need not a physician' (said He), but they that are sick.'

8. It behoves us vigilantly to look about us, and to observe on every side the machinations, deceits, and artifices of the enemy; for, as the Holy Spirit became in Paul all things to all men, that he might gain all,' so likewise the evil one strives to become all things,' that he may impel all men to their destruction. For he affects to pray with those who pray, that he may seduce them into conceit by the opportunity of prayer; he fasts with those who fast, desiring thus to deceive them into a good opinion of themselves. In the same manner, he beguiles those who possess a knowledge of the Scriptures, wishing to ensnare them by the form of knowledge; and so, also, those who have been gifted with any light of revelation. For Satan transforms himself into an angel of light,' that, by the appearance of a false light, he may draw them to himself; and, in a word, he transforms himself into everything, and to every one, that he may subdue them by the speciousness of appearance, and so receive them to destruction.

9. The more the evil one discharges his fiery darts against us, the more it behoves us to inflame our hearts with faith in God; being well assured that it is all His will, in order to bring to proof the affection of those who truly love Him.

10. A thousand years of this world, compared with that eternal world, are as if a man should compare a single grain of sand with all the sand upon the sea-shore.

EPHRAIM (THE SYRIAN).

BORN (ABOUT) 310-DIED 379.

1. Beloved, if you would strangle the lion, grasp him boldly, lest he crush you to pieces like an earthen vessel. 2. He, who will not serve the Lord alone, must be the slave of many masters.

3. Terrible would it be for me to perish with thirst, when supplying others with water; which yet must be the case, if I do not discipline my own soul.

4. By love, God the Word came upon earth; by love, Paradise has been opened to us. Being enemies to God, by love we were reconciled.

5. From my childhood I have been a vessel unprofitable and dishonourable. Warning others, I have fallen into their evils twofold. Woe is me! Whence can there be any refuge, unless the mercies of God shine quickly upon me? Nor is there one hope of salvation from works. While I speak of purity, I am thinking of uncleanness; while I am uttering rules for the conquest of the passions, my own are inwardly raging night and day.

6. Shall I despair of salvation? By no means. This the adversary desires in order to destroy me. I do not fling myself away. I trust in the mercies of God. I pray Thee, cast me not away! Thou knowest the wounds of my soul; heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed!

7. Do we neglect to call for his help when He loves

and pities us? Hath He redeemed and enlightened us? He hath given us to see and taste His grace, that we might seek Him without ceasing. Happy he who hath tasted of His love, and seeks to be always filled with it. Filled with this love, he admits no other.

8. Who would not love such a Master, worship Him, and confess His goodness? From His immense height, and the blessed bosom of the Father, did He not descend to us? The invisible became visible! Oh wonder, full of fear and trembling;-a hand of clay, formed of the dust, smote the Creator of heaven and earth!

9. Blessed is he who shall be counted worthy to see that hour, in which all that loved the immortal Bridegroom are taken up into the clouds, to meet Him.

10. I remembered that day (of Judgment), and trembled, and wept, till I had no more power to weep.

11. My days have passed on and my iniquities have been multiplied. Woe is me, my Beloved! O gracious lover of souls, by Thy compassions I adjure Thee, place me not at the left hand with the goats. Sinner as I am, I knock at thy door without ceasing; slothful though I be, yet I walk in Thy way.

12. I beseech Thy goodness; heal my wounds and enlighten my understanding. Thou alone knowest how my soul thirsts after Thee, as a dry land. Send Thy grace, that I may eat and drink and be satisfied. Distil one drop of Thy love, that it may burn as liquid fire in my soul, and consume its thorns, even my evil lusts.

GREGORY (OF NAZIANZUM).

BORN 328-DIED 390.

1. Is my body in health? It wars against me. Is it sick? I languish with it in sympathy. It is at once a companion that I love, and an enemy that I dread. It is a prison that terrifies me, a partner with whom I dwell. 2. Such is the shortness of our life, that we pass out of one grave into another; out of the womb of our own mother into that of the earth, which is the common mother of us all. 3. Do they cast us out of the city? us out of that which is in the heavens.

They cannot cast

If they who hate

us could do this, they would be doing something real against us. So long, however, as they cannot do this, they are but pelting us with drops of water, or striking us with the wind.

4. There is one life,—to look forward to the life above. There is one death,—sin; for it is this that destroys the soul. All things else, however prized by some, are the mere shadows of dreams, the phantoms of the mind.

5. The predestined day is near. Sorrow is not immortal. Let us not aggravate our light griefs with ungenerous thoughts. If we have been bereaved of blessings, we have enjoyed them too. To be bereft is the lot of all; to enjoy, is not the lot of many.

6. I exist; -what does that word mean? Teach me, O God.

7. The only thing we have really to be afraid of, is fearing anything more than God.

8. Wonder at the love of God! He receives our prayers as if they were things of value. He longs that we should love Him; and he receives our petitions for blessings as favours done to Himself. He has greater joy in giving than we in receiving.

9. Floods of tears flow from my eyes, but they cannot wash away my sin.

10. The paschal lamb of the Jews was a type of that of Christians. We have escaped the tyranny of Pharaoh. Crucified with Christ, we are also glorified with Him. He died; we die with Him. He rose; we rise with Him. Let us sacrifice everything to Him who has sacrificed Himself for our redemption. Let us do for Him what He has done for us.