Fulgentius of Ruspe

In his own words on Wisdom of Solomon

• Wisdom of Solomon 1:1

  Those who do not believe in the equality of the Father and the Son completely reject the coming of the Son from God the Father. Coming to the one who loves them, the Father and the Son make a single dwelling with him. Now, there cannot be a single dwelling for them both, if they are loved in different ways. And if they are not equal, they will inevitably be loved in an unequal way. It is therefore not possible to prepare a single dwelling for them in a simple heart if they are not equal. Yet Scripture admonishes us to do so, saying, "Think of the Lord with uprightness, and seek him with simplicity of heart." How can one seek God with simplicity of heart if he makes a distinction in his love for God the Father and God the Son? Or how can one have a simple love for God if he is convinced that there is a diversity in the Divinity? One loves with a simple heart that Divinity whose nature he believes to be simple. But if he adores the Divinity making distinctions, this is not simplicity but duplicity of heart. And this is not true faith but false.

  ON THE INCARNATION 10

• Wisdom of Solomon 1:3

  In the book of Wisdom it is clear that what separates people from God is not the distance of place but evil thoughts and wicked actions. It says, "Perverse thoughts separate people from God; the excellence of virtue banishes fools, because wisdom will not enter a heart that does evil or dwell in a heart enslaved to sin. The Holy Spirit of instruction flees deceit and departs from foolish speech." Who cannot see that this alludes to the Trinity of persons, each according to their properties? In fact, it is said that "perverse thoughts separate people from God," using a name by which the person of God the Father can be recognized. Then it adds that "wisdom will not enter a heart that does evil"; by this name Christ is indicated, whom Paul calls "the power of God and the wisdom of God." Then it says, "The Holy Spirit flees from deceit, and departs from foolish speech." Moreover, in order that no one would think that an evil or godless person could distance himself, spatially, from this holy Trinity who is the one, true and good God, Scripture then says, "Wisdom is a spirit that is a friend of people; but he will not leave unpunished one who blasphemes, because God is witness of his inmost feelings and a true observer of his heart, and he hears the words of his mouth. In fact, the Spirit of the Lord fills the universe."

  BOOK TO VICTOR AGAINST THE SERMON OF FASTIDIOSUS THE ARIAN 4

• Wisdom of Solomon 1:4

  The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit come and go in their own, incomprehensible way. One cannot speak of a "change of locality" of the Father or of the Son or of the Holy Spirit. They come and go in such a way that, physically, they neither go to a place nor depart from it. Consequently, this coming of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit does not demonstrate the mobility of God but his piety. It is said in fact that the unique divinity of the Trinity, who fills all things and contains all things, comes to the one to whom he deigns to manifest himself, and he distances himself from the one to whom he hides the light of his love. But this does not mean a local absence, when he justly abandons one who is unworthy; nor does he make himself present in a place if he visits with his mercy one whom he has made worthy. Therefore, even though God says, "I fill heaven and earth," of some it is said, "God is not with them." And though the Father fills all things, the book of Wisdom says, "Perverse thoughts separate human beings from God." And if it also says of the Son—that is, of the wisdom of God, "she reaches from end to end with power and orders all things well," the same Wisdom says of itself, "The perverse will seek me, but they will not find me." And again, "Wisdom does not enter a soul who does evil or dwell in a body enslaved to sin." And of the Holy Spirit, of whom it is said that he is immense in every way, it is said, "The Holy Spirit flees from deceit and departs from foolish speech."

  THREE BOOKS TO TRASAMUNDUS 2:11

• Wisdom of Solomon 1:5

  Let no one hold that the three persons are separable, since he would not be able to find any one of the persons existing or acting before another or after another or without another. Just as by nature there can be no separability of action, in the same way there remains, by nature, an immutable unity of the will. We will now consider in what way both angels and human beings have been separated from God, in order to enable us to grasp without a shadow of doubt that the Trinity is inseparable. For holy Scripture says, in fact, that "perverse thoughts separate people from God," and that "wisdom does not enter into a malignant spirit, nor does it dwell in a body given over to sin" and that "the Holy Spirit of discipline flees from deceit and distances himself from thoughts lacking in reason." In effect, Isaiah also proves that iniquities dig a trench between God and humanity. The holy Trinity, therefore, is the same faithful God in whom no wickedness can exist: "The Son of God came to take away sins; there is no sin or iniquity in him."

  LETTERS 14:14

• Wisdom of Solomon 1:7

  The true faith asserts that the Holy Spirit also is creator, not created. Indeed, how can one deny that he is creator, about whom it has been proven that he established the array of the heavens? David says, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the Spirit of his mouth their entire array." And elsewhere, "Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created." The one who made humanity is in fact the creator of all. Blessed Job calls him "the divine Spirit who made me." Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit created all things, in the same way he pervades all things, without limit. And one who pervades all things is true God by nature. It is written, "The Spirit of the Lord fills the world." And even blessed David attests that the Spirit is everywhere, saying precisely of God, "Where will I go, far from your Spirit, and where will I flee from your face?" Then how can the Arians deny that the Holy Spirit is God, given that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, just as we are the temple of the Father and the Son? Indeed, the apostle says, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. In fact, the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are." In the same letter, the apostle asserts that we are the temple of God in such a way as to say that we are also the temple of the Holy Spirit. He says, "Do you not know that your members are the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God?" And precisely to show that the Holy Spirit is God, he adds, "Glorify and keep God in your hearts."

  LETTERS 8:17.8

• Wisdom of Solomon 1:8

  Divinely inspired, he speaks thus of the Holy Sprit: "Because the Spirit of the Lord fills the world, he embraces all things and knows what is said." One understands, moreover, that here the Scripture refers to the voice of the heart, not of the body. That is, not to the voice of speech among living beings, but that of one's most hidden thoughts, that resounding voice that only God hears, since he alone sees the one who ponders secretly. Thus he continues, "Therefore, no one who utters unrighteous things can remain hidden, nor will he be spared his chastening judgment." To show further in what this wicked speech consists, so that it would be understood more as the expression of the conscience than of the tongue, the holy Scripture then explains, "There will be an inquiry into the reflections of the godless." I have said this because it says of the Holy Spirit, "because he encompasses all things, he knows what is said." Given that he encompasses all things, the Holy Spirit is not inferior to the Father or the Son. And because he has knowledge of hidden thoughts, he is recognized as the true God.

  LETTERS 14:4

• Wisdom of Solomon 1:14

  Every human being is so corrupted by the voluntary sin of the first man that only God, if he wills, can heal a person's will by his good will. In fact, it is written, "He created all things that they might exist, and the creative forces of the world he made wholesome." Still, lest human beings would ever think the beginning of their healing derived from themselves, the divine word immediately adds, "And there is no purging medicine in them." Therefore, though the devil had deprived the first man of faith, he nevertheless did not deprive God of the power to give again what he had first given. Nor could the devil corrupt human nature to such a degree that it could not receive once again what it had lost, thanks to the generosity of God. In fact, the Almighty, who was capable of forming human nature, can also reform and preserve it, healing its fragility through grace.

  LETTERS 17:23.45

• Wisdom of Solomon 2:1

  Our thought, which originates and is formed in the memory, is rightly called an interior word. Indeed, what is thought, if not an interior discourse? Thus it is written, "What you speak in your hearts on your bed, reflect on and be silent." In fact, in the Gospel, when the Lord said to the paralytic he had healed, "Your sins are forgiven you," Luke the Evangelist adds, "The scribes and the Pharisees began to ask themselves, 'Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?' But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, responded, 'What are you thinking in your hearts?' " Whereas Luke said, "the scribes and the Pharisees began to ask themselves," Matthew says, "Then some scribes began to think, 'This man blasphemes!' But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, 'Why do you think evil things in your hearts?' " The book of Wisdom also says of some, "They spoke among themselves, reasoning unsoundly." It is therefore clear that to think is the same as to speak within oneself. Thus, thought is invisible. That is, thoughts are said without the sound of the voice of the body, but they reach another's hearing only through bodily speech.

  BOOK TO VICTOR AGAINST THE SERMON OF FASTIDIOSUS THE ARIAN 15

• Wisdom of Solomon 2:24

  Believe with the firmest faith, not doubting in any way, that Christ, the Son of God, will come to judge the living and the dead. With his coming he will raise, glorify and, according to his promise, make equal to the holy angels those who in this life are freely justified by faith through the gift of his grace. To these same justified ones he gives perseverance until the end in the faith and love of holy mother church. He will lead them to the state in which they are perfectly good, in the measure in which God grants to each. After this they will no longer be able to lose that perfection in which the glory of the saints will differ, but the eternal life of all will be the same. The devil and his angels, however, Christ will send into the eternal fire, where they will never be free of the punishment prepared for them by the divine justice and with the devil godless and wicked people, of whom Scripture says, "Those who are of his party imitate him." They have imitated him in evil actions and have not done adequate penance before the end of this life—those godless and wicked people who are destined to burn in the torment of the eternal flames, after reassuming their bodies.

  LETTER TO PETER ON THE FAITH 71:28

• Wisdom of Solomon 3:11

  What person, might I ask, who is living badly and hears the apostle say, "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him," if he is not converted in this life, could dare to assure himself of a hope of future pardon? Who would not fall trembling to the ground? Who would not hasten to penitence with a humble spirit, before the end of this present life? The apostle cries out, "If someone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him," and the vain person seduces himself with an extremely perverse thought, saying, "Even if I violate God's temple and live badly until the end, I will be saved." Is not the apostle speaking of such people when he says, "Let us do evil that good may result (and their condemnation is just)"84? It is not these that sacred Scripture calls unhappy and their hope completely vain when it says, "The one who disdains wisdom and discipline is unhappy. Their hope is vain, and their labor without fruit." Salvation will not be given, therefore, to the wicked but to the righteous, that is, to those who have corrected themselves and converted before the end of this life. Salvation will be given to the good who, by conversion, have pursued friendship with God. It will not be given to the bad who, remaining friends of the world, rightly deserve to be called enemies of God, in the words of the apostle's reproach. Blessed James in fact rebukes them, saying, "Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with this world is enmity with God? If, therefore, one wants to be a friend of this world, he makes himself an enemy of God."

  ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS 2:3.4-4:1

• Wisdom of Solomon 3:17

  Far be it from us to think or to say, according to the error of those without faith, that the young Christian "stole the black day and overpowered bitter death." In fact, according to the words of the apostle John, the black day sweeps away those who "are in darkness and walk in darkness, not knowing where they are going, because the darkness has blinded their eyes." The black day carried away those whom the true light himself judges severely. "This is the judgment," he says, "because the light came into the world, and people preferred darkness to the light: their works in fact were evil." Those who live in this way are in such a state that when they hear the voice of the Son of God, they will not be called to life but to judgment. The Lord says, "The hour will come when all those who are in their graves will hear his voice. Those who did good will go to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment." And because neither a brief nor a long life is of any use to them, the book of Wisdom says of such persons, "Even if they have a long life, they will be held of no account, and in the end their old age will be without honor. If they die young, they will have neither hope nor comfort in the day of judgment."

  LETTERS 2:5.3

• Wisdom of Solomon 4:8-9

  The Christian who has lived in the fear of God, at whatever age he dies, is not swept away by a bitter and untimely death but crosses over supported by a maturity approved by God. Indeed, in the book of Wisdom we read, "Old age is not honored for length of time or measured by number of years. Wisdom, rather, is a person's gray hair, and a blameless life is old age. Having become dear to God, this one was loved by him."

  LETTERS 2:7.4

• Wisdom of Solomon 4:13

  We should not think that your bishop, our brother, has departed here early and that he lived only a little while. It is right to say that he did not live only a little while if we realize that, as much as we may say of him, there is still more to say (even if, being finite, what is much here will be judged as though it were nothing). And he has not lived so little, if, instead of counting the years, we think of his works. Who knows how many people, though living many years, have not done even half of what he did in a few years? To want to keep him here, then, is nothing other than to envy him his happiness. Now, as human beings, we are saddened for the man. What would we do if we did not act like human beings? We are sad in a human way, therefore, for a man's departure. But as we heard in the divine lesson, "In a short time, he fulfilled a long career." But, then, let us count those times as one counts a day. All that he did among you, exhorting, speaking, offering himself for your imitation—preserve it so as to praise and adore God, and you will be his most splendid memorial. Indeed, what matters for him is not that he be hidden in a marble tomb but that he be built up in your hearts—that he who has been buried would live in living sepulchers. Indeed, your memory is his tomb. He lives near to God, to be happy. He lives near to you, so that you would be happy.

  SERMON 79

• Wisdom of Solomon 4:14-15

  "His soul in fact was pleasing to God, because he hastened to take him away from iniquity." Precisely with these words the sacred Scripture teaches us that in this world, it is not a long life that matters but a good life. To know the merits, as much as we can, of a deceased person, you must closely observe not how long he lived but how he lived. In fact, just as in a wicked life, the longer one lives the more punishments are multiplied for the one who lives in sin, so in a good life, though it is over in a brief period of time, a great, unending glory is gained for the one who lives well. A wicked life, then, leads to increasing ill temper in bitter, immature old people, whereas a good life leads young people, who die mature, to the kingdom of God.

  LETTERS 2:7.4

• Wisdom of Solomon 4:15

  "His soul in fact was pleasing to God, because he hastened to take him away from iniquity." Precisely with these words the sacred Scripture teaches us that in this world, it is not a long life that matters but a good life. To know the merits, as much as we can, of a deceased person, you must closely observe not how long he lived but how he lived. In fact, just as in a wicked life, the longer one lives the more punishments are multiplied for the one who lives in sin, so in a good life, though it is over in a brief period of time, a great, unending glory is gained for the one who lives well. A wicked life, then, leads to increasing ill temper in bitter, immature old people, whereas a good life leads young people, who die mature, to the kingdom of God. - "Letters 2.7.4"

• Wisdom of Solomon 5:2

  No one, when reading that the wicked will marvel at the sudden appearance of an unexpected salvation, should think that for those who end the present life in sin, salvation will sooner or later be conferred on them by divine gift. It in fact calls the salvation of the righteous unexpected, because if the wicked do not hope that it will be given to them, it nevertheless remains for the righteous, who do hope for it. Thus blessed David, in a psalm, sang of the hope and of the salvation of the righteous as a single reality, saying, "The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord, their refuge in time of distress. The Lord comes to their help and rescues them. He frees them from the godless and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him."

  ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS 2:3.1-2

• Wisdom of Solomon 5:4

  This is the unexpected salvation: they considered the life of the righteous madness, and though insane, they believed themselves to be sane and did not expect the retribution of divine justice. They therefore neglected to correct their lives. In fact, they delighted to live here in luxury for a brief time, not believing that after a little while they would be tormented with eternal punishments. For this reason, seeing the righteous in the glory of the children of God, that glory about which blessed Paul says, "We live in it, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God," the wicked will be amazed at the glory of the righteous, that is, of the children of God, because the righteous are children of God.

  ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS 3:2.2-3

• Wisdom of Solomon 5:5

  The unhoped-for salvation, that is, not hoped for by the wicked, will surely be given to the righteous, not to the wicked. Indeed, it will not be given to those who, not hoping for it, live badly, but to those who, justly hoping for it and abstaining from carnal desires, observe the salutary precepts of blessed Peter, who says, "Beloved, I exhort you, as strangers and pilgrims, to abstain from the desires of the flesh that war on the soul. Let your conduct among the pagans be irreproachable."

  ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS 2:3.3

• Wisdom of Solomon 7:24

  The psalm sings truthfully, "Great is the Lord our God, almighty, his wisdom has no limit." And to show the limitless immensity of this infinite eternity, it says elsewhere, "Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise; his greatness cannot be measured." Indeed, it is necessary that he who is by nature eternal also be proclaimed immeasurable by nature, since what always exists cannot be measured, and what is everywhere cannot be enclosed in a place. Thus finally another testimony of Scripture says, "By her purity she pervades all things." And a little later, "She reaches mightily from one end to the other, and governs all things well." And if now we hear that wisdom reaches from one end to the other, we must understand that if she reaches from one end to the other, she surpasses both ends by the immensity of her infinite nature. Indeed, only one who cannot be enclosed within creation can reach the entire creation, since, if in filling the heavens she is immeasurable, she is likewise infinite in reaching from one end to the other.

  THREE BOOKS TO TRASAMUNDUS 3:7

• Wisdom of Solomon 7:25

  Although it is said of Wisdom that it "is an emanation of the power of God," nevertheless the Holy Spirit also, whose nature is fire, can be correctly compared (to the extent that the knowledge of divine things requires it) with an emanation, according to the words of the apostle, "Be fervent in the Spirit."

  AGAINST FABIANUS, FRAGMENT 22

• Wisdom of Solomon 7:26

  The Arians clearly show themselves to worship two gods when they deny that the Son is equal to the Father. And they declare him less, not regarding the assumption of the flesh (which the truth of the faith teaches) but with respect to the nature of the immeasurable divinity, even though it is said of him who is the wisdom of God that he is "a reflection of the eternal light." It is also said of him, in the letter to the Hebrews, "that he is the radiance of his glory and the imprint of his being." They should look at the "reflection of the eternal light" and recognize that, as that eternal light is infinite, so its reflection is in no way secondary or inferior by nature. Its eternity, rather, is identical to its infinity and its infinity to its eternity.

  BOOK TO VICTOR AGAINST THE SERMON OF FASTIDIOSUS THE ARIAN 6:3

• Wisdom of Solomon 7:26

  So as to show that the Son is infinite along with the Father, the sacred Scripture was careful to say of wisdom, "It is the reflection of the eternal light, a spotless mirror of the majesty of God and an image of his goodness." In this testimony are shown the oneness of nature, the distinction of persons and the infinite equality of the Father and the Son. No one can doubt that in this passage the Father is called the light and the Son the reflection. About this, the apostle also says authoritatively, "He is the radiance of his glory and the imprint of his being and sustains all things with the power of his word." See that it is said that the Son is the reflection and governs all things. If someone thinks that the Father is infinite but that the Son has limits, let him show us in what way the light and its reflection could be different beings, when, even if they are differentiated by name, they are not distinct in kind, nor do they differ in extension. In fact, the light and its reflection do not have the same name, but neither do they have different natures.

  THREE BOOKS TO TRASAMUNDUS 2:9

• Wisdom of Solomon 7:30

  If our physician is an expert, he can heal every infirmity. If he is our merciful God, he can forgive every sin. A goodness that does not prevail over every evil is not perfect, nor is a medicine perfect if some disease cannot be cured by it. Indeed, it is written in the sacred texts, "Evil does not prevail over wisdom." Our physician's omnipotence is proclaimed in the psalm with these words, "Bless the Lord, my soul, and all my being bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all his benefits. It is he who pardons all your sins, who heals all your weakness, who rescues your life from the grave, who fulfills your desires with good things, who crowns you with mercy and goodness. Your youth will be renewed like the eagle's." I ask you: What should we think cannot be forgiven us, since the Lord is kindly in all our misdeeds? Or what should we suppose cannot be healed in us, since the Lord heals all our weaknesses? Or how is it possible that one who is whole and righteous would still have some lack—one who is content to desire good things? Or up to what point do we think that one could not avail himself of the benefit of the full remission of sins—one who has been crowned with goodness and mercy? Let no one, therefore, remain in his infirmity, despairing of the physician. Let no one destroy himself in sins, belittling the mercy of God. The apostle declares that "Christ died for the godless." And he likewise says, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners."

  LETTERS 7:4.3

• Wisdom of Solomon 8:1

  The true Father sent the Truth he had generated, he sent the Wisdom in which he had made everything, he sent the Word that he had conceived in his heart. In this mission, therefore, the coming must not be thought of as a change of place, as if the Son of God were sent from heaven to earth or that he was not on earth before taking flesh. Or, as if he abandoned heaven when he assumed flesh for our salvation, since he is the Wisdom of God of which it is said, "He extends powerfully from one end of the earth to the other, governing all things well." That divinity that by nature is one, of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, is not in a place, just as it is not in time. It is not enclosed in a place, just as it does not change with time. That divinity that by nature is infinite and eternal had no beginning and is not contained in a place. Therefore the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, fills all: he is entirely in everyone, entirely in all, entirely in small creatures, entirely in those that are bigger. This occurs by nature, not by grace. It happens when he creates human beings, not when he saves them; when he forms them, not when he restores them; when he makes this sun rise on the good and on the wicked, and not when the Sun of righteousness rises on those in whom life is infused—not that of the flesh, but of the heart—by the gift of his anticipatory mercy.

  ON THE INCARNATION 7

• Wisdom of Solomon 8:8

  The Scriptures are accustomed to speaking of opinion in two ways. They in fact speak of opinion both when someone thinks something that is not true and when he knows with all certainty that something is true. Blessed Stephen, in the Acts of the Apostles, speaks of an opinion concerning uncertain knowledge when he says of holy Moses, "He thought that his countrymen would have understood that God was offering them salvation through him." But, to show that this was an uncertain opinion, he adds, "But they did not understand." Similarly, it is said in the same book when the angel brought blessed Peter out of the jail, "he still did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real: he thought he was having a vision." In the book of Wisdom an utterly certain knowledge is given as an opinion, in the place where wisdom itself says, "And if one desires wide experience, she knows what is past and infers what is to come." What does it mean that wisdom infers, if not that it knows with all certainty? Thus also Paul, who had the mind of Christ, spoke of thinking something that he knew with certainty, saying, "I consider, in fact, that the sufferings of the present moment are not to be compared with the future glory that will be revealed in us." And neither in this case can it be said that Paul had an uncertain knowledge of these things. In fact, he had a certain knowledge of them. Similarly, blessed Jeremiah said of Christ, "He is our God, and he will not be compared with another." Does "he will not be compared" perhaps not mean that another will not be known? Thus blessed Isaiah says, "Lord, beside you we have known no other. We have invoked your name."

  AGAINST FABIANUS, FRAGMENT 11

• Wisdom of Solomon 8:17

  What we think within ourselves we remember in our hearts, since mentioning both things, that is, a thought and a memory, has shown that they are not exterior but interior. It is said also in the book of Proverbs, "Son, do not let evil thoughts ensnare you, thoughts that abandon the teachings of youth and forget the divine covenant. Their dwelling is near death, and their paths with mortals, alongside the netherworld." If evil thoughts, which have made their dwelling near death, are outside of death and not in it, they are certainly alive. And if they are near, but not in, the netherworld, the only remaining possibility is that what is not in death or in the netherworld would have life in heaven. For this reason it is said to God, "You have rescued my soul from death," because, through faith, he has given life to the soul, saying, "My righteous one, through faith, will live." And thus it is also said to him, "From the depths of the netherworld you have rescued my soul," since souls are rescued from the netherworld by the grace of God, so that they would live in heaven. Thus the apostle says, "Our homeland is in heaven." Moreover, how was the soul, which was near death because of evil thoughts, freed from death, if it was not dead? And how was it taken from the netherworld, if it was near the netherworld but not in it? If in fact it was not in death, it was not dead. But who does not know that the soul dies through an evil will—that is, through sin—since God says, "The soul that sins will die." It is therefore certain that the soul that thinks wickedly, being near death, is in death, and being near the netherworld is in the netherworld. And what does the Savior say? "What is impossible for human beings is possible for God."

  LETTER TO MONIMUS 3:6

• Wisdom of Solomon 9:14

  "The reasonings of mortals are timid," not with a praiseworthy fear but blamable, a fear that is not good but evil. We have been freed from such fear by the one who "through death destroyed him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, thus freeing those who, through fear of death, were held in bondage all their life long." Our Redeemer clearly manifested this bondage from which he freed us and the freedom that he freely gave us, saying "If you remain faithful to my word, you will truly be my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." To the response of the Jews, who were descendents of Abraham and had never been slaves to anyone, by his response he showed at one and the same time both the condition, portending death, of their bondage, and the truth of the freedom that he had brought to his own, saying, "Truly, truly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. Now the slave does not remain in the house forever, but the son remains there forever. If, therefore, the Son frees you, you will be free indeed." Thus, those thoughts are called "timid" by which sin is served, in those who are subject to bondage their entire lives. Paul teaches us that we have been set free from this bondage by the grace of God. "When in fact you were in bondage to sin, you were free with respect to righteousness. But what fruit did you harvest then, from things that you are now ashamed of? In fact, they lead to death. Now, however, freed from sin and made servants of God, you gather fruit leading to sanctification, with eternal life as your end." See what the grace of God has given us! It has freed the timid, of whom Scripture says, "The reasonings of mortals are timid." - "On the Truth of Predestination 2.11.18-12.20"

• Wisdom of Solomon 9:14

  "And our reflections are uncertain." Foresight is uncertain with regard to things that are uncertain, and those things of which we do not have secure possession are uncertain. Every day, without wanting to, we can lose what we cannot possess forever. Thus the reflections of mortals are uncertain when their souls remain enthralled by things, the possession of which can be taken from the possessor without his consent or from which the possessor can be deprived without him wishing it. - "On the Truth of Predestination 2.12.20"

• Wisdom of Solomon 9:15

  Tears that spring from compunction of heart defeat the enemy and gain for us the gift of a victorious happiness. In fact, those who "go out weeping, scattering their seeds, will return rejoicing, carrying their sheaves." How wisely the holy prophet teaches that the seeds of good works must be watered with rivers of tears! And in fact, no seed germinates without being watered. Nor does a seed bear fruit if it has been without the benefit of water. Thus we also, if we wish to harvest the fruits of our seeds, should not cease watering them with tears, which should spring from the heart rather than the body. This, in fact, is why we are told through the prophet to rend our hearts, not our garments. And we can do this only if we recall that we often sin, if not in deeds, at least in our thoughts. Since "the earthly tabernacle oppresses the mind, which stirs up many thoughts," and our earth does not cease to germinate thorns and difficulties for us, in the end we cannot eat our bread if we have not endured the sweat of our brow and hard work.

  LETTERS 4:9.5

• Wisdom of Solomon 9:17

  We must think that in any case heretics are carnal and earthly and therefore incapable of spiritual things. The apostle says of them, "The animal person, however, does not understand the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them, because they can be judged only through the Spirit." Thus the apostle's authority affirms that heretics are above all carnal and earthly. In fact, blessed Paul also numbers heresy among the works of the flesh. And the blessed apostle Jude also calls those who separate from the church earthly, saying, "These are those who provoke divisions, natural people, devoid of the Spirit." This is precisely what we saw the apostle Paul say: "The animal person, however, does not understand the things of the Spirit of God." We must not be surprised, then, that those who do not have the Spirit of God are incapable of comprehending divine things. In fact, it is written in the book of Wisdom, "Who has known your thoughts, if you have not granted him wisdom and sent him your holy spirit from on high?" Therefore the holy apostle further states that the things of God are revealed only by the Holy Spirit when he says, "But God revealed these to us by his Spirit." And a little later he continues, "Now, we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God, to know all that God has given to us."

  BOOK TO VICTOR AGAINST THE SERMON OF FASTIDIOSUS THE ARIAN 18:2-3

• Wisdom of Solomon 10:16

  We read that it is written of wisdom, "Its memory is immortal, by the fact that it is recognized by God and by human beings." How can it be recognized by human beings if it is not interior to them, but exterior? It cannot be recognized if it does not enter the soul of the person. It is said of wisdom, "Though remaining in itself, it renews all, and through the ages it enters holy souls." And so that we should not think that to move into souls is something different than to enter them, the text of Scripture refers to it again with these words, "It freed a holy people and a blameless race from a nation of oppressors. It entered the soul of a servant of the Lord and withstood fearsome kings with wonders and signs." This entry into souls is also proclaimed in the Apocalypse of John: "See, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone listens to my voice and opens to me, I will come to him, I will sup with him, and he with me." By this same movement the Father and the Son enter the one who loves them, and they establish their dwelling in him, as the Son says: "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and the Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." And if this coming of the Father and the Son to the one with whom they make their dwelling were exterior and not interior, we would then like to know: where will they come to, and where will they make their dwelling with him? Moreover, we have seen that Christ dwells interiorly in his faithful ones, as Paul proclaims, saying, "That Christ would dwell in your hearts through faith."

  LETTER TO MONIMUS 3:5

• Wisdom of Solomon 10:21

  It is written that "wisdom opened the mouth of the mute and loosed the tongues of infants." Wisdom indeed opened the mouths of the mute, so the incredulous might believe, and loosed the tongues of infants, so that they might preach what they believed. Therefore, not without reason does Paul attribute his faith and his ability to speak to the gift of the Holy Spirit, saying, "Moved by that same spirit of faith of which it is written, "I believed, therefore I spoke," we also believe, and therefore we speak." A person believes with the will, and with the will speaks. The human will, however, cannot possess these things of its own if they are not given by God, "because wisdom opens the mouth of the mute and loosens the tongue of infants." - "On the Truth of Predestination 2.6.9"

• Wisdom of Solomon 11:20

  This uncreated Trinity put some indications of the Trinity in its creation. As it is written, "You arranged all things with measure, number and weight." In fact, any body, small or large, can be quantified according to the number of its parts, can be measured and has weight. And quantity cannot exist without weight, nor measure without weight and quantity. None of these properties can exist without the other two. It is easy, however, to observe weight, quantity and measure in material objects; let us see if they can be found in incorporeal objects. In the human soul one finds memory, thought and will. In fact, you think what you want, and this is what your memory contains. Your will is your love. That is, you remember what you bear with love in your thoughts. Memory, intellect and will (which we have said is love) are three inseparable aspects—one of these cannot exist without the others. A certain Father once elegantly mentioned how all three are in the soul when praying to God: your memory, your intellect and your desire, and in this the image of God has been shown. The human soul is therefore an image of God: not born but created, not equal but similar.

  ON THE TRINITY, TO FELIX 7

• Wisdom of Solomon 12:18

  With respect to existence and power, the Trinity is everywhere, wholly one God, filling all things with his power, not by his mass but wholly in each creature, and simultaneously wholly in all creatures. Regarding our thoughts, it is said that God descends to our level when he divinely moderates his word in such a way that he condescends to communicate his knowledge and love to us, speaking to us in a human way. Conversely, he rises in us when we ascend in charity and knowledge of the divinity, learning not to look for anything local in him who is infinite, or think that there is anything lowly in him who is sublime, or believe that there is anything changeable in God or think that there is anything temporary in him who is eternal.This is the way we are to understand the manifestation of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, it is said that God rested in the beginning after having finished the creation of the world, although he was not fatigued by his work, because he accomplished everything solely by his will. To him it was said, "You exercise power when you wish," as we hear in the psalm, "Whatever the Lord wishes he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all the depths."

  THREE BOOKS TO TRASAMUNDUS 2:11-12

• Wisdom of Solomon 12:18

  Abraham, "father of us all," as the apostle says, "did not doubt God's promise in unbelief but was strengthened in faith and gave glory to God, fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to do." There is therefore no falsehood whatsoever in God's promises, since no obstacle can stand before the action of the Almighty. And consequently, the effect of his will can ever fail, since we discover that his will itself is nothing other than his power. He who can do whatever he wants can want anything. Only of him, then, can it be truly said, "Whatever he wanted, he did." And further, "You exercise power when you wish." For this reason we said that in him there is as much power of the will as there is the will itself of the power. Since "power always accompanies his will," in him will and power are one. In fact, just as God is not constrained by any necessity to promise what he does not want to do, so he is not impeded by anything in doing what he has promised to a lesser degree than he wants to or to delay its realization.

  LETTER TO MONIMUS 1:12.4-13:1