pontiff referring to Christ as the high priest brought into the holy places, availed for the redemption of the sins of living men, because it is for the souls of the blessed, already raised to heaven by Christ, to intercede for the sins of those still left as exiles in the world. Regarding the first, 2 Timothy 2: "A faithful saying; for if we be dead with him," namely by doing penance, "we shall also live," by receiving eternal life, "if we shall suffer, we shall also reign with him." Romans 8: "The sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us." Behold, that doing penance and suffering evils in this world avails for the hope of obtaining heavenly glory. Regarding the second, John 14: "I will come again and will take you to myself." Behold, that the office of divine mercy avails for the hope of heavenly things. Song of Songs 5, the blessed ask: "Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou most beautiful among women?" The blessed Virgin responding, chapter 6: "My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the bed of aromatical spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies," that is, to take chaste souls from the world and lead them to heavenly things. Regarding the third, Hosea 2: "I will hear the heavens, and they will hear the earth," that is, by the prayers of the saints who are in heaven, those inhabiting the earth are saved. Behold, that the prayers of the blessed avail for the hope of heavenly things. Apocalypse 8: "The smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel," because, namely, the saints offer prayers for us to Christ, and Christ to His Father, so that we may receive remission of sins and arrive at their blessed society. Amen.

On the third point regarding the sacrifice, noting the excellence of our sacrifice. Theme above. Sermon IV.

This sacrament excels for three reasons. The first reason is proved by three points.

"Come, eat my bread and original: "causam tuam" — the text likely refers to the invitation of Wisdom in Proverbs 9:5," etc., as in the first sermon. Having already spoken above of the two things to be noted regarding the sacrifice of the altar, here one must speak of the third. Thirdly, therefore, the excellence of our sacrifice, namely the body of Christ, is to be noted, by which it surpasses all the sacrifices of the law for a triple reason: namely, of honesty, of dignity, and of virtue. By reason of honesty regarding the world, of dignity regarding God, and of virtue regarding the effect of its goodness. First, our sacrifice excels others by reason of honesty, which is proved by three things: by outward appearance, by virginal origin, and by spiritual sweetness. First, this honesty is proved by the outward appearance, because under no other quality could it be ministered to you so cleanly, so beautifully, and so honestly as under the species of bread and wine. For there do not follow these, many inconveniences that followed those bloody sacrifices of the law. Proverbs 17: "Better is a dry morsel with joy, than a house full of victims with strife." The dry morsel is our sacrifice under the clean and honest species of bread. Zechariah 9: "For what is the good thing of him, and what is his beautiful thing, but