PL 39 · cols. 1659–1662

Augustine, Sermones 364-375 (Classis V, Sermones dubii)

Sermons CCCLXXI–CCCLXXII

viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum (Luc. II, 25-30). Salutare Dei, Dominus Jesus Christus. Annuntiate diem ex die salutare ejus (Psal. XCV, 2).

my eyes have seen Thy salvation (Luke 2:25–30). The salvation of God is the Lord Jesus Christ. Proclaim from day to day His salvation (Ps. 95:2).

CAPUT IV. — 4. Pueri et senes et conjugati attestantur Christo. Habetis ergo, pueri, puerum Jesum; sancti senes, senem Simeonem. Si autem quaeritis, ut et conjugatus aliquis vir testimonium Domino perhibeat, Zachariam considerate. Nemo ergo quaerat aliud, fratres mei, christiani fideles, aut virgo, aut vidua, aut conjugata, aut puer, aut continens, aut uxoratus: quidquid plus esse quis voluerit, non invenit quemadmodum ad Christum pertineat. Non invenimus testimonium perhibuisse Christo adulteros, fornicatores, immundos. Et ut a talibus ei testimonium perhiberetur, ipse praestitit, ipse donavit. Non enim quisquam sanctus viribus suis. Exsultemus ergo, charissimi. Ab hodierno die crescunt dies. Crede in Christum, et crescit in te dies. Credidisti? Inchoatus est dies. Baptizatus es? Natus est Christus in corde tuo. Sed numquid Christus natus sic remansit? Crevit, ad juventutem pervenit: sed in senectutem non declinavit. Crescat ergo et fides tua, robur inveniat, vetustatem nesciat. Sic pertinebis ad Christum Filium Dei, in principio Verbum apud Deum, Verbum Deum; sed Verbum carnem factum, ut habitaret in nobis. Majestas ibi latebat, ubi infirmitas apparebat. In manus suas Simeon infirmitatem accepit, sed majestatem intus agnovit. Nemo contemnat natum, si vult esse renatus. Ad illum pertinuit propter nos nasci, ad nos pertineat in illo renasci: qui vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Chapter IV. — 4. Children and old men and married people bear witness to Christ. You have, then, you children, the child Jesus; you holy old men, the old man Simeon. But if you ask that some married man too should bear witness to the Lord, consider Zachary. Let no one, therefore, seek anything else, my brethren, faithful Christians, whether virgin, or widow, or married woman, or child, or continent man, or married man: whatever more anyone may wish to be, he does not find how he may belong to Christ [otherwise]. We do not find that adulterers, fornicators, the unclean bore witness to Christ. And that witness should be borne to Him by such people, He Himself granted, He Himself bestowed. For no one is holy by his own strength. Let us rejoice, therefore, dearly beloved. From this present day the days grow longer. Believe in Christ, and the day grows in you. Have you believed? The day has begun. Have you been baptized? Christ is born in your heart. But did Christ, once born, remain so? He grew, He reached youth: but He did not decline into old age. Let your faith also grow, therefore, let it find strength, let it know no growing old. Thus you will belong to Christ the Son of God, in the beginning the Word with God, the Word God; but the Word made flesh, that He might dwell in us. Majesty lay hidden there, where weakness was apparent. Simeon took weakness into his hands, but he recognized the majesty within. Let no one despise the One born, if he wishes to be reborn. It belonged to Him to be born for our sake; let it belong to us to be reborn in Him: Who lives and reigns for ages of ages. Amen.

SERMO CCCLXXI. De Nativitate Domini, III.

Sermon 371. On the Nativity of the Lord, 3.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Christi duae nativitates. Natus est nobis hodie Salvator; et ideo hodie omni mundo sol verus exortus est. Deus homo factus est, ut homo Deus fieret: et ut servus in dominum verteretur, formam servi Dominus accepit. Habitavit in terris habitator coelorum, ut homo habitator terrae habitaret in coelis. Natus est ergo nobis Salvator, passus est diem partus repudiatae Legis conceptus: natus autem de Patre semper, de matre semel. Etenim Domini nostri Jesu Christi duas accepimus nativitates: primo divinam, deinde humanam; sed plane utramque mirabilem: in illa ut matris, in hac ut patris officia cessarent: unam aeternam, ut crearet temporales; alteram temporalem, ut praestaret aeternos. Ille ergo in forma Dei Patri aequalis, ille in forma servi Patri subditus. Ille creator temporum, natus in tempore est: factusque est tam parvus, ut ederetur a femina; sed tam magnus utique permansit, ut non separaretur a Patre. Has ergo Domini nativitates etiam duo evangelistarum testantur principia. Unus enim de nativitate

Chapter One. — 1. The two nativities of Christ. Today the Saviour has been born for us; and therefore today the true sun has risen for the whole world. God was made man, that man might become God: and that the servant might be turned into a lord, the Lord took the form of a servant. The dweller in the heavens dwelt on earth, that man, the dweller on earth, might dwell in the heavens. So the Saviour was born for us; conceived, He underwent the day of birth of the repudiated Law: born, however, of the Father always, of His mother once. For we have received two nativities of our Lord Jesus Christ: first the divine, then the human; but both plainly wonderful: in the former the offices of a mother, in the latter those of a father, were absent: the one eternal, that He might create temporal beings; the other temporal, that He might make them eternal. He, then, in the form of God is equal to the Father; He, in the form of a servant, is subject to the Father. He, the creator of times, was born in time: and He was made so small as to be brought forth by a woman; but He remained so great, indeed, as not to be separated from the Father. These nativities of the Lord, therefore, the beginnings of two of the evangelists also attest. For one, concerning the nativity

Editors' notes and page, col. 1659

Footnotes

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CCCLXXI› · call in col 1659 * Desideratur in nostris manuscriptis.

It is missing from our manuscripts.

(printed under page 92)

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 1659

(printed under page 92) (a) Similia in serm. 196, cap. 2.

Similar matter in Sermon 196, ch. 2.

(printed under page 92)

(b) ‹anchor: SERMO CCCLXXI› · call in col 1659

(printed under page 92) (b) Alias, de Diversis 52.

Formerly, De Diversis 52.

(printed under page 92)

(printed under page 92) (c) In Breviario Parisiensi legitur nomine Augustini. Certe quidem ipsius sententias bene multas in primo potissimum et secundo capite continet, sed eas ex sermone de Nativitate Joannis Baptistae infra ordine 380, ubi omnia sinceriora et aptius connexa sunt, delibatas. Habet autem admixta quam plurima ab Augustini genio aut stilo manifeste aliena, qualia ista sunt: cap. 1, « Et ut servus in dominum verteretur; » ibidem, « Ut recte dies tramitem solis augeat, » etc. cap. 2, « Et futuris cultoribus suis iteratae nativitatis sacramenta sanciret. »

In the Paris Breviary it is read under Augustine's name. It certainly contains a good many of his thoughts, chiefly in the first and second chapters, but taken from the sermon on the Nativity of John the Baptist, number 380 below, where everything is purer and more aptly connected. It has, however, a great many things mixed in that are plainly foreign to Augustine's mind or style, such as these: ch. 1, "And that the servant might be turned into a lord"; in the same place, "That the day may rightly lengthen the path of the sun," etc.; ch. 2, "And that he might ratify for his future worshippers the sacraments of a repeated birth."

(printed under page 92) (a) Vide epist. ad Volusianum, 137, n. 11.

See the letter to Volusian, 137, no. 11.

(printed under page 92)

Page

running head: 1659 S. AUGUSTINI EPI (cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 39:1660

divina ita ait : In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum : hoc erat in principio apud Deum. Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil (Joan. I, 1-3). De hac vere nativitate humana, ita evangelista alius refert : Liber generationis Jesu Christi filii David (Matth. I, 1). Hic ergo natalis Domini, hic secundae nativitatis dies est : exsultemus et laetemur in eo. Nec immerito, aucto jam abhinc die, hodie lux incrementum accipit; cum humano generi in hoc utique die vera lux venerit : ut recte dies tramitem solis augeat, quo nobis hunc, per quem tenebris mortis absolveremur, invexit. Hunc ergo Prophetae annuntiantes, tanquam lucernae, venturum, praecesserunt diem ortus ejus, et miracula quae esset gesturus in carne, clarissimis praeconiis ediderunt. Rectum namque erat ut praedicaretur es⟨s⟩e venturus, ne cum venisset, dubitaretur. Hic itaque Deus noster, homo inter homines conversatus est. Apparuit enim videntibus homo, intelligentibus Deus : hominem intuentibus offerens, credentibus Deum servans. Ergo infirmos salvavit aspectus infirmitatis ejus : firmos quaerit contemplatio divinitatis ejus.

divine, speaks thus: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word: this was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was made nothing (John 1:1–3). Of this truly human nativity another evangelist reports thus: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, son of David (Matt. 1:1). This, then, is the birthday of the Lord, this is the day of the second nativity: let us exult and rejoice in it. And not without reason, the day being lengthened from now on, does the light today receive an increase; since on this day indeed the true light came to the human race: so that rightly the day extends the path of the sun on which it brought to us Him through Whom we might be released from the darkness of death. Him, therefore, the Prophets, announcing Him as about to come, went before like lamps the day of His rising, and the miracles which He would perform in the flesh they published with most clear proclamations. For it was right that He should be preached as about to come, lest, when He had come, He should be doubted. Here, then, our God lived as a man among men. For He appeared as man to those who saw, as God to those who understood: offering the man to those who looked on, keeping God for those who believed. Therefore the sight of His weakness saved the weak: the contemplation of His divinity seeks the strong.

CAPUT II. — 2. Incarnatione visibilis Deus, quem homo sequatur, exhibetur. Obsecro vos, charissimi, intuemini quam magnum sit hoc mysterium veritatis. Ad salvandos homines Legem dederat, Prophetas miserat : et quia sanandis languoribus haec remedia praecesserunt, ipsum se ad salutem eorum offerre hominibus Deus voluit. Porro homines Deum ipsum in substantia sua videre non potuerunt : spem vero homines suam ponere in solo homine non debebant. Quid ergo hic fieret? Hominem sequi non debebant, homo sequendus non erat qui videri poterat : Deus sequendus erat qui videri non poterat. Ut ergo exhiberetur homini, et qui ab homine videretur et quem homo sequeretur, Deus factus est homo. Denique cum jam inter homines versaretur, et tribus apostolis in secreto adductis medius astaret, subito eis in illa divini cultus claritate resplenduit : quod apostoli qui praesentes erant, vix intueri pro humani affectus infirmitate potuerunt (Id. XVII, 1-6). Nasci humanitus voluit, ut nos in ipso nasceremur, et futuris cultoribus suis iteratae nativitatis sacramenta sanciret : ut nos qui a nativitate illa coarctati tenebamur obnoxii, Salvatoris nostri vestigia comitati, secundae nativitatis praesidio certo potiremur; quo in Deo et ex Deo nati, abrumperemus vincula mortis antiquae, cum pignus salutis Spiritum sanctum sumeremus. Ergo cum apparere hominibus Deus vellet, eosque quae prius mandaverat, docere etiam praesens cuperet, vim divinam assumpto homine temperavit, et posuit tenebras latibulum suum in circuitu suo (Psal. XVII, 12), cum se tabernaculo carnis obtexit. Tali ergo et tam ineffabili sacramento, Christus Deus noster et homo habetur et Deus; per matrem homo, per Patrem Deus. Sicque fit ut utrumque illud sit verum quod ait, Pater major me est (Joan. XIV, 28); et, Ego et Pater unum sumus (Id. X, 30). Nam divinitate aequatur Patri, incarnatione subditur Patri.

Chapter II. — 2. By the Incarnation God is shown visible, Whom man may follow. I beseech you, dearest ones, consider how great is this mystery of truth. To save men He had given the Law, He had sent the Prophets: and because these remedies had gone before for healing the sicknesses, God willed to offer Himself to men for their salvation. Moreover, men could not see God Himself in His substance: yet men ought not to place their hope in a man alone. What then was to be done here? They ought not to follow a man; the man who could be seen was not to be followed: God, Who could not be seen, was to be followed. So, that there might be shown to man One Who could both be seen by man and be followed by man, God was made man. Then, when He was already dwelling among men, and stood in the midst of three apostles led apart in secret, He suddenly shone before them in that brightness of divine array, which the apostles who were present could scarcely gaze upon because of the weakness of human disposition (Matt. 17:1–6). He willed to be born in human fashion, that we might be born in Him, and that He might ratify for His future worshippers the sacraments of a repeated nativity: so that we, who were held bound and liable through that [first] nativity, having followed the footsteps of our Saviour, might obtain the sure protection of a second nativity; whereby, born in God and of God, we might break the chains of the ancient death, receiving the Holy Spirit as the pledge of salvation. Therefore, when God wished to appear to men, and desired also to teach them in person the things which He had previously commanded, He tempered His divine power by assuming a man, and made darkness His hiding place round about Him (Ps. 17:12), when He covered Himself with the tabernacle of flesh. By so great and so ineffable a sacrament, then, Christ our God is held to be both man and God; man through His mother, God through His Father. And so it comes about that both are true that He says, The Father is greater than I (John 14:28); and, I and the Father are one (John 10:30). For in divinity He is equal to the Father, in the incarnation He is subject to the Father.

CAPUT III. — 3. Deus et homo quomodo misceri potuit. Difficilior animae corporisque permixtio. Quaerere tamen quidam solent, quomodo misceri potuit homo et Deus. Quaerunt rationem hujus mysterii, quod semel factum est : cum ipsi nequaquam possint reddere rationem ejus quae fit semper, id est, quomodo anima miscetur corpori, ut homo fiat. Ergo sicut corporea res incorporeaque conjungitur, ut homo efficiatur : ita homo conjunctus est Deo, et factus est Christus. Et tamen ut fieret Christus, duo illa incorporea, id est, anima et Deus facilius conjungi permiscerique potuerunt, quam miscetur una incorporea aliaque corporea, id est, anima et corpus, ut persona hominis existat. Quod si Deus creator coeli ac terrae, cum Deus esset, homo factus est, et humiliavit semetipsum usque ad mortem, mortem autem

Chapter III. — 3. How God and man could be mingled. The mingling of soul and body is more difficult. Yet some are accustomed to ask how man and God could be mingled. They seek the reason of this mystery, which was done once: although they themselves can by no means give the reason of that which happens always, that is, how the soul is mingled with the body so that a man comes to be. Therefore, just as a corporeal thing and an incorporeal are joined so that a man is produced: so man was joined to God, and Christ was made. And yet, that Christ might be made, those two incorporeal things, that is, the soul and God, could be joined and mingled more easily than one incorporeal thing and another corporeal are mingled, that is, soul and body, so that the person of a man exists. But if God, the creator of heaven and earth, though He was God, was made man, and humbled Himself even unto death, and that a death

Editors' notes and page, col. 1660

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: factus est Christus› · call in col 1660

(printed under page 92)

Page

running head: AUGUSTINI EPISCOPI 1660 (left part of the head, probably SANCTI, cut off at the image edge)
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 39:1661

crucis (Philipp. II, 6-8), quanto autem superbire non debet terra et cinis? Videte, fratres, quantum se humiliavit propter homines Deus. Quantum se dejicere debet servus, quando ad tantam humilitatem descendit et Dominus? Quae humilitas, charissimi, si plenissime ab hominibus possidetur, etiam ad charitatem usque proficiet. Nam dum alter alterum existimat superiorem, dilectio facit aequalitatem. Unde non se ipse homo despiciat, propter quem utique ista subire dignatus est Deus.

of the cross (Phil. 2:6–8), how much then ought earth and ashes not to be proud? See, brethren, how much God humbled Himself for the sake of men. How much ought the servant to cast himself down, when even the Lord descended to such great humility? This humility, dearly beloved, if it is possessed most fully by men, will advance even as far as charity. For while each esteems the other as his superior, love makes equality. Therefore let man not despise himself, for whose sake God indeed deigned to undergo these things.

CAPUT IV. — 4. Hominis dignitas ex Dei in ipsum dignatione. Et ego quidem, fratres, pro quibus impendi et superimpendi cupio, licet magnos vos semper in conscientia mea fecerim; tamen majores quodam modo vos res mihi ista efficit, cum intendo quanta sit Domini mei pro homine dignatio. Vos utique estis Dominicae incarnationis, vos Dominici sanguinis pretium, vos membra Christi, vobis caput Christus est: pro vobis nasci, pro vobis pati cuncta non distulit; crucem quoque ipsam ad hoc pertulit, nt vos sibi in familiam coaptaret. Vos appellamini Christi fratres, vos appellamini Christi haeredes. Proinde, dilectissimi, unusquisque dignum se ipsum habeat, coram quo peccare non debeat; dignum se existimet, coram quo si delictum cogitaverit, erubescat. Pretio enim magno empti estis: glorificate et portate Deum in corpore vestro (I Cor. VI, 20). Hic pro vobis natus est, hic pro vobis oblatus est; hic etiam, si digne agatis, habitat in vobis. Agamus ergo, meditantes in lege Domini die ac nocte, ut comprehendere eum, ut videre mereamur. Agamus, ut quia dignatus est descendere propter homines Deus, ad Deum homo possit ascendere.

Chapter IV. — 4. The dignity of man from God's condescension towards him. And I indeed, brethren, for whom I desire to spend and to be spent over and above, although I have always held you great in my conscience, yet this matter makes you in a certain way greater to me, when I consider how great is my Lord's condescension on behalf of man. You assuredly are [the price] of the Lord's incarnation, you the price of the Lord's blood, you the members of Christ; Christ is your head: He did not put off being born for you, suffering all things for you; He even bore the cross itself for this purpose, that He might join you to Himself into His family. You are called brothers of Christ, you are called heirs of Christ. Therefore, most beloved, let each one hold himself worthy, so that in his own presence he ought not to sin; let him esteem himself worthy, so that in his own presence he would blush if he should think of a misdeed. For you have been bought at a great price: glorify and bear God in your body (1 Cor. 6:20). He was born for you, He was offered for you; He also, if you act worthily, dwells in you. Let us act therefore, meditating in the law of the Lord day and night, that we may merit to comprehend Him, to see Him. Let us act so that, since God deigned to descend for the sake of men, man may be able to ascend to God.

SERMO CCCLXXII. De Nativitate Domini, IV.

Sermon 372. On the Nativity of the Lord, 4.

CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Nativitas Christi duplex. Novit fides vestra, charissimi, quae hanc universam multitudinem congregavit, quia natus est nobis hodie Salvator. Natus est de Patre semper, de matre semel: de Patre sine sexu, de matre sine usu. Apud Patrem quippe defuit concipientis uterus: apud matrem defuit seminantis amplexus. Prima nativitas ex Patre naturam servavit: secunda nativitas ex matre gratiam seminavit. Illa tenuit majestatem divinae substantiae; ista suscepit societatem mortalitatis humanae. In hac autem ideo venire dignatus est, ut fieret obediens usque ad mortem (Philipp. II, 6-8), et moriendo vinceret mortem. Utraque nativitas ineffabilis, utraque mirabilis. Quod enim cor humanum comprehendere, quaeve lingua valeat explicare, quomodo natus sit Christus semper ex Deo, aut quomodo nuper ex utero? Quis intelligat coaeternum Filio Patrem, quis eloquatur virginem matrem? illum sine initio, sine fine gignentem; istam sine libidine concipientem,

Chapter One. — 1. The twofold nativity of Christ. Your faith, dearly beloved, which has gathered this whole multitude, knows that today the Saviour has been born to us. He was born of the Father always, of the mother once: of the Father without sex, of the mother without intercourse. With the Father, indeed, the womb of one conceiving was lacking; with the mother, the embrace of one sowing seed was lacking. The first nativity, from the Father, preserved nature; the second nativity, from the mother, sowed grace. The former held the majesty of the divine substance; the latter took up fellowship with human mortality. Into this, moreover, He deigned to come for this reason, that He might become obedient even unto death (Phil. 2:6–8), and by dying might conquer death. Both nativities are ineffable, both wonderful. For what human heart can comprehend, or what tongue can explain, how Christ was born always from God, or how lately from a womb? Who can understand the Father co-eternal with the Son, who can utter a virgin mother? Him begetting without beginning, without end; her without lust conceiving,

Editors' notes and page, col. 1661

Footnotes

(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CCCLXXII› · call in col 1661 * Hic quoque in nostris manuscriptis desideratur.

This one too is missing from our manuscripts.

(printed under page 93)

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCCLXXII› · call in col 1661

(printed under page 93) (a) Alias, de Diversis 54.

Formerly, De Diversis 54.

(printed under page 93)

(b) ‹anchor: De Nativitate Domini, IV› · call in col 1661

(printed under page 93) (b) Non omnia hic sapiunt Augustinum. Istud in exordio, « De Patre sine sexu, de matre sine usu, » haud satis accurate pronuntiatum videtur. Et prior pars ejusdem sententiae, « Natus est de Patre semper, » etc., habetur etiam in superiori sermone. Ante finem citatur hymnus Ambrosii de Christi Natali, qui paulo ante fuerat cantatus. Num forte ritus cantandi in ecclesia hymnos Ambrosianos per Augustinum fuerat in Africam invectus? Dicit ipse in epist. 55, circiter annum 400 scripta, Catholicos a Donatistis reprehendi « quod sobrie psallant in ecclesia divina cantica Prophetarum, cum ipsi » ait, « ebrietates suas ad canticum psalmorum humano ingenio compositorum, inflamment. »

Not everything here savours of Augustine. The phrase in the opening, "of the Father without sex, of the mother without intercourse," seems not stated with enough precision. And the first part of the same sentence, "He was born of the Father always," etc., is found also in the sermon above. Towards the end a hymn of Ambrose on Christ's Nativity is quoted, which had been sung a little before. Had the custom of singing Ambrosian hymns in church perhaps been brought into Africa by Augustine? He says himself in Letter 55, written about the year 400, that the Catholics are reproached by the Donatists "because they soberly sing in church the divine songs of the Prophets, while they themselves," he says, "inflame their drunkenness to the singing of psalms composed by human wit."

(printed under page 93)

(printed under page 93) (c) Haec eadem initio sermonis superioris.

The same words at the beginning of the sermon above.

(printed under page 93)

Page

running head: 1661 SERMO CCCLXX (cut off at the image's right edge)
marginal letters: (none)
old-edition numerals: (none)

PL 39:1662

sine corruptione parientem? Utraque nativitas mira est, quia divina est. Sive ergo illam, sive istam mens humana consideret, rectissime dicit, Generationem ejus quis enarrabit (Isai. LIII, 8)? Et nos quid faciemus, fratres? Quoniam digne eloqui non valemus, tacere debemus? Absit a nobis, absit ut taceat lingua servi, quando Natalis est Domini. Dicamus ergo quod possumus, quod legimus.

bringing forth without corruption? Each birth is wondrous, because each is divine. Whether, then, the human mind considers the one or the other, it says most rightly, Who shall declare His generation (Isa. 53:8)? And we, what shall we do, brothers? Since we are not able to speak worthily, ought we to keep silent? Far be it from us, far be it that the tongue of the servant should keep silent when it is the Birthday of the Lord. Let us say, therefore, what we can, what we read.

2. Ad Christi nuptias Judaei et Gentiles invitati. Carne et sanguine Christi pascimur. Christus sponsus et gigas, pulcher et fortis. Beatus David de Christo loquens, dicit in Psalmis, In sole posuit tabernaculum suum, et ipse tanquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo, exsultavit ut gigas (Psal. XVIII, 6). Processit enim hodie de sacro thalamo, hoc est, beatorum virgineorum viscerum abdito incorruptoque secreto. Processit inde virginis filius, virginis sponsus: filius videlicet Mariae, sponsus Ecclesiae. Universae enim Ecclesiae loquebatur Apostolus, quando dicebat: Aptavi vos uni viro virginem castam exhibere Christo (II Cor. XI, 2).

2. Jews and Gentiles invited to the wedding of Christ. We are fed with the flesh and blood of Christ. Christ a bridegroom and a giant, beautiful and strong. Blessed David, speaking of Christ, says in the Psalms, In the sun He has set His tabernacle, and He, as a bridegroom coming forth from His bridal chamber, has exulted like a giant (Ps. 18:6). For He came forth today from the sacred bridal chamber, that is, from the hidden and incorrupt secret place of the blessed virginal womb. Thence came forth the Son of a virgin, the Bridegroom of a virgin: namely the Son of Mary, the Bridegroom of the Church. For the Apostle was speaking to the whole Church when he said: I have fitted you to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2).

CAPUT II. — Ad has tales nuptias Christi, Pater sponsi primum invitavit populum Judaeorum. Sed quid ait Evangelium? Qui invitati erant, non fuerunt digni (Matth. XXII, 8). Invitata est postea universarum Gentium multitudo, ipsa implevit Ecclesiam, ipsa accepit de mensa dominica non viles epulas, aut ignobiles potus, sed ipsius pastoris, ipsius occisi Christi carnem praelibavit et sanguinem. Occisus est ad nuptias suas ipse innocens agnus, occisus est ad nuptias; et quoscumque invitavit, de carne sua pavit. Occisus epulas praeparavit: resurgens nuptias celebravit. Occisus voluntariam pertulit passionem: resurgens dispositam duxit uxorem. In utero virginis humanam carnem velut arrham accepit: in cruce pretiosissimam dotem suum sanguinem fudit: in resurrectione atque ascensione sua aeterni matrimonii foedera roboravit. Ascendit enim in altum, captivam duxit captivitatem, dedit dona hominibus (Psal. LXVII, 19). Quae dona? Spiritum sanctum, per quem diffusa humanis mentibus charitate, inseparabiliter Christo tanquam viro suo adhaesit Ecclesia. Processit ergo hodie tanquam sponsus de sacro thalamo suo, et sicut exsequitur Psalmus, Exsultavit ut gigas ad currendam viam. Processit ut sponsus, exsultavit ut gigas. Pulcher et fortis: pulcher, ut sponsus; fortis, ut gigas. Pulcher, ut ametur; fortis, ut timeatur: pulcher, ut placeret; fortis, ut vinceret. Ubi invenitur in Scripturis sacris sponsi istius pulchritudo? Speciosus forma prae filiis hominum: diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis (Psal. XLIV, 3). Ubi invenitur gigantis fortitudo? Dominus fortis et potens, Dominus potens in praelio (Psal. XXIII, 8). Utrumque autem, id est, et pulchritudinem et fortitudinem in eo viderat et intellexerat Isaias, cum dicebat: Quis est iste qui advenit ex Edom? rubor vestimentorum ejus ex Bosor, sic speciosus in stola vestimenti cum fortitudine (Isai. LXIII, 1)? Iste ergo propheta, qui et speciosum dixit et fortem, sponsum noverat et gigantem.

Chapter II. — To such a wedding of Christ as this, the Father of the Bridegroom first invited the people of the Jews. But what does the Gospel say? Those who had been invited were not worthy (Matt. 22:8). Afterwards the multitude of all the Gentiles was invited; it filled the Church, it received from the Lord's table no common dishes or ignoble drinks, but tasted the flesh and blood of the Shepherd Himself, of the slain Christ Himself. He Himself, the innocent Lamb, was slain for His own wedding; He was slain for the wedding, and all whom He invited He fed with His own flesh. Slain, He prepared the banquet; rising again, He celebrated the wedding. Slain, He endured a voluntary passion; rising again, He took the betrothed as His wife. In the womb of the virgin He received human flesh as a pledge; on the cross He poured out His own blood as a most precious dowry; in His resurrection and ascension He strengthened the covenant of an eternal marriage. For He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, He gave gifts to men (Ps. 67:19). What gifts? The Holy Spirit, through Whom, charity having been poured into human minds, the Church has clung inseparably to Christ as to her husband. He came forth today, therefore, as a bridegroom from His sacred bridal chamber, and, as the Psalm goes on, He exulted like a giant to run the way. He came forth as a bridegroom, He exulted as a giant. Beautiful and strong: beautiful, as a bridegroom; strong, as a giant. Beautiful, that He may be loved; strong, that He may be feared: beautiful, that He might please; strong, that He might conquer. Where is the beauty of this Bridegroom found in the sacred Scriptures? Fair in form above the sons of men: grace is poured out on your lips (Ps. 44:3). Where is the strength of the giant found? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle (Ps. 23:8). And Isaiah had seen and understood both in Him, that is, both the beauty and the strength, when he said: Who is this who comes from Edom? the redness of His garments from Bozrah, so fair in the robe of His clothing with strength (Isa. 63:1)? This prophet, then, who called Him both fair and strong, knew Him as Bridegroom and as giant.

CAPUT III. — 3. Viam quomodo cucurrit Christus.

Chapter III. — 3. How Christ ran the way.

Editors' notes and page, col. 1662