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Lesson of the Holy Gospel according | Al. They gave splendour to GoD. Al.

to S. John.

Lesson VII. Chap. xv.

* And they were curdled like milk. Al. Al. . Purer than snow, whiter than milk, more ruddy than rubies, fairer

At that time: JESUS said unto His than sapphires. And. Glory. And.

disciples: I am the true Vine, and My FATHER is the Husbandman. And that which follows.

A Homily of S. Augustine the Bishop.

Tract 80 on S. John.

This place of the gospel, brethren, where the LORD calls Himself the vine and His disciples branches, He saith in sense, because the Head of the Church, and Mediator between GOD and man, is the Man JESUS CHRIST; and we are His members. Forasmuch

as the vine and the branches are of

one nature. Wherefore, being GOD, of Whose nature we are not, He was made man, that in Him the Vine, being of human nature, we likewise, being men, might be branches.

Ry. I am the True Vine, and My FATHER is the Husbandman; * he that dwelleth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. Al. Al. . As My FATHER hath loved Me, even so have I loved you. He. Ben. He (or they) whose feast.

Lesson VIII.

WHAT then is this: I am the true

Vine? By adding the word true, doth He point to that vine from whence this similitude is drawn? For He is

so called a vine by way of similitude, not, by reason of quality, like as He is called a Sheep, a Lamb, a Lion, a Rock, a Corner-stone, and other such things from which these similitudes, though not any qualities, are derived, and which are in themselves true. But when He saith: I am the true Vine, He distinguishes Himself from that, to which it is said: How art thou turned into bitterness, into a strange vine? In what way is that a true vine of which grapes are expected, but it brings forth thorns?

Ry. Her Nazarites were made white.

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Te Deum, p. 15.

OTHER LESSONS.
For Martyrs in Easter-tide.

SECOND NOCTURN.
From the Epistle of S. Cyprian, B. M.,
to the Martyrs and Confessors.
Lesson IV.
Book 2. Ep. 6.
WITH what praises shall I speak

of you, most mighty Martyrs? with what proclaiming voice shall I extol the valour of your minds, and perseverance of your faith? Ye endured to the end the most hard question of glory: nor yielded ye from torment, but rather the torments yielded to you. The end of your sorrows, which torments gave not, your crowns did give. The butchery lasted long and the more severely, not to cast down steadfast faith, but the more rapidly to send the men of God to God.

Ry, Light perpetual. p. 77.

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A Homily of S. Gregory the Homily 37. on the Gospe If we consider, dearly belove thren, what and how great are things promised unto us in hea all that we have upon earth comes as nought to our soul. when earthly goods are compared wit heavenly happiness, they become a burden, not an aid. Temporal life when compared with eternal life should rather be called death than la life. For what is the daily weakness fol of corruption, but a sort of lengthening kept out of death? But what tongue can Mare declare, what understanding can com- and prehend, how great are the of that Heavenly City: to be ame

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Lesson of the Holy Gospel according | Al. They gave splendour to GoD. Al.

to S. John.

Lesson VII. Chap. xv.

*And they were curdled like milk. Al. Al. . Purer than snow, whiter than milk, more ruddy than rubies, fairer

AT that time: JESUs said unto His than sapphires. And. Glory. And.

disciples: I am the true Vine, and My FATHER is the Husbandman. And that which follows.

A Homily of S. Augustine the Bishop.

Tract 80 on S. John.

This place of the gospel, brethren, where the LORD calls Himself the vine and His disciples branches, He saith in sense, because the Head of the Church, and Mediator between GOD and man, is the Man JESUS CHRIST; and we are His members. Forasmuch as the vine and the branches are of

Lesson IX.

IAM, saith He, the true Vine, and

But

My Father is the Husbandman. Are then the Husbandman and the Vine one and the same? CHRIST is the Vine, according to that He saith: My FATHER is greater than I. according to that His other saying, I and My FATHER are one: He Himself is the Husbandman; not such as those who perform their ministry by external work, but such that He giveth increase. For neither is he, that planteth anything, neither is he that watereth; but He that giveth the increase from within, GOD. But verily CHRIST is GOD; for the Word was GOD whence He and the FATHER are Ry. I am the True Vine, and My which He was not before, nevertheless, one and if the Word is made Flesh,

one nature. Wherefore, being GOD, of Whose nature we are not, He was made man, that in Him the Vine, being of human nature, we likewise, being men, might be branches.

FATHER is the Husbandman; * he that dwelleth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. Al. Al. . As My FATHER hath loved Me, even so have I loved you. He. Ben. He (or they) whose feast.

Lesson VIII.

WHAT then is this: I am the true

Vine? By adding the word true, doth He point to that vine from whence this similitude is drawn? For He is

so called a vine by way of similitude, not, by reason of quality, like as He is called a Sheep, a Lamb, a Lion, a Rock, a Corner-stone, and other such things from which these similitudes, though not any qualities, are derived, and which are in themselves true. But when He saith: I am the true Vine, He distinguishes Himself from that, to which it is said: How art thou turned into bitterness, into a strange vine? In what way is that a true vine of which grapes are expected, but it brings forth thorns?

Ry. Her Nazarites were made white.

He remains what He was.

Te Deum, p. 15.

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Book 2. Ep. 6.
WITH what praises shall I speak

of you, most mighty Martyrs ? with what proclaiming voice shall I extol the valour of your minds, and perseverance of your faith? Ye endured to the end the most hard question of glory: nor yielded ye from torment, but rather the torments yielded to you. The end of your sorrows, which torments gave not, your crowns did give. The butchery lasted long and the more severely, not to cast down steadfast faith, but the more rapidly to send the men of GOD to God.

Ry, Light perpetual. p. 77.

Lesson V.

THIRD NOCTURN.

to S. John.

THE multitude of bystanders won- Lesson of the Holy Gospel according deringly beheld the heavenly conflict, the conflict of GOD, the spiritual conflict, the battle of CHRIST: While His servants stood

Lesson VII. Chap. xv.

AT that time: JEsus said to His

with free speech, incorrupt mind,
divine strength, exposed indeed to
worldly weapons, but clad in the
armour of burning faith. The tor-
tured abode stronger than the tor-nothing. And that which follows.
turers and the bruising and lace-
rating hooks were overcome by the
bruised and lacerated limbs. Cruel

disciples: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit for without Me ye can do

and reiterated wounds could not quell unconquerable faith, although, the outer bands and sinews being broken, not the limbs, but rather the wounds of God's servants, were tortured. There flowed blood, fit to quench the fire of persecution, and appease with its glorious drops the fires of

hell.

Ry. In His servants. p. 88.

Lesson VI.

HOW noble was that sight in the LORD's eyes! how sublime, how great, how well pleasing in the sight of GOD the faith and loyalty of His soldier! As it is written in the Psalms, the HOLY GHOST speaking to us likewise and teaching us: Right dear in the sight of the LORD is the death of His Saints. Right dear is that death,

which bought immortality with the price of its blood, and received the crown of consummated virtue. How joyful was CHRIST, being there present: with what alacrity He fought and conquered in these His servants: the Protector of the faith, giving to believers as much as the recipient believed himself to have received: He was present in his conflict, and raised up, strengthened, and encouraged the warriors and champions of His name. And He who once conquered death for us, ever conquers in us.

Ry. Come forth. p. 88.

Homily of S. Augustine, Bp.

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Tract 81 upon S. John.
branch might bear at least some small
Lest any should think that the
fruit of itself, because He had said,
The same bringeth forth much fruit:
He saith not, For without me ye can
Whether therefore it be little or much,
do but little; but, ye can do nothing.
it cannot be done without Him, with-
out whom nothing can be done:
because even though the branch
bear little, the Husbandman purgeth
it that it may bear more. Howbeit
except it abide in the vine, and draw
life from the root, it can bear no fruit
whatsoever. For although CHRIST had
not been the Vine except He had been
man: nevertheless He could not have
bestowed this grace upon the branches,
except He had been ĜOD also.

Ry. I am the True Vine. p. 89.
Lesson VIII.

BUT although it be thus that it is
this grace, yet also is death in the
impossible to be alive without
power of the free will. If a man
abide not in Me, saith He, he is cast
forth as a branch and is withered;
and men gather them and cast them
into the fire and they are burned.
The sticks therefore of the vine are as
worthless if not abiding in the vine,
as they would have been glorious had
they abode there. Then also concern-
ing these the Lord speaketh by
Ezekiel the Prophet: When they are
cut off they are meet for no use of
the husbandmen, neither are they
reserved for any work of the carpenter.

One of two things chanceth to the branch, the vine or the fire; if it be not in the vine it will be in the fire; therefore that it be not in the fire let it be in the vine.

Ry. Her Nazarites. p. 89.
Lesson IX.

IF ye abide in Me, saith He, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. By abiding in CHRIST, what can they wish save that which agreeth with CHRIST? What can they wish when abiding in the SAVIOUR, save that which is not foreign to salvation? For we desire one thing because we are in CHRIST, and another because we are yet in this world. For while we dwell in this world, it is sometimes suggested to us to ask a thing which we are not aware is inexpedient for us. But God forbid that that thing should be done for us if we abide in CHRIST, who, when we ask, doeth nothing, save what is expedient for us.

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Of the Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Romans. Lesson I. Chap. viii. THEREFORE, brethren, we debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as the sons of GOD. are led by the Spirit of GOD, they are received the spirit of bondage again to For ye have not fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of GoD: and if children, then heirs; heirs of GoD, and joint-heirs with CHRIST; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of GOD.

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Ant. As gold in the furnace the LORD proved His elect, and, as a whole burnt sacrifice, He received them for A ever. Ps. ii. Quare fremuerunt gentes, p. 5.

love

Lesson II.

ND we know that all things work together for good to them that GOD, to them who are called

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