The Letters of S. Ambrose, Bishop of MilanAmbrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan
Religion
The Letters of S. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
Ambrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan
Ambrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan, -397 -- Correspondence
are to be revealed face to face. But even now He discloses them partly
and in a figure to those whom He deems worthy, and at the same time
sheds forth from the Spirit and from His own countenance floods of
resplendent light, so that he who is illuminated thereby may say, _But
it was as a fire blazing in my bones and I am melted on all sides, and
cannot stay_. And David says, _Let my sentence come forth from Thy
presence!_
16. By this vigour of mind, therefore, to return to the point from
whence I have digressed, whereby she subjects to herself things
external, comprehends in her view things distant and separate from
each other, and subdues the more powerful animals, she has inspired
the rest with such reverence for herself, that they emulously obey her
as their king, and pay ready attention to her voice. Nay, although they
are irrational they still acknowledge reason, and fix within themselves
that discipline which nature has not given them. Furthermore wild
beasts, seeing man’s gentleness, grow gentle under his rule. Often have
they closed their jaws, recalled by the sound of the human voice. We
see hares caught without injury by the harmless fangs of dogs, and even
lions, if they hear man’s voice, letting their prey escape: leopards
also and bears urged on and recalled by the sound of his voice: the
horses stimulated by the applause of man, and slackening their speed
at his silence: nay, often, untouched by the lash they outstrip others
that are scourged on, so much more powerfully does the scourge of the
tongue incite them.
17. But what shall I say of the creatures’ services to man? In order to
please him the ram nourishes his fleece, and is plunged in the stream
to enhance its beauty; sheep also crop the best herbage to distend with
sweeter juice of milk their teeming udders; and, that they may offer to
man their gifts, suffer the pangs of travail; bulls groan all day under
the plough pressed down in the furrows; camels, besides the service
of bearing burthens, suffer themselves to be shorn like rams, so that
each animal contributes to man, as to a king, its service, and pays its
annual tribute. The horse, exulting in such a rider, prances proudly,
and curving his neck when his master mounts, gives his back to afford
him a seat. And if you are still at a loss why man was made last, let
the same animal teach us that this is to be deemed an honour not a
slight. For he bears one who came after him, not despising but fearing
him, and bearing him with pain to himself from place to place. In
a moment of time man reaches far distant places and traverses long
distances, transported sometimes on single horses, sometimes in
triumphal chariots[218].
Sidenote: 2 Kings ii. 11.
Sidenote: S. Matt. viii. 24;
S. Mark iv. 38.
Sidenote: 1 Cor. xv. 45, 46.
Sidenote: Ib. 47.
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