Rhythms of Saint Ephrem the Syrian: Select Works of S. Ephrem the Syrian 9781463212438

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R H Y T H M S OF SAINT E P H R E M T H E SYRIAN

Rhythms of Saint Ephrem the Syrian Select Works of S. Ephrem the Syrian

JOHN BRANDE MORRIS

GORGIAS PRESS

2008

First Gorgias Press Edition, 2008

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V o N T i : N T S.

Thirteen Rhythms on the Nativity.

(Opp. Syr. t. ii. p. 396.)

Rhythm against the Jews, [delivered upon Palm Sunday. | (t. iii. p. 209.)

.

T h e Pearl, or Seven Rhythms on the Faith, Eighty Rhythms

upon the

f a d v . Scrut.] Three

Rhythms

Disputers.

(t. iii. p. 1.)

concerning

( t . iii. p. 164.)

( t . iii. p. 150.)

Faith, against the

the .

Faith.

[cont.

Scrut.]

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE circumstances under which the present Work appears, seem to require silence rather than explanation. It was commenced several years ago; it was finished and.in type before the English Church lost its translator. Immediate duties, and subsequently, long illness, prevented the present writer from doing what little remained to be done, previous to its publication. A few words must be said upon two or three passages in the notes. In a part of the note in p. 236, (which from some circumstance this writer did not see while passing through the press,) he thought one statement perplexing, if unexplained. " As Christ was Very God, and had in Him and was Himself in the Holy Spirit from the moment of His incarnation, the Spirit, of course, did not really descend upon Christ at the Jordan; it was, for our sakes, that He seemed so to do, H e being Himself Omnipresent, and so incapable of motion to a place." The writer's objections to this passage were two: 1) in itself, in that it seemed, by its mode of statement, (although, of course, no one who knew the mind of its writer could think this,) to put aside the fact related in Holy Scripture, without substituting any explanation; il) that it blended two different grounds for denying the " reality" of the descent, 0110

vi

ADVERTISEMENT.

derived from the Person of our Lord upon Whom it descended, the other from the Nature of the Godhead. For this last, " that the Holy Spirit is Omnipresent and so incapable of motion to a placc," would apply equally to any descent of the Holy Ghost, and would make the dcscent at Pentecost equally unreal. Whereas the doctrine, really intended to be stated, is, that the Holy Spirit did not, after the Baptism, dwell in our Lord in tmy other way than before, so as to imply that His Manhood before lacked any thing. To obviate these objections the note, p. 386, was written. I t may to some not be without its use to state here the received doctrine of the Church in the language of S. Cyril ; 1st, negatively; that our Lord Himself did not then receive any Gift or Presence of the Holy Ghost which H e had not before; 2d, positively; that our Blessed Lord, although having the Holy Spirit in Himself, did then, as Man, in a dispensation, receive It, thenceforth in act to overflow to us. One clear statement may suffice, (de recla fide, §. 84. T. 5. p. 2. p. 855. quoted in part by Petav. d e l n c . xi. 9. 11.) " W e who say that there is but One Emmanuel and endure not those who separate H i m into two Christs, what say we, when ' the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove and abode upon H i m ?' Shall we imagine that the Word from God the Father needed to partake of the Holy Spirit ? H o w should it not be most utterly degrading so to think or speak? For T h e Spirit is His Own, equally as of God the Father. And so the blessed Paul, ' Ye are sons, to whom God hath sent the Spirit of H i s Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father !' It is impious then even to imagine that H e too, the W o r d from God the Father, needed the communication of the S p i r i t ; and it were exceeding foolish to bestow any pains on what is of such manifest proof. How then did the Spirit descend upon H i m ? H e received) It according to His I h i m a n Nature, the dispensation with the Flesh well admitting that l i e should without any disparagement receive It, yea rather necessarily leading thereto. I-'or l i e rccoivelh

ADVERTISEMENT.

vii

I t not so much for Himself as for u s ; that, since H e h a d withdrawn from those on earth, because the mind of man was diligently set upon evil from his youth, now, descending upon Him, as in a new First-fruit of our race, I t might abide, and again rest in us, as having now recovered sinlessness in Christ, and having a life free from all blame. Yet although for us H e receives It as Man, see how, as God, H e giveth It. For ' on W h o m thou secst,' H e s a i t h , ' the Spirit descending and abiding upon I l i m , this is H e W h o b a p t i z e t h with the Holy Ghost.' But this is a Divine inworking. For our Lord Jesus Christ infuseth into the baptized the Spirit of the Father as His Own." On another passage in the last sheet which this writer h a d not yet been able to read, although the sheets were with him, some observations have been added in a Note at the end, p. 417. And since the translator declined to be responsible for, or to take part in, any alteration, he has been obliged himself to remove an observation at the end of one note, whicli did not seem to him well-founded. I n p. 402. he enlarged the note. (The insertions have been marked by brackets.) I n a previous note, p. 229, 30, whose bearing did not seem clear to the Editor of the Library, he substituted a statement •which he imagined to express the writer's meaning, at the same time that he himself wished it to appear that a subject connected with controversy had not been introduced altogether gratuitously. Slight as the change is, he substituted, on this subject, a reference to earlier volumes of the Library for one to Petavius, lest, by connecting the statements of St. E p h r e m with a controversial work, he should seem to recognise the existing practice maintained in the c l ^ t e r s referred to. But, in regard to facts, the Editors pledged themselves from the first to withhold n o n e ; and the present writer, believing, as he fully does, the truth and Divine mission of the English Church, has here, as elsewhere, acted on the principle that no knowledge of facts as to the Ancient Church, to whom she

viii

ADVERTISEMENT.

appeals, can any way injure her. He would have been glad, under other circumstances, to have said something as to the differences between the traces of invocation of Saints in the Ancient Church, and modern practice; the circumstances of the present volume, render any thing approaching to controversy, altogether unseemly. It remains only to pray that, amid all these sorrows, the reverence and humble awe of St. Ephrem may, by God's mercy, deepen the same spirit in us which He has so mercifully reawakened. DOMINE,

MISERERE.

E. B. P.

Vkrut

Church, Lent, 1841.

PREFACE,

As the publication of this Volume has been already deferred so long, it has been thought desirable to avoid entering upon any such investigations now, as would necessarily give rise to farther delay.

Now to sift and compare and adjust the

divergent, if not conflicting, accounts of St. Eplirem's life and actions, to discover by comparison with contemporaneous history what part of those accounts was trustworthy, probable, or altogether to be rejected, to examine what amount of light might be thrown upon Ihem by his own writings, whether as occasionally recording events, or as stating opinions which served in any way as a test of the truth or falsehood of the actions ascribed to him,—to do all this with any thing like the thought and investigation requisite for an honest and thorough execution of it, would have given rise of course to a much farther delay in the publication of the present Volume.

Its defects are already too numerous to

make the Translator otherwise than highly dissatisfied with it, and that the more so from his consciousness, that few combine the knowledge of Syriac and Theology in such way as to give him hopes of having his errors exposed as thev may deserve.

This fear is, however, most materially dimi-

nished by the kind superintendence of the notes, which has been exercised by Dr. Pusey. The knowledge of criticism, which would have been necessary for ihe task of thus discriminating between true

PREFACE.

X

and false in the accounts of

St. Ephrem's life, is not

possessed by the Translator: it cannot be obtained without a habit of working amongst Manuscripts", and of dealing with historical subjects.

This avowal is absolutely neces-

sary, both from the fact, of which most who lead a life of study are aware, that knowledge far greater than they really possess is commonly attributed by others to them, and also from the obligation which the present writer feels himself under, to speak with suspicion of some of the Greek W o r k s attributed to St. E p h r e m .

H i s suspicion may eventually

prove unfounded; yet as it has been in a good degree the reason why so little use has been made in this Volume of the Greek Works, he is bound to endeavour to shew how it has operated in this way.

H e hopes this endeavour will

shew that no very great value is to be attached to that suspicion at present. The Works of this Father were translated into Greek, Latin, Arabic, Coptic, Armenian,

and

Sclavonic, which

attests the esteem in which they were held, and also makes it credible that works not his would be put about as his. Things written by Ephraim of Antioeh at a much b

period, were in fact apparently ascribed to him.

later

And if to

this probability upon the part of the forgers we add the astounding credulity upon the part of the ancient public, learned as well as unlearned, the probability of such forgeries is materially increased.

W h e n the pompous writings (pro-

bably) of a Monophysite heretic were believed to be the production of St. Dcnys the Areopagite 0 , we need have no scruple in making allowances for the existence of such credulity. T h e frauds of the Apollinarians are well known from the

» See H o n o r a t u s a S . M a r i a Aniinadv. in I i e g u l a s et usum Criticcs, vol. i. 1. 2. §. 1. See Mai f o i l . Nov. xo). vii. p. 18. Spieil. vol, x.

c T h i s was done by t h e acute and learned D o m i n i c a n Michael L e Quien Diss. D a m a s c . ii. O t h e r writers on the subject are mentioned in L u m p e r . vol. i. ]). 43.

>a

PREFACE.

work of Leontius upon the subject, and tlic labours of the Benedictines have made it evident that several works once quoted as authorities are the forgeries of heretics.

Words,

of course, can easily have a Catholic meaning forced upon them : and therefore our faith in the Church is not to be the less because of these distasteful facts, even if it were not true that that would be no longer faith, which had demonstration to support it d . With this general probability before him, the exceeding dissimilarity of thought which appeared to him to exist in some few of the Greek writings he has consulted, induced the translator to confine his attention to the Syriac Works first, upon these grounds : A suspicion created is a kind of internal evidence against the book which creates i t ;

it ought to be overcome either

by external evidence, where this may be had, or by internal evidence, which alone might in many cases be enough to countervail the suspicion.

B u t the external evidence

is

such as requires considerable reading to master in this case, is such therefore as would have led to considerable delay.

It is moreover likely to be unsatisfactory after all,

as it could hardly come to more than this, that the Greeks, who were wholly unable, from their having 110 acquaintance with the Syriac, to judge of the question, believed such and such works to be St. Ephrem's.

I f it could be shewn that

they believed this in the fifth century, it could be shewn that, at the same period, St. Cyril of Alexandria believed an Apollinarian forgery to be the work of his own predecessor St. Atlianasius".

Whatever disparity exists between

the cases, it is plain that such facts materially weaken the external evidence, even were it as early as it has been here assumed for argument's sake to be. 11

St.. Clement. Strom, ii. §. 9. tin.

»»y.'iiri

TiVrj_.

yiyvirat

.-/

Recourse must tliere-

'' Vide ¡A' \llnfjl n -

xii

} Ml E F A C E .

fore be had to the internal evidence, if we mean to satisfy the doubts which have been raised.

Nor ought it to be

forgotten, that a knowledge of the several other languages into which St. Ephrem's works have been translated would be requisite towards a just estimate of the evidence in the matter, whether external or internal.

For one's estimate of

the latter might be materially altered by the perusal of his Commentaries upon St. Paul's Epistles, which survive only in an Armenian version. T h e internal evidence, however, is of course principally to be estimated from his Syriac writings.

H a d these been

studied alontj with the Greek, it would have been impossible to have gained a clear impression as to what was or was not likely antecedently to be St. Ephrem's.

This

antecedent

likelihood could only be estimated by studying the Syriac works separately, which alone occupy three volumes folio. T h a t the translator's notions of the possibility of many things being St. Ephrem's, after lie had read the whole of these volumes, were materially different from what they had been before, is very true ; yet he thinks he sees a personal identity, amidst the greatest variety of style, displayed in a simplicity, depth, devotional character, and originality of thought in the Syriac, which he cannot yet perceive in some (not all) of the few of the Greek writings he has read. things must be added to qualify this statement:

Two

the first is,

that he is very sensible that the greatest external improbability may be often overcome bj' a very small amount of external testimony ; the other is, that he does not see any objection to supposing tiiat the Greek was a translation from some Syriac author or other ; whereas he has the greatest possible difficulty in persuading himself that Archelaus of Caschara (for instance) wrote his book against Manes originally in Syriac, or that St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews originally composed in the Jews' language.

was

This last con-

PREFACE

xiii

viction is so strong, that he thinks it would require an overwhelming weight of external evidence to disprove i t ; the very opposite of this is what he feels in regard to the Greek here under consideration. Thus much then may suffice as an apology for the apparently gratuitous neglect of the Greek writings ascribed to St. Ephrem, which occupy the three remaining volumes of his works in the Roman edition. The present volume has already taken up more time than was originally anticipated; far more time would be required to discuss the points which have here been alluded to in a cursory way. And of course it is necessary to know what his writings are, before we can judge what light they throw upon his life. One material point may be mentioned here, in which the Syriac writings do throw light upon his life. The common story that he was only a Deacon seems to be contradicted by his manner of speaking upon several occasions, but upon one occasion by his plainly stating that God had given to him the talent of the Priesthood, (jZajoo,) and that he had hidden it in the earth through his idleness The period at which he lived is not known with great exactness, though there can be no doubt that he was born pretty early in the fourth century, and died somewhere about the year 370. His mode of life, upon the whole, may perhaps be fairly represented by his own remarks upon a portion of Elijah's history, which shall be added here. " Elijah, O Lord, dost Thou command to flee, and to seek the cave, and hide himself in a valley that no one knew ! L o ! when Thou wast minded to protect Jeremiah from his enemies no man injured him, notwithstanding the army of the Chaldeans was round about Jerusalem, and Zedekiah within it was persecuting the prophet. Why then hast Thou forced him to drink the scanty waters of the brook, and f

V o l . i i i . p. 4 6 7 , P .

xiv

PREFACE.

withhold from him the streams of Jordan ; and bid him in the time of famine to look for his nourishment from the ravens ? yet it is T h o u that preparest nourishment for the young ravens.

This was for three causes.

First, that he

also might taste of that cup that he had mingled, and suffer for some days the famine and the drought, seeing he was not unwilling that the people should be harassed with them for some years : and that by this example he might learn mercifulness, and shew mercy upon mankind, who were afflicted with famine and drought.

For by this same suffering was it

meet that Elijah should be induced to glorify the grace that arose to the assistance of them in need, and to obey his Lord when H e commanded him to go and shew himself to Ahab, in order to give rain upon the earth.

T h e second cause was,

that he might learn for the ordering of his own life, how lie was to keep and distinguish the times of prayer and labour, and how after the turmoil of his ambassador's office he needed the silence of contemplation in the wilderness.

The

third was, that he was to offer, along with zeal, entreaty also: for the matter that he had in hand was not to be effected by labour only, and by energy towards m e n : rather he was to work out the glory of God and the salvation of man, by prayers and supplications to the One Mighty in strength, who turneth the flintstone into a pool of waters, and the hard rock into a fountain of waters, yea, and promised to give to them that seek H i m a heart wherewith to know H i m . " This passage brings before one, as in a type, a man of mixed life, at one time vigorously contending among other men for Christian doctrine and practice, and at another devoted to contemplation, while before them both he exercised that self-chastisement which he recommended with so much gentleness of speech to others.

If he held out to others the

Cup of Salvation, i. e. (as antiquity often takes it,) the Cup of suffering self-inflicted, ho drank it first himself.

' He

PREFACE

XV

that suffereth long with all, by our suffering suffereth long with us,' was his concise statement of the duty of penance«. The traces of his active and of his contemplative life abound in his writings. It is the prerogative11 of Christianity to blend and intermingle these two kinds of life, and no where do they seem more thoroughly blended than in the mind of St. Ephrem, so far as his writings exhibit it. His style seems an anticipation of that of St. Bernard, as indeed does his whole way of viewing things. The Eastern way of stating things gradually leavened the West through the influence of Scriptures, which St. Ephrem seems to have had access to in the original and in the translations, both Chaldee and Syriac, which were open to him from his early youth. Left to itself, the Eastern way of putting things runs into exaggeration : guided by the truth, (as in the larger part of the Old Testament, if it may be reverently said,) it is more vivid, and puts facts more before one's eyes than the style, which the West would have naturally engendered. Hence a mind like St. Ephrem's, " replete with the law of orthodoxy, which like Moses upon the mount he received from God, and imparted to all of us1," would be likely to anticipate the style of devotional contemplation, which in the West belongs to a later period, [see e. g. p. 28. and 40.] Such a style could not well become common, until questions discussed in the Nestorian controversy were settled, and all might speak with certainty upon such points connected with the Conception, Birth, and Childhood of our Lord and Saviour, as the humble-minded might have felt and yet shrunk from expressing in words antecedently to that period. His character as a Commentator is sufficiently shewn by s Vol. ii. p. 440, b.

Wa jfliKOc

" See G. Naz. Or. in Jul. p. 102, d. ' St. Greg. Nyss. in the life of St.

Ephrem. I t is plain to me from the work, that St. G. had a considerable knowledge of the genuine works of St. E .

PREFACE.

XVI

the passages quoted in these notes, and the reflections occasionally made upon them.

It is only necessary to add

here, that if any person argued from the minuteness of the explanation in some cases, that ' nothing escaped him' in commenting upon Scripture, and that he followed every word of the text till all was explained, he would have a most entirely false view of his Commentaries—nay, he could not have looked into them at all, as he commences them by stating that they were an abridgment of things he had said in other works.

T h e y often give one most valuable hints as

to the typical meaning of the whole chapter, but seldom or never leave the reader nothing to do in the way of meditation and deduction. Although a large portion of this volume is occupied with a work directed in its main drift against a comparatively obscure faction of the Arians, it is confidently hoped that the character here given of St. Ephrem's style of thought and writing will be found sufficiently true to remove any a priori objection to putting such a subject before the English reader.

While this portion of the volume may help towards

the understanding of some great points of Christian doctrine, it may also have its use in reminding us of this clay, that we do not really understand the visible creation, any more than the Anomeans understood it.

W e have traced, for instance,

some of the intervening links between the change of ' dust' and ' water' into vegetables, but as to the real principle of organization we are greatly in the dark.

W e then may use

the instances urged by St. Ejihrem to shew those heretics, from their ignorance of the creature, that they could not understand the Creator, for an end substantially the same, viz. to increase our humility.

If we are wiser than the

Saint in the mysteries of nature, we may find ourselves new food for humility in his superiority to us in that truer wisdom which relates to the mysteries of grace.

PREFACE.

X.V11

Now then it only remains that this labour be laid down : it is done ; God be praised ! There is one to whom it has given many new and sweetening thoughts, who deserves not to have such thoughts at all, and still less to be the person to publish them to others. If any find that St. Ephrem's native sweetness is not poisoned to themselves by having passed through his mind, he would beg of them, in the words of one who once studied in the same College, to remember him and his in their prayers. Laboris mei pretium (says Bp. Bull) hoc unum abs te peto, hoc vero vehementer expeto, ut in precibus tuis mei peccatoris meorumque interdum memor sis. Vale in Christo Servatore Domino Deoque nostro. Amen.

Exeter Tuesday

before

College, Christmas,

A.D.

b

1845

THE RHYTHMS a OF

SAINT EPH REM T H E SYRIAN ON

THE

NATIVITY.

RHYTHM

THE

FIRST.

THIS is the day that gladdened them, the Prophets, K i n g s , and Priests, for in it were their words till filled, and thus were the whole of them indeed performed ! F o r the Virgin did tod a y bring forth Immanuel in B e t h l e h e m . T h e voice that erst Isaiah spake, to-day reality became. l i e was born ps.87,6. there who in writing should the Gentiles' number t e l l ! T h e Is. 10, P s a l m that D a v i d once did sing, by its fulfilment came to- 1 9 ' day ! T h e word that M i c a h once did speak, to-day was jyjj0_ 5 actually done ! F o r there came from E p h r a t a a Shepherd, 2. and H i s staff swayed over souls. L o ! from Jacob shone 2 4 , 1 7 . the Star, and from Israel rose the H e a d . T h e prophecy that J j"s- ]> B a l a a m spake had its interpreting to-day ! D o w n also came the hidden L i g h t , and from the B o d y rose H i s beauty ! T h e L i g h t that b spake in Z a c h a r v , to-day did gleam in B e t h l e h e m ! a T h e w o r d h e r e u s e d in t h e S y r i a ' ' is f r e q u e n t l y e m p l o y e d b y t h e R a b b i n s (not without great countenance from t h e u s e o f t h e root in H o l y W r i t ) to e x p r e s s ' a m y s t i c a l c o m m e n t a r y ' on t h e T e x t of S c r i p t u r e . T h e r e is m u c h a n a l o g o u s to t h i s in t h e s e d i s c o u r s e s of S t . E p h r e m ; w h i l e t h e m o r e or less

e x a c t l y m e t r i c a l c h a r a c t e r of t h e m app e a r s to j u s t i f y t h e a d o p t i o n of t h e t i t l e ' r h y t h m , ' e s p e c i a l l y as t h e t e r m h a s a l r e a d y b e e n u s e d in o t h e r p a r t s of t h e C h u r c h for d e v o t i o n a l c o m p o s i t i o n s of a similar east. 11 St. E . m a y probably here h a v e i n t e n d e d to i m p l y , t h a t the p h r a s e

2

The

Xutirity

of

Christ

fulfils

the

type*

R i s e n is the L i g h t of the k i n g d o m , in E p h r a t a the of the K i n g .

city

T h e blessing wherewith J a c o b b l e s s e d , to its

fulfilment came to-day ! T h a t tree likewise, [the tree] of life, Prov. 3, bringeth hope to mortal men ! Solomon his hidden proverb h a d to-day its explanation ! T o - d a y was born the C h i l d , and Isa. 9, H i s name was W o n d e r called ! F o r a wonder 'tis that G o d as Ps.22,6. a B a b e should shew H i m s e l f .

B y the word W o r m 0 did the

Spirit H i m in parable foresliew, b e c a u s e H i s generation without marriage.

was

T h e type the I l o l y G h o s t did figure, to-

day its m e a n i n g was [ e x p l a i n e d . ]

H e came u p as a root before

Is.53,2. H i m , as a root of p a r c h e d ground.

A u g h t that covertly w a s

infr. E. said, o p e n l y to-day w a s done ! T h e K i n g that w a s in J u d a h hidden, T h a m a r stole H i m from his thigh ; to-day arose H i s eonlSyr.

quering b e a u t y , w h i c h in hidden estate she l o v e d 1 .

R u t h at

arose the B o o z side fell d o w n , b e c a u s e the M e d i c i n e of L i f e h i d d e n in T i i ° r y him

she

of the

perceived.

1

To-dav

fulfilled w a s her vow, since

*

beauty, from her seed arose the Q u i c k e n e r of all. t ie

coaled"" '

'

T r a v a i l A d a m on

w o m a n brought, that from him had come forth.

She to-day

ness of her travail ransomed, who to her a Saviour bare ! &c.

To Eve

' our mother birth a man g a v e , w h o had h a d no birth himself. H o w m u c h more should E v e ' s daughter be b e l i e v e d to h a v e borne a C h i l d without a man !

T h e virgin earth, she bare that

A d a m that w a s head over the earth !

T h e V i r g i n bare to-

day the A d a m that was H e a d over the H e a v e n s .

T h e staff

of A a r o n , it b u d d e d , and the dry w o o d y i e l d e d f r u i t !

Its

mystery is cleared up to-day, for virgin w o m b a C h i l d h a t h borne 1 1 !

- i m n - ) N V n n , the A ngel that s p a t e in me, was the Angel of the covenant, the Light of L i g h t ; and it seems that a created being would not so readily be conceived of as speaking in a person. See Zech. 1, 9. I t may be well also to notice here, how St. E p h r e m (in common with St. Leo, St. Chrysn.-tom, St. Augustine, and ochersj speaks of the crlebration of the day as if it was the day itself, partly as exhibiting their intense realization t h r o u . h faith of the mystery and the re-prestntation of it, to u^e the word in its ancient sense ; partly a^ evincing, perhaps, a belief in the unabidingness of our conceptions of time—a belief resulting, it may be, from the mystical

union with God in Christ which the saints enjoy. F o r to God rime is as nothing, and those who through grace are one with H i m , begin to view things as H e views them. c So the hymn in the Salisbury Brev. for the feast of the N a m e of Jesus, A u g . 7. has among the list of H i s N a m e s , ' Vermis.' S. Austin, in J o a n . T r . i. 13. and on P s . 21, 7. may be also referred to. d I t was common anciently to interpret the rod out of the stem of J e s s e of the Bl. Virgin, and the Branch from his roots of the Messiah. T h u s J e r o m e on ¡¡K place: " J e w s interpret rod and branch of the Lord Himself, because forsooth the power of a ruler is indicated by the rod, by the flower (so he renders

and explains

¿hem.

3

Shamed is that folk that holdeth the prophets as true ; for unless our Saviour did come, falsified their words have been! Blessed be the True One who came from the Father of the Truth and fulfilled the true seers' words, which were accomplished in their truth. From Thy treasure-house put forth, Lord, from the coffers of Thy Scriptures, names of righteous men of old, who did look to see Thy coming ! Seth who was in Abel's stead shadowed out the Son as killed, by Whose death dulled was the envy Cain had brought into the world! Noah saw the sons of God, saints that sudden waxed wanton, and the Holy Son he expected, by whom were hallowed whoremongers". T h e brothers twain, that covered Noah, saw the only Son of God who should come to hide the nakedness of Adam, who was drunk with pride. Shem and Japliet, being gracious, did the gracious Son expect, W h o should come and set free Canaan from the servitude of sin. Melchizedek expected Him,—as His vicegerent, was looking, that he might see the Priesthood's Lord, whose hys- Lev. 14, sop whiteneth the world. Lot beheld the Sodomites how ' they perverted nature's 1 course : for nature's Lord he l o o k e d right who gave a holiness not natural. H i m Aaron looked for, n a t u l t for he saw that if his rod ate serpents up, His cross would e a t E x o d . 7, 12 the Serpent up that had eaten Adam and Eve. Moses saw the hanging serpent that the bites of asps had cured, and he looked to see H i m who would heal the ancient Serpent's wound. Moses saw that he himself alone retained the gleam from God, and he looked for Him who came and multiplied gods by His teaching'. Caleb the spy bore the cluster on the staff, and came and longed to see the Cluster, Whose wine should comfort the world. Him did Jesus son of Nun long for, that he might conceive 2 the force of his own surname: for if by His name - s. he waxed so mighty, how much more would He by His HeiTi 8.

-|J{J) the b e a u t y . B u t let us understand t h e rod of the root of J e s s e , of the H o l y V i r g i n M a r y & c . " S t . E . on the place (after the Ch. P a r a p h , ) interprets the roots of the kin of J o s e p h and M a r y . » S t . E . h e r e alludes apparently to the f a c t , t h a t under our Lord's rule impure persons w e r e more likely to come to baptism, t h a n those » h o

like the P h a r i s e e s were acting a religion without feeling it. See also 1 Cor. 6, 10.11. Sl E - - refers h e r e to St. J o h n x. :!4. where the W o r d Himself t e a c h e t h us t h a t it w a s h y H i s coming to t h e m t h a t Saints of old were called Gods. S e e m aciv. S c r u t . x x i x . and A t h a n . < • A r 1 3I) - - A u s t . in N a t . xi. :j. and ix. 1.

1! 2

1

The XaHr/hj

of Christ faljiIs

the types

B i r t h ? This J e s u s that gathered and carried, and b r o u g h t with him of the fruit, was longing for the T r e e of Life to taste the Fruit that quickeneth all. R a h a b too for H i m was looking; for when the scarlet thread in type redeemed her from wrath, in type she tasted of the T r u t h . 'Twas for H i m E l i j a h thrilled, and when H i m on earth he saw not, he through faith most throughly cleansed, mounted up in heaven to see H i m . Moses saw H i m and Elijah, the meek man from the depth ascended, the zealous from on high descended, and in the midst beheld the Son B . T h e y figured the mystery of H i s A d v e n t : Moses was a type of the dead, and E l i j a h a type 1 T h e s s . of the living, that fly to meet H i m at H i s coming. F o r the 4 17 ' ' death the dead have tasted, them H e maketh to be f i r s t : a n d the rest that are not buried are at last caught u p to meet Him. W h o is there that can count me u p the j u s t t h a t looked for the Son, whose n u m b e r cannot be determined b y the mouth of us weak creatures? P r a y ye for me, O beloved, that another time with strength endued, I in another legend may their foretaste so set forth, as I am able. W h o is adequate to praising of the Son of t h e T r u t h h t h a t h a t h risen to us ? F o r 'twas for H i m the righteous thrilled, that in their generation thoy might see H i m . Adam, he was looking for H i m , for H e is the Cherub's L o r d , and could minister an entrance and a residence hard by the b r a n c h e s of the T r e e of life. Abel after H i m did thrill, that in his days H e might come, that instead of that lamb that he offered, the L a m b of G o d he m i g h t behold. E v e for H i m was also looking, for woman's nakedness was sore, s E l i j a h and Moses are spoken of as ascending and descending, as types of the faithful quick and dead ; hut w h a t is recorded of their e a r t h l y ends had also an analogy with their c h a r a c t e r , E l i j a h ' s ascension with his fiery zeal, Moses' burial in the h e a r t of the earth with his meekness, which was at the L o r d ' s Coming to be e x a l t e d . P e r h a p s S t . E . also wishes to blend together the even ts of theT r :?n spcii ration with those of the times of \ l i . - i - an i l.!ij:i!i ; v. i..»,.presence there a l w a y s had a typical m e a n i n g attributed to it: and hence introduces Moses as coming from the e a r t h in which he died, and was b u r i e d ; (see St. J u d e 9.) and E l i j a h from the H e a yen to which without death he ascended.

A n d with this the n e x t words seem to fall in. h St. E . before spoke of the F a t h e r of the T r u t h , i. e. of C h r i s t ; here he speaks of the F a t h e r as the T r u t h . I t is important to notice this, because the F a t h e r s h a v e been sometimes accused of d e n y i n g to the F a t h e r certain attributes, and not allowing these to e x i s t except as h a v i n g a personality in the Son; as though the F a t h e r w e r e not as perfectly God as if there w e r e neither Son nor H o l y G h o s t , and T h e y again each as perfectly God as if there w a s no F a t h e r . See St. A t h a n . O r a t . iv. 9. St. A u s t . de T r i n . vii. 2.0. xv. 7. 8. G r e g . N y s s . ii. p. 320. b .

and explains

them.

5

and H e capable to clothe tlieni, not with leaves, but with that same glory that they had exchanged away. T h e tower that the many builded symbolically looked for One, who coming down would build on earth a tower that lifts up to Heaven. Yea the ark of living creatures for our Lord looked in a t y p e ; for H e should build the H o l y Church, wherein souls find a refuge. I n Phaleg's days earth was divided into tongues threescore and ten 1 . H e looked for H i m who by the tongues, to H i s Apostles earth divided. Earth which the flood had swallowed up, in silence cried to her Lord. H e came down and opened k Baptism, and men were drawn by it to Heaven. Seth and E n o s , Cainan too, were surnamed sons of G o d ; for the Son of G o d they looked, that they His brethren b y grace might be 1 . B u t little lacking of a thousand years did Methusalah l i v e : H e looked for the Son that maketh heirs of life that never ends ! Grace itself with mystic instinct 1 , was beseeching in 1 in hidtheir stead that their Lord might come in their age and fill up f e e r " mys " their fallings short. For the H o l y Spirit in them, in their Rom. 8, stead, besought with musing: H e stirred them up, and in j 6 p gt 1 H i m did they look on that Redeemer, after whom they thrilled n . ' [with longing.] T h e soul of just men in the Son a Medicine of life perceived, and so it felt desires that H e might come in its own days, and then H i s sweetness would it taste. E n o c h , he was thrilling for H i m , and since on earth the Son he saw not, he was justified by great faith, and mounted up in H e a v e n to see H i m . W h o is there that will spurn at grace, when the Gift 2 that 2 p. 14. they of old gained not by much labour, freely cometh to men now 3 ? For H i m L a m e c h also looked who might come and 3 tolatlovingly give H i m quiet from his labour, and the toiling of h i s t e r men " hands, and from the earth the Just One had cursed. L a m e c h Gen. 5, then his son beheld, N o a h , — h i m , in whom were figured t y p e s 2 9 1 1 This in round numbers is the reIf in Ps. 82, 6. the title ' sons of ceived account of the number of lan- the Most H i g h ' seems applied to those guages at the dispersion. See St. before Christ, it must be only by antiE . in Deut. 33. p. 286. E. and Pot- cipation of the grace to come, and not ter upon St. Clement, Strom, i. §. 142. as though they were Qutrit viol, an excap. 16. p. 404. Upon the next words pression which was applied of old to compare St. Austin S. 3. in Pentec. 269. Christians. See on Athanas. note k k Alluding probably to Gen. 7, 11. p. 56. And on Tertullian, Apol. p. the windows of Heaven were opened. 54.

The vigils of

worldlings

relating to the Son. In the stead of Lord afar o f f , type at hand afforded quiet. Yea Noah also thrilled to see H i m , the taste of whose assisting graces he had tasted. For if the type of H i m preserved living things, Himself how sure to bestow life upon souls ! Noah longed for Him, by trial knowing H i m , for through Him had the ark been stablished. For if the type of Him thus saved life, sure much more would H e in person. J o h n s, Abraham perceived in spirit that the Son's Birth was far off'; ° ' stead of Him in person even H i s day he saw with gladness. To see H i m Isaac thrilled with longing, as having tasted the Hcb.ll, tuste of His redemption; for if the sign of H i m so gave life, much more would H e by the reality. Dan. 4, Jovous were to-day the watchers, that the Wakeful came to wake u s ! W h o would pass this night in slumber, in which all the world was watching 1 " ? Since Adam brought into the world the sleep of death by sins, the Wakeful came down that l i e might awake us from the drenching sleep of sin. Watch not we as usurers, who, on money put to interest thinking, watch at night so oft, to reckon up their capital, and interest. Waking, full of cool devices, is the thief, who in the earth hath buried and concealed his sleep". His wakefulness all ends in this, that H e may cause much wakefulness to them that be asleep. Wakeful likewise is the glutton, who hath eaten much and is restless; His watching is to him his torment, because of stint he was impatient. Wakeful likewise is the merchant, of a night he works his fingers telling o'er what pounds are coming, and if his wealth doubles or trebles. Wakeful likewise is the rich man, whose sleep his riches chase a w a y : his clogs are sleeping, he doth "> S t . E . p r o b a b l y h e r e v i e w s t h e w h o l e w o r l d or c r e a t i o n f a s t h e w o r d l i t e r a l l y m e a n s ) a s w a i t i n g for t h e m a n i f e s t a t i o n of t h e Son of G o d , w h o s e f u r t h e r m a n i f e s t a t i o n in t h e m w h o m H e is n o t a s h a m e d to call H i s b i e t h r e n it y e t w a i t s for. R o m . 8 , 19, H e n c e on J o e l 1. 1 8 — 2 0 . h e s a y s , ; t t h e g r o a n i n g of t h e h e r d s is a t y p e uf t h e g r o a n i n g of t h e c r e a t i o n , indi e a t i n g how it g i o a n e t h a n d w a i t e t h for t h e m a n i f e s t a t i o n o f t h e s o n s o f God. H e n c e the divine P a u l s a i t h , t h a t t h e c r e a t u r e (i. e. c r e a t i o n ) w a s s u b j e c t e d to v a n i t y not by

its o w n w i l l . " A n d p r e s e n t l y h e a d d s , " t h i s hunger indicates that hunger more sore t h a n i t , w h e r e w i t h o u r r a c e b e f o r e t h e a d v e n t of t h e L o r d w a s v e x e d , w h e n it w a s in w a n t of t h e h e a v e n l y l i r e a d ; which was quenched and passed a w a y by t h e p r e a c h i n g of t h e G o s p e l . " I t w a s u--:ial f o r m e r l y to u s h e r in all t h e g r e a t e r « ¡ i l l a vigil, w h i c h S t . E . h e r e m a k e s t h e o c c a s i o n of t h e p r a c t i c a l r e m a r k s following. n T h i s is t o us a v e r y s t r o n g figure : Shakspeare'sexpression, 'Macbeth hath m u r d e r e d s l e e p , ' is n o t u n l i k e i t .

and of Christians

conlrasUni,

guard his treasures from the thieves. Wakeful also is the careful, by his care his sleep is swallowed: though his end standeth by his pillow, yet he wakes with cares for years to come. Satan teacheth, O my brethren, in one watching's stead another, that to good deeds we be sleepy, and to ill awake and watchful. Even J u d a s Iscariot, for the whole night through was wakeful, and he sold the righteous Blood, that did purchase the whole world. T h e son of the dark one put on darkness, having stripped the Light from off him : and the Creator of silver, for silver did the thief sell. Yea Pharisees, the dark one's sons, all the night through kept a w a k e : the dark ones watched that they might veil the Light which is unlimited. Ye then watch as [heaven's] lights in this night of starry light. For though so dark its colour is, yet in virtue it is clear". For whoe'er is like this clear One, wakeful and at prayer in darkness, in this darkness visible him a light unseen envelopes ! T h e bad man that in daylight standeth, yet as a son of darkness dealeth, though with light clad outwardly, inly is with darkness girt. ISo we not deceived, beloved, by the fact that we are watching! For whoso doth not rightly watch, his watch is an unrighteous watch. Whoso watcheth not cheerfully, his watching but a sleeping i s : whoso also watcheth not innocently, even his waking is his foe. This is the waking of the envious one ! a solid mass, compact with harm. T h a t watch is but a trafficking, with scorn and mockery compact. The wrathful man if he doth wake, fretful with wrath his wake will be, and his watching proves to him full of rage and of cursings. If the babbler be waking, then his mouth becomes a passage which for sins is expeditious, but for prayers disrelish shews. T h e wise man if so be he that watches, one of two things chooseth him, either takes sweet", moderate, sleep, or a holy n i. e. T h i s n i g h t , t h o u g h dark outw a r d l y , is efficacious in brightening t h e i n w a r d m a n from w h a t happened on it. T h a t Christian festivals are seasons w h e n g r a c e is more fully poured out, will be obvious if we reflect that blessings are promised to j o i n t p r a y e r , and t h a t Angels were of old t h o u g h t to join in t h e m . I n H o s e a 2, 23. ( I will h e a r the heavens, and they shall

h e a r the e a r t h , &e.) an i n t e r c o m m u nion between h e a v e n and e a r t h and its j o y s is promised in Christian times. See St. Cyril on the place, p . 65. The E n g l i s h word w a t e , originally m e a n t a vigil before the feast of a dedication of a C h u r c h . See Johnson. It is h e r e used sometimes for a vigil, 0 T h e r e is some difficulty in this p a s s a g e : I be S y r i a c word mean-- origi-

8

Mercifulness

recommended

to us

Ps.45, vigil keeps. That night is fair, wherein the Fair One rose to c o m e an Cant. i , d make us fair. Let not aught that may disturb th' 1 e n t e r into our watch! Fair be kept the ear's approach 1 , chaste the seeing of the eye! hallowed the musing of "S. fil- the heart! speaking of the mouth be cleared 2 . Mary tered. j n u s to-day leaven come from Abraham. Let us then so pity beggars as did Abraham the needy. To-day the rennet 1 ' fell on us from the gentle David's house. Let a l Sam. man shew mercy to his persecutors, as did Jesse's son 2 4 Rings to Saul. The prophets' sweet salt is to-day among the Gentiles scattered. Let us gain a new savour by that, by the 13. 'which the ancient people lost their savour. Let us speak the speech of wisdom; speak we not of things beside it, lest we be ourselves beside i t ! In this night of reconcilement let no man be wroth or gloomy ! in this night that stillcth all, none that threateneth or disturbs ! This night belongeth to the sweet One ; bitter none, nor harsh be in i t ! In this night that is the meek One's, high or haughty none be in i t ! I n this day of pardoning 3 S. not let us not be unforgiving 3 ! In this day of gladnesses tres-' let us not spread sadnesses! In this day so sweet, let not passes. u s | ) C harsh ! In this day of peaceful rest, let us not be nally sweetly, then temperately. B e n e d . renders it somnum suavem, noxiis a c tristibus v a c u u m curis, sibi s t a t u i t . P e r haps he was influenced in this by the words of the h y m n in daily use at Compline, Proeul recedant somnia, E t noctium p h a n t a s m a t a &c. Comp. P s . 119, 56. I have t h o u g h t upon T h y N a m e , 0 L o r d , in the n i g h t season, and h a v e kept T h y l a w : this I h a d , because I kept thy commandments,—. where being able to h a v e God before us in the night season, is spoken of as a reward for keeping H i s c o m m a n d m e n t s . See too Aristot. E t h i c . N i c o m . i . & v. fin. a B e t t e r a r e the dreams ((pavraa-poira) of the good than those of ordinary m e n . " H o w e v e r we find in the Gospel t h a t our Lord docs not stay up late to pray, but either passes the w/tote night in p r a y e r , or else rises up very early in the morning ; and it seems to me t h a t St. E . whose m a n n e r it is to allude tacitly to Scripture, wished to lead men not to throw a w a y H i s blessed e x a m p l e herein, and to recommend t a k i n g one

of these two modes of keeping t h e vigil. V i g i l s might be m a d e an occasion of falling : henee St. H i l a r y says on t h e P s a l m j u s t quoted, " T h e n i g h t l y vigils m a y not be m a d e into a dangerous leisure wherewith to u n n e r v e t h e soul: but it is by p r a y e r s and supplications, and confessions of sin, t h a t its attention must be a r r e s t e d ; so t h a t at the very time, when to the vices of the body an occasion is administered, then especially m a y those very vices by t h e calling to inind of the L a w of God be crushed.'' P St. E . here alludes to the early days of D a v i d : h e brought cheeses to his b r e t h r e n ; these were m a d e by s e p a r a t i n g the curd from t h e whey w i t h rennet, a small quantity of which will curdle m u c h milk, as a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. A s to t h e word ¡ A m i o masto, which seems u n c o n nected with Semitic l a n g u a g e s , it probably is the s a m e ns the Sanscrit masf?t, whey.

by the mercies Christ has shewn

us.

9

wrathful in it! In this day when God did come to sinners, in his mind uplifted let not just o'er sinner be ! In this day in which there came the Lord of all unto the servants, condescending too be masters to their servants lovingly ! In this day in which the Rich poor became for our sakes, let the rich man make the poor man at his table with him share. On this day to us came forth the Gift, although we asked it n o t ! Let us therefore alms bestow on them that cry and beg of us. 'Tis to-day that opened for us a gate on high to our prayers. Let us open also gates to supplicants that have transgressed, and of us have asked [forgiveness.] To-day the Lord of nature's self was against His nature c h a n g e d ; let it not to us be irksome our evil wills to turn. Fixed in nature is the body, great or less cannot b e c o m e : but the will hath such dominion, it can grow to any measure"1. To-day r Divinity did seal itself upon Humanity, that so Humanity might be with the Godhead's stamp adorned. > St. E . seems to blend h e r e the account of the wilhering of the tig-tree and t h a t o f Zaccha?us climbing into the wild Jig-tree, as the S. V . renders it. St. Ambrose on St. L u k e 19, 15. " Zacchseus in t h e sycamore, is. so to say, a new fruit of a n e w e r a ; and so in this there is also a fulfilment of t h a t v e r s e : The fig-tree puttcth forth her green figs, C a n t . 2, 13. &o." The

word rational is h e r e used to e x p r e s s , m y s t i c a l : thus on R o m a n s 12, 1. we have Xoyixb X e c r g u a w h i c h Origen explains, of fulfilling in the spirit the sacrifices which the law by its types prescribes. A n d in the same w a y S t . C l e m e n t calls B a p t i s m , \eyixbv ¡¡Sag, mystical w a t e r . P r o t r e p t . 99. p. 79. 1'ott.

wonted

course of

Ihiinjs,

17

Zacchasus as f r u i t ; the fruit of its own nature it gave not, b u t it yielded one rational fruit! T h e Lord spread H i s thirst over the well, and caught her that was thirsty with the water that H e asked of her. H e caught one soul at the well, and again J o h n 4, caught with h e r the whole c i t y : twelve fishers the H o l y O n e 4 2 ' caught, and again caught with t h e m the whole world. As for Iscariot, that escaped from H i s nets, the strangling noose fell u p o n his n e c k ! H i s all quickening net catcheth the living, Mat. 13, a n d he that escapeth from it escapetli from the living. A n d who is able, Lord, to tell m e u p the several succours that are hid in T h e e ? H o w shall the p a r c h e d mouth be able to drink from the Fountain of the G o d h e a d 1 ! Answer 1 A than, to-day the voice of our petition, let our prayer which is in words {','ote e. take place in deeds. H e a l us, O my M a s t e r ; every time t h a t we see T h y Feast, may it cause the rumour [of wars] that we have heard to p a s s away c. Our mind wandereth amid these voices. O Voice of the Father, still the voices [of these reports] ; t l i e w o r l d i s n o i s y , i n T h e e l e t i t gain itself quiet, for by T h e e the sea was stilled from its storms. T h e devils rejoiced when they heard the voice of blasphemy : let the W a t c h e r s rejoice in us as they are wont 2 . F r o m amongst T h y fold t h e r e 2 see is the voice of sorrowfulness; O T h o u that makest all rejoice, 20. ' ' let T h y flock r e j o i c e ! as for our murmur, O my Master, in ^rulc® it reject us n o t : our mouth m u r m u r e t h since it is sinful. ' L e t T h y day, O L o r d , give us all m a n n e r of j o y ; with the flowers'1 of peace, let us keep T h y passover. I n the day of T h y Ascension we are lifted up : with the new B r e a d shall John20, be the memorial thereof. O L o r d , increase our peace, that we may k e e p the three feasts of the G o d h e a d ? Great is T h y day, Lord, let us not be despised. All men h o n o u r the day of T h y birth. T h o u righteous One, keep T h o u the glory of T h y b i r t h ; for even H e r o d honoured 1 the day of H i s birth ! T h e dances of the i m p u r e one pleased the t y r a n t ; to T h e e , Lord, c T h e f e a r of a n invasion of some kind is a g a i n alluded to in t h e last of the three R h y t h m s , adv. S c r u t . f u r t h e r on in t h e volume. li F l o w e r s used at E a s t e r in the Churches a r e h e r e alluded to. e Origen in L e v i t . viii. 33. remarks, t h a t none of the Saints is found (in H o l y W r i t ) to h a v e kept his own birthday or t h a t of a son or d a u g h t e r as a f e a s t : yet

P h a r a o h and H e r o d m a t e it a feast, J o b (3, 3.) and J e r e m i a h (20, ] 4.) curse t h e day of their b i i t h . T h e reason of this is, because we are born the children of w r a t h . See St. H i l a r y on P s . 119. J. 12. and St. A u s t . c. J u l . P e l . vi. §. 78. who quotes the same instances, Christ on the contrary was born sinless, and therefore H i s Birthday is a dav of joy. C

18

Christ's

birth-day

contrasted

with

Herod's:

let the voice of chaste women he s w e e t ! T h e e , Lord, let the voice of chaste women please, whose bodies T h o u guardest holily. T h e day of Herod was like him. T h y day too is like T h e e ! T h e day of the troubled one was troubled with sin; and fair as T h o u art is T h y fair day ! T h e feast of the tyrant killed the preacher; in T h y feast every man preacheth glory. O n the day of the murderer, the V o i c e f was put to silence, but on T h y day are the voices of the feast. T h e foul one in his feast put out the L i g h t , that darkness might cover p-6. the adulterers. T h e season of the H o l y One trimmeth lamps 1 , An. that darkness may flee with the hidden things thereof. The 2 p. 31. day of that fox 2 stank like himself, but holy is the feast of the 13, 32." True L a m b s. T h e day of the transgressor passed 3 away like 3 5 - t r a n s -himself: T h y day like Thyself abidet.h for ever. T h e day of 1

pressed

-

the tyrant raged like himself, because with its chain it 4 p- 8. put to silence the righteous V o i c e . T h e feast of the M e e k 4 One is tranquil like Himself, because H i s sun shineth upon H i s persecutors. T h e tyrant was conscious that H e was not a king, therefore to the K i n g of kings he gave place. T h e whole day, Lord, sufficeth me not to balance T h y praise with his blame. M a y T h y gracious day cause my sin to pass away, seeing that it is with the day of the impure one, that I have weighed T h y day ! For great is T h y day beyond comparison ! nor can it be compared with our days. The clay of man is as of the earthy : the day of G o d is as of G o d ! T h y day, Lord, is greater than those of the prophets' 1 , and I have taken and set it beside that of the murderer ! T h o u knowest, O Lord, as k n o w i n g all things, in what sense to 5 S. how take 5 the comparison that my tongue hath made. L e t T h y day to hear. g r a n j o u r r e q U e s t s f o r life, since his day granted the request for death. T h e needy king swore on his feast that half his kingdom should be the reward of the dance ! L e t T h y feast then, O T h o u that enrichest all, shed down in mercy a crumb' of fine ' T h i s w a s a c o m m o n n a m e of old f o r St. J o h n B a p t i s t , w i t h allusion to St. J o h n 1, 2 3 . as is t h e L i g h t w i t h allusion to P s . 132, 18. J o h n 5, 3 5 . V . C y r i l , de A d o r . p. 3 4 5 . St. A u s t . on the P s a l m . 8 I t m a y be well to observe once for all, t h a t t r u e is o f t e n u s e d , as in J o h n 15, 1. for ' r e a l , ' in opposition to 1 t y p i c a l , ' as in S c r i p t u r e , so in t h e F a thers.

h I t might seem from this t h a t there w e r e some d a y s k e p t in t h e i r h o n o u r ill the E a s t : the M a c c a b e e s were honoured in t h i s w a y in St. G r e g . N a z . ' s t i m e . O r a t . 22. ' B . r e n d e r s buccellce m i c a m . Mic h a e l i s g i v e s , on B a r b a h b u l ' s a u t h o r i t y , t h e sense of p a n i s s i m i l a g i n e u s . The w o r d ' p a r k u k o ' is s c a r c e l y S y r i a c : possibly c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e P e r s i a n p e r k u n g , dulciarii genus. M e n i n s k i .

its sacramental fruits,

with the miracles.

1!)

wheat flour! From the dry land gushed the Fountain, which sufficed to satisfy the thirst of the Gentiles! From the Virgin's womb as from a strong rock sprouted up the seed, whence was much fruit! Barns without number did Joseph Gen. 41, fill, and they were emptied and failed in the years of the 49 ' famine. One true Sheaf gave bread, the bread of Heaven, whereof there is no stint. The bread which the First-born John 6, brake in the wilderness failed and passed away though very 1 ' & c ' good. He returned again and broke the New Bread 1 which 1 p. io. ages and generations shall not waste away! The seven Mat. 15, loaves also that He brake failed, and the five loaves too thatfj^t.H He multiplied were consumed; the Bread that He brake ex- 1 ''ceeded the world's needs 2 , for the more it was divided, the more ^.overit multiplied exceedingly k . With much wine also He filled the"0 the waterpots. They drew it out, yet it failed though it v v a s j ' ™ l d 2 abundant: though of the Clip that He gave the draught was7. ' small, very great was its strength, so that there is no stint thereto. A Cup is He that containeth all strong wines, andPs.16,5. also a Mystery in the midst of which He Himself is ! The one Bread that He brake hath no bound, and the one Cup that He mingled 3 hath no stint! The Wheat that was sown, 3 p. 25. on the third day came up and filled the Garner of Life. The g. ' ' spiritual Bread, as the Giver of it, quickeneth the spiritual spi- 2 ° h n l 2 > ritually, and he that receiveth it carnally, receiveth it rashly to Mat. 13, no profit. This Bread of grace let the spirit receive discern- 30 ' ingly, as the medicine of Life. If the dead sacrifices in the l Cor. name of Devils were offered, yea eaten, not without a mystery, 10 ' 14The sun gave longer light 1 , and foreshadowed the mystery 1 s. preby the degrees which it had gone up. It was twelve days v a l l a since it had gone up, and to-day is the thirteenth day: a type exact of the Son's Birth" and of His Twelve. Moses shut upExod. a lamb in the month Nisan 2 on the tenth day; a type this ofi p' the Son that came into the womb and shut Himself up therein on the tenth day d . He came forth from the womb in this month in which the sun gives longer light. The darkness was overcome, that it might proclaim that Satan was overcome, and the sun gave light, that it might triumph, because the First-born was victorious. Along with the b i. e. the g a t e s of the h e a r t , before the g a t e s of the C h u r c h . c T h e increase of light at t h e time of the N a t i v i t y is noticed by St. G r e g . N y s s . iii. p. 340. e x t r . St. A u s t . Horn, iii. §. 3. i x . 3. xi. §. 1. and S. L e o , ii. 5. Of the dwelling on the n u m b e r we h a v e another instance in R . vii. A s for the precise time St. E . refers to, 1 am unable to discover w h a t it is, unless, according to the computation which was followed in Syria, the winter solstice was considered to t a k e place upon the 12th of D e c e m b e r , when the Sun enters C a pricorn : which would give e x a c t l y thirteen days. Macrob. S a t . i. 21. spealts of Capricorn as b r i n g i n g t h e Sun back from lower to h i g h e r regions, (of. Censor, de D . N . x x i . 13. Sen. N . Q . iii. 29.) P e t a v . (de Doct. T e m p . iv. 5. p . 340.) says, t h a t " such of t h e ancients as divided the y e a r so, t h a t the months thereof should answer to the signs of t h e zodiac, always divided t h e m in such w a y as to adapt the beginnings of each to the s u n ' s entering into the several s i g n s . " See Ideler M . u . T . Chronol. 1. p. 435. T h e question, however, is involved in several difficulties, the mere s t a t e m e n t of which would occupy too much room h e r e ; (compare Frolich

P r o l e g g . ad A n n a l e s Syriac. 1. c a p . 4 . with B a y e r , H i s t . Osrhoene. 1. §. 4.) to say nothing of t h e u n c e r t a i n t y as to the day for which St. E . intended this R h y t h m . F o r this (as the P r e s i d e n t of M a g d a l e n h a s kindly suggested) m i g h t be J a n . 6, and as several took t h e 23d or 24 th of D e c e m b e r for the w i n t e r solstice, (vide I d e l e r , as above,) J a n . 6 . m i g h t be the day intended by St. E . which would be t h e 13th d a y , if t h e 25th be called the first day a f t e r t h e solstice. I t is to be observed, t h a t St. Chrysostom (in N a t i v . init.) speaks of the celebration of the feast in D e c e m b e r as newly introduced. 3

wonderful and nimble 1 blasts ! Let the ornaments of Iletiven 1 s. the give honour to the gloriousness of Thy Essence ! Let t h e " heights rejoice in Thy coming down, the depths also e x u l t W e n e s s and give glory! 4. Let the sea rejoice at Thy treadings upon it, yea the d r y l a n d at Thy footsteps! Let our nature rejoice and give glory to Thee, because in it Thy Majesty dwelt! Let my weak mind give praise to Thee with words full of discernment ! Let the company of the Prophets rejoicc in the voice of the children's praise : let the band of the Apostles exult in the various voices of all measures ! To-day let the heavens rejoice, and all the ghostly companies, when they confess each in his own form Him that bowed Mis Height and came down ! To-day let the waters that are above r [the firmament] proclaim glory in Ilosauuahs ! To-day let the wafers that are beneath, yield the fruit of lauds unto Thy high and mighty Name ! 5. To-day let the firmament exult and give glory to that Essence that bowed the heavens and came down to the earth, that H e might dwell with the earthy ! To-day let the sun rejoice, yea, let his rays make them a joyful countenance, as confessing the Mighty Sun that gave shine to worlds and creatures! To-day let the moon glisten amid the glorious gleamings of the bright stars, as worshipping in a lofty place the Mighty One, W h o at His good pleasure humbled Himself ! To-day let all the bright stars in the garnishment of their forms send forth the presents of their praises to the Creator that garnished them ! To-day let the earth exult, and the mountains skip like lambs before the King's Son, Who made Himself l o w l y , W h o came that H e might visit things below ! To-day let the sea rejoice, and the islands that are in it wear a glad countenance at the Lord, W h o came from His place to the vile place of our human nature ! 6. To-day let the thickets rejoice and the groves' in their « Compare §.2. a n d 5 . 3 . n t t h e close, T h e waters above l!iu Viriiiiunonr may mean the Angels. I t m a y be worth noticing, t h a t the J e w s thought they were typified by the different branches employed. See G r o d d e c k d e F e s t o P a l m , in Ugolin. xviii. p. 526. T h e i r festival however was in September, and must

not be confounded with the event allnded to in the t e x t , ^ f & G k ) W > appBrently ftom ' \ L \ ± . \ t r o y e * , apparently name the context. I h e place of the ( M o t h . 2 K i n g s l b , b.) is namec. bably from a palm-g.ove , „ the ne bourhood. See Scrabo, *v,. p. , r t .

64

Vineyard of the Lord

overthrown.

trees, for lo ! their branches have been cut off to be a fair b a n n e r ! To-day do ye beasts e x u l t ; yea, let the wild beasts leap for joy, for lo ! borne upon the ass's foal is the Heavenly One, W h o hath come unto our abode ! To-day let the city of David rejoice exceedingly and be comforted, for lo ! Luke 9, the Lord of all creatures hath set H i s face to come unto her!

51.

To-day let the places round about rejoice, and let the cities be troubled at the cry of the children that cry aloud, Blessed 9 ' be H e that cometh ! 7. To-day the vineyard of the well-beloved is barren and Is. 5, l.scattered among the nations, and lo! the tramplers treat it contemptuous]}', for it is made a mock and is broken down ! T h e hedge thereof that was rejected hath fallen ; to-day it is removed and destroyed: and its high tower to-day hath the voice of the cry shaken down as Jericho E, which was ruined at the voice of their trumpets! Of the vines that were worn 1 see out and spoiled, to-day a restoration 1 happened, for in their ref?2. p ' a c e w a s planted the Vine that grew among the nations! p. 58. The great vineyard that was fruitless did the beasts of the 2 S.clus-forest feed upon: for it yielded not grapes, but wild clusters 2 , pod's°f a n d Lord of the vineyard was wrath, and kindled fire in the branches thereof, and also commanded the clouds that they give not the rain in its season, that it might be dry and barren and without fruit or green leaves. H e cut off from it the rain of the Prophets h and the spiritual dew of the Seers, for the well of Jacob was dried up, and the stream of Israel had failed. Zech. 8. T h e two rods full of fatness H e cut away from the portion Mat.21,

s On J o e l 1. St. E . says, ' Evil is typified by evil that is like itself.' I t is on this principle that Sodom and E g y p t become mystical names for J e r u s a l e m after her sin, R e v . 11, 8. and J e r i c h o in the t e x t is paralleled with J e r u s a l e m . h H e is referring to I s . 5, 6. where he says, u I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, i. e. I will prohibit the Prophets from prophesying to i t : for rain is a mystical name of prophecy and the knowledge of God's will. T h e Prophets also H e surnameth clouds, because they have rained upon us the rain of h e a v e n , " quoting D e u t . 32, 2. Amos 4, 7. And again

on J e r e m . 43. p. 145. quoting I s . 19, 1. " also the holy Prophets are mystically meant by the n a m e of clouds, as in I s a i a h it is written, that God said of H i s people Israel, (which is typified by the n a m e of vineyard,) ' I will break down,' &c. Clouds then is w h a t H e here calls the prophets, who have rained upon us the heavenly r a i n . " So J e r o m e on Is. s i x . 1. St. Aust. c. F a u s t , xii. 22. St. H i l . in P s . lxvii. §. 36. St. Cyril on E s a i . p. 82. b. Pseudo-Bas. in E s . p. 483. e. Greg. M. Moral, xvii. §. 36. T h i s was taken from the J e w s , who explain I s a i a h 5, 6. in the same way. v. Chaldee P a r .

while

th"

Church

is in jay

with

the

departed.

65

ot Abraham, and the kingdom and the priesthood' perished from Israel. Me cut off the crowns to-day, loosening the crown E i e k . of J u d a h ; and the Lord caused the ruler to pass from H i s 2 1 ' 2 6 " people, the prince and him that was of venerable countenance, Is. 3,3, the wise man, and the counsellor, and the prophet, with the chief ruler ! To-day the congregation that loved feast-days, See sittcth in sorrow ; because she declined the feast-day of the^ 1 "™'^' Son, H e hath despised and rejected her feast-days ! To-day Hos. 2, the glory passed away from the people of Israel, and they stand Amos 5, among the nations ashamed, as Cain was, at their unnatural 2 1 deed ! To-day the breaches are multiplied in the dwellings of Jacob in every quarter, seeing the Workman that builded her walls hath now destroyed her corner-stones ! To-day let the synagogue sing this song among the people, H e hath Bar. 4, brought upon me a great mourning, the Lord hath left me desolate, and the Lord hath forgotten that I am H i s heritage, and hath reckoned me as a stranger, and as a widow that is bereaved ! 9. To-day let our congregation rejoice with the voice of the sweet things of the Prophets, and let us make the boughs of praise to flourish, and let us flower as the lilies! To-day let us pluck fruits from the plot of the Prophets, and by the luscious things of their gardens gain we spiritual sweetnesses! Clap your hands, O ye people, in this spiritual feast, and sing with your Hosannahs to H i m that crownetli your feastdays. Jacob will come and preach to you the foal and the Gen. 49, vine, David will rouse the babes and sucklings' to praise,p 1 ' 8 2_ Zachariah crieth to Jerusalem, ' Rejoice and be glad, t h o u 1 daughter of Zion.' Isaiah again will preach unto us as hinting o n e s the disciples, ' Behold upon the mountains the feet of t h e m ^ e c h . 9, that proclaim the glad tidings of righteousness.' His entrance i s . 5 2 , 7 . into Zion with a great procession of H o s a n n a h s is a type of • So on Zachariah 1. c. p. 303. I have Grecian k i n g s ; and of the heads of the destroyed three shepherds in one month. people, h oi" every office of power in H e does not mean, J , even / , have de- the nation was, in the couise of seasons stroyed them•—lint the people of the and years, cut down bit by bit, till our H e b r e w s have destroyed them by their Xjord came, and by H i s coming the sins, to wit, the order of kings, priests, whole of their glory passed away and and prophets. And perhaps this is to came to an e n d . . . .kings, priests, and be taken of the iniquitous rulers and prophets, of the ancient people and land, priests, who sold the priesthood; and of did the Lord destroy on the day of H i s those that trafficked therein, to wit, the Crucifixion.

F

Witnesses

T h e children

before

hands,

Him

Him with

with

their

Hosannahs

after

a

glorious

of t h e A p o s t l e s , a n d §. 12. y e a ,

|'2^'

see

Prophet*

j o y s , a n d fulfilletli m y s t e r i e s a n d p a r a b l e s .

and 1

oj the

and

trumpets

the

branches do

sort

simple there

holiness

priesthood.

proclaim

in

their

and

cleaveth And

before H i m

artless

surrounds the

to

Him, and

Prophets1

band

royalty,

with

their unto

H i m praise—the gifts they

give fI i m — a n d with variety of s o u n d s t h e y p i c t u r e B a r . 3,

sing;

the

their mysteries, and as

the K i n g they pour forth to m e e t of

unto

babes

Him

run

and

similitudes

Him. 10.

O n e s a i t h , this is H e W h o m

Gen.28 e n d k u n t o t h e e a r t h : a n d a n o t h e r

I said w o u l d c o m c in said, that u p o n the

the

ladder

13 • he saw H i m standing. O n e s a i t h , t h i s is H e W h o m I s a w Exod. 3 . 2. p. e s ! i n t h e b u s h i n t h e l i k e n e s s o f fire : a n d a n o t h e r c a l l e d H i m

Ezek' l ' W o n d e r f u l , a n d M i g h t y G o d o f t h e a g e s 1 . 33; l i , ' H e 23

'

See

that

lightnings,

came and

down came

amid in

the

mountain top, and I saw H i m .

the

crashes

voice

of

O n e saith, T h i s and

the

a trumpet

is

mighty

upon

A n d another cried and

the said,

i4.ph'3'Praise thy G o d , 0 Zion, take the h a r p and the lute, a n d

sing

Is. 24,

u n t o H i m with tliy s o n g s ! O n e said, l i e is t h e R e m n a n t

that

13

w a s p l u c k e d off f r o m I s r a e l :

and

'

>- This is in the G r . L a t . Syr. and A r . though not in E . V. St. E p h r e m , who on J e r e m . xiv. extr. classes together B a r u e h and H a b a k k u k as d i s c i p l e s of J e r e m i a h , quotes the hook of Baruch as Scripture here and above, 8. as do St. A t h a n . de Deer. §. 12. §. 15. e. A r i a n . i. 12. ii. §. 49. Psendo-Bas. c. E u n o m . iv. p. 294. e : see the note, where S. Clemens Alex. S. Cyprian, and S. Ambrose, are cited, who quote him as J e r e m i a h , as do St. H i l a r , de T r i n . iv. §. 42. St. Cyr. c. J u l . ix. p. 2G7. Spanh. > S. God, mighty of the ages. T h e importance of this title lies in this that ' ages' were by some distinguished^from times. St. B a s . c. E a n . n . §.13. W hat time (xims) is to things ot tins worm, that is the n a t u r e of an age («,»,) to things above this world. B u t it so be there is any third thing which they of their own wisdom devise besides let them tell us. B u t so long as they have nothing to mention let them not forget t h a t they are making the Essence of the Only-Begotten posterior to the ages." l h e version exists only in the Svriac. as far as I know- Symmachus

and

another

took H i m u p

Theodotion render 1J? ' H X , n x r h g And it is from a combination 0 f this title with the preceding, that the gyriae version seems to have originated, the S t . E . on the plac-e understands prophet to mean ' of the worlds, i. e. of j j present, as ordering all, caring for t 8 them, and giving them life ; and of t h e f, l t ure, as being the K i n g , J u d g e , H e r i t a g e , and J o y of the S a i n t s . ' w h i c h Theodoret s e e m s ' t o copy. T h e title, however, appears to imply for the Son a pre-existenee to any, even the g r e a t e s t , duration m a n can conceive, takinar ^ ^ thg tQ s t a n d nQt absolute] ;t_ etern; bn(. f o r ^ c tion > > ; ^ ¡ ^ Jn case t h g ac would bo . ]jed 5n t h e ¿ e b r e w _ See 69 ^ ^ note and for use of the title n . N y s s . i. p. 386. d. chri G « T h e M a k e r i f a l l t h i n g s and t h e F a t h e r ^ ^ ^ rf g H g ^ * tha(. b attachi a n a m e 'of ^ d ; ^ (o t h e s{fason of H j s G e n e r a t ! o n , the words mav bring before o n e n o t t h e ' E x i s t e n c e b e f o r e the ages, fcut t h e G e n e r a t i o n i n t j m e b y t h e F f e s i ; ,5 B a W a t i o n . „ fof an(1

a}£,cs.

to the Messiah's power and

attributes.

(¡7

proclaimed, For Him it is that the Gentiles wait. One said, Gen.49, He is the Herb that sprung up and sprouted without seed : j s 53 2 and another answered and said, This is the Stock of Jesse, is. 11,1. One said, This is the Standard which should be lifted up to l s . 5 , 2 6 . the peoples of the earth : and another"1 likened Him to a sheep before the shearer. One said, doubtless this is He Is. 53,7. Whom the Gentiles wait to see: and another, that the Lord Is. 62,2. cometh down and treadeth forth over the top of the mountains. Amos 4, 13

One repeateth the mighty acts and the signs of His visitations; for, lo! He looseth the prisoners and bindeth up the broken- P s . 1 4 7 , hearted. Another seeketh" for His Name, and anxiously 'j' I s " 6 1 ' enquires how he shall call Him: He that taketh the Wind 1 in 30Prov. a > His fists, what is His Name and the Name of His cson. ' — 3100''r4 ' s irit One saith, As a root, so shall a dry land bear H i m : a n d P another crieth and saith, that before the sun His Name ps'. 72 ' existed". One saith, As for this Child, this day was His birth: J7- „ ,

Is. 9, 6.

and another, The Ancient of Days and the Elder of all thePs.2, 7. creation p . One saith, I saw Him standing against a highjP a n - / ' Ecclus. m By ' another' St. E . does not seem Chaldee and Syriae. Names of this kind ] 4, to mean more than another prophetic arenotuncoramonin Hebrew. Thesense ' witness or t e x t : for he had just before would then be, Before the existence of quoted one of the latter chapters of this the sun, a name indicative of H i s everprophet as Isaiah, 9. abiding posterity was given to H i m . " I t may be observed, that St. E. P On D a n . ]. c. " H e calls H i m the here cites Prov. x x x . as a prophecy, Ancient of Days, as indicating H i s as this confirms our version of the word Eternity from the F a t h e r . " By this Nt£?Dn, ' the prophecy.' However the remark, St. E . means to point out that Chaldee and Syriae render it so. the same name, ' Ancient of Days,' is 0 T h e Syriae and Chaldee give the applied here to the Son, as (in v. 13.) is passage this turn, so as to make the applied to the F a t h e r , of Whom the former part of the verse assert Christ's Son of Man received all power in existence to, the latter from, all eter- Heaven and in E a r t h . This (which nity. T h e L X X give, ' Before the sun he repeats adv. Scrut. x x x i . 1. 2.) seems H i s N a m e will abide,' i. e. probably, if more accurate and conformable to the man contemplates H i m , His N a m e description of the appearance in v. 9. will, at the end of such contemplation, and Rev. 11. than the interpretation of be found abiding before the sun. T h e St. Cyril de A dor. p. 113. and St. Austin difficulty arises from the ambiguity of de Trin. ii. §. 33. T h e other words do the Hebrew word which means not occur in the Old Testament. T h e 'before,' either in order of time,or ofplace, passage most like it is Ecclus. 1, 4. been created before all —in the presence of. I n the latter sense ' Wisdom hath T it has been used, v. 5. and this, with the things.' W here, however, the present future tense in the Hebrew, confirm the Syriae is, ' Wisdom is greater than all English Version. As, however, we things.' Or he may wish to refer more The see from Moses Haddarschan, a very generally to Prov. 8, 22. &c. ancient commentator, (quoted in the Syriae in Col. 1, 15. is not c ^ - a a o . Pugio Fidei, fol. 334.) t h a t the Jews but j f . 0 0 0 5 otherwise it appears, anciently took this verb as a proper that bt. E . in the next sentence intername,—Before the S u n ' H i s N a m e was prets Zech. 4, 4. 10. and 5, 1. to which Jinnon.'—Whence we may also see how he seems to be alluding by a reference the perfect comes to be supplied in the to Rev. 14, 6. On 5, 1. he says, o F

68

Witness of the

Prophets;

Amos 7, wall: and another calletli Him Angel, because the Gospel of 2 chron F a t ' l e r w a s i11 I lis hand 11. One saith, Shall God indeed 6 I8 i - dwell with men ? and another saith on this wise, H e is the Is.25,9 „„ _ Lord our God. ITs , 6 0 , 1.

1 t • One saith unto Jerusalem, Arise and shine, for thy Light 14.p.50.is come : and another, Exult, thou daughter of Zion, rejoice 12. ' ' and shout, Jerusalem. On:; saitli, that He is the Day-Spring: N u m b . a n o t h e r calls Him, Star. One saith, Ho is a Rod : another, Zeph 3

24 17.

Ps'. no, 2^80) 11. 53

the Shepherd of Israel. One saith, H e is a King: another, a Head and Counsellor. One saith, H e is a L a m b : and another, a whole Offering. One saith, H e is a Stone cut out without hands : and another calleth Him, a Prince of Peace Mic.5,5. and Righteousness. One saith, it is H e W h o m I saw Dan. 7, carried upon the clouds: and another saw H i m sitting upon Is.'e, ]. t^10 chariot of Cherubim. One saith, that I saw Him sitting upon a high throne, and with the train of His skirts the holy Temple was filled: others were making wise significations of secret mysteries. One said, I heard from the Father, Gen. 11, saying, Come, let us go down unto Babylon and divide the Dan. 4 tongues there 1 : another preached and said, To thee They 31 speak, Nebuchadnezzar. Another said, As for me, I was preached of that I should come forth to preach in the Gen. l, world that the Lord said to His Only-begotten, Come, let Us Ps.72,G. make man in Our image. One shadowed out His comingdown in a shower that cometh down tranquilly, and Mary again he shadowed forth in a Fleece" comely and pure. Jer. 31, Another foreshewed His Conception, and shadowed out His 22.

" goes forth," i . e . to destroy the earth for the wickedness of its inhabitants, W h a t he says of the roll points to the Incarnation of E m m a n u e l , W h o was lrang upon the Cross. A n d if any one should say, ' why, he calleth it a curse,' let him be persuaded by the Apostle, who says, ' H e was made a curse for us.' 1 I t is to be observed, that St. E . here looks upon the A n g e l as the Son. U p o n E x o d u s 3. he observe«, t h a t p o s e s at first saw a dim vision of an Angel, but thai a , be drew n e a n r, he perieived t h a t i t w u s not an Angel, but God speaking in an A n g e l . See upon S. A t h a n a s i u s , p. 120. r On G e n . 11. " I n this passage it is not one that i= spoken to, for the phrase

' come let us go d o w n , ' w e r e out of place of one. It was to the Son then and to the Spirit t h a t H e spake, i n a s m u c h as neither the former nor the l a t t e r tongues were given without the Son and the Spirit." See also adv. S c r u t . lx. §. 5 . I n the n e x t words he probably m e a n s to insist on the plural verb, ' T h e y speak' (which the I. X X . and S y r i a c , following t h e o r i g i n a l l i t e r a l l y , preserve) as i : •'•. • I1 e T r i n i t y . • !• I .•. is commonly t h u s e x pla'ned. See J . L a u r e t u s Sylv. A l l e g . n. v. St. 10. on J u d g e s , p. 317. " T h e Fleece of Gideon, in t h a t it w a s a reeeptacle for the dew of h e a v e n , h a s prefigured the V i r g i n in whom the Word b e c a m e F l e s h . "

Christ seemed contemptible

to the Jews.

6!)

Birth. One hinted at the W a y [saying], Make straight t h e i s . 4 0 , 3 . W a y of our God. 12. W i t h these voices was H e magnified as H e went into Jerusalem, and a company of Prophets moved at His entrance into Zion ; and there were gathered together t h e S e e §§• children, and Prophets with disciples that they might bring the King in with pomp, and with the grandeur of their Hosannahs. T h e Church of the Gentiles longed for H i m and worshipped Him, the King of k i n g s ; and at H i m the harlot synagogue full of stains 1 was indignant: she received 1 below, H i m not with exultation, as the Prophets had plainly told1*' her. She saw H i s Majesty and felt afraid, that the Most H i g h was come to her, and His Holiness, and she burned with vexation. Because she was wanton between the logs, she looked again upon l i i m rashly, sinco H e was contemptible in H i s b o d y ; and turned aside from the glory of His Essence, which was hidden in H i s Godhead. David the son of Jesse cried unto her, because of that hidden glory ; in the beauty p s . n o of holiness was H e born from the Bosom of [His Father's] ^ s y r Essence. H i m W h o rode upon the back of the unharnessed ass's foal, did the Father beget in a hidden way from the beginning'* in H i s 2 E s s e n c e : from us, however, 2 S. the H e was [born] visibly in the limits of times and seasons. T h e Lord sware andlietli not as speaking to 3 H i s beloved S o n , 3 S. be-

cause of

t ' From the beginning' is paraphrased by Assem. ' ante omne tempus which may be allowable enough as a paraphrase, but is not a translation. The phrase " from the beginning" is probably used as D V D in Is. 43, 13. for before, literally, from the day, i. e. before time was. St. Hil. de Trin. ii. 13. on St. John 1, 1. ' I n the Beginning was the Word,' says, " Times are passed over, ages are left out, eras are put aside. Set up in your mind any Beginning that you please, you do not grasp H i m in time, for H e already was at the period the reckoning dates from for H e was that which H e is, neither is there any time whereto H e is so bounded as to have had a beginning, seeing H e rather in the Beginning was, than came t o b e . " See adv.Scrut.l.§. 1 To this may be added apassagefrom S.Greg. Nyss. ii. p. 370. " Since the word (¡¿¡x*) Beginning has many significations, and makes

many different impressions on the mind, there is a sense in which we assert, that the title ' Without a Becrinnin?' is not improper to give to the Sun. Km- when from the expression ' Without a Beginning' is intended to imply a Subsistency, having no origin but Itself, we allow that this is an attribute only of the Father. But when the discussion is upon the other significations of ' Beginning,' since one may form an idea of the beginning of some creature, or time, or order ; in respect of these of the Only-Begotten also we attest, that H e is high above a beginning, so as to believe T h a t by Which all things came to exist, to be above any beginning of a creation, or conception of time, or sequence of order: and thus H e who in respect of His Subsistency is i,ot without a Beginning, in all other respects hath confessedly the title ' Without a Beginning.' "

70

The Jews

rejected,

T h o u art a spiritual Priest like Melchizedek, for ever. For David shadowed out for H i m this true image : after the manner of a man he moulded H i m in his Psalms discerningly, in that mention is made of H i s human nature with which H e clothed Himself when H e c a m e : for in it" it was that the 1 p.32, Priesthood was fore-ordained to belong to that H i g h - P r i e s t ' n o t e n"Who is for ever, and to that K i n g W h o shall never decease. For Thou, it says, art a Priest for ever, T h y dominion is an Ps. ]45, everlasting dominion, and T h y kingdom is over all generations. 2 p' 34 these graces which are blended 2 with the hidden nature n. q. of the Godhead, David shadowed forth before the eyes of the daughter of Jerusalem, similitudes of this King of glory, before whom the Prophets cried out, Hearken, and look, and Ps. 45, incline thine ear to the voice of the children's praise, and 10

•

forget thine iniquity and thy people's, and the rebellion of thy father's house, because the King is ravished with thy 3S. thy grace, and longeth exceedingly for thee who art so glorious 3 . ness!°US"She despised the voice of the Prophets and the preaching of the Apostles; and to the youths and the children she inclined not her harlot ear, which listened not, neither went along with the joyousness or praise. H e wrote and delivered to her the divorcement as being rejected and polluted. H e took the veil from her head, and from her eyes also chastity v : H e stripped her of lier ornaments, and doubled back and lifted up her covering: H e took her necklaces from her neck, and took away her bracelets and her armlets; and as an adulteress and a harlot H e drove her out and sent her forth from His chamber ; and she sat without a veil, and with her head uncovered and disgraced ! 14. W h e r e is the beauty of thy youth, yea, the glory of thy nuptials ? Where are thy days, those former ones that were of 11 St. Cyril c. N e s t o r , iii. p. 86. b. " P e r h a p s (Nestorius) you will say this, ' W h e n aflirming t h a t it is the W o r d of God t h e F a t h e r , with H i s own F l e s h , W h o in all things is O n e Christ and Son and L o r d , in w h a t sense are you to say, t h a t H e was appointed H i g h P r i e s t and Apostle ? Will you not in so s a y i n g be doing an insult to t h e exceeding dignity of H i s Divine Glory ?' W h a t I , friend, should say is, t h a t the OnlyBegotten W o t d of God was m a d e M a n , and it is the proportions of H i s H u -

m a n i t y with which the estate of P r i e s t h o o d s o r t e t h not i l l , " &c. I t is important to notice in how m a n y things the tone of St. E . ' s doctrine bears against N e storianism. Comp. note s. 1 T h i s admits of a sense as it stands, since chastity is of course a gift of God (see 1 Cor. 7, 7.); yet one cannot help f a n c y i n g the word m i g h t h a v e had some secondary sense, as ' a veil,' although our imperfect lexicons do not give it. Compare G e n . 20, lb',

dismantled,

and

chastised.

old ? Whore is thy beauty, and thy glory, and thy garniture, and thy comeliness ? Where is the house that Solomon built thee to thy glory ? Where is the priest and the epliod which stood and ministered to thee 1 ? Where i s the girdle that was '.s. stood bound on, and the chain too, and the turban ? Where the ¡^¡„jJ, fine linen, and the purple, and the bells of gold, and the trypomegranates ? where the row of beryls, the clusters of goodly stones ? Where is the table of gold, and shew-bread which was thereon ? where the fumes of propitiatory sacrifices, and the fat of whole burnt-offerings ? Where is the ark itself, and the tables of stone that were therein ? Where are the cups, and the dishes, and all the vessels of the ministry ? Where are thy feast-days, and thy new moons, and thy observances ? Rejoicing hath ceased from thee, and the sound of the dance and of thy chanting! and, lo ! wailing» arc the chants of thy mouth, and of thy children's mouths ! 15. What is thine iniquity, O daughter of Jacob, that thy chastisement is so severe ? Thou hast dishonoured the King Ps.72,1. and the King's Son y , thou shameless one and harlot! The King was dishonoured in the wilderness, and the King's Son again, in Jerusalem. The Father was exchanged for the calf and for sundry similitudes, and the Son also was ex- Luke23, changed for a thief and a blood-sliedder; and the Spirit of pg' ^g' the Lord did they vex among the strange,nations. The Trinity' 4 0 - 41. y On P s . lxxi. §. 2. St. Austin says, H e that is K i n g is also the K i n g ' s Son, seeing t h a t God the F a t h e r is K i n g which is indeed the usual interpretation. Comp. adv. Serut. lviii. 4. S. Methodius, as above, c. v. refers apparently to it, 1 [ H e is] a V e r y King Ii'mii a V e r y K i n g , having a Kingdom coeternal and before the ages, as H e h a t h Who begat H i m . For the K i n g dom is common to H i m , nor is it from without that the expression makes the Son to inherit the honour of this Kingship. or as if it had a beginning, or accrued to H i m — f a r from it—but it is one n a t u r a l and H i s own by a true possessorship. For there is one Kingship of the F a t h e r and of the Son and of the H o l y Spirit, as there is also one Essence and one Lordship. H e n c e also we do with one adoration worship the T r i n e Essence of the Godhead, which hath no beginning, creation, boundary, r >r successiveness. F o r neither will the i

F a t h e r ever cease to lie F a t h e r , or the Sou to he Son and K i n g , nor the H o l y Spirit to he t h a t which H e is by Essence/ z T h e s e words may be rendered, ' t h e Trinity that was from Eternity — H o w e v e r , this will not alter the passage in one respect, viz. in this, t h a t St. E . evidently here eontemplates the generality of the J e w s having access to a knowledge of the Trinity. T h i s opinion seems expressed with some limitation, a d \ . Serut. viii. §. 2, and xliv. §. 3. lix. §. 2. and coat. Scrnt. i. §. 37. on which see the notes. I think it will be found, that other F a t h e r s agree with St. E . in proportion as they had access to Jewish sources of information. T h u s Origeti in J o s h . iii. 2. " I think that those of old who were under the L a w , attained indeed a knowledge of the T r i n i t y , though not a. whole and perfect, but a partial one. inasmuch

72

The Jews' adoption of Idols for the

Triniti/

that was of old she despised, and behaved herself madly, and loved vain gods, devils, and fortunes, and images. For Saturn 3 had honour paid to him, and the Word of the Father got dishonoured; Chemosli 11 too was beloved, and the gracious Son was insulted. Thamuz'' was near and dear, and as in t h a t T r i n i t y there was w a n t i n g to t h e m a knowledge of the I n c a r n a t i o n , ' 5 &c. S. J u s t . M a r t , by his reasoning with T r y p h o appears to e x p e c t t h e m to allow a plurality of P e r s o n s , ' do ye admit, he says, t h a t the H o l y Ghost calletli any else God and L o r d beside the F a t h e r of all,' p. 2 7 7 . ed. 1686. comp. p. 2 / 4 . and St. A than, below. St. E p i p h a n . p. 18. ' I n the M o n a r c h y the T r i n i t y was ever preached and believed upon by the chiefest men a m c n g them, i. e. the P r o p h e t s and the Saints.' p. 24. ' I n the P e n t a t e u c h there is scattered here and there evidence of the Resurrection of the dead, yet it is not p r e a c h e d , so as to be visible to all ; and evidence is scattered also concerning th,. O n l y - B e g o t t e n Son of God and the Holy Spirit, and a g a i n s t idols. B u t one has the proof of the M o n a r c h y more visible to all, and in the M o n a r c h y the Trinity is spiritually declared,' cf. p. 899. 1 T h e One Godhead is chiefly declared in Moses. M o r e t h a n O n e (Sva?) in the Prophets is fully preached, but in the Gospels the T r i n i t y is made clear, suiting as it does better in respect of the seasons and generations for the justified (tucctiw) man to know and believe. S. Has. H e x . vi. §. 2. ' I n every part of the H i s t o r y is the Doctrine of Theology mystically scattered.' Pseudo-B. c . E u n . v. p. 317. ' T h e "Word did the F a t h e r s know, the "Word of God they worshipped, and with the W o r d the Spiiit.' W h a t St. B. himself says, p. 258, of fbe i-jn~' v :inco of the J e w s does not t v - » a n ! \ inako a g a i n s t this, as it may be observed, t h a t St. A t h a n . e. A r i a n . i. 38. ii. §. 1. iii. 28. speaks in a like way of {tuv vuv 'lot&uiw») the of t h a t day, (see also adv. Scrut. xliv. §. 3.) whereas in §. 40. St. A . speaks of the P a t r i a r c h s worshipping the Son. St. B.'s words are : " though there be m a n y things which s e p a r a t e Christianity off as well from Grecian error as from J e w i s h ignorance, I think no doctrine more peculiar to itself exists in the Gospel of our salvnHon than the belief in the F a t h e r and the Son."' So also Greir. N y s . i l . p.322. b. Sriil it must be admitted, that in h i s l i e x a e m . i x . § . 0 . and Horn, xxiv, p. he lmhw

same l a n g u a g e without any limitation to the l a t e r J e w s : and in H e x . vi. as above, seems r a t h e r to be looking at t h e actual contents of H o l y W r i t t h a n t h e insight the J e w s had into it. St. C h r y s . de I n e o m p r . v. " T h i s (the keeping the J e w s fiom Polytheism) w a s the cause why the Son of God was not clearly or manifestly, b u t darkly and sparingly, m a d e known to the J e w s . F o r as they were j u s t set free from P o l y t h e i s m , if they had had to h e a r of G o d , and God a g a i n , they would have turned b a c k a g a i n to this m i s c h i e f . " T h i s may suffice to shew the degree in which the F a t h e r s admit t h a t a knowledge of t h e T r i n i t y m i g h t have existed under the Old Testy ment, though it were but obscure and i m p e r f e c t . — I t m a y be added, that the reference to D a r a b b a s . which seems out of the order one should expect, is perhaps intended to refer to the g e n e r a l character of the J e w s : all along they preferred thieves and robbers to the W o r d , whether speaking in divers w a y s by the P r o p h e t s or in H i s own Person. Syr. Co von. P e r h a p s the same as p O Amos 5 , 2 6 . Some m a k e it S a t u r n , (?>ee G e s e m u s in v.) as St E . himself does p l a i n h , vol. ii. p. 458. c. and others t.ie same as H e r c u l e s . See Mover, die bdnizier, i. p. 425. who cites a N u m i d i a n inscription, where he is called, K i n g of E t e r n i t y . On Amos, St. E . s a y s , ' I n s t e a d of the P i l l a r of F i r e , [i. e. the Spiritual Rock t h a t followed t h e m , ] they worshipped a s t a r , ' m e a n i n g S a t u r n , see A barb. ap. J a b l o n s k i Opusc.ii. p. 16. and Acts vii. -!3. ' t h e star of your god Rephan.' Jews Chemosh the s a m e as B a a l - p e o r . So S. E p h r . on J e r . xlviii. 7. and St. J e r o m e on I s a i . xv. 2. whose concordant j u d g ment on the question is probably more to be depended on than that of moderns. c T h a m u z Adonis,see M o v e r , p . 195. Ashtaroth or A s t a r t e is m a d e by some V e n u s , by others J u n o or D i a n a , see Mover, p. 600. &e. Cicero de N a t . P e o r . iii 23. mentions t h a t she was the spouse of Adonis. If the V i r g o ccele-^tis, as thi'il s, St. F,\s contrast wou'd be clearer.

the cause of their final

rejection.

73

the Lord on high was rejected and despised. Astaroth was paraded in every place, and the Heavenly One was put aside. Baal was honoured by sacrifices, and the Messiah was persecuted of the impure. And the bats and ghosts Bar. 6, were worshipped in her chamber, and H e on whose nod t h e 2 2 ' earth hangetli, was smitten with palms in the streets. W h o hath heard the like of this which was done to the Redeemer? Jer, 19, Wherefore I will break you in pieces [it says] and make vou**' 23> a great reproach. These things did Israel hear from the mouth of prophecy, lo! ye are as Ethiopians, children that is.24,5. have transgressed My law. For the ox knoweth his owner i s . 1,3. and the ass his master's crib, but My people hath not known their God, and Israel hath not considered. Would that Ps. si, My people had known Me and Israel had walked in M y 1 3 ' ways, then had their enemies perished in a little while, and I should have turned My hand against them that hated them. For thus H e spake with them : with His reproach in severity and in His anger H e troubled them, and shame filled their faces. Jer. 51, And H e was wroth at Jerusalem and made it also desolate. 5 1 ' And the Prophet Isaiah cried, intimating [tilings] concerning i t ; that as a shed in the midst of a vineyard, and as a hovel is.1,8.9. which is let aloue, thus hath the Lord left Jerusalem, because of her iniquity. And except the Lord of Hosts had left a small remnant unto the assembly of the house of Israel, which was to shoot up from the stock of Jesse, they would have been as Sodom and would be like unto Gomorrha. 16. Yet now it thinks within itself that a restoration d shall be d See § 20. and adv. Scrut. xliv. 3. So too on I s a i . fin. ' The. interpretation however [of this p a s s a g e ] which is cert a i n , and squares in all points with the words of the P r o p h e t s and the history of the times is, t h a t whatever both P r o p h e t s , I s a i a h and Ezekiel, have said of the delivery and restitution of the J e w s , is to be taken of the days of the coming of our L o r d and of the p r e a c h i n g of H i s Gospel.' And elsewhere h e notices how prophecies which had a partial fulfilment at the return from the Captivity were really fulfilled at Christ's coming, as on J e r e m . 16. and 49. So also on 1 K i n g s i . p.440. he writes as follows, David in his old age " i s a type of the way in which, in the people of the J e w s , when grown old,

the warmth of love was gone, and the zeal for the L a w h a d w a x e d cold: the nakedness of their coldness was covered by the Prophets, y e t from the chilling of sin they g a t no h e a t ; for evil habits had seized t h e m , and as ice t h a t is not to he t h a w e d , so did these bind their limbs with cold : neither was any medicine found for their inveterate chill, which had entered into the ligaments of their body and rotted the marrow of their bones. Assistance from heaven therefore was expected by t h e m : fiom thencedidtheWisdomofGodcomedown: that is it which Abishag, the youthful and the fair, shadowelii out to us, and Phe came to H e r own, and lay in the bosom of the old ; but as ihis one was feeble, there was no cure wrought. F o r

74

The Jews' infatuation

in

expecting

again given unto it, this people who hath provoked God with all their perverse tumults; l o ! it expecteth, and searcheth into the times when its release shall be. It reads foolishly in the Prophets and understandeth not their words. And, as one that heareth a restoration [coming], with blustering voice it cries that Jerusalem shall be built again. T h e Hebrew, though hearkening and longing again, yet knows not wherefore it was destroyed. Again it saitli, that its glory is waxing great; and how it is to do so, it knoweth n o t ; and it muttereth to itself that its name shall be g r e a t ; and in whom it shall be great, it knoweth not Hie carnal

Jews.

81

'23. l i e rode the foal and came to that Jerusalem that thirsted for blood. She savv H i m and was filled with foolish envying, because she savv that H e was chaste a n d pure. Blessed b e the K i n g that made Himself lowly and sat upon a lowly colt: a n d Zion, when she saw H i s lowliness, despised H i m a n d would not receive H i m . Seraphim are a b a s h e d at H i s b r i g h t n e s s 1 , ' adv. neither are they able to look u p o n i t ; yet the children with ab.p.45! disciples sung before H i m with H o s a n n a h s . C h e r u b s at H i s brightness tremble, and b e n e a t h H i s chariot serve, yet did the disciples make ready a lowly colt for H i m , and H e sat thereon. O marvel how the King's Son humbled Himself a m o n g the earthy, for instead of fiery chariot H e upon a foal was borne ! E m p y r e a l s haste away from H i m in H i s high place with H i s Father, and babes in love shout to H i m , ' H o s a n n a h to the Son of David.' 24. T o David the king did the daughters of Israel sing with 1 Sam. the timbrels, and to the Son of David did the children give^ 8 c ' 6 ' glory with their H o s a n n a h s , and strawed their garments before the colt of the K i n g of kings, W h o rejected horses and chariots, and chose H i m a lowly beast*, that the word of Zachary might be fulfilled, which he prophesied to the daughter of Zion ; L o ! thy K i n g cometli riding u p o n a colt the foal of an ass. Before the Ark of G o d David the k i n g 2 Sam. sported, and before the colt of David's Son youths with t h e 6 ' 1 6 ' b r a n c h e s yielded praise. M i c h a l despised David, a n d so above, did the foolish old men the children. T h e y began too^'j! 5 ' crying out in churlish mood, let the voices of praise be put to silence, the shout also of the multitudes of disciples who were lauding the coming of the K i n g of kings, W h o humbled Himself a n d sat upon the lowly colt. 25. T h e K i n g of kings went into the city with the shout of glory which was fitting, and the contemptuous synagogue asked, W h o is this, and what the report of H i m ? It saw the multitudes that were praising Him, with n e w - c u t branches of palm, and envy 2 pricked the contemptuous one to p u t t h e 2 See Mat.2". 18.

1

Origen in M a t t h . xvi. §. 16. ' - H e came into Zion meek rn-i seated upon a beast and a young foul to visit I s r a e l , the while H e destioyod it. e form of words used c:t B a p t i s m , perhaps as well as to Christ. F e e adv. S c i u t . lii. §. ] . fin. lxv. 1. tin. and n. L. p. 8 7 . d I t s pure Conception, i. e. the P e a r l ' s , i e Christ's, the true P e a r l ' s . T h e passage is rather obscurely worded, its meaning seems to be, I saw H i s pure Conception of M a r y , who, with the Son within her, is a type of the Church. T h i s passage may be illustrated l.y the following, from A r e t a s ' C a t e n a on the Apocalypse, xii. 2 . p. 3 5 1 . 1. 9 . Souse? have taken the vision to refer to the M o t h e r of the L o r d . . . .whom as being pure and free fiom things earthly, he describes to be in heaven and not upon earth, being as the A n g e l s : and yet though so highly excelling in purity she partook of our lump: for v\ hat is it that David saith of the Lord's conception ? i H e shall descend as rain upon a Heece, and as a drop which droppeth upon the e a r t h ; ' meaning by i e a r t h ' the H o l y M o t h e r of the L o r d , in t h a t she was consubstaotial with us earthy beings. B u t let E u t y c h e s his impious dogma touching the M o t h e r of God and the L o r d ' s i n c a r n a t i o n , be c a s t forth oat of the divine precincts. And that she was clothed with the sun, and had the moon under her feet, H a b a k k u k is a sufficient voucher in those words of his: ' T h e fun -was lifted up, and the moon stood still in her o r d e r , ' m e a n i n g the Sun of R i g h t e o u s n e s s , Christ the Saviour, who by the p r e a c h i n g of the Gospel was exalted and set aloft : while the moon, i. e . the J e w s ' synagogue, no longer received after Christ's manifestation any accession by proselytes

from the Gentiles "With this too what G a b r i e l said to the V i r g i n harmonize th : 4 T h e P o w e r of the M o s t H i g h shall overshadow t h e e : ' for to have a covering cast about one, is all one with being overshadowed. Others

a g a i n , of whom is S . Methodius (see his Conviv. V i r g , viii. §. / . ) of P a t a r a , adapt the vision to holy Church as considering that this passage does not go well with the Lord's B i i t h , hecause H e had been brought forth such a long while before it. T h e Church then is clad with the Sun of R i g h t e o u s ness, and aiso has the light of the law. tV t : : -1 i. m o o n . " T h e fact i: • . ."•'• • • ews 0/ the passage existed, «hews that it admitted a iv.ofoldapplication.Epi,ih.H;vr.lxx\iii.§ U , i"."1.'''«'•• . 538.) God's own know . . !' I l:i - r i'with t h a t of H i s c r e a t u r e s . See Dionys. de Co?l. H i e r . cap. v. Cyril T h e s . p". 2(56, c. E p i p h a n . lxiv 33. quoted in St. J o . D a m a s c de F . O. ii. 3., and P e t a v . de Ang • ii. 4. §. 5. who h a s however not given these or any other p a s s a g e s from the F a t h e r s . H e shews however t h a t S t . T h o m a s held to t h e doctrine of St. E . and St. G r e g , even a f t e r the visibility of God had been authoritatively det e r m i n e d . I t should seem difficult to conceive of different orders of A n g e l s , without different degrees of knowledge to be i m p a r t e d , and of goodness leading them to impart it.

Degrees of knowledge as of created beings different.

1*21

stretch himself unto aught that is greater than his own 2 Cor. measure. Hereto nature witnesseth by the subordination 1 0 ' 14° that is therein 6 , for rank leadeth unto rank unto that which is the crown: and also the counsels of Jethro made subordinations Ex. 18, from degree to degree even u p to Moses himself. Men, who ^"xhe are of vile degree, trespass over the degrees of Angels to c o m e i i l e de .

„.

,

,

,

.

„ ,

,

grees of

up to the Inrst-born and search into Him ! man 3. It was not, Lord, from envy f in Thee, that Thy works were less than T h e e ; the work can never be made equal with itsP- H6. Maker. It were a fearful blasphemy if it could be made equal to Him, since the servant would be companion of his Lord, and the Lord fellow-servant of His servant. Blessed be he who hath felt that it was in H i s love that the Lord condescended and the Maker put on the work 8 . There is no c W e have already seen above, n. b. p. 107. St. E . ' s way of arguing from analogy upon such subjects: as it is a common habit with him so to argue, an instance or two shall be here added ; on Numbers xi.25. p. 257. he says, uGod took of the Spirit that was on him and gave it to the seventy eiders. As the fruits of trees receive the juice that distils from theirbranches, so the seventy elders felt the Spirit which distilled from Moses and entered into them. And again, the sense (of the text) is not that H e minished him, but it explains how it was from Christ that all intellectual Spirits received.' 7 On Numbers i. he says, p. 250, e. " Here is a ' type of the twelve Apostles, loy whose means the chosen below were enrolled in the Church on earth, but those above perhaps by the head of their orders. T h a t he did not number the tribe of Levi with Israel, although he was of Israel, is again a type of the Saints, who although they be of the world, yet are not reckoned of the world: The Archangels too are higher than their companies, as the head is above the members." Again, on Joshua, p. 305, c. " By those that dwell in cities are typified those that stand in the rank of virtues and powers and dominions ; those again who have their portion in country places are a semblance of those who stand in a lower contemplation, as Principalities and Angels." And on 1 Kings iv. p. 454. a. Of the different provisions for the king's table he says, " first take thee in the fine flour, a type

of those Angels, that without a veil, see the things of God, and are counted worthy to see the mysteries from God without the mediation of others. And these be like the fine Hour, because it is by a light clear and pure that they are enlightened, and are in their essence pure without spot and without mixture. These are they whom we account Seraphim and Cherubim. But those who eat flower mixed with bran, are those [men] who hitherto have not attained to a capability for the pure light, for hitherto they have not attained a mind mire and perfect every whit, but there is over them a covering like to the bran,&c." See also vol. i. p. 269. W e see here that he holds men and Angels to see God in very different ways; and that in spite of his holding as St. Thomas did, that Angels see God without any medium, he also holds in the text, that Angels themselves see H i m in different degrees. f This seems to have been originally suggested by Plato, (Tim. 10. " H e who established this universe was good, and in him vvhu is good doth no envy ever at any time have place,") and is used in a similar way by St. E . II. xlvi. §. 2. St. Athan. c. Gent. §. 41. St. Greg. N a z . p. 16. d. p. 543. d. St. Gr. Nys. c. Eun. p. 372. a. xxi. §. 2. St. Epipbau. i. p. 959. a. If Arianism grew out of Platonism, we should not forget any service the heathen did to orthodoxy, especially when (as Heindorf notices) he is opposing the current heathen notion of the enviousness of the Divinity. § i. e. put on our nature.

122

Christ takes our names, gives us His.

work of His that can be compared unto its Maker. For not even are the names of the two equal and more than the names are * p. 133. they themselves unequal. The Lord willed in His love 1 to make His servants share in His names. Priests and kings by grace clad on Thy surnames, and Moses and Joshua Thy names11. 4. Merciful was the Lord in that He also clad on our names; Mat. 13, even to a grain of mustard seed He condescended to com31 ' pare Himself. He gave unto us His Names, He took from us our names. His Names made us great, our names made Him small. Blessed be he who covered his own name with Thy goodly Name, and hath ornamented with Thy Name his own names: Let nature be a furnace' unto us * p. 133. for the word of truth. Lo, the sun is all of him visible 2 to the eye of all; it is not that he is in any thing concealed that the eye cannot search into him. The whole of him is visible before it, yet can it not see one hundredth part 3 » comp. of him . In the sun is revealed Thy hidden Generation, and n[e. ' who can gaze upon the might thereof 4 ? ^ 1 2 6 , 5 Again set thy heart [to think] how the sea 5 also is ins p. 87, accessible. It is not hidden by distance. L o ! though n 1" quite in the midst of it, the sailors are tossed about, they cannot [attain] to the end thereof; so is also His Majesty; in it dwell powers, natures, and Angels, and every thing plungeth into it and welleth forth in it, and yet is unable to search Him out! With every thing also is there mingled this common air on which our breath hangeth. Though its fetter gall us not, it entereth into us and cometh forth from us, and is unto us as though it were not. The hand falls upon it and it is not felt beneath i t ; it flees without changing while it is in the hand; when it is taken, it lets itself not be taken. Its breath passes through bodies, things bound in it are as loose things, that turn them whithersoever they please. They come and go in the midst of it k . On one h ' N a m e s ' s e e m to mean something more proper than surnames; the latter probably mean such names as Rock, Axe,Worm, King of Righteousness, &c. Joshua is the same as Jesus, in Syriac; Moses'being called'God to P h a r a o h ' i s probably the other thing alluded to. 1 ' Furnace' is an expression which

occurs xx. §. 3. lvi. §. 6. lxiv. §. ] . vol. ii. p. 321. e. p. 454. d. p. 476.'d. &c. for some such idea as capacity for testing—perhaps suggested by Prov. 27, 21. k The compatibility of God's grace with man's freedom is noticed as a wonder again xxv. §.1. I t will be right

Analogies in air and colour to God''s pervading presence. 123 Breath all depend; It beareth all without weariness ; in His fulness they all dwell, and as in an empty space they abide. He is too great to be hidden in any thing. L o ! He is covered though not hidden, for with Himself He veileth Himself. 6. Parallels to the air, hath He made thee also in the colours'; by them hath He shadowed thee out a likeness of the Eternal, Who [Himself] cannot be shadowed out. For He is near us and far off; though He is in us, He is not; and though the creation is in Him, it is as though it were not in H i m ; though to quote some passages here to shew how strongly he (in common with other writers before Pelagian times) expressed himself upon man's freedom, as the weight of the passage in the text cannot otherwise be duly appreciated. Vol. ii. p. 326. b. " If Enoch, that lived, found no way to live without the Tree of Life, who is there that can live without the living Son, Whose fruit giveth life to all ? No man can gain a reward proportioned to his labour save by justice: no man can receive one greater than his labour save by grace. Whose labour then sufficeth for the price of the Kingdom and receivetli in justice so as not to inherit by grace ? There is a drop by justice and the rest by grace. The labour of justice (i. e. which in justice requires reward) is the cause to the Giver, to give for the little great riches without measure. Neither is He blameable for adding, who addeth thus to all things. For a mortal man's scant labour in the stead of much persuadeth that he will hereafter work : for were he to prolong his life, then his labours had been great. Wherefore it is justice while it is also grace, for it would have been justice had his life been prolonged." Again ib. p. 461, e. he says, " Thou that art our Healer, heal our free-will: healed may it be by Thee, and by Thee forgiveness gain. Refuse not to assist it, for in Thee its health also standeth. 0 mighty gift, whereby Thou hast made us greater than the seas that are fettered by their boundaries, than the earth, the heaven, and the mountains that without are very small! May our Lord visit our mind, the will whereof is enfeebled by its wealth, and its thoughts by its possessions, and by its desires enfeebled is its power. For evil, if man willeth not, does not exist, like darkness which

existeth not if it be light, or a forest, if it be let run wild, for want of tilling. Blessed be the Creator of freewill, the handmaid to whom He hath given power over the soul. Who is to hide free-will that is as the sun shining in the firmament? who deny its dominion wrhereof the power is as God in might P comp. (vol. i. p. 120.) quoted in p. 117. n. k Blessed be H e that plaited the commandments that by them free-will might be crowned! Blessed be He that hath made just men numerous, to be witnesses that cry aloud concerning free-will." See xxv. 3. xxviii. 2. xxxi. 2. lxxix. 3. contr. Scrut. i. §. 35. Again, vol. i. p. 143, a. speaking of Cain he says; " if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door of thy heart; these words go to shew, that God wisheth man's repentance and waiteth for him to return, and exciteth and giveth opportunities which are a call thereto. They shew also that man has power over himself and a liberty of willing. Lo, sin lieth at the door of thy mind like to a fanged beast at the door of a house, if thou turn thee to it, it will get it power over thee." St. E., as other Fathers, when arguing with fatalists, insists on the fact of man's freedom, and does not go into the question of the way in which he became free. See his de Lib. Arbitrio, iii. p. 359. Petavius de Deo ix. 4. and 5. notices how the earlier writers have been causelessly impeached, and may yet be defended upon this subject. ' i. e. use the colours in a parallel way to what we have just been using the air: He is near, &c. He here states, what he alludes to, of the prototype instead of the type : otherwise the incomprehensibility of colour is the point to which he draws our attention.

124

The Son is as unsearchable

as the

Father,

Ps. 31, no one is able to veil himself in Him, yet He covereth him in p. lis, Himself. W e have shadowed forth for the sake of our quietness 1 n - M ° - t h e Eternal that cannot be felt: let us not explore H i m , b u t let us depart and go forth by the straight course to silence. I f a 1

E S r § . 4 . b l i n d n l a " s h a 1 1 t 0 l l c h a l i v i n S c o a l 2 1 0 explore it, its brightness 3s. ' 'pvofiteth him not, but its heat 3 burnetii him". So doth a power hidde,-, Essence harm them that search into it, but them that worship it, it advantageth. 7. The Son is close unto His Father in glory as in name ; seeing He is close Him in these two, H e is not distant from Him in the third thing. As the Father is unsearchable, so is the Son unsearchable. He that would search into the First-born would search into the Father. The Brifin s e a r c h i n & i n t 0 t h e Begotten is a bridge 4 which whoso passeth over, passeth on to search into the Father. Bethink thyself, lvV'i t h a t w h o s o w i s l i e t h t o examine and search into the fruit'5, his lxxvii." seeking speedily runs into the root that bare it. T h e Son is a treasurehouse wherein is searching and also treasure, for Mat. 13,the daring the searching of Thee, for the merchants 6 Thy e Pearl treasure. Both of them are to be wondered at. T h e guilty vi.§.3.R. doth searching into Thee employ'; the good is hidden in 7 S. fill Thy loving-kindness. 8. He condescended to come down to thee; taste the fruit of His love, and the sweetness thereof let it delight T h e e ; let not searching into Him harm thee; for He is able to be a 8 vi.§.2.medicine of life 8 and a medicine of death. Take from Him that which He brought, give unto Him also that which He will accept. Take from Him and give to Him ; take bowels »vii.j.3. 0 f mercies which He brought, and give works 9 which He will accept. Praise Him that brought a blessing; let Him receive of us prayer. Because the Adorable came down to us, He caused adoration to come up from us. Because He' J « « , gave us the Divine Nature'", we gave Him the human nature; because H e brought us the promise, we give Him the faith of Abraham His friend; for almsgivings have we put out to m. P e ^ a p s the mention of colours reminds him of a b ind man, and his having no sense for them F o r < all the blind do is to persuade their own mind by t a l k i n g and deceive those that h e a r them, as i f they had a perfect knowJrdge Of their diflerence, and could even

put it into words, b e i n g throueh t h e incomprehensibility of the n to them selves in a state of g n o r a n c e ' to a Í p h ¡ seemingly corrupt passage of F n f n h a nius, i . p . 9 9 1 c Co m Z i s , p,P the 3 ^ ^ imperfect vision of God given to man

yet is Light, Life, and Health interest" with

Him, that

to the good and humble.

we

mayJ demand

it of

125 Him Mat.25, 27.

again. 9. Praise thon the hidden Light by means of the gleaming from Him ; hard is it for the eye of the soul to look at the secret Light. By means of the shining from H i m 1 it is able to go 1 p- 87; to meet Him. H e sent forth a brightness from Himself to them that sit in darkness. H e turned away their eyes from the beauty of worthless things to the beauty of H i m that sent Him. Wonder is there and astonishment at our a g e 2 ! for 2 p. 107, there are bruises in our bodies, and scars in our souls, a n d " ' seams in our spirits. Instead then of searching out where there was medicine suited for us, we have probed our Physician, and have searched into I l i s nature and birth. Oh, how bitter is our wound ! It is with the Physician that chaseth away our pangs that we have bruised our own selves. 10. May T h y faith be in my mind a curdle which, when poured into it, may thicken my thoughts 3 from prying a n d 3 p. 98, straying. I will knock at T h y gate, O Lord, that Thy gift^' 5 " may dwell upon me in righteousness, that my poverty may come and be suddenly enriched, for it oweth ten thousand talents. O Lord, do Thou make me a debtor, that I may make Thee pay interest from what is Thine own. " fill. xvi. thou

See §. 10. and x x v . ;>. 4 . x x x v i i i . So of a nionlv he Hays, C a n . f u n e r . ' T h e priesthood is t h e t a l e n t which didst receive of thy Lord to t r a d e

t h e r e w i t h ; t h e stock for t r a d i n g itdoubled to H i m by interest and bv usury too.'

RHYTHM THE SIXTH. 1. H o w then can a man miss of the True One, when the True One is a great Mountain that mav be seen even by the blind ? For who does not perceive by the word ' Father' that H e has a Son ; it was not because H e was in need that H e begat Him, seeing that H e W h o begat H i m lacketh nothing; neither did any causes beget Him", the Father Himself in His Love b begat the Glorious Son. T h e eye is too weak to gaze upon the great might of the sun. H e maketh his intenseness dim, he softeneth down his vehemence, his ray doth spread itself abroad, and cometh down unto the eye. Without the Son of the H i d d e n no one hath seen the Hidden o n e ; for H e is concealed from His works. By H i s Son is the E s s e n c e ' seen which cannot be seen 0 . In the E a y from • T h e heretics said the Son was created as an i n s t r u m e n t to create the c r e a t u r e s : to this t h e F a t h e r s replied, t h a t would be to m a k e the creatures the final cause of the C r e a t o r . See P e t a v . d e T r i n . i i . 5 . § . 1 6 . T o somesuch arguing St. E . is probably a l l u d i n g : the connection is : the title F a t h e r implies the existence of the S o n : else G o d the F a t h e r m u s t h a v e been at some time lacking, and h a v e become F a t h e r w h i c h H e once was not. N e i t h e r w a s it any other cause e x t e r n a l to the F a t h e r , which led to the generation of the Son. b Assem. renders ' volúntate progenuit, nulla vi coactus :' t h e last clause is his own, and the whole version is a p a r a p h r a s e . ' I n or by H i s L o v e ' is t h e literal rendering, w h i c h would imply, though not n e a r so distinctly, t h a t the F a t h e r begot the So.. ' volúntate :' which mode of expression is of sufficiently f r e q u e n t occurrence not to require in itself any apology w h a t e v e r . See P e t a v . de T r i n . vi. 8. t h e context, therefore, if any thing, must be w h a t gives a n awkwardness to the expression. Still, 1 in H i s L o v e ' m a y bear the p a r a p h r a s e A . puts upon it, and imply t h a t the F a t h e r begot the Son voluntarily in t h e same sense t h a t H e exists H i m s e l f voluntarily, t h a t is, not at will, but w i t h H i s will, since H e cannot will Himself to be else than H e is. A g a i n , L o v e is a n a m e used for God, and therefore possibly the expression m i g h t m e a n ' in H i m s e l f . '

T h u s St. A u s t i n , de T r i n . x v . §. 37. " O t h e r Son of God's L o v e there is none s a \ e H e . W h o of H i s S u b s t a n c e is b e g o t t e n ; " speaking of Col. 1, 13. see t h e m a r g i n , where our version following the Syriae r e n d e r s ' beloved.' Possibly, however, t h e t e x t is corrupt, O l S O u should be read ciool^, ' i n H i s womb or bosom.' See f u r t h e r note at the end of this R . c See above, p. 68, n. q. I t was the doctrine of all the early F a t h e r s t h a t it was t h e Son and not the F a t h e r who manifested H i m s e l f . ( V i d e P e t a v . de T r i n . ii. 9. §. 9.) A s St. E . holds T h e m to be equally incomprehensible, h e m u s t here m e a n to refer to t h a t office of the Son spoken of in St. J o h n i. 18. V o l . ii. p . HOT. c. will illustrate the sequel, " B y H i s truth H e m a d e us m a n y medicines; H e m a d e H i s g r e a t n e s s little by borrowed names. B u t t h a t we m i g h t not think t h a t this was the whole of H i m , H e disclosed H i s G r e a t n e s s not such as it is, but proportioned to our s t r e n g t h . Even this G r e a t n e s s is b u t a littleness, seeing it is a spark from H i m which H e shewed u s : according to our pupils he set b e fore us of t h e multitude of H i s m i g h t y r a y s . " St. J u s t i n M a r t . c . T r y p h . p . 3 5 8 . uses the K a y in a similar way as a type of the I n c a r n a t e Son. L a t e r writers usually employ it as St. E . does below, xl. §. 1. lxxiii. i . of H i s Divine N a t u r e . See p. 133.

Various veils,thro" which man is visitedby

Christ,hisCreator.lil

Himself H e softened His wondrous might; for our Strengthener would not weaken. H e was pleasing unto us, when H e softened it for us. By a ray we have represented Him, not that this is indeed like Him, for there is nothing which accurately shadoweth forth Him 1 . H e lets Himself be sha-iR.xlii, dowed forth in similitudes, that according to our strength we may learn Him in His blessed dispensations. Scr. i. 2. For in bread the Strong One that cannot be eaten, is eaten. 3 3 ' In strong wine also is drunk the Power which cannot be drunk 2 . W e also anoint ourselves in oil with the Power%eeR.x. which cannot be used as ointment 3 . And as H e hath softened i y . ou.

Himself for the mouth in pleasant meats, and it eateth Him, 3 p- 90, so H e hath made the sight of Himself soft to the eye. H e hath softened His might in words, so that the ear may also hear Him. Amongst those conceived Thou art marvellous: amongst those bom Thou art glorious: amongst the baptized Thou art approved: amongst the redeemed Thou art desirable: amongst the sacrificed Thou art slain: amongst pleasant meats Thou art eaten: among the Prophets 4 Thou art mingled:«p. 49, in the Apostles Thou art mixed: the whole of Thee, Lord, is™g in all: in the deep Thou art buried : in the height T h o u o n R- 1 art worshipped ! 3. In the beginning then by the First-born were the works created. For God said, Let there be light, and it was created. To whom then did H e give the command, for as yet nothing existed? Now if H e had given the command to light, H e would not have commanded it to be, for H e said, Let there be light. For this word ' it was,' is different from Gen. J, ' let it be.' H e evidently intended the First-born when He 3 " created Adam, [saying,] Let Us make man in Our Image, ib.v.26. according to Our Likeness11. It were blindness to think that d This text has been already quoted, p. 68. with the same view as here. So on Gen. p. 18. d. The earth " brought forth cattle in such way as was fitting for the service of him who on that very day transgressed the commandment of his Lord. After having said of the creeping things, beasts, and cattle, that they were created on the sixth day, he proceeds to write of the creation of man who was formed, as it here saith, on thatsame sixth day. And God said, fyc. To whom then did God say, here and

in all places, when creating ? It is plain that it was to the Son H e said it. Of Him the Evangelist said, ' All things were by Him, and without Him was not any thing made.' John 1, 3. Paul also setteth to his seal concerning Him, and saith, In Him was created whatsoever is in heaven and on earth, all things visible and all things invisible. Col. 1, 16. In p. 128, b. he explains it as said by the Father to the Son and Spirit, Seeon Athanas.p.l20.n.p. Weseefrom p. 68, the text, and this passage, that the

128

The command

io create noi addressed

H e said it to Adam : seeing it was H e W h o quickened him a ter ' six thousand 0 years 1 , W h o also formed him sand ill the beginning on the sixth day, when 2 he provoked Him the w i t h t l i e w o o d sixth - Whoso thinketh again to say, that H e gave 2 p. 127, command to the Angels', it is a manifest audacity: if it be note ' right that the servant should be partaker with the Lord and companion in the work; how much more is it fitting for the 5 S.min-Son to exercise the commands 8 ' 2 of His Father, who with a voices v °ice was able to finish His work, and with a word the creation. 4. This also is made a question, for what reason God spake by His word and thus the work was made ? Was His Will tleth"

idea of explaining a w a y the passage b j t h e artifice of a ' pluralis m a j e s t a t i s ' d o e s not enter into the mind of one f a m i l i a r with a Semitic l a n g u a g e . e On J u d g . x i v . fin. he says, " T h a t Samson's riddle w a s explained on the seventh day shews t h a t in t h e seventh thousand [of y e a r s ] all the riddles and types which have been spoken are to be interpreted, before there be seen t h e table prepared for the spiritual m a r r i a g e feast of the Bride of C h r i s t . " I t was a common opinion t h a t the world would last seven thousand years. Of these six were supposed to h a v e gone before Christ. S e e B e d e o n Genes. 5. and compare St. E p h r e m upon D e u t . i. p. 259. where he speaks of five divisions of time before Christ. P e r h a p s the real m e a n i n g of this was, before Christ all was toil, after Christ the giving of rest and an easy yoke b e g a n . On G e n . p. 20 and p. 139. St. E . notices the seventh day as the type of the eternal S a b b a t h in H e a v e n , and not as here and implicitly, and on J u d g e s more explicitly, of the K i n g d o m of Christ on earth. T h e two views are easily reconciled : t h e s a m e Wood of t h e Cross which sweetens m a n ' s labour upon e a r t h will give a more full rest in H e a v e n , of which the Church is but the I m a g e . See p. 10, n. b. P e a r l vi. §. 2. f T h i s St. E . notices ii. p. 444. as a G r e c i a n e r r o r ; it is certainly a p a g a n error, and was thence adopted by the Gnostics,(see I r e n . i . §.24. Clem. Strom, ii. §. 38. p. 449. P o t t e r . A t h a n . c. A r . ii. § . 2 1 . A r c h e l . C a s c h a r . c. M a n . cap. x. E p i p h a n . i. p. 52. p. 62. p. 109—10.) and also bv the J e w s , (see Basil H e x . fin. V o i s i i i a d R . M . P u g fidei,fol.392.) T h i s is one of the m a n y instances in which St. E . glances at other heretics t h a n those against whom lie is w r i t i n g . See

however A t h a n . c. A r . i. 56. p. 262. 0 . T . where it is pointed out how A r i a n i s m would run up into this error. 1 Audacity' is almost a technical word with St. E . for heresy, h e r e t i c a l boldness. £ I n a passage presently quoted, p. 129. St. E . repeats this, " by H i m H e works and by H i m c o m m a n d s . " So St. A t h a n . de D . S. N , 9. p 15. and p. 118. O. T . quoting as was commonly done P s . 3 3 , 9 . Others however objected to speaking of the F a t h e r commanding' the Son, lest a n inferiority should thereby be implied. See P e t a v . de T r i n . ii. 1. 8. whence it will a p p e a r t h a t St. A t h a n . (c. A r . Or. ii. 31. see also on §. 21.) does not differ in doctrine from St. E . on t h e point; for in the expression with, a voice is implied t h a t there was no interval, as in t h e l case of h u m a n commands, b e t w e e n the command and t h e creation, the use of the word ' H e said' being an accommodation to our mode of t h o u g h t . See G r e g . N y s . c. E u n . p. 4 7 0 — 2 . St. E . ' s own words to t h a t effect m a y be added ; vol. 1. p. 128. " God said, Le't U s m a k e m a n in Our I m a g e and Our L i k e n e s s . I t is obvious t h a t the words are addressed by the F a t h e r to the Son and the Spirit for the creation of m a n . By these words p r e p a r a t o r y to the production of m a n it is seen, t h a t God was m a k i n g for him a glory g r e a t e r t h a n t h a t of all t h e sensitive creatures which H e created before him. F o r of these H e spake commanding!}- only : ' Let there be tight, let the earth bring forth, let the waters produce,' b u t of"the production of m a n H e speaketh words t h a t have a resemblance to the considering a n d reconsidering and the p r e p a r a t i o n s which men make in their d o i n g s . "

i o any of the creatures,

but to the Son,

129

then too weak to create in silence ? Or the sounds which H e spake did H e give them a body, so that they became the works 11 ? I?nth these alternatives are untenable 1;; t h a t 1 S. arc which is third is tenable, viz. that it was to the S c c o n d ° 0 ^ e Person 2 that H e gave the command; for if a man should s a y S . His that God gave the command to the work to be created 3 , this is confuted in Adam, since H e said not to him, let Us make*d man in Our image; it was not to His companion' that H e See spake, nor yet to H i s servant did H e give the command, jj 3'4_ I t was not meet that a servant should be made by his fellowservant. All of them were created by the Son. 5. A thing made is too little to create, along with the Creator, the creation. There is no other Eternal 4 to be as a 1 or partalier with H i m ; servant and associate fail, and the Only *'E™ begotten Son remains, who was not to be commanded as a servant, nor be put on an equality with a companion. H i s Son sufficed for His voice. Blessed be the Eternal that softened the might of H i s voice in H i s Son For behold the First-born how different H e is from companions, and from servants how diverse ! For H e is high and yet humbled Himself. H e is lifted up above servants and lowered more than companions. H e is not numbered with servants, neither is H e reckoned with companions. H e is raised up above b o t h ; H e is not servant, since H e is Son ; H e is not companion, since H e is First-born. T h e true One is plainly revealed to him that willetb to see Him. T h e six days that were created bear witness on six sides; they proclaim to the four quarters, and to the height, and to the depth, that if was not the things made which l i e commanded to make themselves; by One, from One, were they created. T h e Father gave the command with His voice ; the Son finished the work. h E p i p h a n . l x x i i i . §. 12. mentions t h a t t h e insisting on the application of s / a to the Son, originated in the a t tempt of P a u l of S a m o s a t a and M a r cellus to m a k e the W o r d a mere spoken word. T h e n q u o t i n g ' L e t there be, &c.' h e says, ' t h e words which t h e F a t h e r speaketh to the Sou a r e n o t Sons,' to which alternative t h e heretical interpretation o f ' G o d s a i d ' m u s t come if followed out. i Companion. A r c h e l . Cascli. as

above, mentions t h a t M a n e s looked on the p a s s a g e as implying a ruler speaking to other rulers, k T h i s m u s t bo considered (as t h e immediate mention of H u m i l i a t i o n shews) as a transition to the I n c a r nation. See on §. 1. A f t e r considering t h a t t h e Son is alone able to h e a r the F a t h e r , (so to speak of H i m who is all h e a r i n g , ) he b r e a k s off with a t h a n k s giving for t h e revelation G-od m a d e of Himself by H i s Son in the flesh. K

130

Tlte worth of Creation

dixeirwd.

(). It is very plain, that if H e commanded the earth to bring forth, it was fitting that. Tie should speak in the way of comGen. 2, mand with the earth also, as H e said unto live, in sorrow shall

16 2 21

'

'

' thou briny forth; instead of saying, let it briny forth, H e would have said, ' bring forth.' It was I lis Son Himself W h o set and planted it 1 : by the Tree: of Life alone, the Planter Heb. l, shadowed out I lis own Likeness- He knew how to make it known, that H e was speaking with water, as H e knew how to make it known, that H e was speaking' with Cain. W h e n H e Gen. i, said, let them briny forth fruit aburuhntth/, He would have

20

said,' Bring ye forth abundantly.' For His speaking to them was different from that to others. L i s beloved Son H e charged to create the beloved fishes and the beautiful birds. H e that knoweth ail things provided, that in the forming of 1 p. 127, man 1 H e should reveal the greatness of the First-bora. H e notesaw that of all His works the son of Adam was perverted'". H e revealed His Son openly, that whoso denied the Firstborn, him might Adam his father, who by the First-born was created, refute ; when he was not, by H i m He created him, and when he sinned and went astray, in H i m H e called him.—Jesus, Thou glorious Name, tliou bidden bridge that carrieth over from death to life, at Thee have I arrived and 2 S. sign stand still! in J Thy initial" 2 I am detained; be a bridge to ' T h e S y r i a e ha* t h e m a s c u l i n e pron o u n h e r e in t h e p r i n t e d t e x t . It' t h i s b e c o r r e c t , I a m u n a b l e to u n d e r s t a n d i t . I h a v e v e n t u r e d to r e n d e r , as if it were the feminine point, which the e d i t o r a p p e a r s f r o m h i s v e r s i o n to h a v e i n t e n d e d it t o b e . m V o l . ii. p. 4 7 9 . d. ' - O f ( A d a m ) m a n a l o n e is it w r i t t e n , t h a t 4 1 h a v e repented, ( G e n . 6, 6.) though he was f a i r e r t h a n all t h e c r e e p i n g t h i n g s a n d beasts without discernment.' T h e force of t h e n e x t w o r d s s e e m s to b e t h i s : t h e h e r e t i c s a s s e r t , t h a t to s a y t h e S o n is v e r y G o d , i m p l i e s t h a t H e is I n g e n e r a t e : t h e r e f o r e t h e r e will b e t w o I n g e n e r a t e s . (See D i d v i n u s de T r i n i t a t e p. 38. St. G r e g . N y s . ii. p. 3 8 4 . ) T o t h i s S t . E . replies; ' A d a m , though a created beiiiL 1 . seeing he was not/.i • "i : " - a r e . Still h e is n o t u n f r u i t f u l : h e h a s a son w i t h o u t there being thereby another ingenerate. I f t h i s is so w i t h c r e a t e d b e i n g s , h o w m u c h m o r e m i g h t it be c o n c e i v e d of an

o n e r , a t e N a t u r e . ' V i d e G r e g . N . ibid, p . 38(i. d. " I t may not be easy to ascertain p r e c i s e l y w h a t is h e r e in S t . E . ' s m i n d . St.Harnab. Ep.ix.St.Iren;eusfr.[p,345.J St. Clem. Al.Strom. vi.§.145.p.816. P o t t . S t . J e r o m e in Z e c h a r . viii. f i n . E p i p h a n . viii. 6 . ]. 3. l x x . 12. a n d o t h e r s c i t e d b y C o t e l . ad C o n s t . A p . ii. 2 5 . n o t i c e t h e I in o u r L o r d ' s n a m e as r e f e r r i n g to t e n in o n e w a y or o t h e r . A b o v e , p. 3 8 . S t . E . uses t h e ten as t h e s y m b o l of C h r i s t ' s H u m a n i t y , in p a r t p e r h a p s , b e c a u s e t h e Y o d is t h e s m a l l e s t of t h e l e t t e r * . ( S e e M a t t . v. 18.) H e r e t h e n h e m a v m e a n , o n e j o t of T h e e is too g r e a t for m e : in t h a t w h i c h is l e a s t in T h e e I l i n g e r , p r a y i n g of T h e e to m a k e T h y Incarnation a way whereby I may pass o v e r to t h e T r i n i t y . St. A u s t i n de D o c t r . C h r i s t i a n , ii. § . 2 5 . m a y p e r h a p s t h r o w s o m e f u r t h e r l i g h t on t h e p a s s a g e . ' T h e number ten signifieth the knowl e d g e of t h e C r e a t o r a n d t h e c r e a t u i e : for t h e t h r e e b e l o n g s to t h e C r e a t o r ,

l'tmayex

on

ilm

use

o f lite

nord

' Bosom.'

l:$i

my specch that I may pass over to T h y truth. T h y lo\c is a bridge to T h y servant ; by Thee shall I pass over to Thy F a t h e r : I will i)a«s over a n d say, blessed be l i e that softened down H i s might in H i s Sod ! and the seven indicates the c r e a t u r e ay reason of the life and body. For in the foftner there are three t h i n g s , w h e n c e it comes that God is to be loved w r ith a l l the h e a r t , w i t h all the soul, and with a l l the m i n d ; i n the body the four elements, of which it consists, are quite obvious/' T h i s m e a n i n g of four o c c i r s in St. E . i. p. 233 d. f. of our Lord's

T h e proposed emendation requires the c h a n g e of a single l e t t e r : how i a r the present letter in the codices m a y be l i k e the proposed one, in default of any a c c u r a t e description of the c h a r a c t e r used in them, (known to m e , ) I cannot j u d g e ; but 1 think there is strong internal evidence in its favour which I proceed to s t a t e . I t is a t h i n g very much to be observed, as b e a r i n g not only on this, but on other p a s s a g e s , t h a t St. Ephrern's m a n n e r is not to quote S c r i p t u r e , but to allude to it. Now whoever reads over t h i s section, must see, at first sight, that something, supposed to be known, is w a n t i n g to m a k e the connection bet w e e n its parts c l e a r . S t . J o h n 1, J 8. which h a s in the S y r i a c the very word proposed, will supply this w a n t , i n the S y r i a c it runs t h u s : ' N o m a n h a t h seen God at a n y t i m e : God, the On y B e g o t t e n . W h o is in the Bosom of His Father, H e hath declared H i m . ' A s sume t'.-f t q t . F . i v - r c t h — b i - " c u V t s to be '• • i• i•:.:!• v>, ii'. i ..• u s ; , ::...! i e p a s s a g e becomes c l e a r : insist on the present r e a d i n g , and t h e allusion is lost. N e x t , tho word (which it m a y seem to a S y r i a c scholar supererogatory to assert,) is in frequent use w i t h S t . Ephrem for the W o m b , or Bosom of the F a t h e r . A s the p a s s a g e s in w h i c h it occurs, w i l l of course throwl i g h t upon the p a s s a g e in question, it m a y be useful to put some of them together h e r e . (§. 1.) One of them h a s occurred a l ready in R . i i i . S . 2 . " Blessed, L o r d , b e he that knowetb t h a t Thou art in ihe

Bosom

of the

[Divine]

Essenre,

and

hath remembered that himself is fast f a l l i n g into the bosom of the e a r t h , his K

B o d y . A s persons of late y e a r s found mysteries in the n a m e L a t i n u s , or a s alpha and o m e g a are insisted on in H o l y W r i t , so w a s Christ's holy n a m e of old. S t . E . m a y refer to w h a t w a s obvious enough to devotional people

or the day.

I)idyinus de Trio. p. 201.

t r e a t s in a like w a y nf the word trtp-

OTt^a..

m o t h e r . " See also j . 7• and i x . 45. (§. 2.) In l x . §. 3. he s a y s , L e a v e y c unto God H i m s e l f ;i:e n a m e s t h a t H e called H i s Son : H e affirmed that H e b e g a t H i m from His oivn. Bosom, (or W o m b , ) yet not after our custom, but in a w a y above it, and all-wonderful." (§. 3.) And J. 5. ' T h e H o l y One in [ H i s N a m e ] ' E t e r n a l , ' is consistent with H i s E t e r n i t y , in [ H i s N a m e ] ' J ust,' with H i s J u s t i c e , i n [ H i s N a m e ] ' G o o d , ' with H i s Goodness: in these H e is consistent; and how comes H i s Fatherhood to be different, in that it is inconsistent with Itself, if [that i s ] H e h a s no glorious Son from H i s Bosom ? ' H e r e besides the j * " " ? ^ we h a v e the s a m e epithet of the Son ir—•• (.§. 4 . ) Contr. S c r u t . i. §. 2. fin. " I f thou canst find out the F a t h e r , then along with H i m ehalt thou find out the Son p H e is w i t h H i s Mouth when commanding, with H i s Arm w h e n H e ordereth t h i n g s . B y Him H e worketh, by H i m l i k e w i s e H e c o m m a n d s : the One for the Other alone sufliceth : in His Bosom is H e when H e embraceth, & c . " (§. o.) Ib. 1 4 . ' T h e F a t h e r , in whose Bosom is the Son, alone knoweth, & c . ' And iii. 10. ' [f thou canst m e a s u r e t h a t E t e r n a l One, then thou hast m e a sured the Son, t h a t i a from His Bosom.' V o l . ii. p. 330. a. ' Our Lord J e s u s Christ rose unto us from the Bosom of H i s 1 ' a t h e i . ' Ibid. p. 472. ' P r a i s e thou the Son t h a t dwelleth in His Bosom. and possesseth all things.' (§.«.)'!'.-t',.,r.. • ...-e : o n e . i n w ..•-.< I - ..no mistake as in the t e x t , as it w i l l s d ' v e as an introduction to two or three other

13-2

The use of the word ' liosoui

passages, that will be found to bear upon the doctrine in the text. I t occurs contr. Scrut. i. §. 30. " How should a fruit be named so, if in reality it were not so? Name thou the Father ' Root,' surname the Son as His ' Fruit.' H e is blended with Him, and distinct from Him. He is in His Buxom, and on His Right Hand. For if He were not blended with Him. then His .Beloved were not in His Bosom. If again He were not distinct from Him, He would not be sitting at His Eight Hand. Blended with Him is He, seeing He is in His Bosom, distinct from Him, seeing He is on His Right Hand. The)' are One in one "Will: They are Two in two Names: They have not two Wills. They have two appellations. The Name of Fatherhood helongeth to the Father: His N a m e guardetli His Honour. The Name of Gcnerateness belongeth to the Son, His Name guard eth His Generation," &c. see the place. Presently he adds, u Fruit and tree also are not one, though they are tine. The fruit is known as the fruit, and the tree as the root. In one equal love are they mingled." Perhaps ' bosoni should be substituted here. As then St. E . so frequently uses the word ' Bosom' in the sense here contemplated, as he uses it in a similar connection in (3.) to that of the present context, as a reference to St. John i. 18. will clear up the abrupt transition to the Incarnation ; as the phrase the F'ather Himself seems to have so little force with the present reading ; it seems not unlikely that the first letter of the word is wrong. The context with the proposed reading would be capable of some such paraphrase as this: Though human eyes cannot gaze at the Son, as He is in the Bosom of the Father, as neither can they at the sun's light in its bosom ; still in His Dispensation for man's good, the Son may be beheld. As St. E . is writing against the Anomoeans, it may serve further to illustrate the text, if some passages are put together which tend to shew that his view of doctrine is such as would preclude his sympathizing much with the Semi-arian way of opposing them. To the Anomoean tenet that the Son was unlike the Father, the Semiarians opposed their statement, that H e was in all things like (opemurui not tfuciriti), and by this rejection of the o/Aoovfftov precluded the possibility of asserting that They have one Will except

illustrated

figuratively, as brethren, who dwell together at unity, have one will. Doubtless the tone of the Semi-arians in many casts was better than their statements implied: still likeness of substance is not sameness, and therefore implies un~ likeuess, as St. Austin has on another matter observed, (c. Faust. Man. xvi. 15.) and as the Semi-arians at Ancyra (up. Epiphan. i. p. 855. a.) seen* to have seen. Neither am I able to see how the Two Persons, if not eonsubstantial, can possibly be conceived (safe fijurntively) to have one Will. So Greg, Ny-.ii.p..'iri>.d. " The identity of choices (vgouigiiTiaiv) necessarily indicates the community of nature in those that so choose." This (as has been shewm me) was proved by passages from the Fathers to he their usual doctrine, in the Lateran Council in A.D. 649. see Harduin's Cone. vol. iii. p. 858. Petav. de Trin. iv. ] 5. The doctrine of the Perichoresis is taught in the passage just given from St. E., the perfect in-dwelling of One Person in the Other being expressed by the word I have rendered ' blended,' which, as is plain from this and otherpassages, (see above,p. 34, n. g. and xl. §.1.) does not imply any confusion. Vol. ii. p. 471. d. puts his view on this pointbeyond a doubt. " One Na ne hath the Eternal, who hath none other (hat is equal to Him. Butif He (be repeated in His Son, i. e.) is two owing to having a Son, how can He dwell in Him when H e is not generate from Him ? Great perplexity seeing that if the two eternals dwell in each other, lo ! there is confusion with blasphemy. Hut if it be space in which they dwell, then the space is greater than the eternal, seeing it limiteth the same. It is clear that if Eternal dwell in Eternal, either H e is His Son, or of His framing. But if the eternals dwell from everlasting each in his own place, &e.'' Here he is arguing against the Manichoean notion of two eternal principles ; he winds up with the passage just quoted §.5. fromp.4/2, " Praise thou the Son, &c." and assumes the doctrine of the Perichoresis to be known, and that it will at once clash with the Manichaean doctrine. To speak of a coeternal Son in a co-eternal Father is consistent: to speak of a bad and good principle mutually indwelling in each other is inconsistent, and must lead to the assumption of a space in which they dwell, and which is greater than they. See on St. Austin's Confess, p. 314. To return to the ' one Will.' In vol.

with a view to improving ii. p. 3 9 6 . O . G . h e s a y s on his d e a t h bed, " N o t by t h e T h r e e N a m e s of F i r e , not by t h e i r O n e M o v e m e n t a n d W i l l , h a v e I ever doubted t o u c h i n g the C h u r c h or t h e p o w e r of G o d : I f I h a v e m a g n i f i e d the F a t h e r more t h a n H i s Son in my m i n d , m a y H e shew no m e r c y on m e , or if I h a v e m a d e t h e H o l y Spirit less t h a n G o d , d a r k be m i n e eyes : I f I h a v e n o t confessed a c c o r d i n g to these words, to outer d a r k n e s s m a y I g o , or if I a m s p e a k i n g figuratively with the w i c k e d ill t h e fire m a y I b u r n . " This solemn a s s e v e r a t i o n is consistent w i t h t h e above cited p a s s a g e , as also (as w e s h a l l see) with l x x v i i . §. 5. a n d c o n t r . S c r u t . i. 3 2 . ii. §. 8. A g a i n in x l v i . 4. h e a r g u e s against t h e h e r e t i c a l d i l e m m a , ' if the T r u e O n e b e g a t , H e b e g a t e i t h e r by H i s W i l l or a g a i n s t H i s W i l l . ' B u t t h e r e a d i n g in t h e t e x t is not w h a t one should e x p e c t f r o m a w r i t e r a w a r e of t h a t d i l e m m a , a n d a r g u i n g a g a i n s t it in a n o t h e r p a r t of t h e s a m e w o r k . I n lii. 1. t h e very t e r m in t h e p r e s e n t t e x t is used I think u n q u e s t i o n a b l y of the sonship w h i c h is by g r a c e . ' A s by H i s N a m e s H e is c o m p r e h e n d e d to be G o d , and J u s t a n d Good, so t h e N a m e of F a t h e r evinceth H i m to be a G e n e r a t o r . F o r t h e very N a m e of F a t h e r h o o d used of H i m b e a r e t h w i t n e s s of t h e S o n , a n d as H e w a s t h e F a t h e r of O n e , in His Love i t is t h a t H e is so of m a n y . P r a i s e s be to H i s G r a c e ! ' w h i c h doctrine of sonship by g r a c e occurs a g a i n in x x i x . §. 1. in other t e r m s . See v. §. 3. T h e e p i t h e t ' glorious' seems to m e to s u g g e s t to S t . E . ' s mind t h e idea, of t h e sun s h i n i n g in his m i g h t . Hence he passes off to t h e g i v i n g of < t h a t L i g h t ' to u s , t h r o u g h t h e I n c a r n a t i o n , and t h e blessings, s a c r a m e n t a l or o t h e r , a t t e n d i n g it. O r he may mean more g e n e r a l l y , t h a t w e do not g r a s p the D i v i n e E s s e n c e s h i n i n g in its s t r e n g t h , b u t only some s m a l l p a r t of I t s o p e r a tions. ' F o r look' ( h e s a y s , vol. ii. p . 5 1 8 , c. on a n o t h e r point) ' a t t h e s o u r c e of this sun w h i c h we see, a n d observe t h a t the f o u n t a i n - h e a d of its r a y s is u n b e a r a b l e , b u t w h e n t h e s h i n i n g of it s p r e a d s a b r o a d , feeble and dulled does t h e m i g h t of its r a y s b e c o m e : h e a t too a n d t h e g l e a m of it w h i c h is f r o m fire is dulled a n d m i n i s h e d e a c h m o m e n t . H o w m u c h m o r e dulled t h e n will t h e B r i l l i a n c e be w h i c h from a l e n g t h e n e d

the

text.

133

d i s t a n c e e x t e n d e t h u n t o us !7 I t is q u i t e possible t h a t a s c r i b e w h o looked over t h e p a s s a g e before t r a n s c r i b i n g m i g h t purposely s u b s t i t u t e ' love 7 for ' bosom' to suit t h e i m m e d i a t e c o n t e x t , if u n l e a r n e d ; a n d if h e t e r o d o x to m e e t t h e w i s h e s of o t h e r s . B u t in §. 3. St. F . s e e m s p l a i n l y to r e t u r n to t h e c o e t e r n i t y of t h e Son w i t h t h e F a t h e r , a n d to be a r g u i n g §. 5. t h a t t h o u g h c o m m a n d e d , H e w:r> in no w a y inferior, as t h e H o m c e o u s i a n system a t l e a s t tended to make Him. I t m a y be noticed also t h a t S t . C y r i l in J o a n . p. 106. d. e. m e n t i o n s some h e r e t i c s who got over t h e t e x t of St. J o h n , to w h i c h I suppose S t . E . to be r e f e r r i n g , b y a s s e r t i n g , t h a t ' b o s o m ' m e a n t ' love' in t h a t p a s s a g e ; a n d not (as St. C . s a y s i t should b e t a k e n ) of the Son's b e i n g ' f r o m t h e F a t h e r and in t h e F a t h e r , ' t h e word bosom b e i n g used for ' E s s e n c e . ' S t . C y r i l ' s view of t h e t e x t of S t . J o h n will m e e t t h e only f u r t h e r difficulty w h i c h s e e m s likely to be m a d e to t h e proposed r e a d i n g , viz. t h a t it is u s u a l to s p e a k of t h e Son being hastien from t h e B o s o m of t h e F a t h e r a n d not u s u a l t o s p e a k of H i s b e i n g b e g o t t e n in t h e B o s o m of t h e F a t h e r . St. E . h o w e v e r , if a l l u d i n g to t h a t t e x t would t a k e a word or two, as h e found t h e m in t h a t t e x t , e s p e c i a l l y wdien t h e ' ' i in t h e B o s o m ' also c o n t r a d i c t s t h e h e r e t i c a l notion t h a t the Son w a s e x t e r n a l to t h e F a t h e r . Y e t in m a t t e r of f a c t S t . G r e g . N y s . who h a d t h e s a m e r e a d i n g of S t . J o h n t h u s c o m m e n t s on it in e. E,un. ii. p. 4 3 2 , b. u F a i r , y e a beyond all f a i r n e s s , is God t h e O n l y - b e g o t t e n , W h o is in t h e B o s o m of t h e F a t h e r : H e t h a t is in t h e B o s o m of t h e F a t h e r , is H e n o t b e g o t t e n in it ? o In tm k'oXtm ov^i lyyíVo'fASVos

T o c o n c l u d e : t h e question h e r e r a i s e d is not w h e t h e r t h e r e a d i n g in t h e t e x t does or does not c o n t a i n a q u e s t i o n a b l e expression : b u t , w h e t h e r t h a t e x p r e s s i o n does or does n o t fall in w i t h St. E . ' s o r d i n a r y t e a c h i n g . To h a v e i l l u s t r a t e d this m a y be u s e f u l , even t h o u g h t h e p r e s e n t r e a d i n g s e e m t o o t h e r s p e r f e c t l y s a t i s f a c t o r y . 1 should a d d , t h a t a s i m i l a r p a s s a g e from a L a t i n t r a n s l a t i o n of S t . E . is discussed by P e t a v . de T r i n . vi. 8. 24. w h i c h , for reasons g i v e n in t h e P r e f a c e , I h a v e omitted.

RHYTHM THE

SEVENTH.

1. W h o , that forgets himself, and knows not his own understanding, would declare the nature of the First-born, the L o r d of natures ? T h e natures, that by Him exist, who is able to search out ? E v e n that nature which is in himself he cannot search out. H o w then shall lie who meets a reproof in his own self, in that he is not equal to [investigating] himself, b e equal to [investigating] his L o r d ? Plain is the object before us, great, and open, and at h a n d : 1

E. i.

yet, whoso will hit at it, misses it and 'ails'.

I f then the

object close at hand none be capable of hitting, the Hidden O b j e c t that strikes awe what man shall find a w a y to h i t ? 2 ¡1. 115, T h e M a n h o o d none is equal t o 2 : who can attain unto the hidden Godhead ? Heb.io, 2. H e came down, and veiled His face with a veil of F l e s h . »seen. f. From brilliance of H i s light the whole of J o r d a n 3 light p. 86. became. H e gleamed a little in the m o u n t ; trembling, quivering, and aghast, were those three pillars that the Gal.2,9.Apostle so a c c o u n t e d : H e granted them a, sight o f H i s 4

pp. 63, hidden glory commensurate with their strength *.

T h e sea

Ma'ul]beheld H i m and was shaken ; though so sturdy with its waves, yet it bowed its b a c k and bare Him, and took H i m better than the colt. W h e n H e sat within the ship, the sailors counted Him a man- H e went down and trod the sea, and awe the shipmen felt at I l i n i . W i t h no searching searched they I ' i m , but with wonder wondered at Him. »' ab. pp. T h e v praised and held their peace in fear. T h e M a e i 5 a f a i n

2S

48 53

^

* ' ' sought H i m , and when they ibund Him in the manger, it Scr. iii. was not prying, but worship, that they offered to Him in 16' silence: not empty strifes, but offerings, were what thev gave to H i m . Ho thou too seek for the First-born, and if thou " R- v. hast found Him in the heigh 1 . 6 , instead of wrangling dis8' putations open thy treasures before H i m , and offer unto H i m thy works.

the prying

and

the believing

contrasted.

135

8. Come, let us be astonicd at the men that saw the K i n g in His low estate, and neither searched nor s o u g h t ; not one of them made inquiry: there, pure faith was victorious in silence. T h e Magi, when H e was in His low estate, durst not search into H i m , who shall dare to search into H i m now that H e hatli gone up and sat down at the R i g h t H a n d on high ? Y e a , the thief made no enquiries, but believed without searching into H i m , T h e one on the 1 left" hand enquired, and h i s 1 S. the enquiring cut off his hope. T h e Scribes'* that sought f e l l ^ " 0 with Herod, who asked [after] H i m . S a t a n c tempted H i m , ^ k ® 2 3 , wishing to know who H e was, U n t o all these that searched, the Messiah gave H i m s e l f not, as H e did to the l i t t l e 2 p- 43, children a . A star rose above H i m , to shew without all con- p . 79^ iroversy that H e was indeed the B r i g h t Light of the Gentiles, 8 0 - & c in that they saw the T r u t h in H i m . On H i m when baptized the Spirit settled in the form of a dove, that H e might shew Mat. 3., without question that it was H e who was to baptize with fire. T h e voice openly proclaimed, ' T h i s is M y Son and M y B e l o v e d , ' that the voice might reprove prying. 4. T h e s e affections have they repressed who have refrained from searching, and have quieted the soul that it might ixbelieve without t o i l ' . T h e Pharisees enquired, W h o is this, 3 and W h o s e S o n ? As searching into the T r u t h they fell from the T r u t h . On faith all dependeth. W h e n seeking after the T r u t h Himself, in the seeking of l i i m they lost H i m . The centurion was commended 2 when he marvelled at H i m as G o d : 3S.great in faith he honoured H i m , and suffered H i m not to come in. H i s coming in he counted a weighty m a t t e r : do thou then or a divine one, wlierewith he c a m e to our Lord in the m o u n t , " & c . Cyril de I n c a r n . cop. x i i i . ap. M a i , viii. p. 74. " H e continued fasting forty days and as m a n y nights. F o r H e would not go beyond the measure of those who had fasted of old, lest the adversary should shun the contcst with H i m , lest, having recognised t h a t which was hidden, he should shun the struggle with that which was s e e n . " S t . H i l . on M a t . iv. X. b Scribes, o r i learned men' generally, '• have sought.' T h e word will recur " T h e r e was in the Devil suspicion from his fear, not kriowh dge from his below in this sense. c O f S a t a n ' s ignorance of the I n suspicion I t w as fit t h a t "before the carnation, see x x x . §, 4 . and above, temptation he should not he able to unp. 2 1 . n. e. S t . E . vol. i . p. 2 8 . f. says, derstand God in M a n . ' ' Chr}'«. Horn, " S a t a n was not permitted to come to xiii. in M a t . iv. 2 . p. 1 4 ? . a. see P e t a v , Adam in the garden in a human form, de T r i l l , iii. 6. §. 13. a A b . p. 13. n. 1. and x x x v i i i . 5. 3. C a n . N e c r o s . v. init. 1 ' Above low and middling was his rank e x a l t e d : and as we are perfect in what h . l o n g c t h to the left hand, so was he pel feet in v. hat belongeth to the right hand. W i t h him, L o r d ! m a y we stand on the right hand." F o r the b e l i e f that it was the thief on the left hand who blasphemed, see the C a t e n a on the place, p. 751.

130

>S7. Thomas blamed for believing

slowly.

think so of searching into H i m , because at this day tliou hast no room for checking His visibly coming in, check and count a weighty thing the searching into Him, that H e may praise thy faith before Angels on high. Weigh them together, the John20, Centurion that believes, and that Thomas' 1 who would feel and search. His Lord praised the former, and the latter did H i s Master rebuke. If lie were blamed that dared to search into H i m and so believed, what disgrace does he store up for himself that wisheth to search first, and to believe afterwards®? d T h e more usual view of St. T h o m a s ' doubt is perhaps to r e g a r d it as a dispensation, whereby for ' the more confirmation of the faith' light w a s for a time withheld f r o m him. I t is, however, usual with St. E . to avail himself as well of the moral and literal, as of the deeper and spiritual, lessons of Scripture. T h u s in p. 20. he m a y be said to moralize on N o a h ' s drunkenness, while in vol. i. p. 152. there quoted, and p. 3. he considers of w h a t it was t h e t y p e : in vol. i. p. 112. d. we find him s t a t i n g in terms t h a t he gives both interpretations of the Benedictions of J a c o b . T h u s too in R . ix. §. 3. he speaks of J o b as if he had done w h a t (as he notices on J e r e m . x x . ) ' the Spirit says he did n o t , ' sin or b l a s p h e m e with his lips. A large p a r t of the prophecies he refers to Zorobabel, sometimes stating along with this, and sometimes not, the u l t i m a t e and spiritual sense of them.

e S e e B . i x . M . and x i . § . 4. St. Meletius in S t . E p i p h . i. p. 881. " T h e r e is reason to f e a r , lest, if forced to speak upon topics t h a t we are not able to speak

of, we should be no longer allowed to speak upon those whereof we a r e able. F o r it is from belief wre ought to speak, and not from things spoken to b e l i e v e ; since it says, I believed and t h e r e f o r e did I s p e a k . " T h e Anomceans objected to the Catholics, t h a t they worshipped they k n e w not w h a t , ( V . G . N y s . ii. p. 519. 1.) I n observing on this sort of reasoning, St. Ba*. E p . 234. §. 2. saj's, " A sufficient faith it is t h a t knoweth that (rod is, without k n o w i n g what H e is, in t h a t H e is a r e w a r d e r , See. F o r the knowledge of t h e Divine E s s e n c e is t h e perception of H i s i n c o m p r e h e n s i b l e ness ; and w h a t we worship is not t h a t whereof it is comprehended what the essence is, but; that it is." I n this R h y t h m S t . E . is enforcing the necessity of faith in order to t h e reception of doctrine of the E t e r n a l Generation of the Son, a doctrine which ' more t h a n any part of the Christian Religion requireth of us mere faith upon authority only.' See P e t . de T r i n . v. 5 . who gives several passages to this effect from the Greek and L a t i n F a t h e r s .

RHYTHM THE EIGHTH. 1. O the brightness of Moses which none could b e h o l d ! E x . 34, They that beheld him were not able to look at a mortal: who shall dare to look upon the Quickener of all living ? If the brightness of the servant was so powerful, who shall look stedfastly upon his Lord ? for the Mount Sinai when Ex. 19, it saw IIim, smoked and was melted before Him. The18' mighty men were not equal to seeing the glory of Moses. A veil ministered between the brightness and the people, instead of the veil which wore away, a Brightness of living Fire surrounded the chariot, that the Cherubim might not be affrighted". Let stillness and silence be the curtain to thee, Levit. 16 2that thou gaze not upon His Brightness. ' 1 1 2. There was none that approached the folds of the visible S. veil to pry into the brightness of the servant that was dwelling Bosoln within it. When Moses had been to gaze on Him, all the tribes were moved: how much more fearful the searching into that wherein Thy Generation is hidden ! If Thou lookest upon the Angels, the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens tremble before Thee. In the veil of Moses Thy Ex. 4, bright shining Truth was hidden, in his stammering was^ 0 - ^ 1 ' hidden Thy ready-speaking teaching 2 . Beneath two veils 2 S. Thy Truth was hidden, and Thy speaking. As for the veil T a r g u m Thou didst lift it up, and the stammering Thou didst make 2 Cor. 3, to speak plain. The whole of Thee came forth to sight. 1 6 ' L o ! Truth speaketh in the mouth, and verity is revealed to the eyes. The veil upon his face and the stammering of his mouth, as two veils veiled the, blinded people: but to the just that longed for 3 Thy day Thou wert revealed. The3pp.4.66. n If this seem contrary to what was noticed above, p. 116, n. e. what he says in §. 2. of the veil being lifted up, must be set against it. Besides St. E.'s statement that God veils Himself in Himself, 3. and the expression firing Fire,

shew t h a t he means rather to deny that even Angels comprehend God as the Anomceans blasphemously pretend to do. T h e words rendered a curtain, (literally ' f a c e s of the gate,) are comirionlv used of the veil of the temple.

lob

Lesson* against

p> f/"ig, from

the

lypei,

heretics also, who at this day are b l i n d e d with t h e veil, stutter, a n d are blindfold. T h e y are blind to T h y b e a u t y , a n d to T h y t e a c h i n g d u m b . 3. T h e s e types u n d e r Moses shadowed out lo the foolish two veils spread over the crueiiit i's. T h e T r u t h h a t h risen u p Went, openly : let us not grope in d a r k n e s s : let not. s e a r c h i n g into Jol)2i-2, H i m be u n t o us a n o t h e r veil, l l i s beauty came forih openly. 25. Liken n o t thou I l i m to any thing, for ]L> is like H i s F a t h e r in the whole of H i m . I n t o the H o l y of 11 dies the priest went in silence: once only in the year did he go in in fear. A n d if Seelleb. Ijo reverenced the whole of t h a t d w e l l i n g - p l a c e of H i s , who ' s h a l l dare to search into t h e P o w e r which dwelt in it? Let. us feel a share of his awe in s e a r c h i n g on I, of the F i r s t - b o r n , sincc l i e is Lord of the sanctuary. Numb. 4 . T w o h u n d r e d a n d fifty priests with their censers were 2 ' b u r n t u p , b e c a u s e they wished to seize on Aaron's p r i e s t ib. 31. h o o d ; a n d they of C o r a h ' s c o m p a n y u e r e s w a l l o w e d u p , because they wished to be priests. If t h e p r i e s t h o o d of Aaron was t h u s altogether fearful, h o w m u c h more fearful 1 Aots

20 28

the L o r d of priests who m a d e priests with H i s own B l o o d l b !

See

' W h o would dare to search into H i m ? Gireat was the shock, t h a t the sons of Aaron were [so] suddenly b u r n t up ! T h e y §.40. dared to offer u p strange lire-, a n d were b u r n t u p . W h o n.Ft)3p! then will e s c a p e that bringeth up into ihe C h u r c h strange 3 p. 112, q u e s t i o n i n g 3 ' ? T h e r e is i n d e e d in the C h u r c h a seeking which p' e x a m i n e t h tilings revealed, b u t not one thpt prietb into t h i n g s hidden. 2 Sam. 5. Uzzah 1 1 , the chief priest, when he went to slay [the a r k ] . b b ' ' was taken oil'. W h a t he was c o m m a n d e d he did not, t h i n g s •>S. they not. c o m m a n d e d he p e r f o r m e d . H e was c o m m a n d e d J to carry manded "l)ou shoulders : l i e p u t foi th his h a n d to stay him 11 O n L e v i t . viii. he writes t h u s : " L o , liom the f a c t that it was by the oil of anointing and the blood of sacrifiees t h a t A a r o n and his g a r m e n t s were hallowed, i t i s plain t h a t it is by the H o l y Ghost that the S a c n h e e s are offered on the mvstieal and priestly t a b l e . ' ' So on L e v . xiv. he looks on the blood of the sparrow as t h e type of Immaniiel, " the S a c r a m e n t ot W h o s e I n c a r n a t i o n is interwoven and blende ! with the G e n t i l e s , as blood is in the a r t e r i e s . " Probablv he m e a n s here then to regard

H i s Blood as ihe genera,] source of all C h r i s t i a n graces, though particularly of the priestly. See n. d. on K , x . « T h i s p a s - a g e is to be observed, as implying thai St. 15. looted on heresy as a species of idolatry,—of which more hereat'ci. r. d So in the C a n . N e c r o s . xvi. p. 258. f. " -Not like U z z a h hast thou honoured God in the eyes of m a n , far he r a n to support the A lit, and the All-subduing P o w e r .swept lim off."

and histories uf the Oid 'I'esiuineiiL the Might of H i m that stays up all things. Me thought the ark was about to fall ; when he approached it, it slew him. Do not shew honour to what is holy on a side that they have R.xxviii, not commanded thee e . Uzziah shewed an honour, which was a ^ . j dishonour. Do not as avenging the Truth search into audi-6. dishonour the First-born. Think not that the faith is likely 2t>, is." to fall. Itself suppovteth them that are cast down 1 : do not 1 II. ix, G support it as Uzza, lest in anger it destroy thee. " 6. The princes [of the Philistines] who were insolent honoured the a r k ; when they had made trial of its might, they worshipped it with offerings. Dagon 2 , before it, was3above, broken off, for it cut off* his limbs. How much more should r2n°_! we honour the Gospel, before which the wicked one was destroyed. From his dominion did it cut him off; with offerings let us appease it, for it hath healed our torn wounds. The Jordan also saw the ark and was divided in two parts, for itK. ix, ran away before it and fled behind it. It flowed down, liot^' after its nature, because it saw the Lord of natures. If the aik3^_ab- Pwas fearful because the tables were within it; how much ' more fearful is searching [into Him], and who shall approach unto it since the Lord of the tables is hidden in it? 7. Daniel saw wondrous living creatures. H e saw also that ^ b . p. the Ancient of Days 4 was sitting in glory. He approached / , n ' p " to the living creatures that ho might ask and learn, l i e approached not to search into the glory of the High One. Fools have left the works and run on to the Maker that they Can. 8, might search out, W h o i i is. Daniel saw one of the Angels and was affrighted'. H e approached not to search into him; the voice that he heard he was not able to bear. Daniel was not able to hearken even to his voice, l i e looked not upon him that ministered ; upon Him that was ministered unto, who shall look? The sea that saw the sign 5 of Him'^-e-^f feared and fled back and was moved, it was divided into two arl5 '^" ( ' heaps. Daniel that asked concerning the words, heard that e See E . i x . §. 3. E . x x x v i i i . §. 4. 439. b. I n vol', ii. p. 439. there ia a passage which will illustrate the e x presuion ' they h a v e not, &c.' " I n stead of the m e a n i n g of the C h u r c h , t h a t sheep which eheweth the cud of the holy Scriptures, these men are subtle in mischievous w r i t i n g s . " St. d r e g , Ny*. mentions- (ii. p. 3-10.) th.it the

Anomceans affected to honour the F a t h e r , when they denied the Son to be l i t e H i m . See also Did. de T r i n . i. 35. Reverence was a common p r e t e x t with heietics. See on A t h a n a s . p. 222. p. 222. n. f. 1 T h e s a m e is noticed by St. Ohrys, de h i c o m p r . Horn. 5 . init.

140

Daniel's

unquestioning

temper

to be

imitated.

Uan. 12, they were sealed, and that it was not seeming to search out " the h i d d e n things of the future! W h o shall dare to search into the T r e a s u r y in W h o m dvvelleth all knowledge ? T h e Firstborn is the Treasury of the F a t h e r , in W h o m is all H i s c o u n s e l 8 ; and who is equal to searching into H i m ?

9

* C o u n s e l , l i t . t h o u g h t or i m a g i n ation. S t . E . m e a n s to imply t h a t t h e w h o l e of t h e F a t h e r ' s c o u n s e l s w h e t h e r in c r e a t i n g or r u l i n g a r e i n t h e S o n . S t . G . N y s . ii. p. 3 7 6 . u r g e s a g a i n s t t h e Anomceans that their theory would e x c l u d e t h e S o n f r o m t h e f u n c t i o n s of Providence, a simple N a t u r e h a v i n g a simple Will ( t r g i t t i g i c i s ) , which Will d i s p l a y s i t s e l f in P r o v i d e n c e , i n w h i c h

Providence the Son doeth whatsoever H e seeth the F a t h e r do. S t . E . is i r g u i n g h e r e , a s o t h e r s h a v e d o n e , t h a t it t h e j u d g m e n t s of G o d a r e p a s t finding o u t , a f o r t i o r i G o d H i m s e l f is i n c o m p r e h e n s i b l e . S e e S t . G r e g . N a z . i . p . 5 o l . c . N y s s . i i . p . 5 2 0 . c. S t . E p i p l i . i. p . 9 4 3 . c . S t . C h r j s o s t . H o r n . 1. d e I n c . p . 3 0 0 , w h o all r e f e r t o K o m . x i . 33.

RHYTHM THE NINTH. was once the searching 1 which hath been perverted 1 K.i.§.'2, in our age. R e a d and seek [to see] t h a t H e is the Son, so™ 1 "^' 4 ' that thou seek not h o w H e is so. J o r d a n fled and t u r n e d R. viii. back to do honour to the ark. T h o u searchest and goest i n ' ' to do dishonour to H i s Majesty. T h e right-minded [ s o n s ] 2 2 PP 3, turned themselves so as not to look at Noah, that they m i g h t 2 0 ' reprove the daring ones. T h e y went backwards to hide what Gen. 9, was uncovered. D o thou turn back the searching w h i c h 2 1 ' uncovers what is hidden. T h e r e they hid what was uncovered: here men pry into what is concealed. T h e chaste men spread a garment and hid him that they might not see: the disputer, if possible, strippetli the First-born of H i s glory, that H i s 3 whole Nature may b e scrutinized 3 . above, 1. R I G H T

2. Prove by thyself this, that all which is easy becomes SoteVd. difficult, if thou alterest the nature of it, or disturbest the order®; of it. W a l k i n g is very easy, and yet difficult if thou doest it tie may backwards. Disputing is throughout difficult, because men ¡^¡szce™" dispute not orderly. Rashness hatli perverted the Faith in in the our generation, because it is in a perverted way that i t j j h n 6 ^ questioneth. 3. G o d pleaded with J o b 4 ; H e asked him about things 4S. came before his eyes, and with questions put him to silence. If J o b were not able to speak of things before his eyes, who shall dare to plead about the hidden things of the First-born ? ch. W e a k was J o b " , who in his scourges overcame, in h i s ™ " " ' questionings was overcome; on the side 5 that belonged to h i m 5 E- viii. he overcame, on the side that did not belong to him even h e l ' ^ ' v T M.Vm' " See n o t e d . o n t h e l a s t K . b u t one. S t . E . would probably regard J o b ' s questionings, as allowed or even divinely ordered withthepiirposeofbringingoutaeertain doctrine. As God asks men questions to carry on H i s revelations, not because H e is ignorant, so H i s saints might ask of H i m . T h i s should be noticed both because on J o b i. St. Ji. conceives

J o b to have been free from actual sins, and also to clear him from any imputation of taking a mere literal sense of Scripture. St. Greg. M . Mor. x x . §.56. says concisely, L V^'hatparts soever »'(: go through so as to track out t h e allegory thereof, throughout the whole of t h e same ought we a/so to hold to the historical sense.

! I'2

Lvssons ayainst p> ijiny f rom the

conduct

was o v e r c o m e ; lie overcame in the combat in which it belongs to us to overcome, in investigating he was overcome, for it is not ours to be disputing. T h . : wicked one made confusion, that he might make us to cease from what is in our power, and in what was not belonging to us might make us over-anxious. 4. E z e c h i e l H e asked if the bones would rise 1 ', and though the Prophet knew that the dead should be restored, he ventured not to speak of that which he knew. H e gathered in all his knowledge, and to the Knower of all things he offered it up. W h o shall dare to search into a question which is hidden away from all, and for One alone hath light upon i t ? 5. Zachariah also questioned about the mysteries revealed; the Angel therefore wished to prove him, i f his earnestness Zech. 4, was exhausted, saying thus:

Knoicest

tfrm not these

things?

H e was not ashamed to confess, that he might put the proud to shame. T h e Prophet was not confident about his own 1 p. 128, knowledge, as the rash 1 of our day. B u t Zachariah the priest n" f ' questioned that he might dispute. T h e Angel took away his speech that he might make disputers leai ; if the C h i e f Priest was smitten, because he scrutinized and wished to learn the generation and conception of the preacher and servant, terror, and shuddering, and fear to him who shall b e bold enough to search into the generation of the L o r d of all. they B e c a u s e Zachariah scrutinized, his mouth was b r i d l e d 2 bridled y r j t | 1 g f l e n c e . H e afterwards in silence did honour unto his mouth that which he had scrutinized. T h e generation o f the F i r s t born how much more should we honour in s i l e n c e ! S i n c e he was blamed that scrutinized the generation in the womb of his 3 S. of own wife 3 , let him fear that hath approached to the [Divine] his E s s e n c e to search out I i i s W e l l - b e l o v e d in H i s W o m b . womb b On E z e k . x x x v i i . p . 194. f. he writes t h u s : " T h e Spirit by this vision s h e w e d the P r o p h e t t h e return of the c h i l d r e n of I s r a e l . . . . I t w a s fitting t h a t H e should s h a d o w o u t to h i m all t h e s e t h i n g s as i f of the f r a m i n g and binding t o g e t h e r of b o n e s for t h e p e r f e c t i n g o f a h u m a n b o d y . . . . ' A n d the Spirit entered into t h e m , & c . J T h i s he s a y s o f t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n in t h e s p i r i t u a l v i s i o n , w h i c h t o o t p l a c e on t h e p l a i n : a n d t h o u g h to t h e o m n i p o t e n c e o f G o d t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n of a v i s i o n a n d

t h e t r u e one a r e e q u a l l y e a s y , s e e i n g i t is b y H i s W 11 w i t h o u t l a b o u r t h a t t h e y a r e e i f e c t e d , s t i l l h e r e i t is a v i s i o n o f a resurrection t h a t H e worketli, to be a sign to their defective f a i t h , & c . " T h e vision would o f c o u r s e t r y t h e P r o p h e t ' s f a i t h , in t h e s a m e w a y as t h e r e a l i t y ; so f i r as it w a s i n t e n d e d to t r y i t , t h e p o i n t is, w h e t h e r upon t h e t e s t i m o n y o f his s e n s e s h e w i l l b e l i e v e a c e r t a i n doct ine.

of t Jiote of old dtu hiy ref'dtitionx

and it,pes.

IJ3

Zachariah by his questionings let go of the T r u t h . Every man therefore that questioned* at all, his questioning shews that he has no faith hitherto. H i s prying looseueth the faith wherewith he had b e e n believing'. Zacliariah sheweth this, since he lost the faith of his h e a r t b y the questions of his mouth. 5. T h e serpents bit the people in the wilderness. [Moses] N u m b . fastened u p another serpent that they ¡night look thereon 12, 6. and be revived. T h e sight revived the people [of G o d ] and faith the nations 11 . A type of the First-born [ t h i s ] ! I t was not ' p. 13C!, ii. e. fin. searching into H i m which healed them ; seeing of IJim alone revived them. I n faith look u p o n the Lord of types, that H e may quicken thee ! Also the blood of the sprinkling that was poured out upon the doors, and the cloud 2 too, and the rock, a R . x i v . and the pillar, and the rod, these be types of the F i r s t - b o m 0 . § . 2 . W h e n this gainsaying people did not pry into the glorious types, do not ye Gentiles search into the First-born, that T r e a s u r e 3 of mysteries, lest the blind rejoice [over you], p. 140. 6. T h o u g h ye were all of one m i n d , ye have been divided, asp t h e depth of the M a j e s t y , or comprehended H i s hidden things by s e e k i n g ? I n the midst of t h a t s t r o n g Sea, thou wilt be lost beneath t h e sand.

F a i r as are those waves of H i s and pleasant withal, still in t h e deep they will plunge thee. F o r if thou m a k e it t h y pleasure to search into t h a t Sea, and coinest near to a single small and g e n t l e w a v e , it will cast thee into a w a \ e t h a t is g r e a t , y e a , all its waves one by one will p l u n g e thee d o w n : seeing t h a t Sea is the whole of I t in every p a r t of Itself, blended and yet equal in E t e r n i t y and in U n i t e d n e s s ; and if thou come nigh to an outer w a v e of it, into the inmost depth it p l u n g e t h thee!" h V o l . ii. p. 485. f. " A n a n a t h e m a be on him t h a t s u r n a m e t h himself by the n a m e of Apollos and not by t h e n a m e of Christ. T h e f u r n a c e of a n a n a t h e m a detects t h e m , seeing they are not minded to use t h e a n a t h e m a , Blessed he he (St. P a u l ) by whose a n a t h e m a they have been detected !''

RHYTHM

THE

TENTH.

1. THOU, Lord, hast caused it to be written, Open thy mouth, P s . 8 i , and I shall fill it. L o ! the mouth of Thy servant is open to 1 0 ' Thee, with his mind! Do Thou fill it, Lord, with Thy Gift, that according to Thy will I may sing Thy praise. For speaking of Thee every man hath his own proper measure 1 there to the lowest measure I would approach as being bold. ^Ls^f Within the silence 2 is Thy Generation sealed up, and what ali mea mouth is it that dareth to meddle therewith ? Though Thy airmen Nature is One, the explanations" thereof are manifold. L o f t y 5 ivdiscourses are there, and intermediate, and lowly on the part of the lowly 3 . Deem me worthy as it were of the crumbs, 3 p. 152, that I may gather up the droppings of Thy wisdom 4 . ?'sb'wis 5 d 2. Thy visible Generation is laid up with Thy Father. °ms. Angels are astonied at Thy smaller riches. A small drop, p.nii5.e' O Lord, of T h y history b becomes with those below a flood of interpretations; for if John, even, that great one, cried [saying], ' I am not worthy, O Lord, to [unloose] the John l, latchets of Thy shoes,' I will flee as that sinful woman to 9' the shadow of Thy garments, that I may begin from thence; 2 0 and as she who was affrighted, yet took heart, because she was Mat. 9, 21.Luke

Q

» This word seems intended to ex- on the figures of the natives, it were ' press the same as the !«•/»«« of the fitting that H e should he found fault Greets, i. e. our conception of God as with by those infidels, because like a opposed to what H e really is. This spy H e hath fraudulently changed His conception of H i m m a y b e compounded dress to deceive the free. But 1 if it be of the several ideas of goodness, holi- becoming for a stranger to clothe hirnness, wisdom, and the other positive self with semblances borrowed and not attributes, as well as the negative ones, his own, how much more is it so for the The following illustration of this may Creator to clothe Himself with the be given from vol. ii. p. 507. f. " L e t beauty of His creatures p" i.e. to display us enter the lists and question, and Himself under those attributes which have questions asked us : for one of two adorn them. things must be established either they The printed lexicons b Syr. are minded to find themselves with no g i v e < e xcVitic,> ' c a u s a t i o t h e word God (that which is m fact the ease,) occurs xlv.fin.lxv.§.3. in neitherofwhieh or else another God, a stranger, have p l a c e g d o e s t h i g sense suit. "Bar Bahlul they, who is clear from, and does not, s ** as being a stranger, fall under the M s s - B o d l - g | v e s J i . ^ » ' Hkewords and names descriptive of our n e s s > w h e t h e r i n u-;e m ] l i d Q r o u t w a r f nature. If then H e borrowed and put o r t history,' ' narration.'

146

Lessons against

prying from

Christ's

visible

made whole ; heal my fright at the danger, and let me take heart in Thee, may I be also moved from T h y garment to Thy B o d y , that according to my power I may speak of T h e e . 3. T h y garment, Lord, is a fountain of medicines. In T h y visible vesture there dwelleth an hidden power. A little John 9, spittle from T h y mouth became also a great miracle of light in the midst of its clay. In T h y Bread is hidden the Spirit that cannot be eaten; in T h y W i n e there dwelleth the Fire that cannot be drunk. T h e Spirit in T h y Bread and the Fire in T h y Cup are distinct miracles, which our lips receive. 4. W h e n the Lord came down to the earth unto mortal men, 2 Cor. 5, H e created them a new Creation, as in the An eels H e 17

mingled Fire and the Spirit, that they might be of Fire and Spirit in a hidden manner. The Serapli did not bring the living coal' near with his fingers ; it did but come close up Is. 6, 6. to Isaiah's mouth; he did not himself lay hold of it or eat it; but unto ns the Lord hath given both of them d. 5. To the Angels which are spiritual Abraham brought bodily Gen. 18, food, and they ate 0 . A new miracle it is, that our mighty 8 ' Lord giveth to bodily creatures Fire and the Spirit, as food c Above, p. 81. he calls the A n g e l s E m p y r e a l s , as in vol. ii. p. 330. f. 334. a. T h e word for ' Spirit,' as in Greek and H e b r e w , is t h e same as t h a t for ' wind.' T h e idea t h a t Angels consist of F i r e and Spirit is suggested by P s . 104, 4. ' H e m a k e t h H i s A n g e l s spirits, and H i s M i n i s t e r s a ilaming f i r e , ' w h i c h of course d i e s not (as E u s e b . Prtep. E v . i i i . 15. p . 326. d. notices) imply t h a t they consist of material tire or wind, b u t only t h a t the words are used of t h e m , as fire and spirit are of God. St. G r e g . N a z . Or. x x x i v . v.fin.p.oGO. quoting the same t e x t , says, " A n g e l s are called fire and spirit, partly as being above our senses, and p a r t l y as ministering to our purification, xa.ia.%trios,) though I am a w a r e t h a t these are n a m e s of the F i r s t E s s e n c e . " 'I See above, p . 3 0 , n . k . contr. Scrut. i. i.12.St. J a m e s o f S a r u g , A . I ) . 4 8 0 , q u o t e d in Assemanni's A n t i r r h . adv. K o h l . p . o . " T h e Seraph took not hold of it with his h a n d , t h a t he m i g h t not be hurned : neither did the prophet take it in his m o u t h , t h a t he might not be consumed : the one did not seize hold of, t h e other did not eat the glorified (ember). I t was because it was incorporeal, t h a t it was not to be taken hold of, nor e a t e n , but

sifter this Coal hatli presented itself to sight in a B o d y , lo ! it is e a t e n f r o m the table of the G o d h e a d . So on E z e k . x . v. 2. St. E . says, " T h e s e coals, and t h e m a n t h a t is clothed in fine linen, t h a t b r i n g e t b them and casteth t h e m upon the people, a r e a t y p e of the priest by whoso mediatorship the living coals of the Life-producing Body of our L o r d are given a w a y . B u t see there is a n other Cherub t h a t reacheth them f o r t h , and placeth t h e m in his fists ! this is a type, to shew t h a t it is not the p r i e s t who is able to m a k e the B o d y , of t h e b r e a d , but A n o t h e r , to w i t , the H o l y G h o s t : the priest, t h e r e f o r e , doth b u t lend his h a n d s as a mediator, and his lips offer prayers with supplications, as a servant s u i n g for m e r c y , " w h i c h passage seems to Ass. to h a v e b e e n copied by St. Chrysost. Horn, l x x x i i i . in M a t t . p. S70. b. See p. 119, n . 1. = G r e g . jS'az. O r . 34. p . 549. " A b r a h a m , t h a t g r e a t p a t r i a r c h , was justified by f a i t h , and offered a sacrifice s t r a n g e and typical of the g r e a t One : y e t h e s a w not God as God, b u t nourished H i m as if m a n , and was commended fof h a v i n g reverenced as far as he did comprehend."

(feneration

and the. fruit*

of it in the Eucharist,

i ¡7

and drink. Fire came down upon sinners in wrath, arid i Cm. consumed them. The Fire of the Merciful in bread cometh ^ ¿ j j ^ down and abideth 1 . Instead of that fire which devoured men, I. ye eat a Fire in bread and are quickened. As fire came down n-pn_ on the sacrifice of Elijah and consumed it, the Fire of Mercy ] K i n g s hath become to us a Living Sacrifice'. Fire ate up t h e 1 8 ' 3 8 ' oblations, and we, O Lord, have eaten Thy Fire in Thy Oblation. 6. Who hath ever taken hold of the Spirit 2 in his fists ? Come P r o v and see, O Solomon, what the Lord of thy father hath done. 20rwind F o r Fire and Spirit against its nature l i e hath mingled, and hath poured them into the fists of I l i s disciples. H e asked, ' Who hath bound the waters in a garment?' L o ! the Fountain 3 3 x i i . §.3. in a garment, the lap of Mary! From the Cup of Life the distilling of life in the midst of the garment do Thine handmaids t a k e 4 ! _ Zech. 9, 7. Oh, Might hidden in the veil of the sanctuary, that Might 1 7- and which the mind never conceives, It hath His love brought^f. 4. down ; and It hath descended and brooded over the veil of the ™mP-... ,

K.XV111.

altar of propitiation. L o ! Fire and Spirit m the bosom 5 of her §. 2. that bare T h e e ! L o ! Fire and Spirit in that river wherein ^ j . 2 0 ' Thou wert baptized, Fire and Spirit in our baptism 6 ! In thc f 'pBread and the Cup is Fire and the Holy Ghost. Thy Bread "¿ef'p„. killeth the greedy one who had made us his bread 8 ; T h y 1 4 » 4 ' 111 yoI. i. p . 4 9 7 . 0 . on the place he says, " E l i j a h , w h o in M o u n t Cartnel, p u t a stop to the priests, the ministers of v a n i t y , by the perfect sacrifice which he offered to t h e living God, gave unto us a lively semblance of the whole Burnt-olfering w h i c h E m m a n u e l made upon M o u n t G o l g o t h a , and by the Saorifice of H i s own Own Self which was offered once for all, caused to pass a w a y those sacrifices which Moses had appointed, and the f a t offerings which t h e G-entiles offered to their s h a m e f u l g o d s . " I f in this place he applies to the Sacrifice in C a l v a r y , w h a t in the t e x t he applies by implication to T h a t of t h e A l t a r , we must r e m e m b e r t h a t here, and p. 32, he looks upon the Sacrifice, w h e t h e r in Calvary or on the A l t a r , as one, abiding, Sacrifice. 8 See p. 34. p. 63. ref. 4. St. Austin in P s . l x x i i i . 16. speaking of t h a t t e x t , ' T h o u b r e a k e s t the head of the dragon in pieces,' says, ' ' W h a t did

Moses do (with t h e calf, E x . x x x i i . 19.)!' Cast it into the tire [says he] that first t h e form itself m a y be contused and l o s t : b r e a k it into small pieces that it m a y by degrees be consumed : cast it into w a t e r , give it the people to drink. W h a t is this to signify, save t h a t the worshippers of the Devil became t h e body of the Devil h i m s e l f ? (1 Cor. x. '21) H o w do those who acknowledge C h r i s t become tlie Body of Christ ? . . . . I t was said to P e t e r touching t h e Gentiles, ' K i l l and e a t . ' W h a t is t h e m e a n i n g of ' K i l l and e a t ? ' Kill that which they are ( R o m . viii. 10, 13.) and m a k e t h e m t h a t which thou a r t . In one place i t i s ' Kill and e a t , ' in another, ' B r e a k it small and d r i n k . ' Either, however, is done in the same S a c r a m e n t , F o r it was necessary, yea without doubt it was, t h a t the body which was the Devil's, should by believing into the Bod> of C h r i s t . "

L '2

148 Ixssonsfrom

thane who ministered

to Christ on

earth.

cup destroyeth death which swallowed us up h . W e have eaten Thee, 0 Lord, yea, we have drunken Thee, not that we shall make Thee fail, but that we might have life in Thee'. M a r k l, 8. T h e latchet of T h y shoe was a thing fearful to the disMat. 9 corning; the hem of T h y garment was fearful to the 20 understanding: our generation is foolish in scrutinizing Thee. Oh, Feast which is drunken with new W i n e ! W o n d e r Ps. 77, is there in T h y footsteps that went upon the waters ; the Mat 14 g1'63-1 s e a didst. Thou make obedient beneath T h y f e e t ; to a 26. little stream 1 Thy head made itself obedient, in that it conj j ™ 3 descended to be baptized therein. T h e stream 2 was like J o h n n3^withw]10 bajitixed therein. Both of them in littleness mutually 5,12.14. shadow out each other. To the little stream and the weak TSfe servant the Lord of them both made Himself obedient. J o h n 3, 30.

. concern with difficulties; nor he that is feeble with p e r - s e a r c h plexities: and let not him who is of the earth lift himself so l n s proudly up, that his mouth should haste to fly up at his Maker. He that scrutinizeth is a limb that is broken : let it get itself 1 Cor ; healed, lest it hurt the whole body, and lest, because it is ' diseased, the Healer of all pains should cut it off and drive it away from His pasture. 3. Every one that questioneth, is a companion of him that is at>- E . lost, and he that searcheth, is a fellow unto him that is gone x'" 4" astray. For never did one that is lost seek and find himself, like to the scrutinizer. Let him who is a member fix himself firmly upon Christ. Let not his blade be separated J°hni-r>,

1 (¡(I

The disputations

blind, and miss their aim.

from his Root: for the Vintager cutteth off him whose fruit He hath perceived to be bitter. 4. Let us not blind the eyes of our imagination by dis2 Cor. 4, p U t a t j o n . f o r w hen our mind is darkened, it is no longer possible for it to seek with clear eye into the Father and into the Son and into the Holy Ghost \ Let no man un1 .. sheath his tongue as a s w o r d n e i t h e r let our mind be a bow

xxsyiia

§. I. ' against Heaven; nor yet let our evil questioning be a serpent sending forth bitterness into the hearers. a See Aristot. Eth. Nie. vi. §. 13. Did. de Trin. iii. 1. Greg. N a z . Or.33. p. 530, e. " For one not pure to meddle with what is pure, were haply no wise

safe, as neither is it for an impaired vision to deal wit'i the sun's ray." See Petav. Theol. D. Prol. ix. §. 5 and 6.

RHYTHM THE SIXTEENTH. 1. H o w shall T h y servant, Lord, cease from giving Thee glory ? how shall my tongue desist from T h y praise ? How shall I stop up the sweet overflow which Thou hast opened in my mind that was parched ? W i t h what is Thine I will sing praise unto Thee, from Thine own gift. For in Thee, Lord, it is that I am rich, and unto Thee I bring forth increase. In Thee I am increased, and shall J refuse Thee, O Thou Giver of all increase ? Blessed be H e that sent Thee unto us ! T h y treasure is sweet, and we are T h y treasurers. My deposit is increased in T h y storehouse as a choice seed. This is of T h y gentle mercy, that Thou causest my little to have great returns. For, lo! our debts are great, and who shall dare to ask ? Lo ! the danger is taken away, in T h y mercy, from the oppressors who have taken and op- eomp. pressed. Yea, they dissemble, and have come to the door of l2_ T h y treasury. Give unto us, 0 give unto us more! To be bold I would not wish, from being daring I retrain myself. W h i c h then of the two is preferable to Thee, Lord ? T h e boldness of our love is pleasing unto Thee, as it is pleasing Heb. 4, to Thee that we should steal from T h y treasury. 2. To Thee, Lord, my faith 1 bring as an offering in its Se e R lxxvi nakedness: I have brought it without works; it as being Thine will be enriched by Thee, and I from it, and also from Thee, since I am [found] wanting. A merchant bringeth a pearl to the k i n g ; he receiveth it in its nakedness, and b y pp. 89, himself he enhanceth it. If the king enhanceth it in h i s 9 0 ' crown, how much more, Lord, shall my faith be enhanced in Thee ? If even the husbandman offers plucked fruit, and the lord of the vineyard rejoiceth therein, and even giveth him clothing, and if the workman for fruit plucked receiveth clothing, clothe me with T h y mercy. H e whose faith is great is not small: the faith that in him is small, in M

162

Faith should skew Us inward

(jroicth

outwardly.

Thee, Lord, it is enhanced; and il' even wheat corn is t , u c ust Mat 17 l ' ^ ') ' e t i«y faith be enriched from T h y 20'. ' ' treasury. It sufficeth then for that [corn] and also for this faith that it is not we who, as though impostors, give to it from what is its own. Strip not off even from what is its own ; because it groweth not in us, let it not therefore, Lord, diminish in us. 3. Woe [unto us] if we see the abode of idle disputants; we have been naughty labourers who have turned idle and fallen asleep ! But and if we be watchful, we shall receive the reward which the prudent receiveth, who hath not been in '•'p. 153, any wise idle 2 . Yet at this time many smother it entirely, n- dfor beneath the veil of the silence of fear have they put it, Lukel9, whose faith watcheth in their hearts, while their profession 3 p' J73; slumbereth in their mouths. For this is not prayer 3 ministering n b - in silence. Faith, typified by the face, is set in an open place. H e that concealeth his faith, it were fitting for him to cover his face also * A similar complaint occurs in St. B a s . E p . xvii. §. 2. ' A t these tilings the faithless laugh, and those of little faith are s h a k e n : the faith is doubtful, ignorance overwhelms m e n ' s souls bv

reason of t h e t r u t h i m i t a t i n g those w h o corrupt t h e word w i t h craftiness. Silent are t h e mouths of those who are godly, & c . '

RHYTHM THE

SEVENTEENTH.

1. HE that seeketh after the Truth in a grudging spirit, not even if he meeteth it will he be able to know it. Since envy troublcth his mind, he doth not know it, not even if he graspeili hold of it. His anger is mad, and dareth without considering. H e disturbeth the earth, he graspeth also at the heaven, l i e knoweth not his fellow-servant, neither distinguisheth he the servant from his Lord. Who would not weep to see that his neighbours 1 have forsaken and left the 1 S. sons contest with them without, and themselves among themselves "fjp1'1 as strangers are daring at disputation? Who would not blame him who, though insufficient for the things which in his own self are concealed from himself 2 , yet proudly lifteth 5 See R. e himself up above his Creator, though not attaining even unto " the creatures ? 2. God seeing that H e was never at any time searched out, clothed Himself with a body 3 that may be searched'R.xxx. out, that we might cease from searching into His Divine Nature, and rest ourselves in the Generation of His Human Nature 4 . Ho persuadctli us to ask how the Divine Nature ' p. u s , came down, and in the Belly was for nine months s i l e n t 5 . e ' 2 „ Thirty years also H e was in the earth, that by His long stay we might gain Him by use. H e left those above, and became a companion unto those below: He left those that were found, and sought for those that were lost *: H e left those that were wise 6 , H e chose those that were simjile, 6 orcunand by them H e spread His simple preaching unto every n l n s m a n : H e left the chariot of the four living creatures, and came down: and the Cross H e made Him a chariot unto the » St. E . alludes, perhaps, to the common i n t e r p r e t a t i o n which takes the ninety and nine sheep of the A n g e l s , and t h e lost sheep of m a n ' s n a t u r e . See M e t h o d , c. V i r g . iii. G. S t . E i l . in Matt, xriii. §. 6. St. Austin

in P s . viii. §. 12. St. G r e g . N y s . ii. p. 711, h . N a z . p. 621, a. See also Cyril in L u c a m . ap, A n g . M a i , Auet. C l a s s . x . p. 2 7 3 , 4. P e t a v . ile Angelis, i. 14. §. 9.

M 2

164

Christ the Creator of all

things.

four quarters [of the world] b : H e left the Seraphim and also p. 202, the Cherubim, and came down and endured the contempt 1 of e " His crucifiers. 3. Thou art the Son of the Living One, and Thou art the Son of a mortal. Thou art the Son of our Creator, O Lord, See who in Thee stablished all things, and also the Son of Joseph, 55^' l o ' that workman who learnt by Tlice. By Thee it was, that the L u k e 2, Maker without teaching stablished [all things] ! with T h y Finger the Creator fashioned all the creatures! by Thee it was that Joseph fashioned his carpenter's work, since he saw that Thou wert his T e a c h e r ! H a i l ! Son of the Creator. H a i l ! to the Son of Carpenter, who, when creating, created every thing in the mystery of the Cross'. And haply even in Mark 6, the house of Joseph, that carpenter, with the Cross 2 H e was ' p . 24, busied all the day. 1

n. x. b As the first c h a p t e r of Ezekiel is evidently in St. E . ' s mind in the t e x t , it may be allowable to give here a portion of his commentary on the p l a c e : p. 166. " T h e faces of the lion, who is t h e k i n g of beasts, represent to us the kings and princes of the world, who have come u n d e r and been subdued to the yoke of t h e Church, which is represented by the c h a r i o t ; or to the Gospel, which self-same Gospel the chariot represents. T h e faces of t h e eagle again are, t h a t we m a y know t h a t it is from above t h a t H e , which shall come, is to he. B u t by t h e faces of t h e birds and the b e a s t s , he represents the nations differing in their habits, who have received the Gospel and wrought at its spiritual t o i l s . . . . T h e hand t h a t was beneath the wings of t h e Cherubs represents to us, t h a t it was the m i g h t of H i m W h o is the Son of M a n , which supporteth the chariot t h a t carrieth H i m . B y this hand also he pointeth out t h a t C hrist our R e d e e m e r put on a m a n ' s body. ' T h e h a n d of a m a n beneath the w i n g s , ' i. e. the foundations of the C h u r c h it is H i s R i g h t H a n d which

supporteth T h e f a c e s were in t h e four corners, t h o u g h t h e y were upon two sides. One face w a s t h a t w h i c h looked to the W e s t , f r o m one c o r n e r , another again, opposite to it to t h e N o r t h , and another to t h e E a s t , and t h a t opposite to it to the S o u t h : and so it was opposite each one of the faces t h a t the quarter to w h i c h it looked was, and each observed it whenever t h e y moved. T h e y formed therefore the shape of a plinth, whose breadth does not a m o u n t to its l e n g t h . F o r the ox was yoked with animals t h a t destroy it, unclean with the clean. H e r e is a marvel to see three unclean species and one c l e a n : and by this he t a u g h t u s , t h a t it was out of those t h a t were circumcised t h a t choice was made of those to be Apostles to the G e n t i l e s : by the four corners he h i n t e t h at t h e four quarters of the world." c i . e . as h a v i n g four quarters. S e e § . 2 . and xviii. §.1. I n a similar w a y E p h , 3, 18. is t a k e n of the Cross by St. G r e g . N y s . O r . C a t . 32. c. E u n . p. 582. J e r o m . in Es. v. 10. A u s t i n , de D o c t r . Christ, ii. «. (¡2,

RHYTHM THE EIGHTEENTH. 1. THE young of a bird, unless it be matured, is not able to See on R. xl. break through its covering, through its imperfect state ; and n. e. faith which is under silence is also i m p e r f e c t O h perfect it, Thou that perfectest all things ! The race of birds is brought up by a threefold advance from the belly, to the e g g : from hence to the nest, and when it is perfected, it flieth in the a i r : it spreadeth its wings in the mystery of the Cross. And faith too is perfected by threefold advance \ For since in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Ghost the Apostles believed, thus the faith flew unto the four quarters [of the world] in the mystery of the Cross 0 . T h e Threefold Names are sown in a threefold way, in the R . xl. 1.

a 1. e. t h e f a i t h ought to be plainspeaking to ail fit t o receive it. See R . xiii. §. 1. O n D e u t . IT. §. 7. he says, " L e t n o t h i m t h a t is e n t r u s t e d with the word of doctrine lift himself up above the unlearned and h u m b l e , but let him instruct, each one in meekness, and give unto each of the word of doctrine which h e h a t h received." T h e t e x t also concisely expresses another t r u t h , viz. t h a t t h e belief of the C h u r c h is rendered fuller by her being forced to cast it into formal s t a t e m e n t s , coinp. R . i x . §. 5 . and vol. ii. p. 430, b. quoted p. 139. n . e. » S. ' is threefoldly perfected.' T h e idea of advance is implied by the simile of t h e bird's growth ; he seems to refer to the gradual revelation of the T r i n i t y , noticed by St. E p i p h a n . 1. p. 899. and S t . Basil c. E u n . p. 248. quoted above, p. 72. and to t h e E u n o t n i a n rejection of this g r e a t b a d g e of Christianity. c T o t h e mysteries of t h e Cross St. E . often r e c u r s . See R . Ixiii. p. .104, f. 229, c. 493, h. iii. p . 3 4 3 , e. 350, d. 351, e. Op. G . ii. p . 248, &c. T h e r e are p a r t s of this R . very like t h e following from St. J u s t . M . Apol. i. §. 55. " See ye to it if t h e r e be a u g h t in t h e world which without this form hath its orderings or c a n minister to intercourse between man and m a n . T h e sea, for

instance, h a t h not its waves cut t h r o u g h , unless t h a t ensign, w h i c h is called t h e m a s t , abide safe in the ship ; the e a r t h , a g a i n , is not ploughed without it ; diggers, too, do not m a n a g e their work, nor humble artizans either, save by tools that have this form. T h e h u m a n form, moreover, diifers ill no other respect from t h a t of animals more t h a n in its being u p r i g h t and allowing of t h e s t r e t c h i n g forth of the hands, and pointeth to n o u g h t else t h a n t h e form of the C r o s s . " St. Method, de Cruce i. §. 3. ' ' T h e sea, as yielding to this form, alloweth itself to be sailed upon by m a n k i n d . l ? or the whole creation, as one m a y say, was invested with this form in order to [its obtaining] liberty. F o r t h e birds when they fly aloft darkly i n t i m a t e the figure of the Cross by the outspreading of their w - r e ~ : and m a n himself, &c.'' See on T e n U 1 ! ¡¡ID'S Apol. cap. xvi. and x x x . and the notes to M i n . F e l i x , cap. x x i x . or Gretser de S. Cruc. i. cap. 52. whence it will appear t h a t t h e s a m e instances as St. E . notices in n a t u r e or a r t , as h a v i n g t h e Cross in t h e m , occur all over the world. If by any c h a n c e they were all t a k e n from St. J u s t i n , still t h e y m u s t , to have been generally received, commend themselves at once to the Catholic mind.

!(}(>

Sep l i . "xTi. §. 1

The ma iti/old occurrence

of Holy

Cross

spirit and in the soul and in the body, as in the mystery' 1 . When our trinity was perfected by the Threefold One, it reigned unto the ends [of the earth]. 2. If the sjnrit suffer, it is wholly sealed c with the F a t h e r ; cl By 4 the mystery' probably the S a c r a m e n t of B a p t i s m is i n t e n d e d . T h e c o n n e c t i o n p r o b a b l y is t o b e f o u n d b y r e c a l l i n g t h e u s e of t h e C r o s s at B a p t i s m ; u p o n w h i c h s e e G r e t s e r tie C r . iv. 13. I n vol. ii. p. 3 3 0 , b . w e find t h e following parallel passage: " G r a n t to us, Lord, t h a t w e m a y kindle t h r e e b r i g h t - s h i n i n g l i g h t s to T h e e , the spirit, t h e soul, a n d the body. T h e s p i r i t l e t us g i v e to t h e F a t h e r , t h e sonl let us give to the Son, a n d let us give t h e body to the H o l y Ghost. OlC T a t h e r , hallow T h o u our spirit for us ! a n d oh, Son, h a l l o w T h o u our soul for u s ! a n d oh, H o l y G h o s t , hallow the feeble body from its spots ! G r a n t to u s , L o r d , to r e j o i c e in T h e e , a n d t h a t T h o u i n a y e s t r e j o i c e in us, and f r o m spirit, soul, and body, t o T h e e be g l o r y a n d on us T h y m e r c i e s !" T h i s p a s s a g e , as well as t h e t e x t , e v i d e n t l y alludes to 1 T h e s s . v. 23. the only difference is t h a t ¡JQOl s u p p l i e s t h e p l a c e of in t h e

t e x t , as tiie w o r d for s p i t i t . Of w h i c h m o r e in n o t e e. S t . E . is p r o b a b l ) ' a i m i n g a t f u r n i s h i n g a s o r t of C r e e d a g a i n s t s o m e h e r e s y in vogue, a l t h o u g h it m a y b e d i f f i c u l t t o d e t e r m i n e p r e cisely w h a t he alludes to. J'wo errors, h o w e v e r , s e e m to deserve notice in this view. A p o l l i n a r i s s is s a i d b y S t . G . N a z . a d C l e d o n . i . p . 7-J-L t o h a v e m a d e t h e T r i n i t y c o n s i s t , of givat, greater, and greatest; Spirit, Son, and F a t h e r , as brightness, ray, and sun :—in t h e text the T h r e e Persons a r e set before u s as w o r k i n g Each a l i k e m a n ' s r e n o v a t i o n , t h o u g h in d i s t i n c t w a y s ; w h i c h of c o u r s e m u s t n o t be so t a k e n as to m i l i t a t e a g a i n s t t h e well-known rule, 4 that whatever God does e x t e r n a l l y to h i m s e l f , t h a t t h e u h o ' e T r i n i t y does.' St. E . ' s object s e e m s to be to m a r k out the distinctness of t h e P e r s o n s , a s w e l l a s t h c i i e q u a l i t y . B a s i l . E p . 2 6 5 . §. 2 . ( c o m p a r e E u s e b . c. M a r c e l l . i i . 4. T i m o t l i . P r . a p . C o t e l . M . G . i i i . p . 3 9 5 ) s p e a k s of A p o l linaris as restoring Sabellius' doctrine a n d o n e f o r m of t h i s , of w h i c h w e l e a m from E p i p h a n . Hser. lxii. init. (who t h e v a b o u n d e d in M e s o p o t a m i a ; ,;ce a l s o S t . E . i i . p . 4 8 5 , d . 4 8 8 , c, a n d A ^ s c m . B . O . i, p. I l l ) a n d

P s e u d o - A t h a n . c. S a b e l l . Gregales, §. 1 3 . w o u l d b e o b v i a t e d b y t h e t e x t . kt This m a n (says St. Epiph.) and the Sabellians after him teach that the Father, the Son, and the H o l y Ghost, is t h e s a m e , s o t h a t t h e r e a r e t h r e e n a m e s in one suhsistency, as in [ t h e case of] m a n , body, soul, and s p i r i t ; t h a t t h e b o d y , so to s a y , is t h e F a t h e r , t h e soul t h e S o n , a n d t h a t a s t h e spirit of a m a n so i s t h e H o l y G h o s t i n t h e Godhead." T h e f o r m of B a p t i s m w a s often urged as telling a g a i n s t Sabellians as well a s A r i a n s , (see P e t a v . de T r i n . i i . 1 2 . §. 8 . ) t h e s i n g u l a r ' N a m e ' p r o v i n g t h e U n i t y , a n d t h e r e p e t i t i o n of ' t h e ' p r o v i n g t h e T r i n i t y of P e r s o n s . T h i s then would be a heresy at which the passage quoted and the text m i g h t b e l e v e l l e d , t h o u g h it m i g h t m e e t s o m e s e c r e t f o n n of A p o l l i n a r i a n i s m , t h e m a i n t a m e r s of w h i c h h a d ' f o r d i s c i p l e s of t h e i n n e r s c h o o l ' m o r e o p e n b l a s phemies. Vid. G r . N a z . p. 746, c. Our trinity means m a n ' s n a t u r e cons i s t i n g of t h r e e t h i n g s , a m o d e o f s p e a k i n g to be f o u n d in S t . A u s t i n d e T r i n . ix. x. xi. A p a s s a g e f r o m the a u t h o r e . S a b e l l . G r e g . §. 8 . m a y b e add* d h e r e . " L e t no oriewho denieth t h e T h r e e e x p e c t to find t h e U n i t y , b u t in t h e T i i n i t y let h i m behold the U n i t y , h a v i n g t h e s u m of t h e f a i t h i n h i s B a p t i s m , a n d in t h e t h r e e h o l y s e a l s whereby he was regenerated into salvation, r e m e m b e r i n g what the A p o s t l e s a y s , ' T h e r e is o n e G o d , & c . ' 1 C o r . 8 , (>. S e e a l s o J e r o m e o n E p h . i v . 3 0 . " W e are sealed with the Holy Spirit of G o d , t h a t o u r s p i r i t a n d s o u l m a y b e i m p r e s s e d w i t h t h e s e a l of G o d , a n d we m a y recover t h a t i m a g e and likeness, a f t e r w h i c h we were in t h e beginning created." e I t r e m a i n s to s h e w w h y t h e p a r ticular P e r s o n s are assigned in t h e w a y adopted in b o t h places by St. E . St. G r e g . N y s s . ii. p. 6 0 2 . s a y s t h a t S t . a P a u l often c a l l e t h t h e m i n d ( r o v vouv) s p i r i t ; for w h e n this h a t h r e c e i v e d t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n of t h e S p i r i t , t h e n u n t o t h o s e w h o h a v e r e c e i v e d it, is p r e s e n t t h e h o n o u r a b l e e s t a t e of a d o p t e d s o n s h i p . 1 ' T h e w o r d j j Q O l in t h e p a s s a g e q u o t e d a n s w e r s t o vau{ c o m m o n l y , a n d als'> t o t h i s a s i l l u m i n a t e d . S e c on

in the things of nature or oj art.

lt>7

and if the soul suffer, it is wholly blended with the Son'; and R. xi, S. 6. if the body confess and be burned, it communicatotb wholly with the Holy Ghost®. And if the little bird drew in its wings and refused to use the silly mystery of the Cross, the air would then refuse her, and not bear her up ; but her wings praise, the Hood. And if a ship spreadeth her sails for the sea, in the mystery of the Rood and from the yoke of wood, she maketh a bosom for the wind ; when she hatli spread forth the Rood, then is the course spread clearly out for her voyage. And if the ship was that of the Jew, the Cross rebuked him by his deed, since though not intending it, in the ship himself with his own hands hath spread and displayed the mystery of the Rood. The sea by the Rood was subjected to the unbelievers : but unless the crucifiers bad made wood into the form of a cross, and upon it had hung 1 the 1 S. a Body as a sail, the voyage would have halted 2 . Oh, pure sail in the likebosom [of a sail], sign mysterious of the Body of our Re- ness of B. deemer, which was filled with the Spirit 3 , although It in no 2the S.lamed 1 wise confined It '. By the [same] Breath which dwelleth in ' o r , breath the sail do bodies live, in which the soul dwelleth. E z e c h . x x x v i i . 1. L e v i t . 1. x x i i i . and vol. i. p. 139, e . p . 132, b . p . 3 9 8 , a . T h e spirit then being t h a t p a r t or faculty of the soul which receives the Grift of t h e Spirit, is said t o be sealed with the F a t h e r , because as the F a t h e r is t h e F o u n t of t h e G o d h e a d , so the spirit becomes by t h a t G i f t the fountain of a new iife in m a n . G r e g . N a z . p. 742, d. " I f it w a s by sanctifying like by like t h a t Christ would p u t an end to the condemnation of sin, t h e n as H e needed F l e s h , by reason of t h e flesh which was under condemnation, and a Soul, by reason of the s o u l ; so did H e also need a (spirit or) mind, (m»,) by reason of t h e (spirit or) mind which not only stumbled in A d a m , b u t w a s the seat of the disease, (vguraTaHiieeivrcc,) as t h e physicians say of bodily ailments. F o r it w a s t h a t w h i c h received t h e comm a n d m e n t , w h i c h also did not keep it . . . and cliicfly needed s a l v a t i o n . " eomp. Cyril de I n c a r n . c a p . 15. M a i C. N . viii. p. 77- I t t h e n m a y be viewed as the fountain of sin in t h e old A d a m , of grace by the n e w . T h e expressions, God of the spirits, &c. &e. F a t h e r of spirits, H e b . xii. should be borne in mind. I t m a y suffer from weariness, (see 2 Cor. ii. 13.) though preserved from

falling by the seal upon it. f T h e word : blended' means wholly penetrated with, united in mystical communion. See on Ii.. x l . §. 3. I t seems likely t h a t this alludes to the Apollinarians, Apollinaris being himself a Syrian, and in t h e earlier form of his heresy denying Christ to have a h u m a n soul : or r a t h e r dwelling upon this aspect of A r i a n and A n o m e a n error. H e n c e the soul may be said to be blended with the Son, because it was by h a v i n g a human soul that Christ delivered souls and dwelleth ii; t h e m . See Clem. R o m . ad Cor. c. 49. A t h a n . Apollin. i. §. 14. and ii. $. 17G r e g . N a z . p. 7^0, c. P e t a \ . de Inc. iv. 13. S Tii: - :'!!ii.!i .• I i ¡.;!--n"i'S which speak of the body as t h e Xempie of the H o l y Ghost, &c. A p a s s a g e from t h e Comm. on D e u t . xiv. 9. m a y help to connect, this sentence w i t h the following. " ' A n d all t h a t is in the w a t e r wiih wings and scales, e a t ye thereof.' T h e s e be they who h a v e gotten t h e m wings from Baptism, and by t h e n conversation ilv up to share with spiritual beings.'" See p. 222, n. c. h Leontius, c.. N e s t . p . 4 ¡ii.ap. M a i . C. N . " If in a bo.iv less than and eircum-

i 68

Manifold

occurrence of Holy Cross

3. Neither, again, doth the land yield itself to the crucifiers, without the fair mystery of the shining Rood. It is the sign of a liood which worketh it and softeneth it, and scattereth its seed therein. Neither doth his dress please him without a mystery ; he spreads out his arms in putting it on as if a Rood. Lo ! his covering is a mirror to him, the sign is sealed upon it which he denieth. If the crucifier buyeth a lamb and killeth it, upon wood he hangs it, Lord, that he may shadow forth the slaughter of Thee 1 . And again, when he hidetli wheat in the earth, the living seed preacheth Thy resurrection. In his flock he museth on Thee, because it is kept by Thy Rod. And in his vineyard is the cluster full of the type of Thy Blood: and when upon his tree the fruit hangeth, it is a type of Thy Cross and of the Fruit of Thy Body k 4. Lo ! in the house of unbelievers the preacher of Thee crieth aloud, Ye that sleep arise, be watchful! Since it is plain what he signifies by clapping his wings there. Lo ! he proclaimed^ the resurrection of the dead to that buried living man, seeing that his sleep is deadly to himself 1 . And if scribed by H i m s e l f , H e was able to contain H i m s e l f as well entire without being a u g h t impeded, as without being a u g h t circumscribed, yet in no way s t r a i t e n e d ; this is in very deed a sign of a n a t u r a l P o w e r , t h a t m a y not by any e x t e r n a l force be shut out from its o w n u n c i r c u m scribed condition, or be circumsciibed in doing what it pleaseth. This too is w h a t is spoken of as the exceeding wonder by him who saitli of Christ after t h e flesh, t h a t in H i m dwelleth all the fulness of t h e Godhead bodily.'' The wcrd rendered sail m i g h t also be rendered ' linen cloth.' Comp. note p, p. 68. - St. Ju,-t. M a r t . c. T r y p h . p. 259. " T h e l a m b t h a t is roasted, is roasted in a form like to t h a t of the C r o s s ; for one upright spit is passed through it frcm the nethermost parts to the head, and one again into t h e back, to which also the shoulders of the lamb are a f f i x e d . ' ' T h i s is not precisely like w h a t »St. E . says, as he alludes to the slaughter r a t h e r than t h e roasting of t h e lamb. T h e directions in the M i s c h n a , P e s a c h . v. §.9. compared with note 1, may serve to bring out St. E . ' s m e a n i n g . u H o w did they h a n g [the l a m b ] and skin i t ? Hooks of iron were

fixed in walls aud posts, whereby they h u n g t h e m and skinned t h e m . A n d every one t h a t had not where to h a n g and skin it, got thin smooth s t a v e s , and rested them upon his own shoulder and t h e shoulder of his fellow, and so h u n g it and skinned i t . " k On N u m b e r s xiii. p. 259, c. he says, 1 T h e y cut thence a branch w i t h a cluster of grapes, and carried it on a statt* between the two. T h e cluster t h a t w a s carried on t h e staff h a n g i n g by t h e b r a n c h by which it g r e w , is a type of t h e Prophets and Apostles t h a t carried and bore about Tmmanuel. I t s form also typifies t h e R o o d , and they t h a t b a r e i t b e a type of the two t h i e v e s . " So on Zech. ix. 17. ' " V i r g i n s ' signify the souls t h a t be b a r r e n in the seed of t h e devil, and have not corrupted their fair n a t u r e ; t h e W i n e of the Cluster which was h u n g upon the R o o d , is p r e served for their consolations." Here we see t h e Cluster h a n g i n g m u c h as the L a m b in note i : either case sugg e s t s the Cross to St. E . ' s mind. 1 A s s e m a n . in his l a x w a y of rendering, gives the p a s s a g e thus : Quatit alas clare insinuans viventibus mortuorum reditum, mortuisque prgen u n c i a n s , mortem somnum breve (sic)

tu the things of nature

or of art

169

in her nest by mere touch her womb conceiveth holily from the warmth of the [male's] cherishing w i n g s a n d hath her 1 R. 1. issue without other intercourse 2 , then, lo ! in his own houseJ'^' marriage he hath a mirror of M a r y ! union

Trinity that every thing was perfected and finished. Consider, too, that since the Scripture is speaking of the agency of God, that this Spirit is not a being created and shed forth,which it explains luding to M a t t . viii. 22. 1 T i m . v. 6. to be brooding over the surface of the R e v . iii. 1. and the like, and the pas- water along with H i m ; but it speaks of s a g e might be p a r a p h r a s e d : the cook the H o l y Spirit, how that H e rendereth s a y s , A w a k e thou that sleepest, rise the water hot and boiling, and imfrom thy death of sin, be buried no parteth thereto generative powers. An more therein, seeing there is a resur- i m a g e hereof is the hen, that broodeth rection and a judgment, and that thy over the e g g s ; and by the heat of her drowsiness is therefore thy death in brooding warmeth them, and gendereth the truest and awfullest sense of d e a t h . " fruitfulness in them. I t is also intended m T h e same is noticed of Vultures, to furnish us at the same time with a by Orig. e. Cels. p. 29. (where see type of Holy B a p t i s m , which was, by Spencer,) B a s i l H e x . viii. 6. E u s e b . means of H i s brooding over it, to gender P . E . iii. 12. Ambrose, H e x . v. 20. children of G o d . " This serves to shew A p a s s a g e from vol. i. p. 117, f. may how St. E . dwelt over the things of be worth adding. " T h e Father spake, nature, and found in them types of the and the Son wrought; and so it was things of grace, arranged as it were in fitting that the Spirit should Himself rnrrpepnnciincr «eries. Compare what he nf 1 ¡:ipi¡-¡ii, as typified by the Inalso exercise operation and shew it in H i s brooding over it, that hereby it carnation in n. f. p. 86. might be revealed that it was by the

futurum." T o ine the p a s s a g e is very obscure, but sepulto isto vivo would seem to be the literal rendering of jjj^C H e would then be al-

RHYTHM THE NINETEENTH, 1. P R A I S E becometh the Son Who taught the Truth! do thou praise the Lord that became the brother of His servants ! Honour is becoming from the time that He came in", Who became a Child and ministered unto the lowly. Thy 1 p. 51, garment seeing it was the covering 1 of Thy Human Nature, and "onAth.Thy Body seeing it was the covering 2 of Thy Divine Nature, p. 291. coverings twain they were to Thee, Lord, the garment and 3 R. x. the Body that Bread, the Bread of Life 3. Who would not 4 R xxxi marvel at Thy changes of garments? L o ! the Body covers §• 5Thy glorious fearful brightness b : the garment covered Thy feebler nature: the bread covereth the Fire which dwells therein. Never at any time did the mind of mortal touch it. Who hath the Hands of Fire and the Fingers of Spirit which * S. for our Maker hath to4 grasp That, in respect of the Invisible that Nature of Which even our mind is as it were a body c ? Neither again is the knowledge of the highest [Angels] capable of that Glorious One, Who is within all and without all. He is His own knowledge and our knowledge. He is 5 p. 22, the Life 5 of our soul which dwelleth in us. Who is not e p. 105, astonished that though every thing is in llim ( i , and II e is also in n . l. them all, yet never at any time have they touched ITim though a

H a b n t a k e s t h e words W ^ J ". j o o i ; as if a pleonasm for ¡VjV. : this seems an u n n e c e s s a r y a s s u m p t i o n ; since m a y be a v e r b , and there is no g r e a t difficulty in supposing t h a t ' to come in' m i g h t m e a n in S y r i a c as in E n g l i s h ' to "be in season,' ' to be come into vogue,' or the like. •> A p a s s a g e f r o m St. Cyril on St. L u k e , ap. M a i . A . Class, vol. x . p. 375. will t h r o w l i g h t upon t h e connection in St. E . ' s mind h e r e : " T h a t we m i g h t not recoil in fear at the sight of t h e F l e s h and Blood lying openly upon t h e holy T a b l e s of t h e C h u r c h e s , God, a c c o m m o d a t i n g H i m s e l f to our w e a k nesses, s e n d e t h a power of L i f e into w h a t lieth before us, and c h a n g e t h t h e m so as t h a t t h e y should h a v e t h e operation of H i s own F l e s h , t h a t w e m a y h a v e t h e m , so as to p a r t a k e of L i f e through t h e m , " &c. c H i l . i n M a t t . v. §. 8. " T h e different kinds of souls, w h e t h e r possessed of bodies or devoid of bodies, yet h a v e a bodily substance allotted to t h e m as

t h a t of their n a t u r e ; because every c r e a t e d t h i n g of necessity e x i s t e t h in s o m e w h a t w h e n c e it o r i g i n a t e s . " G r e g , M o r . ii. §. 3. " T h e spirits of A n g e l s in comparison of our bodies are spirits ; but in comparison of t h e S u p r e m e and I l l i m i t a b l e Spirit, body." C o m p . B a s i l E p . v i i i . § . 2 fin. M e t h o d , ap. P h o t . Cod. p. 301. Bekker, A r n o b . c. S e r a p . J o a n . T h e s s a l o n . ap. H a r d u i n Cone. iv - P- 2 i ) 4 . M o s t of these places are referred to b y P e t a v . de A n g . i 2 and 3 : they a r e to be e x p l a i n e d , as a s t r o n g mocle °f s t a t i n g the finiteness of all spirits b u t G o d . See E . x x x . j . 2. and B a r . B a k . in M i c h a l i s Lex. P- 445. I t should be a d d e d t h a t some ave h spoken of our L o r d ' s B o d y as more subtle t h a n t h e A n g e l s whom we know to be spirits. V i d . P e t a v . de I n c . x . 6. §. 3. T h i s p r e mise( I ; t h e following m a y be s u g g e s t e d as tlle d r i f t of t h e p a s s a g e . I n s p e a k in g o f c h a n g e s of g a r m e n t s , it is not m e a n t to imply t h a t t h e B o d y , &c. is a ™ere investiture w h i c h m a y be cast as de at i p l e a s u r e ; on the c o n t r a r y , it

The

Incur

nation,

an economy

to meet

mail's

needs.

171

they be in H i m ; like as the body never at any time hath touched with the hand it hath, the soul which is within it. •2. Who would not praise that Hidden One that, is hidden from all, Who came openly to manifestations' the plainest of all? 1 S. to an When He had clothed Himself with a Body bodies touched^®". Him, though minds had never at any time felt Him, It is a n e s s great thing that the little ones pressed upon His Greatness, from all that even I t 2 was made little in their form that I t might be like a Bi_ them. Since it was hard for them to be like unto Ilira, for x x x i i §.3

4.

Him it was a light thing to make Himself like them. ' ' 3. The weak man that armeth himself is deceived. He putteth armour of brass upon his feeble body' 1 . Thou, O Lord, didst clothe Thy Nature with a frail Body, that Thou miglitest be able to sillier in it. Divers remedies flowed'" from Thee to them that needed ; though all of them were one undivided Virtue, it was many for the frail, was divided to the needy : it gathered [them into one] and was one Verity for the truthful 3 . Thy Love collected stores for otir neediness, 3 R. vi. that to each one Thou miglitest assign a different gift from 2" out of Thy Treasury. B y little portions Thou didst move our needy estate, Lord, that it might come near to Thy door. is part of His person and adorable as such ; (see p. 158, n. c. p. 199, n. a. and Pet. de Inc. XT. 3.) The Fire, i. e. God, though so concealed, is unupproachable even by the mind. True that in the Eucharist the Word of Life is handled and seen, yet it will not follow from this that we can know, and explore, andgrasp,asifinourhands,tholnvisible Person there present, as the Eunomians fancy. (See p. 116', n. e.) W e have .not those Hands, «1'C. i. e. those creative energies (it not being the priest wdro is able to make the Body, p. 14(1, n. d.) which produce T h a t which, in respect of It's Divine Nature, is such that even our souls are gross and material when compared with it. So far then from our mind being ab'e to grasp I t , even the highest Angels, who arc ever praising Him, know Him not to the lull; so far from having any independent knowdedge of Him, H e it is Who is the Light and Life of our souls. If then we would argue that we can grasp Him, because in a sense wc do so in the Eucharist; let us reflect that we cannot lay hold of our own souls. This interpretation satisfies myself; it

is right to mention that Halm thinks the text corrupt. '1 This alludes to 1 Sam. xvii. 17. wIvt. ^ am- '~ r other reasons for rejecting ."v"i.'- i r, he gives the following : David " was musing in the spirit of prophecy upon the sufferings of his Lord, and contemplating how wholly unbecoming it ini- fur ike servant to clothe himself with princely apparel in the place wherein he was to shadow forth a type of the Son of God, Who was to struggle with the king of the proud ones, not in the might of His Power, but in the lowliness of His Cross." ' Vol. ii. p. 4fc0, 1). " T o the soul itself H e restored the health which it had lost: and lo, the bodies that were raised bear witness thereof! And if H e changed the [jaw and so gave lite, it was as a physician that changes medicines. His medicines then are not strange to the world : the physician useth all kinds of medicines to cure, and (tod all arguments to gi\e life." Coin p. l i . ]iii. §. 3. He is there .ii.Miiu.i fiia' God is unchanged though Mi- applied the Law, and then the Gospel, to heaUi;-

RHYTHM THE TWENTIETH. 1. To Thee, Lord, I offer up my faith with my voice: for prayer and request can both of them be conceived and brought forth likewise, without any voice, in silence. T h e womb if it closes upon the child, two die. O Lord, let not my speech 1 See too close upon my f a i t h s o that that perish and this be smothered, and both of them perish each by the other. T h e tree if it close over its graft, destroyeth i t ; but if it lets the graft-bud out, it maketh leaves comc forth from it, and in its season yieldeth fruit. And if from the womb of the green wood fruit buddeth, then let my faith leap for joy ! '2. T h e seed in its greenness burstetli the covering of the 2 ' P e a r l , earth, as looking out for the shock of corn full of mysteries : e ! xvi." and faith, whose bosom is filled with goodly fruits, is the shock 2 : . of glory. T h e fish 3 hath in the sea its conception, and also xiv. 5. its birth, and if it plunge into the deep, it escapeth those who would take it. In becoming silence, within the mind let prayer gather itself up, that it may not wander. A virgin of the bride-chamber » is this well-refined entreaty, and if it pass a I t m a y be r i g h t to give here a longer p a s s a g e from vol. ii. p. 330, f. to t h e same effect as t h e t e x t . " F o r p r a y e r , m y b r e t h r e n , it is fit t h a t we should at all times he ready ; for very g r e a t is p r a y e r which communeth w i t h G o d . "When p r a y e r goeth up in love to hold intercourse with God, then the g a t e s of H e a v e n are opened, and there is none t h a t letteth it from e n t e r i n g , T h e A n g e l s let it not, neither do t h e empyreals delay it. W h e n it seeketh to e n t e r , then doth it m a k e its requests come forth from God. L e t each man be in love w i t h p r a y e r and labour w i t h h e r , vigil-keeping in the day-time and at n i g h t . I.et him t h a t p r a y e t h , never f a i n t : p r a y e r raised J o n a h up when the fish had swallowed him in the sea. P r a y e r rescued Daniel from the beasta

t h a t were in t h e den, and t h e children of A n a n i a s ' company it rescued t h e m too from t h e fire ; and on every occasion on which it riseth it t a k e t h the victory. I t t a k e t h a n d c a r r i e t h forth its requests from God who giveth to i t : and it bringeth forth and giveth its gifts to him t h a t loveth dealings w i t h it. T h e L o r d rejoiceth t h a t it seeketh of H i m and is glad at its asking f r o m H i m : and when it c o m m a n d e t h w i t h boldness, H e with gladness b r i n g e t h out and giveth to it. Behold how p r a y e r is a prophet, s t a n d i n g before G o d , and speaking with boldness, aDd not a s h a m e d to say, 0 L o r d m y G o d , preserve me as the apple in the eye in T h y tabernacles, y e a , b e n e a t h T h y w i n g s m a y I be rescued from temptations ! I beseech T h e e , L o r d of height

The spirit of prayer and offaith

contrasted.

17-3

the door of the mouth, it is as one that wandereth. Truth is its chamber, Love its crown; stillness and silence arc the eunuchs at [its] gate. She is the Betrothed of the King's Son: let her not go forth to be lured into wantonness: but let Faith, as a bride to be seen in the street, mounted upon the voice ride stately on from the mouth unto the chamber of the ear b . 3 . F o r it is written, that there were many who believed J o h n i 7 , on the Lord, whose voice because of danger denied the 38.' I 9 ' faith, while the heart within confessed it. With unbelievers did H e count the speechless. J o n a h prayed a prayer without Mat.22, any voice; the preacher was put to silence in the belly o f ^ ' 2 5 ' the f i s h : from the midst of the reptile his prayer crept forth, and the High One heard, for silence was to H i m a crying. I n one body are, both prayer and faith, hidden and visible, for the Hidden One and also for the visible. Hidden prayer for the hidden ear, and faith for the visible ears. Our prayer is as it were a secret taste in the middle of our body. Let us then be rich and breathe forth the savour of faith, a savour which preacheth, and that to the taste of him that possesseth discernment 1 in sweetly savoured things! 4. Truth and Love are wings that cannot be separated,for,p. since Truth without Love cannot fly, neither can Love 122 > r '-'and depth and of this world, preserve me as that pupil w h i c h is preserved for me in the eye. B e Thon, O God, a P r e s e r v e r u n t o all t h a t trust in T h e e ! A n d as a pupil in the eye, so may T h y preserving be their hiding-place ! T w o lids h a t h H e m a d e to the eye, t h a t within them it m i g h t hide, t h a t no h u r t f u l t h i n g m i g h t come into i t : for by it t h e whole body is lighted. T w o gates h a t h H e set to the pupil which veils itself within the eye, as a modest virgin within t h e m , as a beioved one in the bridecliamber; two gates h a t h H e raised before it, to be open or be s h u t ; open to a d m i t the light, and to keep out when shut things h u r t f u l . I t s eyelids furnish it w i t h covering, t h a t when a n y t h i n g is falling into it, it m a y be kept from entering, and its clearness m a y not be impaired T h e eye, it is an adulteress if it doth look not c h a s t e l y ; t h e ear, it is a fornicatress if it h e a r not uprightly. W h e n the eye looketh and lusteth after aught t h a t belongeth not to it, it is an adulteress to God, and committeth

whoredom by lusts. I t was to see the works of God t h a t the eye was placed in the body, and to receive in itself wondering, and convey it into t h e region of the h e a r t . " >> See R . ii. §. 2. xi. §. 3. xiii. §. 1. n. c. faith here m e a n s t h e Creed, which is set up as a beacon to all, which ought to be openly professed. St. E . ' s object is to contrast it in its e x t e r n a l developement with p r a v e r ; in its inrernal existence in the mind of the believer it is the t r u t h which St. E . m a k e s the ' c h a m b e r ' of prayer. S t . Cyprian de O r . Dom. init. " A n n a in the F i r s t Book of K i n g s b e a r i n g a type of the C h u r c h prayed with an e n t r e a t y not else than noiseless, silently and humbly within t h e secret c h a m b e r s of t h e h e a r t itself. She spoke with a p r a y e r concealed, but with a manifest f a i t h , & c . " — a passage of Scripture which St. E . himself takes as a t y p e of the Apostles preaching the faith when they were thought to be filled with new wine.

174

Natural

analogies against severing faith and

prayer.

mount without Truth. Their yoke is that of amity. There is one look too aiul one movement of the eve-balls, and though the nose be a division, yet is there no separation therein: sinee not even the least wink can one eye take without 1 1 S. steal the other's cognizance . Never did the feet separate into the other two [different] paths. His heart is divided who goeth in two paths at once. In the two ways of darkness and of light he goes waywardly in his wilfulness. H i s feet and his eyes reprove him for a divided man. Oh heart, thou ox equally divided to two yokes! Ho that divideth himself unto the righteous yoke and into that of unrighteousness, to a cursed husbandman his will is enslaved. H e draweth a hard yoke : he ploweth error, and instead of wheat he soweth thorns 2 , 2 R. XXXVI while the goad of sin drives him on. Let prayer within wipe fin. out troubled imaginations ! let faith also wipe out thoughts of things without, and let the one man who is divided collect himself, Lord, and become one before Thee 0 ! c V o l . ii. p. 332, f. " H e said t h a t the K i n g d o m of God is within you, because t h e Son of God is within thee. H i s kingdom dwelleth in t h e e : lo ! t h e riches of H e a v e n are within thy soul, if thou be willing ! L o ! t h e K i n g d o m of God is within thee, O sinner ! E n t e r in, and seek w i t h earnestness, and thou wilt find it without toil. E n t e r in, leaving the w n r Icvir^ rf pleasures and the corrupi ..(> . ¡' the errors of t h e love of money and t h e business that h a r m e t h t h e e . E n t e r thou in and dwell in thine own self in t h e eleared ground of thine own mind, and seek thee there the K i n g d o m , as our l i e deemer taught. A n d if so be it dwell not in thee, call it as H e taught u s , saying, O u r F a t h e r , T h y K i n g d o m come. Come it will, if thou dost call. T h e K i n g dom s t a n d e t h within thee, and with-

oat thee it is not. T h e Kingdom dwelleth within thee, and without t h e e hell. "Without thee death standetli, and sin is the g a t e thereof. Evils w i t h torments are far off from t h e e . G o not forth to t h i n g s without, t h a t thou perish not with those w i t h o u t . Go not in unto s t r a n g e r s , t h a t t h e m u r d e r e r s may not destroy t h e e : neither open thou the door of thy body, lest robbers enter into thee and bind thee w i t h chains and cast thee into darkness, Shut the gates of thy members, t h a t they who lead away captives lead n o t thee, and take thee forth from the Kingdom, and thou go w i t h t h e m unto hell. E n t e r thou in and dwell within thine h e a r t , for lo ! there is G o d : for it is not H e t h a t goeth forth from thee, h u t thou t h a t goest forth from Him."

JRHYTHM THE TWENTY-FIRST. 1. Do Thou, Lord, play on ray harp with all Thy edifyingstrains : Sing we to the perfect' with words that are healthful 1 and with pure words to the nuns, and with simple ones sing we to the simple ! Come and hearken to Zacharias that answered Gabriel again ! O aged man, search and look where- L u k e 1, unto thy speech is gone! Thus is every one stopped and p u t 1 9 ' 2 0 ' to silence that dares to dispute with the Truth. For if Gabriel, though a servant, dealt so severely, because his word was not believed with a Levite, how much more severely will the Son of the Just One deal with those who believe not, that H e is, as H e said, the Son ! 2. O Zacharias, barren so as to be past cure, in that thy tongue doubted how thou couldest have a son, while there was there thai which might reprove thee ! Appeal to the rod Numb, that budded, in the Ark. If then a mortal being" so grudged ' ' his fellow servant, that he threw upon him the bit of silence, because he doubted concerning John, as for the mouth that a Cyril. A l e x . T h e s , p. 204, d. " I f an A n g e l be a t h i n g i m m o r t a l , owing to the will and g r a c e of H i m t h a t m a d e him so ordering his e s t a t e ; still, since he h a t h a b e g i n n i n g of being, it is also possible for him to have an end. H o w e v e r , w h a t t h i n g s soever accrue anto any n a t u r e , are indeed in relation to t h e i r possessors valid, though not in relation to G o d ; as fire is caustic, but not to God, so also an angel is immortal, but not to G o d ; for H e only is in H i s own r i g h t immortal, h a v i n g by n a t u r e , not, as things m a d e , by grace, H i s c e r t a i n t y thereof." D i d , de T r i n . p. 373. " Souls and angels are immortal in t h e imperishableness and incorruptibility of their s u b s t a n c e ; and mortal, seeing they be sometimes corrupted in their mind ; " (speaking of 1 T i m . v i . 17. a passage often quoted in

speaking of the immortality of A n g e l s . See on A m b r . de F i d . iii. §. 19. P e t . de A n g . 1. c. fi.) F o r as St. G r e g . IN* vs. notices, u C r e a t u r e s grow in such w a y , t h a t every thing which they acquire becomes t h e b e g i n n i n g of a n advance to w h a t is g r e a t e r ; . . . b u t if they fall off from the p a r t a k i n g of w h a t is good, then they m a y , owing to the mutability of their n a t u r e , also p a r t a k e in a worse estate, which is nothing else t h a n a d e a t h which hath a kind of analogy to the death of the body."ii.p.640,1. St.G.isalsoexplaining 1 T i m . vi. 16. and shewing how the word ' only' does not exclude the Son, b u t does exclude t h e A n g e l s . P r o b a b l y St. E . m e a n t to glance at t h e E u n o mians by the word rendered ' a mortal being.'

17(5

Freedom from heretical

deceUfulness

I»- 3", disparagetli the Only-begotten, for it is the bit of Sennacherib ' fitted'. 3. L e t Abraham's single-heartedness be a mirror to shew thee that prying is an evil blemish unto faith. W h e n he believed, he was also justified, and when he was prying 0 , his seed was subjected to bondage. For as a partridge 3 which calleth unto the y o u n g that are not her own, or a bird whose voice deceivcth him to whom she singeth, so let not the voices 1 1 See R . of them who confess the Son, b u t own not H i s G e n e r a t i o n xxxix. lead thee astray. T h e r e is a fowl that c h a n g e t h the sounds §. 2. of its own v o i c e ; there is a bird that alters his voice 2 , and 2 E. xxxi. ensnareth his companion ; there is a deceiver 3 that alters his 3. 3 p . 104. words with his hearers, because of advantage to himself.

29

4. Deal not then, thou harp, deceitfully with thy hearers ; 4

< S. do do not respect persons of men in thy song : whether in secret not sing faces b faces to T w o passages m a y be given from . . . If then he had spoken in t h e way men St. E . here as e x p a n d i n g the idea in the the accusation assumes, G o d would t e x t . On 2 K i n g s x i x . p. 558. d. he s a y s , not have received his sacrifice or h a v e u T h e epistles of the king of A s s y r i a , ratified his covenant w i t h him in t h a t in which he moeketh the power of the s a m e d a y , nor h a v e promised upon t h e M o s t H i g h , and urgeth his people to same day t h a t t e n peoples should b e come out into a s t r a n g e land, are a type subjected to his seed, & c . . . . H o w then of t h e writings of the wicked, who come m e n to say of a m a n w h o in t h a t assail the faith of such as fear God, s a m e day was [counted] worthy of t h e and try to get them by persuasion or greatest r e w a r d s for his f a i t h , t h a t his fear to leave t h e C h u r c h of C h r i s t , and seed w a s punished for his w a n t of f a i t h turn aside to t h e synagogues of S a t a n . ' ' in t h a t s a m e d a y ? " T h i s , w h i c h acp. 558, d. On I s . x x x v i i . 29. p. 81, cords with the opinion of t h e J e w s , he writes t h u s : " H e is overcome in who urged this to shew t h a t A b r a h a m t h e m e m b e r s wherewith he blasphemed. h a d sinned (see K . M a r t . P . F i d . F o r he blasphemed with his Hps, and fol.474.) and is h e r e rejected by St. E . , was violent a g a i n s t J e r u s a l e m and her was probably a current opinion, and so u r g e d , in the t e x t , as an a r g u m e n t u m ad God." c I t is remarkable t h a t St. E . upon h o m i n e m ; or, as Scripture avails itself G e n . x v . p. 62, e. argues a g a i n s t t h e of the current views of n a t u r a l history notion which he here seems to adopt, as for illustration. ,J follows: Whereby shall I know, &(C. Of the p a r t r i d g e h e says, on J e r e m . " T h e r e a r e some t h a t say t h a t it was xvii. p. 230. d. " T h e partridge craftily on account of his doubting about this stealeth the eggs f r o m the nests of other t h a t it was said to h i m , ' K n o w as- partridges, and sitteth over t h e m , and suredly t h a t thy seed shall be a so- w a r m e t h t h e m , and bateh -th from t h e m j o u r n e r in a land t h a t is not t h e i r s . ' little p a r t r i d g e s ; and w h e n t h e y are B u t let such an one as saith so know, grown, and have put out their wings to t h a t at t h a t very time he believed in fly, and h e a r t h e voices of their own t h e seed t h a t was as the s a n d ; if he mothers, they go a f t e r t h e m , and leave believed in t h a t which was g r e a t , (read the p a r t r i d g e , t h a t bewails itself and ^ 0 } ^ O a O I as in the L a t i n , ) t h a t from calleth craftily after t h e m . " Compare note b . See B o c h a r t H i e r o z . p a r t iv. one m a n and one barren woman who lib. i. c. 12. who quotes other i n s t a n c e s was old his seed should be as numerous of the use of this fabulous a c c o u n t . as t h e sand, t h e n would he be doubting St. A u s t . c. F a u s t , xiii. 12, 16. also about a small piece of ground, who compares heretics to t h e p a r t r i d g e , as »bout t h a t g r e a t m a t t e r doubted not. do some whom B o c h a r t quotes.

prayed for with love of truth and peace.

177

or openly, let thy voice set forth the savour of thy Truth. Moses also, with the mystic trumpets made the camp move, Numb. two trumpets only made proclamations; lo! the type i s 1 0 ' 2 ' accomplished, since in the Churches two Testaments sound forth their proclamations. And David too, his harp also sang in three manners. With loud strings he sung to Thy Godhead, with tenor 1 strings to Thy Humanity, with low2'middle ones he sang again of Thy Death 6 3 . And let Thy Church* ^ also be a harp to T h y praise! Appease, Lord, the strifes 127.' wherewith its strings are untuned, that upon this harp we may sing of peace, truth, and concord 4 1 «pp.ioii, 177,n.a. * This division corresponds, if not in terms at least in meaning, lo one often insisted upon afterwards against the Nestorians by St. Cyril, from whom Petavius draws his first rule to be observed in speaking of the communication of the attributes of the two N a ture3 in Christ. " Some expressions of Scripture belong to the Divine N a tnre only, as ' I am in the Father, and

the Father in M e , ' & c . Others belong to the H u m a n throughout, as 1 Now ye seek to kill Me, a Man Who hath told you the truth,' &c. (which corresponds to the last in St. E . ) Others are intermediate and belong to both Natures as 1 Jesus Christ the Same to-day, yesterday, and for ever,' &c." P e t . de Inc. iv. 16. 1.

N

RHYTHM THE TWENTY-SECOND. P R A I S E thou the Lord of all, W h o fashioned and strung p. 217, for Himself two lyres 1 , that of the Prophets, and also of the Apostles. T h u s one finger struck the two distinct sounds of the two covenants. And yet, though the lyre hath different, sounds, it is the same lyre and the same player; the lyres of Truth also, my son, have different sounds, though the T r u t h 2 R.xix.be one 2 . Also one flute is able to generate distinct sounds. 1

3

'

To the healthy ear it pipetli healthful sounds ; to the ear of children simple sounds; to the ear of the sickly a feeble sound. These trumpets of Truth likewise set perfect sounds 3 p. 152, before him that is perfect 3, but to him that is a child, they ' frame promises of milk and honey b. '2. W h o ever took a harp or horn, when men had set him for a help unto the commonweal, to sound one note at leisure and be gone ? 'tis by diversity of notes that a rescue is secured 1 '. T h u s therefore in many ways have the notes of the Truth set forth and sealed the Faith. T h e Father and 4 S. in the Son are my son, true to 4 Their Names. If Jesus is dishonoured by fools, that dishonour [is done to] the Father also, J o h n 5, and H i s Name is false and not true. 23. 3. T h a t Jesus that endured the mocking of strangers also endureth great dishonour from worshippers. Great insult is it to the Trinity, if it be in borrowed names' 1 that a man is a St. Clem. Al. Strom, vi. §. 88. p. 784. Pott, gives the different mystical senses of a h a r p , more t h a n one of which occur in these R h y t h m s , as follows : " T h e h a r p in the Psalmist allegoricallysignifiethin its f i r s t s e b s e , the Lord ; and in the second, those who continually strike their souls under the Lord as Chief M u s i c i a n : the elect people would also be called a h a r p owing to the b r e a t h i n g of the W o r d upon t h e m , and owing to their knowledge of God they are heard uttering glory notes, and stricken so as to express belief in (lie Word ; and you can also take it in another way of the musical harmony in the Church between the L a w and the P r o p h e t s , and the Apostles with ' h e Gospel too, and the

melody which in each P r o p h e t doth according to the changes of persons in the choir finally come o u t . " b Milk and honey were given at B a p t i s m . See Cotel. on B a r n . i. p. 19. and on Tertullian de B a p t . p. 163, n . u . 0 i. e. T h e combination of notes ia what gives them the power of sounding a r e t r e a t , &e. St. Aust. de Trin. vi. §. 12. St. Athan. de Incarn. 14. speaks of the Son making known the Father through the things of the creation. See R. x x x v . §.3. Of light see R . xi. §. 1, of water R. v. fi. and R. lxxv. 2.

The Gift of God no I to be idled aivay

18ú

swimmer has strength to swim on the deep, because the power of the water supporteth him. Not incoherent 1 a r e ' s , the tides there, the dashings also, and the waves, and t h e m l x e d murmurings. And as the surface of the sea is on the very verge and confine of 2 destruction, whereon thou yet mayest 2 S. is ride; so there are also those that dwell in the depths 3 of it, be and b after the fashion in which these knowing men do in the e q u i P P e d . . . for generations of the Divine Majesty. 3 n^ 3. And though the seed be from us, yet is the fruit from n > His good pleasure ; that Gift of H i s doth not teach us sloth-6. ° r ' 3 , fulness. Its thriving strength suggests to 11s by thriving c°mpstrength to seize upon the riches which His mercies have p. 125.' brought unto us. And the rain too which H e sprinkleth Mat. 11, over all is His G i f t ; this doth not teach idleness unto theHos.10, husbandmen. Their labour increaseth their stores; and 1 2 " here again thrift increaseth solid boasts. 4. May Thy Gift, O Lord, take me up soon unto Thy height! by Thee I can be great enough to reach unto Thee. For if through the creatures man is able to attain to the creatures, may I through Thee attain, Lord, unto T h e e ! Me shall the example of Zacchaeus persuade, for he reached forward to Thee ! By Thee his weakness was made great, and he mounted and reached to Thee. Lo ! the voice which came from Thee to him, brought near to Thee him that h a d 4 p. 16, kept aloof of Thee. The fruitless fig tree yielded fruit; taste- n " less insipidity yielded a taste. The sycamore 5 by means of its 6 S. infruit became a salt, which cleared away tastelessness. A marvel s i p i d fig is the fig tree which was despoiled of its natural fruit, and bare a different fruit that was not according to its nature, and that which in another form was not eatable, the hungry ate in the possessions which he distributed. May Thy Gift call me also as it did Zacchaeus, not that I may distribute possessions as he did, Lord, but that I may make haste, and restore again6B.v.fin. interest 6 upon Thy money. 5. For this thing also, namely, that He gave H i s money to the merchants, sheweth us that without His being joined unto us, there were 110 trading: and so neither is there anyfinding of the Truth without His Gift 7 . Run, my brethren, 7 n. h. and gather along with us all similitudes, for lo ! they are too S7 ' rnanv for our mouth to describe. Re ve then pleased

186

St. Ephrem

prays

against

unstable/less.

with what we have found, and it is right that we be also with what ye have. For the lump cannot without the gift of leaven partake in the flavours thereof. By the Gift 'R.xii.from Him the whole lump 1 may have it entirely diffused p.8.'n.p! throughout itself. Neither can the curdle thicken milk without the hidden power of the rennet. By the gift that comes from it, it thickens milk's fluid nature into a close mass. 6. Grant unto my unsteady nature Thy straight ascents 0 ! By Thee, Lord, let my vileness ascend unto Thy Majesty! By Ps. 18, Thee let it reach up unto Thy Height, in a large room, that there it may worship Thee ! Ass. recti aditus, as if from W ^ J the occurrence of j l s ^ Z z l so immediately would alone seem to determine the etymology of the word, which does not occur in the

Lexicon. Ps. lxxxiv. 6. would occur to those acquainted with the Greek and Latin Fathers, as referred to here: and possibly St. E . may have had a version in which the imfixaut of the L X X was given.

RHYTHM THE

TWENTY-SIXTH.

1. T u n H i d d e n G o d is by H i s First-born a Creator, wonderful y e l tiring not, for in respect, of master, l i e lacked PH. 121, not one, nor was H e feeble at the art, for at the nod of H i s 4 ' 4 0 ' 5 ' Will, noiseless and gentle, from out of nothing H e created all, and ordered a l l : and as without labour H e created, so without anxiousness H e supporteth all. In the B e g i n n i n g H e created all things, while H i s T h o u g h t " was with H i m w i t h o u t 1 Eany beginning. H e hath no thinking as man hath, that H o should be m o v e d in any n e w way, as is a child of flesh. H i s movement was not new, nor was His- thought fresh. H i s creation is subject to time and starting and beginning. B u t H i s k n o w l e d g e preventeth times, and beginnings it transcends. T h e natures of the Seraphim are concealed from us, so that we are to seek as to how an angel hath six X». 6, 2. wings, and w h a t his w i n g s are, and where they are, and h o w a spirit needeth to fly b y means of wings. I s this a parable? or is it plain truth ? I f a truth, very hidden it i s ; and if a figure, very p e r p l e x i n g it is h . W i t h d r a w n from us then is that Infinite H i d d e n B e i n g , and the searching into H i m is too deep for feeble men, and the seeking after H i m too high lor mortals. A n d who shall fly up unto H i s H e i g h t ? or search out His D e p t h 2 ? H e that ventureth towards H i s - P. HI. Height, stumbleth mightily, and falleth ; and he that ven- n" g" " T h e Anomceans urged, t h a t an E t e r n a l Creator implied au E t e r n a l Creation, as much as an E t e r n a l F a t h e r an E t e r n a l Son. T o this Catholics replied, t h a t t h e notion of a father implied the co-existence of a s o n ; w h e r e a s a m a n is called au a r c h i t e c t , ship builder, &c. not from his h a v i n g built them, b u t from his h a v i n g in him t h e a r t ; the one is n a m e d from an existing f a c t , the other from an inherent power ; H e n c e S t . E . speaks of the art of God, rtjjtj H i s t h o u g h t or idea. T h i s line

of a r g u m e n t , (suggested probably by Aristot. E . N i c . ii. 3.) was used by several f a t h e r s , C-rreek and L a t i n . See P e t a v . de T r i n . ii. 12. 18. and N e w man on A t h . p. 60. n. m. p. 201, n. b. '' T o say t h a t t h e Angels exist in space, would m a k e t h e m corporeal ; to say t h a t they h a v e no relation to it, would m a k e t h e m omnipresent. The difficulty which S t . E . here touches upon is treated of by Petavius de Angelis. i, 13.

188

The objects and occasions to be considered

tureth to His Depth, drowneth in it, and perisheth. Miserable is the death of him that pried into H i m , and the drowning of him that dived to search H i m o u t ! 2. T h e sun that we see persuades us, my brethren, that it is harm to gaze upon Majesty, since His Nature is too potent 1 R. iv. for any mouth 1 , and to all languages wholly strange, since our 3 ' perceptions wist not how to shadow H i m out, for there is none of them daring enough to be able to reach unto H i m . But the writings of the prophets essayed to depict a symbol [of H i m ] in Names. For causes there were, why they 5 S. should be spoken with after so imperfect a manner 2 , since, if feebly j j c ] i a c [ essayed to speak according to the marvel and wonder 3 R. xi. of His Divine Nature, it had benumbed their hearing 3 , put a 2 " stumbling block before their childishness : the simple man had perished, and the perfect man had fallen short. By 4 p.205,every similitude 4 then H e accommodated Himself [to t h e m ] , ' that man might according to his power and ability suffice for Himc. 3. T h e man that thinketli to liken the [Divine] Essence to the creatures, is in a great error. For us to body It forth as the mouth, the ears, and the eyes, this weakly frame of ours d , 5 R. xli. is a danger: for us to frame a shape of I t 5 , is a terror: for us to 4 ' measure It, a wickedness : for us to limit It, an iniquity. And though H e was higher than these, yet in His mercy It condescended to be below these : the likenesses which are suited to man, came forth from the treasury of the Lord of all. According to the time ancl the circumstance, H e setteth forth 6 p. 171, a likeness, that H e may help us thereby 6 . In the time of e p 206 ' ' 'wrathfulness, in the time of cheerfulness, in the time of ' S. He fearfulness, in the time of quietness, though His Essence 7 wlthHisremaineth equable, yet, according to the laws of men, H e Essence c h a n g e t h Himself. 4. Lo ! Moses, when he taught the people, spoke of His Majesty after our fashion: he overthrovveth these same JDeut. 4, [ideas], in that which he says, Ye saw no similitude in the 55.

c St. Chrysostom de i n u o m p r . ii. p. 331. has some similar s e n t i m e n t s . H e quotes Ts. vi. D a n . vii. 1 K i n g s x x i i . Amos ix. as instances, H o s . xii. 10. as a s t a t e m e n t , shewing that the prophets saw but similitudes. H e also speafcs

of the sliapelessness of spirits, p a r ticularly of God. d T h i s is said with r e f e r e n c e to the Anthropomorphites. v. contr. S c r u t . i. í . J 8. See also n. c, p. 150. and n. b . p. 210.

when God gires or withholds

similitudes

of Himself.

189

fire. For the Hidden One did not clothe Himself with a likeness in Mount Sinai, lest the people should shadow i t D e u t . i , forth in colours. H e gat H i m an Image and a Countenance with Moses, that he might shadow Him forth in his heart. And as it was profitable 1 that H e shewed no countenance or 1 s. He image in Mount Sinai, that H e might not give profaneness h e I p e d occasion, to shadow forth Himself in erroneous conceptions to mankind, so was it profitable also that H e clothed Himself with the likeness of a countenance, that H e might shew us H i s glory, and we might perceive H i s fairness. I n not shewing it H e hindered error, and in shewing it H e edified more abundantly. 5. W h e n the elders saw Susanna, they sought to know H. S.iher. And when Moses saw the glory of the Majesty, h e s a n ' y ' betook himself to all humble entreaty 2 , and besought H i m 2 S . he that he might see Him, that H e would make Himself known beg-" to him. The elders falsely said, that they had seen what. g'ng they declared they saw. And Moses too when he saw, yet v. 7. knew that he saw not, for that discerning person did not forget that his Lord put on borrowed similitudes. The sight of the Lord of all lowered itself to dust, and the Stablisher of all things formed it into shape ! and as H e condescended to Vide shape it in His goodness, so H e humbled Himself to shew ^ x x n * Himself in His littleness. And if, though in our similitudes, Moses saw Him and was afraid, how then is it possible to stand before the real power of His E s s e n c e ? L ! the Son R.xxvii. x alone can bear t h a t 6 ! ^contr. : 6. Gaze then on Him [and see] that it was H e , a n d S c r u t . yet it was not He, for the Real One veiled Himself with an i m a g e : His fulness was found within it. His Brightness,was covered with our f o r m : for the form was not devoid of His Majesty. This similitude then was not of the Divine Nature. T h e Majesty made itself a veil e On the place he says, ' I will cause to pass, &c.' i. e. glory, such as thine eyes can bear; thou canst not see My F a c e , ' i. e. it is not possible for man to live among the living of this world after be hath seen I t . ' I t may be added in allusion to what has been said above, note c. p. ] 16. that St. Chrysostom, who also refers to E x .

xxxiii. 2. conceives sight to be here knowledge; " For there are not the pupils, eyes, and eyelids, in the incorporeal powers; but what with us is sight, that with them is knowledge. When then you are told t h a t ' no one hath seen God at any time,' consider yourself to be told this, that no one hath known Crod with entire accuracy."

190

» R. xxxi. 1.

God's language of Himself

an

economy.

for the benefit of childish creatures. Good and wise was Hi 1 whose words were clear, so that they might reproach the ears of the foolish. T h e similitudes of His countenance were wondrous, so that His Beauty might attract the eyes of children 1 . And though H e was wholly §. equable, for H e did not decrease and increase, yet H e decreased that decrcaseth not, and increased that H e might give increase'. H e extended His discourse to all men. H e drew Himself in and was small, to speak with one man [only]. His knowledge was thought by the simple to be so unto Himself, as it was unto us*. For H e had it without deficiency: but to us it was seen as if deficient. They saw not that H e framed artifices for the people, that H e might make them obedient who went astray amid heathenish sacrifices. Because he enticed them with sacrifices, the simple people thought the fat [of rams] was acceptable to Him. f V o l . ii. p. 510. in s p e a k i n g of the accommodation to m a n by w h i c h t h e H o l y Ghost is said to be grieved, he adds, u H e is high, and it is H i s love t h a t m a k e s H i m low, and for our sakes it is t h a t H e decreaseth. B e c a u s e H e spake with us and as we do, the foolish deem God to be s u c h , and reproached H i m with those similitudes and devices which u t t e r things edifying to u s . " s St. E . seems here to anticipate t h a t interpretation of RIark xiii. 3*2. w h i c h takes it as parallel to those cases in which God asketh questions as if ign o r a n t , wondering, or the like, i. e. as disclosing not H i s real knowledge, but so m u c h only as might serve a certain end in relation to m a n . See on A t h a n , p. 4 6 1 , b . F o r t 1 " h < ~ h e r e speaking of the old •!!-: i : - : :i : , in which God as it were affected not to know t h a t the blood of bulls and of goats could not take a w a y sin, yet one cannot but think from t h e change of the pronouns ' u s , ' ' t h e m , ' &c. t h a t the new was in

his mind also. T h i s is the more credible from w h a t he says on the place referred to, p. 227- ' W h e n my glory passetb, I will place thee in the hollow of the rock.' " T h e hollow of the rock he calleth the assembly of C h u r c h m e n : in it then is placed the spiritual kiw. A n d I will remove M y h a n d , and thou shalt see M y hinder p a r t s . ' T h u s H e indicates, t h a t H e giveth to him t h e power of ordination in that typical C h u r c h . ' A n d thou shalt see M y hinder p a r t s : ' thus H e calls the I n c a r n a t i o n of f m m a n u e l , and the face which was not seen indicates the N a t u r e of t h e G o d h e a d . " H e r e we see he views t h e a p p e a r a n c e to Moses as a type of the manifestation in the flesh, and the whole a r g u m e n t is t h a t in no case c a n Go.l n m i!\ «1 11 ¡inself to men while in the flesh, w i t h o u t a n appearance of mutability and imperfection, which really e x i s t only in the recipients. See also below, "R. xxxii§. 3. and §. 4. and on i i . I x x v i i . and vol. ii. p. 521. a—o.

RHYTHM THE TWENTY-SEVENTH. 1. God W h o existeth essentially 1 , hath a Nature glorious'S. Who as His Name. And if H e be an Entity W h o is in HisE™ ence Name distinct from all, H e is an Entity W h o in the knowledge of Him is withdrawn from all: let things which are made harass themselves as they may to understand Him, since H e hath nothing like to a created being, gaze they as much as they may upon the attributes 2 , these it is which they a jj behold instead of Him. Lo! natures fancy that they see H i m , [even] Him W h o m in them they cannot ever see! For they looked, and lo! they erred, in that God they deemed to be like unto themselves. For had they seen Him in Himself they had done well to think they saw H i m ; instead of Him they saw themselves, and thought that they saw Him. Oh, childish man, that feeleth himself, and fancietli that he toucheth the Hidden One. For the Nature of the Entity which cannot be shadowed out in the heart, as H e is, of that what likeness shall we make, if we would not go astray and settle down in that for Truth, which is but like the Truth ? If then in the likeness they fancy that they have seen Him, grievously are they misled, and do mislead grievously, they err and make to err. For the F r u i t 3 that is from Him alone3R.xx!i, §. 4.

knoweth Him in verity. xxvi. 2. Woe to the blind synagogue of disputers ! they stand §• 5in the light, and yet seek for it. They touched gold and imagined it the sun. They felt a seal, and thought it was the colour of the light. They handled every thing and felt every thing, and lo ! they foolishly thought that they felt the sun. Each then as they fancied, took his shadow in his mind for the sun. Neither did they consider that there was but one sense akin to the sun. Their other senses were bereaved of and strangers to the sun. Its flavour is not tasted, its savour is not smelt: its clearness is not heard : its light is not handled. The sight alone, being related to it, is 1 able to reach unto it,' as a son to his father 4 . S R«> *li.

19'2 Correlaiiveness of senses to objects,a lesson against

prying.

3. Light dwelt in the palate and it felt it n o t ; it rose and dwelt in the ear, and it was not affected by it. It dwelt on the hand, and how came it not to touch it ? The nostrils snuffed it not up. At its rising upon it, the mind and the heart, the 1 See on king 1 and the captain of his forces, and all the host of thoughts ®'43tl1' and their army comprehended not the sun : and yet into the Lord of light vile things of dust do pry! Lo ! it is a disgrace, and a dishonour, and an ignominy, and a shame, that all of them [are employed] about one thing, and that they are not all of them together able to see this feeble light which is before them ! Lo! it poureth itself about them, its radiance brushes by them, its brightness anointeth them, and though they • R. xl. are clad with it, it is removed a boundless distance 2 ; it is ''3' [as it were] by hearsay that the feeble beings have perceived i t ! 4. L o ! the blind in their questionings are like unto that proud blind man who took hold of the bow and shot arrows therewith into the flame, and he perceived not how his arrows were wasted away; for the arrows which he shot in his pride became ashes in the fire, became dust in the wind; and if it should happen unto him that he himself went up to it, he and his arrows would be consumed \ a St. Ephrem appears to be alluding to some fable then known in the E a s t ;

I am unable to find what it is.

RHYTHM THE TWENTY-EIGHTH, 1. IF clouds a n d lightnings a n d meteors, yea, a n d earthq u a k e s and whirlwinds and floods, b e i n g b u t fellow-servants, are terrible to [ u s ] servants, when t h e y c o m e impetuously u p o n our feebleness, a n d if t h e ministers that are a p p o i n t e d to minister to him, are thus awful to m a n who is ministered* p. 208, unto, who shall venture to g a z e u p o n t h a t M i g h t , b y W h o s e '^¡ jj; j P o w e r all t h i n g s s u b s i s t ? L o ! m e d i c i n e s h a v e a different3. ' p o w e r , which is hurtful to us when they are not m i n g l e d , a n d wine also i n j u r e t h with its sweetness 2 , a n d spices with 2 r . the strength of their odours. Sleep a n d food without measure are h a r m f u l . A n d if t h e weak things, w h e n not [rightly] Vol." ii! b l e n d e d , are h a r d u p o n us, h o w m u c h h a r d e r shall it g o p ' 4 8 2 ' f ' with t h e m a n w h o without restraint prieth i n t o t h e c o n suming Fire ? Heb.12, 2. T h e r e f o r e t h e Good O n e hath a p p o i n t e d us weights, a n d measures, a n d rules, that we should a p p r o a c h with 16,11. restraint to the creatures, in order to receive from t h e m benefit a n d comfort. I s it n o t in m e a s u r e then t h a t H e h a t h g r a n t e d to us that m e n should a p p r o a c h unto H i m s e l f , W h o is greater than all? or is it to be without r e s t r a i n t ? H o w then cometh H e to have p u t restraints u p o n all, a n d u p o n the disputings of t h e disputers to have p u t no restraint? L o ! H i s b o u n d s arc stretched forth u p o n every thing, a n d H i s restraints are spread over all. Over n a t u r a l " t h i n g s H e a S. M a c a r i u s , K o m . xv. §. 24. " T h e n a t u r e of irrational animals is tied down, t h a t of the serpent, for ins t a n c e , is bitter and venomous, and consequently all serpents are s o , . . . . &c. T h e dove is guileless a n d simple, and the whole dove tribe are of the same n a t u r e . B u t m a n is not so : for one m a n is a rapacious wolf, another is a s a l a m b t h a t i s theobject ofrapaciousness ; both are to be m e t with from t h e s a m e race of m a n k i n d . " S t . E . vol. iii. p. 366. fin. " As the word of the mouth

is loose, so is free-will loose, a n d as the tongue of t h e d u m b is bound, so is n a t u r e bound. H e h a t h not the word of t h e mouth ; neither h a t h t h e latter freewill. P u t thee on some of the t h i n g s I h a v e said to thee ; t a s t e free-will in thine own person ; m a k e t r i a l in thyself of t h y power over t h y s e l f ; see whether thou hast it or no ! F r o m thy own self thou m a y e s t thyself learn about f r e e w i l l . " C o m p a r e also St. A t h a n . p. 3 4 9 . O. T . Cyril de Ador. in S. and V . p. 499, a." O

194

'['he boundaries existing in nature coincide

with

sets Him a necessity; over free agents, mind and will. The natural things are f i x e d ; things unbound are preserved ; the law is a wall that preserveth free agency. W h o can take away that which belongs to natural things, though our free will goeth astray ? 3. Lo ! the sun is bounded in his course, and the moon also hath her increases ordered: He hath appointed an order too for the earth and the heavens: the firmament hath Gen. l, H e bounded by the waters which are above it. I t is not H e Jer. 5, which is confused, but we that are perturbed. For if by the sand the waves are bounded, marvel 1 at the rash .man that 1 S. gaze

proudly lifts himself up above H i m W h o is Lord of all! Lo ! let us from his very self teach, my brethren, to the daring due restraint. For his conception in the belly was bound, as E c c l e s . also in the womb of the earth his resurrection is, and his Ps. 139 birth [therefrom] 2 . Lo ! the conception limited him, and 2 2R . xl. birth limited him, and death limiteth him, and the grave, and i". ' the resurrection ! lo ! by these the rash man is limited, but AnaM • o w n ci u e s 1-i o n ' n o s limiteth n o t ! l. p. 40, 4. Lo ! we will yet farther rebuke his confusion, since his s ' will is perturbed by his liberty''. For his nature is overruled b V o l . iii. p. 361, d. " T h e n a t u r e of sinned, as he wills so he c h a n g e s his sweetness is sweet to h i m t h a t is in t o n e ; for if he h a s slipped and offended health ; it t a s t e t h bitter to him t h a t is he m a k e s weakness his own excuse, b u t sick : so also free-will is bitter to sin- if he be sinned a g a i n s t , his brother [he n e r s ; is sweet to the righteous. "When will tell you] utters weak t h i n g s . II' you a man would investigate the nature of were to go nigh unto his p r a y e r t w o sweetness, it is not by an ill m a n ' s tastes would be found in h i m ; he s e t t e t h mouth t h a t he investigates and proves forth how w e a k his own s t r e n g t h is, and it, because he is sick. A m a n in a s s e r t e t h t h a t t h e s t r e n g t h of his broh e a l t h is t h e test (furnace) of savours, t h e r ' s will is much s t r o n g e r t h a n he. H e T h u s too, when a man would investi- f o r g e t t e t h his own debts, and accuses h i s g a t e the power of free-will, let it not be debtor. W h i c h of t h e two would a m a n investigated in an impure m a n : he is wish to come to P If he assume w e a k sick and defiled. L e t the pure who is ness, he m a k e s a request for his b r o t h e r : in sound health be the f u r n a c e for the and if he assume a h a u g h t y t o n e , he a s s a y i n g t h e r e o f . " cf. p. 206. eomp. provoketh his J u d g e . I f a m a n come E t h . N i c . iii. 0. A g a i n in p. 362, f. to either one of t h e t w o , it becomes a there is so ingenious and yet p r a c t i c a l , plea common to h i m and to t h e m a n so acute and yet sweetening, a refuta- who is his d e b t o r : for t h e weakness is tion of f a t a l i s m , t h a t it is worth adding, common, and the capability of a c t i n g even if it bore less upon t h e t e x t , as is common. Let us go in the s t r a i g h t serving to develope f a r t h e r St. li.'s p a t h and leave crooked ways, t h a t w e views as to the compatibility of g r a c e m a y come to orthodoxy. A man with free-will as touched upon in R . beseecheth the forgiving God, and h e xxv. 3, &c. " If thy brother offend thereby e n t r e a t s for his b r o t h e r ; b u t thee, and thou rebuke h i m , asking w h y if h e call upon H i m as A v e n g e r , t h e n he offend thee, by him thou dost accuse h e becomes his own a d v e r s a r y . He thyself of being able to keep from offend- reduceth himself to a strait, choose i n g t h y b r o t h e r o r t h y G o d . H e t h a t b a t h which ever he w i l l : if he choose G o d

Scripture

to check unbounded

disputation.

195

by [Divine] Goodness, that nature might be distinguished from liberty. And if any one was minded to injure his members, yet he hateth those that so injure him, and lovethEph. 5, his own members :—thus maintaining the order of his bodily 2 9 ' parts, while loosening and perturbing the order of his mental parts! 5. Lo ! the Cherub was a boundary to Paradise, and an awful barrier to Mount Sinai. Whoso approached, was stoned without mercy: by things visible, H e warned us from thingsHeb.io, invisible. If then H e set a bound to that mountain for all go' ' 2 ' that day, for eternity H e setteth a bound to the loftiness of His invisible Nature. There, there was death for him that was daring: but here, there is Gehenna for the disputatious. 6. Lo ! the leprosy that reproved the talkative, reproveth the insolence of the disputcrs ; for though it was Miriam who spoke against the meek man, yet he wove his lips into a N u m b , garment of leprosy for her. H e r love clave to the child in 1 2 ' 1 , & 0 " the water; on the land she made the heart of Pharaoh'sExod. daughter swim. For that child who was swimming—from t h e 1 1 ' 4 ' wages for himself, he nourished his mother also. O miracle and wonder and a m a z e m e n t ! for if Miriam spake against a mortal, who was indebted to her for the kindness done to him in the waters, although she was also older than M o s e s ; yet that righteous man who had commanded elders to be Levit. honoured, upon this elder prophetess inflicted a disgrace, a 1 9 ' 3 2 ' disgrace without m e r c y ; who shall be clear, if he seeks into the First-born of H i m Who punisheth the talkative? 7. If then the Most H i g h avenged the servant of his sister, a prophetess, who intermeddled with him, who shall meddle with the birth of that Majesty, W h o is the Son of a B o s o m ' ' K. vi. which is consuming Fire, whence there flame forth l i g h t n i n g s ' ^ ^ §.i.

to be merciful to his own self, then he c a n n o t be oppressive to his brother, T h e a l t e r n a t i v e s a r e placed in the m i d s t : if a m a n call upon God as forgiving, then he h a s set his own debtor free; if as A v e n g e r , t h e n he h a s desired Him to be forgiving to himself. A m a n ' s neighbour t h e n is stationed along with himself in all aspects, W h e r e v e r D i v i n e Goodness is, there are his debtors s t a t i o n e d ; and wherever Divine J u s t i c e is, there are his misdeeds stationed. I f he seek to supplicate for

his misdeeds, then h a s he f o r h i s debtors also lifted up a p r a y e r : if he d r a w nigh to Divine Goodness, then he has let his debtors g o : if he draw nigh to Divine J u s t i c e , then he h a s summoned his own m i s d e e d s . " T h i s unfolds the m e a n i n g of the t e x t : m e n will not let others h u r t t h e m outwardly without seeking r e d r e s s ; b u t t h e y will m a r t h e i r own i n w a r d constitution, and sell t h e m s e l v e s to work wickedness, and then complain t b a t they are slaves,

o 2

Audaciousness

in

heretics,

Acts -2, and T o n g u e s [of fire]? T h e prying of daring men is as Is 47 stubble with H i m ; and the questioner and the contentious like as chaff, and like as thorns, are devoured. G e h a z i also 2 Kings w h o mocked and was mocked, tried to escape his master's !p. 128, notice and was disgraced. T h e d a r i n g 1 men try to escape n * men's notice [when pretending] that they baptize in the 9 S.TrineThree 2 N a m e s 0 . N o w at the mouth of T h r e e the j u d g e s c See above, p. 155, n. b. and p. 128, n. f. T h e words ' try to escape men's notice' seem to refer to 1 J o h n v. 9. ' if we receive the witness of men t h e witness of God is g r e a t e r . ' As this passage seems to contain an allusion to the controverted t e x t , 1 J o h n v. 7• it m a y be well to specify, first, such other passages of Scripture as it may allude t o ; secondly, such passages of St. E . as will throw l i g h t upon his m e a n i n g here ; and thirdly, any such evidence ill favour of the controverted passage as his words here seem to supply. (]) N o w the only other t e x t t h a t has ever struck me as likely to he in t h e Saint's mind is J o h n viii. 17, IS. ' I t is w r i t t e n in your law, t h a t the testimonv of two men is t r u e : I am One t h a t b e a r witness of Myself, and the F a t h e r t h a t sent M e beureth witness of M e which evidently refers to t h a t in the L a w : 4 at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesse«, shall the matter be established,' l ) e u t . x i x . 15. T h e objection to supposing St. E . refers to this is, t h a t (here is no mention of Hire» witnesses h e r e , and none of baptism ; which seems to me most m a t e r i a l . N e i t h e r do I think t h a t a reference to this t e x t in conjunction with M a t t , x x v i i i . 19. would account for St. E . ' s l a n g u a g e . (2) St. E . notices the importance of the N a m e used at B a p t i s m , f t . xiii. §. 1. K . lii. §. 1 R . liii. §. 3. (which, as we shall see, is a p a s s a g e in p a r t parallel to the one before us) 11. lix. 1. 3. 11. l x i i . G. K. Ixv. §. 1. R . lxvi. §. 1. B u t of course it is so common in antiquity to dwell upon the use of the N a m e u*ed in B a p t i s m , when speaking of the T r i n i t y , t h a t t h a t m i g h t be expected ; it is the c o n t e x t which m a r k s the pvssage a-- somewhat unusual, and makes it open to consider whet her, when the copies of t h e Scripture were torn to pieces in persecutions, (see contr. S c r u t . iii. §. 29.) this passage might by any c h a n c e have suffered. F o r it is certain beyond all doubt t h a t

some t e x t s of the g r e a t e s t importance are absent from a whole class of Mss. (e. g . L u k e x x i i . 44. to which t e x t devotion owes so veiy m u c h , b u t w h i c h is absent from the whole A l e x a n d r i n e class,) and so it is j u s t possible t h a t the old S y r i a c version might originally have contained this important t e x t . A s time goes on, it is fair, of course, to p u t down any t h i n g , however s l i g h t , which seems to favour such a supposition ; if the evidence a g a i n s t it preponderates ever so m u c h , this is no reason w h y we should neglect w h a t little there is to put in the opposite scale. And hence there does seem to be the strictest moral obligation to a t t e n d to a n y evidence for its e x i s t e n c e , a n d give it its w e i g h t . F o r as it is with remedies e x i s t i n g in n a t u r e , (see S t . E . ' s own comparison of the two, p. 171, n. e.) so m a y it be with tliose in g r a c e ; they may lie hid a long time, be r e j e c t e d with scorn, a n d at last, after m u c h doubt and disputes w h i c h seemed to be endless, be received. See B u t l e r , A n a l . ii. 3. p. 259. N o r ought we p e r h a p s in this case to forget t h a t t h e a b u n d a n c e of heresies in Syria m i g h t have helped towards the corruption of the t e x t ; because St. E . himself a g a i n and a g a i n complains of this, ( s e e particularly Vol. ii. p . 4 4 1 , f. p. 485, a . b . 4 9 1 , a. 500, d . i i i . p . 2 3 9 , a . and also on contr. Scrut. i. § . 4 6 . ) although it must be owned t h a t t h e best critics are averse to the assumption of such an hypothesis. I t is plain, further, from his C o m m . on Z e c h . xiii. 1. that he understood J o h n x i x . 34, &c. not only of the E u c h a r i s t , as in p. 20, n. m. b u t also of B a p t i s m . F o r he understands " the fountain of salvation in t h e spiritual sense and true m e a n i n g , of t h e s t r e a m of t h e holy Blood ar,d sacred W a t e r w h i c h flowed from t h e side of our L o r d to sprinkle from uncleanness and to p u r i f y from error ;" which application is also followed in the L i t u r g y of St. J a m e s of S a r u g used by the M a r o n i t e s , Assem. C o d / L i t . i i . p . 309, n. 2. p. 341. (3) T h e

will be punished

us in

Vzziah.

197

decide. See here be Three Witnesses W h o put an end to all strife! And who would doubt about the holy Witnesses Heb. t>, b of His Baptism ? " 8. If the Temple was avenged, because dishonour was done it, who would raise lowering questions about the Lord of all? Approach not to H i s Generation 1 , lest thou b e 1 genedestroyed. For Uzziah offered incense, and was smitten ; p!°ffo and since he was not ashamed to stretch forth [his h a n d ] to the glory of the sanctuary, he was ashamed all his days, 26,18—because his leprosy covered h i m ; and since he dishonoured 2 1 the hallowed house, he had to shut himself u p in his own Levit. house, as unclean. T h e hallowed house which halloweth 1 3 ' 4 6 ' all, from it he went forth a leper all defiled. And the doctrine which rightly ordereth all things, liath been to US Comp. a fount of questioning disordering all things. T h e r a i n ^ 0 ^ 8 ' which profiteth all, by superabundance of it injureth all; and the sun which illuminates all, by the might of it blindeth all. Bread also which quickeneth all 2 , to him that eateth 2 §. l. gluttonously is a murderer. p^Va'e. 9. H i s ordering of bounds bringeth the impetuous into order, seeing that it is with fire H e hath surrounded H i s sanctuary. T h e two hundred men that dared to seize the Numb. priesthood 11 a fire befriending the sanctuary consumed: i t 1 6 ' 1 , drift of the whole passage then would ad- sion, be right to remind the reader, that mitof being stated thus: Those who will it is not St. E.'s usual practice to quote not b e l i e v e ' t h e record that God gave of Scripture; he allude* to it in by far His Son' (1 John v. 10.) are obliged the greater number of instances, d to approach the most sacred rites Comp. Vol, i. p. 357, a. in n. e. with a lie in their right hand; That this is not a mere illustration may they are worse than Gehazi, who be seen from the following passage from thought that none would witness the E . xxii. adv. HOT. ii. p. 488, b. sacrilegious use he was m a t i n g of the " The Most H i g h came down on to type only of the Sacrament of Baptism Mount Sinai and covered Moses with seen in N a a m a n , (see on the place, His hand ; Moses laid it upon Aaron, p. 532, c. d.) which w a s ' by water o n l y a n d it reached down to John ; hence but these daring men make the most our Lord said to him, ' I t is righteoussolemn adjuration a mere trap for men's ness for Me to be baptized by thee,' souls, and while they call to witness the ( M a t t . 3, 15.) that the succession Three that bear record in Heaven, they might not be lost to him. Our Lord thereby constitute all, that keep alive gave it to H i s Apostles, and behold a religious sense of the honour of hav- in our Church it is continued ! Blessed ing had God's N a m e sealed upon them be H e that delivered His succession at Baptism, judges of their own sacri- to us ! The saying of our Lord relegious intentions ; they summon from strains them, and lo, what they take Heaven Three "Witnesses against them- to themselves is taken from them! selves, and prove the Church's doctrine for the Aetians, and Arians, and by the counterfeit of her rites, which Sabellians, and the Cathari, and to save appearances they are compelled Photinians, and Audians, who reto adopt. (Seenote d.) Tt may,inconclu- ceived imposition of hands from our

198

The wilfulness

of false

worships.

L e v i t . devoured the sons of Aaron because they offered u p strange i p . ' 3 9 b . f i r e a s it were a harlot, and the hallowed fire was zealous against the strange fire ; and the knowledge of the truth is zealous against the contaminating disputation 6 . Lo ! they are both shadowed forth for the wise in the hidden mirror of thought, as having both put on one shape of wilfulness and one stamp of venom from their liberty of will! Both of them willed to be priests to God. On their visible offering their hidden heart is impressed ; for by occasion of their offerings i Sam. their secrets were openly set forth to shame. 5, 6. 9.

Church, h a v e some of t h e m laid violent upon the fire which c a m e down and conh a n d s on the faith w h i c h was p u t sumed their sacrifices in its t i m e ; into wiiting in t h a t glorious Council. a n o t h e r was, t h a t they despised Moses M e m o r a b l e is the king t h a t assembled and A a r o n , and brought incense w i t h t h e m ! — H e a d s they became in the midst out h a v i n g received any permission of the C h u r c h e s ! Some too were pres- f r o m t h e m ; a third, t h a t t h e y confused byters and deacons ! others doctors and the time of beginning their office, and r e a d e r s ! some were even religious : offered incense not in their proper and from t h e C h u r c h they stole ordina- time ; a fourth, t h a t they entered into tion of each kind of ministers to act as t h e s a n c t u a r y , a place w h i c h A a r o n priests, and to baptize, and to b r e a k their f a t h e r w e n t into once a y e a r . b r e a d , and to teach t h a t our L o r d h a t h N o w t h a t they offered s t r a n g e fire is come and will come. Blessed H e typical. T h e s t r a n g e fire he calls the W h o h a t h restrained t h e m all by H i s wilfulness of A d a m and E v e who were T r u t h !" And j u s t before : " L e t t h e m in a h a s t e to become g o d s . " A n d so be distinctly asked from whom it w a s on 1 S a m . xiii. p. 357. a. " B y this t h a t they received imposition of h a n d s ? action and the consequences of it he if it w a s from us t h a t they received it describeth to us a type of t h e first and then repudiated it, t h a t sufficeth A d a m , because both of t h e m (Saul and for t h e t r u t h : but if they have m a d e A d a m ) despised God's c o m m a n d m e n t , themselves priests and done arrogantly, a n d both of t h e m also justified t h e m t h a t sufficeth to reprove them, lor this selves and accused their fellow-creavery t h i n g is to their s h a m e . F o r tures ; both of them h a r m e d both t h e m every m a n is a priest if he please, and selves and their sons; both of t h e m lays his h a n d on his own head. A dared to lust after a rank of which t h e y confusion this which cutteth off hope !" w e r e not w o r t h y . Moreover by this t h e y are blamed, who i n v a d e t h e r a n k e H e r e a g a i n as above, p. 102, n . d. of the priesthood, without receiving is an implied parallel b e t w e e n heresy imposition of h a n d s . " H e r e we see and idolatry. See on R . x x x v i i . §. 3. S t . E . again dwells on the wilfulness St. E . ' s words upon L e v i t . x . 1. m a y of the act of N a d a b and A b i h u as be i n t e r e s t i n g . " N a d a b and A b i h u its m a i n f e a t u r e , though be views it as suffered not upon one count only, b u t t y p i f y i n g another t h i n g . upon m a n y , as Scripture h i n t s ; one was, because they brought in strange fire

RHYTHM THE TWENTY-NINTH. 1. GOD in His mercies called mortals gods through grace ; but they by their scrutinizing have set limits to Him who is God, as though he were man. This Body of yours which H e put on, Cherubim bare up and Seraphim are awed before it, Angels are still before i t a ; but yet ye that are despicable have made light of the generation of the Glorious One. For unto that weak body which H e came down and clad Himself with, His names and operations were assimilated. And as it was needful b for Him to be hungry, thus also it was needful for Him to pray, and as that hunger belonged wholly to the body, so His lacking 1 belonged wholly to the 1 p- 210, body. D o not ye die by means of the names wherewith the Living One veiled Himself that H e might quicken a l l ! a See above, p. 158, n. c. T h e C a tholic doctrine is t h u s giver) by St. J o h n D a m a s c . F . O . iv. 3. " T h e F l e s h of C h r i s t in its own n a t u r e indeed, if you come to nice m e n t a l distinctions of t h e visible from the intelligible, is not to be adored as being c r e a t e d , but when united to G o d t h e W o r d t h r o u g h H i m and in H i m is a d o r e d . " Possibly St. E . wished to give a blow to Apollinarianism by the w a y : St. A t h . c. A poll. i . 6 . " I t is not a c r e a t u r e which we w r orship, O insensate men ! "Why is it t h a t ye do not reflect t h a t the B o d y of the L o r d , m a d e t h o u g h it be, yet doth not obtain the worship of a c r e a t u r e P for it h a t h become the B o d y of t h e W o r d u n c r e a t e . T o H i m then W h o s e Body it h a t h become, to H i m offer ye wors h i p . " Cyril T h e s . p. 196. b. though ypeaking a g a i n s t t h e E u n o m i a n notion, (p. 194.) t h a t the « V r i f i r n t i - ^ of C h r i s t implied a n a t u r e !>-- p. iv'-i antecedently to such glorification, has the following : ' T h e W o r d of G od, as G o d , is most H i g h e s t evermore, but has been lifted up on high as M a n . L a c k i n g nothing as God, H e is as M a n said to receive. H e w a s worshipped by all creatures as God, now H e receives worship as M a n . ' V i d e Dial. ix. p. 728. e. P e t a v . '!e I n c . iv. 14. §. 9. ( w h e r e he quotes the

Council of E p h e s u s as prescribing t h a t the W h o l e C h r i s t is to be worshipped w i t h the Body, b u t not in respect of t h e B o d y ; ) and more at length, x v . 3 . A s t h e ' two whole and perfect N a t u r e s are never to be divided,' of course where the Body is, t h e r e we creatures are to adore. I t m a y be r i g h t to add another p a s s a g e of St. E . here. Vol. i. p. 2 6 ] , e. " T h a t rod of A a r o n which out of all the rods alone budded, is a type of the adorable Body of I n m i a n u e i , W h o , though in all tilings connatural with corruptible c r e a t u i e s , yet remained in the Sepulchre incorruptible ; and when capable of unblameable passions ( t h e aS/a/SXjjr« Titúy of Chrysostom and others. V . A n a s t a s . Sin. p. 110. Grctser.) in H i m alone were seen t h e mysteries of incorruption and impassibdity and i m m o r t a l i t y . " F r o m the passages given p. 19. and 20, n . m. and p. 146, íi. d." 147, n. f. and 148, n. h. t h e r e can be no doubt t h a t St. E . would r e g a r d the Body of Christ as t h a t which g;ive men t h e r i g h t to be called ' gods.' U p o n this n a m e , see further on I I . xlvi. §. 6. •'> As it w a s needful, i. e. only so far as H e willed ; H e chose to submit to the laws of lmiuan n a t u r e : H e couk! at pleasure suspend them. See on R. x x x . §. 3.

'200

Heretics,

though puzzled

by creatures,

pry into

God.

2. F o r the M i g h t y One clad H i m s e l f with names which fell short of H i m in H i s pity for y o u b y reason of the b o d y . On w h i c h of them will ye f i x as true, honourable, and glorious ! T r u e is the N a m e of the Father, Faithful is the N a m e of the Son, and to be loved is H e as b e i n g a Pardoner, and to be feared is H e as being Judge. B e c a u s e the Son of man, he w a s bounded, without b o u n d was H e , b e c a u s e H i s Nature is G o d c . W e a k clay hath dared to go down and feel p. 87, into the properties of the sea 1 . It hath scrutinized the floods p." 144 thereof to make himself acquainted with the place w h e n c e 1

§•

they come up and where they settle". T h a t vile one that prieth cannot even find out from what place the hand which Eccles. fashioned him took himself and gave him measures which he n,J" yet scorns. W h o ever saw dust which dared to assay the power of the winds with questioning? T h e daring shall die Ez. 37, in scrutinizing H i m whose B r e a t h quickeneth the dead. Ps^9 5 C e d a r s are rooted up, thickets arc bared, and yet the chaff 2 s< gpj. cometh to pry into the Nature of the Holy W i n d 2 ; and from fit, or t ] i e blast of His Breath against the furnace-door, lo ! it is scattered! T h e L o r d and the Father, whom no man ever saw, w h o also judgeth % put the scrutinizers to shame, that they might not pry into that Son b y whose hand they are and were created. For the clay cannot search into the "Rom. 9 p o t t e r ; he maketh lifeless vessels, a work for his uses: the 20. 21. Maker who made y o u to b e endued with reason and knowledge, H i m have ye rejected. c This passage might be added to those which Petavius adduces, de I n c a r n . x . 7- in confutation of the E u t y c h i a n tenet of the Ubiquists, who maintained the Deification of Christ's Flesh in so literal a sense, as to suppose the attributes of H i s human N a t u r e to be annihilated by the Hypostatic Union, and that Christ as M a n is Omnipresent. See on Ä t h a n , p. 477, n, a. d This (and perhaps R . x x x v i . §. 6.) seems to allude to the story of Aristotle mentioned by St. J . M a r t y r , p. 34. and St. Greg. N a z . c. J u l . 3. p. 79, b. accorcling to which he is made to meet his death by a fool-hardy attempt to discover the cause of the ebb and flow of the Euripus. T h e origin of this story js unknown, though it doubtless came from some heathen source. Compare

S t a h r , Aristotelia, i. p. 155. The F a t h e r s commonly regarded the Anomceans as the disciples of Aristotle, ( p . 106, n . a.) and St. E . m a y fairly use the current stories about him as at least typifying a truth in regard to h u m a n philosophy, even if in themselves ill authenticated. e See 1 P e t . 1, 17. which seems to contradict J o h n 5, 22. B u t the F a thers held that Christ is J u d g e , because H e is S o n : that His eternal ""ncratinn communicated to H i m all Iii« r':.t 'h-r'attributes. See on Ä t h a n , p. 404. and P e t a v . de I n e . xii. 10. who cites principally Greek authorities. Arnbr. de Fide ii. §. 100. Dedit utique judicium generamlo non largiendo. H i l . de T r i n . xi. 12. Dum judicium datur, N s fivitas non fac-etur.

RHYTHM THE THIRTIETH. 1. GOD who is the Lord of all, who is not numbered 1 1 i«with His works, as if among them, who is not subject to metre, or weight, or touch, or colour, or measure, is not confined in space, for He is not as the spreading forth of the wind or the sunbeams, that any thing comprehend to Him. Knowledge is His Essence ; for all that have knowledge 8 are strangers to His Substance 2 . For what escapes these g S rebellious men is, that the thing made comprehendeth not its Maker. The natures of Angels are fire and spirit 3 : the 3 P- 146 > natures of bodies are dust and water. The Nature of the Lord of all who can perceive ? that Nature which these three natures are inadequate to the explanation of and which it is above them to say how, or where, or in what shape It exists? 2. Explain unto us these three things for instance, how great thou wilt say, when asked, that He is? how great His measure is and His weight? or His height and length of whatsoever is His ? or again, how and what His appearance is, if H e be " A s s e m a n . renders t h u s : Ipsius essentia R a t i o est, h a n c e x t r a si quid aliud cogitas, ab ejus notione longissime abis. T h i s is a p a r a p h r a s e , and to m e not a very clear one. 3t might be rendered t h u s : Ipsius essentia scie n t i a e s t : omnia autem quse sciunt, ab E j u s Substantia t a m e n procul a b s u n t ; i. e. 1 "With H i m to know and to be are i d e n t i c a l : c r e a t u r e s which h a v e knowledge, are yet s t r a n g e r s to alt but H i s doings and attributes. Himself they c a n not attain to.' S e e p . 191. T h e sense h e r e given to jAlD . J seems to he required by the context. I t m e a n s the stem or stock of a t r e e , and is the C h a l d e e word used in I s a i a h vi. 13. w h e r e our version h a s ' s u b s t a n c e . ' I t is obvious enough to t a k e some ordinary solid substance as the type of ' s u b s t a n c e ' in its m e t a p h y sical s e n s e : ilku in G r e e k , mula ' a root' in Sanscrit, staff in G e r m a n , D S y in H e b . and t i o ; . ^ in Syr. hone, are similar instances. Basil, c. E u n . i. 12. " H o w g r e a t is the insolence of men t h a t profess to know the substance of G o d ! I should like to ask them w h a t they have to say about t h e e a r t h on which t h e y stand", and from which they are ? W h a t

account they will give us of its substance, because if they can give a n y u n a n s w e r a b l e s t a t e m e n t about t h i n g s on the ground, and close at their feet ; t h e n we m a y t r u s t them when they a r e so positive about things out of the reach of all t h o u g h t . "What then is the substance of the earth w h a t t h e method of comprehending i t ? L e t t h e m tell us in answer, w h e t h e r it was reason which arrived at this, or sense, and if it is sense t h a t they say, to which of the stnses is it comprehensible? I s it to sight ? n a y , for t h a t g r a s p e t h colours. T o touch then ? why this also discriminates between hardness and softness, hot and cold, and t h e like, and of these no one would assert a n y to be substance, unless he was gone into a state of downright d e r a n g e m e n t . " T h i s passage seems almost to have been known to St. E . See §. 2. E i t h e r passage supplies us with the ordinary ecclesiastical sense of the word ' Subs t a n c e , ' as somewhat in no case cognizable to the senses. See x x x i . §. 1. T h e 1 three things' allude to the common definition of body, r i TOI'/JA ^ixtrvarov (Aira. airirvxtat. Sext. Empir. Pvrrh. H , iii. 39. ii. 30. &c.

202 God's condescension,

though real in His

Incarnation,

hard or soft or hot or cold, and also let His place be explained, if H e dwelleth in place and in space also? Every thing which is made, created, or stablished, is liable to these things and the like to t h e m ; for either they have metre and 'See weight, or touch and colour, or extension and place 1 . In ' these three things, being threefold types, all are comprised, c all subsist, save the Trinity : as for the creatures they have quality, quantity also, and locality. 3. T h e Glorious One humbled Himself to all similitudes, and H e hungered till then for His humiliation. The Tree lowered Itself as much as was fitting; His F r u i t b condescended to every humiliation: the Tree put 011 condescension so far as S S. unto to use 2 similitudes; the Fruit came down and clothed Himself with suffering in reality. H e spoke, and did all that H e taught, that H e might be a mirror to His hearers. As H e taught in words, so H e also shewed His teaching in Himself; for by 3 S. ^ actions H e made the paths 3 as clear as if H e had taught them. H e also was afraid of the contempt 0 that H e had taught men not to practise. They compelled H i m to go ; and H e went where H e was not called. T h u s also H e concealed His knowledge 4 , that H e might teach those that were puffed u p n' g. ' and proud, that these frantic men might be restrained from 3

S. His explaining H i m d 5 .

genealogy.

b On the use of Tree and Fruit for See J o . Damasc. F . O. iii. 20. St. E . Father and Son, see n. e. p. 179. S t . E . probably conceives Christ as afraid means, that the Father in condescend- of contempt, because it is natural and ing to ask questions and represent not necessarily blameable for man to Himself as a man, did in a manner be afraid of it ; or from P s . x x x i . humble Himself to our needs. The 14. ' fear is on every side, white they Son did this, and far more also. conspire,' &c. although the present c Syr. j c o j i. e. spittle. St. E . Syriac omits the words 'fear—side.' alludes probably as to the rest of Matth. Unfortunately we have no commentary from St. E . upon Isai. 50, 6. 5, 22. so in particular to the word ence

in the Syriac, H e b . 1. our version h a s P e r s o n , and above, ' a spirit in itself w icked,' would not in a popular w a y of speaking differ much from ' a spirit essentially wicked.' See f a r t h e r on R . i. eontr. Scrut. §. 31. and on R . x l . §. 1. I n the t e x t the adverb employed is equivalent to ' essentially,' if we view t h e Son's H u m a n N a t u r e , as an accident to H i s E s s e n c e . (Vide P e t a v . d e I n c . vi. 8. 4.) W h a t St. E . means to say is, t h a t the Divine N a t u r e remained w h a t it was, as t h e following passage from vol. ii. p. 516, e. will shew : " I t is not possible for the N a t u r e of the [Divine] M a j e s t y to become small or be humbled, except in similitudes." And p. 512, f. " A vronder is the visible sample that meets our eye, even the word [of C h r i s t ] t h a t wished to persuade the learned concerning t h a t M a j e s t y , of which fools thought t h a t I t was not perfect. F o r us then it was t h a t I t was small when small, and for us t h a t I t was g r e a t when g r e a t ; and though it was equable in Itself at all times, all similitudes did I t p u t on in I t s mercy, for the N a t u r e of the Divine Essence doth not ever at a n y time w a n e or increase H e is One, t h a t w a n e t h n o t ; H e is One, t h a t inereaseth n o t : for the whole of H i m is in every place. T h e r e is no space within H i m for us to enter into, neither is there any room without H i m to go out into. H o w should H e e x p a n d or be g r e a t e r , or how contract or w a n e ? " d s. y i l ^ c u , . See R . 1. §. 1. R . Ixxiv.§. 1. contr. Scrut. R . i. §.2.§..'!0.

RHYTHM THE THIRTY-THIRD. 1. JOHN1 in truth when he saw Thee, shadowed out T h e e , ' s. The who art the W o r d and God who cannot be searched out, jo^n in order that every man should shadow Thee out by that R.lii.§2. type, in his mind, and not dare to shadow 2 out aught that is 2 p. 50, foreign to Thee. T h e appearancc that the Spirit in J o h n "¡¡'^5 sealed upon us, therewith also are our heart and understanding and mind impressed*. His Nature is hidden, yet revealed, though it is entirely h i d d e n ; for it is revealed that it existeth, but concealed in its mode of existence 3 . Let us 3 R.xlii. leave alone what H e hath left, and that which H e hath given us to hold fast, let us hold fast. 2. If it be too difficult for painters to paint us the wind 4 i n 4 Il.xlii. colours; whose tongue hath painted the Generation, which no mouths have painted with their words ? W h e n they paint the body, they paint not the soul; and when they paint the mouth, they paint not the voice, since these fall not at all under the pencil; the Scriptures which paint unto us the Son, paint not unto us, when [ H e became Son], and though 5 5 R,. 1. they preach unto us the Father, yet they preach not unto us how [ H e begetteth], since these things fall not under investigation, p- 69, And if then the devil b cannot be shadowed forth with colours, n ' who with his investigations hath shadowed forth the Holy Ghost ? T h e unclean spirit chideth at their interpretations of H i m : for as he concealeth himself from the painters, thus an hundredfold more concealed is the Godhead from their minds which do not comprehend the mode of His existence 6 . 6 comp, 11. e. p, 170. a

T h e ' t y p e in the m i n d ' and this e x pression probably refer not loosely to the whole view of doctrine so impressed upon the mind, b u t also t h e use of ' W o r d ' in S t . J o h n , w h i c h refers to t h e Xayts in m a n ' s mind as a type, See P e t a v . de T r i n . vi. 2. (who points out wherein the type and a n t i t y p e

a g r e e or differ.) and on A t h . p. 329, n. in. See on K. xlii. §. o. b See below R . J. 5. where a similar a r g u m e n t u m a fortiori d r a w n f r o m the difficulty of u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e mode of t h e evil spirits o c c u r s : here also it is assumed by implication t h a t he is p r e s e n t , yet unintelligible.

p 2

•¿12

Spiritual

Essences cannot be represented

to sense.

3. And as colours paint not the voice, so thoughts suffice not for the Son, that mark at which they aim from a subtle mind. W h i c h of the painters 0 gazed upon that brightness in R . v i i i . which Moses was enwrapped : neither the painters of faces Ifi^in'f. n o r painters of drapery sufficed to paint him. For those heavenly tints could not even by the eye be perfectly taken 1 s. in or by the mind, which was not correlative to either of them 1 . to'bofh Now if the countenance of an aged mail and a mortal, because of 2 them, jj w a s i J U t slightly suffused with the heaven]v tint, put the Ex.3A, ° • " i 29. R. colours to shame 2 , and perplexed the painters, who then shall shadow forth the Nature of that Essence which cannot be 3 p. lie,seen unto perfection 3 ? And whoever is said in Scripture to n ' ' have seen Him, saw not I l i m , but a shape in which H e wrapped Himself. For lo ! the intelligible' 1 colours of all minds are not correlative unto the Son, so that we should paint therewith I l l s likeness to the hearers» or know Ilim as H e is. 4 R. v. For if that breath 4 which may be held and felt, we yet cannot & " Iv * ' J xiii'.sa.paint, who shall shadow forth that Generation which is E.li.§.5.revealed to the Father alone, and withdrawn and hidden from all [others] ? ' This is only a vivid way of p a t t i n g w h a t we are told m Scripture, t h a t the J e w s could not look on Moses.

d S. j i ^ i o .

< intelligible' is h e r e

nse(j in the scnse of t h e

G r e e k

RHYTHM THE THIRTY-FOURTH. 1 . B E F O R E Adam had sinned, all the creatures were p u r e ; and when he and they were pure, he garnished them with their names. And when the man sinned in his free-will 1 , the 1 p. 123, Creator rejected them by reason of his sins, though he was p^jj-' more unclean than they, that by them H e might teach him, c. i. §. and bring him unto pureness. Blessed be H e Who by means An'ime# of beasts taught him not to make himself like them \ Fori- 66. like unto beasts and brutes he made himself, as is written. Pa. 32, By them H e shadowed forth man's own hideousness, that he might see how foul he had made himself; that when h e saw

his hideousness, he might be disgusted thereat; and when he saw the great blot upon him, he might feel ashamed; and when lie saw whereto he was like, he might weep, and seek 2 the brightness 2 which lie had lost. p- 5J, 2. One mirror serveth to minister unto many in a state of concord: but to Adam were many [given], that in them he might see his own manifold stains b . H e drew our attention to * Some thoughts occur here which seem to h a v e been suggested hy P h i l o de Providentia, lib. ii. portions of which are given us in Greek by Euseb. P r a j p . E v . viii. 14. and a L a t i n translation of the whole of which from the Armenian m a y b e found at the end of the Leipsig. Philo. A . D . 1830. St. E . vol. ii. p. 482, e. ' ' T h e S c r i p t u r e s witness unto liberty of will, as doth the fire which to be w i t h sinners H e prepared for S a t a n as for t h e m , because he was a transgressor of his own free-will. T h u s is punishment exacted of t h e n a t u r e t h a t has free-will, and of the essence t h a t h a t h liberty. "Witness too is the serpent which in A d a m ' s time was lamed, and the beast t h a t was stoned, because the lecher invisible as well as visible h a t h defiled it. T h e cause of their death have man and S a t a n been. F o r without the wicked one the serpent had b e e n sound, and the beast without the m a n were faultless. I t is the m a n and S a t a n t h a t h a v e m a d e an evil use

thereof. F o r the sake of those who h a v e liberty of will, H e killed the beasts to teach them gravity. "Witness also is the calf of the Hebrews which was made of gold, t h a t was pure and clean to its M a k e r . Moses stamped it fine, because of the impure who had contaminated themselves. So too bread and wine are deadly drugs : burnt offerings pollute things pure, and charms themselves defile. T h e cause of all evils is manifestly liberty of will, A d a m and Satan, by their liberty, have introduced the evil of the will." See ibid, p . 535, c. and iii. p. 571, b. b Vol. ii. p. 532, b. ' L e t us not shape in our minds another image, an idol u n s e e n ! F r a u d rejoiceth us more than T r u t h , seeing it is of man's own f r a m i n g , Blessed be H e whose verity is not framed of p a r t s as a fable ! A pearl is the faith, (see p. 89, n. b.) which is not g r a v e n ; like to the adamant is the T r u t h , and b e n e a t h the chasing tool it h a t h never been subdued. A v a x f i e x i -

13rutes by their vices instruct

214

men.

1

is.took,animals , that we in them might see in what state we are! wise Creator, Who in them shewed us ourselves ! For the over i n d can see itself, if it be clear; the body cannot examine m

ourmfnd O anuria U

'

^

its face without a mirror. Since then the mind had itself also become like the body, and could not by its own self behold its essence, l i e took and prepared a mirror from the beasts, that it might see itself; that by the beasts which he Philo treats with scorn, man might reproach himself, that he might §. 110! n o t be ravenous like a wolf, nor be fierce like a beast with fangs, nor get the hiss of a serpent, nor again the silence of a scorpion, or like it in secret smite his fellow ; nor like a dog Ps.32,9. rage at his M a k e r ; and, be not ye as a horse and a mule, which have no understanding. H e called Herod a fox, since p.18 and he defiled his chamber at all times with his lasciviousness; p-31 ' he despised the law, and in his impureness he killed the Nazarite, and took a wife who also was like himself, and a damsel came up in the image of them both. In the feast of the profuse banquet they killed the honourable prophet. ble to every form is error, and it is like a hideous mirror to him that looks therem, and he that is well favoured in it becomes deformed, and he that is fair in it becometh stained. Alas! for the mirror wherein each that looketh hath his stains multiplied." There is evidently a similarity of thought in this

passage and that in the t e x t ; in the latter, a confused state of things originating in man's sin is viewed as a mirror, which may be made useful to him; in the former, another state of things similarly confused as, in fact, detrimental to him; yet each serves as a mirror to him.

RHYTHM THE THIRTY-FIFTH. 1 . L I K E is nature unto Scripture, and like are those within to those without" 1 . In their questionings do their losses come, 1 oomp. and by their own argirings their mischiefs. On nature those without looked and stumbled, in Scripture 2 those within have 2 p-107, read and have been perplexed. Grant me, Lord, that I may R.xiviii. suffice to plead with them according to T h y will! One, ' I n 2the beginning 1 ',' is like the other, and J o h n also is like Moses: for in the beginning of their books they have reproved the scribes that searched amiss. For one preached God who came to suffering—and Moses also nature which came to Gen. l. travail in p a i n ' 3 . T h a t the hearers might not be weakened^ 0 ™' 8 ' [in the faith] they wrote their glories in the beginning of 3 S. to their books. Blessed be the Pure One who in pure things p a m s " opened unto us the mouth of pure fountains!

2. For from the words which are written concerning the humiliation of the Son of the Creator, the searchers thought that H e was a creature. They too disturbed t h e 1 ' fountain, E z e c h . . . . 34 18 and when they had disturbed it with their strifes they turned ' to prying, and drank the waters that their feet had disturbed, and though that doctrine was clear, yet they were drinking dregs from out of its clearness. O Lord, shew mercy P s . 7 5 , 9 . upon our wilfulness which first disturbed and then drinks. » ' T h o s e w i t h i n ' mear.s h e r e t i c s , who still keep in t h e C h u r c h ; those w i t h o u t , p a g a n s : t h e s a m e words occur contr. Scrut. E . iii. §. 16. in t h e s a m e sense. B u t they h a v e an indefiniteness i n t h e original w h i c h gives t h e m a l a r g e r scope, w h i c h is referred to a t t h e end of this I t . V i d e also I I . l x v . 1. b T h e use of 1 I n the b e g i n n i n g ' b y S t . J o h n a n d M o s e s is noticed in a similar w a y b y S t . H i l . de T r i n . ii. §. 12. 13. O r i g e n in G e n . H o r n . i. §. 1. in J o . ii. §. 4. A u s t i n in J o . i. §. 11. d e Civ. .Dei, x i . 5. J e r o r n . Qnsest. in G e n . 1. A c a c i u s Ca2s. in C a t e n . G r . p . 7. &c. C h r y s . in J o . H . ii. p . 25. See P e t a v . de M u n d i Opif. i. 1. de T r i n . ii. «, 3. Lipornari Cat. in Gen, 1,

I n t h e n e x t w o r d s St. E . c o n t e m plates c r e a t i o n as a type of t h e I n carnation. c U p o n G e n e s i s , however, h e does not notice t h i s , p e r h a p s b e c a u s e in c o m m o n w i t h S t . B a s i l and S t . A u s t i n h e wras desirous of asserting t h e literal t r u t h of t h e history of t h e creation, see vol. i. p. 6. a . (juoted below in note b. p . 247" Allusion to t h i s c h a p t e r of Ezekiel occurs a g a i n , I i . l i x . §. 5. contr. S c r u t . iii. §. 13. St. G r e g . N y s . ii. p . 6 0 0 . St. C y r i l c. N e s t . p. 47. in H o s . p. 102. St. A u s t i n , Serm. xlvii. §. 18. St. J e r o m e in loc. O r i g e n , P h i l o c . x i . Const. A p o s t . ii. 1 8 — 2 0 . all employ the p a s s a g e in a kindred m a n n e r .

'216

Nature

and Scripture,

scire through

man's

fault.

O Fountain of wonder that art clear and disturbed according to ' s. for the parties using it 1 . For it is pure to tlie pure who are puriparties" i ' s P u r e drink ; and to the disturbed it is disturbed, because it is to the disturbed as sweetness also is bitter to - p-194, the sick 2. Truth is disturbed among the disputers, as sweetness among those that are sick. Lord, heal our sicknesses that we may hear of T h y Generation healthfully ! 3. Those without looked on nature the whole of which was 3 Rdisturbed for Adam's sake 3 ; for in itwere the sins from free-will, and the fearful stripes from [Divine] j u s t i c e : they foolishly 4 E. thought that it was nature that was deformed and confused 4 . And those within slandered our Lord for H i s H u m a n Nature; they saw His littleness, and were perplexed. T h e wicked one mocked both sides. Ileprove, Lord, that deceiver who mocketh us as he did. S a m s o n B e c a u s e they have disturbed the stream by searching, they think that it is disturbed and its fountain 5 5 S . B o o t . too . Let us go up to the Fountain H e a d : it is from their own P m o u l s t )at i79 ii e ^ l they tasted their streams 6 . Without Adam nature 6 See was free from sin, and Christ also, without His Body, from ref 2 ' " necessitousness. Nature was straitened by reason of Adam; 7 p. 202, and Christ became small by reason of the Body 7 . Blessed be 211.^6. Tliou, O Lord of nature, because it was little and yet great, and so preached of Tlice '! » John 4. J o h n , who tasted that Fountain 8 before them that drink 13 2o ' ' it, tasted, and was astonished, and cried, and preached, that J o h n l, ' H e was God and was with God.' And Moses too who Geti. I , wrote of nature at the first, wrote that ' God saw all, and it 31 was good in His sight,' Clear is nature, and clear is Scripture; cease ye disturbers from the strife. Ileprove, Lord, the strife which disturbeth the clear fountains! H a v e ye not " V o l . i. p. 326, a. " T h e head of Samson w h i c h was shaven, foresheweth the falling off of the crown of the Saints from the head of the J e w i s h people: then was t a k e n from off it the glory of t h e P r o p h e t s , and the beauty of the Apostles : and a f t e r t h a t , there was in sin a power to humble them and deliver them up to seive in blindness, while t h a t people w a s sunk in the mire before devils, as Samson was before the P h i listines." St. E . views the Philistines here, as in the t e x t , as a t y p e of S a t a n , lirst blinding his victims, and then

mocking t h e m . ' A t h a n . de I n c a r n . x i " . speaks of t h e Son as " m o v i n g all t h i n g s in the c r e a t i o n , a n d through t h e m m a n i f e s t i n g the F a t h e r . " V i d e T b o m a s s i n de A d v . T r . v. cap. 13. B u t there is a f u r t h e r m e a n i n g in this p a s s a g e : St. E . r e g a r d s n a t u r e , in spite of its being u n d e r sin through A d a m , as a type of C h r i s t , as in 1 Cor. xv. in the same way as in vol. i. p. 350, a. 353, b. he r e g a r d s Saul, though in wilfulness the emblem of Adam, (p. 198, n. e.) yet as a type of Christ.

instruct

-with sufficient

clearness.

'217

disturbed the clear fountains enough, ye searchers ? Our sin hath disturbed nature, and our searching hath eonlused the Scripture. And for the fair flock that cometh to drink it is Jer. 13, perplexed, since we have given to it perplexed sounds to drink '20in. I t came unto nature, we had corrupted i t ; and it came unto Scripture, we had confused it 1 . Clear up, O Lord, t h e 1 R. water-courses which the searchers have disturbed, who h a v e ^ " " ' b e e n disturbers ! 5. T h a t searching which confuseth all, that strife which perplexeth all, E z e c h i e l had beforehand shadowed outEzek. when he reproved the shepherds, saying, ' M y sheep f e d 3 4 > 1 8 u p o n pastures which your heels have trodden down, and they have returned and drank waters which your feet disturbed.' L o the words, and lo the doings of the proud have disturbed the creation ! L e t us give thanks, that before the searchers [came] the fountains were clear to the Apostles. Clear u p , Lord, the streams t h a t the shepherds have disturbed before T h y flock. Avenge 2 my simplicity,\s.stand O Lord, ii-om the wise that are very foolish ; for if they had u p t o r known T h y greatness they would not have dared to scrutinize Thee. For if they had cleaved to nature, yea, and to Scripture, they lrom both would have learned the Lord of both. N a t u r e slieweth by open things e , and Scripture too Rom. l, by plain things ! Blessed H e who by one quickeneth bodies," and by the other quickeneth souls. B y pure Pastors give 3 me to drink from the pure water-courses of S c r i p t u r e 3 ! Comp. s St. E . must not be taken here to mean more than he does: for of the insufficiency of N a t u r e to teach without the Church, he elsewhere (vol. ii. p. 529.) speaks as follows : " Who is there equal to that universal harp, which the Lord of the universe hath made of the universe, that H e by it might persuade all men, that whoso can make its strings vibrate is from Himself. Moses came and played upon it, and refuted that party of magicians that were overcome. The tares [i. e. heretics] were confounded, because they were not able to charm the strings of the h a r p , & c . " H e then proceeds to Joshua, and to Christ. So too in p. 367, a. he speaks of tradition as the channel of Gentile knowledge: " "We have heard from them of old, (he makes the Ninevites

say,) them who preached the truth in the world, whose words were handed down to us, yea, the reports of their mighty deeds. For men were not severed from the understanding of knowledge : reports of the way in which the j u s t were delivered, went abroad in the world, and the whole of it was filled therewith, that whoso wrought folly might be condemned: we have heard also how the wicked did presumptuously, and were destroyed, and a mirror was set up for any that was daring to be reproved, &c." Comp. R . xxvii. §. 3. R . xlviii. §. 2. Upon the power parallel to this in the Church, see vol. ii. p. 494. quoted above, p. 106, n. b. p. 219, n. c. St. E . wrote a separate work, ' de Ecclesia,' which has unfortunately perished.

R . liii. §.3.

RHYTHM THE THIRTY-SIXTH. 1. THE Son came clown to visit the servants, because their infirmities lingered and delayed, and the physicians had been forward to come, yet had been wearied of their labour. They healed but little and left much alone. Blessed be H e that sent Thee! Since they were not able to see H i m , H e took H i m clothing from the sheep. T h e flock approached to H i m , and loathed I l i m not, since the smell of the sheep Zeph. 3, breathed from His clothes. T h e wolves that were crafty ?c0mp, were 1 afraid of I l i m , because H e had changed [ H i s garment], note o, They rent His garments and revealed His glory, and though P they wished it not, His bright-shining glistened forth from His veil \ 2. T h e chief pastors of that day, who saw that H e was put See Jer. to great shame for H i s sheep, as if drunken with the savour Ezet?" strong wine thought that H e was the Head of the pastors 34,1. and shepherds; and the husbandmen that crucified H i m Mat.21

.

38. ' 'felt that H e was the Heir and Lord of the Vineyard. T h e shepherds thought H i m a fellow-servant with the sheep, because in H i s love H e became the Paschal Lamb. Let our eyes be opened with fountains of tears, since the Son of the Maker, by Whom we were made, did they that were made 2 It. slander with' 2 their own names,—the reward that they paid xxxi. j j j m \y} 1 0 m a c l e them great by His own Names \ E.xxix. 3 . Alas, for the clay that should change the Potter in name, l n ° t in Nature ! the colour of the wool is changed also 3 ! Give not the surname of creatures to the Name of the Son. H e 4 R. l. hath distinguished thee from the beasts 4 ; reckon not thou H i m f?. 4.

a B y t h e ' wolves' lie means t h e J e w s , p. 291, n . k. b who by c r u c i f y i n g Christ only displayed i. e. ealumniously insisted t h a t H e the more the Divine glory they m e a n t w a s a c r e a t u r e as t h e y were, a r g u i n g to hide. See R . viii. p. 40. T h e veil from t h e attributes H e possessed in cornm e a n s the veil of H i s F l e s h . O n the raon with themselves, and f o r g e t t i n g t h e use of the t e r m g a r m e n t for C h r i s t ' s supernatural attributes w h i c h He" had Body, see above, p. 51, n. y . K . x i x . given thein. See p. 122, n . h . and I i . 1. N e w m a n on A t h a n . p. 219, n, c, x x i x . §. 1. xlvi. §. fi.

Difficulties

in nature

accredit

the

Satin

(.¡encration.

219

with the creatures. There is freedom attached to thy own Lt. bondship: set not thine own yoke upon that Sovereign Nature 1 *ote a' and b Who freeth all. 1

S. Hi«

4. Wherein thou art burdened, recount to us, for haply Lordthy bruise is like His. Who shall define what number they 8 "' 13 were, or of what kind they were, which He bare for thee ? What hast thou borne for Him ? If thou doest not honour to Him, yet do not do dishonour. In what fire hast thou been burned for Him 2 , that the smoke of the furnace of thy 2 II. obstinacy hath come up even unto Him ? g™'" ^ 5. See! with what zeal the Eternal Being is zealous 3 , 3 s 1 th ( p saying, One is not divisible into Three. Let alone His the Be/ 0 Name and shew His Nature; for this very1 Nature aivetli zealous eyes even to the searchers. The nature of stone is divisible, and the other natures are [herein] its fellows: the nature of fire is 4 not divisible. See! the assaying of their natures 4 R. xl. proves to us as good as eyes1"'. For they are akin in their f'/'j g names, when they are far off in their natures ; so then t h o u eyes to canst not shew 11s a common name in which things divisible "s* and not divisible are alike contained. Lo! every single thing that exists has a single name to it, each single body, each single person, each single one, as also every thing which is the subject of number. But if it be [only] from thy having called it so, that one is i n d i v i s i b l e t h o u art greatly in error: the nature of water is one, yet it is divisible also ; in fruits and seeds it is even changed 0 . It is impossible for us to 6 contr. rise up to Him without experience of His Nature. For the fact that He is one, doth not give us means of comprehending 10. and finding an explanation of His Generation 7 which is with- 7 p. 136, n drawn from all. ' 8 8 6. There are two different assay-furnaces , faith and ex- p. 122, n. i.

c The Fathers held the Godhead, though said to subsist in Three Persons, yet to he beyond all number. See on Athanas. p. 334, y. p. 412, d. and particularly p. 452, a. where a passage from St. Basil exceedingly like this occurs. The following is taken from vol. ii. p. 472, d. " L o ! the voice of truth preacheth in the Church, and from all the Scriptures erieth nnto us to teach us that there is One only eternal, and that the quality of aight is

not polluted, and that it is not twain with evil. That they are not of one nature wise men have seen, evil being from the will, and night from the course of heaven's lights. The Sun goes down; lo ! ye have made darkness over every thing. Darkness and night are one nature. And the body and the serpent [i. e. Satan] ace not one nature. Bui in chat Eternal Being there is no numher: for uumbei belungcth to ihinc:. created."

'220

The alleniatii'es

of J'aiih and

e.v]>erience.

perience; for either man believes the truth, or experience' 1 is able to teach him how it is. The faith of the children of 1 p. 136, truth needeth not to be investigating 1 . T o us the way of 'e" seeking for experience and disputation on every thing comes 2 E. xi. from the heretic 2 . Take and cast him among the waves 3 that 3 j). '200, he may cease entirely from his questionings. Demand of him an experience of the Divine Essence, how it exists, and where it exists, and whose it is ? and if the Generation is explainable from any thing, or the creatures from what is nothing? Plough once and again the land of thorns 4 , and it 3. ' will yield thee the word of Truth, though itself ignorant of it. d ¡ ; n . m i . Ass. renders ' fides et ratiocinhtmwhich suits with the use of the word in combination with disputation just below, and might be equivalent to etr;^;«/^^«, (each being literally a • trying, ) which was used chiefly of arguments upon practical matters. See Quintilian in Ernest. Lex. Technolog. R h e t . i n v. p. 134. and Stephanus adSext. Empir.p. 202.n. 17. As, how-

ever, I know no authority for such a use of the word, and faith and experience may be legitimately opposed, I have kept that word in the text. By ' the land of thorns,' St. E . seems to mean the field of human reasonings and disputations, which itself when carelully examined bears witness to the faith, and to its own inadequacy.

RHYTHM THE THIRTY-SEVENTH. 1. ISAIAH darkly describes 1 him who put the bridle of error* 'S.hint* upon the jaws of men, the sign of humiliation which made jjj" 3 0 men brutish. Blessed be H e , whose Truth made error to 2 8 cease ! W h e n we had made ourselves like the beasts, God came down and made Himself like unto us, that we might be again like H i m 2 . Hail to the Blessed One! for from what a 2 K . x l v i . place to how different a one have H i s mercies called me! Rut^' 6" man, who being in his honour understood not, was wroth and Pa. 49, rejected H i m . Israel waxed fat, and kicked and rebelled p e ' ut and hid and cast away that mercy. O thought most 32 i 153 3 mournful ! S.great 2. From being wise and teachers, Satan made men brutish. ing_ n~ Instead of the yoke that maketh one those that are divided, he with the yoke of strife divided them by disquisitions 4 . In4R.xliii, the thickets he made them run into a maze 5 , among snares,f's 2 'h art ] where on one side there were the mountains of guilt 6 , and on the pj ace other side again questionings and fearful rocks ! In a place full §.'4, of ditches' 1 , where ten thousand eyes were required, with much » As St. E . upon the place understands this ' of the blasphemies of the Assyrians and the pride of their lips,' we see t h a t he gives a farther meaning here again by taking the Assyrians as a type of t h e wncked one. See n. d. p. 136. and n. c. p. 98. as also n. b. p. 176. W h a t he says upon v. 26. is to the purpose h e r e : u I n that day t h e Lord shall bind up by the slaughter of the Assyrians the wound of H i s people, the children of J u d a h . B u t it also suiteth to take it of our Lord, since in the day of t h e great slaughter, and the subversion of Jerusalem, and of Satan, and of death, who are represented by t h e ' towers,' there flowed down by the Apostles' means the ' streams' of the new Gospel in all quarters ; and abundant light was there, though not t h a t of the sun which w a s turned into darkness [at the crucifixion!, but it is abundant knowledge

which is represented by the lights, and it chased from the nations the invisible darkness which was spread over the hearts of the nations." T h e cessation of oracles and other means used by Satan to deceive the nations is noticed by Clemens Al. P r o t r . 2. §. 11. A t h a n . de Incarn. 4 7- Cyril c. J u l . p. 198, e. Spanli. Euseb. P . E . iv. p. 129. M i n u t . Fel. xxvi. b As St. Clem. Strom, v. 54. p. 678. P o t t . S. Greg. N y s . ii. p. 562. c. S. Cyril de Ador. p. 248. all seem to take E x . 21, 33. of some trap for the souls of men, possibly St. E . may allude to the same t e x t . It seems t h a t a ditch or pit was very anciently looked upon as a type of heretical artifices for men's souls, for t h e L X X . render P s . 119, 85. (' The proud have digged pits,) ' the transgressors have told me old wives' fables,'

13, 2.

•222

Heresy

has no faith,

but in

swiftness they ran [to see] who should snatch at and lay hold of death before his fellow. W i t h the bridles of Thy mercy, Lord, bring our confusion back into order! Seeing T h o u ¡3 Chron. that art all eyes, be unto us a W a y , that we may come forth 9 ' from among the thickets and mazes into a clear place. For we men, O Lord, need assistances, by reason of our sins, and our knowledge needeth to be brought into order, by reason 1 K. of error and unseen distraction 1 . Since the eagle lets his M ? " pinions down under his y o u n g ; let down under me, Lord, Deut. the wings of T h y mercies, and, instead of the ail' 2 and the Is.'40," earth of miserable man, by the Holy Ghost let us wend our ^ wings 0 towards our treasures. Preserve, Lord, our faith from §. 5. that which is no faith, and also our knowledge from that which is no k n o w l e d g e ! [ M e r e ] names have we gotten : 23, 5. defraud ye not yourselves with their names. 3. The nations worshipped that which is not God, but we have the God of Truth. The wicked one envied u s ; a lie hath he sown in us, that the last might be without God, as 3 S. from were the first 3 . For it was from nature b y itself alone that he in I him ld made idols by the hand of artificers: also it was from 4 B. Scripture by itself alone 4 , by the hand of the searchers 6

21.

XXXV.

n. g. c See p. 20, n. m. and It. x x . 8, 4. Upon Ezech. x v i i . he writes as follows: " W h e r e f o r e thus saith the Lord, Because Zedekiah hath despised M y oath, and made M y covenant of none effect, in Babylon shall he d i e : i. e. because he left speaking with the Babylonians and put his trust in the Egyptians, he shall die in Babylon, A g a i n , in a deeper sense: The heart and (he summit of the tree, which was cut off, that is Immanuel, who was taken a w a y from them, and was planted upon the mystical mountains of Israel after the Spirit, to bear, not good things that dry a w a y , hut commandments sanatory and belonging to a life-giving art of medicine ; and to yield, not fruits that nourish the belly that is to be destroyed, but the cluster of hope and the fruit of l i f e ; and to be, not a cedar like those planted on the borders of the [holy] land, but one capable of giving shade by its majesty to all reasonable creatures: and for there to dwell in it, not that bird which turns down its eyes earthwards to satisfy its needs from the pickings scattered then on, but that

bird which gainetli wings from the holy water in sacred Baptism, (see above, p. 167, n. g.) which because it beholdeth That which above the heaven in its branches dwelleth, flieth from the world l y t 1 ••'.'.;-.--= f - : . i r . t h n ^ t V t h g a i n e d , :! I !• 11 iin." See also I t . liii. §.5. and Vol. iii. p. 237, d. where he speaks of good works and prayers as ' w i n g s . ' B y ' mere names' perhaps St. E . means to express bis conviction of the Sabellian tendency of Arianism. Gr. N y s . ii. p. 676, d. " If any body were to make a thorough investigation into the fraud of these heresies, (Moiltanism and Sabellianism,) he would find that they have a considerable afUnity with the error of Eunomius' school. For each of them J u d a i z e s in his doctrine, seeing that neither of them admit the Only-begotten God nor the Holy Spirit to a participation of the Godhead of the great and first God as they make H i m . For H i m whom Sabellius calls the Three-named, E u nomius styleth I n - g e n e r a t e : but neither of them contemplates the Godhead in the Trinity of Persons."

idolatrous when -viewed from he made gods' 1 among the unbelievers. d

T h e r e a r e several p a s s a g e s in which St. E . points out t h e r e a l i n t e r n a l i d e n t i t y of heresy and i d o l a t r y : t h e m a k i n g to one's self an i m a g e not authorized by t h e C h u r c h , w h e t h e r under t h e J e w i s h or Christian dispensation, being t h a t w h i c h constitutes t h e sin viewed in r e g a r d to the subject of it, and the worship of devils t h a t which constitutes the sin viewed in regard to t h e object of it. T w o passages h a v e been already noticed, (p. 102, n . d. and p. 198, n . e.) as h e a r i n g upon t h i s : another will occur R . xliv. §. 5. Vol. ii. p. 443, a. " L e t us reprove the Apostates under the type of thieves, a g a i n s t whom the wealth t h a t t h e y h a v e stolen crieth out as endued w i t h speech. T h e y h a v e stolen names, and clothed with t h e m t h a t which is n o t h i n g in t h e world. F o r t h e N a m e of God did those idols which of old were honoured, p u t o n ; and thus by H i s appellations beings which had no existence got t h e m honour and a name. F o r it was not f r o m the E t e r n a l B e i n g t h a t they took a n a m e for the v a i n p o w e r s : for a n a t u r e t h a t existeth n o t , a n existence did they m a k e , &c. p. 5 3 2 , d. T h e P e r s i a n s worshipped w a t e r and fire a n d t h e stars, the Greeks worshipped some t h i n g s , t h e E g y p t i a n s all t h i n g s , the J e w s the calf, and t h e generation of I i a g a r the star. ( A l i l a t . H e r o d . i i i . 8.) All these odious forms did error s c a t t e r ill diverse nations ; before our L o r d it scattered t h e m amongst the Gentiles, and in false doctrines a f t e r our L o r d ; , and as if t h e y were health itself, it scattered t h o r n s . F o r one of t h e m [ M a r c i o n ] set afloat a s t r a n g e r god w i t h o u t a n a m e , and plain it is t h a t as his n a m e so is himself without e x i s t e n c e also, and is wholly n u l l : for he stealeth n a m e s , and like a thief h a w k s them about. Another, again, [ M a n e s ] calls w i n d , fire, and w a t e r eternals, and w h e n one eternal w a s nothing and incapable of any t h i n g , h e took and stamped upon it t h e n a m e of darkness. T h i s he stamped on w h a t he called an eternal. Another [Bardesanes] c a m e stole f r o m his fellows w h a t they had taken before h i m . H i s h a n d was against every one, and every one's h a n d upon h i m : he sinned with every one t h a t he m i g h t lead every one into sin, like every w h i t to the generation of H a g a r t h a t plundered from all. T o these w h i c h I have counted up, are all false doctrines b r e t h r e n a l s o : and though the tare is but one

within, To the artificer

s t e m , yet it adopts sundry modifications : it has b r a n c h e s , fruits, and leaves in t h e four q u a r t e r s of the world. E r r o r , &c. as in p . 2 0 3 , n . f . P . 533, f. " A m o n g priests, priests of B a a l , and a m o n g s a crifices his sacrifices did t h e devil mingle, and a m o n g P r o p h e t s deceitful prophets, and a m o n g Apostles false apostles, and in our days out of w r a n glers h a s he m a d e apostates. Have m e r c y , L o r d , on me, for as I h a v e l e a r n t so have I t a u g h t , and to m a t c h the c o u n t e n a n c e and east wherewith 1 was sealed, is the resemblance, y e a , t h e likeness I h a v e given. Oh, m a y this profit pay the interest w h i c h m y sins h a v e i n c u r r e d ! " T h e same belief is implied in St. C l e m e n t ' s ( S t r o m , vi. §. 146, 7.) comparison of those who " leave the ecclesiastical and true k n o w l e d g e ' ' as well as idolaters, with a d u l t e r e r s ; in Origen, (in J o a n . xiii. 16, 17.) w h e n he includes h e a t h e n and heterodox under those who worship ' i n this m o u n t a i n ' as opposed to spiritual worshippers in the true J e r u s a l e m : in A t h a n . w h o speaks p . 4 1 1 . 0 . T . o f h e a t h e n ' anticipating- the folly of these Christopposers;' and p. 422. of • A r i o m a n i a c s incurring the c h a r g e of polytheism or atheism :' in D i d y m u s , who compares t h e E u n o m i a n s to N e b u c h a d n e z z a r , (de T r i n . p. 43.) and applies (ibid. p. 103.) I ) e u t . xvii. 5. to those who worship God t h e Son w i t h an Arian Creed (comp. A t h a n . p. 319. ref. 4. upon which this passage m a y throw l i g h ' ) : in Cyril, c. N e s t . p. 59, c / p . 72, e. where he speaks of N e s t o r i u s as ' h a v i n g drunken t h e wine of Sodom, and being besotted with e r r o r ; ' 'l'hes. p. 69, b . of E u n o m i a n s r as ^--nrr '! command to worship ..I. «; : . < • . . ; • p. 294, d. 307, d. as does G r e g . N y s . ii. p. 450, cl. who calls E u n o m i a n s idolaters, p. 548, a. and parallels idolatry more at l e n g t h with their heresy, p. 562—3. and 622, a. 623, a. and says, p. 719—20. t h a t 1 in respect of impiety there is no difference whatever between him who confesses the n a m e s of idols and him who clings to the opinions held about t h e m , (as he implies t h e E u n o m i a n s did, p. 719, c . ) but abstains front the n a m e s ;' and speaks of ' their all but openly pa.ving idolatrous worship to their own f a n c i e s , ' p. 747, c. comp. Bas. c. E u n . ii. 16. who notices the material ideas of God which those heretics had. Epiphan. p. 734. calls A r i u s an image and s t a t u e of the devil, a n d speaks of Evuiomians,

2'24

Idolatrous

nature

of heretical

attempts

he gave instruction ; with t h e finger he g r a v e d the d u m b i d o l ; with t h e finger a n d p e n 1 h e also wrote delusion. He Ex.^iij' wished to m a k e this finger like t h e F i n g e r t h a t wrote t h e lfi t a b l e s ; a n d as he m a d e n a m e like n a m e , since he called t h e idols also g o d s ; on all sides he wished to m a k e t h e m alike, that m a n m i g h t not distinguish w h i c h was the truth a n d w h i c h the delusion. T h e r e was one t h a t h o n o u r e d water", a n d he m a d e a n o t h e r that h o n o u r e d fire. T h e r e was also t h a t worshipped the m o o n ; these eagerly did he gainsay, who did worship the mighty sun. A n d as t h e a n t i t y p e of these sects there are at this day also divisions, a n d as their gorgeousness, so is our haughtiness, a n d as their strife, so is our • Pearl

wrestling to see who shall c o n q u e r 2 . B e still ye m o u t h s , b e s i l e n t ye t o n g u e s ; let a m a z e m e n t fall u p o n your lips, let w o n d e r m e n t dwell over your hearts, let the senses with t h e 3 p. 110, limbs s h u d d e r at the G e n e r a t i o n 3 of t h e Son ! n b ' " 4. O tongue, thou drawn sword, g a t h e r thyself into t h e sheath, O b a b b l e r ! P r y i n g h a s s h a r p e n e d the speech of t h y * Iren. mouth: let t h e silence 4 of t h e S o n b l u n t the edge of t h a t p! 20-2." questioning of thine. L e t not t h y lips be spread forth as Jer.9,8.ij O W S n o r be e x t e n d e d — t h e threatening onset of t h e H o l y Ghost, as a whirlwind, shall turn the arrows back upon their 2

Pearl

p . 9 8 5 , cl. a s h a v i n g a f a i t h w h i c h is rather idolatry t h a n religion. A m b r . d e F i d e i. (>. c o m p a r e s A r i a n i s m w i t h Gentile Polytheism,comp §.85.§.103— 4 . v. 23. J e r o m e on I s a i a h , p. 2 1 2 , d. E r a s m . on J e r e m . p. 288, b. ' w h a t e v e r w e s a y a b o u t idols m a y b e a p p l i e d to all doctrines c o n t r a r y to t h e t r u t h . ' A u g u s t i n . c. F a u s t . M . x v i . 1 0 . ' Y o u r o w n e r r o r r a t h e r is l i k e p a g a n i s m , s i n c e y e do n o t w o r s h i p C h r i s t , b a t I k n o w n o t w h a t u n d e r t h e n a m e of C h r i s t w h i c h i s a l i e of y o u r o w n i n v e n t i n g , a n d gods e i t h e r visible in this h e a v e n w e behold, or other countless i m a g i n a r y o n e s . A n d t o t h e s e f a n c i e s a s if to some vain and empty images ye m a k e not shrines, but form your own hearts into temples." So S c r i p t u r e s p e a k s of t h o s e w h o c o m e t o G o d w i t h i d o l s in t h e i r h e a r t , E z e c h . x i v . 3 . s e e a l s o P e t a v . d e I n c a r n . x v . 5 . § . 9 . 17. §. 9 . P e r h a p s as St. H i l a r y states the s a m e d e v i l s w h i c h w e r e c a s t o u t of t h e Gentiles, afterwards entered into the h e r d of h e r e t i c s , i n M s t t . v i i i . 4. I n d e e d a s i m i l a r v i e w o c c u r s in S t . E . h i m s e l f . vol. ii. p . 3 8 3 , e . & c . c o l l . p . 5 3 5 , e .

G S e e K l e u k e r Z u m Z e n d a v . p t . ii. i . § . ] 42. iii. § . 3 8 . 219. (who confirms w h a t S t , E . s a y s of P e r s i a n s , ) A s s e m . a d A c t . M a r t . i. p . 4 0 . 11. 17. p . 1 8 1 . C r e u z e r S y m b o l i k . ii. p . 2 3 8 . ( w h o t h i n k s t h i s w a s p a r t of t h e E g y p t i a n w o r s h i p . ) M o v e r s P h o n i z e r , p. 6 0 4 — 6 . T h a t s u n d r y p h i Josophers held w a t e r to be t h e first p r i n c i p l e of all t h i n g s , s e e S e x t . E m p i r . p. 135. and the notes. P h i l o . de P r o v . i. §. 2 2 . T h e w o r s h i p of f i r e a m o n g t h e P e r s i a n s a n d I n d i a n s ( a s A g n i ) is t o o well k n o w n to require proof: St. E . s e e m s t o l o o k on t h e m h e r e a s a d i f f e r e n t sect from the w a t e r - w o r s h i p p e r s ; about w h i c h I c a n g i v e no i n f o r m a t i o n , a s n e i t h e r a b o u t t h e quarrels between the sun-worshippers and moon-worshippers, ( b o t h of w h o m a r e o f t e n m e n t i o n e d in t h e a c t s of t h e M a r t y r s , s e e A s s . 1. e . ) S e e h o w e v e r T r o y e r ' s D a b i s t i i n , ii. p. 2 3 5 — 242. T h e y are credible enough from the q u a r r e l s in m o r e m o d e r n I n d i a , h e tween Saivas and V a i s h n a v a s . Of c o u r s e t h e w o r s h i p of t h e m w a s c o m m o n en- u g h in all p a r t s : f o r t h e S y r o p h e n i c i a n s , see M o v e r , p. 159.

lo inwxtiyale

and find out (Jod.

•¿•25

m a s t e r ' . For f i e is a W a l l of A d a m a n t s u c h as the P r o p h e t 1 it. saw in t h e s p i r i t ; the dart of words, if one should fling|*4U'R against, it, without fastening in it, will t u r n back and fix xxxviii. itself in those that spoke them. L o o k at a potter's wheel, Kzek. 4, and then b e h o l d y e the w h e e l of t h o u g h t s ; for the motion 3of the one e n h a n c e t h the clay, b u t that of the other d e g r a d e t h R.xxix. the S o n , t h o u g h H e may n o t be d e g r a d e d . F i g h t not with | ' x ^ v f ' t h y F a s h i o n e r who m a d e t h e e a s p e a k i n g vessel with dis- §• 3. 9 course of reason 2 . As for t h e potter, his vessels are silent. ' 2 s As for that G o o d O n e , the vessels which H e e n h a n c e d s t r i v e y with H i m . T h e least f r a g m e n t of s e a r c h i n g into H i m is h a r d rock which c a n n o t be m a d e smooth. Two w o r d s g t o t h e e out of e n q u i r y into H i m arc h e a v e n a n d earth. What a space for thee to stray in ! 5. T h y b o u n d , L o r d , no m a n hath passed : T h y great h e i g h t n o m a n hath lowered. T h e N a t u r e of the E t e r n a l O n e a n d the B o s o m of the F a t h e r are the W a l l s 3 of the S o n 3 p- 87, w h i c h c a n n o t b e t r o d d e n d o w n . As t h e r e is no n a t u r e which f;,:

AAAVI II •

c a n e n t e r into a n d feel the bosom of fire4, outside of which 6every man k e e p e t h ; there is no wall to it, neither battle- n P f 2 g. 4 ' m e n t 5 is there, a n d y e t every man is w a r n e d off by it. W h o 5 s - son will dare to p r y into the B o s o m of that most fearful E s s e n c e ? o f a w a 1 1 ' B y t h e sea 6 t h e rivers are stopped ; a n d b y t h e investigation 6 p-144, g of the G e n e r a t i o n of t h e Son all v e n t u r e s o m e disputers ! ' ( On the place he speaks of ' t h e battering rams' mentioned in v. 2. as ' a type of the wheedling and the affections of the lusts which Satan soweth in the thoughts of the soul, and by them subdueth and destroyeth the building of heavenly fairness.' This will bring out by contrast his meaning in the text.

e This probably m e a n s , ' t h a t heaven and earth are but two only out of ways by which God addresses Himself to man : the enquiry into them alone is enough to bewilder man, if conducted in a rationalizing spirit of self-sufficiency;' much more then will a similar spirit mislead in matters not of sight, but of faith. See B . x x x v . §. ] .

RHYTHM THE THIRTY-EIGHTH. 1. THY love, Lord, ticeth us and com forte th us, while it rebuketh us. It sliaketli and rouseth, restraineth and reproveth, winketh at us and instructed), since all it quickeneth, as knowing all. W h o is he that would keep on still 1 E. silence? Is he for making us mute as the beasts 1 ? W h o §4 ref2 a 8 ' a i n refraineth hateful talkativeness, lest we become devils speaking in their blasphemies ? 2. T h e wranglers once" were men of traffic, and when they had met with losses, silencc was proper: from those deceived their doctors got rich. Instead of with infidels it is with the faithful that they have come to fight; they have filled their treasuries from the doctrine, and their storehouses from the interpretations. When they laboured and taught comp. him that fell into error, they ruined the principal with the 19^23 "Merest, because they pried daringly. 3. T h e persecutor has left the wicked one, and hath begun to pursue his sidesman. T h e adversary hath blinded the wrestler, and he hath thrown at his own self, and is over2 R. come from himself 2 . Give unto us, Lord, to recognise our 1*4 side, and the men of our side ! Let not this right hand struggle, Lord, with itself, for that it should struggle with 3 p. 135, the l e f t 3 ; neither let us hate the wicked, Lord, since there is 4

p. 155, but one evil one h which Thou also hatest. T h e delusion 4 which ais a hidden pang with the word of Truth hast Thou cut " Aetius the founder of the Anomeans started in life as ;i tinker, and in that trade for some t i m e throve by r o g u e r y : but on being detected in this he b e c a m e a mountebank and quack doctor. I n the latter trade he learnt a volubility of speech, which fitted him to become the heresiareh : Eunomius was first a l a bouring m a n , then he took to being a sort of s e c r e t a r y , and b e c a m e tutor to his employer's children, and afterwards j o i n e d A e t i u s . V . G r e g . N y s . ii. p.

293—(>. T o something of this sort S t . E p h r e m probably alludes, as also to t h e use made by their school of heathen philosophy. See ab. p. 1 0 6 , a. b S e e n. c . on K . x x x v i i . S t . E . probably contemplates S a t a n as one abiding principle of e r i l a c t u a t i n g a mystical body of sin. see A t h a n . p. 9 , n. s. and p. 4 3 4 , ref. 8 . and compare the rule of Tichonius given in S t . A u s t i n de D o c t r . Christian, iii. §. 4 2 . and S t . E . vol. ii. p. 5 0 4 , f.

Disputation

to be confined

to strict limits.

-227

and cast it out, Thou hast made it as a confused smoke. 1«.51,9. T h y measure weighed silence and speaking that we might do so likewise. And does not even nature teach, my brethren, that by one scale without the twin one we can weigh nothing? Let us avail ourselves of silence and of speaking; let our speech be as the day, and as the night again let our silence be ; for both the hearing and the tongue require r e s t : for they may be likened 1 and compared, the doctrines of truth to the 1 for broad day, and again silence and stillness are as the night ; eomand as sleep again is rest abounding in sweetness. parisons 4. For the word of Truth be we labourers, and, as upon ground 2 , come and let us toil therein; sow we lore and reap 2 Comp. we peace. Let a sheaf come u p from reconciliation to thesprut. i. Lord of peace. Lo, a breath of the Holy Ghost with i t s ^ - 1 ^ f a n n i n g 3 purifietli the corn-heap; the chaff it winnows, thexx'xvi"." pollard it scatters, the wheat it gathers into the B a m of Life!"«?' that hath no tares ! Blessed be that Good One who gave us brooding speech, and blessed be the Just that added silence ! H e fg ^Vs gave us sides 4 upon which we might search, and keepetli others from us that in them we may be silent, as beings s.'n.e' Teacher of all. And it is not the whole earth that H e has given us to go up and down, but a portion of it only 5 ; neither 5 s. in the whole sea to go down to ; neither the whole sun for the wj^i»' eye to exercise lordship over. ]• 5. And how then is it that the mind 6 wishes to have that 6 R- ¡v. Majesty, which cannot be thoroughly comprehended, to e x - E . ^ h . ercise a lordship over It, as though it reckoned It to be less^- 2- 4than the creatures ? And if those things which are given unto us are not given unto us fully, how should we search into the hidden Generation which has a bound about it 7E continually, my brethren, as the Mount Sinai 7 ? 6. Adam wished to inherit brightness, and the earth became §. 5. aiid his inheritance. Uzziah wished to take to himself the priest- s" hood, and a filthy leprosy was caught by him. And who shall venture upon hidden things, the boundaries whereof are stillness and silence 8 , yea, the walls 9 thereof are fire and j u d g - 8 Comp, ment, and their hedges are wailing, and weeping, and gnashing £ IJ 6 ' of teeth ? W h o shall make a breach in the rampart walls a n d 9 ? : enter in and take the fearful woes? Whoso maketh a breach xxxvii! in the foundations the hedges and the walls, cloth it for g a i n ; " " Q 2

228

Orthodoxy

a subject for

thanksgiving.

we, my brethren, should do it for damage. I will praise Thee, 0 Lord 0 , who hast held me back from the hidden things, and from those follies which have emptied the treaI p. 1-25, suries of them that utter them. My debts 1 1 will pay from II • nthings revealed : to Thee be glory! 0 See R . x x x v i i . §. 2. A similar thanksgiving occurs often in St. E . in vol. iii. p. 239, a. he puts into the month of one departed these words : " Disciple have X been, and reverer of all my masters and my fathers: do ye remember me in the prayer at the hour when the Holy Thing is divided; for whatever stains I am guilty of, stain amongst the truth have I not commingled ! I have not sown tares in the field of the truth! No seams have I put into the Gospel of Christ! I have not doubted, all my lifelong, touching the Threefold Power! I have not pried boldly into Him that created me in order! I have not scrutinized the Father in my mind, nor have I disparaged the Son in my in-

tellect ! no idle thought of doubt about the Holy Ghost hath ever trickled into m e ! " See also p. 344, f. Vol. ii. p. 444, e. p. 524, f. Op. G . Vol. ii. p. 396. (quoted p. 133.) p. 4 0 4 , d. " Sins of the body we have enough : add we not aught to our iniquity. I n this one thing have I hope and comfort before God, that I have never contemned my Lord, and that blasphemy hath never gone forth of my mouth : for them that hate Thee, Lord, have I hated, and have not loved Thine enemies ! " I n all these passages he must be taken to regard orthodoxy as in such sense ' before all things necessary' to salvation, as implies that the forfeiture of it is the most terrible consequence of sin.

RHYTHM THE THTRTY-NINTH. 1. IF, my son, the crucifiers and the heathen mocked our Lord, because He was the Son of Man', yet it is true that H e 1 See on is God of glory unsearchable ; and instead of disputers who §.3. pry into His glorious Generation, Martyrs loved Him, who with the blood of their necks preached the Generation of the Son of God". Discern ye how our strife hath refuted all a [The faith of Martyrs is urged against Eunomianism, because E u nomius despised t h e m ] Jerome c. Vigilant. §. 9. calls Eunomius 1 the author of his [Vigilaiitius'] heresy,' and [says that he attributes to Satanic agency the miracles wrought at the tombs of the Martyrs, mocked at all reverence paid to their remains, which he spoke of as " common dust," and spoke against the Church for celebrating theHolyEucharist at theirtombs. All the followers of Eunomius refused, it seems, to enter the Basilicas of the Apostles and Martyrs, c. 9. 11. 7.] The force of this appeal can onty be appreciated by recollecting the esteem in which the Martyrs and Confessors were held in those days. Upon their admission at once to the beatific vision, as believed then, see on Tertullian, p. 120. [On their intercession see on S. Chrys. Horn, on the Statues,p. 134. and on Rom. 16, 24. Horn. 32. p. 504. Oxf. T r . ] I t may be useful here to add passages shewing the esteem in which they were held in St. E . ' s own Church. In vol. i. p. 260, f. he says of the censers of Coreh and his company, ' If the censers of them t h a t provoked God were sanctified by the men themselves, and became plates before the altar, in the case of Confessors how much more would their bodies be sanctified before their souls.' Vol.ii. p. 349, e. ' The soul that liveth in God is able to give others life, and a testimony of this is (if thou wilt hearken in an enlightened way) Elisha, who himself quickened two dead bodies, one whiles he was in the world, and one after he departed. H i s soul was living in God, and it gave the body life : and after it went forth from it, it gave life to others. From God did the prophet's soul gain life, and after it went forth from him, he quickened those Head like

himself. Lo I there is life in the M a r tyrs' bones, for who will assert that they live not? Behold the living monuments, and who would doubt of t h i s ? they are fortified strongholds that rescue from robbers, they are cities strong t h a t protect from capturers: towers high and very strong for any one who fleeth to them, which from murderers will rescue : and death to them approacheth not. H e that is with envy vanquished, or with fraud, that soul-destroying venom, help shall take from these : that the poison may be stopped, nor have injured him a whit. Let him that hath oppressed ask, that he may oppress no more ; the stealer ask no more to steal ; him, from whom love is far removed, and who against his brother swells with wrath, from these in prayer demand peace, to be reconciled to him. Let him to whom hath entered in the demon of adultery, enkindling in him foul desire, with oil wherewith their lights are kindled,anoint himself—forth will it come. Physicians are they that are strenuous after health, with life-drugs laden, healing for the soul and body, a healing spiritual, alike for soul and tody yielding health. Faith of thee do they require, and all thou askest, will they give, if untorn by doubt thy mind. If thou art dead, thou shait be quick. God is dwelling in their bones, and by H i m it is they do all mighty works. Be praise to Thee, and upon us Thy mercies be, Thou God that dwellest in the just.' And in vol. iii. p. 234, c. ' The prophet made a great lamentation over his bro ther, and over his yoke-fellow. (1 Kings 13, 26. 2 9 ) H e buried him, and made him a refuge, and delivered himself from slaughter. Let every man see to it, how lie is to rescue himself from wrath !—A great wall were the bones of,Joseph tn the camp. May the sacred

230

The world turned tipside down by heretics.

those children of error, so that there is none among them that lifteth his wing in the midst of the streets and muttereth questionings. If in the Church too all the children of light were agreed, then would their peaceful 1 R. Iii. brightness, by the might of concord 1 , dissipate errors. 6 " 2. T h e learned know that amongst them who are Gentiles 2 Rthemselves, there have been sometime s e c t s 2 ; yet not by ™. V1 " them ever, or by their sects, did the world suffer, but it hath «crnt ^ a n c ' ^ e e n straitened by this. For our dispute have kings iii. §. 13. heard, the nations felt, and all creatures have made a tumult Pearlyi.together. Lo, our doctrine has been ridiculed, because they 3 R.viii.thought that it would not stand by itself 3 in the contest, and

4s

-

Scribes

that the furnace would give the victory against i t ! For they saw the disputers, that they perplexed themselves with questionings and divided it and forgot that it is a Majesty of depth inexplorable, and that on this account the learned 4 plunged into it and were bewildered in their prying 6 .

, ,

.

,

,

,

.'

f

into it. \v hatsoever is utterable and possible to be explained, and easy to be investigated, and searched into, and expounded, 3 Rthat the mouth, its correlative 5 , explaineth as belonging to its $.2.3. province 6 . And that which is utterly incapable of being E.^xii. searched into or expounded, silence is its boundary, since 6 S. with the hidden Nature thereof our mind hath no correlativehouse. ,1CSS> And if the fact that H e generated be an impossibility, it is still a possibility that l i e should convince thee of sin. For if thou searchest into Him, not only will it be a difficulty 7 Comp, a n d perplexity to thee that H e begot', but thou wilt not prove n . a. p. 126. Äthan, p . 356.

office t h a t thou didst hold be a wall to our place. T o cities and to towns, walls are m a d e for preservers : and t h e assemblies of Christ do priests keep sacredly. Since t h y voice hath ceased from our c o n g r e g a t i o n , m a y thy benedictions to u s w a r d be multiplied ! Since the sight of thee bath departed from us, m a y thy n a m e get itself glory among us ! Since thou hast left lis orphans, f a t h e r , m a y thy p r a y e r be a mother to us! M a y the glorious T r i n i t y be a wall to our souls.' See also iii. p. 250, f. p. 583, c. So also in the A c t a M a r t y r , i. p . 107. a matron in S a p o r ' s persecution, A . D . 344. addresses the M a r t y r s before s u f f e r i n g : " Y e are m a g n i f y i n g H i m with your blood ; but 1 have one request to make t~t y o u : perform it for me : t h a t ye would request

of your L o r d , whom ye have loved, and for whom ye are being sacrificed, t h a t H e would count ine worthy in t h a t day of seeing you, and entering- into your place, anil being settled n e a r to your abode, because I know t h a t I am a sinful w o m a n , and I believe t h a t if ye will request it of m y Lord, H e will forgive my sins." Ibid. p. 173. " I beseech T h e e , O L o r d , in mercy for their sakes, ( s p e a k i n g of t h e M a r t y r s , ) give me a little b r e a t h of wisdom, not t h a t I m a y glory in it, but t h a t I m a y be holpen by i t . " A . I ) . 376. T h e s a m e reverence for these holy men continued in force long a f t e r , as may be seen by (he contemporary acts of St. Simeon Stylites ibid. ii. p. 393. Assem. Cod. L i t . vol. v. pp. 218, 21i>.

discussing things

incomprehensible.

•231

to a certainty that He exists. Rather, let it not be discussed 1 whether it be possible for Him to generate, since H e 1 His Master of all possibilities b. For it is not on one side that s p o k e " the Godhead is confounding; it, is a difficulty on all sides. W h o hath been able to measure the grains of seed, and the Ecc|us ]

9

drops of water, and the lierbs of all tribes, seeing it is all ' wonder in all these ? For if to us Its motion in our own procreation is incomprehensible, who can comprehend tlieEccles. n ' Generation from Its own Bosom ? b Ass. gives; ( Atqui si saperes, admit that there was a time when the neque disputares qua ille ratione Pater Son had no existence, so they ought to sit, cui oranes subsunt rationes.' I t admit thai there was a time when the might perhaps be rendered in Greek Father also had none. This conclusion nearly word for wrord as follows: M?j is what others might fairly be expected Ufl a.oa. ^iuXty/xivovro, vongov to draw from their premises. The etVTod T6VT6U, TOV ysnvccv Kvgio$same premises, however, may be made \kuvo$ wctffuv fAvj^ecvcuv. The version to yield a different conclusion : it may in the text amounts to the same as be said; ye heretics allow God to be A.'s paraphrase, although there is some Almighty, and allow that, He generates difficulty in getting it out of the words. in some sense or other: if you will A few words must be added in regard reduce your notions of that Generación to the connection of this sentence with to somewhat intelligible, at all events the foregoing. Aetius was charged adhere in practice to the conceptions with Atheism; see n, k. on Athan. of God, you still hold in theory: ' if p. 184. where it will be seen that Ath. the Son which God ginn'iittd is less says that he who denieth the Son, and than Himself, either (\'d uiil.-i Him so hath not the Father, u will in no to be less, or else could not help His long time say, as the fool, There is no being less : Either therefore He was God." Perhaps St. E . has in his mind envious, or else not omnipotent. (Comp. the Anomean tenet, that Ingenerate- II., xlv. §. 4.) B y pursuing your own ness is the Essence of the Father. In admissions to the legitimate concluattempting to explain the Generation sions you will see that you cannot reduce of the Son, they hit upon a mere what we know of God to a mere intelnegative, as definitive of the Father's ligible system: God is ' a difficulty on N a t u r e ; now this negative did not, ail sides.' This mode of nrguing which with them, imply the positive of which is not desirable in itself, (see below, it was the opposite, for they denied lii. §. (J.) but served to shew the unthat the Son was coeternal with that tenablene¡-s of the heretical position, is 21. Ingenerateness. (See Gr. Nyss. ii. adopted by Hilary de Trin. vi. p. 419.) T h e natural consequence of Ambr. tie Fid. iv. §. 78. August. Serin. this procedure would be that it would 139. c. Maxim, ii. cap. 7. Pasil c. Euu. induce others to go a step further, and ii. §. 12. upon which see Greg. Nyss. to argue as follows: Since no negative c. Eun. viií. p. t>47. P . Chrysol. lx. p. can be conceived without conceiving a 300. lxi. p. 301. Cyril Alex. Thes. positive opposed to it, and since the p. 08, a. with more or less ojijieara/tce particular negative,Ingenerateness,was of going along with it themselves. See conceivable only through the positive, Pet av. de Trin. vi. 8. §. 4. and §. 9. Generateness, (i. e. the Son in their With the sequel Alex. ap. Thiodoret, view): it will follow, that as they H . E . p. 13. may be compared.

RHYTHM THE FORTIETH. 1

1. THE sun is our light, and it none is able to know; how p-107, much less to know man 1 , and still less G o d ! T h e light of the ' sun is not subsequent to it, neither was he at any time without it. The light is the second, and the warmth is the third; they depart not from it, nor are they identical with it. Look at the sun in his height, which is thought to be one ; descend, and look, and behold in his light, a second; try, and feel, and search his heat, a third \ T h e y are like, and yet not like one to another. T h e second is blended with him, though well distinguished from h i m ; and the third is mingled with

2

p. 210, him, distinguished, blended, and mingled 2 . Light and also ' l ' the sun are individual subsistences' 1 ; there are in them three: 3 S. ge- kinds 3 mingled in a threefold way, himself, and also the light, ail( Hons", l th e " l e a t tl i e third, dwelling one in the other, and agreecomp^n-ing without grudging. Mingled, yet not confused; blended, "P yet not bounden ; assembled, yet not compelled; yea free, and yet not divergent. Let then the haughty ones ponder the things which are seen, for lo, one are these three, and 4 S. the three are one, blended, yet not compounded 4 , distinct, yet not several ! There is a marvel in all these things which comp. _ . Heb. puttetli us to silence. Thus man also is compounded 4 of j^P" three" 5 , and will rise in the resurrection, when he is perfected rel

xxviii. 3.

a T h e use of the sun as f u r n i s h i n g by its light a type of the F a t h e r g e n e r a t i n g t h e Son is very f r e q u e n t indeed in the F a t h e r s . T h e use m a d e of it here and H . Ixxiii. §. 1. is much less f r e q u e n t : indeed I am not able to furnish anv other instance of a p a s s a g e exactly parallel, as they speak r a t h e r of the H o l y Spirit as L i g h t of L i g h t , thai as h e a t of light. St. Cyril T h e s . p. 3 3 " . speaks of t h e Spirit ' passing naturally f r o m the F a t h e r through the Son to those fitted to receive I t as heat out of fire would do in a bodv which procession of h e a t from fire he elsewhere, e. g. 175- uses. as is commonly done, of the Procession of the Son from the F a t h e r . I t may be added t h a t a simile of a like kind used by Greg, N a z . p. t>12, a. is urged by V e c c u s Or. ii. 13. G . O r t h . vol. ii. p. 57. to shew the Procession of t h e H o l y Spirit from [he Son. ' W h o is there w i t h any parts or sense who would deny t h a t the procession of the light through the ray is its existence t h r o u g h the same:' F o r if the existence of the light from the sun were not through the r a y , t h e light would never have been called the light

of the r a y , &c.' I mention this because the p a s s a g e in the t e x t struck m e as helping to indicate w h a t St. E . held of the Procession of the H o l y Spirit, before I had seen this p a s s a g e in V e c c u s . i> ^ j " K ' single ' natuies.'So Alexander, Alex. inTheod. H 4 calls - E; the F a t h e r and the Son ™>' Sim if ¿rut, w h e r e L o w t h quotes St. C l e m e n t Al. Strom, 5 831 §• - P¡ w h e t h e r St. Cvril also USB( 1 the word tpiirit in t h e sense of P e r s o n is to ° wide a question to enter upon here. St. E . of course uses his word on] y o t ' t h e type, and t h a t in a w a y a n s w e r i n g r a t h e r t o the Greek LTUTMH t h a n to the L a t i n p e r s o n a . — ] v i m n here rendered ' h i m s e l f ' is used of t h e substance of the sun, t h e light and h e a t being s t r i c t l y not substances, p e r h a p s , in St E . ' s v i e w , b u t r a t h e r emanations, Still as the word is contrasted in p a r t w i t h ¡ J ^ J , t h e p a S s a g e goes to shew t h e ¡„definiteness of the word in St. E . ' s t j m e . See n. c. p. 210. c see „¡¡j. j . n T h e race of i s brought u p ' b y a threefold advance and note d T n vnl_ ; i i

Afyslerioti-i emblems of the Trinity

iv Nairndy. T b e m w d ( j j e o i ) dwelleth in tbe head, the word thereof iu l ie mouth, and the soul p a r t i c i p a t e d with them both in every

t h i n g . D i s t i n c t are their names, easy are they in (heir significations, difficult in t h e i r p r i m a r y essences." d H e r e t h a t Catholic belief, (which t h o u g h contradictory not only in t h e words, b u t also in the ideas we u s e , yet is not necessarily so in f a c t , ) t h a t each one P e r s o n of the Trinity is as wholly and entirely God as if the O t h e r s had no e x i s t e n c e , — i s contemplated by St. E . as the A r c h e t y p e which the sun shadows out in its measure. See on A t h a n . p. 325, n. g. and p. 439 , n. c. e g, i m ° i n . St. E . probably m e a n s to refer to the Perichoresis a s o n e 0 f ( w h a t we are obliged to cont e m p l a t e as) t h e causes of the U n i t y of ( j o d . T h e Sun's self, its light a n d h e a t , C ach contain the other, and are contained each by the other. If t h e m i n d e x p a n d s its "idea of t h e m , it finds threefold; if it gathers it up into o u e ; a s i t j o e s a t t j l e m o m e n t of cont e m p l a t i n g the unity of the sun, it m u s t a s ¡ t w c r e 2.

234

Mysterious emblems of the

Trinity

glorious and a w f u l , and is another hidden and mighty, and another j o y o u s and tranquil ?

T h i s first one then is entirely

' °n

gathered into i t s e l f 1 ;

p. 45,

which cometh at its o w n pleasure ; but the third one is sent

u-h-antl

forth a b u n d a n t l y f ;

oncontr.

and that w h i c h is after it, is another there are powers that rule in the fire,

.

.

Scrut. i. which though they neither command nor y e t are c o m m a n d e d 2 , Jp 3 j2g yet in the sway are at peace with each other in love and order. 3. F o r three names are seen in the lire 3 , and each one xxxvi. standeth singly in its s w a y ; $•5-

tions is seen d i s t i n c t l y ; blended together.

and

each

one in its func-

single powers, and yet they are

T h e fire marvellously, and the heat dis-

tinctly, and the lights gloriously, dwell at unity in ' See R o m . 5 , 5 . T i t . 3 , 6 . A c t s 2 , 3 3 . I t is to be n o t i c e d , t h a t St. E . h e r e views, t h r o u g h t h e t y p e , t h e S p i r i t as (not coming, b u t ) sent: a view w h i c h a p p r o x i m a t e s to t h a t of S t . A u s t i n , w h o m a k e s it t h e e t e r n a l p r o p e i t y of t h e S p i r i t , so t o p r o c e e d as to be c a p a ble of b e i n g g i v e n , a s b e i n g love. See on A t h a n . p . 3 0 5 , g . P e r h a p s St. E . w i s h e s to g u a r d a g a i n s t a n y s u c h r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of G o d ' s r e l a t i o n s to m a n , as should m a k e t h e T h i r d P e r s o n s u b j e c t to a n e c o n o m y as well as the S e c o n d , (See p . 2 4 1 , n . c. a n d F u l g . a d M o n . ii. 6 . w h o c o n s i d e r s this question in conn e c t i o n w i t h t h e E u c h a r i s t i c Sacrifice.) T h e only p a s s a g e supposed to imply such an e c o n o m y is R o m . viii. 26. w h i c h S t . E . vol. i. p . 4 1 3 . in c o m m o n w i t h m a n y o t h e r s (see J u s t i n i a n i ad loc. and P e t a v . d e T r i n . ii. 6. § . 5 . ) u n d e r s t a n d s of t h e S p i r i t as shed abroad in our hearts." They puttheirrequests,hesays, i n t o t h e h a n d s of grace to offer b e f o r e G o d , ' ' w h e r e g r a c e is personified. W h a t ever is said of t h e r e l a t i o n s of t h e T h i r d P e r s o n t o us m u s t b e conceived of, t h e n , as flowing f r o m H i s e t e r n a l P r o p e r t i e s : w h e r e a s t h e Son h a s r e l a t i o n s to us w h i c h flow f r o m P r o p e r t i e s n o t e t e r n a l , hut consequent upon H i s I n c a r n a t i o n , (See P e t a v . de T r i n . v i i i . 3 . §. 1.) .Now St. E . in this section conceives t h e fire as a f r e s h t y p e of G o d , e m i t t i n g h e a t w h i c h h e now conceives as a t y p e of t h e S o n , ( a s t h e F a t h e r s do c o m m o n l y , ) a n d its l i g h t as a t y p e of t h e Spirit Still h e seems in this section first to r e g a r d fire as a t y p e of t h e T r i u n e G o d , a s H e is in H i m s e l f , since t h e h e a t w h i c h is 1 hidden and m i g h t y , ' will n o t o t h e r wise m a k e a t y p e of t h e S o n . H e n c e t h e j o y o u s and t r a n q u i l l i g h t m u s t be u n d e r s t o o d to be s e n t , in t h e s e n s e h e r e given : i. e. t h e mission m u s t h e t a k e n

one

to flow f r o m e t e r n a l P r o p e r t i e s . "What S t . E . m e a n t p r e c i s e l y to b e P r o t o t y p e of t h e h e a t ' c o m i n g a t its o w n p l e a s u r e ' is n o t c l e a r t o m e , t h o u g h I believe from t h e sequel h e m e a n t t h e condescension of t h e Son in c r e a t i n g , see p . 128, n . g . p. 2 0 9 , n . b. T h e ' o r d e r ' ot t h e P e r s o n s h a s b e e n n o t i c e d above, p . 181, n . c. e T h i s proves t h e t y p e h a s c h a n g e d f r o m t h e sun t o fire, a s s t a t e d in t h e l a s t n o t e , b u t does not s u i t v e r y w e l l w i t h t h e s e q u e l : for t h e r e t h e Spirit is p l a i n l y c o m p a r e d n o t to l i g h t , b u t t o h e a t . P e r h a p s St. E . ' s i n t e n t i o n is, a f t e r m e n t i o n i n g t h e T r i n i t y , to go off to t h a t s p e c i a l mission of t h e S e c o n d P e r s o n i m p l i e d in H i s P r e s e n c e in t h e Eucharist. T h e Spirit h e r e c o m p a r e d to the l i g h t may t h e n be n e x t viewed as c o n v e y i n g h e a t (i. e. t h e Son) to us w h o w e r e f a r off. A p a s s a g e f i o i n vol. ii. p. 4 5 1 . m a y help to e x p l a i n his m e a n i n g : ' N e v e r did a m a n ever see a ship in t h e s e a tossed a b o u t by itself w i t h no s a i l o r in it, m a n a g i n g itself a n d s t e e r i n g itself, A n d as s h i p s , all t h i n g s t h a t a r e m a d e , a r e i m p e r f e c t : the soul is s o , w i t h o u t f r e e will; the creation, without a C r e a t o r ; t h e C h u r c h , w i t h o u t a S a v i o u r ; and t h e A l t a r , without the H o l y Ghost.' Comp a r e R . x . §. 3 . §. 5. §. 7• and t h e n o t e d . a n d vol. i. p . 239, d. f r o m w h e n c e it is p l a i n t h a t S t . E . held t h a t t h e c h a n g e e f f e c t e d in t h e e l e m e n t s w a s by t h e a g e n c y of the H o l y S p i r i t , ( t h o u g h in vol. i. p. 4t>0, c. h e s p e a k s of t h e s h e w b r e a d as ' figuring t h e m y s t e r y of o u r S a c r i f i c e w h i c h is offered b y Christ, t h r o u g h t h e m i n i s t e r s of t h e C h u r c h . ) T h i s , of course, is a v e r y d i f f e r e n t t h i n g indeed f r o m a s s e r t i n g t h a t t h e I n v o c a t i o n of t h e H o l y S p i r i t m a d e in t h e p a r t i c u l a r p r a y e r used in t h e E a s t e r n C h u r c h e s , w a s t h e i m m e d i a t e c a u s e of t h a t c h a n g e : for the s a m e t h i n g is said

to be found in the properties of light and heat.

235

another. If then this fire is of a miraculous nature, which produceth, yet lacketh not; which is equable, and doth not chill; and when its heat is distinct from it, yet it is not cut off from i t ; that passeth through every thing 1 , and grudgeth 1 R. not; that flieth into bread, and blends itself with water, and jj 1( dwelleth in every thing, while the whole thereof dwelleth in i t ; a symbol of the Spirit is in it, yea a type of the Holy Spirit, who is mingled in water 2 that it may become a pro-' 2 P^ pitiation, and is blended 113 with bread that it may become a s u , by St. Austin de T r i n . iii. 4. ' T h e element is not consecrated to he so g r e a t a Sacrament, save by the Spirit of God working invisibly.' And so in the Missa Leoniana ap. Assem. B. L i t . iv.p. 27. Gothic, i v . p . 39. &c. Y e t there can be little doubt t h a t the W e s t e r n Churches held, that the elements were consecrated by our Lord's words then repeated. See Gotti Theol. ScholasticoDogm. T r . vii. qu. 2. §. 2. and L e Quien on Damascene, p. 268, n. 2. Bened. xiv. de Miss. Sacr. ii. 15. Orsi de L i t u r g . I n v . Sp. Set', ii. §. 2. Martene de R i t . i. 4. 8. 19. Benedict. Antirrheticon, ii. cap. 5. who quotes a passage from Theodulus Ben Althib. which will be of service h e r e : ' T h e power of the H o l y Ghost descendeth at this day upon the Bread offered upon t h e Altar, and consecrates it and makes it t h e Body of God the W o r d . For the powrer of the F a t h e r and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and their operation is one. (see p. 166, n. c.) W h e n the Son blesseth and consecrateth, then the Spirit blesseth and consecrateth; and when t h e Spirit blesseth and consummates, then the Son blesseth and consummates ; when the F a t h e r imparteth H i s Divine power, it do the Sou and the Spirit impart in like manner. For albeit the Persons are distinct, yet is the Substance and N a t u r e one. T h u s in like way is T h e i r power and operation. Therefore t h e Bread which we receive is H i s Body, as H e Himself s a i t h ; and since H e Himself calleth I t H i s own Body, W h o will not confess I t so to b e ? " (comp. St. J o h n Maro. cap. x x x i i i . Assem. Cod. L i t . v.) on which B. remarks, that Theodulus here conceives (1) t h e words of Christ to be the efficient cause of the R e a l P r e sence, and (2) operation of the H o l y Spirit to be not distinct from that of C h r i s t H e r e also is perhaps the key to St. E . ' s m e a n i n g : T h e Son and the Spirit are said to he sent, and not the F a t h e r : and this mission is of course

S. 4not any thing new, but Their E t e r n a l Procession from the F a t h e r considered as affecting us. Y i d e P e t a v . de T r i n . viii. H e n c e St. E . passes off from the doctrine of the Trinity to t h a t in which the Mission of the T w o Persons (as explained in note f.) is continually brought before us, viz. the E u c h a r i s t . h Comp. xli. §.2. the word ' b l e n d e d ' or ' mingled,' twice used in this section, has been noticed above, p. 210, n. d. as employed to express the Perichoresis: in the former place in this section it is plainly used in this sense, and therefore it is perhaps no g r e a t strain on t h e s e words to suppose t h e m intended to express concisely, t h a t ' the H o l y Spirit by virtue of His coinherence in the Son conceals Himself under the appearance of bread, t h a t it m a y , &c.' See t h e passages quoted p. 210, ref. 4. I t is plain that a great importance was a t tached in the Oriental Liturgies (see llenaudot. i. p. 238. ii. p. 88.) to the ' Invocation of the Spirit.' I t may be right with a view to throw light on the text, to attempt stating what seems to be the view implied in those Liturgies, as concisely as so intricate and e x t e n sive a subject will admit of. Orsi de L i t . I n v . &c. v. 3. owns the truth of Renaudot's assertion, but reconciles it with assertions in the Oriental Church, ascribing the consecration to our Lord's words (see M a r t e n e as ab. 20.) by supposing that Invocation an accommodation to the weakness of the h u m a n intellect, whereby that is represented to take place at intervals with us,which with God takes place in one i n s t a n t . T h etwo events of the Descent ofthe H o l y Spirit at the Baptism of Christ in the J o r d a n and on t h e day of Pentecost seem to me best calculated to illustrate the Invocation : it is to them and not to the operation of the H o l y Ghost at the Conception that the liturgies themselves (as contrasted with later commentators on theui) refer almost universally in the form for the Invocation. (See Assem.Cod.

236 Mysterious

natural

emblems teach man to be

reverent.

Sacrifice: ancl though H e seeineth to be entirely in all of them, His fulness is far removed. For it is not possible to shadow forth the mysteries of the Trinity, which cannot be 1 » R . x l i i . shadowed forth at any time . If then this fire when searched h see nofes

Natural

types of the Trinity

incomprehensible.

241

chastity, which glisteneth forth in spotlessness. Gold is uniform, a flower is threefold; stone is uniform, fire is threefold ; burning, and heat, and light are blended in it 1 . For it 1 R. xl. is not by one comparison 2 only that the language of thef gg'e creation mounteth up ; and thus, as They are preached, so A than, receive ye without gainsaying these Threefold Ones 3 . F o r ^ n . ' they stand not by the ordering of our wills; that nature as i t ^ 3 1 1 ' 0 ' exists, existeth threefoldly, neither can it be comprehended, n. a, b. wherefore it is found to be such, as without question it reallv 011 R.'. .

XXV]]],

is. For who would blame, him who said that fire exists threefoldly ? No man condemns him, since every one allows him. The passage of Are4 remains a mystery to thee, how 4 §. I. it is conceived in the sun and hidden therein, and how again it is concealed in the womb of his brightnesses; and the pang which begot it is inscrutable ! This wonderful birth of that miraculous thing 5 silenceth thee and refraineth thy 5 s. the thought, since it surpasseth thy mind ! them?3 . The fruit which thou hast never tasted what sort it i s , r a e l e o f if thou shouldest feel it with thy hand aud smell it and also vel. see it, yet because thou hadst not hitherto tasted it and tried it, thou wouldest rely upon another who had tried i t 6 ; since 6 R. xli. then He is too mighty for thee, even that hidden Essence, p ^jo believe that Fruit 7 whereby H i s might hath been tasted. d -„ Take wheat, and open it, and examine it, and shew us how ' ' the blade, the ear, and the root are hidden [there 1, which are oon t r So rut.

each one of them perfect within it threefoldly, and which is R. i. §. recent, which old, or which afore other: and though t h e y 3 3 ' had a beginning, yet this is difficult to comprehend, since their hidden beginning is from themselves unto themselves". c i. e. even in this created tiling there are operations which rise in itself, and have no issue save what is internal to itself. St. E . means to imply that the relations of the Persons of the Everblessed Trinity to E a c h Other, result from operations internal to the Godhead, (such as Generation and Spiration,) and notfrom any operations issu ing in us, comp. n. a. p. 126. n.d. p. 1G6, n. g. p. 234,f. This passage ¡nay be contrasted with Method. Conv. Virg. x. 6. and the names bestowed on the Son and the Spirit by Pseudo-Dionys. de Div. Nom.

ll.

§ . 7-

faayoiotf

favrwro;

fi\affTt>)

Hotyvrol

ciov O.\QYI ZXI ifsi^ovffta

T h e "Fathers held God's simplicity in sucli sense as to deny t h a t H e w a s compounded of E s s e n c e and A t t r i b u t e s ; our idea of H i m is so compounded, H e is n o t . V i d e P e t a v . de T>eo, ii. 8. St. E . h e r e shews w h a t will follow from the absurdity of supposing t w o E t e r n a l s inclosed in space, noticed in §. 2. A s s u m e t h e F a t h e r to h a v e a knowledge r e a c h i n g beyond H i m s e l f into t h e other E t e r n a l , and you m a k e H i m 1 of a compound n a t u r e h a v i n g ' knowledge ' a constituent or complement of H i s S u b s t a n c e , ' to" use t h e words of St. A t h a n a s i u s , p . 334. O . T . a n d p . 514-1S. Aetius (in E p i p h a n . i. p. 929. x x x i x . ) a r g u e s , that ' i f God r e m a i n e d ingener a t e , H e could h a v e no consciousness of a g e n e r a t e c o n d i t i o n : without supposing H i m to be ignorant of H i m self, we cannot m a k e H i s B e i n g the same as t h e Son's, who is g e n e r a t e . ' This is p e r h a p s here retorted on himself, 0 T h i s is t h e doctrine of the M o n a r c h y ; see on A t h a n . p. 45, n . h . which is also the doctrine of t h e A t h a n a s i a n Creed, ' T h e F a t h e r is m a d e of none,' &c. d So Basil c. E u n . ii. §. 23 fin. " If

H e creates w i t h o u t suffering then allow t h a t H i s G e n e r a t i o n is without sufferingalso." Comp. ibid. v. §. 5. p . 31G. G r e g . N y s s . ii. p. 030, d. " N e i t h e r t h e m a k i n g of the creation nor t h e t h i n g m e a n t by h a v i n g a Son a d m i t s w i t h it time or m a t t e r or labour or s u f f e r i n g . " E p i p h a n . H i e r . l x i x . §. 2(i. " Tf in begetting H e suffered, t h e n H e w a s wearied in c r e a t i n g . " E p i p b . in H . lxxvi. 22. and more at l e n g t h C y r i l in Thes. vi. p . 4 3 , a. states and combats t h e A n o m o j a n doctrine here alluded to. " H o w , " says Eunomius in C y r i l , " can it be other than a necessary a d mission t h a t t h e F a t h e r ' s E s s e n c e w a s impaired, if t h e Son came out of I t , being as it were a part of I t ? B u t if ye would preserve to t h e F a t h e r H i s unehangeableness and superiority t o such impairment, then ye will not decline «nyir.g t h a t t h e Son is not a p a r t of ¡ i N I N - n i c e , nor from H i m , h u t from without, and t h a t he h a t h H i s coexistence owing to t h e power which is in the W i l l [of t h e F a t h e r ] a l o n e . " See also on A t h a n a s . p. 140, n. n. and O r . i. §. 28.

125 2

Vreal ion which in in space, in above man's

reason.

as there is 110 space that sufficeth for His Essence. Whose is the mind 1 " that sufficeth to search into His Fatherhood ? 5. Though it be quite true, yet it is hard to search out how He created any thing when there had not been any «or mo-thing, and there would be no demonstration 2 whereby thou mightest search out if it were possible. And since in the dis13. 14. course of reason 3 there is no place where thy mind may rest jA^io a n c '' s a J * ' ' ^ u s it was !' believe and repress the haughtiness of scrutiny. And inasmuch as tliy spirit sufficeth not to gaze upon the difficulty of the actual thing, search Him out in another way, that from another side thou may est rest thyself; 4 R. and reflect that to Him, the Lord of all, all is easy 4 . The pleadX ' wherewith thou hast silenced investigation into the creatures, oh, clad it on, and silence therewith the investigation into the Generation ! 1

§. 3.

e Space is an element which enters into a vast majority of our conceptions of t h i n g s ; we explain time and its properties by reference to s p a c e , as the primary meanings of prepositions, & c . would shew. S t . E . then probably means t h a t , as we cannot bring God's E s s e n c e under space, it is impossible for our mind to conceive how the whole of that E s s e n c e was communicated to

the Son. E v e n Angels we conceive to have relation to space and so comprehend t h e i r operations or energies. ( S e e p. 1 8 7 , n. b.) B u t such dim and vague apprehension of God's E s s e n c e as we have, presupposes H i m to transcend space, and so precludes our reasoning about H i s operations. S e e however on R . lvii. §. 2 .

RHYTHM THE FORTY-SIXTH. 1. BE restrained ye daring ones, and go not on with meddling any more! The fish leaps along the boundary of its river 1 ,'R.lxiv. and passeth not over i t : we have passed with our scrutiny^' 5 ' tlie boundary of Him who is the Giver of our life. The Breath of the Gospel sustaincth us, the waters support the fish, the Scriptures 2 intelligent creatures. Within them is 2 R. xlv. life, without them is death. Lie that dareth to go in, my son? ¿>79 ^ j where there is no air 3 , dieth, since there is 110 breath there to 3 i d e l e r . quicken him; that we may learn that we arc not at liberty to go p 1 ^ 01 *' into hidden things. That Threefold Breath 4 sustaineth thee, 1 n.v.§. Iv and if outside it thou shouldest go forth into scrutinizing, * the gust from errors will fly to thee, and kill thee. 2. The fool rageth, saying, " Wherefore should God have a S o n 3 ; for if the True One begat*, it was either by H i s 5 p. 133. own Will or not by His own Will that He begat; and i f ^ g 1 ^ it was by His Will, then was that which He begot no God; l x -§- ibut if it was not of His Will, He denied Himself though « D i d y m . de T r i n . i. 9. p. 8. " < B i d F a t h e r b e g a t , — s o t h a t if we say willGod beget willingly (they say) or not ingly we m a y seem to allow the will to willingly ?' B u t we m u s t first declare have a p r i o r i t y to t h e G e n e r a t i o n , and w h a t their object is and m a k e answer t h e y m a y reply t h a t the Son was not accordingly. N o w their object is to coeternal w i t h t h e F a t h e r , since someraise a n objection with the simple- thing anteceded H i m : . . . . b u t if we minded from either a l t e r n a t i v e . F o r if answer that it was unwillingly t h a t the they lay hold of t h e one, ' I t was not F a t h e r b e g a t , t h e n we may seem to willingly t h a t H e b e g a t , ' (not t h a t any have made the F a t h e r i n c o m p e t e n t . " body does answer t h e m so,) then they O t h e r passages are given by P e t a v . de s a y , 4 God then submits to w h a t H e T r i o . ii. 549. St. E . meets this cavil does not will in h a v i n g begotten the by a practical observation : you question Son, t h e necessity of n a t u r e bringing (he means) about G o d ' s W i l l in m a t t e r s this about with H i m b u t if it be con- too high for you ; obey t h a t W i l l in ceded to them t h a t it was willingly things plainly declared. Consider in t h a t H e begot, they rejoin, 1 So t h e n settling your belief not w h a t will satisfy the Son's G e n e r a t i o n depends upon an ambitious philosophy, but w h a t on the F a t h e r ' s will, which confers sub- t h e whole it appears fro in Scripture to sistence upon H i m in the way of be G o d ' s will t h a t you should believe, c r e a t i o n . ' " Ambros. de Fid. iv. §. w h a t impression H e intended to m a k e . 102. " T h e y f a b r i c a t e another impiety Compare w h a t he says below, R . l x x i v . when they p u t the question whether it 1. upon another p j i n t , though with a was willingly or unwillingly that the similar practical tout*.

254

Scriptnre

employs the words ' Father,'

free." Wherefore is thine eve evil, because it was owing to His ' p. 121, being Good 1 that l i e begat? thou art envious of that in which 23i',n.b. He w a s 1 1 0 t envious. Leave all these things, and seek what 1 -J contr. H i s Will is . The Father willeth that thou shouldest believe Scrut.

i. §. 44. that the Son is irom H i m : now if H e willed this to be so, the ii. §. 6. Truth of I l i m agreed with ITis N a m e ; and if H e did not will it, it would have been opposed to H i s Name : the Name 3 E. liv.of Son were then a borrowed 1,3 one. Faithful is H i s Name, Mat. 3, and true is the Name of His Son. Confess and fear not, since 17; 17, His Voice cncourageth thee, His Voice is as it were a pledge 2Pet.i, that gladdeneth thee touching His Son. l/.&c. 3_ Thamar", inasmuch as her action was hard [to justify], took, in belief, the witnesses for her innocence. She took his pledge, that it might go forth and strive with h i m ; for the silent ones went forth and justified her. Let a man learn then from Juclah who was overcome by his own pledges, that if i. e. not a "Name of N a t u r e , but of whom H e wishes to be baptized. W h e n Grace. See on R . xliv. §. 2. baptized the Lord ascends from the c See p. 38, n. b. p. 49, r. 1. St. E . w a t e r , the heavens are opened, the means, ' If you say the F a t h e r will Spirit descends: now it is t h a t J o h n blame you for believing without being recognises H i m . If it is only now able to state the doctrine in terms of t h a t ' H e recognises H i m , why was it h u m a n science, do you deal with H i m that he said before, I have need to be as J u d a h with T h a m a r , and produce baptized of T h e e ? but if it is not only against H i m H i s own pledges to shew now, inasmuch as he had known H i m that H e is the F a t h e r — " W i t h o u t a before, why is it that he says, I knew certain devotional affectionateness such H i m not, but H e t h a t s e n t me ? & e . & c . ' ' applications of Scripture may appear I n T r . v. §. 8. 11. he makes t h e main irreverent: with it such applications answer to this question to be t h a t St. are true to facts, to say the least. J o h n knew H i m to be L o r d , but did

was passed, and began that which was, and between two generations ministered two types, since he interred the former days, and made preparation for the latter: he buried the old generation, and nursed up the youthful one. Praises to H i m that elected him ! 2. The Ship of the Lord of all fluttered upon the flood. It went out from the east, and readied, nearly to the west: it flew to the south, and reached to the north. Its fluttering over the waters was a prophet to the dry land, and preached that its offspring should multiply on all sides, and increase in every quarter. Praises to its Redeemer ! It marked out a V o l . i. p . 146, d . " My Spirit shall H i s Spirit have dwelt for the 500 y e a r s not dwell in these men ' for ever'— t h a t he preserved his virginity as not this is because they w e r e created to being minded to be married, till the live for ever, and t h e Spirit breathed Lord bade h i m , because he was a f r a i d into t h e m was to dwell in t h e m for lest be should h a v e sons and they ever. B u t they provoked t h e Spirit should be corrupted by the d a u g h t e r s by their deeds, a n d on this account H e of Cain. Other interpreters however said, My Spirit shall not dwelt in them interpret it of t h e Spirit which w a s for evert because they are Jlesh, for breathed into us, and fashioned m a n in their deed H e calls the flesh: and [read t h e likeness of God, & c . " (See p. 2 6 7 . or] it is their life t h a t H e calls ' s p i r i t b . ) As t h e addition of one letter m a k e s t h e n it would be, t h a t t h e i r life shall this p a s - a g e clear, 1 have ventured to not be 900 years like A d a m , Seth, and suggest r e a d i n g ' or.' It is probable t h a t E n o c h . B u t m a n ' s life shall be 120 St, E. begins with the interpretation y e a r s , i. e. from t h e day t h a t N o a h which takes it of t h e Holy Spirit, and began at t h e work of the ark until it after passing on to t h e one which takes was finished. For the imagination of of the h u m a n spirit, returns to the fiisr man is evil from his youth. If t h e n it one. H o w e v e r , the view given us of had been of H i s Spirit that H e w a s N o a h s chastity is the main point here, speaking, then neither in N o a h would f ' o m p . p. 20. n. 1,

264

The types in the law and the ark exhausted

by

Christ.

by its course the standard of its Preserver, the Cross of its Sliipman, and the Tree of its Sailor, who should come and fashion for Himself a Church in the waters, and b y the Name of the Trinity rescue them that dwell in it; and the Spirit 1 > p. 9 0 , instead of the dove was the Minister of her unction , and of e 2 ii. e. "' s ' H e r the Sacrament of the Redemption by her' . Praises to her R e d e e m e r ! H i s mysteries in the law and His types in the ark bear witness to each other'': for as the recesses of the ark were emptied, thus also were the types that are in the Scriptures emptied. H e who by H i s coming brought the mysteiies of toe law to a close, fulfilled in the Churches the types of the ark c . Glory be to T h y Coming ! ;i s. 3. My mind is amazed that it hath embarked u p o n 3 the fearful flood of our Redeemer ! Blessed be Noah, since even though the ship was afloat upon the flood, and the ark also, he was himself collected. ]>e my faith, Lord, a ship for my * pp.228, "weakness 1 : lor lo ! the foolish are sunken in the depths of 23i) n c > * - their prying into Thee. Praises to Him that begot T h e e ! " S e e K . x v i i i . ii. c. a n d 2. ret'. 1. ami p. 5. p. 0. p. 3 5 . n . t . I n V o l . i. p. H 9 , f . h e w r i t e s LIS f o l l o w s : " T h e d o v e t h a t N o a h sent from the ark prefigures the H o l y Spirit to u s : and the c i r c u m s t a n c e t h a t a t t h e first t i m e it f o u n d no r e s t i n g p l a c e , i n a s m u c h as m e n ' s c o n v e r s a t i o n w a s u n w o r t h y of t h e S p i r i t , indicates the whole time before t h e flood, as is k n o w n f r o m G o d ' s s a y i n g , ' "My S p i r i t s h a l l n o t d w e l l for e v e r in those m e n , b e c a u s e they are iie^bly.' A n d by t h e d o v e ' s r e t u r n i n g a n d t h e w a t e r s a b a t i n g , h e figureth to us t h a t sin a b a t e d by t h e B a p t i s m in t h e J o r d a n , and t h a t t h e H o l y Spirit rested : the leaf of olive f i g u r e t h t h e u n c t i o n a n d reconciliation w i t h the .Father and the sign of p e a c e . F o r t h e g o i n g o u t of t h e r a v e n will f i g u r e to u s t h e fall of t h e a c c u s e r . " I n r e f e r e n c e to n o t c h , p. 2 3 0 . it m a y b e r e m a r k e d t h a t t h e ' a b a t i n g of s i n ' h e r e , ( a s in V ol. i. p. 5 2 1 , d . ) ' t h e c h a n g i n g of t h e w a t e r s , for t h e w a s h i n g oftl»' : T V i ~ : ~c ii — - r r - f : — . ' i s w h a t S t . J-:. • m . i .. b j e c t of C h r i s t ' s B a p t s m and n o t a i u - h t g a i n e d tn H i m s e l f . S e e n. d. p. 2 7 0 . • V o l . iii. p. M P . u W h e n t h e j u s t

a s c e n d t o p a r a d i s e to i n h e r i t it a c c o r d i n g t o its d e g r e e s , e a c h o n e a c c o r d i n g t o h i s l a b o u r d o t h if a d v a n c e to t h e d e g r e e w h i c h is s u i t e d to h i m : to t h i s e a c h m a n is k e p t , s i n c e it h a s d e g r e e s e n o u g h for t h e m all, its g r o u n d is f o r p e n i t e n t s , t h e m i d s t of it lor t h e j u s t , its h e i g h t f o r t h o s e of h e r o i c v i r t u e , a n d f o r t h e S h e c i n a h is i t s s u m m i t . Noah t h e r e f o r e m a d e t h e b e a s t s t o d w e l l in t h e l o w e r s t o r i e s , a n d in t h e m i d d l e s t o r y m a d e h e t h e fowls (see n . g . p. 167-) to d w e l l , a n d in t h e l i k e n e s s of G o d N o a h d w e l t in t h e h i g h e s t p l a c e . The p e o p l e on M o u n t S i n a i d w e l t b e l o w t h e p r i e s t s r o u n d a b o u t it a n d A a r o n in t h e m i d d l e of i t : a n d M o s e s w a s o n t h e h e i g h t of i t , a n d t h e G l o r i o u s O n e o n t h e s u m m i t t h e r e o f . T h e m y s t e r y of t h e division of t h a t G a r d e n of L i f e did G o d d e p i c t in t h e A r k a n d also on M o u n t . S i n a i its t y p e s ; s e e i n g H e b y i t s o r d e r i n g s s h a d o w e d o u t to us P a r a d i s e , o r d e r l y , f a i r , a n d g o o d l y i n all t h i n g s . B y its h e i g h t a n d b y its f a i r n e s s , by its smells a n d b y its d i v e r s e t r i b e s t h a t h a v e n of all r i c h e s , t h e C h u r c h , is d e p i c t e d . " S e e a b o v e , p. 3 5 . ii. t. p. ] 2 1 , rj. e.

RHYTHM THE FIFTIETH. 1. THE Son who was witli I l i s Father before all things surpasseth also all times, for in I l i m were created times, and He was before numbers, moments, and seasons 1 . His 1 p- 66, mode of existence cannot be searched out, neither the d a t e " ^ ' ' of it be comprehended, neither can enquiry discover why 2 it* P-126> was. It hath not been measured out how great He is, nor r .305,d. been explored of what quality He is 3 . Praises to Him t h a t ' ^ ™ begot Him ! Who is there whose mouth would not hold its peace at the Begotten, whose glory no mouths are able to utter 4 ? 4R.xlvii. W h o is there that would not reprove his own self, and b e t h i n k 2 ' himself that if the Begotten could be comprehended, they would have made H i m that begot small: and if the F r u i t " p. 179, could be searched out, they would have set bounds 6 to thep."305)(j. Root thereof; for that They are blended 7 One with the Other.' P- 25> Glory be to Thy Father in Thee ! 'p.210, ->. W h o would not be ashamed for concluding within the Tef " 4narrow womb of his own imagination 8 prying without measure, searching out without limit into the Begotten and the Begetter? 5. The searching out of the crcatures even is too great for our minds: the searching out of the Creator there is none that can span, for it is too great for any nature 0 . Praises to His Greatness! ' lacking, and H e satisfied them of H i s household, and they 1, 30. praised Him that sent Him. W h o would not love Him that loved the in of H i s household, that was blended and mingled 7 475 , . II. xli with Liis handmaid and servant? They invited Ilim aud§. >2. on' H e despised it not, H e went to the feast and made it g l a d ^ ™ with liis Majesty, i l e also threw in His marriage-gift, then. d. wine in the ilagons, since l i e carried with Him the treasures J»iiu 2. of I l i s Kingdom.

282 iCor.3,

Heretics are impure and disputatious

as

3. Who would not be afraid and purify his body"?

Since

when H e went into His Father's House, that great Temple, with a cord H e chastised them, who were without hope as Ts.50,i.having made light of H i s Temple. To Jerusalem H e gave a Eom2'7 writing of divorcement. H e also took the vineyard from l. &c. those husbandmen. W h o would not fear, and who would John 2

Mat.21

33. ' not love Him who praised His merchants, that doubled the Mat.25,talents they had received, and tormented that wicked and a

• i 24, 51. harmful servant who had-i ruined them of H i s household and undone his fellow-servants, and rebuked the apostate spirit, ' It. liii. who when overcome howled out by tlio mouth of his devils 1 , Mark l ' What have we to do with Thee, Jesus ?' 24 • 4. For it is written that the good Master repented and was 2 p. 245, weary 2 , and clothed Him with our feebleness, and us also H e R xxix c l°thed again with the Names of H i s Majesty. The foolish §• isaw what was ours and thought that to be His which was from u s : and they were rebuked, yet they felt not that, at that rate, we should think also what was H i s to be ours. Mat. 7, For when the hearers of Him who is True surrounded H i m 29 in love, they passed not judgment on His words. The Mart laid wait for His words: for their 12 13 sectarians deceitfully . ' ' detestable strife was as it were the adversary of that Righteousness, which laboured by fiction to overbear the right. 5. The Lord had spoken: plain men were cheered, sullen men were confused, and the simple heard and relied; the J o h n 6, crafty heard and questioned, [saying,] ' TIow can this Man give us His Body b f' Their questioning kept them deprived » T o t h e passages given on E . x x . from vol. ii. p . 3 3 0 — 2 . the following from vol. iii. p. 656. m a y be h e r e added as shewing f a r t h e r how St. E . drew t h e parallel between the living and m a t e r i a l t e m p l e s : ' L o , wrath r u n n e t h to and fro in the e a r t h : the penitent impedes its course. L e t us be h u s b a n d m e n to f a s t i n g , t h a t seed which yields a n hundred-fold ! L e t us be tilsmen to prayer, t h a t vine whose wine is consolation! L e t us be builders of our minds, as shrines t h a t shall be meet for God ! I f a g r e a t m a n stayed at t h y house, reverence would be at thy door, H o w m u c h then should t h y door be esteemed, if God s t a y e t h in thee. B e to H i m a temple, y e a and a p r i e s t ! and minister to H i m in thy shrine,

A s H e for thy sake w a s P r i e s t and Sacrifice and A t o n e m e n t , be thou also for H i s sake shrine and priest and offering. Since t h y mind h a t h become a shrine, leave not filthiness t h e r e i n ; leave not in the house of God a u g h t t h a t h a t e f u l is to God : let the house of God be garnished w i t h w h a t ever to God is pleasing! b See above, R . xl. §. 3. Cyril in J o a n . p. 3G0. after specifying several instances, thus addresses t h e J e w : " M a n y mighty works t h e r e be which before thou a r t found to have g a z e d upon with wonder, upon w h i c h if you press your ' how' you will disbelieve all divine Scripture, and subvert all t h e prophets have said, and the sacred w r i t i n g s of Moses more t h a n any of

the Jews and the thief on the left hand.

283

of the Medicine of Life: let not our questionings deprive us also of reliance [on Him]. The words of God ought not to be assayed in our furnace. For look at the disciples, and again look at the unbelievers, how confiding the chaste arc, and how questioning the furious! They thought that the Son Himself, who could never at any time have His measure comprehended, was not yet fifty years old. John 8, Wherefore we will briefly say, that all scrutinizing belongs 5 ^' to the left hand 1 . For even the thief that was crucified 1 P-1 35 > on the left hand himself scrutinized, that we mig;ht learn by his questionings the audacity of the investigators. O thou hopeless one, that when even pierced and crucified Luke23, scrutinized His Lord! Who again would not be astonished 0 9 ' at that thief on the right hand, who, though he hung, saw and believed that He was the Son of God, and quickened us who have believed that He ascended unto glory and sat down at the Right Hand? Him did the Crucified persuade ; but as for us, not even the Cherubim c that carried Him, persuade us. them. Bather tlien we ought to believe in Christ, and by assenting without thought to what is said by Him, to be anxious rather to learn how to win the blessing, and not with drunkard recklessness to say, ' How can this man, &c.' " See Äthan, p. 326. O. T . and other passages in Petav. de Trin. v. 6. against this use of ' How.' Philo de Abrah. fin. " Touching those things whereof God witnesseth what befitteth men, but with all certainty to believe." c i. e. though the highest angels adore H i m in spite of H i s Flesh, we are not to be persuaded : see on R . x v i . f i n . and R . x x i x . 1. and n. a. p. 285. Perhaps this passage refers to the interpretation of Is. lxiii. 1. &c. commonly received among the Fathers, (as Antonelli on St. James of Nisibis, p. 298, rightly notices,) and alluded to by St. E . vol. i. p. 372, a. on 1 Sam. xviii. 6. ( " I n the going out of the damsels and their rejoicings in David's victories, behold by contemplation the victories of Christ, and H i s return from the place of the dead, and how the Angels and the souls of the just went forth to meet Him,") and plainly adopted by him in vol. ii. p. 307, c. where he writes as follows, on Zech. xiii. 6'. " T h e y shall say, What are these wounds in Thv

Hands ? and H e shall say, These are the wounds wherewith I was subdued in the house of my friends. This is to be taken of H i m who above was called a Fountain of life, (quoted notec. p. 196. fin.) and suits with the Son in every respect. For the heavenly powers, the friends of Christ the Bridegroom, and His labourers ask H i m about the wounds wherewith H e was subdued by the crueifiers, and about the rents of the nails in H i s hands. And it is they whom H e probably answers and says, These are the wounds wherewith I was subdued, not by Mine enemies, but among My friends and My kinsmen: owing to their hatred of the false prophets, they thought that I was a deceiver and one of the lying prophets. After this fashion the heavenly powers asked the question also in those words that are written in Isaiah, and say, Who is this that cometh from Edom, with His garments red from Bozrah? when they saw that H i s Body was mysteriously dyed with the Blood of the sufferings of His own self." Petav. de Angelis i. 8. 11. in part disapproves of this interpretation, but does not. mention that Orig. in Joan. vi. 39. G. N a z . Horn, in Paseh. Nyss. in Asc. iii. p. 443. Ambr. de I n s t . Virg, v.

284

Christes ascent gazed on by Angels.

39. Alex, in loc. et ap. Ang. Mai, A. §. 12. which is enough perhaps for the C. x. p. 61. Aretas in Apoe. ed. Oxon. present passage, that the Angels are p. 460. all have this interpretation. All represented as asking questions, but he mentions are Theodoret, Anastasius, doubts if we can infer that this is more Sin. Ambr. de Myst. vii. 36. J , Martyr than an economy to teach us: for St. E . c. Tryph.§.36. J . F i r m i e u s de Err. prof, may be taken to imply that they are rel. 25. M a x . ad Dionys, de Csel. Hier, said to believe what they were told, in vii. §. 3. p. 91. Petav. however allows order to instruct man.

RHYTHM THE FIFTY-FIFTH. 1. WHO, my son, would compare natures which are not like one another in their births: for from all of them is the Nature of' H i m who created all, different. For if the generation of fire 1 is hard to relate, though quite open to the eye, how much 1 n. g. more hidden from us is the Fruit 2 of our Maker, and thea'p^tg Generation of our Creator. Praises to Thy concealedness! For n- e• he that discourseth of Him who gave all things their nature 3 ,» §. 3. ought to discourse of every nature first. Let us let alone H i s Majesty, and speak of His chariot 0 ; let us shadow forth how it is. Let us also explain the living wheels of it, and i f E z e e h . too the beasts have reason. W h o hath ever seen a chariot, 1>15,&cwhereto the air was made in the place of the earth, and the wind in the place of a r o a d ; lo ! it leadeth its own self, and turneth not itself aside: for the four sides have four heads over the throne. This is the direction 4 of its faces, and t h e 1 s . countenance thereof looketh unto every place. jAXia 2. And since the son of Buzi saw the likeness of a Man uponEz.1,26. the throne, and since that chariot turned not itself aside, was it the throne therefore that changed its posture that it might explore every side ? But if the throne be a marvel, who can suffice for the Watcher that sitteth upon it? Speak, and shew us the nature of Heavenly Beings, the image of Michael, and the form of Gabriel, who are fire and spirit 5 . Wherein is this fire 5 p. 146, seen, wherein is this spirit breathed ? and are they short or"' tall ? and their cast, of what cast the feel of them is ? whether a See n. b. p. 164. Of Christ's riding in a chariot to be like m a n in all things he speaks, R . lxiii. 3. see also E . I x x i x . §. 2. I n vol. i. p. 264. he says, the ass of B a l a a m is a type of human nature, which had become a chariot for the accuser. B u t t h e fact t h a t as soon as ever as it saw t h e Angel of God, it threw B a l a a m , this is w h a t takes place when by His revelation thesoulis allowed the sight of the Bridegroom: it shakes

fromitsnecktheyokeofthestranger,and becomes a chariot of I m m a n u e l , instead of w h a t it had been made, that of the adversary's powers." Elsewhere he speaks of the Cross as Christ's chariot, K . xvii. §. 2. and speaks vol. i. p. 430, e. of God's mounting upon t h e Cherubim and flying, as indicating t h a t ' the Angels move the Heavens round, and produce the changes belonging to their n a t u r a l movements.'

286

The Divine Nature

more easily conceived

it may be touched by thee? Who hath gone, upon investigation, out of the world, and beyond it, that he should 1 l R . x l i i . come and tell thee ? And if there be no bound b to it, K s0 lvii'§ 2 extended is it, go measure it with thy mind, that it may answer thee by the measures of it. There is One who hath measured all things, who may not Himself be measured; and that containeth all things, though nothing may contain 2 p. 105, H i m 2 . n 3

" 3 . Whatsoever is in the eternal Essence, that is a Nature §• ]. which Nature 0 3 H e never at any time gave at Ilis W i l l ; and h i. e. if there is no ascertainable bound, attempt to form an imaginary one, that when this effort has not succeeded, it, i. e. the world, may by its own infinity convince thee that its Infinite Creator cannot be measured by man's finite intellect. c This passage might have been noticed above, p. 133. were it not, though sufficiently to the point, a little less so, perhaps, in the original than in the translation. I n Scholastic Latin it might he rendered, Quicquid in Essentia Eeterna est, omne id est natura, quam Ille non voluit ut naturaret, or, non volendo naturavit. The Semiarians, and much more the Anomeans, did not allow the Son to be in the Father's Substance, but made him a second substance: hence St. E. insists that what is in the Eternal Essence is eternal. See on Athan. p. 63, g. p. 485, n. g. By the words £ this is to His glory,' he means this doctrine, that H e who is in the Father does not depend upon the Father's will for His existence, so far from shewing any imperfection in the Father, shews that perfection of His whereby all that, in this sense, is in God is God. St. Gr. Nyss. ii. p. 772, d. " The conjunction we speak of does not indicate in the spiritual Nature any bodily concrescence, but' the union and blending together of One Spiritual [Person] with the Other through the identity of wills, (or the acts of Their will, vccurornroi Qz\r\[xrzruv. "Wherefore there is not any diversity of the Son and the Father in respect of will, but as is the Archetypal Beauty of Goodness so is the Image of that Goodness ; and as, if any one were to look at himself in a mirror, (fur there is no objection to one's using bodily semblances to bring the conception of the mind before one,) in all respects

will the image be like in form to the original, in such way that the form which looks into the mirror is the source of the form in it; and so, that the image neither moves nor turns by itself unless the original commences the turning or moving ; and so, that if the principal move, of necessity that which is displayed in the mirror moveth along with it. So say w~e that the Image of the Invisible God, the Lord, at every motion of His will, without any mean or intervention adjusteth Himself to the Father. If the Father willeth aught, then the Son who is in the Father sees at once the wnll of the Father, or rather hath Himself become the will of the Father. For H e hath all that the Father hath in Himself, and so there is nothing of the Father's that H e hath not. But if H e hath in Himself all that is the Father's, or rather hath the Father Himself, of necessity with the Father and what is the Father's H e hath in Himself the whole of His Father's will." This celebrated passage will serve to make St. E.'s meaning clearer: what he implies is that the will of God is not a personal attribute of the Father's only, but an essential attribute of the Godhead, communicated indeed to the Son by the Father, but in the same sense only as His eternal Suhsistency is communicated to Him. St. Cyril Thes. p. 211. shews how the Anomeans put their ) argument. " By will it was that the Father gave the Son His Subsistency; in this way also H e made Him Creator; but we deny that it is from out of the Father's Essence that H e subsisteth, lest any division or efflux be conceived to appertain to that unspeakable Essence." The following is part of St. C.'s answer: " If according to them the Nature of God is dry and unfruitful,

as generate than as

unoriginate.

287

this is to His glory. For there is one thing which is not in the power 1 of that Lord, in whose power 1 are all things; and'S.hands this is His commendation. For His Will, than which there is nothing higher, alone and by itself is high; and this is its crown. Seeing that there is no possibility of this being declared in words, if one has been obliged to do so, it is not with a view to that being declared in words, which being hidden, never was at any time spoken or declared in words 2 ; 2 §.6.it. it was the prying that I wished to reprove: for, if His n o t l v ' ^ ' 2 ' having given a nature to Himself, is a thing beyond its reach to attain to, how much more beyond our reach is prying into His Eternal Essence d ! 4. Who, my beloved, hath been able to feel or to embrace aught which existeth not? Even thus difficult and hard is it for thee to search into that which [really] 3 is. And see how:>r:.xxx, He sealetli up the searching into Himself, my son, since that which is not, beareth witness unto that which is, in this, that by scrutinizing Him, He cannot be searched out 4 unto perfection. From this itself let us learn what perplexity" 4 S. the scrutiwhat is that operative will which proceedeth from H i m , which also according to them gave the Son His Subsistency,it being able forsooth to create and to make the things that are not ? While they avoid saying that the F a ther's Creative Word was generated from His Essence, in very truth they are driven to the selfsame point—for the Will of the Father which liveth and is in His Essence is the Son, and H i s Word by whom all things are wrought.'' Epiphan. i. p. 963, c. " In all things whatsoever thou sayest concerning God, O Aetius, H e is wholly very simplicity, incomparable, perfect in Himself, not standing in need of aught. For H e is perception itself and will itself. Wherefore in a way incomparable the Only-begotten Son did H e beget, yet neither thereby did H e deprive Himself of H i s own Essence, &c." See on contr. Scrut. i. §. 30. where the subject of the one Will in the Trinity will occur. d i. e. if one cannot conceive an unoriginate N a t u r e in such way as to keep clear of difficulties, then neither can we so conceive His Eternal Essence. I t may be said, that if God did not give Himself His own Nature, H e cannot alter that N a t u r e , therefore

H e is not free in the absolute way H e j j i ^ j j , ^ ought to b e ; for a necessity forces ^ H i m to be what H e is, and prevents s e a r o i , e r t H i m from being other than H e is. This indeed is a case which no pious mind would wish to put, and which the confutation of heretics is the only object which will justify one in putting. Still when men profess to be able to investigate His Eternal Essence, it is allowable to shew, how what we conceive as attributes belonging to that Essence, and so more intelligible than the Essence Itself, are incomprehensible to us. Heretics say God begat at His W i l l : let them explain that Will, is St. E . ' s reply, and then we may think of arguing with them. See R . xliv. §. 2. e Eunomius in his Apology, §. 7. said as follows : " One then going by one's natural sense, as well as by the teaching of the Fathers, is God confessed by us to iie, who neither came from Himself nor from any one else; for either of these is alike impossible. But since in truth what makes must needs exist before what is made, &C." To this Basil says : (i. §. 5. p. 214, b.) " After he has told us that it is plain to every one's common sense that God is ingenerate, he goes about bringing us demonstrations of this, much as if

•288

Human

proof inapplicable

to thing*

Divine.

is ours, every time we gaze u p o n that first E s s e n c e , who when there was nothing, yet is found to have e x i s t e d , a n d there is no proof of the m o d e of H i s existence. T h e r e is also a n o t h e r p e r p l e x i t y , as often as we go into H i m , a n d h o w H e begot from all eternity h a t h not been c o m p r e h e n d e d 5 p. 136, from all eternity 1 . iJ e

" "

2

p

5. I t is from H i m that we say of H i m , that as it is necessary to confess H i s E s s e n c e ; this b e i n g matter of necessity, not of proof, since it is too great for a n y p r o o f f : so too it is necessary that thou shouklest extol H i s F a t h e r h o o d without searching a n d scrutiny, seeing it is too high for any s c a r c h . I n p r y i n g info H i s F a t h e r h o o d , thou hast pried also into H i s E s s e n c e . W h o will not h o n o u r in silence b o t h of t h e m ? F o r tliev are w i t h d r a w n from all, a n d they are b l e n d e d together. If they dispute, it is t o g e t h e r ; and if they overcome, it is together. For gracious is the F a t h e r h o o d : fearful 2 Comp. is t h e E s s e n c e : after the fashion of t h e h a n d s they assist " o n e another, since their crown is one. 6. W h o is there a m o n g ready speakers, whose s p e a k i n g is equal to speak with all languages t h e L o r d of all languages,

s

4

which have never at any time spoken H i m 3 . F o r whatever will allow the whole of itself to b e uttered, is also akin to u s : its n a t u r e is fellow to ours. H e alone it is who is not a R. lii. s e r v a n t : since by reason of H i s F a t h e r H e is L o r d 4 .

§. 3.

§.l.

at full m i d - d a v any one were to essay to teach men with their eyesight sound by a r g u m e n t , t h a t the sun is the b r i g h t est of all the heavenly bodies. N o w if a man who s h e w s by a r g u m e n t things plain to sense is ridiculous, how can he who so teaches the t h i n g s admitted by m e n ' s common notions be else t h a n guilty of t h e same absurdity ? F o r sure to men of right mind t h i n g s like this are f a r better believed t h a n the objects of sight D o we indeed w a n t the syllogisms of Aristotle and Aristippus to learn t h a t the I n g e n e r a t e is not g e n e r a t e either from H i m s e l f or from any other, and t h a t H e is n e i t h e r older nor younger t h a n H i m s e l f ? "What then is he aiming a t in all this P I suppose he w ishes to m a k e a display a m o n g s t his followers, as a person of a deep and piercing mind, sharp at spying out an absurdity, and s h a r p e r still at confuting w h a t he detects, and t h a t (his is w h y he disports himself in a

w r e a t h of a r g u m e n t s , and works so subtly at a demonstration of t h e t r u t h , t h a t the I n g e n e r a t e is not g e n e r a t e e i t h e r from Himself or from any e l s e . " St. E . seems in this and the n e x t § to be alluding to the above-cited p a s s a g e of E u n o m i n s , who, as St. Basil goes on to shew, in spite of all his p a r a d e of a r g u m e n t only involves himself in contradictions. 1 T h e last note will e x p l a i n his m e a n i n g here. T h e words ' o f necessity' m a y be illustrated by Aristot. M e t a . iv. 5. ' ' T h a t which doth not a d m i t of being otherwise we say is necessarily so demonstration moreover belongs to the head o f ' n e c e s s a r y , ' because it cannot be otherwise, if it be d e m o n s t r a t e d in an absolute sense. B u t of this the principles will be the c a u s e , if those from which the syllogism is m a d e are incapable of b e i n g otherwise, & c . " St E . uses t h e word of all principles we cannot prove.

RHYTHM THE FIFTY-SIXTH. 1. WHO would not imitate those patriarchs, who have believed in simplicity ? T h e y examined not, and scrutinized n o t ; for they set aside and cast out the disputations of the subtle one, who made our heart wax gross; and it Mat. 13, became too heavy to rise up to 1 the Godhead. I rejoice in wag the simple who have believed and have triumphed. heavy 2. W h o could ever comprehend how Noah was silent 2 , who feared for a hundred years repressed his questioning within hisf r o m 2 6 g heart? W h e n the foolish jeeringly asked how the Flood n . P ' a . ' should be, he questioned not, neither disputed when the surge should slay the ungodly; for, indeed, it was not revealed to him that in a hundred years it was to be. W h o could look to Abraham and not be silent, for he bound his beloved (jen.22, son, the son of the promise, and upon the altar he p l a c e d 2 - & c h i m ; he questioned not, he scrutinized n o t : he disputed not, he asked not, Where is the promise, or where the vouchsafement? He sheathed his tongue, and drew his knife. W h o would not marvel how Abraham was silent, when there was indeed room for him to speak and to enquire ? If that aged man were silent, and asked not concerning his son who was to die, who is there so desperate as to dare to scrutinize Heb.li, about the Son of God, by whom Isaac was redeemed ? 17—19. S. Lest thou shouldest err, and think that Abraham was not of the eloquent, thou wilt find that he was both an orator, G e n . 1 8 ( and comprehend that he was a questioner. For if he did not 2 3 blush to be earnest for the people of Sodom, when he made the Judge of all content with ten instead of M y ; his speaking was a benefit, his silence was a victory. He spoke, bocause it was beneficial: and was silent, because it was becoming; he kept [silence] discriminatingly, and answered beneficially. Also, lest thou shouldest think that he was of the weaker sort, in that he avenged not himself, four kings were conu

•2«J0

i '/< be I ifj' re pro i\'d by iivriplurc

e.i umpie»,

Gcii.u, quercd [by him], and he went and delivered his brother's son, whom they had snatched away from him, and was patient so as to be victorious. 4. Let us learn from the Old Testament, which the children of the truth heard with discriminating love, and believed on 1 ' E. liii. the Giver of it, and relied upon the Writer of it, that all of it ' was edifying-. And the children of error heard it with ears of strife: and the mouths of mockers were rejected, because they - R . viii. scorned it. Wherefore both the Testaments" persuade us that an< IX. ^YiitlifVil men at no time ever disputed or scrutinized, since they believed (iod. iJus the learned and the cavillous disputants 3 R.liii.§. it is that rest not; the Script «res are full of peaec 8 : and they f ' j f ' j f ' are full of angriness; their disputing is inveterate in t h e m : ixv.6.1. their rust fretteth them away. §. '2.

'

5. W h o would not [be led to] fear by Moses, who because he let himself slip and become doubtful, as to whether a rock ' ' ' could bring forth water, was hindered from going into the land of promise ? W h o shall be able to enter into the abode of the living, who believeth not upon the Son of Divine Majesty ? From the artificers one may gain wholesome learning, since it is not permitted to, or put in the power of, ••It.xlvii.those that are uninstructcd 4 to judge of their works; nor are 3 ' these able to serve as an assay-furnace of their skill, since when skill of all kinds is measured, feeble men cannot make 5 S. the a point which is above their skill 5 . W h o then can j u d g e w h i c h i s the words of the Judge of all? W h o can reprove the Voice too g r e a t 0 f | [ ¡ m w h o reproveth all? As the blind searcheth not, but Numb, 2 14

forthem.

. . .

trusteth to the medicines, and confidingly commits his pain to the knife" to be healed, though it excruciate him m u c h ; yet he confideth, and this even to cauterizing, though it torture him m u c h : who would not wonder that every one 6 R. liii. believes in the book of medicines 6 , wherein the physician'' 3.

a V o l . ii. p . 4 3 7 . " I t is b y love t h a t h e w h o w o u l d b e a p h y s i c i a n in d i f f i c u l t c a s e s , i n c r e a s e s t h e sick m a n ' s p a n g s : h e g i v e s p a i n w i t h o u t w r a t h , a n d sufferi n g w i t h o u t a n g e r , for lie is 110 p h y s i c i a n who cuts from h a t i e d . And t h o u g h his love b e i n d e e d g r e a t , his k n i f e is f e a r f u l a n d s e v e r e , s w e e t in t h e relief h e g i v e s , b u t b i t t e r in his m e d i c i n e s . " S e c R . l x v . §. 3. b T h i s s e e m s to a ' l u d u to s o m e d e l i n i t e book in v o g u e t h e n , possibly to

s o m e of t h e p h a r m a c e u t i c a l w o r k s of G a l e n , ( w h o m S t . E . m e n t i o n s vol. i i . p. .'i 1 7 . ) w h i c h w e r e t h e n in g r e a t repute. T h e parallel, here tacitly a l l u d e d to, b e t w e e n t h e physician a n d C h r i s t , is f u l l y d r a w n o u t , v o l . iii. p. 3 8 8 , e . i t m a y b e a l l o w a b l e to a d d a p o r t i o n of it h e r e . '' T h e m e d i c i n e s of T h y g o o d n e s s it is t h e s i c k only t h a t need. See t h e m stricken at T h y d o o r , a s k i n g of T h e e p a r d o n .' W h o s o n e e d e t h n o t , O T.ord, to bin 1

and by mail's belief in physicians

of the body.

291

reads and repeats and instructeth us, that we should rely on his words, and agree to his medicines, since questioning is not befitting: and yet the books of God have not yet been able to convince men concerning the Son, that H e is His Begotten ? mercy is not beloved. The good physieian also hath no triumph, save in ulcers: he is not able to give a healthy body to one in health. For what way should a physician who cometli to the sick, heal one in health ? Idly labours t h a t physician that would heal a man in health: it is in ulcers and in pains that he shews the triumph of his art, and by merit and with propriety taketh the reward of his healing. In the sick the

physiciaD

triumpheth

when

they

get well of their pains greatly doth the physician rejoice that pains and sicknesses increase, and ulcers, in his own neighbourhood, that he may gather from them advantages, yea, praise and gloiy, and the triumph of his art. Aud Thou so merciful and kind, O bring to me the medicine of T h y mercies, and triumph in me that am weak and longing for Thine abundant mercies," &c.

RHYTHM THE FIFTY-SEVENTH. SOlll

!

§ . 5.

1. WHO hatli searched himself 1 out, and felt ever with his hand how and where he gathereth together and layeth up in himself the stores of learning, emptying out by reiteration books within his heart, assembling them by mommy, multiplying them by meditation, diminishing them by indolence; since in all these there is a miracle. Praises be to Thy Kingdom ! 2. W h o can enter into himself, and understand that there is an empty space in himself for knowledge 2 , and yet the soul lacketli ? And if the memory be so exceeding great a wonder, seeing it receiveth yet is not full, and givetli yet falleth not short; every thing is within it, though there is nothing in i t : who can gaze upon the brightness of the memory, which is an image :l of the Creator, who cannot be como S e e I t . lv. §. 2. V o l . ii. p. 4 7 1 , c. Behold images in a mirror, which neither is empty nor can be emptied of forms! Behold the E t e r n a l E s s e n c e , which is not crowded nor can he crowded by the creatures, like a mirror ! T y p e s from the creatures are we not able to bring that they should shape it before our eyes. I t is laden with all things, yet wearieth n o t ; for though full it be, yet is it as it were empty. A g r e a t wonder this! I t filleth all things with its E s s e n c e , and there is room in I t . "Who can suffice for all that is within I t p How like to I t is the mind which though not empty hath in it room for all sciences ? L e t the mouth confess its own weakness, and not be ashamed that its littleness is overcome by H i m . One N a m e hath the E t e r n a l , & c . ? as above, p. 1 3 2 . H e r e S t . E . evidently contemplates the memory or the- mind as capable of retaining a vast multiplicity of impressions or ideas, as a type of the F a t h e r . Nyssen c. A r . et S a b . M a i C. Nov. viii. p. 8 . ' ' P e i h a p s you will s a y , ' if the F a t h e r as being perfect filleth all things, what sort of remnant is there left for the Son, who is perfect, 4

to contain ? ' T o t h i s I answer, that it is One Another t h a t T h e y are capable of receiving and c o n t a i n i n g . F o r I , H e says, am in the F a t h e r , and the F a t h e r is in M e . B u t as T h e y t h a t contain E a c h Other, would be equal in greatness to E a c h Other, you will c e r tainly be desirous to be told, h o w T b e y are to be in E a c h O t h e r : for the One must be [you will s a y ] comprised by the O t h e r , and consequently that which is comprised, in t h a t which compriseth; but the latter will not be again itself comprised by the former. F a n c y not that God hath any void in H i m s e l f , wherein t h a t which is comprised is received. F o r in the c a s e of men this must be allowed, seeing we are not such as to contain others, or to go into another But in God's case something of the following sort must be conceived: As in the soul of a man two sciences or more corning together may c o e x i s t , medicine say, and philosophy, and as many others as are not straitened in the mind and space of the soul, which though numerous have room enough, and m a y give up the whole to e a c h other, [the t e x t is corrupt here,! although they

Memory,

tvherein

a type

oj

the

Father

prehended so as to know who Ho is ? And it keepeth hold of the names of the creatures without labour, and though there be no space in it, yet is there in it space for all. And how is it that by the names all things take up their abode in it, though its vigour wearieth not? Who can enter into the memory and feel where these names of the creatures are, since neither it nor they can be explored ? In the mind and in the Essence all things dwell. Thus is the Father of Very Truth: in Him is the ¡Son of Truth; for neither He nor those 1 things allow their place 1 to be explored 1 '. R fill iip the soul, and t h o u g h one does portion as it does so, the memory genenot go beyond t h e bounds of t h e o t h e r ; r a t i n g t h o u g h t is a type of God bein such way as to yield to the most g e t t i n g H i s W o r d . St. A u s t . de T r i n . e n q u i r i n g of men t h e a p p e a r a n c e of a x i . §. 11. u W h e n we think, f r o m t h a t single essence, since they are situate form which t h e memory retains, t h e r e and being in one and the s a m e mind— is in t h e g l a n c e of him t h a t t h i n k e t h , as these differ from each other, inas- expressed and shaped by recollecting, m u c h as medicine is one t h i n g and t h a t form w h i c h is, as it were, the offphilosophy a n o t h e r ; so the F a t h e r and spring of t h a t which the memory r e t a i n s . the Son, being contained in the s a m e B u t neither is the one a real p a r e n t , p l a c e , and capable of receiving one nor the other a real offspring,'' &c. h a n o t h e r , and being O n e , differ O n e All types of this kind are necesf r o m the Other in P e r s o n only and title, sarily very imperfect, and therefore an b u t e x i s t in One A n o t h e r . " P s e u d o - a t t e m p t to draw out t h e author's m e a n A t h a n . c. Sab. G r e g . 11. " W h e n ing, m u s t not be construed into a n t h e y see such a multitude of wisdoms a t t e m p t to understand t h e t h i n g itself. about one intellect, let them reflect God's wisdom is nothing else t h a n t h e t h a t these exist not in space ; for w h a t contemplation of H i m s e l f , (see T h o m u s t a m a n have been in m a g n i t u d e to m a s s i n de T r i n . ii. 21. §. 4.) w h i c h conhave sufficed for t h e reception of so templation in reality, and not as we are m a n y things, if it was in s e p a r a t e obliged to conceive of it, is identical places t h a t he had e a c h of his cogni- w i t h H i m s e l f : : ¡!n.- l \ • Son, t i o n s . . . . l e t us then t u r n our mind to therefore, God iV* i - ' .III : bew h a t are above us, and in themselves cause t h e wholr • f 11.-. i ":• i" « > Subincorporeal, to w i t , the F a t h e r , t h e stance is given to the S o n . . . . t h e Son's Son, and t h e Spirit, w h i c h need not Substance m a y be said, in our gross w a y places, nor are d i s c r i m i n a t e by places ; of conceiving t h i n g s , to be coextensive and let no one on this account venture with the F a t h e r ' s . A really scientific to suppose t h a t either F a t h e r , Son, or a r r a n g e m e n t of the objortc contained in w Im-ii are H o l y Spirit has no existence T h u s the memory u n d e r ' oral, or t h o u g h t s which are m e n t a l words, t h e T r i n i t y , h a v i n g a r e a l existence, is e x h a u s t s those objects e n t i r e l y : the subi n s e p a r a b l y united together and exhibits one and t h e same form, of the stance of the m e m o r y , and the substance F a t h e r who is seen in the Son, and of the of t h e thought, or discursive act of t h e Son who is perceived in t h e Spirit, & c . " mind, by w h i c h they are generated from T h e s e passages will enable us to see the memory in a scientific form, are also w h a t St. E . has before his mind. T h e at the t i m e coextensive, or if perfect, memory r e t a i n s ideas, w h i c h make up would be so. In this way then the met h e sum of its wisdom: if it was able mory, and the t h o u g h t , or discourse, or at one m o m e n t actually to represent to word, form a type of the F a t h e r and t h e itself the whole amount of its cognitions, S o n : though the Son is hi the F a t h e r , a n d t h e i m a g e of t h e m , w h e n in scientific t h o u g h t m t h e memory,it is not in the way a r r a n g e m e n t , would be a perfect i m a g e of a local indwelling t h a t they coinhere of itself—would correspond exactly to in each o t h e r . — I n t h e n e x t §. perhaps itself, and m a t c h w i t h every p a r t of he passes (see p. 2 3 4 , f. g.) from a t y p e of itself, as if occupying t h e whole of the t h e Trinity to one of the I n c a r n a t i o n , and s a m e space which it occupies. In pro- takes the memory in a less definite sense.

j His See

p. 123. Fatherhood, in that H e even reckoned thee of I l i s sons 5 . I l n ' E x p e c t H i s Kingdom, for lo! H e hath invited thee, even thee, and called thee to His T a b l e ! 4. W h o will not accuse thee whose wrangling and b a b b l i n g tongue is u n s h e a t h e d against H i m continually ? T h e r e are Scriptures, and they are t r u t h f u l : there are seas, a n d they are rich : there are savory things, a n d they are p l e a s a n t : there are fasts, and they are triumphant. Find thee questions, weak man, among these things that belong to thy comfort and weary not thyself to learn questioning that will prove a «p. 7i torment. For when the King's S o n 6 had not opened the J"- treasures of the K i n g d o m to H i s labourers ; t h e n was there framed there a mischievous device, whereby they that be c T h e E n n o m i a n s spoke of the Son as an i n s t r u m e n t m a d e tn c r e a t e nil

t i l i n g s : to t h i s i n c o n s i s t e n c y S t . E . h e r e alluiles. See R , vi.

the guilt of those who are tempted

to blaspheme.

299

audacious are not willing to confess even that H e is the King's Son. H i m they surname fellow-servant, and the crown that H e received [they say] exalted H i m by grace d . Our King and the Son of our K i n g ' opened H i s treasures, 1 p. 71. and scattered abroad the good things of His K i n g d o m . y ' H e gave unto us two worlds, that wliich passeth away, and that which is waiting to come, yet since His love out-passed H i s gift, the King took the King's Son 2 and gave H i m u n t o 2 R- liv. us as a gift for His beloved, and hilled I l i m and redeemed^' '' us by Him. 5. W h o then hath cast among us strife and harasses and mischievous disputing, the device of harm and the plenitude of blasphemy and the utmost evils 3 , envy for love, jealousy 3 S. end for truth 4 ? T h e wicked one saw the Good One, who f r e e l y " ¿ ¡ ^ shewed us mercy; he clothed himself with jealousy, that li-lxviii. he also might force us to be ruined. Wherefore let us say -»¿.Scrut. unto Satan % who worrieth us to pry into our Redeemer, ' G e t 2 y thee forth, go, pry into thy devils 5 , that thou mayest find t h y 5 B. 1. fellow-servants; and also pry into the spirits, that thou mayest be acquainted with thy neighbours; and pry into Gehenna the fire whereof is reserved for thee, and feel after Is. so, the darkness, the whole whereof is prepared for thee ! 2fl 41. d

i. e. they m a k e h i m Son in the s a m e sense, t h a t angels or men are by g r a c e , not by N a t u r e . See R . lii. §. 1. R . x x i . §. 2. R . xlvi. §. 6.

e

T h i s m a y m e a n either directly, or through t h e heretics, who were regarded as organs of S a t a n . See on Atlianasius, p. 9, n. s. p. 380. and on R . l x v i . 2.

'

RHYTHM THE FIFTY-NINTH. 1. THE waters of our expiation and the stream of our R.lxv. Atonement have become to them [the waters] o f strife 1 , since in them their disputings range themselves on two Gen.26, sides. T h e [Jewish] people strove in the wilderness, the 21Gentiles strive in the C h u r c h ; they contended angrily 7. ' ' concerning the waters of the R e d Sea, and n o w these contend angrily about the waters of the Sanctuary. Praises Ezech. be to T h y Atonement ! W h o is there that striveth not, p^os' t l i e r e that asketl) not his comrade [saying], ' who

1

n. g.

baptized thee then, and whence was thy baptism received?'

W h o is it that cloth not admonish and adjure another [saying], s p. 197.let not such and such a schismatic priest's hand baptize thee 2 ? P - a n d so they have come to b e waters of strife to parties of strife. 2. T h e H o l y Spirit we called on at Baptism 3 . T h e bold disputers have rejected the t r u t h : they strive, and say that Sfec. iv. it is not right to make H i m equal with the Father and the xiifi' p. Son- W h o is it that hath despised the H o l y Spirit, and 526. hath numbered with the embodied H i m who admitteth not Y e t in no place 4 have the Prophets brought in a 4 1 ; jjj of a body ? §. 5. R. charge of weakness against H i m , or the Apostles of deficiency. !%e.^ 2 'As a servant and minister, as a creature and subordinate person, the Prophets never have p r e a c h e d H i m , as t h e y preached the Son. For H e is high above any b o d y 1 , and 3

p. 196,

"L Some heretics appear to have held, that the H o l y Spirit was hypostatically united to the dove at tlie J o r d a n , a notion which m a y first have been suggested by Tertullian de Carne Christi, 3. and is combated by Chrys. in M a t t . 3 , 1 6 . and by St. Austin C.Max.i.cap 19: asimilar opinion to which the M a n i c h e a n s appear to have held. See Acacii A l e x . E p . ad P e t r . Fullon. in H a r d u i n Conoil. ii. p. 844. " T h e M a n i e h e a n , like you, wholly denying the Only-begotten Son

of God and the birth of the V i r g i n , said that the H o l y Spirit, who came down from H e a v e n in the shape of a dove in the river J o r d a n , took a body from the w a t e r , and conversed among men, and was nailed to the Cross, aiU underwent death for u s . " (referred to by P e t a v . de I n c . v. 4. §. 4.) In A r c h e l . C a s c h a r . cap. 50. M a n e s uses t h e expression 1 as a dove' as e x p l a n a t o r y of ' being found as m a n , ' to disprove the reality of Christ's Body. I t is

Scripture implies, that the Holy Gliosl 8f so the Son is God. 301 high above all these. From Him by Himself let us search : for if they must needs write unto us the Nature of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, and reveal concerning the Maker that when nothing was made, He did make 1 ; and, as these 1 It. lx. say, wrote of the Son also that I l e was created, how was it *' that they revealed not unto us, of this Third Person, of what Nature He was ? 3. Who knoweth not that he rangeth in his thoughts, and numbereth in order' the Threefold Names of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit ? And it is meet that as he reckoneth up Their Names, so also he should reveal Their Natures, I f then it be written, let them read it: if not written, let them confess that their Nature is hidden. Inasmuch as He hath not given a revelation to us concerning the Third [Person], He shewetli most clearly that it is not the Natures of the Father and the Son and the Spirit into which we ought to search ; but the anxious care of the Good One hath been, how by all means and by all occasions He might shew mercy unto the children of men ! 4. Wherefore without controversy allow, that every thing which is given in writing, or by word, that names, and appellations, aim at giving mankind the life more abundantly. It is not for scrutiny nor for distinctions, that we should not to me very c l e a r to w h a t heresy S t . E . is alluding: [see §. 4 . ] perhaps he wishes to shew that Aetius, by making the Spirit finite, approximated to the M o n t a n i s t s in some respects, arid to the M a n i c h e a n s in others, either of these parties malting t h e Spirit incarnate in their P a r a c l e t e , and thus by ¡ntrHnciri?- p duality, obliterating the ( :!!!t--!'.c i!••'-: : i• of the T r i n i t y . S t . B a s i l de Sp. S . cap. 2 . notices a principle of Aetius, as that on which the P n e u m a tomachi or Macedonians founded their heresy, viz. that things unlike were declared in unlike t e r m s , and that, conversely, what are declaied in unlike terms, are unlike.' F r o m this they argued, t h a t the Holy Spirit was not consubstantial with the Son. T h i s will perhaps serve to shew why S t . E . appears ill this §. to pass from the M a c e donian, to M o n t a n i s t or M a n i c h e a n , heresy, and from those again to the Anomeans. S t . B a s i l , c . E u n . i i . §. 3 3 . and §. 8 4 . s a y s , E u n o m i u s was the first to call

t h e H o l y Spirit a creature, and t h a t he asserted t h a t H e was created by t h e O;:!y-}„ ''>• i11-1;. who H i m s e l f was c r e ;.u'-!li\ i ' ; r I asher. ( w h e r e s e e D u c a e u s . ) T o this blasphemy S t . E . plainly alludes in the end of the §. b S e e p. 1 8 1 , n. c . p. 2 3 4 , n. f. and p. 2 1 9 , n. c . S t . E . probably means, t h a t if t h e heretics contend t h a t God comes under number, they ought to be able to give some account of the n a tures of their gods: if on the contrary there is no such subjection of the H o l y Spirit taught in prophecy, as there is taught us of the Son, they ought to infer that the T r i n i t y does not consist of natures, but is One N a t u r e , and that in order to suffer, a second N a t u r e was taken by One of t h e P e r s o n s — t o shew mercy, &c. c S . ' wished to throw the fulness into.' T h e same phrase occurs vol. ii. p. 4 6 1 . " Glory to H i m who threw the fulness into our f r e e - w i l l , " i. e. gave us a perfect freedom of will.

302

Scripture

ministers

to strife

throiK/h man's

fault.

search into Their Nature, but that we might be instructed in the greatness of Their Love. Say that the Holy Spirit hath not taken flesh. H e is high above voices and the odious sounds of voices that have been uttered. Proclaim the Divinity of our Lord and His Humanity, since these are words which the Holy Books have scattered and cast into the ears of men. H. liii. 5. His Word is peaceable, since our Lord giveth p e a c e ' fxw'/l' u n t o a l l : it is w e tliat have made war in it, we that have K.ixviii. devised tumults in it. W e hate staying over it, we turn aside I/9jn!d.from it because we have offended against it. W e have taken and disturbed the peace in it, seeing that through it we have quarrelled with our brethren : we have killed plain men with i t : with it we hate one another: with it too we have invited ruin into our souls. T h e fountain of brightness which floweth down from the Bright One, which had never at any time been disturbed, their arguings have made turbid, and the peaceful 3 Rflock hath drunk disturbance, and hath itself also been dis§ *2. ' turbed; and the uncleanness hath gone into and disturbed the clearness: the shepherds have drunk it, and the flock along with them. Strife came in and hath separated the flocks from the head-shepherds, and they that should feed the flocks feed them not. They ate the fat ones, and the weak ones they strengthened not, nor have they healed the sickly ones: and them that were bruised have they not bound up, and them that were astray have they not brought back. Ezech. T h e evil that the son of Buzi saw, he wrote; he also pro34,4.&c. p j , e s j e ( j 0 f w ] i a t W a s to c o m e : he shadowed out a type to us, in what he saw. Doubt not concerning this, as it is a narration told by many mouths. May the lying mouths be Ps. 141, put to silence, Lord, and set a watch over my mouth, that my 3" heart may not go astray into an evil word ! 1

RHYTHM THE SIXTIETH. 1 . W H A T was it, pray, that, compelled the true Father, who ' generated"' all things, to use the names ' Generate,' ' Father,' and ' Son?' " It was because H e chose to do so." W h a t , chose to lead us into error 1 ? " To adorn Himself was what 1 §. Ü. H e chose, and H e denied Himself." But if this were t h e ' case—but far be this from being so, nor let such things come into the mouths of the faithful—still from this selfsame expression, if it did ' adorn' Him, does Fie who denied Himself, in spite of H i s not being so, yet prove to be a Generator 11 ? a T h i s word is not probably meant to be St. E . ' s own, but to give w h a t was an heretical explanation of the t e r m ' F a t h e r , ' it being a device of the Arian school to confose generation and creation. See P e t a v . de T r i n . ii. 5. 2.

•> T h e t e x t has O l i c a a ' his mouth,' a misprint, as the L a t i n shews, for j i c a a ' mouths.' T h e L a t i n is a good p a r a p h r a s e r a t h e r t h a n a version of this section, the difficulty of which arises from the rapid change from question to answer, from one person to another, as if the reader were expected to have t h e t h i n g before him d r a m a tically, as is the case in some of t h e P s a l m s , or in I s a i a l i lxiii. (which Aretas, p. 460, calls 'Hcru'tou Soa/xarovgytx ) I h e words, which would be those of the heretics, are marked in the text by inverted commas. T h e whole passage m a y be paraphrased as follows : T h e orthodox may fairly ask the heretics, when they w a n t men to confuse generation with creation, why God does not call creatures ' c r e a t u r e s ' always, but uses names, which imply Persons whose existence does not depend upon creation. I t is idle for t h e m to say, t h a t such terms are merely arbitrary on God's p a r t , as that is t a n t a m o u n t to saying, t h a t H e led us purposely into error. Neither is there any use in their saying t h a t H i s object was to adorn Himself, or (in other words) to commend Himself

to us for His fatherly care of us, though in doing so H e used terms which belied H i s real N a t u r e . F o r the self-same expression ' Generator' or ' F a t h e r , ' cfec. if really calculated to commend Himself to us, will prove H i m who so belied Hiiuself (in your view) to be a Generator. F o r since t h e whole idea t h a t H e belied Himself is based upon the assumption, t h a t there was some one who, antecedently to the existence of any creature, could see H i s secret thoughts and disclose t h e m : and as this is manifestly false of any creature, it proves at once the falsehood of your assertion, and the f a c t that H e who did disclose even to babes and sucklings things hidden from t h e wise and prudent, was a Son, and did know tlio F a t h e r , and was able to reveal H i m . ( M a t t . xi. 2 / . ) B u t if the defender of t h e heretics is shocked at h a v i n g his words taken as though he made God a liar, and asserts that H e ' g e n e r a t e d ' the worlds, a fact which is ample reason for the title; then we may refer him to Isaiah xl. 12—14. and ask how he means to t a k e the accouut of the creation there given, so as not to deny the plain assertion of Scripture, ( H e b . I, 2.) that God m a d e the worlds by H i s Son, and that without H i m was not any t h i n g made t h a t was made. (John 1, :i.) F o r here ' Son' is plainly distinguished from ' c r e a t u r e , ' and therefore a relation between Him and the F a t h e r nnte-

304

The Names of Father

and Son intended

to

And since this is a thought1 concealed, that was from every n. creature 2 hidden, who was it, pray, that was too hard for it, - S. Na-that detected it and disclosed its secret so fully, that even R.l.§.3.children in the streets3 proclaim it?—Speak on the heretics' ref. io. s i ( ] c a g a i n . s a y, ' Never did He Himself deny in saying He n. s. ' was a Generator.' On what then was it that the worlds were weighed, if so be He weighed them not ? Or who is to assert that this was so, if He had not asserted that it was by His Soil that He created every thing ? But if His Son be truly so, seeing He did surname Him so, and made us believe that 4 E. Hi. He generated Him, then does that ' borrowed 4 ' term ' Father' shew that He is truly so. 2. Because the bold [disputers] preached that He was not 5 E. lix. the Son, which yet is in the Prophets and in the Apostles 5 , if 2' these bold men be found true, are then the Prophets in error? And if the Apostles of the True One be true, let us despise the bold ones, since these err, and lead into error. Now who revealed this, which the bold disputers preach with their whole mouths? for it agreeth not with that which hath been preached unto us by mouths of the faithful0, in whom the Spirit spake, whose writings also are like and agree with their words. For they that be faithful are silent, and they that are bold are open-mouthed. Who would not give glory to Him that hath put them to confusion ? 3. Fear,ye faithful persons: leave unto God the Names which He hath given to Ilis Son. He asserted that He generated 6 or Him from His Womb 6 , yet not after our fashion, but in one p. 131.' above it, and wonderful in all respects; for our offspring which is born from our womb, is but a shadow of it. Let us then all maintain of the Son, that He is Generate from His R . l x x v i . Womb, and is the Fruit of that Hidden One'1. §.2. 1

Comp.

cedent to the existence of creatures is G r e e k use of the words sprung, as in implied. Such a relation implies also any thing. T h e r e is not this confusion that ' F a t h e r ' cannot he (as you make in t h e S e m i t i c l a n g u a g e s , or a t least it) a ' b o r r o w e d ' n a m e , b u t must be one not to the same e x t e n t , which is an which expressed the reality which C a - additional reason to account for the tholics contend it does express. T h e obscurity of passages such as t h a t beheretics argue a g r e a t deal from the fore us. c i. e. the sacred confusion arising out of the G r e e k penmen—an exwords, yUitirtiect and yiwatrSctt, ccysvrircs pression equivalent to t h a t of oi ayiot and ¿ytvvtiTos, S o E u s e b i u s , ( w h o s e h e r e Horn. xiv. p. 124, b. speaks in alike way t i c a l b i a s i s t h o u g h t p l a i n b y m a n } with St. G r . of Adam1 s great wisdom g t e a t d i v i n e s , ) P . E . p . 5 i i > , a . w h e r e being displayed in giving the names; and h e a l s o i j e o m i . U M !!:»;: P i a t o , s a y s o i W h a t e l s e du up Adam to thy dignity and p r o v e , t h a n t h a t t h e n a m e s w e r u g i v e n confirm thy lordship by the names given a e c o i d i n g t o n a t u r e ? f o r t h e n a m e to the animals ; imitate the Creator's w h i c h w a s n o v V g i v e n , t h i s ( i l , s a y s ) w a s dignity! H e creates natures, do you l o n g b e f o r e c o M i p r i s L - d i n n a t u r e , t h a t : a m e d there give the appellations! And one might t o e a c h o f f •:• f ' see a secret watchword carried orderly s h o u l d b e a n d i • • i 1 - : • n a m e w h k h through all the animals, and they all ¡ h e m a r , ¡ . f o r e s a i d , i u s p i j e d ;>y a p o v w r flowed together to Adam confessing a b o v e h i m , h a d g i v e n i r . ^ T o v . h i c i i \ i u \ v 1 r i i V'es,conlr.Cels. their subservience to him by their passing O before him. F o r God, it says, brought ( i . 5 . f j J . ) p . : ••• i p i , (.5t-e h i s n o t e « ) all the animals, t%c. B e thou a creator of names, A d a m , since of creatures a s d o e s M a h o m e t , L c r a n i i , J . ) a n d others »xfenx-d r«> (ancnythou canst not be, and lei them he perhaps formed by Me, but when formed be u i o u s J y ) b y M u . ? e o J h i " ' , f ' c v h a ; - ! d o named by thee ! L e t us share the glory P a r a d . u p . - 1 7 7 - H . P . M a x . v o l , x v i i of creative wisdom! M e let them re- I t i s n o t m e a n t t h a t t h e r e i s a n y C a cognise as Creator by t h e law of nature, t h o l i c d o c t r i n e u p i - n t h e ^ u b j e e i k n o w n thee as master by the word of naming ! t o t h e v v r i i . r , b u t t h a t t h e o p i n i o n s ¡>t give the appellation to those, to which o r t h o d o x w r i t e r s o n i h o to-hoio r u n o n e I have given the substance. \ subvert w a y ; a s t h e y d i d h v M A d a m t o n o p o s not t h e name ; I reshape not the g i f t . " s e s s e d o f j u p e i i i a t u r : i l ^ n i c e a n d k n o w t o h'.-ld i h e n e e d o f St. Austin Op. imp. in J u l i a n . P . lib. l e d g e , s o i l > j y v. init. notices that Adam's g i \ i n g c the b e ! i e v i n g a f r e e d o m i ; i t h e u s e o f t h e names to all kinds of creatures was a l a t t e r , a s w e l l a s o f t h e f o r m e r , a s i f proof of most excellent w i s d o m ; ' it g u a r d i n g a g a i n s t a n y d e p r e c i a t i o n o f being so held even by Gentiles, (see A d a m ' s s u p « m a t i n a ) ¿ k i t e . — t h e b e l i e f P l a t o ' s Cratylus, §. 8. §. H . Ssc. i n w h i c h t l i o h e l w e d o x i n ..)]} a i > e s from whom N y s s e n , p. 815, a. says s e e m b y s o m e u v t i n e t . a s i i w r e , l e d A superEunomius borrowed ' the nonsense t o a t t e m p t t o o h l i t - . . : ' a i e . which he through poverty of ideas n a t u r a l ¿ r i f t o f k n o w l e d g e i f c v n f r e e l y tacked on to his own t r a s h ' ) — S t . A. u s e d i n c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h t h e e x t e r n a l adds, " t h a t we might have mo3t c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n w i d t h , b y b r i n g i n g reasonably conjectured, (even if we had t h e c r e a t i n e s v . o n d e r i ' u n y t o h i m , G o d learnt nothing of the sort about Adam,) h a d p i . i c e d i \ d a i n , s e e m s t o b e t h a t A s such w h a t kind of nature was created in that w h i c h v . ' i L - i n a t e d l a n g u a g e . n e t preclude a belief in t h e man in whom there was absolutely no a v i e - v - di f a u l t ; which any one can s e e . . . .slow- e o n t i i i u i l y o f G o d ' s • . • n a ^ U e n m e n t o f ¿01), a. f>) \iurin.-. ness of intellect or memory to b e . " Sew» t h e s o u ! , ^.l> 11j..1 • rian of Gahala, n cnintU- author, in ( h e p r i c e s . - ; , i t i s n < t i n a n y u a y c o n r.Cc-1- d v . ' :

a

r r l a i.

w

>. h i , •

uv;

1

312 The Sou's Xante.s* relative to the creature, and much more Adam not been ashamed to wage the war of disputation R.lxi. against the names of the Son, which the mouth of God proRA'xv. claimed in their ears. 4 2. Our Lord is mystically ' the Way 1 ', 1 because H e hath led began with being a ' m u t u r n et turpe pecus.' ( S e e H o r a c e , S a t . i. 3. 100. and L u c r e t . v. 1027. whom Simon quotes.) I t also falls in with t h e following other p a s s a g e s from St. E . ; vol. i. p. 24, d. on the place. " H i s saying t h a t H e b r o u g h t them to A d a m is to shew his wisdom, and w h a t peace there was b e t w i x t the beasts and A d a m before he t r a n s g r e s s e d the c o m m a n d ment. F o r they came to him as to a m u c h loved shepherd X o t only the power over every thing which H e had promised did God give to A d a m , but H e added moreover the r i g h t of giving the names which H e had not promised. N o w if H e did for him somewhat over and above, which he asked n o t , how, without A d a m ' s h a v i n g sinned, could H e w i t h d r a w w h a t H e had promised ? F o r if a m a n w e r e to impose n a m e s few in number, for them to be kept in the memory is no g r e a t t h i n g . B u t an excellent t h i n g it is, and g r e a t e r t h a n m a n can attain to, when in a single hour a man imposed thousands of n a m e s without giving t h e latter t h e n a m e s of the former. F o r for a man to put forth a multitude of n a m e s for a multitude of tribes of creeping things, beasts, and cattle, and fowl, is possible, but to do it so as not to give the names of one tribe to its fellow, this is of God, or of t h a t m a n to whom this is given by God. If H e gave him power and associated him in the creation, (comp. Bas, Sel. above, which forms a scholion upon this seeming misprint for j ^ G ^ O ^ D which occurs in p. 24, f.) and clothed him with glory, w h a t was there more t h a t H e could do unto him to m a k e him mindful of the c o m m a n d m e n t , which H e did not do for h i m ? " H e r e t h e whole drift of the passage is the s a m e as it is in S t . Chrysostom, viz. to shew t h a t the fall was not from any w a n t of wisdom in A d a m , and S t . E . minds not w h a t view is t a k e n of giving the n a m e s provided t h a t is a d m i t t e d ; though he seems plainly from the second of the alternatives (of t h a t m a n , &c.) which he gives, to prefer referring it to the supernatural s t a t e of glory in which A d a m then w a s ; as he says in p. 22, c. " H e clothed him with glory,

and g a v e him his discourse and intelligence and perception of G o d . " p. 27, c. " H e was more subtle t h a n all who h a d given the n a m e s to all; for as the children of I s r a e l without a veil were not able to look upon the face of Moses, so n e i t h e r were the beasts able to look upon the glory of A d a m . W i t h downcast eyes did they pass before him w h a t time they received their n a m e s from h i m . " H e r e a g a i n he is a r g u i n g to the same purpose, viz. to shew t h e serpent's own sublety w a s not g r e a t e r nor as g r e a t as A d a m ' s . So in vol. ii. p. 455, f. speaking of the diverse races of m e n , he says, u F r o m the wonderful fountain of A d a m t h e common s t r e a m of words and of forms fiowredwhich implies t h a t he draws a parallel between l a n g u a g e and other n a t u r a l g i f t s . T h e sense then in which such p a s s a g e s are to be taken is to be estimated in p a r t by the heresies the F a t h e r s were opposin g. W h en E u n omius w a n t e d to shew an inherent connection between words and t h e things signified by t h e m , he is plainly talking of words as they now e x i s t : and therefore it is to the purpose to urge a g a i n s t h i m , as St. G. does, t h e endless variety of l a n g u a g e s as proof t h a t there is now no such connection. W h e n he or others represent A d a m as a mere m a t e r i a l instrument in God's h a n d , it is i m p o r t a n t to insist on his s u p e r n a t u r a l state of knowledge a n d grace, and m a i n t a i n t h e existence and free operation of created wisdom. T h i s of course is quite another t h i n g from den y i n g , as E u n o m i u s implies S t . B. does, all interference of God or dependence of man in such m a t t e r s . A portion of a f r a g m e n t of St. A t h a n a s i u s a p . L e o n t . in M a i ' s Coll. "N. vii.p. 86. will fitly concludc this note. " T h u s did God m a k e m a n , and God as being good m a d e man so g r e a t and goodly. D o not then consider his present contemptibleness, b u t i m a g i n e to thyself his first constitution, seeing t h a t it was in God's I m a g e t h a t H e m a d e h i m , etc. & c . " b V o l . i. p. 286, f. I n one w a y of i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , " t h e drink t h a t c a m e from the R o c k , ( D e n t . 31, 13.) w a s according to each m a n ' s desire ; it was as honey to him that desired h o n e y .

those to the Father,

have a corresponding

reality.

313

us to His Father; and 'the Gate'again, because H e hath brought us into His Kingdom. They also mystically called Him ' the Lamb,' and He was slain to be our reconciliation: and as H e John ], was sacrificed and thereby made good His title as Redeemer, 3 6 ' how much more was His Generator entitled to that Name, seeing that if' H e was Son, He was also Generate 1 . From > R. lxi. the name itself by itself may its force be tasted; for there is a name that may explain itself to us 2 . The word ' made' proclaimeth a M a k e r , ' creature' a Creator,' framed' a Framer, §. 3. ' Son' a Father, beyond all controversy. That is a weapon which, through its truth, hath at no time been overcome. 3. From the confusion made, a perversion is detected; 0. Serut. for lo! every name is of a piece with its root 3 , and agrceth J'-j^ with it, ' Made' with ' Maker,' ' Creature' with ' Creator,' and 3. ' Begotten' with ' Begetter.' Is then the name of every t h i n g ^ j^07' to stand, and the name of Son only to be lost? It is not lost, since the lost by it were found and returned. From its own mere self alone it appears, that as this word ' creature' means creature without all controversy, both in name and in reality ; so one may rightfully insist 5 that, in like manner, 5 S. it is the Son, our Lord, is the Son, only if He be Son both inquTsition name and in reality: but if the names be emptyr, then pretend outness that all things are names", and nothing else. and as oil to a n o t h e r , and as b u t t e r , and as the fat of w h e a t ; and this is a t y p e of Christ t h a t t r u e R o c k , the H e a d of the E v e r l a s t i n g Building and the F o u n t a i n of L i f e . T o every one t h a t d r a w e t h n e a r to H i m , is H e aecording to his d e s i r e : to one H e is the R i v e r , to another t h e G a t e , to another the W a y a n d to this one Wisdom, and all t i l i n g becometli H e to all t h a t H e may gain every m a n . " T h e A n o m e a n s , as it would a p p e a r from G r . N y s s e n , p. 525. when told by t h e orthodox t h a t t h e Son could not be m a d e son in t h e sense in which m e n are called sons of light, without m a k i n g H i m capable of mora! advance, urged t h a t the Son had a n u m b e r of other titles, as Stone, A x e , F o u n d a t i o n , &c. w h i c h plainly were not n a m e s w h i c h really a g r e e d with H i s N a t u r e ; therefore neither does t h e N a m e ' Son' do so. To this St. G . replh-s,p. 526, c . ' t h a t though the names which a r e given by Scripture to the Son are, as they say, m a n y , there is none which we say implies by its

relativeness a connaturalness with t h e G e n e r a t o r . F o r we do not, as in the case of the F a t h e r ' s Son, so also in t h a t of Stone, R e s u r r e c t i o n , Shepherd, or L i g h t , or a n y of the other n a m e s , use the t e r m to imply a relation to the G o d of a l l : h u t one m a y as if by some artificial rule m a k e a twofold division in the m e a n i n g of God's n a m e s . F o r some of them contain a setting forth of H i s high and unspeakable glorv, and others set forth the inamfoldness of H i s providential dispensations.' Comp. p. 672, d. p. 702, c. E p i p h a n . H s e r . lxix. 35. and see on A t h a n . p. 25. &c. p. 153, n . d. and above, p. 2 9 , n . g . c ^ o l . i. p. 334, c. " T h e gods of t h e Gentiles are n a m e s without meaning."' T h e a r g u m e n t in this §. is, that relatives imply their correlatives. See A r i s t o t , C a t e g . §. 7. p. 6.1. 27. R e k k . St. H a s . e. E u n . ii. 9 . " W h o doth not know, t h a t of words some absolutely pronounced, and by themselves are significative of their subject m a t t e r s ; but others being used relatively indicate only the hear-

314 Heretics

make bitter sweet and sweet bitter,

when

they

4. W h o is said to be generate, when no generator generated §.7. E. him ? the names of Generate and Generator then are borrowed 1 ! and so would the Father in H i s N a m e be at variance with 5 Ii. ix. Himself, and the Son also in H i s Generateness 2 . T h a t the ^ 3' Fruit and the T r e e are not divided, T h e i r N a m e s proclaim by their true taste. W h o can taste any thing ' made' in the N a m e ' Generate,' or in the N a m e ' Son' any ' creature.' F o r the F r u i t by itself alone may have its taste comprehended. B u t if the taste of what is bitter give sweetness, the names of 3 S. are e v e r y t h i n g give contradictory impressions 3 . Yet who shall l perverth e N a m e s of the L o r d of all contradictory ? M e n do 1

edly. E. not, from having a surname by grace 4 , lose on that account •Hi.m. their natures by the surname, seeing they remain clad with f- V . names unalterably attaching t o 5 mankind, and their own name °S being

"

°

clad is an assay-furnace 0 to them. If the Son be a servant 7 , t h e n fixed ® I f o u n d to be our fellow-servant; if the Son b e our L o r d , namesoftlien in truth H e is our God. ref?3.6K. W h o would not be astonished to think that if even the lxiii^§.4. g 0 1 ] } s a s e l -vant, that the W o m b of His Generator m a d e H i m n.Pi. 'fellow-servant of all ; and that H e was more glorious in the ^ E . x l v i . f r o m M a r y w h i c h did make I l i m a true B r o t h e r oi rnauPs. no. kind, than in that from the W o m b which did not make H i m either Angel or m a n , b u t m a d e H i m the fellow-servant and § • k i n s m a n of creeping things and of brutes' 1 . W h o can deny iiig they hare to their correlatives, ' Man,' e. g. and ' horse,' and 1 ox,' brings before us each of the things mentioned; but ' son,' or ' servant,' or 'friend,' are merely indicative of the connection with the cognate word, 'Whenever, at this rate, a man has heard a generate thing mentioned, it is not to some essence that he is carried in mind, but its connection with another is what he thinks of. For a thing generate is an expression used of that which is generate from some thing." And his brother, vol.ii. p.403,d. " God is called both Father and King, and by countless other names, by Holy Writ. Now out of these names some are used in this single way, thus absolutely I mean, e. g. ' Incorruptible,' ' Eternal,' ' Immortal,' and the like. For these, even if no other conception be understood along with them, in themselves comprise a kind of perfect notion of God- Put there arc other name« which

only signify a relative bearing, as ' helper,' ' shielder,' 1 protector,' and as many of this -irri^ic'iticu as may be met with : from m I.:eh ¡1'y h take away that which needs assistance, then the power indicated by the word comes to naught. But some there are used both of themselves and with correlatives — as ' G o d , ' ' good,' and such like There is no reason why a person, who sets before us the Father and Him who is from H i m , . . . .should not at the same time by the appellation ' Father'signify to us that He begat the Son, and also explain by the same word His own Unori/inrit.TC^.'' Comp. the next note. J Of ihis passage 1 am unable to give any satisfactory explanation : perhaps St. E . means, that the heretics allow 1 Angel' and ' man' to be names which have a reality answering to them, but that they deny this o f ' Son,' and contend that generation merely means creation. Consequently, the

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Suit

and

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the Names of the True One; he hath heard His true Nature in His Name : and if the name of Son and of Generate were found to be untrue, then was He a deceiver 1 . But if the name i R. l*. of the creature really applies to it, that name is found to J' be true ; yea its appellation is a name of taste and soundness, while that of Son is tasteless. Nay, 'tis we are tasteless, who have made it tasteless ! 6. But who would make the fixed 2 Names of Father and- §. 4. Son and Spirit tasteless, by which the clerks that lack taste ref. 4. have gained taste ? For every word which may be tasteless hath its force from the adjoined words 3 . The Names of 3 S. by mixture Father, Son, and Spirit, since they alone are fixed 2 , have a comp. 4 force which cannot be made void ; for there is nought that is Ä t h a n , p. 286-7. akin to them so as to be adjoined to them. Who could be 4 p.316, baptized in disjoined names ? W h o could confess in borrowed 5 5ref. 1. title instead of giving the SOD any preeminence, expresses no more oi H i i a t h a n what might be said of the brute?, i. e. only expresses t h a t H e is a creat u r e as well as they. N y s s e n , ii. p. 558. i£ If the Son be a creature, then the H e a v e n is a son, and each of the things t h a t are made is, according to this fiction-writer, with propriety called by the name of ' son.' F o r if it is not by sharing the n a t u r e of H i m who begot H i m that H e hath the n a m e of Son, but H e is called so j u s t because H e is created, then this same argument will make a lamb and a dog anc1 a frog, and all things that subsist at th J will of the Creator, to have the appellation of i son.' ' St. Austin c;. M a x i m , lib. i. !j. " I n order to shew that the Son is of the same N a t u r e as t h e F a t h e r , I opposed to the monstrousncss of your error the progeny even of animals that die, to reprove the heart of you who deny t h a t God the Son is of the same N a t u r e as the F a t h e r , though you do not deny t h a t H e is a true Son. For God H i m self !•:tve to animals the power of generating that which themselves a r e ; in which ease 1 called not only man man's son, but a dog a dog's son, not for their likeness to God, but for the confusion of those who detract from the Son of G o d ; who when they see natures corruptible and mortal, which yet have a unity of nature from their parents, are still unwilling to allow to the Son :>f God a participation of On« N a t u i from the F a t h e r , though Hi he in-' •-

§. 4. K . lxiii. parable from the F a t h e r , and incor- §. 4. ruptible and eternal with the F a t h e r . Whence also I said that, on your theory, the c , ; tate of man, in which such growth, is possible that at least theieby the ions may arrive at the parents' strcrgtli, is the b e t t e r : but the Son of P o d , as ye say and t e a c h , being born less than the F a t h e r in such way continued so, (hat H e could not come up to 1 lie form of the F a t h i r , and did not grow." T h e heretics of the Arian seh-oi generally asserted, t h a t Son had unalterable lelations to the F a t h e r , as St. A . here a'-'siuiu-s. See St. Greg. Nyss, ii. p. ^(AS, < ami p. «189-40. (ab, p. 175, ». a.) i n w h ' c h latter place he contrasts as was c omnsonly done the Angels' n a i i l r a ' capability of moral advancare rit with V unehangeablencss of the Aon. r A •. v.ill throw a light on the \-,-"r-l ' :>;>el and tin- , t to God, as ir.:>n is to 1A- p:< v; As. or indeed to God : but the S-JTI in th- ' : • view notbehig really '' •1 So.^nnd vetbeing fixed to one unalterable 'tate as they allow, is rather lite brutes than r a tional beings, lias a title which, with the heretical e x p h ' u a t k n of it, concede-. to 1A:;! v. hom God hare fiom all eternity, not so ouich l 'e;d advantage as attaches to the n:Auro of man or Angel, to wit, a capacity (by indefinite p f ' r r e s .'ioi; low-;.! Ib.'h C-.f It'.'

316

Heretics pervert

the use

of'lanyaage.

names? They are essentially indivisible; it is we that have made a division in the Truth. For the virtue of the Father 1 p. 315, can never be made void 1 of H i m who is Generate from Him, ref 4 " ' neither can the Son be severed from Him. W h o can sever the harmonious Names? W h o would not scorn to say that the Creator made the creatures greater than His own sR.lxxi. Essence 2 in that their names are united, while H e divided c.Scrut.the Name of Father? Every man is clad with names of his V o w n ;7 and the Father and the Son alone have Their Names c . 3 §• 4.

ref. 5. stripped from T h e m . — T h e y have falsified the names of every thing in every thing !

RHYTHM THE SIXTY-THIRD. 1 . WHO doth not perceive, my son, that whatsoever hath surnames, hath had them given from some occasion ; and that when there is very urgent cause, at the time of a testament bonds and loans, they come to an end, and are broken off: and veritable names are requisite at that time, that they may seal the truth ? W h o doth not know that when our Lord was crucified, H e cried to H i s Father,and commended His orphans and disciples, s a y i n g , ' Father, take and keep them.' And when J o h n 17, H e was raised again, H e sealed by H i s Resurrection H i s ^ m j Sonship to that Father, and made His Name to pass through 4the assay-furnace, that it might be believed on in all the world. W h o doth not confess, that even during 1 H i s Cruci- 1 S - UPON fixion it was to H i s Father H e cried, and commended the L u k e 2 3 , F l e s h 2 of H i s Humanity 1 1 ? And that they might believe^orBody a T h e s e words h a v e some little difficulties, yet not such as affect the m a i n sense, which plainly is, T h a t names given for some occasion, as e. g. titles of office and the like in addressing a person, are dropped upon other occasions, such as those mentioned in the t e x t , in which the testator, &c. wishes to designate A or B , not as he happens to be governor or proconsul or the like, but as he is A or B . I n the same way Christ when about to m a k e a T e s t a m e n t with H i s Blood, to be of force after H e was dead, did not say, ' W h y callest thou M e good ? T h e r e is none good but G o d / or use any such economical expression, but said plainly, ' F a t h e r . ' T h e words ' eo tempore quo testam e n t u m signaretur' occur in a form mentioned in J u s t i n i a n I n s t i t . ii. tit. 10.

7* W h a t the particular words testament, &c. m e a n precisely is not easy to d e t e r m i n e ; perhaps the word rendered t e s t a m e n t means a will generally, t h a t rendered bonds a written codicil, and t h e remaining one an oral request a t death. T h e 1 assay-furnace' mentioned presently probably means the f u r y of

J e w s and heretics against H i s title of Son. See p. 122, n. i. b T h i s difficulty is palliated in the L a t i n translation, which gives c a r n e m et spiritum suum. T h a t something is here asserted which St. E . thought w a s generally received doctrine is plain from the beginning of the s e n t e n c e ; that those who really or seemingly held t h e Divine N a t u r e to h a v e been separated from t h e Body at death were few is c e r t a i n , (see P e t a v . de I n c . xii. 19. and Thoinassin ibid. iv. 9. §. 27.) and it is not a priori likely t h a t St. E . should m e a n by this deviation from the s t a t e m e n t of Scripture to imply, t h a t he held t h a t the Soul only and not the Body remained united to t h e Divine N a t u r e during t h e three d a y s , an impression which the t e x t might at first sight convey. N e i t h e r (with the present reading) does it account, satisfactorily, for the change, to assume t h a t ' F l e s h ' s t a n d s for the whole H u m a n N a t u r e of Christ, as in J o h n i. 14.: although considering that ' commend' is expressed above by a different word from that in St. L u k e , t h a t might not be inadmissible.—St. A t h a n . de I n c .

318 Tho God the Son celled Himself

in ttzHurnvd) ¿t is unreal

Mat.27, that H e was the Son, H i s voicc rent the graves, and rent the sanctuary; it scattered the nation of crucifioi's, and gathered Zech.8,together the n a t i o n s ; and they believed in His Divinity, and 22, confessed H i m the Very G o d , the Son of Very G o d . H i s Voice was as a witness, shouted, confessed, avouched, and wrote, and sealed, that H e was not a servant, who as a Son fled to H i s Father. 2. Since the watch was a man of distinguishing mind, who is called ' c e n t u r i o n , ' he diligently observed how the voices of our Redeemer, who cried unto H i s F a t h e r , were in c . A r i a n §. 5. h a s t h e follov i n g r e m a r k to H i s r e a l F a t h e r , t o a t t a i n to t h e u p o n t h e p a s s a g e , w h i c h will p e r h a p s a d o p t i o n , to w i t , t h e r e d e m p t i o n of t h e h e l p t o s h e w S t . E . ' s o b j e c t h e r e . u H e b o d y . So a b o v e , p . 2 3 . in a p a s s a g e c o m m e n d s all m a n k i n d ro t h e F a t h e r t h r o u g h o u t p a r a l l e l to t h i s , h e s a y s , 1 W h e n upon t h e Cross H e quickened b y H i m self, a* t h e y a r e q u i c k e n e d in H i m ; for t h e y b e H i s m e m b e r s , a n d t h e d e a d , H i s Bod// q u i c k e n e d t h e m , 7 Yet the adthe m e m b e r s being m a n y are one Body, yea, r a t h e r H i s Will. w h i c h is t h e C h u r c h , See."' q u o t i n g d i t i o n h e r e ' y e a r a t h e r ' m a k e s t h e 4 G a l . iii. 2 8 . W h a t St. E . t h e n m a y m e a n i n g plain, not to say that B o d y ' 4 m e a n is, to c o n s i d e r t h e voice a t t h e o u g h t to o c c u p y t h e p l a c e of t h e m ' to C r u c i f i x i o n in its el:cots u p o n t h o m a k e t h i s c l a u s e p a r a l l e l to t h e t e x t i n C h u r c h , a n d h e n c e , as H e is s p e a k i n g t h i s p o i n t also. W h a t o n e w o u l d s u s of t h e R e s u r r e c t i o n , h e is led to m e n t i o n p e c t is, t h a t a l e t t e r s h o u l d b e a l t e r e d , 4 n o t i t s e f f e c t s u p o n m u i ' s souls in t h e a n d w e should r e a d B o d y of o?/r h u i n t e r m e d i a t e s t a t e , b u t u p o n t h e i r b o d i e s m a n i t y . ' V o l . iii. p. 5 0 7 , b. " O L o r d , a f t e r w a r d s . I n vol. i. p. CGI. w e find w h e n T h y m e r c i f u l n e s s m o v e d ' f h e e t o t h e f o l l o w i n g p a s s a g e , in w h i c h t h t i C F c o m e down a n d p u t oil t h e F l e s h [or a r e f e r e n c e ro t h e w a y in w h i c h S c r i p - "Hodv} of our h u m a n i t y , & c . " S e e R . 2. a n d I i , I x i v i i . §. 1. This t u r e blends the F i r s t - i r u i t s with the l:o;iii. e f f e c t s on t h e l u m p . " Lscu^h had sai'l.t a k e n in c o n n e x i o n w i t h t h e w a y in Take a lump ofJig.v, ¿yc. 2 K i n g s 2 0 , 7.w h i c h S t . F . s p e a k s of t h e Old A d a m , T h e l u m p of iigs w h i c h w a s n u t u p o n (p. 3 2 8 , n. c.) would g i v e a good m e a n H e z e k i a h ' s b o i l , and by w h i c h b e i n g p u t i n g t o t h e passa; o, t h e main o b j e c t of h i c h is to s h e w C h r i s t c a l l e d G o d on it a c u r e b e g a n to be i i i e c t e !, is a t y p e of t h e I n c a r n a t i o n of C h r i s t o u t oi o u r ' F a t h e r ' t o the l a s t . D i d y m u s , d e T r i n . iii. 3 0 . is w o r t h q u o t i n g , as s h e w i n g w h a t n a t u r e . F o r from the time t h a t God conuse m a y b e m a d e of t h e t e x t a g a i n s t d e s c e n d e d to F l e s h , a n d \va< u n i t e d w i t h . • TIN o w n P e r s o n H e I t , t h e c u r e of A d a m ' s boils b e g a n . h e r e t i c s . " T1 B u t t h e f i g s b e a t y p e of t h o g e n e r a - c o m m e n d s m e u n m a n n a t u r e w h i c h is t i o n s o u t of w h i c h t h e i u i n p of h e a l i n g q u i c k e n e d i n t o H i m b y f a i t h , w h i c h effect was derived unto us. Beautifully also H e deipned to call H i s m e m b e r s , t h e n doth S c r i p t u r e a d d . t h a t it w a s on or possibly H e p a r t l y t e a c h e s all t o t h e t h i r d d a y t h a t H «.:•:» k i a h ' s enre w a s k n o w Low much. A r i u s w a s in e r r o r p e r f e c t e d , a n d h e w e in up co t h e H o u s e h e r e i n , h e h a v i n g s u p p o s e d H i m n o t to of t h e L o r d j b e c a u s e it w a s n o t b e i b . e h a v e a soul in t h e i n c a r n a t i o n ; a n d t h e t h i r d d a y t h a t C h r i s t h e a l e d b y H i s p a r t l y t e a c h e s all to p r a y at, t h e i r l a s t . R e s u r r e c t i o n our i n o m l i t y ; a n d H e b r e a t h , a n d u s e Ibis - o ' e o , c o n f e s s i n g b e c a m e t h e F i r s t - f r u i t ^ of t h e m th.:t in a r i g h t s p i r i t t h a t ii is from G o d slept, and m a d e lea-V i s nn e r r o u ; «'nit t h e K i n g of r s n u n " . i g i u a t e s , to t h e H o u s e not r a ; " i e w i i h hai ds F o r a n d to IT ii-«; ' F a t r ha."" :e r e ' a : n. A m ! the A p o s t l e P a u l s a i ' h , E p h . 1, G. G o d s I " ' p " J? CO l i f t e d us u p w i t h t r i m , a n d m a d e us sit ;•'•>'• V, -Ml t ; -v, p]r>{\ V - • v . d. ¡it--1 L e ' ¿ u i e n a d J . in H e a v e n i r e u r L o : d .J! i i | s C h r i - t . " a l s o p. ¡'.•in. F . O i - . 24. T h e expression, I n t h o s a m e ir.it f I.-'" n-py }sere a p p h H s t a n d s , would g o w h a t is said in S e n , • a — '-i' { Uv'^t i'o h o w e v e r , in S t . E . . ; 1 t h e orphan-; 'ind d e i r F ' '"> \ v . o , b v ? o t h e r w a y ; it is so s t r a n g e t h a t t h i s ; T v i r t u e of H i • • •'immrnd'': o ' ->f T ( i r "into c a n n o t p r e t e n d to do mos e t h a n A . ' ? r - - , ' ; • palliatL th- rHifa- u l t y .

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proper, aumi'i. 31 y

a voice diverse from all voices. T h e earth beneath it shook, the sun above it darkened, yea, he also cried, and set to his seal p. 23. that H e was the Son of God. From the Lord of all Himself one Mat. 27, 54 may learn how sweet H e is; for H e called not Himself by the" name of the [eternal] E s s e n c e ' , for the Name of Eternal were 'R.xlvii. great and high in His justice, rather than in graciousncss. s'Crut U Neither can the height of His name and His surname boí•12•tI•,• brought down, so that H e should invest the creatures with it, since it is the Name belonging to the [eternal] Essence. 3. W h o would not marvel at His Name and at His mercy ? for His Name is inaccessible to all, and His Love con-descendeth even to all. Since H e hath other Names which are sweet, and accommodate themselves to creatures, and which ~ Pare condescending in order to magnify His works by His surnames, it was in these that He came down, and clothed His own creatures with His Names. T h e Heavenly King made kings 3 of His servants: because H e was God, Ho called t h e m p - 256, also by the name of gods; and because H e was Judge, lo, j'ohnio. His servants are judges; and because they were travellers, ^ weary did He call Himself by name 4 ; and by reason of theirs, 3. riding H e also made Himself a rider 5, that H e might in all % S2a5m' things be like unto us. (Hebr.) 4. W h o is there that is in such sort wholly unwise and bard- js.^ruil. hearted,as to fancy ever so short a while, that because men were called by His Names, that the nature of man and of God is one p. 285, [and the s a m e ] 6 ; or again who, because the Lord was called by the Name of His servants, would imagine a thing made f. 4. and the Maker to admit of being compared 7 together? For§.2/ when H e called us kings by His own Name, the reality was His, s. would ^ weigh a, the likeness ours. Again, when H e called Himself by the thing & 0 " by names of His servants,' the nature is ours, His is the surname, . comin the place of the true name: and the borrowed 8 name is plain, parison. both in our case, and in His case. Now by His m e r c i e s ^ ' 1 * ' wittingly did H e set His own Names upon His own creatures 9 , 1 §. 5. p. not for disputation, but for consolation. Let questioning l>e 2 ' b "' c ' stopped, my brethren, and let us pray more. F o r when He shineth forth 10 unto us, H e is as of our race, and though ">336, distinct in all things from all tilings, yet is H e with all things"' I 1 J in 5. all Wherefore, things if He were to separate Himself, He could n. R. i. ° ' 1 R.lv .5, .9

320

Heretics

meet ChrisCs love with 1

ingratitude.

'§.4. not clothe His creatures with His N a m e s ; and if according I 1 * ^ to our wickedncss H e abhorred us greatly, then had H e ref. 8.' made a snare, such as never may be made, of the Scriptures which have eradicated the bristlings of perverse questions, the ulcers of disputation. W h o would not be astonied at what evil servants and despisers have done, instead of praising their merciful Lord, who by His Son came to us ? 5 S. made H e shared 2 His heart with u s : Himself dwelt with us, and with1 us. spoke confidingly: and that they might taste His Love, H e tasted of their bitterness.

RHYTHM THE

SIXTY-FOURTH.

1. LORD, root o a t the t h o r n s ' , whose sower is the evil o n e , ^ P - 2 2 0 ; and the h u s b a n d m a n of tares 2 . F o r they saw that we d i s p u t e d , 2 217, and they rejoiced that we wrangled, and they a g r e e d together 1 1 - 8at our separation, a n d they a s s e m b l e d at our dispersion, a n d they rejoiced that our a s s a y - f u r n a c e 3 put not their frauds ¿ o 3 p - i 2 2 , the trial, nor our light their spots, nor our voice t h e i r n ' disputings. W h o would not weep that we have b e c o m e perverse ? F o r where it was fit that we should keep still silence 4 , there our voice was t u m u l t u o u s ; a n d were it w a s V 1 1 8 ! 9 right that we should reprove, there we were tongue-tied by the p1 e r s o n s of m e n 5 . W e have gone astray, and have t u r n e d 5 P- 1C2 > •

n. a. on

our eyes away from our own hateful faults. W e have warred Athan. 1c90' a n d risen up a g a i n s t the H i g h One, for we have pried into the hidden things of G o d , [to s e e ] how H e exists. Yet who is a b l e to search throughly into that p a r t y 6 which disturbed) and " P- 32ti > troubleth u s ? F o r if he 7 i n d e e d have s e n s e s , how then is'R.i.§.5. h e formed,' and how are his ears and eves furnished with §.4. * o p e n i n g s ? and if he hath a mouth ? for behold, he hath no b o d y ; and if he hath l i m b s ? for b e h o l d he hath no f r a m e 8 . s p-238, 2. W h o t h e n — [ t o t a k e ] this a p o s t a t e S a t a n , who teacheth ¡ x x v . e ] u s the p r y i n g into secret t i l i n g s 9 — w h o hath s e a r c h e d him'P-. 2 0 3 » out, [so a s to know] whether the whole of him is any m a n , p . 104. a n d how he is a b l e to b l e n d his d e s i g n with our m i n d , a n d ^ ' his words into our words, and how too he insinuates his will Ixvi.5.1. into our h e a r t ? H e r e is a marvel in his hateful d o i n g s ! ^ 2 6 . W h o would not b e a s h a m e d that the wicked one entereth into his b o d y a n d m a k e t h a sport of the soul which dwelleth " t h e r e i n ; a n d how that it feeleth not the intimate a c c e s s of S a t a n , w h o dwelleth in itself, and entereth into i t ; neither c a n it c o m p r e h e n d how to feel the touch of him that sojournetli 1 in it. W h i l e searching into its L o r d , let it search into its 1ixxv.§.4. murderer11! 12 c. 3. W h o hath explored into the earth 1 ' 2 , (which yet a p p e a r s f ^ J to b e a thing limited by measures,) to see, whence the ear is R. iviii. T

'¿22Diffioilties ' P k 1 B,

anc'

in nature leach submission to those in

Scripture.

bringeth up heaps of corn', and the palm tree

x v i . s w e e t n e s s , the cluster strong wines, and the olives are fruitful = P . 324, in oils 5 , and the trees put forth their branches, flowers and '' fruit they bear and sweet smells with spices too. C a n any :l p. 297, man tell us how the waters 3 increase the seed and multiply it? 4 R.

h-ii. From it by itself enquire also into the fountain 4 , w h o it is that multiplied: it, so that it floweth on and is not cut off'. T h e G o o d One that mulliplieth the fountains' treasure, H e it is that multiplieth all, in order that H e may quicken a l l ! seen 15-41°1 searched into the Behemoth on the dry Bocha'rt.l^id or the Leviathan in the sea? and how without food they ?Hb°v ' a t t e n a n ( ' increase? and who ever hath explored the fearful c. 15.16. wombs of their c a v e s ? H o w m u c h more hidden from all is the Generation of the L o r d of all ? and who can explore the 5-

5

p. 131. mighty W o m b 5 of H i s Generator? W h o can reckon up how many natures there are yet removed far from us in the s e a " and in the dry land, and our soul knoweth not how to g a z e

Origenupon them ? L o , all these difficulties 0 cry aloud : ' Since ye ' ^ " ^ ' ' c a n n o t fly in the air, hush up your disputings, O ye feeble p. 6. men !' 7 p. 228, 5. I have taken my stand then 1 ! I have not turned aside e" after men, to say as they say. Since I have seen the strange names which arc not in Scripture, neither do they suit our R e d e e m e r " ; 1 have left the things that are not in Scripture and 6

have pleaded with those that are in Scripture, lest for the sake of those which are not in Scripture I should lose those which are ! l i e created the waters, and gave them to the fishes for their use ; l i e set H i s seal to the Scriptures, and gave them to men for their edification, and they bear witness s E . x l v i . one to the other. For if the fishes 8 ilee from the boundary of t h c i r r e a l m t l l e K.xlviii. > y suffer for their leapings ; and if men too £• ;i " 194 pull up the boundary 9 which is in the Scriptures, their pryings 195. 'are death. » T h i s is a r e m a r k w h i c h it is w o r t h c a l l i n g attention to, as it s e e m s not to h a v e s t r u c k some of the modern iny e s t , g a t o r s of G o d ' s w a y s . W h e n A r u m s o b j e c t e d to the w o r d 1 H o n i o o n s i o n ' and t h e l i k e , t h a t t h e y w e r e u n s c r i p t u r a l , it w a s u s u a l to r e t o r t upon t h e m , t h a t t h e w o r d s 1 creature,-' • mgenerate,' & c . which they employed, w e r e j u s t as u n s c r i p t u r a l , as f a r as

m e r e w o r d s w e n t , and of c o u r s e m u c h more so in m e a n i n g . St. E however is w i l l i n g , as w e l l as A t h a n a s i u s see p. 1 7 , I n . p. 1 5 7 , i. p . 1 7 8 d . t o i e ' l d t 0 t h e m in t h i s , and s t a t e s t h a t h e h a s avoided nnscriptural terms wherever by u s i n g t h e m h e w o u l d h a v e r u n the risk of l o s i n g S c r i p t u r e p r o m i s e s t h r o u g h a n e g l e c t of c h a r i t y to a w e a k brother.

RHYTHM THE SIXTY-FIFTH. 1. SPEAK for thy side: Nature 1 is before thy hand, Scrip-1 SEE p. ture before thine eyes, and nature is hard for us, Scripture 2 6 1 , b* is easy 2 for u s ; for it was not from nature that we learnt ± ¡,. 272. Christ. It is right and meet that from the same source whence we learnt His Humanity, we should also learn His Divinity. It is right that from the same source whence we learnt His Birth from Mary, we should also learn His other prior Birth". And though nature is hard to us in every thing, the Scripture is able to teach us of the Father and the Son and the Spirit 3 , if They of a truth baptize us and give 3 Basil us life. He is convicted by himself! for either he deniesp^^R the baptism of the heretics to be valid 4 ; or else if he is baptized xliv.§.3. and asserts their baptism to be valid, he is like Marcion, who ate the goods of the Maker, and denied the Maker, and though he was conceived and born, yet vilified marriage5.5'l'ertu 11. A bitter fruit this which denieth its own root 6 ! For who when 29^°" he baptizeth denies and casts aside That into Which he^ E - l x i i baptizeth? He cannot then cast them aside, since he cannot baptize without the Names of Father and Son and Spirit. And though every form of words has a fixed shape 7 , thou hast'Though had trial of those of the heretics ! 2. Who hath searched out the ventricles and ducts 8 ofstandeth animals, meats and their changes, natures and their vicis-«s. folds situdes, some whereof are solitary 9 , and some of them pro-®" 3 xh ductive of others. There is also reason to be greatly astonished" p. 232, at the trees, how it is that they put forth and bear leaves andj^g'j. a branches and yield fruit; the investigating whereof ends in101» s. is stillness, and the searching after them in silence. W h o s t l l l n e , s a See p. 115, n. c. p. 43, n. i. B. li. 5. 2. R . lxii. 6. vol. iii. p. 610, f. " 0 Son and Fruit, who wert eternally with Thy Boot without beginning;

Thou Son of time, whose beginning was from the house of David blessed be Thy former Birth, and blessed be Thy second B i r t h " '

y 2

3-24 Xecesxity

§. 10.

"P-124,

n. m.

Ja.

illustrated

by lite ease of I he

blind,

olive 1 ', which, when t h o u g h t 1 to be of even texture, yet bringeth forth in wondrous sort leaves that are not like the branches, nor in their colour to the twigs, and are difllrent from the fruit in their taste ; aye, and in each single fruit three are c o n c e i v e d ; and when it is pressed it bringeth forth water and fire and oil. W h o again can find out how fire is conceived in the midst of its stone a n d comcth forth from it at the contact of its fellow, yea, and propagates itself in wood its fellow-servant ? 3 j u m e a s u v c i] ) 0 I>]ixicl m a n 2 can search into light, s e a r e l l e (

Scrut'i

of faith

'

o u t

°

?

Ivi. §. 5. though lie cannot shadow forth the sun and his r a y 3 in his Scrat. i!heart an( -l imagination; how can he gain any k i n d of sight of t E 5 '-l the ray and offspring 4 of that sun save only by p u t t i n g implicit lxxiv. ' fait'1 in him who hath told him thereof? H e n c e if a sightless 4 K comp. . Ixvi. m a n w e r e 11) i, lr ] c ,l to r a i s c difficulties in what he was told, ' and §. i.

did not believe, he would fall into countless evils; for that he P'ied and would not rest [content with one], but was m i n d e d 5 §, 2 . ' to be found blind in both, in the eye as well as in the mind. 6 p. 136, But had he been willing to believe 6 , God in H i s justice had 7 is. the provided a light for his blindness 7 . of J u s - 0 6 W h y do we vex ourselves, even our own selves, with tice had questionings ? why trouble we ourselves, even our own selves, uphhisd with scrutinizing? Blind is our mind which would gaze u p o n Wind- that Generation, and pr-y into the mode of i t ; for there is no other way for man save only that he believe 5 implicitly the words of the T r u e One. W h o would not fear—if a blind man is reproved for hearing and not believing the word of m a n who wisheth to toll him of light, what the way of it is—that he s i J o h n w ill be much more j u d g e d 8 who heareth and yet believeth n o t 196,nPc.the voice of G o d ? for the voice of the F a t h e r proclaimed 5 S- ixi. < T h i s is MJ y Son V §. 2. E . lxii. §. 1. 10

p. 104, n. ri.

Here en(|

seventeen K h v t h m s to the tune of Bardesanes' 1 Odes.

h S c h u b e r t . G . der N a t u r , ii. p. 532. or the flesh of the s t o n e - f r u i t , . . . contains " T h e oleinea? with pendent seeds, in some m u c h f a t oil, in others t h e contain very different g r o w t h s . . . T h e seed. T h e b a r k and the leaves of most difference lies principally in the fruit, species are very a s t r i n g e n t ; t h a t of t h e less in the form of the blossom, which olive, as well as of the ash is employed in m a n y specie* is f r a g r a n t . T h e fruit, as a f e b r i f u g e . "

RHYTHM THE SIXTY-SIXTH. 1. WHO is he that hath been daring and hath forgotten himself, and hath wished to be a measure 1 of Jliin that formed 1 t 0 him, himself being but d u s t ? L e t him who feels that he is compjt? dust praise that I m a g e 2 who fashioned, Jyea, and ordered him. x l v l x i x . § 2.

T h e seducer 3 seduced and bewildered the sons of m e n . 2 S . Against the invisible S u n 4 he incited them and darkened 1^5° j them, not that they should see, but that they should pry. ™mP'PB y the Trinity, whereby they were washed, they have defiled 3 p- 299, themselves, in that they have made divisions 3 about Their 4R.lxv. Names. 2. There is wrangling in the Church, and in the presence ->E.'lxii. of the Truth the heart is divided upon disputation 0 . In t h e j ^ ' ^ j Church envy bitetli men, and in the Ark there was a treaty li R. lix. of p c a c e among the f'anged beasts". Under the pretext o i p ° ' | , truth there were bows ; a quiver have they made of wrangling, 2; 57,4; and it is full of arrows. T h e wicked one hath decoyed the ' simple, and introduced them to hopeless questions and crushed them to pieces therewith. H e hath irritated men with things which are not convenient, that they might leave off from those which are allowed. B e c a u s e they were intoxicated, they put on strife as a coat of mail; they have rent Truth as the garment. Ps. 22, Yet is the Truth itself not divided, for it hath rent them t h a t i 8 ' rend it 7 , and cast them out of the K i n g d o m . L o , they have 7 R . v i i i . put on armour, as in war, for that victory in which is concealed condemnation! They have worn 8 the Scripture t o x x x ' x §. 2. R . I x i . §. 5 . who r e p e n t e d not a t the p r e a c h i n g o f P - 2 7 9 , N o a h , a n d notices the l a r g e r n u m b e r n. d . of innocuous a n d clean a n i m a l s in the p. 1 9 6 , A r k a s a type of the C h u r c h " m a k i n g n . c . p r i e s t s to G o d out of t h e p u r e and p e r f e e t in h e r . " 11 I t . viii. § . 5 . R . x x x i x . §. 2 . R . l x i . §. 5. R . l x v i i i . §. 2. H i l a r , do I r i n . vii. §. 4. " W h i l e all heretics conquer o n e a n o t h e r in t u r n s , for their own s e l v e s t h e y m a k e no c o n q u e s t s . " S e e the v. hole and on Athfin. p. 8. n. r. 1

V o l . ii. p . 4 8 1 , d . " I n t h e A r k H e s h a d o w e d out the c r e a t u r e to t e a c h the s a m e ; for in it all f a m i l i e s c h a n g e d their n a t u r e s . L o , e v e i y n a t u r e there p r e a c h e d to u s t h a t evil is not of n a t u j e ! L e t them sliew us t h e n an evil, the n a t u r e whereof a d m i t t e t h not of c h a n g e . U p o n n a t u r e a n d on will look and s e e how t h e y w e r e c h a n g e d , & c . " S e e also iii. p . 6 0 3 , b. c . d. i. p . 5 2 . and p. 148. w h e r e he dwells on t h e m a r v e l l o u s concord of the b e a s t s a s a k s s o n to those a

8

326

It is Satan

who allures from

the path of

Orthodoxy.

pieces, not that they might read it, but that they might go astray and [see] how to pry and wrangle. They are clothed within with hidden poison, while they are convicted of having the Serpent hissing 0 amongst their words. Who shall be able to allay them who, when supposed to be searching after the 1 p. 120, truth, are searching how they may wrangle? The milestones* "seep. s e t in the King's high road 2 have the foolish deserted, and 2 4 9 , n . e . | ) a v e taken to trackless land, and lo, they go astray in it ! 244, n.a. He that goeth in the King's high road, he it is that goeth to R.^lX]X.nieet ^

a n c

|

jjjg

c W e have seen above, p. 223, n . d. that St. E . joins with the F a t h e r s in g e n e r a l in holding idolatry and heresy to he intrinsically the s a m e thing ; here he speaks of heretics, as others also do, as the organs of S a t a n , inspired by him in w h a t it is their miserable lot to invent and utter. See p. 269, n. e. on A t h a n . p. 9, n. s. p. 38t>, r. 1. p. 410, a. I r e n , v. 26. 2. E p i p h a n . i. p. 104, a. b. 113, a. 314, c. 923, b. 944, b. &2, b. I t may be added, t h a t the apparent contradiction implied in calling ortho-

doxy at one t i m e a 4 n a r r o w p a t h ' and at another a 1 high road' is parallel to a similar case in Scripture, in w h i c h God's way is represented not only as a ' n a r r o w p a t h , ' but also as ' a l a r g e room,' according as men are seeking it, or h a v e found it. T h e words of H e s i o d , ifffiv is axgbv 'Ikwtui, pyithtv ^yurura. ?rsXs/ Uvtrot, illustrate t h e l a n g u a g e of Scripture. E c c l u s . 4, 15—19. M a t . 7, 13. As f a r as t e m p t a t i o n s to depart from the road through heterod o x y are concerned, S a t a n ' s aim is to t e m p t men to think t h a t a strict Creed c r a m p s the intellect instead of illumin a t i n g it.

RHYTHM

THE

SIXTY-SEVENTH.

1. THE standard" of truth hatli been set in the Scriptures 1 , t 2. the blear-eyed leave i t ; for they seek to shoot at the Lord angels. This standard is that the Father is One, indivisible; I I . i x i x . and the Son is One, unsearchable. A visible standard is set in the light 2 , and he who is foolish shooteth darts 8 by nightp-i>7,n.l. into the darkness. Let stillness be a boundary to the vain a 85 ' talkers, and let silence be a boundary to the disputers 2 j6^®" concerning hidden things ! Let the mouth learn how it x l v i i i . should speak, and thus let it speak, lest it repent after i t f ' ^ hath spoken ; let it learn first, and thus let it teach, lest it R . x x v i i . become as it were a passage for things not c o n v e n i e n t 2 g 0 2. The Scriptures are set as a mirror: he whose eye is clear, n. b. seeth the image of truth therein. There is the likeness of 0 i^° mi1 ' the Father set: there is the image of the Son shadowed out, j? 0 ^' and of the Holy Ghost. T h e Names of these Three are set one after another 5 in the faith at baptism. Pretence entered 5 p . jgi. in to make confusion, [saying,] that we ought to pry into them, in order that we may gain them". Scrutinizing entered, strife 0 Comp. entered, struggling entered, and truth fled. The light thing P- *36> was then, that they should gain the truth without disputing, and not that we by searching should let go of the whole of it. It was fit also that in simplicity we should gain life, and not by much wisdom 11 to gain death. It is fitting too in the time of thirst to drink the water, and not in stead of drinking to measure the fountain. It is fitting for a little child to a S y r . L A J O O ' L » * J . SO i n t h e S v r i ~ ' T . , „ i " a c V e r s i o n of S t . I g n a t i u s p . 1 0 . ^ ^

?32> d- & 0 ' áoc-trines'in the plural is u s e d t o i m p l y f a l s e d o c t r i n e s . On ^ fo,lowS; 4 4 f J ) e _ a n J f_

w h a t

! ; • « > j . 3 — e l e c t i n t h e s t a n d a r d of lyr • t r u t h , a k i n d of p h r a s e b y n o m e a n s m c o m m o n in S t . E . (see p. 107, n . b.) for ' t h e t r u e d o c t r i n e ' or s o m e w h a t of t h e

m

fy be f ' ". H e , ' ° n i f . i s w i s e w h o m a k e t h fools w i s e by his c o n versatiou." " T h e b e g i n n i n g of t h e [of l i f e ] is ' f r o m o u r o w n firgt estate t u r e t o d o w h a t is b e c o m i n g ; t h e na

kind. The phrase L o - ^ L . ,, . , x , ,,,, , ' ( a l l u d e d t o n . b. p1 . 1 8 2 ) so c o m m o n m 1 j. o • c i »1. 1 , later S y n a c for'orthodoxy^doesnot,as tar as I recollect, occur m St E p h r e m . Possibly it o r i g i n a t e d w i t h t h e eontrovers,es about the T n s a g , o n . " »S. v \ i s d o m s : s o m v o l . 11.p. 4 / / . b.

s e c o n d , w h i c h is a l s o w i t h o u t b l a m e , is to k n o w a n d to do w h a t w e k n o w : t h e ,, . j , i ,1 . • . ' . t h i r d , w h i c h d e s e r v e t h s t r i p e s , is w h e n ¿ a m and d w g ise w¡fat> h ^ ¡ , dn„ ] e a r n t fcut e x c e e d ^ u thaJ w h e r c ¡ n w e d o n o t m p u r p o s e t h a t w e m a v n o t do " 1 '

328 77ie old

Adam

restored

by rereren

Halfaith

in the New

Adam,

know his father by the sight of him, and not by closely e x a m i n i n g him. It is fitting then that one should learn the 1 1 R . x l v i . truth by the conversation of faith without scrutinizing. Be 011 t e n Serat°'i th ^ content with these tilings, O blessed assembly ! §.44. ii.put off strife, and p u t on love", and p r e a c h the truth. 3. H e at the first3 opened the store-house of H i s love and 2 R.'lx. * created Adam, when as vet he was not, out of the dust. He J p. 208,

a.

also made haste and opened the doors of hell, and b r o u g h t up from h e n c e the body of Adam which was dust. H e hastened again and opened the door of Paradise by H i s promise, a n d loosened Adam with the tree of life. Glory to H i m who devised that kev, which, though one and the same, yet opened all the treasure-houses ! Glory to the Father who is h i d d e n 4 ,0 ^ It °Wn ^ s s e n c " 4 ' ^ e Son who is hidden in lxx.'§. ]. H i s Generation by the seal of silence 5 ! Praise to the Father, 3 6 n6 p. . a.11«,because H e hath , •no . b o u n d s ; praise to , the Son, because H e ormea-with the Holy Spirit cannot be soarelieil into! increase unco Lord, silence and a voice, that by them I may live to B. Ixvi. rebuke prying into Thee, and to toll T h y glory'. 5. 1. " p. 22S, D> e -

= Vol. iii. p. 280, f. " W h e n the been ! R i s e , thou fair one, mock at ramp. p. L i o n , s W h e l p roaied in hell, then were h i m , t h e t y r a n t who t h y ilesh t o r p a > " ' i t s gates broken open, fallen were the mented ! T r e a d thou on the d r a g o n ' s walls of t h e revelling city, crouched on h e a d , who t h y nestlings would devour ! their knees the mighty ones of the A d a m rose, and on his knees worship place at e a s e ! W i n n ( hri-i the E a g l e paid unto his L o r d , t h a t in quest of him Worship pay I , O m y screamed therein, that N e s t l i n g of the descended. M i g h t y God, from t h a t time was death L o r d , with my children, that T h o u put to shame, and t h e head of the apostate earnest and hast raised our fallen n a t u r e ! bowed down ! Because he wished to be unto T h e e my Lord and G o d , pay I worGod, Christ shouted a g a i n s t Abaddon, ship ! T h e e confess 1, O our S a v i o u r , w h o and the apostate crouched and fell. A n d didst save my life from d e a t h , that long H e called A d a m , and raised h i m u p from bad sported with my members, & c . " the darkness on which he was bedridden. A l t h o u g h St. E . held strongly t h a t our W h e r e a r t thou, A d a m t h e fair, t h a t Lord set free the P a t r i a r c h s upon H i s by thy h e l p m a t e ' s counsel fellest. descent into hell, probably the word i A d a m ' i/i the text r a t h e r m e a n s Rouse thee up t h e n , O tnou fair one, image g r e a t t h a t wert corrupted ? slain h u m a n n a t u r e — a s ibid p. 312, b. where is death, and Satan too, and crushed is he says, " T h e brightness and the glory the dragon's h e a d ! Rise, praise the wdiicli by t r a n s g r e s s i n g the c o m m a n d F a t h e r in the Son, and the Spirit by ment A d a m lost, t h a t did the L o r d the Only-begotten ! for in H i m are thy come and restore to him by B a p t i s m . " children raised again and inherit life in See p. 313, d. e. p. 351, b. p. 512, b. h e a v e r . L i f t thee up, A d a m the fair, p . 5 3 5 , f. p.53!>, h. p. 5T2, e. Ill vol. iii. that by the F a t h e r ' s hand wert f o n n e d ; p. 499. he speaks as follows: ' T h e K i n g lo, E d e n looks for thee, thy dwelling, and Messias directed bis way to the m o u n t a i n P a r a d i s e whence thou didst go ! R i s e , of J e b u s , which is J e r u s a l e m : H e fixed be quickened with tny children, by the H i s Cross in A d a m ' s tomb, where t h e might of H i m who shaped thee from J e w s too fixed it. H e cried with H i s the b e g i n n i n g ! T h e trees that be in voice, and the rocks rent, and the dead P a i a d i s e mourning for thy sake have arose from their tombs.'

RHYTHM THE SIXTY-EIGHTH. 1. THE Scriptures arc agreed, m e n are divided, seeing t h a t it is about t h e one truth 1 , that strifes have risen from f i e e - ' R . lix& 5

will. U n d e r t h e p r e t e x t of truth vile men h a v e designed t h e obtaining t h e m a s t e r y , after having called m e n to their side-. 3 ... T h e congregations chose their masters, c a p t a i n s of thousands §. 2. a n d of h u n d r e d s , a n d captains of t e n s : b e c a u s e there w a s ® e | a m a b u n d a n c e of p e a c e , all the spoilers that spoiled by troops 22, 7. every m a n his n e i g h b o u r , were v e h e m e n t at disputing as at contest, so t h a t brothers cast their darts against brothers, i]p- c19 °-R M i g h t y sorrow! T h e vile drew 3 their t o n g u e s ; they smote,] x iv.§.i. m 0 a n d were s m i t t e n : a n d without blood or danger that sword"' 00 .PK., Ivi. t h o u g h feeble raged. T h e t o n g u e as a m u r d e r e r scornetli, 2. b e c a u s e it is b l i n d e d ! 2. Vain-glory troubleth the disputants, as t h e crown causeth sighs to the wrestlers who smite and are yet overcome 4 . T h e y 4 p- 32 5, are m u c h overcome even by that wherewith they c o n q u e r e d , since their e x c u s e was rash boldness. M i g h t y woe ! I n what sense h a s he c o n q u e r e d , who in having c o n q u e r e d , h a t h yet been t h e more overcome, whom his own pride hath conq u e r e d ? H o w doubly great is t h e loss of h i m also t h a t loseth his suit, who by disputing loseth it a n d by envy too, with perfect l o s s ! W h o s o h a t h e n t a n g l e d h i s fellow b v searchings, h i m h a t h h a u g h t i n e s s entangled as in a pit-fall 5 . 5 R.xliv. O great humiliation ! 3. One is filled with wrath, another with strife, which [leads t o ] endless evils 6 . A n d what h o p e is there for t h e m ^ R 5 ,lviii t h a t have lost all h o p e ? Let us w e e p that they have b e e n daring against G o d a n d against m e n , that they may hoodwink t h e m by vain b a b b l i n g . T h e h e a d i n e s s on earth goeth i n t o , R 1}ii> h e a v e n ; the earth is d i s t u r b e d 7 : disputation f u m e t h j u p as a§-2. b 242 smoke. T h e H e a v e n a n d the H e a v e n of H e a v e n s 8 are unpro- n . e . and duetive of disputation, and the caverns of earth arc full of t h e ^ 1 " -

330

Disputation

dissuaded

and prayed

agaitwt.

blasphemy. The Heaven distribuleth over things beneath dew and rain, streams that are full of all good things. T h e earth hangs the things above with all sorts of questionings, with disputation that is full of all blasphemies. T h e things of clay have clashed, by their disputings, with their handiworks, and have fallen upon the earth and become d u s t ! 1 R. iv. 4. Ten thousand times ten thousand Angels 1 are still, and two are prying; the soul and the body are in disturbance. Still is Michael and Gabriel too, and dust disputeth and ashes too. 0 heavy wrath ! Sicknesses pressed on us: their words '2 S. by ceased, as by the prospect of death 2 have their scrutinizings Sie^end3'11^ disputings also. Praise 8 be to Thee, Lord, because that Thou hast restrained me from such scrutinizing as all the bold disputers use, that I may live before Thee. a See p. 228, n. c. V o l , iii. p. 0 Lord my G o d , whom I have fessed, do not T h o u deny me in fearful day, when each m a n will forgiveness! O do not say unto I know thee not, in t h a t fearful i£

521. conthat need me, time

in the which T h o u a r t to j u d g e m e ! H a v e m e r c y on me, O L o r d , a f t e r T h y goodness, and m a k e me to stand at T h y right h a n d with the j u s t t h a t have loved Thee!"

RHYTHM THE SIXTY-NINTH. 1 . IF thou priest into the Eternal, it is a distraction ; where wilt thou begin, and where wilt thou end, O weak m a n ! From the beginning to the end there is rest to him that goeth by the King's high-way 1 . T o the Eternal there 'c.Scrut. is no beginning nor end, and so H e perplexeth him t h a t ^ ' j ^ 4 ' seeketh into Him. I f in the Truth which thou hast laid hold ^ j 1 1 ' » of, thou lettest thyself be of divided mind, thou wilt pour §. 2. thyself out and error will drink thee in, that thirsty land. I f with His secret counsel thou let thyself become perplexed, disputing about Him will be a mighty sea 2 and will c o m e a P ' over thee. In the faith as in a ship 3 go down to H i s Scriptures ixx.'§. 1'. as a sailor to the port. Save by H i s Scriptures 4 go not thou! R g X l l x down into Him, for H e hath made H i m many havens 5 among 4iUxvii. His billows. Praise thou H i s Name ! S'R.IXX. 2. T h e H i g h One came down in His Love and became §• ismall though greater than all, and was little" unto H i m w h o ^ 2 0 9 > was too weak to go. Again, in His L o v e H e hath become a Sea, that he might traffick therein who was lacking in treasures. B u t if in His own Nature one should familiarly use Him, neither things above nor things below can go down into Him. W h a t created thing 7 can search into His G o d - ^ - 1 * head, when there is a gulph between him and the Creator ? Unto the Godship is naught of the things which are made 8 far 8 S. a w a y ; for L o v e is between H i m and the creatures. Unto G o d U » J 0 there is not a man of the disputers that cometh nigh, though H e p." 320',° be very nigh unto them of distinguishing mind. In that H oly One none that is impure partaketh, for that He dwelleth in His entirety 3 in the holy. T o that All-knowing One none attaineth that is subtle, for that His L o v e is with plain men. T o that 174, n.e. High One none that is haughty attaineth, since H i s Love condescendeth to the lowly. H e , being God, cannot be measured 1 0 of a man, though very loving unto men. Ile,^-l)Irl7 being Maker, cannot be measured of things made , how great

332 1

\ o

facilities

can

f i n d out

(lad.

soever the thing m a d e b y H i m may be. He, as Only Living, B. lv. c a n n o t b e uttered by mortals 1 , nor H i s Generation by the 3 " disputers. U n t o that M a j e s t y ivho can reach ? the spirit is feeble, the soul is little, the flesh weak \ Whoso hath t h o u g h t that he could search out H i m , of him t h e speech stvayeth, of him the h e a r t r o a m e t h , of him the whole rebelled). 1 I t seems h u t little to add, t h a t the flesh cannot r e a c h G o d , which assertion m a y yet be illustrated by reference to n. d. p. 116. I t would however appear more likely, t h a t the word ' flesh' is used (as in Scripture) for the soul considered as acting upon, and acted upon by, the body ; and the sentence will then m e a n , t h a t that one substance, (which we call spirit, soul, or llesh, according to the subject m a t t e r which at the time of speaking we conceive of it as acting upon,) cannot by any of its faculties find out God. T h e uneness of the soul in all these three functions ought to have been noticed above, p. 166, n. d. and p. 29."), n. d. as w h a t St. E . makes analogous to the oneness of God in T h r e e P e r s o n s . I t will be

following the example of the F a t h e r s again to t e m i n d the reader, t h a t God is not one out of all things and does not come under the laws relating to all t h i n g s , and t h a t consequently any one of them selected to illustrate H i s N a ture only illustrates I t partially. E a c h of these three functions of the soul seems as we contemplate t h e m to e n gross its whole substance, and so to correspond to the T r i n i t y in U n i t y in t h e rude w a y in which alone we can contemplate His Adorable S u b s t a n c e . T h e soul's mode of existence does n o t , in reality, answer to God's mode of e x istence : but the two objects, as we contemplate them, do (hrm'uc, see p. 145, n . a. p.'240, n. b.) exnibit a kind of resemblance. Comp. R . Ivii. n. a. b, p. 341.

RHYTHM THE SEVENTIETH. 1 . WITH what eye shall the thing made look upon the Maker, when it is a creature, and H e the Creator ? There is no seeing of the soul 1 within us, gaze and look as we m a y , 1 R. i™. either -with the mind or with the eyes. For if we enquire 2 ' after it with the mind one believeth in it, and the other denieth [its existence] 2 . Oh, great stumbling-block ! How 2 R.i.§.l. should the soul that is so blind that it cannot see even itself,"' gaze upon the Godhead ? Neither can it feel itself, yet will it with these senses dare to search into the Creator. Get thee down to the haven 3 , feeble man ! for if the sea be'R.lxix. vehement, the haven close at hand is as a place of refuge.^" 1 ' Draw near to a searching proportioned to thy strength; and then if thy heart be amazed and lost, wait thou in silence ! Stillness is not at a distance, nor is it at a dear rate that thy mouth can buy silence. Silence is e a s y 4 ; disputing 4 R. li. is hard. It is not by any necessity that prying is t h r o w n 9 ' 0 , upon the bold disputer ; and even the commandment, though it seem to be altogether constraining, is not of necessity, since it is of free-will 5. And if the law be not of 1 ' K. -v. necessity, what disputing can constrain us to be searching ? xxvii?' H e gave the commandments, and refrained disputing ; in His|Testaments there is no seeking and no prying. H e gave the R.i.§.i2. law instead of disputation 6 , and instead of searching, the' c \ S o ™t. faith 7 , unto our feebleness. T h e natures which He made are? n. not to be comprehended; how much less the Nature o f ® ' 1 l x x i 1 . 8 H i m who is hidden in Himself 8 , and is unspeakable ! R.lxvii. 2. T h e Sou, which is of H i m , knoweth Him without con- Mat.ii, troversy, as not erring as to the way of searching into Him. Every thing made erreth altogether, whensoever it prieth, for that it cannot reach unto the Maker. If then His Love magnified us 9 , let us know what we are—that our nature "R.xxix. cannot prv into His Nature. For every thing which is a ^ j ^

•334

Creatures

cannot comprehend

the

Creator.

creature goeth altogether astray, if it thinks that it is capable of prying into the Creator. Let not that which is made go astray, since by scrutinizing into Him it goes to a wider distance from the Maker thereof.

RHYTHM THE SEVENTY-FIRST. 1 . T H E R E cannot be among the creatures' a vessel large enough to contain that Majesty! there cannot be among minds iivi.§.i'. a womb that sufficeth for the knowledge 2 of the Godhead! For ^ ' 2 l x l x ' the Maker is very wise, so that H e would not be at issue with 2 §.2. R. Himself, as in sport, about the manner in which H e should cfnf create. For if H e were to make a vessel capable of containing i- §• 34. H i m , then were the thing made greater than its Maker. Folly this, that the thing made should be the greater and more excellent, while the Maker thereof were not greater than it,! 2. If then the Creator be the greater, how can the thing made, which H e hath made, be commensurate with His knowledge 3 ? and if H e hath made any thing commensurate with H i m - 3 p. 348, self, this were an amazement not to be believed. Again, since a" every thing which H e hath made is marvellous, it is because the Creator is great that they be glorious, though created things. Great is the creature, because great is the Creator of it; and little again, since however great it is, it is worthless [compared] to Him. Nothing then is small which H e made by reason of H i s Love, and yet it is small [compared] to H i m by reason of H i s Glory. Yet the Creator acted not counter 4 to Himself to create aught which should limit" or t > wa " Himself, neither did the Maker strive against Himself to issue make aught which should set bounds to Him. It was n o t w l t h any envy s between the Creator and the creatures, since H e is n'' P;12!< . . . . - fclothed with Love toward His subjects 0 ; [but] it is not the lot(,or,creaof that which is created that it should be a match with i t s * " ^ ' Creator in its knowledge. 278,n.c. 3. Of what is a creature, the Scriptures cry aloud, thatref^i.' great as it mav be, it is far less than its Creator. Let no P 1 1 16 ' D " . . n. d. 7 7 one imagine these things, or the like of these, of the Fruit o r R . lxi. of the Begetter of Him. T h e Prophets cry, the A p o s t l e s ' ' 3 ' confess, yea things above, yea things below, that H e is the Son of the Highest. Yea, His noble acts which are rife in

33(i

Heretics

deaf to God's

teachiiu/.

all the creation are enough to convince even the b l i n d ; and who is there that will despise the mighty thunder of all H i s 1 S. au- preachers, save the ear of all heretics 1 ? As H i s preachers are p ^ T ' ' m a u y > H e giveth witness that H i s work is mightier than H i s fpreachers. Lo, all e\ r es and minds are very feeble beside the 5 p. 234, power of H i s G o d h e a d ! Lo, the R a y 2 that took its rise" from n' s " H i m sufficetli for H i m ; the Fire 2 that H e b e g a t kiioweth Him. a S. u u j > . T h i s , which is of frequent occurrence, is equivalent to the G r e e k , which was used to express t h e transmission of the whole of the F a t h e r ' s Substance to the Son. See P e t a v . de T r i n . vii. 18. 7. L e Quien diss. D a m . i. §. 3. §. 48. A s the m e a n i n g of this root when applied to the Son is of some importance in w h a t follows, it will be right to illustrate its use in St. E . concisely here. I t occurs sometimes of the generation of the Son from t h e F a t h e r , as above, and in R . x l . §. 1. Comp. i t . Ixv. §. 3. (where ray and offspring are m a d e synonymous,) p . 3 0 8 , r e f . 1 . ; n e x t and most frequently of H i s B i r t h from S t . M a r y , as, e. g. p. 319, ref. 8. vol. ii. p. 408, e. p. 519, a.

vol. iii. p. 507, d . p . 519, b. p. 601, c. f. &c. T h e following p a s s a g e which blends the two ideas (though without using t h e word) from vol. iii. p. 612, a. m a y be added : " M a y the visible l i g h t of T h y M a n h o o d , (where the root used in H e b . 1, 3. occurs.) 0 L o r d , shine f o r t h ! m a y the invisible light also of T h y M a j e s t y glisten ! M a y light with light be mingled ! m a y it be a Sun of R i g h t e ousness !" L a s t l y , it is used of any manifestation of Christ, w h e t h e r to individual souls, or to all at the J u d g m e n t , with which sense we are not h e r e concerned. T h e word is t r a n s f e r r e d to t h e T r i n i t y from the type of I t so often employed, viz. the Sun.

RHYTHM THE SEVENTY-SECOND. 1. WITH mighty wonder set thy soul a boundary, O hearer, and gather in thy mind from distraction ! By faitli 1 H e draweth 1 li.lxx. nigh unto thee: but by prying thou removest far off' from His blessings. Great disputing is not adequate to the exploring of H i m , since H e is hidden entirely from the disputatious. I n faith wait thou for I l i m ; and if thou hide in H i m , to H i m it is that thou hast come ! how great refreshment hast thou found ! Yet even to attain this thine own running sufficeth not, since without Him thou couldest not even know that H e exists a . If thou wert to search for ever and ever, it is H e that giveth thee this, to be able to know of Ilis existence only 2 . And how much soever he that laboured) d o t h 2 p. 136, labour, this he knoweth, and beyond it there is none thatLi' e \ c " '

'

j

i-crui.

knoweth. II ¡.§.34. 2. For H e is very manifest to him that seeketh Him, a n d ^ ' j ^ " Rom 10 very^ concealed from him that Aprieth into Him. Be still, ¡g -20 , bold disputant! H e is withdrawn from t h e e ; He is not in the height above, nor beneath. H e is lost by thee : yet found Job 22, to thee. L o ! in both these who can reach unto Him, seeing 12 ' H e is withdrawn from thee, O searcher ; H e is found to thee, O worshipper ? H e is revealed in His Goodness: concealed in His Essence 3 . Instead of His Majesty, seek His Goodness, 3 p. 201, which may be found of thee. His treasure is open : Himself is a" withdrawn. Instead of thyself, seek the Deep " ; instead of 1 T h i s is a strong assertion of the necessity of Divine illumination, in order to the perception of s u p e r n a t u r a l t r u t h s . Comp. 255, n . g. R . x x v . §. 5. K . lv.§. 5. p . 8 7 , n . h . p. 2 1 7 , n . g . c . S c r u t . i . §.20.Menargueasiftheycouldgenerate belief of God's B e i n g and attributes in a their mind by reasoning upon the ereation, whereas they can only confirm t h e belief w h e n it exists. St. E . ' s doctrine is (as the passages referred to will shew) t h a t belief in a traditive syst e m , i.e. t h a t a c t i n g by a f a c u l t y (infused in different w a y s h y G o d , ) u p o n a system

in which by God's Providence men a r e placed, is essential to, and precedes as well as limits, all disputation about Him. b T h i s p a s s a g e m a y be illustrated and almost p a r a p h r a s e d in H o o k e r ' s words, K . P . i. cap.-si. § . 3 . " Capable we are of God both by und r^-tni' T and w i l l : by understanding IK- i., t h a t sovereign T r u t h which couipreheudeth the lieh treasures of all wisdom, by will as H e is t h a t Sea of goodness, whereof whoso t a s t e t h , shall thirst n--. more." Z

•'338 God tnftiiilr.t,tf

preset,,', not merely efficient, ever if where.

scrutinizing l l i m , sock H i s aid. I l i s great mercy calletli unto tliee, O weak man, that tliou mayest know that His trcasuiy is full of compassion. 1

3. His mighty Power alloweth thee not to gaze after thine On A-own will, and try to see of what quality 1 or how great H e is.

ss'j'n'.'z.

if thou daringly aim at getting before [ H i m ] , how much wilt thou he before H i m , who is before all, and cannot have 5 R.xlv.any before H i m 2 ? T h e i e is no place to pass by H i m — g o li. ixxi.^y H i m , and where art thou? since by Him and beyond §. l. c. there is nothing. There is not even a ' without-Iiim,' and iscrut. s. . . . . . §.3!. to pass beyond is impossible; but neither is there any way for thee to come up to Him. T h e r e is no going before, nor passing, nor reaching, nor coming to a stop, since l i e is a 3 Comp. wonder in all things 3 . ^ £ ' -1. I f thou couldest reach all places, H e would meet thee, p. 105, though Tie change not from the place wherein H e is 4 . Little 251. r e f . s h o r t is thy measure: H e is very far from thee. Though 4.236. H e cleave to thee, how wilt thou search Him out? H e is ref. 1. not as fire, which though very far off, is yet near, because the body is too weak to approach to i t 2 . H e is not as the sun, which if he withholdeth not his might from the eye, she is p. 260, made abashed bv her weakness 5 . T h e Lord is blended with b p 294 b!p]340,' His creatures far and near, lo! they seek Him, and H e is carryd ing them. L o ! they think on Him as though H e were removed to a great distance, while they are placed as it were in H i s fist! T h e great sea broad vessels cannot so contain, as that 6 p.87,i. they should measure how great it is. Since even the sea 6 is but a drop beside H i s Greatness, fall not into it, lest thou lose thyself therein !

4

RHYTHM THE SE VENT Y-TH TRD. 1. Lo, there is a similitude between the sun 1 and the Father, 1 S. are the radiance and the Son, the heat and the H o l y Ghost ; ^ r a b I e s and though it be one", a trinity is beheld in it! T h a t incomprehensible who can explain ? One is many, a one that is three and a three one. Mighty wonder, marvel visible ! T h e sun is distinct from its ray ; they are distinct, yet alike, since his ray is itself also the sun" ; yet of two suns no OIK; speaketh, though his ray is also the sun over things below-. W e call 3 Comp. T h e m not two Gods, though our Lord be also God over creatures 1 '. W h o can search out how and where His f l a y is b o u n d e n , b o u n d e n and yet free H i s H e a t 1 ? T h o u g h not divided, • T h i s is the doctrine of the U n a as H e doth by the word of H i s powei R e s , (see on A t h a n . p . 4 0 4 , ref. 6.) it forms an A n t i t y p e to the ray in which, being h e r e manifestly implied, that t h e and not in person (so to speak), the sun Son is t h e selfsame S u b s t a n c e as the visits t h e e a r t h . Coinp. vol. ii. p. 518 , F a t h e r ; T h e y may not be spoken of as in p. 133. and p . 209, n . b. and A t h a n . t w o B e i n g s , as E u s e b i u s (with some as above. c who defend him) and the A r i a n s in T h e type and A n t i t y p e are here, general do, nor m a y T h e y be b r o u g h t as often, blended together. A s s . take.under n u m b e r , or be reasoned of as if this p a s s a g e to mean t h a t t h e l a y ' s subject to t h e l a w s by which wre reason presence necessarily involves the sun's of all t h i n g s , seeing T h e y subsisted presence, w h e r e a s the h e a t ' s p r e s e n c e a n t e c e d e n t l y , and gave t h e laws, to all is possible after the ray has departed, as t h i n g s . F o r even a m o n g s t the ' all the H o l y Ghost w a s present when Chris! t h i n g s ' we find t h i n g s w h i c h involve w a s gone ; i . e . he takes it to anticipate contradictions in some degree similar 3. wh it'll he is obliged to do owing to to those the C h u r c h holds of the T r i n i t y ; his assumption t h a t t h e I n c a r n a t i o n i similar at least as f a r as our ordinary m e a n t by t h e words ' God over the conceptions and w a y of speaking of c r e a t u r e s . ' T h i s (if 1 understand him) t h e m g o ; for it is f r o m these St. E . is is to assume t h a t when St. E . says the a r g u i n g . See R . l x x v i . 1. R a y is bomiden, he refers, i'ii :: i':, ! • •'> See R . vi. §. 1. n . e. R . xl. §. 1. type, to the coinherence o r ! ' . ! w h e r e there is t h e s a m e transition of the Divine in the H u m a n N a t u r e o ' f r o m the Son as G o d to t h e Son as i n c a r - t h e Son ; w h e r e a s in the n e x t clause n a t e , as presently occurs in this R h y t h m . and the nex t sentence the word' bounderi' ? Ass. paraphrases, E s t o D o m i n u s quoque occurs with a reference to the l orinoster snis per carnem affinis sit crea- choresis of the Divine Persons in E a c h '2. t h e Spirit is turis, D e u s est. B u t it seems more O t h e r . I n R . xviii. likely t h a t St. E . does not mean in tins spoken of as filling the Redeemer',-; §. to introduce t h e subject of the I n - B o d y , though in no v. i < • confined in ! i t ; carnation, b u t to point out how the which it is r i ^ h t to "'l 7*' " Son viewed as t h e B r i g h t n e s s of t h e confivining A.'S ,-ii - ' ; F a t h e r ' s glory, by upholding things THi'ifi mean. cm, w r r : ¡u air.

3-JU

'types of the Trinity

and the Íncarnolion

1

drawn 1

p. 210, T h e y are not c o n f u s e d ; distinct, yet m i n g l e d ; b o u n d e n together, yet free. Mighty m a r v e l ! 2. W h o can search and explore them, though they be thought to be simple a n d easy of explanation ? Search me the sun from his r a y ; fix thine eyes and look upon its heat ? if thou art able. Distinguish me the sun from its ray, and from both the heat, if thou canst. And as that sun is with things on high, the heat a n d light of it are with things 2 2 p. 234, below ; this is a visible mystery. T h a t ray of his dcscendeth to f>. the e a r t h 3 ; it dwells in the eye clothed with it as if with a body ^ 3 R . vi.

ref. 4. p . 232, ref. 2. p. 265, ref. 7' p. 342, ref. 1. p. 349, ref.

§• 1mode by which, or limits to which, t h e sun's r a y is so confined, as to he else t h a n coextensive with the s u n ? or any by which the Son is so confined, as to be else t h a n coextensive, so to speak,(seep.203, n.b.) with the F a t h e r ? who can shew how the heat, w h i c h universally accompanies and is coinherent in this r a y , is yet free or loose, i . e . has a sepai ate subsistency from it P or who shew how t h e Spirit who is sent, (see R . xl. n . f. g.) as well as the Son, is, n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g H i s coinberence in the Son, yet a distinct P e r s o n from t h e Son ? If the passage be so interpreted, the words 4 bounden' and ' f r e e ' will be taken throughout in one sense ; and the t h i n g which St. E . alludes to will be the P r o cession of T w o P e r s o n s from the F a t h e r , of which Persons One proceeds in and from the O t h e r . H e n c e he speaks in R . l x x v . §. 1. of t h e heat of the ray ; see Vecc-us, quoted in p. 232, n. a. p. 308, ref. 1. p. 324, ref. 4. wheie the metaphors are m i x e d with the reality, as are ( r a y ' and ' fountain' in §. 3. in a wav to shew, t h a t St. K. does not conceive the notion of Mission and Internal Procession a* else than combined : see note a. on the n e x t R h y t h m , and c. Sc-rut. ii. fin. Of the two passages adduced in support of the Greek view by Zernikaw on the Procession of the Spirit, l. p. 25—6. folio ed. from St. E . ' s works in G r e e k , the second (of which the Syriac is now published) is plainly not to his purpose in t h e original. d 'I ho object of this t y p e is to shew t h a t our L o r d ' s Divine 2s ature was not limited or confined by the assumption of t h e H u m a n N a t u r e ; as light is made available to us by its entry into t h e eye, although capable of subsisting in its entirety without the eye, which we have proof of in sleep, when light, t h e poul of the eye, departs and leaves it dead as it were; so t h e Son through H i «

I n c a r n a t i o n benefits us, though H e subsists as H e did before it, at;d independently of it, in H i s D i v i n e N a t u r e unimpaired. See p. 20. p . 42. p. 8 6 , n . f. and St. G r e g . N y s s . O r . C a t e c h . cap. 5. where the same t y p e is used w i t h a kindred b e a r i n g , p. 51, c. " I t was fitting that H i s light should not be unseen, nor H i s glory without witness, nor H i s goodness u n e n j o y e d , and t h a t t h e other attributes beheld in the D i vine N a t u r e should not be idle, with no one to p a r t i c i p a t e of and enjoy t h e m . If then the reason w h y m a n is b r o u g h t into being is, t h a t h e m a y be p a r t a k e r i-f f!-. 1 '« ••-,-.-1*-• i¿. then is he neces*:inl\ '' 'i ' • :' - v - h a make as to have an aptitude for the participation of Divine goodness. F o r as t h e eye doth through the brightness n a t u r a l l y implanted in it find itself in communion with the light, through its n a t u r a l power attracting w h a t it h a t h affinity w i t h a l ; so must there needs have been commingled w i t h m a n ' s n a t u r e t h a t which h a t h affinity with God, t h a t from such reciprocity it might towards t h a t kindred T h i n g possess a y e a r n i n g . " St. G r e g , is shewing t h a t mail's n a t u r e , if the effects of the fall w e r e stayed, w a s not such as to m a k e it unbecoming for the "Word to t a k e i t ; and therefore is r a t h e r comparing (as B a s i l de Sp. S. §. (>1. docs) the light in the eye to t h e indwelling of God in the elect, which has a certain likeness to the U n i o n of the Godhead with the M a n h o o d in C h r i s t , and so is only mediately parallel to the t e x t , on which see R . l x x i v . n . a. Tt should be added that nothing b u t meditation will enable us to enter fully into these wonderfully eliminated similitudes between t h e things of n a t u r e and of g r a c e ; these notes aim only at e x p l a i n i n g some few points in t h e m which, when explained, m a y help to t h e understanding of the whole,

from the sun, by their inadequacy

teach humility.

341

and when it is shut up in sleep, the ray putteth it off again, as the dead [body] that is to be raised up again. 8. And how the light pierceth into the eye no man comprehendeth, as [neither how] our Redeemer dwelt in the belly \ The light from within the eye putteth on a fair a p - 1 eomp. pearance, and goeth forth visiting the whole world, as our p - 8 6 , n ' i ' Redeemer clothed Himself with this vile body and went forth and sanctified the whole world. But when that ray passed to the fountain thereof (for it doth not separate 2 from its T ! . I X X T . generator) it leaveth its heat h e r e ; as the Holy Ghost, whom our Lord left with His disciples, without changing from His own place. 4. Look at the likenesses among the creatures, and do not thou be divided about the Trinity, lest thou perish; since thine own life is too hard for thee, being one that is three, a trinity which is one 3 . a p. 233, 2

c.p.332,

RHYTHM THE SEVENTY-FOURTH. 1. WHO shall make me able to gaze and look upon thee, thou great light! wherein are crowded together types of thy Lord ? W h o can search out the heat thereof, which though separate is not cut off, as the Holy Ghost? The might of his heat See P s . dwelleth over every thing : the whole of Him is with every 19, 6. thing, and also with each one". It is not cut off from the ray 1 * p. 210, which is blended in it, neither from the sun as being mingled ref. 4. with i t ; and when it is spread over the creatures", each one p. 340. ref , i .

a Comp. Basil de Sp. S. §. 22. fin. out a confusion of t h e order of t h e T r i n i t y . I n this sentence m a y be contained an ( P e t a v . de I n c . ii. 15. Thomassin ibid. allusion to the doctrine, t h a t t h e H o l y ii. 1. and 2.) N o r is it else t h a n reSpirit sanctifies the elect by the appli- m a r k a b l e , t h a t those w h o favoured t h e cation of His V e r y Substance to their N e s t o r i a n view of Christ's Mission souls, each one of which t a k e t h up t h a t were also opposed to the L a t i n view of divinely infused H e a t according to his t h e H o l y Spirit's Mission, (vide L e ability. Y e t it may be observed, in con- Quien. Diss. D. i. §. 13. P e t r . S t r o z z a d e firmation of the view taken in n . b . and c. D o g m . C h a l d . p . l 7 . e d . ] 6 1 7 . A s s e m . B . O . to R . lxxiii. t h a t St. E . here speaks of iii. 2. p. 233.) If then in a passage of the heat as spread over the c r e a t u r e s , disputed m e a n i n g w h a t makes for A . ' s as he did of the ray in t h a t p a s s a g e . e x p l a n a t i o n is not concealed ; it is hoped F o r as it would be heretical to m a k e t h a t w h a t is done for f a i r n e s s ' sake will t h e H o l y Spirit, (who never took into not be t a k e n to be done from hesitation union with H i s Person a n a t u r e capable as to the explanation here given. F o r it of change as the ¡"'on did,) to be in any se^ms, t h a t had St. E . had before him way subject to c h a n g e ; it seems t h a t here only the substantial application of this passage would shew in w h a t sense t h e Spirit to the elect, he would h a v e the other is intended to be t a k e n . F o r spoken of H i s being ' mingled' w i t h t h e mission of t h e H o l y Spirit (of t h e m or 4 dwelling' in t h e m ; and t h a t which §. 2. speaks clearly) is H i s P r o - the clause really alludes to the two cession, viewed as influencing those constituents of the notion implied by i who take up the m i g h t of H i s H e a t , ' the word ' mission,' the e t e r n a l P r o i. e. the elect, (see P e t a v . de T r i n . viii. cession of the Omnipresent Spirit being ] . §. 10.) So far then the passage m i g h t alluded to by the p h r a s e ' spread over be taken to allude not to w h a t is eternal the c r e a t u r e s , ' and H i s union with t h e only, but also to w h a t is temporal, i. e. to elect by t h e remainder of the sentence. m a n ' s part in the m a t t e r , inasmuch as See on c Scrtit. ii. §. 8. Calecas (in P e it-... : v • i . 1;^': - v - tavius) illustrates the Mission of the Spirit m u c h as St. E . does t h a t of t h e in "•'m;is . and m» forH'."

344

The operation

of heal ami the Spirit

1

compared.

1

p. 74, the chilly silence which, as from the winter , was scared away ' t h a t we might speak. Tor that people being a sign of winter, a type of the frost, was altogether gloomy over the Disciples: the H o l y Spirit by the tongues of fire which came, loosened the might of the cold, and chased away fear from the D i s c i p l e s : and silence fled from their tongues by the tongues. Satan was condemned in the likeness of winter, and the people - ,s\ raged, which rage made t h e m all an antitype of February 2 . S h e b o t . g u ( . t ] i e r e t j ] e s m a ] ] birds on high spoke with new voices, while the hawk and the winter was despised of them. T h e s e be things which the heat foreshadowed out, and these also 'p. 169,the H o l y G h o s t accomplished 3 . W h o is sufficient for t h e m ?

n

n. m.

RHYTHM THE SEVENTY-FIFTH. ] . THE sun which is thy lamp astoundeth thee, O feeble man, neither dos) thou skill how to search into i t ; and how wilt thou search into the Creator. B e i n g a h u m a n being, know thy h u m a n nature, O h u m a n b e i n g " ! T h e subtle nature o f t h a t [great] light cannot be handled, though it b e not hidden from them that lay hold of it. T h e heat of that r a y b i S. At- is not beheld by the pupils, since it is too refined 1 , and the tered ^ ovei'cometh by its heat, and the hands also by its subtle 3 p. 192, nature, for they have not felt or seen it 2 . T h e m o u t h , the ears, ref A.?~ and nostrils too. these three senses have no sense of these threcp. 2 3 / , ref. r>. fold ones. For the mouth hath never eaten that [great] light at reff 6°' a n v t i m e : neither hath the nostril ever snuffed up the r a d i a n c e : neither hath the ear at any time heard the voice of light, as Ps.19,6. it runneth over the world. And if at this little sun which is 1 T h i s s e e m s t o b e an a l l u s i o n to t h e w e l l - l i n o w n l i n e , Q ^ r a y^nr, vat & c . w h i c h is cited b y A r i s t o t l e l i h e t . ii. 21.Eth.N.x.7.prohablyfromEuripides. b H e r e St. E. distinctly m a k e s the beat to procetd from the ray ; s e e p . 2 3 2 ,

n. a . vol. ii. p . 5 1 8 ill p . 1 3 3 . b u t as h e h e r e t a k e s t h e h e a t t h r o u g h o u t as a t y p e of t h e S p i r i t , h e m u s t i m p l y t h a t the Spirit proceeds from the Son. See E . I x x i . f i n . w h e r e t h e S o n is c a l l e d ' Fire,' which emits heat.

God'scondescensionandmartsinadequacydissiiack'prijiiiy.Slb in the firmament, three senses fail, if thy whole body were senses they would not reach to the Godhead that is hidden from all. T h e three senses that failed at the types of the Threefold, that are the in sun, they cry aloud, that they are ignorant 1 how to scrutinize the Father and the Son and thei s. are Holy Ghost. strange 2. Again, place water before the sun, and behold there a semblance of the Birth c of that Holy One. For without separation and without flowing it generatcth a fire, a generate which is chaste as the generator thereof: this is not by separation 2 from the sun, nor by severance from the water. 2 R. Mighty symbol! For while the water and sun are unimpaired, a generation takes place, wherein a man seeth the Generation of the S o n d . H e hath shadowed 3 out difficult 3 p. 245, things by simple ones for our feebleness, that we might know J ^ ^ clearly that H e is the Son. By every similitude the Gracious §• 2. c. One came near to our weakly estate, that l i e might heal it 4 . fp™i7j' 3. And if that Great One who is God, without semblances

e

-

p. 205

approacheth not unto mankind, let man who is feeble not seek n . b. to bring his own weakness near that Majesty without a medium 5 . s. se et Linger not, O mind, construct spiritual bridges, and pass on to™°ahr!® thy Creator. O son of a servant! serve thyself of the wings" w. to of the Holy Scriptures, that thou mayest reach to the Son o f f p ^ ^ ' thy Lord. And let this soul too avail itself of every medium, n-..0-. that it may reach to the Holy Spirit; and thou body be not and p. slothful, fly as an eagle 7 unto that B o d y e which quickeneth all. 27,9>ll• c A l t h o u g h St. E . does not distinctly state, it seems plain from the context, (especially w h e n t a k e n in connection w i t h the types of the Conception noticed in n . i. p. 87.) t h a t he h e r e means the Son's Birth of St. M a r y . T h e following p a s s a g e s will illustrate this place and R . xlii. §. 3. M e t h o d . Conv. Y i r g . iii.8. "TheManhoodlikewaterbeingmingled w i t h Wisdom and L i f e , b e c a m e t h a t w h i c h the incontaminate L i g h t t h a t impinged upon it itself w a s . " Cyril c. N e s t . p. 109. " W a t e r though cold by n a t u r e , changes b y fire into w h a t is contrary to its n a t u r e , and gives off w a n n t h ; w h y should it be s t r a n g e or incredible in any w a y , if t h e W o r d of God t h e F a t h e r who is by n a t u r e L i f e , rendered the F l e s h which was united to H i m l i f e - g i v i n g p " Compare also Leo in

"

c.fccrut. R. in. ]3. E p i p h a n . iv. 4. and G r e g . N a z . O r . 34. ' p. 2 0 , d T h i s p a s s a g e is to be noticed as a m. prophetic protest a g a i n s t N e s t o r i a n i s m . B y being in the vessel, i. e. St. M a r y , (comp. vol. i. p. 317, b. and p. 521, f.) t h e R a y in such way modifies its own Subsistency, as to be able to transfuse t h e H e a t w h i c h exists in itselfinto t h i n g s beyond, while t h a t subsistency r e m a i n s t h e self-same One t h a t it w a s before, C o m p . c . S c r u t . ii. § . 3 . I n t h e b e g i n n i n g of the n e x t §. we h a v e a wonderfully concise description of t h a t Catholic attitude o f m i n d w h i c h i s a l w a y s on the look out for s a c r a m e n t a l media in its converse with God. e Of the communication of a new principle of life to m e n ' s bodies from Christ's Body mention has been already nvide, p. 148, n, Ii. Some other pas-

34(>

Satan

inscrutable

to man, much more

God.

4. And since those senses of man's are too feeble to scrutinize the Godhead, deal not extravagantly. For lo, the 1 R. n. senses of the Angels 1 on high, subtle though they are, yea 1 ' spiritual, yet suffice n o t ! Stay then the coarse senses of the gross bodies which carry off excretions! from searching 2 R. l. §. these things are relinquished as too p u r e 2 ; tell us con^'2'X1V' corning the unclean things of unclean devils! Let the senses of thy body tell us of the spiritual senses of the foul-smelling 3 Ii. lx. devils, with what nostrils doth Legion snort 3 ? and with what i ' feet runneth the wicked one through the whole world'? sages m a y b e added here. C a n o n l i i i . f i n . " O h , H i g h P r i e s t , who didst offer Thyself for us a Sacrifice to T h y F a t h e r , receive f r o m us, 0 L o r d , our offerings in T h y mercy, and clothe with glory those t h a t have waited for T h e e and kept and done T h y c o m m a n d m e n t s . " x x i i i . §. 3. u L o ! t h e pillar t h a t did lead I s r a e l , c a u s e t h H i s L i g h t to rise to thee in darkness, for there is h i d d e n in thy limbs H i s Body t h a t rouseth all, and in the blood of thy spirit is there mingled the Cup of Salvation which leaveth not thy body in d e s t r u c t i o n . " liv. §. 3. " T a k e B a p t i s m and the Body and Blood of Christ with thee as a p a s s p o r t . " lxxiri. " A s provision for a j o u r n e y T h e e have I t a k e n unto me, T h o u Son of God, and when an h u n gred T h e e have I eaten, O R e d e e m e r of the world ! F a r be the fire from m y limbs, and when the smell of T h y Body and T h y Blood striketh from me, m a y Baptism be to me a ship t h a t foundereth n o t ! " P a r s e n . v , 1. p. 414, c. " O fatted Calf t h a t wert killed to be a Sacrifice for sinners, blot not out me w r e t c h e d m a n ,

T h o u hast given m e T h y B o d y to eat and T h y living Blood to d i i n k , by T h y Body m a y I be pardoned, and by T h y Blood h a v e my sms forgiven, and rise to praise T h e e a m o n g the a s s e m b l i e s of T h y S a i n t s . " p. 432^ " T h a t sea of fire disturbs m e and terrifieth me, and I am in fear by reason of the iniquity I have done. M a y T h y C r o s s , O S o n ol t h e L i v i n g G o d , be to me a bridge, and f i o m T h y B o d y and T h y Blood may G e h e n n a go a w a y a s h a m e d , and I by T h y mercies be r e d e e m e d . " p. 452, f. " L e a v e me not in the enemies' hands, nor give him ground a g a i n s t m e ; for T h y Body and T h y Blood h a s t Thou mingled in m e , and T h y Rood betwixt mine eyes is s t a m p e d . " p.480, c. a n d f . " F r o m h a t e f u l lust deliver me by T h y living Body t h a t I have e a t e n , and I will [ay me down and sleep in peace, and g u a r d i a n be T h y Blood to me, and to t h e soul t h a t is T h i n e i m a g e . " p. 482, c. p. 488, e. p. 490, f. p. 493, f. p. 494, e. p. 5 ) 9 , d. p. 535, e. p. 545, c. ( ' T h y Body and T h y Blood as an earnest of life is hidden in their m e m b e r s , ' ) p. 551, d.

0 L o r d , from the number of t h e m redeemed by T h y Blood! T h y Body have 1 eaten, and T h y Blood have T d r u n k e n , and by T h y D e a t h believed t h a t I should live." p. 429. " B e c a u s e

' T h e seeming ubiquiiy of S a t a n has been already touched upon, p . 2 3 8 , n . b . Obviously this is one g r e a t difficulty to explain in S a t a n ' s agency.

RHYTHM THE

SEVENTY-SIXTH.

1. BY the names of trees, lo, their fruits 1 also are named, 1 R. lx. S3 R whether they be sweet or bitter! The names of the trees^¡¡.'i.^. then and their fruits are the same ; they are distinct, yet equal. A great type ! Distinct is the fruit from its tree, and yet the same with it, since one appellation 2 is given t o 2 « , southern both. If the root be sweet, then the fruit is sweet; t h e 1 ^ n- a , same name men call them both, it and its fruit. Distinguish P- 817the names of the stem and the fruit, and yet make them the same also, and call the fruit by the name of its tree. For if it be sweet, they call the fruit also sweet 3 , and the root h o w - J1XR.XVI1 ever stringent. Distinguish the Names of the Father and 3< e ) the Son, and also make them equal, since the Father is God Scrut. i. and the Son is God. For God is the Name of the Father 31. & and God also is the Name of the Son, as it is written. F o r ^ J ^ ' H e is distinct in Name, in that He is the Son ; and equal in the Name, in that He is God also 4 . Glory to His N a m e ! j 2. And if [the names o f ] trees as well as of their fruits ' true, how much more true are [those o f ] the Father and the Son. He shadowed forth things hidden" upon things which ;IUxxv. are visible, that He might shew the things which are not seen ]' !om . ^ by the things which are seen: H e imprinted His mysteries 2 1 upon trees, that He might explain the things which are not comprehended by the things which are comprehended 0 . For(ic.Scrut. H e also interpreted difficult things to us by the things which 1 ' are easy, that we might easily gain a knowledge of Him, and things difficult by things wliicli are clear, H e made clear unto us, that we might know clearly that He is the Son. T h a t H e is our Lord then, yea, and our God, the j u s t 7 feel:" p- -'¡72, but the gainsayers 8 feel not that He is His Father. The "'„"'¡„hScriptures cry aloud, that the Father is God and the S o n ( W s is God. Without God is I ho [ J e w i s h ] people who gainsay Him.

RHYTHM THE

SEVENTY-SEVENTH.

1. ' THAT H o u r knoweth no m a n ; ' this the childish have balanced 1 with the Son, and it as it were preponderates. For if the First-born does know the Father, who is there that is greater than the Father Himself; whom yet H e cloth not know" ? That hour, forsooth, no man knoweth, not even the First-born, for it is the Father only who knoweth it. And if as they think, it is because H e is a creature that [the Son] does not know i t ; behold fools are making H i m a creature by their pryings. 2. Come, wonder ye how our Lord, because H e is a creature knoweth not that hour, while they which are created 2 5 see p. by His own H a n d have dared to pry, not into that hour, but 126, n. a, into the Lord of hours. Would that they would abide by their own word 3 , that every thing which is a creature might keep silence before its Creator ! Mark 13, 32. ' § . 3. I t . liii. §. 5. I I . Ixxviii. §. 1. 2. R.lxxix. §• 1.

11 T o argue from the Son's knowledge of the F a t h e r , that H e must have known the hour of the J u d g m e n t , was a common way of meeting the Arian use of this text. See P e t a v . d e T r i n . i i . 3 . §. 5. iii. I . 16. vii. 15. §. 2. on Athan. p. 463, n. e. G r e g . e. Maced. ap. M a i C. N . viii.p.4.p.9. Did.deTrin.iii.22. o.Scrut.i. 5. Since nil n ^ u m e n t i« necessarily '••':, !< "-! i : : : : • . ' , \ . . and p. 369, n. 1.

350

Christ's seeming

ignorance

names of His kindred, that a < H e even put on our human nature, H e might also put oil our knowledge for our sakes". d T h i s s q u a r e s w i t h the p a s s a g e s noticed above, p. 190, n . g . p . 3 0 5 , n. e. T h e words ' for our s a k e s , ' which tally with ' for our p r o f i t , ' in A t h a n . p . 4C1, n. f. are e x p l a i n e d by tlie n e x t s e n t e n c e , in w h i c h the asliing of Questions e v i d e n t l y refers not to t h e r e a l s t a t e of our L o r d ' s k n o w l e d g e as M a n , b u t to w h a t H e said a n d did with a view to c a r r y i n g out t h e e c o n o m y , a s k i n g questions when H e Himself knew what He would do, as t h o u g h H e did not know. H a v i n g put on our n a t u r e , H e d e m e a n e d H i m s e l f , so to s p e a k , as t h o u g h H e h a d all its a c c i d e n t s , some of which P i e suspended at will, see p. 2 0 2 , n. c. p. 199, a. So in a S e r m o n on L a z a r u s , v o l . i i . p . ^ 9 1 , c. h e s a y s , " W h e n the third d a y of the d e a t h liad come to the dead, ( L a z a r u s , ) a n d u p o n the f o u r t h t h e worm h; - pended! a The same argument was used by Gregory the Great, Ep. x. 39. (o]im viii. 42.) against the Agnoette, as St. E . uses here against the Anomeans. Vide Massuet diss. iii. ad Iren. p. 121. Garnier ad Mercatorem i. p. 118. quoted by Wolf on St. Matt. Thomassin de Inc. vii. 3. 5. 4. §. 1. &c. 5 throughout, and Petav. ibid. xi. 1. §. 15. de Deo iv. 6. §. 6. I t is worth remarking that our Lord says the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath-day in a text to which St. E . seems to allude immediately. T e x t s , such as this, which transfer the attributes of Creatorship to the Manhood owing to t h j Unity of Person, illustrate the language of the Fathers when they transfer, as St. Greg, does, arguments used against Arians to meet Nestorian heresies. b

There seems to be a reason for thus

lingering over all the divisions of time one by one, in that heretics attempt to represent time as different according as it is heavenly or earthly, i. e. to make it as much as possible a mere mode of thought, not a reality, to which all creatures are subject. The Fathers, on the contrary, speak of it as a created thing, much as they may speak of created wisdom, not as if it had a separate subsistence of its own, but because it is essential to the notion of a creature, and distinguished creatures from the Eternal God who created them. See on L. Coquium, St. Austin de Civ. Dei, xi, 6. Confess, xi. §. 40. p. 30, n. d. Athan. c. Arian. i. §. 13. and p. 108, n. h. J . Martyr, p. 34. Cyril c. Julian, p. 32, d. p. 71, d. p. 265, c. and compare Basil, quoted above, n.c.p. fifi. and one. Scrut.iii. §.1.

St. Mark xiii. $•>, tUsam"y t h e defect of a c e r t a i n a m o u n t of k n o w l e d g e , w h i c h a m o u n t of k n o w l e d g e S a t a n h a s as m u c h n a t u r a l c a p a c i t y for a t t a i n i n g w h e n t h e t i m e c o m e s , as any other created being : therefore the d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n Hiin a n d S a t a n is not e s s e n t i a l , b u t a c c i d e n t a l . S e e p 3 1 4 , n . d. e I t is not easy to s u g g e s t

an E n g l i s h w o r d w h i c h will a n s w e r to t h e u s e of t h i s in all the places it occurs in this §. T h e word s e e m s ety Biologically to h a v e a p a s s i v e and a n a c t i v e sense ; ' t h a t w h i c h is b r o u g h t i n ' as f r u i t s and t h e l i k e ; or, ' t h a t ' ' w h i c h b r i n g s i n ' a p r e t e x t , or c a u s e , or o c c a s i o n . Then it is u s r d for c a u s e in all t h e s e n s e s in w h i c h a l r i n is u s e d in G r e e k , a m o n g s t w h i c h one is t h a t by w h i c h t h e d e finition (Xiyo; or ratio) is said to be the c a u s e of a t h i n g b e i n g w h a t it is, t h e f o r m a l c a u s e . T h e word ' g r o u n d ' h a s b e e n k e p t in all places in tile t e x t for u n i f o r m i t y ' s s a k e , t h o u g h not a l t o g e t h e r convenient. W h a t St. E . seems to mean by the passage is: T h a t when we s p e a k of G o d ' s glory, t h e c o n c e p t i o n w e f o r m of it m u s t v a r y w i t h t h e definition of it w e h a v e in t h e m i n d ; w h i c h will be t h i s or t h a t , a c c o r d i n g as we refer to H i s r e l a t i o n s to us, or to t h e r e l a t i o n s to H i m s e l f w h i c h H e h a s as

s u b s i s t i n g in T h r e e P e r s o n s . T h e t e x t bei'ore u s , c o n t e m p l a t e d in one w a y , will r e f e r t o G o d ' s r e l a t i o n s to us, it b e i n g t h e p a r t of l o v i n g - k i n d n e s s to h i d e f r o m us k n o w l e d g e w h i c h w o u l d only m a k e us remiss in r e d e e m i n g t h e t i m e ; c o n t e m p l a t e d in a n o t h e r w~ay, will r e f e r to t h e r e l a t i o n s of O n e D i vine P e r s o n to A n o t h e r . F o r t h e t e x t m a y b e t a k e n to m e a n , t h a t t h e Son h a s no u n o r i g i n a t e k n o w l e d g e of ' t h e h o u r , ' bur only derived w i t h H i s S u b sistence" f r o m t h e F a t h e r ; (a mode of e x p l a i n i n g the t e x t not u n k n o w n , s e e P e t a v . d e T r i n . ii. 3. 5.C. a n d on A t h a n . p . 4 5 9 , n . a . a n d R . l x x i x . fin.) w h i c h would r e f e r it to t h e F a t h e r ' s g l o r y . T i m e (he t h e n p r o c e e d s ) is t h e g r o u n d or f o r m a l c a u s e of t h e h o u r ; or in o t h e r w o r d s , t i m e is t h e essence of t h e h o u r ; b u t t h e Son is t h e M a k e r of t i m e , ( s e e n . b . p . 362.) a n d t h e n o t i o n of M a k e r s h i p p r e c l u d e s t h a t of e q u a l i t y with a t h i n g m a d e , and so t i m e , w h i c h is m a d e , c a n n o t b e g r e a t e r t h a n t h e S o n . I n like m a n n e r , t h e n o t i o n of F a t h e r h o o d p r e c l u d e s t h a t of u n o r i g i n a t e n e s s in t h e S o n also. P e r h a p s t h e l a s t words r e f e r to a v i e w not u n c o m m o n in a n t i q u i t y , t h a t t h e e x p r e s sion, ' M y F a t h e r is greater t h a n I , ' r e f e r s for t h e F a t h e r ' s s u p e r i o r i t y to H i s u n o r i g i n a t e n e s s . See P e t a v . de T r i n . ii. 2. §. 2. St. E . , h o w e v e r , s e e m s to b e r e f e r r i n g to some w o r k w h i c h h e is r e f u t i n g . See t h e n e x t

The misuse of it by a heretic repented oj.

355

plained. And ho that liath been induced by this gave thanks, and declared that our Redeemer also knew that hour'. H e as it were whispered to us as in secret, that it was strife that framed it, and spoke it, that it might prevail therewith. Strife hath pleaded guilty, and truth prevailed ! questioning hath ceased, and the crown hath como to the Conqueror ! 1 St E . here is evidently speaking of question, that H e derived His knowsome one with whom he had had a ledge from the Father, and so i • a discontroversy, and whom he had won tinct Person from the Father. The back to the faith. "Who it was, X am former he reserves for the next Rhythm, not able to discover. The two ques- merely stating here that he had gotten tions which he examines here are, his adversary to allow that our R e The (1) "Whether Christ's apparent igno- deemer also knew that hour. rance of the day of judgment is incon- words ' our Redeemer' are remarkable, sistent with His glory viewed as relative as shewing that they had discussed, to man, or (2) whether that ignorance whether Christ (see R. Ixxix. §. 1.) as is inconsistent with the same viewed such, i. e. considered as Man as well as relative to God. The latter (if I as God, knew that hour, and that St. mistake not) he means to dispatch by E . had opposed the view held aftersaying, that, as H e is the Maker of all wards by the Agnoeta'; at least it is things, and of time among them, and very unlikely that he should use such so cannot be a creature, H e must be an expression of the Son, considered ^aken to be teaching in the text in as God. Comp. R . Ixxix. §. 6.

A a 2

RHYTHM THE »SEVENTY-NINTH. 1. WHICH, my son, is the most glorious" in the comparison, and which, again, is heaviest in the balance, that the Son knoweth not that hour or that H e knovveth it ?

T h e Father

who is great beyond comparison, l i e did declare ; that l i e knew not, and declared that H e >§.6.

yet said

intended not to

pry into, the hour, that by the hour 1 l i e might hinder, yea, that the hour might rebuke thee, bold man, from prying into the L o r d of all hours.

T o T h e e be glory, T h o u Son Christ,

2 p. 355, who knowest all 2 things ! g ^

2. By thine own self know that H e knoweth, since l i e has

§. 4. See prevented and tied up thy knowledge

b

: for thy free-will is a

massin defiled handmaid, which, being in wine, spoileth e x c e e d i n g l y de Inc. her Master's treasures. Chains l i e prepared for her, gyves vii. 6. , also l i e made for her, hedges too, and they surrounded her, and walls, and they encompassed her; and if these preserved her not, from all this her madness is made known. 3

H e knew

p. 102, that the families and tongues, and that the Greeks 3 , that

P' g 1 2 ' are eager after hidden things, were to come to I l i s disciMat.13,pline. F o r it was the net" which collected those of everv 47. a

This K .

of the last R .

p r o b a b l y f o l l o w s out G o d ' s g l o r y , in the

3. first

s e n s e t h e r e m e n t i o n e d , is s h e w n b y H i s c o n c e a l m e n t of t h e h o u r m o r e t h a n b y

w h a t St. E . d o e s . fisher

" A l l h e r e s i e s b a t h our

b y this s h o r t c h a p t e r

Photinus,

Eunomius,

t h e d i s c l o s u r e of it, w h e n s u c h disclosure

chees, he adds, "

w o u l d do us h a r m .

included them

The

s e q u e l is v e r y

and

them

o f w h i r h is g i v e n

w e r e u i m s e f u l as a p r e y . "

b

O r , ' t i e d up t h y k n o w l e d g e b e f o r e -

hand.'

T h e s e n t i m e n t i n t e n d e d is. t h a t

the

T h u s h a t h our

Manifisher

a l l m o n e n e t , to m a k e

l i k e t h e p a s s a g e of S t . I r e i u r u s , a p a i t a b o v e , p. 202, n. d

shut out ; "

and after m e n t i o n i n g A r i u s , S a b e l l i u s ,

unwieldy

at f i a u d , t h o u g h

d e T r i n . i i . § 13 and § . 2 2

they

See a l s o H i l .

wberehespeaks

o f t h e C a t h o l i c F a i t h m u c h as S t . E . d o e s

C h r i s t ' s f o r e k n o w l e d g e is s h e w n b y t h e

h e r e o f C h r i s t ' s d i s c i p l i n e or d o c t r i n e ,

f a c t , t h a t H e d i d nut

o ^ ^ o i -

disclose the h o u r ;

b v setting bounds, which the v e r y men • 7 i r n \ i i c . i who p r e t e n d f u l l y to c o m p1 r e h e n d G o d , 1 , ut b , e c o n•s c i •o u s a r e s e t, ,to J cannot b t h e i•r 1 , 1 ^.i • . i t-u i I T i- ,„• know ed;;e, Christ shews that H e k n e w b e f o r e h a n d t h e w a y in w h i c h man's ..„ , .1 . • L ir w i ulness w o u l d e x e r t itself. ( omp . 1 _ f p . 40r>, r e t . o . „ c A m b r . de > i d . l. b . ( i . a / . ) s p e a k i n g . , T-. iv ; of ' I n the B e g i n n i n g w a s the W o r d , & e . ' m a l e s a s i m i l a r use o f ' t h e n e t ' t o

" A

ereat

thing

is

it

• . r-iwi t h a t m t h a t o n e f a i t h t h e r e a r e as m a n y r e m e d i e.s as . .t h e r e ,a r.e d.,i s e a s e s,,, a n d as m a n y d o c t r i n e s of t r u t h as t h e r e a r e r i v a l r i e s of falsehood. .Let t h e n a m e s o f tL1) h te h e d w n11 ti o o one neeri e ti i ces* bue inr aaw ug; jeetuhieeri tio , , .. , . , . • „ , p l a c e , a n d all t h e i r s c h o o l s s t e p f o r w a r d ; let them hear of one G o d the F a t h e r , , , r t n m a d e of n o n e , of o n e ( J n i v - b e g o t e n g^ &c " ' '

Mail's chief good is God's rule in all He yives him.

357

1

sort. His leaven bridled and brought the wild asses to H i s ' E.. xii. doctrine, and in order that they might not be confused in their race, by one yoke of truth 3 H e taught them one race o f P s - 104> concord. H e gave not a place to the light-footed, that b y 2 R . x x . himself he might run apart from others. H e gave not him§- 4 * that pryeth a place, that ho might be loosened from the yoke of the faith ; [upon] clerks and unlearned men, the subtle and the simple, upon all of them 11 the one yoke of equality was extended, even the yoke of His chariot 3 , whereby the divided 3 p- 285> i

n. a.

gain concord. 3. That we eat, and drink, and sleep, and rise, is of the free power of our will; the senses too possess iree-vvill, in that they have power to do as they wish, yet not to do as much as they wish 0 . T h u s beneath the yoke of love 2 which is put oil them, [and] of truth wherewith they are encompassed, is it, that they neither go astray, nor lead astray, seeing they obey the will of their guide. If where free-will does not exist, it yet does exist, to wit, in the family of brutes 4 , how much rather will it 4 Comp. be found in its own abode, in man, who hatli the motions ofp' himself within his power 5 , that is bounden by the truth, yet free n- k. in his actions, and by perversion can transgress against the»si a'e things that are g o o d ; but if he slip from off the verge of ™ssel of truth, to error is he degraded 7 . tions of 4. One watcheth and [after] sleepeth, and when he c'g'crut sleepeth yet the reward of his watching 6 is reserved for him ; i- §• again, one fasteth and eateth in his season, yet his fast is not coPmp.' by any means lost to him by his eating. For food and fastin

could possibly be concealed from His Finger which shaped, all things? If then this was impossible, it escapcd not His Foreknowledge, and H e prepared a place for it that it might be established therein, and a time when from being secret it should become visible 1 .. W h e n it was not found, yet was i t ! p. 353, found by its Master, seeing it was kept in the treasury o f i e f " J " H i s knowledge. And if it be h i d d e n in the Root, it is not 2 h i d d e n in the F r u i t which is in I l i s Bosom 1 3 . p. 131. f

Comp. §. 1. a n d p. 355, f. and R . x x v i . fin. c. Scrut. i. §. 3. T h r o u g h o u t this discussion St. E . argues sis if t h e whole knowledge of t h e F a t h e r belonged to C h r i s t ; he does not m a k e any distinction b e t w e e n the knowledge of H i s H u m a n N a t u r e and t h a t of H i s Divine,

p. 354, n . e. b u t speaks as if he held t h a t the H u m a n M a t u r e by virtue of I t s union w i t h ' the L i g h t which l i g h t e n e t h every m a n t h a t e o m e t h into this world,' had all knowledge of t h i n g s to come. See E u l o g . ap. P h o t . p. 284. 1. 40. Bekk. and J . D a m a s c . F . 0 . iii. 21.

RHYTHM THE EIGHTIETH. 1 . I N Q U I R E and hearken discriminatingly that faith is a second s o u l a ; and as the body standeth bv the soul, the life of the soul also hangeth on faith, and if it deny it or be divided, it becometh a corpse. T h a t mortal body then dependeth upon the soul, and the soul is dependent upon 1 p. 3*4, faith, and faith also itself dependeth upon the Godhead 1 ; for Scmt f r o m t ' i e Father Himself by the Son the Truth descendeth which R. iii. quickeneth all of them in the Spirit. For by this Truth it is 13 ' that man can link his soul with those above b : by the soul he liveth, and by means of the body he seeth and heareth : by Faith and Love and W i s d o m c he is blended also with the Godhead, and hath His Image formed in him. Let us not then loosen this wondrous fabric, nor let the faith become void in our souls, lest we should become dead invisibly, whereof the Living One said, ' Let the dead bnry their dead !' This air is a soul which without living breath 11 quickeneth the body, and whoso ventureth to cut himself off from it, his life floweth atvay, and he is visibly a dead man ; and whoso cutteth off himself from the W o r d of Truth, his soul is invisibly a corpse. Ezech. "2. I have no pleasure at all in the death of him that dieth, 23 ' witnessed the Living One who quickeneth all. As the Sea, is that True One which cannot be deceived, a Fountain of Life! H e hath made known His Will and hath certified H i s Love, 5 R. x. which thirsteth mightily to kill our death 2 . T h e Scripture f> 7

.

2

.

.

.

hath sealed unto us that the just in faith findeth life.

He

4. a §. 3. A n a s t . Sin. H o d e g . p. 15. " T h e body when without the soul hath no life of itself, neither h a t h the keeping of the commandments without o r t h o d o x y ; for w h a t the soul is to the body, t h a t orthodoxy is to the spirit." I)' Vol. iii. p. 581, b. " B y love and by doctrine when the T r u t h is mingled with t h e m , enhanced and enriched with . ' . ,, , j i i new things is t h a t mind t h a t explores b 1 V, • • .. c with discrimination the treasury ot things unseen.

c This seems to point to three s t a g e s in the spiritual life, of which the last would answer to t h e yya/mnis of St. Clement Strom, vi. 8. Ass. renders, H u j u s aeris respiratio est vitalis spiritus yitamque corpori impertit. This looks as if he m e a n t to | , a v e p r j „ t e d , . , 0 ' ' by means o f ' in, 1 . ; ... . , , , stead ot l i o * without, unless by any , ,, , . . J possibility t h e words ' w i t h o u t l m n z ^ m e a n tancousl wi{l o u r s e n s i h | y r l r a w i n ( f i n o u r bre!;t'h.

Orthodox faith

the root of good v.-orkx.

31

liatli made the Truth as a glorious root, and works' as fruits 1 Comp. hath H e hung upon faith, and suspended) them on the branch a of truth. By a visible type, lo! hidden things shew them-3®**"»selves to thee as it were to the e y e s 3 ; for the body longeth sr.! over the gains as a merchant, and let the mind too g a t h e r ^ * " ' together its treasures as a sailor, into faith the ship 1 of Life ! -»R.xlix. 3. And as the body standeth by the life of the soul, t h e ^ ' ^ j soul too though full of life yet without works is not even §• 2. alive; for by the deeds of faith it is able to live, and the James2, 26

Scriptures are witnesses. Lazarus the faithful answered and ' came forth ! and sweet was his savour through the voice of H i m p.350,n. that called him : and after the type of Lazarus, the Gentiles were quickened with the hidden life; and as a type of the Jews did the thief die that hung himself, and left his ruin as an heritage to the Scribes that hired him.

THREE RHYTHMS CONCERNING THE FAITH .

RHYTHM T H E FlItST. 1. I marvel at our boldness, to such a height hath it mounted! it is not that it hath reached it, that I marvel, but that it thought that it should reach it. For it is not because a man thinks, that he that comprehendeth aught, that he does comprehend i t : it is not from his thinking that he compreT h e scrutinizers 1 too I p. 1 1 6 , hends, for to think is a very easy thing. n . d. e . thought that they comprehended, yet did they not comprehend, because they thought. For high above every mind is the Creator of all minds: H e may not be investigated by man, nor by the Angels ascertained. Nothing made can by 3 » R . x l v . its knowledge describe the Maker, nor even how itself was §. 3 . 11 T h e s e three R h y t h m s have been r e f e r r e d to in t h e m a r g i n a n d n o t e s as contra S c r u t a t o r e s ; t h e three first of t!i \ f o r e g o i n g as arfrersifs S c r u t a t o r e s , for d i s t i n c t i o n ' s s a k e . A s s e m . pra;f. p 18. s p e a k s of t h e m as if d i r e c t e d a g a i n s t t h e A u d i a n s or A n t h r o p o m o r p h i t e s : b u t as no sufficient internal evidence occurs to l e a d m e to t h i n k t h a t t h e y w e r e as a w h o l e d i r e c t e d a g a i n s t t h e m , a n d as W a l c h i u s ( K e t z e i h i s t . iii. p. 3 0 1 . ) c o n f i r m s m e in t h i s o p i n i o n , t h e y h a v e b e e n t r e a t e d r a t h e r as a c o n t i n u a t i o n of t h e f o r e g o i n g B h y t h m s . T h e con-

of G o d in t h e l i k e n e s s of m a n cept) is c o m m o n to m a n y h e r e t i c s : h e r e s y in !ced m a y almo-'t h e said to c o n s i s t in a t t e m p t i n g to r e d u c e G o d to w h a t w e k n o w of t h e h i g h e s t b e i n g w i t h w h i c h e x p e r i e n c e m a k e s us a c q u a i n t e d . H e n c e s u c h p a s s a g e s as § . 1 8 . m a y be e x p l a i n e d a s a p p l y i n g d i r e c t l y to :h w i t h an allusion to t h e \ . •• - '•'• h e r e s y l a y in i n f e r r i n g f r o m G e n . 1, 2 6 . t h a r God w a s like m a n . N o r ought

e v e n t h u s m u c h to b e a s s u m e d o v e r h a s t i l y : f o r , t h o u g h S t . E . does m e n tion t h e A u d i a n s , ( a b o v e , p . 1 9 7 , n . d.) h e m a y allttde to s o m e h e a t h e n e r r o r , such as the I n d i a n notion, t h a t God in c r e a t i n g a s s u m e d t f e h u m a n f o r m , ( P u r u s h a , ) a notion the M a g i a n s are l i k e l y t o h a v e b o r r o w e d in c o m m o n with m a n y others from I n d i a : and from t h e m the A u d i a n s jnay h a \ e copied. F o r t h e a c c o u n t g i v e n of t h e m by T h e o d o r e t , ( H . F . iv. 10. a n d H . F". i v . 10. w i t h w h i c h "Waichius, p. 3 1 6 . q u a r r e l s , ) as h o l d i n g t i r e , d a r k n e s s , a n d w a t e r , t o b e e t e r n a l , is p e r h a p s only a n t e c e d e n t l y i m p r o b a b l e f r o m a n i g n o r a n c e of t h e Oriental systems. T h e notes and m a r g i n a l r e f e r e n c e s will s h e w t h a t t h e r e is a sufficient i escmblance between these and the foregoing R h y t h m s , to m a k e Assem a n ' s a s s e r t i o n (for h e s a y s n o t h i n g to p r o v e it a n y t h i n g m o r e ) h i g h l y q u e s t i o n a b l e : in p a r t i c u l a r s e e p . 3 8 0 . n . b. and p. 3 9 6 , n . 1,

The Son made all things, in not understood

bg any thing.

383

framed, is it adequate to describe. If it be inadequate to [understanding] its own framing 1 , how shall it be adequate to 1 adv. [understanding] its M a k e r ? N o mind can reach to the mighty height of its M a k e r : after this very height h , and below it, is there the prying of tliem that pry. T h e y harass themselves to form some likeness of I l i m , who is like to One alone. T h e y all go astray in the knowing of I l i m , when the One [ S o n ] which H e hath alone lmoweth H i m 0 . 2. l i e is not of the family of things made 2 , that they should 2 adv. search H i m out as if their comrade : H e is not of the race i x i.'§ 2. of things framed, that m a n 3 should describe H i m : nor is He : 1 S. akin to t h e Angels, that they should pry into I l i m as if their f ^g a m kinsman : neither is H e fellow of the Cherubim, who bear H i m irp as L o r d : neither fiieth H e among the S e r a p h i m 4 , 4 R. iii. since H i s Glory is at the R i g h t H a n d : with the ministering j g ^ j ^ spirits H e is not, since H e with H i s Father is ministered ^01Tlt" unto. All the H o s t s of H e a v e n are entrusted unto H i s and c o m m a n d : they cannot see the F a t h e r without the F i r s t - ^ 8" born, their C o m m a n d e r : for neither without H i m were they framed when they were made 5 . T h e eye suificeth for the 3 P- 2 0 9 > light, and with it the whole body is l i g h t e n e d 6 ; the ear6R.' x ii. u n d e r s t a n d e t h the voice, and by it do the limbs h e a r ; the 2mouth tasteth victuals, a n d so by it and with it doth the whole body. T h u s by the Son who is from H i s Bosom' 1 do Angels see the F a t h e r : b y H i m also they hear IJis v o i c e : b y I l i m they receive H i s Gift". T h e r e is no other b r o t h e r ' b S. j i C O j OCJl! O l l i c ' s t a r t i n g ' f r o m , ' ' aparc f r o m i . e. do w h a t the heretics m a y , t h e object which theyassert t h e y comprehend is not God, bnt s o m e . t h i n g else inferior to H i m . R . x x v i i . §. I. c A s s . renders, qui uuus Ipse sibi notus est, this seems to m e to strain the words, especially as the Person intended by the One is plain enough from the foregoing c l a u s e : not to say t h a t the allusion to M a t . xi. 27. is so common with St. E . See adv. Ser. Ix. §. 1. and compare §. 3. below. See note i. ll I r e n . i i .'¡dim. " B y the Son is the F a t h e r revealed and manifested unto all those to whom H e is revealed, for it is they to whom the Son h a t h revealed H i m t h a t know H i m . B u t the Son ever coexisting with the F a t h e r , anciently and from the beginning ever

revealeth the F a t h e r to Angels and A r c h a n g e l s , & c . " iv. 6. §. 7- u T h e knowledge of t h e F a t h e r is the S o n ; t h e knowledge of the Son is in the F a t h e r , and revealed by the Son, and this is w h y the Lord said, N o one knoweth the Son but & c . " Augustin. de C . I), xi. 9. de Cien. ad L i t . iv. Si)—41. Conip. Thomassin de D e o i v . l(i. Some of the A t i a n s held t h e F a t h e r only to be invisible, and not the Son, (see Si. A u s t . c. M a x . i. .'! ) a g a i n s t which error the t e x t seems to be directed, c ' H i s G i f t ' seems to mean ' H i s S p i r i t : ' compare n. f. p. 86. and R . v. 1 with Basil de Sp. S. quoted n. c. 1 G r e g . N y s s . ii p 492, b. " W h e n E u n o m i u s severs the Spirit from H i s u n i o n w i t h t h e S o n , he calls H i m ' O n l y begotten, not having a brother begotten with H i m , ' not with a view nt eon-

o(i4

(rod is revealed

by His

Sun

there to lielp or be holpen. T h e senses need each other, and all of t h e m depend upon each other. T h e creatures ' adv. also depend all upon all as [one] b o d y 1 : things above also lxxix' a r e entrusted to the command of things above t h e m that are §• 7. their comrades, for they c o m m a n d and are c o m m a n d e d one b y another according to their degrees 8 . T h o s e which I have mentioned or omitted, are c o m m a n d e d by the One Firstborn. On H i m are all the creatures suspended, while 2

p. 210, H e is b l e n d e d 3 with H i s Father. H o w wilt thou search j^1- 4 ' out the Only-Begotten, who is b l e n d e d 2 with the F a t h e r h o o d ? If thou canst by searching find out the Father, in H i m and along with H i m wilt thou find the S o n : H e was with His mouth when H e commanded, and f i e was with H i s aim when H e framed [things]. By H i m l i e made, yea, by Him c o m m a n d e d h . H e alone sufficeth for H i m alone. I n H i s Bosom is H e when H e loveth, and on H i s l i i g h t H a n d when sitting. H i m H e loveth, and on H i m H e looked).

3

H i s brightness is too great for H i s .servants: Angels 3 cannot look upon it. Let Moses convince thee in that he •"adv. was made so bright. If of Moses 4 , though a child of m a n , ®°j" v,1I 'the people were unable to bear the sight, who would look xxvi. upon H i s E s s e n c e . T h e One, of I l i m 5 , can look upon H i m , §. 2.

^'rf'd. ref. l.

for overcoming is the8 Brightness of the Father. Only H e alone beholdeth Him , onlv H e alone is able to see H i m ' , and

p. 4 0 6 . ' 6 S. One sees one onlv. cciving H i m as without brethren, but "R.'iii. t h a t he may thereby prove a difference 19. s u b s t a n c e in t h e S p i r i t . T o keep from calling the Holy Spirit ' brother,' we have learnt from Scripture, & c . " Nazianz. Or. p. 59G. m e n t i o n s t h a t t h e h e r e t i c s a r g u e d t h a t if t h e S p i r i t w a s f r o m t h e F a t h e r as well as t h e S o n , T h e y would be b r o t h e r s . % S e e n . d. p . 1 2 0 . T o t h e p a s s a g e s t h e t e r e f e r r e d to, o n e s i m i l a r to t h a t p a s s a g e m a y be here added from St. C v r i l of J e r u s a l e m , ("quoted b y P e t a v i u s de / \ n g e l i s , ii. 1. § 4.) C a t e e h . x i . §. 11. " If a n y o n e ( s u p p o s i n g it p o s s i b l e ) w e r e to g o up i n t o t h e first h e a v e n , a n d u p o n t h e view of t h e c o n s t i t u t e d o r d e r of A n g e l s t h e r e , w e r e to go to them and ask, H o w God begat H i s S o n : ' t h e y will s a v , p e r h a p s , W e h a v e a b o v e us o t h e r s u p e r i o r b e i n g s , a s k t h e m , 1 G o into t h e «eeond h e a v e n , a n d t h e third, & c . ' " f ' o m p . Touttees note,

'

a n d R . iii. §. 19. A i n b r . d e F i d . iv. 2 — 1 0 . F c c l e s . 5 , 8. h T h i s a g a i n is g o i n g c o n c i s e l y o v e r t h e s a m e g r o u n d a s is g o n e o v e r in a d v . S o r . R . vi. §. 4 . §. 5 . S e e o n A t l i a n . p . . ' i l l , i. p . 32-1, b. c. P e t a v . d e O p i f . i. V o l . iii. p. 5 9 2 , c . " I f j o y r a visheth thee, and maketli thee fat a n d well-liking, how much more n i l ! t h e soul b e so t h r o u g h t h e floods of j o y s it will h a v e w h e n i t s a f f e c t i o n s s u c k t h e B r e a s t o f all "Wisdom. Tr rr--, i"-r.f .l-diiiht flow d o w n to t h o s e t h a i -i e l l i m J.•• • in t h e h i i c r h t n r ^ of t h e F a t h e r , t h r o u g h H i s l u - t - b . ' - n , and there they feast t h e m s e l v e s in a p a s t u r e of v i s i o n s .

even /o the hiijhesl

Amjelx.

••}()•')

by One alone all the creatures. it is in ] lis graeiousncss that l i e is a Pardoner, in His righteousness that I l e is an Avenger. B y that H e rewarded), yea, by this H e avengeth 1 ; for H e is the 1 p. 200, measure 2 of His repayments. Tt is in His wrath that H e is in- ?'p. ' 26 flamed, and in His mercy that H e pardonetb: by 11 is knowledge it is that He revealctli, and by His teaching that He teacheth: by H i m f i e teacheth, by Him He maketli H i s creatures 3 rich » §• 5. in His wisdom: and by Him He helpeth them that are i n ^ c f * ' need to blessings irom His treasury. !!y H i m He will give to His wrestlers their crowns, when they are risen again. T h e whole of Him is mingled 4 with the whole of Iiiui. 4 §: 2. Who sufficeth to search into Him ? 4. T h e Angels worship with silence : the Seraphim cry ' I l o l y ' to Him : the Cherubim are laden with [ H i s ] glory: the Wheels run with [ I l i s ] brightness. All of them afar o f f , p - 1 6 4 > by the Revealed One, worship the Hidden Father. If there 1 1 ' were any other essence [to see H i m by], and if it eoidd search into the Son, its power to do so would not be from Him, since it would be unto what was from H i m , that it had power to attain. Or if it knew Him, ( hough external to l l i m , either it were akin to Him, or of the same family. Any other essence if it indeed by itself knew f i l m , either was far off as external to H i m , or near as of the same family 6 . I f there 6 adv. S. were an essence that was related to H i m , it is but a One thatj. i. is many in names only; and should it not be related, then we are among 7 the feeble created beings. Seraphim and Angels 7 S. to are not equal to it, and if there be any other nature, as being external [to H i m ] , it is far removed. O thou creature of 8 dust here below, to what height art thou mounting 8 ? §. (>• W h o hath ever seen the hungry t h a t are satisfied, and are ijlled and intoxi•cated with the floods of glory that flow from the B e a u t y of the E t e r n a l F a i r ness. T h e Lord of every tiling is a treasury of every t h i n g : to every man according to his strength doth H e give glimpses of H i s invisible B e a u t y , and of the B r i g h t n e s s of H i s M a j e s t y , T h a t B r i l l i a n c y giveth shine to all m its love, to the little with its glimmerings, t o the perfect with its full rays, T h e fulness of H i s Glory is His Soil only able to b e a r ! W h o hath ever seen multitudes whose viands were Glory, whose clothing L i g h t , and their

faces B i i l l i a n e y , that ruminate upon and e x h a l e the fulness of H i s G i f t , with a fount of all wisdom irt their mouth, with peace in their mind, truth in their knowledge, fear in their s e a r c h ing, l o i e in their praises! O g r a n t to my belcved, Lord ! that I and they may there light upon the f i a g m e n t s that remain of T h y Gift. T h e sight of T h y Well-beloved is a fountain of delights, and whoso is worthy to regale himself therewith, slighteth food; for every one that gazeth upon T h e e , is by T h e B e a u t y filled. Glory be to Thy Fairness ! " pee n. o, on p. 3r>:>.

3(j()

Gull incomprehensible

to man,

who

5. It is not as the Heaven is high, that the Lord of Heaven is higher than thee: it is in measure that the Heaven is high, hut its Creator is so without measure. For all that is created is JR.lxxi. greater than its fellow by measure 1 : immeasurably high and I'xTHif"'hidden is the Creator above the creatures. [Every] creature §• 2. is the brother servant of its fellow, and 1*6 mo v o d from it [but] by a little space. But the Creator is far removed from H i s creatures' 1 in H i s own Essence. There is One that is near above all unto Him, H e by whom H e being One made all 2

things 2 . T h e servant cometh not near unto Ilim, for H i s Son it is who is near unto Him. N o fellow-servant is by His side, since His Begotten sittetli by H i s side. 6. There is a mighty space betwixt the Creative Essence 3 S. pass and the creature : not that H e did not shed His influence 3 adv.Ser. on it> since without H i m it would not even exist. It R- xl. i s w i t h H i m , not H e with it. H e is mingled with it and * distinct from it, as the sun is near the earth, the nature ol him far from hers. T h e nature of the earth is not like the pure nature of l i g h t : and gold too though of her, is distinct from her, and yet mingled with her. H o w much more separate is the Creator from the creature though H e be with it? l i e is too high for aught to search H i m out. 4 i. 4. Whither wilt thou mount feeble m a n 4 ? Thou dust, that art flung upon dust, let thy conversation be in the d u s t ! Even «"W'isd. the dust which is beneath thee is above thee 5 , to search into ! 9 > 227 If that beneath be too high for thee, how wilt thou attain to p. 257. H i m W h o is above ? If the small dust thy kinsman, from which thou art, is yet hidden from thee, how wilt thou search out the Majesty too high for any to search out ? 5 adv. 7. T h a t dust is in appearance one": it is little and yet K ^ l i S r e a t u P o n searching into it. T h e dust is one and yet not E. Kiv. one, since in its severalty it is manifold. One mean bosom ^ 3' generates tastes that cannot be numbered: one little treasury sendeth forth ornaments that cannot be reckoned. Dust as parent gendereth offsprings that are external to itself: they are not like it in a p p e a r a n c e ; neither are they to one another. From the midst of this little thing is a wonder born to u s ; from the midst of its poverty many treasures adv. E.r"i! S-4-

k S. ^.OiaiAlD §.

vanna!

comprehend

,'he m>js'erie.\

uf lite

dust.

m i

stream forth, from that which is one every thing, for from the earth comes every thing. But the dust in its own self makes no alliance 1 with any of our s?nses ; in the hollow of 1 S. is the ear it is mischief, and in the eve it is i n j u r y 2 ; it stoppeth a i ' g e the gates of hearing, it troubleth the light of seeing. 8. T o all uses it is foreign : of all assistant means it is a§. i. fountain. Though it be foreign to use, yet from it are all useful things 3 . I t is opposed to hunger, yet the table of3 s. uses hunger. Dust to the mouth is a mischief, for it is the bread of the accursed serpent. I t was made bread to the Gen. 3, serpent in wrath, and the table to all in mercies. T h a t which 1 4 ' the eater hath no acquaintance with, yieldeth us all manner of victuals. T h a t which hurleth the sight, purchases for us all medicinable roots ; that which troubleth the eye 4 , opened• nature sendeth forth moistening streams to u s ; from that which in its nature is weak, cometh iron and brass ; that which is poor in appearance, poureth out gold and silver to us. It hath been appointed treasurer to the birds, and as a steward to the beasts; it is a great treasury feeding all, brutes, creeping things, and mankind. 9. There is a miracle in the fine dust, and it is common yet not looked upon. It reconciles in the earth side by side bitter and sweet 5 : by the esculent root there is the deadly root. Comp. It giveth increase to the bitterness of the bitter and to the ¿ •'>_ sweetness of the esculent. The bitter one gathers in its bitterness, and it is not shed out to the sweet one : tlic sweet one gathers in its sweetness, and it is not poured out on those round about it. How much can vile dust do which giveth to each of them its increase ! To the fruits it giveth their tastes, and with their tastes their colours ! to the flowers it gives their odours, and with their odours their ornaments! flavours it giveth to the fruits, and to the roots aromas ! it gives beauty to the blossoms, the flowrers it clothes with ornament! I t is the seed's handicraftsman, it bringeth up the wheat in the ears! the stem is strengthened with knots as a building with bond-timbers,

3(jS

The myxlerioHx

clutixjcx

of I he

dust.

that it may sustain and bear up the fruit, and hold out against the winds. 10. H o w many teats hath the earth that it suckles each one with its sap ! A marvel were it if its teats were as numerous as the roots, that both to bitter and sweet, to each it should 1 5. as give suck according to its nature 1 ! A marvel is it, if it, being uself one, is a breast that givetli increase unto all fruits ! From it roots suck sweet fruits and bitter: in one it fostereth sweetness, and in another bitterness. There is nothing to marvel at in those that are distinct, since the wonder is greater in their * p. 324, being blended 2 . T h e one juice in one tree becomes many kinds. T h e tastes of the fruits are sweet and their leaves are bitter: that very fruit also, when green, was very bitter in its beginning. It shadoweth out a type for penitents; for sweet and luscious is its last estate. 11. If the dust thou tramplest, perplexeth thee in thy search into it, how wilt thou search out the Majesty of H i m who with contemptible things niaketli thee perplexed ? Nothing is there which thou despisest more than dust, nor any thing more valueless than a hair. Lo ! the contemptible dust beneath thee, how little thou compreliendest its riches : even the hair upon thy head overcometh thee, for how 3 S. how entirely 3 art thou unable to compass it. T h e seas and the alone much^^F1'18 ma.y b e > a i l ( l heaven also with the stars; thou not between two contemptible natures hath the Creator placed thee in the midst. T h e Most High beateth thee back, that thou mayest not pry into the Most High. Even what is below rebuketh thee, that thou mayest not measure the mighty Height. By a pair of contemptible natures doth the Lord of natures admonish thee. Let me reprove thy bold daring, that thou be not daring in hidden things : the things close W i s d , 9, at hand which are with thee at all times, refrain thee. Because thy haughtiness is close at hand, close also is that which beateth thee back. 12. Even the horseman without curbs doth not ride at full speed, because there is a difficulty therein ; there is therein obstinacy in the violence of the b e a s t : near to him therefore is the curb. Cast thou bridles upon thy seekings, lest thou run on like a brute beast. There are curbs of self-will, and there are curbs of necessity. Those of thy will are thine own, to refrain

God the Father

partaken

oj through

the .Son

;H(i$i

the violence thy self w i l l ; those of necessity 1 are thy Lord's, rt. so that even if thou dost grow daring, thou art powerless. xxviii. §. 2. R . W h e t h e r thou wiliest, or whether thou wiliest not, the curbs lxx.§. ]. of thy Lord are cast upon thee. T o what purpose, then, thy running o n ? still thyself powerless man ! T h e Father 2R.lxiii. 2. is c o m p l e t e in H i s E s s e n c e 1 , and so is the First-born in H i s §• and R . Generateness, the perfect Father of a perfect Son. Per- ixxviii. 3. C o m p l e t e entirely fect is the B e g o t t e n , as is H i s Begctier. is the R o o t , c o m p l e t e is the Fruit as well as H e . The savours w h i c h are in the Tree, H e keepeth not back from H i s Fruit: the savours of that R o o t w h i c h cannot be ! ad%. meted, dwell in the Offspring thereof. If roots conceal not Scrut. R . ixi. their treasures from their fruits, how should the blessed R o o t §. 3. conceal H i s e x c e l l e n c y from I i i s F r u i t 4 ? L o o k at the tree, R.lxxvi. 1. how it concealcth its savours in its b o s o m from every one ! 1 R . the savours which it concealed from all, are poured out in lxxvii. g.S.n.e. the b o s o m of its fruit! W h e n its fr uiii hatli received them ? it divicleth them to the eaters : b v the means of the fruit is given unto us the sweetness which is in the root. II the fruit had not received it, it w e r e ii3t p o s s i b l e for an v to 1

1 St. E.liere speaks as if the Essence of the Godhead belonged exclusively to the Father, because it does belong underivedly to H i m , because we can eontemplate it in Him apart from any source antecedent (in our way of conceiving it) to it, which we do not do in the case of the Son, as that woula be the heresy of those who have been called the Autotheani. See Petav. de Trin. vi. 1J. §. 5. T h e well-known saying ascribed to St. Hilary, apternitas in Patre, species in Imagine, usus in Munere, is explained by St. Austin (de Trin. vi. §. 11.) on this principle, as follows: " After having investigated to the best of my ability the latent meaning of these wrords, i. e. Father, Image, and Gift, ieternitas and species and usus ; 1 think that in the word eternity he meant nothing more than (non eum secutum arbitror in ;eternitatis vocabulo nisi) that tlie Father hath not a Father to be from, but that the Son is from the Father in such way as to be from H i m , and to he coeternal to H i m . " If the attribute« of Being, Wisdom, and Goodness are ascribed at times severally to the Fa ther, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as though the other Persons were not also each and

all of th\se, such ascription must not. be taken !u a sense implying the externa! opsrations of God io be rise thai! done by the whole Trinity. Such ascription comes in part from our imperfect way oi' • . • . ¡.Timl relations O'" thi I' . • «'. • ; • to conceive these, we use what goes on in our own nind as a type of the Trinity, by enhancing which as best we may by the addition of attributes that we have not, we n a k e such faint eoueepiionx of the "Reality as we can. Thus iL-ing is the corrtlative of the Father, as rhe Fountain of the Godhead, Wisdom of the Son, as the Image or Word of rhe "Divine Mind, conceived as expressed and form,'d as it weie into an i^sue in I t , Goodness or Love of the Spbit as That in vrhich i hose again isrme ; - j t nally and iniminseh. See .Pot a v. do Tri«, vi. •). 10. viii* 4. i. 4. end compare rhe notes to E . Ivii. and p. u. d. The word for Essence in Sr. K. is that which occurs in He!>. j, ?>. (where our v i s i o n renders 6 I'eisoii,') and is clusely allied to one u l i c h Le •uses sou etinies for • eternal, 1 sometimes for 1 being.' Comp. R. xxvii. §. 1. where it is used of God not as H e is Father., but ns He is God.

b

370

The revelation

t/icen to Simon

Barjona

attain to it. T h e root givetli it to its fruit, because it lovetli it better than all. T h e fruit yieldeth its sweetness to them that need it, because it lovoth them ! H o w much more doth the Father love I l i s Fruit, and the Fruit love them that eat 1

R. x. H i m 1 ! L o ! the hidden things of the R o o t can be tasted in '' the Fruit ! D o not thou create out of thine own mind a new

adv. doctrine in thy generation 2 ! Scrut. 3 3. Sufficient for thee is that which hath come d o w n from R . xliv.

2

§. o. the former fountains 3 ; blessed art thou, if thou be sufficient p^139" f ° r streams that come from thence ! Four fountains 1 flow edown with Truth for the four quarters [of the world]. Thy P 'thirst is not greater than S i m o n ' s 5 ; sufficient for thee are n, e." Mat. 1G, T h e revelation w h i c h came down s t r e ; m i s l 1 0 drank. 5 R.ii. from above slaked his strong thirst: the mighty stream that ?/ came to him flowed from h i m 0 and came to thee. Greater in. 5.11. p- 57, is it than the flood of E d e n ; run not to the streamlets ! ref. Q j . e a t e i . than all creatures' need, is that which floweth d o w n from the Lord of the creatures. F o r that revelation floweth 7 Comp. down until now, and for ever 7 . T h o u lovest n o t the S o n more than Simon that heard and w a s silent: he was the in n. h. speaker in every place, he was silent only in that place. T h o u g h he was quite silent in the Supper, y e t he kept not John 13 from beckoning. B u t here he was wholly silent: the saint 24 pondered it and kept silence : b y silence did he set a boundary to his tongue: b y stillness stilled he his criticising. T h e boundary which Simon passed not, lo! this do the bold disputers trample down. A marvel is there in the Scriptures, 6 E. lix.and to the contentious it maketh not itself visible 8 . Our L o r d was not violent 1 " for this, for teaching H i s own Generation unto Simon ; H e became a stranger to Himself, and H i s Father it was that revealed concerning I l i m . It was not that our L o r d was unable to reveal concerning Himself, but that H e

0

m SeeR.ii.§.8. T h i s seems to allude to two t e x t s , M a t t . xi. 12. and P h i l . ii.G. which are thus combined in the spurious work ascribed to St.Dionvsius ofAlexandria, contr. Paul S a m . B . P . p. 292, d, " J e s u s Christ being, as X said before, in t h e form of G o d . . . .counted it not robbery (ioxuyp.'bv) to be equal to God. W h a t he heie mean« is, that it is not as they who by virtue, toils, ike. ( k ^ a ^ o v a t rob or) take by foi ce the kingdom of God, as it is w r i t t e n , ' the

kingdom of H e a v e n suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force it is not so that Christ J e s u s , who was not perfected by the toils of virtue, gained the being equal to G o d , " T h e r e seems to be also an allusion in §. 2. and here to the widely received view, t h a t our Lord had a certain scope of doctrine to teach, and t h a t H e did not Himself go beyond it, but spoke as if H e w a s ign o r a n t of w h a t did not come within t h a t scope. See P e t a v . d e T r i n . ii. 3. §.] 0.

sufficient

nourishment

to souls that pry no! into it.

371

iu l l i s Person might sot an example to bold disputants'. For if R e were silent about His own Generation, who would j^x'jxT'' be bold about His Generation? and if He were silent, and §• revealed not Himself, who would pvv into His Birth? Then M «t n , 2" did H e confirm this saying,' the Fatli 21- knowetii the Son ;' H e became Himself silent, that His Generator might tell of H i m . 14. The Father, in whose Bosom 2 the Son is, knowetii how 2 p-J3i>to declare H i m . T h e One Father of tiie One First-born beginneth and maketh an end of the declaring of H i m , as also the First-born began and mace an end of His Will. John 5, T h e declaring of questions has failed, yet our rash d i s p u t i n g 1 ' ' is not satisfied. Pride laboureth in n i w J thiuL's, that i t 3ret' §•]•!• 'j may not repeat those things which were heretofore: it is a small thing to the haughty man to hand on the truth, as it is written : seeking after things too deep, lie strips oil' the truth of things revealed. Picture to thyself Simon, make a likeness of him : the fisher became a painter. He painted a model for the Churches: let every man paint 4 it upon his own Rheart. Let us all say unto the Son, Thou art the Son of the Penri living God, This sentence is too great for things above, o i ' ^ j ' ^ ' things below; let it be to thee a constant biead, and do thouxxxi.R. never reject it any day! Blessed lie whom alone the Son of™ 1 ] 5 ;' God called so ! that blessing which our Lord gave him, made xlii;§him blessed. plifio'4' 15. Bring thine eye near the light'', and in it it s e e t h e without prying into it, and to sleep also it turneth itself, andxxvii. doth not trouble itself with investigating it. Bring thy mouth f j 2i'xx'v nigh unto fruits, yet it does not approximate to an examina-?tion of them, Upon the face of the earth thou walkest, and how far art thou from seeking out the end thereof". Delightful" R. to thee is the whole creation', without seeking or prying i n t o ^ Y " " ' it. Thou rejectest measurable things, and seekest after t h e 7 E ... Almighty: with the creation thou keepest in quiet, with the §".2.'" Creator in d i s p u t i n g ; calm and still altogether art thou with all, but fretful art thou with the Lord of all. 16. In measure dost thou get thyself nourished, and without measure dost thou pry. Small is the womb 8 of thy mind : 8 doctrine in measure give thou unto it. According as itsXx™iiiR' womb is, so is its nourishment: let it not take too much, and die. Be thou fed with doctrine, that table which n. a. (iii, r> b 2

;372

God's Lncomprehensibleness

and man's

vain

sustaineth all! This is the Tabic of the Kingdom, take thou a little according as thou canst relish i t ! let not its pleasantness lead thee to many things which thou canst not relish! Disputation in due measure is a medicine " of life : without 'R.lxvii.measure a medicine of death '. Oh thou that drinkest water in measure, make a measure also for thy searching! over- Rmuch water 2 is more lilting than overmuch questioning. It is not b f.T.&'g. }" a little that l i e is greater than thee, that thou shouldest 213 l ' e a c ^ thyself out to 1 lis Height! By how much the Heaven is P higher than thee, is He higher than the Heaven itself: and a 3

hundred times more, in proportion 3 , is the searching into j^ " Ilim too high for thee. It is not that He is hard of approach in His high places, that H e cannot be tracked o u t ; l i e is easy and visible to His servants, yet withdrawn and hidden 4 p. 306, from l i i s creatures 4 . l i e is within every thing : l i e is without, a k ' ' every thing. As H e is near to us in 1 i is graciousness, just so far above us is the investigation of S si in ! Thus much may the knowing know: naught beyond it may he know ! 17. T h e mind laboureth to explore l l i m , and that H e exists 5 p. 337, is all it feeleth *! the reason toil Jtli to attain unto Him, when it ' thinkelli that it is near, it is far off! the senses and with them the thoughts have hastened, yet have they not compre01 3

See on a d v . t c r u i . Li. ii. 3. R . viii. § . 4 . R . i x . § . 4. V el. iii. ii.th'!), a. " T h e colour of wool m a y b e c h a n g e d ; butthesubstanceofiteannotbechanged: neitherdothitfromputthigonallcolours, f r o m its colour lose its n a t u r e ; it is one, y e t n o t o n e , a n d m a n i f o l d in its eoloins, single in w h a t is its s u b s t a n c e . T h o u g h t h e t r u t h also h a t h b u t one s u b s i s t e n c e , ( > 0 0 1 . 0 . ) i t i s u t t e r e d i n all w o r d s , w h i l e one in its s u b s t a n c e . F o r t h e s u b s t a n c e which is w i t h o u t division is divided b y t h e h e r e t i c ' s m o u t h ; t h e v force it to be a o a i n s t itseli. t h e v compel one half to lie a g a i n s t 'it* either half. The s u b s t a n c e in t h e f a i t h f u l (p. 2 0 0 , n . a. p . 3 4 7 , ref. 8.) is at p e a c e c l e a r , still, h e a l t h f u l ; it is troubled by the k n o w i n g men ; ' i t i« b v s t i i f e s in t h e m o u t h s of d i s p u i e r s t h a t the t r u t h w r e s t l e s with itself. P u t in the h e a l t h f u l h e a r e r healthful words agree with their neighb o a r s : a p r u d e n t d i s p u t a n t is like a b u i h l e r t h a t m a k e t h sound and b i n d e t h , t h a t U i i i d e t h and t i e t h . T h e s p i r i t u a l a r c h i t e c t of s c r i p t u r a l words b u i l d e t h und finisheth t h e l a n g u a g e like a t o w e r ,

t h a t it m a y be a p l a c e of r e f u g e for t h e e a r to ilee to a w a y from e r r o r s . H e is a p u r v e y o r of p e a c e to t h e p a s s a g e s of S c r i p t u r e , t h o u g h t hy fools to he a t variance. H e reconciles t h e m by i n t e l l e c t as not at w r a t h , h e m a k e s t h e m a g r e e by wisdom as n o t d i v i d t d . T h e a u d i e n c e too t h a t w e r e a t w i a t h h e r e c o n c i l e s ; a t w r a t h t h e y w e r e and *et a t w r a t h . W h e n t h e books t h a t h a d J>ft b c e n a t w r a t h h a r e reconciled t h e hearers, then are the texts reconciled one w i t h a n o t h e r . " P a r t of t h e l a s t s e n t e n c e , w h i c h t h e editor p r u d e n t l y a b r i d g e s in t r a n s l a t i n g , is o b s e u r e d b y a . . , " l " " m s ' P»nt i r ^ f o ' ' I f f fl>. T h e w h o l e P ^ f » however, plainly conc a f:™s t h e olllce t h e o l o g i a n to b e f l a e f l y in e x e m s n i g i t s e l f i n m e a s u r e , e W l t h m ' c e r t a i n l i m i t s , in r e f e r e n c e to a certain rtannaid, u n a l t e r a b l e in « » < > * t h °