12. Now the Apostles are our first-fruits, chosen from all the first-fruits of that time; to them it is said, S. John xiv. 12. And greater things than these shall ye do, for the Grace of God hath poured itself into them. These, I say, groaned, waiting for the redemption of the whole body, and they still groan, because many are still toiling, who are yet tossing on the sea. Just as, if a man is reaching the higher shore, but the waves still dash up to his middle, he groans and is in travail until he be wholly out of danger. Verily he groans, who still says to us, 2 Cor. xi. 29. Who is weak, and I am not weak?
13. We need not then to be perplexed by the words, Rom. viii. 23. We, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body, for the sense is plain, forasmuch as they, having the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan, waiting for the adoption of sons. This adoption of sons is the redemption of the whole body, when he who is to be the son of God by adoption shall see face to face that Divine and Eternal Good; for there is the adoption of sons in the Church of God, when the Spirit cries, Gal. iv. 6. Abba, Father, as it is written to the Galatians. But this will be perfected when all shall rise again in incorruption power and glory who are counted worthy to see the Face of God, for then the human race will judge itself to be truly redeemed. And so the Apostle boasts, saying, Rom. viii. 24. For we are saved by hope. For hope saves, as also faith, whereof it is said, S. Luke xviii. 42. Thy faith hath saved thee.
14. Therefore the creature which is made subject to vanity not willingly but in hope, is saved by hope; just as Paul too, knowing that to die was gain to him, that he might be freed from the body and be with Christ, Phil. i. 24. remained in the flesh for their sakes whom he wished to win to Christ. Now what is hope but the expectation of things future? Wherefore he says, Rom. viii. 24. But the hope that is seen is not hope.For it is not what is seen but what is unseen that is eternal, for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? The things that we see we seem to possess, how then can we hope for that which we already possess? Thus none of those things which we hope for can we see; 1 Cor. ii. 9. eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him.
15. Wherefore, if that which is seen cannot be hoped for,it is not well to read as some do, ‘for[182] because any one sees a thing he also hopes for it;’ unless it may be understood thus, ‘for that which any one sees, why does he also hope for or expect it?’ For most true it is that we hope for that which we see not, and therefore, although it seem to be absent from us, we still look for it in patience; Ps. xl. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me. And we wait patiently, because Lament. iii. 25. the Lord is good unto them that wait for Him. And it seems to agree with this, that through patience He has given it back to us. We wait for the things which we hope for, but see not. For he does much who hopes and looks for those things which are not seen, and endures because he directs his mind to that which is.
16. Now it is well said that Rom. viii.24. hope that is seen is not hope, referring to the power and honour and riches of this world. You may see a man distinguished by his retinue and equipages, but he has not hope in his equipages which are seen. Nor is hope in the firmament of heaven, but in the Lord of heaven. The Chaldæan has not hope in the stars which he watches; nor the rich man in his possessions or the avaricious man in usury; but he hath hope who places his hope in Him Whom he sees not, that is, in the Lord Jesus, S. John i. 26. Who stands in the midst of us, yet is not seen. Finally, 1 Cor. ii. 9. eye hath not seen, nor ear heard the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
LETTER XXXVI.
S. AMBROSE continues, in reply to a question of Horontianus, his discussion of the passage of S. Paul, and explains what are his ‘groanings unutterable.’
AMBROSE TO HORONTIANUS.
1. OUR letters are so linked together that we seem to be holding actual conversation with one another, so well do you with your question and I with my explanations supply subject matter for our correspondence.