and fro unto the dawning of the day. Rz. O that thou. p. xcv. balances together! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of MY flesh is clothed with worms and GOD do set themselves in array against me. Ry. My flesh. p. xciv. Lesson II. DOTH the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder? Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg? The things that my soul refuseth to touch are as my sorrowful meat. Ry. My days. p. xcv. Lesson III. OH that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me? 1 Ry. Then will I. p. xcv. Of the Book of Job. Lesson I. Chap. vii. Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work; so am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to Lesson II. clods of dust: my skin is broken, and become loathsome. My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. O remember that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good. The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. Rz. O that my. p. xcvi. Lesson III. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? Ry. How forcible. p. xciv. SECOND SUNDAY IN SEPTEMBER. Of the Book of Job. know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with GOD? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. By. Shall we receive. p. xciv. tremble. Which commandeth the | is lifted up when despised. But this holy man, because he knew that every merit of our own virtue is vice, if it be strictly judged, rightly adds, If He will contend with me, I cannot answer Him one of a thousand. Ry. My flesh. p. xciv. sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. Ry. My sighing. p. xciv. Lesson III. LO, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? If GOD will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. Ry. How forcible. p. xciv. SECOND NOCTURN. From the Book of the Morals of Lesson IV. Book 4. Chap. 2. Lesson V. IN Holy Scripture, the number of a thousand is usually understood to mean universality. Hence the Psalmist says; His promise that He made to a thousand generations; whereas it is certain that from the beginning of the world to the Advent of the Redeemer, only seventy-seven generations are mentioned by the Evangelist. What therefore is signified by the number, a thousand, except the perfect wholeness of the foreknown generation, for the bringing forth fresh offspring? Hence it is also said by John: And they shall reign with Him a thousand years; because, no doubt, the reign of Holy Church is stablished in perfect universality. Ry. My days. p. xcv. Lesson VI. AND since a unit, multiplied ten times, becomes ten, and ten multiplied by itself is increased to a hundred, which, again multiplied by ten, is raised to be a thousand; when we begin from one, that we may come to a thousand, what are we to understand and in this place by the term one, except the that man, compared with GOD, beginning of a good life; what, by the fulcannot be justified. For man, when ness of the number a thousand, except not compared with GoD, does obtain the perfection of the same good life? some credit for righteousness, but, But to contend with God, is to attribute when brought into a comparison, he not to Him, but to one's self, the loses it because any one who com- glory of one's own virtue. But let a petes with the Author of good, strips holy man perceive, that if he who has himself of the good which he had already received the highest gifts from received. For he who claims as his GOD, is puffed up by what he has own the good things which he has re-obtained, he loses everything that he ceived, fights against GoD with his had received. own gifts. Therefore it is right that a man when set up should be cast down by the very means whereby he R. Then will I. p. xcv. MONDAY. Of the Book of Job. Lesson L. Chap. xxvii. MOREOVER Job continued his parable, and said, As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul; all the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of GoD is in my nostrils; my lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. GOD forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. B. My harp. p. xcv. Lesson IL MY righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go : my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will GOD hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? Ry. O that my. p. xcvi. I Lesson III. WILL teach you by the hand of GOD: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal. Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain? This is the portion of a wicked man with GOD, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty. If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep. Ry. How forcible. p. xcvi. TUESDAY. Of the Book of Job. Lesson I. Chap. xxviii. BUT where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of under standing? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither can silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire. R. My flesh. p. xeiv. Lesson II. THE gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. By. My days are few. p. xcv. GOD understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; to make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. Ry. Then will I. p. xciv. Of the Book of Job. Lesson I. Chap. xxxi. I MADE a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? For what portion of GOD is there from above? and what inherit ance of the Almighty from on high? | this that darkeneth counsel by words Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; let me be weighed in an evil balance, that GOD may know mine integrity. Ry. O that Thou. p. xcv. Lesson II. IF my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out. If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door; then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. Ry. O that my. p. xcvi. Lesson III. IF I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; what then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I an swer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof: (for from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb.) Ry. How forcible. p. xoiv. Of the Book of Job. without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man: for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of GOD shouted for joy? Ry. Shall we. p. xeiv. Lesson II. OR who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? when I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, and brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? Ry. My sighing. p. xciv. Lesson III. IT is turned as clay to the seal; and from the wicked their light is withthey stand as a garment: and holden, and the high arm shall be broken. Hast thou entered into the walked in the search of the depth? Have springs of the sea? or hast thou the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all. Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof, that thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof? Ry. How forcible. p. xciv. five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. Ry. Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away: as it pleased the LORD, So is it done; blessed be the name of the LORD. Y. Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither. The LORD. Now there was a day when the sons of GOD came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth GOD, and escheweth evil? Then Satan | answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear GoD for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. Ry. How forcible are right words! ye imagine to reprove words, and ye dig a pit for your friend. * Now therefore, be content, look upon me. y. Yea, return again, my righteousness is in it. Is there iniquity in my tongue? Now. Glory. Now. SECOND NOCTURN. From the book of the Morals of S. Gregory the Pope. Lesson IV. Book 2. Chap. I. HOLY Scripture is set before our mind's eyes as a kind of mirror, that we may see our inward countenance there. For there we take note of what is foul in us, and what is fair: there we perceive what progress we are making, there, how far we still are from perfection; for it relates the acts of the saints, and calls on weak hearts to imitate them; and while it commemorates their victorious deeds, it encourages our weakness to battle against sin, and through its words it comes to pass that the mind, when engaged in conflict, is the less fearful, because it sees the triumphs of so many mighty men set before it. Ry. My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust, my skin is broken, and become loathsome: * O remember that my life is wind. y. My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. O remember. Lesson V. BUT sometimes it not only declares their virtues. to us, but also makes known their falls; to the end that, in the victory of those mighty |
