A LIBRARY OF FATHERS ANTERIOR TO THE DIVISION OF THE EAST AND WEST: TRANSLATED BY MEMBERS OP THE ENGLISH CHURCH. YET SHALL NOT THY TEACHERS BE REMOVED INTO A CORNER ANY MORE, HUT THINE EYES SHALL SEE THY TEACHERS- Itaiaà XXX. 20. OXFORD, JOHN HENRY PARKER ; F. AND J. R1 VINGXON, LONDON. MDCCCLIV. TO THE MEMORY OF THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD WILLIAM lord archbishop of canterbury, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND, FORMERLY REGIUS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, this library OF ancient bishops, fathers, doctors, martyrs, confessors, of Christ's holy catholic church, UNDERTAKEN AMID HIS ENCOURAGEMENT, AND CARRIED ON FOR TWELVE YEARS UNDER HIS SANCTION, UNTIL HIS DEPARTURE HENCE IN PEACE, IS GRATEFULLY AND REVERENTLY INSCRIBED. THE FESTAL EPISTLES OF S. ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA, TRANSLATED FROM THE SYRIAG, WITH NOTES AND INDICES. OXFORD, JOHN HENRY PARKER ; F. AND J. RIVINGTON, LONDON. MDCCCLIV. BAXTER, PRINTER, OXFORD. PREFACE. The Festal Epistles of S. Athanasius, ás far as they are extant, are now, for the first time, presented to the English reader. In undertaking to superintend the publication of them, the Editor was, to some extent, aware of the difficulty of the task. In carrying it out, he has not hesitated to make numerous and important alterations in the translation as put into his hands, and not a few passages have been entirely re-modelled by him. He must, there¬ fore, be held responsible for the errors contained in the following pages. The translation had been prepared for the Press, and most of the notes written, when a German version by Professor Larsow made its appearance. To the general accuracy of this, the Editor bears his willing testimony. The English has been carefully compared with it, and several emendations have, in consequence, been introduced. On the other hand, a different rendering has been adopted in many cases, and errors have not unfrequently been corrected. Some of these will be found pointed out in the notes. Considerable pains have been bestowed in collecting parallel passages from other undoubted works of S. Atha¬ nasius"; while, in more than one instance, evidence has been adduced bearing upon the authenticity of some treatises concerning which doubts have been entertained. The Scriptural references have, in 3JI cases, been carefully » The edition used is the Bened. Patavii 1777. A 2 iv preface. given, and any remarkable deviation from the received text noted. Manifest errors of the Syriac translator have been shewn, and their origin sometimes detected. Any conjectural emendation has been scrupulously proposed as such. When¬ ever a difficulty has presented itself, the Editor has examined the original Ms. in the British Museum, and the result of this recension of the text will be found in the notes. It could not have been expected, notwithstanding the extreme care and the great learning displayed in the edition of the Syriac text, that it should be quite free from errors. They are, however, by no means numerous. Another important feature in the present translation is, that it includes four more pages of the Syriac than have hitherto appeared, they having been discovered since the Syriac text was printed. For these, the public are indebted to the Rev. W. Cureton, whose courtesy in directing the Editor's attention to them, as well as in occasionally afford¬ ing assistance in the progress of the work, is gratefully acknowledged11. For the Translation, the Editors have to express their acknowledgments to the Rev. Henry Bxjrgess, LL.D. and Ph. D. H. G. W. Cambridge, May, 1854. b Since the English translation was Latin translation, in the sixth volume printed, but before the preliminary of the Patrum Nova Bibliotheca by matter was put to press, the Festal Cardinal Mai. Letters have been reprinted, with a INTRODUCTION. The learned Montfancon, in the preface to his edition of S. Athanasius, speaking of his lost works, says, 'Nulla, opinamur, jactura major quam epistolarum eograc-Tixwv, aut Festalium. . . . Hoi, hei quam pungit dolor amissi Thesauri! quantum ad historiam, ad consuetudines Ecclesiarum, ad morum prsecepta hinc lucis accederet ! Et fortassis adhuc alicubi latent in Oriente.' The ardent wish and the latent hope thus long ago expressed, have at length received their accomplishment. The Festal Letters of S. Äthan, after having escaped the fury of the Moslem, and survived the carelessness and ignorance of succeeding generations, have been brought to light by the industry and perseverance of our own age, rescued from the ravages of time, and transferred from a retired nook in the African desert to enrich the shelves of our great Library. They have not, indeed, reached us in the garb in which they were originally sent forth by their great author ; still have they come down to us in one hallowed by its almost exclusively sacred character. Nor have they escaped mutilation; nevertheless, the portion that has been preserved will be gratefully accepted by all to whom the name of the great champion of the faith is held in honour, or any accession to our store of ecclesiastical literature valued. It was in the year 1842, that Dr. Tattam, now Arch¬ deacon of Bedford, was so fortunate as to obtain from the monastery of S. Mary Deipara, in the valley of Scete, in the desert of Nitria, a valuable collection of Syriac Mss. of VI INTRODUCTION. great antiquity". The valley in which this inestimable treasure had so long lain hid, had early become, from its calm and retired character, the refuge of pious penitents, who sought an abode in these lonely solitudes, apart from the tumult and cares of the world. Among the many dis¬ tinguished saints who selected this spot for their seclusion may be mentioned Macarius, the pupil of the great Anthony, who here spent the greater part of a long life, and whose name, from having been given to one of the monasteries, was afterwards applied to the whole of the desert. The Mss. themselves, or a large proportion of them, had been brought from Mesopotamia, and deposited in the monastery by Moses of Nisibis, who presided over the monastery in the year 932 ; a fact which is recorded in many of the volumes, and which is also mentioned by J. S. Asseman, in the Preface to his Bibliotheca Orientalis. More than one attempt had been made in the early part of the last century to procure the monastic library, but with only very partial success. D. Gahriel Eva, the Maronite, had ascertained that many Syriac, Arabic, and Egyptian Mss. were to be found in the monastery of the desert of Scete, and had acquainted the Pope Clement IX. with the fact. In con¬ sequence of this, Elias, a learned Syrian, and a near relative of Asseman, was sent to endeavour to obtain them. This was in the year 1707. Notwithstanding the utter neglect with which the Mss. were treated in the monastery, Elias was unable, by money or entreaties, to procure more than forty. These were added to the Library of the Vatican, not, however, before other difficulties had been surmounted. The vessel in which Elias was sailing down the Nile was wrecked, and though the volumes were recovered, it was not till they had suffered considerable damage from the water. Afterwards, in the year 1715, J. S. Asseman himself » For a full account of Dr. Tattam's he obtained the Mss. see an article in visit to the monastery of S.. Mary the Quarterly Review, No. CLIII. Deipara, and the manner in which Dec. 1845. INTRODUCTION. Vil set out from Rome on a visit to the monastery. The number of volumes there deposited had then, from one cause or another, been much diminished. He selected about a hundred; but even of these, with all his efforts, he was unable to carry away more than a small proportion. These, however, he speaks of as the most valuable. The Mss. thus acquired by Dr. Tattam were consigned to the Library of the British Museum. Among them, Mr. Cureton soon discovered a portion of the Festal Letters of S. Athanasius, which he committed to the press. This portion, however, included only about one half of that now made public. For the remaining part of the Ms. we are indebted to the exertions of M. Augustus Pacho, a native of Alexandria, who, three or four years later, paid a visit to the same monastery, and succeeded in obtaining another considerable collection of Syriac Mss. some of which formed part of the volumes already secured by Dr. Tattam. Such was the case with regard to the Festal Letters of S. Äthan. The latter portion thus acquired was likewise printed by Mr. Cureton, and published together with that previously printed, the sequence of the different parts (which was necessarily broken) being indicated by notesb. At an earlier period of the Church, Festal Letters had been sent by the Bishop of Alexandria, as we learn from Eusebius", who speaks of those sent by Dionysius, the thirteenth Bishop, [A.D. 247, to A.D. 265.] In them, according to the same authority, he had treated of the high character of the Paschal Festival, had argued the necessity for celebrating it after the time of the Vernal Equinox, and had moreover published a Canon to serve for eight years. A small fragment from the fourth of these Letters, consisting of exhortations to peace and good-will, is pre¬ served in Damascen. Op. torn. ii. p. 753. The names by b Four more pages of the Syriac in print, will be found in the present text, belonging to the tenth and volume. The Syriac text is contained eleventh Letters, which were after- in the Appendix, wards found among the loose leaves, G Euseb. Hist. lib. vii. cap. 20. and which have not hitherto appeared Till INTRODUCTION. which such Letters were designated are various. They were denominated è?noToAal éogracrnxal, ' Festal Epistles'—not as treating of Christian festivals in general, hut of the great Christian Festival of Easter in particular. So the heading to the chapter of Eusebius just referred to is, wegl twv ioqraTjîkSjv Aiovucnoà ' Of the Festal Epistles of Dionysius.' In the same way they were denominated yga/xjaara natr^/aXla, ' Paschal Letters.' The name ópuAi'ai koçTcto-Ttxu), 'Festal Homilies,' was also applied to them. Such is the title prefixed to the various discourses of S. Cyril on the subject. One of these, the twenty-fifth, concludes with an epistolary salutation. Such discourses were probably both sent as Letters, and publicly read as Homilies. This early custom of the Bishop of Alexandria sending Festal Letters is thus spoken of by Cassiand. Intra iEgypti regionem mos iste antiquus traditione servatur, ut peracto epiphaniorum die, quem pro vin ci se illius sacerdotes vel Dominici baptismi, vel secundum carnem, nativitatis esse definiunt, et idcirco utriusque saeramenti solemnitatem, non bifarie, ut in occiduis provinciis, sed sub una diei hujus festivitate concélébrant, epístolas pontificis Alexandrini per universas diriguntur iEgypti ecclesias, quibus initium quadragesimas, et dies paschse, non solum per civitates omnes, sed etiam per universa monasteria designentur. But it was not till the time of the Council of Nice, that the duty of notifying to the Christian Church the time at which Easter was to be celebrated was formally delegated to the Bishop of Alexandria. Among other matters there discussed, was the important question respecting the Paschal Festival. Together with the decision that the Roman method should be adopted throughout Christendom, it was determined that the calculation of the day from year to year should devolve on the Bishop of Alexandria, and that notice should be sent by him to the other Churches®. The superior astronomical knowledge found in Egypt, doubtless d Cassian Collat. x. cap. I. • Bingham, Ant. book ii. ch. xvi. §. 21. INTRODUCTION. ix formed one reason for the duty thus devolved on the Bishop of Alexandria. The words of Leo are to this effect': Sancti Patres studuerunt itaque occasionem hujus erroris auferre omnem hanc curam Alexandrino Episcopo delegantes (quoniam apud iEgyptios hujus supputationis antiquitus tradita esse peritia) per quem quotannis dies prœdictae solemnitatis Sedi Apostólicas indicentur, cujus scriptis ad longinquiores ecclesias indicium generale percurreret. The fact here noted by Leo, that the Festal announcement was not confined to the Churches of Egypt, is also made clear by S. Äthan, himself, who expressly speaks in the 18th Letter of his having sent the notice to the Romans. But another reason is doubtless to be sought in the important position the Primate of Alexandria held in the Christian Church. It was in virtue of this dignity that, as sole Metropolitan, he possessed! from ancient time, the exclusive privilege of ordaining Bishops in Egypt, Syria, and Pen- tapolis ; a right confirmed to him by the sixth Canon of the same Council. The term ' Pope,' which we find several times applied to S. Äthan, in the index, and in the headings to the following Letters, was a title usually assigned to the Bishops of Alexandria, at least as early as the middle of the third century, and is still retained by them. The name of Patriarch, properly belonging to the See of Antioch, was assumed by, or bestowed upon, S. Cyrils. We find it used by Socrates and the Council of Chalcedorih. But we are not without evidence, that the calculation of the Bishop of Alexandria was not always readily acquiesced in. On the contrary, the index for the twenty-first Letter, answering to the year 349, acquaints us with a contest that then existed on the subject. The Letter itself is not extant. Some important errors concerning dates which have ' Leo. Epist. ad Marcian. Op. ii. 113, where the dignity of the Bishop 367. Rom. of Alexandria is further illustrated. 8 Vid. Neale's Hist, of the Holy h Bingham Ant. book ii. oh. xvii. Eastern Church, Gen. Intr. vol. i. p. §. 6. X INTRODUCTION. hitherto existed, are corrected by the present work. S, Alexander was the Bishop of Alexandria at the time of the Council of Nice. He had himself been present at it, and on his return to his diocese, in conformity with the decree of the Council, forwarded a Paschal Letter. This is not extant, though the fact of his having written one is placed beyond a doubt. This was for the year 328. The index to the following Letters furnishes us with this inform¬ ation, together with an exact account of the date of the death of Alexander, and the elevation of S. Athanasius to the Episcopate. According to this authority, S. Alexander died on the 22d of Pharmuthi, (April 17,) A.D. 328, in which year Easter was celebrated on the 16th of Pharmuthi, (April 11.) S. Athanasius succeeded him after the Paschal festival on the 14th of Pauni, in the first year of the Indiction, when Januarius and Justus were Consuls, i. e. June 8th, A.D. 328. The first Paschal Letter then of S. Äthan, is that for the following year, (A.D. 329,) and which is the first here presented to the reader. The information thus afforded, consistent as it is in all its parts, will doubtless correct the erroneous opinions previously entertained, according to which an earlier date is assigned to the elevation of S. Äthan, to the see of Alexandria1. The genuineness and authenticity of the following Epistles are clearly established. That they are a translation, and a close translation, of the Festal Letters of S. Äthan, which he was known to have written, is proved by the previously existing fragments of the original Greek, which appear in i Fleury says, that S. Alexander of the death of S. Alexander—which is Alexandria died five months after his also the day on which he is commemo- return home, on Monday the twenty- rated in the .¿Ethiopie calendar—are second of the Egyptian month Ber- correct: the other dates are erroneous, monda (Pharmuthi), which is the The mistakes on this point seem to seventeenth of April, in the year 326. have arisen from the incorrect length Again, the ordination of S. Athanasius of duration assigned to the Council of was not until the twenty-seventh of IN ice. The year 328 for the death of December, in the year 326, for he hid S. Alex, is not inconsistent with the himself a long time; and it was neces- words of S. Äthan, who says of him, sary to assemble all the Bishops from ovirco yàp Tret/re /uíjves iraprj\dov, Kal ô the provinces depending upon Alex- ¡xevfiaKapírris,A\éilai'5posTeT€\evT7)K€i'. and ría. The month and the day of Apol. cont. Ar. p. 140. §. 69. the month here given, as the date of INTRODUCTION. xi their proper places in the Syriac translation1*. Other collateral proofs will be found among the notes that accom¬ pany the English translation. The question with regard to the number of Letters thus written by S. Äthan, has also hitherto been considered doubtful. His care and diligence in the discharge of his duty is made clear by various passages in the Letters ; nor can we suppose he ever omitted sending the notice, unless compelled by necessity. Even when in exile, we find him obtaining means for transmitting the customary Paschal notification. The first Letter he sent was, as we have seen, for the year 329. The last of which we have any know¬ ledge is the forty-fifth in order, not existing indeed in the Syriac version, (which is imperfect at the end,) but still rescued from entire oblivion, by a short fragment of it preserved in Cosmas Indicopleustes. Forty-five is also the number contained in the index. The order assigned to the various Letters is not that of the actual Letters themselves— at least, if any credit is to be attached to the assertion we more than once meet with in the following pages, that there were years in which no Letter was sent—but that of the years of the Episcopate of S. Athanasius, commencing with that for which the first Festal Letter was sent, viz. A.D. 329. The forty-fifth must then, as it would seem, be the last he wrote. For this would correspond with the year 373, the year in which Äthan, died; nor is it likely that he sent any Letter for the succeeding year, his death having taken place, according to the index, on the seventh of Pachón, (May 2.)1 The number of forty-five is the superior limit assigned to them by Cosmas Indicopleustes. The character of the Letters, as will be seen, is not often controversial ; though the doctrines and practices of the k Another fragment has been dis- ' The date of the death of S. Äthan, covered by Cardinal Mai in the thus supplied, agrees with that fur- Vatican library,"belonging to the thir- nisbed by independent testimony, teenth Letter, (p. 106.) Oís &v tis tV Fleury says, ' he (Äthan.) died, it is Sidvoiav à.. ¿qSojQ The titles of the second, third, and P fourth are to the same effect. ' after the manner of' wise Solomon. •> Conf. Theodoret. Où yàp irdi'res Not, ' says typically,' as Larsow ^]ßov\i]Qii](ro.v ÜydpcúiroL rov (puirbs à770- renders it. So, in page 13, line 3, AauCai—aÙTÙç yàp ¿ ps after the manner %\ios 7T aat tt]S acorrjpías ras aar ivas » - ! fcaTç-jre/j.\f/€v à AX' citrXv of robs o(p0a\- of the sainte« Soj too, in various other pobs epvaavj nal rb (píos idéîv ovk ijßov- places. The meaning seems to he A'fidritrav. Theodoret. Interpret, in that, even as we find in the words Psalm xcvi. vol. i. p. 1300. ed. 1769. of Solomon, Eccles. iii. 1. there is a c The due celebration of the feast is proper time for every thing; so God, spoken of as producing a permanent in His Providence, before the coming beneficial effect on the Christian, of Christ, ordainefi proper seasons for Conf Letter i v. all those great events that were to d. Conf. S. Cyril. Homil. Pasch. V. usher in the fulness of time. B 2 4 Every thing done by God in due season. Letter salvation of men should be every where spread abroad. Thus, likewise, for instance, not out of season, but in season, lCor. 1,24. the Wisdom of God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Wisd.7,27. passed upon holy souls, fashioning the friends of God and the prophets; so that, although very many were praying for Ps. 14, 7. Him, and saying, O that the salvation of God were come out of Sion! the Spouse also, as it is written in the Canticles, Cànt. 8, i. praying and saying, O that Thou wert my sister's son, that sucked the breasts of my mother 8/ that Thou wert like to the children of men, and wouldest take upon Thee human passions for our sake! nevertheless, the God of all, the Framer of times and seasonsf, and who knows our affairs better than we do, while, as a good physician, He exhorts to obedience in due season—the only one in which we may be healed—so also does He send Him not unseasonably, Isa. 49, 8. but seasonably, saying, In an acceptable time have I heard Thee, and in the day of salvation I have helped Thee. And, on this account, the blessed Paul, urging us to note this 2 Cor. 6,2. season, wrote, saying, Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. At set seasons also He called the children of Israel to the Exod. 23, Levitical feasts by Moses, saying, Three times in a year ye u" shall keep a feast to Me, (one of which, my heloved, is that now at hand,) to the celebration of which priestlyh trumpets call and summon; as the holy Psalmist commanded, saying, Pa. 81, 3. Blow with the trumpet in the new moon, on the [solemn]1 day of your feast. Since this sentence enjoins upon us to blow both on the new moons, and on the solemn days, He hath made a solemn day of that in which the light of the moon is perfected in the full; which was then a type, as this of the trumpets. Sometimes then, as was before said, they were ' tS)v KaipCov dart Srj/juovpyós. Apol. that time the King Messiah shall be de Fuga sua, §.14. revealed to the congregation of Israel." s The Syriac here differs from the h Alluding to the command that commonly received text of the Peshito, the trumpets should be blown by the which is probably incorrect. It is a priests only. Vid. Num. x. 8. also literal translation of the LXX, the note pag. 9. words of which are also quoted by . rp, . , S. Äthan, in his Synops. Script. Sacr. , i*W?ru (solemn) should t. ii. p. 123. The ancient Jewish s,u'?.P|1!ed hera> a8 ls Proved fr°m writers also usually interpreted this w ^ e same quotation is passage of the Messiah. The Targum cear the beg"""ng of the on the verse begins thus : " And at letter. Various uses of the trumpets among the Jews. 5 called "to feasts; sometimes also to fasting and to war. A.D. 329. And this was not done without solemnity, neither were these things like common occurrences; but this sound of the trumpets was solemn, so that every man might1 come to that which was proclaimed). And this should be learned not merely from me, but from the divine Scriptures, when God was revealed to Moses, and said, as it is written in the book of Numbers : And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Numb. 10, Make to thee two trumpets; of silver shalt thou make them, '* and they shall be for thee to call the congregation—very properly for those who here love Him. So that we may know that these things had reference to the time of Moses— yea, were to be observed so long as the shadow lasted, the whole being appointed as conducive thereto, till the time o/Heb.9,10. reformation. For, (said He,) if ye shall go out to battlek ¿« Numb. 10, your land against your enemies that rise up against you, (for 9' such things as these refer to the land ; beyond it, in no wise,) then ye shall proclaim with the trumpets, and shall be remembered before the Lord, and be delivered from your enemies. Not only in wars did they blow the trumpet, but under the law, there was also a festal trumpet. Hear him again, saying in continuance, And in the day of your gladness, Numb. 10, and in your feasts, and your new moons, ye shall blow with 10" the trumpets. And let no man think it a light and con¬ temptible matter, if he hear the law command respecting trumpets: it is a wonderful and fearful thing. For because 5 There were different modes of blowing with the trumpets in use among the Jews, which are differently ex¬ pressed in the Hebrew Bible. The word denoting a simple blast, used e. g. to call the people together to án assembly, Num. x. 2; and or n^îTin signifying a more warlike and continued sound, such as was made when the camp was to be moved; Num. x. 2—7. The two are opposed to each other in v. 7, Win ye shall blow, but ye shall not make an alarm. Kng. vers. Thus too in Joel ii* 1. ins win) i'vk'5 wpn Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy moun¬ tain. Four several uses of the trumpet are recorded in Num. x. 1st. Calling together the asserpbly ; v. 2. 2d. A signal for the camp to move forward ; v. 5. 3d. Marching to war : v. 9. 4th. Proclamation of festal days, and days of rejoicing; v. 10. The difference be¬ tween the modes of blowing the trumpets is alluded to by St. Paul, 1 Cor. xiv. 8. If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for the battle ? k For ,002) ¿¿o] leg- ¿oí voûsZ v 6 The •proclamation of the Christian trumpet.. Letter the trumpet, more than any other voice or instrument, is - exciting and very terrible1, on this account, instruction was conveyed to Israel by such means, for he was then but a child. But in order that the proclamation should not be thought merely human, being beyond this, it was heard as Exod. 19, those voices which were uttered when they received a shock from them in the mount ; and they were reminded of thé law that was then given them, and kept it. For the law was worthy of admiration, and the shadow was excellent; otherwise, it would not have wrought fear, and induced reverence in those who heard: and [if such were the case], much more must it have been so with those who at that time saw such things as these. Be it that these things were then typical, and done as in a shadow. Let us, having recourse to our understanding, and henceforth leaving the figure at a distance, come to the truth, and look upon the priestly trumpets of our Saviour, which cry out, and call us, at one time to war, as the blessed Epb. 6,12. Paul saith : We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities, with powers, with the rulers of this dark world, with wicked spirits in heaven. At another time the call is made to virginity, and lowliness, and conjugal unanimity, saying, To virgins, the things of virgins ; and to those bound by a course of abstinence, the things of abstinence ; 1 Cor.7,26. and to those who are married, the things of an honourable marriage; thus assigning to each domestic virtues and an honourable recompense. Sometimes also, the call is made to fasting, and sometimes to a feast. Listen to the same [Apostle] again blowing the trumpet, and proclaiming, 1 Cor. 6, Christ our Passover is sacrificed; therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness. If further, thou wouldest listen to a trumpet much greater 1 The idea of something dreadful is the trumpet, (37j7Tl',- and continually associated in Scripture with shall go forth with whirlwinds of the the sound of the trumpet. It frequently south. The seven angels blow with represents the thunder; e. g. Zech. ix. trumpets before the judgments of God 14. where the lightning, the thunder, are inflicted on the world. Apoc. eh. and the tempest are described together, viii. We read, 1 Cor. xv. 62. ¿y rp And the Lord shall be seen over them, és (TvvavaipçfrO^a-eaQai ro7s êav- Tov reKyots, Kai avrbv etpT} tby aarayciv ov to7s y dapdruv Xeyerai" péhaivd f-ipi, Kal Ka\-f)' ual aí0ío\f/iy icjpe7s Kar' àpxàs rfyy tyvxhv ioUapev, eïra diroapiixdpeOa, '¿ya \ap.~ vpdrepoi ytvúptQa, KaTa ró- ris aiSrij, Fasting a preparation for converse with God. 9 as our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, being heavenly bread, A-P. 32?. is the food of the saints, according to this; Except ye eat John 6, My flesh, and drink My blood; so is the devil, the food of the impure, and of those who do nothing which is of the light, but work the deeds of darkness. Therefore, in order to withdraw and turn them frorti vices, He enjoins upon them, as sustenance, the food of virtue. Now this is, humbleness of mind; lowliness to endure humiliations; the acknowledg¬ ment of God. For not only does such a fast as this obtain propitiation for souls, but it also, being sanctified, prepares the saints, and raises them above the earth. And indeed that which I am about to say is wonderful, yea it is of those things which are very miraculous; yet not far from the truth, as ye may be able to learn from the sacred" writings. That great man Moses, when fasting, conversed with God, and received the law. The great and holy Elias, when fasting, was also thought worthy of divine visions, and at last was taken up like Him who ascended into heaven. And Daniel also, when fasting, and although a very young man, was entrusted with the mystery, and he alone understood the secret things of the king, and was thought worthy of divine visions. But because the length of the fast of these men was wonder¬ ful, and the days prolonged, let no man lightly fall into unbelief on that account; but rather let him believe and know, that the looking to God, and the word which [pro- rj avaßalvovcra \e\cvKavdi(rfxévTi ; Kol yevd>fie0a Atvovv \a¡xnpbv Kol Ko.0a.p6v. 8. Aug. too, ut supra ; Quoiiiodo intelligo populos Ethiopes? Quomodo nisi per hos, omnes gentes? et bene per ni g ros ; Ethiopes enim nigri sunt. Ipsi vocantur ad fidem, qui nigri fuerunt etc. Suicer, Thes. v. Al0lo\f/ quotes from Orat. de exitu animae qua; Cyrillo Alex, adscribí tur, p. 405.— Saiju,6vas, us Ai0íoiras Çotpàbeis. Ke- 8ychius, Cent. I ad Theodulum, num. 23. dœmones vocat, vorjrobs Al0ionas\ spirituales Ethiopes. Larsow quotes S. Äthan, torn. i v. p. 120. where Atolones is explained by oí /xeAavu- 0évres àirb tuv a/xapriuv. The Heb. word which the LXX. translate by Ai0íones hi The whole of the comment of S. Aug. on the passage affords a remarkable amplification of the words of our Author, though reference is not directly made to the words of St. John (vi. 53.) He alludes to the golden calf, which Moses made the children of Israel to drink of, and adds; Quid est hoc, nisi quia adoratores diaboli corpus ipsiua facti erant ? Quomodo agnoscentes Christum fiunt corpus Christi, tit eis dicatur ; Vos autem estis corpus Christi et membra. n The word in the Syriac is |L*JOID * priestly.' But in this and in other places, it appears to be for the Greek 'lepós. Conf. rà iepà ypdfip.ara. 2 Tim. iii. 15. 10 The Jews misunderstood the paschal type. Letter ceeds] from Him, suffice to nourish those who hear, and — stand to them in place of all food. For the angels are no otherwise sustained than by beholding at all times the face of the Father, and of the Saviour Who is in heaven. And thus Moses, as long as he talked with God, fasted indeed bodily, but was nourished by divine words. When there¬ fore he descended among men, and God was gone up from him, he suffered hunger like unto men. For it is not said that he fasted longer than forty days—those in which he was conversing with God. And, generally, each one of the saints has been thought worthy of the food of virtues such as this. Wherefore, my beloved, having our souls nourished with divine food, with the word, and according to the will of God, and fasting bodily in things external, let us keep this great and saving feast as becomes us. For the foolish Jews, receiving indeed this divine food typically, ate a lamb in the passover. But not understanding the type, even to this day they eat the lamb, being in error; the more so in that they are without a city and the truth. As long as Judaea and the city existed, there were a type, and a lamb, and a Deut. 12, shadow, since the law thus commanded : These things shall 11.13.14. ke (jone another city; hut in the land of Judaea—but without [the land of Judsea] in no place whatever. And besides this, the law commanded them to offer whole burnt- offerings and sacrifices, when there was no other altar than that in Jerusalem. For on this account, in that city alone, was there an altar and temple built, and they were com¬ manded to perform these rites in that city only, to the end that when that city should come to an end, then also those things that were figurative might receive their end. Now observe: that city, since the coming of our Saviour, has had an end, and all the land of Judasa been laid waste; so that from the testimony of these things, (and we need no external proof, being assured by our own eyes of the fact,) there must, of necessity, be an end of the shadow. And it is meet that these things should not he learned Nah. 1,15. from me: but the priestly voice cried before, Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that hringeth good tidings, and publishethpeace; and what is the message he published, but The Jewish ordinances only till the time of Christ. 11 that which he goes on to say to them, Keep thy feasts, O A. D. 329. Judah; pay to the Lord thy vows. For they shall no more go ^ to that which is old; it is finished; it is taken away : he is vers.) gone up who breathed upon the face, and delivered thee from affliction. Now who is he that went up? a man may say to the Jews, in order that even the boast of the shadow may he done away ; neither is it an idle thing to listen to the expres¬ sion, It is finished; He is gone up who breathed. For nothing also was finished before he went up who breathed. But as soon as he went up, it was finished. Who was he then, O Jews, as I before said? If Moses, the assertion would be false ; for the people were not yet come to the land in which alone they were commanded to perform these rites. But if Samuel, or any other of the prophets, even in that case there would be a perversion of the truth ; for up to that time these things were done in Judtea, and the city was standing. For it was necessary that while that stood, these things should be performed. So that it was no one of these men, my beloved, who went up. But if thou wouldest hear the true matter, and be kept from Jewish fables, look to our Saviour who went up, and breathed upon John 20, the face, and said to His disciples, Receive ye the Holy 22* Ghost. For as soon as these things were done, every thing then came to an end; for the altar was broken, and the veil of the temple was rent; and although the city was not yet laid waste, yet the abomination was ready to sit in the midst of the temple, and the city, and those ancient ordinances, to receive their final consummation. Since then we have passed the time of the shadow, and no longer perform rites under it, but have turned, as it were, unto the Lord: for the Lord is a Spirit, and where the 2Cor.3,)r. Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty : as we hear from the priestly trumpet; no longer slaying a material lamb, but that true Lamb that was slain, even our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and was dumb, as a Isa. 63, 7. lamb before her shearers; being purified by His precious blood, which speaketh better things than that of Abel; having our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel ; holding in our hands the rod and staif of the Lord, by which that saint was comforted, who said, Thy rod and Thy staff Ps. 23,4. 12 Spiritual preparation for the feast. Letter they comfort me; and to speak collectively, being in all — respects prepared and careful for nothing, because, as the Phil. 4,5. blessed Paul saith, The Lord is at hand; and as our Saviour Luke 12, saith, In an hour when we think not, the Lord cometh;— 1 Cor 6 8 us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness ; hut with the unleavened Ephes. 4, bread of sincerity and truth. Putting off the old man and 22- 24. deeds, let us put on the new man, which is created in God, in humbleness of mind, and a pure conscience; in meditation of the law by night and by day. And casting away all hypocrisy and fraud, putting far from us all haughtiness and guile, let us take upon us love towards God and towards our neighbour; that being new [creatures], and receiving the new wine, even the Holy Spirit, we may properly keep the feast, even the month of these new [fruits] 'We begin the holy fast on the fifth day of Pharmuthi, (March 31,) and joining to it according to the number of those six holy and great days, which are the symbol of the creation of this world, let us rest and cease (from fasting) on the tenth day of the same Pharmuthi, (April 5,) on the holy sabbath of the week. And when the first day of the holy week dawns and rises upon us, on the eleventh day of the same month, (April 6,) numbering from it all the seven weeks, one by one, let us keep feast on the holy day of Pentecost—that which was at one time to the Jews, typically, the feast of weeks, in which they granted forgiveness and settlement of debts ; and indeed that day was one of deliver¬ ance in every respect. Let us keep the feast on the first day of the great week, as a symbol of the world to come, in which we here receive a pledge that we shall have ever- ° Alluding to Deut. xvi. J. $¿\a£cu rhu firivarSfV véo>v(8Ci\. Kapirwv) LXX. Observa mensem novarum frugum. Vulg. i. e. the month of Abib. Heb. ITOSî In Chaldee, we have ^2lS fructum protulit, imprimis de fructu primo et prsecoce, (Hos. ix. 10. 7 Targ.) Syr. *0^01 florea produxit. Gesen. Lex. Heb. P We should not have much difficulty in fixing upon many of the phrases and expressions used by St. Äthan, towards the close of his Epistles, by referring to the concluding sentences in the Paschal Letters of S. Cyril, who seems herein to have closely imitated his illustrious predecessor in the Patriarchate. The Syriac translator must frequently have had before him the following expres¬ sions : apxj&fJLÇvoi tí}s itryias Teaaapa- Koo-rrjs—iirtcrvvdirrovres—ovT€s rets VTjffrelas—Kara- 7ra«Wres tàs vqffreias— èairépq. ßaOtia aaßßdrov—r$ èvtQjo). $i\di/0p(t)Tros. text (from which the above is literally 16 The sad effects of neglecting God. Letter no understanding, whose cheeks ye hold in with bit and —-Ü— bridles. Because they were careless and like the wicked, Is. 23, 2. the prophet also prays in spirit and says, Ye are to me like verî)^' merchant-men of Phoenicia. And the avenging Spirit protests Ps. 73, 20. against them in these words, Lord, in Thy city Thou wilt despise their image. Thus then, being changed into the likeness of fools, they so far fell away in their understand¬ ing, that, by their excessive reasoning11, they even likened the Divine Wisdom to themselves, thinking it to he like Rom. 1,22. their own works'. Therefore, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools', and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the corruptible image of man, and birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore B Conf. Äthan. Orat. iii. contra Arianos, tora.i. p. 450. In both places, the idea of comparing mankind with different brute animals in illustration of their corrupt propensities is enlarged upon, and in both plaoes reference is made to Jer. v. 8. and Ps. xxxii. 9. among other passages. "Eöos rrj 6eia ypcKpjj ret Karà tyvcriv 6vra trpdyixara, ravra rois avdpdmois els elxóvas teal irapatieiyfiara Xafxßdveiw rovro be iroieî, %v* ík ray Karà s èàv irapayyéWy, /x)) yíveade ws íiriros Kal tj/áIovos, oîs ovk tari avveats. (Ps. xxxi. 9.) kcú tirav fj.ep. as in M att. tí. 7. or flsö? as in Prov. x. 19. The usage of the word, as well as the context and reference, seem to require the idea of reasoning carried io excess, rather than of idle talking. 11» Vn f ]£ol is 6 an irrational lamb,' in Letter i v. They became so absurd and sophistical in their reasoning (è/xarai&Qriaav èv roîs biaXoyiajuois abrwv) ; so entangled themselves with subtleties on the divine nature, as to lose all right perception of God, and all appreciation of His character; (éo-KorLadr) tj àabveros ab- Twv Kapdia—èfiwpdvd-qorav.) 1 Conf. Äthan. Orat. contra Gentes, tom. i. p. 15. eis yàp rtyv rwv iraOwv Kal rjbovwv áXoyíav neaóvres o i &v0pw- 7roi) Kal irXeov ovbev ópwvres ^ Tjbovàs Kal aapKbs èiri6v/j.iast ws èv rovrois rois áxóyois rV biávoiav exovres, èv à\6yois Kal rb Oetov àveXdtravro Karà rtyv ttoi- KiXÍav rwv iraOwv éavrwv, Kal Beovs rotrovrovs yXfyavres irpoiraddvres yàp r)]V j/vx^v raîs rwv rjbovwv à\o- ylais —, èirl r)jv roiabrrjv deoirXaarfav Karerfeaov' Kal ireaóvres, -Xoiirbv ws 7TapaboOevres èv rtp àiroo"Tpa¡ i ¿tuO, from J » (JO • ) P Lars. ' verspotteten'-made sport ThiS; t00¡ ag*rees better w¡th 2 TinK^ ocucgbj»,i.,..,.,¿¿y*, but I think the Syriac expression in past already.' Heresies are perversions of the truth. 19 men disguise themselves, who, as the Lord says, put on A• D- 330. sheep's clothing, and appeared like unto whited sepulchres ; but they took those divine words in their mouth, while having within an evil conscience. And the first, forsooth, who appeared thus, was the serpent, the inventor of wicked¬ ness from the beginning,—the devil,—who, under a dis¬ guised form, conversed with Eve, and forthwith deceived her. But after him and with him are all inventors of unlawful heresies'1, who indeed refer to the Scriptures, hut do not hold such opinions as the saints have handed down, receiving them as the traditions of men ; erring, because they do not rightly know them, nor their power. There- Mat.22,29. fore Paul deservedly praises the Corinthians, because their opinions were in accordance with his traditions. And the Lord most righteously reproved the Jews, saying, Wherefore Mat. 13,3 do ye also transgress the commandments of God on account of your traditions. For they changed the commandments they received from God to suit their own follies, and adhered rather to the traditions of men. Respecting these, a little after, the blessed Paul again gave directions to the Galatians who were in danger thereof1', writing to them, If any man Gal- B 9- preach to you aught else than that ye have received, let him q Conf. S. Äthan. Orat. i. contra Arian. torn. i. p. 323. Tis ob decopeî rovrov (VApaov) dià rov boKeïv hvofiAÇeiv ®ebv Kal wepl ©eov Xeyeiv, ws rbv otyiv (TvfxßovXevovra rf¡ yvpatKÍ; Again, p. 324. Ma64rœv ypatpSov, Üti Kal ó ras aîpéffas iirivo'fjcras dtá- ßoXos, Sià r^v íbíav rr¡s KaKias dvwoo- bíav, KiXpâTaL ràs Xe£e¿s rûv ypacpcov. Iva abras %xœv ^wik¿Xvpifia, rbv ÏSiov Ibv èTrunrêipas, àirar'fjcrrj robs àKepaiovs. oïïrw r))V Etíav ijirárrjo'ev obria Kal ras &XXas aîpétreis frrXacre' oíírco Kal vvv "Apeiov eirenrev K. r. A. L. Again, p. 322. Ourco Kal ó KißdrjXos Kal horᬠdaos yApaosj viroKplueraL fxkv ws irepl 06OV Xéycov, irapevriOcls ras rS>v ypav Ae'|ets. The same comparison of the Arian heresy perverting Scripture, with the conduct of the serpent when he beguiled Eve, is made immediately at the commencement of the first dis¬ course against the Arians. The Ariaus availed themselves of certain texts as objections, argued keenly and plausibly from them, and would not be driven C from them. Orat. ii. §. 18. conf. Epiph. Haer. 69. 15. Or rather they took some words of Scripture, and made their own deductions from them, viz. 1 Son,'1 made,'1 exalted,' &c. £ Making their private irreligiousness as if a rule, they misinterpret all the divine oracles by it.? Vid. note to p. 178. of 1 Select Treatises of S. Athanasius,' published in this series. Vide also Äthan. Epistola ad Episc. iEgypti et Libyee, p. 214. O tíreos Kal rfyv Etíav 777rar^crei>, ob rà ÏSia XaXcbUy aAA' viroKpivófieuos fihu rà rov ©6od fifipLara, r)]V 5è biávoiav abruv trapairoiúv. Äthan, frequently speaks of heresies as having their origin in truth, of which, however, only a partial and imperfect view is taken : one doc¬ trine is often unduly dwelt upon to the suppression of others, or enforced with such subtlety of reasoning as to unfit the mind for the reception of others equally important. r oí KÍvbvvov (Syr.) abrov ?¡ Zu]2L«^» AjOOI W x The Syriac text here AsiQJj . seems to re- with the vain traditions of men. 21 Paul delivered, declaring it to the Corinthians ; that, I A.D. 830. mean, concerning His resurrection, whereby he destroyed Heb. 2,14. him that had the power of death ; that is, the devil, and raised us up together with Him ; having loosed the hands of death, and vouchsafed a blessing instead of a curse ; joy instead of grief; a feast in the place of mourning, in this holy joy of Easter; which being continually in our hearts, we always rejoice, as Paul commanded; Praying without ceasing; in 1 Thess. 5, every thing giving thanks. We therefore do not neglect to publish its seasons, as we have received from the Fathers. Again we write. Again, holding the apostolic traditions, we put one another in remembrance in our meetings for prayer ; and keeping the feast in common, with one mouth we truly give thanks to the Lord. For thus receiving the grace, and being followers of the saints, we shall make our Ps. 35,28. praise in the Lord all the day, as the Psalmist says. In this way, when we properly keep the feast, we shall be counted worthy of that joy which is in heaven?". We begin the fast of forty days on the 13th of the month Phamenoth, (Mar. 9.) After we have given ourselves to fasting in con¬ tinued succession, let us begin the week of the holy Easter' on the 18th of the month Pharmuthi, (April 13.) Then ceasing on the 23d of the same month Pharmuthi, (April 18,) and keeping the feast afterwards on the first of the week, on the 24th, (April 19,) let us add to these the seven weeks of the great Pentecost, altogether rejoicing and exulting in Christ Jesus our Lord, through Whom to the Father be glory and dominion by the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen. The brethren which are with me salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss3. Here endeth the second Festal Letter of the holy my Lord Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria. y Compare the fragment of the orí- of S. Cyril ends with the same words, ginal Greek, given in page 15. 'AardtTuadt àAA"tjAovs eV (piKri/xari dyiw. « ... , 'AairiÇovTai ô/xûî oí avv q¿ol àSeAipol. 2 The word (Heb. npg j¡. W¡J| pe observed, that this is the Gr. iráo'X") >R sometimes rendered usual form in which our author con- Easter, and sometimes Passover, in eludes his Paschal Letters. S. Cyril the following pages. employs it but once, as above. a The twenty-fifth Paschal Letter LETTER III. A.D. 331. Easter-day XVI Pharmuthi ; III Id. April ; ALra Dioclet. 0EnTerri"nY 47 ! Coss. Annius Bassus, Äblabius ; Prœfect. Florentius; P Indict. IV. Again, my beloved brethren, the day of the feast draws near to us, which, above all others, should be devoted to prayer; which the law commands to be observed, and which it would be inconsistent with our episcopal duties" to pass over in silence. For although we have been held under restraint by those who afflict us, that, on account of them, we should not announce to you this season ; yet thanks be 2 Cor. 7,6. to God, who comforteth the afflicted, that we have not been put to silence, as though overcome by the wickedness of our accusers ; but obeying the voice of truth, together with you shout in the day of the feast. For the God of all hath Numb.9,2. commanded, saying, Speak*, and the children of Israel shall keep the Passover. And the Spirit exhorts in the Psalm ; Ps. 81,3. Blow the trumpet in the new moons", in the solemn day of Nab.l, 15. your feast. And the prophet cries; Keep thy feasts, 0 Judah. I do not send this to you as though you were not aware of it ; but I publish it to those who know it, that ye may perceive that although men have separated us, yet God - 1 think the translation here given referring to Äthan, himself—t)¡uv 8è of the Syrian (A A oê" im. (?) A «j ^ b The Elirov, KaV of the LXX. is ,s the correct one. I have found here, though it does not appear taken in its more restricted ™ the Peshito version. ecclesiastical sense 'episcopal.' Vid. , S" r°JzolsJhv , . T o • "i ^ veov, nal olov apTida\rj ttjs tov ^oottjoos Mich, note in Lex. Syr. in v. iiridyfiias Kaipbv, /caö' bv rà àpxaia This seems to suit better with the rrch/Tct 7raptÀfjÀci/ce, yêyove St Tà ir¿.VTa expression ' pass over in silence,'' as Kaivi.. S. Cyril. Horn. Pasch. xxx. well as the following sentence, both mar the beginning. Christ the great object of the Feast. 23 having joined us again, we approach the same feast, and A. D. 3.31. always worship the same Lord. And we do not keep the festival as observers of days, knowing that the Apostle reproves those who do so, jn those words which he spake ; Ye observe days, and months, and Gal. 4, 10. times, and years. But rather do we look upon, the day as a solemn one because of the feast ; so that all of us, who serve God in every place, may be well-pleasing to God by prayersd. For the blessed Paul, when announcing the near¬ ness of gladness like this, did not announce days, but the Lord, on whose account also we keep the feast, saying, Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed; so that all of us, con- l Cor. 5, 7. templating the eternity of the Word, may have nearness of access to Him. For what else is the feast, but the service of the soul ? And what is that service, but prolonged prayer to God, and unceasing thanksgiving6? The un¬ thankful having put these far from them, consequently also rightly deprive themselves of the joy springing therefrom: for joy and gladness are taken from their mouthf. There¬ fore, the (divine) word doth not allow them to have peace ; For there is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord, working Is. 48, 2?. the work of anguish and sorrow. So, not even to him who owed ten thousand talents did the Gospel grant forgiveness Mat.]?,24. in the sight of the Lord. For even he, having received forgiveness of great things, was forgetful of kindness in little ones, so that he paid the penalty also of those former things«. And very properly so ; for it was incumbent on d The time of the Jewish types and £ voluntary,' as Larsow renders it. Vid. shadows having passed away, the ob- Vkl® ■ VklA«,! servance of the particular days cele- Cast. Lex. Syr. in v. , | brated among them is likewise abio- abstimmt.' In this sense, the word is gated. They think principally of the cognate with Europio-ría àtiid- seasons; we are to direct our attention Ae¿7TT0s (?) Conf. Clemens Alex, chiefly to the substance of the festival— Strom. 7. 1. ábiáXeiirros àydnri. A lso Christ. When directions for keeping ] Tbess. v. 16, 17. both in the Greek the Jewish feasts were given in the and in the Syriac vers, and Letter xi. O. T. especial stress was laid on the f This is apparently a quotation from particular day. In the N.T. on the -Scripture, though I cannot find the contrary, our Saviour is the one great exact words. Perhaps it is from Jer. subject introduced to our notice— phraseology of v. 28. being Christ, our Passover,-is sacrificed. transferred to the sentiment of v. 34» The expression has already occurred, miVn 4 unceasing thanksgiving'—a g As, in the parable, the servant similar expression to( prolonged prayer7 was held accountable for the debt, in the preceding line—not'freiwilligen,' (which had otherwise been forgiven 24 The grace of God to be imprôved by us. Letter him, having himself experienced kindness, to be merciful to :— his fellow servant. Also, lie that received the one talent, and hound it up in a napkin, and hid it in the earth, was consequently cast out as an unthankful person, hearing the Mat.25,26. words, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gathered where I have not strawed; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money into the bank, and on my return, I should have received mine own. Take therefore the talent from him, and giveh it ta him that hath ten talents. For, as a matter of course, when he was required to deliver up to his lord that which belonged to him, he should have acknowledged the kindness of him who gave it, and the value of that which was given. For he who gave was no.t a hard man ; had he been so, he would not have given even in the first instance; neither was that which was given unprofitable and vain ; for then he had not found fault. But both he who gave was good, and that which was given was capable of bearing fruit. • Prov. il, As therefore he who withholdeth corn in seed-time is cursed, according to the divine proverb; so he who is careless about grace, and hides it without culture, is pro¬ perly cast out as a wicked and unthankful person. Qn this account, he praises those who increased [their talents], say- Mat.25,23. ing, Well done, good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful in a little, I will place thee over much; enter into the joy of thy Lord. This was fit and reasonable ; for, as the Scripture declares, they had gained as much as they had received. Now it is right, my beloved, that our will should keep pace with the grace of God, and not fall short ; lest when our will remains idle, the grace given us' should begin to depart, and the enemy finding us empty and naked, should enter [into us], as was the case with him spoken of Mat.12,24. in the Gospel, from whom the devil went out ; for having gone through dry places, he took seven other spirits more wicked than himself;, and returning and finding the house empty, he dwelt there, and the last state of that man was him,) on account of his cruelty to his h For QaCJlO leg. OIQÛOIO fellow-servant ; fo sinners, who un¬ gratefully withhold praise and thanks- » For AO01_i)? leg. A*DOLi¿1> giving from God, are deprived of the * " * blessings they before enjoyed. Spiritual zeal compared with fire. 25 worse than the first. For the withdrawal from virtue gives A.D. 331, place for the entrance of the unclean spirit. There is, moreover, the apostolic injunction, that the grace given us should not be unprofitable; for those things which he (Paul) wrote to his disciple as of private application, he enforces on us through himk, saying, Neglect not the gift that is in l Tim.4,14. thee. For he who tilleth his land shall be satisfied with Prov. 12, bread; but the paths of the slothful are strewn with thorns; p2r'ov ,5 so that the Spirit forewarns a man not to fall into them, I9- saying, Bréale up your fallow ground, sow not among thorns. Jer. 4, 3. For when a man despises the grace given him, and forthwith falls into thé cares of the world, he delivers himself over to his lusts; and thus in the time of persecution he is oifended', 1 <™avSa- and becomes altogether unfruitful. MatJ3,21. Now the prophet points out the end of negligence like this, saying, Cursed is he who doeth the work of the Lord Jer. 48,10, carelessly For he who is enlisted in the service of the Lord should be zealous and careful, yea, moreover, burning like^ a flame ; so that when, by an ardent spirit, he has destroyed all earthlym sin, he may be able to draw near to God, Who, according to the expression of the saints, is Deut.4,24; called a consuming fire. Therefore, the God of all, Who fieb!i2°29. maketh His angels [spirits'], is a spirit, and His ministers a Ps. 104,4. flame of fire. Wherefore, in the departure from Egypt, He forbade the multitude to touch the mountain, where God was appointing them the law, because they were not of this character. But He called blessed Moses to it, as being fervent in spirit, and possessing unquenchable grace, saying, Let Moses alone draw near. On this account he also entered Exod.24,2. into the cloud, and when the mountain was smoking, he was not inj ured ; but rather, through the words of the Lord, Ps. 12,6. which are choice silver tried in the earth, he descended more pure. Therefore the blessed Paul, when desirous that the grace of the Spirit given to us should not grow cold, exhorts, Conf. Letter ii. p. 14. line 14. irpoffepxofíéi'Oís tuvtti tt¡ iwayytAÍa. 1 Conf. Epist.i.ad Castor. Äthan.op. Vid. also S. Äthan. Epist. i. ad Seràp. tom. ii. p. 314. us yàp rois itkttûs Sou- t. i. p. Ö20. . \evovcrt r

Ka* faMptoS the Gr. v\r¡. 26 In what sense the Holy Spirit is said to he quenched. Letter saying, n Quench not the Spirit. For thus shall we also 1 Theas 5 rema*n partakers of Christ0, that is, if we hold fast unto 19. ' the end the Spirit given at the beginning. For he said, Quench not; not because the Spirit is placed in the power of men, and is able to suffer any thing from them; but because bad and unthankful men are such as manifestly wish to quench it ; since they, like the impure, persecute Wisd. 1,4. the Spirit with unholy deeds. For the holy Spirit of admonition flees from guile, and dwells not¡ in a body under the influence of sin ; hut even removesp far from imaginations void of understanding. But they being void of understanding, and guileful, and lovers of sin, walk still John 1, 9. as in darkness, not having that Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Now a fire such as this laid hold of Jeremiah the prophet, when the word was in Jer. 20, 9. him as a fire, and he said, q I pass away from every place, and am not able to endure it. And our Lord Jesus Christ, in that He was good and man-loving, came that He might Lute 12, cast this upon earth, and said, And what 1 would that it were already kindled1 ! For He desired, as He testified in Ezek. 18, Ezekiel, the repentance of a man rather than his death; so 23. 32. that evil should be consumed in all men, to the end that the soul, being purified, might be able to bring forth fruit ; r God appeared on mount Sinai as a devouring fire. Christ declares that He came to send a fire on the earth. The descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost was connected with fire. He is a fire that may be ' quenched.' The gifts of the Holy Ghost in Christians are a fire, thai; is to be carefully watched. S. Äthan, de Communi Ess. Patr. &c. t. 2. p. 17. Maprvpeî Mootrrjs Xéycov Kai 9¡p 7] 8¿£a rov 06ov 'IffpafoX 4p rtp 6pet S/ya, &s 7rvp Kaiófievop' 'iva irA.rjpu6ff% ró' irvp 9}A0op ßaAe?p end rtyp yrjv, irvp oxjk atpaptcrrLK.hu, àAAèt Ka9aprtK¿p.—oSrtw róre èp ttvp Karapa- Alo'kop' ovtcù Se? /cal 7]/xa.s rb deîou irvp eis eavrovs 4£d\j/at fierk 5aKpvcop real kóttov. avrbs y dp T7)s, e. g. Acts x. 7. d In the index an error is made, it being there stated that the third, not the fourth, Letter was sent late. It is there also said, that the charge, con¬ cerning which Athanasius was sum¬ moned before Constautine, was that of having been consecrated when under the canonical age. But this does not appear to have formed the specific charge against him at that time. The names of his accusers given at the end of the Letter determine the case. Three of them, Ision, Eudeeraon, and Calli- nicus, are mentioned by S. Äthan, in his Apol. contra Arian. p. 141. The emperor was at Psammathia, a suburb of Nicomedia, and Athanasius was sum¬ moned before him, to answer charges of high treason, and also of breaking a communion chalice, and of imposing a tribute of linen on the people for the service of the Church. 32 Feasts established by the Jews on special occasions. Letter duty, I now announce to you the feast. For although the ——— letter has been delayed beyond the accustomed period of the proclamation, yet it should not be considered ill-timed, inasmuch as, since the enemies have been put to shame and reproved by the Church, because they persecuted us without a causee, we may now sing a festal song of praise, uttering Exod.15,1. the triumphant hymn against Pharaoh; We will sing unto the Lord, for He is to be gloriously praised ; the horse and his rider He hath cast into the sea. For we proceed duly, my beloved, from feast to feast; again festal meetings, again holy watchings stir up our minds, and keep our consciences on the guard to spiritual contemplationf of good things. We do not celebrates these days in the character of mourners ; but, as refreshing ourselves with spiritual food, we impose silence on our fleshly lustsh. For by these means we shall have strength to overcome our adversaries, like Judith 13, blessed Judith', when, first having occupied herself with 8" fastings and prayers, she overcame the enemies, and killed Olophernes. And blessed Esther, when destruction was about to come on all her race, and the nation of Israel was ready to perish, defeated the fury of the tyrant by no other Esther 4, means than by fasting and prayer to God, and changed the 16' ruin of her people into safety. Now as those days are con- Esther 9, sidered feasts for Israel, so also in old time they were called Judíüf9 feasts when an enemy was slain, or a conspiracy against the people broken up, and Israel delivered. On this account it was that blessed Moses of old time ordained the great feast of the Passover, and our celebration of it, because, namely, Pharaoh was killed, and the people were delivered from bondage. But then, when those who tyrannized11 over e Constantine, in his letter to the edeyl¡<ífir¡y> us &y0putroy avrby 0eoO Church of Alexandria, written on this bvra tretreio-fj.évos. occasion, speaks of the envy of the f ©earp/a, Syr. Yid. Suicer. in verb, accusers of Äthan, and of their un- . t f t . f successful efforts to criminate him. g i>0 1 NV)aV) Apol. contra Arian. p. 142. ci yàp h roîs rqs orapicbs itrtTi/xuvres iráQe- fxupoï ità trjs yKúrrrts Keip.éur¡v exov(ri (TLP- S. Cyrill. Horn. Pasch, xx. tV Kafcíau.—o¿>5«/ ïaxvaav 0'f¡v' avrbs oîv ó AÓy os (prjalv &pros tJvai. 38 Christians in all parts united in spirit. Letter when any one drew near to Him, that He cured his thirst; V' but, moreover, whenever it is sought, is there access freely for any man to the Saviour. For the grace of the feast is not limited to one time, nor does its splendid brilliancy suffer an eclipse ; but it is always near, enlightening the con¬ science of those who earnestly desire itf. For there is con¬ stant virtue in this, to those who are illuminated in their minds, and meditate on the divine Scriptures day and night, like the man to whom a blessing is given, as it is written in Ps. l, l. the sacred Psalms ; Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinnersT nor sat in the seat of corrupters. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night. For it is not the sun8, or the moon, or the host of those other stars which illumines him ; but he glitters with the high effulgence of God over all. For it is God, my beloved, even the God Who at first established the feast for us, Who vouchsafes the celebration of it year by year. He also brought about the slaying of His Son for salvation, and gave us this reason for the holy feast ; to which every year is a witness, the feast being proclaimed annually at a season corresponding with the present. This also leads us on from the cross by means of this world to that which is before us, and God produces even now from it the joy of glorious11 salvation, bringing us to the same assembly, and in every place uniting all of us in spirit ; appointing us common prayers, and a common grace pro¬ ceeding from the feast. For this is the marvel of his loving- kindness, that He should gather together in the same place those who are at a distance ; and make those who appear to be far off in the body, to be near together in unity of spirit. Wherefore then, my beloved, do we not acknow¬ ledge the grace as becometh the feast ? Wherefore do we not make a return to our Benefactor ? It is indeed impos¬ sible to make an adequate return to God; still, it is a ' Vide note c to Letter i. p. 3. Shemitic languages. There is, I r In the Ms. lin» is written by doubt not> an error in the text, and ... í 'i-trs- that the word should be some form of mistake for the root joi] which, in Heb. Chald. h Syr. (¡-»Oil. This root is unknown Syr. .Ethiop. and Arabic, conveys the in Syriac, and I believe in all the idea of splendor. Human nature inadequate to malee a proper return to God. 39 wicked thing for us who receive the gracious gift, not to A.D. 333. acknowledge it. Nature itself manifests our inability; but our own will reproves our unthankfulness. Therefore the blessed Paul, when admiring the greatness of the gift of God, said, And who is sufficient for these things'.? Por 2Cor.2,17. He made the world free by the blood of our Saviour ; then, again, He caused the grave to be trodden down by the death of our Saviour, and opened the gates of heaven, granting through our Saviour an uninterrupted way to those who ascend (thereto)*. On this account, one of the saintsk, while he acknowledged the grace, but was insuf¬ ficient to repay1 it, said, What shall I render unto the Lord Ps.U6,i2. for all He has done unto me? For instead of death he had received life; freedom instead of bondage™; and the king¬ dom of heaven instead of the grave. For of old time, death reigned from Adam to Moses; but now the divine Rom.5,14. voice hath said, To-day shalt thou he with Me in Paradise. Luke 23, And the saints, being sensible of this, said, Except Lord had helped me, my soul had almost dwelt in hell. Besides all this, being compelled to make a return, while he acknowledged the gift, he wrote finally, saying, I will P«. 116,13. take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord; precious in His sight is the death of His saints. With regard to the cup, our Lord also said, Are ye able Mat.20,22. to drink of that cup which I am about to drink of? And when the disciples assented, the Lord said, Ye shall indeed drink of My cup; but that ye should sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give; but to those for whom it is prepared. Therefore, my beloved, let us be sensible of the gift, though we are found incompetent to repay it. ' This sentence is preserved in the original Greek in Cosmas Indicopleu- stes. Kai npbs Tavra ris ÏKavts ; tSv peu yàp Kúrrpov ry a'tpari tov ISoiTrjpos ijXevSepvo'e, rbv qS-pv irákiv Tcp tov SwTjjpos davÁTíp 7raTeí(T0aí SeScoKe, Kai els Tas ovpavíovs rrÚAaí àvepirtídicTToa toîs hvepxopévois t^v óSbv 7rapatrxá>v. Topogr. Christ, pag. 316. k The word äyios is sometimes used alone by Äthan, when speaking of the sacred writers. Vid. A pol. de Fuga sua, p. 260. §. 15. init. "nTovs, teal faoirotúv robs TtdavaTocfxeuovs. 40 The acknowledgment God requires of us for Iiis benefits bestowed. Letter As we have ability, let us meet the occasion. For although nature is not able, with things unworthy of the Word, to return a recompense for such benefits, yet let us render Him thanks while we persevere in piety. And how can we be more regardful of piety, than when we acknowledge God, Who, in His love to mankind, has bestowed on us such things ? (For thus we shall obediently keep the law, and observe the commandments thereof. Further, we shall not, as unthankful persons", be accounted transgressors of the law, or do those things which ought to be hated; for the Lord loveth the thankful ;) when too we offer ourselves to the Lord, like the saints ; when, finally, we subscribe ourselves, living not to ourselves, but to the Lord, Who Gal. 2, 20. died for US) as als0 the blessed Paul did, when he said, I am crucified with Christ, yet I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Now our life, my brethren, truly consists in our denying all bodily things, and continuing stedfast in those only of our Saviour. Therefore the season now requires this of us, that we should not only utter such words, but also imitate the deeds of the saints. But we imitate them, when we acknowledge Him Who died ; and no longer live unto ourselves, but Christ henceforth lives in us ; when we render a recompense to the Lord to the utmost of our power ; when, I say, we make a return, not by giving any thing of our own, but those things which we have before received from Him ; this being especially of His grace, that He should require, as from us, His own gifts. He bears witness of this when He says, My offerings are My gifts0. That is, those things which ye give Me are yóurs, as having received them from Me ; but they are the gifts of God. And let us offer to the Lord every virtue, and the true holiness He requires; and in piety let us keep the feast to Him with those things which He has hallowed for us. Let us thus engage in the holy fasts, as having been " For . AnnVl 5^.1 leg. ]] ° Perhaps S. Athanasius had in mind here the words of David, (1 Chron. xxix. 14.) <£ AlHhings come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee." The errors of the Jews and the Schismatics reproved. 41 prescribedp by HinG, and by means of which we attain the A. D. 333. way to God. But let us not be like the heathen, or the ignorant Jews, or as the heretics and schismatics of the pre¬ sent time. For the heathen think the accomplishment of the feast is in the abundance of food ; the Jews, erring in the type and shadow, think it still such ; the schismatics keep it in separate places, and with vain imaginations. But let us, my brethren, be superior to the heathen, in keeping the feast with sincerity of soul, and purity of body; to the Jews, in no longer receiving the type and the shadow, but as having been gloriously illumined with the light of truth, and as looking upon the Sun of Righteousness ; to Mai. 4, 2. the schismatics, in not rending the coat' of Christ8, but in one house, even in the Catholic Church, eating the Passover Exod. 12, of the Lord, Who, in giving us His holy laws, instructed us 46' to virtue, and for the exercise thereof, promised the feast. For the Passover is in truth a turning from vice to virtue, and a conversion from death unto life. This may be gathered even from the type of old time. For then they were solicitous to pass from Egypt to Jerusalem ; but now we remove from death to life. They also at that time passed from Pharaoh to Moses, but now we go up from the devil to the Saviour. And as, at that time, an emblem of their deliverance was every year established as a witness ; P Syr. tvvÓco. Conf. S. Chrysostom Horn, els robs ra wpcora Tldcrxa vr\- crrevoj/raSj \6y. y''. torn. i. p. 611. ed. Par. 1718—38. oîirarépes—crvveXQivres ít vtt - as applied to men are apt to forget it. To stir them \¡[ up to the remembrance of it, the festival Job, most likely is used to express the of Easter is held, which also is designed Greek ¿„Speia. Conf. Äthan. Apol. de to direct our minds particularly to our fuga sna p. 261. §.17. «5 >li,ß h àrtpela own resurrection. The due observance ^¿yas_ The same expression is em- of such festival will have its effect m lo d jn Letter jü> QUICKfiTlincr nur hnhi+imJ modifofinn nn „ , _ * 27. quickening our habitual meditation on x gvr KivSwoi the resurrection. The same mode of , Sy[[ K[ySwos\ Conclusion. 43 regarding the performance of the act of the feast, hut as A.D. 333. being about to approach the divine Lamb, and to touch heavenly food. Let us cleanse our hands ; let us purify the body. Let us keep our whole spirit from guile; not giving up ourselves to excess, and to lusts, but occupying ourselves entirely with our Lord, and with divine doctrines ; so that, being altogether pure, we may be able to partake of the Wordz. We begin the holy fast on the fourteenth of Pharmuthi (Apr. 9.), on the evening of the Sabbath; and having ceased on the nineteenth of the same month Pharmuthi (Apr. 14.), the first day of the holy week dawns upon us on the twen¬ tieth of the same month Pharmuthi (Apr. 15.), to which we join the seven weeks of Pentecost; with prayers, and dis¬ tribution towards our neighbour, and love towards one another, and, which is above all, a conciliatory disposition. For in this manner also shall we be heirs of the kingdom of heavën, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom to the Father be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. All the brethren who are with me salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss. Here endeth the fifth Festal Letter of holy Athanasius. z Conf. 2 Pet. i. 4. Iva.—yévii êv iiri6v/j.ía (pdopâs. deías KOivcovol ôaçcos, áiro(¡>vy6vres rrjs LETTER VI. A.D. 334. Easter-day, XII. Pharmuthi; VII. Id. April: XVII. Moon; Easter-day Mr a Dioclet. 50; Coss. Opt alusa Patricias, Anicius on April 7. paulinus; Prcefect; Philagriusb, the Cappadocian ; VII. Indict. Now again, my beloved, has God also brought us to the season of the feast, and through His loving-kindness we have reached the period of assembly for it. For that God who brought Israel out of Egypt, even He also at this time calls Deut. 16, us t° the feast, saying by Moses, Observe the month of new '• fruits°, and keep the Passover to the Lord thy God: and by Nahum 1, the prophet, Keep thy feasts, 0 Judah; pay to the Lord thy ,5- vows. If then God Himself loves the feast, and calls us to it, it is not right, my brethren, that it should be delayed, or observed carelessly; but that with alacrity and zeal we should come to it; so that, having begun joyfully here, we may also receive an earnestd of that heavenly feast. For if we diligently keep the feast which is celebrated here, doubt¬ less we shall receive the perfect joy which is in heaven ; as Lute 22, the Lord says ; With desire I have desired to eat this Passover 15.16. wiih you before I suffer. For I say unto you, that I will not a There appears to be an error in the Syriac text : we must read in place of *CDaéÏ2)ol> b This Philagrius was a violent per¬ secutor of the Church, taking part with the Arians. He was an apostate (irapaßdTrjs) from the true faith. Conf. Hist. Arian. ad Monachos, p. 276. §. 9. and p. 277. §• 12. An elegant com¬ parison between Äthan, and Philagrius is however drawn out by Greg. Nazi- anzen, torn. i. p. 404. ed. Par. 1778. Conf. note to title of Letter x. c Conf. note o, to Letter i. p. 12. d Syr. 'Afifiaßddv, i. e. ' the Holy Spirit.' V id. note to Letter xiv. in voc. Also conf. S. Cyril. Horn. Pasch. I. sub fin. aSóova 5è Sxrirep r¡fjuv rrjs fjLeWoú&Tjs èAiridos rb irvev/ia xaptí€Tai> Aéycav Aaßere irvevfxa dyiov. The Easter festival is called 'H éopT7¡ nap* ?¡s rrjs adavadías eiA^fpa/xej/ éAwíÓa- Euseb. Vita Const.lib. iii. $. 18. Again, in the imperial letter of Constantine, sent to the Churches after the Council of Nice, as found in Socrates, lib. i. c. J 0. we read rfyv rov TLddxo- ayucr6iTt)v 7]fL€pavt rfyv êopT^v Ta.\ni\v trap1 tV rrjs aOavadias iAiritia. The ' Passover of the Tews' explained. 45 eat it, until it is fulfilled with you in the kingdom of God. A.D. 334. Now we eat it when, having entertained in our minds the occasion of the feast, and acknowledging the Deliverer, we are properly attracted to His grace, as Paul saith ; So that 1 Cor. 5,8. we may keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of wickedness; hut with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. For the Lord died in those days, that we should no longer do the deeds of death. He gave His life, that we might preserve our own from the snares of the deviK And, what is most wonderful, the "Word became incarnate, that we should no longer live in the flesh, but in spirit should worship God, who is a Spiritf. He who is not so disposed, though employing the days, does not keep the feast, hut, like an unthankful person, finds fault with the grace; and though he may esteem the days before others, he does not supplicate the Lord who in those days redeemed him. Let him by all means hear, though fancying that he keeps the feast, the Apostolic voice re¬ proving him; Ye observe days, and months, and times, and Gal. 4, io, years: I fear lest I have laboured among you in vain. For the feast is not on account of the days; but we observe it, because in them the Lord suffered in our stead, for our l Cor. 5,7. Passover, Christ, is sacrificed. Even as Moses, when teach¬ ing Israel not to consider the feast as pertaining to the days, but to the Lord, said, It is the Lord's Passover. To the Exod. 12, Jews forsooth when they thought they celebrated the Pass- u" over, because they persecuted the Lord, the feast was useless ; since it no longer bore the name of the Lord, even according to their own testimony. It was not the Passover of the Lord, but that of the Jews». The Passover was named after e For leg. f Conf- Kom. viii. 9—13. 8 Conf- John vi. 4. 'Anfl the pass- over, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.' Other fathers take the same view of this, and similar expressions. (John ii. 13. and xi.55.) Origenis Comment, in Ioannem, torn. x. §• 11. p. 172. ed. J7ö9. TV rov ffotpwrdrov 'Iwdvvou QeràÇwv aKpißeiav Kar' iptavrbv 4Ç4\rovv rí ßovkerai avr$ 7) irpoffQ^K-q, rwv 'lovSaíwV troiov yàp àWou èdvovs 4 àvdpcùmvov rwv pài Kara ßovki) Conf. The extent of the benefits of Christ"'s death. 47 On this account, my brethren, when we remember these A. D. 334. things, let us not be occupied with meats, hut let us glorify the Lord; let us become fools for Him Who died for us, even as Paul said ; For if we are foolish, it is to God; or if% Cor. 5, we are sober-minded, it is to you; since because one died for 13' all men, therefore all were dead to Him; and He died for all, that we who live should not henceforth live to ourselves, but to Him Who died for us, and rose again. No longer then ought we to live to ourselves, hut, as servants, to the Lord. And not in vain should we receive the grace, as the time is 2 Cor. 6, especially an acceptable one, and the day of salvation hath dawned, even the death of our Redeemer1. For even for our sakes the Word came down, and being incorruptible, put on a corruptible body for the salvation of all of us. On this subject Paul speaks plainly", saying, This corruptible l Cor. 15, must put on incorruption. The Lord too was sacrificed, that S3- by His blood He might abolish death. Full well did He once, in a certain place, blame those who participated vainly in the shedding of His blood, while they did not delight themselves in the flesh of the Word, saying, What profit is Ps. 30,9. there in My blood, that I go down to corruption ? This does not mean that the descent of the Lord was of no advantage ; for it gained the whole world; but rather that after He had thus suffered, sinners would prefer to be without it, to pro¬ fiting by it. For He regarded our salvation as a delight and a peculiar gain ; while, on the contrary, He looked upon our destruction as loss. Also in the Gospel, He praises those who increased the grace twofold, both him who made ten talents of five, and him who made four talents of two, as those who had profited, and turned them to good account; but him who hid the talent He cast out as wanting, saying to him, Thou wicked servant! oughtest thou not to have put Matt. 25, my money into the bank ? then on my return, I should have 26' received mine own with interest. Take, therefore, from him the talent, and give it to him that hath ten talents. For to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly ; but from him that hath not, shall be taken away 1 Conf. S. Cyril. Horn. Pasch. xxiv. Kaipbs evwpi&SeicTos, ¡Soù vûv 'hutpa sub init. àvltrxeL 7^P TVS T°b 2«- cruryptas. Trjpos i)p.o)v topTTjs ó icatpós—¡Sob pup m irafyriala Syr.- 48 The termination of the Jewish polity foretold. Letter even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant ——— into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. For it is not His will that the grace we have received should be unprofitable; but He requires us, as a duty, to Gal. 5, 22. render Him of His fruits, as the blessed Paul saith ; The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace. Therefore, being right-minded, and owing no man any thing, but rather giving every thing to every man, he was Eom. 13,1. a teacher of the like propriety of purpose, saying, Render to all their dues. He was like those sent by the house- Matt 21, holder to receive the fruits of the vineyard from the hus¬ bandmen; for he also exhorted all men to render a return"; but Israel despised, and rendered not. Their inclinations were not good ; nay, moreover, they killed those that were sent ; so that there was no reverence shewn the Lord of the vineyard0, but He was even slain by them. Notwith¬ standing, when He came and found no fruit in them, He Matt. 2), cursed them through the fig-tree, saying, Let there be henceforth no fruit from thee; and the fig-tree died fruitless, so that even the disciples wondered when it withered away. Then was fulfilled that which was also spoken by the pro- Jer.25,10. phet ; I will take away from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the scent of myrrh, and the light of a lamp, and the whole land shall be destroyed. For the whole service of the law has been removed from them, and henceforth and for ever they remain without a feast. And they observe not the Passover; for how can they? They have no abiding place, but they wander every where. And they eat unlea- n The comparison here made, as well as the order of the words in the Syriac text, requires the translation here given. Larsow renders the passage, 4 he was studious to render a return to all men.' But though looi O might täte this signi¬ fication, it would not suit here. Those who were sent to the husbandmen ex¬ horted them to make a proper return of the fruits ; St. Paul, who was sent as a preacher of the Gospel to all the world, exhorted all men to a perform¬ ance of their Christian duties. The same word is employed before in this letter; 4 The apostle exhorts all men to this,' p. 52. ^0(7! is the expression in p. 4. where we read 4 urging us to note.' Cudí. 4 De Pas- sione et Cruce Domini,' p.. 62. After quoting the verse of Scripture, 4 Ren¬ der to all their dues, ]y[s< the context seeming to printed at first. Afterwards, more require ' unbelief' rather than i negli- leaves of the work were brought, along genee' here. Tí !'u '• * * The whole was then published together, mistake for |»|v\ pefer'5'r,rto' hoi n rr m orlo in thp first nflrt. whei from r The negative (which is here placed within brackets) is found in the Syriac text; but I have little doubt that it is an error. Kiwf¡a,tofX€y tri.\irtyya k. t. Indeed, in this part of his first Paschal dis¬ course, Cyril appears to have had in mind E 50 The instruction conveyed by the sacrifice of Isaac. Letter giving, considering it as our own festival". For we are ——— bound to celebrate it, not to ourselves, but to the Lord ; and to rejoice, not in ourselves, but in the Lord, Who bore Matt. 20, our afflictions, and said, My soul is sorrowful unto death. For the heathen, and all those men who are destitute of our faith, keep feasts according to their own willsJ, and have no peace, since they sin against God. But the saints, as those who Ps 35, 9. jjve t0 the Lord, also keep the feast to Him, saying, I will rejoice in Thy salvation, and, my soul shall be joyful in the Ps. 33, l. Lord. The commandment also is common to them, Rejoice, ye righteous, in the Lord—so that they also may be gathered Ps. 95, 1. together, to sing that common and festal Psalm, Come, let us rejoice, not in ourselves, but, in the Lord1. For thus, the patriarch Abraham rejoiced not to see his own day, but that of the Lord; and when he thus longed for John 8,56. fa saw an¿ was g¿aL And when he was tried, by faith Heb. Ii, jje sacrificed Isaac, and offered up his only-begotten son—he who had received the promises". And, in offering his son, he worshipped the Son of God. And, being restrained from sacrificing Isaac, he saw the Messiah in the ramb, which was Gen. 22, 0g"ere(j Up instead as a sacrifice to God. The patriarch was tried then, through Isaac; not however that he was sacrificed, Is. 53, 7. Pat He who was pointed out in Isaiah; He shall be led as a lamb to the slaughter., and as a sheep before her shearers he shall be speechless; but He took away the sin of the world. especially the first Letter of this series, of this verse is worthy, of note. The In both, allusion is made to Eccles. original Greek is Kal rbv fiovoyevri chap. iii. where it is stated that there TTpotrecpepev ó tess iiruyye\íus uvuSebeé¬ is a time for every thing; the command fxevos. The printed text of the Peshito given to Moses, Numb. x. 1. is quoted y o « -x ~ p 7 in both; and the figure of the Christian is [lÛuCuQO fOGl uDÛ) 001 trumpet is also contained equally in . .. _ - ~ , , , . . both. Whom (i. e. Isaac) he had received " The Passover is no longer to be a by a P™n>se.' The Syriac here is feast of the Jews : it is to be celebrated „ „ „ , , ,, „ . _ " by Christians as a festival of the Lord. raore exact to the Greek> 001 Vid. page 45 and note g. In m Woo lioVnVnV.. . He y See note to Letter 11. p. 18. where 1 ' • ne add that Jeroboam is called ffxtcpiaro- "(h e- Abraham) who had received the itolÓs by Äthan.: Synopsis Sac. Script, promises.' p. ]35. b The Syriac, here rendered by z Conf. Äthan. Expos, in Psalmos 1 rara,' is j«*v v though we might have (Ps. xciv. 1.) AevTe, àya\\ia(r(t>/ieda Tip Kvpicp—ois êirï eoprfyv i\6eîv robs expected IfOj. It is the same word àireiOeîs irapaiceXevovTai, eis ayaWiatriv that is used directly after, in the at/robs icaKovvres. quotation from Isaiah, and rendered a The latter part of the translation 4 lamb.' Difference between the sacrifice of Christ, and that of Isaac. 51 And on this account [Abraham] was restrained from laying a.D. 334. his hand on the lad, lest the Jews, taking occasion from the sacrifice of Isaac, should reject the prophetic declarations concerning our Saviour, even all of them; but more espe¬ cially those uttered by the Psalmist ; Sacrifice and offering Ps. 48, 6. Thou wouldest not; a body Thou hast prepared Me; and should refer all such things as these to the son of Abraham. For the sacrifice was not properly the establishmentc of Isaac, but of Abraham who also offered, and by that he was tried. Thus God accepted the will of the offerer, but prevented that which was offered from being sacrificed. For the death of Isaac did not procure freedom to the world, but that of our Saviour alone, by whose stripes we all are Is. 53, 5. healed. For He raised up the falling, healed the sick, satisfied those who were hungry, and filled the poor; and, what is more wonderful, raised us all from the dead : having abolished death, He hath brought us from affliction and sighing to the rest and gladness of this feast, a joy which reacheth even to heaven. For not we alone are affected by this, but because of it, even the heavens rejoice with us, and the whole church Heb. 12, together of the first-born, written in heaven, is made glad, " as the prophet proclaims, saying, Rejoice, ye heavens, for the Is. 44,23. Lord hath comforted Israel. Shout, ye foundations of the earth. Cry out with joy, ye mountains, ye high places, and all the trees which are in them, because the Lord hath re¬ deemed Jacob, and Israel hath been glorified. And again ; c I use the word ' establishment' for &s sal irpoircpépav fiv. S. Cyril, in his want of one that would better express fifth Paschal discourse, treats the sub- the meaning. The Syriac is l.joi ject of the sacrifice of Isaac at length. 'O E7rei07?7re/5 oy% erepcos i\v tt)v éirl rea which is the rendering of the Greek p-aa/c bodeîcrav vir6¿XP1 tcaipov crdcu ir apa, Oeou, et p)] 8tà rod aravpov StopddútTecas- The sacrifice of Isaac toq Xpiarov irépurovros t^ju evXoyiav was uot only to serve as a type of the trávTa Ta ÍQv77, ài/ayKaicos QeXijaas death of Christ; but the particular 4iri$¿i£ai 0ebs, '¿a"t]v avrtp /cat irrjXÍKrji/ circumstances attending it, were de- àirouéfiet tX^P1virep tt¡s tov (Xirép- signed for the instruction of Abraham, ¡xaros avrov crwrriplas, Oavarep irapadi- and his establishment in the Christian Tbv 'ibiov vibv, (¡>r¡ for the Lord hath had mercy on His people, and com¬ forted the oppressed of the people. The whole creation keeps Ps. 150,6. a feast, my brethren, and every thing that hath breath praises the Lord, as the Psalmist [says], both on account of the destruction of the enemies, and our salvation. And very Lute 15,7. right is it; for if there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, what should there not be over the abolition of sin, and the resurrection of the dead ? Or what kind of a feast and gladness must there be in heaven ; how must all its hosts joy and exult, as they rejoice and watch in our assem¬ blies, both those held from time to time, and especially those at Easter ? For they look on sinners while they repent; on those who have turned away their faces, when they become converted; on those who formerly persisted in lusts and excess, but who now humble themselves by fastings and temperance ; and, finally, on the enemy who lies weakened, no longer possessed of life, being bound hand and foot, so i Cor. 15, that we may mock at him; Where is thy victory, O Death? where is thy sting, O GraveA? Let us then sing unto the Lord a victorious song of praise. Who then will conduct us to such a company of angels as this ? Who, coming with a desire for the heavenly feast, Ps, 42,4. and the angelic holiday, will say like the prophet, I will pass to the place of the wondrous tabernacle, unto the house of God; with the voice of joy and praise, with the shouting of those who keep festival? To such a state, the saintse also Is. 2,3. encourage us, saying, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob. But such a feast as this is not for an impure person, neither is the approach to it for sinners; but it is for the virtuous and diligent; and such as have the same end in view as the Ps. 24, 3. saints ; for, Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord ? or who shall stand in His holy place, but he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not devoted his soul to vanity, nor d Conf. Äthan, de Incarn. Verbi rvpovvres r

3. stand before Thee, and Thou wilt look upon me : in the morn¬ ing Thou wilt hear my voice. Let us fast like Daniel; let us pray without ceasing, as Paul commanded; all of us re¬ cognising the season of prayer, but especially those who are honourably married; so that when a testimony is borne« to us by these things, and we keep the feast® by them, we may be able to enter into the joy of our Lord in the kingdom of heavenh. But as Israel, when going up to Jerusalem, was first purified in the wilderness, being trained to forget the customs of Egypt; as the [divine] word has f Conf. Luke xxii. 31. h A line or two is preserved here in . . the original Greek in Cosmas Indico- ® V " are mis- p|eu8tes. kttl oíSras. éopT¿ravres SwTjdói- prints for and fiev eî(rç\de7p eîs t)]v tov XpicrroD -^apbv respectively, "as remarked by'Mr. rfj ßa. There is this differ¬ ence: the Syr. ^ Ad answers to eX°^yf not «Xû,iu€I'* the treat*se quoted we also find virapx^rco f°r viráp- X€i- f Conf. Letter iii. p. 23. 4 What else is the feast, but the service of God ? And what is that service,, but prolonged prayer to God and unceasing thanks¬ giving ?• g tpaur atria (Syr.) rwu ifxarlcvu. Conf. 1 Tim. ii. 9. Suicer. Thess. ii. p. 1414. Äthan. Op. t. ii. p. 406. p.lcrrj(roir Se /cal 7 as oivoirotrías /cal iroXvtpaylas—rbv KaXXuTritrfibv t£v. ifiarlcoi/^ larjaou. Lars. The short treatise from which this is quoted is generally considered spurious, and it may. be doubted whether the similarity between it, and the Syriac in this place, is sufficiently close to warrant an argument for its authenticity to be drawn from it. The same remark may apply to the short quotation from the same treatise, given in a note in this Letter, p. 64. 58 Shiners incapable of observing the festival, Letter of praise to Himh. Now this appertains to the saints alone, :— who live in Christ : for it is written, The dead shall not Ps. i 55 17." 18. ' praise Thee, O Lord, neither all those who go' down to hell; but we who live will bless the Lord, from henceforth even for ever. As also it was with Hezekiah, who was delivered from I». 38, 18. death, and therefore praised God, saying, Those who are in hell cannot praise Thee-, the dead cannot bless Thee; but the living shall bless Thee, as I also do. For to praise and bless God belongs to those only who live in Christ, and by such means they go up to the feast; for the Passover is not of the Gentiles, nor of those who are yet Jews in the flesh ; hut of those who acknowledge the truth in Christ', accord¬ ing to the declaration of him who was sent to proclaim such 1 Cor.5,1. a feast; Our Passover, Christ, is sacrificed. Therefore, although wicked men press forward to keep the feast, and, as at a feastk, praise God, and intrude into the Church of the saints, yet God expostulates, saying to the sinner, Ts. 50, 16. Wherefore dost' thou talk of My laws? And the gentle Spirit Ecclus, 16, rebukes them, saying, Praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner'. Neither hath sin any place in common with the praise of God ; but the sinner has a mouth speaking perverse Prov. 15, things, as the Proverb saith, The mouth of the wicked answereth evil things. For how is it possible for us to praise God with an impure mouth? since things which are contrary to each other cannot exist in the same person. For what communion is there of righteousness with iniquity? or, what fellowship is there between light and darkness ? 2 Cor 6,15. So exclaims Paul, a minister of the Gospel. Thus it is that sinners, and all those who are aliens from the Catholic Church, heretics, and schismatics, since they are excluded from the praise of the saints, cannot properly even continue observers of the feast. But the righteous man, although he appears dying to the world, uses plainness Ps lis, 17.0f speech"1, saying, L shall not die, but live, and narrate all Thy marvellous deeds. For even God is not ashamed to be called the God" of those who truly mortify their members h Conf. Letter vi. p. 46, note i. * Vide Letter vi, p. 45, note g. 1 For leg. juxta-position in the Ep. ad Episcop. ■lEpypti et Libyœ, torn. i. p. 214. m Trap¡)i)iTÍa (Syr.) xpárai. " Conf. Heb. xi. 16. ' These two texts are also quoted in because they seek not the true bread. 59 which are upon the earth ", hut live in Christ ; for He is the A.D. 835. God of the living, not of the dead. And He, by His living Word, quickeneth all men, and gives Him to be food and life to the saints?; as also the Lord exclaims, I am the John 6,48. bread of life. The Jews, being unsound in their perception, and having the senses of the mind unexercised to virtue, and not alive to seek after such bread, murmured against Him, because He said, I am the bread which came down John 6,51. from heaven, and giveth life unto men. For sin has her own peculiar bread, [bread] of her death; wherefore, calling to those who are lovers of pleasure and lack understanding, she saith, Touch with delight secret bread, and sweet waters Prov.9,18. ivhich are stolen; for he who merely touches them knows not that the earth-born perish with her. For even when the sinner looks for gratification, he finds not the result of its meat pleasant, as the Wisdom of God saith again, Bread pr0T- 20> of deceit is pleasant to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. And, Honey droppetli from the lips of pr0v. 5, 3. a whorish woman, which, for a time, is sweet to thy palate; but at the last thou shalt find it more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword. Thus, then, he eats and is delighted for a little time ; afterwards he spurneth it when he hath removed his soul afar. For the fool knoweth not that those who are far from God shall perish. Moreover, in accordance with this, the prophetic admo¬ nition says, by way of restraint, What hast thou to do in the Jer. 2, 18. way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Gihonf And what hast thou to do in the way of Asshur, to drink the waters of the rivers? But the wisdom of. God, which loves mankind, forbids these things, crying, But depart quickly, tarry not in the place, neither fix thine eye upon it; for thus thou shalt pass over strange waters, and depart quickly from the strange river''. She also calls them to herself, For wisdom Prov. 9,1. hath builded her house, and supported it on seven pillars; o CoDf. Col. iii. 5. to require that Christ should be here P Larsow renders this passage erro- set forth as food and life, or, the food of neously, as 1 conceive. 'Hequickens life—' the bread of life.' through His living word every one, <1 This quotation is from Prov. ix. 18. gives to him food, and to the saints, The words are found in (he LXX. life. The Syriac is literally translated, version, though not in the oiiginal as given above, and the context seems Hebrew. CO The craving of the natural man never satisfied, Letter she hath killed her sacrifices, and mingled her wine in the — goblets, and prepared her table; she hath sent forth her servants, inviting to the goblet with a loud proclamation, and saying, Whoso is foolish, let him turn in to me; and to them that lack understanding she saith, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine I have mingled for you. And Prov. 9, 6. what expectation is there in return for these things ? For¬ sake folly that ye may live, and seek understanding that ye may abide. For the bread of Wisdom is also living fruit, John6,51. as the Lord said; I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever. For when Israel ate of the manna, which was truly pleasant and wonderful, he died; and it was not the case that he who ate of that lived for ever, but all that multitude 48—el' c^e<^ 'n wilderness- '^'ie Lord thus teaches, saying, [ am the bread of life: your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which came down from heaven, that a man should eat thereof, and not die. rNow wicked men hunger for bread like this, for sickly souls will hunger; but the righteous alone, being prepared, Prov. 17, shall be satisfied, saying, I shall behold Thy face in righ¬ teousness; I shall be satisfied when Thy glory is seen by me. For he who partakes of divine bread always hungers with desire; and he who thus hungers has a never-failing gift8, Prov. 10,3. as Wisdom promises, saying, The Lord will not slay the righteous soul with famine. It is also promised in the Ps. 132,15. Psalms, I will abundantly bless her provision1 ; I will satisfy her poor wi'h bread. We may also hear our Saviour saying, Matt. 5, 6. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Well then do the saints and those who love the life which is in Christ raise themselves to a longing after such food as this. And one earnestly implores, r As men, we must always be subject to be aa error, to desires—we must hunger and thirst. 1 Äthan.here adopts the more correct As Christians, we are to seek to have reading of the LXX. 6-f]pay in opposi- these desires sanctified—we are to hun- tion to the word x^iPav ("V ulg.Viduam). ger and thirst after righteousness. The He tells us, however, that both readings natural craving is never satiated ; the were found even in his time. Expos, in righteous man, on the contrary, has the Psalmos, p 974. diipai/ aurijs ev\o-~ promises of Scriptnre that he 1 shall be ytau evKayf}ayov ßpco/xa, rovTo 5b 9¡u ó vvv &pros ayyeKwv oi/o/ia^ófievos. The treatment the prodigal son receives on his return home. 03 is the harmony and gladness of those who eat at this heavenly A.D. 335. table ! For they delight themselves not with that food which is cast out, but with that which produces life everlasting. Who then shall he deemed worthy of that assembly? Who is so blessed as to be called, and accounted worthy of that divine feast? For, blessed is he who shall pat bread in Thy Luke 14, kingdom. For he who has been adjudged worthy of this lo' heavenly calling, and by this calling has been sanctified, if he grow negligent in it, although washed, becomes defiled : counting the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified Heb.io,29. a profane thing, and despising the Spirit of grace, he hears the words, Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having Mat.22,12. wedding garments? For the banquet of the saints is spotless and pure; for many are called, but few chosen. Judas, to Mat.22,14. wit, though he came to the supper, inasmuch as he thought lightly of it, went out from the presence of the Lord, and having abandoned his Lifeb, hanged himself. But the dis¬ ciples who continued with the Redeemer, partook also of the happiness of the feast. And that young man who went into a far country, and there wasted his substance, living in dis¬ sipation, if he contract a desire for this divine feast, and, coming to himself, shall say, How many hired servants of m,y Luke 15, father have bread to spare, while I perish here with hunger ! ' and shall then arise and come to his father, and confess to him, saying, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy son ; make me as one of thy hired servants;—when he shall thus confess, then he shall be counted worthy of more than he prayed for. For the father does not receive him as a hired servant, neither does he look upon him as a stranger ; buthe kisses him as a son ; he receives him as a dead man alive again ; and deems him worthy of the divine feast, and gives him his former and precious garment'. So that, on this account, there is singing and gladness in the paternal home. For this is the work of the lovingkindness and grace of the father, that not only should he make him alive from the dead, but that he should also render his grace illustrious through the Spirit. Therefore, instead of cor- ■> Conf. Col. iii. 4. i Xpurris—b M c Syr. the Passion week, (r¡ ayla Kai fieyáhrj eßbogas—ißbo/xhs ruv iratrxcov). So we read (Äthan, op. torn. i. p. 256.) fxerk yàp ra €05opa tov irá(txa k- T* A. The Greeks usually designated the days of the week, not after the preceding, but the following Sunday. Thus after the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, KvptaK^j voG á(T(¿>Tov (Latinis Dominica Septua¬ gésimas), those days that follow im¬ mediately, viz. the second, third, fourth feriae, &c. were by the Greeks termed 7j Sevr-epa tíjs airoKpeoo, 7} Tpirrj, &c. until the following Sunday, which was termed fcvpiafcfy rrjs àiroKpéa) (Latinis, Dominica Sexagesimae), while the whole week was called ißbogas tt}s àxoKpéoo. Vid. Suicer. Thes. in voc. CLTTOKpéus, and the notes of Valesius on Euseb. Orat. in laud. Constant, ch. ix. With us, Easter-week includes the six daysfollowing Easter-Sunday ; with the Greeks, the ißbop.h'j tS>v was applied to the preceding six days, as here. b Äthan, frequently speaks in these Epistles of the Easter-festival as de¬ signed to bring us nearer to Christ. Our whole life is to be n continual spiritual feast of praise and thanks¬ giving to God, whereby we are to be prepared for Christ's presence in heaven. Vid. supra, p. 67. and Letter v. sub init. Conclusion. 65 entering with the Lord, like those who were wise and loved A. D. 335. the bridegroom; and, shewing the death of Jesus in our 2Cot-4J°- bodies, we shall receive life and the kingdom from Him. We begin the fast of forty days on the twenty-third of Mecheir (Feb. 17.), and the holy fast of the blessed feast on the twenty-eighth of Phamenoth (Mar. 24.) ; and having joined to these, six days after them, in fastings and watch- ings, as each one is able, let us cease on the third of the month Pharmuthi (Mar. 19.), on the evening of the seventh day. Also that day which is holy and blessed in every thing, which possesses the name of Christ, the Lord's dayh, having risen upon us, (on the fourth of Pharmuthi, Mar. 30.), let us afterwards keep the holy feast of Pentecost. Let us at all times worship the Father through Christ, by Whom to Him and witb Him be glory and dominion by the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen. All the brethren who are with me salute you: salute one another with a holy kiss. Here endeth the seventh Festal Letter of holy Athanasius the Patriarch. There is no eighth or ninth, for he did not send them, for the reason I have before mentioned'. h Kvpiivvfios—icvoiaicri L. Vid. Suieer Thes. sub voc. /rupSovswi 7rátr^a) yp-ûv 6 Christ our Pass¬ over.' Larsow has missed the point of these words. ' The Holy Ghost is especially called the gift of God. Conf. Luke xi. 13. If ye then, beiDg evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? In Orat. ii. contra Arianos p. 383. He is called ©eoD ficopov. S. Äthan, speaks of Him as being in the h^ndsof the Father Who sends, and of the Son Who brings Him. Expositio Fidei, p. 81. ri) 5è ay lov irvedfia eiciró- pev/xa bu rov irarpbs, àei ècrriv èv raïs Xeptri T°û iré/xirouros irarpbs Kal rov rpépovros vlov, S. Basil declares of Him (de Sp. s. 57.) bwpov rov 0eoO rb îlvevfià. . The Syriac here is JUQäIO < be- T, y stower,' c giver,' from ^*1» concessit, donavit. The same expression is again employed in this Letter. We find.else¬ where in S. Äthan, the same title applied to Christ ; e. g. Orat. i. contra Arianos, p. 359. ô rov irvsúfiaros 8or')¡p avrbs ó XÓyos. k Conf. Eph. iv. 3. 1 The unity of the Spirit in the bond of .peace/ 1 Conf. Äthan, ad/lmperatorem Con- stantinum Apol. p. 242. El yap Kara r)]v avrov rov HcarrjpoS ¿irayyeXlav, èav dvo avfKpœvyo'aiev irepl iravrbs, ov ttv aW'fjo'cavrai, yevfjtrerai avroîs, ri èhv rocroúrcav \aa>v (rvveXdávrav fila yèvyrai tÍ> afií)v ; rls yovv ovK èOavfia(re; ris ovk èfj.aKapio'é ce, ßkeirav rbv roaovrov Xabv èv kv\ crvveXQóvra r6ircp; A somewhat similar passage occurs in Letter xi. where vide note. m Thus far in this Letter, S. Äthan- has been referring to the circumstances attending his exile for the last two years. The principal subject of the remaining part consists of the duty incumbent on us to praise and thank God for deliver¬ ance from affliction, and to exercise forgiveness towards our enemies- both which points are illustrated by Scrip¬ tural examples. He several times speaks of his restoration to the Church of Alexandria. For instance, in p. 75, Me says ; 1 Those things which could not be accomplished by man, God hath shewn to be easy of accomplishment by bringing us to you.' It is. very observ¬ able, that more than once already (not¬ withstanding what was said at the end of Letter vii.—probably by the person who collected the Epistles) Athanasius speaks clearly of his not having neg¬ lected to send the usual announcement of the time for observing Easter, even when in exile in Gaul. The Letters at this time may have been, and pro¬ bably were, very brief; but that they were sent, the>e can be no doubt. Thanksgiving after deliverance from affliction. 69 also (only) briefly remind" you of these things0, because it A. D 338. is not becoming in a man to forget, when more at ease, the pains he experienced in tribulation ; lest, like an unthankful and forgetful person, he should be excluded from the divine assembly. For at no time should a man inwardly praise God, more than when he has passed through afflictions ; nor, again, should he at any time give thanks more than when he finds rest from toil and temptations. As Hezekiah, when the Assyrians perished, praised the Lord, and gave thanks, saying, The Lord is my salvationp, and I will not Ts- 38, 20. cease to bless Thee with harp all the days of my life, before the house of the Lord. And those three blessed men who were tried in Babylon, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Song of tbe when they were in safety and the fire became to them as children dew, praised and gave thanks, singing a song unto GocR 25—28- I, too, like them, have written, my brethren, having these things in mind; for even in our time, God hath made possible those things which are impossible to men. And those things which could not be accomplished by man, God hath shewn to be easy of accomplishment, by bringing us to you. For God does not give us as a prey to those who seek lA 'I... , ,, n'ln? either in the form n Perhaps for Uviïui| we should _ ., ' « , -r. . -, 1 of a prayer, as the V ulg. Domine, sal- 1A Tum me ^ac' or a declaration, as the read 1^' I • ^ Peschito does ; e. g. The Targum of ■> There is nothing wanting in the b h it hUp-lDD1? " text here, as Larsow erroneously sup- ^onaman nas it, . .. TiT . . t . poses. Vid. Dote to p. 55. Dominus dixit se liberaturum nos. p Í differ from Prof. Larsow, who (Eng. vers. The Lord was ready to states unhesitatingly that there is an save me.) What is far more worthy of • i.1. o • ~ onA +h*<- y note is, that the Syriac translator must error m the Syriac text, and that / ' . j . c 3 . have found m the Greek copy the read- (of) should be supplied after ing of the Codex Alex. Kvpie—the cor- (Lord), rendering it; i Lord of my sal- rect rendering of HVT?, not that of the vation!' The translation of the words yaticail text, 0ee. as they stand in q Conf. Sermo contra omnes haereses . , mi. t j coItto apud Äthan, t. ii. p. 184. èufiaXàiv eîs the Syriac, is,- The or [.] y_ T^v Ká.¡xivov roxi irvpbs 'Avavlav, koX tion,—a translation which agrees u ell ^ Mt(ra^. Kal rov Bpoao- ■with the text of the Peschito iroiov Aóyov lv fiéircp avréav yivofiévov, 0-2U < The Lord will deliver us.' ^U^ ub in the British Museum by tbe learned (produce). Editor, and tohis courtesy I am indebted « » _ for the knowledge of their existence. b JaOli V,d. Cast. Lex.Sjr.p.660. One of them belongs to this part; the not. Mich. 72 Characteristics of virtue and of sin. Lettek before cried in the Psalms, saying, Enter into His gates ps j()0 4 with psat/ms. For by means of virtue a man enters in unto Exod. 19, God, as Moses did into the thick cloud where God was. 20 But through vice a man goes out from the presence of the Gen.4,16. Lord; as Cain, when he had slain his brother, went out, as far as his will was concerned, from the face of God ; while Ps. 43, 4. the Psalmist enters, saying, And I will go in to the altar of God, even to the God that delighteth my youth. But of the Devil the Scripture heareth witness, that the Devil went Job 2, 7. out from before God, and smote Job0 with sore boils. For this is the characteristic of those who go out from before God—to smite and to enter among the men of God. And this is the characteristic of those who fall away from the faith—to injure and persecute the faithful. The saints, on the other hand, take such to themselves, and look upon them as friends ; as also the blessed David, using plainness Ps. ;oi, 6. of speechd, says, Mine eyes are on the faithful of the earth, that they may dwell with me. But those that are weak in Rom. 14,1. the faith, Paul urges that we should the rather take to our¬ selves. For virtue is philanthropic6, just as in men of an opposite character, sin is misanthropic. In this manner Saul, in that he was a sinner, persecuted David ; whereas David, though he altogether possessed the opportunity, did not kill Saul. F)sau too persecuted Jacob, while Jacob sought to overcome his wickedness by meekness. And those eleven sold Joseph ; but Joseph, in his loving-kind¬ ness, had pity on them. But what need we many words ? Our Lord and Saviour, when He was persecuted by the Pharisees, wept for their destruction. He was treated injuriously, but He threat¬ ened ' not; not when He was afflicted, not even when He was killed. But He suffered anguish for the sake of those who presumptuously did such things. They, however, contemptuously cast from them life, and light, and grace. All these were theirs through that Saviour Who suffered in c Tn the Ms. « (Jesus) is secuted'—which supplies no good sense. , . , ^«.1 .... I think it aD error of the copyist, caused written by mistake for (Job), by the word occurring immediately d irappptria (Syr.) xpârai. before. My own emendation is quite e Conf. Letter xi. sub init. conjectural. f The Syriac is { was per- Perverseness of the Jews. 73 our stead. Tt was in truth for such their darkness a nd A. P. 338. blindness, He wept. For if they had understood the things which are written in the Psalms, they would not have been so vainly daring against the Saviour, the Spirit having said, Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain Ps. 2, 1. thing y And if they had thought upon the prophecy of Dent. 18. Moses, they would not have hanged Him Who was their " ' ' life. And if they had examined with their understanding the things which were written, they would not studiously have fulfilled8 the prophecies which were against them¬ selves, so as for their city to be now desolate, grace taken from them, and they also themselves without the law, being no longer called children, but strangers. For thus in the Psalms was it before declared, saying, The strange children Pa- 18, 46. have acted falsely by Me. Also by Isaiah the prophet; I have begotten and brought up children, and they have re- 1>2- jected Me. And, further, they are no longer called the people of God, and a holy nation, but rulers of Sodom, and people of Gomorrah ; having exceeded in this even the iniquity of the Sodomites, as the prophet also saith, Sodom Lam- 4<6- is justified before thee. For the Sodomites acted injuriously against angels, but these against the Lord, and God, and King of all, and dared to slay the Lord of angels ; not knowing that Christ, Who was slain by them, is living, while those Jews who had conspired against the Lord died, having rejoiced a very little in these temporal things, and falling away from those which are eternal. They were ignorant of this—that the immortal promise has not respect to temporal enjoyment, but to the hope of those things which are everlasting. For through many tribulations, and labours, and sorrows, the righteous man enters into the kingdom of heaven ; but when he arrives where sorrow, and distress, and sighing, shall flee away, he shall thenceforward enjoy rest; as Job, who, when tried here, was afterwards the familiar friend of the Lord. But the lover of pleasures, s Syr. . \\VlV>. The seDse £ ful- confounded together, and that Dot „„ ,, ¿I TT . , , merely by the Syriac copyists. Vid. filled not spoken is required here, Tex. Syriac. p. 500. not. Larsow gives the latter. I he two words and were anciently 74 No place desert to the faithful. Letter rejoicing for a little while, afterwards passes a sorrowful ——1— life ; like Esau, who had temporal food, but afterwards was there condemned. One may say that a distinction like this may be compared to the departure of the children of Israel and the Egyptians from Egypt. For the Egyptians, rejoicing a little while in their injustice against Israel, when they went forth, were all drowned in the deep ; but the people of God, being for a time smitten and injured, by the conduct of the task¬ masters11, when they came out of Egypt, passed through the sea unharmed, and walked in the wilderness as an in¬ habited place. For although, according to the mode of living customary among men, the place was desert ; yet, through the gracious gift of the law, and also through their intercourse with angels, it was no longer desolate, but in¬ habited, yea, and more than inhabited. As also Elisha1, when he thought he was alone in the wilderness, was with companies of angels ; so, in this case, though the people were first afflicted, and in the wilderness, yet those who remained faithful1 afterwards entered the land of promise. In the same manner those also who suffer temporal afflic¬ tions here, after having remained stedfast, go forth to a place of comfort ; while those who here persecute are Lute 16, trodden under foot, and have no good end. For even the rich man, according to the accurate description of the Gospel, having lived in pleasure here for a little while, suffered hunger there ; and having drunk largely here, he was there parched with thirst. But Lazarus, after being afflicted in worldly things, found rest in heaven; and having hungered for bread ground from corn, he was there satisfied with that which is better than manna, even the h fpyoOLwKTat. gives the sense of ' hoping' to QjQQ. ' The reference is apparently to the T, . „ , . __ . . , history of Elisha as recorded in 2 Kings lt 13 Parallel to O^CUSO, remained vi. 13—17, though the mention of stedfast' which occurs directly after- the wilderness agrees better with the wards. In Letter vi. p. 55. we have history of Elijah, as found in 1 Kings 1 31 xix. 4—8. I cannot, however, agree |)|i |Jj. ' They con- with Prof. Larsow, who states that for tinue without a feast.' In Rom. Elisha we ought to read Elijah. ^ ^ 7rv .co..-, ¡QQCU k Syr. ŒàQO ' re- ^OCTlZoi VOiCTl > they remain in mained faithful.' Larsow erroneously tneir unbelief.' Temporal ills no just cause of trouble. 75 Lord who came down and said, I am the bread which came a.D. 338. down from heaven, and giveth life to mankind. John 6,51. Oh! my dearly beloved, if we shall gain comfort from afflictions ; if rest from labours ; if health after sickness ; if after death there is immortality; it does not become us to be much distressed by the temporal ills that afflict man¬ kind. It is not right to be greatly moved because of the trials which befall us. It is not right to fear if the host1 that contended with Christ, should conspire against godli¬ ness ; but we should the more please God through these things, and should consider such matters as the probation and exercise of a virtuous life. For how shall patience be looked for, if there have not previously been labours and sorrows ? Or how can experience be afforded of fortitude, when there has not first been an assault from enemies ? Or how can a spectacle of fortitude™ be exhibited, when con¬ tumely and injustice have not preceded ? Or how can long- suffering be expected, when opposition on the part of Antichrists" has not first existed? And, finally, how can a man hope to witness virtue, when the iniquity of the very wicked has not previously displayed itself? Thus even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ comes before us [as an example], when He would shew men how to suffer ; Who, when He was smitten, bore it patiently; being re¬ viled, He reviled not again ; when He suffered, He threat¬ ened not ; but He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to buffetings, and turned not His face from spitting; and, at last, was willingly led to death, that we might behold0 in Him the image of all that is virtuous and im- ' The Syr. is to be trans- XP^^X"" oitrav, "alroS 'Avrixphrrov . J n i. II 1 TTpiSpotiov. Damaseenus lib. iv. Or- lated < host,1 as above vid Castell. Lex. £ ß xxvll. 389. as quoted Syr. p. 308. cnm nota Mich Larsow n5] ¡ ^ i/ioAor translates ,t differently stating that ¡ ^ Kal 0£^ ^ ¡ there >s an error in the text. I-th.nk , Ka¡ (ha¡ 0e¡>„ T>K it, however, correct as it stands. J . N » i suspect an error in this word in T«;«*« Mp^op TtXtiov pera too the Syriac, the mistake having arisen A»«»« ^J'XP'^às W. V,d. from the same word having occurred also S. Äthan Epist.. Encyc. ad Ep.sc just before. p. 314. §. i. et rnfra p. 78. note 2. n The term ' Antichrists' is applied o The Syr. |r"J 'rejoice' ought to heretics generally, and, as in this ,, . , , instance, to the Arians aar' apparently to be see, as it is Conf. Apol. contra Arian. t. i. p. 162. here rendered. airoffTptyeo-Oai Sè rfyv 'Apeiavtiv alpecrw, 76 The trials and sufferings of Christ our gain. Xf.t-i er mortal ; and all of lis, conducting ourselves after these ——— examples, might truly tread on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy p. Thus, too, Paul, while he conducted himself after the J Cor. il, example of the Lord, also exhorted us, saying, Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ. In this way, he Bom. 8, prevailed against all the host of the devil, writing, I am 38' 39' persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor prin¬ cipalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers*, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ. For the enemy presents himself to us in afflictions, and trials, and labours, doing every thing, and striving eagerly to cast us down. But the man who is in Christ, setting himself against those that oppose, and revisiting wrath by long-suffering, contumely by meekness, and vice by virtue, Phil. 4,13. obtains the victory, and exclaims, I can do all things Bom. 8. through Christ, Who strengthened me; and, In all these 3/' things we are conquerors through Christ Who loved us. This is the grace of the Lord, and these are the Lord's cor¬ rective measures towards the children of men. For He suffered to procure freedom, from suffering for. those who suffer in Him ; and He descended' that He might raise us up ; He took on Him the trial of being horn, that we might love Him Who is unbegotten ; He went down to corrup¬ tion, that corruption might put on immortality; He became weak for us, that we might rise with power ; He descended to death, that He might bestow on us immortality, and give life to the dead. Lastly, He became man, that we who die as men might live again, and that death should no more reign Bom. 6, 9. over us ; for the Apostolic word proclaims, Death shall not have the dominion over us'. P A passage very similar »to the above, in which Christ is proposed as an example to us in His sufferings, occurs in the treatise 1 de Passione et Cruce Domini,' p. 73. §. 19. i The order of the words here is that found in some Mss. of the Greek Text. oîjtc ¿yeffTwra, oiíre /¿eAAoj/tcc, oîjtc dvj/dfxeis. r For leg. A^jJO. 3 We have here a long passage which occurs, with only slight vari¬ ations, in the treatise 4 de Passione et Cruce Domini,' apud Äthan, torn. ii. p. 68. As it exceeds in length any other in these Letters which I have been able to discover elsewhere, and as it is itself of so interesting a cha¬ racter, I shall not hesitate to quote it at length. Taaydpcimya Tr€pißa\?<0fi€yos The erroneous opinions of ihe Arians. 77 Now because they did not thus consider these matters, A • P- 338, the Ario-maniacs', heing opposers o£ Christ, and heretics, smite Him who is their Helper, with their tongue, and blaspheme" Him who set [them] free; and, referring all things to their wrong source, have become heterodox con¬ cerning the Redeemer. 'Because of His coming down, which was on behalf of man, they have denied His essential Kai a/KpLaad/ievos, 5C eavrov ra rjfiwv rrpoo-fjyaye rep irarpi, 'Iva ¿us avrbs iráv, aßkaßrf rbv ¡ívOpooirov Trd&xovTa KaracTKevderr), Kac /ilk pà fieydkots àvrt- KaraWd^rjrat. KaraßeQriKeydp, 'iva r¡fiSuv r^jv &vo5ov Karao'icevderri' Kai ireTreiparat yevéereaus, 'iva ¿¡fiéis 5t* avrov rep dyev- vfjrep (¡uikidaaufiev, ¿lerôévrjire St ¿¡pas, 'Iva Tjfieîs èyepQàofiev iv Svvdfiei, Kai eïitaufiev, aus ô IïavÀos* irávra ierx^03 TV ¿v5vva- fiovvri fie 'I7)gov Xptcrrep, ekaße crco/ia xpl^r^f-lax01 Kc& ^x^picrroi the Macedonian heretics were desig- Tovdaioi, where the other epithets also nated—Tn/ev/iaTop-áxot» Vid. supra agree with those here employed—1 op- p. 75. note n. ponent of Christ,' ' unthankful.' Vid. a The Arians affirm the Son to be ¿k also p. 458. ofthe same discourse, where rpeif/las, rpeirrÁrriTos—that He is the parallel between the Arians and \oicot6s and rpenrós : Äthan, on the the Jews is fully drawn out. The contrary (Ep. de Dec. Nie. Syn. t. i. words 6e6p.axoi and xPls ó Trar-fjp. In Ep ad Episcop. Encycl. torn. i. Again, Orat. i. contra Ar. i. 359. he p. 91. he speaks of them as ávTip.ax¿ says, ó kvpios ô àel «al (púffei Ürpeirros' fxevoi rep o-coTTjpi. The comparison be- while of the Arians he says, (p. 360.) tween the Arians and the Jews occurs TpetrTbu «al tbv "jraTepa èirivoeÎTcocrav' several times in these Letters. S. Alex- (L.) Vide S. Äthan. Treatises against ander, the predecessor of S. Äthan, in Arianisra, published in this series,p.230. his Encyclic Epistle, speaks of the note a. p. 289. note h. and Suicer. Thes. Arians as èyyvrepoi rod avrixplo"rov . . larvV *./> 7ev6p.evoi. When describing the Arian Li.p.57l.ThéSyriac ! *kCL» heresy, he says, ei/cAws Se ris npóSpo- (the words here used) would be the mov tov avTtxphrrov vTTovohreiev real translation of Ik TpeirrárvTOs. The Avians and the Schismatics connected together. 79 have alienated the Son from the Father, nor have looked A. D. 338. upon Him as a strangerb, Who reconciled us to His Father. I know these are hard sayings, not truly to those who oppose Christ0, but also to thë Schismatics; for they are united together, as men of kindred feelings. For they have learned to rend the seamless coatd of God : they think it not strange to divide the indivisible Son from the Father6. I know, indeed, that when these things are spoken, they will gnash their teeth upon us, with the devil who stirs them up, since they are troubled by the declaration of the true glory concerning the Redeemer. But the Lord, who always has scoffed at the devil, does the same even now, saying, I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. This is the John 14, 11 Lord, Who is manifested in the Father, and in Him also the Father is manifested ; Who, being truly the Son of the Father, at last became incarnate for our sakes, that He might offer Himself to the Father in our stead, and redeem us through His offering and sacrifice. This is He Who once, in old time, brought the people out of Egypt; but Who afterwards redeemed all of us, or rather the whole race of men, from death, and brought them up from the grave. This is He Who, in old time, was sacrificed as a lamb, having been typified in the lamb ; but Who afterwards was slain for us, for Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed. This is He ' Cor. 5,7. Who delivered us from the snare of the hunters;—I mean, that He cast out the opposers of Christ and the Schismatics, —and again rescued us His Church. And because we were then victims of deceit8, He hath now delivered us by His own self. What then is our duty, my brethren, on account of these b Syr. ¿eVos. One of tbe erroneous apud Cotel. eccles. gr. monum. p. 298. assertions of the Arians, as given by (L.) Conf._ also, rb àbialperov rov S. Alexander in his Encyclic Epistle, vlov irpbs rhu irarépa, O rat iii. contra (Äthan, op. tom. i. p. 385.) is the fol- Ar. p. 445.—SeÍKvvai rbv vibv iv r¿p lowing: £évos re /cal áWÓrptos /cal 7raTpl, nal rb àel àSiaiperov aurou, id. aireaxoiuKTpéuos iarïv ó AÓyos rijs tov p. 439.— vibs yàp &;/, ax^piarós êartrov ©eo0 ovalas. irarpós, id. p. 458.—áfiéptarás iariu ó c i. e. the Arians. Vid. note z. p. 78. \6yos u tov irarpós. De Passione et d Syr. xtrcói'. The words translated Cruce Domini apud Äthan, t. ii. p. 74. * rend' and 4 seamless' are cognate in f i. e. the Arians. the Syriac, and answer to axKçlv an(' g The connexion seems to require its derivatives, that a passive sense should be given to \The £»alVs thl?nce °.alied Aia: AnjASO. as is here done. Touïrai. Vid. J. Damascen.de hœresio. V ' 80 The efforts of the enemies of the Church unsuccessful. Letter things, but to praise and give thanks to God, the King of — all ? And let us first exclaim in the words of the Psalms, Ps. 124,20. Blessed he the Lord, Who hath not given us over as a prey to their teeth. Let us keep the feast in that way which He hath consecrated11 to us for salvation—the holy day of Easter—so that we may celebrate the feast which is in heaven with the angels. Thus, anciently, the people of the Jews, when they came out of affliction into a state of ease, kept the feast, singing a song of praise for their victory. Esther3,9. So also the people in the time of Esther, because they were delivered from a deadly decree, kept a feast to the Lord"; reckoning it a feast, returning thanks to*the Lord, and praising Him for having changed their condition. There¬ fore let us also, performing oür vows to the Lord, and con¬ fessing our sins, keep the feast to the Lord, in conversation, moral conduct, and manner of lifek; praising our Lord, Who hath chastened us a little, but hath not utterly failed and forsaken us, nor altogether kept silence from us. For if, having also brought us out of the crafty and famous Egypt of the opposers of Christ1, He hath caused us to pass through many trials and afflictions, as it were in the wilderness, to His holy Church, so that from hence, according to custom, we can send to you, as well as receive letters from you ; on this account especially I both give thanks to God myself, and exhort you to thank Him with me and on my behalf, this being the Apostolic custom, which these opposers of Christ, and the Schismatics, wished to put an end to, and to break off. The Lord did not permit it ; but both renewed and preserved that which wàs ordained by Him through the Apostle, so that we may keep the feast together, and together keep holy-day, the one with the other, according to the tradition and commandment of the fathers. We begin the fast of forty days, on the nineteenth of the month Mecheir (Feb. 13.); and the holy Easter-fast on the twenty-fourth of the month Phamenoth (Mar. 20.) We cease h Syr. 2,-m ¿veicaívurcv, as in Heb. towards the Christians is here compared X. 20. hac'alvurtv áSbe irpivparov £ith )he subttlety ,of Pharaoh and the /cal tûaav Egyptians towards the children of * Conf. Letter iv. p. 32. lsr*el; whjle their deliverance from " Syr. ™a.tei«. such machinations is represented by ' The crafly conduct of the Arians g ¿lei>arture °f the Israelites from Conclusion. 81 from the fast on the twenty-ninth of the month Phamenoth A. D. 338. (Mar. 25.) late in the evening of the seventh day. And we thus keep the feast on the first day of the week which dawns on the thirtieth of the month Phamenoth (Mar. 26.) ; from which, to Pentecost, we keep holy-day, through seven weeks, one after the other. For when we have first meditated properly on these things, we shall attain to he counted worthy of those which are eternal, through Christ Jesus our Lord, through Whom to the Father be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Greet one another with a holy kiss, remembering us in your holy prayers. All the brethren who are with me salute you, at all times being mindful of you. And I pray that ye may have health in the Lord, my beloved brethren, whom we love above allm. Here endeth the tenth Letter of holy Athanasius. m Conf. Epist. ii. ad Orsisium torn. i. also Phil. iv. 1 my brethren, dearly p. 694. ijifiâxrdai vfiâs eV Kvpítp evxo/xai, beloved and longed for—stand fast in àya-mjTol Kai irodeivéraToi poí (L ) the Lord, rny dearly beloved. G LETTER XI. A.D. 339. Coss. Constantius Augustus II., Constans I. ; Prœfect. M Tiyeîrai, tin àir'fjXXaKTai rov irporépov ßiov, ÍxeTaL ^ T0^ Kpeírrovos, oi>x ¿os èv yvdowei reAetos, à\\3 ¿os rov reXelov G é(pié¡ievos' teal ÍTTt(f>épeL' "Odot oZv réXeiot, rovro poyov)iev. reAeícoatp drjXoyón Xeyoov rb a-noreníx^c-L raïs a/iapríais, Kai eis iríanv rov fióvov reXelov àuayeyeyv9j(rdai, eKXadofxévovs tSov Karóirurdev à/xapricôv. Paed agog. Jib. i. cap. vi. ad fin. h The same comprehensive character of Christian virtue is enlarged upon in Letter x. p. 72. » 4 great,' 4 extended,' as the context requires,—not 4 elevated,' as Larsow renders it. k Or 1 a place of refreshment.' 1 Or 1 refreshed.' 2 84 The universality of S. Paul's teaching. Letter Since we are thus circumstanced, my brethren, let us —— never depart from the way of virtue ; hut also that we i Cor.11,1. should he such persons, he (St. Paul) exhorted, saying, Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ. For he not only gave this advice to the Corinthians—since he was not their l Tim. 2,7. Apostle alone—hut also, since he was a teacher of the Gen¬ tiles in faith and verity, us also, even all of us, he admo¬ nished by them ; and, in short, the things he wrote to each particular person are commandments common to all men"1. On this account, when he wrote to others, some he exhorted, as, for instance, in the Epistles to the Romans, and the Ephesians, and Philemon. Some he reproved, and was indignant with them, as in the case of the Corinthians and Galatians. But to some he gave advice, as to the Colossians and Thessalonians. The Philippians he approved of, and was made glad by them. The Hebrews he taught that the law was a shadow to them11. But to his elect sons, Timothy and Titus, when they were near, he gave instruction ; when far away, he put them in remembrance. For he was all things to all men ; and being himself a perfect man, he adapted his teaching to the need of every one, so that by all means he might rescue some of them. Therefore his word was not without fruit; but, in every place, it is planted and productive even to this day. And wherefore, my beloved ? For it is necessary that we should search into the apostolic mind. Not only in the beginning of the Epistles, but also at their close, and in the middle of them, he used persuasions and admonitions. I hope, therefore, that by your prayers, I shall, in no respect, give a false representation of the plan of that holy man. As he was well skilled in these divine matters, and knew the power of the divine teaching, he deemed it necessary, in the first place, to make known the word concerning Christ, and the mystery regarding Him; and then afterwards to point to the correction of habits, so that when they had learned to know the Lord, they might readily acquiesce in the observ¬ ance of those things which He commanded. For when the m Conf. Letter ii. p. 15. and Letter " Vid. note x to Letter vii. p. 62. iii. p. 28. The order to he observed in imparting religious instruction. 85 Guide to the laws0 is unknown, one does not readily pass A.D. 339. on to the observance of them. The faithful Moses, the minister of God, adopted this method ; for when he promulgated the words of the divine dispensation of laws, he first proclaimed the matters relating to the knowledge of God: Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy Deut. 6, 4. God is one Lord. Afterwards, having shadowed Him forth to the people, and taught of Him in Whom they ought to believe, and informed their minds of Him Who is truly God ; then he further lays down the law relating to those things whereby a man may be well-pleasing to Him, saying, Thou shalt not commit adultery ; thou shalt not steal; together with the other commandments. For also, according to the Apostolic teaching, He that draweth near to God must be- Heb. il,6. lieve that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that seek Him. Now He is sought by means of virtuous deeds, as the prophet saith ; Seek ye the Lord, and when ye have Is. 56,6.7. found Him, call upon Him; when He is near to you, let the wicked forsake his ways, and the lawless man his thoughts. It will also be well if a man is not offended at the testimony of the Shepherd, saying in the beginning of his hook, Before all things believe that there is one God, Who created and established all these things, and from non-existence called them into being^. And, further, the blessed Evangelists— ° The Syr. here is ^OOHa*(3lSO IsDOSiûJ)—óbrjybs rwv vôfxœv—Conf. Sap. c. vii. v. 15. where it is said of God, ort avrbs rr¡s wexpías ódr/yós èwri, denoting that it is God who leads the way to wisdom, of which He is the Author, according to what follows— KaX TS>v v Sev eS^crav rhu Xpurrbv, \4yei Ta\avi^œv tov s T ovdaíovs 'H iraias ó ir pourri s' oval rrj \J/vxj} avrwv, dión €ßov\(-4>(ravTO ßovX^jv TTOUTjpcív Kad' éavTÓov, XéyovTts. b,f)(T(i)fxei' tbv 5hcaiov. d Syr. IwOJQ 1 in spirit fervent,' as in Rom. xii. 11.—not 'ex¬ ulting,' as Prof. Larsow renders it. 90 God the comfort of the pious in time of affliction. Letter have boldnesse to say, My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and ps 'a the meditation of my heart shall he of understanding. And Pa. 143, 5. again, I have meditated on all Thy works, and on the work Ps. 63, 6. of Thy hands has been my meditation. And, If I have re¬ membered Thee on my bed, and in the morning have meditated on Thee. Afterwards, advancing in boldnessf, they say, Ps. 19, 6. meditation of my heart is before Thee at all times. And he immediately after introduces us to the end of such an Ps. 19, 15. 0ne, saying, The Lord is my Helper and my Redeemer. For to those who thus examine themselves, and conform their hearts to the Lord, nothing adverse shall happen ; for, indeed, their heart is strengthened by confidence in the Ps. 125, l. Lord, as it is written, They who trust in the Lord [shall be] vers.) (is the mount Sion: he who dwelleth in Jerusalem shall not be moved for ever. For if, at any time, the crafty one shall be presumptuously bold against them, chiefly that he may break the rank of the saints, and cause a division among brethren ; even in this they look to the Lord, not only as an avenger on their behalf, but also, when they have al¬ ready been beaten, as a deliverer for them. For this is the Exod. 14, divine promise; The Lord shall fight for you. And further, although afflictions and trials from without overtake them, yet, being fashioned after the apostolic Rom. 12, words, and being stedfast in tribulations, and persevering in prayers; by meditation, moreover, on the law; they stand against those things which befall them, are well-pleasing to God, and give utterance to the words which are written, Afflictions and distresses are come upon us; but Thy com¬ mandments are my meditation. And whereas, not only in action, but also in the thoughts of the mind, do men attend Ps. 119, to deeds of virtue, he afterwards adds, saying, Mine eyes 1 prevent the dawn, that I might meditate on Thy words. For it is meet that the spiritual meditations of those who are whole should precede their bodily actions. And does not our Saviour, when intending to convey similar instruction, Matt.5,28. begin with the thoughts of the mind ? saying, Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed e Syr. Traßßtjaia. f Syr. Traßßrjdla. The wicked perverse in thought and deed. 91 adultery: and, Whosoever shall be angry with his brotherA.D. 339. is guilty of murder. For where there is no wrath, murder is Matt. 5,22. prevented ; and where lust is first removed, there can be no crime connected with adultery. Necessary then is meditation on the law, and uninter¬ rupted converse with virtue, that the saint may lack nothing, iTim.3,17. but be perfect to every good work. For by these things is the promise of eternal life, as Paul wrote to Timothy, calling constant meditation exercise, and saying, Exercise 1 Tim. 4, thyself unto godliness ; for bodily exercise profiteth little ; ^8' but godliness is profitable for all things, since it has the promise of the present life, and of that which is eternal. Worthy, indeed, of admiration is the virtue of that man, my brethren ! for, through Timothy, he also enjoins upon allh the necessity of devoting the mind to nothing in pre¬ ference to godliness ; yet, above every thing, to determine upon faith in God. For what favour has the perverse man to expect, though he may fancy he keeps the commandments? Nay, rather, the perverse man is unable even to keep a portion of the law; for, as is his conscience, such, of necessity, must be his actions ; as also the Spirit reproves such, saying, The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Ps. 14,1. After this, the Word, shewing that actions correspond with the thoughts, says, They are corrupt; they are profane in Ps. 14, 2. their machinations. The perverse man, then, is in every respect corrupt in his body ; stealing, committing adultery, cursing, being drunken, and doing such like things. Even as Jeremiah, the prophet, convicteth Israel of these things, crying out and saying, Oh, that I had a lodge far off in the jer. 9, 2. wilderness! then would I leave my people and depart from them : for they are all adulterers, an assembly of oppressors, who draw out their tongue as a bow ; lying and not truth has prevailed upon the earth, and they proceed from iniquities to iniquities ; but Me they have not known. Thus, on account is The word eírcíj is omitted here, as in the Vulgate, .¿Ethiopie, and Arabic. S. Jerome, amoDg the Fa¬ thers, also rejects it. The Mss. for the most part, contain it. h Any command given to a Christian, as such, is equally applicable to all Christians, to the end of time. Conf. Letter ii. p. 14. and Letter iii. p. 25. also Äthan, ad Imp. Const. Apol. torn. i. p. 247. 'O /xaicápios áir¿os} in the 'EÇovkÔvtioi (¿I ovk bvtuv). passage referred to, by promissa bona, D The same comparison of the Arians quae speramus. Vid. Lex. in Nov. with Hymenaeus and Philetus had Test. s. v. 'Ofio\oyla. 94 Christians in all parts united in spirit. Letter after he had fought the fight, possessed, namely, the crown ——of righteousness which was laid up; which the righteous Judge will give, not to him alone, but to all who are like him. For meditation like this, and exercise in godliness, since it was always familiar to the saints, should be familiar to us also, at such a time as the present, when the divine word requires us to keep the feast with them. For what is the feast, but the constant worship of God, and the recognition of godliness, and unceasing11 prayers, with con¬ cord, from the whole heart? In this1 manner, Paul, wishing ] Thess. 5, us to be thus disposed, enjoins, saying, Rejoice evermore; ' pray without ceasing; in every thing give thanks. Not, therefore, in a divided manner, but unitedly and collectively, let us all keep the feast together, as the prophet ëxhorts, Ps. 95, l. saying, O come, let us rejoice in the Lord; let us make a joyful noise unto God our Saviour. Who then is so'negligent, or who so disobedient to the divine command, as not to forsake every thing, and run to the general and common assembly of the feast? which is not in one place only, for Ps. 19, 4. not one place alone keeps the feast ; but into all the earth their song has gone forth, and to the ends of the world their Mal. 1,11, words. And the sacrifice is not offered in one place, but in every nation, incense and a pure sacrifice is offered unto God. When in this united manner from all those who are in every place, praise and prayer shall ascend to the gracious and good Father; when the Catholic Church, which is in every place, with gladness and rejoicing, celebrates together the same worship to God ; when all men in common send up a song of praise and say, Amen'; how blessed will it not be, my brethren ! who will not, at that time, be engaged, praying devoutly ? For even the walls of every adverse power, yea even of Jericho especially, falling down, and the gift1 of the Holy Spirit being then richly poured upon all P Vid. note e, to Letter iii. p. 23. r Conf. Letter x. p. 68. and note i. also Letter vii. p. 57. Vid. also John vii. 39. Rom. v. 9. u- we rejoice and are made glad in our days. Since then these things are so, let us make a joyful noise with the saints, and let no one of us fail of his duty in these things; thinking nothing of the affliction or the trials which, especially at this time, have been enviously directed against us by the party of Eusebius. They even now wish to injure us, and, by their accusations, to compass our death, on account of godliness, whose defender is the Lord. But, as faithful servants of the Lord, (since ye know that there is salvation for us in the time of trouble ; for our Lord also promised, saying, Blessed are ye when men revile you and Matt. 5, persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, 11-12' for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding gladt for your reward is great in heaven. Again, it is the word of t,he Redeemer, that affliction shall not befall every man in this world, but only those who have a holy fear of Him,)—on this account, the more the enemies afflict us, the more should we be enlarged8; although they revile us, we should still contend'; and in proportion as they would turn us aside from godliness, we should boldly" preach it, saying, All these things are come upon us, yet have we not forgotten pa. 44,17. Thee. And we have no.t acted perversely with the Ario- maniacs*, who say that Thou hast existence from those things that exist not. The Word, which is eternally with the Father, is also from Him. Let us therefore keep the feast, my brethren, celebrating it not as worthy of grief and mourning ; neither let us be confounded with heretics through temporal troubles brought upon us by godliness. But if any thing that would promote joy and gladness should offer, let us attend to it; so that our heart may not be sad, like that of Cain ; but that, like faithful and good servants of the Lord, we may hear the words, Enter into the joy of thy Lord. For we do not Mat.25,21. » Vid. supra, note d, p. 87. tempted, to renounce our profession, t For .äIdAj ' collect ourselves boldiy to propose its acceptance by A a, others, together,' X read 1 contend.' u iraßßTitflas- In afflictions, we are to rejoice; when x Conf. supra, p. 96. and note a; also reviled, to contend for the faith; when Letter x. p. 77. note t. 96 The Avians and the Jews equally opposed to Christ. Letter introduce days of mourning and sorrow, as a man may con- :— sider those of the Passover to be ; hut we keep the feast, being filled with joy and gladness. We keep it then, not regarding it after the deceitful error of the Jews ; nor according to the teaching of the Arians, which takes away the Son from the Godhead, and numbers Him amông crea¬ tures ; but as viewing it according to the correct doctrine we derive from the Lord. For the deceitful error of the Jews, and the unbounded impiety of the Arians, involve nothing hut sad reflections. The former, indeed, commenced with killing the Lord ; the latter remove the occasion of His conquering that death which was brought upon Him by the Jews, in that they say He is not the Creator, hut a creature. For if He were a creature, He would have been holden by death ; but if He was not holden by death, as the Scriptures aver, He is not a creature, hut the Lord of the creatures, and the substancey of this immortal feast. For the Lord of death would abolish death; and being Lord, what He would was accomplished; for we have all passed from death unto life. But the imagination of the Jews, and of those who are like them, was vain in regard to Him, since the result was not such as they contemplated, Ps. 2, 4. but turned out adverse to themselves ; and at them He that sitteth in the heaven shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Farther, when our Saviour was led to death, He restrained the women who followed Him weeping, Luke23, saying unto them, Weep not for Me; meaning to shew that the Lord's death is an event, not of sorrow, hut of joy, and that He Who dies for us, is alive. For He does not derive His being from those things which are not, but from the Father. It truly is a subject of joy, that we can see the signs of victory against death, even our own incorruptibility, through the body of the Lord, For since He rose gloriously, it is clear that the resurrection of all of us will take place ; and since His body remained without corruption, there can he Rom. 5, no doubt regarding our incorruption2. For as by one man, 12. 18. J Syr. vwódeiTLs. 'Christ our Pass- Dei, p. 73. §. 50Ms Sè &A\os irepl àBava- over. Conf. Letter x. p. 68. note h. crías oíírcos ¿Trirreúcraro robs oLvdpdirovs, 2 Conf. S. A than, de Incarn. Verbi á,s 77 rov Xpiarov trravphs, Kcà rj rov Christ to be eagerly received as sustenance. 97 as saith Paul, (and it is the truth,) sin passed upon all men, A.D. 339. so by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall all rise. For, he says, this corruptible must put on incor- ) Cor. 15, ruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But this took place in the time of the Passion, in which also our Lord died for us, for our Passover, Christ, is sacrificed, l Cor. 5,1. Therefore, because He was sacrificed, let each of us feed upon Him, and with alacrity and diligence partake of His sustenance ; since He is given to all without grudging, and is in every one a well of water flowing to everlasting life. John 4,14. We begin the fast of forty days on the ninth of the month Phamenoth (Mar. 5.); and having, in these days, served the Lord with abstinence, and first purified ourselves", we also commence the holy Easter on the fourteenth of the month Pharmuthi (April 9.) Afterwards, extending the fast to the seventh day, on the seventeenth of the month, let us rest late in the evening. And the light of the Lord having before dawned upon us, the first day of the week will illumine us, on which our Lord arose. It behoves us, then, to rejoice and be glad with the joy which arises from good works, during the seven weeks which remain—to Pentecost —giving glory to the Father, and saying, This is the day Ps. 148,24. which the Lord hath made: tee will rejoice and be glad in it, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through Whom aduaros avdrratris avrov; Again, p. 63. _ . , . u ^ •• ... §. 22. rovro yàp Kara rov Qavdrov victory is |ZOS]J ¿í&aJ, w ,c rpóiraiov ravrr)v iiritieiÇao-dai ir äfft, Kai is most likely the translation of rpónaia irdurasirtcrrdaacrOaLr^v rrrap1 avrov yevo- pIktjs• By faith, we look upon Christ p.kvr\v rr¡s <¡)0opa.s a7rd\eix}/ii/f Kai Xoiirbv crucified, and see in His cross the rfyv rœv aoo/xdrcov ácpdapaíav, ?¡s iraariv trophy He has erected against the tfxrirep ii/exvpov Kal yvdpKXfxa ryjs iirl great enemy whom He has subdued. irdvras èZu^D (virtue) is doubtless text corresponding to p. 71—73«. of the 17a translation. Vide note y5 p. 71* an error for f^OÁ > V) (produce). INDEX OF TEXTS. GENESIS. xii. 11,13, 14. 10 xiii. 1. 109 iv. 16. 72 xvi. 1. 44, 121 xxii. 13. 50 xviii. 15. 73, 115 xlix. 14. 107 JOSHUA. EXODUS. x. 12. 136 viii. 26. 93 xii. 2. 114 5. 125 1 KINGS. 7, 23. 29 8, 9, 46. 129 xii. 32, 33. 17 11. 45 43. 53 43, 48. 113 ESTHER. 46. 41 47. 112 iii. 9. 80 xiv. 14. 90 iv. 16. 32 21. 136 ix. 20—28. 32 XT. 1. 29, 32,112 21. 80 xix. 8. 112 16. 6 20. 72 JOB. xxiii. 14. 4 xxiv. 2. 25 i. 21. 105 ii. 7. 72 vii. 1. 104 LEVITICUS. xiv. 4. (LXX vers.) 42 xi. 13. 56 xl. 3, 4. (LXX vers.) 105 xxiii. 26. 7 29. 8 PSALMS. NUMBERS. i. 1. 38,89 ix 2. 22 ii. 1. 73, 88 x. 1. 5 4. 96 9. 5 iv. 1. 8-3 10. 5 5. 125 v. 3. 53 vii. 3. 116 DEUTERONOMY. ix. 15. 89 17. 56 iv. 24. 25 xii. 6. 25 vi. 4. 85 xiv. 1. 91, 126 7. 89 2. 91 ix. 3. 25 7. 4 L 2 148 INDEX OF TEXTS. xvi. 8. 7 xvii. 3. 105 xviii. 29. 28,128 45, 46. (LXX vers.) 123 46. 73 xix. 4. 33, 94 5. 90 15. 90,133 xxiii. 4. 11 xxiv. 3. 52 21. 56 xxv. 16. 133 xxx. 9. 47 xxxi. 7. 111 xxxii. 9. 15 xxxiii. 1. 50 xxxiv. 1. 27 xxxv. 8. 89 9. 50 28. 21 xxxvii. 15. 88 xxxviii. 12. 87 xl. 6. 51 10. 27 xlii. I. 61 4. 13,52 xliii. 4. 72 xliv. 17. 95 22. 55 xlix./S. 90 10. 127 11. 106 1. 14. 125 16. 58 23. 126 Iv. 15. 126 lvii. 5. 88 ixiii. 1. 132 1,2. 61 6. 90 lxvi. 11,12. 83 lxxiii. 14. (LXX vers.) 8 20. 16 lxxvi. I. 33 lxxx. 7. 78 Ixxxi. 3. 4, 22 xc. 14. 95 xoiv. 17. 39 xev. 1. 50, 94 xcvii. 1. 33 c. 4. 72 ei. 6. 72 civ. 4. 25 25, 26. 128 84. 125 cxv. 8. 17 17,18. 58 cxvi. 12. 39 13. 39 15. 57 cxviii. 17. 58 24. 97 cxix. 20. 133 cxix. 48, 44. 133 113. 90 148. 90 164. HI cxx. 5. (LXX vers.) 83 cxxiv. 26. 90 cxxv. 1. (LXX vers.) 87,90 cxxxii. 15. 90 cxxxvii. 1. cxli. 2. 1 cxliii. 5. 90 cxliv. 17. cl. 6. 52 PROVERBS. i. 5. 127 iv. 1. 14 v. 3. 59 22. 88, 120 viii. 2. 184 ix. 1. 59 6. 60 17. 134 18. 59 x. 8. 60 xi. 20. 24 xii. 12. 25 xiii. 18. 53 xv. 19. 25 28. 58 xvii. 15. 60 XX. 17. 59 xxi. 26. 133 xxv. 25. 133 xxvi. 2. 105 ECCLESIASTES. x. 8. 89 CANTICLES, viii. 1. 4 ISAIAH. i. 2. 73 H- 122 12. 123, 124 14- 46, 122 il. 3. 52 m- 9,10. 89,126 H- 133 vi. 9. 17 vii. 14. us xi. 1. 28 5- 28 INDEX OF TEXTS. 149 xxii. 13. 14. xxiii. 2. (LXX vers.) xxvi. 9. 10. (LXX vers.) xxxviii. 18. 20. xl. 18. xlii. 12. xliv. 23, xlviii. 22. xlix. 8. 13. liii. 4. 5. 7. lv. 6, 7. Iviii. 5. lix. 8, 4. 4,6. 9—11. lxvi. 3. JEREMIAH. ii* 18. iv. 3. v. 8. vi. 16. 20. vii. 18. 21. 22. 22. 23. 34. ix. 2. xv. 18. xvii. 10. xx. 9. 12. xxv. 10. xlviii. J O. 20, 60 56 16 J 32 56 58 69 17 46 51 17, 23 4 52 132 61 11, 50 85 7 87 87 88 123, 124 59 25 15 112 122 323 123 124, 125 125 123 91 134 104 26 104 48 25 JOEL. ii. 15. LAMENTATIONS. iii. 27. iv. 6. EZEKIEL. xviii. 23, 32. HOSEA. vi. 3. 107 73 20 133 126 NAHUM. i. 15. (LXX vers.) 10,11, 22,44 ii. 1. (LXX vers.) 11 HABAKKUK. . ii. 15. (LXX vers.) ZECHARIAH. viii. 19. MALACHI. i. 11. iv. 2. JUDITH. ix. xiii. 8. WISDOM. i. 4. ii. 12. vii. 27. 134 316 34, 94. 3, 41. 32 32 26 126 4, 70 ECCLESIASTICUS. xv. 9. 58 SONG OF THREE CHILDREN. 25—28. 69 ST. MATTHEW. iv. 10. 71 v. 0. 60 8. 57 11,32. 95 22. 91 28. 90 vii. 13. 71 15. 134 25. 87 150 INDEX OF TEXTS. ix. 13. 126 xi. 29. 17 xii. 24. 24 84. 126 xiii. 8. 71 21. 25 22. 87 52. 89 xv. 3. 19 19. 127 25. 61 26. 61 xviii. 20. 68 24. 23 XX. 22. 39 xxi. 19. 48., 49 83. 48 xxii. 12. 63,138 14. 63 29. 19, 126,139 xxiii. 27. 134 xxv. 1—12. 64 11. 56 21. 15, 95 23. 24 26. 24, 47 84. 53, 71 xxvi. 2. 132 17. 34, twice 26—28. 34 28. 33 38. 50 65. 46 xxvii. 45. 136 xxviii. 20. 111 ST. MARK. iv. 17. 128 20. 27 37—41. 127, 136 x. 28. 112 xi. 14. 49 ST. LUKE. i. 1. 20, 137 iii. 7. 15 vi. 49. 128 x. 19. 38 xii. 40. 12 49. 26 xiii. 25. 56 xiv. 15. 63 XV. 7. 52 17. 68 xvi. 19. 74 xvii. 15, &c. 46 19. 46 xviii 10. . 7 xxii. 15,16. 41 xxii. 28. xxiii. 28. 43. xxiv. .. Ö'v xxxii. 15. 62 96 89 27 29 113 ST. JOHN. i. 1. 86 9. 26 29. 112 iv. 14. 97 26. 134 84. 8 v. 39. 139 46. 123 vi. 35. 64 48. 59 48—51. 60 51. 59, 60, 75 53. 9 68. 64 vii. 37. 7, 37, 61,114,115, 132,140 37, 38. 140 38. 61, 133 46. 115 viii. 56. 50 ix. 28, 29. 126 xii. 28. 46 xiii. 12. 18 18. 27 xiv. 2. 71 6. 33, 112 11. 79 xvi 33. 109,114 XX. 22. 11 ACTS. viii. 30. 126 ROMANS, i. 22, 28. 16 ii. 21. 14 23 7 iii. 31. 115 v. 3. 27,106 12, 18. 96 14. .39 vi. 9. 76 viii. 13. 64 17. 107 24, 25. 82 35. 07, 86 87. 76, 105 38, 39. 76 INDEX OF TEXTS. 151 x. 4. 1 IS xi. 23. 49 xii. 12. 90 xiii. 7. 48, 67 xiv. 1. 62, 72 2. 70 xvi. 18. 93 1 CORINTHIANS. i. 24. 4 ii. 8. 89, 126 iii. 2. 70 12. 106 iv. 16. 14 v. 7. 20, 28, 28, 45, 58, 79, 97,111,121 7,8. 6 8. 12, 45 vi. 13. 56 17. 86 20. 46 vii. 7. 83 25. 6 ix. 27. 107 x. 4. 87 xi. 1. 17, 76, 84 2. 18,twice 27. 42 xiii. 9, 12. 82 xiv. 25. 17 XV. 53. 47,97 55. 52 2 CORINTHIANS. ii. 17. 39 iii. 17. 11 iv. 10. 55, 65 13. 55 14. 55 v. 13. 47 vi. 1, 2. 47 2. 4 15. 58 17. 93 vii. 6. 22 xi. 3. 137 xii. 4. 82 10. 106 21. 83 GALATIANS. i. 9. ii. 20. iii. 23, 24. iv. 10. 10,11. v. 22. 25. 19 40, 57 122 23 45 48 55 EPHESIANS. i. 3. ii. 4, 5. iv. 22—24. 24. v. 14. vi. 12. 15. PHILIPP1ANS. i. 29. iii. 13. 15. 20. iv. 5. 6. 13. COLOSSIANS. 121 70 12 17 56 6 28 103 42 82 57 12 28 76 i. 15. iii. 5. 113 55, 57, 61 1 THESSALONIANS. v. 16. 17. 18. 19. 94 21, 28, 133 128 26 1 TIMOTHY. i. 15. 19. ii. 7. iii. 17. iv. 5. 6. 7. 7, 8. 12. 14. 20 18 14, 84 91 86 8, 62 92, 106 91,92 17 25 2 TIMOTHY. i. 13. ii. 8. 16, 18. 19. iii. 12. 13. 14. iv. 2. 17. 62 20, 42, 86 92 18, 92 93 92 109 86, 92 3 152 INDEX OF TEXTS. HEBREWS. ii. 14. 21 iv. 12. 88 v. 33. 62 14. 71, 128 vi. 18. 124 ix. 30. 5, 124 x. 1. 124 29. 63 xi. 6. 6J ,85 17. 50 xii. 22. 51 29. 25 JAMES. i. 2. 34. 103 109 1 PETER. i. 18. ii. 21—23. 28 18 INDEX. A. Ablabiiis, Praefeet of the Praetorium, 35. Abraham, his trial through Isaac, 50. Affliction, a season for thanksgiving and praise, 28, 109. to be followed by happiness, 83, 107. God our comfort in it, 90. Amaton, Bishop of Nilopolis, 131. Ammonius, Bishop of Baton, 130. Ammonius, Bishop of Antinous, 131. Andragathius, Bishop of the Eastern Garyathis, 102. Andreas, Bishop of Arsenoitis, 131. Andronicus, Bishop of Tentyra, 101. Angels, sustained by the divine vision, 10. their festive rejoicing, 52. Christ their food, 62. Antinous, 131. Anubion, Bishop oïXois, 131. Aphroditon, 102. Apocryphal books, mixed up by some with Holy Scripture, 138, 139. Apollon, 101. Apostles, doctrine of, apocryphal, 139. Arabion, Bishop of Stathma, 102. Arians, their erroneous opinions, 77, 78, 96. compared with Jews, 78, 96. misunderstand the Scriptures, 78. classed with Schismatics, 79. op- posers of Christ, 79, 80, 93, 104. Ario-maniacs, 77, 93, 95. Arion, Bishop of Antinous, 131. Arius, appointed Bishop of Panos in conjunction with Artemidorus, 130. Arsenius, reconciled to the Church, 130. Bishop of Hypsele, 130. Arsenoitis, 101, 130. Artemidorus, Bishop of Panos, 130. Athanasius, S. zeal of, in discharge of duty, 22, 31, 67. his sickness, 31. summoned by Constantine, 36. ac¬ cused by the Meletians, 36. watched by his enemies, 67. writes from Rome, 104. again at Alexandria, 121. returns to Alexandria, 129. Alras^Bishop of Maximianopolis, 101. B. Beasts, brute, comparison of sinners with them, 15. Benefits, God's, the return He re¬ quires, 39, 40. Bread, of sin, 59. of wisdom, 60. Bucolia, 101. C. Cain, goes out from the presence of God, 72. Callinicus, 36. Calosiris, Bishop of Arsenoitis, 101. Canon of Scripture, 138, 139. Christ, efficacy of His death, 47. the Bestower of the Spirit, 68, 71. looked for in old time, 4. our example, 18, 75. His death to be borne in our bodies, 55. the food of the Saints, 59, 61. His dealings manifold, 70. His patience under sufferings, 72, 75. His sufferings our gain, 76,114. the Shepherd, 111. the High Priest, 111. the Way, 111. the Door, 111. our Guide to the Feast, 112. the substance of the Old Testament prophecies, 115. the Pilot of souls, 127. always speaking to man, 135. the Old Testament miracles wrought by Him, 136. Clysma, 131. Coat of Christ, Schismatics rend it, 41, 49. Coat of God, Arians rend it, 79. Coptos, 130. D. Daniel, his fasting, 9, 53. David, his watchfulness, 53. his fer¬ vent prayers, 111. Diosphacus, 131. 154 INDEX. E. Easier, dispute respecting the time for its celebration, 119, 120. Vide Feast, Passover, Paschal Feast. Elias, his fasting, 9. Elias, Bishop of Tanis, 101. Elisha, Angels with him, 74. Esau, persecutes Jacob, 72. Esther, her prayers and fasting, 32. the Jewish festival in her time, 80. Esther, book of, apocryphal, 139. Eudcemon, 36. Eudtemon, Bishop of Lycos, 181. Eulogius, 86. Eusebius, his opposition to S. Äthan. 95. F. Faith and godliness, their intimate connexion, 92. Fast, to be sanctified, 7. character of a real, 7. virtue of, 9. examples of, in Moses, Elias, and Daniel, 9. Feast, heavenly, blessings of, 13. Feasts, spiritual preparation for, 12. of the wicked, occasions of mourn¬ ing, 17. established by the Jews on special occasions,-32. duty of Chris¬ tians during them, 23, 33, 57,116, 129. Christian, kept in order, 17. of the heathen, 41, 115. of the Schismatics, 41. Jewish and Chris¬ tian compared, 41. of the heathen ' bread of mourners,' 122. Fig-tree, cursing of the barren, 49. Food of the soul described, 8. the devil the food of sinners, 8. G. Garyathis, (Eastern,) 102. Garyathis, (Southern,) 102. Gelous Hieracammon, 36. Gospel, the accomplishment of the Jewish administration, 82. itself to be fulfilled hereafter, 82. Grace of God, to be improved by us, 24, 47, 48. how acknowledged by the saints, 39. variously distributed, 71. H. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 69. Heraclius, Bishop of Bucolia, 101. Heresies, perversions of the truth, 19. Heretics, compared with the Jews, 49. Hermas, Shepherd of, quoted, 85. Herminus, Bishop of Maximianopolis, 101. Hezekiah, praises God, 58, 69. Hierax, Bishop of the Eastern Gary¬ athis, 102. Hunger, spiritual, satisfied by Christ, 60. Hypsele, 130. X. instruction, order to be observed in imparting, 85. Isaac, sacrifice of, explained, 50, 51. Isaac, Bishop of Ñilopolis, 131. Isidorus, Bishop of Xois, 131. Ision, 36. Israelites, their departure from Egypt, 74. supported in the wilderness, 74. Issachar, his example, 107. the scrip¬ tural account of him explained, 108. J. Jeroboam, allusion to, 17.' Jews, misunderstood the paschal type, 10. consequence of their error, 10. the termination of their polity fore¬ told by the prophets, 48, 123. puri¬ fied in the wilderness, 53. their perverseness, 73,126. their punish¬ ment, 89. their misconception of the law, 122. scriptural reproofs of them, 123. Job, his fortitude, 27, 42. Joseph, his pity towards his brethren, 72. Judas, his sin and punishment, 53. his end, 63. Judith, her fasting and prayers, 82. Judith, book of, apocryphal, 139. L. Laton, 130. Lazarus, hungered on earth, is satis¬ fied in heaven, 74. Lent, a time of purification, 54. neg¬ lect of, a disgrace to Christians, 10Q. Life, Christianen what it consists, 57. Lycos, 131. M. Marmarica, 102. Martyrs, perfected by sufferings, 106. Masis, Bishop of Laton, 130. Maximianopolis, 101. Meletians, falsely and unsuccessfully accuse S. Äthan., 36. their false INDEX. 155 statements concerning themselves, 99. Might, divine, 70. Moses, his fasting, 9. sustained during it by converse with God, 10. why permitted to approach the mount, 25, 72. his example in fasting, 53. the order of his teaching, 85, 102. N. Nemesion, Bishop of Paralus, 101. Nemesion, Bishop of Saiton, 131. Nicon, Bishop of the Southern Gary- athis, 102. Nilammon, Bishop of Syene, 130. Nilopolis, 131. Nonnus, Bishop of Paralus, 101. 0. Ordinances, Jewish, only till the time of Christ, 11. Orion, Bishop of Sethroitis, 181. Oxyrynchus, 131. P. Panos, 130. Paphnutius, Bishop of Saiton, 181. Paralus, 101. Paschal feast, Christ the object of it, 23. glory and extent of it, 33. to be kept to the Lord, 50. Passover, Jewish, only till Christ, 31. its typical character, 113, 129. ' Passover of the Jews' explained, 45. Paul, 8. carried to Paradise, 82. the universality of his teaching, 84. Paulus, Bishop of Clysma, 131. Pelagius, Bishop of Oxyrynchus, 131. Philon, Bishop of Tbebais, 101. Plusianus, Bishop of Lycos, 131. Plution, Bishop of the lower Apollon, 102. Potammon, Bishop of Sethroitis, 131. Praise and thanksgiving, their con¬ nection, 46. Prodigal son, his return, 63. Prosopontis, 131. Psenosiris, Bishop of Coptos, 180. Q- Quintus, Bishop of the Southern Garyathis, 102. R. Rhinocoruron, 102. S. Sacrifices, Jewish, explanation of their time and circumstances, 124, 125. Saints, to be imitated, 40. their true life, 57. Saiton, 131. Salomon, Bishop of Rhinocoruron, 102. Saprion, Bishop of Tentyra, 101. Barapion, Bishop of the lower Apollon, 102. Saul persecutçs David, 72. Schismatics, rend the coat of Christ, 41, 49. their feasts, 41. compared with the Jews, 49. Scripture, Holy, contrasted with the traditions of men, 20. Sea, the, in what respects it represents the world, 128. Serapammon, Bishop of Prosopontis, 131. • Serapammon, Bishop of Diosphacus, 131. Serapion, letter to him, 99. Serenas, Bishop of Aphroditon, 102. Servant, unthankful, parable of, 23. Sethroitis, 131. Shadow, Jewish, brought to an end, 10,11. Shepherd of Hermas apocryphal, 139. Shipwreck, Christian, 129. Silvanus, Bishop of Arsenoitis, 101, 131. Sinners, their degraded condition, 15. their ingratitude, 27. like eagles, they feed on dead carcases, 56. then- unstable character, 87. their designs recoil upon themselves, 88. their deeeitfulness, 134. Spii it, Holy, in what sense said to be quenched, 26. an earnest of heaven, 44. Spirit, unity of, among Christians, 38. 68, 94. Statfma, 102. Syene, 130. T. Talents, parable of, 47. Tanis, 101. Tentyra, 101. Thebaic, 101. Theodoras, Bishop of Tanis, 101. Tlwodorus, Bishop of Aphroditon, 102. Theodorus, Bishop of Coptos, 130. Theodorus, Bishop of Diosphacus, 131. Theodorus, Bishop of Oxyrynchus, 131. Theodorus, Bishop of Xois, 131. Theon, Bishop of Nilopolis, 131. Times, discernment of, necessary, 3. God the Pramer of, 4. Tithonas, Bishop of Clysma, 131. 156 INDEX. Tobit, book of, apocryphal, 139. Triadelphus, Bishop of Prosopontis, 181. Trumpeis, various uses of, among the Jews, 4, 5. sound of, very terrible, 6. proclamation of Christian, 6, 49. Typical, changed by Christ for the spiritual, 84. Tyrannus, Bishop of Antinous, 131. V. Virtue, philanthropic, 72, 83. W. Wisdom of Sirach, apocryphal, 139. Wisdom of Solomon, apocryphal, 139. Woman, Canaanitish, our Lord's treat¬ ment of her, 61. World, compared with the sea, 128. X. Xois, 181. Z. Zeal, spiritual, compared with fire, 25. INDEX TO THE NOTES. A. Ablabius, the office he probably held, 35, y. Aëtius, his erroneous doctrine, 93, m. Antichrists, the term applied to the Arians, 75, n. Arians, pervert Scripture, 19, q. 77, x. calledAntichrists,75,n. calledjews, 78, z. opposers of Christ, 78, z. Siaro/ÛTai, 79, e. compared with Hymeneus and Philetus, 93, n. Arius, the vision of Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, concerning him, 41, a. Athanasius, S. date of his return from Gaul, 66, c. sends Paschal Letters even when in exile, 68, m. B. Bucolia, its situation, 101, h. C. Callinicus, 31, d. Christ, called emphatically, ¿ hahûy, 135, b. Chronicon Paschale, corrected, 66, b. Constantine, his approval of S. Atha¬ nasius, 32, e. Cosmos Indicopleustes, fragments of the Paschal Letters preserved by him, 15, b. 39, i. 53, h. D. Deity, notions of, the reflex of the human mind, 16, i. E. Easter, celebrated in the spring, 37, d. 121, g. the observance of it to remind us continually of the resur¬ rection, 42, t. notice for it, when given, 118, a. Easter-week, meaning attached to the term, 64, g. Esther, the book of, not canonical, 32, i. Eudcemon, 31, d. 1 F. Fast, quadragesimal, declared by S. Cyril to be of Apostolic or Evangelic origin, 41, q. a time of purification for Easter, 54, k. G. Gospel, the fulfilment of the Jewish law, 83, g. Gregory, the Cappadocian, his intru¬ sion into the see of Alexandria, 103, d. H. Hermas, Shepherd of, quoted several times by S. Äthan. 85, p. Avians perverted its meaning, 85, p. Hyginus, 31, b. I, J. Jeroboam, his feasts, 17, 1. trxurya- roiroibs, 50, y. Ision, 31, d. Judith, the book of, not canonical, 32, i. L. Leviathan, a type of Satan, 8, m. Litera communicativae, 101, d. Litera pacifica;, 101, d. M. Macedonian heretics, called vre vu UTO 78, z. Moon, Ecclesiastical, time of it, 120, d. 158 INDEX TO THE NOTES. 0. Offcilius, 31,o. Ovinias, 31, d. P. Pagius, corrected, 3?, a. Palatini, their duties, 35, x. Passover, Jewish, stress laid on the particular season for its celebration, 23, d. the typical character of its different observances, 129, g. ' Passover of the Jews' illustrated, 45, g. Paterius, Praefect of Egypt, 87, b. Pentecost, the whole interval between Easter-day and Whit-sunday, 35, u. a time of rejoicing, 35, u. a symbol of the world to come, 35, u. Philagrius, two prsefects of this name, 66, a. an apostate, 44, b. S. Saturdays and Sundays, not observed as fasts, 54, m. Severus of Antioch, quotations made by him of the Festal Letters, 135, a. Spirit, Holy, the gift of God, 68, i. apfiaßbv, 44, d. 116, q. T. Theophilus, the form in which he concludes his Paschal Letters, -100, d. Theodoras, Prsefect of Egypt, 66, a. Trumpets, several uses of them, as mentioned in Holy Scripture, 5, j. sound of them, associated in Holy Scripture with something terrible, 6,1. Tuniea inconsutilis, the figure of it began with the Arian dispute, 41, s. W. Writers, Sacred, denoted by the word Hyxos, 89, k. INDEX OF GREEK, HEBREW, CHALDEE, AND SYRIAC WORDS tOUND IN THE NOTES. A. 22S, 12. ciytos, 39. AlöiWes, 9. o\Aota>rí)s, 78. iíXoyos, 89. lAijjl, 106. aßßaßhj/, 44, 116. &pros, 122. Arpeirros, 78. B. I*- r. V^l^42. ypdfjLfiara icavovucà, 101. A. SlÓpdúHTlS, 51. SiaTOfiïrat, 79. E. €Ïku)V, 15, 57. ¿¡•ovkÓvtioi, 93. iirio-roAaL eïprjytKal, 101. ^OOI, 12. nihn, 46. z. ÍCF11, 38. 0. Beófiaxoi, 78. QeoavTcuria, 20, 57, 125. l*kXa, 3i. x. Xtriiv, 41, 49, 79. XpíCT¿na.xoi, 78. ■jAiECU., 22. Í.Q1Í, 71. 9. 101. 105. 23. ADDENDA.* LETTER XL. Ye are they that have continued, with Me in My tempt- Luke 22, ations; and I appoint to you a kingdom, as My Father hath 28_30- appointed unto Me, that ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. Being called, then, to the great and heavenly Supper, in that upper room which has been swept, let us cleanse ourselves, as the Apostle exhorted, from all 2 Cor. 7,1. filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God; that so, being spotless within and without,— without, clothing ourselves with temperance and justice ; within, by the Spirit, rightly dividing the word of truth— we may hear, Enter into the joy of thy Lord. ^att" 25> LETTER XLII. For we have been called, brethren, and are now called together, by Wisdom, and according to the Evangelical parable, to that great and heavenly Supper, and sufficient for every creature ; I mean, to the Passover,—to Christ, Who is sacrificed. Again, a little afterwards : They, there¬ fore, that are thus prepared shall hear, Enter into the joy Matt. 25, of thy Lord. 2I" » The following fragments are ap- preserved in the original Greek, by pended, though not existing in the Cosmas Indicopleustes. Christiana Opi- Syriac version. They are, however, nio de Mundo, lib. x. p. 317—319. M 162 ADDENDA. LETTER XLIII. Of us, then, whose also is the Passover, the calling is Phil. 3,20. from above, and our conversation is in heaven, as Paul says; Heb.13,14. For we have here no abiding city, but we seek that which is to come, whereto, also, looking forward, we properly keep the feast. And again, a little afterwards : heaven truly is high, Pe. 115, ig. and its distance from us infinite; for the heaven of heavens, says he, is the Lord's. But not, on that account, are we to he negligent or fearful, as though the way thereto were impossible ; but rather should we be zealous. Yet not, as in the case of those who formerly, removing from the east and finding a plain in Senaar, began [to build a tower], is there need for us to bake bricks with fire, and to seek slime for mortar; for their tongues were confounded, and their work was brought to nought. But for us the Lord has consecrated a way through His blood, and hath made it easy. And again. For not only has He afforded us con¬ solation respecting the distance, hut also in that He hath come and opened the door for us which was once shut. For, indeed, it was shut from the time He cast out Adam from the delight of Paradise, and set the Cherubim and the flaming sword, that turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life—now, however, opened wide. And He that sitteth upon the Cherubim having appeared with greater grace and loving-kindness, led into Paradise with himself the confessing thief, and having entered heaven as our fore¬ runner, opened the gates to all. And again. Paul also, Phil. 3, H. pressing toivard the mark for the prize of the high calling, by it was taken up to the third heaven, and having seen those things which are above, and then descended, he teaches us, announcing what is written to the Hebrews, and Heb. 12, saying, For ye are not come unto the mount that might be ~ ' touched, a,nd that burned with fire, and clouds, and darkness» and a tempest, and to the voice of ivords. But ye are come untó Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angelsj and to the general assembly and Church of the first-born, which are written in heaven. Who would not wish to enjoy the high companionship with these ! Who not desire to he ADDENDA. 163 enrolled with these, that he may hear with them, Come, ye jiatt- 2s; blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you 3i- from the foundation of the world. LETTER XLY. Let us all take up our sacrifices, observing distribution to the poor, and we enter into the holy place, as it is written ; whither also our forerunner Jesus is entered for us, having Heb. 6,20. obtained eternal redemption From the same And 9' iz' this is a great proof that, whereas we were strangers, we are called friends ; from being formerly aliens, we are become fellow-citizens with the saints, and made children of the Jerusalem which is above, whereof that which Solomon built was a type. For if Moses made all things according to the pattern shewed him in the mount, it is clear that the service performed in the tabernacle was a type of the heavenly mysteries, whereto the Lord, desirous that we should enter, prepared for us the new and abiding way. And as all the old things were a type of the new, so the festival that now is, is a type of the joy which is above, to which coming with psalms and spiritual songs, let us begin the fasts. BAXTER, PRINTER, OXFORD.