8. Nor is it surprising that they bear it with patience, knowing that their Lord, the Creator of all things in heaven and in earth, took upon Him our frail body and our servile state. Should not they then patiently bear the bondage of their corruption, seeing that the Lord of all humbled Himself even to death for the whole world, took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made the sin of the world, nay even a curse for us? Wherefore the heavenly bodies although they groan in that they are subject to the vanity of this world, yet follow the example of His goodness, and console themselves with the expectation of being _delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of glory_, when the adoption of the sons of God, that is, the redemption of all men, shall have arrived. For when _the fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in_, then _all Israel shall be saved_. For what people will He not pardon when He even pardons that persecuting people, who said, _Crucify Him, crucify Him_, and, _His blood be on us and on our children_. But since even the heavenly creation is subject to vanity, albeit in hope, will not He Who is truly Mercy itself and the Redeemer of the world, suffer even the perfidy and insolence into which these men through the vanity of the world have fallen to obtain pardon? Sidenote: S. Matt. xxiv. 35. Sidenote: 1 Cor. xv. 28. 9. To conclude then, both this great and glorious sun, and this moon which is not obscured by the shades of night, and these stars which are the garniture of the heaven, all these now suffer _the bondage of corruption_, for all creatures are corruptible, and the heavens shall perish and _the heaven and earth pass away_. But hereafter the sun and moon and the stars of heaven shall rest in the glory of the sons of God, when God shall be _all in all_, He Who now in His immensity and mercy is in thee and in us. Sidenote: Rev. iii. 1 &c. 10. And shall we not believe that the Angels themselves, who in the toils of this world fulfil divers ♦ministries, as we read in the Revelation of S. John, do not also groan when made the ministers of vengeance and destruction? Seeing that their life is blessed, would they not rather pass it in their ancient state of tranquillity than be interrupted by the infliction of vengeance on our sins? They who rejoice in the salvation of one sinner must surely groan over the miseries of so grievous sins. 11. If therefore the creatures and powers of heaven suffer the bondage of corruption, but still in hope, that hereafter they may rejoice on our behalf and together with us, let us also alleviate the sufferings of this present time by the hope and expectation of future glory. Farewell, my son; love me, for I love you. LETTER XXXV. IN this Letter S. Ambrose continues his comment on the passage of S. Paul, especially on the ‘groans of creation.’ AMBROSE TO HORONTIANUS. Sidenote: Rom. viii. 22.