| Quotation |
7. Nonne ante paucos annos, sub Arcadio imperatore Constantinopoli (audiunt quod dico nonnulli forsitan qui noverunt et sunt in hoe populo, qui et illic praesentes fuerunt), volens Deus terrere civitatem et terrendo emendare, terrendo convertere terrendo mundare, terrendo mutare, servo cuidam suo fideli, viro, ut dicitur; militari, venit in revelatione et dixit ei civitatem hanc venturo de caelo igne perituram, eumque admonuit ut episcopo diceret. Dictum est, non contempsit episcopus, allocutus est populum. Conversa est civitas in luctum poenitentiae quemadmodum quondam illa antiqua Ninive. Tamen ne putarent homines illum qui dixerat vel falsitate deceptum vel fallacia decepisse, venit dies quem Deus fuerat comminatus. Intentis omnibus
et exitum cum timore magno expectantibus, noctis initio tenebrante iam mundo, visa est ignea nubes ab oriente, primo parva, deinde paulatim, ut accedebat super civitatem, ita crescebat donec totae urbi ingens timor terribiliter immineret. Videbatur horrenda flamma de caelo pendere, nec odor sulphuris deerat. Omnes ad ecclesiam confugiebant, non capiebat multitudinem locus. Baptismum extorquebat quisque a quo poterat. Non solum in ecclesia, sed etiam per domos, per vicos ac plateas salus sacramenti
exigebatur ut fugeretur ira, non praesens utique, sed futura. Tamen post magnam illam tribulationem ubi Deus exhibuit fidem servi sui et revelationem servi sui, coepit nubes, ut creverat, minui paulatimque consumpta est. Populus, securus paululum effectus, iterum audivit omnino esse migrandum quod civitas esset proxinio sabbato peritura. Migravit cum imperatore civitas tota; nemo in domo remansit, nemo domum clausit. Longe recedens a moenibus et dulcia tecta respiciens, relictis carissimis sedibus voce miserabili
vale fecit. Et aliquot milibus tanta illa multitudo progressa, uno tamen in loco fundendis ad Dominum precibus congregata, magnum fumum subito vidit et vocem magnam emisit ad Dominum. Tandemque tranquillitate conspecta, misit qui renuntiarent . Sollicita quae praedicta fuerat hora transacta, et renuntiantibus quod salva universa moenia et tecta consisterent, omnes cum ingenti gratulatione redierunt. Nemo de domo sua quidquam perdidit,
patentem omnis homo sicut dimisit invenit.
(...)
8. Sic minime dubitandum est pepercisse Deum Romanae etiam civitati, quae ante hostile incendium in multis ex multa parte migraverat. Migraverant qui fugerant, migraverant qui de corpore celerius exierant. Multi praesentes utcumque latuerunt, multi in locis sanctorum vivi salvique servati sunt. Manu ergo emendantis Dei correpta est potius civitas illa quam perdita, tamquam servus sciens voluntatem domini sui et faciens digna plagis, vapulabit multis.
9. (VIII) Atque utinam valeat ad exemplum timoris, et mala concupiscentia sitiens mundum et appetens perfrui perniciosissimis voluptatibus, demonstrante Domino quam sint instabiles et caducae omnes saeculi vanitates et insaniae mendaces, potius refrenetur quam sub flagellis dignissimis adversus Dominum murmuretur. Sed unam tribulam sentit area ut stipula concidatur, granum auteni mundetur; unum ignem patitur fornax aurificis ut palea in cinerem pergat, aurum sordibus careat. Sic et unam
tribulationem Roma pertulit in qua vel liberatus vel emendatus est pius, impius autem damnatus, damnatus inquam, sive ab hac vita raptus sit ubi magis poenas iustissimas lueret, sive hie remanserit ubi damnabilius blasphemaret, aut certe pro ineffabili clementia sua Deus, quos novit salvandos poenitentiae reservaret. Non ergo nos moveat lab or piorum; exercitatio est. Nisi forte, horremus cum videmus indigna et gr-avia in hac terra perpeti aliquem iustum, et obliviscimur quae pertulerit iustus iustorum sanctusque sanctorum. Quad passa est illa civitas universa, passus est unus. Sed videte quis unus: Rex regum et Dominus dominantium, comprehensus, vinctus, flagellatus, contumeliis omnibus agitatus, ligno suspensus et crucifixus, occisus. Appende cum Christo Romam, appende cum Christo totam terram, appende cum Christo caelum et terram; nihil creatum cum Creatore pensatur, nullum
opus artifici comparatur. Omnia per ipsurn facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil; et tamen a persequentibus traditus est. Feramus ergo quad Deus nos ferre voluerit; qui nobis curandis atque sanandis suum Filium misit, quis etiam dolor, sicut medicus, novit utilis sit. Certe scriptum est, Patientia opus perfectum habeat. Quad erit autem opus patientiate, si nihil adversi patiamur? Cur ergo mala temporalia perpeti recusamus? An forte perfici formidamus? Sed plane oremus et ingemiscamus ad Dominum, ut servetur erga nos quod Apostolus dicit: Fidelis Deus, qui non sinat vos tentari supra id quod potestis; sed faciat cum tentatione etiam exitum, ut possitis sustinere. |
| Translation |
7. A few years ago, at Constantinople when Arcadius was Emperor (what I shall say is known perchance to many of my hearers and there are some in this congregation who were even present there, did not God, wishing to terrify the city - albeit terrifying to correct, by terrifying to convert, by terrifying to cleanse, by terrifying to change - did He not come in revelation to a certain faithful servant of His, an official, as it is said, announce to him that the city would perish by fire coming from heaven, and admonish him to tell the bishop? The message was given; the bishop did not question it, but exhorted the people. The city was converted to penitential mourning, just as once
great Ninive of old.' Yet, that men might not think that he who
had spoken - had either been deceived by fraud or had himself
deceived by falsehood, the day came which God had threatened.
While all were watching and with great fear were expecting
destruction, at the beginning of night, as the world was already
becoming dark, a fiery cloud was seen in the East. This was small
at first, and then gradually increased, as it approached the city, until it hung fearfully over the whole city as a terrible threat. A mighty flame seemed to hang down from heaven and the odor of sulphur was present. All fled to the church, the place could not hold the multitude. Everyone, almost with violence, demanded Baptism from whom he could. Not only in the church but also
in their homes and through the streets and squares there was a
cry for the saving Sacrament, that they might escape wrath, not
the present wrath, of course, but that which was to come. Nevertheless, after that great tribulation, in which God manifested the
trustworthiness of His servant and confirmed the revelation of
His servant, the cloud, just as it had increased, so now began to
diminish and was gradually dissipated. When they had slowly
been relieved of their fear, the people again heard that it was
absolutely necessary that they depart because the city was to be
destroyed on the following Sabbath. The whole city, together with
its emperor, departed; no one remained in his house, no one closed
his house. Retiring a long way from the walls and looking back
on their beloved roofs, they bade farewell in tearful voice to the
dear homes left behind. And when the great multitude
had progressed several miles, and had gathered together in one place
to pour forth prayers to the Lord, suddenly on seeing much smoke
it sent forth a great cry to the Lord. Finally, when all was seen
to be peaceful, some were sent to bring back news . And when
the distressing hour which had been predicted had passed, and
the messengers announced that the walls and houses stood safe
throughout the city, all returned with great rejoicing. No one
lost anything from his house; open as it was, each man found
it as he had left it.
(...)
So, there should be not the least doubt that God spared
also the city of Rome, whose citizens, before the enemy had fired it in many
places, had departed in large numbers. They departed who fled, they departed who died prematurely: Many who were present concealed themselves as best they could; many were
preserved alive and safe in the holy places. And so, by the hand
of a correcting God that city was amended rather than destroyed,
just as the servant, knowing the will of his lord and yet doing
things worthy of blows, will be beaten with many stripes.
9. (VIII) And would that this may serve as an example to
inspire fear, and that evil desire, thirsting for the world and
seeking to enjoy its wicked pleasures, when the Lord shows how
unstable and perishable are all the vanities and foolish deceits of
the world, may rather be curbed than that it should suffer the
scourges it richly deserves and murmur against the Lord. But just
as the threshing-floor feels the weight of a single threshing
sledge that the straw may be beaten out, the grain cleansed;
and just as the furnace of the goldsmith endures a single fire
that the dross may be reduced to cinder, the gold freed of impurities, so Rome also has endured a single tribulation, in which the
pious man has been either freed or corrected, the impious has
been condemned - condemned, I repeat-whether he has been
snatched from this life to where he might rather pay most just
penalties, or has remained here, where he might blaspheme to his
deeper damnation; or certainly, in accordance with His ineffable
clemency, God would spare for repentance those whom He knows
are to be saved. Therefore, let not the hardship of the pious
disturb us; it is a form of trial. Unless perhaps, we shudder when
we see any just man endure harsh and heavy affliction on this
earth, and forget what the Most Just and the Most Holy has
endured. What the whole city suffered, One suffered alone. But
see Who that One is: The King of kings and Lord of lords, Who
was seized, bound, scourged, heaped with every insult, suspended
and crucified on a cross, and put to death. Weigh Rome in the
balance with Christ, weigh the whole earth with Christ, weigh
heaven and earth with Christ; nothing created counterbalances
the Creator, no work is comparable to its Maker. All things were
made by Him and without Him nothing was made; and yet He
was delivered up by His persecutors. Let us, therefore, bear what
God wishes us to bear; He Who to cure and heal us sent His Son,
knows, as a physician knows, what utility there is even in pain.
It is indeed written: Let patience have a perfect work. But what
will be. the work of patience, if we suffer no adversity? Why, then, do we refuse to endure temporal evils? Do we, perhaps, fear
to be made perfect? But by all means let us pray, let us cry out
before the Lord, that what the Apostle says may be confirmed in
regard to us: God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able; but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it. |
