Letter 30: To my holy brother and kindred spirit Severus,

XXX. To his holy and like-minded brother Severus, Paulinus. It was said to the blessed apostle: your great learning has driven you to madness. In this the true madness of those men appears, to whom the wisdom of God which Paul spoke was foolishness, because, empty of faith in the truth, they did not deserve to understand the wisdom of God, which is Christ. But although by the favor of Christ I differ from the character of those men, to whose unbelief that teacher of soundness seemed to be raving, nevertheless, by the liberty of like-mindedness, which between you and me is closer through the like-mindedness of faith, I shall borrow a likeness of words, not of mind, so that I may say: Severus, my Severus, much charity has nearly made you delirious, and toward me, who am little not in age but in understanding, you have, like a grandfather toward a late-born grandson, been made foolish by excessive affection, which nevertheless I would say with the leave of your prudence. For what shall I answer you concerning that request, by which you have ordered our likeness to be painted and sent to you? And so I beseech you by the depths of charity: why do you seek the consolations of true love from empty forms? What sort of image do you wish us to send you? That of the earthly man or of the heavenly? I know that you long for that incorruptible form which the heavenly King has loved in you. For no other can be necessary to you from us than that form to which you yourself were fashioned, by which you may love your neighbor as yourself and may wish to excel us in nothing, lest anything unequal should appear between us. But poor and grieving am I, because I am still caked with the squalor of the earthly image, and I render more by the fleshly senses and earthly deeds from the first Adam than from the second, how shall I dare to paint myself for you, when I am proved by earthly corruption to disown the image of the heavenly? Shame hems me in on both sides: I blush to paint what I am, I do not dare to paint what I am not; I hate what I am and am not what I love. But what shall it profit miserable me to hate iniquity and to love virtue, when I rather do that which I hate and, sluggish, do not strive rather to do that which I love? I myself, at variance with myself, am torn apart by inward war, while the spirit fights against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit, and the law of the body assails the law of the mind by the law of sin. Unhappy I, who have not even by the wood of the cross digested the poisoned taste of the enemy's tree! For that paternal venom from Adam endures in me, by which that father, having transgressed, infected the whole of his own race, so that I, who by the natural good had the eyes of my mind open to innocence and closed to iniquity, blinded and at the same time ill-illumined, drank in deadly knowledge of good and evil by the choice of evil from the ill-omened food of the forbidden grove. And would that I had at least washed away by this remedy the sin of unlawful desire, namely that, the knowledge of good and evil having been received through the harmful taste, I had rather chosen the good! Especially since I had heard the saving counsel of God urging me, that, water and fire, life and death being set before me, I should rather put forth my hand to the water and choose the gift of life. But from the sin of folly there grew in me the guilt of audacity, because, though I had received the good as the thing chosen, I preferred to crave that which harmed me. What pardon for sin, then, is left to miserable me, for whom the excuse of ignorance has not remained? I knew the good, and I did the evil, when it was equally free for me to do good, had I not despised the welfare of my soul by the vice of the will, by which I committed that which was not expedient, while I do not restrain that which was permitted. Therefore justly I lost those eyes of innocence, by which I did not see evil, and in turn I received these, by which sin is recognized for the punishment of conscience, the eyes of iniquity. For Scripture declares both that the first parents of the human race saw and that they did not see. For the woman saw the tree, that it was good for eating, and it was pleasing to the eyes for looking upon. She saw, it says; therefore she had eyes. And what does it weave in thereafter? When they had eaten, it says, their eyes were opened. Therefore they had been blind. From which we observe that blindness and the sight of the eyes cannot meet together at the same time in the same body, but surely there is something blind in us even in those who see, and on the contrary something seeing even in the blind. On account of which I judge that this was said by the Lord: I have come into this world for judgment, that they who do not see may see and they who see may become blind. For he came into this world to seek what had perished and to give light again to what had been blinded. Finally, the man in need of this physician cries out in the prophet: enlighten my darkness, O Lord. For merciful and compassionate is the Lord, who in the darkness of human blindness has risen as a light, that he might raise up the cast down, loose the fettered, enlighten the blind; how had he come to blind those who see? And yet in the Gospel we are taught that he restored sight to many blind, that he took it from none. But just as it is written in the Law: I will kill, and I will make alive, so also in the Gospel, because he himself is set for the ruin and the resurrection of many, so too is this: I have come into this world for judgment, that they who do not see may see and those who see may become blind. The Lord therefore came, that old things might pass away and new things arise. And what he had said was fulfilled: I will kill and I will make alive, because by taking on our old man he slew him, fastening him to the cross; stripping himself of the flesh, he led freely in triumph the principalities and powers, triumphing over them in his own self, and he made alive the new man from the resurrection of the dead, ascending on high and placing him in the heavenly places. Thus then he came, that the blind might be enlightened and those who see might be blinded, that our eyes which had been opened to transgression might be blinded, and in turn those that had been blinded might be opened. For well am I blind, if I do not see sin, and well am I sighted, if I discern justice. Pray therefore, my brother, that the Lord may work both in me: may he blind my seeing eye, lest I see vanity, and enlighten my unseeing eye, that I may see equities. May he slay in me the old man with his deeds, that my flesh may bloom again in Christ and my youth be renewed like the eagle's. For this is the change of the right hand of the Most High, when we shall be changed from ourselves into that man who according to God was created, whose image is heavenly, putting off him who is corrupted according to the desires of error. May God, I pray, crush the image of this man in me and reduce to nothing our image, that is the earthly one, in the city of circumstance, and may he set up in us and perfect his own image, in which we are not ashamed to be painted, which displaying we may truly say: my heart and my flesh have failed, the God of my heart and my portion is God forever. For when, by that good exchange which belongs to the man of the right hand of the Most High, my heart and my flesh shall have failed, that is the act of the will and the fruit of my flesh, then at last, free from bodily bonds and purged from my own heart, may I dare to say: the God of my heart and my portion is God forever. Would that there might be fulfilled in me that word of the evangelical Symeon, that Christ might become for me ruin and resurrection, ruin for my outer man and resurrection for my inner, that sin might fall in me, which stands while the soul falls, and that the immortal one might rise, who fell while sin was rising. For the state of the outer man is the fall of the inner, and therefore when the outer man is weakened, he who is within is renewed from day to day. In which manner the perfect teacher says: when I am weak, then I am strong. But thanks be to the Lord, because with a more enduring and living portrait he has painted our likenesses not on perishable panels nor in melting waxes, but on the fleshly tablets of your heart, where, keeping us imprinted and conformed to your soul by the unity of faith and grace, you will behold us not only here but also in the eternal age by an undivided and ever-present contemplation. Here too, if so great is your love as to catch hold even of visible consolations, you will be able, through the master-lines of your own mind, to dictate us even to unskilled or ignorant painters, setting before them your memory, in which you have us painted, as it were faces to be imitated, drawn from the visible countenances of those sitting by you. But if perhaps, in reaching the understanding of your word, the more unskilled hand of the art shall have erred, it will paint us unlike to others, yet to you, who always consider and embrace us in your mind, whatever faces in its inexperience it shall have painted under our name, we shall nevertheless be by your own awareness.

XXX. SANCTO FRATRI ET VNANIMO SEVERO PAVLINVB. Beato apostolo dictum est: multae litterae te ad insaniam perduxerunt. in quo illorum uera insania apparet, quibus sapientia dei, quam Paulus loquebatur, stultitia erat, quia uacui fide ueritatis intellegere non merebantur sapientiam dei, Christum. at ego quamuis propitio Christo ab illorum persona discrepem, quorum infidelitati insanire ille sanitatis magister uidebatur, tamen unanimitatis licentia, quae mihi tecum de unanimitate fidei est artior, usurpabo uerbi, non animi similitudinem, ut dicam: Seuere, mi Seuere, multa te caritas pene delirum facit, et circa me non aetate sed sensu paruulum tuum tamquam auus circa serum nepotem nimia pietate, quod tamen pace prudentiae tuae dixerim, stultus effoceris. Quid enim tibi de illa petitione respondeam, qua imagines nostras pingi tibi mittique iussisti? obsecro itaque te per 3] (Luc. 16, 24). 9] Act. 26, 24. 11] (I Cor. 1, 23). 2 refrigeremur Ll 5 corenę 01 6 consortium] oro ut ualeas add. P\'u, oro ut ualeas oro ut ualeas add. F . — explicit epistola nona F, explicit L, finit ad seuerum X. 0. FLMOPU . — incipit septima eiusdem F, item epistola eiusdem ad eundem Vl. L, ad sulpitium seuerum - XIIII. M, incipit ad eundem VIII. 0, epistola sancti paulini episcopi ad seuerum monachum ubi eum benigna humanitate reprehendit: eo quod nimia uictus dilectione sui uultus ymaginem pictam petebat ab eo simi transmicti U 8 unanio F 9 paulo apostolo FU 10 perduxere U 14 infidelitate 0 15 unitatis F 17 pr . Seuere om. U 18 delerum PU 19 tuum] tu enim FP\'U seruum Fx 20 effeceris Fl uiscera caritatis, quae amoris ueri solatia de inanibus formis petis? qualem cupis ut mittamus imaginem tibi? terreni hominis an caelestis? scio quia tu illam incorruptibilem speciem concupiscis, quam in te rex caelestis adamauit. neque enim alia potest tibi a nobis necessaria esse quam illa forma, ad quam ipse formatus es, qua proximum iuxta te diligas nulloque te nobis excellere uelis, ne quid inter nos inaequale uideatur. sed pauper ego et dolens, quia adhuc terrenae imaginis squalore concretus sum et plus de primo quam de secundo Adam carneis sensibus et terrenis actibus refero, quomodo tibi audebo me pingere, cum caelestis imaginem infitiari prober corruptione terrena? utrimque me concludit pudor: erubesco pingere quod sum, non audeo pingere quod non sum; odi quod sum et non sum quod amo. sed quid mihi misero proderit odisse iniquitatem et amare uirtutem, cum id potius agam quod odi nec elaborem piger id potius agere quod amo? ipse discors mei intestino bello distrahor, dum spiritus aduersus carnem et caro aduersus spiritum dimicat, et lex corporis lege peccati legem mentis inpugnat. infelix ego, qui uenenatum inimicae arboris gustum nec crucis ligno digessi! durat enim mihi illud ab Adam uirus paternum, quo uniuersitatem generis sui pater praeuaricatus infecit, ut qui naturali bono oculos mentis apertos innocentiae et iniquitati clausos habebam, letalem prudentiam boni malique (mali) delectu de infausto nemoris interdicti cibo caecatus pariter et male luminatus haurirem. Atque utinam hoc saltem remedio crimen inlicitae concupiscentiae diluissem, ut accepta per gustum nocentem boni 2] (I Cor. 15, 47). 8] (Ps. 68, 30). 17] Gal. 5, 17. 19] (Rom. 7,13). 22] (Gen. 3, 6). 28] (Gen. 2, 9). 1 solacia P 4 enim om. FPU 6 ipse om. U qua] quam OPl, per quam FP\'U 8 qui M 9 conceptus U quam om. 0 secundo quam de primo FPU 11 caelestis] hominis add. M s. I. m. 2 17 ipso 0 discor U 18 aduersum spiritum 0 20 nec] non FPU q: 24 mali M lq; m. 2) mali addidi, om . w 25 delectu v, dilectu 0, delectum cet . interdicti nemoris M interdicto L1 27 saltim L licitae FPU 28 deluissem 0 innocentem 0 boni malique LM et mali scientia bonum potius elegissem! praesertim cum salutare consilium dei suadentis audissem, ut aqua et igne, uita et morte propositis ad aquam potius manum mitterem et uitae munus eligerem. sed de insipientiae crimine mihi culpa creuit audaciae, quod cum et boni electum accepissem, malui quod nocebat adpetere. quae ergo misero mihi subpetit uenia peccati, cui ignorantiae excusatio non remansit? agnoui bonum, et feci malum, cum aeque mihi liberum esset bonum facere, nisi utilitatem animae contempsissem uitio uoluntatis, qua id quod non expediebat admisi, dum non tempero quod licebat. propterea iuste illos innocentiae oculos, quibus malum non uidebam, perdidi et istos inuicem, quibus peccatum agnoscitur in poenam conscientiae, iniquitatis accepi. Nam et uidisse primos generis humani parentes et non uidisse scriptura declarat. uidit enim mulier arborem quia bona ad manducandum, et grata erat oculis ad uidendum. uidit, inquit; ergo habebat oculos. et quid deinde subtexit? cum manducassent, inquit, aperti sunt oculi eorum. ergo caeci fuerant. unde aduertimus, quoniam non potest in eodem corpore simul conuenire caecitas et uisus oculorum, sed certe est quoddam caecum in nobis et uidenti- . bus et econtra etiam in caecis uidens. propter quod arbitror illud a domino esse dictum: in iudicium ego ueni in hunc mundum, ut qui non uident uideant et qui uident caeci fiant. uenit enim in hunc mundum quaerere quod perierat et reluminare quod caecatum fuerat. denique huius medici egens homo in propheta clamat: inlumina tenebras meas, domine. etenim misericors et miserator 15] Gen. 3, 6. 18] Gen. 3, 7. 23] Ioh. 9, 39. 25] Luc. 19, 10. 26] (Ioh. 8, 12). 27] Ps. 17, 29. 28] Ps. 111, 4. A 1 prertim U 2 dei consilium LM aqua et igne om. 0 3 quam L 5 et om. F boni] et mali add. LM 6 subpetet 0 7 ignorantia 0 9 quia 0 11 iuxta FPU 14 bumaui generis FMPU 17 subteit F 18 inquid 0 21 est] esse fort . 22 et e contrario P 28 a domino illud FPU 24 ut] et F 27 medici] modi LM 28 miserator et misericors M dominus, qui in tenebris caecitatis humanae lumen exortum est, ut erigeret elisos, solueret conpeditos, inluminaret caecos, quomodo caecandis uidentibus uenerat? atqui in euangelio docemur illum multis caecis uisum redonasse, nemini sustulisse. sed sicut scriptum est in lege: ego occidam, et ego uiuere faciam, sicut etiam in euangelio, quia ipse positus est in ruinam et in resurrectionem multorum, ita et illud est: in iudicium ueni in hunc mundum, ut qui non uident uideant et uidentes caeci fiant. uenit ergo dominus, ut uetera transirent et noua orirentur. et inpletum est quod dixerat: ego occidam et uiuere faciam, quia ueterem nostrum hominem adsumendo interfecit, adfigens illum cruci, dispolians se carne transduxit principatus et potestates libere, triumphans eum in semet ipso, et uiuificauit nouum ex resurrectione mortuorum, adscendens in altum et conlocans eum in caelestibus. Sic ergo uenit, ut inluminarentur caeci et caecarentur uidentes, ut oculi nostri qui in transgressionem aperti fuerant caecarentur et uicissim qui caecati fuerant aperirentur. bene enim caecus sum, si non uideo peccatum, et bene oculatus, si cerno iustitiam. ora ergo, mi frater, ut utrumque in me operetur dominus, caecet uidentem meum, ne uideam uanitatem, et inluminet non uidentem, ut uideam aequitates. occidat in me ueterem hominem cum actibus suis, ut reflorescat in Christo caro mea et renouetur sicut aquilae iuuentus mea. haec est enim mutatio dexterae excelsi, cum inmutabimur a nobis in illum hominem, qui secundum deum 2] (Ps. 145, 8). (Luc. 7, 21). 5] Deut. 32, 39. 7] Luc. 2, 34. 8] loh. 9, 39. 10] (Apoc. 21, 5). 11] Deut. 32, 39. 13] Col. 2,15. 16] Eph. 2, 6. 24] (Ps. 118, 37). 25] Col. 3, 9. 26] Ps. 102, 5. 27] Ps. 76, 11. 28] Eph. 4, 24. 2 et solueret F 3 atque FPU 9 uident] qui uident M 11 alt . et] ego LM v 13 illud L despolians LM traduxit LM v 15 uiuicanit U 23 meum LMPv, in eum 0, eum FU uideam OPv, uideat cet . 24 et om. FPU uideam Ov, uideat cet . 27 imutamur LM creatus est, cuius imago caelestis est, deponentes eum qui corrumpitur secundum desideria erroris. huius imaginem in me, quaeso, deus conterat et ad nihilum redigat imaginem nostram id est terrenam in ciuitate circumstantiae et instauret in nobis atque perficiat imaginem suam, in qua nos pingi non pudet, quam praeferentes uere dicamus: defecit cor meum et caro mea, deus cordis mei et pars mea deus in saecula. cum enim bona commutatione, quae est homini dexterae excelsi, defecerit cor meum et caro mea id est actus uoluntatis et fructus carnis meae, tum iam ut a corporeis nexibus liber et a meo corde purgatus dicere audeam: deus cordis mei et pars mea deus in saecula. utinam conpleatur in me uerbum illud euangelici Symeonis, ut fiat mihi Christus in ruinam et resurrectionem, ruina exteriori meo et interiori resurrectio, ut cadat in me peccatum, quod anima cadente consistit, et exurgat ille inmortalis, qui cecidit exurgente peccato. exterioris enim status interioris casus est, et ideo quando infirmatur exterior, qui intus est renouatur de die in diem. quo genere perfectus magister ait: quando infirmor, tunc potens sum. Gratias autem domino, quod perenni magis et uiuente pictura imagines nostras non in tabulis putribilibus neque ceris liquentibus, sed in tabulis carnalibus cordis tui pinxit, ubi nos inpressos et animae tuae conformatos fidei et gratiae unitate custodiens, non solum istic sed etiam in aeterno saeculo indiuidua semperque praesenti contemplatione conspicies. hic etiam, si tantus amor est uisibilia quoque captare 1] Eph. 4, 22. 3] (I Cor. 15, 49). 5] (Ps. 72, 20). 6] Ps. 72,26. 8] (Ps. 76, 11). 12] Ps. 72, 26. 14] Luc. 2, 34. 18] II Cor. 4, 16. 20] II Cor. 12,10. 23] II Cor. 3, 3. 2 corruptus est M 4 circuminstantiae 0 6 deficit U 9 dextere 0, a dextera cet . 10 actus uoluntatis om. U iam om. U ut a] ita FPU 11 corporis FP 13 euangelii F simeonis FLU 14 et] et in LM 21 domino 0 v, deo cet . peremi U 23 cereis F 24 imprexos U fide FOPU 25 istic Ov et fort. Ml, ista cd . 26 conspiciens FO U solatia, poteris per magistras animi tui lineas uel inperitis aut ignorantibus nos dictare pictoribus, memoriam illis tuam, in qua nos habes pictos, uelut imitanda de conspicuis adsidentium uultibus ora proponens. sed si forte ad intellectum uerbi tui inscitior manus artis errauerit, dissimiles pinget aliis, tibi tamen nos semper animo consideranti et conplectenti, quoslibet uultus sub nostro nomine inperitia sua pinxerit, tamen tua conscientia nos erimus.