answer them according to their own notions-they could deny that in the height and depth of which we speak there is a length and a breadth which none can comprehend but he who is filled with all the fulness of God, as the Apostle says.-Ephes. iii. 18, 19.

There is then a breadth in the height of heaven. There are also-to speak of what we can know— buildings in plenty, round outside and square within, and others square outside and round inside, whose higher parts are level, so as to be able to contain water.

We say this only for the purpose of making them observe that their notions can be successfully met with others more probable, and to make them cease from measuring the work of God only by contemplating the work of man, and what is within the range of our ability.-Hexaemeron, book 1. chap. 3.

CLERICAL CONVERSATION.

That jokes, although occasionally seemly, are nevertheless to be wholly proscribed in the case of ecclesiastics, and that the speech ought to be simple and unaffected.

Many other precepts regarding the mode of speaking are given by men of the world, which I think we should pass over-as, for example, those on instruction in joking. For although sometimes

F

jokes are seemly and pleasant, yet they are abhorrent to ecclesiastical rule; for how can we practise what we do not find in the Holy Scriptures? They are ever to be guarded against in fables, lest they interfere with the gravity of the severer end in view. "Woe to you that laugh now, for ye shall weep," (Luke vi. 21,), saith the Lord; and are we seeking material for laughter, so that laughing here, we may weep yonder? Not only immoderate joking, but also all joking is in my opinion to be avoided, although it is not unbecoming for a speech to be full of sweetness and grace.

What shall I say of the voice? In my opinion purity and simplicity in speaking are sufficient (here is a reference to Cicero, who says, "in the voice we are to aim at two things, clearness and sweetness.") Melodiousness is the gift of Nature, not the attainment of industry. Let it be distinct in its style of pronunciation, and full of manly vigour, so as not to show rusticity of sound, not to affect a theatrical rhythm, but maintain a suitableness to sacred subjects.

TRUE BLESSEDNESS.

[In the previous chapter, blessedness is described "as consisting in the knowledge of God, and in the love of good works."

* Literally, to the sacredness of the mysteries.

The definition of blessedness derived from Scripture is considered, and it is demonstrated that it is susceptible of no addition from outward good, nor any diminution from outward evil.]

And since this knowledge of things has been exploded either as futile according to the superfluous discussions of philosophy, or only half perfect, let us consider how plain a deliverance Scripture gives on that on which the questions of philosophy are so numerous, involved, and confused. For the Scripture asserts nothing to be good, unless what is honourable, and judges virtue to be blessed in all circumstances, inasmuch as it is neither augmented by corporeal or external advantages, nor diminished by the opposite, and that nothing is thus blessed which is not alien from sin, full of innocence, replete with the grace of God. (Ps. i. 1, 2. Ps. cxix. 1.)

Innocence, then, and knowledge make a man happy. That the blessedness of eternal life was the reward of doing good, we observed above. It remains, then, that scorning the blandishments of pleasure, or the fear of pain,-the one of which is contemptible as enervating and effeminate, the other as unmanly and weak,-that I should show that the blessed life shines conspicuous in the midst of woes.

This we may easily learn when we read, "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute

you," &c. (Matt. v. 11, 12.) And in another place, "If any man will come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me." (Matt. xvi. 24.)

THE GATHERING OF THE WATERS A TYPE OF
THE CHURCH.

"Let the water which is under the heaven be gathered together into one body.*"-Gen. i. 9.

Let the water be congregated, it was said, and it was congregated; and frequently it is said, Let the people be congregated, and they are not congregated. It is no ordinary disgrace that the insensible elements should obey the command of God, and men should not obey, who by God's own power have been endowed with sense. Perhaps it is a feeling of shame on this account that has made you assemble to-day in greater numbers, in order that, on the day in which the waters were congregated into one body, the people should not seem not to have congregated in the church of the Lord.

Nor have we this example alone of the obedience of the water; for it is also written in another place, Psalm lxxvii. 16, "The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee.

The water, therefore, knew how to be gathered

* Translating literally from the Latin, "congregated in one congregation."

together, and to be afraid and to flee, when God commanded. Let us imitate this congregation of the waters, and know the one congregation of the Lord-the one Church.

Once the water congregated here from every valley, from every marsh, from every lake. The valley is heresy, the valley is heathenism; for God is the God of the mountains, not of the valleys. In a word, in the church there is exultation; in heresy and heathenism there is weeping and sorrow. Whence he says, "He placed in the valley of weeping.*"—Psalm lxxxiv. 6, 7. From every valley, therefore, the people has congregated. There are not, however, many congregations, but the congregation is one, the church is one. The water is congregated from every valley, and has become one spiritual congregation, and one people: the church has been replenished from the ranks of heretics and heathens. The theatre is a valley, the circus is a valley, where the treacherous horse runs for safety, where there is despicable and abject contention, where there is the base deformity of quarrels. From among those, then, who were wont to haunt the circus, the faith of the Church has grown, and the daily assembly is increased.

* Baca. English translation means "weeping."