SERMON I. SERMONS. PREACHED ON HIS BIRTHDAY, OR DAY OF 2 Having been elected in absence he returns thanks for the kindness and earnestly demands the prayers of his church. and while you ever go on unto salvation, may "my soul magnify the LORD 7," and in the retribution of the judgment to come may the account of my priesthood so be rendered to the just Judge & that through your good deeds you may be my joy and my crown, who by your good will have given an earnest testimony to me in this present life. 8 SERMON II. ON HIS BIRTHDAY, II.: DELIVERED ON THE I. The LORD raises up the weak and gives him And "LET my mouth speak the praise of the Lord 3," and my breath and spirit, my flesh and tongue bless His holy Name. For it is a sign, not of a modest, but an ungrateful mind, to keep silence on the kindnesses of GOD: and it is very meet to begin our duty as consecrated pontiff with the sacrifices of the LORD's praise 4. Because "in our humility" the LORD "has been mindful of us 5" and has blessed us: because The Divine condescension has made this "He alone has done great wonders for me 5," so an honourable day for me, for it has shown by that your holy affection for me reckoned me pre- raising my humbleness to the highest rank, sent, though my long journey had forced me to that He despised not any of His own. be absent. Therefore I give and always shall hence, although one must be diffident of give thanks to our GOD for all the things with merit, yet it is one's bounden duty to rejoice which He has recompensed me. Your favour over the gift, since He who is the Imposer of able opinion also I acknowledge publicly, pay- the burden is Himself 3 the Aider in its ing you the thanks I owe, and thus showing execution and lest the weak recipient should that I understand how much respect, love and fall beneath the greatness of the grace, He fidelity your affectionate zeal could expend on who conferred the dignity will also give the me who long with a shepherd's anxiety for the power. As the day therefore returns in due safety of your souls, who have passed so con- course on which the LORD purposed that scientious a judgment on me, with absolutely I should begin my episcopal office, there is no deserts of mine to guide you. I entreat true cause for me to rejoice to the glory of you, therefore, by the mercies of the LORD, GOD, Who that I might love Him much, has aid with your prayers him whom you have forgiven me much, and that I might make His sought out by your solicitations that both the Grace wonderful, has conferred His gifts upon Spirit of grace may abide in me and that your me in whom He found no recommendations And by this His work what does judgment may not change. May He who of merit. inspired you with such unanimity of purpose, the LORD suggest and commend to our hearts vouchsafe to us all in common the blessing of but that no one should presume upon his own peace: so that all the days of my life being righteousness nor distrust God's mercy which ready for the service of Almighty GOD, and shines out more pre-eminently then, when the for my duties towards you, I may with con- sinner is made holy and the downcast lifted fidence entreat the LORD: "Holy Father, keep in Thy name those whom Thou hast given me":" 1 Natalis seems to have been applied to the day or anniversary of a Bishop's consecration as well as to the festivals of Martyrs in the Calendar. C. Serm. IV. chap. 4, illi ergo hunc servitutis nostra natalitium diem ascribamus. One reason for the shortness of this sermon, which used to be joined with Sermon II. (a few necessary alterations in the text of the latter being made) is, I think, rightly given by the Ballerinii: "perhaps," they say, "the unusual length of the ceremonies that day did not allow of a longer sermon." 2 Viz. on his mission of reconciling Etius and Albinus the Roman generals in Gaul: see Introduction. 3 Ps. cxliv. 21. 4 Especially of course in the Holy Eucharist. 7 S. Luke i. 46. 8 The words of S. Paul to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. ii. 19) are clearly in his mind. 9 This sermon, which in the older editions used to be joined in one with the first was separated by the Ballerinii and assigned to the (1st?) anniversary of his pontifical consecration. Quesnel, who did not go so far as to separate the two parts, saw that there were certain expressions in the first portion which did not suit the common title given to the whole in anniversario die assumptionis eius, proposed to alter it to in octava consecrationis eius (on the octave, &c.). I have adhered to the Ball.'s division, though I am not entirely convinced by their arguments, Provexit unwillingly altered by the Ball. from provehit, against all the MSS., to suit their view. 2 Oneris, others honoris (advancement). 3 Ipse est, others (including Quesnel) ipse mihi fiet (future). SERMON III. up. For the measure of heavenly gifts does not rest upon the quality of our deeds, nor in this world, in which "all life is temptation +," ON HIS BIRTHDAY, III: DELIVERED ON THE is each one rewarded according to his deserving, for if the LORD were to take count of a man's iniquities, no one could stand before His judgment. II. The mighty assemblage of prelates testifies to men's loyal acceptance of Peter in Peter's unworthy successor. I. ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ELEVATION TO THE PONTIFICATE. The honour of being raised to the episcopate must be referred solely to the Divine Head of the Church. As often as God's mercy deigns to bring round the day of His gifts to us, there is, dearly-beloved, just and reasonable cause for Therefore, dearly-beloved, "magnify the rejoicing, if only our appointment to LORD with me and let us exalt His name office be referred to the praise of Him who together 5," that the whole reason of to-day's gave it. For though this recognition of God concourse may be referred to the praise of Him may well be found in all His priests, yet I Who brought it to pass. For so far as my take it to be peculiarly binding on me, who, own feelings are concerned, I confess that regarding my own utter insignificance and the I rejoice most over the devotion of you all; greatness of the office undertaken, ought myand when I look upon this splendid assemblage self also to utter that exclamation of the of my venerable brother-priests, I feel that, Prophet, " LORD, I heard Thy speech and was where so many saints are gathered, the very afraid: I considered Thy works and was disangels are amongst us. Nor do I doubt that mayed 7." For what is so unwonted and so we are to-day visited by a more abundant out- dismaying as labour to the frail, exaltation to pouring of the Divine Presence, when so many the humble, dignity to the undeserving? And fair tabernacles of GOD, so many excellent yet we do not despair nor lose heart, because members of the Body of Christ are in one we put our trust not in ourselves but in Him place and shine with one light. Nor yet who works in us. And hence also we have I feel sure, is the fostering condescension and sung with harmonious voice the psalm of true love of the most blessed Apostle Peter David, dearly beloved, not in our own praise, absent from this congregation: he has not but to the glory of Christ the LORD. For it is deserted your devotion, in whose honour you He of whom it is prophetically written, “Thou are met together. And so he too rejoices art a priest for ever after the order of Melchiover your good feeling and welcomes your zedeck 8," that is, not after the order of Aaron, respect for the LORD'S own institution as whose priesthood descending along his own shown towards the partners of His honour, line of offspring was a temporal ministry, and commending the well ordered love of the ceased with the law of the Old Testament, but whole Church, which ever finds Peter in after the order of Melchizedeck, in whom was Peter's See, and from affection for so great prefigured the eternal High Priest. And no a shepherd grows not lukewarm even over reference is made to his parentage because in so inferior a successor as myself. In order him it is understood that He was portrayed, therefore, dearly beloved, that this loyalty whose generation cannot be declared. And which you unanimously display towards my humbleness may obtain the fruit of its zeal, on bended knee entreat the merciful goodness of our GOD that in our days He will drive out those who assail us, strengthen faith, increase love, increase peace and deign to render me His poor slave, whom to show the riches of His grace He has willed to stand at the helm of the Church, sufficient for so great a work and useful in building you up, and to this end to lengthen our time for service that the years He may grant us may be used to His glory through Christ our LORD. Amen. finally, now that the mystery of this Divine priesthood has descended to human agency, it runs not by the line of birth, nor is that which flesh and blood created, chosen, but without regard to the privilege of paternity and succession by inheritance, those men are received by the Church as its rulers whom the Holy Ghost prepares: so that in the people of God's adoption, the whole body of which is priestly and royal, it is not the prerogative of earthly origin which obtains the unction 9, but the condescension of Divine grace which creates the bishop. 5 Ps. xxxiv. 3. 4 Job. vii. 1 (LXX.). 6 The Ball. quote from several more or less contemporary authorities to prove that this concourse is more likely to have been on the anniversary than on the day of consecration itself, and they say that such a celebration of the octave as Quesnel suggests is unknown to all antiquity. 7 Hab. iii. 2 (LXX.). 8 Ps. cx. 4. 9 Quesnel is no doubt correct in taking this literally as alluding to the anointing of bishops at consecration: cf. Serm. IV. chap. I. Sancti Spiritus unctio consecrat sacerdotes, and lower down he speaks of the effusum benedictionis unguentum: so also in Serm. LIX. chap. 7, sacratior est unctio sacerdotum. I II. From Christ and through S. Peter the before the rest in such a way that from his priesthood is handed on in perpetuity. being called the Rock, from his being proAlthough, therefore, dearly beloved, we be nounced the Foundation, from his being confound both weak and slothful in fulfilling the stituted the Doorkeeper of the kingdom of duties of our office, because, whatever devoted heaven, from his being set as the Umpire to and vigorous action we desire to do, we are bind and to loose, whose judgments shall hindered by the frailty of our very condition; retain their validity in heaven, from all these yet having the unceasing propitiation of the mystical titles we might know the nature of Almighty and perpetual Priest, who being like his association with Christ. And still to-day us and yet equal with the Father, brought he more fully and effectually performs what is down His Godhead even to things human, and entrusted to him, and carries out every part raised His Manhood even to things Divine, we of his duty and charge in Him and with Him, worthily and piously rejoice over His dispen- through Whom he has been glorified. And so sation, whereby, though He has delegated the if anything is rightly done and rightly decreed care of His sheep to many shepherds, yet He by us, if anything is won from the mercy of has not Himself abandoned the guardianship GOD by our daily supplications, it is of his of His beloved flock. And from His over- work and merits whose power lives and whose ruling and eternal protection we have received authority prevails in his See. For this, dearlythe support of the Apostles' aid also, which beloved, was gained by that confession, which, assuredly does not cease from its operation: inspired in the Apostle's heart by GOD the and the strength of the foundation, on which Father, transcended all the uncertainty of the whole superstructure of the Church is human opinions, and was endued with the reared, is not weakened by the weight of the firmness of a rock, which no assaults could temple that rests upon it. For the solidity of shake. For throughout the Church Peter that faith which was praised in the chief of daily says, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Apostles is perpetual: and as that re- the living GOD," and every tongue which conmains which Peter believed in Christ, so that fesses the LORD, accepts the instruction his remains which Christ instituted in Peter. voice conveys. This Faith conquers the devil, For when, as has been read in the Gospel and breaks the bonds of his prisoners. It lesson, the LORD had asked the disciples uproots us from this earth and plants us in whom they believed Him to be amid the heaven, and the gates of Hades cannot prevail For with such solidity is it envarious opinions that were held, and the against it. blessed Peter had replied, saying, "Thou art dued by GOD that the depravity of heretics the Christ, the Son of the living GOD," the cannot mar it nor the unbelief of the heathen LORD says, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar- overcome it. Jona, because flesh and flood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father, which is in heaven. And I say to thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed also in heaven 3." IV. This festival then is in S. Peter's honour, and the progress of his flock redounds to his glory. And so, dearly beloved, with reasonable obedience we celebrate to-day's festival by such methods, that in my humble person he may be recognized and honoured, in whom abides the care of all the shepherds, together with the charge of the sheep commended to him, and whose dignity is not abated even in so unworthy an heir. And hence the pre III. S. Peter's work is still carried out by his sence of my venerable brothers and fellow priests, so much desired and valued by me, will be the more sacred and precious, if they will transfer the chief honour of this service in which they have deigned to take part to him whom they know to be not only the patron of this see, but also the primate of all bishops. When therefore we utter our exhortations in your ears, holy brethren, believe that he is speaking whose representative we are: because it is his warning that we give, nothing else but his teaching that we preach, beseeching you to "gird up the loins of your mind," and lead a chaste and sober life in the himself. But that the creature formed in fear of GOD, and not to let your mind forget GoD's image might not any longer through his supremacy and consent to the lusts of the ignorance of the Truth be driven on to the Short and fleeting are the joys of this precipice of perpetual death, He inserted in world's pleasures which endeavour to turn the Gospel-pages the nature of His judgment aside from the path of life those who are that it might recover every man from the called to eternity. The faithful and religious snares of the crafty foe; for now all would spirit, therefore, must desire the things which know what rewards the good might hope for are heavenly, and being eager for the Divine and what punishments the evil must fear. For promises, lift itself to the love of the in- the instigator and author of sin in order first corruptible GooD and the hope of the true to fall through pride and then to injure us Light. But be sure, dearly-beloved, that your through envy, because "he stood not in labour, whereby you resist vices and fight the Truth 7" put all his strength in lying and against carnal desires, is pleasing and precious produced every kind of deceit from this in GOD's sight, and in God's mercy will profit not only yourselves but me also, because the zealous pastor makes his boast of the progress of the LORD's flock. "For ye are my crown and joy 5," as the Apostle says; if your faith, which from the beginning of the Gospel has been preached in all the world, has continued wronged GOD by his wickednesses, has been in love and holiness. For though the whole Church, which is in all the world, ought to abound in all virtues, yet you especially, above all people, it becomes to excel in deeds of piety, because founded as you are on the very citadel of the Apostolic Rock, not only has our LORD Jesus Christ redeemed you in common with all men, but the blessed Apostle Peter has instructed you far beyond all men. Through the same Christ our LORD. SERMON IX. UPON THE COLLECTIONS", IV. poisoned source of his cunning, that he might cut off man's devout hopes from that happiness which he had lost by his own uplifting, and drag them into partnership with his condemnation, to whose reconciliation he himself could not attain. Whoever therefore among men has led astray by his guile, and depraved by his villainy. For he easily drives into all evil doings those whom he has deceived in the matter of religion. But knowing that GOD is denied not only by words but also by deeds, many whom he could not rob of their faith, he has robbed of their love, and by choking the ground of their heart with the weeds of avarice, has spoiled them of the fruit of good works, when he could not spoil them of the confession of their lips. II. GOD's just judgment against sin is denounced that we may avoid it by deeds of mercy and love. I. The devil's wickedness in leading men astray is now counteracted by the work of Redemp- On account therefore, dearly-beloved, of tion in restoring them to the Truth. these crafty designs of our ancient foe, the unGOD's mercy and justice, dearly-beloved, speakable goodness of Christ has wished us to has in loving-kindness disclosed to us through know, what was to be decreed about all manour LORD Jesus Christ's teaching, the manner kind in the day of retribution, that, while in of His retributions, as they have been ordained this life healing remedies are legitimately from the foundation of the world, that accept- offered, while restoration is not denied to the ing the significance of facts we might take contrite, and those who have been long barren what we believe will happen, to have, as it can at length be fruitful, the verdict on were, already come to pass. For our Re- which justice has determined may be fore deemer and Saviour knew what great errors the devil's deceit had dispersed throughout the world and by how many superstitions he had subjected the chief part of mankind to 4 1 Pet. i. 13. 51 Thess. ii. 20. 6 The Ballerinii in an excellent note have shown that the series of six Sermons de Collectis were delivered in connexion with the annual Collections then in vogue at Rome for the sick and poor of the seven city regions. These collections seem to have been continued for several consecutive days (cf. Serm. VI. primus collectarum dies, and Serm. X. chap. 4), and probably began on the 6th of July (the octave of SS. Peter and Paul), the day on which in pagan times the Ludi Apollinares had also begun this date being designedly chosen, as Leo himself says (Serm. VIII.),ad destruendas antiqui hostis insidias in die quo impii sub idolorum suorum nomine diabolo servicbant: cf. what also in the first and third chapters of this Sermon (IX.). he says stalled and the picture of GOD's coming to judge the world never depart from the mind's eye. For the LORD will come in His glorious Majesty, as He Himself has foretold, and there will be with Him an innumerable host of angel-legions radiant in their splendour. Before the throne of His power will all the nations of the world be gathered; and all the men that in all ages and on all the face of the earth have been born, shall stand in the Judge's sight. Then shall be separated the just from the unjust, the guiltless from the 7 S. John viii. 44. guilty; and when the sons of piety, their of our holy offerings has been prudently and works of mercy reviewed, have received the profitably ordained by the Fathers; in order Kingdom prepared for them, the unjust shall that because at this season formerly the be upbraided for their utter barrenness, and Gentiles used superstitiously to serve demons, those on the left having naught in common we might celebrate the most holy offering of with those on the right, shall by the con- our alms in protest against the unholy victims demnation of the Almighty Judge be cast into of the wicked. And because this has been the fire prepared for the torture of the devil most profitable to the growth of the Church, and his angels, with him to share the punish- it has been resolved to make it perpetual. We ment, whose will they choose to do. Who exhort you, therefore, holy brethren throughout then would not tremble at this doom of eternal the churches of your several regions 9 on torment? Who would not dread evils which are Wednesday next to contribute of your goods, never to be ended? But since this severity is according to your means and willingness, to only denounced in order that we may seek for purposes of charity, that ye may be able to mercy, we too in this present life must show such win that blessedness in which he shall rejoice open-handed mercy that after perilous neglect without end, who "considereth the needy and returning to works of piety it may be possible for poor 2." And if we are to "consider him, us to be set free from this doom. For this is the dearly beloved, we must use loving care and purpose of the Judge's might and of the Saviour's watchfulness, in order that we may find him graciousness, that the unrighteous may forsake whom modesty conceals and shamefastness his ways and the sinner give up his wicked keeps back. For there are those who blush habits. Let those who wish Christ to spare openly to ask for what they want and prefer them, have mercy on the poor; let them give to suffer privation without speaking rather freely to feed the wretched, who desire to than to be put to shame by a public appeal. attain to the society of the blessed. Let no These are they whom we ought to "consider " man consider his fellow vile, nor despise in and relieve from their hidden straits in order any one that nature which the Creator of the that they may the more rejoice from the very world made His own. For who that labours fact that their modesty as well as poverty can deny that Christ claims that labour as has been consulted. And rightly in the done unto Himself? Your fellow-slave is needy and poor do we recognize the person helped thereby, but it is the LORD who will of Jesus Christ our LORD Himself, "Who repay. The feeding of the needy is the pur- though He was rich," as says the blessed chase money of the heavenly kingdom and Apostle, "became poor, that He might enrich the free dispenser of things temporal is made the heir of things eternal. But how has such small expenditure deserved to be valued so highly except because our works are weighed in the balance of love, and when a man loves what God loves, he is deservedly raised into His kingdom, whose attribute of love has in part become his? us by His poverty 3." And that His presence might never seem to be wanting to us, He so effected the mystic union of His humility and His glory that while we adore Him as King and LORD in the Majesty of the Father, we might also feed Him in His poor, for which we shall be set free in an evil day from perpetual damnation, and for our considerate care of the poor shall be joined with the whole III. We minister to Christ Himself in the company of heaven. person of His poor. To this pious duty of good works, therefore, dearly beloved, the day of Apostolic institution invites us, on which the first collection 8 Dies apostolica institutionis: this was, as note 6 explains, the octave of SS. Peter and Paul, but how far Leo actually attributes its institution to the Apostles themselves, is a little doubtful. In the next clause here he speaks of the Collection as a patribus ordinata (so too in Serm. VII. dies saluberime a sanctis patribus institutus, and Serm. XI. chap. 2: cf. Serm. X. chap. 1, auctoritatem patrum); whereas in Sermon VIII. the day is said to be apostolicis traditionibus institutus, and in Serm. XI. chap. 1, apostolicis didicimus institutis, and strongest of all the opening words of Serm. X. chap. 1, apostolica traditionis instituta ser vantes ut dicm quem illi ab impiorum consuetudine purgatum misericordia operibus consecrarunt celebremus. Patres however often includes apostoli, e.g. Serm. LXXIII. chap. 1, gratias agamus. . . . sanctorum patrum necessaria tarditati, where patrum = apostoli aliique discipuli. The fact is, as Bright points out upon a similar matter (the origin of Lent), Leo "would be prone to make that claim for any institute of his own church (see Bingham xxi. 1, 8.)" (n. 103.) On Serm. LXXIX. I the IV. To complete their acceptance by GoD, they must not neglect to lay ali information against the Manichees who are in the city. But in order that your devotion, dearly beloved, may in all things be pleasing to GOD, we exhort you also to show due zeal in informing your presbyters of Manichees where Ball. appropriately quote a dictum of S. Augustine's that what the universal Church has always held is correctly credited with the authority of the Apostles. 9 Regionum, viz. the seven regions into which Rome was then divided: see n. 6, above. The Ball. wish to alter this to Thursday (against MSS.) to suit their calculations, by which as the detection of Mani chæism at Rome, mentioned in chap. iv., occurred after the 6th of July, 443, this sermon must have been delivered in 444. 2 Ps. xli. I. 3 2 Cor. viii. 9. |