R. vii. O that Thou wouldest hide me in the grave that Thou wouldest keep me secret until Thy wrath be past! O LORD, Save Thee, who only art GOD? * That Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! Y. Are Thy days as the days of man, that Thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? and there is none that can deliver out of Thine hand. That. ones, we may find something to grasp | me afraid. y. O LORD, correct me, at by imitation; and again, in their but with judgment; not in Thine falls, we may see what we ought to anger, lest Thou bring me to nothing. fear for ourselves. For see how Job And. Glory. And. is described as profiting, but David is overcome, by temptation; that the virtue of our forefathers may cherish our hope, while the falls of our forefathers may gird us for watchful humility to the end that while we rejoice and are elevated by the one, we may be kept humble, and may fear, through the other; and the soul of the hearer, instructed on the one hand by the confidence of hope, on the other by the bumility of fear, may neither grow rash and presume, in that it is weighed down by dread: nor yet be depressed and despair, because it is stablished in confidence of hope by the example of virtue. Ry. My days are few; cease then, O LORD, that I may take comfort a little before I go to the land of darkness and the shadow of death. . Thy hands have made me and fashioned me together round about, yet dost Thou destroy me. Before. Lesson VI. Book 1. Mor. c. i. THERE was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. The place where this holy man dwelt is written, that the merit of his virtue may be expressed. For is there any one who knows not that Uz is in the land of the Gentiles? The Gentiles were so tied and bound with sin, that they had not the knowledge of their Creator. It is therefore written where Job dwelt, that it may be counted in addition to his praises, that he was good among the bad. For it is no very praiseworthy thing to be good among the good, but to be good among the bad. For, as it is a heavier fault not to be good among the good, so it is boundless praise to be good among the evil. Ry. Then will I not hide myself from thee. Withdraw Thine hand far from me: and let not Thy dread make Ry. viii. Two Seraphim. p. xxviii. Of the Book of Job. Lesson I. Chap. i. AND there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: and there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: and the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of GOD is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Ry. My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep: * Let me alone, for my days are vanity. y. My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat. Let. Lesson II. WHILE he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, CAST abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place; hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee. Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. Ry. My days. p. xcv. Lesson III. Chap. xlii. THEN Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak; I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Ry. Then will I. p. xcv. SATURDAY. Lesson I. Chap. xlii. A ND it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have right, as my servant Job hath. not spoken of me the thing that is Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering: and my servant Job accept: lest I deal with you after your shall pray for you: for him will I folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. Ry. O that Thou. p. xcv. Lesson II. SO Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. Ry. O that my. p. xcvi. Lesson III. So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them an inheritance among their brethren. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days. Ry. How forcible. p. xciv. Here beginneth the Book of Tobit. Lesson I. Chap. i. THE book of the words of Tobit, son of Tobiel, the son of Ananiel, the son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the seed of Asael, of the tribe of Nephthali; who in the time of Enemesser king of the Assyrians was led captive out of Thisbe, which is at the right hand of that city, which is called properly Nephthali in Galilee above Aser. I Tobit have walked all the days of my life in the way of truth and justice, and I did many almsdeeds to my brethren, and my nation who came with me to Nineve, into the land of the Assyrians. And when I was in mine own country, in the land of Israel, being but young, all the tribe of Nephthali my father fell from the house of Jerusalem, which was chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, that all the tribes should sacrifice there, where the temple of the habitation of the most High was consecrated and built for ages. father Nephthali, sacrificed unto the heifer Baal. But I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it was ordained unto all the people of Israel by an everlasting decree, having the firstfruits and tenths of increase, with that which was first shorn; and them gave I at the altar to the priests the children of Aaron. The first tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of Aaron, who ministered at Jerusalem: another tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it every year at Jerusalem and the third I gave unto them to whom it was meet, as Debora my father's mother had commanded me, because I was left an Furthermore, orphan by my father. when I was come to the age of a man, I married Anna of mine own kindred, and of her I begat Tobias. Ry. Bless the LORD thy GOD alway, and desire of him that thy ways may be directed, * and that all thy paths and counsels may prosper. y. Seek that thou mayest do such things as are pleasing unto Him in truth, and with thy whole strength. And. Lesson III. AND when we were carried away Nineve, captives to all my brethren and those that were of my kindred did eat of the bread of the Gentiles. Ry. If it please not thee that I should die, command some regard to be had of me, and pity taken of me, that I hear no * more reproach. Remember not my sins, nor the sins of my fathers, neither take Thou vengeance on our sins, for Thou, O LORD, deliverest such as wait for Thee. y. Thou art just, and all thy works and all thy ways are mercy and truth; and now, O LORD, remember me. Remember. Lesson II. NOW all the tribes which together revolted, and the house of my But I kept myself from with all my heart. And the most eating; because I remembered GOD High gave me grace and favour before Enemessar, so that I was his purveyor. And I went into Media, and left in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Rages a city of Media, ten talents of silver. Now when Enemessar was dead, Sennacherib his son reigned in his stead; whose estate Media. And in the time of Enemessar was troubled, that I could not go into I gave many alms to my brethren, and gave my bread to the hungry. Ry. Fear not, my son, if we are made poor: * for thou hast much wealth, if thou fear GOD.. Be mindful of the LORD, and let not thy will be set to transgress His commandments. For. Glory. For. SECOND NOCturn. A Sermon of S. Leo the Pope. Sermon 9 on the fast of the 7th month. I KNOW, beloved brethren, that very many of you are so devout in those things which pertain to the observance of the Christian faith, that they stand in no need of our exhortations. For what tradition has long since decreed, and custom has confirmed, those that are learned are not ignorant of, and those that are pious do not pass by. But since it is the priest's office to have the same care over all the children of the church, we stir them up alike, to do what is equally good for the ignorant and the learned, whom we equally love; that we may keep with zealous faith, in chastisement of soul and body, the fast which the return of the seventh month an nounces to us. Ry. That which the LORD hath given us to live with, doth suffice us; be not greedy to add money to money, but let it be as refuse in respect of our son: * the staff of our hand. y. Now I care for nothing, my son, since I have let thee go, the light of mine eyes. The staff. Lesson V. THE observance of a fast is appointed for the four seasons, to this end: that as the whole course of the year always comes back to the same point, we may know that we unceasingly need purification; and must always endeavour, while we are tossed on the changes of this life, that the sin which is contracted by the frailty of the flesh, and by the stain of desire, may be done away by fasting and almsgiving. Let us fast a little while, beloved; and let us, for a little while, diminish from our usual expenses that which may advantage us in helping the poor. Ry. Bless GOD, and praise Him for the things which He hath done unto you * in the sight of all that live. y. Wherefore praise Him for ever, and give Gon thanks. In. Lesson VI. ET the conscience of the merciful rejoice in the fruits of liberality; and, bestowing gladness, thou shalt receive that whereby thou shalt rejoice. The love of our neighbour is the love of GOD, Who hath appointed that the fulness of the law and the prophets should consist in the unity of this double charity: so that no one need doubt that in giving anything to man he is offering it to GOD; according to that saying of the Redeemer, when He was speaking of feeding and helping the poor, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto Me. Let us, therefore, fast on the Wednesday and Friday, and keep vigil on the Saturday, so that by our fast and devotion we may please the merciful God. Ry. I go up to Him that sent me : now, therefore, give Gop thanks. Y Praise Him for the things which He hath done unto you in the sight of all that live. Now. Glory. Now. tions of the cities, what things they Rz. vii. We have heard the tribulahave suffered, and our hearts do fail: fear and heaviness have fallen upon us and upon our servants: yea, the mountains will not receive our flight: * LORD, have mercy. y. We have sinned with our fathers, we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly. LORD. Ry. viii. Two Seraphim. p. xxviii. MONDAY Of the Book of Tobit. Lesson I. Chap. ii. NOW when I was come home again, and my wife Anna was restored unto me, with my son Tobias, in the feast of Pentecost, which is the holy feast of the seven weeks, there was a good dinner prepared me, in the which I sat down to eat. And when I saw abundance of meat, I said to my son, Go and bring what poor man soever thou shalt find out of our brethren, who is mindful of the LORD; and, lo, I tarry for thee. But he came again, and said, Father, one of our nation is strangled, and is cast out in the marketplace. Then before I had tasted of any meat, I started up, and took him up into a room until the going down of the sun. Ry. If it please. p. ciii. Lesson II. to cry, I said unto her, From whence Lesson II. BUT she replied upon me, It was given for a gift more than the wages. Howbeit I did not believe her, but bade her render it to the owners and I was abashed at her. But she replied upon me, Where are thine alms and thy righteous deeds? behold, thou and all thy works are known. Then I being grieved did weep, and in my sorrow prayed, saying, O LORD, thou art just, and all thy works and all thy ways are mercy and truth, and thou judgest truly and Remember me, and look on me, punish me not for my sins and ignorances, and the sins of my fathers, who have sinned before thee. THEN I returned, and washed my Ry. Bless the LORD. p. ciii. Lesson III. THE same night also I returned from the burial, and slept by the wall of my courtyard, being polluted, and my face was uncovered: and I knew not that there were sparrows in the wall, and mine eyes being open, the sparrows muted warm dung into mine eyes, and a whiteness came in mine eyes; and I went to the physicians, but they helped me not: moreover Achiacharus did nourish me, until I went into Elymais. Ry. Fear not. p. ciii. TUESDAY. Of the Book of Tobit. AND my wife Anna did take she had sent them home to the owners, they paid her wages, and gave her also besides a kid. And when it was in my house, and began Ry. Bless God. p. civ. FOR they obeyed not thy command ments: wherefore thou hast de livered us for a spoil, and unto captivity, and unto death, and for a proverb of reproach to all the nations among whom we are dispersed. And now thy judgments are many and true: deal with me according to my sins and my fathers': because we have not kept thy commandments, neither have walked in truth before thee. Now therefore deal with me as seemeth best unto thee, and command my spirit to be taken from me, that I may be dissolved, and become earth for it is profitable for me to die rather than to live. |