ing for His coming. For he points | out to us this faithful and wise servant, caring for the welfare and advantage of the people committed to him. And if he hearken to his LORD's word, and be obedient to his commands, i.e., if by doctrine sound and in season he strengthen the weak, bind together that which is broken, bring back that which has been led astray, and dispense the word of life, as the food for eternity, to nourish her family; if he be found doing these things, and occupied in them, he shall receive honour from the LORD, as a faithful minister and useful steward, and shall be appointed ruler over all His goods, that is he shall be set down in the presence of the glory of God; for there is nothing besides, that is better in comparison of this. Ry. Let your loins. p. 100. Lesson IX. BUT if beholding the long suffering of God, which delayeth for the sake of man's salvation, he begin to lord it over his fellow servants, and give himself over to the evil lusts of the world, only taking care of things present, making a god of the belly: the Lord will come in a day when he looketh not for Him, will cut him off from the goods wherein he trusted, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites in everlasting punishment; because he looked not for His coming, because he obeyed not the commandments, because he took care for things present, because he lived as do the heathen; because, looking not for judgment, he grieved the household FIRST NOCTurn. Of the Book of Ecclesiasticus. HE will seek out the wisdom of all Lesson II. HE will give his heart to resort early to the LORD that made him, and will pray before the Most High, and will open his mouth in prayer, and make supplication for his sins. When the great LORD will, he shall be filled with the spirit of understanding: he shall pour out wise sentences, and give thanks unto the LORD in his prayer. He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate. For Doct. Bp. Ry. This is the great priest. p. 98. For a Doct. righteous shall blossom as a lily, * he not Bp. Ry. The shall flourish for ever before the LORD. . Planted in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our GOD. He shall flourish. Lesson III. intrusted to him by hunger, thirst, HE shall shew forth that which he and slaughter. Te Deum. p. 15. FOR DOCTORS. The following Lessons are read on the Festivals of Doctors: the Office is of Conf. Bp. or of Conf. not Bp., according to the quality of the Festival. hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the LORD. Many shall commend his understanding; and so long as the world endureth, it shall not be blotted out; his memorial shall not depart away, and his name shall live from generation to generation. Nations shall shew forth his wisdom, and the congregation shall declare his praise. For Doct. Bp. Ry. The LORD ing were not rain, Moses would never sware. p. 98. have said, Let my doctrine drop as the rain. Truth would never have said by the lips of Isaiah, I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, and that which we brought forward a little before: Therefore the drops of the showers are withholden. * For Doct. not Bp. Ry. He knew righteousness, and beheld great wonders, and prevailed with the Most High, and he is found in the number of the Saints. . This is he who despised the life of this world, and attained to the heavenly kingdom. And he is found. Glory. And he is found. WHO then after the Oriones are For Doct. Bp. Ry. I have laid. p. 98. For Doct. not Bp. Ry. The LORD loved, p. 99. Lesson VI. THUS, while the Hyades.come bring ing showers, the sun is led on to the higher regions of heaven, in that when the knowledge of the Doctors denoted by the title of the Hyades, saving the Doctors of Holy showers of preaching, the heat of faith appears, while our minds drink in the Church, who, when the martyrs were increases. And the earth being irritaken away, came at that period to the world's knowledge, when faith now when the light of the sky is fired; in gated is rendered productive in fruit, shines forth the brighter, and the that we yield the fruit of good works winter of infidelity being forced back, the more plentifully, the brighter we the sun of truth penetrates the hearts burn within our breasts through the of the faithful with his heat? These, flame of sacred instruction. And while when the storm of persecution was overpast, and the long nights of in-them more and more day by day, it is heavenly lore is displayed to view by fidelity consummated, then arose to Holy Church when the year now opens brighter in the vernal season of belief. as if the springtide of interior light were opened upon us, that the new sun may glow brightly in our souls, and being by their words made known For Doct. Bp. Ry. I have found. to us, may daily surpass itself in brilFor Doct. not Bp. Ry. The LORD.liancy. For the end of the world being close at hand, the knowledge from above advances, and waxes bigger with the progress of time. p. 98. p. 105. NOR Lesson V. are the Holy Doctors improperly denoted by the designation of Hyades, for in the Greek tongue rain is called Hyetus, and the Hyades have received their name For Doct. Bp. Ry. This is. p. 106. P. 106. THIRD NOCTURN. to S. Matthew. Lesson VII. Chap. v. from the rains, surely because at their Lesson of the Holy Gospel according rising they bring showers. Thus they are well represented by the title of the Hyades, who, brought out into the settled frame of Holy Church, as it were into the face of heaven, poured down upon the parched earth of the human heart the showers of holy preaching. For if the word of preach AT T that time: JESUS said unto His disciples: Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? And that which follows. Hom. of S. Austin Bp. Book I, of the Sermon on the Mount. Chapter vi. L. 4. The LORD sheweth that those are to be esteemed as having lost their savour, who, seeking abundance of temporal good things, or who fearing a lack thereof, lose those which are eternal, which can by man be neither given nor taken away. Therefore, if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? that is to say, if ye, by whom, so to speak, the people were to be seasoned, lose the kingdom of heaven by fear of temporal persecutions, who shall rescue you from your error, seeing that God has chosen you to rescue the rest of the world from error? For Doct. Bp. Ry. The LORD loved. p. 99. For Doct. not Bp. Ry. This. p. 106. Lection VIII. THEREFORE the salt that has lost its savour is good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. He is not truly trodden under foot of men, who suffers persecution, but he who through fear of persecution becomes as the salt that has lost its savour. For no one can be trodden under foot unless he is undermost, but he is not really undermost, who, however much he may suffer in the body on earth, has his heart fixed above in heaven. Ry. In the midst of the Church he opened his lips, and the LORD filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding. V. Joy and exultation He poured upon him. And. Glory. And. Lesson IX. YE are the light of the world. As above He said salt of the earth, now He says light of the world; but the earth above mentioned is not to be taken as of the earth which we tread with our feet, but of men who live on the earth, and of sinners, to preserve whom, and to do away with whose uncleanness the LORD sent the apostolic salt. And by the world should be understood, not heaven and earth, but men who are in the world, and who love the world, and to enlighten whom the apostles were sent. A city placed upon a hill cannot be hid; that is, built upon such great righteousness; which was signified by the very mountain upon which the LORD spoke. Te Deum, p. 15. COMMON OF A CONFESSOR NOT A All as in Common of Conf. Bp. p. 97, except that which follows. FIRST NOCTURN. Of the Book of Wisdom. BUT though the righteous be pre vented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the grey hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased GOD, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: for his soul pleased the LORD: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked. Ry. Well done. p. 97. Lesson II. THIS the people saw, and under stood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen. Thus the righteous that is dead shall con demn the ungodly which are living; and youth that is soon perfected the many years and old age of the unrighteous. For they shall see the end of the wise, and shall not understand what GOD in his counsel hath decreed of him, and to what end the LORD hath set him in safety. They shall see him, and despise him; but GoD shall laugh them to scorn: and they shall hereafter be a vile carcass, and a reproach among the dead for evermore. For he shall rend them, and cast them down headlong, that they shall be speechless; and he shall shake them from the foundation; and they shall be utterly laid waste. Ry. The righteous. p. 102. TH Lesson III. HEY shall be in sorrow, and their memorial shall perish. And when they cast up the accounts of their sins, they shall come with fear and their own iniquities shall convince them to their face. Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours. When they see it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his salvation, so far beyond all that they looked for. And they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit shall say within themselves, This was he, whom we had sometimes in derision, and a proverb of reproach: we fools accounted his life madness, and his end to be without honour: how is he numbered among the children of GOD, and his lot is among the saints! Ry. He knew righteousness. p, 103. SECOND NOCTURN. Lesson IV. Sermon of S. John Chrysostom. From the Oration on S. Philogonius. THE day of blessed N., whose festival we celebrate, hath summoned us to declare his good deeds; to-day indeed did that blessed one pass to the life that is calm and free from trouble, and land his vessel on that shore, where henceforth he could fear neither shipwreck, nor trouble of mind, nor sorrow. And what marvel if that place be free from all that may distress the soul, when Paul, speaking to those living in this present world, saith, Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing? Ry. The LORD made him honourable, and guarded him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait, * and gave him eternal glory. V. The LORD led the him the kingdom of GOD. And. just man by right paths, and shewed 'Lesson V. BUT if in this life, where disease, untimely deaths, railings, backbitings, envyings, strifes, wrath, inordinate affections, countless snares, daily anxieties, are to be found: where a continued succession of ills brings innumerable sorrows on every side: if here Paul said that it was possible to rejoice evermore, if any one would lift up his head but a little above the waves of this troublesome world, and order his life aright: much more shall we be able to enjoy that blessing after we have departed hence, when all these hindrances have been removed: ill-health, disease, occasion of sin; when there shall no longer be that harsh distinction between mine and thine, which brings upon us whatever ills we suffer in this present life, and is the source of innumerable wars. Ry. The LORD loved. p. 99. Lesson VI. WHEREFORE I above all things am glad in the happiness of this Saint, because albeit he is taken But it is of small profit to do no evil, unless we also study to labour exceedingly in good works, and so next it is added: And your lights burning in your hands. We hold burning lights in our hands when we shew unto our neighbours by our good works, the example of our light. Of which good works, indeed, the LORD saith: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your FATHER which is in heaven. away, and hath left this city, which is | gird the loins when we repress the ours, yet nevertheless he is gathered luxury of the flesh by continence. into another city, to wit, that of GOD: and though he hath departed from this church, he hath attained unto that, which is of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven: and though he hath left feast days here, he hath passed to the solemnities of the angels. And of a truth what that city above may be, what that church, what that solemnity, hear Paul saying: Ye are come to the city of the Living GOD, the heavenly Jerusalem, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven, and to an innumerable company of angels. AT that time: JESUS said unto His disciples: Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning. And that which follows. A Homily of S. Gregory the Pope. 13th Hom. on the Gospels. The lesson from the Holy Gospel, dearly beloved brethren, which has been read to you, is plain. But lest the plain should perchance seem to any to be a mountain, we will briefly go through it, in such a manner as to make the explanation intelligible to those that know it not, and yet not burdensome to those who already understand it. The LORD saith, Let your loins be girded about. For we Ry. This is he who worked great righteousness before GOD, and with his whole heart praised the LORD: * may he intercede for the sins of all the people. V. This is a man without blame, a true worshipper of GOD, abstaining from every evil work, and abiding in his innocence. May he. Ben. He whose feast. Lesson VIII. BUT two things are commanded, to gird up our loins, and to hold our lamps; that there may be the pureness of chastity in our body, and the light of truth in our works. For the one without the other can in no wise please our Redeemer, if, for example, he who does good works forsake not the pollutions of riotous living, or if Ry. Let your loins. p. 100. AND ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he return from the wedding; that |