Bonaventure

The numbered footnotes below correspond to markers in both the Latin body above and the English translation; Quaracchi restart their numbering on every printed page, so the labels are qualified by page.

SERMO III.

De sanctissimo corpore Christi³

Summarium

Introductio; sex defectus humanae miseriae, et sex effectus divinae misericordiae, numero 1. — His sex respondent sex figurae, quae in Scriptura praefigurant ss. corpus Christi, 2. — Pars I. De prima et secunda figura. Prima est figura pinguedinis, quia Sacramentum valet ad repletionem inanium. Figura in Genesi; tria necessaria ad conservandum divinum fervorem; unde eucharistia data est in viaticum refectionis ad conservandam internam delectationem, in Sacramentum communionis ad conservandam dilectionem proximi, in sacrificium oblationis ad conservandam devotionem; haec facit ut pinguedo, 3. — Primum effectum contra quatuor, quae hominem affligunt, insinuat figura, 4. — Secundus effectus pinguedinis: quadruplex dilatatio dilectionis proximi, 5. — Tertius effectus ipsius: quatuor conservant devotionem ad Deum, 6. 7. — Secunda est figura panis, quoad refectionem esurientium. Panis datus Eliae. Quatuor facta ab Elia significant quatuor praestanda, ut digne hoc Sacramentum sumatur, 8. — Primo oportet fugere mundi consolationem; secundo, componere se ad vitae honestae religionem; tertio, habere subiectionem ad praelatum; quarto, habere Dei excitationem, 9-12. — Quatuor fructus dignae sumtionis: ipsa confortat ad actionem, sublevat ad contemplationem, disponit ad divinorum revelationem, animat ad mundi contemptum et aeternorum bonorum desiderium, 13-16. — Pars II. De tertia et quarta figura. Tertia est figura mellis, quoad illuminationem in tenebris sedentium, secundum figuram Ionathae gustantis paululum mellis; qui fecit quatuor ad significandum quatuor a sumente eucharistiam facienda, 17. — Primo habeat conatum meliorationis; secundo, victoriam tentationis; tertio, patrocinium B. Virginis; quarto, praesidium illuminatae operationis, 18-21. — Cum Ionatha tunc accipiuntur quatuor fructus: illuminatur rationalis, incitatur concupiscibilis, fortificatur irascibilis, totus homo mundo mortificatur, 22-25. — Quarta est figura agni paschalis in Exodo, quoad reconciliationem in umbra mortis sedentium. Ex hac figura eliciuntur quae homo debet habere ante accessum, in accessu, post accessum, 26. — Ante accessum, quatuor, 27. — In ipso accessu, quatuor, 28. — Post accessum habeat quatuor fructus, 29. — Pars III. De quinta et sexta figura. Quinta figura est thesauri caelestis, quoad ditationem mendicantium. Thesauri absconditi promittuntur Ecclesiae in Isaia; quatuor in eucharistia the-

-sauri absconditi, scilicet omnis essentiae, sapientiae, gratiae, gloriae, 30. — Singuli explicantur, 31. — Iste thesaurus est absconditus propter quatuor rationes, 32-35. — Sexta figura est manna, quoad mollificationem cordium ferreorum. Ex ista figura in Exodo relata eliciuntur quatuor eucharistiae proprietates, 36. — Est enim cibus genere nobilissimus, sapore suavissimus, continentia dignissimus, efficacia mirabilissimus, 37-40. — Ex eadem eliciuntur quatuor a sumente eucharistiam facienda, 41. — Epilogus, 42.

1. Confiteantur Domino misericordiae eius, et mirabilia eius filiis hominum; quia satiavit animam inanem et animam esurientem satiavit bonis, sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis, vinctos in mendicitate et ferro. Istud verbum scribit David Propheta¹, in quo excitat nos ad gratiarum actiones, cum dicit: Confiteantur Domino etc. Subiungit rationem, cum dicit: Quia satiavit etc. Volens ergo Propheta excitare corda nostra ad gratiarum actiones, ostendit in hoc verbo multiplices defectus nostrae miseriae, nihilominus multiplices effectus divinae misericordiae. — Dicit enim hic, quod homo inanis erat, homo esuriebat, homo in tenebris sedebat, in umbra mortis iacebat, vinctus in mendicitate et ferro. — Inanis erat, quia non habebat² Deum in se per inhabitationem. Esuriebat, quia non habebat spiritualem refectionem. In tenebris sedebat, quia non habebat divinam cognitionem. In umbra mortis iacebat, quia iudicatus erat in damnationem. Vinctus erat in mendicitate, quia non habebat virtuosam operationem. Vinctus erat ferro, quia habebat cordis obstinationem.

Confiteantur ergo Domino etc., quia ipse replevit animam inanem, satiavit esurientem, illuminavit in tenebris sedentem, reconciliavit in umbra mortis iacentem, ditavit mendicantem, mollivit³ ferreum cor habentem. — Homo erat inanis, et ipse se dedit ei per inhabitationem. Homo esuriebat, et ipse se dedit ei per refectionem; in tenebris sedebat, et ipse se dedit ei in cordis illuminationem; in umbra mortis iacebat, et ipse se dedit ei in reconciliationis oblationem. Homo vinctus erat in mendicitate, et ipse se dedit ei in virtuosam operationem; vinctus erat ferro, id est corde obstinato, et ipse se dedit ei in cordis mollificationem. Confiteantur ergo Domino etc., quia ipse est repletio inanium, refectio esurientium, lumen in tenebris sedentium, reconciliatio in umbra mortis iacentium, ditatio mendicantium et ferreorum mollificatio cordium. — Haec omnia tanguntur in verbis thematis⁴, sicut patet.

2. Et propter haec sex sub sex figuris praefiguratum est corpus Christi in Scripturis, videlicet sub figura adipis sive pinguedinis, sub figura panis, sub figura mellis, sub figura agni paschalis, sub figura thesauri caelestis et sub figura mannatis. — Quia enim pinguedo est quid⁵ penetrativum, ideo valet ad repletionem inanium, quoad primum. Quia panis est quid confortativum, ideo valet ad refectionem esurientium, quoad secundum. Quia mel est oculorum purificativum, ideo valet ad illuminationem in tenebris sedentium, quoad tertium. Quia agnus paschalis est quid immolativum, ideo valet ad reconciliationem in umbra mortis iacentium, quoad quartum. Quia thesaurus est quid desiderativum, ideo valet ad ditationem mendicantium, quoad quintum. Quia manna est quid liquefactivum, ideo valet ad mollificationem cordium ferreorum, quoad sextum. Confiteantur ergo Domino etc.

3. Primo, quia praefiguratur nobis corpus Christi sanctissimum sub figura pinguedinis, et hoc recte. Corpus enim Christi datum est nobis ad conservandum in corde divinum fervorem; qui conservatur tripliciter: per delectationem intra semetipsum, per dilectionem ad proximum et per devotionem ad Deum. Delectatio autem intra semetipsum non habetur nisi per viaticum refectionis; dilectio autem ad proximum⁶ habetur per Sacramentum communionis; devotio ad Deum habetur per sacrificium oblationis. Et ideo ad haec tria datum est corpus Christi, videlicet in viaticum refectionis, ut conservet delectationem intra semetipsum; in Sacramentum communionis, ut conservet dilectionem ad proximum; in sacrificium oblationis, ut conservet devotionem ad Deum. Et haec tria facit pinguedo: delectabiles

enim facit cibos, quos infundit, quoad primum; dilatat pellem, quam perungit, quoad secundum; flammam sublevat¹, quam attingit, quoad tertium.

4. Quia ergo pinguedo delectabiles reddit cibos, significat corpus Christi, quod² magnam delectationem homini facit intra semetipsum, qui illud devote comedit. Et hoc figuratum est Genesis penultimo³: Aser, pinguis panis eius, et praebebit delicias regibus. Iste panis magnas delicias homini infundit, quia tollit omne, quod affligit. Quatuor enim affligunt hominem in hac vita: impotentia, ignorantia, malitia et concupiscentia; et haec quatuor inflicta sunt homini propter originale peccatum; Psalmus⁴: Afflictus sum et humiliatus sum nimis, et statim subiungit causam dicens: Dereliquit me virtus mea, quoad impotentiam; et lumen oculorum meorum non est mecum, quoad ignorantiam; amici mei et proximi mei adversum me appropinquaverunt et steterunt, quoad concupiscentiam⁵ — amicos enim et proximos vocat carnem cum concupiscentiis, et tamen adversarios, quia caro concupiscit adversus spiritum, ad Galatas quinto — et qui iuxta me erant de longe steterunt, quoad malitiam. — Contra haec quatuor in praemisso verbo⁶ datur corpus Christi sub figura panis Aser, panis pinguis, panis delicias praebens, panis regum. — Panis regum dicitur, quia confortando reges facit, contra impotentiam, ut scilicet rex, id est recta ratio, sedens in solio iudicii, id est⁷ in gubernatione recta animae, dissipet omne malum intuitu suo, sicut dicitur in Proverbiis. — Dicitur etiam corpus Christi panis pinguis, quia illuminat, contra ignorantiam. Pinguedo enim in testa posita vel lampadi infusa dat usum luminis. — Dicitur etiam panis delicias praebens contra carnis concupiscentias⁸. Iste enim panis est habens omne delectamentum et omnis saporis suavitatem, Sapientiae decimo sexto⁹. — Dicitur etiam panis Aser, qui interpretatur beatitudo, quia totum hominem beatificat, contra omnem malitiam. Virtus enim huius panis est, ut transmutet hominem in Christum, qui est summe beatus per essentiam et beatificans alios per gratiam. Unde Dominus dixit ad beatum Augustinum¹⁰: « Non tu me mutabis in te, sicut cibum carnis tuae, sed tu mutaberis in me ».

5. Secundo, datum est nobis corpus Christi in Sacramentum communionis ad conservandam dilectionem ad proximum; et ideo bene significatur per pinguedinem. Sicut enim pinguedo dilatat pellem, quam perungit; sic corpus Christi dilatat animam, quae ipsum devote comedit. Dilatat autem ad omnem partem positionis, videlicet supra et infra, ad dexteram, ad sinistram, ante et retro; et propter hoc dicitur Ieremiae trigesimo primo¹¹: Inebriabo animam sacerdotum pinguedine. — Pinguedinem, qua animam sacerdotum inebriat, hic vocat Sacramentum altaris, quo animam digne sumentium ad caritatem inflammat, quae vehementer animam ad omnem positionem dilatat; et propter hoc subiungitur: Et populus meus bonis meis adimplebitur. Populum hic vocat¹² totam Ecclesiam, tam militantem quam triumphantem. Postquam enim anima sacerdotis inebriata fuerit ex huius virtute Sacramenti pinguedine dilectionis, statim replet totam Ecclesiam bonis. Ex abundantia caritatis dilatatur supra usque in caelum, offerendo Deo¹³ ad honorem Sanctorum in caelo regnantium; dilatatur infra usque ad purgatorium, quia offert pro redemptione inibi existentium; dilatatur ad dexteram, quia offert pro salute amicorum et benefactorum; dilatatur ad sinistram, quia offert pro salute inimicorum et persecutorum; dilatatur retro¹⁴, quia offert pro salute antecessorum suorum; ante, quia offert pro salute omnium praedestinatorum usque ad diem iudicii futurorum.

6. Tertio datum est nobis corpus Christi in sacrificium oblationis, ut conservet devotionem ad Deum; et ideo bene significatum est in pinguedine;

quia, sicut pinguedo igni superfusa sublevat flammam in altum, sic divinissima eucharistia, a devoto corde suscepta, rapit ipsum per devotionem ad Deum. Et propter hoc dicitur in Psalmo¹: In nomine tuo levabo manus meas. Sicut adipe et pinguedine repleatur anima mea, et labiis exsultationis laudabit os meum. Sicut enim vas repletum adipe et pinguedine, non valens continere interius, redundat exterius; sic corpus Christi, cum animam repleverit pinguedine devotionis, eructat exterius in labiis exsultationis. — Tanguntur autem quatuor in isto verbo, quae solent conservare devotionem ad Deum, videlicet rectitudo intentionis, consuetudo orationis, devotio communionis et consecutio gratiarum actionis. Et istud debet ita ordinare homo, quod primo praeparet rectam intentionem, postea se ipsum excitet per orationem, et ex tunc devote accedat ad communionem, et ultimo resolvat os in gratiarum actionem.

7. Primo debet habere rectam intentionem: quia non debet homo offerre hoc sacrificium propter favorem hominum, vel propter carnale commodum sive propter lucrum temporalium; sed pure propter honorem divinum, propter utilitatem proximorum et propter augmentum suorum meritorum. Et propter hoc dicitur hic: In nomine tuo, iuxta illud Apostoli²: Omne, quodcumque facitis in verbo aut in opere, omnia in nomine Domini Iesu Christi facite. — Debet etiam accedens ad hoc Sacramentum esse excitatus ad orationem; non enim tepido corde debet aliquis accedere, quia sic mereri posset obstinationem. Et propter hoc dicitur hic: Levabo manus meas, videlicet per orationem, iuxta illud Apostoli ad Timotheum³: Volo, viros in omni loco orare, levantes puras manus, scilicet ad Dominum. — Et sic tertio devotus debet accedere ad communionem; unde subditur: Sicut adipe et pinguedine repleatur anima mea. — Et ultimo, impinguatus per devotionem⁴ et inflammatus per dilectionem, debet erumpere in gratiarum actionem; ideo subiungitur: Et labiis exsultationis laudabit os meum. — Confiteantur ergo Domino misericordiae eius, quia praefiguravit nobis primo corpus suum sub figura pinguedinis.

8. Secundo praefiguravit nobis hoc sanctissimum corpus suum in forma panis, de quo ipse dicit Ioannis sexto⁵: Ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi; et ibidem: Panis, quem ego dabo, caro mea est pro mundi vita. — Iste est panis, quem attulit Angelus Eliae, sicut dicitur tertii Regum decimo nono: Respexit Elias, et ecce, ad caput eius subcinericius panis et vas aquae. Panis subcinericius est corpus Christi, qui bene subcinericius dicitur, quia velatur accidentibus; per cineres significantur accidentia, et sub illis cineribus accidentium latet refectio nostrarum mentium. Quod autem dicitur, quod erat ibi vas aquae, hoc additur⁶ propter sanguinis Christi mysterium. Quod autem panis iste allatus est per angelicum ministerium, significat, quod cum conficitur hoc Sacramentum, ibi adest maximus exercitus Angelorum. Gregorius in Dialogo⁷: « Cui fidelium dubium est, in ipsa immolationis hora ad vocem sacerdotis caelos aperiri, ima summis sociari, terrena caelestibus iungi, unumque ex visibilibus atque invisibilibus fieri? Sed cum haec agimus, necesse est, ut prius coram Deo nosmetipsos Deo in compunctione cordis in ara mactemus ».

Sed priusquam Elias venerat ad huius panis refectionem, quatuor legitur fecisse⁸: quia reliquit puerum, venit in desertum, sedit subter iuniperum et habuit suscitatorem Angelum; ad significandum, quod quatuor debet habere qui digne ad hoc Sacramentum vult accedere. — Primo debet fugere mundi consolationem; debet intrare religionem; debet ibi habere respectu praelati subiectionem; debet habere ad

Deum devotionem¹. Et haec sunt illa quatuor, quae supra diximus.

9. Primo ergo debet fugere mundi consolationem. Cum enim in hoc Sacramento sit plenitudo consolationis spiritualis; et talis[?] non detur admittentibus alienam consolationem, ut dicit[?] Bernardus²: ideo necesse est, ut qui vult attingere[?] consolationem spiritualem dimittat delectationem[?] carnalem. Et est quod dicitur hic, quod cum venisset in Bersabee, reliquit ibi puerum suum. Bersabee interpretatur fons satietatis et significat Christum, in quo est omnis plenitudo gratiarum. Hanc plenitudinem³ qui attingit omnem delectationem mundi relinquit; et hoc est quod ibi subditur: Reliquit ibi puerum suum. Quid per puerum nisi carnalem delectationem accipimus? Quem puerum nos relinquere docebat Apostolus⁴, cum dicebat: Nolite pueri effici sensibus, sed malitia parvuli estote. Ille ergo relinquit puerum, qui relinquit puerilem mundi modum.

10. Secundo qui digne vult accedere ad hoc Sacramentum debet se componere ad vitae honestae religionem. Et hoc est quod dicitur hic, quod Elias perrexit in desertum. Desertum significat statum religiosum, quia dicitur a deserendo; et ibi deseruntur omnia temporalia. Deseruntur enim ibi divitiae per votum paupertatis, deliciae per votum castitatis, honores et dignitates mundanae per abnegationem⁵ voluntatis propriae. Et nihil tam nocivum est in mundo, sicut ista tria; Ioannes in Canonica⁶: Omne, quod est in mundo, aut est concupiscentia carnis, aut concupiscentia oculorum, aut superbia vitae. Et quia per haec tria animas peccatrices captivat diabolus, etiam per haec tria animas religiosas impugnat; quod significatum est Deuteronomii octavo⁷, quod in deserto erat serpens flatu adurens, id est diabolus tentans per superbiam; et dipsas siti interficiens, id est diabolus tentans per avaritiam; et scorpio vultu blandiens et cauda pungens, id est diabolus tentans per carnis concupiscentiam.

11. Tertio debet habere respectu praelati subiectionem; et hoc est quod dicitur hic, quod Elias sedit subter unam iuniperum. Iuniperus, ut dicit Isidorus⁸, est arbor, cuius cineres conservant ignem per totum annum. Quid ergo per iuniperum significare possumus nisi bonum praelatum? Cinis iuniperi est humilitas praelati, quae solet conservare in pectoribus⁹ subditorum ignem mutuae dilectionis et calorem fervidae devotionis.

12. Quarto debet habere respectu Dei devotionem, et hoc est quod dicitur hic¹⁰, quod Angelus suscitavit eum. Quid significatur per Angelum nisi divinae gratiae donum? Angelus enim interpretatur nuntius. Tunc enim Deus quasi Angelum ad nos mittit, quando gratiam nobis immittit. Et iste Angelus semel et iterum excitat, quia divinae gratiae donum semper ad proficiendum nos in spiritu instigat. — Sed qui¹¹ digne ad hoc Sacramentum accedit vacuus non recedit. Et ideo nota, quod quatuor sunt, quae haurire solent in hoc Sacramento qui digne accedunt.

13. Hoc enim Sacramentum confortat ad actionem, sublevat ad contemplationem, disponit ad divinorum revelationem, animat et accendit ad mundi contemptum et ad caelestium aeternorumque bonorum desiderationem. Et ideo dicitur hic, quod Elias in fortitudine cibi illius ambulavit, usque ad

montem Dei pervenit, secreta divina vidit et in ostio speluncae stetit; et haec sunt illa quatuor.

Primum ergo, quod haurit anima devota in hoc Sacramento, est, quod confortatur¹ ad actionem. Unde dicitur hic: Et ambulavit in fortitudine cibi illius quadraginta diebus etc. Iste cibus significat corpus Christi, in cuius fortitudine homo laborat, dum in spirituali vita proficere non cessat. Ambulat autem quadraginta diebus. In quadragenario est denarius per quaternarium ductus. Per denarium significatur decalogus, ad quem reducitur totum vetus testamentum. Per quaternarium significantur quatuor Evangelia, ad quae reducitur totum novum testamentum. Ambulare igitur in fortitudine cibi illius quadraginta diebus est proficere in spirituali vita toto tempore nostro, quo regitur² vita nostra per novum et vetus testamentum.

14. Secundo, sublevatur ad contemplationem³; unde dicitur hic, quod pervenit ad montem Dei. Quid per montem significare possumus nisi mentis sublevationem? Ad hunc montem Moyses pervenerat, de quo legitur Exodi tertio⁴: Moyses pascebat oves, ibi notatur exercitium actionis. Postea minavit gregem ad interiora deserti, in quo designatur reductio omnium actionum et affectionum ad intima cordis. Et pervenit ad montem Dei, in quo notatur sublevatio mentis ad caelestia. Et ibi apparuit ei Dominus, quia ex tunc datur animae actus contemplationis. Apparuit autem ei in flamma ignis. Ignis habet calefacere et illuminare, ad significandum, quod quando anima pervenit ad gratiam contemplationis, et intellectus haurit lumen cognitionis et affectus incendium dilectionis.

15. Tertio, disponitur ad divinorum secretorum revelationem; et ideo dicitur hic⁵, quod Dominus dixerit Eliae: Egredere et sta in monte coram Domino; et ecce, Dominus transit, et spiritus grandis et fortis subvertens montes et conterens petras ante Dominum; non in spiritu Dominus; et post spiritum commotio; non in commotione Dominus; et post commotionem ignis, non in igne Dominus; et post ignem sibilus aurae tenuis, ibi Dominus. Ibi enim revelatum est Eliae, quod Dominus non est in spiritu superbiae, non in commotione impatientiae, non in igne cupiditatis sive carnalis concupiscentiae; sed in sibilo aurae tenuis, id est in tranquillitate pacatae conscientiae; Psalmus⁶: In pace enim factus est locus eius, et habitatio eius in Sion.

16. Quarto, animatur ad contemptum mundi et ad caelestium bonorum desiderationem. Et hoc est quod dicitur hic⁷, quod Elias operuit vultum suum pallio et egressus stetit in ostio speluncae. Quando enim anima sublevatur ad videndam illius pulcritudinis immensitatem et virtutis divinae infinitatem, statim resilit in propriam parvitatem et cooperit⁸ vultum suum per profundam humilitatem, et egreditur de mundi cupiditate, et stat in ostio speluncae, id est, suspirat ad aeternitatem. Per speluncam enim significatur corpus humanum, per ostium exeundi desiderium. Et propter hoc quasi in ostio stabat, quia exire desiderabat. — Confiteantur ergo Domino, quia secundo praefiguravit nobis corpus suum sanctissimum in figura panis.

17. Tertio praefiguravit nobis corpus suum reverendissimum in figura mellis. Et propter hoc dicitur Proverbiorum vigesimo quarto⁹: Comede, fili, mel, quia bonum est, et favus dulcis gutturi meo. Per favum mellis significatur Sacramentum dominici corporis; et bene per mel significatur, quia mel delectat gustum et secundum medicos habet purificare visum. Ita Christus delectat affectum et illuminat intellectum. Bernardus¹⁰: « Iesus, dulcedo cordium, fons vivus, lumen mentium, excedit omne gaudium et omne desiderium ». Per hoc, quod dicit, quod est dulcedo cordium, delectare habet affectum; et per hoc, quod est lumen mentium, illuminare habet intellectum. — Quod autem Christus sit mel, dicit Bernardus super Canticum¹¹: « Iesus mel est in ore, melos in aure, iubilus in corde ». Et alibi: « Iesus, decus angelicum, in aure dulce canticum, in ore mel mirificum, in corde pigmentum caelicum ». Hoc mel produxit nobis apis nostra, Virgo Maria, iuxta illud

Ecclesiastici undecimo¹: Brevis in volatilibus apis, et initium dulcoris habet fructus eius. — Apis est Virgo beata, quae brevis dicitur, quia inter omnes Sanctos humillima. Huius fructus habet initium dulcoris, quia Dominus Iesus Christus, qui fuit fructus ventris eius, non solum fuit dulcis, sicut mel, immo super mel et favum; unde Bernardus: « Super mel et omnia Iesu dulcis praesentia ». — Sicut ergo praefiguratur corpus Christi sub figura panis, et hoc ad refectionem esurientium; ita praefiguratum est sub figura mellis ad illuminationem in umbra mortis sedentium; et hoc est quod dicitur primi Regum decimo quarto², quod Ionathas gustavit de melle, et illuminati sunt oculi eius. — Sed quia quatuor sunt necessaria homini digne accedenti ad hoc Sacramentum; ideo quatuor legitur Ionathas fecisse³, priusquam venisset ad gustandum favum mellis: ascendit laboriosam viam, convertit totum exercitum Philistinorum in fugam, tenuit in manu sua virgam et ad os suum applicuit manum suam; ad significandum, quod digne accedens ad hoc Sacramentum debet habere conatum meliorationis, victoriam tentationis, patrocinium beatae Virginis et praesidium illuminatae operationis.

18. Primo ergo debet habere conatum meliorationis; et propter hoc legitur de Ionatha, quod ascendit reptans manibus et pedibus, ad significandum, quod desiderium magnum debet habere semper proficiendi, crescendi et ascendendi de virtute in virtutem, secundum illud Psalmi⁴: Beatus vir, cuius est auxilium abs te, ascensiones in corde suo disposuit in valle lacrymarum, in loco, quem posuit. Etenim benedictionem dabit Legislator; ibunt de virtute in virtutem; videbitur Deus deorum in Sion. Et quia nullus est ad hoc idoneus, nisi qui applicet ad hoc omnes vires animae et corporis; ideo dicitur Ionathas reptasse manibus et pedibus. Bernardus⁵: « Haec est quotidiana exercitatio mea: assidue scopo spiritum meum et cum omnibus amabilibus tuis quasi manibus et pedibus et totis innitens viribus sursum tendo ad te; sed quanto tendo fortius, tanto detrudor durius in terram, in memetipsum et sub memetipsum, et respiciens memetipsum, factus sum mihi ipsi de memetipso laboriosa et taediosa quaestio ».

19. Secundo debet habere victoriam tentationis⁶; et propter hoc legitur de Ionatha, quod convertit totum exercitum in fugam, ad significandum, quod in omnibus tentationibus debet pervenire ad victoriam qui vult digne accedere ad Sacramentum altaris.

20. Tertio debet habere patrocinium beatae Mariae Virginis⁷ qui vult gustare huius mellis dulcedinem in Sacramento altaris absconditum; et propter hoc legitur Ionathas in manu sua tenuisse virgam, priusquam veniret ad dulcedinem melleam. Per virgam significatur Virgo Maria in Scriptura, secundum illud Isaiae undecimo⁸: Egredietur virga de radice Iesse, et flos de radice eius ascendet. Ille ergo in manibus tenet virgam, qui in omni operatione sua habet beatae Virginis memoriam, cuius extensione mel attingitur, quia non nisi patrocinio beatae Mariae Virginis ad virtutem huius Sacramenti pervenitur. Et propter hoc, sicut per eam hoc sacratissimum corpus nobis datum est, ita per manus eius debet offerri et per manus eius accipi sub Sacramento, quod nobis praestitum est et natum ex eius utero. Bernardus⁹: « Quidquid illud sit, quod offerre paras, beatae Mariae manibus recommendare memento, ut eodem alveo gratia ad largitorem gratiae refluat, quo influxit. Forte enim manus tuae aut sanguine plenae, aut infectae muneribus, eo quod eas ab omni munere non excussisti ».

21. Quarto debet habere praesidium illuminatae operationis qui digne vult accedere ad mysterium

corporis Christi. Sicut enim dicit Apostolus ad Thessalonicenses¹: Qui non vult operari, sive qui non laborat, non manducet. Hoc perfectissime debet servari circa manducationem corporis Christi; nullus enim ad huius Sacramenti perceptionem est idoneus, nisi qui exercitatus est per bonam operationem. Et propter hoc dicitur de Ionatha, quod applicuit manum suam ad os. Quia manibus laboramus, ideo in Scripturis per manus operatio significatur; ore vero quia manducamus, ideo hoc nomine oris significatur actus manducationis. Manum ergo² ad os applicat qui ipsi manducationi corporis Christi adhibet exercitium bonae operationis.

22. Sed quia digne manducanti augmentari solet donum gratiae, ideo quatuor bona legitur Ionathas accepisse in degustatione mellis, ad significandum, quod quatuor effectus gratiae in Sacramento accipit qui digne accedit³. — Ibi enim illuminatur rationalis ad cognoscendum summum verum; et ideo legitur hic⁴, postquam Ionathas gustavit mel: Illuminati sunt oculi eius. Qui enim frequentat istud Sacramentum cum fervore devotionis de die in diem proficit in illuminatione mentis. Et propter hoc dicitur hic: Vidistis ipsi, quia illuminati sunt oculi mei, eo quod gustaverim paululum de melle isto.

23. Secundo, ibi incitatur concupiscibilis ad summum bonum quaerendum; qui enim digne accedit ad hoc Sacramentum magis et magis in intimis suis delectatur. Et hoc est quod dicitur de Ionatha⁵: Gustans gustavi paululum mellis. Notabile est quod dicit: Gustans gustavi. Cum enim illa dulcedo gustatur, concupiscibilis magis ad gustandum incitatur et magis dilatatur; ideo, quia gustando gustat, ex gustu semper desiderium ampliat. Unde Bernardus⁶: « Gustus spiritualis incitamentum est amoris et irritamentum desiderii »; idem: « Qui te gustant esuriunt, qui bibunt adhuc sitiunt, desiderare nesciunt nisi Iesum, quem diligunt ». Et bene subiungit paululum mellis, quia, quantumcumque homini detur in hac vita degustatio ampla, tamen in comparatione illius plenitudinis supernae non est nisi paululum mellis.

24. Tertio, fortificatur irascibilis ad exstirpandum omne malum. Et propter hoc legitur, quod Ionathas, confortatus de gustu mellis, persecutus est Philisthaeos usque Hailon⁷. Philisthaei interpretantur duplex ruina et significant vitia, quae ruere faciunt animam et corpus morte aeterna. Hailon interpretatur inquisitio vitae et significat aeternam vitam, quam ibi perfectissime acquiremus. Haec enim temporalis vita non est dicenda vita, sed potius mors, sicut dicit Gregorius⁸. Ionathas ergo, confortatus de melle, id est vir factus de corpore Christi, persequitur Philisthaeum usque Hailon, id est vitia exterminare non cessat, donec vitam aeternam possideat.

25. Quarto, homo mundo mortificatur ad vivendum secundum Deum. Et hoc est quod dicitur hic de Ionatha. Postquam dixit: gustans, videlicet paululum de melle, consequenter subiunxit: ecce, ego morior, ad significandum, quod quemcumque dulcedo huius Sacramenti perfundit, hunc mundo funditus exstinguit. Et hoc est desiderium Sanctorum; unde Iob: Suspendium elegit anima mea, et mortem ossa mea; haec enim hominis exterioris mortificatio est summa interioris vivificatio. Unde dixit Dominus Moysi: Non videbit me homo et vivet, quia non nisi post istam mortificationem pervenitur ad Dei visionem. Quia ergo « visio Dei est tota merces », sicut dicit Augustinus⁹; et non pervenitur ad Dei visionem nisi per mortificationem: ideo beatus Augustinus desiderabat hanc mortificationem dicens: « Fac me, Domine, tuo desiderio et tuo amore huic mundo funditus exstingui et omnium transeuntium rerum vanitatem oblivisci prae magnitudine amoris tui, ut de temporalibus nec lugeam nec gaudeam nec blandis corrumpar nec adversis concutiar ». — Confiteantur ergo Domino misericordiae eius, quia praefiguravit nobis corpus suum sub figura mellis.

26. Quarto praefiguravit nobis corpus suum sub figura agni paschalis; Exodi duodecimo¹: Tollat unusquisque agnum per familias et domos suas. Agnus autem erit absque macula. Iste Agnus praevisus fuerat per Prophetam; unde Isaias: Emitte Agnum, Domine, dominatorem terrae. Iste Agnus fuit sine macula, quia venerat tollere peccata mundi; Ioannis primo: Ecce, Agnus Dei; et ecce, qui tollit peccata mundi. — Agnus iste paschalis significat corpus Christi, ideo determinatur nobis hic, qualis debeat esse homo, antequam accedat; qualis in ipso accessu; et quot fructus recipiat post ipsum accessum.

27. Ante enim quam accedat, debet homo habere quatuor. Debet enim habere respectum ad universitatem; debet se disponere ad idoneitatem; debet accendi ad caritatem; debet venire ad fidei integritatem. — Primo ergo accedens debet habere respectum ad universitatem. Non enim sacerdos in persona sui solius, sed in persona universitatis debet offerre; et hoc est quod dicitur hic²: Immolabitque eum universa multitudo filiorum Israel. Per manus enim omnium viventium debet offerre pro redemptione in purgatorio existentium, et per manus vivorum et mortuorum ad laudem et gloriam omnium sanctorum Angelorum et hominum in vita aeterna regnantium, et per manus universitatis ad honorem sanctae Trinitatis. — Secundo debet se praeparare ad idoneitatem; et hoc est quod subiungitur³: Et sument de sanguine eius ac ponent super utrumque postem et in superliminaribus domorum, in quibus comedent illum. Per duos postes et superliminare, quae faciunt ostium in domum, significantur tria in anima, per quae Deus ingreditur in habitaculum cordis, videlicet rationalis, per quam Deus ingreditur ut lux sive claritas; concupiscibilis, per quam ingreditur Deus ut dulcedo et bonitas; irascibilis, per quam ingreditur ut gloria et immensitas⁴. Haec tria sanguine tinguntur, quando circa passionem Christi occupantur. Rationalis sanguine Agni tingitur, quando Sacramenti veritatem miratur. Concupiscibilis tingitur, quando, cognita veritate, Christo passo compatiens, amaricatur. Irascibilis tunc tingitur, quando, cognito Christo passo, ad imitationem animatur. — Tertio debet accendi ad caritatem; et hoc est quod additur⁵: Et edent carnes nocte illa assas igni. Per ignem istum caritas significatur, quam iussit Dominus in ara cordis semper ardere. In hoc igne dicuntur carnes corporis Christi assari, quia non nisi in caritate debent manducari. Ille ergo crudas carnes comedit, qui ad Sacramentum sine caritate accedit. Sed qui crudas carnes comedit, vitam in periculo ponit; ita manducans corpus Christi et non habens dilectionem meretur aeternam damnationem. — Quarto debet habere fidei integritatem; et hoc est quod adiungitur: Caput cum pedibus eius et intestinis vorabitis. Per caput significatur Divinitas, caput enim Christi est Deus, sicut dicit Apostolus⁶. Pedes, humanitas; Deus enim ubique est et non potest moveri de loco in locum; quasi ergo pedes assumsit, quando in assumto homine de loco ad locum ambulavit. Hos pedes dum Tobias, id est Christus, lavit in flumine, id est, exposuit in cruce; piscem absorbere eos volentem, id est diabolum, « manifestando eius nequitias » vicit. Intestina sunt circa hoc Sacramentum inattingibilia; quae omnia debet homo vorare, quia omnia debet fideliter credere, etiam quae non potest intellectu attingere. Debet enim credere, ibi esse verum corpus Christi, quod traxit de beata Virgine; est autem ibi per transsubstantiationem, anima vero est ibi per naturalem colligationem, Divinitas est ibi per inseparabilem unionem. Sunt etiam ibi utriusque naturae intestina, id est sacramenta inexplicabilia. Et ideo qui non potest huius Sacramenti altitudinem intellectu capere debet hoc potestati Spiritus sancti committere; et hoc est quod dicitur hic⁷: Si quid residuum fuerit, igne comburetis.

28. Debet etiam homo quatuor habere in accessu, videlicet primo in carne continentiam, in affectu munditiam, in animo passionis memoriam, in desiderio vitam aeternam. — Primo ergo debet habere in carne continentiam; unde dicitur hic⁸

Renes vestros accingetis. In renibus est sedes luxuriae, et ideo renes accingit qui per continentiam fluxum libidinis restringit. — Secundo debet habere in affectu munditiam; et hoc est quod additur¹: Calceamenta habebitis in pedibus. Per pedes enim in Scriptura affectus significantur, quia, sicut corpus movetur pedibus, sic anima movetur suis affectibus; et hi pedes debent calceari, id est, ab omni terrenitate abstrahi; sed quia nihil ita tenet affectus nostros mundos, sicut meditatio Scripturarum, ideo hortatur nos Apostolus, ut simus calceati in praeparatione Evangelii pacis. — Tertio dicitur hic²: Tenentes baculos in manibus etc. Per baculum significatur crux. In isto enim baculo Iacob, id est Christus, transivit Iordanem, id est fluxum mundi, et reduxit secum duas turmas, id est multas animas ex gentibus et Iudaeis congregatas. Baculum ergo in manibus tenet qui memoriam passionis Christi in animo tenet; et hoc iussit Dominus, cum hoc Sacramentum instituit dicens³: Hoc facite, quotiescumque sumitis, in meam commemorationem. — Quarto debet habere in desiderio vitam aeternam; et hoc est quod subiungitur⁴: Et comedetis festinanter, ad significandum, quod qui manducat hoc Sacramentum debet festinare ad plenitudinis eius cumulum. Per huius enim dulcedinis gustum provocatur ad plenum gaudium; et hoc est quod additur: Est enim phase, id est transitus, Domini. Unde iste Agnus datus est in figura filiis Israel in exitu de Aegypto, ad significandum, quod qui devote accipit hoc Sacramentum transit de hoc mundo ad Deum.

29. Tertio notandum, quod quatuor fructus percipit qui digne ad hoc Sacramentum accedit. Et propter hoc post esum Agni huius quatuor Dominus facit: terram Aegypti pertransit, primogenita percutit, in diis Aegypti iudicium facit et insignitos sanguine a plaga custodit, ad significandum, quod digne communicantibus consolationem immittit, fomitem minuit, amorem mundi tollit et in die iudicii securos reddit. — Primo ergo consolationem immittit; et hoc est quod dicitur⁵: Et transibo per terram Aegypti. Aegyptus tenebrae interpretatur et significat cor humanum nondum perfecte illuminatum. Hoc Dominus pertransit, quando consolationem immittit; et bene pertransit, quia ibi mansionem non facit, quia ipsum habile ad hoc non invenit. Tamdiu tamen potest pertransire, quod ibidem poterit sibi habitaculum facere, iuxta illud quod dicitur in persona fidelium quarti Regum quarto⁶: Animadverto, quod vir Dei sanctus est iste, qui transit per nos frequenter. Faciamus ergo ei coenaculum parvum, id est, praeparemus ei habitaculum cordis; et ponamus ei in eo candelabrum propriae cognitionis, mensam internae refectionis, sellam quietae mansionis, et lectulum contemplationis, ut, cum venerit ad nos, maneat ibi. — Secundo fomitem⁷ minuit; ideo additur: Percutiam omne primogenitum in terra Aegypti. Quid sunt primogenita nisi carnis vitia, quae sunt nobis a primis parentibus ingenita? Et haec Dominus percutit, quando fomitem carnis imminuit; imminuit, dico, non omnino tollit, quia, sicut dicit Bernardus⁸, « quantumcumque in hac vita profeceris, erras, si carnem tuam credis emortuam, non magis oppressam: velis, nolis, intra terminos tuos habitat Iebusaeus; subiugari potest, exterminari non potest ». — Tertio amorem mundi tollit; et hoc est quod dicitur⁹: Et in cunctis diis Aegypti faciam iudicia. Dii Aegypti sunt amabilia mundi; « quod enim quisque prae ceteris diligit, hoc illi Deus est », sicut dicit Ambrosius. Unde de carnalibus dicitur ad Philippenses¹⁰: Quorum Deus venter est et gloria in confusione eorum. In his ergo Deus iudicia facit, quando contemptum mundi gignit. — Quarto digne accedentes securos facit in die iudicii; et hoc est quod adiungitur¹¹: Erit autem vobis sanguis in signum in aedibus, in quibus

eritis; et videbo sanguinem et pertransibo vos, nec erit in vobis plaga disperdens, cum percussero terram Aegypti. In quibuscumque enim in die iudicii viderit sanguinem suae redemptionis, illos liberabit a plaga aeternae percussionis, quando scilicet percutiet terram virga oris sui et spiritu labiorum suorum interficiet impium. — Confiteantur ergo Domino misericordiae, quia praefiguravit nobis corpus suum in figura agni paschalis.

30. Quinto praefiguravit nobis corpus suum sub figura thesauri caelestis. Et bene comparatur corpus Christi thesauro; quia, sicut in thesauro reponuntur desiderabilia divitiarum, sic in corpore Christi reposita sunt omnia charismata gratiarum; et hoc est, quod Deus Pater, volens sponsam Filii sui, sanctam matrem Ecclesiam, consolari, ante adventum Christi promittebat ei hos thesauros dicens: Tibi dabo thesauros absconditos, Isaiae quadragesimo quinto¹. Hi thesauri gratiarum bene dicuntur absconditi, quia sub Sacramento visibili velati. Et notabile est quod dicit: Tibi dabo thesauros, in plurali. Quatuor enim thesauri sunt in Christo sub velamento Sacramenti absconditi. In ipso enim est thesaurus omnis essentiae, omnis sapientiae, omnis gratiae et omnis gloriae.

31. Primo enim in Christo est thesaurus omnis essentiae. Omnia enim, quae sunt, quae fuerunt, quae erunt, vel quae fieri possunt, ab ipso et per ipsum et in ipso sunt. Cogita ergo, qualis est thesaurus iste, de quo caelum, terra, mare et omnia, quae in eis sunt², prodierunt. Unde de Christo potest dici illud Matthaei decimo tertio: Qui profert de thesauro suo nova et vetera; et illud Psalmi: Qui producit ventos de thesauris suis. — Secundo, in Christo est thesaurus omnis sapientiae; ipse enim cognoscit omnia, quaecumque sunt, quaecumque fuerunt, quaecumque erunt, quaecumque fieri possunt. Et non solum cognoscit res, sed etiam conditiones, quas res habent vel habere possunt³. Ipse enim est Deus, « cui omne cor patet et omnis voluntas loquitur, et quem nullum latet secretum ». Non solum autem res perfectissime ipse cognoscit, sed omnia, quae cognoscuntur, ipse cognoscere facit. Ipse enim est lux, quae illuminat omne lumen et conservat in suo vigore; Ioannis octavo⁴: Ego sum lux mundi. De hoc thesauro dicitur ad Colossenses: In quo sunt omnes thesauri sapientiae et scientiae Dei absconditi. — Tertio, in Christo est thesaurus omnis gratiae; ipse enim est plenus gratia et veritate⁵, de cuius plenitudine hauriunt Angeli et homines. Ipse enim fontalem plenitudinem habet, qui aperit manum suam et implet omne animal rationale benedictione. — Et iste thesaurus gratiarum absconditus est sub velamento Sacramenti altaris; Matthaei decimo tertio⁶: Simile est regnum caelorum thesauro abscondito in agro etc. Quid significatur hic per agrum nisi corporis Christi Sacramentum, quod de agro colligitur? In hoc agro habemus thesaurum absconditum, quia ibi latent omnia genera gratiarum; quem qui invenit prae gaudio illius vadit et vendit omnia, quae habet, et emit agrum illum; quia qui cognoscit huius Sacramenti plenitudinem libentissime intermittit aliam operationem, ut se libere exerceat circa huius Sacramenti operationem vel devotionem, quia scit, se ibi haurire aeternae vitae possessionem, dicente Domino Ioannis sexto⁷: Qui manducat carnem meam et bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam. — Quarto, in Christo est thesaurus omnis gloriae. Quidquid enim habent Angeli gloriae et homines, quicumque salvandi sunt usque in diem iudicii, de ipso quasi de thesauro hauriunt, sive pertineat ad stolam corporis, sive animae. Ipse est enim, qui in thesauris suis ponit abyssos⁸, id est inexplicabiles illius gloriae terminos. Et propter hoc iussit nos ad istum thesaurum properare, cum dicit Matthaei sexto: Thesaurizate vobis thesauros in caelo. Ad hos thesauros Sancti vehementer desiderant pervenire; et cum ad eos pertingere nisi per mortem nequeant, quasi effodientes thesauros, gaudent vehementer, cum invenerint sepulcrum, Iob tertio.

32. Thesaurus autem iste est absconditus sub velamento panis et vini propter quatuor rationes; et

propter hoc dicitur hic¹: Tibi dabo thesauros absconditos: primo, propter fidei meritum; secundo, propter cruditatis attactum; tertio, propter sensus nostri imperfectionem; quarto, propter exclusionem infidelium².

Primo absconsus est iste thesaurus sub velamento panis et vini propter fidei meritum. Magnum enim meritum sibi cumulat qui septem adversarios fortissime, credendo ea quae sunt Sacramenti, superat. Isti adversarii sunt quinque sensus, qui omnes sentiunt, non ibi esse corpus Christi; et imaginatio³ similiter contraria est, quae nullo modo potest imaginari, quod tam magnus homo, integer Christus, qui pependit in cruce, possit in tam modica hostia abscondi. Contra omnem etiam rationem est, quod idem corpus simul et semel possit esse in diversis locis, sicut apparet in hoc Sacramento; quod est perfectissime in caelo, cum nihilominus sit perfectissime cibus in ara, et non plura, sed unum solum idemque corpus. Propter huiusmodi fidei meritum est corpus Christi velatum. Gregorius: « Fides non habet meritum, cui humana ratio praebet experimentum⁴ ».

33. Secundo velatum est corpus Christi propter cruditatis attactum. Horror enim cruditatis posset multos arcere ab hoc Sacramento, si viderent vivum hominem comedere hominem et crudas carnes vorare. Et propter hoc sub figura illius et velamento datum est hoc corpus, quod est consuetum manducari, videlicet sub accidentibus panis. Unde ipse Dominus se panem nostrum vocare dignatus est dicens Ioannis sexto⁵: Ego sum panis vivus, ut comedendo ipsum Christum sub accidentibus panis homo non haberet horrorem cruditatis.

34. Tertio velatum hoc est corpus Christi propter sensus nostri imperfectionem. Si enim in gloria claritatis suae, sicut ipse est, se ipsum ostenderet, nullus mortalis posset sustinere tantam claritatem aspectus. Sicut enim Moyses ex consortio sermonis Domini tantum splendorem conceperat et claritatem vultus⁶ sui, quod oportebat, eum velare faciem, cum loqueretur filiis Israel, eo quod non potuissent intendere in eum propter claritatem vultus eius; sic et hic Christus, condescendens nostrae infirmitati, velamen superposuit claritati suae.

35. Quarto velatum est corpus Christi propter exclusionem infidelium. Ipse enim dixit⁷: Nolite sanctum dare canibus, neque mittatis margaritas vestras ante porcos. Quod verbo dixit facto adimplevit; quia faciem suam in Sacramento abscondit, et sic canes et porcos, id est omnes indignos, a cognitione huius Sacramenti exclusit. — Confiteantur ergo Domino misericordiae eius, quia praefiguravit nobis corpus suum sub figura thesauri caelestis.

36. Sexto praefiguravit nobis corpus suum sub figura mannatis. Et hoc est quod dicitur Exodi decimo sexto⁸: Dixit Dominus ad Moysen: Ecce, ego pluam vobis panes de caelo; egrediatur populus et colligat quae sufficiunt per singulos dies. Quod cum vidissent filii Israel, dixerunt ad invicem: Manhu? quod significat: Quid est hoc? Appellavitque domus Israel nomen eius man. Scriptum est in libro Sapientiae, decimo sexto: Angelorum esca nutrivisti populum tuum, et paratum panem de caelo praestitisti illis sine labore, omne delectamentum in se habentem et omnis saporis suavitatem. Substantiam enim tuam et dulcedinem tuam, quam in filios habes, ostendebas; et deserviens uniuscuiusque voluntati, ad quod quisque volebat, convertebatur. Ecce, hic sub figura mannatis describitur nobis corporis Christi Sacramentum ut cibus genere nobilissimus, sapore suavissimus, continentia dignissimus et efficacia mirabilissimus.

37. Primo ergo corpus dominicum est cibus in genere suo nobilissimus, quia a sanctissima Trinitate in clibano uteri virginalis igne Spiritus sancti decoctus et virtute ipsius Trinitatis beatissimae iste idem ex pane materiali est effectus. Et hoc est quod dicitur: Paratum panem de caelo praestitisti illis sine labore: paratum quidem aliquando in utero virginali, nunc autem residentem in caelo et laten-

tem sub Sacramento. Est ergo¹ nobilissimus, quia nobilissimam habet causam. — Est nihilominus nobilissimus, quia nobilissimi, videlicet Angeli, comedunt eum panem sine furfure Sacramenti, qui nobis peccatoribus datur sub cortice velamenti. Et propter hoc excitans nos Spiritus sanctus ad gratiarum actionem proponit dicens: Angelorum esca nutrivisti populum tuum.

38. Secundo corpus Christi sub figura mannatis est cibus sapore suavissimus; sapor enim huius panis attrahit desideria millium Angelorum, sed etiam in hoc mundo excitat corda nostra odor eius et quotidie ad bravium et ad plenitudinis eius cumulum attrahit²; unde Ioannes Evangelista³: Odor tuus, Domine, concupiscentias in me excitavit aeternas. Hoc est etiam quod dicitur hic de corpore Christi sub figura mannatis, quod habebat omne delectamentum et omnis saporis suavitatem.

39. Tertio est iste cibus in continentia dignissimus. Continet enim totam sanctissimam Trinitatem; propter hoc etiam vas Trinitatis dicitur. Continet, dico, per praesentiam⁴ et assistentiam, non per circumscriptionem. Ipsa « est enim intra omnia, non inclusa; extra omnia, non exclusa; supra omnia, non elata; infra omnia, non prostrata⁵ ». Ibi enim est Filius per incarnationem, Pater et Spiritus sanctus cum eodem per indivisibilem unius substantiae communionem; et propter hoc dicitur hic ad Patrem: Substantiam et dulcedinem tuam, quam in filios habebas⁶, ostendebas, ac si diceret: O tu, Pater, substantiam tuam, id est Filium tuum — totam enim substantiam suam dat Pater Filio — et dulcedinem tuam, id est Spiritum tuum, quam habebas ab aeterno, ostendis praesentem in saeculo illuminatis mentibus sub hoc Sacramento.

40. Quarto est iste cibus sub figura mannatis in efficacia mirabilissimus; et propter hoc dicitur hic, quod deserviens uniuscuiusque voluntati, ad quod quisque volebat, convertebatur. Secundum enim quantitatem bonae voluntatis et secundum magnitudinem vitae et sanctitatis attingitur effectus utilitatis, sicut dicit beatus Bernardus⁷: « Quatenus in bonis Domini pedem fiduciae fixeris, eatenus possidebis ». — Et haec est ratio, quod Sancti ad nobilissimos effectus huius Sacramenti pervenerunt, quia in bonis eius altissimae fiduciae pedem fixerunt. Et propter hoc legitur de beata Clara, quod sic timebat sub Sacramento latentem, sicut in dextera Patris sedentem, et quia altissimam ad Deum habebat fiduciam, ideo meruit audire sub Sacramento existentem carnalibus auribus loquentem⁸. — Secundum ergo quod quilibet Christo sub hoc Sacramento occurrit, secundum hoc etiam Christus cum muneribus gratiae suae se ei exhibebit, utpote magnis magne, mediocribus mediocre, parvulis parvule, malis male. Cum Sancto enim sanctus eris, et cum perverso perverteris⁹; et propter hoc legitur de hoc sacramento: Quod ab igne exterminari non poterat, statim ab exiguo radio solis calefactum tabescebat, id est, liquefiebat. Haec enim erat materia mannatis, quod ad calorem ignis indurabatur et ad calorem solis liquescebat, ad significandum, quod qui accedit ad hoc Sacramentum, habens in se ignem carnalis voluptatis vel humanae cupiditatis, meretur indurari; ad ignem enim hoc sacramentum indurabatur. Qui vero accedit habens calorem solis, id est fervorem caritatis, meretur liquefieri, id est, vehementioris caritatis igne purgari; ad radium enim solis illud sacramentum liquefiebat, id est, per affectum liquefacit animam, ut dicere possit illud Cantici¹⁰: Anima mea liquefacta est, ut dilectus locutus est. Et sic impletur in hoc Sacramento quod in figura dictum est de mannate, quod in omnia transfigurata omnium nutrici gratiae tuae deserviebat ad voluntatem eorum qui a Deo desiderati sunt.

41. Sed¹¹ legitur, quod filii Israel non pervenerunt ad cibum mannatis, nisi prius exissent Aegyptum, transissent mare rubrum, intrassent desertum, dul-

corassent aquam per lignum immissum¹, ad significandum, quod qui vult venire ad nobilissimos effectus quos supra diximus huius Sacramenti, debet quatuor facere. Debet enim exire de tenebris vitiorum; debet facere dignum poenitentiae fructum; debet contemnere omne terrenum; debet convertere amaritudinem crucis in oblectamentum. — Primo ergo debet deserere tenebras vitiorum; et hoc est quod dicitur, quod filii Israel primo exierunt Aegyptum, postea venerunt ad huius cibi gustum. Aegyptus tenebrae interpretatur. Exeat ergo tenebras vitiorum qui festinat ad harum gratiarum dulcedinem, ut de eo possit dici illud Apostoli²: Eratis aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in Domino. — Secundo debet facere dignum poenitentiae fructum; et hoc est quod dicitur, quod filii Israel post transierunt mare rubrum. Quid enim significatur per mare nisi amaritudo poenitentiae, in qua est contritio magna velut mare³, in quo mari submergatur rex Aegypti cum exercitu suo, id est diabolus cum omni ornatu suo. — Tertio debet deserere omne terrenum; et hoc est quod dicitur, quod filii Israel, antequam sumerent cibum istum, venerunt in desertum, id est, deseruerunt omne terrenum. Et quia tria sunt, per quae solet homo alligari mundo, videlicet amor possessionis, voluptas carnis et cupiditas honoris, iuxta illud primae Ioannis secundo: Omne, quod est in mundo, aut concupiscentia carnis est, aut concupiscentia oculorum, aut superbia vitae; ideo dicebat Moyses⁴: Ibimus viam trium dierum in desertum, ad significandum, quod per viam unius diei deseritur amor possessionis; per viam diei alterius deseritur voluptas carnis; per viam diei tertiae deseritur cupiditas honoris. — Quarto debet homo convertere amaritudinem crucis suae in oblectamentum dulcedinis, ut videlicet delectet eum portatio crucis suae, quam necesse est portare eum qui vult animam suam salvare. Qui enim non accipit crucem suam, dicit Dominus⁵, et sequitur me, non est me dignus. Si ergo vis amaritudinem tuae crucis convertere in oblectamentum dulcedinis, habeas semper in corde tuo memoriam dominicae passionis. « Etenim non sentiet sua qui Christi vulnera intuebitur », dicit Bernardus. Et hoc est quod legitur de filiis Israel, quod priusquam venissent ad cibum dulcissimum, venerunt in Marath ad potum amarissimum; quem cum prae amaritudine bibere non possent, iussit Dominus, ut in eundem potum lignum, quod crucem figurabat, mitterent, et sic amaritudinem dulcorarent. — Confiteantur ergo Domino misericordiae eius⁶ et mirabilia eius filiis hominum, quia satiavit animam inanem et animam esurientem satiavit bonis: sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis, vinctos in mendicitate et ferro.

42. Si ergo te sentis inanem, quaere tuam impletionem in hoc Sacramento sub figura adipis; si te sentis esurientem, quaere tuam refectionem sub figura panis; si te sentis caecutientem et sedentem in tenebris, quaere tuam illuminationem in hoc Sacramento sub figura mellis; si te sentis in umbra mortis iacentem, quaere tuam reconciliationem in hoc Sacramento sub figura agni paschalis; si egentem et mendicantem, quaere tuam ditationem in hoc Sacramento sub figura thesauri caelestis; si experiris te ferreum cor habentem, quaere tuam mollificationem in hoc Sacramento sub figura mannatis. Quod nobis praestare dignetur Iesus Christus, beatissimae Mariae filius. Amen. — Exᴘʟɪᴄɪᴛ.

---

Sermon III.

On the most holy Body of Christ.³

Summarium

Introduction; six defects of human misery, and six effects of the divine mercy, number 1. — To these six correspond six figures, which in Scripture prefigure the most holy Body of Christ, 2. — Part I. On the first and the second figure. The first is the figure of fatness, because the Sacrament avails for the filling of the empty. The figure in Genesis; three things necessary for preserving the divine fervour; whence the Eucharist is given as a viaticum of refreshment for preserving inward delight, as a Sacrament of communion for preserving love of neighbour, as a sacrifice of oblation for preserving devotion; these things fatness does, 3. — The first effect against the four things which afflict a man, the figure intimates, 4. — The second effect of fatness: a fourfold widening of the love of neighbour, 5. — The third effect of the same: four things preserve devotion toward God, 6. 7. — The second is the figure of bread, as to the refreshment of the hungry. The bread given to Elias. The four things done by Elias signify four things to be supplied, that this Sacrament may be worthily taken, 8. — First one must flee the consolation of the world; secondly, compose oneself to the religion of an upright life; thirdly, have subjection to a prelate; fourthly, have God's arousing, 9-12. — Four fruits of worthy taking: it strengthens for action, raises up to contemplation, disposes to the revelation of divine things, animates to contempt of the world and to desire of eternal goods, 13-16. — Part II. On the third and the fourth figure. The third is the figure of honey, as to the illumination of those sitting in darkness, according to the figure of Ionathas tasting a little honey; who did four things to signify four things to be done by one taking the Eucharist, 17. — First let him have an endeavour of bettering; secondly, victory over temptation; thirdly, the patronage of the Blessed Virgin; fourthly, the safeguard of an illumined working, 18-21. — With Ionathas four fruits are then received: the rational power is illumined, the concupiscible is stirred, the irascible is strengthened, the whole man is mortified to the world, 22-25. — The fourth is the figure of the paschal lamb in Exodus, as to the reconciliation of those sitting in the shadow of death. From this figure are drawn the things a man ought to have before his approach, in his approach, after his approach, 26. — Before the approach, four, 27. — In the approach itself, four, 28. — After the approach let him have four fruits, 29. — Part III. On the fifth and the sixth figure. The fifth figure is that of the heavenly treasure, as to the enriching of beggars. Hidden treasures are promised to the Church in Isaias; four hidden treas-

-ures in the Eucharist, namely of all being, of wisdom, of grace, of glory, 30. — They are explained singly, 31. — This treasure is hidden for four reasons, 32-35. — The sixth figure is manna, as to the softening of iron hearts. From this figure related in Exodus are drawn four properties of the Eucharist, 36. — For it is a food noblest in kind, sweetest in savour, most worthy in what it contains, most wonderful in efficacy, 37-40. — From the same are drawn four things to be done by one taking the Eucharist, 41. — Epilogue, 42.

1. Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him, and his wonderful works to the children of men; for he hath satisfied the empty soul, and hath filled the hungry soul with good things, them that sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in want and in iron. This word David the Prophet writes¹, in which he stirs us up to thanksgivings, when he says: Let them give glory to the Lord, etc. He adds the reason, when he says: For he hath satisfied, etc. The Prophet therefore, wishing to stir up our hearts to thanksgivings, shows in this word the manifold defects of our misery, and none the less the manifold effects of the divine mercy. — For he says here that man was empty, man was hungry, man sat in darkness, lay in the shadow of death, was bound in want and in iron. — He was empty, because he did not have² God in himself by indwelling. He was hungry, because he did not have spiritual refreshment. He sat in darkness, because he did not have divine knowledge. He lay in the shadow of death, because he had been judged unto damnation. He was bound in want, because he did not have virtuous working. He was bound in iron, because he had hardness of heart.

Let them therefore give glory to the Lord, etc., because he himself filled the empty soul, satisfied the hungry, illumined him sitting in darkness, reconciled him lying in the shadow of death, enriched the beggar, softened³ him having an iron heart. — Man was empty, and he himself gave himself to him by indwelling. Man was hungry, and he himself gave himself to him by refreshment; he sat in darkness, and he himself gave himself to him unto the illumination of the heart; he lay in the shadow of death, and he himself gave himself to him in the oblation of reconciliation. Man was bound in want, and he himself gave himself to him unto virtuous working; he was bound in iron, that is, with a hardened heart, and he himself gave himself to him unto the softening of the heart. Let them therefore give glory to the Lord, etc., because he himself is the filling of the empty, the refreshment of the hungry, the lumen^tr. of those sitting in darkness, the reconciliation of those lying in the shadow of death, the enriching of beggars and the softening of iron hearts. — All these things are touched on in the words of the theme⁴, as is plain.

2. And on account of these six, under six figures was the Body of Christ prefigured in the Scriptures, namely under the figure of the fat or of fatness, under the figure of bread, under the figure of honey, under the figure of the paschal lamb, under the figure of the heavenly treasure and under the figure of manna. — For because fatness is something⁵ penetrating, therefore it avails for the filling of the empty, as to the first. Because bread is something strengthening, therefore it avails for the refreshment of the hungry, as to the second. Because honey is something that purifies the eyes, therefore it avails for the illumination of those sitting in darkness, as to the third. Because the paschal lamb is something immolated, therefore it avails for the reconciliation of those lying in the shadow of death, as to the fourth. Because treasure is something desirable, therefore it avails for the enriching of beggars, as to the fifth. Because manna is something that melts, therefore it avails for the softening of iron hearts, as to the sixth. Let them therefore give glory to the Lord, etc.

3. First, because the most holy Body of Christ is prefigured to us under the figure of fatness, and this rightly. For the Body of Christ is given to us for preserving the divine fervour in the heart; which is preserved in three ways: by delight within oneself, by love toward the neighbour and by devotion toward God. Now delight within oneself is not had except through the viaticum of refreshment; love toward the neighbour⁶ is had through the Sacrament of communion; devotion toward God is had through the sacrifice of oblation. And therefore for these three the Body of Christ was given, namely as a viaticum of refreshment, that it may preserve delight within oneself; as a Sacrament of communion, that it may preserve love toward the neighbour; as a sacrifice of oblation, that it may preserve devotion toward God. And these three things fatness does: delightful

indeed it makes the foods into which it is poured, as to the first; it widens the skin which it anoints, as to the second; it lifts up¹ the flame which it touches, as to the third.

4. Since therefore fatness makes foods delightful, it signifies the Body of Christ, which² works a great delight in a man within himself, who eats it devoutly. And this was figured in the last chapter but one of Genesis³: Aser, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield dainties to kings. This bread pours great dainties into a man, because it takes away everything that afflicts. For four things afflict a man in this life: powerlessness, ignorance, malice and concupiscence; and these four were inflicted on man on account of original sin; the Psalm⁴: I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly, and at once he adds the cause, saying: My strength hath forsaken me, as to powerlessness; and the lumen of my eyes itself is not with me, as to ignorance; my friends and my neighbours have drawn near and stood against me, as to concupiscence⁵ — for by friends and neighbours he calls the flesh with its concupiscences, and yet adversaries, because the flesh lusteth against the spirit, in Galatians, chapter five — and they that were near me stood afar off, as to malice. — Against these four, in the word set before us⁶, the Body of Christ is given under the figure of the bread of Aser, fat bread, bread yielding dainties, bread of kings. — It is called bread of kings, because by strengthening it makes men kings, against powerlessness, so that namely the king, that is, right reason, sitting on the throne of judgment, that is⁷ in the right governing of the soul, may scatter away all evil with his look, as is said in the Proverbs. — The Body of Christ is also called fat bread, because it illumines, against ignorance. For fatness placed in a lamp-sherd or poured into a lamp gives the use of the lumen. — It is also called bread yielding dainties against the concupiscences of the flesh⁸. For this bread has in it all delight and the sweetness of every taste, in Wisdom, chapter sixteen⁹. — It is also called the bread of Aser, which is interpreted beatitude, because it beatifies the whole man, against all malice. For the power of this bread is that it transmutes a man into Christ, who is supremely blessed by essence and beatifying others by grace. Whence the Lord said to blessed Augustine¹⁰: "Thou shalt not change me into thyself, as the food of thy flesh, but thou shalt be changed into me."

5. Secondly, the Body of Christ was given to us as a Sacrament of communion for preserving love toward the neighbour; and therefore it is well signified by fatness. For as fatness widens the skin which it anoints, so the Body of Christ widens the soul which eats it devoutly. And it widens it to every part of position, namely above and below, to the right, to the left, before and behind; and on account of this it is said in Jeremias, chapter thirty-one¹¹: I will fill the soul of the priests with fatness. — The fatness with which he makes drunk the soul of priests he here calls the Sacrament of the altar, by which he inflames the soul of those taking it worthily unto charity, which vehemently widens the soul to every position; and on account of this it is added: And my people shall be filled with my good things. By people he here calls¹² the whole Church, both militant and triumphant. For after the soul of the priest has been made drunk by the power of this Sacrament with the fatness of love, at once it fills the whole Church with good things. Out of the abundance of charity it is widened above even into heaven, by offering to God¹³ unto the honour of the Saints reigning in heaven; it is widened below even to purgatory, because it offers for the redemption of those existing there; it is widened to the right, because it offers for the salvation of friends and benefactors; it is widened to the left, because it offers for the salvation of enemies and persecutors; it is widened behind¹⁴, because it offers for the salvation of its own predecessors; before, because it offers for the salvation of all the predestined who are to be until the day of judgment.

6. Thirdly, the Body of Christ was given to us as a sacrifice of oblation, that it may preserve devotion toward God; and therefore it was well signified in fatness;

because, as fatness poured over fire lifts the flame on high, so the most divine Eucharist, received by a devout heart, snatches it up through devotion to God. And on account of this it is said in the Psalm¹: In thy name I will lift up my hands. Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. For as a vessel filled with marrow and fatness, not able to contain it within, runs over outside; so the Body of Christ, when it has filled the soul with the fatness of devotion, breaks out exteriorly in joyful lips. — Now four things are touched on in this word, which are wont to preserve devotion toward God, namely rightness of intention, the habit of prayer, the devotion of communion and the following through of thanksgiving. And a man ought so to order this, that first he prepare a right intention, afterwards stir himself up by prayer, and from then approach devoutly to communion, and lastly loose his mouth in thanksgiving.

7. First he ought to have a right intention: because a man ought not to offer this sacrifice for the favour of men, or for carnal advantage, or for gain of temporal things; but purely for the divine honour, for the profit of his neighbours and for the increase of his own merits. And on account of this it is said here: In thy name, according to that word of the Apostle²: All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. — He ought also, approaching to this Sacrament, to be stirred up to prayer; for no one ought to approach with a lukewarm heart, because in that way he could earn hardness. And on account of this it is said here: I will lift up my hands, namely by prayer, according to that word of the Apostle to Timothy³: I will that men pray in every place, lifting up pure hands, namely to the Lord. — And so thirdly he ought to approach devout to communion; whence it is subjoined: Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness. — And lastly, made fat by devotion⁴ and inflamed by love, he ought to break out into thanksgiving; therefore it is added: And my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. — Let them therefore give glory to the Lord for his mercies, because he first prefigured to us his Body under the figure of fatness.

8. Secondly, he prefigured to us this most holy Body of his in the form of bread, of which he himself says in John, chapter six⁵: I am the living bread, which came down from heaven; and in the same place: The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. — This is the bread which the Angel brought to Elias, as is said in the third book of Kings, chapter nineteen: Elias looked, and behold, there was at his head a hearth cake and a vessel of water. The hearth cake is the Body of Christ, which is well called baked under the ashes, because it is veiled by the accidents; by the ashes are signified the accidents, and under those ashes of the accidents lies hidden the refreshment of our minds. But as to what is said, that there was there a vessel of water, this is added⁶ on account of the mystery of Christ's blood. And that this bread was brought by angelic ministry signifies that, when this Sacrament is confected, there is present the greatest army of Angels. Gregory in the Dialogue⁷: "To which of the faithful is it doubtful that in the very hour of the immolation, at the voice of the priest, the heavens are opened, the lowest are joined to the highest, earthly things are joined to heavenly, and one thing is made out of the visible and the invisible? But when we do these things, it is necessary that we first slay ourselves to God before God upon the altar in compunction of heart."

But before Elias came to the refreshment of this bread, he is read to have done four things⁸: for he left the boy, came into the desert, sat under a juniper tree and had an Angel to rouse him; to signify that he who wishes worthily to approach this Sacrament ought to have four things. — First he ought to flee the consolation of the world; he ought to enter religion; he ought there to have subjection in respect of a prelate; he ought to have toward

God devotion¹. And these are those four things which we said above.

9. First therefore he ought to flee the consolation of the world. For since in this Sacrament there is a fulness of spiritual consolation; and such[?] a thing is not given to those who admit an alien consolation, as Bernard says[?]²: therefore it is necessary that he who wishes to attain[?] spiritual consolation should let go carnal delight[?]. And this is what is said here, that when he had come into Bersabee, he left there his boy. Bersabee is interpreted the well of fulness and signifies Christ, in whom is all the fulness of graces. He who attains this fulness³ leaves all the delight of the world; and this is what is subjoined there: He left there his boy. What do we understand by the boy except carnal delight? Which boy the Apostle taught us to leave⁴, when he said: Do not become children in sense, but in malice be children. He therefore leaves the boy who leaves the childish way of the world.

10. Secondly, he who worthily wishes to approach this Sacrament ought to compose himself to the religion of an upright life. And this is what is said here, that Elias went forward into the desert. The desert signifies the religious state, because it is named from deserting; and there all temporal things are deserted. For there are deserted riches by the vow of poverty, dainties by the vow of chastity, honours and worldly dignities by the renouncing⁵ of one's own will. And nothing is so harmful in the world as these three; John in the Canonical Epistle⁶: All that is in the world is either the concupiscence of the flesh, or the concupiscence of the eyes, or the pride of life. And because through these three the devil takes captive sinful souls, through these three also he assails religious souls; which was signified in Deuteronomy, chapter eight⁷, that in the desert there was a serpent burning with his breath, that is, the devil tempting through pride; and the dipsas killing with thirst, that is, the devil tempting through avarice; and the scorpion fawning with its face and stinging with its tail, that is, the devil tempting through the concupiscence of the flesh.

11. Thirdly, he ought to have subjection in respect of a prelate; and this is what is said here, that Elias sat under one juniper tree. The juniper, as Isidore says⁸, is a tree whose ashes preserve fire through the whole year. What then can we signify by the juniper but a good prelate? The ash of the juniper is the humility of the prelate, which is wont to preserve in the breasts⁹ of subjects the fire of mutual love and the warmth of fervent devotion.

12. Fourthly, he ought to have devotion in respect of God, and this is what is said here¹⁰, that the Angel roused him. What is signified by the Angel but the gift of divine grace? For Angel is interpreted messenger. For then God sends as it were an Angel to us, when he sends grace into us. And this Angel rouses once and again, because the gift of divine grace always urges us on in spirit to make progress. — But he who¹¹ worthily approaches this Sacrament does not go away empty. And therefore note that there are four things which they who approach worthily are wont to draw from this Sacrament.

13. For this Sacrament strengthens for action, raises up to contemplation, disposes to the revelation of divine things, animates and kindles to contempt of the world and to the desiring of heavenly and eternal goods. And therefore it is said here that Elias walked in the strength of that food, even to

the mount of God, saw divine secrets and stood in the mouth of the cave; and these are those four things.

The first thing therefore which a devout soul draws in this Sacrament is that it is strengthened¹ for action. Whence it is said here: And he walked in the strength of that food forty days etc. This food signifies the Body of Christ, in whose strength a man labours, while he does not cease to make progress in the spiritual life. And he walks forty days. In the number forty there is ten multiplied by four. By ten is signified the decalogue, to which the whole Old Testament is reduced. By four are signified the four Gospels, to which the whole New Testament is reduced. To walk therefore in the strength of that food forty days is to make progress in the spiritual life through our whole time, by which² our life is governed through the New and the Old Testament.

14. Secondly, it is raised up to contemplation³; whence it is said here that he came to the mount of God. What can we signify by the mount but the raising up of the mind? To this mount Moses had come, of whom we read in Exodus, chapter three⁴: Moses fed the sheep, there is noted the exercise of action. Afterwards he drove the flock to the inner parts of the desert, in which is designated the leading back of all actions and affections to the inmost parts of the heart. And he came to the mount of God, in which is noted the raising up of the mind to heavenly things. And there the Lord appeared to him, because from then the act of contemplation is given to the soul. And he appeared to him in a flame of fire. Fire has it to warm and to illumine, to signify that, when the soul comes to the grace of contemplation, both the understanding draws the lumen of knowledge and the affection the burning of love.

15. Thirdly, it is disposed to the revelation of divine secrets; and therefore it is said here⁵ that the Lord said to Elias: Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord; and behold, the Lord passeth, and a great and strong wind before the Lord overthrowing the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces; the Lord is not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; the Lord is not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire; the Lord is not in the fire; and after the fire a whistling of a gentle air, there the Lord. For there it was revealed to Elias that the Lord is not in the spirit of pride, not in the commotion of impatience, not in the fire of cupidity or of carnal concupiscence; but in the whistling of the gentle air, that is, in the tranquillity of a pacified conscience; the Psalm⁶: In peace indeed is his place made, and his dwelling in Sion.

16. Fourthly, it is animated to contempt of the world and to the desiring of heavenly goods. And this is what is said here⁷, that Elias covered his face with his mantle and going out stood in the mouth of the cave. For when the soul is raised up to see the immensity of that beauty and the infinity of the divine power, at once it springs back into its own littleness and covers⁸ its face through profound humility, and goes out from the cupidity of the world, and stands in the mouth of the cave, that is, sighs after eternity. For by the cave is signified the human body, by the mouth the desire of going out. And on account of this it stood as it were in the mouth, because it desired to go out. — Let them therefore give glory to the Lord, because secondly he prefigured to us his most holy Body in the figure of bread.

17. Thirdly he prefigured to us his most reverend Body in the figure of honey. And on account of this it is said in Proverbs, chapter twenty-four⁹: Eat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb sweet to my throat. By the honeycomb is signified the Sacrament of the Lord's Body; and it is well signified by honey, because honey delights the taste and, according to the physicians, has it to purify the sight. So Christ delights the affection and illumines the understanding. Bernard¹⁰: « Jesus, sweetness of hearts, living fountain, lumen of minds, surpasses every joy and every desire ». By this, that he says that he is the sweetness of hearts, he has it to delight the affection; and by this, that he is the lumen of minds, he has it to illumine the understanding. — But that Christ is honey, Bernard says upon the Canticle¹¹: « Jesus is honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, jubilation in the heart ». And elsewhere: « Jesus, angelic comeliness, in the ear a sweet canticle, in the mouth a wondrous honey, in the heart a heavenly spice ». This honey our bee, the Virgin Mary, brought forth for us, according to that word of

Ecclesiasticus, chapter eleven¹: The bee is little among flying things, and her fruit hath the beginning of sweetness. — The bee is the blessed Virgin, who is called little, because she is the most humble among all the Saints. Her fruit hath the beginning of sweetness, because the Lord Jesus Christ, who was the fruit of her womb, was not only sweet, like honey, but rather above honey and the honeycomb; whence Bernard: « Above honey and all things is the sweet presence of Jesus ». — As therefore the Body of Christ is prefigured under the figure of bread, and this as to the refreshment of the hungry; so it has been prefigured under the figure of honey as to the illumination of those sitting in the shadow of death; and this is what is said in the first book of Kings, chapter fourteen², that Jonathan tasted of the honey, and his eyes were enlightened. — But because four things are necessary to a man approaching worthily to this Sacrament, therefore Jonathan is read to have done four things³ before he came to taste the honeycomb: he climbed a laborious way, he turned the whole army of the Philistines to flight, he held in his hand a rod and applied his hand to his mouth; to signify that he who approaches worthily to this Sacrament ought to have an effort of bettering, a victory over temptation, the patronage of the blessed Virgin and the safeguard of an illumined working.

18. First therefore he ought to have an effort of bettering; and on account of this it is read of Jonathan that he climbed up creeping with hands and feet, to signify that a man ought always to have a great desire of making progress, of growing and of ascending from virtue to virtue, according to that word of the Psalm⁴: Blessed is the man whose help is from thee: in his heart he hath disposed to ascend by steps, in the vale of tears, in the place which he hath set. For the lawgiver shall give a blessing; they shall go from virtue to virtue; the God of gods shall be seen in Sion. And because no one is fit for this unless he applies to it all the powers of soul and body, therefore Jonathan is said to have crept with hands and feet. Bernard⁵: « This is my daily exercise: assiduously I aim at my own spirit, and with all thy lovely things, as it were with hands and feet and leaning with all my strength, I stretch upwards to thee; but the more strongly I stretch, the more harshly am I thrust down into the earth, into myself and beneath myself, and, looking back upon myself, I have become to myself, out of myself, a laborious and wearisome question ».

19. Secondly he ought to have victory over temptation⁶; and on account of this it is read of Jonathan that he turned the whole army to flight, to signify that he who wishes to approach worthily to the Sacrament of the altar ought in all temptations to come through to victory.

20. Thirdly he ought to have the patronage of the blessed Virgin Mary⁷ who wishes to taste the sweetness of this honey hidden in the Sacrament of the altar; and on account of this Jonathan is read to have held a rod in his hand before he came to the honeyed sweetness. By the rod is signified the Virgin Mary in Scripture, according to that word of Isaias, chapter eleven⁸: There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root. He therefore holds the rod in his hands who in all his working has the memory of the blessed Virgin, by whose extending the honey is reached, because it is only by the patronage of the blessed Virgin Mary that one comes through to the virtue of this Sacrament. And on account of this, just as through her this most sacred Body was given to us, so through her hands it ought to be offered and through her hands received under the Sacrament, which was bestowed upon us and born of her womb. Bernard⁹: « Whatever it be that thou preparest to offer, remember to commend it to the hands of blessed Mary, that grace may flow back to the bestower of grace by the same channel by which it flowed in. For perhaps thy hands are either full of blood, or infected with gifts, in that thou hast not shaken them clean of every gift ».

21. Fourthly he ought to have the safeguard of an illumined working who wishes to approach worthily to the mystery

of the Body of Christ. For as the Apostle says to the Thessalonians¹: He that will not work, that is, he who does not labour, let him not eat. This ought to be kept most perfectly about the eating of the Body of Christ; for no one is fit for the receiving of this Sacrament but he who is exercised in good working. And on account of this it is said of Jonathan that he applied his hand to his mouth. Because we labour with our hands, therefore in the Scriptures the working is signified by the hands; but by the mouth, because we eat with it, therefore by this name of the mouth is signified the act of eating. He therefore applies his hand² to his mouth who brings to the eating itself of the Body of Christ the exercise of good working.

22. But because the gift of grace is wont to be increased in him who eats worthily, therefore Jonathan is read to have received four goods in the tasting of the honey, to signify that he who approaches worthily receives four effects of grace in the Sacrament³. — For there the rational power is illumined to know the highest truth; and therefore it is read here⁴, after Jonathan tasted the honey: His eyes were enlightened. For he who frequents that Sacrament with the fervour of devotion makes progress from day to day in the illumination of the mind. And on account of this it is said here: You have seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

23. Secondly, there the concupiscible power is stirred up to seek the highest good; for he who approaches worthily to this Sacrament is delighted more and more in his inmost parts. And this is what is said of Jonathan⁵: Tasting I tasted a little honey. It is notable that he says: Tasting I tasted. For when that sweetness is tasted, the concupiscible power is the more stirred up to taste and the more enlarged; and so, because in tasting it tastes, out of the taste it always widens its desire. Whence Bernard⁶: « The spiritual taste is the incitement of love and the provocation of desire »; the same: « They who taste thee hunger, they who drink still thirst, they know not how to desire anything but Jesus, whom they love ». And he well adds a little honey, because, however ample a tasting be given to a man in this life, yet in comparison of that supernal fulness it is but a little honey.

24. Thirdly, the irascible power is fortified to root out every evil. And on account of this it is read that Jonathan, strengthened by the taste of the honey, pursued the Philistines as far as Hailon⁷. The Philistines are interpreted a twofold ruin and signify the vices, which make the soul and the body fall by eternal death. Hailon is interpreted the seeking of life and signifies the eternal life, which there we shall most perfectly acquire. For this temporal life is not to be called life, but rather death, as Gregory says⁸. Jonathan therefore, strengthened by the honey, that is, the man made a man by the Body of Christ, pursues the Philistine as far as Hailon, that is, he does not cease to exterminate the vices until he possess eternal life.

25. Fourthly, a man is mortified to the world to live according to God. And this is what is said here of Jonathan. After he had said: tasting, namely a little of the honey, he consequently added: behold, I die, to signify that whomsoever the sweetness of this Sacrament floods over, him it utterly extinguishes to the world. And this is the desire of the Saints; whence Job: My soul hath chosen hanging, and my bones death; for this mortification of the outward man is the highest quickening of the inward. Whence the Lord said to Moses: Man shall not see me and live, because it is only after this mortification that one comes through to the vision of God. Because therefore « the vision of God is the whole reward », as Augustine says⁹; and one does not come through to the vision of God save through mortification: therefore blessed Augustine desired this mortification, saying: « Make me, Lord, by thy desire and thy love, to be utterly extinguished to this world and to forget the vanity of all passing things before the greatness of thy love, so that of temporal things I may neither grieve nor rejoice, nor be corrupted by blandishments nor shaken by adversities ». — Let them therefore give glory to the Lord his mercies, because he prefigured to us his Body under the figure of honey.

26. Fourthly he prefigured to us his Body under the figure of the paschal lamb; Exodus, chapter twelve¹: Let every one take a lamb by their families and houses. And the lamb shall be without blemish. That Lamb had been foreseen by the Prophet; whence Isaias: Send forth, O Lord, the Lamb, the ruler of the earth. That Lamb was without blemish, because he had come to take away the sins of the world; John, chapter one: Behold, the Lamb of God; and behold, he who taketh away the sins of the world. — That paschal Lamb signifies the Body of Christ, and therefore it is determined for us here what a man ought to be before he approaches; what he ought to be in the approach itself; and how many fruits he receives after the approach itself.

27. For before he approaches, a man ought to have four things. For he ought to have regard to the whole body; he ought to dispose himself to fitness; he ought to be kindled to charity; he ought to come to integrity of faith. — First therefore he who approaches ought to have regard to the whole body. For the priest ought to offer not in the person of himself alone, but in the person of the whole body; and this is what is said here²: And the whole multitude of the children of Israel shall sacrifice it. For by the hands of all the living he ought to offer for the redemption of those existing in purgatory, and by the hands of the living and of the dead to the praise and glory of all the holy Angels and men reigning in eternal life, and by the hands of the whole body to the honour of the holy Trinity. — Secondly he ought to prepare himself to fitness; and this is what is added³: And they shall take of the blood thereof and put it upon both the side posts and on the upper door posts of the houses wherein they shall eat it. By the two side posts and the upper door post, which make the doorway into the house, are signified three things in the soul, through which God enters into the dwelling of the heart, namely the rational power, through which God enters as light or brightness; the concupiscible, through which God enters as sweetness and goodness; the irascible, through which he enters as glory and immensity⁴. These three are dyed with blood when they are occupied about the passion of Christ. The rational power is dyed with the blood of the Lamb when it wonders at the truth of the Sacrament. The concupiscible is dyed when, the truth being known, it is made bitter in compassion with Christ suffering. The irascible is then dyed when, Christ's suffering being known, it is animated to imitation. — Thirdly he ought to be kindled to charity; and this is what is added⁵: And they shall eat the flesh that night, roasted at the fire. By that fire is signified charity, which the Lord commanded always to burn on the altar of the heart. In this fire the flesh of the Body of Christ is said to be roasted, because it ought not to be eaten save in charity. He therefore eats the flesh raw who approaches to the Sacrament without charity. But he who eats the flesh raw puts his life in danger; so he who eats the Body of Christ and has not love earns eternal damnation. — Fourthly he ought to have integrity of faith; and this is what is joined on: You shall eat the head with the feet and entrails thereof. By the head is signified the Godhead, for the head of Christ is God, as the Apostle says⁶. The feet, the humanity; for God is everywhere and cannot be moved from place to place; as it were therefore he took on feet when in the manhood he had taken on he walked from place to place. These feet, while Tobias, that is Christ, washed them in the river, that is, exposed them on the cross; the fish that wished to swallow them, that is the devil, he conquered « by making manifest his wickednesses ». The entrails are the things about this Sacrament that cannot be reached; all which a man ought to devour, because he ought faithfully to believe all things, even those which he cannot reach by the understanding. For he ought to believe that there is the true Body of Christ, which he drew from the blessed Virgin; and it is there by transubstantiation, but the soul is there by natural connexion, the Godhead is there by inseparable union. There are also there the entrails of both natures, that is, the inexplicable mysteries. And therefore he who cannot take in by the understanding the height of this Sacrament ought to commit this to the power of the Holy Spirit; and this is what is said here⁷: If there be anything left, you shall burn it with fire.

28. A man ought also to have four things in the approach, namely first in the flesh continence, in the affection cleanness, in the mind the memory of the passion, in desire eternal life. — First therefore he ought to have continence in the flesh; whence it is said here⁸

You shall gird your reins. In the reins is the seat of lust, and therefore he girds his reins who by continence restrains the flow of desire. — Secondly he ought to have cleanness in the affection; and this is what is added¹: You shall have shoes on your feet. For by the feet in Scripture the affections are signified, because, as the body is moved by the feet, so the soul is moved by its affections; and these feet ought to be shod, that is, drawn away from all earthliness; but because nothing so keeps our affections clean as the meditation of the Scriptures, therefore the Apostle exhorts us that we be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. — Thirdly it is said here²: Holding staves in your hands etc. By the staff is signified the cross. For on that staff Jacob, that is Christ, passed over the Jordan, that is the flow of the world, and brought back with him two companies, that is, many souls gathered from the Gentiles and the Jews. He therefore holds the staff in his hands who holds the memory of the passion of Christ in his mind; and this the Lord commanded when he instituted this Sacrament, saying³: Do this, as often as you receive it, in commemoration of me. — Fourthly he ought to have eternal life in his desire; and this is what is added⁴: And you shall eat in haste, to signify that he who eats this Sacrament ought to hasten to the full measure of its fulness. For by the taste of this sweetness he is provoked to full joy; and this is what is added: For it is the Phase, that is, the Passage, of the Lord. Whence that Lamb was given in figure to the children of Israel at their going out of Egypt, to signify that he who devoutly receives this Sacrament passes from this world to God.

29. Thirdly it is to be noted that he who approaches worthily to this Sacrament receives four fruits. And on account of this, after the eating of the Lamb, the Lord does these four things: he passes through the land of Egypt, he strikes the firstborn, he executes judgment on the gods of Egypt and keeps those marked with the blood from the plague; to signify that upon those who communicate worthily he sends in consolation, lessens the tinder, takes away the love of the world and makes them secure in the day of judgment. — First therefore he sends in consolation; and this is what is said⁵: And I will pass through the land of Egypt. Egypt is interpreted darkness and signifies the human heart not yet perfectly illumined. This the Lord passes through when he sends in consolation; and he well passes through, because he does not make a dwelling there, because he does not find it fit for this. Yet he can pass through so long that he will be able to make himself a dwelling in the same place, according to that which is said in the person of the faithful in the fourth book of Kings, chapter four⁶: I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who often passeth by us. Let us therefore make him a little chamber, that is, let us prepare for him the dwelling of the heart; and let us set for him in it a candlestick of his own knowledge, a table of inward refreshment, a stool of quiet abiding, and a bed of contemplation, that, when he cometh to us, he may abide there. — Secondly he lessens the tinder⁷; therefore it is added: I will strike every firstborn in the land of Egypt. What are the firstborn but the vices of the flesh, which are inborn in us from our first parents? And these the Lord strikes when he diminishes the tinder of the flesh; he diminishes it, I say, he does not wholly take it away, because, as Bernard says⁸, « however much thou hast advanced in this life, thou errest if thou believest thy flesh dead and not merely held down: will thou, nill thou, the Jebusite dwells within thy borders; he can be subdued, he cannot be exterminated ». — Thirdly he takes away the love of the world; and this is what is said⁹: And on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments. The gods of Egypt are the lovable things of the world; for « whatever a man loves above the rest, that is his God », as Ambrose says. Whence of carnal men it is said to the Philippians¹⁰: Whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame. In these therefore God executes judgments when he begets contempt of the world. — Fourthly he makes those who approach worthily secure in the day of judgment; and this is what is joined on¹¹: And the blood shall be unto you for a sign in the houses where

you shall be; and I shall see the blood and shall pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy, when I shall strike the land of Egypt. For in whomsoever on the day of judgment he shall see the blood of their redemption, those he will free from the plague of the eternal striking, when namely he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. — Let them therefore give glory to the Lord his mercies, because he prefigured to us his Body in the figure of the paschal lamb.

30. Fifthly he prefigured to us his Body under the figure of a heavenly treasure. And well is the Body of Christ compared to a treasure; because, as in a treasure the desirable things of riches are laid up, so in the Body of Christ are laid up all the free gifts of graces; and this is why God the Father, wishing to console the spouse of his Son, holy mother Church, promised her these treasures before the coming of Christ, saying: I will give thee hidden treasures, Isaias, chapter forty-five¹. These treasures of graces are well called hidden, because they are veiled under a visible Sacrament. And it is notable that he says: I will give thee treasures, in the plural. For there are four treasures in Christ hidden under the veil of the Sacrament. For in him is the treasure of all being, of all wisdom, of all grace and of all glory.

31. For first, in Christ is the treasure of all being. For all things which are, which have been, which shall be, or which can be made, are from him and through him and in him. Consider therefore what manner of treasure that is, from which heaven, earth, the sea and all things that are in them² went forth. Whence of Christ can be said that word of Matthew, chapter thirteen: Who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old; and that word of the Psalm: Who bringeth forth winds out of his treasures. — Secondly, in Christ is the treasure of all wisdom; for he knows all things, whatsoever are, whatsoever have been, whatsoever shall be, whatsoever can be made. And he knows not only the things, but also the conditions which the things have or can have³. For he is God, « to whom every heart is open and every will speaks, and from whom no secret is hidden ». And not only does he himself most perfectly know things, but he makes all things which are known to be known. For he is himself the light which illumines every lumen and preserves it in its vigour; John, chapter eight⁴: I am the light of the world. Of this treasure it is said to the Colossians: In whom are hidden all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God. — Thirdly, in Christ is the treasure of all grace; for he is full of grace and truth⁵, of whose fulness Angels and men draw. For he has the fontal fulness, who openeth his hand and filleth every rational living creature with blessing. — And that treasure of graces is hidden under the veil of the Sacrament of the altar; Matthew, chapter thirteen⁶: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field etc. What is signified here by the field but the Sacrament of the Body of Christ, which is gathered out of a field? In this field we have a hidden treasure, because there lie hidden all kinds of graces; which when a man hath found, for joy thereof he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field; because he who knows the fulness of this Sacrament most gladly leaves off all other work, that he may freely exercise himself about the working or the devotion of this Sacrament, because he knows that there he draws the possession of eternal life, the Lord saying in John, chapter six⁷: He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life. — Fourthly, in Christ is the treasure of all glory. For whatever of glory the Angels have and men, whoever are to be saved up to the day of judgment, they draw from him as from a treasure, whether it belong to the robe of the body or of the soul. For it is he who layeth up the depths in his treasures⁸, that is, the inexplicable bounds of that glory. And on account of this he bade us hasten to that treasure, when he says in Matthew, chapter six: Lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven. To these treasures the Saints vehemently desire to come; and since they cannot reach them save through death, like them that dig for a treasure, they rejoice exceedingly when they have found the grave, Job, chapter three.

32. But that treasure is hidden under the veil of bread and wine for four reasons; and

on account of this it is said here¹: I will give thee hidden treasures: first, on account of the merit of faith; secondly, on account of the shock of rawness; thirdly, on account of the imperfection of our sense; fourthly, on account of the exclusion of unbelievers².

First, that treasure is hidden under the veil of bread and wine on account of the merit of faith. For he heaps up a great merit for himself who most bravely overcomes seven adversaries by believing the things that belong to the Sacrament. These adversaries are the five senses, which all perceive that the Body of Christ is not there; and the imagination³ is likewise contrary, which can in no way imagine that so great a man, the whole Christ, who hung upon the cross, could be hidden in so small a host. It is also against all reason that the same body should be able at one and the same time to be in different places, as appears in this Sacrament; which is most perfectly in heaven, while none the less it is most perfectly food upon the altar, and not several bodies, but one only and the same body. On account of such a merit of faith is the Body of Christ veiled. Gregory: « Faith has no merit for which human reason furnishes the proof⁴ ».

33. Secondly the Body of Christ is veiled on account of the shock of rawness. For the horror of rawness could keep many away from this Sacrament, if they saw a living man eat a man and devour raw flesh. And on account of this, this Body was given under the figure and veil of that which it is customary to eat, namely under the accidents of bread. Whence the Lord himself deigned to call himself our bread, saying in John, chapter six⁵: I am the living bread, that in eating Christ himself under the accidents of bread a man might not have the horror of rawness.

34. Thirdly this Body of Christ is veiled on account of the imperfection of our sense. For if in the glory of his brightness, as he is, he showed himself, no mortal could bear so great a brightness of the sight. For as Moses, from the fellowship of the Lord's speech, had conceived so great a splendour and brightness of his own countenance⁶ that he had to veil his face when he spoke to the children of Israel, because they could not look upon him on account of the brightness of his countenance; so here too Christ, condescending to our infirmity, laid a veil over his brightness.

35. Fourthly the Body of Christ is veiled on account of the exclusion of unbelievers. For he himself said⁷: Give not that which is holy to dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine. What he said in word he fulfilled in deed; because he hid his face in the Sacrament, and so shut out dogs and swine, that is, all the unworthy, from the knowledge of this Sacrament. — Let them therefore give glory to the Lord his mercies, because he prefigured to us his Body under the figure of a heavenly treasure.

36. Sixthly he prefigured to us his Body under the figure of manna. And this is what is said in Exodus, chapter sixteen⁸: The Lord said to Moses: Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; let the people go forth and gather what is sufficient for every day. And when the children of Israel had seen it, they said one to another: Manhu? which signifies: What is this? And the house of Israel called the name thereof Man. It is written in the book of Wisdom, chapter sixteen: Thou didst feed thy people with the food of Angels, and gavest them bread from heaven prepared without labour, having in it all that is delicious and the sweetness of every taste. For thy substance and thy sweetness, which thou hast towards thy children, thou didst show; and serving every man's will, it was turned to what every man would. Behold, here under the figure of manna the Sacrament of the Body of Christ is described to us as a food most noble in kind, most sweet in savour, most worthy in what it contains and most wonderful in its efficacy.

37. First therefore the Lord's Body is a food most noble in its kind, because by the most holy Trinity, in the oven of the virginal womb, it was baked through by the fire of the Holy Spirit, and by the power of that most blessed Trinity this same body was made out of material bread. And this is what is said: Thou gavest them bread from heaven prepared without labour: prepared indeed at one time in the virginal womb, but now abiding in heaven and lying hid-

den under the Sacrament. It is therefore¹ most noble, because it has a most noble cause. — It is none the less most noble, because the most noble, namely the Angels, eat that bread without the bran of the Sacrament, which is given to us sinners under the husk of the veil. And on account of this the Holy Spirit, stirring us up to thanksgiving, sets it forth, saying: Thou didst feed thy people with the food of Angels.

38. Secondly, the Body of Christ under the figure of manna is a food most sweet in savour; for the savour of this bread draws the desires of thousands of Angels, but even in this world its odour stirs up our hearts and daily draws them to the prize and to the full measure of its fulness²; whence John the Evangelist³: Thy odour, O Lord, hath stirred up in me eternal longings. This also is what is said here of the Body of Christ under the figure of manna, that it had all that is delicious and the sweetness of every taste.

39. Thirdly, that food is most worthy in what it contains. For it contains the whole most holy Trinity; and on account of this it is also called the vessel of the Trinity. It contains, I say, by presence⁴ and assistance, not by circumscription. For she « is within all things, not enclosed; outside all things, not excluded; above all things, not lifted up; beneath all things, not cast down⁵ ». For there is the Son by the incarnation, the Father and the Holy Spirit with him by the indivisible communion of one substance; and on account of this it is said here to the Father: Thy substance and thy sweetness, which thou hadst towards thy children⁶, thou didst show, as if he said: O thou, Father, thy substance, that is, thy Son — for the Father gives his whole substance to the Son — and thy sweetness, that is, thy Spirit, which thou hadst from eternity, thou showest present in the world to illumined minds under this Sacrament.

40. Fourthly, that food under the figure of manna is most wonderful in its efficacy; and on account of this it is said here that serving every man's will, it was turned to what every man would. For according to the measure of good will and according to the greatness of life and of holiness is the effect of its profit attained, as blessed Bernard says⁷: « So far as thou shalt have set the foot of confidence upon the Lord's goods, so far shalt thou possess ». — And this is the reason why the Saints came through to the most noble effects of this Sacrament, because upon his goods they set the foot of the highest confidence. And on account of this it is read of blessed Clare that she so feared him lying hidden under the Sacrament as sitting at the right hand of the Father, and because she had the highest confidence towards God, therefore she deserved to hear him existing under the Sacrament speaking with bodily ears⁸. — According therefore as each man meets Christ under this Sacrament, according to that also will Christ show himself to him with the gifts of his grace, namely greatly to the great, moderately to the middling, in small measure to little ones, ill to the evil. For with the holy thou shalt be holy, and with the perverse thou shalt be perverted⁹; and on account of this it is read of this sacrament: What could not be destroyed by fire, being warmed with a little ray of the sun, presently melted away, that is, was made liquid. For this was the matter of the manna, that it was hardened by the heat of fire and melted by the heat of the sun; to signify that he who approaches this Sacrament having in himself the fire of carnal pleasure or of human cupidity deserves to be hardened; for by fire this sacrament was hardened. But he who approaches having the heat of the sun, that is, the fervour of charity, deserves to be made liquid, that is, to be purged by the fire of a more vehement charity; for by the ray of the sun that sacrament melted, that is, by affection it makes the soul liquid, so that it can say that word of the Canticle¹⁰: My soul melted when my beloved spoke. And so there is fulfilled in this Sacrament what was said in figure of the manna, that being transformed into all things, it served thy grace, the nourisher of all, according to the will of them that had desire of thee.

41. But¹¹ it is read that the children of Israel did not come through to the food of the manna unless they had first gone out of Egypt, passed through the Red Sea, entered the desert, and sweet-

ened the water by the wood thrown into it¹, to signify that he who wishes to come to the most noble effects of this Sacrament which we have spoken of above ought to do four things. For he ought to go out from the darkness of vices; he ought to bring forth worthy fruit of penance; he ought to despise everything earthly; he ought to turn the bitterness of the cross into delight. — First therefore he ought to forsake the darkness of vices; and this is what is said, that the children of Israel first went out of Egypt, and afterwards came to the tasting of this food. Egypt is interpreted darkness. Let him therefore go out from the darkness of vices who hastens to the sweetness of these graces, so that of him may be said that word of the Apostle²: You were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. — Secondly he ought to bring forth worthy fruit of penance; and this is what is said, that the children of Israel afterwards passed through the Red Sea. For what is signified by the sea but the bitterness of penance, in which there is a great contrition like the sea³, in which sea let the king of Egypt be drowned with his army, that is, the devil with all his array. — Thirdly he ought to forsake everything earthly; and this is what is said, that the children of Israel, before they took that food, came into the desert, that is, they forsook everything earthly. And because there are three things by which a man is wont to be bound to the world, namely the love of possession, the pleasure of the flesh and the cupidity of honour, according to that word of the first epistle of John, chapter two: All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, or the concupiscence of the eyes, or the pride of life; therefore Moses said⁴: We will go three days' journey into the desert, to signify that by the journey of one day the love of possession is forsaken; by the journey of the second day the pleasure of the flesh is forsaken; by the journey of the third day the cupidity of honour is forsaken. — Fourthly a man ought to turn the bitterness of his cross into the delight of sweetness, so that, namely, the bearing of his cross may delight him, which he must needs bear who wishes to save his soul. For he that taketh not up his cross, says the Lord⁵, and followeth me, is not worthy of me. If therefore thou wilt turn the bitterness of thy cross into the delight of sweetness, have always in thy heart the memory of the Lord's passion. « For he will not feel his own wounds who shall look upon the wounds of Christ », says Bernard. And this is what is read of the children of Israel, that before they came to the sweetest food, they came into Marath to a most bitter drink; and when for its bitterness they could not drink it, the Lord commanded that they should throw into that same drink the wood which prefigured the cross, and so sweeten the bitterness. — Let them therefore give glory to the Lord his mercies⁶ and his wonderful works to the children of men, for he hath satisfied the empty soul, and hath filled the hungry soul with good things: such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in want and in iron.

42. If therefore thou feelest thyself empty, seek thy filling in this Sacrament under the figure of fatness; if thou feelest thyself hungry, seek thy refreshment under the figure of bread; if thou feelest thyself blind and sitting in darkness, seek thy illumination in this Sacrament under the figure of honey; if thou feelest thyself lying in the shadow of death, seek thy reconciliation in this Sacrament under the figure of the paschal lamb; if needy and begging, seek thy enriching in this Sacrament under the figure of a heavenly treasure; if thou findest thyself having a heart of iron, seek thy softening in this Sacrament under the figure of manna. Which may Jesus Christ, the son of the most blessed Mary, deign to grant us. Amen. — Exᴘʟɪᴄɪᴛ.

---