Gregory the Dialogist

These things we have run through briefly from the words of the letter, so that we may seek out the mystical senses in them not briefly. In the upper part, moreover, three gates have been described, that is, of the East, North, and South; and soon three others of the inner court were narrated, that is, of the South, East, and North, and then the gate of the inner court was mentioned, in which tables constructed of squared stones are recorded; and the gate that looked toward the North, in which there would be tables for sacrifice, not for holocaust. Whence we said that in the inner the Church is signified, in the outer the Synagogue. But, with these completed, the prophet again begins to describe the inner gate, and three others, that is, of the North, South, and East, and he declares that in their inner court, which was outside the inner gate, there are treasuries, singers, priests, the temple, the altar, sacrifices. In which words, because he began to narrate other things about the institution of the holy Church than those which he had said before, it is clear that he changed the understanding of the inner gate. For if he were saying all things under one understanding, he would not repeat the same things and others in a new order. For how can we speak of a court, treasuries, singers, priests, the temple, the altar, sacrifices outside the inner gate, if by that same inner gate in this place the holy Church is designated? For since all these things are within her, how are they outside the inner gate, if they are not outside the Church? The inner gate therefore can be understood as that of which we spoke already long before, which is said to be placed opposite the gate of the North and the Eastern one, through which we said is figured the entrance that is opened to us to the inner joys of the heavenly homeland, so that here also through the gates that are narrated around the vestibule the holy Church is figured, but through the inner gate the entrance of the heavenly kingdom is figured.

The mercy of the Lord, by which sins are forgiven, even the sinner ought to sing—that is, to speak of it with joy and to hope in it. But who is so righteous that he can call before the eyes of his mind the eternal judgment and not tremble, and rather presume, hasten, and rejoice to come to that examination before so great a Judge? Whoever he is, he is great, because, already singing of the Lord's mercy and judgment, he loves with the whole affection of his mind the almighty God who mercifully forgives his sins, and therefore does not fear His judgment. For perfect love, as the apostle John says, casts out fear. He sings indeed of the judgment which he does not dread to enter. Therefore let his mind be a treasury of singers, so that through the riches of mercy which he receives, he may proceed joyfully to the judgment which he no longer fears. Let us see, if you please, dearest brothers, another treasury of the singer as well. Perhaps he too sings of judgment. For what does he say? "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith; for the rest, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will render to me on that day." He who, conscious of his labors, mindful of the struggle he waged, mindful of the faith he kept, says that a crown is laid up for him at the judgment, and hopes rather than expects it to be granted to him as a gift on that day—it is clearly evident that he sings of the judgment which he desires to come. Hence he also adds: "And not only to me, but also to those who love His appearing." For no one loves the coming of the Judge unless he knows that he has a good case in the judgment. Therefore the hearts of those who love the coming of the Judge are treasuries of singers, because through the confidence of grace and life, through the virtues of holy desire, they sing of the righteous judgment which all the unrighteous fear.

And it should be noted that these same treasuries are said to be between the gate of the North and the East, because evidently after the Lord's incarnation a multitude of nations came to the faith, and among those faithful peoples themselves and the sacraments of the Lord's incarnation which they love from the depths of their hearts, the hearts of those who love rise up. Therefore let the holy treasuries have the gate of the East on one side and of the North on the other, because among those very mysteries of their redemption which they follow, and certain carnal people whom they also tolerate within the holy Church, many advance in strong love toward God, grow in virtues, seek the coming of the eternal Judge, and between those things which they love and those which they tolerate, like certain treasuries, they preserve the riches of the spirit in their mind. Nor do they fail between the sacraments which they love and certain contrary things which they bear, because they direct their faces toward the Southern way. For what do we suffer that our fathers did not previously endure for love of the Lord?

In these words of the letter, therefore, whose mind grows inflamed toward the love of God, or rather is not made lukewarm by the very reading of them? But if the hidden spiritual marrow in the letter is examined, through this sparks of understanding go forth and kindle what previously sounded cold to the ears of the heart. Nevertheless, for us, so that the interior understanding may open itself as the Lord breathes upon us, let the narrative itself first be made clear according to the letter. For he says that there was an interior gate, and outside this a court, which is called the inner court; and then other gates are described, namely of the North, the South, and the East, so that he might show that the very court which he had said was outside the interior gate was inner in relation to the exterior gates. Therefore this court is both outside and inside: outside, because it is outside the interior gate; but inside, because it is within the exterior gates. The treasuries of the singers are also narrated to be in this same court, which are said to be placed at the side of the gate looking toward the North. But those same treasuries look toward the Southern way. And it is added: From the side of the Eastern gate, which looked toward the way of the North. In which words it is clearly understood that the treasuries of the singers had been placed between the side of the gate looking toward the North, and the side of the Eastern gate, which gate, namely, looked toward the way of the North. Therefore the face of the treasuries was toward the Southern way, but their position was between the Eastern gate and the Northern gate. Therefore the interior gate had on one side the Northern gate, and on the other side the Southern gate. But in front of the vestibule the Eastern gate had risen, and thus the gates surrounded the exterior so that the court which was outside the interior gate might also be interior.

Let there be therefore in the interior court, which is nevertheless outside the gate, treasuries of singers, because all the elect and perfect, who still subsist in mortal flesh, are both within the bosom of holy Church and still outside the secret joys of the interior life. Let there be treasuries of singers within and without, because the hearts of the saints, which sing their desire to almighty God through the love of great ardor, both are already within and are not yet within, because placed in the bosom of holy Church, they already see through the spirit what they might love strongly within, and yet they do not yet perfectly see what they love. Let there be therefore treasuries in the interior court, but outside the gate, so that they may already be within through desire, and not yet be within through full attainment. But what are the treasuries of singers, except the holy desires of those who love? They guard the divine precepts like certain riches in the mind, which they preserve by singing, because they fulfill the commandments of God not from fear but from love; and for them the instructions of sacred speech become singable, because they always work not from sadness but from desire. Do you wish to hear the heart of the just man as the treasury of a certain singer? Your statutes were my songs in the place of my sojourning. We call the statutes of God the divine precepts, which make us just if they are fulfilled. These become singable to us in the place of our sojourning when in this pilgrimage of the present life we love those same commandments and fulfill them from desire. Hence it is that the same Psalmist again presents himself from the treasury of singers, who says: Mercy and judgment I will sing to you, O Lord.

It should be noted that the Eastern gate is described as being between the gate of the South and of the North, because our Lord and Redeemer was born from Judea, and soon afterward drew the Church from the Gentiles to His faith. For He appeared as it were between the southern gate and that of the North, because He came from the former and converted the latter to His service. Hence it is well said that the same Eastern gate looks toward the way of the North, because the Lord when born abandoned the Synagogue and gathered the multitude of the Gentiles. It should also be noted that when it was being said concerning the treasury chambers: "And their faces toward the way of the South," "one" was added, so that we might clearly understand that the way to the heavenly homeland is not one for us who come from the Gentiles, and another for those fathers who were in Judea; but this same one way is for us and for them, which leads us to eternal joys, which says to us through the Gospel: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Concerning which the Psalmist says: "That we may know Your way on earth, Your salvation among all nations." For what is called Jesus in Hebrew is called Savior in Latin. Therefore the way is known on earth, because Jesus, God before the ages, and made man at the end of the ages, was manifested to the Gentiles. Therefore there is one way both for those who are from the South and for those who are from the North.

But your charity remembers that in our previous discourse we said that faith is designated by the Eastern gate, hope by the Northern, and charity by the Southern. Therefore these treasuries are mentioned as being between the Eastern and Northern gates, and as looking toward the Southern way, because the hearts of the saints, positioned between faith and hope, look toward the Southern way, since they burn with the fires of holy charity. The Eastern gate itself is also said to look toward the Northern way, because although all sins are forgiven us through faith in baptism, nevertheless while we still live here, even after faith we frequently decline toward sins. And the Eastern gate, as it were, looks toward the Northern way, when our life after receiving faith still grows somewhat numb in the coldness of fault. For who in this life is able to live without fault after faith, since John says: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us"? Agreeing with whose words, James says: "For in many things we all offend." But if past sins were forgiven in the reception of faith, and we still decline toward sins after faith, what presumption of righteousness will there be for us, what hope of enduring life, unless now, while we are still between the Eastern and Northern gates, we lift the eyes of our mind toward the Southern way, so that, burning with holy charity, the heat of love may free us from the fault of numbness and coldness? Therefore let the treasuries be between the Eastern and Northern gates; but, as was said, let their faces look toward the Southern way, so that between this—that we were born in faith—and this—that afterward, having fallen into sins, we presume upon the hope of divine mercy—we may exercise ourselves in the ardor of charity, and direct the eyes of our heart there, where we are kindled by the fires of love.

The Prophet, wisely understanding the mystical senses of sacred Scripture through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says: "Thy testimonies are wonderful, therefore my soul hath searched them out." He also says again: "Open thou mine eyes, and I shall consider the wondrous things of thy law." For he who does not yet understand hidden things from what is plain has veiled eyes. But he who already understands considers the wondrous things of God's law with unveiled eyes, because, discussing the words of the letter spiritually, he weighs what greatness lies hidden within. Is it not wonderful when one thing sounds in the ears, and another thing that did not sound comes forth to the understanding? To what then shall I liken the word of sacred Scripture if not to a stone, in which fire lies hidden? It is indeed held cold in the hand, but when struck with iron, it flashes forth sparks, and that which the hand previously held cold now sends forth fire that burns afterward. For so indeed, so are the words of sacred Scripture, which are indeed held cold through the narration of the letter; but if anyone, with the Lord inspiring, strikes them with attentive understanding, he draws forth fire from their mystical senses, so that the soul afterward burns spiritually with those words which he himself, being cold, previously heard only according to the letter.

The holy Church has two lives: one which it leads temporally, another which it receives in eternity; one in which it labors on earth, another in which it is rewarded in heaven; one in which it gathers wages, another in which it now rejoices over the wages received, and in both lives it offers sacrifice. Here, namely, the sacrifice of compunction, and there the sacrifice of praise. Of this sacrifice it is said: "A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit." But of that one it is written: "Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, offerings and holocausts." Of which again it says: "That my glory may sing to you, and I may not be pierced with compunction." In both sacrifices, however, flesh is offered, because here the offering of flesh is the mortification of the body, there the offering of flesh is the glory of resurrection in praise of God. For then flesh will be offered there as in a holocaust, when, transformed into eternal incorruption, it will have nothing of contradiction, nothing of mortality, because entirely kindled at once by the fires of his love, it will remain in praise without end. Therefore let this inner gate, that is, in the holy Church, have its interior parts, namely that life which is still hidden from our eyes. Let it have outside it an outer court, that is, the present life, in which every good is done so that the good without end may be reached.

The North gate can signify the Gentiles, the South way Judea, and the East gate the Lord Himself. For not without reason is the Gentile world represented by the North, which he possessed in the coldness of torpor who said: "I will sit on the mount of the covenant, on the sides of the North." Judea is also rightly understood by the South gate, in which the spiritual fathers burned with heavenly love. One of them speaks, saying: "Turn again, O Lord, our captivity, like a torrent in the South." Although it had a carnal people in whom it bore, as it were, the cold of the North, nevertheless in its holy teachers and Prophets it burned with the heat of charity toward God and neighbor. The East gate not without reason signifies Him of whom it is written: "Behold the man, Rising is his name." And of whom Zechariah says: "The Rising from on high has visited us." Therefore let the treasuries of the singers be on the side of the North gate, because not only in Judea were the hearts of the saints spiritually kindled, but also in the multitude of the Gentiles converted to the sacraments of the holy faith, the hearts of the saints burn with love of the heavenly fatherland, they yearn for eternal joys, they sigh for the fellowship of their fellow citizens in heaven; yet they take examples of this ardor, which they received by the gift of the Holy Spirit, from the spiritual fathers of the Synagogue. Hence those same treasuries, though placed on the side of the North, turn their eyes toward the South way. For behold, we come from among the Gentiles; but in this, that we are warmed by the love of the Holy Spirit, we look to the fathers of Judea, who daily provide us examples of holy desire in their words.

In these words of the prophet we must first inquire who are the priests of the greater order, whether those who keep watch in the guardianships of the temple, or those who serve at the ministry of the altar. But because shortly afterward it is added: "The altar was before the face of the temple," it is clearly shown that those are priests of the greater order who keep watch in the guardianships of the temple, because indeed they minister at the altar which is within. But those who keep watch at the altar which is before the face of the temple are inferior by as much as they minister in the outer areas. Therefore we must inquire who the priests are who guard the temple, and who are said to keep watch for the ministry of the altar. The teacher of the Gentiles, writing to the faithful, says: "The temple of God is holy, which you are." Who then are the priests who guard the temple of God, if not those who by praying, by preaching, by keeping watch in spiritual activities, defend the holy Church from the assaults of malignant spirits, from the persuasions of the wicked, from the errors of heretics? Was he not a guardian of the temple who, enumerating the labors of his suffering, says: "In labor and hardship, in many watchings, in hunger and thirst, in many fastings, in cold and nakedness"? And immediately he adds: "Besides those things which are from without, my daily urgency, the care of all the churches." Consider, I ask, with how great solicitude the guardian of the temple keeps watch. For behold, he suffers inestimable things in himself, and he shares the solicitude of his heart with others. Of what virtue, I ask, is it to think more about the welfare of one's neighbors than about one's own affliction? Who can worthily estimate this? Who can worthily weigh it? He labors, he grieves, he hungers, he thirsts, he is cold, he fasts, he keeps watch, and yet while keeping watch he thinks about the care of all the churches. Behold, a most diligent guardian of the temple is set forth as an example. Let whoever is able imitate him. For to suffer adversities for the truth, to bestow good things upon neighbors, to keep watch concerning the care of souls, to seek out and restrain anyone from falling into faithlessness, into pride, into plundering, or into impurity—this is to guard the temple of God, that is, the holy Church.

But we must carefully inquire who those are who minister to the Lord. For not all who read, not all who preach, not all who give of their own possessions, not all who chastise the body through abstinence of the flesh, minister to the Lord. For those who by reading and preaching seek their own glory, by giving away what they have and wasting the body in abstinence, desire to receive praises from men, minister to themselves, not to the Lord. Against which the Lord says through the Psalmist: "He who walks in the immaculate way, he ministered to me." For he has a stain on the way who in the good work he does sets before himself the reward of earthly glory, who seeks to receive his reward in this world, and defiles in the sight of God the appearance of the good work with the stain of depraved intention. For perhaps someone intent on the pursuit of discipline burns with zeal, cuts off the faults of offenders, yet if he is led to do these things not from love of almighty God but by his own zeal, in these matters he ministers to himself, not to the Lord. Another, lest he seem harsh, tolerates gently many things that are wickedly perpetrated. This one therefore, because he does not wish to be seen as severe for the Lord, through his pursuit of leniency ministers to himself, not to the Lord. It remains therefore that whether we labor in the ministry of the word, or give our goods to the needy, or tame the flesh through abstinence, or are moved by zeal, or sometimes gently tolerate evil things through patience, we must most carefully examine our intention, so that everything we do, we do not with our own zeal but the Lord's, lest in those things we do we minister rather to ourselves than to the Lord. For they did not minister to the Lord but to themselves, of whom Paul said: "All seek the things that are their own, not the things that are of Jesus Christ." But the same Paul with his chosen brothers hastened not to minister to himself but to the Lord, both in living and dying, saying: "None of us lives for himself, and none dies for himself. For whether we live, we live for the Lord; whether we die, we are the Lord's." For the saints neither live nor die for themselves. They do not live for themselves, because through everything they do, they pant after spiritual gains, and by praying, preaching, and persisting in holy works, they desire to multiply the citizens of the heavenly fatherland. They do not at all die for themselves, because in the sight of men they glorify God by their death, to whom they hasten to arrive even by dying. Let us therefore consider in the death of the saints not how great was their reproach from unbelievers, but how great praise of the Lord grew in the hearts of the faithful. If they had sought their own praise, they would certainly have feared to suffer so many reproaches in death. But "none of us lives for himself, and none dies for himself," because they sought their own glory neither in living nor in dying. Let us see if that first shepherd of the Church himself, who did not live for himself, died for himself. Let his companion John be consulted, and let him speak from the Lord's words about the death of that same shepherd: "This he said signifying by what death he would glorify God." Therefore he did not die for himself who glorified God in his death. Let us learn therefore, my brothers, to examine our intention in everything we do with careful inquiry, and not to seek our own things, if we wish to minister to almighty God.

But in this matter a question arises, since it was said above that the treasury chambers had their fronts toward the Southern way, by what reasoning is it now said that the treasury chamber which looks toward the southern way belongs to the priests who keep watch in the guardianship of the temple, and the treasury chamber which looks toward the way of the North belongs to the priests who keep watch at the ministry of the altar. For if both fronts extended toward the Southern way, how is it now said that one looks toward the southern and the other toward the way of the North? But in these words we recognize that the treasury chamber of the priests who keep watch in the guardianship of the temple had been positioned so that it looked only toward the southern way; but the treasury chamber of the priests who keep watch at the ministry of the altar was so situated in the court that it extended both toward the Southern way and toward the face of the North, so that it might both look toward the southern way together with the treasury chamber of the priests who keep watch in the guardianship of the temple, and yet the treasury chamber of the priests who keep watch at the ministry of the altar, apart from the treasury chamber of those same priests, might see the way of the North. But what is this, dearest brothers? What mystical meaning can we perceive in these words, except what the spiritual hearer already understands according to the things that have been set forth above: that the priests of the greater order, who keep watch in the guardianship of the temple, look only toward the southern way, because, occupied solely with spiritual pursuits, they always attend carefully to those things that pertain to the love of God; but the priests of the lesser order, who preside over examining the sins of those who transgress, also turn their eyes toward the way of the North, so that they may see what cold of torpor exists in the mind of sinners, and by bringing these through words of correction all the way to the groans of repentance, they may, as it were, burn flesh upon the altar of the Lord? Let them also look toward the southern way together with the great priests, because, as far as concerns themselves, they burn with the fire of charity and are kindled with the flames of the love of God. But because they frequently correct the sins of transgressors, they also turn their eyes back toward the way of the North.

Behold, these things, as we were able by God's bounty, we have examined before you, most beloved brethren. But let no one reproach me if after this discourse I shall cease, because, as you all perceive, our tribulations have increased: on every side we are surrounded by swords, on every side we fear the imminent danger of death. Some return to us with their hands cut off, others are reported captured, others slain. Now I am compelled to restrain my tongue from exposition, because my soul is weary of my life. Let no one now require of me the study of sacred eloquence, because my harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those who weep. Now the eye of the heart does not keep watch in the discussion of mysteries, because my soul has slumbered from weariness. Now reading is less sweet to my mind, because I have forgotten to eat my bread from the voice of my groaning. But for one who is not permitted to live, how is it pleasing to speak mystical things concerning the meanings of sacred Scripture? And I who am compelled daily to drink bitter things, when am I able to offer sweet things? What therefore remains, except that amid the scourges which we suffer on account of our iniquities we give thanks with tears? For He Himself who created us has also become a father to us through the spirit of adoption which He gave. And sometimes He nourishes His children with bread, sometimes He corrects them with the scourge, because through sorrows and gifts He trains them for the perpetual inheritance. Therefore let there be glory to our almighty Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, through all ages of ages. Amen.

But because under the name of the altar a discourse on the flame of compunction has presented itself, I think it necessary to show what the diversity of that same compunction is. For one compunction is that which is born through fear, another which is born through love, because it is one thing to flee punishments, another to desire rewards. Hence also in the tabernacle two altars are commanded by the law to be made, one namely exterior, the other interior; one in the court, the other before the ark; one which is covered with bronze, the other which is clothed with gold. And on the bronze altar flesh is burned, but on the golden altar incense is kindled. What is this, dearest brothers, that outside flesh is burned, inside incense, except this which we see daily, that there are two kinds of compunction, that some still weep through fear, but others already afflict themselves in lamentations through love? For many, mindful of their sins, while they dread eternal punishments, afflict themselves with daily tears. They bewail the evils they have done, and burn their vices with the fire of compunction, whose suggestions they still suffer in their heart. What are these but a bronze altar on which flesh burns, because carnal works are still bewailed by them?

For that we may also say something about their virtues, we often see some among them prudent through understanding, strong in adversity, just in deed, temperate from pleasures, and moderating themselves by the measure of discretion in all zeal. Those who hold prudence, fortitude, justice, and temperance, or, as some prefer to enumerate them, prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice, have the measure of the spiritual court in a square. For behold, those very virtues which we said the good and faithful possess are so arranged in a square that one does not exceed another. Great indeed is prudence; but if it is less temperate from pleasures, less strong in dangers, less just in deeds, it is assuredly less prudent. Great is temperance; but if it less understands whence it should temper itself, if it is less able to endure adversities through fortitude and casts down the spirit in fear, if through its own haste it sometimes rushes forth to works of injustice, it is less temperate. Great is fortitude; but if it less understands what good things it should guard, what evils it should resist, if it less tempers itself from the appetite for pleasure but is conquered by delight, if it less maintains the works of justice and is sometimes overcome by the dominion of injustice, it is less strong. Great is justice; but if it less discerns as it ought between just and unjust works, if it less tempers the heart from the delight of the world, if it less strengthens itself against adversities, it is less just. Let the life of the perfect faithful therefore be measured by a square, and let one side of the spiritual court have as much as each of the individual sides, because each person is as prudent as he is temperate, strong, and just; as temperate as he is prudent, strong, and just; as strong as he is prudent, temperate, and just; as just as he is prudent, temperate, and strong. Yet there are very many among them who still live carnally. Even if they perhaps do not know letters and are unable to read the precepts of God, certainly in the company of many faithful they see good things which they may imitate. Behold, in the Church the words of the holy Gospel and of the apostles resound; behold, the examples of those living well are daily set before the eyes of all. Nor will they be able to say in excuse: We did not see what we ought to imitate.