an artificer, is working even through my tongue. Nor was it without a meaning that squared beams were used in building Noah's Ark, which was a figure of the Church. For what is it to be made square? Listen to the resemblance of the squared stone: like qualities should the Christian have. In all his trials the Christian never falls; though pushed, and, as it were, turned over, he falls not; and thus too, whichever way a square stone is turned, it stands erect.-Hom. on Ps. 87.

LXIX.

THERE are men who with patience

submit to die; but there are some perfect who with patience endure to live. What did I say? A man who still desires this life, when the day of death has come upon him, patiently endures death; he struggles against himself that he may follow the will of God; and in his mind makes that his business which God

H

chooses, not what his human will chooses : from desire of the life present, there comes a reluctance against death, but yet he takes to him patience and fortitude, that he may die with composure. This man patiently submits to death. But he who desires, as the Apostle says, to be dissolved and to be with Christ, that man does not patiently die, but patiently lives, delightedly dies. See the Apostle patiently living; that is, how with patience he here, not loves life, but puts up with it. fore, brethren, do your endeavour; settle it inwardly with yourselves to make this your concern, that ye may desire the day of judgment. No otherwise is charity proved to be perfect, but only when one has begun to desire that day. But that man desires it who has boldness in it, whose conscience feels no alarm in perfect and sincere charity.-On S. John's Ep. Hom. 9.

There

MEN

LXX.

were held captive under the Devil, and served devils; but they have been redeemed from captivity. They could sell, but they could not redeem themselves. The Redeemer came and

gave a price. He poured forth His blood. He bought the whole world. Do ye ask what He bought? See what He has given; find out then what He bought. The blood of Christ was the price. What is worth this? What, but the whole world? What, but all nations? They are very ungrateful for their price, or very proud, who say that the price is so small that it bought the Africans only; or that they are so great, as that it was given for them alone. Let them not then exult, let them not be proud: He gave what He gave for the whole world. He knew what He bought, because He knew at what price He bought it.-Hom. on Ps. 96.

LXXI.

WHEN we see two persons, the one

enraged, the other meekly enduring, it is for you to judge which of them is on fire. Ye may behold such a spectacle in the human race. Place before your eyes an unjust man, excited in mind, savage in countenance, with flaming eyes, with flashing words, carried on to another's death, to depredations, injuries, insults, not able to hold, to restrain himself; the other patiently enduring his words, his blows, whatsoever he chooses to inflict, and when he strikes his cheek, offering him the other also: when thou hast seen on the one side, fury, on the other, mildness; on the one, anger, on the other, patience; on the one, flames, on the other, endurance; wilt thou hesitate to pronounce which of these is on fire, and suffering punishment?-Hom. on Ps. 97.

LXXII.

IT seemed to them hard that He said, 'Except a man eat My flesh, he shall not have eternal life: they received that saying foolishly, they thought of it carnally, and imagined that the Lord would cut off particles from His body, and give them to them; and they said, This is a hard speech. It was they who were hard, not the saying; for unless they had been hard, and not meek, they would have said to themselves, He says not this without reason, but there must be some latent mystery herein. They would have remained with Him, softened, not hard; and would have learned that from Him which those who remained, when they departed, did learn. For when twelve disciples had remained with Him, on the departure of the others, these remaining followers suggested to Him, as if in grief for the death of the former, that they were offended by His