Chapter VII.

Solomon’s words, “The Lord created Me,” etc., mean that Christ’s Incarnation was done for the redemption of the Father’s creation, as is shown by the Son’s own words. That He is the “beginning” may be understood from the visible proofs of His virtuousness, and it is shown how the Lord opened the ways of all virtues, and was their true beginning.

46. Hereby we are brought to understand that the prophecy of the Incarnation, “The Lord created me the beginning of His ways for His works,”534    Prov. viii. 22. means that the Lord Jesus was created of the Virgin for the redeeming of the Father’s works. Truly, we cannot doubt that this is spoken of the mystery of the Incarnation, forasmuch as the Lord took upon Him our flesh, in order to save the works of His hands from the slavery of corruption, so that He might, by the sufferings of His own body, overthrow him who had the power of death. For Christ’s flesh is for the sake of things created, but His Godhead existed before them, seeing that He is before all things, whilst all things exist together in Him.535    Col. i. 16.

47. His Godhead, then, is not by reason of creation, but creation exists because of the Godhead; even as the Apostle showed, saying that all things exist because of the Son of God, for we read as follows: “But it was fitting that He, through Whom and because of Whom are all things, after bringing many sons to glory, should, as Captain of their salvation, be made perfect through suffering.”536    Heb. ii. 10. Has he not plainly declared that the Son of God, Who, by reason of His Godhead, was the Creator of all, did in after time, for the salvation of His people, submit to the taking on of the flesh and the suffering of death?

48. Now for the sake of what works the Lord was “created” of a virgin, He Himself, whilst healing the blind man, has shown, saying: “In Him must I work the works of Him that sent Me.”537    S. John ix. 4. “In him” is, in our Bible, attached to the preceding verse. Furthermore He said in the same Scripture, that we might believe Him to speak of the Incarnation: “As long as I am in this world, I am the Light of this world,”538    S. John ix. 5. for, so far as He is man, He is in this world for a season, but as God He exists at all times. In another place, too, He says: “Lo, I am with you even unto the end of the world.”539    S. Matt. xxviii. 20.

49. Nor is there any room for questioning with respect to “the beginning,” seeing that when, during His earthly life, He was asked, “Who art Thou?” He answered: “The beginning, even as I tell you.”540    S. John viii. 25. St. Ambrose’s words: “Principium quod et loquor vobis.” This refers not only to the essential nature of the eternal Godhead, but also to the visible proofs of virtues, for hereby hath He proved Himself the eternal God, in that He is the beginning of all things, and the Author of each several virtue, in that He is the Head of the Church, as it is written: “Because He is the Head of the Body, of the Church;541    Col. i. 18. Who is the beginning, first-begotten from the dead.”542    Cf. Eph. iv. 15, 16.

50. It is clear, then, that the words “beginning of His ways,” which, as it seems, we must refer to the mystery of the putting on of His body, are a prophecy of the Incarnation. For Christ’s purpose in the Incarnation was to pave for us the road to heaven. Mark how He says: “I go up to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.”543    S. John xx. 17. Then, to give you to know that the Almighty Father appointed His ways to the Son, after the Incarnation,544    “secundum incarnationem,” “as a result of the Incarnation.” you have in Zechariah the words of the angel speaking to Joshua clothed in filthy garments: “Thus saith the Lord Almighty: If thou wilt walk in My ways and observe My precepts.”545    Zech. iii. 7. What is the meaning of that filthy garb save the putting on of the flesh?

51. Now the ways of the Lord are, we may say, certain courses taken in a good life, guided by Christ, Who says, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.”546    S. John xiv. 6. The way, then, is the surpassing power of God, for Christ, is our way, and a good way, too, is He, a way which hath opened the kingdom of heaven to believers.547    Cf. the “Te Deum,” ver. 17. Moreover, the ways of the Lord are straight, as it is written: “Make Thy ways known unto me, O Lord.”548    Ps. xxv. 4. Chastity is a way, faith is a way, abstinence is a way. There is, indeed, a way of virtue, and there is a way of wickedness; for it is written: “And see if there be any way of wickedness in me.”549    Ps. cxxxix. 24.

52. Christ, then, is the beginning of our virtue. He is the beginning of purity, Who taught maidens not to look for the embraces of men,550    Cf. 1 Cor. vii. 29, 34. It seems unwarrantable to suppose a reference to 2 Cor. xi. 2. but to yield the purity of their bodies and minds to the service of the Holy Spirit rather than to a husband. Christ is the beginning of frugality, for He became poor, though He was rich.551    1 Cor. viii. 9. Christ is the beginning of patience, for when He was reviled, He reviled not again, when He was struck, He did not strike back. Christ is the beginning of humility, for He took the form of a servant, though in the majesty of His power He was equal with God the Father.552    1 Pet. ii. 23; Phil. ii. 7. From Him each several virtue has taken its origin.

53. For this cause, then, that we might learn these divers virtues, “a Son was given us, Whose beginning was upon His shoulder.”553    Isa. ix. 6. St. Ambrose’ version is “Filius datus est nobis, cujus principium super humeros ejus.” That “beginning” is the Lord’s Cross—the beginning of strong courage, wherewith a way has been opened for the holy martyrs to enter the sufferings of the Holy War.

CAPUT VII.

Quod a Salomone dictum est: Dominus creavit me, etc., incarnationem Christi ad redimenda Patris opera factam signare; quo ex ipsius Filii verbis declarato, principium ostendit etiam accipi posse de documentis virtutum, quarum omnium vias nobis Dominus aperuisse, ac vere principium exstitisse demonstratur.

46. [Alias cap. IV.] Unde intelligimus illud quod de incarnatione Domini scriptum est: Dominus creavit me principium viarum suarum in opera sua (Prov. VIII, 22), id significare quod ad redimenda opera Patris Dominus Jesus ex Virgine sit creatus. Neque enim dubitari potest de incarnationis dictum esse mysterio, cum propter opera sua a corruptelae servitio liberanda Dominus susceperit carnem; ut illum 0599C qui imperium habebat mortis, per sui corporis destrueret passionem. Caro enim Christi propter opera, divinitas ante opera; quia ipse ante omnia, sed et omnia in ipso constant.

47. Non ergo divinitas propter opera, sed propter divinitatem opera; sicut Apostolus declaravit, dicens quod propter Filium Dei omnia. Sic enim habes: Decebat autem eum per quem omnia, et propter quem omnia, multis filiis in gloriam adductis, ducem salutis eorum per passionem consummari (Hebr. II, 10). Nonne evidenter exposuit quia Dei Filius qui propter divinitatem suam omnia creavit, is postea propter populi salutem et carnis suceptionem, et mortis assumpserit passionem?

0599D 48. Propter quae autem opera sit creatus ex Virgine, 506 ipse Dominus cum illum caecum curaret, ostendit dicens: In illo me oportet operari opera ejus, qui misit me (Joan. IX, 4). Et addidit, ut de incarnatione ejus dictum crederemus: Cum in hoc mundo sum, lux sum hujus mundi (Ibid., 5). Etenim quasi homo in hoc mundo pro tempore est; nam quasi Deus semper est. Denique et alibi ait: Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem mundi (Matth. XXVIII, 20).

49. Nec de principio residet aliquid quaestionis, 0600A cum interrogatus in carne: Tu qui es? responderit: Principium quod et loquor vobis (Joan. VIII, 25). Quod non solum ad substantiam divinitatis aeternae refertur, sed etiam ad documenta virtutum. Ex hoc enim et Deum se probavit aeternum; quia omnium ipse principium est, et uniuscujusque virtutis auctor, quia Ecclesiae caput est, sicut scriptum est: Quia ipse est caput corporis Ecclesiae, qui est principium, primogenitus ex mortuis (Coloss. I, 18).

50. Liquet igitur et de incarnatione dictum esse principium viarum suarum, quod ad sacramentum suscepti corporis videtur esse referendum. Ideo enim carnem suscepit, ut ad coelum nobis sterneret iter. Denique ait: Ascendo ad Patrem meum, et Patrem vestrum: Deum meum, et Deum vestrum (Joan. 0600B XX, 17). Denique ut scias quod vias suas omnipotens Pater secundum incarnationem praescripserit Filio, habes in Zacharia ad Jesum indutum vestimenta sordida ab Angelo dictum: Haec dicit Dominus omnipotens: Si in viis meis ambulaveris, et praecepta mea custodieris (Zach. III, 7). Quod est vestimentum illud sordidum, nisi carnis assumptio?

51. Viae igitur Domini velut quidam tramites bonae vitae sunt, quae diriguntur a Christo, qui ait: Ego sum via, et veritas, et vita (Joan. XIV, 6). Via ergo superna est Dei virtus; Christus enim nobis via est. Et bona via, quae credentibus coeli regna patefecit. Viae autem Domini viae rectae sunt, sicut scriptum est: Vias tuas, Domine, notas fac mihi (Ps. XXIV, 4). Via castitas, via fides, via est abstinentia. 0600C Est namque via virtutis, est et via iniquitatis; scriptum est enim: Et vide si est via iniquitatis in me (Ps. CXXXVIII, 24).

52. Principium itaque nostrae virtutis est Christus. Principium integritatis, qui docuit virgines non viriles exspectare concubitus, sed integritatem mentis et corporis sancto magis dicare Spiritui, quam marito (II Cor. XI, 2). Principium parcimoniae Christus, qui pauper factus est, cum esset dives (II Cor. VIII, 9). Principium patientiae Christus, qui cum malediceretur, non remaledixit; cum percuteretur, non repercussit (I Petr. II, 23). Principium humilitatis Christus, qui formam servi accepit (Philip. II, 7); cum Patrem Deum majestate virtutis aequaret. Ex illo enim accepit virtus unaquaeque principium.

0600D 53. Et ideo ut haec virtutum genera disceremus: Filius datus est nobis, cujus principium super humeros ejus (Esai. IX, 6). Principium illud crux Domini est; principium fortitudinis, quo via sanctis est reserata martyribus ad sacri certaminis passionem.