words were no longer necessary to soften the Emperor's resentment. He uttered, in a feeling manner, expressions which throw a brighter halo around his head, than the imperial crown. His words were:

"Is it, then, wonderful, that we, being men, should remit our anger against men who have insulted us, when the Lord of the Universe descended upon earth, and took upon him for our sake the form of a servant; and while crucified by those whose benefactor he had been, prayed to his Father for his murderers, saying: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do! Wherefore, then, are ye surprised that we forgive our fellow-servants?"

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The sincerity of this declaration the sequel will show. Among other incidents the following stands peculiarly distinguished. The bishop expressed a wish to celebrate the feast of Easter at the imperial court; but the Emperor obliged him reluctantly to depart, in order to spend the holy festival among his flock; 'I know," said he, "that their minds are in the utmost agitation; the recollection of the calamity is still to be obliterated. Go and impart to them all necessary consolation. The sight of their pilot will soon make them forget the late storm, and lose the remembrance of their past sorrow." The prelate requested with much earnestness, that the Emperor would send his son to Antioch, in order to convince the whole world more fully of the sincerity of his forgiveness. To this the Emperor replied: "Pray to the Almighty that the obstacles, with which I am now surrounded, may be removed, and the present wars extinguished, and I will repair to that place in person." Who ever before exercised such heroic clemency as this? the Gentiles look on this model, and be filled with confusion; or rather let them learn a salutary lesson,

Let

renounce their errors, and embrace the Christian faith; let them learn lessons of true wisdom, and model their conduct after that of our Emperor and our Bishop.

The attentive piety of the great Theodosius, induced him to proceed still farther in his tender concern for this place; after the bishop had left the metropolis, and had crossed the sea, messengers were dispatched to facilitate his journey, and to prevent any delay that might oblige him to keep the solemnity of Easter at a distance from his flock, and thus diminish the pleasure they must experience from the happy change of affairs. And here may it not reasonably be asked, whether mildness towards delinquents was ever carried to such a height before?

I will add another circumstance, which reflects much credit on our worthy prelate. After he had brought the business to a successful issue, he did not adopt a measure, which vanity would have dictated; he did not discover an eagerness to be the bearer of the letters, which were to dispel our sorrow. As he travelled slowly, he dispatched a swift courier before him, to announce the pleasing intelligence to the city, that our anxiety might not be protracted by the delay which he experienced? He did not seek the glory of reporting joyful information; the sole purpose he had in view, was to free his country from the calamity under which it laboured.

As ye then did, when ye crowned the market with wreaths of flowers, kindled the lights, extended the carpets before the workshops, and celebrated, as it were, the birthday of a city;—do again, but in a different manner: crown not the forum with flowers, but crown yourselves with vir

tue; kindle the light of good works in your souls, and rejoice with spiritual gladness. Let us not cease to thank God for the mercy which he hath shown unto us, and let us confess our great obligations to him, not only for having dispelled these dreadful calamities; but likewise for having permitted them to impend over us: for by both of these dispensations he hath conferred honour upon our city. Declare these events to your children with prophetic voice; let your children relate them to their children; they again to another generation ;-that all futurity may know the mercy shown by God to this city; may deem us blessed to have enjoyed beneficence so great; may venerate our Lord, who hath raised a city thus fallen; and may thereby be benefitted and excited to piety. For the history of these events will not only greatly benefit ourselves, if we be constantly mindful of them, but likewise those, who live after us.

Suffer me now to conclude by exhorting you, in the language of the prophet, to recount all these wonders to your children, that they may report them to their children; and that thus the history of these days of mercy may be transmitted to the latest posterity. May all men, to the end of time, be apprized of the singular demonstration of divine benevolence, which our city has received; may they all celebrate our happiness; may they join in admiration of the gracious Prince, who has so mercifully relieved us in the hour of our distress; and may they be animated to the practice of piety by so memorable an event. Thus will the recollection of these incidents prove not only beneficial to us, but to posterity. They should lead us to bless God, not only for our deliverance from the evil, but also for

its permission, since the sacred oracles, as well as these recent events, furnish sufficient proof, that God dispenses all things to our benefit. May we enjoy the effects of his saving Providence here, and attain his heavenly kingdom hereafter, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be all glory and dominion, now and forever. Amen.

HOMILY THE TENTH

On St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians.

There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.-EPHES. iv. 4, 5, 6.

When the blessed Paul exhorts us to any thing of especial importance, so truly wise and spiritualminded is he, that he grounds his exhortation upon things in heaven: this itself being a lesson he had learned from the Lord. What then does he say, when inciting us to unity? There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. Now, what is this one body? The faithful throughout the whole world, both which are, which have been, and which shall be; and again, they that before Christ's coming blessed God, are one body. How so? Because they also knew Christ. Whence doth this appear? Your father Abraham, saith He, rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad. And again, If ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me. But the prophets would not have

written of One, of whom they knew not what they said; whereas they both knew Him, and worshipped Him. Thus then they also were one body.

The body is not dissevered from the spirit, for then would it not be a body. Now the body is composed of members, and of some members more honorable than others. But the greater are not to rise up against the meaner, nor the latter to envy the former. They do not, indeed, contribute the same share, but each furnishes his part, according to the proportion needed. But, inasmuch as all are formed for necessary and for different purposes, all are really of equal honor. Some indeed are more especially principal members, others less so for example, the head is more a principal member than all the rest of the body, as containing within itself all the senses, and the governing principle of the soul. To live without the head is impossible, whereas many have lived long after the loss of other members of their body. So that it is better than they, not only by its position, but also by its very vital energy and the function it performs.

But why do I say this? I am seeking an analogy. As in the human body, so in the body of the Church, there are various members: there are those who, like the head, are placed on an eminence; who, like the eyes in the head, survey heavenly things, who stand far aloof from the earth, and have nothing in common with it, while others occupy the rank of feet, and tread upon the earth. Now let not the head be high-minded against the feet, nor the feet bear an evil mind against the head. Were it so, the peculiar beauty and fitness of each would be destroyed, and the perfecting of its functions be