It often, however, happens that the offspring are condemned through the wicked deeds of their forefathers, if they imitate them in evil. But if the offspring are righteous, then will they live in their righteousness, and will not in the least bear their parents' sins. Let no man be so impious that he curse Adam or Eve, who now reign with God in heaven, but let him rather merit God's mercy, so that he turn his own choice to the obedience and commandments of his Creator; for no man will be saved, but through the grace of Jesus Christ: that grace he prepared and preordained to last for ever, before the foundation of the world.
My brothers, ye have now heard concerning the false imagination, which vain men call destiny: let us now resume the exposition of the gospel, where we previously left it. { 117} The astrologers went into the child's inn, and found him with his mother. They then, with outstretched bodies, worshipped Christ, and opened their coffers, and offered to him threefold gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Gold befits a king; frankincense belongs to God's service; with myrrh the corpses of the dead are prepared that they may not soon rot. These three astrologers worshipped Christ, and offered to him significant gifts. The gold betokened that he is a true King. The frankincense that he is true God. The myrrh that he was then mortal; but he now continues immortal to eternity.
There were some heretics who believed that he was God, but they in no wise believed that he anywhere reigned: they offered frankincense to Christ spiritually, and would not offer him gold. Again, there were other heretics who believed that he was a true King, but they denied that he was God: these, without doubt, offered gold to him, and would not offer frankincense. Some heretics acknowledged that he was true God and true King, and denied that he assumed mortal flesh: these brought him gold and frankincense, and would not bring the myrrh of the assumed mortality.
My brothers, let us offer to our Lord gold in acknowledgment that he is a true King, and rules everywhere. Let us offer to him frankincense, because we believe that he ever was God, who at that time appeared man. Let us bring him myrrh, because we believe that he was mortal in our flesh, who is impassible in his divine nature. He was mortal in human nature before his passion, but he is henceforth immortal, as we all shall be after the universal resurrection.