Letter 1020: Faustus, from Ennodius.

Ennodius to Faustus. Truly we give thanks to the Trinity, whom we venerate and worship, our God, who under the distinction and the marvelous equality of the Persons has piously commanded us to perceive and to adore one substance; who has turned our mourning into joy; who has changed into the service of gladness those tears that are the companions of griefs, so that I may truly say with the prophet: who will give water to my head and to my eyes a fountain of weeping? [Jeremiah 9:1] -- that under this devotion I may answer to the greatness of the heavenly benefits, to whom it has befallen to receive the heavenly gifts before [asking], and to read what good had come to pass sooner than to feel through sin what evils were threatening. It is your doing, almighty Steward, that concerning the serene pledges [the children] and the inheritance of future innocence I was not afraid in that anxiety which went before; I who received even the restored state of their health as one stupefied, and, set as it were in the likeness of confusion, scarcely believed that the favorable things bestowed beyond my desert had truly come to pass. Truly the human mind knows not how to weigh out the riches of the heavenly recompense. Thus the frail of spirit are so tempered that they catch sight of the safe anchorage sooner than they grasp the uncertainties of the dangers. O good God, on what precipice did we then hang, when the heavenly power -- so that there might be full testimony in the restored safety of the little ones -- [...] is the more our own, weakened through merit? I say it wholly, and I shut up with no cloud of falsehood the voice which I owe to my resolve (I confound my words with sobs, and beneath solid thanksgiving with eyes given over to fuller weeping), that I often look back upon that which I escaped. In what land of the nations were we? From what ruin has the supernal mercy restored us to human converse? Let us therefore render back, in stricter words, to the bestower of this good thing what we owe with prolonged groanings; let us invite to the guardianship of his own gifts him whom we prove to have brought help in our doubtful straits. Let us beseech him, who indeed knows how to preserve what he has granted and to prolong unto length of days the living testimonies of his powers. Such are, together with me concerning you, the vows of the venerable college of the servants and friends of God dwelling throughout all Liguria; upon such intercession the holy house relies. Prayers for the serene pledges are poured forth without ceasing. That I speak the truth, the Divinity is my witness, who, because it is itself the Truth, loves it: to all who are able to be confident in the innocence and integrity of their life, your sorrow has been exceedingly bitter. But now I return to the proper use of a letter. Farewell, my lord, and receive the bearer of the present [letter], Bassus, vir clarissimus [most distinguished man], with that regard with which you are accustomed to receive those dear to me; for among all whose affection it is to keep my friendship for your sake, the aforesaid man has climbed a certain citadel of purity. Aid therefore his petitions, that, gathering fruit from his expenditures, he may be prepared for greater things.

XX. FAVSTO ENNODIVS. Vere gratias trinitati, quam ueneramur et colimus, deo nostro, quae sub personarum distinctione et aequalitate mirabili unam nos pie iussit sentire et adorare substantiam, quae planctum nostrum uertit in gaudium, quae dolorum comites ad obsequium laetitiae lacrimas conmutauit, ut uere cum propheta dicam: quis dabit capiti meo aquam et oculis meis fontem fletuum? ut beneficiorum caelestium magnitudini sub hac deuotione respondeam, cui contigit ante accipere 23 Hierem. 9, 1 2 digna digna B 3 optaui T aui in ras. 6 non] nam Pb prospero B me ̃ brorum B, menbrorum P 7 queso B, aupra quaeso scr. qua P m. 8 8 hebitanttur B loqueres B 9 uitBione T 10 asoribitur T 11 mentum L 12 triboee B animo T o ita ras . 13 superflua B, superfluas LPTVb el sollitudine B conceptus B dabet B\' 14 adceesit B inconmodi V XX. 17 enodius T 19 qui T 20 quae ex quam B corr . 23 profeta B 24 flet*tl L u ercu., fluctuum Pb caelestia dona quam poscere et prius quid boni euenisset legere quam quid mali minarentur peccata sentire. tuum est, dispensator omnipotens, quod de serenis pignoribus et futurae innocentiae hereditate in illa, quae praecessit anxietate, non timui, qui reductae etiam statum ualitudinis quasi stupefactus accepi et in confusionis similitudine conlocatus, quae supra meritum meum conlata sunt prospera euenisse uix credidi. uere supernae remunerationis diuitias humana mens nescit expendere. sic animo fragiles temperantur, ut prius stationem uideant quam periculorum incerta deprehendant. deus bone, in quo abrupto pependimus tunc , cum potentia caelestis, ut plenum esset paruulorum in reducta salute testimonium, plus est nostrum labefactata per meritum? dico integre et uocem quam proposito debeo nulla mendacii nube concludo (confundo uerba singultibus et sub solida gratulatione uberioribus in fletum oculis) saepe me respicere quod euasi. ubinam gentium fuimus? de qua nos ad humanam conuersationem ruina clementia superna restituit? referamus ergo strictioribus uerbis huius boni largitori prolixis gemitibus quod debemus, inuitemus ad custodiam munerum suorum quem in dubiis tulisse probamus auxilium. rogemus eum, qui scit nempe seruare quod praestitit et uirtutum suarum uiua testimonia in longum producere. talia sunt mecum circa uos uenerandi uota collegii per totam Liguriam consistentium seruorum et amicorum dei tali nititur domus sancta suffragio. preces pro serenis pignoribus sine cessatione funduntur. uerum me dicere testis est diuinitas, quae quod ipsa est ueritatem diligit, omnibus, qui de uitae possunt innocentia et integritate confidere, uestram nimis amaram esse 1 quid T id dprr. 4 preeeasit B 7 conlata B, coll/w/ta T oc eras., conlocata LV, collocata Pb 10 peric.lorum L u eras. 11 poteatiae B 14 confandi B 15 et] ut b et Sinn. sub V a . 1. m. 1 16 aepe B 17 hnmanam] htla T a dQ; * corr . clementia T cl m ras. 19 prolexis B\' 21 seruire V i in a mutauit m. 1 correctione antea facta erasa prestitit B 22 langain V corr. m. 1 23 colligii B 24 nitetur B, nitititur L - s 25 serenis V corr . m. 1, sereni∗∗∗∗ L 28 amarum L 1 maestitiam. sed nunc ad epistulae usum reuertor. salue, mi domine, et gerulum praesentium Bassum V. C. illa qua caros meos soletis dignatione suscipite, quia inter omnes, quibus affectus est meam propter uos amicitiam custodire, quandam praedictus arcem puritatis ascendit. iuuate ergo petitiones eius, ut fructum de inpensis capiens ad potiora praeparetur.