33. Cf. Ps 2.7-8. Douay has "gentiles" rather than "nations." (continued)
TRACTATE 2 71 tangled so that he could not adopt us on account of their impediment. He himself loosed those whom he wanted to make his brothers and he made them coheirs. For so says the Apostle, "but if a son, an heir also through God."'^' And again, "heirs indeed of God but coheirs of Christ." He was not afraid to have coheirs; for his inheritance does not become meager if many shall possess it. In fact, when he possesses, they themselves become his inheritance and he in turn becomes their inheritance.
(3) Hear how they become his inheritance: "The Lord has said to me, 'You are my son; this day have I begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance.'"^^ And he, how does he become their inheritance? In the Psalm it says, "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup."^^ Let us possess him and let him possess us. Let him possess us, as the Lord; let us possess him as salvation; let us possess him as light.
(4) What, then, did he give to those who received him? "He gave power to be made the sons of God to these who believe in his name," so that they may hold onto the wood and cross the sea.
14. And how are they born? They are born, of course, because they become sons of God and brothers of Christ. For if they are not born, how can they become sons? But sons of men are born of flesh and blood, of the will of man, and of the embrace of wedlock. But they, how are they born to him "Who are not of bloods," as if of male and female?
(2) "Bloods" is not Latin, but because in Greek it is put into the plural, the translator preferred to put it so and, as it were, to use improper Latin according to the grammarians, but nonetheless to set forth the truth according to the ability of weak men to hear. For if he were to say "blood" in the singular number, he would not express what he intended; for men are born of the bloods of male and female. Let us say it, then,
31. Gal 4.7. 32. Rom 8.17.
33. Cf. Ps 2.7-8. Douay has "gentiles" rather than "nations." 34. Cf. Ps 15.5.