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| Preached on his Birthday, or day of Ordination.
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Sermons.
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Sermon I.
Preached on his Birthday645
| 645 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. Cf. Serm. IV. chap. 4, illi ergo hunc servitutis
nostræ 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.” | , or day of Ordination.
Having been elected in absence646
| 646 Viz. on his mission
of reconciling Ætius and Albinus the Roman generals in Gaul:
see Introduction. | he returns thanks for the kindness and
earnestly demands the prayers of his church.
“Let my mouth speak
the praise of the Lord647
,” 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 praise648
| 648 Especially of
course in the Holy Eucharist. | .
Because “in our humility” the Lord
“has been mindful of us649
” and has
blessed us: because “He alone has done great wonders for
me650
,” so that your holy affection for me
reckoned me present, though my long journey had forced me to be
absent. Therefore I give and always shall give thanks to our
God for all the things with which He has
recompensed me. Your favourable opinion also I acknowledge
publicly, paying you the thanks I owe, and thus showing that I
understand how much respect, love and fidelity your affectionate zeal
could expend on me who long with a shepherd’s anxiety for the
safety of your souls, who have passed so conscientious a judgment on
me, with absolutely no deserts of mine to guide you. I entreat
you, therefore, by the mercies of the Lord,
aid with your prayers him whom you have sought out by your
solicitations that both the Spirit of grace may abide in me and that
your judgment may not change. May He who inspired you with such
unanimity of purpose, vouchsafe to us all in common the blessing of
peace: so that all the days of my life being ready for the
service of Almighty God, and for my duties
towards you, I may with confidence entreat the Lord: “Holy Father, keep in Thy name those
whom Thou hast given me651
:” and
while you ever go on unto salvation, may “my soul magnify the
Lord652
,” and
in the retribution of the judgment to come may the account of my
priesthood so be rendered to the just Judge653
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.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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