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Augustine, Sermones 186-193 (Classis II, de Tempore)

Sermons CXC–CXCI

3). Noli erubescere Dei esse jumentum : Christum portabis, non errabis ; ambulas per viam, sedet super te. Sedeat super nos Dominus, et quo vult nos dirigat : jumentum ipsius simus, ad Jerusalem eamus. Ipso insidente non opprimimur, sed elevamur : ipso ducente, non errabimus, per ipsum ad ipsum eamus ; ut cum nato hodie puero in perpetuum gaudeamus.

3). Do not be ashamed to be God's beast of burden: you will carry Christ, you will not go astray; you walk along the way, He sits upon you. Let the Lord sit upon us, and let Him direct us wherever He wills: let us be His beast of burden, let us go to Jerusalem. With Him seated upon us we are not weighed down, but lifted up: with Him leading, we shall not go astray; through Him let us go to Him; so that with the Child born today we may rejoice for ever.

SERMO CXC. In Natali Domini, VII.

Sermon 190. On the Nativity of the Lord, 7.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Diem quo nasceretur Christus mysterii causa elegit. Dominus noster Jesus qui erat apud Patrem antequam natus esset ex matre, non solum virginem de qua nasceretur, sed et diem quo nasceretur, elegit. Errantes homines plerumque eligunt dies, alius novellandi, alius aedificandi, alius proficiscendi, et aliquando etiam alius uxorem ducendi. Quod cum facit, ideo facit, ut inde aliquid natum feliciter nutriatur. Nemo tamen potest eligere diem, quo ipse nascatur. Sed ille potuit utrumque eligere, qui utrumque potuit et creare. Nec ita elegit diem, sicut eligunt qui fata hominum inaniter de siderum dispositione suspendunt. Non enim per diem felix factus est qui est natus ; sed felicem fecit diem, quo nasci est ipse dignatus. Nam et dies nativitatis ejus, habet mysterium lucis ejus. Sic enim dicit Apostolus : Nox praecessit, dies autem appropinquavit : abjiciamus opera tenebrarum, et induamus nos arma lucis, sicut in die honeste ambulemus (Rom. XIII, 12, 13). Agnoscamus diem, et simus dies. Nox enim eramus, cum infideliter vivebamus. Et quoniam ipsa infidelitas quae totum mundum vice noctis obtexerat, minuenda fuerat fide crescente ; ideo die Natalis Domini nostri Jesu Christi, et nox incipit perpeti detrimenta, et dies sumere augmenta. Habeamus ergo, fratres, solemnem istum diem ; non sicut infideles propter hunc solem, sed propter eum qui fecit hunc solem. Quod enim Verbum erat, caro factum est (Joan. I, 14), ut propter nos posset esse sub sole. Carne quippe sub sole : majestate autem super universum mundum, in quo condidit solem. Nunc vero et carne super istum solem, quem pro Deo colunt, qui mente caeci verum justitiae non vident solem.

Chapter One. — 1. Christ chose the day on which He would be born for the sake of a mystery. Our Lord Jesus, Who was with the Father before He was born of a mother, chose not only the virgin of whom He would be born, but also the day on which He would be born. Men in error commonly choose days, one for planting anew, another for building, another for setting out on a journey, and sometimes also another for taking a wife. And when a man does this, he does it so that whatever springs from it may be nourished happily. Yet no one can choose the day on which he himself is born. But He was able to choose both Who was able also to create both. Nor did He choose the day in the way those choose who vainly hang the fates of men on the arrangement of the stars. For He Who was born was not made happy by the day; rather He made happy the day on which He Himself deigned to be born. For the day of His nativity also holds the mystery of His light. For thus the Apostle says: The night has gone before, but the day has drawn near: let us cast off the works of darkness, and put on the arms of light, so that we may walk honourably as in the day (Rom. 13:12–13). Let us acknowledge the day, and let us be day. For we were night when we lived without faith. And since that very unbelief, which had covered the whole world like night, had to be diminished as faith grew, therefore on the day of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ the night begins to suffer losses and the day to take on increase. Let us therefore, brethren, keep this day as a solemnity; not, as the unbelievers do, on account of this sun, but on account of Him Who made this sun. For that which was the Word was made flesh (John 1:14), so that for our sake He might be under the sun. In the flesh, indeed, under the sun; but in majesty above the whole world, in which He established the sun. But now in the flesh too He is above this sun, which they worship in place of God, who, blind in mind, do not see the true Sun of justice.

CAPUT II. — 2. Nativitates Christi duae. Cur nasci ex femina voluit. Diem ergo istum, Christiani, non divinae nativitatis celebremus, sed humanae, scilicet qua contemperatus est nobis ; ut per invisibilem visibilem factum, a visibilibus ad invisibilia transiremus. Debemus enim fide catholica retinere duas esse nativitates Domini : unam divinam, alteram humanam ; illam sine tempore, hanc in tempore. Ambas autem mira⟨b⟩iles : illam sine matre, istam sine

Chapter II. — 2. The two nativities of Christ. Why He willed to be born of a woman. Let us therefore, Christians, celebrate this day not as that of the divine nativity but of the human, namely that by which He was tempered to our measure; so that through Him, the invisible made visible, we might pass over from things visible to things invisible. For by the catholic faith we must hold that there are two nativities of the Lord: one divine, the other human; the former without time, the latter in time. Both, moreover, are wonderful: the former without a mother, the latter without

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(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1007

Sic explicit hic sermo juxta Frang.: Ipso sedente non premimur, sed elevamur; ipso ducente non erramus; ad illum imus, per illum imus, non perimus. M.

According to Frangipane this sermon ends thus: Ipso sedente non premimur … ("With him seated [on us] we are not weighed down but lifted up; with him leading we do not stray; to him we go, through him we go, we do not perish"). M.

(printed under page 510)

(2) ‹anchor: honeste ambulemus› · call in col 1007

Lov.: Nox recessit, dies autem appropinquavit: abjiciamus opera tenebrarum, et induamus nos arma lucis, sic ut in die honeste ambulemus. M.

Louvain: Nox recessit … ("The night has withdrawn, and the day has drawn near: let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, so that we may walk honestly as in the day"). M.

(*) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1007 Repertus est in cl. r. v. Lov.

[This sermon] has been found in "cl. r. v." (sigla as printed) and Louvain.

(printed under page 510)

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1007

Alias, de Diversis 61.

Formerly [Sermon] 61 de Diversis.

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patre. Si istam non comprehendimus, illam quando enarramus? Quis comprehendat novitatem novam, inusitatam, unicam in mundo, incredibilem credibilem factam, et toto mundo incredibiliter creditam; ut virgo conciperet, virgo pareret, virgo pariens permaneret? Quod humana ratio non invenit, fides capit: et ubi humana ratio deficit, fides proficit. Quis enim dicat non potuisse Dei Verbum per quod facta sunt omnia, facere sibi carnem etiam sine matre, sicut primum hominem sine patre fecit et matre? Sed quoniam utrumque sexum, id est, masculi et feminae, ipse utique creavit; ideo utrumque sexum etiam nascendo voluit honorare, quem venerat liberare. Lapsum certe primi hominis nostis, quia non est ausus serpens loqui viro, sed ad eum dejiciendum femineo usus est ministerio. Per infirmiorem, obtinuit fortiorem: et qui per alterum penetravit, de utroque triumphavit. Ideo ut non possemus mortem nostram in femina velut motu justi doloris horrere, eamque credere sine reparatione damnatam; Dominus veniens quaerere quod perierat, utrumque voluit honorando commendare, quia utrumque perierat. In nullo igitur sexu debemus injuriam facere Creatori: utrumque ad sperandam salutem commendavit Nativitas Domini. Honor masculini sexus est in carne Christi: honor feminini est in matre Christi. Vicit serpentis astutiam gratia Jesu Christi.

father. If we do not comprehend this [birth], when do we give an account of that one? Who could comprehend a new novelty, unaccustomed, unique in the world, the incredible made credible, and incredibly believed throughout the whole world: that a virgin should conceive, a virgin should give birth, a virgin giving birth should remain [a virgin]? What human reason does not find, faith grasps; and where human reason fails, faith advances. For who would say that the Word of God, through Whom all things were made, could not have made flesh for Himself even without a mother, just as He made the first man without father and mother? But since He Himself certainly created both sexes, that is, the male and the female, therefore in being born too He willed to honour both sexes, which He had come to set free. You certainly know the fall of the first man: that the serpent did not dare to speak to the man, but to cast him down made use of the woman's ministry. Through the weaker he overcame the stronger; and he who made his way in through the one triumphed over both. Therefore, so that we might not, as by an impulse of just grief, shudder at our death in the woman, and believe her condemned without restoration, the Lord, coming to seek what had perished, willed by honouring both to commend both, because both had perished. In neither sex, therefore, ought we to do injury to the Creator: the Nativity of the Lord commended both to the hope of salvation. The honour of the male sex is in the flesh of Christ; the honour of the female is in the mother of Christ. The grace of Jesus Christ has conquered the cunning of the serpent.

CAPUT III. — 3. Christus propter nos infans in praesepi. Uterque ergo sexus in eo qui hodie natus est renascatur, et celebret hodiernum diem: quo die non Dominus Christus esse coepit, sed qui erat semper apud Patrem, carnem quam accepit ex matre, in hanc lucem protulit; matri fecunditatem afferens, integritatem non auferens. Concipitur, nascitur, infans est. Quis est iste infans? Infans enim dicitur, quod non possit fari, id est loqui. Ergo et infans, et Verbum est. Per carnem tacet, per Angelos docet. Nuntiatur pastoribus princeps pastorque pastorum: et in praesepi jacet fidelium cibaria jumentorum. Praedictum enim fuerat per Prophetam: Agnovit bos possesso⟨r⟩em suum, et asinus praesepe Domini sui (Isai. I, 3). Ideo in asello sedit, quando Jerusalem cum laudibus multitudinis praecedentis et consequentis intravit (Matth. XXI, 1-9). Et nos agnoscamus, ad praesepe accedamus, cibaria manducemus, Dominum rectoremque portemus; ut ad coelestem Jerusalem illo ducente veniamus. Infirma est Christi ex matre nativitas; sed ex Patre ampla majestas. Habet in diebus temporalibus temporalem diem; sed ipse est dies aeternus ex aeterno die.

Chapter III. — 3. Christ for our sake an infant in the manger. Let both sexes, therefore, be reborn in Him Who was born today, and let them celebrate this day: the day on which the Lord Christ did not begin to be, but He Who was always with the Father brought forth into this light the flesh which He received from His mother, bringing fruitfulness to the mother, not taking away her integrity. He is conceived, He is born, He is an infant. Who is this infant? For an infant is so called because he cannot 'fari', that is, speak. Therefore He is both infant and Word. Through the flesh He is silent, through the Angels He teaches. The prince and shepherd of shepherds is announced to shepherds; and in the manger He lies, the fodder of the faithful beasts. For it had been foretold through the Prophet: The ox has known its owner, and the ass the manger of its Lord (Isa. 1:3). Therefore He sat on a little ass when He entered Jerusalem with the praises of the multitude going before and following (Matt. 21:1–9). Let us too acknowledge Him, let us approach the manger, let us eat the fodder, let us carry our Lord and Ruler, so that under His leading we may come to the heavenly Jerusalem. Weak is Christ's birth from His mother; but from the Father, ample majesty. In temporal days He has a temporal day; but He Himself is the eternal day from the eternal day.

4. Celebranda Christi nativitas. Merito psalmi ejus tanquam voce tubae coelestis accendimur, ubi a⟨u⟩dimus: Cantate Domino canticum novum; cantate Domino, omnis terra. Cantate Domino, et benedicite nomen ejus (Psal. XCV, 1 et 2). Agnoscamus ergo, et annuntiemus diem ex die, qui in carne natus est isto die. Dies Filius ex die Patre, Deus ex Deo, lumen ex lumine. Hoc e⟨s⟩t en⟨i⟩m salutare, de quo alibi dicitur: Deus misereatur nostri, et benedicat nos; illuminet

4. The nativity of Christ to be celebrated. Rightly are we kindled by His psalms as by the voice of a heavenly trumpet, where we hear: Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, and bless His name (Ps. 95:1–2). Let us therefore acknowledge and proclaim the day from the day, Who was born in the flesh on this day. The Son is day from the Father as day, God from God, light from light. For this is the salvation of which it is said elsewhere: May God have mercy on us, and bless us; may He illuminate

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vultum suum super nos : ut cognoscamus in terra viam tuam, in omnibus gentibus salutare tuum (Psal. LXVI, 2, 3). Quod dixit, in terra, hoc repetivit, in omnibus gentibus : et quod dixit, viam tuam, hoc repetivit, salutare tuum. Ipsum Dominum dixisse meminimus, Ego sum via (Joan. XIV, 6). Et modo cum Evangelium legeretur, audivimus Simeonem beatissimum senem responsum accepisse divinum, quod non gustaret mortem, nisi prius vidisset Christum Domini. Qui cum accepisset in manibus infantem Christum, et cognovisset parvulum magnum : Nunc dimittis, inquit, Domine, servum tuum, secundum verbum tuum, in pace : quoniam viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum (Luc. II, 26, 29, 30). Bene ergo nuntiemus diem ex die, salutare ejus. Annuntiemus in gentibus gloriam ejus, in omnibus populis mirabilia ejus (Psal. XCV, 2 et 3). In praesepi jacet, sed mundum continet : ubera sugit, sed Angelos pascit : pannis involvitur, sed immortalitate nos vestit : lactatur, sed adoratur : locum in diversorio non invenit, sed templum sibi in credentium cordibus facit. Ut enim fieret fortis infirmitas, infirma facta est fortitudo. Magis ergo miremur, quam contemnamus ejus etiam carnalem nativitatem; et ibi agnoscamus tantae propter nos celsitudinis humilitatem. Inde accendamus charitatem, ut perveniamus ad ejus aeternitatem.

His countenance upon us: that we may know Thy way on earth, Thy salvation among all nations (Ps. 66:2–3). What he said, on earth, he repeated as among all nations; and what he said, Thy way, he repeated as Thy salvation. We remember that the Lord Himself said, I am the way (John 14:6). And just now, when the Gospel was being read, we heard that Simeon, a most blessed old man, had received a divine answer that he would not taste death unless he had first seen the Christ of the Lord. When he had taken the infant Christ into his hands and had recognized the little one as great, he said: Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, Lord, according to Thy word, in peace: for my eyes have seen Thy salvation (Luke 2:26, 29–30). Well then let us proclaim, day from day, His salvation. Let us announce His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples (Ps. 95:2–3). He lies in a manger, but holds the world together; He sucks at the breasts, but feeds the angels; He is wrapped in swaddling cloths, but clothes us with immortality; He is suckled, but He is adored; He finds no place in the inn, but makes a temple for Himself in the hearts of believers. For in order that weakness might become strong, strength became weak. Let us therefore rather marvel at His birth, even His birth in the flesh, than despise it; and let us recognize there the humility, for our sake, of so great a loftiness. From this let us kindle charity, that we may attain to His eternity.

SERMO CXCI. In Natali Domini, VIII.

Sermon 191. On the Lord's Nativity, 8.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Verbum ut indigna pro indignis ferret incarnatum est. Verbum Patris per quod facta sunt tempora, caro factum, Natalem suum nobis fecit in tempore : et in ortu humano habere voluit unum diem, sine cujus nutu divino nullus volvitur dies. Ipse apud Patrem praecedit cuncta spatia

Chapter I. — 1. The Word was made flesh in order to bear unworthy things for the unworthy. The Word of the Father, through Whom times were made, having been made flesh, made His Birthday for us in time; and in His human birth He willed to have one day, He without Whose divine assent no day revolves. He Himself, with the Father, precedes all the spans

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Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: Verbum Patris› · call in col 1009

In Mss. f. n. t., etc., hic sermo istud habet exordium: Unigenitus Christus Dei Filius, verus sol justitiae, ita terris illuxit, ut non desereret coelos, et ibi aeterne manens, et hic temporaliter transiens: ibi sempiternum constituens diem, hic humanum patiens diem; ibi sine horarum cursu perenniter vivens, hic sine peccati incursu temporaliter moriens; ibi permanens vita sine occasu, hic vitam nostram a mortis liberans casu. Ibi majestatis suae calore Angelorum mentes accendit, hic vitam hominum moresque discernit. Ibi lux capitur, quam peccato nullus exstinguit; hic homo nascitur, qui peccata cuncta distinguit. Ibi Deus cum Deo, hic Deus et homo; ibi lumen de lumine, hic quod illuminat omnem hominem. Ibi verbo coelos extendit, hic viam perveniendi ad coelos ostendit. Ibi mysterium nativitatis suae cum Patre firmavit; hic membra carnis suae in matre formavit. Ibi ad dexteram Patris sedens, hic in praesepio jacens; ibi Angelos pascens, hic in terra parvulus esuriens; ibi perfectis potestatibus manens indeficiens panis, hic cum natis infantibus alimento indigens lactis; ibi bona faciens, hic mala patiens; ibi nunquam moriens, hic post mortem resurgens et mortalibus aeternam vitam condonans. Deus factus est homo, ut homo Deus fieret. Formam servi accepit Dominus, ut homo verteretur in Dominum. Coelorum habitator et conditor habitavit in terris, ut homo de terris migraret ad coelos. Verbum enim Patris, etc.

In the manuscripts "f. n. t.", etc., this sermon has the following opening: "Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, the true sun of righteousness, so shone upon the earth as not to forsake the heavens, both abiding there eternally and passing through here in time: there establishing an everlasting day, here enduring a human day; there living perpetually without the course of hours, here dying in time without the inroad of sin; there abiding as life without setting, here freeing our life from the fall of death. There by the warmth of his majesty he kindles the minds of the Angels, here he orders the life and ways of men. There the light is grasped which no one quenches by sin; here a man is born who distinguishes [as printed; perhaps for 'extinguishes'] all sins. There God with God, here God and man; there light from light, here that which enlightens every man. There by his word he stretched out the heavens, here he showed the way of reaching the heavens. There he established the mystery of his birth with the Father; here he formed the members of his flesh in his mother. There seated at the Father's right hand, here lying in a manger; there feeding the Angels, here a little one hungering on earth; there remaining unfailing bread for the perfect powers, here with newborn infants needing the nourishment of milk; there doing good, here suffering evil; there never dying, here rising after death and bestowing eternal life on mortals. God was made man, that man might become God. The Lord took the form of a servant, that man might be turned into the Lord. The dweller and maker of the heavens dwelt on earth, that man might pass from earth to the heavens. For the Word of the Father," etc.

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CXCI› · call in col 1009 Collatus est ad tres cb. ad f. n. r. t. Lov.

[The sermon] has been collated against three [manuscripts] "cb.", against "f. n. r. t." (sigla as printed), and Louvain.

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(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CXCI› · call in col 1009

Alias, de Diversis 60.

Formerly [Sermon] 60 de Diversis.

(printed under page 511)

(b) ‹anchor: In Natali Domini, VIII› · call in col 1009

Citat Florus ad II Cor. XI. Huic autem sermoni prolixius in pluribus manuscriptis praefixum est exordium, in haec verba: « Unigenitus Christus Dei Filius, verus sol justitiae, ita terris illuxit, ut non desereret coelos: et ibi aeterne manens, et hic temporaliter transiens; ibi sempiternum constituens diem, hic humanum patiens diem, » etc. Totum damus supra, not. 1.

Florus cites it on 2 Corinthians 11. In a good many manuscripts, however, a longer opening is prefixed to this sermon, in these words: "Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, the true sun of righteousness, so shone upon the earth as not to forsake the heavens: both abiding there eternally and passing through here in time; there establishing an everlasting day, here enduring a human day," etc. We give the whole above, note 1.

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saeculorum: ipse de matre in hac die cursibus sese ingessit annorum. Homo factus, hominis factor: ut sugeret ubera, regens sidera; ut esuriret panis, ut sitiret fons, dormiret lux, ab itinere via fatigaretur, falsis testibus veritas accusaretur, judex vivorum et mortuorum a judice mortali judicaretur, ab injustis justitia damnaretur, flagellis disciplina caederetur, spinis botrus coronaretur, in ligno fundamentum suspenderetur, virtus infirmaretur, salus vulneraretur, vita moreretur. Ad haec atque hujusmodi sustinenda pro nobis indigna, ut liberaret indignos; quando nec ille aliquid mali, qui propter nos tanta pertulit mala, nec nos boni aliquid merebamur, qui per eum tanta accepimus bona: propter haec ergo, qui erat ante omnia saecula sine initio dierum Dei Filius, esse in novissimis diebus dignatus est hominis filius; et qui de Patre natus, non a Patre factus erat, factus est in matre quam fecerat; ut ex illa ortus hic aliquando esset, quae nisi per illum nunquam et nusquam esse potuisset.

of the ages: He Himself from His mother on this day entered upon the courses of the years. Made man, the Maker of man: that He Who rules the stars might suck the breasts; that the Bread might hunger, that the Fountain might thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be wearied by the journey, the Truth be accused by false witnesses, the Judge of the living and the dead be judged by a mortal judge, Justice be condemned by the unjust, Discipline be beaten with scourges, the Cluster be crowned with thorns, the Foundation be hung upon the wood, Strength be made weak, Health be wounded, Life die. [He came] to bear for us these and suchlike unworthy things, that He might set free the unworthy; when neither did He, Who for our sake endured such great evils, deserve anything evil, nor did we, who through Him have received such great goods, deserve anything good: for these things, therefore, He Who was before all ages, without beginning of days, the Son of God, deigned in the last days to be the son of man; and He Who, born of the Father, had not been made by the Father, was made in the mother whom He had made; so that, sprung from her, He might at some time be here, she who, except through Him, could never and nowhere have existed.

2. Virginitate matris illaesa natus Christus. Sic adimpletum est quod praedixerat Psalmus, Veritas de terra orta est (Psal. LXXXIV, 12). Maria virgo ante conceptum, virgo post partum. Absit enim ut in ea terra, hoc est in ea carne unde orta est veritas, periret integritas. Nempe post resurrectionem suam, cum spiritus putaretur esse, non corpus: Palpate, inquit, et videte, quia spiritus carnem et ossa non habet, sicut me videtis habere (Luc. XXIV, 38). Et tamen illius juvenilis corporis soliditas, non patentibus foribus se ad discipulos intromisit (Joan. XX, 19). Cur ergo qui potuit per clausa ostia magnus intrare, non potuit etiam per incorrupta membra parvus exire? Sed neque hoc, neque illud volunt credere increduli. Ideo potius fides utrumque credit; quia infidelitas utrumque non credit. Ipsa est quippe infidelitas, cui nulla in Christo videtur esse divinitas. Porro si fides Deum natum credit in carne, Deo non dubitat utrumque possibile; ut et corpus majoris aetatis non reserato aditu domus, intus positis praesentaret, et sponsus infans de thalamo suo, hoc est utero virginali, illaesa matris virginitate procederet (Psal. XVIII, 6).

2. Christ born with His mother's virginity unharmed. Thus was fulfilled what the Psalm had foretold, Truth has sprung from the earth (Ps. 84:12). Mary a virgin before conception, a virgin after the birth. For far be it that in that earth, that is, in that flesh from which truth sprang, integrity should perish. Indeed after His resurrection, when He was thought to be a spirit, not a body: Handle, He says, and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see Me have (Luke 24:38). And yet the solidity of that youthful body brought itself in to the disciples through doors that were not open (John 20:19). Why then could He Who was able to enter, full-grown, through shut doors not also, as a little one, go out through uncorrupted members? But the unbelieving will believe neither this nor that. Therefore faith all the more believes both, because unbelief believes neither. For that indeed is unbelief, to which no divinity seems to be in Christ. Moreover, if faith believes God born in the flesh, it does not doubt that both are possible to God: that a body of fuller age, the entrance of the house not unbarred, should present itself to those placed within, and that the Bridegroom, an infant, should come forth from His bridal chamber, that is, from the virginal womb, His mother's virginity unharmed (Ps. 18:6).

CAPUT II. — 3. Ecclesia mente et virgo et mater. Illic namque unigenitus Dei Filius humanam sibi dignatus est conjungere naturam, ut sibi capiti immaculato immaculatam consociaret Ecclesiam: quam Paulus apostolus virginem vocat, non solas in ea considerans etiam corpore virgines, sed incorruptas omnium desiderans mentes. Desponsavi enim vos, inquit, uni viro, virginem castam exhibere Christo (II Cor. XI, 2). Ecclesia ergo imitans Domini sui matrem, quoniam corpore non potuit, mente tamen et mater est et virgo. Nullo itaque modo virginitatem matri suae nascendo Christus ademit, qui Ecclesiam suam de fornicatione daemonum redimendo virginem fecit. Ex cujus

Chapter II. — 3. The Church in mind both virgin and mother. For there the only-begotten Son of God deigned to join human nature to Himself, that to Himself, the immaculate Head, He might unite an immaculate Church: which the apostle Paul calls a virgin, not considering in her only those who are virgins in body as well, but desiring the uncorrupted minds of all. For I have espoused you, he says, to one husband, to present a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). The Church, therefore, imitating the mother of her Lord, since she could not in body, yet in mind is both mother and virgin. In no way, therefore, did Christ by being born take virginity away from His mother, He Who by redeeming His Church from the fornication of demons made her a virgin. From whose

Editors' notes and page, col. 1010

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1010

Sic aliquot Mss. Editi autem, loco, indigna, habebant, se inclinans.

So some manuscripts. But the printed editions had se inclinans ("bowing himself") in place of indigna ("unworthy things").

(printed under page 511)

(2) ‹anchor: immaculatam consociaret› · call in col 1010

Editi, consignaret. Sed aptius Florus, consociaret.

The printed editions read consignaret ("seal"). But Florus, more fittingly, consociaret ("unite").

(printed under page 511)

(a) ‹anchor: parvus exire› · call in col 1010

Vide epistolam 137, n. 8.

See Letter 137, n. 8.

(printed under page 511)