26. But, some one will say, “Give me
yet another sign; what other exact sign is there of that which has come
to pass? Jesus was crucified; and He wore but one coat, and one
cloak: now His cloak the soldiers shared among themselves, having
rent it into four; but His coat was not rent, for when rent it would
have been no longer of any use; so about this lots are cast by the
soldiers; thus the one they divide, but for the other they cast
lots. Is then this also written? They know, the diligent
chanters Synod of Laodicea,
Can. xvi. 15: “Besides the appointed singers, who mount the
ambo and sing from the book, others shall not sing in the
Church.” Hefele thinks that this was not intended to forbid
the laity to take any part in the Church music, but only to forbid
those who were not cantors to take the lead. See Bingham,
Antiquities, III. c. 7; XIV. c. 1. of the Church, who
imitate the Angel hosts, and continually sing praises to God: who
are thought worthy to chant Psalms in this Golgotha, and to say,
They parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture they did
cast lots Ps.
xxii. 18, quoted in John xix. 24.. The
“lots” were what the soldiers cast κλῆρος δὲ ἦν
ὁ λαχμός.
Bishop Hall, Contemplations, Book IV. 32, speaks of the
soldiers’ “barbarous sortitions.” The
technical term is “sortilege.” Cf. Evang.
Pet. § 4; Justin M. Dial. 97..