PL 54 · cols. 216–220

Leo the Great, Sermons

Sermon XXVII

inquit, mundns amicitias suas, et multos facit perversos amore concordes. Sunt etiam in vitiis pares animi, et similitudo desideriorum aequalitatem gignit affectum. Et si quidam forsitan reperiantur quibus prava et inhonesta non placeant, quique illicitas consensiones a foedere suae charitatis excludant, tamen etiam tales, si vel Judaei sint, vel haeretici, vel pagani, non de amicitia Dei, sed de pace sunt mundi. Pax autem spiritalium et catholicorum, a supernis veniens, et ad surperna perducens, cum amatoribus mundi nulla nos vult communione misceri, sed omnibus obstaculis resistere, et ad vera gaudia a perniciosis delectationibus evolare, dicente Domino: Ubi fuerit thesaurus tuus, ibi erit et cor tuum (Matth. vi, 21): hoc est, si deorsum sunt quae amas, ad ima descendes; si sursum sunt quae diligis, ad summa pervenies: quo nos unum volentes, unum sentientes, et in fide ac spe et in charitate concordes, Spiritus pacis agat atque perducat: quoniam quicumque Spiritu Dei aguntur, ii filii sunt Dei (Rom. viii. 14), qui regnat cum Filio, et Spiritu sancto in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

[…] He says, its friendships, and makes many perverse people of one accord through love. There are also minds equal in vices, and likeness of desires begets equality of affection. And if perhaps some are found whom wicked and dishonourable things do not please, and who exclude unlawful agreements from the bond of their love, yet even such people, if they are Jews, or heretics, or pagans, belong not to the friendship of God but to the peace of the world. But the peace of the spiritual and of catholics, coming from above and leading to the things above, wills that we be mingled in no communion with the lovers of the world, but that we resist all obstacles and fly away from pernicious delights to true joys, as the Lord says: Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:21): that is, if the things you love are below, you will go down to the depths; if the things you cherish are above, you will reach the heights: whither may the Spirit of peace drive and lead us, willing one thing, of one mind, and of one accord in faith and hope and in charity: since whoever are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Rom. 8:14), Who reigns with the Son and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

SERMO XXVII [Al. XXVI].

SERMON 27 [otherwise 26].

In Nativitate Domini VII.

On the Nativity of the Lord, 7.

Cap. I. — Festivitatis hodiernae, dilectissimi, verus venerator est et pius cultor qui nec de incarnatione Domini aliquid falsum, nec de Deitate aliquid sentit indignum: paris enim periculi malum est, si illi aut naturae nostrae veritas, aut paternae gloriae negatur aequalitas. Cum ergo ad intelligendum sacramentum Nativitatis Christi, qua de matre Virgine est ortus, accedimus, abigatur procul terrenarum caligo rationum, et ab illuminatae fidei oculis mundauae sapientiae fumus abscidat; divina est enim auctoritas cui credimus, divina est doctrina quam sequimur. Quoniam sive legis testificationi, sive oraculis prophetarum, sive evangelicae tubae interiorem admoveamus auditum, verum est quod

Chap. I. — He is the true venerator and devout observer of today's festival, dearly beloved, who thinks nothing false concerning the incarnation of the Lord, and nothing unworthy concerning His Godhead: for it is an evil of equal peril if either the reality of our nature or the equality of the Father's glory is denied to Him. When, therefore, we approach to understand the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, by which He was born of the Virgin mother, let the fog of earthly reasonings be driven far off, and let the smoke of worldly wisdom depart from the eyes of enlightened faith; for divine is the authority we believe, divine the teaching we follow. For whether we bring the inner hearing to the testimony of the law, or to the oracles of the prophets, or to the trumpet of the Gospel, true is that which

Editors' notes and page, col. 216

Footnotes

(g) ‹Habet,› · printed under cols 215–216

Enim pro inquit supposuit Quesnellus; qua auctoritate, ignoramus: omnes enim nostri mss. et editi habent, inquit. Habet autem sive non et vocem suas reperimus in duobus codd. S. Petri et in Casinensi. In anterioribus editis, et mss. trium posteriorum collectionum: Non habet, inquit, mundus amicitias veras, et multos, etc. In une Vaticano, quia multos, pro et multos.

Quesnel put enim in place of inquit; on what authority we do not know: for all our manuscripts and editions have inquit. And Habet without non, and the word suas, we have found in two St Peter's codices and in the Monte Cassino [codex]. In the earlier editions, and in the manuscripts of the three later collections: Non habet, inquit, mundus amicitias veras, et multos, etc. In one Vatican [codex]: quia multos instead of et multos.

(h) ‹affectum.› · printed under col 216

In mss. S. Petri et Vat., Atsi; in prima editione, Ac si.

In the St Peter's and Vatican manuscripts: Atsi; in the first edition: Ac si.

(i) ‹a supernis› · printed under col 216

In cod. S. Petri, est veniens.... qnae cum amatoribus.

In the St Peter's codex: est veniens.... quae cum amatoribus.

(j) ‹thesaurus tuus› · printed under col 216

Addidimus et ex nostris codd. In prima editione, ibi est et cor tuum.

We have added et from our codices. In the first edition: ibi est et cor tuum.

(k) ‹In Nativitate Domini VII› · printed under col 216

Unus codex S. Petri: Sermo S. Leonis papae contra haereticos de Incarnatione Domini.

One St Peter's codex: A sermon of St Leo the pope against the heretics, on the Incarnation of the Lord.

(l) ‹caligo rationum› · printed under col 216

Sic ms. S. Petri. Al., oculo. Prima editio, et illuminante fidei oculo.

So the St Peter's manuscript. Otherwise, oculo. The first edition: et illuminante fidei oculo.

Editors' prose

Synopsis. — I. Aequalis esse periculi alterutram in Christo negare naturam. — II. Verbum caro factum est, quomodo intelligendum? Qui effectus? — III. Diabolum varie homines tentare pro variis eorum affectibus et studiis. — IV. Quod soli orienti quidam Christiani se inclinant, ex supersitione esse. — V. Coelestia corpora hominum utilitati servire. — VI. Quis rectus creaturarum usus. Homo ad praesentia natus, ad futura renatus.

Synopsis. — I. It is of equal peril to deny either nature in Christ. — II. The Word was made flesh: how is it to be understood? What is its effect? — III. The devil tempts men in various ways according to their various affections and pursuits. — IV. That certain Christians bow to the rising sun comes from superstition. — V. The heavenly bodies serve the use of men. — VI. What the right use of creatures is. Man, born for things present, is reborn for things to come.

Page

running head: GNI SERMONES. 216 (end of the page head S. LEONIS MAGNI SERMONES.)
marginal letters: A ‹(g) inquit, mundns›; B ‹descendes; si sursum›; C ‹sentia natus, ad futura renatus› (last line of the Synopsis); D ‹in the footnote area, beside "editi habent, inquit"›
old-edition numerals: 92 after ‹pius cultor qui›
signature: none
other: the caption SERMO XXVII [Al. XXVI]. with its sub-caption and the Synopsis are printed within col 216; note (i) is printed with its opening parenthesis missing ("i)"); in note (g) "sive non" probably stands for "sine non" (UNSURE whether misprint or worn type)

PL 54:217

beatus Joannes plenus Spiritu sancto intonuit: In principio erat Verbum, ei 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), Et similiter verum est quod idem praedicator adjecit: Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis; et vidimus gloriam ejus, gloriam quasi Unigeniti a Patre (Ibid., 14). In utraque ergo natura idem est Dei Filius nostra suscipiens, et propria non amittens; in homine hominem renovans, in se incommutabilis perseverans. Deitas enim, quae illi cum Patre communis est, nullum detrimentum omnipotentiae subiit, nec Dei formam servi forma violavit, quia summa et sempiterna essentia, quae se ad humani generis inclinavit salutem, nos quidem in suam gloriam transtulit, sed quod erat esse non destitit. Unde cum Unigenitus Dei minorem se Patre confitetur (Joan. xiv, 28), cui se dicit aequalem (Joan. x, 30), veritatem in se formae utriusqne demonstrat: ut et humanam probet imparilitas, et divinam declaret aequalitas.

[…] the blessed John, full of the Holy Spirit, thundered out: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was made nothing (John 1:1–3). And likewise true is what the same preacher added: The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten from the Father (ibid., 14). In each nature, therefore, the Son of God is the same, taking up what is ours and not losing what is His own; renewing man in man, remaining unchangeable in Himself. For the Godhead, which is common to Him with the Father, underwent no loss of omnipotence, nor did the form of a servant violate the form of God, because the supreme and everlasting essence, which stooped down for the salvation of the human race, did indeed carry us over into its own glory, but did not cease to be what it was. Hence, when the Only-begotten of God confesses Himself less than the Father (John 14:28), to Whom He says He is equal (John 10:30), He shows in Himself the reality of each form: so that the inequality proves the human, and the equality declares the divine.

Cap. II. — Majestati igitur Filii Dei corporea nativitas nihil abstulit, nihil contulit, quia substantia incommutabilis nec minui potuit, nec augeri. Quod enim Verbum caro factum est, non hoc significat, quod in carnem sit Dei natura mutata, sed quod a Verbo in unitatem personae sit caro suscepta; in cujus utique nomine homo totus accipitur, cum quo intra Virginis viscera sancto Spiritu fecundata, et numquam virginitate caritura, tam inseparabiliter Dei Filius est unitus, ut qui erat intemporaliter de essentia Patris genitus, ipse sit temporaliter de utero Virginis natus. Aliter enim ab aeternae mortis vinculis non possemus absolvi, nisi in nostris fieret humilis, qui omnipotens permanebat in suis. Nascens itaque Dominus noster Jesus Christus homo verus, qui numquam destitit esse Deus verus, novae creaturae in se fecit exordium, et in ortus sui forma dedit humano generi spiritale principium, ut ad carnalis generationis abolenda contagia, esset regenerandis origo sine semine criminis, de quibus dicitur: Qui non ex sanguinibus, neque ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex Deo nati sunt (Joan, i, 13). Quae hoc sacramentum mens comprehendere, quae hanc gratiam valeat lingua narrare? Redit in innocentiam iniquitas, et in novitatem vetustas;

Chap. II. — The bodily nativity, then, took nothing from the majesty of the Son of God and added nothing to it, because the unchangeable substance could neither be diminished nor increased. For that the Word was made flesh does not signify that the nature of God was changed into flesh, but that the flesh was taken up by the Word into unity of person; under which name, indeed, the whole man is understood, with whom, within the womb of the Virgin made fruitful by the Holy Spirit and never to lose her virginity, the Son of God was so inseparably united that He Who was begotten timelessly of the essence of the Father was Himself born in time of the Virgin's womb. For otherwise we could not be loosed from the bonds of eternal death, unless He Who remained almighty in what is His own became lowly in what is ours. Our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, being born true man, Who never ceased to be true God, made in Himself the beginning of a new creation, and in the form of His birth gave to the human race a spiritual beginning, so that for the abolishing of the contagions of carnal generation there might be for those to be regenerated an origin without the seed of sin, of whom it is said: Who are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13). What mind could comprehend this mystery, what tongue could tell this grace? Iniquity returns into innocence, and oldness into newness;

Editors' notes and page, col. 217

Footnotes

(a) ‹beatus› · printed under col 217

Addidimus beatus ex Lectionariis S. Petri et Veron.

We have added beatus from the Lectionaries of St Peter's and of Verona.

(b) ‹a Patre› · printed under col 217

Prima editio addit, plenum gratiae et veritatis. Dein, In utraque enim natura in duobus mss. S. Petri et Vat. ac prima editione.

The first edition adds: plenum gratiae et veritatis. Then, In utraque enim natura in two St Peter's manuscripts and a Vatican [manuscript], and in the first edition.

Codd. S. Petri, ipse incommutabilis. Postea non desiit, pro non destitit, in ms. Veronensi.

The St Peter's codices: ipse incommutabilis. Afterwards non desiit instead of non destitit in the Verona manuscript.

(d) ‹Dei Filius› · printed under col 217

Sic ex nostris codicibus et prima editione. Caeteri editi, unitur.

So from our codices and the first edition. The other editions: unitur.

(e) ‹omnipotens› · printed under col 217

Duo codd. S. Petri addunt, et sublimis, Paulo ante, non poteramus, pro non possemus, in ms. Veronensi.

Two St Peter's codices add: et sublimis. A little before, non poteramus instead of non possemus in the Verona manuscript.

(f) ‹et› · printed under col 217

Praepositio in abest a prima editione.

The preposition in is absent from the first edition.

(g) ‹neque› · printed under col 217

Ms. S. Petri, ex voluptate, uti etiam in superiori sermone, can. 5.

The St Peter's manuscript: ex voluptate, as also in the preceding sermon, chap. 5.

Page

running head: 217 SERMO X[XVII.] (the page head reads SERMO XXVII. across both columns)
marginal letters: A ‹(a) beatus Joannes›; B ‹nos quidem in suam gloriam›; C ‹essentia Patris genitus›; D ‹in the footnote area, beside "(a) Addidimus beatus"›
old-edition numerals: 93 after ‹qui omnipotens›
signature: none
other: note (h), called in col 218, is printed under this column and set in n218

PL 54:218

in adoptionem veniunt alieni, et in haereditatem ingrediuntur extranei. De impiis justi, de avaris benigni, de incontinentibus casti, de terrenis incipiunt esse coelestes. Quae autem est ista mutatio, nisi dexterae Excelsi? Quoniam venit Filius Dei dissolvere opera diaboli (I Joan. iii, 8), et ita se nobis, nosque inseruit sibi, ut Dei ad humana descensio, fieret hominis ad divina provectio.

[…] strangers come into adoption, and outsiders enter into the inheritance. From ungodly they begin to be just, from avaricious kindly, from incontinent chaste, from earthly heavenly. And what is this change but of the right hand of the Most High? For the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), and so grafted Himself into us and us into Himself that the descent of God to human things became the advancement of man to divine things.

Cap. III. — In hac autem, dilectissimi, misericordia Dei, cujus erga nos magnitudinem explicare non possumus, multa sollicitudine praecavendum est Christianis ne diabolicis iterum capiantur insidiis, et eisdem rursus, quibus renuntiaverunt, erroribus implicentur. Non enim desinit hostis antiquus, transfigurans se in angelum lucis (II Cor. xi, 14), deceptionum laqueos ubique praetendere, et ut quoquo modo fidem credentium corrumpat, instare. Novit cui adhibeat aestus cupiditatis, cui illecebras gulae ingerat cui apponat incitamenta luxuriae, cui infundat virus invidiae; novit quem moerore conturbet, quem gaudio fallat, quem metu opprimat, quem admiratione seducat; omnium discutit consuetudines, ventilat curas, scrutatur affectus; et ibi causas quaerit nocendi, ubi quemque viderit studiosius occupari. Habet etenim multos ex eis quos tenacius obligavit, aptos artibus suis, quorum ad alios decipiendos et ingeniis utatur et linguis. Per istos remedia aegritudinum, indicia futurorum, placationes daemonum, et depulsiones promittuntur umbrarum. Addunt se et illi, qui totam humanae vitae conditionem de stellarum pendere effectibus mentiuntur, et quod est aut divinae voluntatis, aut nostrae, indeclinabilium dicunt esse fatorum. Quae tamen, ut cumulatius noceant, spondent posse mutari, si illis quae adversantur sideribus supplicetur. Unde commentum impium sua ratione destruitur, quia si praedicta non permanent, non sunt fata metuenda; si permanent, non sunt astra veneranda.

Chap. III. — But amid this mercy of God, dearly beloved, the greatness of which towards us we cannot unfold, Christians must take precaution with much care lest they be caught again by the snares of the devil and be entangled once more in the same errors which they have renounced. For the ancient enemy, transforming himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), does not cease to spread the nooses of deceptions everywhere and to press on so that in any way whatever he may corrupt the faith of believers. He knows to whom he should apply the heat of cupidity, on whom he should press the allurements of gluttony, before whom he should set the incitements of lust, into whom he should pour the poison of envy; he knows whom to trouble with grief, whom to deceive with joy, whom to crush with fear, whom to seduce with wonder; he examines the habits of all, sifts their cares, searches out their affections; and he seeks occasions of harming there where he sees each one most eagerly engaged. For he has many of those whom he has bound more tightly, fit for his arts, whose talents and tongues he may use for deceiving others. Through these are promised remedies for sicknesses, foreknowledge of things to come, the appeasing of demons and the driving away of ghosts. To them are added also those who falsely say that the whole condition of human life depends on the effects of the stars, and who say that what belongs either to the divine will or to our own belongs to inescapable fates. Yet, that they may do the more harm, they promise that these can be changed if supplication is made to the stars that are adverse. Hence the impious fabrication is destroyed by its own reasoning, because if the things foretold do not stand fast, the fates are not to be feared; if they stand fast, the stars are not to be worshipped.

Cap. IV. — De talibus institutis etiam illa generatur impietas, ut sol in inchoatione diurnae lucis exsurgens a quibusdam insipientoribus de locis eminentioribus adoretur; quod nonnulli etiam Christiani adeo se religiose facere putant, ut priusquam ad B. Petri apostoli basilicam, quae uni Deo vivo et vero est dedicata, perveniant, superatis gradibus quibus ad suggestum areae superioris ascenditur,

Chap. IV. — From such practices there is born also that impiety, that the sun, rising at the beginning of the day's light, is worshipped by certain more foolish people from higher places; which some Christians too think they do so religiously that, before they reach the basilica of the blessed apostle Peter, which is dedicated to the one living and true God, having climbed the steps by which one ascends to the platform of the upper forecourt,

Editors' notes and page, col. 218

Footnotes

(h) ‹nosque› · printed under col 217

Cod. Bon. et prima editio, inserit.

The Bologna codex and the first edition: inserit.

(i) ‹explicare› · printed under col 218

Ita ex mss. S. Petri et Veron. Al., non valemus.

So from the St Peter's and Verona manuscripts. Otherwise, non valemus.

(j) ‹quibus› · printed under col 218

Sic ex ms. Veron. et duobus Vat. Al., renuntiaverant.

So from the Verona manuscript and two Vatican [manuscripts]. Otherwise, renuntiaverant.

(k) ‹scrutatur› · printed under col 218

Mss. S. Petri, Bonon., ac prima editio, effectus.

The St Peter's and Bologna manuscripts, and the first edition: effectus.

(l) ‹umbrarum.› · printed under col 218

Editi ante Quesnellum, et aliqui codd., Adduntur et illi. Emendatisnem confirmant mss. S. Petri, Veron. et Casin. Paulo post effectibus restituimus ex editis ante Quesn. et melioribus nostris codicibus. Quesnellus cum mss collect. 5, affectibus; et in margine: Al., effectibus.

The editions before Quesnel, and some codices: Adduntur et illi. The emendation is confirmed by the St Peter's, Verona and Monte Cassino manuscripts. A little after, we have restored effectibus from the editions before Quesnel and from our better codices. Quesnel, with the manuscripts of collection 5: affectibus; and in the margin: Otherwise, effectibus.

(m) ‹commentum impium› · printed under col 218

Al., hac Quesnell. in margine.

Otherwise, hac: Quesnel in the margin.

(n) ‹sol› · printed under col 218

Praepositionem in reposuimus ex mss. S. Petri et tribus Vat. ac prima editione.

We have restored the preposition in from the St Peter's manuscripts, three Vatican [manuscripts] and the first edition.

(o) ‹ad suggestum› · printed under cols 218–219

Quesnellus in secunda editione hanc annotationem subjecit: « Antea legebatur arae, etiam in prima nostra editione. Errorem primus deprehendit vir clarissimus Joannes Ciampinus Romanus, magister Brevium gratiae, ac in utraque signatura referendarius, veramque lectionem vindicavit scripto Romae excuso, anno 1693, sub hac epigraphe: De vocis correctione in sermone 7. S. Leonis Magni de Nativitate Domini, etc. Litterulae munusculum, etc. Nihil ex doctissimi viri dissertatione hoc loco excerpimus, quia integram eam repraesentamus ad calcem istorum sermonum. Hoc unum moneo, correctum esse hunc locum auctoritate codicis Vaticani num. 1277, a sexcentis circiter annis exarati. » Hactenus ille. Ciampini dissertationem in observationibus nostris insertam invenies. In numerum autem codicis Vaticani 1277, quem cum optima lectione Ciampinus nactus est, error irrepsit. Codex enim eo numero signatus nihil habet quod ad Leonem pertineat. Diligentia autem inquisitionis adhibita, reperimus eam lectionem in perantiquo Vaticano Lectionario 1267, et hunc codicem a Ciampino allegatum arbitramur. Huic autem duos alios mss. libros basilicae S. Petri addimus signatos num. 105 et 107, et unum Vallic. A 10, qui lectionem †arae similiter praeferunt. In alio vero ejusdem basilicae cod. 106, qui tamen non ita antiquae originis est, habetur arcis pro areae; sicut etiam in ms. Veronensi. Forte aliquis antiquus librarius scriptum invenit †arcae, uti legitur in mss. Veneto 153, et Casin. collect. 1, et arcis potius scribendum putavit. In alio Vallicell. XXVI, aereae habetur pro areae.

Quesnel in his second edition appended this annotation: « Formerly arae was read, even in our first edition. The error was first detected by the most distinguished Giovanni Ciampini of Rome, master of Briefs of grace and referendary of both Signaturas, who vindicated the true reading in a writing printed at Rome in the year 1693 under this title: On the correction of a word in the 7th sermon of St Leo the Great on the Nativity of the Lord, etc. A little gift of a small letter, etc. We extract nothing here from the most learned man's dissertation, because we present it entire at the end of these sermons. This one thing I point out, that this passage has been corrected on the authority of the Vatican codex no. 1277, written about six hundred years ago. » Thus far he. You will find Ciampini's dissertation inserted in our observations. But an error has crept into the number of the Vatican codex 1277, which Ciampini obtained with the best reading. For the codex marked with that number has nothing that pertains to Leo. But, applying diligence in the search, we have found that reading in the very ancient Vatican Lectionary 1267, and we judge this to be the codex cited by Ciampini. To this we add two other manuscript books of the basilica of St Peter, marked nos. 105 and 107, and one Vallicelliana A 10, which likewise show the reading †arae. But in another codex of the same basilica, no. 106, which however is not of such ancient origin, arcis is found instead of areae; as also in the Verona manuscript. Perhaps some ancient copyist found written †arcae, as is read in the Venice manuscript 153 and the Monte Cassino manuscript of collection 1, and thought arcis should rather be written. In another Vallicelliana, XXVI, aereae is found instead of areae.

Page

running head: O XXVII. 218 (end of the page head SERMO XXVII.)
marginal letters: A ‹tustas; in adoptionem›; B ‹tionum laqueos ubique›; C ‹divinae voluntatis›; D ‹in the footnote area, beside "(i) Ita ex mss."›
old-edition numerals: 94 after ‹cui apponat›
signature: none
other: in note (o) the two daggered italic words (arae, arcae) are faint; the sense of the note requires areae for the first (UNSURE whether misprint or wear)

PL 54:219

converso corpore ad nascentem se solem reflectant, et curvatis cervicibus, in honorem se splendidi orbis inclinent. Quod fieri partim ignorantiae vitio, partim paganitatis spiritu, multum tabescimus et dolemus: quia etsi quidam forte Creatorem potius pulchri luminis quam ipsum lumen, quod est creatura, venerantur, abstinendum tamen est ab ipsa specie hujus officii, quam cum in nostris invenit, qui deorum cultum reliquit, nonne hanc secum partem opiniouis vetustae tanquam probabilem retentabit, quam Christianis et impiis viderit esse communem?

[…] they turn round with their body towards the rising sun, and, their necks bent, bow themselves in honour of the shining orb. That this is done partly by the fault of ignorance, partly by the spirit of paganism, we greatly pine and grieve over: because, even if some perhaps venerate the Creator of the beautiful light rather than the light itself, which is a creature, yet one must abstain from the very appearance of this observance; for when one who has abandoned the worship of the gods finds it among our people, will he not keep with him this part of his old opinion as acceptable, when he sees it to be common to Christians and the ungodly?

Cap. V. — Abjiciatur ergo a consuetudine fidelium damnanda perversitas, nec honor uni Deo debitus, eorum ritibus qui creaturis deserviunt, misceatur. Dicit enim Scriptura divina: Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et illi soli servies (Matth, iv, 10. Et beatus Job, homo sine querela, ut ait Dominus, et continens se ab omni re mala (Job. i, 8), Numquid vidi, inquit, solem cum fulgeret, et lunam incedentem clare, et laetatum est cor meum in abscondito, et osculatus sum manum meam: quae est iniquitas maxima, et negatio contra Deum altissimum (Job xxxi, 26-28)? Quid autem

Chap. V. — Let this damnable perversity, then, be cast out of the practice of the faithful, and let not the honour due to the one God be mingled with the rites of those who serve creatures. For the divine Scripture says: The Lord your God you shall adore, and Him alone you shall serve (Matt. 4:10). And blessed Job, a man without complaint, as the Lord says, and keeping himself from every evil thing (Job 1:8), says: Did I see the sun when it shone, and the moon walking brightly, and was my heart glad in secret, and did I kiss my hand: which is the greatest iniquity and a denial against the most high God (Job 31:26–28)? And what

Editors' notes and page, col. 219

Footnotes

(o) continued from col 218, set in n218

(a) ‹converso corpore› · printed under cols 219–220

Consuetudinem istam usurpatam esse dicit auctor noster partim ignorantiae vitio, partim paganitatis spiritu; natamque ex prava seu Manichaeorum, seu Priscillianistarum erga sidera veneratione. Cum tamen asserat quosdam forte Creatorem potius pulchri luminis quam ipsum lumen esse veneratos, probabile admodum est ortum esse ritum illum ex antiquo Christianorum more, qui ad orientem solem versi orare consueverant; praesertimque cum baptizandi erant, conversi ad occidentem Satanae nuntium remittebant, conversi autem postmodum ad orientem, Christum salutabant atque adorabant. Sed cur hoc in ingressu basilicae S. Petri potius quam aliarum? Nimirum tunc temporis mos erat ut Christianorum templa solem orientem respicerent, eumque ingredientes adversum haberent; quamobrem opus non erat ut qui illa subibant, ad orientem solem corpus reflecterent. Cum autem basilica S. Petri, sicut et aliae quaedam antiquae. Urbis basilicae, solem occidentem ab introitu respiceret, hinc Christiani, qui orientem versus orare soliti erant, ne antiqua consuetudo a patribus accepta atque in ipso baptismate usurpata penitus oblitteraretur, hunc ritum retinuerant, et quidem in ejus basilicae unius introitu, in qua olim fons baptismalis erat, quo abluti fideles nomen dare Christo consueverant sub Romani pontificis manu. Quesn. — Confer quae in hunc locum explicandum optime digessit Ciampinus loco allegato notatione praecedenti, ubi inter caetera ingressum seu faciem basilicae S Petri ad orientem spectasse ostendit, unde orientem solem veneraturi in suggestu areae superioris, corpore reflectere debebant. Id autem partim ignorantiae vitio, partim paganitatis spiritu fiebat a nonnullis Christianis, quia hi arripientes veterem Christianorum ritum orandi facie ad orientem versa, ignorantes vero hujus ritus rationem, qua non sol, sed Deus adorabatur, eumdem ritum ad solem nascentem venerandum paganico spiritu traducebant. Hinc pravam ejusmodi consuetudinem in iis Christianis S. pontifex non e Manichaeis vel Priscillianistis ortam indicat, sed ex antiquo ritu Christianorum paganico spiritu ad solem ignoranter traducto nec reprehendit tamen ipsum ritum orandi ad Orientem, sed ejus abusum, quo vel sol colebatur, vel si non sol, sed Deus coleretur, scandalum ex circumstantiis oriri poterat.

Our author says that this custom was adopted partly by the fault of ignorance, partly by the spirit of paganism; and that it was born of the depraved veneration of the stars, whether of the Manichaeans or of the Priscillianists. Yet since he asserts that some perhaps venerated the Creator of the beautiful light rather than the light itself, it is quite probable that that rite arose from the ancient custom of Christians, who were accustomed to pray turned towards the rising sun; and especially, when they were to be baptized, turned towards the west they sent back a renunciation to Satan, but then, turned towards the east, they saluted and adored Christ. But why was this done at the entrance of the basilica of St Peter rather than of the others? Evidently at that time the custom was that the churches of the Christians faced the rising sun, and those entering had it before them; for which reason there was no need for those who went into them to turn their body round towards the rising sun. But since the basilica of St Peter, like certain other ancient basilicas of the City, faced the setting sun from its entrance, therefore the Christians, who were accustomed to pray towards the east, had kept this rite, lest the ancient custom received from the fathers and used in baptism itself should be wholly blotted out; and indeed at the entrance of this one basilica, in which there was formerly the baptismal font, washed in which the faithful were accustomed to give their name to Christ under the hand of the Roman pontiff. Quesnel. — Compare what Ciampini has set out excellently for the explaining of this passage, in the place cited in the preceding note, where among other things he shows that the entrance or front of the basilica of St Peter looked towards the east, so that those who were about to venerate the rising sun on the platform of the upper forecourt had to turn their body round. And this was done partly by the fault of ignorance, partly by the spirit of paganism, by some Christians, because these, seizing upon the old Christian rite of praying with the face turned to the east, but ignorant of the reason for this rite, by which not the sun but God was adored, transferred the same rite, in a pagan spirit, to the veneration of the rising sun. Hence the holy pontiff indicates that this depraved custom among those Christians arose not from the Manichaeans or the Priscillianists, but from the ancient rite of the Christians ignorantly transferred in a pagan spirit to the sun; and yet he does not rebuke the rite itself of praying towards the East, but its abuse, by which either the sun was worshipped or, if not the sun but God was worshipped, scandal could arise from the circumstances.

(b) ‹abstinendum tamen est› · printed under col 220

Sic ex mss. S. Petri et Veron. Al., ab ipsa hujusmodi specie officii.

So from the St Peter's and Verona manuscripts. Otherwise, ab ipsa hujusmodi specie officii.

Page

running head: 219 S. LEONIS MAG (the page head reads S. LEONIS MAGNI SERMONES. across both columns)
marginal letters: A ‹converso corpore›; B ‹adorabis, et illi soli servies›; C ‹in the footnote area, beside "a sexcentis circiter annis"›; D ‹in the footnote area, beside "(a) Consuetudinem istam"›
old-edition numerals: 95 after ‹orbis inclinent.›
signature: none
other: the type of this page is worn and faint; the author's text ends high in the column ("Quid autem") and the rest is footnotes

PL 54:220

est sol, vel quid est luna, nisi visibilis creaturae et corporeae lucis elementa? quorum unum est majoris claritatis, et aliud minoris est luminis. Sicut enim alia diurna, alia nocturna sunt tempora, ita diversam in luminaribus qualitatem Creator instituit, cum tamen priusquam haec fierent, et dies sine solis officio, et noctes sine lunae ministerio praecessissent. Sed condebantur ista ad faciendi hominis utilitatem, ut rationale animal nec in distinctione mensium, nec in recursu annorum, nec in dinumeratione temporum falleretur: cum per inaequalium horarum impares moras, et dissimilium ortuum signa manifesta, et annos sol concluderet, et menses luna renovaret. Quarto namque, ut legimus, die, dixit Deus: Fiant luminaria in firmamento coeli, et luceant super terram, et dividant inter diem et noctem, et sint in signa, et tempora, et dies, et annos, et sint in firmamento coeli, ut luceant super terram (Gen. i, 14, 15).

[…] is the sun, or what is the moon, but elements of visible creation and of bodily light? of which the one is of greater brightness and the other of lesser light. For just as some times are of the day and others of the night, so the Creator established a different quality in the luminaries, although, before these were made, both days had gone before without the service of the sun and nights without the ministry of the moon. But these were founded for the benefit of the man who was to be made, so that the rational creature should not be deceived in the distinguishing of months, nor in the return of years, nor in the reckoning of times: since, through the unequal lengths of unequal hours and the manifest signs of dissimilar risings, the sun would close the years and the moon renew the months. For on the fourth day, as we read, God said: Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven, and let them shine upon the earth, and divide between the day and the night, and let them be for signs, and seasons, and days, and years, and let them be in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth (Gen. 1:14–15).

Cap. VI. — Expergiscere, o homo, et dignitatem tuae cognosce naturae. Recordare te factum ad imaginem Dei (Gen. i, 26); quae, etsi in Adam corrupta, in Christo tamen est reformata. Utere quomodo utendum

Chap. VI. — Awake, O man, and recognize the dignity of your nature. Remember that you were made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26); which, though corrupted in Adam, has yet been refashioned in Christ. Use, as they are to be used, […]

Editors' notes and page, col. 220

Footnotes

(a) continued from col 219, set in n219

Forte, visibiles. Quesnellus in margine.

Perhaps visibiles. Quesnel in the margin.

(d) ‹ita› · printed under col 220

Codex Veron., diversas in luminaribus qualitates. Cod. Bon. et prima editio, in luminibus.

The Verona codex: diversas in luminaribus qualitates. The Bologna codex and the first edition: in luminibus.

(e) ‹Sed› · printed under col 220

Prima editio et unus Vat., concedebantur. Alii editi ante Quesn., condita sunt. Quesnellianam emendationem reperimus in septem nostris codd., ad quam accedit ms. Casin., cum debebantur. Mox ex codd. S. Petri, Vat., Vallicell. et Casin. ac prima editione, faciendi reposuimus pro faciendam.

The first edition and one Vatican [codex]: concedebantur. The other editions before Quesnel: condita sunt. We have found Quesnel's emendation in seven of our codices, to which the Monte Cassino manuscript comes close with cum debebantur. Shortly after, from the St Peter's, Vatican, Vallicelliana and Monte Cassino codices and the first edition, we have restored faciendi instead of faciendam.

(f) ‹cum per› · printed under col 220

Ita mss. Corb., Gaudiival. et Vict. Quesnelli. Similiter nostri codd. et nonnullae editiones. Al., aequalium.

So Quesnel's Corbie, Gaudiival. and Saint-Victor manuscripts. Likewise our codices and some editions. Otherwise, aequalium.

(g) ‹luna› · printed under col 220

Al., determinaret in mss. Corb. Quesnelli.

Otherwise, determinaret, in Quesnel's Corbie manuscripts.