20 Cf. Lett. XXVIII. (Tome), chap. 6.
1 Inter cognatarum solemnitatum vicina sacramenta, cf. Serm. XXVIII. chap. 1, note 1.
2 The number "three" has no further scriptural support than the possible inference from their threefold offerings. It will be noticed that S. Leo knows nothing of their being kings, though that tradition is apparently as old as Tertullian (adv. Marc. iii. 13), see Bright's n. 38.
3 Humano sensu significatum sibi regis ortum, "by them natural thoughts' in Bright's translation: but I doubt whether the words could bear that meaning, and whether they suit the context: cf. Serm. XXXIV. chap. 2.
4 Sacramentum fidei suoe intelligentioeque : here sacramentumseems to come nearer to the older and more general use of the word among the Fathers, viz. symbol or sign.
5 "He means, Christ had a king's power, both as GOD and as Man," Bright, n. 42.
6 Impensa humanoe saluti sacramenta.
9 Acquirere, S. Luke xxi. 19. It is not clear from this whether in Leo's time the reading was future, "ye shall win" (R.V.), or imperative, "possess ye" (A.V.). The Vulgate now reads Possidebitis.
1 Secundum consuetudinem evangelicus sermo reseraverit. The Roman Gospel for the day was apparently then, as now with us, S. Matt. ii. 1-12: but the manifestation of Christ to the wise men was not universally so prominent a feature of the Festival as other manifestations of Him, e.g. His birth (Jan. 6 having been in the East the original Christmas Day), His baptism, &c.
2 Gal. iii. 22, cf. Rom. xi. 32.
3 Gen. xlix. 10, donec veniat cui repositum est (wj a0pokei=tai), cf. Ezek. xxi. 27: the reading of A. and R. VV. is "until Shiloh come;" the LXX. read e#wj a@n e!lqh ta\ a0pokei/mena au0tw=, and the Vulgate, donec veniat qui mittendus erat. Origen paraphrases thus: "He should come for Whom the things were reserved, that is, the Christ of GOD, the Prince of the Divine promises. He alone could be called the expectation of the nations, for men of all nations believed in God through Him, according to the words of Isaiah. `In His name shall the Gentiles trust. 0'" Hom. in Genesin xvii. § 6.
4 Cf. Serm. XXXI. chap. 2, above.
7 Or "will" (testamenti, diaqh/khj).
8 Cf. Sermon XXXI. chaps. i. and ii.
10 Coede generali universoe civitatis illius ; as the context shows, this phrase is rhetorically exaggerated.
11 Cf. Sermon XXXII. chap. 1, Tunc autem Aegypto Salvator illatus est, ut gens antiquis erroribus dedita, iam ad vicinam salutem per occultam gratiam vocaretur; et quoe nondum eje cerat ab animo superstitionem, iam reciperet veritatem.
19 Both Quesnel and the Ballerinii condemn this passage inclosed in brackets as spurious. The former thinks it has crept into the text ex annotatione marginali alicuius astrologioe plus oequo dediti. It is wanting in all the mss. melioris notoe.
1 Numb. xxiv. 17: cf. Serm. XXXI. chap 2, above.
8 Whatever may be the correct reading here, actionibus with the better mss. or tactibus the conjecture of Quesnel from the reading of some mss. actibus, the meaning must be such as is given in the translation.