reward delight the mind, but let not the conflict of toils affright. Wherefore the Truth saith unto them that come unto Him: If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and

to them that love Him. . He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and mercy. Which. Glory. Which.] Te Deum. p. 16.

R. This is the true Martyr who poured forth his blood for the Name of CHRIST; * who feared not the threats of judges, nor sought the dignity of earthly glory, but attained

to the kingdom of heaven. . The LORD led the righteous man by right ways, and shewed him the kingdom of GOD. Who. Glory. Who. Ben. The King of Angels.

Lesson IX.

BUT it may well be asked: how is it

that we are commanded to hate our parents and neigbours after the flesh, when we are ordered to love even our enemies? And verily the Truth saith concerning a wife : What God hath joined together let no man put asunder. And Paul saith Husbands, love your wives, even as CHRIST the Church. Lo, the disciple preacheth that a wife is to be loved, when the Master saith: If any man hate not his wife, he cannot be My disciple. Doth the judge declare one thing and the crier proclaim another? Can we love and hate both at the same time? But if we ponder the force of the commandment, we can do both by right discernment; so that we can love wife, and those who are joined to us by fleshly kindred, and those whom we know, as neighbours, but those whom we suffer as adversaries in the way of GOD, we must hate, and flee from, and so know them not.

[R. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the LORD hath promised

*

SECOND NOCTURN.

From the Exposition by S. Ambrose the Bp. of the 119th Psalm.

Lesson IV. Serm. xxi.

PRINCES have persecuted me

without a cause, but my heart

standeth in awe of Thy Word. Well does a Martyr say this, because unjustly he suffered the agony of persecution; he that committed no robbery, oppressed none by violence, shed no blood, defiled the bed of none, who owed nothing to the laws,

and yet was made to bear a punish-
ment heavier than that of robbers:
who spake righteously, and was not
hearkened to: who spake words full
of salvation and was striven with :
so that he might say: When I spake
unto them, they fought against me
without a cause.
Without a cause
therefore he suffers persecution, who
is accused without crime: he is
accused as harmful, while in his
confession he is praiseworthy: ac-
cused as a sorcerer, when he glories
in the Name of the LORD, since
loving kindness is the foundation of
all virtues.

R. The LORD made him. p. 91.
Lesson V.

TRULY in vain is he accused, who

is charged before the impious and unbelieving with impiety while he is master of the faith. Verily he that is accused without a cause must be strong and stedfast. Wherefore then is it added: But my heart standeth in awe of Thy word? To be in awe belongeth unto weakness, dread, and fear. But there is a weakness unto salvation, and there

is also a fear of the saints. Fear the LORD, all ye His saints: and, Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD. Wherefore blessed? For he hath great delight in His command

ments.

R. Thou hast given him. p. 91.

Lesson VI.

LET the martyr therefore be placed amid perils, while on one side the savage beasts strike terror by their roaring, on another the hissing of the red hot irons and the flames of the fiery furnace glow; here clank the heavy chains, there stands the blood-stained executioner. Let all things around, on which he looks, be full of torments, while he, thinking on the divine commandments, on that perpetual fire, that endless burning of the wicked, the

bitterness of that ever renewed suffering, his heart standeth in awe; lest by yielding before present destruction he give himself to that which never endeth: he is troubled in spirit, whilst he beholdeth as in a figure that dreadful sword of judgement to come. In this fearful trustfulness of the stedfast man, does not the equal confidence of him who desires things eternal, and is in awe of things divine, combine for the one result?

Ry. The LORD clothed. p. 92.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. Matthew.. 16 Lesson VII. Chap. xvi.

AT IT that time: JESUS said unto His disciples: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

And that which follows.

Homily of S. Gregory the Pope.

Hom. 32 on the Gospels. Because our LORD and Redeemer came as the New Man into the

world, He gave the world new commandments. For to our old life bred in sin He opposed the contrast of His new life. For what else knew the old and carnal man, save to keep his own, to steal the goods of others if he could, covet them if he could not? But the heavenly Physician applieth medicines suitable for each evil. For as in the science of medicine heat is cured by cold, and cold by heat: so our LORD opposeth remedies contrary to sins, so that to the loose He prescribeth continence, to the grasping liberality, to the wrathful meekness, to the proud humility.

R. There is a crown.

Lesson VIII.

P. 92.

VERILY He propounded new commandments, when He said to His followers: Except a man leave all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple. As if He would plainly say: Ye, who according to your old life, desire the goods of others, now, according to your zeal in your new conversation, give away your own. Let us hear what He saith in that lesson: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself. There it is said that we must deny our possessions; here it is said that we must deny ourselves. And perchance it is not hard for a man to leave his goods, but very hard indeed is it for him to leave himself. For it is little to deny that which he hath, but it is very much to deny that which he is. R. This is the true. p. 93.

Lesson IX.

THE LORD commanded us when

we come unto Him to leave our goods: because whosoever we be, when we come to the contest of faith, we undertake a struggle against the evil spirits. But the evil spirits possess nothing in this world of their

own naked therefore should we

wrestle with the naked. For if one that is clothed wrestle with one naked, he is very quickly thrown to the ground, because he hath whereby he may be grasped. And what are all earthly things, save a sort of clothing for the body? He then that approaches to combat with the devil, let him cast aside his garments, lest he fall.

[R. Blessed. p. 93.]

Te Deum. p. 16.

3. OTHER HOMILIES FOR ONE MARTYR.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. Matthew.

10

Lesson VII. Chap. x.

AT that time: JESUS said unto His disciples: There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. And that which follows.

Homily of S. Hilary the Bishop. Commentary on S. Matthew x. The LORD sets forth the Day of Judgement, which shall make manifest the hidden things of our hearts, and bring to light before all men those things which we now esteem to be hidden. Therefore He teacheth that the threats, the counsels, the might of our persecutors are not to be feared, for the Day of Judgement will shew that they were nothing but vanity. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in the light and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. We do not read that the LORD was wont to preach by night, nor to deliver His doctrine in the dark; but every word of His is dark to the carnal mind, and His word is as night to unbelievers. p. 92.

R. There is a crown.

Lesson VIII.

then He desires that His own words should be declared with freedom of faith and confession. Therefore He commandeth that the

things spoken in darkness should be preached in the light, and that

secrets committed to the ear should is, should be spoken with loud be heard upon the housetops, that proclamation. Continually therefore is the knowledge of GOD to be brought forward, and the deep secret of gospel doctrine to be made known by the light of apostolic preaching, not fearing those who, though they may have power over the body, yet have no authority over the soul: but rather fearing GOD, Who hath power to cast both soul and body

into hell.

R. This is the true. p. 93.

FEA

Lesson IX.

EAR not them which kill the body. No chance therefore which can happen to our bodies is to be feared, neither must we allow any grief for the destruction of the flesh: for when it is dissolved by reason of its own nature and origin, its substance is spiritual restored to the soul. In order that they who are strengthened by such teaching should have bold confidence in confessing GOD, He addeth the conditions whereby we are to be bound: that He will deny before His FATHER in heaven that man who denied Him among men upon earth: but on the other hand, the man who confessed Him before men will be confessed by Him in heaven, for according as

we have been witnesses to His Name

among men, so will His testimony profit us with GOD the FATHER.

[R. Blessed. p. 93.]

Te Deum. p. 16.

COMMON OF MARTYRS IN

EASTER-TIDE.

Ant.

SECOND NOCTURN.

Behold how they are num

the LORD; * Alleluia.

Ps. Venite. p. 3.

tuorum, as p. 89.

T

(For many Martyrs,)

Eterna Christi munera,
Et martyrum victorias.

HE eternal gifts of CHRIST the King,
The Martyrs' glorious deeds we sing:
And while due hymns of praise we pay,
Our thankful hearts cast grief away.
The terrors of the world despised,
The body's torments lightly prized,
By one brief space of death and pain
Life everlasting they obtain.

To flames the Martyr Saints are haled:
By teeth of savage beasts assailed:
Against them, arm'd with ruthless brand
And hooks of steel, their torturers stand.

The mangled frame is tortured sore;
The holy life-drops freshly pour:
They stand unmoved amidst the strife,
By grace of everlasting life.
Redeemer, hear us of Thy love,
That, with the Martyr Host above,
Hereafter, of Thine endless grace,

Thy servants also may have place. Amen.
The above hymn always ends thus.

15

Pss. for many Martyrs: Ps. xv., Domine, quis habitabit, p. 10; Ps. xvi.16 Conserva, p. 11; Ps. xxiv., Domini est terra, p. 69.

. R. as in Common of Apostles in Easter-tide, pp. 88, 89.

A Sermon of S. Ambrose the Bishop. Lesson IV. Sermon 22.

IT is meet and fitting, brethren,

that after the Easter joy, which we have celebrated in the church, we should discourse of our gladness with the holy Martyrs; and should declare the glory of the LORD'S Resurrection to those who were partakers of the LORD's Passion. For those who are companions in contumely ought to be sharers in joy. Even as the blessed Apostle saith: As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the resurrection; if we suffer, saith he, we shall also reign with Him. They therefore who endured evils for CHRIST

ought also to be glorified with

CHRIST.