and all Judea... and were baptized of him in Jordan" (S. Matt. iii. 5-6). Secondly, he was useful by his example and preaching: "He was a light burning [by his example] and shining" (S. John v. 35) by his words.

Thirdly, he was glorious in his dignity for nine reasons, because

(1) He was the subject of prophecy. "I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me" (Mal. iii. 1).

(2) He was announced by the angel. "Elizabeth thy wife shall bear thee a son" (S. Luke i. 13).

(3) He was born miraculously. "They had no child, because that Eilzabeth was barren" (S. Luke i. 7). (4) He was sanctified from the womb. "He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb" (id. v. 15).

(5) His birth was accompanied with many miracles. "His mouth was opened immediately" (S. Luke i. 64). (6) He preceded the Lord. "This is he of whom it is written," &c. (S. Matt. xi. 10).

(7) He was the precursor of the King. ". He shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias" (S. Luke i. 17). (8) He baptized our Blessed Lord. "Then cometh Jesus unto John to be baptized of him" (S. Matt. iii. 13). (9) He was a witness of the light. "The same came

for a witness" (S. John i. 7).

Morally, if anyone desires to attain unto the glory of eternity, he must study to be a child-to be pure in three things.

Firstly, in the heart. "Purify your hearts" (S. James iv.8). Secondly, in the mouth. "The words of the pure are pleasant" (Prov. xv. 26).

Thirdly, in deed.

"Lifting up holy hands" (I S.

Tim. ii. 8).

HOMILY XV.

S. Peter's Day.

S. PETER'S DELIVERANCE.

Acts xii. 7.-"His chains fell off from his hands."

To this miracle the words of the Psalm apply" Thou

hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of the Lord" (Ps. cxvi. 16, 17). Three things are to be noted in these words. Firstly, the loosening of S. Peter's bonds or chains, "Thou hast loosed my bonds." Secondly, the thanksgiving, "I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving." Thirdly, the invocation of the Divine Name, "I will call upon the Name of the Lord."

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that S. Peter was bound by three kinds of bonds.

Firstly, by the bonds of sin, in his denial of his Lord. "He shall be holden with the cords of his sins" (Prov. v. 22); "This night before the cock shall crow thou shalt deny Me thrice" (S. Matt. xxvi. 34).

Secondly, by the bonds of punishment in the suffering of the body. "When thou art old, another shall gird thee" (S. John xxi. 18).

Thirdly, with material bonds, the chains at his imprisonment. "Peter was bound with two chains" (Acts xii. 6).

The first bond of sin was loosened by Jesus Christ when He gave His grace to S. Peter, when "the Lord turned and looked upon Peter" (S. Luke xxii. 61).

The second bond of bodily weakness the Lord will loose by conferring eternal glory. "Ye that have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit upon the throne of His glory: ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (S. Matt. xix. 28).

The third bond of chains the Angel of the Lord loosened,

D

at whose touch "his chains fell off his hands" (Acts xii. 7).

II. On the second head it is to be noted, that he sanctified to himself a threefold sacrifice.

Firstly, a sacrifice of contrition. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise" (Ps. li. 17).

Secondly, a sacrifice of praise. "Offer unto God thanksgiving" (Ps. 1. 14).

Thirdly, the sacrifice of his own body. "I beseech you that ye present your bodies, a living sacrifice" (Rom. xii. 1). S. Peter offered the first sacrifice by weeping bitterly after his denial of Christ. "He went out and wept

bitterly" (S. Matt. xxvi. 75).

He offered the second sacrifice by his thanksgiving after his deliverance. "Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent His Angel, and hath delivered me" (Acts xii. 11).

He offered the third sacrifice by immolating his body at his passion for God, when he fulfilled his own words. "I will lay down my life for Thy sake” (S. John xiii. 37). III. On the third head it is to be noted, that S. Peter, in a threefold manner, called upon the Name of the Lord Jesus.

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Repent and be baptized

Firstly, by his preaching. every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ" (Acts ii. 38). "Lord, save us, we perish"

Secondly, by his praying.

(S. Matt. viii. 25).

Thirdly, by his praising.

"There is none other name

under heaven given among men" (Acts iv. 12).

This Name of Jesus is ever to be invoked, since it both

justifies sinners and saves the elect.

HOMILY XVI.

S. James's Day.

THE CUP OF PASSION.

S. Matt. xx. 22.-" Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of?"

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HE Passion of Christ is understood by this cup: "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me" (S. Matt. xxvi. 39). This cup of the Lord is threefold. Firstly, embittering, since it was mingled with vinegar, myrrh, and gall: "They gave me gall for my meat" (Ps. lxix. 21). Secondly, it is an inebriating cup: "My cup runneth over" (Ps. xxiii. 5), [or inebriateth, Vulg.] Thirdly, it is a saving cup: "I will take the cup of salvation" (Ps. cxvi. 12). They gave our Blessed Lord all these three cups to drink.

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that the cup of the Lord's Passion was bitter for three reasons. Firstly, because He suffered for the ungodly. "The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners" (S. Mark xiv. 41).

Secondly, because He suffered for doing good. Many good works have I shewed you; for which of those works do ye stone Me?" (S. John x. 32).

Thirdly, because He suffered in having pure members. "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth" (I S. Peter ii. 21). His members were not corrupted and mortified by sin, yet He felt the force of sin all around Him.

II. On the second head it is to be noted, that the cup of the Lord's Passion is inebriating for three reasons.

Firstly, because it induces forgetfulness of present things. "The cup shall pass through thee; thou shalt be drunken and shalt make thyself naked."

Secondly, because it renders us insensible to suffering

"Consider the sufferings of thy Lord, and lightly wilt thou bear thy sufferings" (S. Bernard). "If we remember

the Passion of our Lord, there is nothing hard that we shall not cheerfully bear" (S. Greg. Mag.)

that saints dwell in caves.

Hence it is

Thirdly, because it animates our souls to war. "To the end they might provoke the elephants to fight, they shewed them the blood of grapes and mulberries" (1 Macc. vi. 34).

III. On the third head it is to be noted, that the cup of the Passion of Christ saves us from a threefold disease.

Firstly, from the guilt of original sin. "We were by nature the children of wrath" (Eph. ii. 3), because of original sin.

Secondly, from the guilt of actual sin.

"He was bruised

for our iniquities with His stripes we are healed" (Isa. liii. 5).

Thirdly, from the punishment due to sin. "Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isa. liii. 4).

S. Peter includes all these three. "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree" (1. S. Peter ii. 24)—“ sins” in the plural, implying both original and actual sin. By Whose stripes ye were healed ”—saved from the infliction of punishment.

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