XXXVI.—Of the Foolishness of the Cross.

I have spoken of the twofold sign whence death proceeded, and again I have said that thence life frequently proceeds; but the cross has become foolishness to an adulterous people.  The awful King of eternity shadows forth these things by the cross, that they may now believe on Him.8    [Or, “shadows forth Himself.”]  O fools, that live in death!  Cain slew his younger brother by the invention of wickedness.  Thence the sons of Enoch9    “Eusebius tells of another Enoch, who was not translated without seeing death.”—Rig.  [See Gen. iv. 17, 18.  S.] are said to be the race of Cain.  Then the evil people increased in the world, which never transfers souls to God.  To believe the cross came to be a dread, and they say that they live righteously.  The first law was in the tree; and thence, too, the second.  And thence the second law first of all overcame the terrible law with peace.10    Et inde secunda terribilem legem primo cum pace revincit.—Davis, conjecturally.  Lifted up, they have rushed into vain prevarications.  They are unwilling to acknowledge the Lord pierced with nails; but when His judgment shall come, they will then discern Him.  But the race of Abel already believes on a merciful Christ.

XXXVI.---DE CRUCIS STULTITIA.

De duplici signo dixi, mors unde processit; Et iterum inde procedere vitam frequenter. Crux autem stultitia facta est adulterae genti. Rex aeternitatis per crucem dirus adumbrat, Ut sibi nunc credant, o stulti morte viventes! Cain juniorem occidit, nequam repertus: Inde Enoch suboles Cainaea nati feruntur. Sic gens iniqua increvit mundo, quae nunquam Transmittit animos in Deum: credere crucem 0228B Venit in horrorem, et dicunt se vivere recte. Lex in ligno fuit prima, et inde secunda. Terribilem legem primo, cum pace revenit. In praevaricationes vanas elati ruerunt: Trajectum clavis Dominum cognoscere nolunt: Judicium cujus cum venerit, ibi dignoscent. Abel genus autem credit modo Christo benigno.