[Sermones de eucharistiae sacramento]

the corn of the elect, and wine springing forth virgins." Secondly, its honesty is proved by its virginal origin, for it added much honesty to them, that it took its origin not from any corruption, but from the virginal flower. Ecclesiasticus 24: "My flowers are the fruit of honour and honesty, as the flowers of my modesty and virginity," which have turned into the fruit of a noble and most honest offspring from the virginity of the mother. Song of Songs 3: "Go forth, ye daughters of Sion, and see king Solomon in the diadem, wherewith his mother crowned him." Gloss: Go forth from the ignorance of infidelity and see the king, Christ, in the diadem, that is, in the flesh, with which his mother, namely Mary, crowned him; that is, she made him honest in this, that she is a virgin, not defiling him as other women iii. with the filth of original sin. Thirdly, the honesty of our sacrifice is proved by the spiritual sweetness by which it draws all Christians to itself. For, as Tully Cicero says, that which draws and allures us to itself by its own power is honest, namely, a virtuous thing; but especially such a thing which abounds in the sweetness of piety, and such a thing is the sacrifice of my Lord's body. Ecclesiasticus 49: "The memory of Josias is made in the composition of a sweet smell, a work of the perfumer." The memory of Josias is the memorial of the Savior, or the sacrifice of the altar. This was made by the work of the Holy Spirit from the precious spices of His divinity and humanity, so that by the sweetest odor of honesty and piety it might draw the faithful of the Church to itself. Song of Songs 1: "Thy name is as oil poured out; therefore young maidens have loved thee. Draw me: we will run after thee to the odor of thy ointments." Hence all who truly believe, for the hope of grace and devotion, run frequently and fervently to the church to see and pray at this sacrifice. Secondly, our sacrifice excels the rest by reason of dignity, which is proved by three most precious things from which it consists, namely: from the most clean flesh of Christ, the most just soul, and the most high deity. These three were figured in the Paschal lamb and are truly present in our sacrifice. Exodus 12: "You shall eat the head of the lamb with his feet and his entrails." The head of the lamb signifies Christ's divinity, the entrails the soul, the feet the flesh. Wisdom 8: "I was a witty child," that is, the son of God full of wisdom, "and I obtained a good soul," that is, I came to an unpolluted body. Behold, in Christ, God, soul, and body. Because of these three we say: "Hail, salvation of the world, Word of the Father, true host, living flesh, entire deity, true man," from flesh, namely, and soul. Because of the excellence of such dignity, our sacrifice has a triple prerogative over the others: it is acceptable to God in Himself, reverend to the angels, and to be adored by men. The first is because of the just soul, the second because of the clean flesh, the third because of the highest deity. 1. Regarding the first, Malachi 3: "The sacrifice of Juda shall please the Lord," that is, of Christ the just king, of whom: "Juda is my king, and behold thy king comes to thee, just and a Savior." Therefore, the sacrifice of Juda pleases the Lord, because Christ's body was offered