Untitled - Saints' Books

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74 Material for Sermons. [PART i.
him, as it were, a God on earth: God on earth." 1
What is tJiere that I ought to do more to
my vineyard
that I have not done?* (Here God appears to speak
only of priests.) How horrible, then, the ingratitude of
the priest whom God has loved so tenderly, and who
insults the Lord in his own very house ? What is the
meaning, says Jeremias, that my beloved hath wrought much
wickedness in my house ? 3 Hence St.
Gregory weeps and
says, Alas !
my Lord God, those that should govern
Thy Church persecute you more than the rest."
4
It appears, also, that it was of bad priests that God
complained when he called on heaven and earth to wit
ness the ingratitude with which he was treated by his
own children. Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth.
. . . I
have brought up children and exalted them, but they
have despised me* And who are these children but
priests who, after being raised by God to such an eleva
tion, and nourished at his table with his ow r n flesh, dare
to despise his love and his grace Of ? this he also com
plained by the mouth of David: If my enemy had reviled
me I would verily have borne it.* Were my enemy, were
an idolater, a heretic, or a worldling to offend me, I
would bear with him, but how can T bear to see myself
insulted by you, my priest, who are my friend and
fellow-guest But ? thou, a man of one mind, my guide and
1 "
2
Deus terrenus."
"Quid est quod
debui ultra facere vineae meae, et non feci ?" Is.
v. 4.
3
"Quid est, quod dilectus meus, in domo mea, fecit scelera multa ?
Jer. xi. 15.
4 "
Heu, Domine Deus, quia ipsi sunt in persecuticne
tua primi, qui
videntur in Ecclesia tua gerere principatum." In Convers. S, Pauli,
6
s. I.
Audite, creli, et auribus percipe, terra. . . . filios enutrivi et
exaltavi; ipsi autem spreverunt
me." Is. i. 2,
6 "Si inimicus maledixjsset mihi, sustinuissem utique,
. , .
vero,
homo unanimis, dux meus et notus meus, qui simul mecum dukes
capiebas cibos
Ps. liv. 13.