540 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHA.P. XV. trothment,and pledgeof the nuptialswith which Christ espousesHis Church. Sincethesoulthatrecoversisunited by thisringoffaithto'Christ. Aug. AUG. But the shoeson thefeetare the preparationforSUP- preachingtheGospel,in ordernot to touchearthlythings. Chrys. CHRYS. Or he bidsthem put shoeson hisfeet,eitherfor Patreet thhesaJteof coveringthesolesof hisfeetthathe may walk duobus firmalongthe slipperypath of theworld,or forthe mor tificationofhismembers. Forthecourseofourlifeiscalled in theScripturesa foot,and a kind of mortificationtakes placein shoes;inasmuchas theyare made of the skinsof dead animals. He adds also,thatthe fattedcalf.mustbe killedforthe celebrationofthe feast.For itfollows,And bringthefattedcalf,thatis,the Lord JesusChrist,whom he callsa calf,becauseof the sacrificeof a body without spot; but he calleditfatted,becauseitis richand costly, inasmuch as itis sufficientforthe salvationof the whole world. But theFatherdidnotHimselfsacrificethecalf,but gaveittobe sacrificedtoothers.FortheFatherpermitting, Aug. theSou consentingtheretoby men was crucified.AUG. Or,u isup. ^e fatte(jcalfisourLc-nlHimselfinthe fleshloadedwith insults.But inthattheFathercommands them tobringit, what elseisthisbut thattheypreachHim, and by declaring Him causeto revive,yetuncousumed by hunger,thebowels ofthehungrySon ? He alsobidsthem killHim, alludingto His death. For He isthenkilledtoeachman who believes Him slain.It follows,And letus eat. AMBROSE. Rightly the fleshof the calf,becauseitisthe priestlyvictimwhich was offeredforsin. But he introduceshim feasting,when he says,Be merry; to shew thatthefoodof theFatheris our salvation; thejoy of the Fatherthe redemptionofour Chrys. sins. CHRYS. For the fatherhimselfrejoicesin the returnl"•sup.of his son^an(lfeast;Son the calf,becausethe Creator, rejoicingin the acquisitionof a believingpeople,feasts on the fruitof His mercy by the sacrificeof His Son. Hence itfollows,For thismy son was dead,and is alive again. AMBROSE. He is dead who was. Thereforethe Gentilesare not,theChristianis. Here howevermightbe understoodone individualof the human race;Adam was, and inhim we allwere. Adam perished,and in him we all