OF THE

OXFORD,

MDCCCXXXIX,

WILLIAM

THIS LIBRARY

ANCIENT BISHOPS, FATHERS, DOCTORS, MARTYRS, CONFESSORS, OF CHRIST'S HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH,

IN TOKEN OF

AND OP

THE

S. CYRIL,

THE

S. CYKIL,

TRANSLATED,

OXFORD,

MDCCCXXXIX.

PREFACE.

S. Cyril, the author of the Catechetical Lectures which follow, was bom in an age ill adapted for the comfort or satisfaction of persons distinguished by his peculiar character of mind, and in consequence did not receive that justice from contemporaries which the Chui'ch Catholic has since rendered to his memory. The Churches of Palestine, apparently his native country, were the first to give reception to Arius on his expulsion from Alexandria, and without adopting his heresy, aifected to mediate and hold the balance between him and his accusers. They were followed in this line of conduct by the provinces of Syria and Asia Minor, till the whole of the East, as far as it was Grecian, became more or less a large party, enduring to be headed by men who went the whole length of Arianism, from a fear of being considered Alexandrians or Athanasians, and a notion, for one reason or other, that it was thus pursuing a moderate course, and avoiding extremes. What were the motives which led to this perverted view of its duty to Catholic truth, then so seriously endangered, and what the palliations in the case of individuals, need not be minutely considered here. Suffice it to say, that between the Chm-ches of Asia and the metropolis of Egypt there had been distinctions, not to say differences and jealousies of long standing; to which was added this great and real difficulty, that a Council held at Antioch about sixty years before had condemned the very term, Homolision, which was the symbol received at Nicsea, and maintained by the Alexandrians. The latter were in close agreement with the

X PREFACE.

Latin Church, especially with Rome; and thus two great confederacies, as they may be called, were matured at this distressing era, which outlived the controversy fonning them, the Roman, including the West and Egypt, and the Asiatic, extending from Constantinople to Jerusalem. Of the Roman party, viewed at and after the Arian period, were Alexander, Athanasius, Eustathius, Marcellus, Julius, Ambrose, and Jerome; of the Asiatic, Eusebius of Cgesarea, Cyril, Meletius, Eusebius of Samosata, Basil of Caesarea (the Great), Basil of Ancyra, Eustathius of Sebaste, and Flavian. Of the latter, some were Semi-arian; of the former, one at least was Sabellian; while the majority of both were, to say the least, strictly orthodox; some of the latter indeed acquiescing with more or less of cordiality in the expediency of adopting the important Symbol of the Nicene Council, but otliers, it need scarcely be said, on both sides, being pillars of the Church in their day, as they have been her lights since. Such was the general position of the Church; and it is only confessing that the early Bishops and Divines were men "of like passions with" ourselves, to add, that some of them sometimes misunderstood or were prejudiced against others, and have left on record reports, for the truth of which they trusted perhaps too much to their antecedent persuasions, or the representations of their own friends. When Arianism ceased to be supported by the civil power, the controversy between East and West died; and peace was easily effected. And the terms of effecting it were these: — the reception of the Homoiision by the Asiatics, and on that reception their recognition, in spite of their past scruples, by the Alexandrians and Latins. In this sketch the main outlines of S. Cyril's history will be found to be contained; he seems to have been afraid of the term Homoiision", to have been disinclined both to the friends of Athanasius and to the Arians'', to have allowed the tjianny of the latter, to have shared in the general reconciliation, and at length botli in life and death to have received honours from the

V. Bened. note iv. 7. xvi.23. > Lect. iv. 8. xi. 12, 16, 17. xv.9.

PREFACE. -n

Church, which, in spite of whatever objections may be made to them, appear, on a closer examination of his history, not to be undeserved.

Cyril is said to have been the son of Christian parents, but the date and place of his birth is unknown. He was bom in the first years of the fourth century, and at least was brought up in Jerusalem. He was ordained Deacon probably by Macarius, and Priest by Maximus, the Bishops of Jerusalem, the latter of whom he succeeded A. D. 349, or 350. Shortly before this, (A. D. 347, or 348,) during his Priesthood, he had delivered the Catechetical Lectures which have come down to us. With his Episcopate commence the historical difiiculties under which his memory labours. It can scarcely be doubted that one of his consecrators was Acacius of Csesarea% the leader of Arianism in the East, who had just before (A. D. 347,) been deposed by the Council of Sai'dica; yet, as the after history shews, Cyril was no friend of the Arians or of Acacius**. He was canonically consecrated by the Bishops of his province, and as Acacius was still in possession of the principal see, he was compelled to a recognition which he might have wished to dispense with. He seems to have been a lover of peace; the Council of Sardica was at first as little acknowledged by his own party as by the Arians; and Acacius, being even beyond other Arians skilful and subtle in argument, and admitting the special formula* of Cyril on the doctrine in controversy, probably succeeded in disguising his heresy fi-om him.

A more painfiil account, however, of his consecration is given by S. Jerome ', supported in the main by other writers, which can only be explained by supposing that Father to be misled by the information or involved in the prejudices of Cyril's enemies. He relates, that upon Maximus's death, the

V. Diss. Bened. p. xviii sq. ture iv. 7. xi. 4, 9, 18,

d Theod. ii. 26. ^ f Jer. Chron. Socr. ii. 38. Sozom.

* The ara vatret ofttiy. vid. Lee- iv. 20.

xu PREFACE.

Arians seized upon the Church of Jerusalem, and promised CjtII the see on condition of his renouncing the ordination he had received from Maximus, and submitting to re-ordination from their hands; that he assented, served in the Church as a mere Deacon, and was then raised by Acacius to the Episcopate, when he persecuted Heraclius, whom Maximus had consecrated as his successor. This account, incredible in itself, is contradicted, on the one hand, by the second General Council, which in its Synodal letter plainly states that he had been " canonically ordained" Bishop, and on the other by his own writings, which as plainly shew, that in doctrine he was in no respect an Arian or an Arianizer.

If he suffers in memory from the Latin party as if Arian, he suffered not less in his life from the Arians as being orthodox. Seven or eight years after his consecration, he had a dispute with Acacius about the rights of their respective Churches f. Acacius in consequence accused him to the Emperor Constantius of holding with the orthodox; to which it was added that he had during a scarcity sold some offerings made by Constantine to his Church, to supply the wants of the poor. Cyril in consequence was deposed, and retired to Tarsus'*; where, in spite of the efforts of Acacius, he was hospitably received, and employed by Silvanus the Semi-arian Bishop of the place. We find him at the same time in friendship with Eustathius of Sebaste and Basil of Ancyra, both Semi-arians*. His own writings, however, as has already been intimated, are most exactly orthodox, though he does not in the Catechetical Lectures use the word Homoiision; and in associating with these men he went little further than S. Hilary", during his banishment in Asia Minor, who calls Basil and Eustatliius " most holy men," than S. Athanasius, who acknowledges as " brethren" those who but scnipled at the word Homoiision ',

K Socrat. ii. 40. Sozom. iv. 25. Theod. ^ Hilar, de Svnod. 77, 88. &c. v.

h Theodor. ii. 26. ' Athan. de Synod. 41. * Sozom. iv. 26. Philostorg. iv. 12.

PREFACE. xiii

or than S. Basil of Csesarea, who till a late period of his life was an intimate friend of Eustathius.

In A. D. 359, two years after his deposition, he successfully appealed against Acacius to the Council of Seleucia"*, one of the two branches of the great Council of East and West, which was convened under the patronage of Constantius to settle the troubles of the Christian world. But the next year, Acacius contriving to bring the matter before a Council at Constantinople, where the Emperor was staying, Cyril with his friends was a second time deposed, and banished from Palestine ".

On Constantius's death all the banished Bishops were restored", and Cyril, who was at that time with Meletius of Aiitioch, returned to Jerusalem, A. D. 362. He was there at the time of Julian's attempt to rebuild the Temple p, and from the Prophecies boldly foretold its failure.

He was once more driven from his see, during the reign of the Arian Valens *■, (A. D. 367,) and he remained dispossessed till A. D. 378.

About the time of the death of Valens, the last of the Arian princes, he was restored, but under what circumstances is unknown. The Arians fell once for all with their imperial protectors; and soon after, that union of Christian Churches took place, which would never have been interrupted, had not a few bold and subtle-minded men contrived to delude them into the belief of mutual differences. S. Athanasius, the great peace-maker of the Church, was gone to his rest; and S. Basil also, who had mourned over evils which he had no means of remedying. Gregory of Nyssa, the brother of the latter, Gregory of Nazianzum, Meletius of Antioch, remained; and were present together with Cyril in the second General Council', which formally restored the latter to his see, and in

" V. Dissert 1. Ed. Bened. p. Ivi. F. 1 Sozom. iv. 30. Jerom. Catal. Script.

V. 1. >■ Socrat. v. 8. Sozom. vii. 7. v. Dis-

° Sozom. V. 6. sert. Bened. p. Ixxxii. P Socrat. iii. 20. Ruffin. i. 37.

xiv PREFACE.

its letter to the Western Bishops speaks of him as " the most reverend and religious Cyril, long since canonically appointed by the Bishops of the province, and in many ways and places a withstandcr of the Arians'." He died about the year 386. Except one or two short compositions and fragments, nothing remains of his writings but his Catechetical Lectures.

No ecclesiastical writer could be selected more suitable to illustrate the main principle on which the present " Library of the Fathers" has been undertaken, than S. Cyril of Jerusalem. His Catechetical Lectures were delivered, as we have seen, when he was a young man; and he belonged, till many years after their delivery, to a party or school of theology, distinct, to say the least, from that to which the most illustrious divines of his day belonged; a school, never dominant in the Church, and expiring with his age. It is not then on the score of especial personal authority that his Lectures are now presented to the English reader; and if the simple object of this Publication were to introduce the latter to the wise and good of former times, S. Cyril would have no claims to a place in it beyond many who have lived since.

In saying this, it is far indeed from being asserted, that the personal claims of the Fathers of the Church on our deference are inconsiderable; for it happens, not unnaturally, that the works which have been preserved, were worth preserving, or rather that their writers would have been extraordinary men in any age, and speak with the weight of great experience, ability, and sanctity. To those who believe that moral truth is not gained by the mere exercise of the intellect, but is granted to moral attainments, and that God speaks to inquirers after truth by the mouth of those who possess these, the writings of S. Basil or S. Augustine must always have an authority independent of their date or their agreement; nor is it possible for serious persons to read them, without feeling the authority' which they possess as individuals. This, how- Theod. Hist. v. 9.

PREFACE. XT

ever, whatever it be, is not the main subject to which the present Translations propose to direct attention. The works to be translated have been viewed simply and plainly in the light of witnesses to an historical fact, viz. the religion which the Apostles transmitted to the early Churches, a fact to be ascertained as other past facts, by testimony, requiring the same kind of evidence, moral not demonstrative, open to the same difficulties of proof, and to be determined by the same practical judgment. It seems hardly conceivable that a fact so public and so great as the religion of the first Christians, should be incapable of ascertainment, at least in its outlines, that it should have so passed away like a dream, that the most opposite opinions may at this day be maintained about it without possibility of contradiction. If it was soon corrupted or extinguished, then it is obvious to inquire after the history of such corruption or extinction; such a revolution every where, without historical record, being as unaccountable as the disappearance of the original religion for which it is brought to account. At first sight there is, to say the least, a considerable antecedent improbability in the notion, that, whereas we know the tenets and the history of the Stoic or the Academic philosophy, yet we do not know the main tenets, nor yet the fiindamental principles, nor even the spirit and temper of Apostolic Christianity.

Under a sense of this improbability, in other words with an expectation that historical research would supply what they sought, our Divines at and since the Reformation have betaken themselves to the extant documents of the early Church, in order to determine thereby what the system of Primitive Christianity was; and so to elicit from Scripture more completely and accurately that revealed truth, which, though revealed there, is not on its surface, but needs to be deduced and developed from it. They went to tlie Fathers for information concerning matters, on which the Fathers at first sight certainly do promise to give information, just as inquirers into any other branch of knowledge might study

xvi PREFACE.

those authors who have treated of it; and, whether or not they found what they sought, it surely was reasonable so to seek it, and cannot be condemned except by the event, — that is, by shewing that tlieir expectation, however reasonable antecedently, is mistaken in fact, that after tlie search into history, no evidence is forthcoming concerning the tenets, nor yet the principles, nor even the temper which the Apostles inculcated.

A like expectation has actuated the present Publication; it has been conceived probable, to say the least, that the study of the WTitings of the Fathers will enable us to determine morally, to make up our minds for practical purposes, what the doctrines of the Apostles were, for instance whether or not they believed in our Lord's Divinity, or the general necessity of Baptism for salvation; — or if not the doctrines, still what were their principles, as whether or not or how far they allowed of using secular means for advancing Christian truth, or whether or not they sanctioned the monarchical principle, or again the centralizing principle, or again the principle of perpetuity, in Church matters, or whether they considered that Scripture should be interpreted in the mere letter, or what is called spiritually; — or at least what was their temper, for instance, whether or not it was what is now called in reproach superstitious, or whether or not exclusive, or whether or not opposed to display and excitement. On some or other of these points there are surely grounds for expecting information from the Fathers, sufficient for our practice, and therefore having claims upon it.

Recourse then being had to the writings of the Fathers, in order to obtain information as to this historical fact, viz. the doctrines, the principles, and the religious temper of Apostolical Christianity, so far we have little to do with the personal endowments of the Fathers, except as these bear on the question of their fidelity. Their being men ef strictest lives and most surpassing holiness, would not prove that they knew what it was the Apostles taught; and, were they but

PREFACE. xvii

ordinary men, this need not incapacitate them from being faithful witnesses and serviceable infonnants, if they were in a position to be such. We should have only to take into account, and weigh against each other, their qualifications and disqualifications, for being evidence to a fact; we should have to balance honesty against prejudice, education against party influence, early attachments against reason, and so on. Thus we should treat them, taken one by one; but even this sort of personal scrutiny will be practically superseded, when we consult them, not separately, but as our Reformed Church ever has done, together; and demand their unanimous testimony to any point of doctrine or discipline, before we make any serious use of them; for, it stands to reason that, where they agree, the peculiarities of their respective nations, education, history, and period, instead of suggesting an indefinite suspicion against the subject-matter of their testimony, does but increase the evidence of its truth. Their testimony becomes the concun'ence of many independent witnesses in behalf of the same facts; and, if it is to be slighted or disparaged, one does not see what knowledge of the past remains to us, or what matter for the historian. Viewing S. Cyril, for instance, as one of a body who bears a concordant evidence to the historical fact, that the Apostles taught that Christ is God% or that Baptism is the remedy of original sin", or that celibacy is not imperative on the clergy', whether he was Asiatic or Afiican, of the Roman or the Oriental party, as little matters, as when we consider him as one of a company bearing witness to the historical fact, that the Apostles and their associates wrote the New Testament. Indeed, as the matter stands, there is something very remarkable and even startling to the reader of S. Cyril, to find in a divine of his school such a perfect agreement, for instance as regards the doctrine of the Trinity, with those Fathers who in his age were more famous as champions of it. Here is a writer, separated by

xviii PREFACE.

whatever cause from what, speaking historically, may be called the Athanasian School, suspicious of its adherents, and suspected by them; yet he, when he comes to explain himself % expresses precisely the same doctrine as tliat of Athanasius or Gregory, while he merely abstains from the particular theological tenn in which the latter Fathers agreeably to the Nicene Council conveyed it. Can we have a clearer proof that the diflerence of opinion between them was not one of ecclesiastical and traditionary doctrine, but of practical judgment? that the Fathers at Nicaea wisely considered that, under the circumstances, the word in question was the only symbol which would secure the Chmch against the insidious heresy which was assailing it, while S. Cyril*, with Eusebius of Caesai'ea, Meletius, and others, shrunk from it, at least for a while, as if an addition to the Creed, or a word already taken into the senice of an opposite heresy*, and likely to introduce into the Church heretical notions? Their judgment, which was erroneous, was their own; their faith was not theirs only, but shared w4th them by the whole Chiistian world.

At the same time it must be granted, that this view of the Fathers as witnesses to Apostolic truth not individually but collectively, clear and unanswerable as it is, considered as a view, is open to some great practical inconveniences, when acted on in such an undertaking as that in which the present Editors are engaged. For since, by the supposition, no one of the Fathers is necessarily right in all his doctrine, taken by himself, but may be erroneous in secondary points, each taken by himself is in danger, by his own peculiarities, on the one hand of throwing discredit on all together, on the other of perplexing those who by means of the Fathers are inquiring after Catholic truth. And whereas in any publication of this nature, they cannot appear all at once, but first one and then

y iv. 7. VI. 1. X. and xi. xii. 1. de Synod. 12. (ed. Bened. Cyr. Hi. B.)

V. Hilar. Contr.Con8t.3.12. Athan. vid. Bull. Defens. F. N. ij. 1.

Preface. xix

another, and at all events cannot be read altogether, it follows that, during tlieir gradual perusal, unavoidable prejudice will often attach to the Fathers and to the Catholic Faith, and to those who are enforcing the latter by means of the former. And thus Editors of the Fathers are pretty much * in the condition of Architects, who lie under the disadvantage, from which Painters and Sculptors are exempt, of having their work exposed to public criticism through every stage of its execution, and being expected to provide symmetry and congruity in its parts independent of the whole.

Such are the circumstances in which we find ourselves, open to remark for every opinion, every sentence, every phrase, of every Father, before its meaning, relevancy, importance, or bearings are ascertained; before it is known whether it will be, as it were, obliterated by others, or completed, or explained, or modified, or unanimously witnessed. And since the evil is in the nature of the case itself, we can do no more than have patience, and recommend patience to others, and with the racer in the Tragedy look forward steadily and hopefully to the event, — T12 TEAEI tt/o-tjv (psgctiv, — when, as we trust, all that is inharmonious and anomalous in the details, will at length be practically smoothed. Meanwhile, as regards the condition of the reader himself, we consider that we shall sufficiently provide for his perplexity by reminding him of his duty to take his own Church for the present as his guide, and her decisions as a key and final arbiter, as regards the particular statements of the separate Fathers, which he may meet with; being fully confident, that her j udgment which he begins by taking as a touchstone of each, will in the event be found to be really formed, as it ought to be, on a view of the testimony of all.

In expressing, however, these thoughts, it is obvious to anticipate an objection of another sort which is likely to be urged against our undertaking, to the effect that all these dangers and warnings are gratuitous. Scripture itself containb 2

XX PREFACE.

ing sufficient information concerning the doctrines, principles, and mind of the Apostles, without having recourse to the difficult and, as has been above confessed, the anxious task, whether ultimately successful or not, of collecting the object of our inqiiir)' from the writings of the Fathers. This is not the place to treat of an objection, to which much attention has been drawn for several years past; yet thus much may be observed in passing: — If the sufficiency of Scripture for teaching as well as proving the Christian faith be maintained as a theological truth, the grounds in reason must be demanded, grounds such as to be independent of that inquiry into history which it is brought forward to prohibit. If it is vu-ged as a trutli obvious in inatter qf fact, and practically certain, then its maintainers have to account for the actual disagreement among readers of Scripture as to uhal the faith, principles, and temper of the Apostles were. And if it be urged on the authority of the sixth Article of our Church, then they must be asked, why if this Article contained a reason against deferring to Antiquity, the Convocation of 1571, which imposed it, at the same time, as is well knovna, ordered all preachers to teach according to the Catholic Fathers, and why our most eminent Divines, beginning with the WTiters of the Homilies themselves, have ever pursued that very method.

Nothing can be more certain than that Scripture contains all necessary doctrine; yet nothing, it is presumed, can be more certain either, than that, practically speaking, it needs an interpreter; nothing more certain than that our Chiu"ch and her Divines assign the witness of the early ages of Christianity concerning Apostolic doctrine, as tliat interpreter.

Without, however, entering into a question which our Church seems to have determined for us, a few words shall be devoted to the explanation of a verbal difficulty by wliich it is often perj^lexed. An objection is made, which, when analyzed, resolves itself into the following form.

PREFACE. xxi

" Either Antiquity does or does not teach something over and above Scripture: if it does, it adds to the inspired word; — if it does not, it is useless. — Does it then or does it not add to Scripture?" And, as if shewing that the question is a perplexed one, of various writers who advocate the use of Antiquity, one may be found to speak of the writings of the Fathers as enabling us to ascertain and revive truths which have fallen into desuetude, while another may strenuously maintain, that they impart the knowledge of no new truths over and above what Scripture sets before us. Now, not to touch upon other points suggested by this question, it may be asked by way of explanation, whether the exposition of the true sense of any legal document, any statute or deed, which has been contested, is an addition to it or not } It is, in point of words, certainly; for if the words were the same, it would be no explanation; but it is no addition to the sense, for it professes to be neither more nor less than the very sense, which is expressed in one set of words in the original document, in another in the comment. In like manner, when our Saviour says, " I and My Father are One," and Antiquity interprets " One" to mean " one in substance," this is an addition to the wording, but no addition to the sense. Of many possible means of interpreting a word, it cuts away all but one, or if it recognizes others, it reduces them to harmony and subordination to that one. Unless the Evangelist wished his readers to be allowed to put any conceivable sense upon the word, the power of doing so is no privilege; rather it is a privilege to know that very meaning, which to the exclusion of all others is the true meaning. Catholic Tradition professes to do for Scripture just which is desirable, whether it is possible or not, to relieve us from the chance of taking one or other of the many senses which are wrong or insufficient, instead of the one sense which is true and complete.

But again, every diligent reader of the Bible has a certain

xxii PREFACE.

idea in his own mind of what its teaching is, an idea which he cannot say is gained from this or that particular passage, but which he has gained from it as a whole, and which if he attempted to prove arguraentatively, he might perplex himself or fall into inconsistencies, because he has never trained his mind in such logical processes; yet nevertheless he has in matter of fact a view of Scripture doctrine, and that gained from Scripture, and which, if he states it, he does not necessarily state in words of Scripture, and which, whether after all correct or not, is not incorrect merely because he does not express it in Scripture words, or because he cannot tell whence he got it, or logically refer it to, or prove it from, particular passages. One man is a Calvinist, another an Arminian, another a Latitudinarian; not logically merely, but from the impression gained from Scripture. Is the Latitudinarian necessarily adding to Scripture because he maintains the proposition^ " religious opinions matter not, so that a man is sincere," a proposition not in terminis in Scripture? Surely he is unscriptural, not because he uses words not in Scripture, but because he thereby expresses ideas which are not expressed in Scripture. In answer then to the question, whether the Catholic system is an addition to Scripture, we reply, in one sense it is, in another it is not. It is not, inasmuch as it is not an addition to the range of independent ideas, which Almighty God intended should be expressed and conveyed on the whole by the inspired text: it is an addition, inasmuch as it is in addition to their arrangement, and to the words containing them, — inasmuch as it stands as a conclusion contrasted with its premisses, — inasmuch as it does that which every reader of the Scriptures does for himself, express and convey the ideas more explicitly and determinately than he finds them, — and inasmuch as there may be difficulty in duly referring every part of the explicit doctrine to the various parts of Scripture which contain it.

PREFACE. xxiii

Nothing here is intended beyond setting right an ambiguity of speech which both perplexes persons, and leads them to think that they differ from others, from whom they do not differ. No member of the English Chm-ch ever thought that the Church's creed was an addition to Scripture in any other sense than that in which an individual's own impression concerning the sense of Scripture is an addition to it; or ever referred to a supposed deposit of faith distinct from Scripture existing in the writings of the Fathers, in any other sense than in that in which asking a friend's opinion about the sense of Scripture, might be called imputing to him unscriptural opinions. The question of words then may easily be cleared up, though it often becomes a difficulty; the real subject in dispute, which is not here to be discussed, being this, how this one true sense of Scripture is to be learned, whether by philological criticism upon definite texts, — or by a promised superintendence of the Holy Ghost teaching the mind the true doctrines of Scripture, (whether by a general impression upon the mind, or by leading it text by text piecemeal into doctrine by doctrine;) — or, on the other hand, by a blessing of the Spirit upon studying it in the right way, that is, in the way actually provided, in other words, according to the Church's interpretations. In all cases the text of Scripture and an exposition of it are supposed; in the one the exposition comes first and is brought to Scripture, in the other it is brought out after examination into Scripture; but you cannot help assigning some exposition or other, if you value the Bible at all. Those alone will be content to ascribe no sense to Scripture, who think it matters not whether it has any sense or not. As to the case of a difference eventually occurring in any instance of importance, between what an individual considers to be the sense of Scripture and that which he finds Antiquity to put upon it, the previous question must be asked, whether such difference is likely to arise. It will not arise in the case of the majority, nor again in the case of serious, sensible, and humble minds;

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and where men are not such, it will be but one out of many difficulties. A person, however, thus circumstanced, whether from his own fault or not, is in a difficulty; difficulties are often our lot, and we must bear them, as we think God would have us. We can cut the knot by throwing off the authority of the Fathers; and we can remain under the burden of tlie difficulty by allowing that authority; but, however we act, we have no licence to please our taste or humoiu', but we act under a responsibility.

Two main respects have been mentioned, in which the concordant testimony of the Fathers may be considered to throw light upon the sense of Scripture; on these a few words are now necessary with a special reference to S. Cyril, — first as regards the doctrine of Scripture, next as regards the interpretation of texts. Now it will be found that they are more concordant as to the doctrines themselves contained in Scripture, than as to the passages in which these are contained and their respective force; and, again, that they are more concordant in their view of the principles upon which Scripture is to be interpreted, than in their application of these principles, and their view of the sense in consequence to be assigned to particular texts. This was to be expected, as may easily be made appear.

There seems to have been no Catholic exposition of Scripture, no traditionary- comment upon its continuous text. The subject-matter of Catholic tradition, as preserved in the writings of the Fathers, is, not Scripture interpretation or proofs but certain doctrines^ professing to be those of the Gospel; and since among these we find this, " that Scripture contains all the Gospel doctrines," we infer, that, according to the mind of the Fathers, those very doctrines which they declare to be the Christian faith are contained in and are to be proved from Scripture. But where they occur in Scripture cannot be ascertained from the Fathers, except so far as the accidental course of controversy has brought out their joint

PREFACE. XXV

witness concerning certain great passages, on which they do seem to have had traditionary information. The Arian and other heresies obliged them to appeal to Scriptm-e in behalf of a certain cardinal doctrine which they held by uninteniipted tradition; and thus have been the means of pointing out to us particular texts in which are contained the great truths which were assailed. But while we are thus fiimished with a portion of the Scrip tiu-e proof of Catholic doctrine, guaranteed to us by the imanimous consent of the Church, it is natural also, under the circumstances above mentioned, that many of the discussions which occurred should contain appeals to Scripture of a less cogent character, and evidencing the exercise of mere private judgment upon the text in default of Catholic Tradition. The early Chiu-ch had read Scriptiu*e not for argument but for edification; it is not wonderful that though holding the truth, and seeing it in the inspired text, and often seeing there what we fail to see, she should nevertheless be as little able to distribute exactly each portion of the truth to each of its places in the text, £ind to analyze the grounds of those impressions which the whole conveyed, as religious persons in the private walks of life may be now-a-days. Accordingly her divines, one by one, while they witness to the truth itself most sufficiently, as speaking from Tradition, yet often prove it insufficiently, as relying necessarily on private judgment.

For instance, the text. He that hath seen Mcy hath seen the Father^ is taken by S. Cyril, agreeably with other early writers, as a proof that Christ is in all things like (ojM,oof Iv TrouTiv) to the Father; (Lect. xi. 18.) and the text. Except a man be born qf water and qf the Spirit, as a proof of the necessity of Baptism. (Lect. iii. 4.) But though there are many of equal cogency, there are many also, about which there may be fairly difference of opinion, as when he interprets. Surely God is in thee, (Isai. 45, 14.) of the Indwelling of the Father in the Son. (TiCct. xi, 16.)

xxvi PREFACE.

And, while it is not at all surprising even tliough the Fathers should occasionally adduce texts as proofs of certain doctrines which are not so, neither is it strange that they should overlook proofs which did exist, and which we are able to discern. For they were in the light of a recent Tradition; we are in the twilight of a distant age; and our minds, like eyes accustomed to the twilight, may discern much in the dark parts of Scripture, which were hid from them by their very privilege.

Such imperfections, however, in the Scripture proofs adduced by the Fathers, whether in excess or defect, do not interfere at all with their maintenance of the great principles that there is a Faith, and that it is in Scripture. As far as S. Cyril is concerned, the following passages witness both truths clearly. " This Seal," he says, speaking of the Creed, " have thou ever in mind; which now by way of summary has been touched on in its heads, and, if the Lord grant, shall hereafter be set forth according to our power with Scripture proofs. For concerning the divine and sacred mysteries of the Faith, we ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures; nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities, and the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell you these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of what is set forth; for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures." (Lect. iv. 17.)

Again: " Take thou and hold that faith only as a learner and in profession, which is by the Church delivered to thee, and is established from all Scripture. For since all cannot read the Scripture, but some as being unlearned, others by business, are hindered from the knowledge of them, in order that the soul may not perish for lack of instruction, in the Articles which are few we comprehend the whole doctrine of the faith. . . Commit to memorj' the Faith, merely listening to the words; and expect at the fitting season the proof of each

PREFACE. xxvii

of its parts from the Divine Scriptures. For the Articles of the Faith were not composed at the good pleasure of man; but the most important points chosen from all Scripture,- make up the one teaching of the Faith. And as the mustard seed in a little grain contains many branches, thus also this Faith, in a few words, has enfolded in its bosom the whole knowledge of godliness contained both in the Old and New Testaments." (Lect. v. 12.) The doctrine, expressed in these and other passages of S. Cyril, is implied and assumed in a most striking way in a number of others ''.

So much on the Scripture proof of doctrine as contained in the Fathers; as to the doctrinal sense of Scripture, the second point to be spoken of, what has been already observed is quite consistent, not to say connected with the remark to be made concerning it, viz. that the Fathers are far more concordant in assigning principles of Scripture interpretation, than in the interpretation of particular passages. Indeed the very view they took of the Bible led to variety, apparent discordance, and private conjecture in interpreting it. They considered it to be a sort of storehouse of sacred treasiues "^y contained under the letter in endless profusion, piled, as it were, one on another, with order indeed and by rule, but still often so deeply lodged within the text, that from ordinary eyes they were almost hidden^. Hence it was considered as a duty and privilege proposed to the Christian, to find out the " wondrous things of God's law;" and no meaning was so remote from the literal text as to be proved thereby to be foreign to it in the Divine intention. While then, according to their disposition or school of theology, they were led, more or less, to attempt to search into the deep mysteries of Scripture for themselves % they felt little difficulty in multiplicity of interpretations, little fear of inconsistency. And while such a prinl> xi. 12. xii. 5. xiii.8,9. xiv. 2. xvi. d xii. 1(5. xiii. 14. ix. 13. 1, 2. 24. e iii. i(j. vi, 28, 29. xii. 19.

xxviii PREFACE.

ciple as has been described necessarily led them to diversity in their interpretations, that diversity does but increase our evidence of the fact of their one and all holding that principle; and thus, while their value as commentators varies with their personal qualifications, their adherence to that principle comes to us as a Catholic tradition.

Instances of individual, local, or transitory opinion, that is, of what would at present, rightly or wrongly, be called fancifulness and caprice, are frequent in S. Cyril's Lectures, and scarcely need specifying. Such, for example, is his interpreting, " Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn," of the Holy Sepulchre, (Lect. xiii. 35.) or " At evening time it shall be light," of the circumstances of the Crucifixion; (Lect. xiii. 24.) and much more his considering, " Thou hast wrought salvation in the midst of the earth^'' (Lect. xiii. 28.) to alkide to Golgotha, and " the fountain sealed," to Christ in the sepulchre after the sealing of the stone. (Lect. xiv. 5.)

These interpretations, whether his ovm or not, and whether true or not, do not profess to be traditional, and are but witnesses, to the great principle from which they proceed, of the overliving intelligence, deep and varied meaning, and inexhaustible fulness of Holy Scripture. This indeed he himself declares in one place in words which may be suitably extracted. After giving two conjectures concerning the doctrinal meaning of the Blood and Water, which came from our Lord's side, viz. that it typifies the Jews' imprecation of His blood upon them and Pilate's washing his hands of it, or again the condemnation of the Jews and the baptismal pardon of Christians, he adds, " For nothing happened iciihcut a meaning^ (owSev imy^ yeyoviv.) Our fathers who have written comments, have given another reason of this matter. For since in the Gospel the power of salutary Baptism is two-fold, that bestowed by means of water on the Illuminated, and that to holy Martyrs in persecutions through their own blood, there came out of that salutary side blood and water," &c. (Lect. xiii. 21.)

PREFACE. xxix

When then it is inquired, what information is given us by the Fathers, concerning Scripture or Catholic doctrine, we reply, that they rather declare doctrine and say that it is in Scripture, than prove it by Scripture, at once concord- Y antly and in detail; and again, that they rather tell us how we must set about interpreting Scripture, than authoritatively interpret it for us. It is presumed that this is on the whole correct; true as it also is, that on a number of the most important points of doctrine they have preserved to us, with an unanimity which is an evidence of its Apostolic origin, the very texts in which they are contained. Still after all the Fathers are rather led to dwell on Scripture by itself, V and on the doctrinal system by itself, as two distinct, parallel, and substantive sources of divine information, than to blend and almost identify the two, as a variety of circumstances has occasioned or obliged us to do at this day.

It would at first sight seem unnecessary to add to what has been said, any remark on mistakes or apparent mistakes committed by S. Cyril in matters of fact; but as this is often a ground of misconception, the subject shall be briefly noticed. For instance, as to his statement concerning the discovery of the True Cross '^, he is to be treated as any other historical witness under the same circumstances, and the weight of his evidence, whatever it is, is to be balanced against the improbability of the fact recorded, whether antecedent, or arising from the silence concerning it of Eusebius and Constantine. Again, we may well allow that he was not a natural historian, without hurting his theological character. It is true that he believed in the existence of the Phoenix*^, and argued from the analogy afforded by it in favour of the Resurrection. That is, he was philosophical on false grounds. And in like manner persons have proved, as they thought, the Noachical deluge from stones found on the top of hills, or have attributed it to the action

f Lect. iv. 10. X. 19. xiii. 4. f xviii. 8.

XXX PREFACE.

of a comet, or have believed or doubted the existence of tlif sea serpent or the dodo, and never have been reckoned worse or better divines for either success or failure in such conjectures. It as little follows that a theologian must be an ornithologist, as that an ornithologist or comparative anatomist must be a theologian; and as no one in this day would reckon ignorance of divinity as a bar to eminence and authority in scientific researches, so it betrays a povertv of argument to reproach S. Cyril,orEusebius,or S. Clement before them, with not being proficients in a branch of knowledge which has been a peculiar study of modem times. They did not profess to be natural historians; let it be enough for this age to cultivate physical science itself, without molesting the Fathers with its new standards of intellectual superiority. Let it be enough for it to despise the province of theology, without seeking to remodel it. The Fathers did not profess the science on which it prides itself; nothing but inspiration could secure them from shewing ignorance concerning it; and no one pretends that S. Cyril or S. Clement were inspired.

It is only necessary to add with respect to the present Translation, that for almost the whole of it the Editors are indebted to Mr. Church, Fellow of Oriel College. It has been made from the Benedictine Text compared with the Oxford Edition of Milles, the Benedictine Sections in the separate Lectures being marked by numbers at the beginning of the paragraphs, and the Oxford sections on the margin. The few notes which are introduced are almost confined to the elucidation of matter of fact, and have been kept clear as far as possible from the expression of opinions; in drawing them up, much use has been made of the valuable information contained in the Oxford and Benedictine Editions. Such words of S. Cyril as have a theological, controversial, or critical importance, are usually placed in the margin opposite

PREFACE. xxxi

their place in the Translation. The quotations from Scripture are given in the words of our received version, wherever the Greek of Cyril admitted of it: when otherwise, it has been signified in the margin.

J. H. N. Oxford, The Feast of St. Matthew, 1838.

Notice concerjiing the Churches in which the Lectures were delivered.

It has already been observed, Uiat St. Cyril delivered the following Lectures in the year 347 or 348. He delivered them without book, in the Churches raised over the spot made sacred by our Lord's death, burial, and resurrection; those addressed to the Catechumens, excepting the Introductory' Lecture, in the evening, that being the usual time for religious meetings during Lent; and those on the Mysteries, at noon.

It may be interesting to the reader to be put in possession of Eu.sebius's description of the Basilica and Church, whicli Constantine erected, in which the Lectures were delivered. The circumstance of its being contemporaneous history will be considered perhaps to compensate for the turgidness of the style. In his panegyric upon Constantine, he briefly noticed the buildings in question thus:

" As regards Palestine, in the midst of the royal home of the Hebrews, at the very place of the Saving Witness ', he employed himself in ornamenting richly and with muniticent earnestness a vast House of prayer and Holy Temple to the Saving Sign; and paid honour to the Great Saviour's tomb of eternal memory, His very trophy raised over death, with decorations not to be described." c. 9.

And more at length in his life of the same Emperor. " He considered it his duty to constitute that most blessed spot in Jerusalem of the Saving ResuiTection, an object of admiration and reverence to all. Accordingly he gave orders to construct there a House of Prayer, not projecting it apart from God, but moved in spirit by the Saviour Himself For in former

a Vid. Cyril, Lect. xiv. 6.

days irreligious men, or rather the whole race of evil spirits by means of them, had made it a point to consign over that divine monument of immortality to darkness and oblivion. . . . Not sparing their labour in the work, and bringing earth from other places, they conceal the whole place; and then raising it up high and paving it with stones, they bury the divine treasiu-e somewhere beneath under this vast mound. Then as though nothing more was to be done, above that ground, they contrive a sepulchre, dreadful indeed for souls; by building a dark shrine of dead idols to the unchaste spirit called Venus. And there they offered impure sacrifices upon

profane and guilty altars No one ever, governor, or

general, or emperor himself, was foimd equal for the overthrow of this daring deed, but one, the favoured of the All Sovereign God. Influenced then by a Divine Spirit, he bore not that the place aforenamed should be hidden under that unholy mass, by the counsels of enemies, forgotten and unknown; he yielded not to the wickedness of the perpetrators of the deed; so, invoking God his Helper, he bids purify the place, deeming it fitting that what had been the most polluted by our enemies, should receive the noblest work of good through him. And upon the word the structures of falsehood began to fall upon the ground from their height above; and images, evil spirits, and the whole edifice of error fell into pieces and were demolished. Nor did the Emperor's zeal rest here; but he orders to carry ofi" and cast away, far away from the spot, the materials, wood and stone. Deeds followed upon word; yet even at this point was he not satisfied. Again, divinely moved, he commanded to dig deep and carry out the soil itself, together with the mound, far away, as having been polluted by tlie mire of devilish sacrifices. This too was instantly done; on which another foundation instead of the first came to light, one in the depth of the earth, and the awfiil and all-holy Witness of the Saving Resurrection came to light beyond all hope; and then that cave, a holy of holies, began to image forth the scene of the revival of the

xxxiv

Saviour. Thus after its setting in darkness, it again came fortli to the light; and to tliose who came to see, it afforded a manifest view of the history of the things done there, witnessing by facts more vocally than any voice the Saviour's resurrection. All this being done, immediately the Emperor by pious edicts and imsparing contributions, commands to build about the Saving Cave, a House of prayer, worthy of God, wdth rich and royal magnificence, having long proposed this, and contemplated the future with special eagerness; — sending to the Governors of the Eastern provinces, by unsparing and loving contributions to accomplish an extraordinary, great, and rich work; and to the then Bishop of Jerusalem, [Macarius,] the following letter, &c

" First of all, he set about the decorations of the Sacred Cave itself, that divine monument, by which an Angel dazzling with light once told good tidings of the regeneration manifested to all through the Saviour. This then first, as the beginning of the whole, the Emperor's devotion enriched with choice pillars and much embellishment, beautifying it with ornaments of every sort.

" Next he passed over an ample space opened to the sky; which was paved with shining stone, and surrounded on three sides with long porticos.

" But on the fouilh side which was opposite the Cave, and looked eastward, was added the Royal Temple, [the Basilica,] an extraordinary work, rising to an immense height, and spread out in exceeding length and width. The inner walls were covered with marble slabs of various colours, and the outside face of the walls, shining with polished stones closely fitted together, was a specimen of supernatural beauty not inferior to the look of marble. The roof without was protected with lead, as a defence against the weather; and the roof within was composed of carved fretwork, and by means of compartments stretched its vast expanse over the whole Basilica, and was covered throughout with resplendent gold, so as to make the whole Temple dazzling as with a blaze of light.

xxxr

" On each side ran a portico with two ranges along the length of the Temple, both above and under ground; and of this too the roof was enriched with gold. The outside ranges consisted of enormous columns; and the inside of quadrangular buttresses highly ornamented. Three handsome doors on the East let in the multitude who would enter.

" At the opposite end, was the perfection of the whole work, a hemisphere ", at the top of the Basilica; girt with twelve pillars according to the number of the Apostles of the Saviour, with capitals ornamented with large silver cups, which the Emperor himself gave as a most beautiful offering to his God.

" Hence, as one goes forward to the entrances lying before the Temple, he interposed an open court; and on each side, first a hall, then porticos, and then hall doors. Next, reaching into the broad marketplace, was placed the vestibule of the whole tastefully fashioned, affording to those who were passing outside a striking view of the wonders within.

" This Temple then the Emperor raised as a conspicuous Witness of the Saving Resurrection, beautifying it with rich and royal materials. And he embellished it with innumerable gifts of undescribable splendour, with gold, silver, precious stones of every kind; of which the exquisite workmanship in particular, whether in size, number, or variety, does not admit of being recounted here." (iii. 25 — 40.)

A ground-plan of the Church and Basilica is subjoined : —

^ i. e. the Apsis where the Altar was.

A, The Anastasis, that is, the Church upon the site of the Holy Sepulchre; where S. Cyril delivered his last five Lectures. (Lect. xviii. 33.)

The Holy Sepulchre was within a stone's cast of the top of Golgotha, on the southern side of the hill. It originally consisted of two caves, (Lect. xiv. 9.) an inner and an outer, of which the latter was destroyed by Constantine. The former, which he left, and, as it would appear, (vid. above note a on Lect. xiv. 9.) cut off from the main body of the rock, is shaped round outeide like a horseshoe with the circular part towards the West, and is entered by the East. Inside it remains apparently in its ancient form of a trapezium; the roof can be touched with the hand, and on the North is an opening in the face of the rock, where our Lord's body seems to have been placed. The stone which had been placed at the mouth of the cave lay in S, Cyril's time near the Sepulchre whether within or without. (Lect. xiii. 39.) The Church built over the Holy Sepulchre was circular.

B. Golgotha or Calvary, the place of our Lord's Crucifixion.

The whole mount, including the site of the sacred buildings, was sometimes called Golgotha. (Vid. Lect. iv. 10, 14. xvi. 4.) Sometimes only its top where the Crucifixion actually took place, which was to the North of the Basilica of the Holy Cross. (Lect. xiii. 4.) It was without the walls of the ancient city, to the North of Mount Sion, and about a mile and a half to the West of the Mount of Olives; and in S. Cyril's time it was a wild desolate spot, some traces remaining of the garden in which the Sepulchre was situated. (Lect. xiv. 5.)

C. The Basilica of Constantine, or Church of the Holy Cross, (Euseb. Laud. C. 9.) called also the Martyrium or Testimony, as being built close upon and in memory of our Lord's Passion; where S. Cyril delivered his first eighteen Lectures.

The Basilica of the Holy Cross, lay to the West of the Holy Sepulchre, being connected with it by a;court open above, paved with choice marble, and bounded on all but the West side with a portico. It lay higher than the court, from which it seems to have been entered by steps; and there were three doors at the entrance, through which the Holy Sepulchre and the summit of Golgotha were seen. Porticos ran along the North and South, and the Altar was at the West end.

a. The Holy Sepulchre, with the entrance on the East.

b. The open Court connecting the Anastasis or Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with the Basilica of the Holy Cross.

c. Steps up to the Basilica.

d. Entrances.

e. Ambo, where was the place of reading Scripture and preaching.

f. Altar.

g. Bishop's Throne.

h. Spring of water for the Baptisteiy.

S. CYRIL.

LECTURES ADDRESSED TO CANDIDATES FOR BAPTISM DURING LENT, IN THE BASILICA OF THE HOLY CROSS.

Paee !•

[Delivered in fall Church, and therefore perhaps on a Sunday.]

LECTURE I.

Page 10.

Isaiah i. 16—19. Wash you^ make you clean; put away the evil qf your doings from before 3Iine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as w^ol. If ye be loilling and obedient, ye shall eat the good qf the land.

[Probably in the first week,]

LECTURE II.

Page 14.

Ezekiel xviii. 20 — 23. The righteousness qf the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness qf the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed.

xl CONTENTS.

and keep all My statutes^ and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned trnto him; in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any j)leasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord Ood: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

[Probably in the first week.]

LECTURE III.

Page 2.

Romans vi. 3, 4. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were bajytized into His death? Therqfore we are buried with Him by Baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory qf the Father, even so we also should walk in newness qf life.

[Probably in the first week.]

LECTURE IV. Page 34.

Colossians ii. 8. Beware lest any inan spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition qf men, after the rudiments qf the world, and not after Christ.

[Probably in the first week.] LECTURE V.

Hebrews xi. 1, 2. Now faith is the substance qf things hoped for, the evidence rf things not seen: for by it the elders obtained a good re])ort.

CONTENTS. xli

LECTURE VI.

Pace 60.

Isaiah xlv. 16, 17. They shall go to confusion together that are partakers of idols; but Israel shall be saved in the Lord vyith an everlasting salvation, ye shall not be ashamed nor corfounded world without end.

LECTURE VII.

Pge79.

Eph. iii. 14, 15. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father qf our Lord Jesus Christ, qf whom the whole family qf heaven and earth is named.

[Next day to the sixth.]

LECTURE VIII.

Page 86.

The Great, the Mighty God; the Lord of Hosts is His Nam£,

great in counsel, and mighty in work.

[Next day to the seventh.]

LECTURE IX.

Page 00.

Job xxxviii. 2, 3. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words withmit knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will d^mxind qf thee, and answer thou Me.

xlii CONTENTS.

LECTURE X.

1 Corinthians viii. 5, 6. For though there he that are called gods^ whether in heaven or in earth, {as there be gods many and lords many,) but to us there is One God the Father, qf whom are all things, and we in Him ; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.

LECTURE XI. Pate no.

ON THE SON OF GOD, AS ONLY-BEGOTTEN, BEFORE ALL AGES, AND THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS.

Hebrews i. 1, 2. Ood, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son.

[Next day to the tenth.]

LECTURE XII.

Page 123.

Isaiah vii. 10 — 14. Moreover the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying. Ask thee a sign qf the Lord thy Qod; a^k it either in the depth, or in the height above. And Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. And he said. Hear ye now, 0 House qf David; is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my Qod also? Therefore the Lord Himself shall 9^^^ y<^ ^ sign; Behold, a Virgin shall conceive^ and bear a Son, and shall call His Name Imjnanuel.

[Next day to the eleventh,]

CONTENTS. xliii

Isaiah liii. 1, 7. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm qf the Lord revealed? . . . . He is brmtght as a lamh to the slaughter, and as a sheep hqfore her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.

[Some days before the fourteenth.]

LECTURE XIV.

Page 165.

1 Corinthians xv. 1 — 4. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first qf all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

[On a Monday in the beginning of the month Xanthicus, (April,) shortly after the Equinox.]

LECTURE XV.

Page 183.

/ beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of

days did sit, Sfc. . . . The judgment was set, and the books

were opened, Sfc. . . . I saw in the night visions, and behold

one like the Son qf Man came with the clouds qf heaven,

xliv CONTENTS.

and came to the Ancient qf days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, %-c. . . . His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, ^c.

LECTURE XVI.

THE PROPHETS.

same Spirit.

[A few days before Easter.]

LECTURE XVII.

Page tto. ON THE HOLY GHOST.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word qf vnsdom; to

another the word qf knowledge by the same Spirit; ^c.

[A few days before Easter.]

LECTURE XVIII.

Puge S40.

Ezekiel xxxvii. 1. The hand qf the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit qf the Lord, and set me down in the midst i(f the valley which was full qf bones. .

[On Easter Eve.]

CONTENTS. xlv

LECTURES ADDRESSED TO THE BAPTIZED IN EASTER WEEK IN THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

LECTURE XIX. (on the mysteries. I.)

1 Peter v. 8—14. Be sober, be vigilant ; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh ohout, seeking whom he may devour,

[On Monday in Easter Week.]

LECTURE XX. (on the mysteries. II.)

Romans vi. 3 — 14. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ^c. . . .for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

[On Tuesday in Easter Week.]

LECTURE XXI.

(on the mysteries. III.)

Page 167.

But ye have an unction from the Holy One, ^c that,

when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed bqfore Him at His coming.

[On Wednesday in Easter Week.]

xlri CONTENTS.

LECTURE XXII.

1 Corinthiaiis xi. 23. / have received qf the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. That the Lord Jesus^ the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread, Sfc.

[On Thorsdsy in Easter Week.] LECTURE XXIII.

1 Peter ii. 1. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and evil speakings, Sfc.

[On Friday in Easter Week.]

[Collected from St. Cyril's Lectures.]

We believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible, and invisible :

And in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God; begotten of the Father Very God, before all worlds; by whom all things were made ; who came in the flesh, and was made man of the Virgin and the Holy Ghost ; He was crucified and buried ; He rose again the third day ; and ascended into heaven, and sat on the right hand of the Father; and He cometh in glory to judge the quick and the dead ; whose kingdom shall have no end :

And in One Holy Ghost, the Comforter, who spake in the Prophets: and in one Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins: and in one Holy Catholic Church: and in the Resurrection of the dead: and in the Life everlasting.

S. CYRIL,

ADDRESSED TO

1. Already is there on you the savour of blessedness, O (1-) ye who are soon to be enlightened: already are you gathering ?t/^- spiritual flowers, to weave heavenly crowns withal: already*"""' hath the fragrance of the Holy Ghost refreshed you : already

are you at the entrance hall of the King's house: may you be brought into it by the King! For now the blossoms of the trees have budded; may but the fruit likewise be perfected! Thus far, your names have been given in, and the roll-call made for service; there are the torches of the bridal train, and the longings after heavenly citizenship, and a good purpose, and a hope attendant; for He cannot lie who hath said, To them that lave God, all things work together for good. Rom. 8, God is indeed lavish in His benefits: yet He looks for each ' , man's honest resolve: so the Apostle subjoins, 7b those ichoa,*. are called according to their purpose. Honesty of purpose makes thee called: for though the body be here, yet if the mind be away, it avails nothing.

2. Even Simon Magus once came to the Laver of Baptism, Acts 8, he was baptized, but not enlightened". His body he dipped ^^'

in water, but admitted not the Spirit to illuminate his heart.

• S. Austin considers Simon Magus demnation. Vid. in Ps. 103. i. 9. to be born again, but to a greater con-

2 Baptism is offered to all^ but to the unprqm.red is a curse.

Introd. His body went down and came up; but his soul was not - '*"^' buried together with Christ, nor with Him raised. I mention ^ ' such instances of falls, that thou mayest not fail; fm- these 1 Cor, things happened, to them for ensamples, and they are written ' ' for the admonition of those, who up to this day are ever coming. Let no one of you be found tempting grace: let no Heb.i2,roo/ of bitterness spring up, and trouble you: let not any of you enter, saying. Come, let us see what the faithful do: I will go in and see, that I may learn what is done. Expectest thou to see, and not to be seen: and thinkest thou to busy thee with what is doing, and God not be busy with thine heart the while? Mat. 22, 3. A certain man in the Gospels busily pried into the mamage feast: he took an unbecommg garment, came m, sat down, and ate; for the bridegroom pemiitted thus far; whereas, when he saw the white robes of all, he ought himself likewise to have taken such another; yet he shared like meats with them, being unlike them in fashion and in purpose. But the bridegroom, though bountiful, was not undiscerning; and, as he went round to each of the guests and viewed them, (not that he was careful how they feasted, but how they behaved,) seeing a stranger, not having a wedding-gannent on, he said to him. Friend, how earnest thou in hither / With what stained raiment? with what a conscience? What, though the porter stopped thee not, because of the bountifulness of the entertainer? what, though thou wert ignorant in what fashion thou shouldest enter into the banquet? yet thou camest in, thou didst see the glistering fashion of the guests. Shouldest thou ilixftT,, not have learned at least from what thou sawest? Shouldest ""•ord* ^^°" ^^^ have made a seasonable retreat, that thou mightest iog to have a seasonable return? but now hast thou turned in unseabon*"" sonably, that unseasonably thou mightest be thrust out. So emenda- Jig commands his servants. Bind his feet, which have daringly intruded, — bind his hands, which were not skilled to robe him in the bright garment; and cast him into the outer darkness; for he is unworthy of the wedding torches. Thou hast seen how he fared then; take heed to thyself. (3.) 4, For we, the ministers of Christ, have admitted every man, and holding as it were the place of door-keepers, have left the door unfastened. Thou hast been free then to enter with a

Those who come lightly, must not go hack, but become serious. 3

soul bemired with sins, and a defiled purpose. Entered thou hast: thou hast passed, thou hast been enrolled. Seest thou these venerable arrangements of the Church? Viewest thou her order and discipline, the reading of the Scriptures, the *;* presence of the religious, the course of teaching? Let then *f^*"' the place affect thee, let the sight sober thee. Depart in good time now, and enter to-morrow in better. If avarice has been the fashion of thy soul, put on another, and then come in: put off what thou hadst, cloke it not over: put ofi", I pray thee, fornication and uncleanness, and put on the most bright robe of soberness. This charge I give thee, before Jesus the spouse of souls come in, and see their fashion. Thou art allowed a distant day; thou hast a penitence of forty ^ ; thou hast full time to put off, and to wash thee, to put on, and to enter in. But if thou abide in thy evil purpose, he who speaks is blameless, but thou must not look for grace: for though the water shall receive thee, the Spirit will not accept thee. Whoso is conscious of a wound, let him take the salve: whoso has fallen, let him rise: let there be no Simon among you, no hypocrisy, no idle curiosity about the matter.

5. Perhaps thou comest on another ground. A man may (4.) be wishing to pay court to a woman, and on that account come hither: and the same applies to women likewise: again, a slave often wishes thus to please his master, or one friend another. I avail myself of this angler's bait, and receive thee, as one who has come indeed with an unsound purpose,

but art to be saved by a good hope. Thou knewest not perchance whither thou wast coming, nor what net was taking thee. Thou art within the Church's nets, submit to be taken; flee not, for Jesus would secure thee, not to make thee die, but by death to make thee live. For thou must die and rise again; thou hast heard the Apostle saying. Dead indeed to Rom. 6, sin, but alive unto righteousness. Die then to thy sins, and J p ^ g live to righteousness: yea, from this day forth, live. 24.

6. Look, I beseech thee, how great dignity Jesus presents to thee. Thou wert called a Catechumen, which means, hearing with the ears, hearing hope, and not perceiving;

^ In some Churches this period was of Churches of Italy it seems to have been thirty days; in other twenty; in the more than forty.

4 Bdptism cannot he aibninistered more than once.

I NTROD. hearing mysteries, yet not understanding: hearing Scripturesj

^^ yet not knowing their depth. Thou no longer hearest with

henceforth fashions thy mind into a house of God. AVhen thou shalt hear what is written concerning mysteries, then thou shalt understand, what hitherto thou knewest not. And think not it is a trifle thou receivest. Thou, a wretched man, *Utoi, a receivest the Name of God; for hear the words of Paul, Ood is {uaill^' A^ittiful; and another Scripture, Qod is faithfxd and just. juitijied. This the Psalmist foreseeing, since men were to receive the p ^R-j ^^ ^^^ Gods, and are all the children qf the Most High. 6. ' But beware lest with the name of believer thou have the purpose of an unbeliever. Thou hast entered into the stiniggle; labour therefore in the race, for season thou hast none other such. If thou hadst thy wedding day before thee, wouldest thou not make light of aught besides, and be full of preparations for the feast? And wilt thou not then, when on the eve of consecrating thy soul to a heavenly spouse, let go carnal things that thou mayest take hold of spiritual }

7. The bath of Baptism we may not receive twice or thrice ; else, it might be said. Though I fail once, I shall go right next time : whereas if thou failest once, there is no setting things right, for there is One Lord, and One Faith, and One Baptism: none but heretics are re-baptized, since their former baptism was not baptism*. (5.) 8. For God seeks nothing else from us, save a good purpose. Say not. How are my sins blotted out ? I tell thee, from willing, from believing; what is shorter than this? But if thy lips declare thy willing, but thy heart is silent. He knows the heart who judgeth thee. Cease then henceforth from every wicked thing : refrain thy tongue from light words, thine eye from sin, thy mind from roving after useless matters.

9. Let thy feet hasten to the Catechisings, receive with earnestness the Exorcisms; for whether thou art breathed

^ The Marcionites allowed of Baptism the words or water was not duly uced.

three times. Epiph. Hter. xlii. 3. V alen- S. Cyprian, and the African Church of

tinustwice. Hieron.in Eph. iv. 5. What his day, considered it invalid in all

Cyril says about heretical haptism should cases; ho did the Churches of Asia

be observed. The Roman Church con- Minor at the same date. S. Dionysius

sidered it invalid (the officiator's orders of Alexandria is claimed on both

not coming into question) (mly when sides.

Exorcisms through the Spirit drive out the devil from the soul. 5

upon, or exorcised, the Ordinance is to thee salvation. It is as though thou hadst gold unwrought or alloyed, blended with various substances, with brass, and tin, and iron, and lead: we seek to have the gold pure, but it cannot be cleansed from foreign substances without fire. Even so, without Exorcisms, the soul cannot be cleansed; and they are divine, collected from the divine Scriptures. Thy face is veiled**, that thy mind may be henceforth at leisure; lest a roving eye cause a roving heart. But though thine eyes be veiled, thine ears are not hindered receiving what is saving. For as the goldsmith, conveying the blast upon the fire through delicate instruments, and as it were breathing on the gold which is hid in the hollow of the forge, stimulates the flame it acts upon, and so obtains what he is seeking; so also, exorcisers, infusing fear by the Holy Ghost, and setting the soul on fire in the crucible of the body, make the evil spirit flee, who is our enemy, and salvation and the hope of eternal life abide; and henceforth the soul, cleansed from its sins, hath salvation. Let us then, brethren, abide in hope, surrendering ourselves (6. and hoping; so may the God of all, seeing our purpose, cleanse us from sins, and impart to us good hopes of our estate, and grant us saving penitence! He who calls, is God, and thou art the person called.

10. Abide thou in the Catechisings : though our discourse be long, let not thy mind be wearied out. For thou art receiving thine armour against the antagonist power ; against heresies, against Jews, and Samaritans, and Gentiles. Thou hast many enemies ; take to thee many darts ; thou hast many to hurl them at. And thou hast need to learn how to hurl them at the Greek ; how to do battle against heretic, against Jew and Samaritan. The armour indeed is ready, and most ready is the sword of the Spirit ; but thou also must stretch forth thy hands with good resolve, that thou mayest war the Lord's warfare, mayest overcome the powers that oppose thee, mayest escape defeat from every heretical attempt.

11. This charge also I give thee. Study the things that are spoken, and keep them for ever. Think not that they are the ordinary Homilies, which are excellent indeed, and trustworthy, but if neglected to-day, may be attended to

"1 For this custom, vid. Bingham, An- Dissert, xii. 15. tiq. ■%. 2. §. 12. Basnag. Annal. vol. ii.

6 Christian doctrine to he tcithheld from Catechumens.

I NT ROD. to-morrow. On the contrary, the teaching concerning the

Lect.

laver of regeneration, delivered in course, how shall it be made up, if to-day it be neglected? Consider it to be the planting season; unless we dig, and that deeply, how shall that afterwards be planted rightly, which has once been planted ill? Or consider Catechising to be a kind of building: unless we dig deep, and lay the foundation, — unless by successive fastenings in the masonry, we bind the frame-work of the house together, that no opening be detected, nor the work be left unsound, nought avails all our former labour. But stone must succeed stone in course, and comer must follow comer, and, inequalities being smoothed away, the masonry must rise regular. In like manner we are bringing to thee the stones, as it were, of knowledge; thou must hear concerning the Living God; concerning Judgment; concerning Christ; concerning the Resurrection; and many things are made to follow one the other, which though now dropped one by one, at length are presented in harmonious connection. But if thou wilt not connect them into one whole, and remember what is first, and what is second, the builder indeed buildeth, but the building M'ill be unstable. (7.) 12. Now when the Catechising has taken place, should a Catechumen ask, what the teachers have said, tell nothing to a stranger; for we deliver to thee a mystery, even the hope of the life to come: keep the mystery for Him who pays thee. Let no man say to thee, What harm, if I also know it? So the sick ask for wine; but if it be unseasonably given them, it occasions delirium, and two evils follow; the sick man dies, and the physician gets an ill name. Thus is it with the Catechumen also if he should hear from the Believer: the Catechumen is made delirious, for not understanding what he has heard, he finds fault with it, and scoffs at it, and the Believer bears the blame of a betrayer. But now thou art standing on the frontiers; see thou let out nothing; not that the things spoken do not deserve telling, but the ear that hears does not deserve receiving. Thou thyself wast once a Catechumen, and then I told thee not what was coming. When thou hast by practice reached the height of what is taught thee, then wilt thou understand that the Cateclmmens are unworthy to hear them.

13. Ye who have been enrolled, are become the sons and

Reverence to be observed in the Church. 7

daughters of one Mother. When ye have entered in before (8.) the hour of exorcising, let one of you speak what may promote godhness: and if any of your number be not present, seek for him. If thou wert called to a banquet, wouldest thou not wait for thy fellow-guest? If thou hadst a brother, wouldest thou not seek thy brother's good? Henceforth meddle not unprofitably with external matters; what the city hath done, or the town, or Prince, or Bishop, or Presbyter. Look upward, thy present hour hath need of that. Be still, trx'^-iand know that I am God. If thou seest the Believers minis- ^rdlse^- tering without care, yet they enjoy security, they know whaX gaged. they have received, they are in possession of grace. But lo.' ' thou art just now in the turn of the scale, to be received or not: thou must not copy those who are free from care, but cherish fear.

14. And when the Exorcism is made, until the rest who are exorcised be come, let the men stay with the men, and the women with the women. Here I would allude to Noah's ark; in which were Noah and his sons, and his wife and their wives ; and though the ark was one, and the door was shut, yet had things been arranged suitably. And though the Church be shut, and all of you within it, yet let there be a distinction, of men with men and women with women. Let not the ground of your salvation become a means of destruction. Even though there be good ground for your sitting near each other, yet let passions be away. Then, let the men when sitting have a useful book; and let one read, and another listen : and if there be no book, let the one pray, and another speak something useful ; and let the party of young women be so ordered, that they may either be singing or reading, but without noise, so that their lips may speak, but others may

not hear. For, says the Apostle, / sujfer not a woman to i Cor. speak in the Church: and let the manied woman do the ' * same; let her pray, moving her lips, her voice not sounding: that Samuel may come, and thy barren soul may bear ///eVid. salvation of God who hears prayer; for this is the meaning of 13^17 ' the word Samuel.

15. I will behold each man's earnestness ; each woman's (y.) reverence. Let your mind be refined as by fire unto reverence, let your soul be forged as metal. Let the stubbornness

8 Tlie benefits of Baptism,

Intuou. of unbelief feel the anvil, let the superfluous scales drop off as of iron, and what is pure remain: let the rust be rubbed

off, and the true metal be left. May God at length shew you

that night, that darkness which shews like day**, concerning

Ps. 139, which it is said, The darkness shall not he darkened from

12. Sept. ^y^^^^ ff/ic/ the niijht shall be light as the day. At that time,

to each man and woman among you may the gate of paradise

be opened ; may you then enjoy the fragrant waters, which

contain Christ ; may you then receive Christ's name, and the

efficacious power of divine things! Even now, I beseech

you, lift up the eye of your understanding ; imagine the

angelic choirs, and God the Lord of all sitting, and His

Only-begotten Son sitting with Him on His right-hand, and

the Spirit with Them present, and thrones and dominions

doing service, and each man and woman among you receiving

Acts*2 ^^^ ^^^^ glorious sound, which after your salvation, the Angels

47. shall chant over you. Blessed are they whose iniquities have

^ixao^fbeen forgiven, and whose sins have been covered; when, like

version, gtars of the Church, you shall enter in it, bright in the outthimid be Ward man and radiant in your souls.

Mved. YQ. Great indeed is the Baptism which is offered you.

'' It is a ransom to captives; the remission of offences; the death of sin; the regeneration of the soul; the garment of light; the holy seal indissoluble; the chariot to heaven; the luxury of paradise; a procuring of the kingdom; the gift of adoption. But a serpent by the wayside is watching the passengers; beware lest he bite thee with imbelief; he sees so many receiving salvation, and seeks to devour some of them. Thou art going to the Father of Spirits, but thou art going past that serpent; how then must thou pass him? Eph. 6, Have thy feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of ^^' peace; that even if he bite, he may not hurt thee. Have faith indwelling, strong hope, a sandal of power, wherewith to pass the enemy, and enter the presence of thy Lord. Prepare thine own heart to receive doctrine, to have fellowship in holy mysteries. Pray more often, that God may make thee worthy of the heavenly and immortal mysteries.

d On Easter Eve lights were kept burn- Euseb. vit Const, iv. 22. Naz. Orat. 42. ing in the Church all through the night, p. 676. Vid.Ny88en.Orat.4.inResur.pp.867.8.

though in the eyes of the imrld an unprojitahle element. 9

Let neither day be without its work, nor night, but when sleep fails thine eyes, at once abandon thy thoughts to prayer. And shouldest thou find any shameful, any base imagination rising, reflect upon God's judgment, to remind thee of salvation; give up thy mind to sacred studies, that it may forget wicked things. If thou find any one saying to thee, And art thou going to the watei*, to be baptized in it? what, hath not the city baths of late? Be sure that it is the dragon of the sea, who is plotting this against thee; give no heed to the lips of him who speaketh, but to God who worketh. Guard thine own soul, that thou mayest escape the snare, that abiding in hope, thou mayest become the heir of everlasting salvation.

17. We indeed, as men, charge and teach these things; (H .) for you, see you make not our building hay, and stubble,\CoT.3, and chaff ; that we may not suffer loss^ our work being ' ' burnt; but make our work, gold and silver and precious stones. It is for me to speak, but thine to second me, and God's part to perfect. Let us nerve our minds ; let us brace up our souls ; let us prepare our hearts ; the race is for our soul, our hope about eternal things. God is able, who knows your hearts, and perceives who is sincere, and who is a hypocrite, both to preserve the sincere, and to give faith to the hypocrite ; nay even to the unbeliever, if he give Him but his heart. And may He blot out the hand-writing that Col. 2, is against you, and grant you forgiveness of your fonner ' trespasses; may He plant you in the Church, and enlist you for Himself, putting on you the armour of righteousness ! And may He fill you with the heavenly things of the New Testament, and give you the indelible seal of the '<Piyi-^ Holy Spirit, throughout all ages, in Christ Jesus our Lord, tiixuto whom be glory for ever and ever ! Amen. *'■••

To the Reader. These Catechetical Lectures thou mayest put into the hands of candidates for Baptism and of baptized believers, but by no means of Catechumens, nor of any others who are not Christians; as thou shalt answer to the Lord. And if thou takest a copy of them, write this in the beginning, as in the sight of the Lord.

LECTURE I.

Wash 7/ou, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment^ relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.

Lbct. 1. Disciples of the New Testament, and communicants in

• the mysteries of Christ, as yet indeed by calling only, but ere

Ezek. long by grace, make you a new heart, and a new spirit, that ' ■ there may be gladness among the inhabitants of heaven; for

Lukel5,if oi^er one sinner that repenteth there is joy, according to the Gospel, how much more shall the salvation of so many souls move the inhabitants of heaven to gladness? Ye have betaken yourselves to a good, a most glorious path; run with awe the race of godliness. Here is present, all-prepared to redeem

Mat. 11, you, the Only-begotten Son of God, and says. Come unto Me all ye that Uibour, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. You that have on you the harsh clothing of offences, who are

Prov. 5, holdenwith the cords of your own mVis, listen to the Prophet's voice, saying. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; that the company of

Ps. 32, Angels may chant over you, Blessed are they whose iniquities have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Ye who have just lighted the torches of faith, preserve them in your hands unquenched: that He, who once, on this most holy Calvary, opened Paradise to the robber on account of his faith, may grant to you to sing the bridal hymn.

Regeneration in Baptism through faith. 11

2. Whoever here is a slave of sin, let him promptly prepare (2.) himself through faith, for the new birth into freedom and adoption: let him put off the miserable bondage of his sins, let him take on him the blessed bondage of the Lord, that so he may be counted worthy to inherit the kingdom of Heaven, Put off the old man, which is corrupt according to Eph. 4, the deceitful hists, by means of the Confession ; that you cqi 3* mag put on the netv man, which is renewed after the know-^^- ledge of Him that created him. Get you the earnest of the ^ Cor. Holy Spirit, through faith, that you may be able to be ' ' received into the everlasting habitations. Come for theLu^eie, mystical Seal, that you may be well-known to the Master: be^r^Ktiye numbered with the holy and spiritual flock of Christ, so •■'■'"^ shall ye be set apart on His right hand, and inherit the life j. which is prepared for you. For they, who are yet encompassed with the rough covering of their sins, have their lot on

His left hand, because they come not to the grace of God, which is given through Christ at the new birth of the Holy Bath; a new birth not of bodies, but the spiritual new birth of the soul. For our bodies are born by means of parents who are seen, but our souls are born again by means of faith; for the Spirit blowefh where It listeth. And then it is John 3, given thee to hear, if thou be worthy, Well done, thou good ^j^^ 25 and faithful servant, when thy conscience is found clean from 21. hypocrisy.

3. For if there be any one here who thinks to tempt grace, (3.) he deceives himself, and knows not its power. Keep thy soul free from hypocrisy, O man, by reason of Him who searcheth hearts and reins: for as those who make a levy for war inquire into the ages and the make of their recruits, so also doth the Lord, enlisting souls, examine into their purpose of mind. If any has a secret hypocrisy. He rejects that man as unfit for

the true service: but if He find a man worthy, to him He gives grace readily. He gives not holy things to dogs; but when He discerns the good conscience, there He gives that Seal of salvation, that wondrous Seal, which devils tremble at, and Angels recognize: that the one may be scared away and flee, and the others may attend on it, as kindred to themselves. From those then who receive this spiritual or saving Seal, is required a disposition of mind kindred to it: for as a

12 Baptism transplants into an invisible state.

Lect. writing-reed or a dart has need of one to use it, so does grace

'- — require believing minds.

(4.) 4. Such thou art receiving, no perishable instrument, but a spiritual. Henceforth thou art planted in the paradise vlfn- which the mind sees. Thou receivest a new name, which f Jti/r. before thou hadst not : before thou wast a Catechumen, now thou wilt be a Believer. Henceforth thou art transplanted among the invisible olive trees, being grafted from the wild into the fruitful, from sins into righteousness, from pollution into purity. Thou hast communion in the Holy Vine : if then thou abide in the vine, thou shalt increase as a fruitful branch ; if thou abide not, thou shalt be utterly consumed by the fire. Let us then bear fruit, as is worthy ; God forbid that in us should be fulfilled what was done to the barren fig-tree, or that Jesus coming should even now curse us for Ps. 52, our barrenness. Rather, may all be able to say, / am like a green olive tree in the house of God; my trust is in the tender mercy of God, far ever and ever, an olive tree not meeting the senses, but the mind, and full of light ; as then it is His part to plant and to water, so it is thine to bear fruit : it is God's to grant grace, thine to receive and presence. Despise not the gift, because it is given freely, but when thou hast received it, devoutly treasure it. (5.) 5. The present is the season of Confession : confess therefore what thou hast done, whether in word, or in deed; 2 Cor. whether in the day, or in the night ; confess in a time ac- ^'^' cepted, and in the day of salvation receive the heavenly treasure. Devote thy time to the Exorcisms ; be constant at the Catechisings, and store up in memory the matter of them, for they are spoken, not to the ears only, but that faith may stamp them on the mind ; wipe out from thee every care of earth; thou art running for thy soul. Thou art utterly abandoning the things of the world ; what thou art abandoning is little, what the Lord is giving is great. Forsake things present, have failh in things to come. Hast thou run so many circles of the year, fruitlessly devoted to the world, and wilt thou not for forty days, devote thyself to prayer, for thy r>;x- soul's sake ? Be still, and know that I am God, saith the diun- Scripture. Give over talking many idle words, neither back- P8^46 ^^^^y "O"* ^^^^ ^ willing ear to backbiters, rather be prompt to

Preparation necessary for Baptism. 13

prayer. Shew by ascetic exercises that thine heart is nerved. Cleanse thy vessel, that thou niayest receive the gift more abundant: for remission of sins is given equally to all: but the communication of the Holy Ghost is bestowed according to each man's faith. If thou hast laboured little, thou shalt receive little: but if thou hast wrought much, ample is the hire: thou runnest for thyself: see to thine own interest.

6. If thou hast aught against any man, forgive it: thou (6.) comest here to receive forgiveness of offences; thou art bound in tuni to pardon the offender; else with what face wilt thou say to the Lord, Fargive me my many ojfences, Mat. 18, while thou thyself hast not remitted even the small offence of , *

thy fellow-servant.? Attend diligently at church: not only <rwB|i. now, when thy attendance is required by the Ministers, but also after thou hast received the gift: for if before it was good to do it, surely it must be good after the bestowal. If before thou wast grafted in, it was a safe course to be watered and tended, it is much more right after the planting. Wrestle for thine own soul, especially in days like these; nourish thy soul with sacred readings. For the Lord hath prepared for thee a spiritual table; therefore do thou also say, after the Psalmist, The Lord is my Shepherd, therefore can I lack nothing; He Ps. 23, shall feed me in a green pasture, and lead me forth beside the ^ ^' waters of comfort; He shall convert my soul; that Angels may share your joy, and Christ Himself the great High Priest, accepting your holy resolve and offering you one and all to the Father, may say, Behold I, and the children whom God Heb. 2, hath given Me. May God Himself keep you all, well-pleasing ^^' in His sight. To whom be glorj'^ and power everlasting. Amen.

LECTURE II.

Tlie righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall he upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

, ' aihnent of the soul, secretly sapping its sinews, and exposing

r<r it to eternal fire; a self-chosen evil, the offspring of a man's

-;<ei- ggj purpose of mind. For that of our own purpose we sin,

Jer. 2, the Prophet says plainly in one place. / planted thee a

noble vifie, tvholly a right seed: hoiv then art thou turned

into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me? The

planting is good, the fruit evil: and that evil is from our

purpose of mind. The planter is blameless, but the vine

shall be burnt with fire : for it was planted for good, yet hath

Eccles. of its own purpose borne fruit to evil. For God, according to

' the Preacher, hath made man upright ; but they have sought

Eph. 2, out many inventions. And the Apostle says, We arc His

workmanship, created unto good works. The Creator then,

being good, created for good works : but the creature, of its

own set purpose, turned to wickedness. Sin, then, is a fearful

evil, as was said, but not an incurable one ; fearful to him who

clings to it, but quite admitting of a cure when a man through

penitence puts it off. For suppose a man holding fire in his

Sin is from within and from the devil. 1 5

hand: while he holds the live coal, he is certainly on fire; but were he to put it away, he would also rid himself of that which was burning him. And if any think that while sinning, he is not on fire, to him saith the Scripture, Can a man take Pror. 6, Jive in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? For sin bums the sinews of the soul.

2. But some one will say, What can sin be ? Is it a living (2.) thing — an angel — an evil spirit.? What is this which works in

us? It is no foe from without, O man, wrestling against thee: but a shoot of evil taking its increase from thyself. Let thine eyes look right on, and lust does not exist; keepProv. 4, thine own, and take not another's, and a stop is put to robbery; remember the Judgment, and neither fornication, nor adultery, nor murder, nor any unrighteousness shall prevail in thee. But when thou forgettest God, forthwith thou beginnest to devise wickedness, and to accomplish unrighteousness.

3. However, nature is not the sole cause of this evil ; there is another, who miserably prompts to it, the devil. He prompts all, yet he prevails only over those who listen to him. Therefore saith the Preacher, If a spirit of the powerful rise up Eccles. against ihee, leave not thy place. Shut thy door, and keep ' ' him far from thee, and he shall not hurt thee. But if thou indulgently admit the thought of lust, through thine imaginations, it will strike its roots into thee, and enthral thy mind,

and drag thee down into a pit of evils. But perhaps thou sayest, I am a Believer; lust does not gain the ascendant over me, even though my mind dwells on the objects of it: knowest thou not that even a rock is cleft at length by a root which for a long while adheres to it? Admit not the seed, for it will break in pieces thy faith: root out the mischief, ere it blossom, lest by being idle at the beginning, thou have the trouble of axes and fire afterwards. When thine eyes first ail, attend to them in time, lest after thou art blinded thou begin to seek the physician.

4. The devil then is the chief author of sin, and the parent (3.)

of evils ; and this hath the Lord said, not I : The devil sinneth l John

3 8 from the beginning ; before him sinned no one. But he sinned,

not as having received by necessity of nature the principle

of sin ; (else the blame of sin returns to Him who thus framed

16 No extent of sin is beyond the power of repentance.

Lect. him;) but having been framed good, he became a devil from

'■ — his own pui'pose of mind, and received liis name from his

conduct. For being an Archangel, he was called devil, or slanderer, from his slandering; and from a good servant of God, he became Satan fitly so named; for Satan means an Adversary. These doctrines are not mine, but the inspired prophet Ezekiel's. For he, taking up a lamentation against him, says, Ez. 28^ TJtou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty, thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; and soon after, Tliou tcast perfect in thy ways, from the day that thou toast created, till iniquity was found in thee. Veiy rightly hath he said, tras found in thee; for it was not brought in from without, but thou thyself didst beget evil. And the reason he assigns afterwards: thine heart was lifted up, because of thy beauty; I will cast thee as profane out of the mount ain of God, I will cast thee to the ground. Parallel to this, is what the Lord says in the Gospel, / beheld Satan us lightning fallen from heaven. Thou seest the hannony of the Old Testament with the New. lie, on his falling, drew many away with him. He puts lusts into those who listen to him: from him is adultery, fornication, and all evil: through him our forefather Adam was cast out, and exchanged a paradise of wonderful and spontaneous fruits, for this earth with its thorns and thistles. (4.) 5. What then? some one will say. We have been seduced and are lost; is there no chance of salvation? We have fallen; cannot we rise? We have been blinded; cannot we recover our sight? We have been crippled; cannot our feet become straight again? In a word, we are dead; is there no resurrection? Shall not He, O man, who woke Lazarus, a corpse of four days, which stank, shall not He much more easily raise up thee, a living man? He who shed His precious blood for us, the same shall rescue us from sin. Let us not give sentence against ourselves, brethren; let us not abandon our case as hopeless: not to believe there is hope in penitence, is dreadful indeed. For he who is without expectation of salvation, spares not to increase the evil; but he who hopes for a cure, is easily induced to spare himself. Thus the robber who expects no mercy runs into recklessness; but if he hopes for pardon, often betakes himself

Instances of Adam, Cain, and the Antediluvians. 17

to repentance. Nay does the serpent strip himself of old age, and shall not we cast the slough of wickedness? Does thorny ground by good tillage become fruitful, and is salvation to us irrecoverable? Nature then admits of salvation; all that is wanting is the purpose of mind.

6. God is loving to man, and that not a little. For say (5.) not, " I have committed whoredom and adultery: fearful things have been done by me, nor once only but often ; will

He forgive, will He forget?" Hear what the Psalmist says;Ps. 3i, O how plentiful is Thy goodness, O Lord. Thy accumulated sins surpass not the multitude of the mercies of God; thy wounds baffle not the skill of the chief Physician. Only give thyself to Him in faith: tell the Physician thine ailment; say thou also as David did; / said, I will confess my Ps. 32, sins unto the Ixyrd: and what he says next shall also be fulfilled in thee; And so Thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin.

7. Wouldest thou see the loving-kindness of God, O thou that art lately come to the Catechising ? wouldest thou see the loving-kindness of God, and the abundance of His longsuflTering? Hear thou concerning Adam. Adam disobeyed, the first whom God created; might He not at once have visited him with death ? But see what the Lord does, in His great love towards man : though He casts him out of Paradise, his sin making him unfit to continue there, yet He places him opposite to Paradise, that seeing what he had*aTiwforfeited, and what a downfall he had suffered, he thenceforth '^' '"" - might be saved by repentance. Cain, the first bom man, "f.CJen. became a fratricide, a deviser of evils, the cause of mur-g' (uj-^ dgrs, and the first who envied; yet when he had slain his vers, brother, to what is he doomed .? a fugitive and a vagabond. Gen. 4, shall thou be in the earth. How great the sin, how light

the doom !

8. This then in very deed is loving-kindness in God, yet it is small compared with what follows : for consider, I pray, the history of Noe. The giants sinned, and lawlessness was there lavishly poured out upon the earth; and in consequence the deluge was ordained to come upon it. In his five hundredth year God puts forth the threat, and in his six hundredth He brought the deluge on the earth. Seest thou

Lkct. the breadth of God's loving-kindness, extending over the space of a hundred years? what He did then after the hundred

years, could He not have done at once? but on purpose did He extend it, to give room for repentance. Seest Ihou the goodness of God? And had those men repented, they would not have come short of His loving-kindness. (6.) 9. Let us proceed to others, who have been saved by repentance. Perchance some among the women will say, " I have committed whoredom and adultery, I have defiled my body with excesses; is there salvation?" Cast thine eyes, O woman, to Rahab, and do thou also expect salvation; for if she who openly and publicly committed whoredom was saved through repentance, shall not she, who has committed one such act before the gift of grace, be saved through penitence and by fastings? For enquire how she was saved: this only said Josh. 2, she, The Lord your God, He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Your God, for she dared not call Him her own, on account of her unchastity. And if thou wouldest receive a written witness that she was saved, thou hast it Ps. 87, recorded in the Psalms, / will think upon Rahab and Babylon udth them that know me *. Oh the gi'eat loving-mercy of God, which makes mention even of harlots in the Scriptures: and not simply / vill think npon Rahab and Babylon, but with this added, with them that know me. On men therefore, and likewise on women, is salvation, viz. that which is secured to us through repentance.

10. And though the people sin as one body, it does not

surpass God's loving-kindness. The people made a calf, yet

did not God give over His loving-kindness. Men denied God,

Exod. but God denied not llin)self. These are thy gods, O Israel^

Vid*is ^^y ^^^^ y®' again, as was His wont, The God of Israel

63, 8. became their Saviour. And not only did the people sin, but

Deut. 9, Aaron too the high-priest. For it is Moses who says. And

^' npon Aaron came the wrath of the Lord; and I entreated,

* In the Psalm referred to, Rahah doned woman in the Revelations for

stands for Egypt Vid. Pi. 89, 10. Isai. impenitent Babylon. And.as what is

61, 9. S.Jerome, in Ps. 87, 4. considers said of Hagar in Gen. 21, 10. is meant

Rahab a type of the Gentile Church of Jerusalem, so Rahab may really be

called out of Jericho, the world. Egypt named in this Psalm, yet Egypt meant

in the Psalm is a type of the same. Peni- as its scope, and beyond that the Gentile

tent Rahab then may as naturally stand Church, for a type of penitent Egjpt, as the aban-

Instance of the Israelites and Aaron in making the golden calf. 19

he says, for himf and God forgave him. What then? Did Moses, entreating for a high-priest who had sinned, prevail with the Lord, and does not Jesus, the Only-begotten, when He entreats for us, prevail with God? And did He admit Aaron, in spite' of his fall, to the high-priesthood, and will He obstruct thy entrance to salvation who art come from the Gentiles? Repent, O man, henceforth thyself, and the gift shall not be withheld thee. Present thy conduct unrebukable before Him henceforward: for God is in very truth loving to man, nor can the whole race of man worthily tell out His loving-kindness. No, not if all the tongues of men were to come together, could they even thus unfold some part of His loving-kindness. For we declare some part of what is written concerning His loving-kindness to men: but we know not how much He forgave to Angels: for them also did He forgive'', since One only is sinless, Jesus, who purgeth our sins; — ^but of these enough.

11. If thou wilt, I will set before thee additional precedents (7.) respecting our state. Let us come to the blessed David, and lake him for an ensample of repentance. He fell, that highly gifted man. Walking in the evening-tide on the house-top

•> Very little having been authorita- of the Fathers considered, that, besides

tively delivered to the Apostles on the the devil and his angels, who were be-

Bubject of the Angels, what was believed yond grace, there were orders of angels

or surmised in the early Church seems to still on their trial, or who were, or had

have been gathered from various sources, been, responsible for more or less of sin,

trustworthy and not ; and cf the latter or in danger of sin, and within the reach

especially Platonism. The proof that the of mercy, or who on their trial had sinned

sources in question were not apostolic, more or less, and been forgiven, as Cyril

is the discordance or uncertainty of the seems here to hold. (vid. Nyss. vol. ii.

opinions themselves. The Fathers indeed p. 644. Hieron. in Eph. 4, 16. Ambear witness concordantly to the truth, brosiast. in Eph. 3, 10. Origen. Tom.

that God alone is simply and absolutely 13, 28. in Luc. Hom. 35. Ignat. ad

perfect and above all judgment, using it Smym. 6. Nazianz. Carm. p. 169.>

as an argument for the divinity of the Such, for instance, (as they considered,)

Son and the Holy Ghost, that they too were the tutelary angels of countries,

are sinless or beyond judgment, (vid. places, or persons. Origen. in Num.

Clem. Psedag.i. 2. Origen. in Cant.Hom. Hom. 20. 3. Hieron. in Mich. 6. 1.

S.fin. Theodor.in Num. 9. Ambros.de Sp. And such " the Sons of God," who

Ambros. in Fid. v. 11. n. 140, 141. ii. 6. Athenag, Apol. 24. Iren. iv. 16.

Cyril Alex. Thesaur.21. They built this Clem. Strom, v. p. 550. Tertull. de

doctrine on such passages of Scripture as Idolatr. 9. Ambros. de Noe, iv. 8. 9.

Job4,18.Rev.2.and3.(whichtheycon- Nazianz. Carm. p. 64.) Origen, and

sidered to imply the truth of the Uteral even Gregory Nyssen, are accused of

sense in the truth of the figurative, which admitting the restoration of the author

wa.<primarilv and directly intended.)Col. of evil. Vid. Diss. Bened. in Cyril,

20 Tlie poicsr of Confession in the instances of David,

Lbct. after his sleep, he looked unguardedly, and was moved by

'— human passion. His sin was completed; but in it perished

not that nobleness of mipd which confesses a transgression. Nathan the prophet came, swiftly, to detect and to heal his 2 Sam. wound. The Lord is wroth, he says, and thou hast.sinned. So spoke the subject to him who had the kingdom; yet the king, though in purple clad, did not take it ill, as regarding not the speaker, but Him that sent him. He was not blinded by the military circle which stood about him; for his mind discerned the Lord's angelical host, and as seeing the Invisible, he submitted in the anguish, replying to his visitor, or rather through him to Him who sent him, / have sinned against the Lord. Thou seest how a king coiUd be humbleminded, how he could make confession. Had it been brought home to him by any one } Were many privy to the matter? The matter was done quickly, and forthwith the Prophet came an accuser, and the sinner acknowledges the crime. And according to the frankness of his confession was the speed of his cure, for the prophet Nathan who had threatened him, says straightway, And the L,ord hath put auay thy sin. Thou seest how very quick was the relenting of the God of loving-kindness. Yet he says. Thou hast given great occamon to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. For though on account of thy lighteousness thou hadst many foes, yet thy self-command was thy protection; but now that thou hast let go thy best weapon, thy foes, who were standing ready, are risen up against thee. The Prophet then thus comforted him. 12. But holy David, for all he heard it said. The Lord hath put away thy sin, shrunk not from penitence, king though he was: but put on sackcloth for purple, and for his gilded throne sat down, a king, in ashes on the ground; not only Pb. 102, sat but fed on ashes, (as he saith himself, / have eaten ashes **• as it were bread,) and wasted with tears his lustful eye. Ps. 7, 7. Every night, he says, wash T my bed and water my couch with my tears. When his lords urged him to eat bread, he would not: for seven whole days he prolonged his fast. If a king thus made confession, oughtest not thou a private man to make confession.? *And after Absalom's rebellion, though he had many roads for escaping, he chose to flee by the Mount of Olives, all but invoking mentally the Redeemer who

Solomon, Akah, Jeroboam, and Manasseh. 21

should thence ascend to heaven. And when Shimei cursed 2 Sam. him bitterly, he said, Let him alone; for he knew that he who \\\ forgiveth, shall be forgiven.

13. Thou seest how excellent it is to confess; thou seest (g.) that to the penitent there is salvation. Solomon also fell ;

but what saith he } Afterwards I repented". Though Ahab, p^^^^ king of Samaria, was a most abandoned idolater, a monster, 24, 32. the murderer of prophets, a stranger to godliness, the coveterygrs. of other men's fields and vineyards, yet when the prophet Elias came to him after he had slain Naboth through Jezebel, and only threatened him, he rent his clothes and put on sackcloth; and what says the merciful God to Elias? Seest thou j j^j^, how Ahab humbleth himself before Me? as if, almost. He would 2 1 , 29. persuade the fiery temper of the prophet to condescend to the penitent: for 1 will not bring, He saith, the evil in his days. Thus, though Ahab on his pardon was not about to leave his evil courses, the God of pardon pardoned him; — not as ignorant of the future, but bestowing on the penitence of the moment its corresponding pardon: for a just judge suitably answers each case as it arises.

14. Again, as Jeroboam stood sacrificing to idols on the ,„ . altar, his hand withered, when he bade seize the Prophet who denounced him. On this experience of his power, he says. Entreat the face of the Lord thy God ; and for this , j^ • word his hand was restored. If the Prophet healed Jero- 13, 6. boam, has not Christ healing power to deliver thee from thy sins ? Manasses, again, was most extravagant in his crimes, who sawed asunder Esaias, and was polluted with idolatries

of every kind, and filled Jerusalem with innocent blood: yet, when he was led captive to Babylon, he converted his afflictions into a healing course of penitence: for Scripture says, that Manasses humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He was entreated of him, 33, 12. ' and heard his supplications, and brought him again into his^^' kingdom. If he who sawed a Prophet in sunder, was saved through penitence, mayest not thou be saved, who hast not done ought so great?

' The following Fathers agree with init. vid. also in Eccles. 1, 12. The op- Cyril in considering that Solomon re- posite opinion is held hy others; e. g. pented; Hilar, in Ps. 52. n. 12. Ambros. apparentlyby Aug. in Ps. 126. n.2. Basil, Apol. David. 3. n. 13. Hieron. Ep. 85 Ep. 42. n. 2.

22 In the instances of Hezekiah,

Lect. 16, Beware lest thou rashly mistrust its power: wouldest thou know how great force it hath? wouklest tliou know this

^ ' strong weapon of salvation, and learn what strength Confession hath? An hundred and eighty-five thousand enemies did Hezekias turn to flight through Confession. Yet great as this really is, it is but trifling compared with what is still to be told. Through repentance, the same king recalled a Divine decree which had already gone forth. For when he was sick,

2 Kings Esaias said to him. Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die,

' ' and not live. What was there to expect more.'' what remaining hope of life, when the Prophet said, For thou shnlt die '? Yet Ezekias did not stop from penitence; for remembering

Isa. 30, what was written, For turning away and sighing thou shalt be saved, he turned away to the wall, and lifting his thoughts firom his bed heavenwards, (for no thickness of walls hinder prayers devoutly offered up,) he said, " Lord, remember me: for it is sufficient for my cure that Thou remember me. Thou art not controlled by times, but Thou Thyself givest law to life; for not on our nativity, and on stars in conjunction, depends our life, as some idly talk; but of life and its duration Thou Thyself art the Lawgiver, according to Thy will." And thus he, who through the prophet's sentence desj^aired of life, received an addition of fifteen years, the sun, in sign of it, tracing his course back. Now the sun turned back for Ezekias; for Christ, it was eclipsed; not retracing its steps, but suffering eclipse, and thereby shewing the difference of the two, Ezekias and Jesus. Ezekias prevailed to the cancelling of a sentence of God; and will not Jesus vouchsafe His free gift, the forgiveness of sins? Turn away, and bewail thyself, shut to thy door, and pray Him to forgive thee, and remove from around thee

*° even fire ; has strength to tame even lions.

here translated Confession, means pro- Confessions. 'B.^tfttXtyiirh and Confiperly a declaration in God's presence of temini, are the words used respectively in

the facts of religion of whatever kind, the Septuagint and Vulgate versions of

with relation to God or man ; and is the Psahns, for " Praise," and " Give

thus contrasted with Prayer, which con- thanks to the Lord." Hence S. Cyril

templates objects not realized as yet. here calls the Song of the Three Chil-

Praise, thanksgiving, profession of our dren,and the meditations of Daniel in the

faith, are parts of it, as well as confession lions' deo, Confessions ; whereas, grant-

The Three Children^ and Nebuchadnezzar, 23

16. But if thou disbelieve, consider what befel Hananiah (11.) and the rest. What fountains did they open ? How many Shawaterpots had quenched a flame, which rose to forty-nine j^J^_' cubits? But wherever the flame exceeded ever so little, shach, there faith gushed out like a river, and there they uttered a bednespell against their sufferings, saying, Just art Thou, O Lord, go- Dan. over all things which TItou hast done towards us^ : for we^'^f have sinned, and broke Tliy commandments. And penitence Three destroyed the flames. If thou disbelieve that it can quench the dren, 4, fire of hell, learn it from the history of Hananiah. But some ^*^' quick hearer will say, " Them God rescued justly ; because

they would not commit idolatry, God gave them this power." Since this has been suggested, I will proceed to one more example of penitence.

17. What thinkest thou of Nebuchadonosor ? Hast thou not heard from the Scriptures that he was bloodthirsty, savage, having a lion's mind ? hast thou not heard how he disinterred the bones of the kings ? how he led the people into captivity ? how he blinded the eyes of the reigning prince, first giving him to see the slaughter of his children ? Hast thou not heard that he broke to pieces the cherubim, not the invisible — no, suppose it not, O man — but the carved cherubim ; and that mercy-seat, from which God used to speak audibly ? Nebuchadonosor trampled down the veil of holiness : he carried off" the censer to a temple of idols ; he seized on all the offerings ; and burned down the Temple to its foundations ? What multiplied punishments did he deserve for slaying kings, setting fire to holy things, leading captive the chosen people, and placing the sacred vessels within idol temples? Was he not worthy of ten thousand deaths ?

18. Such was the greatness of his evil deeds ; now turn to

the loving-kindness of God. He was turned into a wild Dan. 4. beast; he abode in the wilderness, he was scourged that he might be saved. He had claws like a lion, for he made the saints his prey; he had a lion's mane, for he was a ramping pg. 22 and a roaring lion. He ate grass as an ox; for he was as'^* cattle not knowing Him who had given him the kingdom.

ing they were confessions of " the sin of 20.) still they were much more, their people," (Song, 5 — 10. Dan. 9, * i.e. Toicards Thy people Israel.

24 and of St. Peter.

Lect. His body was bathed with the dew, because he had already

^seen the fire quenched by dew, and believed not. And

Song27.what happened? After these things, he saith, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes imto heaven, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured Him that livelh Dan. 4,ybr ever. When, therefore, he perceived the Most High, and offered up sounds of thanksgiving to God, and came to feel grief for what he had done, and learnt his own weakness, then God restored to him the honour of the kingdom. (12.) 19. What then? Hath He given Nebuchadonosor, after such acts, pardon and the kingdom, on his confession, and shall He not give to thee on repenting the forgiveness of sins, and the kingdom of heaven, if thy life be in accordance? The Lord is loving to men, and swift to pardon, slow to vengeance; let no one then despair of his own salvation. Peter, the chiefest and first of the Apostles, before a little maid thrice denied the Lord; but when remorse touched him he wept bitterly; and to weep shews a heartfelt penitence. Wherefore, not only received he forgiveness for the denial, but was spared his Apostolic dignity.

20. Having then, brethren, many ensamples of men who have sinned, and repented, and been saved, do ye also heartily make your confession to the Lord : that ye m^y both receive the pardon of your past sins, and be counted worthy of the heavenly gift, and inherit the heavenly kingdom with all the Saints in Christ Jesus ; to whom is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

LECTURE III.

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jestis Christ, were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by Baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth he glad, for those Ps. 96, who are to be sprinkled with hyssop; to be cleansed with the " invisible hyssop, by His power, who at His passion received the hyssop and the reed. Let the Heavenly Powers rejoice, and let the souls now to be joined to tlieir Invisible Spouse, get ready. For there is the voice of one crying in the u-ilder- Is. 40, 3. pess. Make ready the way of the Lord. For this is no light matter, no ordinary and chance union according to the flesh: but the All-searching Spirit's election that is of faith. For the world's espousals and an-angements are not always made l Cor. with judgment; but wealth or beauty forthwith attracts the ' bridegroom; here it is not beauty of person, but the soul's clear conscience, not the condemned mammon, but the soul rich in seriousness.

2. Yield then, O ye children of righteousness, to John's persuasion, exhorting you, and saying, Make straight the John 1, way of the Lord. Remove all blocks and stumbling-stones, that ye may hold straight on unto life eternal. Make ready the chambers of the soul, purifying them through faith unfeigned, for the reception of the Holy Ghost. Begin to wash your robes through penitence, that when summoned to the bride-chamber ye may be found clean. For the Bridegroom invites indeed all without conditions, because His grace is lavish, and the voice of His loud-sounding Heralds brings

26 77ie Water of Baptism has in it a power of cleansing the soul.

Lect. together all; but ever afterwards He is separating between those who have come in to the figurative marriage-feast. O

Mat.22,may none of those now enrolled hear those words, Friendt hate earnest thou in hither, not having a wedding-garment?

Mat.25, But may you all hear it said, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Hitherto thou hast stood without the gate; may

Cant. 1, you all be able to say, The King hath brought me into His

Is. 61 chambers. My soul shall be joyful in my God, for He hath

iO.Seft. clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with

Eph. 5, her jewels: so that all your souls may be found not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. I say not, before you have received the gift; (if so, why should you be now called to the remission of sins?) but so that, on its being given, your conscience being found blameless, may keep pace with it. (2.) 3. This is in truth a serious matter, brethren, and you must approach it solemnly. You are, each of you, on the point of being presented to God, before innumerable hosts of Angels: the Holy Ghost is on the point of setting a seal on your souls: ye are coming for enlistment under the Great King. Make ready therefore; prepare, not by wearing robes of shining whiteness, but arraying the soul with the devoutness of a clear conscience. Regard the Sacred Laver not as simple water; regard rather the spiritual grace given with the water. For as the sacrifices at the altars, being by nature without meaning, by invocation of the idols become polluted, so contrariwise, plain water, after the invocation of the Holy Ghost, and of Christ, and of the Father, gains a sanctifying power.

4. For whereas man's nature is twofold, soul and body, twofold also is his cleansing ; the spiritual for the spiritual, the material for his body. The water cleanses his body, the

Heb. 10, Spirit seals his soul: that being by the Spirit sprinkled in heart, and washed in body with pure water, ue may draw near to God. Now then that thou art to descend into the waters, consider not the bare element; look for its saving power by the operation of the Holy Ghost; for without the

Symbolical use of water in the Old Testament. 27

two tliou canst not be made perfect. This is not my word, but the Lord Jesus Christ's, who has the power to do it; He saith. Except a man be born again, and he enlarges, of water J oh.3, 3. and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Neither he who is baptized with water, without the privilege of the Spirit, hath the gift entire; nor be he ever so virtuous in his deeds, shall he enter into the kingdom of heaven, except with the seal vouchsafed through water. A bold word, but it is not mine; Jesus hath uttered it; and here is the proof of it from Holy Scripture. Cornelius was a just man; he was Acts lo. honoured with visions of Angels; he had raised his prayers and alms in the sight of God, as a goodly monument in the heavens. Peter came, and the Spirit was poured on them that believed, and they spake with other tongues, and prophesied. Yet after the gift of the Spirit, the Scripture saith, that Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ: that the soul having been regenerated through their faith, the body also, by means of the water, might share the gift".

5. And if any one is anxious to know, why the gift is given through water and not through some other element, let him take up Holy Scripture, and he shall learn. For water is a noble thing, and, of the world's four visible elements, the most beautiful. Heaven is the abode of Angels, and the heavens are of the waters : earth is the place of men, and the earth is of the waters : and before all the six days fashioning of creation, the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters. Gen. l. Water was the beginning of the world : the Jordan was the beginning of the Gospel preaching. Rescue from Pharaoh came to Israel through the sea : rescue from sins to the world through the Later of water by the word of God. Where there Eph. 6, is a covenant with any, there also is water : after the flood, a ^^" covenant was made with Noe: a covenant with Israel from Mount Sina ; but with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop. Heb. 9, Elias is received up, but not without water: for first he ' crosses Jordan, then horses carry him to heaven. The highpriest first bathes, and then burns incense: for Aaron first

' S. Cyril considers that Cornelius August. Serm. 269. n. 2. and Chrysost. and his friends were regenerated, as the in Act. Apost. Horn. 25. seem to do. Apostles were, apart from Baptism; as

Lect. bathed, and then was made high-priest; for how might he intercede for the rest, who had not yet been cleansed by

water? Moreover the Laver, set apart within the Tabernacle, was an emblem of Baptism. (3.) 6. Baptism is the end of the Old Testament, and the beginning of the New. For John who began it, than whom was not one gieater among those bom of women, was the end

Mat. 11, of the Prophets; for all the Law and the Prophets uere until John. Moreover, he was the first-fruits of the Gospel-state,

Mark ],for it is said, The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, S^c. and \hev\,Jnhn was in the desert baptizing. You may instance indeed Elias the Tishbite, who was taken to heaven, yet is not greater than John. Enoch was translated, yet he is not greater than John. Moses was the greatest lawgiver, and the Prophets are all wonderful men, yet not greater than John. I do not venture to compare prophet with prophet: but their

Mat. 11, Master and ours, the Lord Jesus, hath declared; Among those that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John. Not " among those bom of virgins," but born of women. The comparison is between the chief servant, and his fellow-servants: for the Son's preeminence and grace over the household is beyond all comparison. Seest thou how great a man God hath chosen to be the first minister of this grace? a man possession-less and solitary, yet not a misanthrope; eating locusts, and pluming his soul for heaven; feasting on honey, and speaking what is sweeter and more wholesome; clad in camel's hair, and shewing in himself what an ascetic's life should be: who also while yet borne in his mother's womb, was sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Jeremiah was sanctified, but he prophesied not in the womb: only John, while yet unborn, leaped for joy: and though he saw not with the eyes of the flesh, knew his Master by the Spirit: for since great was the grace of Baptism, great must needs be its minister. (4 ^ 7. He began to baptize in Jordan, and all Jerusalem went

Mat, 3, out to him, enjoying the first-fruits of Baptism: for the prerogative in all good things was in Jemsalem. But, men of Jerusalem, observe how they that went out were baptized of him: confessing their sins, saith he. First they shewed their wounds, then he applied the remedies, and gave to

Necessity of preparation for Baptism. 29

them that believed, redemption from eternal fire". And if thou wouldest be persuaded of this, that the Baptism of John is redemption from the peril of fire, hear thou him saying, Ye generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from Mat. 3, the wrath to come 'i Be thou then no longer a viper, he saith, but as thou hast been one of the brood, put off thy former sinful self. And as the snake is wont to delve into some corner to cast away his age, and rubbing off his old slough, is henceforth young in body; so thou too, saith he, force thee through the narrow and strait gate: and roughly handling thee with fasting, strip thee of thy ruin; put offProv. the old man with his deeds, and say in the words of theg^'^^ ' Canticles, / have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? Cant. 5,

But perhaps there is some one among you, a hypocrite, a * man-pleaser, professing religion, but not believing from his heart: having the hypocrisy of Simon Magus, approaching not to partake of grace, but busily to pry into what is given. Let this one also hear from John, And now also the axe Mat. 3, laid unto the root of the trees, therefore every tree which ' hringetJi not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the Jire. The Judge cannot be worked upon; so put away hypo-Wa;- crisy. '""*•

8. What then oughtest thou to do? and what are the fniits (5.) of repentance ? He that hath two coats, let him impart to Luke 3, him that hath none. Tinistworthy was the teacher, as being the first to do what he taught ; he had no shame in speaking, whose tongue was not checked by conscience. And he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Wouldest thou enjoy the grace of the Holy Ghost, yet countest the poor unworthy of earthly meats } Seekest thou great things, yet givest not of small.'' — Though thou be a publican, though a fornicator, yet hope for salvation ; The publicans and the harlots go intoMdX.2\, the kingdom of God before you: and Paul witnesseth the same, saying. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor any of\ Cor. 6, this sort, shall inherit the kingdom of God; and such were ^ some of you ; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified. He saith not, sucJi are some of you, but such were some of you.

** That S. John's Baptism conveyed p. 914. Aug. de Bapt. v. 11. Christian remission of sins, seems to be the Baptism having the further gift of the opinion also of Nyss. in Laud. Bas. Holy Ghost-

30 Martyrs alone are saved withont Baptism.

Lbct. Sin in the state of ignorance is pardoned, but depravity which

'— continues is condemned.

(6.) 9. Thou hast, as the glory of Baptism, the Son of God Himself, the Only -begotten. For why should I henceforth speak of man ? John was great, but what is he to the Lord ? Loud was that voice, but what is it to the Word ? Most glorious was the herald, but what to the King? Glorious was he who baptized with water, but what to Him who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and with fire ? With the Holy Ghost and with fire the Saviour baptized the Apostles, when Kcxslfi. suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting; and there appeared unto them cloven tongues as of fire, and it sate upon each of ihem^ and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. (7.) 10. Unless a man receive Baptism, he hath not salvation ; except Martyrs alone, who even without the water, receive the kingdom. For the Saviour who redeemed the world through the Cross, when His side was pierced, gave forth blood and water : that in times of peace men should be baptized with water, in times of persecution with their own blood. For the Marlt Saviour was minded to call martyrdom, Baptism, saying, Can 10, 38. y^ drink of the cup which I drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with i Martyrs too make 1 Cor. confession, being made a spectacle to the world, and to Angels, ' ' and to men: and thou shalt make confession shortly: but it

is not yet time for thee to hear concerning these matters.

(8.) 11. Jesus sanctified Baptism, being Himself baptized.

Since the Son of God was baptized, what religious man can

despise Baptism? He, however, was baptized, not to receive

forgiveness of sins, for He was sinless: but being sinless,

to grant divine grace and dignity to the baptized. Since the

Heb. 2, children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself

^, I,, likewise shared the same, that we, partaking of His bodily

ffi^Ktv presence, might partake also of His divine grace; and so

flat xti again Jesus was baptized, that through this also, we by the

'*""'• participation, might with salvation receive dignity. The

Job 40, Dragon was in the waters, according to Job, he who re-

^'^?*- ceiveth Jordan in his m&uth: whereas then He was to crush

Kngi. the heads of the Dragon, He descended, and in the waters

ver.

Baptism a necessary introduction to preaching the Gospel. 31

bound the mighty one, that we might receive power to tread?• 74, upon serpents and scorpions. It was no common monster, but a terrible one. No ship ofjishers could hear one scale ofJoh 40, his tail: before him ran destruction, wasting those that en- ' ^ ' countered him. Life then encountered him, that henceforth the mouth of death might be closed, that we the saved might all say, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy l Cor. victory? By Baptism, the sting of death is destroyed. ' '

12. Thou descendest into the water bearing sins, but the (9.) invocation of grace having sealed thy soul, allows not that^-^w thou shouldest henceforth be swallowed up by the fearful Urf^xv- Dragon. Dead in sins thou wentest down, quickened in "'- ^'•^* righteousness thou comest up: for if thou wert planted n. 3. together in the likeness of the Saviour's death, thou shall Ro™' 6, be counted worthy of His resitrrection also. For as Jesus

took on Him the world's sins, and died, that having been the death of sin. He might raise thee up in righteousness, so thou also, by descending into the water, and in some sense being in the waters buried, as He was in the rock, are raised again, to walk in newness of life.

13. Afterwards, when thou hast been counted worthy of the gift. He gives to thee the faculty to wrestle against the powers that are against thee'. For like as after His baptism, He was tempted forty days, not because He could not overcome even before this, but because He would do all things regidarly and in order, so thou also, though before Baptism afraid to wrestle with thine adversaries, yet when thou shalt have received the grace, being henceforth confident

in the armour of righteousness, ^o battle, and, if thou wilt, 2 Cor. 8, preach the Gospel. ^*

14. Jesus Christ was the Son of God, yet before Baptism (10.) He preached not. If the Master Himself entered upon His time in regular order, ought we the servants to venture out of order ? Jesus began to preach from the time that the Holy Ghost descended upon Him in a bodily shape, like a dove : not

that Jesus might see Him as if for the first time; (for He knew Him even before He came in a bodily shape;) but that John who baptized Him, might behold Him. For, as he says, John l, / knew Him not: but He who sent me to baptize with water, ^^* •= i. e. in Confirmation. Cat. xvii. n. 36, 37. Vid. Cat. xxi. n. 4.

32 Baptism cleanses from even the greatest sins.

Lbct. the same said unto me, Unto whom thou shalt see the Spirit '— descending, and remaining upon Him, the sajne is He. And

if thou hast seriousness unfeigned, the Holy Ghost is coining down on thee likewise, and upon thee, the Father's voice shall sound from on high, not, " He is my son," but, " He hath now

John 1, become My son." For " is" belongs to Him alone; since In the beginning was the Word, and the Word iras with God, and the Word iras God. To Him belongs that word, " Is;" since at all times He is the Son of God; but to thee belongs, " Is now become;" since thou hast not the Sonship by nature, but receivest it by adoption: He is Son eternally; thou receivest this grace by advancement. (11.) 15. Therefore, make ready the vessel of thy soul, that thou

Rom. 8, mayest become a Son of God, an Heir of God, and Jointheir with Christ; if thou preparest thyself, that thou mayest also receive; if thou by faith drawest near, that thou mayest be made a faithful man; if thou of thine own set purpose put away the old man. For every thing that thou hast committed shall be forgiven thee, even fornication, or adultery, or any other sort of licentiousness. What is greater than crucifying Christ.^ Yet even of this is Baptism a purification. For thus spake Peter to the three thousand who came to him; and they the crucifiers of the Lord, when they asked and

Acts 2, said, ]\Ien and brethren, what shall we d^)? for great is our ' *^* wound; thou hast turned our thoughts, O Peter, to our fall, in saying. Ye have killed the Prince of life. What salve is there for so great a wound? What cleansing for so great pollution } What salvation for so great a death? to them, I say, Peter saith, Repent, and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord for the remission of sins, and (12.) ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. O unspeakable loving-kindness of God! they look not for salvation, and they are vouchsafed the Holy Ghost. Behold the power of Baptism! If any of you hath by blasphemous words crucified Christ; if any of you hath through ignorance denied Him before men; if any of you, through wicked works, hath led to the doctrine's being evil spoken of, let him be of good hope in repenting, for the same grace is also present now.

Zepb. 3, 16. Be of good courage, Jerusalem, the Lord will take

Sept. away all thine iniquities. The Lord shall wash away the It. 4, 4.

The Water conveys one gift, the Spirit another. . 33

Jilth of His sons and daughters, by the Spirit of judgment and by the Spirit of burning: He shall sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be cleansed from all your sin. Angels in their choirs shall surround you, and shall say, Who is this that Cometh up in white apparel, leaning on her near of kin? For the soul that was before a servant, hath now professed her Master to be her kindred, and He, favourably allowing her sincere purpose, will cry out in response. Behold thou art fair, my love; behold thou art fair; thy teeth are as flocks of shorn sheep, because of her true-hearted confession; and farther, J// of them bearing twins, because of the twofold gift, that, I mean, perfected by water and the Spirit'', or that announced in the Old and the New Testaments, And may all of you, having finished the course of fasting, remembering what hath been said, bearing fruit in good works, standing blameless before the Invisible Bridegroom, obtain the remission of sins at God's hand: to whom be glory with the Son and the Holy Ghost, for ever. Amen.

<• The Fathers sometimes speak as if Baptism was primarily the Sacrament of remission of sins, and upon that came the gift of the Spirit, which notwithstanding was but begun in Baptism and completed in Confirmation. Vid. Tertullian. de Bapt. 7. 8. supr. i. 5 fin. Hence, as in the text, Baptism may be said to be made up of two gifts, Water which is Christ's blood, and the Spirit. There is no real difference between this

and the ordinary way of speaking on the subject; — Water, which conveys both gifts, is considered as a type of one especially,— cowre^/s both remission of sins through Christ's blood and the grace of the Spirit, but is the type of one, viz. the blood of Christ, as the Oil in Confirmation is of the other. And again, remission of sins is a complete gift given at once, sanctification an increasing one.

LECTURE IV.

ON THE tp:n points of faith'.

COLOSSIANS ii. 8.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit^ after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Lect. 1, Wickedness imitates goodness: and the tares strive to

IV '— be taken for wheat, being hke it in appearance, but detected

2 Cor. in their taste by the discerning. Even the devil transformeth ' ' himself into an angel of light : not that he may reascend to where he was ; for being in heart like an anvil, incapable of all impression, he has now and for ever an impenitent will ; but that he may environ in the darkness of blindness, and amid the pestilence of unbelief, those who are living an

Mat. 7, Angel's life. Many wolves are ranging about in sheep's clothing, in the clothing, I say, of sheep, but with claws and fangs too. Enveloped in the skin of a gentle animal, and by their appearance deceiving the guileless, they shed on them from their jaws the deadly poison of impiety. Need have we then of Divine grace, and of an abstinent spirit, and of seeing eyes: lest eating tares as wheat, we out of ignorance come to harm; lest taking the wolf for a sheep, we be made his prey; lest imagining the Devil, the Destroyer, to be an Angel of 1 Pet. 5, mercy, we be devoured; for he goeth about like a roaring

*• lion, seeking whom- he may devour, according to the Scriptures. For this cause the Church admonisheth ; for this cause are the present classes ; for this, the reading of lessons.

• This title is taken from Theodoret. enumeration is here made somewhat The number is variously made out. different both from that in Milles' and Some MSS. say eleven for ten. An in the Benedictine Edd.

Religion consists of doctrines and works. 35

2. For the course of godliness is made up of these two ; (2.) pious doctrines, and good works : neither are the doctrines without good works acceptable to God ; nor are works allowable works done apart from pious doctrines. For what boots

it, to know excellently the doctrines concerning God, and to commit vile fornication? or what again avails it to possess an excellent self-command, and to blaspheme impiously? An exceeding great gain then is learning in doctrines; and we have need of sobriety of mind, since many are they who would spoil you througlt philosophy and vain deceit. And the Greeks Col. 2,8. by their smooth tongues draw you aside, for honey distils Prov. 5, from the lips of a strange noman; but they of the circum- ' cision by means of the Holy Scriptures, ^vhich they miserably wrest from their meaning, deceive those who come to them, versed in them from childhood to age, and growing old in ignorance. And the sons of the Heretics, by good words and^om. fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple, disguising with ' the name of Christ, as with honey, the envenomed darts of their irreligious doctrines: concerning all of whom together, the Lord saith. Beware lest any deceive you. This gives Mat. 24, occasion to the teaching of the Faith, and expositions upon '** it

3. But before making this tradition of the Faith, it seems to me fitting, to make at this time a short summary of necessary doctrines: lest the multitude of things to be spoken, and the lengthening out of the sacred season of Lent, be too much for the memories of the more simple among you : and that having now strewn some seeds in a general way, we may retain the same things, when provided in a larger crop afterwards. And let those here who are more practised in these things, and have their senses now exercised to discern Heb. 5, both good and evil, bear with things rather fitted for children, ^'^' and to a course (as it were) of milk : so that while they who Heb. 5, stand in need of Catechising receive benefit, they who have ^^• knowledge, may now freshen the remembrance of what they knew before.

4. Lay then in your souls as a sure foundation the doctiine (3.) concerning God : That God is only one, unbegotten, unorigi-

38 God is One and Self dependent.

Lect. nated, unchangeable, unalterable: neither by another begotten,

*- nor having another to succeed Him in His being : who neither

began in time to be, nor shall ever have an end. And that He is also good and just: so that, if ever thou hear a heretic saying, that the Just God is one and the Good God another, being put on thy guard, thou mayest at once detect the poisoned dart of heresy. For some have dared impiously to divide the One God in their teaching''. Again, some have said that the Artificer and Lord of the soul was one, and of the body another*, a doctrine at once absurd and blas- " '"*>" phemous. For how should man become the one servant of

in Goapei two mastcrs, when the Lord saith in the Gospel, No man can

24. both of souls and bodies : there is One the Artificer of heaven

and earth, the Maker both of Angels and Archangels, — the

Artificer of many things, but the Father of One only before

the worlds, even of His One Only-begotten Son our Lord

Joh. 1 .3. Jesus Christ, by whom He made all things, visible and invi- Col. I, ., ,

16, stole.

5. He, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is not confined

P8. 8, 3.to any place''; nor is He less than the heavens: but the.

j2 ^^' heavens are the itork of His fingers, and the whole earth is holden in the hollow of His hand. He is in and around all things. Think not that the sun is brighter than He, or is equal to Him: for He who formed the sun in the beginning, must needs be without comparison far greater and brighter. He foresees the future: He is mightier than all things: He knows all things, and does what He wills; not subjected to antecedents or consequents, or to nativities, or chance, or fate; in all things perfect, and possessing in Himself the absolute form of every excellence; neither waning, nor increasing, but in mode and circumstance ever the same; who hath prepared chastisement for the sinners, and a crown for the righteous. (4.) 6. Seeing then that many have in divers ways gone astray from the One God, — some having deified the sun, and so forsooth, when he went down, abiding during the night-season

b This Mva the doctrine of Marcion, H<er. Ixvi. 8. Iran. iii. 25. §. 2. 3. and the Manichees. <• As the Manichees held. Theodor. c These were the Manichees. Epiph. Heer. i. 26.

The Son is in all things like the Father. 37

godless, — others the moon, so as in the day-time to have no god, — others, the other parts of the world, — some, again, having deified the arts, — others, meats, — others, pleasures, — while some, mad after women, have set up on high the image of a naked woman, and calling it Venus, have bowed down to their own lusts, imder the visible emblem, — and others, dazzled by the brightness of gold, have deified that, and other portions of matter, — seeing, I say, that these things are so, and that if one first stablish in his soul the doctrine of the One God, from whom are all things, and believe in it, he gets rid at once of all the multiplied evils of idolatry, and heretical error, do thou first settle firmly this doctrine of godliness in thy soul, by means of faith.

Of Christ.

7. Believe also in the Son of God, One and Only, our Lord (5.) Jesus Christ: God of God begotten: Life of Life begotten: Light of Light begotten: like in all things* to Him that begat Him : who began not His existence in time, but was before all ages eternally and incomprehensibly begotten of

the Father: who is God's Wisdom and Power, and Righteousness personally subsisting: who before all ages is set down at the right hand of the Father. Not that He received the throne on God's right hand, as some have thought, by reason of His patient suffering merely, being after His passion crowned as it were by God; but all the time He hath been in being, which is from an everlasting generation. He hath the Kingly prerogative, sitting together with the Father, being God, and Wisdom, and Power, as hath been shewn; together w\\h the Father reigning, and by reason of the Father being the Artificer of all things; wanting nothing to the dignity of Godhead, and knowing His Father, even as He is known by His Father, — and, to speak briefly, • •wayremember what is written in the Gospel, None knoueth ^^^^"11 Son, but the Father; neither knoueth any the Father, save^''' the Son.

8. And neither do thou separate the Son from the Father, nor by confusing them together believe that the Son is the

Xnrtf.

38 Christ is in one Person both God and Man.

Lect. Father ^ But believe that of One God is One Only-begotten Son, who was before all ages, God the Word: the Word, not uttered externally and dispersed abroad in the air, nor like to

*6niTnt. Himself speak. And of these things we will speak more at large in due season, if God permit : for we do not forget our purpose, that at present we are but introducing the Faith after the manner of a summary.

III. Of His Incarnation. His Birth of the Virgin. IQ\ 9. And believe that He, the Only-begotten Son of God, for our sins came down from heaven to the earth, having taken a ifttitira. manhood of like feelings with us, and being bom of the ^"' Holy Virgin and the Holy Ghost, not in appearance or SaxoVu imagination", but in truth: nor did He pass through th6 hu ffu. Virgin as through a channel ' ; but truly took flesh of her, and of her was truly nourished with milk, and truly ate as we do, and truly drank as we do: for if the Incarnation was a phantom, salvation likewise is a phantom. Christ was twofold, Man in what was seen, God in what was not seen: eating truly as Man like us, (for He had like feelings of the flesh with us,) but feeding with five loaves the five thousand as God: dying as Man truly, but as God raising him who had been four days dead: sleeping in the ship truly as Man, and walking on the waters as God.

His Cross. (7.) 10. He was crucified for our sins truly: shouldest thou be disposed to deny it, the very place which all can see refutes thee, even this blessed Golgotha'', in which, on account of

&c. Vid. Theodor. Hser. iii. 3. Athan. k The spot where our Lord was cruci-

Orat. iv. 2. fied and buried had been hidden by an

B The followers of Paul of Samosata, artificial mound, and desecrated by a

and of Marcellus of Aneyra. Euseb. statue of Venus. Constantine cleared

miens. A.D. 357. (Hard. vol. i. p. 703.) a church there. Euseb. Vit. Const, iii.

'> The heretics here alluded to, were, 26, 26. from their tenet, called Docetw.

Christ descended into hell to deliver the Old Fathers. 39

Him who was crucified on it, we are now assembled: and further, the whole world is filled with the portions of the wood of the Cross'. But He was crucified, not for sins of His, but that we might be freed from our own sins. And though He was despised of men and beaten as a man, yet He was acknowledged by the creature as God; for the sun, beholding his Lord outraged, hid his light in trembling, not enduring the sight.

His Burial.

11. He was laid truly as man in a tomb of rock, but the (8-) rocks burst asunder through fear because of Him. He descended to the regions beneath the earth, that from thence also He might redeem the just". For wouldest thou, I pray, that the living should enjoy His grace, and that, being most

of them unholy; and that those who from Adam had been imprisoned long while, should not now obtain deliverance? The prophet Esaias heralded with a loud voice so many things concerning Him: and wouldest thou not that the King should descend and rescue His herald? David was there, and Samuel, and all the Prophets, and John himself, who said by his messenger. Art thou He that should come, orMat.ll, do we look for another? Wouldest thou not that He should^" descend and rescue such as these?

His Resurrection.

12. But He who descended to the regions beneath the (9.) earth, again ascended thence, and Jesus who was buried, rose again truly on the third day. And should the Jews ever harass you, meet them quickly by asking thus: Did Jonas after three days come forth from the whale, and hath not Christ then after three days risen from the earth ? Was the dead man raised who touched the bones of Eliseus, and shall

not the Maker of men much more easily be raised by the

I Vid.alsoCatech.x.l9.xiii.4.Helena the subject; and Constantine, in his is said to have discovered the true Cross Epistle written to Macarius, Bishop of on the occasion mentioned in the last Jerusalem, on the subject of the disconote. The account is contained in Socr. verj' of the Holy Sepulchre. Euseb. Vit. Hist. i. l7.Soz.Hist.ii. 1. Theodor. i. 18. ii. 30.

Ambros. in Ob. Theod. 45 &c. Chrysost. "" Vid. Euseb. Dem. Evang. x. p. 501 .

in Joan. 8.5. 1. besides Rufinus and Pau- Hieronym. in Eccles. ix. 10. &c. linus. Eusebius is altogether silent on

40 Virtue of the Name of Christ and of the sign of His cross.

Lect. power of the Father? He rose then truly; and being risen, '— He was again seen by His disciples. And the Twelve disciples were witnesses of His resurrection; not witnessing witli flattering words, but striving for the truth of the resur-

Dcui. rection even to tortures and deaths. Further, at the mouth 19 15 ' ' of two or three witnesses shall every word he estahlishedy

according to the Scriptures ; but twelve bear witness to

Christ's resurrection, and disbelievest thou yet concerning

the resurrection ?

His Ascension.

(10.) 13. And Jesus having finished His race of patience, and having redeemed men from their sins, ascended again into the heavens, a cloud receiving Him : and Angels stood by as He went up, and Apostles gazed. But if any doubt what he hears, let him believe the power of what he now sees. All kings when they die, have their power extinguished with their life : but Christ after being crucified, is worshipped by the whole world. We proclaim the Crucified, and the devils tremble ; yet many others have in course of time been crucified, but when has the invocation of any one of these scared away the devils ?

14. Let us not then be ashamed of the Cross of Christ; but though another hide it, do thou openly seal it on thy brow " : that the devils beholding that princely Sign, may flee far away trembling. But make thou this Sign, when thou eatest and drinkest, sittest or liest down, risest up, speakest, walkest: in a word, on every occasion: for He who was hei'e crucified, is above in the heavens. For if, when crucified and buried. He had remained in the tomb, then we had had shame: but now He who was crucified on this Golgotha, hath from the Mount of Olives on the East ascended into heaven: for having hence descended into hell, and come back again to us, from us did He ascend again into heaven,

Ps. 110, His Father addressing Him and saying, ^/7 thou on my right hand, tintil I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.

n Vid. Tertull. de Cor. 3. Cj-nrian. dor. Aug. de Cat. rud. 34. (20.) de Laps. p. 181. Hier. Ep. 1. ad Helio-

The Holy Ghost deijieth man. 41

IV. Of the Future Judgment.

15. This Jesus Christ who hath ascended, cometh again (11.) from heaven, not from earth. And I say, not from earth, because many Antichrists are now to come from earth ; for,

as thou hast seen, many have already begun to say, / aw Mat. 24, Christ: and besides there is to come the Abomination of^' ^^' Desolation, usurping the name of Christ. But do thou look for the true Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, who is henceforth to come not from the earth, but from heaven, appearing to all more bright than any lightning or other brilliance, with Angels for His guards, that He may judge quick and dead, and reign with a kingdom, heavenly, eternal, and without end. Be sure to settle your belief in this point also, since there are many who say that Christ's kingdom has an end ".

V. Of the Holy Ghost.

16. Believe also on the Holy Ghost, and hold concerning (12.) Him the same opinion which has been delivered to thee to hold concerning the Father and the Son : and not according

to those who teach blasphemous things of Him"". But do thou learn that this Holy Ghost is One, indivisible, of manifold power; working many things, yet Himself without parts; who knoweth mysteries, who searcheth all things, even the i Cor. 2, deep things of God; who descended on our Lord Jesus'^* Christ in the form of a dove; who wrought in the Law and the Prophets: who, even now, at the season of Baptism sealeth thy soul; of whose holiness every intellectual nature hath also need; against whom if a man dare to blaspheme, he hath no forgiveness, either in this world, or in that which Mat, 12, is to come; who with the Father and the Son is exalted "^^^ with the glory of the Godhead; of whom Thrones also, and Dominions, Principalities and Powers, stand in need. For there is One God, the Father of Christ; and One Lord Jesus Christ, of the Only God the Only-begotten Son: and One Holy Ghost, who halloweth and deifieth all, who spake in ''^ ^"- the Law and the Prophets, botli in the Old and New'""' Testaments.

° Viz. the followers of Marcellus of P e. g. the Montanists, Arians, and Ancyra. Macedonians.

42 Nothini/ not taught and proved out of Scripture is of the Faith.

Lect. 17. This seal have thou ever on thy mind; which now by IV

way of summary has been touched on in its heads, and if the Lord grant, shall hereafter be set forth according to our power, with Scripture-proofs. For concerning the divine and sacred Mysteries of the Faith, we ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures: nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities and the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell thee these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of what is set forth: for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures.

VI. Of the Soul. (13.) 18. After knowing this venerable and glorious and most holy Faith, next thou hast to know thyself: know that thou art a twofold man consisting of soul and body, and that, as was said a little before, the same God is the Artificer both of alrt^oi- the soul and of the body. And know thou hast a soul pos- ""' sessed of freedom"', the fairest work of God, made after the image of Him who formed it: immortal because of God who has made it immortal: a living thing, reasonable, undecaying, because of Him who hath bestowed these gifts: having power to do what it willeth. For it is not according to thy nativity that thou sinnest, nor is thy foraication according to thy fortune, nor, as some idly talk, do the conjunctions of the stars force thee to live in lasciviousness. Why, to avoid confession of thy wretchedness, dost thou blame the guiltless stars? Henceforth have nothing to do with astrologers: for Is. 47, of these saith the divine Scripture, Let now the astroloc/ers ''^' ^^" stand up and sf/rc tlicc, fn^c. Behold they shall be as stubble: the jire shall burn ihem: they shall not deliver themselves from the power of thejlame.

19. And learn this also; that before the soul be come into the world, it hath in nothing sinned : but that having come into the world sinless', we now of our own choice sin.

<l When Cyril and other writers npeak ' It was hoth a Pythagorean and an so pointedly about the freedom of the heretical doctrine, that the soul had sinwill, it is by way of protest against the ned in some preexistent state. Clem. Manichees and otiiers who were fatalists. Strom, iii. 3. Iren. Hier. i. 25.

The soul is responsible because it is free. 43

Listen not, I pray thee, to any one perversely expounding the Scripture, If then I do that which I would not, and the Rom. 7, rest: but remember Him who says, //" ye be willing and ^^ '^ ^^ obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land; but if ye refuse 20. and rebel, ye shall be devoured uith the sword, and the rest: and again. As ye have yielded your m mbers servants of nn- Rom. 6, cleanness and of iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Remember also the Scripture which says, And as they did not B.om. 1, like to retain God in their knowledge, and, That which may '^ j be known of God is manifest in them: and. Their eyes have 19. they closed. Remember too how God says against them, Yet ^^^*' ^^' I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how j^^^, then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange"^^- vine unto Me'?

20. The soul is immortal; and all souls are alike, both of (14.) men and women: only there is a difference of person'.''*''"?^ There is not one order of souls* which by nature sin, and-6;^arof another order of souls which by nature act righteously, but^'"*^^^ both act from choice, the essence of the soul being one in fiotc*. kind and alike in all.

Now I know that I am speaking at length, and that the time is far advanced: but what is preferable to salvation? Dost thou not care, though with trouble, to take provision for the way against the heretics? wilt thou not be told the turns of the road, lest out of ignorance thou fall down a precipice? If thy teachers think it no small gain for thee to learn these things, shouldest not thou the learner, receive gladly the multitude of the things told thee?

21. The soul has freedom ; and though the devil can tempt, he is not free to force it against deliberate choice. He suggests to thee the thought of fornication ; if thou wilt, thou hast admitted it ; if thou wilt not, thou hast not. For if thou wert a fornicator by necessity, then wherefore did God prepare hell ? If thou did justly by nature and not by choice, wherefore hath God prepared crowns of glory ineffable? The sheep is meek, yet it hath never been crowned for its meek-

• The doctrine of Apelles is here aimed * Some of the Gnostic sects seem reat. Vid. Tert\ill. de Anim. 36. ferred to. Vid. Iren. i. 24.

44 The Body not the real cause of sin.

Lect. ness; because its meekness belongs to it, not from choice, but '— by nature.

VII. Of the Body. (15.) 22. Thou hast been taught, beloved, for the present, concerning the Soul: now receive, as far as may be, the doctrine concerning the Body. Endure not any of those who say, that the body belongs not to God" : for they who hold this, and that the soul dwells in it as in a vessel which belongeth not to itself, readily abuse it to fornication. But for what have they condemned this wonderful body? in comeliness what lack has it? And what is there of its fashioning not wrought with art? Ought they not to have considered how bright the eyes are; and how the ears placed obliquely receive sounds without hindrance; and how the sense of smell is discriminating in scents, and eagerly discerns incense; and how the tongue is the minister of two things, the faculty of tasting, and the power of speech? And how the limgs, placed out of sight, are unceasingly occupied in respiring air? Who gave the heart its unremitted beating? Who divided so many veins and arteries? Who skilfully interwove the bones with the muscles? Who while assigning a part of our food for our substance, separated the rest in a seemly manner; and hath hidden our uncomely members in a more comely disposition? Who, when mankind was like to have failed, rendered it by a simple fellowship perpetual? (16.) 23. Say not, I pray, that the body is the cause of sin. For if the body be the cause of sin, how is it that a corpse is without sin? Put a sword in the right hand of one just dead, and there is no murder committed; let beauty of every sort pass before the young just dead, yet is no impure desire excited. Why? Because it is not the body which sins of itself, but the soul by means of the body. The body is the instrument, and as it were the garment and robe of the soul; if then it be abandoned by the soul to fornication, it becomes unclean; but if it dwell with a holy soul, it becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost. It is not I who say this, but 1 Cor. 6, Paul the Apostle hath said; Know ye not that your bodies are *9* the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you. Be tender *■ This was the doctrine of Gnostics and Manichees.

Unmarried persons must not despise the married. 43

then of thy body, as being the temple of the Holy Ghost; sully not thy flesh with fornication; defile not this thy fairest robe; but if thou hast defiled it, cleanse it now through penitence; while the time allows, wash it.

24. And as to the doctrine of chastity, above all, let the order of Solitaries and of Virgins attend to it, who are establishing in the world an Angelic life ; and then, the rest of the Church's people also. Great is the crown laid up for you, brethren ; for a poor indulgence barter not a high dignity. Listen to the Apostle, saying. Lest there be anyUebA2,

fornicator, or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of ' meat sold his birthright. Having been enrolled in the Angelical books for thy purpose of chastity, beware lest thou be blotted out again for thy deed of fornication.

25. Nor again on the other hand, while observing chastity, be thou puffed up against those who choose the humbler path

filed, as saith the Apostle. Thou too who keepest thy

purity, wert thou not bom of married persons? Do not,

because thou hast a possession of gold, set at nought the

silver. But let those also who are married be of good cheer,

who use marriage lawfully; who subject their marriage to

laws, not making it wanton by unbounded licence ; who

observe seasons of abstinence, that they may give themselves i Cor.

unto prayer; who with pure garments bring their bodies also ' *

pure to the assemblies of the Church ; who have entered into

the state of matrimony, not for indulgence, but that they may ha. ri

have a home. '■•*"5'-

til*.

26. And let not those who have been but once married, set at nought them who have involved themselves in a second marriage '. Continence is indeed a noble thing and an admirable; yet we should make allowance for a second marriage, that the weak may not commit fornication. It is good i Cor.

for them if they abide even as I, saith the Apostle; but if ' ' ' they cannot contain, let them marry; it is better to marry than to burn. But every thing else, be it put away far from

* The Montanists condemned second were an impediment to holy orders,

de Exhort. Cast. 9. and the Novatians, at best a concession, e. g. Iren. Hser. iii,

Epiph. Haer. lix. 3. Second marriages 17. Chrysost. in Mat. Horn. 32. fin.

4G Those who fast must not condewn those who cannot.

Lect. you, fornication, adultery, and every form of incontinence; '— and let the body be kept for the Lord, that the Lord also may

look upon the body. And let the body be nourished with meats, that it may live, and serve without hindrance; but not that it may be given up to indulgence.

Meats. (17.) 27. And concerning food, let these be your doctrines; since many stumble concerning meats also. For some indifferently draw near to things sacrificed to idols; and others, while they are austere, condemn them who eat: and thus in different ways the soul of some is defiled in the matter of ■ meats, while they are ignorant of the profitable reasons, for eating or abstaining. For we fast, abstaining from wine and flesh, not because we abhor them as abominations, but because we look for the reward; that scorning things sensible,

Ps. 126, we may enjoy the spiritual and invisible table, and that solving now in tears, we may reap in joy in the world to come. Despise not however those who eat, and partake

1 Tim. because of their bodies' weakness ; nor blame those who

' ' use a little wine, for their stomach^s sake, and their often

injirmities; nor condemn them as sinners. Nor abhor thou

flesh as being an unchristian thing; for the Apostle knew

1 Tim. some such when he spake of those, forbidding to marry,

^' ^' and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with ihanksgitung of them which believe\ In abstaining then from them, abstain not from them as abominable, otherwise thou hast no reward; but look down on them though good, for the sake of those nobler spiritual things which are set before thee.

28. For thy soul's sake, at no time eat ought of the things offered to idols. For concerning these meats, not I only, but the Apostles also before now, and James, the Bishop of this Church, have taken thought: and the Apostles and Folders write to all the Gentiles a Catholic Epistle, bidding them

y The various sects of Gnostics, and abstain from marriage, flesh, and wine, the Manichees, considered certain meats not for discipline (J/ irntirn) but as aband drinks, as flesh and wine, to be polluting. Vid. Iren. Hser. i. 28. Clem. Pffid. ii. 2. p. 186. Epiph. Hwr.xlvi. 2. xlvii. 1. &c. &c. August. Hser. 46. vid. Canon. Apost 43. '^ If any Bishop &c.

tne jyianicnees, consiuereu ceiiaui uicttia uuv lui ui^i^ijiiinv; \oi ■>>.i>fry ^ui oo a^jand drinks, as flesh and wine, to be pol- horring them, forgetting that they are all

luting. Vid. Iren. Hser. i. 28. Clem, very good, &c. and speaking blasphemy

Pffid. ii. 2. p. 186. Epiph. Hffr.xlvi. 2. against the creation, let him amend or

xlvii. 1. &c. &c. August. Hser. 46. vid. be deposed &c."

The Resurrection as easy as making Moses' rod a serpent. 47

abstain, chiefly from things sacrificed to idols, and then from blood also and things strangled. For many men being of a savage nature, and living like dcgs, both lap up blood, copying the way of the most sav; ge wild beasts; and also eat greedily without scruple things strangled ^ But do thou, the servant of Christ, when eating, observe to eat with reverence. Thus much concerning meats.

Apparel.

29. Be thou clad with plain apparel, not for vain oma- (18.) ment's sake, but for a necessary covering; nor to make a display, but that thou mayest be warm in winter, and niayest hide thine uncomeliness. Beware lest, under colour of hiding thine uncomeliness, by thy extravagant robes thou fall into uncomeliness of another sort.

VIII. Of the Resurrection.

30. Be tender, I beseech thee, of this body; and know (19.) that thou shalt arise from the dead, to be judged with this body. But if any thought of unbelief steal upon thee, as though the thing w^ere impossible, consider from thine own case the things which appear not. For tell me ; think where thou wert thyself, an hundred or more years ago ? From w hat

an element, from what a very small and mean substance, hast thou come to so great stature, and to such dignity of comeliness. Cannot then He who brought into being that which was not, raise up again that which has been and has decayed? He who year by year raises up the corn which we sow, when it is dead, shall He find difficulty in raising us up, for whose sakes He was raised Himself? Thou seest how the trees have stood now for so many months fruitless and leafless; but when the winter is passed, they revive in all their parts as it were from the dead. Shall not we then much rather, yea and much more easily, live again? The rod of Moses was by the counsel of God changed into the dissimilar nature of a serpent: and shall not man who has fallen into death be again restored to himself?

• The prohibition of idol-sacrifices, regards blood, and things strangled, it blood, and things strangled, was long in had become almost obsolete by S.Austin's force in the East; but in the West as age. Contr. Faust, xxxii. 13.

48 The Canon of Scripture to he received from the Chitrch^

Lect. 31. Heed not them who say that this body is not raised: for it is raised: and Esaias testifieth this, saying, The dead

Dan.l2, jv/any of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise;

some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame. But

though the resurrection is common to all men, it is not alike

to all; for we all indeed receive everlasting bodies, but not

all the same bodies. For the just receive them, that through

eternity, they may join the Choirs of Angels; but the sinners,

that they may undergo for everlasting the torment of their sins.

IX. Of the Holy Layer. 32. Wherefore, the Lord of His lovingkindness has been beforehand with us, giving us the repentance of the Laver, that having cast away the chief, yea rather the whole burden of our sins, and having received the seal of the Holy Ghost, we may become heirs of life eternal. But seeing that we have before spoken sufficiently of the Laver of Baptism, let us go on to what remains of our preparatory teaching.

X. Of the Diyine Scriptures. (20.) 33. These things are taught us by the inspired Scriptures, both of the Old and of the New Testament. For the God of both Testaments is one, by whom Christ who appeared in the New Testament, was foretold in the Old; who through the Law and the Prophets brought us as a Schoolmaster to

Gal, 3, Christ. For before faith came, we were kept under the Law: and, The Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. And if ever thou hear any of the heretics blaspheming the Law or the Prophets, utter against them the saving voice.

Mat. 5, saying, Jesus came not to destroy the Imw, but to fulfil. Learn, also, diligently, and from the Church, which are the books of the Old Testament, and which of the New: and

v.jj. read not, I pray, any of the uncertain books*. For why

^'' shouldest thou, who knowest not those which are acknowledged by all, take needless trouble about those which are

' Or apocryphal, a word which did name of ata<yirt>fxefttti or Ecclesiastical

not convey any reproach in the early is given by some writers to certain works

Church, but merely signified that the which were held in reverence, and so

book so named waa not in the canon, read in churches, but not inspired. Vid.

Vid. Pearson, Vind. Ignat. i. 4. The Milles in loc. p. 66.

Tfie history of the Septuagint Version, 49

questioned? Read the Holy Scriptures, these two and twenty books of the Old Testament, which were interpreted by the seventy-two interpreters.

34. For '' after the death of Alexander the king of the (21. Macedonians, and the division of his kingdom into four principalities, into Babylonia, and Macedonia, and Asia, and Egypt, one of the kings of Egypt, Ptolemy Philadelphus, a king very fond of learning, when he was collecting the books which were in every place, heard from Demetrius of Phalerum, who was over the library, concerning the Divine Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets, and judging it far better to abstain from getting the books by force from unwilling persons, but rather to conciliate their possessors by presents and friendship, knowing moreover, that what is forced from men, being given against their choice, is oftentimes tampered with, whereas that which is given of free choice is presented with all sincerity, — he sent exceeding many gifts to Eleazar the priest at that time, for the temple at Jerusalem, and caused to be sent to him six men out of each of the twelve tribes of Israel, for the work of interpretation. Then, to prove whether the books were divine or no, and to prevent them who had been sent from combining together among themselves, he assigned to each of the interpreters his several dwelling, in the place called Pharos, which adjoins Alexandria, and bade each translate all the Scriptures. And when they had accomplished the work in seventy-two days, he brought together the translations of all, which they had made in different cells

*> This account is also found in Euseb. inspired writers of the New Testament Prsep.Evang. viii. 1 — 5. Philon. vit. Mos. evince towards it. e. g. Acts xiii. 34. ii.658. Joseph. Antiq.xii. 2. Justin. Apol. xv. 17. We may believe this doctrine, 1. §. 31. p. 62. Iren. Hist. iii. 25. Clem, and yet with entire consistency reject the Strom, p. 342. These, to which may be particular story which symbolizes, and added Hilary, Austin, and Philastrius, got currency by, the primitive belief in it. are in addition to Aristeas, who is the Prideaux(Connect.partii.b.l.)comesto original authoritj'. Epiphanius makes the following conclusions : — that the book the same general statement with some which goes under the name of Aristeas, further particulars in detail. This con- nay of Aristobulus, is a forgery of some cordanttestimony of the Fathers does not Hellenistic Jew, with a \-iew to add prove the fact alleged, which seems to honour to the Septuagint version ; and nave come from the Jews, yet may prove that in reality that version was gradually therfocM/itfimpliedandinvolv':dinit,that made in successive ages, first as far as there is something, more than ordinary, the Law, then the Prophets, &c. It of the Divine Hand in the Translation in should be observed, that S. Jerome requestion,— a doctrine which is confirmed jects the historj- of the separate Celb by the deference and reliance which the with great contempt. Prsef. ad Pentat.

50 Books that compose the Canon of Scripture.

Lbct. without approaching one another; and he found them agree- -Hl— ing not in sense only, but in words. For the matter was not one of witty invention, or a contrivance of man's cunning devices; but the interpretation of the Divine Scriptures, spoken by the Holy Ghost, was, of the Holy Ghost, accomplished. (22.) 35. Read the two and twenty books of these Scriptures: i*ei and have nothing to do with the uncertain books. Those only **■ study earnestly, which we read confidently even in church. Far wiser than thou, and more devout, were the Apostles, and "■•"•■ the ancient Bishops, the rulers of the Church, who have Justin, handed down these: thou, therefore, who art a child of the Ap°'* Church, trench not on their sanctions. And of the Old Testament, as hath been said, study the two and twenty books; and these, if thou art diligent, strive to remember by name, as I repeat them. Of the Law, are the first five books of Moses; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy: then Joshua the son of Nun: and the book of Judges and of Ruth, which is numbered the seventh. Of the remaining Historical books, the first and second books of Kings are among the Hebrews one book, and so the third and fourth books; and likewise the first and second books of Chronicles make one book; and the first and second books of Esdras are one; and the twelfth is the book of Esther: these are the Historical books. The books which are written in verses are five; Job, and the book of Psalms, and Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, which is the seventeenth book. After these come the five Prophetic books: the one book of the Twelve Prophets; the book of Esaias; the book of Jeremias, which with Baruch, the Lamentations, and the Epistle makes one book; then Ezekiel; and the book of Daniel is the twenty-second book of the Old Testament.

36. Of the New Testament, there are only the four Gospels : V-ii/Jnr/ the rest are forged and mischievous. The Manichaeans also ycf"' ^rote a Gospel according to Thomas, which made acceptable with the fragrance of the evangelic name, corrupts the souls of the simpler sort. And receive also the Acts of the Twelve Apostles: and in addition to these, the seven Catholic Epistles, of James and Peter and John and Jude : and the final seal of all, and the last work of the disciples, the fourteen Epistles

of Paul'. But all the rest, let them be put aside into the second rank; and what is not read in the churches, that read not by thyself, according as thou hast heard. Thus far of these things.

37. Fly also from every devilish work, and listen not to (23. that apostate Serpent, who has of his own choice changed himself from a good nature; who can persuade those who are willing, but can force no one. And give heed neither to observations of the stars, nor to auguries, nor to omens, nor to the fabulous divinations of the Greeks. And sorcery, and the craft of charms, and their most wicked practices for calling up the dead, receive not even to listen to them. Stand aloof from every sort of intemperance, being neither a glutton, nor a lover of pleasure ; raised above all covetousness, and the taking of usury. Nor throw thyself into the assemblies of the heathen spectacles : nor ever use amulets in thy sicknesses : and put away from thee also the pollution of tavern-haunting. And fall not into Judaism, nor into the sect of the Samaritans : for henceforth hath Jesus Christ ransomed thee. Abstain from all observance of Sabbaths, and from calling any indifferent meat " common or unclean." Especially abhor all the assemblies of wicked heretics : and in every way make thine own soul safe, by fastings, by prayers, by alms, by reading of the divine oracles: that living in soberness and godly doctrine for the rest of thy time in the flesh, thou mayest enjoy the one salvation of the Laver, and having been thus listed in the heavenly hosts by God and the Father, thou mayest also be counted worthy of the heavenly crown, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

• S. Cyril keeps silence about the note 9.) as the Latins with respect to Apocalypse, after the usage of the early the Epistle to the Hebrews. Greek Church (vid. Tillemont S. John,

LECTURE V.

• ON FAITH*.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for^ the evidence of

things not seen: for hy it the elders obtained a good report.

Lect. 1, How great the dignity is which the Lord bestows on '• — you, in transferring you from the order of Catechumens to

that of the Faithful, Paul the Apostle sets before you, saying, 1 Cor. 1, God is Fait] fill, by whom ye were called to the fellowship of

His Son Jesus Christ. For as God is called Faithful, thou

likewise receivest this title, receiving in it a great dignity.

For as God is called Good, Just, Almighty, the Artificer of Vid. In-the Universe, so also He is called Faithful; think then to Lect n ^^^ great a dignity thou art rising, being on the eve of 6. sharing a title of God.

2. Now then it is only required, that a man be found Prov.20, among you faithful in his conscience : for a faithful man^

saith Scripture, w^Ao can^wrf? Not that thou shouldest shew

1 Cor. 4, thy conscience to me; for thou art not to be judged ofma/fs

^' judgment; but that thou manifest to God a guileless faith,

Ps. 7, 9. who trieih the reins and the hearts, and knowetli the thoughts

Ps. 94, of men. A faithful man is something great, and wealthier than 11.

* S. Cyril treats in this and five fol- crucified and buried (13) and rose from

lowing Lectures of the following articles the dead the third day and ascended

in succession, which make up the Creed into the heavens, and sat down at the

of Jerusalem. " I believe" (Lecture 6) right hand of the Father (14) and is

in one God (6) The Father (7) Al- coming to judge quick and dead (16)

mighty (8) Maker of heaven and earth, And in the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete,

and of all things visible and invisible Who spake by the Prophets (16. 17)

(9) And in One Lord Jesus Christ (10) and in One Holy Catholic Church, and

the Only-begotten Son of God, begotten resurrection of the flesh, and in life everof the Father before all worlds. Very lasting (18). Milles in loc. also Ed.

God by whom all things were made (11 ) Benedict, p. 84. Who was incarnate and made man (12)

Exercise of faith in matters of this tvorld. 53

any wealthy. For to the faithful man belongs the whole PnvM, u'orld of riches, in that he thinks lightly of them, and tramples " *'^*' them under foot. For those who in appearance are wealthy, and possess much, yet are poor in soul: for in proportion as they amass, do they pine from longing for what is still wanting. But the faithful man, most wondrously, in poverty is rich; for knowing that we need only to have raiment and food, i Tim. and being content with these, he has put riches under foot.

3. Nor is it only among us, who bear the title of Christ, (2-) that the dignity of faith is great: for likewise all that is accomplished in the world, even by those who are aliens from

the Church, is accomplished by faith. By faith, marriage laws knit together persons unknown one to another: and one who is strange to us, through the faith placed in marriage compacts, becomes a sharer in strange persons and strange possessions. By faith is husbandry also upheld: for he who does not believe he shall receive a harvest, endures not its toils. By faith, sea-faring men, putting their trust in a very slender plank, exchange that most solid element the earth, for the unsteady motion of the waves; yielding themselves to uncertain hopes, and carrying with them as something surer than any anchor, their faith. By faith then most affairs of men hold together: and this not among us only, but likewise among those who are without, as hath been said; for though they receive not the Scriptures, but bring forward doctrines of their own, yet these also do they receive by faith.

4. To that faith which is true, the lesson which was read today likewise calls you, setting before you, how you also must please God; for. He saith, uithout faith it is impossible Ueh.ll, to please Him. For when will a man set himself to serve God, unless he believes that He is a rewarder ? When will a young woman choose a virgin life, or a young man be soberminded, unless they believe that chastity has a crown unfading ? Faith is the eye which enlightens the whole conscience, and creates in it understanding ; for the Prophet saith, And if ye believe not, neither shall ye understand. Is. 7, 9. Faith stops the mouths of lions, according to Daniel ; for the ^P^* Scripture saith concerning him, that Daniel was taken up Dan. 6, out of the den, and no manner of hurt v^as found upon him,^^' because he believed in his God. Is there aught more fearful

54 The faith of Abraliam.

Lect. than the devil? But even against him we have no other

'- — weapon than faith, an impalpable buckler against an unseen

foe. For he discharges manifold darts, and shoots in the darkness those who are not watching; but, since the foe is unseen, we have, as a stout defence, faith, according to the Kph. 6, saying of the Apostle, Above all, taking the shield of faiths wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. For when, as oft-times happens, a fiery dart of desire of base indulgence is hiirled by the devil, faith, shadowing forth the judgment, cools the soul, and quenches it. (3.) 5. Now we have many things to say concerning faith, and the whole day would not suffice us discoursing of it: for the present be we content with Abraham alone, one of the examples of the Old Testament, seeing that we also are become his sons through faith. He was justified not only by works, but by faith also: and though he did many things well, yet was he never called the friend of God, except when he believed; moreover every deed of his was perfected by faith. By faith he left his parents: by faith he abandoned country, dwelling-place, and home. As then he was justified, so be uiii thou also justified. Further, his body was dead: for he was frgflTi-^jj old man, and his wife Sarah was old also, and no hope of children was left him. God promises offspring to the old Rom. 4, man: and Abraham, not being weak in faith, nor considering his own body now dead; thinking not of his body's infirmity, Heb. il.but of the power of Him who promised, and ^'mc^^w^ Him ^^' faithful who had promised, in a wondrous manner gained a child from bodies as good as dead. And when after he had gained a son, he was ordered to offer him, although he had Gen. 21, heard that, In Isaac shall thy seed be called, he offered his '^" only-begotten son to God, believing that God was able even to raise him from the dead. So having bound his son, and laid him upon the wood, in intent he offered him, but by the goodness of God, who gave him a lamb instead of his child, he received his son alive. Wherefore, he being faithful, was Bora. 4, sealed unto righteousness, and received circumcision, the seal *'• of the righteousness which he had yet being uncircumcised; Gen. 17, having received the Tprom\&e ihdX he should be the father of ^' many nations.

6. How then is Abraham the father of many nations ? Of

The power of faith . 55

the Jews he is confessedly, by the succession according to

the flesh. But if we give heed to that which is according to

the flesh, we shall be forced to say that the oracle is false:

for according to the flesh he is no longer the father of us all ;

but a faith, of which his is the type, makes us all sons of

Abraham. How and after what sort? It is incredible among

men, that one should arise from the dead ; it is incredible

also, that of the aged, in their bodies dead, a child should be

born ; yet when Christ is preached, as having been crucified

on the tree, dead and risen again, we believe it. By likeness

then of faith we come to the sonship of Abraham : and then,

upon our faith, like him, we receive the spiritual seal : being

circumcised by the Holy Ghost through the Sacred Laver,

not in the uncircumcision of the body but of the heart, as

Jeremias saith, Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and fake Jenm.

away the uncircumcision of your heart ; and as the Apostle ' '

saith, by the circumcision of Christ, buried uith Him in Col. 2,

baptism; and the rest. 11. 12.

7. This faith if we keep, we shall be clear of condemnation, (4.)

and shall be adorned with virtues of every kind. For so

great power hath faith, that it even gives buoyancy to men

walking on the sea. Peter was a man like unto us, formed of Mat. 14, • • • 29

flesh and blood, and living upon like food: but believing Jesus, * when He said. Come, he walked on the waters, having his faith for a support on the waters, surer than any foundation; and his heavy body was kept afloat by the buoyancy of his faith. But though as long as he believed, he had a sure footing on the water; yet as soon as he doubted, he began to sink: for as his faith gradually relaxed, his body also was carried along with it. And beholding his evil case, Jesus, the Corrector of the evils of our souls, said to him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? and again, nerved by Him who took hold of his right hand, from the moment he believed again, being led by the hand of the Lord, he regained the same^ power of walking on the waters. For thus the Gospel hath indirectly recorded, in the words, tclien Mat. 14, they uent up into the ship. For it says not that Peter by ^^' swimming went up into the ship; but it gives us to understand, that as far as he had gone to Jesus, such a distance did he retrace, going up again into the ship.

66 Faith of friends sonietiines a substitute for personal faith.

Lect. 8. Yea, so much power hath faith, that not only the person believing is saved, hut one man has been saved by others

jyj)^,i! 2, believing. The palsied man at Capernaum was not faithful;

but they who bore him, and let him down through the tiles,

believed ; for the soul of the sick man shared in the sickness

of his body. Think not that I accuse him groundlessly; for

Mat. 9, the Gospel itself hath said, Jesus beholding, not, his faith, but 2 6

their faith, saith to the sick of the palsy, Arise. The bearers

believed, and the sick of the palsy enjoyed the blessing of the

cure.

9. Wouldest thou see yet more certainly, that some have

John 11. been saved by others' faith? Lazarus died: one day passed, and a second and a third: his sinews were decayed, and corruption was now preying on his body. How could a man four days dead believe, and call to the deliverer on his own behalf? But what was wanting in the dead, was supplied by his true sisters. For when the Lord came, his sister fell at His feet: and when to His question, Uliere have ye laid him? she answered. Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days. He saith. If thou wilt believe, thou shalt see the glory of God. As if saying, " Fill thou up what is wanting, for the faith of this dead;" and so availed the sisters' faith, that it recalled the dead from the gates of hell. Have men then, believing one for the other, availed for a resurrection from the dead, and shalt not thou, if thou believe sincerely concerning thyself, much rather be profited? Nay, though thou be faithless, or have but little faith, yet is the Lord merciful; He will condescend to thee when thou repentest: only do thou also say to Him with a honest heart,

Mark 9, Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief And if thou thinkest that thou art indeed faithful, but hast not yet attained the perfection of faith, thou hast need to say with the Apostles,

Lukei7, Ijord, increase our faith: for part thou hast of thine own self, but the much greater part thou receivest of Him. (6.) 10. For Faith, though in name one, is distinguished into

rai

Jtfif.

t> That faith is an astetit of the mind is maintained by Clement, Alex. Strom, to the truth, or a submission or acquies- lib. ii. p. 362. Basil in Psalm cxv. cence of the mind to a divine message, p. 371, 2.

Two kinds of faith. bl

some certain thing: and this faith profits the soal, as the

Lord saith, He that heareth my uords^ and believeth in Him John 5,

that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall fiat come into

condemnation; and again, He that believeth on the Son is fi at John 3,

condemned: hut is passed from death into life. O the great loving-kindness of God! The righteous were many years 24. in pleasing Him; but what they obtained, by their pleasing Him well for many years, this is now bestowed on thee by Jesus in one hour. For if thou shall believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved and translated into Paradise, by Him who brought the robber into Paradise. And do not disbelieve the possibility of this; for He who in this holy Golgotha saved the robber in one hour, the same will also save thee when thou shalt believe.

11. But there is a second sort of faith, bestowed as a gift by Christ in the way of grace. For to one is given hy the i Cor. Spirit the word of uisdom, to another the word of knowledge ' by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing. Now this faith which is given of grace by the Spirit, is not only a faith in doctrine; but it also worketh things beyond man's povver. For he who hath this faith shall say to this mountain. Remove hence to yonder Mz.i.Vl, place, and it shall remove. For when any one shall say this^^* by faith, believing that it shall come to pass, and shall notMarkll, waver in his heart, then he receiveth the grace. And it is of^*^" this faith that it is said, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard Mat. 17, seed. For like as a grain of mustard seed is small in bulk, ^^' but fierj' in operation, — and though sown in a narrow space, has a circuit of mighty branches, and being grown up is able even to shelter the fowls ; thus faith too accomplishes in the soul, in the briefest moment, the greatest things. Illuminated by faith the soul hath visions of God, yea, and, as far as it may, beholds God : and ranges along the bounds of the universe, and before the end of this world, already gazes upon the judgment, and the giving of rewards that is promised. Cherish then the faith in Him, which is of thyself; that thou (7.) mayest also receive firom Him that faith which works things above man's power.

12. But take thou and hold that faith only as a learner and

68 The Creed founded on Scripture.

Lect. in profession, which is by the Church delivered to thee,

'- — and is established from all Scripture. For since all cannot

read the Scripture, but some as being unlearned, others by business, are hindered from the knowledge of them; in order that the soul may not perish for lack of instruction, in the Articles which are few we comprehend the whole doctrine of the Faith. This I wish you to remember even in the very phrase, and to rehearse it with all diligence among yourselves, not writing it on paper, but by memory graving it on your heart as on a monument: being watchful, during your exercise, lest haply some of the Catechumens overhear the things delivered to you. This I wish you to keep all through your life as a provision for the way, and besides this to receive no other ever: whether we ourselves should change and contradict what 2 Cor. we now teach; or some opposing Angel, transformed into Q^'l J* an Angel of light, should aim at leading you astray. For 8- 9. though we, or an Angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him he accursed. And for the present, commit to memory the Faith, merely listening to the words; and expect at the fitting season the proof of each of its parts from the Divine Scriptures. For the Articles of the Faith were not composed at the good pleasure of men: but the most important points chosen from all Scripture, make up the one teaching of the Faith. And, as the mustard seed in a little grain contains many branches, thus also this Faith, in a few words, hath enfolded in its bosom the whole knowledge of godliness (8.) contained both in the Old and New Testaments. Behold, 2 Thess. therefore, brethren, and hold the traditions which ye now

' \ receive, and write them on the table of your hearts". Prov. 7, . . ' "^

3. 13. This keep with godly fear, lest haply any of you being

puffed up, be spoiled by the enemy ; lest some heretic pervert

any of the things delivered unto you. For Faith is like

casting down money on the table : and this we have now

done; but God requires of you an account of the deposit.

1 Tim.s, / charge thee before God, saith the Apostle, who quickeneth

6,13,14. all things, and before Jesus Christ, who before Pontius Pilate

witnessed a good confession, that ye keep this Faith delivered

< The Nicene Creed follows here in some MSS.

The Articles of Faith a deposit. 59

unto thee uithout spot, utitil the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. The treasure of life hath now been committed to thee, and the Master will seek His deposit at His appearing, which in His own times He shall shew, Wlio is the ' Tim. 6, blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light tchich no man can approach unto; Whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to Whom be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

LECTURE VI.