Gregory the Dialogist

"And for each treasury chamber there was a door in the fronts of the gates." We said above that the treasuries are the hearts of teachers, which preserve the riches of knowledge. The fronts of the gates are the words and works of preachers, by which we recognize outwardly what kind of persons they are who live within themselves. There is a door through each treasury in the fronts of the gates, because each teacher opens understanding in the heart of the hearer through the sayings and works of the fathers. For when we examine the preaching of the apostle Peter, when we search out the words of Paul, when we investigate the Gospel of John, and from their words draw our hearers to interior understanding, what else do we do but open a door in the fronts of the gates? Let it therefore be said: Through each treasury a door in the fronts of the gates, because if a teacher does not confirm what he says by the sayings of the apostles, he does not have a door in the fronts of the gates. And if he does not have a door, it can no longer be called a treasury of the spiritual building, because if he does not open understanding, he is not a teacher.

"There they washed the burnt offering." For those who have devoted themselves to the Lord through faith in holy conduct have become a holocaust to the Lord. But because they still suffer many things in themselves from their corruptible flesh, because purity of heart is still defiled in them by sordid thoughts, they return daily to tears, they are afflicted by constant weeping. For they consider the words and deeds of the holy fathers, and when they judge themselves unworthy, they wash the holocaust at the entrance of the gates. Behold, for example, someone has vowed out of fear of the almighty Lord to be patient, to render no insult for insult, to tolerate all things with equanimity, and yet when an insult hurled from a neighbor's mouth suddenly strikes him, disturbed he perhaps says something he should not have said. Certainly this man is already a holocaust, but still unclean. Perhaps he showed patience against the insults hurled at him, he remained silent; but nevertheless he is touched by grief at those same insults which he bears, and his soul is wounded in its charity. For true patience is that which loves even the one whom it bears. For to tolerate but to hate is not the virtue of gentleness, but a covering for rage. And so this man often judges himself in his thought, reproaches himself because he grieves, yet cannot prevail upon himself not to grieve. Therefore through good devotion he is already a holocaust, but still unclean through the grief by which he is touched. Another has resolved within himself to give all that he possesses to the needy, to reserve nothing for himself, to commit his life to heavenly governance alone; but while he gives to the poor what he has, perhaps a thought creeps into his mind which says: How will you live if you give everything away? Yet he does not cease to give, but what he had begun to give joyfully he afterward gives sadly. What is this man's mind but a holocaust of mercy? Yet still unclean through the sadness of thought. For either he should not have resolved upon the highest things, or after resolving he should in no way have doubted. Another, having despised worldly pride, has resolved to avoid the honors and dignities of this age, he seeks to hold the lowest place among men, so that he may be found more exalted in lasting glory the more humble he appears in passing life. When this man suddenly recognizes that he is despised by his neighbor, perhaps he is indignant at being despised. He wishes indeed to be in a humble place, but yet he does not wish to be seen as contemptible. Devotion now lifts him up, but weakness still weighs him down. Therefore through devotion he is already a holocaust, but still unclean from weakness. And so those who in the things they have excellently vowed are touched by some fault of their weakness, when through the words of teachers they understand the sayings of the fathers, and recognize how great a fault they lie in, and afflict themselves with the laments of penance, they wash the holocaust at the entrance of the gates.

It must be known that this is the difference between a sacrifice and a holocaust: every holocaust is a sacrifice, but not every sacrifice is a holocaust. For in a sacrifice a part of the animal was customarily offered, but in a holocaust the whole animal. Hence holocaust is called in the Latin language "totally burned." Let us consider, therefore, what a sacrifice is and what a holocaust is. For when someone vows something of his own to God, and does not vow something else, it is a sacrifice. But when he has vowed to almighty God everything that he has, everything that he lives, everything that he understands, it is a holocaust. For there are some who are still held in mind to this world, and yet from their possessions they minister aid to the needy and hasten to defend the oppressed. These, in the good things they do, offer a sacrifice, because they both immolate something of their activity to God and reserve something for themselves. And there are some who reserve nothing for themselves, but immolate to the almighty Lord their sense, tongue, life, and substance which they have received. What do these offer except a holocaust; indeed, do they not rather become a holocaust? For the Israelite people first offered sacrifice in Egypt, but the second in the wilderness. Therefore, whoever still has his mind in the world, but already does some good, has offered sacrifice to God in Egypt. But whoever abandons the present world and does what good he can, as if having already left Egypt behind, offers sacrifice in the wilderness, because, having repelled the noise of carnal desires, he immolates to God in the quiet and solitude of his mind whatever he does. Therefore, although, as has been said, a holocaust is also a sacrifice, nevertheless a holocaust is greater than a sacrifice, because the mind that is not weighed down by the delight of this world burns totally in sacrifice to almighty God whatever it has.

But we must know that there are some who, even while leaving the world, offer indeed all that they have, yet are in no way moved to compunction in the good deeds they do; and while the good they do is indeed a holocaust, yet because they do not know how to weep and judge themselves, and do not kindle themselves from love to tears, their holocaust is not perfect. Hence it is said through the Psalmist: "May the Lord remember all your sacrifice, and may your holocaust be made fat." For a holocaust is dry when the good work is not suffused with the tears of prayer. But a holocaust is fat when what is done well is also watered with tears from a humble heart. Hence again it is said: "I will offer you fat holocausts with marrow." For whoever does a good work but does not know how to weep from love and desire of almighty God has a holocaust, but does not have marrow in his holocaust. But whoever does good works and now longs for the vision of his Creator, and hastens to arrive at the joys of eternal contemplation, and slays himself in weeping from the love by which he is kindled, has given the Lord holocausts with marrow. Therefore we must strive both to abandon evils completely and to do the good works we are able to do, and in those very good deeds we do to be moved to compunction by love of the eternal light. For love of the light itself dispels the darkness of the heart, so that we may be able to see more subtly lest anything perverse be mixed with the good deeds we do. For we must consider what our work is like, what thought is in the work, what intention is in the thought. And when we recognize that something of malice or perverse delight is mixed with our good work, let us return to tears, let us wash the holocaust.

There are, however, certain people who have devoted themselves to the Lord in great undertakings and have attained such perfection that they are never bent by any difficulty, so that in their resolve for chastity the flesh never prostrates the mind with delight in wicked thought. For even if it sometimes knocks through suggestion, it is not permitted to rise, because it is trampled down by the vigor of judgment. Likewise in their resolve for patience, no disorderly word proceeds from their mouth, nor does silent grief press upon the mind; in their generosity of almsgiving, no suspicion of want generates sadness; in their resolve for humility, no contempt gnaws at the mind. But although they now show themselves strong in those things which they have rightly vowed, nevertheless they bring back to memory the former sins that were committed by them before their good resolve, and they lament whatever they remember having done unlawfully. These therefore are a holocaust through the life they hold, but defiled through the life they held before. Therefore they wash the holocaust at the entrance of the gates, because in the understanding they have received from the sayings of the fathers, they afflict themselves with daily lamentations, and cleanse with tears the life they once defiled with wicked deeds. Let us therefore among these things bring back the eyes of our mind to our past life, let us remember what we were when we were following the desires of this world. And if we now serve the Lord with our whole heart, because we remember that we have sinned, let us weep, let us wash the holocaust in weeping.

Behold, we have vowed our chastity to almighty God; but if impure thought still defiles the mind, let us return to tears, let us wash the burnt offering. Behold, we have resolved to preserve patience. But if anger still disturbs us, if silent grief torments the mind, let us return to tears, let us wash the burnt offering. Behold, we have now learned to give away our possessions and to hold a humble place in this world; if any suspicion of poverty still weighs down the soul, if contempt from our neighbor confounds us with some indignation, let us return to tears, let us wash the burnt offering. For great is the bosom of mercy of our Creator for receiving the tears of the humble. For where the tears of innumerable people have been received, there our tears too will find their place. Let us consider what is said through another prophet: And whoever among them stumbles on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord in his sight. This is the day of mercy which was promised to us from the coming of our Redeemer. Therefore whoever stumbles shall be like David, because the sinner returns to repentance; but the house of David shall be like God, because everyone who returns to righteousness becomes a dwelling place of his Creator, so that he may be like an angel in his sight, because he offers to others by proclaiming the bowels of mercy which he himself has experienced. Hence also a little later it is said there: On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and for those dwelling in Jerusalem, for the washing of the sinner and of her who is menstruating.

For the hidden fountain is the only-begotten of the Father, the invisible God. But the open fountain is the same God incarnate. This open fountain is rightly called the house of David, because our Redeemer came forth to us from the lineage of David. Jerusalem is interpreted as the vision of peace. Those who dwell in Jerusalem are they who fix their minds on the vision of inner peace. The sinner and the menstruous woman is either one who transgresses in deed, or the mind that slips into wicked thought. For this pollution is that of the menstruous woman, because she is not touched by another's flesh, yet is defiled by her own flesh. So it is, so it is with every soul that, even if it does not commit an evil deed, nevertheless becomes filthy through polluted thought. Hence also through another prophet, under the figure of Judea, it is said of the soul occupied with unclean desires: All who seek her will not fail; they will find her in her menstrual periods. For malign spirits seeking do not fail when they desire to bring destruction, and are repelled by no rectitude of good thought. And they find the soul in her menstrual periods when, finding her placed in polluted thoughts, they easily drag her to perverse action. Let it therefore be said: In that day there shall be an open fountain for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for the washing of the sinner and the menstruous woman, because the fountain of mercy, our Redeemer, is now opened to us, who deigned to become incarnate in the house of David, so that he might wash the sinner from perverse deed, and cleanse the menstruous mind from unclean thought. The fountain therefore lies open; let us run with tears, let us be washed in this fountain of loving-kindness.

In this fountain David himself also was washed when he returned to the lamentations of repentance after the stains of grievous sin. For he was seeking to find this very fountain when he said: "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and strengthen me with your principal spirit." For "Jesus" in Hebrew is called "Savior" in Latin. And what was it that he was asking—that the joy of Jesus be restored to him—except that before his sin he had been accustomed to contemplate him, and in his sin had lost the joys of that contemplation? Hence rightly after his repentance he was seeking that the joy of that vision be restored to him. In this fountain of mercy Mary Magdalene was washed, who was first a notorious sinner, but afterwards washed away her stains with tears and wiped away her stains by correcting her ways. In this fountain of mercy Peter washed before all what he had denied, because he wept bitterly. In this fountain of mercy the thief was washed at his end, who, reproaching himself in death, was cleansed from his sin by confession of the truth.

Why then are we sluggish? Why do we remain torpid and cold, we who have known that so many have already washed themselves in this fountain of mercy? Shall we then despair of our own cleansing, we who hold so many examples of mercy as a pledge? And do we cease to seek pardon and to have confidence with tears, we who have received the cleansing of so many as a pledge of our hope? For we ought to seek the fountain of mercy even if it were closed. Now it lies open, and we neglect it. Let us cast the eyes of faith upon the whole world, let us consider how many sinners day and night are washed through lamentations in this fountain of mercy, how many return from darkness to light, how many from stains to purity. Let us therefore run with such people after the darkness of death to the water of life; let us consider how much we have sinned, how much we sin daily, and, that we may appear clean after our faults, let us wash the burnt offering. For accomplishing these things the grace of our Redeemer is present, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side.

For our gate has four tables in the inner vestibule, because the holy Church has been instructed by the preaching of the four evangelists, through whose teaching it learned to raise the heart in love of almighty God and to sacrifice its thoughts to Him as an offering. Of these, two are reported to be on one side and two on the other, because two evangelists attested to what they saw concerning the Lord, and two narrated those things which they learned by hearing from their predecessors. Or certainly there are four tables of the inner vestibule, as we plainly perceive, because the holy Church receives four orders of rulers for the instruction of faithful peoples, which Paul enumerates from the gift of almighty God, saying: "He gave some indeed as apostles, some as prophets, others as evangelists, and others as pastors and teachers." But he names pastors and teachers as one order of rulers, because he truly feeds the flock of God who teaches. The outer gate also had four tables, because clearly the Synagogue maintained the observance of external service through the chief priests and elders of the people, through the Scribes and Pharisees. These Pharisees were also called teachers of the law. Whether of the outer or inner gate, two tables are on one side and two on the other, because in her beginnings the holy Church had apostles and prophets. By prophets, however, we mean not those who were among the ancient people, but those who arose in the holy Church after the apostles. In later time also, which is now, she has evangelists and teachers. Since indeed "Gospel" means good news, we certainly call evangelists those who announce to unlearned peoples the good things of the heavenly homeland. These evangelists and teachers indeed existed in earlier time, but even until now, by the Lord's generosity, they remain, because we recognize that still daily both unbelieving peoples are drawn to faith, and all the faithful are instructed in good morals through teachers. But the apostles and prophets have been taken away from this present time, and therefore we say that these tables of our gate, that is, of the holy Church, were as it were on another side.

And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, that the holocaust might be immolated upon them.

For by the name of gates, as was said above, the holy preachers can be understood, so that the vestibule of the gate is the people. When they receive the words of preaching with a humble mind, tables for sacrifice are constructed in them from virtues. Again, nothing prevents us from understanding the gate as that which is opened to us through the mouths of preachers—the understanding of sacred eloquence—so that the vestibule of the gate may be for us those words of preaching which we first humbly receive, so that afterward we may come to the understanding of sacred eloquence. Let the interior gate therefore be for us the New Testament, and the exterior gate the Old Testament, because the former opens spiritual understanding, while the latter preserved for minds still unlearned the letter in the history of sacred eloquence. Now the interior gate has, in the already great multitude of faithful peoples, two sides, namely the love of God and the love of neighbor. And there are two tables on each side, because in the love of God faith and life must necessarily be maintained, while in the love of neighbor patience and kindness must be especially guarded. For in the love of God faith and life are necessary, because it is written: "Without faith it is impossible to please God." And again it is written: "Faith without works is dead." But in the love of neighbor patience and kindness must be preserved by us, because concerning that same love it is written: "Charity is patient, is kind." Patient, that is, so as to bear with equanimity the evils inflicted by neighbors, and kind, so as to bestow its own goods upon neighbors with eager desire. The exterior gate also, namely the law, has two sides: the spiritual fathers and the carnal people. In each of these there are two tables, because it has in the spiritual fathers doctrine and prophecy, and has in the carnal people circumcision and sacrifice. On these eight tables, therefore, immolation takes place, because whatever faith believes, whatever life shows in the example of good work, whatever patience humbly endures, whatever kindness generously ministers, whatever doctrine healthfully teaches, whatever prophecy forewarns concerning the future, whatever circumcision bound to external commandment, whatever sacrifice accomplished through the devotion of the one offering—all this is shown to be a victim in the eyes of almighty God. For in the law, even through carnal sacrifice, what else did the people immolate but the devotion of their heart? But it should be noted that only four tables are mentioned as having been for the holocaust, which we understand as belonging to the vestibule of the interior gate, so that we may understand concerning the remaining four that they were constructed for sacrifice, not for holocaust. For holocaust, as I stated in the preceding discourse, means "entirely burned." And indeed the law commands that God and neighbor be loved, that divine commandments be kept, and restrains from the desire for others' possessions; yet it does not command that all things be given up. But in the New Testament the Truth testifies to us, saying: "Unless one renounces all that he possesses, he cannot be my disciple." And again he says: "Whoever wishes to come after me, let him deny himself." The tables of the interior gate therefore have holocaust, because in the virtues of the New Testament we burn all things as through a holocaust, when we renounce all things that belong to this world. But the tables of the exterior gate have sacrifice, yet do not have holocaust, because the legal precepts command that tithes be offered, but do not command that all things be given up.

And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, that the holocaust might be immolated upon them, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering.

What are we to say about the mystical meanings of the prophet Ezekiel, when we can scarcely grasp the very words of his narrative? For behold he says: "And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, that the holocaust might be immolated upon them, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering. And at the outer side, which goes up to the entrance of the gate that looks toward the north, were two tables; and at the other side before the vestibule of the gate, two tables. Four tables on this side, and four tables on that side, by the sides of the gate. There were eight tables, upon which they immolated." In these words, indeed, a great fog of uncertainty arises, whether these things are said about any one gate, or about two, or about each of the gates. But since four tables are described on each side, and afterward it is said in the sum of the conclusion: "There were eight tables upon which they immolated," it is clear that the Spirit does not say this about each of the gates he had described above, because if the six gates enumerated above had four tables on each side, all together they would be called not eight, but forty-eight. Again, if this is said about one gate, our understanding is struck back by a great obstacle, because after the description of the vestibule of the gate, where two tables on this side and two tables on that side are narrated to be, still at the outer side, which goes up to the entrance of the gate that looks toward the north, two tables are mentioned, and it is added: "And at the other side before the vestibule of the gate, two tables." For if within the vestibule of the gate there were two tables on each side, when it is added: "And at the outer side two tables," and "at the other side before the vestibule two tables," among which the gate that looks toward the way of the north is also mentioned, it is certainly clear that there was one vestibule on the inside and another on the outside, because both the inner gate is described first, and afterward in this place the outer gate of the north is described. For when he had described three gates above, he also mentioned that three others belonged to the inner court, the last of which he had narrated as the north gate, but, as was said, of the inner court. Now therefore, when two tables on this side in the vestibule of the gate and two tables on that side are described, the discourse is still being woven about the same inner gate, since it is immediately added that at the outer side, which goes up to the entrance of the gate that looks toward the north, were two tables; and at the other side before the vestibule of the gate, two tables. Therefore the inner gate has been described as having two tables on each side in the vestibule, and the outer gate likewise two. But four on this side and four on that side are made together, since two on each side in the vestibule of the inner gate and two on this side and that side outside in the north gate are described, which all together are eight, upon which they immolate. Therefore, having discussed these matters concerning the outward narrative, let our discourse return to the spiritual understanding, which ought now to be easier, with the Lord granting it, inasmuch as ignorance of the outward description does not constrain us.

The gate that leads to the north.

The gate that leads to the north also has two tables on one side and two on the other—the same chief priests and elders of the people we mentioned who held greater authority in governance, as well as the scribes and Pharisees who presided over that unlearned people in a lesser position. But these tables are beside the gate that leads to the north, because when these four orders presided over the people, the Synagogue, raging in the persecution of our Redeemer, rushed headlong into the torpor of unbelief. Nevertheless, these tables had sacrifice, which they held according to the letter alone; hence they also slipped into the torpor of cold, because they were not kindled by the flame of the Spirit. But the interior tables have a holocaust, because whether in the hearts of the apostles and prophets, or in the minds of the evangelists and teachers, the fire of the Spirit both burned and burns. Because it consumes their every thought in good work, the flame of the love of God, like a holocaust, sets ablaze all at once whatever it finds. For they offer a holocaust who are kindled to the very marrow, whether in good work or in holy meditation.

But four tables for the holocaust were built from squared stones.

For whom do we understand by squared stones in this place, if not any holy ones whose life has known how to stand firmly in prosperity and adversity? For a squared stone stands equally on whichever side it has been turned. Therefore whoever is not lifted up in prosperity, is not broken in adversity, is not drawn by persuasions to evil, is not called back from good work by reproaches, is a squared stone. And he has stability as if from every side, because he does not have a fall in any change. Certainly when the prophet recognized that the Jewish people were perishing from the faith, and foresaw holy apostles rising in the Church, through whom many from the gentiles were strengthened in the fortitude of faith and life, he spoke in great consolation, saying: "The stones have fallen, but we shall build with squared stones." For seeing apostles, martyrs, and teachers rising in the holy Church, he grieved less at the fall of stones, that is, at the perdition of the Jews, because he beheld the building of almighty God, that is, the holy Church being built from squared stones. Therefore four tables are constructed from squared stones, because faith and life, patience and kindness have been given from the life of the saints as an example to following peoples, so that now the vestibule may have tables, that is, the people may hold the virtues of life, in which they may kindle the sacrifice of prayer to almighty God on the altar of their heart. For whatever good the faithful peoples of the holy Church have done or do, they have received this as an example from the life of their preachers. For whence would this vestibule have tables, unless it had found squared stones? So that we may briefly bring forward one example from the squared stones, do you wish, dearest brothers, to see faith? "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Do you wish to know life? "The world is crucified to me, and I to the world." Do you wish to hear patience? "Even unto this hour we both hunger and are struck with fists, and are without stable dwelling, and we labor working with our own hands; we are cursed and we bless, we suffer persecution and we endure; we are blasphemed and we entreat." Do you wish to know kindness? "But I most gladly will spend and be spent myself for your souls." And lest perhaps we believe that he was a debtor to the love of those for whom he desired to be spent, he soon adds to those same disciples, saying: "Though loving you more, I am loved less." When therefore the life of holy preachers is known by the faithful people for imitating their virtues, assuredly tables are constructed from squared stones in the vestibule. Indeed the Synagogue also had spiritual fathers in teaching and prophecy, from whom it might draw an example of life in virtues. But its unlearned people, serving more through fear than following through love, refused to imitate the life of the fathers which it saw, and therefore the outer gate which proceeds toward the north does not have tables for the holocaust.

And in height one cubit.

The height of the tables is one cubit. For what is the height of the saints, if not faith in invisible things? For through faith what is not seen is believed, and therefore through this the mind of the righteous is led to height, so that it may despise all visible things on earth and follow in heaven those invisible things which it hears. But the height of the tables has one cubit, because there is unity of faith in the heart of all the saints. That God is one Trinity both the fathers of the Old Testament and the preachers of the New Testament have professed. Therefore the height of the tables has nothing more than one cubit, nothing less, because the faith of all the fathers agrees with itself in great unity. But those who, already advancing to the patience of hope through the highest virtues, have one and a half cubits, and are measured by one and a half cubits in the breadth of charity, but grow to one cubit in the height of faith—these are great and worthy of being venerated with the highest admiration. Therefore they ought to receive the souls of the little ones in the bosom of their way of life, and offer them in the sight of the Lord as a kind of holocaust and sacrifice.

These tables were made from squared stones, in length one and a half cubits, and in width one and a half cubits, and in height one cubit.

These tables were made from squared stones, because while they meditate daily on the words of sacred eloquence in their hearts, they are constructed as if from squared stones for offering the holocaust of prayer to the Lord. For the words of Sacred Scripture are squared stones, because they stand everywhere, because they are found reprehensible from no side. For in everything they narrate about the past, in everything they announce about the future, in everything they preach morally, in everything they sound forth spiritually, they have stability as if on different sides, because they have no fault. Therefore the hearts of the saints are tables of God constructed from squared stones for the holocaust, because those who always meditate on the words of God sacrifice themselves to the Lord from carnal life in their thought. Hence it is written: The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted. And hence it is said again: In my heart I have hidden your words, that I may not sin against you. But since we have learned from what these tables are constructed, let us also hear what their measurements are. It follows: In length one and a half cubits, and in width one and a half cubits, and in height one cubit.

A certain person explained this passage, saying: The tables have in length and width one and a half cubits, that is, as a square, which joined together make three cubits. These three cubits have in height one cubit, so that the mysteries of the Trinity may preserve the measure of one cubit, that is, of the divine majesty. This interpretation cannot stand, because in that supreme Trinity which created all things and contains all things, there is no half, nor is anything one made from two halves. For that substance has nothing of diminution or division, which always remaining unchangeable, receives neither decrease nor increase. But we have often said that length pertains to the longsuffering of hope, while width pertains to the amplitude of charity. Therefore the tables which were constructed for the holocaust are measured with a length of one and a half cubits, because the holy fathers and teachers, who extend themselves with longsuffering toward the secrets of inner hope, through the fact that they live in virtues, are indeed very perfect as far as human measure is concerned, but as far as those divine mysteries which cannot be fully grasped by man, as long as they remain in this mortal flesh, they are not perfect. Therefore in themselves they already have a cubit, but in God they do not yet have a cubit, because indeed they already advance fully in virtues, but nevertheless they still know something about God only in part. Behold, again Paul comes to mind as testimony regarding the measure of the table. Let us see whether his life is measured by a complete cubit. For he says: Let us, as many as are perfect, think this. Let us see if in those things which he perceives about God he has already perfectly extended himself to perceive the mysteries: I do not consider myself to have comprehended. Who again says: We know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part will be done away. Who again says: Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. If therefore he is perfect, and knows in part, he has a cubit, as far as concerns himself, but nevertheless a half above himself. Let the hearts of the saints therefore be extended in the longsuffering of hope, let them be extended in the perfection which they have, by one cubit. But because they cannot yet see fully, where they direct the eye of hope, that which they have above one cubit is cut back to a half cubit, so that in this life they may always see themselves as imperfect, and run more ardently toward perfection.

In width one and a half cubits.

The tables also have a width of one and a half cubits, because the hearts of the saints, expanded in the breadth of charity, have a cubit according to the neighbor whom they love and see. For they can perfectly love those whom they are able to know perfectly in some measure. But Almighty God they love from the depths of their being, they follow from the depths of their being, yet they cannot love Him as much as they ought, because they are not yet able to see Him whom they love; and the measure of love is less where the measure of knowledge is still less. Therefore they have one cubit and a half, because what is much less is already complete in their soul, that is, charity toward their neighbor; but what is much greater in them, that is, the love of God whom they do not see, is not yet complete. Concerning this love, which begins here so that it may be perfected by the vision of the Lord in the eternal homeland, Isaiah rightly speaks, saying: "The Lord lives, whose fire is in Zion, and His furnace in Jerusalem." Now it is more to be a furnace than a fire, because a fire can also be small, but in a furnace a vaster flame is kindled. Zion indeed means contemplation, while Jerusalem is called the vision of peace. We contemplate our peace here in the meantime, so that we may fully see it there afterward. From the love of the Lord, therefore, there is a fire in Zion, a furnace in Jerusalem, because here we burn to some degree with the flames of His love, where we contemplate something of Him; but there we shall fully burn, where we shall fully see Him whom we love.

But upon the tables, the flesh of the offering.

Let it be permitted amid these things to bring forward the words of the holy Gospel to our midst, whose sacred history through the miracle it narrates announces the wondrous things that are done daily. For when the weary and fasting crowds had come together to the Lord, the Lord said to His disciples: I have compassion on the multitude, because behold they have now persevered with me three days and have nothing to eat; and if I send them away fasting to their homes, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from far away. The crowd perseveres with the Lord for three days when the multitude of the faithful, turning away through penance from the sins they have committed, converts itself to God in work, in speech, and in thought. The Lord does not wish to send them away fasting to their home, lest they faint on the way, because indeed converted sinners faint on the way of the present life if they are dismissed into their own conscience without the nourishment of holy teaching. Therefore, lest they grow weary on the journey of this pilgrimage, they must be fed with holy admonition. But the pious sentiment which proceeded from the mouth of Truth must be carefully considered, in which it is said: For some of them have come from far away. There is one who, having experienced nothing of fraud and nothing of carnal corruption, hastened to the service of almighty God. This one did not come from far away, because through incorruption and innocence he was near. Another, stained by no immodesty, defiled by no shameful acts, but having experienced only marriage, was converted to spiritual ministry. Neither did this one come from far away, because having used the permitted union, he did not stray through unlawful things. But others after carnal shameful acts, others after false testimonies, others after committed thefts, others after inflicted violence, others after perpetrated homicides return to penance and are converted to the service of almighty God: these indeed come to the Lord from far away. For the more anyone has strayed in wicked deeds, the farther he has departed from the almighty Lord. For also the prodigal son, who abandoned his father, went away into a far country, in which he fed swine, because he nourished vices. Let nourishment therefore be given even to those who come from far away, because to converted sinners the foods of holy doctrine must be offered, so that they may restore in God the strength they lost in shameful acts. These often need to be satisfied by teachers with more abundant foods of doctrine, the more they came exhausted by greater vices. And when they have now begun to confess the evils they committed, and by confessing to abandon them and punish them with weeping, it is necessary that holy teachers earnestly pray for their sins, so that they may bring the flesh of offering to the Lord's table. As often as they do this, in that they intercede for the sins of others, they wipe away their own more fully before the eyes of God, because by that very charity they justify themselves, by which with wondrous piety they sacrifice themselves in lamentations for the iniquities of others. Nor should it be burdensome for teachers to pour out tears for converted sinners, when even He Himself who created all things, having become man, poured out His blood on the cross for our iniquities, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Turned inward all around.

Perhaps, however, the discourse concerns the teacher's guardianship of discipline. And it often happens that one who knows how to speak the rule of discipline does not know how to maintain it, because either, moved by excessive zeal, he moderates himself too little through gentleness; or, calm with excessive gentleness, he inflames himself too little against vices with the spur of zeal. For with great consideration we must weigh what is written, that on the vessels of the temple, among the crowns and interwoven bands, oxen and lions and cherubim were carved, and beneath the oxen and lions hung straps. Indeed, crowns signify the mark of victory, while interwoven bands signify the unanimity of concord; but the cherubim are called the fullness of knowledge. For priests and teachers, among the crowns and interwoven bands, that is, among the strength of good work by which they run toward victory, and the concord of charity, by which they do not differ from one another, are designated by oxen and lions and cherubim, because in the fullness of knowledge which they have, it is necessary that they hold both the gentleness of oxen and the fervor of lions, so that in the discipline which they preach, they may be both kindled by holy zeal and tranquil from paternal sweetness. Let straps hang down beneath them, so that the reins of their discipline by which they themselves are bound they may also carefully extend to their subjects. For straps to hang down beneath them is to hold the bonds of guardianship over subjects. These are rightly maintained when neither the gentleness of oxen is lost in the fervor of zeal, nor the terror of lions is diminished in gentleness. Indeed, there ought to be such discretion that discipline is neither excessive nor mercy lax, lest if fault is forgiven in a disorderly manner, he who is culpable be bound more gravely in guilt; and again, lest if fault is retained immoderately, he who is being corrected become so much the worse, inasmuch as he considers that nothing is being done toward him from the grace of kindness. Therefore, harshness must be shown to the wicked in outward display, charity in the mind; so that both the harsh display may restrain the offender, and the keeping of charity may not lose the reward of gentleness.

Behold, while I speak, Joseph stirs the mind to come forth himself as a witness to demonstrate what I am saying. Certainly, when he narrated to his brothers the dream he had seen about his advancement, through what he innocently related, he aroused the stings of malice against himself. By those same brothers he was sold to the Ishmaelites, led into Egypt, and by the wondrous dispensation of the almighty Lord was set over that same Egypt. And when famine arose in the land of Canaan, the brothers came to Egypt, found Joseph set over Egypt, and worshipped him with their necks bowed to the ground. And because they could not change God's counsel, they worshipped because they sold him whom they had sold lest they should worship. Then that man of God himself, full of the spirit of discernment, recognized his brothers without being recognized. But mindful of their fault and forgiving of the injury, he neither strove to repay the evils of his brothers nor to release them without purification. For with suspicious voice he immediately said: "You are spies; you have come to see the weaker parts of the land. Now I shall take trial of you. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here." O what a lance in the heart! They had come as strangers, they were fleeing the danger of famine, they had not received the grain they sought, and they saw themselves besides being struck by the hurling of accusation. Amid these things they are led to prison, and, brought out after three days, they are still terrified in the same harshness. Now they return to their heart, now the memory of fault strikes the mind, and they speak among themselves: "Rightly do we suffer these things, because we sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we did not listen; therefore this tribulation has come upon us." In these things, however, Joseph's heart is conquered by love; he seeks a private place, he releases in weeping what he owed to piety. He returns severe to his brothers, so that their tormented soul might be freed from fault. After this, one is bound in chains, the others are dismissed with grain, so that one brother might come, whom they had said they had as the youngest. Afterward the brother came. Piety conquered his mind when the innocent brother was seen; but harshness remained in outward show, so that the guilty brothers might be purged. Grain is given, a cup is hidden in the sack of the younger brother, an accusation of theft is raised against them. A messenger is sent to bring them back; it is decreed that he with whom the cup was found be consigned to slavery. It is found in the sack of the youngest brother. Then Benjamin is brought back, all the afflicted brothers follow. O torments of mercy! He tortures, and he loves. Therefore having returned, prostrate on the ground with tears, they beg pardon. For remembering what they had promised the father concerning him, they were wasting away with unbearable grief. Then piety, enclosed and no longer able to restrain itself, burst forth into the open, and shook out the tears of charity from the countenance of severity. The anger that appeared and was not was wiped away; the mercy that was and did not appear was shown. Thus the holy man both forgave and avenged the crime of his brothers. Thus he held clemency in vigor, so that to his offending brothers he was neither merciful without punishment, nor strict without compassion.

Behold, this is the teaching of discipline: to know how to pardon faults with discernment, and to cut them away with compassion. But those who do not have the spirit of discernment either dismiss sins in such a way that they do not correct them, or strike as if correcting in such a way that they do not forgive. Therefore, the teacher who must speak about the moderation of discipline should know himself to be a table of God, and should bend back the basin within, so that what he speaks in teaching, he vigilantly performs under the spirit of discernment. Nor, if he considers that certain things are lacking in himself, ought he to fall silent from preaching about them. For his position demands that he speak. Therefore, let him challenge himself with his own words; and if he does not speak because he does not practice, let him practice because he is compelled to speak. Therefore, where he sees himself fulfilling in deed what he says, there let him admonish his hearers, and kindle their minds to the pursuit of good work. But where he does not yet see himself having fulfilled what he speaks, let him likewise inflame himself to the good things about which he admonishes his hearers, so that he himself may also learn at the same time in practice what truth speaks through him in preaching. For often what we do not know by living, when compelled by the duty of teaching, we learn by speaking; and while the guilt of our laziness is born in the mind through reflection, a compunction suddenly arising pierces that same mind, and aroused by its own voice, it awakens in action, which previously lay torpid in idleness without a voice.

Upon which they place the vessels in which the holocaust and victim are immolated.

Whence it openly follows: Upon which they place the vessels in which the holocaust and victim are immolated. For what are the souls of the faithful, if not holy vessels that receive words of piety, so that from their minds a holocaust of life and prayer may be offered? Hence it is that Paul, when he was still unlearned in the calling of faith, because he had already received the words of the Lord and was full of heavenly grace, is called a vessel, when it is said: He is a vessel of election to me. Hence the prophet admonishes pastors and teachers, saying: Be cleansed, you who bear the vessels of the Lord. For they carry the vessels of the Lord as if upon a table, who by instructing support the life of the faithful, so that at some time they may lead them to the Lord for holocaust and sacrifice. But neither should this be regarded carelessly, that in these same vessels holocaust and victim are said to be offered. For a holocaust, as we also said above, is a victim, yet a victim is not always a holocaust, because when something is offered in part and retained in part, it is indeed a sacrifice, but it is not a holocaust. But truly in the great multitude of the faithful there are some who leave all things that are of the world, bestow all that they possess, reserve nothing for themselves, yearn from their inmost being for the eternal homeland, and slay themselves wholly in tears. These evidently are vessels upon the table, in which a holocaust is offered. And there are others who bear care for their own household, think of their children, and preserve an inheritance for them, who nevertheless, mindful of the eternal judgment, bestow mercy upon the poor, and give them food and clothing from whatever portion they have determined. These indeed are vessels upon the table, in which a victim is offered, not a holocaust. Because indeed the patience and teaching of the saints, by admonishing and sustaining, by persuading and frightening, instruct the hearts of some to such a degree that they abandon all things and kindle themselves wholly in the love of the Lord, while they instruct others to this degree, that because they are not able to leave all things, they may at least become merciful in whatever part they are able, and divide the care of the flesh with the care of the soul, the tables of the Lord constructed of squared stones bear vessels in which holocaust and victim are offered, because both the perfect, as has been said, when they abandon all things, kindle their whole heart in the love of the Lord, and the imperfect offer a sacrifice, which they have devoted in part.

Turned inward all around.

It must be carefully considered what is said, that the lips of these same tables are turned inward. For the lips of the tables are turned inward when teachers recall to their conscience by silent thought what they say, when they subtly examine themselves whether they do what they speak. Rightly, moreover, when the lips of the tables are said to be turned inward, it is also added "all around," so that they do not consider themselves in just one part and neglect to weigh themselves in another, but inspect themselves everywhere, and, insofar as they are able, strive to fulfill in deed each thing they teach, lest if those who preach pretend not to do good, they become destroyers of themselves while cultivating others. O teacher, behold you are now a table, you now carry vessels, you now sustain in faithful vessels the weight of holocaust and sacrifice, but turn the lip inward, that is, recall your speech to your heart. Hear what you say, do what you preach. For if you neglect to fulfill what you preach, you sow a harvest for others, and you yourself fast from participation in the grain. Hence it is written: "Whose harvest the hungry shall eat." For the hungry eats the harvest of the teacher who speaks good things but does not do them, because he who hungers for the bread of justice performs the commands he hears, and he himself who labored in sowing has no fruit. Hence Solomon says: "The sluggard hides his hand under his armpit and does not bring it to his mouth." No one is so lazy as to think it labor to bring his hand back to his mouth even for eating. But the sluggard does not bring his hand to his mouth, who does not want to do what he says. Hence again it is said of those who teach well and act badly: "The sons of Ephraim, bending the bow and shooting arrows, were turned back on the day of battle." They bend the bow and shoot arrows, who set forth the sentences of Sacred Scripture and strike the vices of their hearers with right words; but they are turned back on the day of battle, because they retreat after themselves in the temptation of vices, and do not want to oppose their breast, because they do not resist in the struggle of temptations. Hence again it is said: "You have turned back the help of his sword, and you have not assisted him in war." For the sword of the teacher is the word of God. Hence it is said through Paul: "And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Therefore Almighty God, when He sees that a teacher does not want to do what he says, turns back the sword of his help on the day of battle, because in the struggle of temptations He does not permit the words of doctrine that He gave to be a help to him. He has therefore a sword, but it does not help him in war, because when the adversity of temptation has broken forth, he forgets the word he was teaching. For behold, perhaps the teacher has a sermon about patience; by the mastery of his teaching he is compelled to say how patience should be maintained against losses inflicted, against insults heard. But when he himself has been provoked by either loss or insult, forgetting what he had taught, he exceeds measure either in injuring his neighbor or in returning insult more heavily. In these matters, therefore, let him consider that he is a table of God, let him turn his lip inward, let him keep what he preaches. For it is written: "In your patience you shall possess your souls." And again it is written: "The learning of a man is known through patience." If therefore patience is the indicator of learning, each one is shown to be learned to the degree that he has been patient. Hence it is that that good disciple who saw his master taken up into the air, through the affection of great charity cried out, saying: "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its driver." What is it, dearest brothers, that Elijah is called the chariot of Israel and its driver, unless because the driver urges on, the chariot carries? Therefore the teacher who both sustains the morals of the people through patience and teaches with the words of sacred eloquence is called both chariot and driver. Chariot, because by tolerating he carries; driver, because by exhorting he urges on. Chariot, because he endures evils; driver, because he exercises the people with good admonitions.

And their edges were of one palm, turned inward all around.

There follows: And their edges were of one palm, turned inward all around. What does it mean that the borders of the tables are measured by a palm-span, except that in a palm-span the hand is stretched out, and the holy fathers and teachers preach those things in which the works of their hearers are stretched forth? For we stretch out the hand, as it were, when we extend our works. Therefore let every teacher speak, let him exercise the heart of his hearer, let him shake off the torpor of the idle. When he has stretched them toward good works, let him show that he has a palm-span on his lips. It must also be considered that in a palm-span the greatest and smallest fingers are stretched out. What is signified by the greater and smaller finger, except the greatest and smallest action? Therefore let the tables have a palm-span on their borders, so that in the preaching of their teachers one may do great works, yet not omit to do even the smallest things. Let one be so attentive to the smallest things that one is not sluggish in doing the greater. Hence Truth says through the Gospel: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith; these things you ought to have done, and not to have omitted those." For through judgment, mercy, and faith, the greater finger of action is shown. But through mint, dill, and cumin, without doubt the smallest finger is represented. Therefore these things ought to have been done, and those not omitted, because if we wish to measure our work by a palm-span, it is necessary that the smallest finger be stretched out in such a way that the greater finger is not drawn back.

Turned inward all around.

But perhaps the teacher's discourse is against vainglory, and while wonderfully insinuating how it ought to be avoided, he seeks vainglory by those very words with which he argues against that same vainglory. If therefore he desires to obtain what he forbids, the table does not turn its lip inward. But the table of the Lord, constructed from squared stones, will have its lip turned inward if one strives to hear what he says. For it is written: "Do nothing through contention, nor through vainglory." And again the excellent preacher says the same: "Nor seeking glory from men, neither from you, nor from others." For to seek passing praise from the labor of preaching, what else is it than to sell a great thing for a cheap price? But there is grave danger in the words of teaching, because often the favors of hearers follow the speech of teachers, and when teachers, from that good reputation they have gained, are unwilling to appear lesser in their sayings, the word of teaching which they began out of love for almighty God for the purpose of gaining the souls of hearers, they afterward labor at for the purpose of gaining praises. And those who first sought spiritual profits in the words of God afterward pursue temporal favors. Whence it happens that whether any right works or holy words of teaching perish in the judgment of almighty God, when through these anyone pants after passing favors. Hence indeed through the prophet it is said to Judea what the incautious mind discovers in itself, if at least after fault it carefully examines its thoughts: "The Lord called your name a fruitful olive, beautiful, fruit-bearing, splendid. At the sound of great speech a fire blazed in it, and its branches were burned." For the Lord calls a fruitful and beautiful, fruit-bearing and splendid olive one whose either efficacy in work or holy endeavors in words of knowledge He approves. But at the sound of great speech a fire blazed in it, because when someone begins to be praised, he perhaps blushes to appear lesser than he is called, and strives to be what may be said of him. For the sound of great speech is the favor of the flatterer. Whence it is written: "He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, rising in the night, is like one who curses." At the sound of great speech therefore a fire blazed in it, because in the greatness of favor a flame is kindled in the heart from love of praise. But all the branches of the olive are burned, because before the eyes of almighty God, both the things well done and the things knowingly spoken perish, when they are no longer done from love of the Lord, but from the intention of passing praise. For thus often a sinister thought is joined to a good thought, so that scarcely does the mind itself that generates those thoughts recognize it. Whence the excellent preacher, when speaking subtly he said: "The word of God is living and effective, and more piercing than any two-edged sword, and reaching even to the division of soul and spirit," immediately added: "of joints also and marrows, and a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

For the word of God distinguishes joints and marrow, because it discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. By joints, indeed, bones are joined to bones. And often while we do something with right thinking, we suddenly turn aside to the love of praise, and we do for praise what we had first begun to do for truth, because thoughts are joined to thoughts, as if certain joints are made in the spirit. But the bones that are joined in the joint also have marrow. The holy preacher brought this out more clearly when he added: "The discerner of thoughts and intentions of the heart." For our joints are our thoughts, but the marrow is our intentions. And often we think one thing, yet what we intend through our thinking is another. For if someone, with a reward of money proposed, defends the case of an orphan or widow, and perhaps entering the Church says to God in his prayers: "You see that I defend the case of the orphan and widow," this person without doubt knows what he thinks, but is ignorant of where his thought is directed. For he thinks one thing and intends another. For he seeks not the defense of the orphan or widow, but the reward of money. For take away the temporal reward, and he does not defend the orphan and widow. Therefore the word of God is the discerner of thoughts and intentions of the heart, because it does not look at what you think within yourself, but through the marrow of the joint, that is, through the intention of the thought, it sees what you seek to receive. It remains therefore that when a teacher speaks, as if at God's table he should always turn his lip inward, lest he either begin to speak with evil intention, or when he has begun well, seduced by favors, he turn aside to another desire.

But upon the tables, the flesh of the offering.

Behold, moreover, when the rim of the table is extended by a palm's breadth—that is, when through the teacher's mouth there is disputation against vices, and the heart of the hearers is kindled to good works—many who hear his words recognize how great and what kind of evils they have committed; and they come to him confessing, and with tears they ask him to become an intercessor for their sins, so that he himself by praying may wipe away the faults which he has made manifest by preaching. Whence it is also added: "But upon the tables, the flesh of the offering." For when the holy teachers pour out prayers to the Almighty Lord on behalf of penitent and confessing sinners, by the very fact that they seek pardon for their carnal life, they carry the flesh of the offering to the Lord's table. Therefore, in order that there may be converted and weeping souls for whom they may intercede, it is necessary that they first preach to those same persons while they are still in sin; and when they have already begun to abandon their sins and hasten toward innocence, the growth of preaching must increase in the mouth of the teacher toward them, and he must press upon certain ones with the word of his teaching all the more vehemently as he considers them to have fallen more grievously, knowing indeed that he himself will receive the reward of great recompense in proportion to how much he raises others from deeper sins through his words.

And their edges were of one palm.

But well, when the edges of the tables are measured, and the measure is said to be a palm, "one" is added, so that from the preaching of the teachers, just as unity is held in faith, so also unity of minds may be preserved in work, lest through the good work which one does, another break forth into the evil of discord. For we ought to do good works in such a way that through these also we preserve unanimity with those with whom we live, insofar as we rightly can—that is, not abandoning what we do, but forestalling with good persuasions the evil of discord that we fear. Thus Paul, preserving the unity of the palm in his works, was forbidding discord from being generated, when he saw that the Corinthians now wanted to receive back a certain one who had fallen and been cast out from the Church, saying: "If you have forgiven anyone anything, so have I. For what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, was for your sake in the person of Christ, lest we be outwitted by Satan." Who indeed is accustomed to generate evils from goods, and to drag what is done in charity toward discord. Whence he also immediately added concerning him, saying: "For we are not ignorant of his designs." But a teacher who through the good things he preaches forms right action in his hearers, if he does not bind the minds of those working to unanimity, has a palm in the edges, but does not have that unity of the palm which has been spoken of.