Isaias 61:10

The publican who was chosen by the Lord, he adduces for a proof that he was chosen as a stranger to the law and uninitiated in Judaism, by one who was an adversary to the law. The case of Peter escaped his memory, who, although he was a man of the law, was not only chosen by the Lord, but also obtained the testimony of possessing knowledge which was given to him by the Father. He had nowhere read of Christ’s being foretold as the light, and hope, and expectation of the Gentiles! He , however, rather spoke of the Jews in a favourable light, when he said, “The whole needed not a physician, but they that are sick.” For since by “those that are sick” he meant that the heathens and publicans should be understood, whom he was choosing, he affirmed of the Jews that they were “whole” for whom he said that a physician was not necessary. …

4. …Hear ye now the words of Christ. For these seemed not as it were to be His words, “We will confess to Thee, O God, we will confess to Thee, and will invoke Thy name.” Now beginneth the discourse in the person of the Head. But whether Head speaketh or whether members speak, Christ speaketh: He speaketh in the person of the Head, He speaketh in the person of the Body. But what hath been said? There shall be two in one flesh. “This is a great Sacrament:” “I,” he saith, “speak in Christ and in the Church.” And He Himself in the Gospel, “Therefore no longer two, but one flesh.” For in order that ye may know these in a manner to be two persons, and again one by the bond of marriage, as one He speaketh in Isaiah, and saith, “As upon a Bridegroom he hath bound upon me a mitre, and as a Bride he hath clothed me with an ornament.” A Bridegroom He hath called Himself in the Head, a Bride in the …

2. Let him add poverty then to poverty: let Him transfigure unto Himself our humble body: let Him be our Head, we His limbs, let there be two in one flesh.…For He hath deigned to hold even us as His limbs. The penitent also are among His limbs. For they are not shut out, nor separated from His Church: nor would He make the Church His spouse, unless by words like these: “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Let us then hear what the head and the body prayeth, the bridegroom and bride, Christ and the Church, both one Person; but the Word and the flesh are not both one thing; the Father and the Word are both one thing; Christ and the Church are both one Person, one perfect man in the form of His own fulness.…Let us hear therefore Christ, poor within us and with us, and for our sakes. For the title itself indicates the poor one. …

Moral . Our part then is, never to put off the garment of righteousness, which also the Prophet calls, “the garment of salvation” ( Isa. lxi. 10 .), that so we may be made like unto God. For He indeed hath put on righteousness. This garment let us put on. Now the word, “put on,” plainly declares nothing else, than that we should never at all put it off. For hear the Prophet, where he saith, “He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment, and it came into his inward parts.” ( Ps. cix. 18 .) And again, “Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment.” ( Ps. civ. 2 .) And again, it is usual with us to speak concerning men, such an one has “put on” such an one. So then it is not for one day, nor for two, nor for three, but he would have us ever arrayed in virtue, and never stripped of this garment. …

48. Let us hear her saying, ‘My soul shall rejoice in the Lord; for he hath clothed me with a garment of salvation and with a robe of gladness; he hath bedecked me like a bridegroom with a garland, and he hath adorned me like a bride with jewels; and like the earth which bringeth forth her bud, and like a garden which causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth, thus the Lord God hath caused righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.’

10. Guarded therefore by these discourses, be sober . For our adversary the devil , as was just now read, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour . But though in former times death was mighty and devoured, at the holy Laver of regeneration God has wiped away every tear from off all faces . For thou shalt no more mourn, now that thou hast put off the old man; but thou shalt keep holy-day, clothed in the garment of salvation , even Jesus Christ.

8. Therefore Solomon also, hinting at this grace, says in Ecclesiastes, Come hither, eat thy bread with joy (that is, the spiritual bread; Come hither , he calls with the call to salvation and blessing), and drink thy wine with a merry heart (that is, the spiritual wine); and let oil be poured out upon thy head (thou seest he alludes even to the mystic Chrism); and let thy garments be always white, for the Lord is well pleased with thy works ; for before thou camest to Baptism, thy works were vanity of vanities . …