Volume 13 · pp. 594–597
Sermon XLVI. Likewise, On All Saints
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SERMO XLVI.
ITEM, DE OMNIBUS SANCTIS.
Vidi turbam magnam quam dinumerare nemo poterat ex omnibus gentibus, et tribubus, et populis, et linguis: stantes ante thronum, et in conspectu Agni, amicti stolis albis, et palmæ in manibus eorum. Apoc. VII, 9.
Hic occurrunt quinque principaliter notanda:
I. Qui sint isti qui ante thronum in conspectu Agni stare dicuntur? II. Quod sit signum quo signati esse scribuntur? III. Quæ sint stolæ albæ quibus amiciuntur? IV. Quæ sint palmæ quæ ab ipsis in manibus feruntur? V. Quod sit beneficium quod ab Agno consequuntur?
I.
De primo nota: Illi qui coram Agno stare dicuntur, est congregatio omnium beatorum, collecta ex omnibus gentibus, et tribubus: Hebræi sive Judæi figurantur, qui per circumcisionem, et legem Mosaicam sunt salvati, sicuti Abraham, Isaac, et Jacob, Moyses, David ac infiniti. Illi qui collecti sunt ex populis, exprimunt Christianos: quoniam ipsi specialiter sunt populus Dei, qui per præcepta novæ legis bene adimpleta salvari meruerunt. Illi etiam qui collecti sunt ex linguis, figurant religiosos, qui sæpe ex diversis linguis in unam religionem conveniunt: qui etiam novis linguis loquuntur, postquam religioni se dederunt: recedunt enim vetera de ore ipsorum 1. Omnes ergo electi ex omnibus, gentibus, et tribubus, et populis, et linguis congregati stant coram Agno, id est, Jesu Christo. Ipse enim est ille Agnus immaculatus, qui per proprium propositum et per desideria Sanctorum occisus est ab origine mundi. Stant, inquam, a persecutionibus quibus olim subjacuerunt, erecti, et in gloria sublimati. Et vere dignum est, ut coram ipso, per cujus sanguinem sunt redempti, stent ex omni corde ei gratias referentes.
II.
De secundo nota: Signum quo signati esse scribuntur, est fides de divinitate Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti, et de humanitate Jesu Christi. Quasi enim quoddam thau (T) fuit divinitas Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti: cui apposita est, quasi quædam tabula humanitas Jesu, et ita hæc fides est quasi quædam crux, quæ fidelium frontibus infigitur, ut salventur. Hinc dicit Joannes in Apocal. VII, 2 et 3: Vidi alterum Angelum ascendentem ab ortu solis, habentem signum Dei vivi: et clamavit voce magna quatuor Angelis, quibus datum est nocere terræ, et mari, dicens: Nolite nocere terræ, et mari, neque arboribus, quoadusque signemus servos Dei in frontibus eorum. Per Angelum qui ab ortu solis ascendit, ipse Dei Filius intelligitur, qui natus est ex Maria Virgine. Ipsa quippe fuit ortus veri solis. Habuit autem Christus signum Dei vivi, quia divinitatem Patris et suiipsius, necnon et Spiritus sancti manifestavit huic mundo. Unde dicit Joan. XVII, 6 et 8: Pater, manifestavi nomen tuum hominibus, quos dedisti mihi de mundo... Et ipsi cognoverunt vere quia a te exivi, et crediderunt quia tu me misisti. De manifestatione Spiritus sancti dicitur, Joan. XIV, 16 et 17: Ego rogabo Patrem et alium Paraclitum dabit vobis, ut maneat vobiscum in æternum, Spiritum veritatis, quem mundus non potest accipere, quia non videt eum, nec scit eum. Vos autem cognoscetis eum: quia apud vos manebit, et in vobis erit.
SERMON XLVI.
LIKEWISE, ON ALL SAINTS.
I saw a great crowd, which no one could number, out of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and in the sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. Apocalypse 7:9.
Here five things principally occur to be noted:
I. Who are those who are said to stand before the throne in the sight of the Lamb? II. What is the sign with which they are written to have been signed? III. What are the white robes with which they are clothed? IV. What are the palms that are borne by them in their hands? V. What is the benefit that they obtain from the Lamb?
I.
Concerning the first, note: Those who are said to stand before the Lamb is the congregation of all the blessed, gathered out of all nations and tribes. Hebrews or Jews are figured, who were saved through circumcision and the Mosaic law, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses, David, and infinitely many. Those who are gathered out of peoples express Christians, because they especially are the people of God, who through the precepts of the new law well fulfilled deserved to be saved. Those also who are gathered out of tongues figure religious, who often from diverse tongues come together into one religion, and who also speak with new tongues after they have given themselves to religion; for old things withdraw from their mouth 1. Therefore all the elect, gathered out of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, stand before the Lamb, that is, Jesus Christ. For he is that immaculate Lamb who was slain from the origin of the world through his own purpose and through the desires of the Saints. They stand, I say, raised up from the persecutions to which they were once subjected, and exalted in glory. And truly it is fitting that before him, through whose blood they were redeemed, they stand, returning thanks to him from their whole heart.
II.
Concerning the second, note: The sign with which they are written to have been signed is faith concerning the divinity of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and concerning the humanity of Jesus Christ. For as it were a certain tau (T) was the divinity of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; to which, as it were a certain tablet, the humanity of Jesus was added; and thus this faith is as it were a certain cross, which is fixed on the foreheads of the faithful, so that they may be saved. Hence John says in Apocalypse 7:2 and 3: I saw another Angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the sign of the living God; and he cried with a great voice to the four Angels, to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying: Do not harm the earth and the sea, nor the trees, until we sign the servants of God on their foreheads. By the Angel who ascended from the rising of the sun, the Son of God himself is understood, who was born from the Virgin Mary. For she herself was the rising of the true sun. Now Christ had the sign of the living God, because he manifested to this world the divinity of the Father and of himself, and also of the Holy Spirit. Hence he says, John 17:6 and 8: Father, I have manifested your name to the human beings whom you gave to me from the world... And they truly knew that I came out from you, and they believed that you sent me. Concerning the manifestation of the Holy Spirit it is said, John 14:16 and 17: I will ask the Father and he will give you another Paraclete, that he may remain with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see him nor know him. But you will know him, because he will remain with you and will be in you.
Signum etiam Dei vivi erat crux sancta, quam ipse Jesus sibi bajulavit, exiens in eum, qui dicitur Calvariæ locum, sicut testatur Joan. XIX, 17. Iste ergo Angelus, id est, Jesus Christus clamat quatuor Angelis, id est, illis spiritibus, qui ad vindictam illorum deputati sunt, qui peccant in quatuor plagis hujus mundi. Ait, inquam: Nolite nocere terræ et mari, neque arboribus, id est, nolite finali percussione nocere avaris, qui per terram figurantur, quia terrena semper quærunt: nec etiam luxuriosis, qui per libidinem despumant, ut mare: nec etiam arboribus, id est, superbis, qui per elationem semper tendunt ad alta, quoadusque signemus servos Dei nostri in frontibus eorum 2, id est, donec omnes qui salvandi sunt, per fidem Trinitatis et humanitatis meæ sunt signati, ut hoc signo a reprobis discernantur.
The sign of the living God was also the holy cross, which Jesus himself carried for himself, going out to that place which is called Calvary, as John 19:17 testifies. Therefore that Angel, that is, Jesus Christ, cries to the four Angels, that is, to those spirits who have been deputed for vengeance on those who sin in the four quarters of this world. He says, I say: Do not harm the earth and the sea, nor the trees, that is, do not harm by a final striking the avaricious, who are figured by the earth, because they always seek earthly things; nor also the lustful, who foam through lust like the sea; nor also the trees, that is, the proud, who through elation always tend toward high things, until we sign the servants of our God on their foreheads 2, that is, until all who are to be saved are signed through faith in the Trinity and in my humanity, so that by this sign they may be distinguished from the reprobate.
III.
De tertio nota: Stolæ albæ, quibus electi sunt amicti, est innocentia et vera pœnitentia. Qui sine altera istarum venerit, mittetur in tenebras exteriores: ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium: non enim habet vestem nuptialem 3. De istis stolis dicitur, Apoc. XXII, 14: Beati qui lavant stolas suas in sanguine Agni: ut sit potestas eorum in ligno vitæ, et per portas intrent in civitatem, videlicet, Jerosolymam supernam.
IV.
De quarto nota: Palmæ quas in manibus ferunt, significant septemplicem victoriam, quam Sancti obtinuerunt, septemplice duce exercitus diaboli devicto, et hoc per adjutorium Spiritus septiformis. Septem quippe sunt duces exercitus diaboli, videlicet superbia, ira, invidia, avaritia, acedia, gula, et luxuria. Qui hos septem duces devicerint, palmas quæ sunt signa victoriæ, in manibus suis gloriose portabunt in cælis. De his septem ducibus, ac eorum exercitibus dicit Dominus ad Job, XXXIX, 19 et 25: Numquid præbebis equo fortitudinem,... qui procul odoratur bellum, exhortationem ducum, et ululatum exercitus. Per equum intelligitur robustus miles Christi, qui glorificat et portat Deum in corde et corpore suo. Iste procul odoratur bellum, quod diabolus adversus eum suscitare proponit, præparat enim animam suam ad tentationem: et contra exhortationem mutuam ducum exercitus diaboli invocat in adjutorium auxilium Spiritus sancti.
V.
De quinto nota, videlicet, electos ab Agno tale beneficium consequi, quod deducit eos ad vitæ fontes aquarum. Unde legitur Apoc. VII, 13, et seq., quod cum Joannes vidisset illam gloriosam turbam Agno assistentem, dixit ei unus de senioribus: Hi, qui amicti sunt stolis albis, qui sunt? et unde venerunt? Respondit Joannes: Domine mi, tu scis. Cui dixit senior: Hi sunt, qui venerunt de tribulatione magna, et laverunt stolas suas, et dealbaverunt eas in sanguine Agni: Ideo sunt ante thronum Dei. Et Agnus, qui in medio throni est, reget illos, et deducet eos ad vitæ fontes aquarum.
III.
Concerning the third, note: The white robes with which the elect are clothed are innocence and true penance. Whoever comes without either of those will be cast into exterior darknesses; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for he does not have the wedding garment 3. Concerning these robes it is said, Apocalypse 22:14: Blessed are those who wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb, so that their power may be in the tree of life, and through the gates they may enter into the city, namely the Jerusalem above.
IV.
Concerning the fourth, note: The palms that they bear in their hands signify the sevenfold victory that the Saints obtained, with the sevenfold leader of the army of the devil conquered, and this through the help of the sevenfold Spirit. For there are seven leaders of the army of the devil, namely pride, anger, envy, avarice, acedia, gluttony, and lust. Those who conquer these seven leaders will gloriously carry palms, which are signs of victory, in their hands in heaven. Concerning these seven leaders and their armies the Lord says to Job, 39:19 and 25: Will you give strength to the horse... who smells battle from far off, the exhortation of the leaders, and the howl of the army? By the horse is understood the robust soldier of Christ, who glorifies and carries God in his heart and in his body. He smells from far off the war that the devil proposes to stir up against him, for he prepares his soul for temptation; and against the mutual exhortation of the leaders of the army of the devil he calls on the help of the Holy Spirit as assistance.
V.
Concerning the fifth, note, namely that the elect obtain such a benefit from the Lamb, that he leads them to the fountains of waters of life. Hence it is read, Apocalypse 7:13 and following, that when John had seen that glorious crowd standing by the Lamb, one of the elders said to him: These who are clothed in white robes, who are they? and from where have they come? John responded: My Lord, you know. The elder said to him: These are they who came from great tribulation, and washed their robes, and whitened them in the blood of the Lamb; therefore they are before the throne of God. And the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will rule them and lead them to the fountains of waters of life.
Et nota, quod quinque fontes sunt in regno Dei, ad quos Agnus electos suos deducit. Primus est fons consolationis: ibi enim absterget Deus omnem lacrymam ab oculis Sanctorum (Apoc. VII, 17).
Secundus est fons quietis. Abstersis namque lacrymis, Amodo jam dicit Spiritus, id est, Trinitas, ut requiescant a laboribus suis (Apoc. XIV, 13).
Tertius est fons refectionis. Quiescentes quippe reficientur, et inebriabuntur ab ubertate domus Dei (Psal. XXXV, 9).
Quartus est fons exsultationis. Electi denique post divinam consolationem, et dulcem requietionem, et suavissimam refectionem, nimirum prorumpent in vocem exsultationis: Vox exsultationis, et salutis est in tabernaculis justorum (Psal. CXVII, 15).
Quintus est fons dilectionis. Quomodo enim eum ardenter non diligent, qui eos consolatur, et requiescere facit, et refecit omni bono? De his fontibus dicitur Isa. XII, 3: Haurietis aquas in gaudio de fontibus Salvatoris.
E converso, in inferno quinque fontes sive fluvii dicuntur esse, de quibus draco infernalis damnatas animas, velint nolint, potare compellit.
Primus fons sive fluvius Styx appellatur, de quo miseræ animæ potantes odio se habebunt ad invicem.
Secundus vocatur Phlegeton, de quo damnati bibentes irascentur, et indignabuntur sibimetipsis et aliis, quorum occasione sunt perditi.
Tertius dicitur Lethe, de quo reprobi potantes amentiam incident et oblivionem gaudii præteriti, et libidinis transactæ.
Quartus vocatur Acheron, de quo cum biberint in inferno positi, inæstimabilem tristitiam patientur.
Quintus appellatur Cocytus, de quo cum potati fuerint miseri peccatores, inconsolabiliter lugebunt et flebunt.
Rogate ergo, charissimi, Dominum, ut sic Sanctos suos imitemur in terris, ut consortes gaudii eorum esse mereamur in cælis. Quod, etc.
Footnotes:
1 I Reg. II, 3.
2 Apoc. VII, 3.
3 Matth. XXII, 13.
And note that there are five fountains in the kingdom of God, to which the Lamb leads his elect. The first is the fountain of consolation; for there God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of the Saints (Apocalypse 7:17).
The second is the fountain of rest. For when the tears have been wiped away, From now on the Spirit already says, that is, the Trinity, that they should rest from their labors (Apocalypse 14:13).
The third is the fountain of refreshment. For those resting will be refreshed and inebriated from the abundance of the house of God (Psalm 35:9).
The fourth is the fountain of exultation. Finally, after divine consolation, and sweet resting, and most pleasant refreshment, the elect will no doubt break forth into the voice of exultation: The voice of exultation and salvation is in the tabernacles of the just (Psalm 117:15).
The fifth is the fountain of love. For how will they not ardently love him who consoles them, and makes them rest, and has refreshed them with every good? Concerning these fountains it is said, Isaiah 12:3: You will draw waters in joy from the fountains of the Savior.
On the contrary, in hell there are said to be five fountains or rivers, from which the infernal dragon compels damned souls, whether they wish it or not, to drink.
The first fountain or river is called Styx, from which the wretched souls, drinking, will hold themselves in hatred toward one another.
The second is called Phlegethon, from which the damned, drinking, will be angry and indignant with themselves and with others, by whose occasion they were destroyed.
The third is called Lethe, from which the reprobate, drinking, will fall into madness and forgetfulness of past joy and past lust.
The fourth is called Acheron, from which, when they who have been placed in hell drink, they will suffer inestimable sadness.
The fifth is called Cocytus, from which, when wretched sinners have been given to drink, they will lament and weep inconsolably.
Therefore pray, dearly beloved, to the Lord, that we may so imitate his Saints on earth that we may deserve to be consorts of their joy in heaven. Which may he grant, etc.
Footnotes:
1 1 Kings 2:3.
2 Apocalypse 7:3.
3 Matthew 22:13.
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