae hujus, et trahentes ad littus vitae alterius ; quia, secundum Glossam, sicut mare seculum, ita Httus maris est finis seculi ; etsecus littussedentes, perimmortalitatem, elegerunt bonos invasa sua,malos autem foras miserunU Nunc enim malos bonosque communiter quasi permixtos pisces sagena fidei continet; sed littus indicat quos sagena Ecclesiae trahebat. Nam sicut non distinguuntur boni pisces a malis, quandiu sagena est intra aquas ; sic in Ecclesia militante permixti sunt mali cum bonis. Sed in fine mundi trahetur ad littus pef apertum judicium, quia tunc erunt manifesta abscondita cordium. Unde subditur : Sic erit in consummatione seculi, id est in fine mundi, et dicitur consummatio tripliciter : vel quia tunc completus erit numerus electorum; vel quia terminabitur status meritorum; vel quia cessabit successio rerum mutabilium. Exibunt Angeli, de ccelo empyreo ad convocandum populum judicandum, et separabunt malos de medio justorum, O quam dura se-* paratio quippe malis!
quia irremediabilis, quia irrevocabilis. Et mittent eos, scilicet malos, in caminum ignis inferni, torrendos et exsiccandos, et sic Ecclesia purgata offeretur Deo Patri sine macula et ruga; tunc enim boni mittentur in vasa ccelestium mansionum, malis separatis et detrusis in infernum. Sic introductis prudentibus virginibus, et exclusis fatuis, claudetuf janua regni ccelestis. Et subditur de pcenis malorum, cum dicitur : Ibi erit fletus, prae ardore, et stridor dentium, prae frigore. Tunc sero mali pcenitebunt et ingemiscent, sero sibiipsis irascentur et indignabuntur quod tam pertinaci improbitate deliquerint. Aperte in multis locis sacrae Scripturae dicitur de tormentis malorum, ne quis se excuset per ignorantiam, et toties commemorantur supplicia gehennalia, ut sitiamus et anhelemus ad gaudia ccelestia. 17 — Deinde ponitur conclusio principalis : ad hoc enim in praedictis parabolis praescriptus est processus Ecclesiae militantis, ut Apostoli qui erant ipsius fundatores post Christum intelligerent hujusmodi processum. Unde subjungitur : Intellexistis ha?
c omnia? scilicet parabolas praedictas. Quasi dicat : Ad vos pertinet intelligere eas. Unde Glossa : m Ad Apostolos fit sermo, quos non tantum vult audire ut populos, sed et jam intelligere. Et est argumentum quod non sufficit majoribus tantum audire ad faciendum, sed oportet etiam intelligere ad docendum. » Dicunt ei, etiam, scilicet, intelligimus. Deinde utitur exhortatione ad alios docendum, cum subditur : Ait illis : Ideo omnis Scriba, id est doctor, ut enim dicit Augustinus, Apostoli sunt Scribae et notarii Christi verbum ejus signantes in tabulis cordis, doctus et inspiratus in his quae necessaria sunt sibi et aliis, in regno ccelorum t id est in Ecclesia militante; ubi tria dicit : quod sit doctus, per habitum scientiae; Scriba, per officium doctrinae; iit regno ccelorum, per meritum vitae, similis est homini patrifamilias, id est mihi; et intelligitur de similitudine imitationis, non aequiparationis; qui profert de thesauro suo, id est de scientia sua in corde abscondita, nova et vetera, id est auctoritates Novi et Veteris Testamenti, ex quibus Testamentis contexta est Ecclesiae sagena; vel, secundum Gregorium, nova, Ae suavitate regni, et vetera, de terrore supplicii, ut scilicet poenae terreant, quos praemia non invitant; vel, nova, per admonitionem virtutum, et vetera, per detestationem vitiorum. Ex quo patet quod Episcopi, qui sunt successores Apostolorum, debent habere notitiam utriusque Testamenti, in cujus signum portant mitram in capite cum cornu duplici.
Et bene comparat eum patrifamilias, quia sicut paterfamilias habet pascere filios pane corporali, sic iste parvulos fideles pane spirituali. Hortatur ergo Dominus discipulos quod parabolas intelligant, ut alios docere sciant, quia ideo similes ei erunt, si alios docebunt. ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, fac me de veteri vita exire, ne semen verbi tui, quod in meo intellectu, boni propositi, quod in meo afFectu, boni operis, quod et in meo actu seminasti, comedatur a volucribus inanis gloriae, ne conculcetur in via assiduitatis, ne areat in petra durae obstinationis, et ne suffocetur in spinis sollicitudinis; sed potius in terra bona et optima cordis humilis, compatientis et hilaris, centesimum fructum afferat in patientia. Fac etiam me haec omnia in parabolis dicta intelligere et facere, ac verbo, vel saltem exemplo, alios docere. Amen. 5 9 6
Scripture echoes
- ↩Eccl.1.18 — For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
- ↩Matt.13.25 — but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away
- ↩Matt.13.24-Matt.13.30 — He put before them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field." Matt.13.25 — but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away Matt.13.26 — But when the wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. Matt.13.27 — But the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where then does it have weeds?' Matt.13.28 — But he said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' Matt.13.29 — But he said, 'No, lest while gathering the weeds you uproot the wheat along with them.' Matt.13.30 — Let both grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, 'First gather the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.'
- ↩Ps.54.7 — He will turn evil back upon my enemies; in your faithfulness, put an end to them.
- ↩Ps.44.11 — You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have plundered for themselves.
- ↩Job.42.5 — I had heard of you with the hearing of my ear, but now my eye has seen you.
Notes
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