Destroying And Building

Veranus. De qua destructione vel aedificatione loquitur, cum dicit: Tempus destruendi et tempus aedificandi? Nunquid de aedificatione ac destructione domorum loquitur? Quid enim nobis prodesset, si hoc diceret? Quis enim nescit quod alii destruunt, et alii aedificant domos? Salonius. Non hic loquitur Salomon de domorum, sed de malorum destructione, et aedificatione bonorum; quoniam necesse est prius mala destruere, et sic bona postea aedificare, iuxta illud Psalmistae: Declina a malo, et fac bonum. Hoc ergo dicit, quia tempus est destruendi mala et tempus est aedificandi bona, quoniam in praesenti vita concessum est nobis tempus a Deo ut destruamus mala, et aedificemus bona: id est, prius in nobis per poenitentiam deleamus peccata; postea vero per sancta desideria, virtutum construamus aedificia. Salonius Viennensis, Expositio Mystica in Ecclesiasten Source: Migne PL 53.999b-c

Veranus: Of what destruction and building does he speak when he says, 'There is a time for destroying and a time for building?' 1 Does he speak of the building and destruction of houses? And how does it benefit us if he speaks so? Who does not know that some houses are built and some destroyed? Salonius: Solomon does not speak of houses, but of the destruction of evils and the building up of goods, because according to the Psalmist it is first necessary to destroy evils and after to build up goods, 'Decline from evil and do good.' 2 Therefore he says this, that there is a time for destroying evils and a time for building up goods, because in the present life God grants us a time to destroy evils and a time to build up goods, that is, first we destroy the evil in us through penance, and after, desiring holy things, we construct the building of the virtues. Salonius of Geneva, A Spiritual Exposition of Ecclesiastes 1 Eccles 3.3 2 Ps 36.27

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, And The Song Of Songs

Veranus: Quid ait Salomon in Proverbiss, aut docet in Ecclesiaste, vel Cantico Canticorum? Salonius: In Proverbiis docet parvulum, et per varias sententias, instruit quasi filium. In Ecclesiaste vero jam perfectae aetatis virum imbuit, ut intelligat quia in hujus mundi rebus nihi est perpetuum, nihil gloriosum aut magnum; sed omnia sunt brevia, caduca et vana, quae cerniums. In Cantico Cnticorum jam consummatum virum atque perfectum in omnibus, et variis exornatum virtutibus, sponsi, id est, Domini nostri Jesu Christi amplexibus jungit. Salonius Viennensis, Expositio Mystica in Ecclesiasten Source: Migne PL 53.993d

Veranus: What does Solomon say in Proverbs, and what does he teach in Ecclesiastes, and what in the Song of Songs? Salonius: In Proverbs he teaches the child, and through various sentences he instructs as he would a son. But in Ecclesiastes he instructs the adult man, so that he might understand that nothing in this world is forever, that nothing is glorious and great, but everything is brief, perishing and vain, as we see. In the Song of Songs he joins the consummate man, perfect in all things, and adorned with the different virtues, with embraces to the bridegroom, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ. Salonius of Geneva, A Spiritual Exposition of Ecclesiastes

Creation And Vanity

VERANUS. Quid est quod dicit Ecclesiastes: Vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas; cum scriptum sit in libro Genesis: Vidit Deus cuncta quae fecit et erant valde bona? Si cuncta quae fecit Deus, valde bona sunt, quomodo ergo omnia vanitas; et non solum vanitas, sed etiam vanitas vanitatum? SALONIUS. Coelum et terra, maria et omnia quae in hoc circulo continentur, per se quidem bona sunt, quoniam a bono Deo creata sunt, sed comparata Deo, utique pro nihilo habenda sunt, quia semper Deus permanebit id quod est, illa vero omnia transibunt. Nam quae videntur temporalia sunt, quia transitoria; quae autem non videntur aeterna sunt. VERANUS. Quare bis replicavit sententiam suam dicens: Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes; vanitas vanitatum et omnia vanitas? SALONIUS. Ad exaggerandam magnitudinem vanitatum iteravit sententiam suam, ut per hoc demonstraret quia omnis mundi gloria sicut flos feni marcescet, et sicut fumus pertransibit. Salonius Viennensis, Expositio Mystica in Ecclesiasten Source: Migne PL 53.994b-c

Veranus: Why is it that Ecclesiastes says, 'Vanity of vanities, everything is vanity,' when it has been written in the book of Genesis, 'God saw all the things He had made and they were very good.' 1 If everything which God made was very good, how then is everything a vanity, and not only a vanity, but even a vanity of vanities? Salonius: Heaven and earth, the sea and everything they is contained in its circuit, are in themselves good because they were created by God, but compared to God they are held as nothing because God always remains what He is, but they shall all pass away. For those things which are seen are temporal and pass away but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Veranus; Why does he twice repeat what he says, 'Vanity of vanities, says Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities and all a vanity?' Salonius: He repeats himself to exaggerate the greatness of the vanity, so that he might show that all the glory of the world withers away like a flower of the field, and as smoke they shall pass away. 3 Salonius of Geneva, A Spiritual Exposition of Ecclesiastes 1 Eccl 1.2, Gen 1.31 2 2 Cor 4.18 3 Isaiah 40.8, 1 Pet 1.24, Ps 36.20

Everything Has Its Time

VERANUS. Quid vult demonstrare per hoc quod ait: Omnia tempus habent? Quod si omnia tempus habent, ergo aeternae Divinitatis substantia, tempus habet? SALONIUS. Absit; illa quippe ineffabilis aeterna maiestatis divinae essentia quae omnia creavit ex nihilo, non loco clauditur, non tempore coangustatur, non ullo spatio terminatur: et idcirco Salomon, ut ostenderet de quibus hoc dixerit, statim subiungit dicens, Et suis spatiis transeunt universa sub coelo. Vult enim demonstrare quod contraria sibi sunt omnia quae in mundo sunt, et nihil est perpetuum ex omnibus quae sub coelo sunt, et ista tempus continent. Salonius Viennensis, Expositio Mystica in Ecclesiasten Source: Migne PL 53.998b-c

Veranus: What does he wish to show through this which he says, 'Everything has its time.' 1 Because if everything has its time, then the substance of the eternal Divinity must have its time? Salonius: Let it not be. Certainly that eternal essence of ineffable majestic Divinity which created everything from nothing is not enclosed in any place, nor bound in the any time, nor limited by any space, and therefore Solomon, so that he might show what things he was speaking of, instantly adds, 'and with their own spans they pass away beneath heaven.' For he wishes to show that everything in the world is unlike heaven, and nothing is forever among all the things beneath heaven, but they have their time. Salonius of Geneva, A Spiritual Exposition of Ecclesiastes 1 Eccl 3.1

Commandments And Evil

VERANUS. Quid est quod ait: Qui custodit praeceptum Dei, non experietur quidquam mali|? Quomodo nihil mali experietur qui praecepta Dei custodit, cum sancti viri qui praecepta Dei custodierunt, multa perpessi sint in hoc saeculo? SALONIUS. Verum est, quia qui praecepta Dei custodit, id est omne quod iussit et praecepit Deus non experietur quidquam mali in futuro, hoc est nullum malum patietur, nullum malum sustinebit in die iudicii. Quamvis enim aliqua mala patiatur in hac vita, levia sunt et transitoria; in futura autem vita nihil mali patietur qui pervenerit ad aeternae beatitudinis gloriam. Salonius Viennensis, Expositio Mystica in Ecclesiasten Source: Migne PL 53.1006c

Veranus: Why is it said, 'He who keeps the commandments of God shall not experience any evil?'  1 How does he experience no evil who keeps the commandments of God when holy men who have kept the commandments of God have suffered many things in this world? Salonius: It is true, because he who keeps the commandments of God, that is, everything that God has ordered and commanded, shall not experience any evil in the future, he shall not suffer any evil nor endure any evil on the day of judgement. For although he must suffer evils in this life, they are light and transitory, and in the future life he shall not suffer any evil who comes to the glory of eternal beatitude. Salonius of Geneva, A Spiritual Exposition of Ecclesiastes 1 Eccl 8.5

Present And Future

VERANUS: Quare dicit: Tempus flendi et tempus ridendi, tempus plangendi et tempus saltandi? Quis enim ignorat, quia alio tempore flemus, alio autem ridemus? aut quid profuit dicere, tempus saltandi? Nunquid forsitan ostendere voluit, quia oportet nos saltationum exercere ludicra? SALONIUS. Absit; nihil oportet nos scurriliter agere: sed tempus flendi est in vita praesenti; tempus ridendi in vita futura. Qui ergo in praesenti vita, quotidianis fletibus et lacrymis se purgare studuerit, in vita futura ridebit, id est gaudebit. Similiter tempus plangendi est vita praesens; tempus saltandi est vita beata. In motu namque saltationis, homo suae mentis gaudium et animi demonstrat affectum. Qui ergo in hac vita plangendo studet abolere peccata, in futura vita saltabit, id est laetabitur et exsultabit in gloria aeternae felicitatis. Salonius Viennensis, Expositio Mystica in Ecclesiasten Source: Migne PL 53.999c-d

Veranus: Why is it said, 'A time of weeping and a time of laughter, a time of groaning and a time of leaping about?'  1 Who does not know there is one time in which we weep and another in which we laugh? Or what does it profit to say, 'A time of leaping about?' Does he perhaps wish to show that we should exercise ourselves in jumping around in games? Salonius: Let it not be. There is no need for us to act foolishly. The time of weeping is this present life, the time of laughter is the future life. Therefore he who in the present life is intent on weeping every day and cleansing himself with tears, he shall laugh in the future life, that is, he shall rejoice. 2 Likewise the time of groaning is the present life and the time of leaping is the blessed life, because this motion of leaping is the joy of the mind of a man and represents the emotion of the soul. Thus he who in this life is intent on groaning in order to be rid of sin shall leap about in the future life, that is, he shall rejoice and exult in the glory of eternal happiness. Salonius of Geneva, A Spiritual Exposition of Ecclesiastes 1 Eccl 3.4 2 Lk 6.21

The Eyes Of The Wise

VERANUS. Quare dicit: Sapientis oculi in capite eius, stultus autem in tenebris ambulat? Nunquid oculi stulti non sunt in capite ipsius? SALONIUS. Oculi in hoc loco non possunt corporales, sed spirituales intelligi: oculi videlicet mentis, id est sensus et intentiones animi. Per caput vero designatur Christus, unde Apostolus ait: Caput viri Christus. Oculi viri sapientis in capite sunt, quia vir sapiens omnem intentionem suam ad Christum dirigit, et in Christo collocat, et oculos suae mentis semper ad coelestia meditanda sublevat: stultus vero in tenebris ambulat, quia et stultitiae simul, et peccatorum suorum tenebris obscuratur, et amore huius mundi obscuratur; odit enim coelestia, et ideo non potest, sicut vir sapiens, ad coelum oculos suos erigere, quia non cogitat ea quae Dei sunt, sed quae huius saeculi. VERANUS. Quid ergo distat inter virum sapientem et stultum? SALONIUS. Hoc distat, quia iste sapientia et claritate illustratur et exornatur; ille vero errore stultitiae suae obtenebratur et deturbatur. Tantum quippe distat inter sapientem et stultum, quantum inter diem et noctem, lucem et tenebras. VERANUS. Quomodo tantum distat inter sapientem et stultum, cum unus sit interitus utriusque: sic enim moritur doctus ut indoctus, sapiens ut insipiens? SALONIUS. Quamvis unus sit occasus, et similis mors sapientis et stulti, et saepe in hac vita magis affligatur sapiens quam stultus; tamen non erit similis memoria in futuro nec aequalem percipient remunerationem, quoniam sapiens in die iudicii ad regni coelestis elevabitur gloriam, stultus vero demergetur in aeterna damnationis tormenta. VERANUS. Quis est ergo iste sapiens qui tantum distat a stulto quantum lux a tenebris? Nunquid ille qui philosophicae tantum disciplinae pollet affluentia, vel liberalium artium splendet eloquentia? SALONIUS. Nonnunquam saecularis prudentia inimica Deo est, et carnalis sapientia, quamvis eloquentiae floribus exornetur, nullum tamen in se spiritualem, nullum perpetuae beatitudinis fructum continet: sed ille veraciter est sapiens qui Dominum diligit, qui eius mandata custodit, et quantum possibile est humanae fragilitati, eius voluntatem in omnibus studet implere, de quo paulo inferius dicit: Homini bono, in conspectu suo dedit Deus sapientiam, et scientiam, et laetitiam. Salonius Viennensis, Expositio mystica in Ecclesiasten Source: Migne PL 53.997b-998a

Veranus: Why is it said 'The eyes of a wise man are in his head but a fool walks in darkness?' 1 Are the eyes of a fool not in his head? Salonius: In this passage eyes are not to be understood bodily but spiritually, that is, they are the eyes of the mind, that is, the sense and intention of the soul. The head signifies Christ, hence the Apostle says, 'The head of a man is Christ.' 2 The eyes of a wise man are in his head because the wise man directs all his intent to Christ, and in Christ he places himself, and he is always lifting up the eyes of his mind to heavenly things. The fool, however, walks in darkness because his sins set him in darkness and at the same time the love of this world blinds him, so that he despises heavenly things and therefore is not able, unlike the wise man, to raise his eyes to heaven, because he does not think on the things of God but the things of this world. Veranus: What, then, is the difference between the wise man and the fool? Salonius: This is the difference, the former is brightened and adorned with wisdom and enlightenment, but the latter is set in darkness and cast down. There is as great a distance between the wise man and the foolish man as between day and night, light and darkness. Veranus: How is there such a great distance between the wise man and the foolish man when one ruin comes upon both, for the learned die like the unlearned and the wise like the unwise? 3 Salonius: Although death is one and alike the wise man and the foolish man die, and often in this life the wise man suffers more afflictions than the fool, yet there shall not be the same remembrance of them in the future nor will they receive an equal reward, because on the day of judgement the wise man will be lifted up to the glory of the heavenly kingdom but the fool will be driven down to the endless torments of damnation. Veranus: Who, then, is this wise man who is as greatly different from the fool as light from darkness? Is it not the one who excels in the riches of philosophy and is resplendent in the eloquence of the liberal arts? Salonius: Often the wisdom of the world is an enemy of God, and carnal wisdom, even if adorned with the flowers of eloquence, has nothing spiritual in itself, and contains no fruit of perpetual beatitude. He is truly wise who loves the Lord, who keeps His commandments, and as much as it is possible for human fragility is zealous in fulfilling His will in all things, concerning which it is said a little below, 'To the man who is good in His sight God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy.' 4 Salonius of Geneva, A Spiritual Exposition of Ecclesiastes 1 Eccl 2.14 2 1 Cor 11.3 3 Eccl 2.14-15 4 Eccl 2.26

Wisdom And Angels

Quid est quod ait: Sapientia confortabit sapientem super decem principes civitatis? Quae est haec sapientia, aut qui sunt isti principes? SALONIUS. Sapientia in hoc loco Dominum Iesum Christum significat, qui est virtus et sapientia Dei: principes civitatis, sancti angeli sunt intelligendi, qui sunt principes civitatis, id est coelestis Ierusalem. Sunt et principes Ecclesiae, quia ipsi quotidie regunt eam et custodiunt. VERANUS. Cur ergo decem dicuntur? SALONIUS. Quia decem fuerunt ordines angelorum, sed unus cecidit per superbiam; et idcirco boni angeli semper ad hoc laborant, ut de hominibus numerus adimpleatur, et perveniat ad perfectum numerum, id est denarium. VERANUS. Quomodo ergo sapientia confortat sapientem super decem principes civitatis? SALONIUS. Quia maius est auxilium sapientiae, id est Domini Iesu Christi, quam sit angelorum. Salonius Viennensis, Expositio Mystica in Ecclesiasten Source: Migne PL 53.1005d-1006a

Veranus: 'Wisdom shall strengthen wisdom more than ten princes of a city.' 1 Salonius: In this passage wisdom signifies the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the virtue and power of God. 2 The princes of the city is are to be understood as angels who are the princes of the city which is the heavenly Jerusalem. And they are princes of the Church because they rule and watch over it every day. Veranus: Why are there ten? Salonius: Because there were ten orders of angels, but one fell through pride. And therefore the good angels always labour for this, that they might restore their number from men and achieve the perfect number which is ten. Veranus: How, then, does wisdom strengthen wisdom more then the ten princes of a city? Salonius: Because the help of wisdom, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, is greater that that of angels. Salonius of Geneva, A Spiritual Exposition of Ecclesiastes 1 Eccl 7.20 2 1 Cor 1.24