Gratian

“ Before he had finished his speech, every soldier hastened to anticipate his comrades as well as his position permitted him, in showing that these words of the emperor met with their cheerful assent. And so, as partakers in his joy, and as convinced of the advantage of his proposal, they declared Gratian emperor, mingling the propitious clashing of their arms with the loud roar of the trumpets. ”

“ In this thirty-seventh division Gratian asks [C] whether one who is to be ordained ought to be acquainted with profane literature. First, however, he shows that the clergy ought not to give attention to the books of the heathen. [D] Then he gives the argument on the other side and offers this solution, that some read the books of the heathen for amusement and pleasure, and this is forbidden, while some read for instruction, and this is lawful, in order that, through these books they may know how to speak correctly and to distinguish the true from the false. John, as far as "Then why" (p. 68) . ”

“ A formidable tempest of the Barbarians of Germany seemed ready to burst over the provinces of Gaul; and the mind of Gratian was oppressed and distracted by the administration of the Western empire. In this important crisis, the government of the East, and the conduct of the Gothic war, required the undivided attention of a hero and a statesman. A subject invested with such ample command would not long have preserved his fidelity to a distant benefactor; and the Imperial council embraced the wise and manly resolution of conferring an obligation, rather than of yielding to an insult. ”

“ Righteousness sometimes signifies mercy or benignity, and it was in Christ that the tender mercy of our God visited us. (2.) It is applicable to the graces and comforts of the Holy Spirit, brought into the souls of men. Grotius understands it of Christ's giving the Spirit to those that are his, to shine in their hearts, and to be a comforter to them, a sun and a shield. Those that are possessed and governed by a holy fear of God and a dread of his majesty shall have his love also shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost ”

“ But when we thus review the march of events in our own life, we sigh: "Hearest thou also us, thou Son of Grace!" For the only one who can relieve our suffering is Jesus Christ; His abiding by us as [94] the Son of Grace is the great surcease, for He comes from Heaven with grace enough with which to cover all our shortcomings, all our sins, and with healing for all those wounds which have been inflicted upon us in the course of the march of events. It is, indeed, a blessing to know that just what we are yearning for from the very depth of our soul is what He rejoices most in giving us. ”

“ That songs of praise in sweetest tone
We may present before Thy throne.
To nought we've done, or e'er can do,
To Thee—to Thee alone is due
The praise, O fount of love!
We've earned destruction from Thy face,
Thou deal'st with us in love and grace.
Oh! may we meditate Thy grace,
Till heart shall burn and tongue shall praise,
And give angelic zeal,
That every throbbing pulse may be
A note of praise, O Lord! to Thee. ”

“ Wilt Thou eternally repel,
And show Thy goodness never?
And shall Thy word and promise fail,
Be put to shame for ever?
Doth wrath so burn,
That Thou'lt ne'er turn
To me, and stand beside me?
Yet, Lord, I will
Cleave to Thee still,
Thy hand in all can guide me.
[181]
My heart amid earth's misery
For Thee, O Lord! is aching;
My God! I wait and hope in Thee,
Let not shame me o'ertaking;
Thy friend in woe
Plunge, or the foe
Give cause for jubilation;
But, Lord, may I
Rejoice, rais'd high,
In glorious exaltation.
Ah! Lord, Thou true and faithful art,
Thy heart can ne'er disown me ”

“ The leading idea of this poet is that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God, and the fear of God, the safeguard against corruption; sin is folly, and causes the death of the sinner; even the prosperity of fools kills them, and their happiness destroys them.—But what reward is there in store for the pious or the wise who suffer?
To this question our poet, like the psalmists of the exiled congregation, had no other answer than that "The just will inhabit the land again, and the pious shall dwell in it once more." ”

“ God, by the good work of his grace in them, makes them meet for this happiness, and, by the good will of his grace towards them, accounts them worthy of it: but, as Grotius here says, a great part of our worthiness lies in an acknowledgment of our own unworthiness. ”

“ To make the example yet more striking, Providence, which, according to the Stoics, does nothing by chance, determined that the example of these simple virtues should bloom in the midst of all human grandeur--that charity should be taught by the successor of blood stained Caesars, and humbleness of heart by an Emperor. ”

“ Thou shalt share salvation free.
Look then to thy God above,
Sad and troubled countenance!
Cease to sigh, faith's virtue prove,
By thy clear and joyous glance!
[159] While thy sky is overcast
By affliction, hold it fast!
And as Heav'n's adopted son,
Thy rebellious will restrain;
Touch thy harp, let 'fore God's throne
Grateful songs resound again.
More at all times doth God give
Than thou'rt worthy to receive.
Live thou ever in God's fear,
As thou journeyest to heav'n,
Take whate'er befalls thee here
As a gift in wisdom giv'n.
Are they evil days, thou'lt see
God and Heav'n endure for thee. ”

“ Part in their songs he taketh,
And knows all wisdom's mysteries;
His high discourse he maketh
What none of us can ever know
With all our searching here below,
To none on earth 'tis given,
Reserv'd it is for Heaven.
Ah! could I even draw so near,
Could it to me be given
The faintest sounds of praise to hear
That fill the courts of Heaven,
[337] When prais'd is the thrice holy One,
Who thee hath sanctified, my son! ”

“ We sum them and realize that we are actually killed with God's kindness; that we are surrounded by bounties upon bounties, without which all would fall. Should we not love it; should we not feel buoyed up by the Eternal Arms?”
Sometimes this realization that facts are of divine sending, instead of being habitual, is casual, like a mystical experience. Father Gratry gives this instance from his youthful melancholy period:—
“One day I had a moment of consolation, because I met with something which seemed to me ideally perfect. ”

“ Lulu [Pg 123] went on, as she toyed with the bright curls that lay against her shoulder still, "there is nothing on earth that so fills up vacant heart and life as the cross of Christ the Crucified; Gracie, do you ever pray?"
"I am too wretched," she answered, hopelessly.
"Too wretched! Oh, Gracie, dear friend, do you forget how in the darkest hours our Lord spent in the Garden of Gethsemane that, being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly? It is in hours of the deepest suffering that we should pray most. When we feel that earth offers no consolation, where can we look but to heaven? ”

“ Scorching and terrible was the sarcasm of Grattan applied to these locusts of the Church: "A beastly and pompous priesthood, political potentates and Christian pastors, full of false zeal, full of worldly pride, and full of gluttony, empty of the true religion, to their flocks oppressive, to their inferior clergy brutal, to their king abject, and to their God impudent and familiar,—they stand on the altar as a stepping-stone to the throne, glorying in the ear of princes, whom they poison with crooked principles and heated advice ”

“ Besides, Grotius's prudence on all occasions, his modesty in prosperity, his patience in adversity, his steadiness in his duty, his love of virtue, his eagerness in the search of truth, and the ardent desire which he constantly maintained for uniting Christians in one Faith, distinguish him so advantageously from most other Scholars, that his Life may be proposed as a model to all who make profession of literature. ”

“ Thou art a man. Ask mercy for thyself, because everything standeth by compassion.” Now when the blessed man heard these things, he straightway threw himself on his face upon the ground, and he asked God for mercy, saying, “O Lord, Who dost sustain the universe, send Thy mercies to me, and take Thou them never away from me, for I know that without Thy mercy nothing can possibly exist.” ”

“ But my poor heart against Thee ne'er
Shall rise t' oppose,—Thou wilt receive
By grace the little I can give.
Hallelujah!
Thou to be weak dost not disdain,
Dost choose the things the world deems vain,
Art poor and needy, and dost come,
By love impell'd, to want's drear home!
Hallelujah!
Thou sleepest on the lap of earth,
The manger where Thou at Thy birth
Wast laid to rest, the hay, the stall
Were mean, were miserable all.
Hallelujah!
And therefore doth my courage rise,
Thy servant wilt Thou not despise;
The gracious mind that dwells in Thee
Fills me with hope and gladdens me. ”

“ His impulsive and ardent nature hurried him for a moment, towards the close of his life, into a controversy which, for a time, caused the greatest anxiety to his friends, and threatened to throw a cloud over an existence otherwise so brilliant and precious. His heart, however, always remained loyal to the church and to truth, and, when he was made aware of his error, he himself was the first to acknowledge it, and to do all in his power to atone for it. The writings of F. Gratry have always possessed for us a singular charm. He has in a high degree the gift of making his thoughts contagious. ”

“ Indeed, it is the very fact that a work done in grace increases the exterior glory of God, which makes it meritorious, His goodness being pledged by His promise to glorify those who glorify Him, and to give the crown of justice to those who fight the good fight, and who do, or endure, anything for the glory of His name. ”

“ And therefore God the Father displays Him to the whole world, and glorifies Him by means of a star shining out of heaven. If, therefore, thou seekest true glory, shun fame, court ignominy; for if thou desirest glory, thou shalt lose it; but if thou despisest it, then, even against thy will, thou shalt be had in honour. For this paradox is most true—“Glory follows him that shuns it, flees from him that pursues it, as a shadow the body.” “Humility goeth before glory.” ”

“ And St Paul, addressing himself in particular to sinners on this subject, says, "According to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the just judgments of God, Who will render to every man according to his works. To them, indeed, who according to patience in good works seek glory and honour, and interruption, (He will render) eternal life; but to them that are contentious, and who obey not the truth, but give credit to iniquity, wrath and indignation. ”

“ And because I know what will benefit his soul I take no care for his dead body whatsoever; for if I permit ye to sing Psalms, I shall be found to be in the sight of God as one who [striveth to] please the children of men, because for the sake of gratifying men I have treated with contempt that which will benefit the soul which is about to be punished in judgement. For because God is a fountain of grace He seeketh excuses upon which He can lay hold in order to pour out upon us the abundant streams of His grace ”

“ My blood is fir'd with virtue, and with Rome,
And every pulse beats an alarm to glory.
Who would not spurn a sceptre when compar'd
With chains like thine? Thou man of every virtus,
O, farewell! may all the gods protect and bless thee. ”

“ In the same way there is pouring forth out of His fulness, the fulness of the Lord in Glory—grace upon grace. There is an unlimited, inexhaustible supply of the water of life from Him who is the life. For ages the saints of God, saved by grace, have received grace upon grace. A never ceasing stream of grace has been flowing forth and it has not impoverished the marvellous eternal supply. Still it flows undiminished—still there is grace upon grace. Yea it is grace upon grace by which God’s people live. ”

“ Towards those who excel us in gifts or graces: These they receive from the hand of providence, as talents to be improved; and therefore, if they have a greater share thereof than ourselves, more is required of them in proportion thereunto, Luke xii. 48. If they excel us in grace, we ought rather to rejoice, that though we bring but little glory to God, others bring more; and it will afford us an evidence of the truth of grace, if, while we are humbled under a sense of our own defects, we are thankful for the honour that is brought to God by others, Gal. i. 23, 24. John iii. ”

“ He, however, by word and example raised the sinner and the publican, and filled the hearts of those poor, neglected, thoughtless beings with the love of God, transforming them into dutiful children of their heavenly Father. He animated them with his own piety and fervor, and improved their conduct by the hope he gave them of being able to enter the kingdom of heaven. That was the greatest miracle that Jesus performed. Above all things, he taught his male and female disciples the Essene virtues of self-abnegation and humility, of the contempt of riches, of charity and the love of peace. ”

“ One of its founders, the Père Gratry, took his place at once in the first rank of the Christian apologists, moralists, and writers of the day: he is a man at once animated and gentle, full of his peculiar ideas and sentiments, which he carries to an enthusiastic height, but without pride and without jealousy, and ardently propagating them by his books, his lectures, and his conversation. These are all distinguished by eloquent appeals to human sympathies, touching even where they do not convince, and leaving the mind always in emotion at the prospects which they open. ”