The Festal Epistles

The Festal Epistles

continued

Letter 11.

1 Coss. Constantius Augustus II., Constans I.; Prefect. Easter-day Philagrius, the Cappadocian, for the second time; Indict. on Apr. 15. XII.; Easter-day XVII. Kal. Mai.; XX. Pharmuthi; Afra Dioclet. 55. THE blessed Paul, being girt about with every virtue, and called faithful of the Lord—for he was conscious to himself of nothing but what was a virtue and a praise, or what was in harmony with love and godliness—familiarized these things to himself the more, and was carried up even to heavenly places, and was borne to Paradise; to the end that, as he surpassed the conversation of men, he should be exalted above men. And when he descended, he preached to every man; We know in part, and we prophesy in part; 9. 12. here I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. For, in truth, he was known to those saints who are in heaven, as their fellow-citizen. And in relation to all that is future and perfect, the things known by him here were in part; but with respect to those things which were committed and entrusted to him by the Lord, he was perfect; as he said, We who are perfect, should be thus minded. For as the Gospel of Christ is the fulfilment and accomplishment of the ministration which was supplied by the law of Israel, so future things will be the accomplishment of such as now exist, the Gospel being then fulfilled, and the faithful receiving those things which, not seeing now, they yet hope for, as Paul saith; For what a man

2 24. 25. Conf. Eph. vi. 14. Conf. 1 Cor. iv. 4. ᶜ The reading of the Ms. 𐩀𐩁𐩁𐩁 𐩀𐩁𐩁 we should read 𐩀𐩁𐩁𐩁𐩁 must be an error for 𐩀𐩁𐩁. Conf. Eph. ii. 19. I have no doubt that the Syriac Ms. is again faulty here, and that for 𐩀𐩁𐩁𐩁𐩁 we should read 𐩀𐩁𐩁𐩁𐩁 𐩀𐩁𐩁𐩁 as here rendered. seeth, why doth he also hope for? But if we hope for those things we see [not], we then by patience wait for them. 3 Since then that blessed man was of such a character, and an apostolic grace was committed to him, he wrote, wishing that all men should be as he was. For virtue is philanthropic, and the company of the kingdom of heaven is a large one: for thousands of thousands and myriads of myriads there serve the Lord. And though a man enters it through a strait and narrow way, yet, having entered, he beholds an immeasurable space, and a place greater than any other, as they declare, who were eye-witnesses and heirs of these things. Thou didst place afflictions before us. But afterwards, having related their afflictions, they say, Thou broughtest us forth into a wide place: and again, In affliction Thou hast enlarged us. For truly, my brethren, the course of the saints here is a troubled one; since they either endure painfulness through longing for those things which are to come, as he who said, Woe is me that my pilgrimage is prolonged; or they are afflicted and wearied for the salvation of other men, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying, Lest, when I come to you, God should humble me, and I should bewail on account of many of those who have before sinned, and not repented for the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciriousness which they have committed. As Samuel bewilled for the destruction of Saul, and Jeremiah wept for the captivity of the people. But after this affliction, and sorrow, and sighing, when they depart from this world, a certain divine gladness, and pleasure, and exultation receives them, from which pain, and sorrow, and sighing, flee away.

4 Since we are thus circumstanced, my brethren, let us never depart from the way of virtue; but also that we should be such persons, he (St. Paul) exhorted, saying, Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ. For he not only gave this advice to the Corinthians—since he was not their Apostle alone—but also, since he was a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity, us also, even all of us, he admonished by them; and, in short, the things he wrote to each particular person are commandments common to all men. On this account, when he wrote to others, some he exhorted, as, for instance, in the Epistles to the Romans, and the Ephesians, and Philemon. Some he reproved, and was indignant with them, as in the case of the Corinthians and Galatians. But to some he gave advice, as to the Colossians and Thessalonians. The Philippians he approved of, and was made glad by them. The Hebrews he taught that the law was a shadow to them. But to his elect sons, Timothy and Titus, when they were near, he gave instruction; when far away, he put them in remembrance. For he was all things to all men; and being himself a perfect man, he adapted his teaching to the need of every one, so that by all means he might rescue some of them. Therefore his word was not without fruit; but, in every place, it is planted and productive even to this day. And wherefore, my beloved?

5 For it is necessary that we should search into the apostolic mind. Not only in the beginning of the Epistles, but also at their close, and in the middle of them, he used persuasions and admonitions. I hope, therefore, that by your prayers, I shall, in no respect, give a false representation of the plan of that holy man. As he was well skilled in these divine matters, and knew the power of the divine teaching, he deemed it necessary, in the first place, to make known the word concerning Christ, and the mystery regarding Him; and then afterwards to point to the correction of habits, so that when they had learned to know the Lord, they might readily acquiesce in the observance of those things which He commanded. For when the 6 Conf. Letter ii. p. 15, and Letter iii. p. 28. Vid. note x to Letter vii. p. 62. Guide to the laws is unknown, one does not readily pass on to the observance of them.

7 The faithful Moses, the minister of God, adopted this method; for when he promulgated the words of the divine dispensation of laws, he first proclaimed the matters relating to the knowledge of God: Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one Lord. Afterwards, having shadowed Him forth to the people, and taught of Him in Whom they ought to believe, and informed their minds of Him Who is truly God; then he further lays down the law relating to those things whereby a man may be well-pleasing to Him, saying, Thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal; together with the other commandments. For also, according to the Apostolic teaching, He that draweth near to God must believe that He is, and that He is a recorder of them that seek Him. Now He is sought by means of virtuous deeds, as the prophet saith: Seek ye the Lord, and when ye have found Him, call upon Him; when He is near to you, let the wicked forsake his ways, and the lawless man his thoughts. It will also be well if a man is not offended at the testimony of the Shepherd, saying in the beginning of his book, Before all things believe that there is one God, Who created and established all these things, and from non-existence called them into being. And, further, the blessed Evangelists— those who brought to remembrance the words of the Lord— in the beginning of the Gospels, wrote the things concerning our Saviour;

8 so that, having first made known the Lord, the Creator, they might command belief, when narrating the events that took place. For how could they have been credited, when writing respecting him who [was blind] from his mother's womb, and those other blind men who recovered their sight, and those persons who rose from the dead, and the changing of water into wine, and those lepers who were cleansed; if they had not taught of Him as the Creator, writing, In the beginning was the Word! Or, according to Matthew, that He Who was born of the seed of David, was Emmanuel, and the Son of the living God? He from Whom the Jews, with the Arians, turn away their faces, but Whom we acknowledge and worship. 9 The Apostle, therefore, also, as was meet, sent to others; but his own son he plainly reminded, that he should not despise the things in which he had been instructed by him. He also enjoined him: Remember Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Gospel. But as he speaks of these things being delivered to him, to be always had in remembrance, so he immediately writes to him, saying, Meditate on these things: be engaged in them. For constant meditation, and the remembrance of divine words, strengthens piety towards God, and produces a love to Him inseparable and not merely formal; as he (S. Paul) entertaining such feelings, speaks in behalf of himself and others like-minded, saying boldly, What shall separate us from the lore of God? For they who are such, being confirmed in the Lord, and possessing an unshaken disposition towards Him, and being one in spirit, (for he who is joined

10 well as by the Arians, who, however, perverted its meaning. In the fragment of the thirty-ninth epistle, the 'Shepherd' is also excluded from the Canon. 11 to the Spirit is one spirit, are sure as the mount Sion; and although ten thousand trials may rage against them, they are founded upon a rock, which is Christ. In Him the careless take no delight; and while they entertain no imaginations of good thoughts, they are sullied by temporal attacks, and esteem nothing more than the unstable things here, being reproachable as regards the faith. For either the care of this world, or the deceitfulness of riches, chokes them; or, as Jesus said in that parable which had reference to them, since they have not established the faith that has been preached to them, but are only for a time, immediately, in time of persecution, or when affliction ariseth through the word, they are offended. Now of men of evil imaginations we say, [they regard] not truth, but falsehood; and not righteousness, but iniquity, for their tongue learneth to speak lies. They have done evil and have not ceased, that they might repent. For, persevering with delight in wicked actions, they hasten thereto without turning back, even treading underfoot the commandment with regard to neighbours, and, instead of loving them, devise evil against them, as the saint testifies, saying, And those who seek me evil have spoken vanity, and imagined deceit all the day. But that the cause of such meditation is none other than the want of instruction, the divine proverb has already declared; The son that forsaketh the commandment of his father meditateth evil words.

12 But for such meditation as this, inasmuch as it is evil, the Holy Spirit chides in these, and reproves too in other terms, saying, Your hands are polluted with blood, your fingers with sins; your lips have spoken lawlessness, and your tongue imagineth iniquity: no man speaketh right things, nor is there true judgment. But what the end is of such perverse imagining, He immediately declares, saying, They trust in canities and speak falsehood; for they conceive mischief, and bring forth lawlessness. They have 13 The proper reading of the text is, He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit. The Peschito version adds 'with Him'—is one spirit with Him. Conf. Pseudo-Chrys. As the Church built by Christ cannot be thrown down, so any such Christian who has built himself upon Christ no adversity can overthrow, according to that, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Catena Aurea, vol. i. p. 292, ed. Oxford, 1841. Vid. note k, Letter v. p. 39. The exact words do not occur in Scripture. The quotation is probably made up of more than one proverb. hatched the eggs of an asp, and woven a spider's web; and he who is prepared to eat of their eggs, when he breaks them finds gall, and a basilisk therein. But, again, what the hope Isaiah 59, of such is, He has already announced. Because righteous- 9-11. ness does not overtake them, when they waited for light, they had darkness; when they waited for brightness, they walked in a thick cloud. They shall grope for the wall like the blind, and as those who have no eyes shall they grope; they shall fall at noon-day as at midnight; when dead, they shall groan. They shall roar together as a bear, or [mourn] as a dove.

14 This is the fruit of wickedness; these rewards are given to those that employ it; for perverseness does not deliver those who regard it. But, in truth, against them it opposes itself, and before them it tears, and rather prepares for them harm. Woe to them against whom these are borne! for it is sharper than a two-edged sword, slaying beforehand those who will lay hold of it. For their tongue, according to the testimony of the Psalmist, is a sharp sword, and their teeth spears and arrows. But the wonderful part is that while often he against whom men imagine [harm] suffers nothing, they are pierced by their own spears: for they possess, even in themselves, before they reach others, anger, wrath, malice, guile, hatred, bitterness. Although they may not be able to bring these upon others, they forthwith return upon and against themselves, as the Psalmist prays, saying, Let their sword enter into their own heart. There

15 22. is also such a proverb as this: The wicked is encircled by the chain of his sins. The Jews in their imaginings, and in their agreeing to act unjustly against the Lord, forgat that they were bringing wrath upon themselves. Therefore also does the [divine] word lament for them, saying, Why do the people exalt themselves, and the nations imagine vain things? For vain indeed was the imagination of the Jews, meditating death against the Life, and devising unreasonable things 1 In his exposition on this passage in the Psalms, S. Athan, directly refers these words to the conduct of the Jews against our Lord in putting Him to death, as he also does here. 3 The parallel clause of this sentence would seem to determine, that by 'Life' here we must understand Christ. 16 against the Word of the Father. For who that looks A.D. 3:9. upon their dispersion, and the desolation of their city, may not aptly say, Woe unto them, for they have imagined an 10. eril imagination, saying against their own soul, let us bind the righteous man, because he is not pleasing to us. And full well is it so, my brethren; for when they erred concerning the Scriptures, they knew not that he who diggeth a pit for his neighbour falleth therein; and he who destroyth a hedge, a serpent shall bite him. And if they had not turned their faces from the Lord, they would have feared what was before written in the divine Psalms: The heathen are caught in the pit which they made; in the snare which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is known when executing judgments: by the works of his hands is the sinner taken. Let them observe this, and how that the snare they know not shall come upon them, and the net they hid take them. But they understood not these things, for had they done so, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Therefore the righteous and faithful servants of the Lord, who are made disciples for the kingdom of heaven, and bring Mat. 13, 52. forth from it things new and old; and who meditate on the words of the Lord, when sitting in the house, when lying down or rising up, and when walking by the way;—since they are of good hope because of the promise of the Spirit which said, Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of corrupters; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night;—being grounded in faith, rejoicing in hope, fervent in spirit, they Ps. 49, 3.

17 (LXX. vers.) have boldness to say, My mouth shall speak of wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. And again, I have meditated on all Thy works, and on the work of Thy hands has been my meditation. And, If I have remembered Thee on my bed, and in the morning have meditated on Thee. Afterwards, advancing in boldness, they say, The meditation of my heart is before Thee at all times. And he immediately after introduces us to the end of such an one, saying, The Lord is my Helper and my Redeemer. For to those who thus examine themselves, and conform their hearts to the Lord, nothing adverse shall happen; for, indeed, their heart is strengthened by confidence in the Lord, as it is written, They who trust in the Lord [shall be] as the mount Sion: he who dwelleth in Jerusalem shall not be moved for ever. For if, at any time, the crafty one shall be presumptuously bold against them, chiefly that he may break the rank of the saints, and cause a division among brethren; even in this they look to the Lord, not only as an avenger on their behalf, but also, when they have already been beaten, as a deliverer for them. For this is the divine promise; The Lord shall fight for you.

18 14. 12. 113. 14. And further, although afflictions and trials from without overtake them, yet, being fashioned after the apostolic words, and being stedfast in tribulations, and persevering in prayers; by meditation, moreover, on the law; they stand against those things which befall them, are well-pleasing to God, and give utterance to the words which are written, Afflictions and distresses are come upon us; but Thy commandments are my meditation. And whereas, not only in action, but also in the thoughts of the mind, do men attend to deeds of virtue, he afterwards adds, saying, Mine eyes prevent the dawn, that I might meditate on Thy words. For it is meet that the spiritual meditations of those who are whole should precede their bodily actions. And does not our Saviour, when intending to convey similar instruction, begin with the thoughts of the mind? saying, Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery: and, Whosoever shall be angry with his brother, A.21. 339, is guilty of murder. For where there is no wrath, murder is prevented; and where lust is first removed, there can be no crime connected with adultery.

19 Necessary then is meditation on the law, and uninterrupted converse with virtue, that the saint may lack nothing, but be perfect to every good work. For by these things is the promise of eternal life, as Paul wrote to Timothy, calling constant meditation exercise, and saying, Exercise thyself unto godliness; for bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable for all things, since it has the promise of the present life, and of that which is eternal. Worthy, indeed, of admiration is the virtue of that man, my brethren! for, through Timothy, he also enjoins upon all the necessity of devoting the mind to nothing in preference to godliness: yet, above every thing, to determine upon faith in God. For what favour has the perverse man to expect, though he may fancy he keeps the commandments? Nay, rather, the perverse man is unable even to keep a portion of the law; for, as is his conscience, such, of necessity, must be his actions; as also the Spirit reproves such, saying, The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. After this, the Word, shewing that actions correspond with the thoughts, says, They are corrupt; they are profane in their machinations. The perverse man, then, is in every respect corrupt in his body: stealing, committing adultery, cursing, being drunken, and doing such like things. Even as Jeremiah, the prophet, convicted Israel of these things, crying out and saying, Oh, that I had a lodge far off in the wilderness! then would I leave my people and depart from them:

20 for they are all adulterers, an assembly of oppressors, who draw out their tongue as a bow; lying and not truth has prevailed upon the earth, and they proceed from iniquities to iniquities; but Me they have not known. Thus, on account of their wickedness and falsehood, and their deeds, in that they proceed from iniquity to iniquity, he reproves their machinations; but, because they knew not the Lord, and were faithless, he charges them with perverseness. For faith and godliness are allied to each other, and sisters; and he who believes in Him is godly, and he also who is godly, believes the more. He therefore who is in a state of wickedness, undoubtedly also erreth from the faith; and he who falleth from godliness, falleth from the true faith. Paul, for instance, bearing testimony to the same point, 21 16. 17. advises his disciple, saying, Aroid profane conversations; for they rather advance in ungodliness, and their word doth eat as doth a canker, of whom are Hymenæus and Philetus. In what their perverseness consisted he declares, saying, 18. Who have erred from the faith, saying that the resurrection is already past. But again, desirous of shewing that faith 12. is yoked with godliness, the Apostle says, And all those who will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution. Afterwards, that no man should renounce godliness through persecution, he counsels them to preserve the faith, adding, 14. Thou, therefore, continue in the things thou hast learned, and hast been assured of. And as when brother is helped by brother, they become as a wall to each other; so faith and godliness, being of kindred growth, hang together; and he who is occupied in the one, of necessity is strengthened by the other. Therefore, wishing the disciple to be exercised in godliness unto the end, and to contend in faith, he

22 counsels them, saying, Fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life. For if a man first put away the perverseness of idols, and properly confesses Him Who is truly God, he also then fights by faith with those who war against him. For of these two things we speak of—faith and godliness—the hope is the same, even everlasting life; 7. 8. for he saith, Fight the good fight of faith; lay hold on eternal life. And, exercise thyself unto godliness, for it hath the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 23 For this cause, the Ario-maniacs, who now have gone out from the Church, being opposers of Christ, have digged a pit of unbelief, into which they themselves have been thrust; and, since they have advanced in ungodliness, they overthrow the faith of the simple; blaspheming the Son of God, and saying that He is a creature, and has His being from things which are not. But as then against the adherents of Philetus and Hymenæus, so now the Apostle forewarns all men against ungodliness like to theirs, saying, The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His; and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. For it is well that a man should depart from wickedness and deeds of iniquity, that he may be able properly to celebrate the feast; for he who is defiled with the pollutions of the wicked is not able to sacrifice the Passover to the Lord our God. Thence, also, the people who were then in Egypt said, We cannot sacrifice the Passover in Egypt to the Lord our God. For God, Who is over all, willed that they should go far away from the servants of Pharaoh, and from the furnace of iron: so that being set free from wickedness, and having carefully put away from them all strange notions, they might be recipients of the knowledge of God and virtuous deeds. For He saith, Go far from them: depart from the midst of them, and touch not the unclean things.

24 For a man will not otherwise depart from sin, and lay hold on virtuous deeds, than by meditation on his acts: and when he has been practised by exercise in godliness, he will lay hold on the reward of the confession of faith; which also Paul, after he had fought the fight, possessed, namely, the crown of righteousness which was laid up; which the righteous Judge will give, not to him alone, but to all who are like him. 25 For meditation like this, and exercise in godliness, since it was always familiar to the saints, should be familiar to us also, at such a time as the present, when the divine word requires us to keep the feast with them. For what is the feast, but the constant worship of God, and the recognition of godliness, and unceasingp prayers, with concord, from the whole heart? In this manner, Paul, wishing us to be thus disposed, enjoins, saying, Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in every thing gire thanks. Not, therefore, in a divided manner, but unitedly and collectively, let us all keep the feast together, as the prophet exhorts, saying, O come, let us rejoice in the Lord; let us make a joyful noise unto God our Saviour. Who then is so negligent, or who so disobedient to the divine command, as not to forsake every thing, and run to the general and common assembly of the feast? which is not in one place only, for

26 not one place alone keeps the feast; but into all the earth their song has gone forth, and to the ends of the world their words. And the sacrifice is not offered in one place, but in every nation, incense and a pure sacrifice is offered unto God. When in this united manner from all those who are in every place, praise and prayer shall ascend to the gracious and good Father; when the Catholic Church, which is in every place, with gladness and rejoicing, celebrates together the same worship to God; when all men in common send up a song of praise and say, Amenq; how blessed will it not be, my brethren! who will not, at that time, be engaged, praying devoutly? For even the walls of every adverse power, yea even of Jericho especially, falling down, and the gift of the Holy Spirit being then richly poured upon all men, every man perceiving the coming of the Spirit shall say, We are all filled in the morning with Thy favour, and we rejoice and are made glad in our days.

27 Since then these things are so, let us make a joyful noise with the saints, and let no one of us fail of his duty in these things; thinking nothing of the affliction or the trials which, especially at this time, have been enviously directed against us by the party of Eusebius. They even now wish to injure us, and, by their accusations, to compass our death, on account of godliness, whose defender is the Lord. But, as faithful servants of the Lord, (since ye know that there is salvation for us in the time of trouble; for our Lord also promised, saying, Blessed are ye when men revile you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for your reward is great in heaven. Again, it is the word of the Redeemer, that affliction shall not befall every man in this world, but only those who have a holy fear of Him,—on this account, the more the enemies afflict us, the more should we be enlarged; although they revile us, we should still contend; and in proportion as they would turn us aside from godliness, we should boldly preach it, saying, All these things are come upon us, yet have we not forgotten Thee. And we have not acted perversely with the Ariomaniacs, who say that Thou hast existence from those things that exist not. The Word, which is eternally with the Father, is also from Him.

28 Let us therefore keep the feast, my brethren, celebrating it not as worthy of grief and mourning; neither let us be confounded with heretics through temporal troubles brought upon us by godliness. But if any thing that would promote joy and gladness should offer, let us attend to it; so that our heart may not be sad, like that of Cain; but that, like faithful and good servants of the Lord, we may hear the words, Enter into the joy of thy Lord. For we do not 96*The Arians and the Jews equally opposed to Christ.* 29 introduce days of mourning and sorrow, as a man may consider those of the Passover to be; but we keep the feast, being filled with joy and gladness. We keep it then, not regarding it after the deceitful error of the Jews; nor according to the teaching of the Arians, which takes away the Son from the Godhead, and numbers Him among creatures; but as viewing it according to the correct doctrine we derive from the Lord. For the deceitful error of the Jews, and the unbounded impiety of the Arians, involve nothing but sad reflections. The former, indeed, commenced with killing the Lord; the latter remove the occasion of His conquering that death which was brought upon Him by the Jews, in that they say He is not the Creator, but a creature. For if He were a creature, He would have been holden by death; but if He was not holden by death, as the Scriptures aver, He is not a creature, but the Lord of the creatures, and the substance of this immortal feast. For the Lord of death would abolish death; and being Lord, what He would was accomplished; for we have all passed from death unto life. But the imagination of the Jews, and of those who are like them, was vain in regard to Him, since the result was not such as they contemplated, but turned out adverse to themselves; and at them He that sitteth in the heaven shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Farther, when our Saviour was led to death, He restrained the women who followed Him weeping, saying unto them, Weep not for Me; meaning to shew that the Lord's death is an event, not of sorrow, but of joy, and that He Who dies for us, is alive. For He does not derive His being from those things which are not, but from the Father.

30 It truly is a subject of joy, that we can see the signs of victory against death, even our own incorruptibility, through the body of the Lord. For since He rose gloriously, it is clear that the resurrection of all of us will take place; and since His body remained without corruption, there can be no doubt regarding our incorruption. For as by one man, Rom. 5, as saith Paul, (and it is the truth) sin passed upon all men, so by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall all rise. For, he says, this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But this took place in the time of the Passion, in which also our Lord died for us, for our Passorer, Christ, is sacrificed. Therefore, because He was sacrificed, let each of us feed upon Him, and with alacrity and diligence partake of His sustenance; since He is given to all without grudging, and is in every one a well of water flowing to everlasting life.

31 We begin the fast of forty days on the ninth of the month Phanenoth (Mar. 5.); and having, in these days, served the Lord with abstinence, and first purified ourselves, we also commence the holy Easter on the fourteenth of the month Pharmuthi (April 9.) Afterwards, extending the fast to the seventh day, on the seventeenth of the month, let us rest late in the evening. And the light of the Lord having before dawned upon us, the first day of the week will illumine us, on which our Lord arose. It behoves us, then, to rejoice and be glad with the joy which arises from good works, during the seven weeks which remain—to Pentecost —giving glory to the Father, and saying, This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through Whom 1724. The Syriac here rendered signs

32 of victory is. which is most likely the translation of. By faith, we look upon Christ crucified, and see in His cross the trophy He has erected against the great enemy whom He has subdued. We see farther in it, the glorious results of that victory, even our own deliverance from death, and our resurrection to eternal life. Conf. Gal. iii. 1. Theophilus, the predecessor of S. Cyril, employs the same figure in his first Paschal Letter, as preserved in the Latin translation of S. Jerome. Lgitur dominicum Pascha celebrantes, sanctis Scripturarum purificemur eloquii, et ad trophæa Salvatoris respicientes, cancta effendicula, quibus vitæ nostræ curriculum retardatur, auferamus e medio. Bibliotheca Vett. Patt. La Bigne, vol. iii. p. 93. ed. Paris, 1646. Vid. note k, Letter vi. p. 52. to the same, and to His Father, be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the brethren who are with me salute you. That ye may have health in the Lord, I pray, brethren beloved.

33 Here endeth the eleventh Letter of holy Athanasius.

Letter 12. To Serapion

1 THANKS be to Divine Providence for those things which, at all times, it vouchsafes to us; for it has vouchsafed to us now also to come to the season of the festival. Having, therefore, according to custom, written the Letter respecting the festival, I have sent it to thee, our beloved; that through thee all the brethren also may be able to know the day of rejoicing. But because some Meletians, being come from Syria, have boasted that they had received what does not belong to them; I mean, that even they were reckoned in the Catholic Church; on this account, I have sent unto thee a copy of one letter of our fellow-labourers in the ministry who are of Palestine, that when it reaches thee, thou mayest know the fraud of the pretenders in this matter. For because they boasted, as I have said before, it was necessary for me to write to the Bishops who are in Syria; and immediately those of Palestine sent us a reply, having coincided in the judgment against them in the manner you may learn from the copy. That thou mayest not have occasion to peruse the letters of all the Bishops one after the other, I have sent thee [only] one, which is of like character with the rest, in order that from it, thou mayest know the purport of all of them. I know also that when they are convicted in this matter, they will incur perfect odium at the hands of all men. And thus far concerning the pretenders.

2 But I have further deemed it highly necessary and very urgent, to make known to your modesty—for I have written this to each one—that thou shouldest proclaim the fast of forty days to the brethren, and persuade them to fast; to the end that, while all the world is fasting, we who are in Egypt should not become a laughing-stock, as the only people who do not fast, but take our pleasure in these days. For if we do not fast, because the Letter is [only] then read, it is right that we should take away this pretext also, and that it be read before the fast of forty days, so that they may not make this an excuse for neglect of fasting. Also, when it is read, they may be able to learn respecting the fast. But, O, our beloved, whether in this way or any other, exhort and teach them to fast forty days. For it is even a disgrace that when all the world does this, those alone who are in Egypt, instead of fasting, should find their pleasure. For even I also, being grieved because men make a laughing-stock of us for this, have been constrained thus to write to thee. When thou, therefore, receivest the letters, and hast read them and given the exhortation, write to me in return, our beloved, that I also may rejoice upon learning it.

3 But I have also thought it necessary to inform you of There is a similar notification of the appointment of fresh Bishops, appended to the nineteenth Letter. Theophilus, the predecessor of S. Cyril in the see of Alexandria, at the close of his first Paschal Letter, as translated by S. Jerome, imitates S. Athanasius in this respect, adopting almost his very words. Salutate invicem in osculo sancto. Salutant vos omnes qui mecum sunt fratres. Et hoc necessario scribimus, ut sciatis pro sanctis et beatis Episcopis qui in Domino dormierunt ordinatos esse; in Lemnado pro Herone Nascam.... His ergo scribite, et ab iis accipite pacificas juxta Ecclesiasticum mortem literas. Bibliotheca Vett. Patt. La Bigue vol. iii. p. 94. ed. Paris. 1616. There is a similar ending to his third Paschal Letter. Indeed, some such form appears to have become customary, whereby the ordaining Bishops notified to the different districts the appointment of those whom they ordained to any diocese. The Primate of Alexandria, as we know, had the sole privilege of ordaining all the suffragan Bishops. Probably the Paschal Letters, being sent annually, became, by degrees, the ordinary channel of such communication. Such was the case, as we have seen, with two out of the three Letters of Theophilus, which are extant. Valerius says, (Observat. in Socrat. H. E. lib. vii. §. 30.) Notanda est diligens cautela sanctorum patrum, qui deposito haretico sacerdote, nomen catholici the fact, that Bishops have succeeded those who have fallen asleep. In Tanis, in the stead of Elias, is Theodorus. In Arsenoitis, Silvanus instead of Calosiris. In Paralus, Nemesion is instead of Nonnus. In Bucolia is Heraclius. In Tentyra, Andronicus is instead of Saprion, his father.

4 episcopi qui in ejus locum substitutus fuerat, cunctis episcopis significunt, ut scilicet sciant, a quo ecclesiasticas litteras accipere, et ad quem scribere debeant—Sed et quoties mortuis episcopis ali in eorum locum fuerant ordinati, eorum nomina reliquis episcopis indicare consueverat ordinator, ut scirent ad quos scribere, et a quibus pacificas literas accipere deberent, ut discimus ex Theophii epistolis paschatibus. The Greek of what is rendered in the text, 'so that to these you may write, and from these receive the canonical Letters,' is, according to what we find in the passage of Socrates referred to above; (which passage is an extract of a Letter of the Council of Antioch, on the subject of the deposition of Paul of Samosata, and the appointment of Donnus in his stead;) (or,. Can. viii. Concil. Antioch.) Such Letters were called by the Latins, communicatoria litterae. The epithet was also applied to them. Vid. Zonar. Observat. apud Bever. Synod. tom. i. p. 438. So in the quotation from Theophilus, given above, we find pacificas—litteras. Tertullian makes mention of such Letters. De Præscript. adv. Haret. cap. 20. Communicatio pacis et appellatio fraternitatis et contesserratio hospitalitatis, quae jura non alia ratio regit, quam ejusdem sacramenti una tradition.

5 In the Apologia contra Ar. Athan. Op. tom. i. p. 133, we have a list of ninety-four Egyptian Bishops, among others, who were present at the Council of Sardica. As this was held we might naturally expect to find among them some of the names of those mentioned above as recently appointed. A refer note to this list has enabled me to give, with a degree of certainty, some names which otherwise would have been more obscure, and which have been mistaken by Prof. Larsow. For a list of the Egyptian Bishopries, the reader is referred to Neale's Hist. of the Holy Eastern Church. Gen. Introd. vol. i. p. 115, 116. To the list there given must be added the names of Bucolia, Stathma, the Eastern Garyathis, the Southern Garyathis. The mention of the last two would favour the supposition that there were also Bishopries in the Western and the Northern Garyathis. The Syriac of the word given in the text 'Elias' is

6 This name is doubtless to be taken thus. There were two Egyptian Bishops of that name who subscribed their names at the Council of Sardica. Prof. Larsow writes it 'Ilius.' Tanis is situate in Augustannica Prima. Vid. Quatremere Memoires geogr. et histor. sur l'Egypte, tom. i. p. 281. &c. (L.) The word Távus is the LXX. rendering of in the various places where it is found. Silvanus was succeeded by Andreas, as we learn from the postscript to the nineteenth Letter. The Syriac is which Prof. Larsow writes Nanos. I think it is meant for Nonnus, which was the name of an Egyptian Bishop who was present at the Synod of Tyre. Apol. contra Ar. tom. i. p. 154. § 79. Bucolia. For a dissertation on the situation of Bucolia, see the treatise by Quatremere, already referred to, (tom. i. p. 224—233.) In p. 233, he writes: La contree de l'Elearchae ou des Bucolies, telle qu'elle nous a ete decrite par les auteurs anciens, est, si je ne me trompe, parfaitement identique avec la province de Baschmour— peut etre le Baschmour s'etendoit a l'occident du bras de Damiette, le long des cotes de la mer, jusqu'au lac de Bourlos. Fabricus, in his Index Geographicus Episcopatuum orbis Christiani, mentions among the Egyptian Bishopries, 'Elearchae, in provincia Egypti secunda.'

7 An Egyptian Bishop of the name of Saprion was among those assembled at the Synod of Tyre. Apol. contra Ar. tom. i. p. 154. §. 79. In Thebais, Philon instead of Philon. In Maximianopolis, Herminus instead of Atras. In the lower Apollon is Sarap'on instead of Plutionk. In Aphroditon, Serenus is in the place of Theodorus. In Rhinocoruronl, Salomon. In Stathma, Arabion, and in Marmarica. In the eastern Garyathis, Andragathiusm in the place of Hierax. In the southern Garyathis, Quintusn instead of Niconl. So that to these you may write, and from these receive the canonical Letters. Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the brethren who are with me salute you. He (Athan.) wrote this from Rome. There is no twelfth Letter.

Letter 13.

1 Coss. Marcellinus, Probius; Pref. Longinus; Indict. XIV.; Easter-day, XIII. Kal. Maii; XXIV. Pharmuthi; Era Dioclet. 57. EVEN now, my beloved brethren, I do not shrink from notifying to you the saving feast, which occurs according to annual custom. For although, with afflictions and sorrows, the opposers of Christ have oppressed you also together with us: yet, God having comforted us by our mutual faithᶜ, behold, I even write to you from Rome. Keeping the feast here with the brethren, still I also keep it with you in will and in spirit; for we send up prayers in common to God, Who hath granted us not only to believe in Him, but also now to suffer for His sake. For, troubled as Vid. Letter x. p. 67. note e. The. Vid. Letter x. p. 75. note n. and p. 78. note z. ᶜ By that faith which we hold in common. Conf. Rom. i. 12.

2 S. Athan. had been obliged to leave Alexandria some time before, having fled from the violence of Gregory the Cappadocian, on which occasion he left the city (according to the Index on the twenty-third of Phanæth (Mar. 19.). Gregory, immediately upon being constituted Bishop of Alexandria, became conspicuous by his acts of violence. S. Athan. after his withdrawal from Alexandria, remained for a short time at no great distance from the city, though it is uncertain where. It was during this period that he wrote the Encyclical Letter to the Bishops, against the illegal intrusion of Gregory into his see. He afterwards took ship 3 to Italy, and came to Rome. In the life of Athanasius, prefixed to the Benedictine edition, we read, (p. xxxix.) Eo anno (341.) incidit Paschatis solennitas in diem decimam nonam Aprilis; arbitramarque profectum Athanasium postremis hujus mensis dicbus, mense Maio ad Italiae oras appuisse. This Letter would, however, favour the opinion that he reached Rome earlier than May. In the Index it is stated expressly that Gregory sent no Paschal Letter either for this year, or for those immediately preceding and following. In 340, his acts of tyranny and oppression left him no leisure. In this, and the following year, his illness is there stated as the preventing cause. 'Nor did this Pope write any Festal Letter even this year, (341.) the commencement of his illness taking place in it.'—'Because Gregory was severely ill in the city, the Pope was unable to send any Letter.' we are, because we are so far from you, He moves us to write, that by a letter we might comfort ourselves, and provoke one another to good. For, indeed, numerous afflictions and bitter persecutions directed against the Church have been against us. For heretics, depraved in their mind, untried in the faith, rising against the truth, violently persecute the Church; and of the brethren, some are scourged, and others torn asunder by the rack; and, what is still more hard, the ill-treatment reaches even to the Bishops. Nevertheless, it is not becoming, on this account, that we should neglect the feast. So far from neglecting the commemoration of it, even for a time, we should the rather bear it in remembrance.

4 Now such things as seasons for feasts are not thought of by the unbelievers, because they spend all their lives in revelling and follies; and the feasts that obtain among them are an occasion of grief rather than of joy. But to us in this present life they are especially an uninterrupted passage [to heaven]—it is indeed our season. For such things as these serve for exercise and trial, so that, having approved ourselves zealous and chosen servants of Christ, we may be fellow-heirs with the saints. For thus Job: The whole world is a trial to men upon the earth. Nevertheless, they are proved in this world by afflictions, labours, and sorrows, to the end that each one also may receive of God such reward as is meet for him; as He saith by the prophet, I am the Lord, Who trieth the hearts, and searcheth the reins, to give to every one according to his ways. But he does not first know the things of a man on his being tried; for He knows them all before they come to pass: but because He is good and philanthropic, He distributes to each a due reward according to his works, so that every man may exclaim, Righteous is the judgment of God! As the prophet

5 saith again, The Lord trieth justice, and understandeth the reins. And further, for this cause He trieth each one of us, Conf. Heb. x. 24. Provoke unto love and to good works. Prof. Larson has translated this passage erroneously, through an oversight with respect to the word is the rendering of in the verse quoted. Syr. 10: 10—the rendering of in Letter v. Vid. note i, p. 39. either that to those who know it not, our virtue may be discovered by means of the trials laid upon us: as was said respecting Job: Thinkest thou that I was revealed to thee for any other cause, than that thou shouldest be seen righteous? Or that, when men come to a sense of their deeds, they may know the temper of them, and may therefore either repent of their wickedness, or remain stedfast in the faith. Now the blessed Paul, when troubled by afflictions, and persecutions, and hunger and thirst, in every thing was a conqueror, through Jesus Christ, Who loved us. Through suffering, he was weak indeed in body; yet, believing and hoping, he was strong in spirit, and his strength was made perfect in weakness.

6 But the other saints also, who had a like confidence in God, accepted a probation such as this with gladness: as Job said, Blessed be the name of the Lord. But the Psalmist, Search me, O Lord, and try me: prore my reins and my heart. For since, when the strength is proved, it convinceth the foolish: therefore they, perceiving the purity and the advantage resulting from the divine fire, did not draw back in trials like these. But they rather received a character from them, suffering no injury at all from the things which happened, but appearing more bright, like gold from the fire: as he said, who was tried by such exercise as this; Thou hast tried my heart; Thou hast visited me in the night-season; Thou hast prored me, and hast not found iniquity in me, so that my mouth shall not speak of the works of men. But, on the other hand, those who are lawless in their actions, so that they know nothing more than eating and drinking and dying, account trials as danger. They soon

7 The words here, and in the following lines, rendered 'probation,' 'prove,' &c. are all from the root 'tentavit,' 'probasvit,' and convey the idea of purification by fire, which idea is enlarged upon a few lines farther. The Syriac word answers to the Hebrew: Gr. as in Ps. lxvi, 10. Conf. S. Greg. Nazian. Præmi in laudem virginitatis v. 600 2. There appears to be an error in the Syriac. It is rendered in the text as from 'signavit,' which agrees with the context. Conf. Mal. iii. 3, and 1 Pet. i. 7. 2 10. stumble at them, so that, being untried in the faith, they are given over to a reprobate mind, and do those things which are not seemly. Therefore the blessed Paul, when urging us to such exercises as these, and having before measured himself by them, says, Therefore I take pleasure in afflictions, in infirmities. And again, Exercise thyself unto godliness. For since he knew the persecutions that accompanied those who chose to live in godliness, he wished his disciples to meditate beforehand on the difficulties connected with godliness; that when trials should come, and affliction arise, they might be able to bear them easily, as having been exercised in these things. For in those things wherewith a man has been conversant in mind, there is a hidden joy which he ordinarily experiences. In this way, the blessed martyrs, since they were first conversant with trials, were quickly perfected in Christ, not at all regarding the injury of the body, while they contemplated the

8 expected rest. But all those who call their lands by their own names, and have wood, and hay, and stubble in their thoughts; such as these, since they are strangers to troubles, are aliens from the kingdom of heaven. Had they, however, known that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, they would have exercised themselves, after the example of 27. Paul, who said, I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. But they would easily have borne the Lam. 3, 27. afflictions which were brought upon them from time to time, if the prophetic admonition had been listened to by them, It is good for a man to take up Thy yoke in his youth; he shall sit alone and shall be silent, because he hath taken Thy yoke upon him. He will give his cheek to him who smiteth him; he will be filled with reproaches. Because the Lord does not cast away for ever; for when He afflicteth, He is gracious, according to the multitude of His tender mercies.

9 For if all these things should proceed from the enemies, stripes, insults, reproaches, yet they shall avail nothing against the tender mercies of God; since from them we shall quickly recover, they being temporal things, but God being always gracious, pouring out His tender mercies on those who please [Him]. Therefore, my beloved brethren, we should not look at temporal things, but fix our attention on those which are eternal. Though affliction may come, it will have an end; though insult and persecution, yet are they nothing to the hope which is in reserve. For all present matters are trifling compared with those which are future; the sufferings of this present time not being worthy to be compared with the hope that is to come. For what can be compared with the kingdom? or what is like to everlasting life? Or what is all we could give here, compared with what we shall inherit yonder? For we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. Therefore it is not right, my beloved, to consider afflictions and persecutions, but the hopes which are laid up for us because of persecutions.

10 Now to this even the example of Issachar, the patriarch, may persuade, as the Scripture saith, Issachar desires that which is good, resting between the heritages; and when he 1 Serapion quotes the first part of tom. iv. p. li. (L.) this passage of Scripture in his Epastola 3 Conf. Rom. viii. 8. 2 Cor. iv. ad Monachos, in praise of the ascetic 17. life. Vid. A. Mac. Spicileg. Rom. saw that the rest was good, and the land fertile, he bowed his shoulder to labour, and became a husbandman. Being consumed by divine love, like the spouse in the Canticles, he collected from the holy Scriptures that which is profitable; for his mind was captivated not by the old alone, but by both the heritages. And further, like one expanding his wings, he beheld the rest which is in heaven, while [he looked upon] the earth as full of good deeds—rather, in truth, the heavenly—since that is always new, and never grows old. For this earth passes away, as the Lord said; but that which is ready to receive the saints is immortal. Now when Issachar, the patriarch, saw these things, he joyfully made his boast of afflictions and toils, bowing his shoulders that he might labour. And he did not contend with those who smote him, neither was he disturbed by insults; but like a man triumphing the more by these things, and the more earnestly tilling his land, he received profit from it. The Word, indeed, scattered the seed, but he watchfully cultivated it, so that it brought forth fruit, even a hundred-fold.

11 Now what is this, my beloved, but that we also, when the enemies are set against us, should glory in afflictions; and that when we are persecuted, we should not be discouraged, but should the rather press after the crown of the high Larsow translates the last of these words by 'heavenly,' stating in a note that the context requires it. But I think it better to take the root as man, and to consider it an exact translation of the wise of the LXX. vers. This will not be opposed to the context. The primary and literal translation may be adhered to, without affecting the more hidden and spiritual explanation. Jarchi translates the passage figuratively of Issachar being strong to bear the yoke of the law. The Jerusalem Targum thus paraphrases the verse. 'And he saw the rest of the world to come, that it was good, and the portion of the land of Israel, that it was pleasant; therefore he inclined his shoulders to work in the law, and his brethren brought gifts unto him.' This paraphrase appears to me in substance very similar

12 to the comment of S. Athan, on the passage. The patriarch looked upon this world as the present portion assigned him by God; he duly estimated the blessings connected with it, notwithstanding its trials and afflictions; and he therefore willingly and cheerfully acquiesced in his lot. But he looked forward to another and better heritage to be enjoyed hereafter, and it was the prospect of this especially, that was his stay and support. The literal explanation of resting between the heritages must be sought in the particular tract of land in which the tribe was situated. Conf. S. Aug. Enarratio in Psalmum ciii. 13. (tom. iv. p. 1139. c.l. Ben.) Pennae ergo animarum virtutes, bona opera, recte facta.—Quisquis dilexerit Deum et proximum, animam habet pennatam, liberis alis, sancto amore volantem ad Dominum. Sufferings for the truth should unite us more closely to God. 109 13 calling in Christ Jesus our Lord? and that being insulted, we should not be disturbed, but should give our cheek to the smiter, and even bow the shoulder? For the lovers of pleasure and the lovers of enmity are tried, as saith the blessed Apostle James, when they are drawn away by their own lusts and enticed. But let us, knowing that we suffer for the truth, and that those who deny the Lord smite and persecute us, count it all joy, my brethren, according to the words of James, when we fall into trials of various temptations, knowing that the trial of our faith worketh patience. Let us even keep the feast with rejoicing, my brethren, knowing that our salvation is reserved in the time of affliction. For our Saviour did not redeem us by ease; but He abolished death by suffering for us. And respecting this, He intimated to us before, saying, In the world ye shall have tribulation. But He did not say this to every man, but to those who diligently and faithfully perform good service to Him, knowing beforehand, that they should be persecuted who would live godly to Him. But evil-doers and deceivers will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. If therefore, like the expounders of dreams and false prophets, who professed to give signs, these ignorant men, in the same manner, being drunk, not with wine, but with their own wickedness, make a profession of priesthood, and glory in their threats, believe them not;

14 but since we are tried, let us humble ourselves, not being drawn away by them. For so God warned His people by Moses, saying, If there shall rise up among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and shall give signs and tokens, and the sign or the token shall come to pass which he spake to thee, saying, Let us go and serve strange gods, which ye have not known; ye shall not hearken unto the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God trieth you, that He may know whether you will lore the Lord your God with all your heart. So we, when we are tried by these things, will not separate ourselves from the love of God. But let us also now keep the feast, my beloved, not as introducing a day of suffering, but of joy in Christ, by Whom we are fed every day. Let us be mindful of Him Who was sacrificed in the days of the Passover; for we celebrate this, because Christ the Passover was sacrificed. He Who once brought His people out of Egypt, and hath now abolished death, and him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, will also now turn him to shame, and again grant aid to those who are troubled, and cry unto God day and night.

15 We begin the fast of forty days on the thirteenth of Phamenoth (9 Mar.), and the holy week of Easter on the eighteenth of Pharmuthi (Apr. 13.); and having ceased on the seventh day, being the twenty-third (Apr. 18.), and the first of the great week having dawned on the twenty-fourth of the same month Pharmuthi (Apr. 19.), let us reckon from it till Pentecost. And at all times let us sing praises, calling on Christ, being delivered from our enemies by Christ Jesus our Lord, through Whom to the Father be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All those who are here with me salute you. I pray, my beloved brethren, that ye may have health in the Lord. He (Athanasius) wrote this also from Rome. Here endeth the thirteenth Letter.

Letter 14.

1 Coss. Augustus Constantius III., Constans II.; Praf. the same Longinus; Indict. XV.; Easter-day III. Id. Apr.; XVI. Pharmuthi; Era Dioclet. 58. THE gladness of our feast, my brethren, is always near at hand, and never fails those who wish to celebrate it^a. For the Word is near, Who is all things on our behalf; even our Lord Jesus Christ, Who, having promised that His habitation with us should be perpetual, in virtue thereof cried, saying, Lo, I am with you all the days, [even to the end] of the world. For as He is the Shepherd, and the High Priest, and the Way and the Door, and every thing at once to us, so further, He has been revealed to us as the feast, and the holyday, according to the blessed Apostle; Our Passover, Christ, is sacrificed. He also was waited for; He, too, caused a light to shine at the prayer of the Psalmist, who said, [Thou art] my joy; deliver me from those who surround me; this being indeed true rejoicing, this being a true feast, even deliverance from wickedness, where to a man attains by altogether adopting an upright conversation, and by his mind being bent on pious obedience towards God^b. For thus also the saints all their lives long, were like men rejoicing at a feast. One found rest in praying to God, as blessed David, who rose in the night, not once but seven times. Another was celebrated for songs of praise, as the great Moses, who sang a song of praise for the victory over Pharaoh, and those task-masters. Others performed worship with unceasing cheerfulness, like the great Samuel and the blessed Elijah; who have ceased from their perfect conversation, and now keep the feast in heaven, and rejoice in their former instruction, which was by emblems, and out of types understand the truth.

2 But what sprinklings shall we now employ, while we celebrate the feast? Who then will thus be our guide, as we haste to this festival? None can do this, my beloved, but Him Whom ye will name with me, even our Lord Jesus Christ, Who said, I am the Way. For it is He Who, according to the blessed John, taketh away the sin of the world. He also purifies our souls, as Jeremiah the prophet says in a certain place, Stand in the ways and see, and enquire, and look which is the good path, and ye shall find in it cleansing for your souls. Of old time, the blood of the he-goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkled upon those who were unclean, were adapted only to purify the flesh; but now, through the grace of God the Word, every man is thoroughly cleansed. Following Him, we may, even here, as on the threshold of the Jerusalem which is above, meditate beforehand on the feast which is eternal; as also, the blessed Apostles, when they together followed the Saviour, Who was their Leader, have now become teachers

3 of a like readiness of disposition, saying, Behold, we have 28. left all, and followed Thee. For the following of the Lord, and the feast which is of the Lord, is not accomplished by words only, but by deeds, every enactment of laws and commands involving a distinct performance. For as the great Moses, when administering the holy laws, exacted a promise from the people, respecting the practice of them; 8. so that having promised, they might not neglect them, and be accused as liars: thus also, the celebration of the feast of the Passover moves no question, and demands no reply; but when the word is given, the obedience of it follows, for He saith, And the children of Israel shall keep the Passover; 47. intending that there should be a ready performance of the commandment, while the thing itself, at the same time, A D 342 should be rendered more easy. But respecting these matters, I have confidence in your wisdom, and your doctrinal care. Such points as these have been touched upon by us often and in various Letters.

4 But now, which is above all things most necessary, I wish to remind you, and myself with you, how that the command would have us not come to the Paschal feast profanely and without preparation; but with sacramental and doctrinal rites, and prescribed observances; as indeed we learn from the historical account, A man who is of another nation, or bought with money, or uncircumcised, shall not eat the Passover. Neither should it be eaten in any house; but He commands it to be done in haste; inasmuch as before we groaned and were made sad by the bondage to Pharaoh, and the commands of the task-masters. For when, in former time, the children of Israel acted in this way, they were counted worthy to receive the type. For that (the type) had respect to this feast, nor was the feast now introduced on account of the type. As also the Word of God, when desirous of this, said to His disciples, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you. The account, given us as it is, is a wonderful one; for a man might have seen them equipped as for a show or a dance, and going out with staves, and sandals, and unleavened bread. These things took place before, as it were, in shadows, and were typical. But now, the Truth is nigh unto us, the Image of the invisible God, our Lord Jesus Christ, the true Light; Who,

5 The argument appears to be this. Moses, as we read in Exodus, ch. xiv. v. 3—7, heard from God the terms of the covenant He would make with the children of Israel, obedience to all that God should command being imposed on them. Moses repeated these words to the Israelites, who promised obedience: 'All that the Lord hath spoken will we do.' (v. 8.) After that, the promulgation of the law takes place. The command to keep the Passover is renewed. (Levit. iv. 9.) The Israelites were therefore bound to keep it, as well in virtue of their promise, as by their duty of obedience to God. The Syriac is here The cross which would be more correctly trans- lated 'in any part of the house.' But what is given above appears to be required by the reference. Conf. Letter v. p. 47. 'In one house, even in the Catholic Church, eating the Passover of the Lord.'

6 ᶠ I have given this as the translation of The cross not The cross. The word is rather indistinct in the Ms. but it may be meant for the former word. Prof. Larson translates this passage, 'the invisible image of God.' But it is clearly the translation of (Col. i. 15.) God the Father cannot be seen, but Christ, His Only-begotten Son, hath manifested Him. Conf. John i. 18. instead of a staff, is our sceptre; instead of unleavened bread, is the bread which came down from heaven; Who, instead of sandals, hath furnished us with the preparation of the Gospel; and Who, to speak briefly, by all these hath guided us to His Father. And if enemies afflict us, through persecution, He again, in the place of Moses, will encourage with more than the words of that man, saying, *Be of good cheer; I have overcome the wicked one*h. And if also, after we have passed over the Red sea, heat should again vex us, or some bitterness of the waters befall us, again even there the Lord will appear to us, imparting to us of His sweetness, and His life-giving fountain, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to Me, and drink.

7 Why therefore do we tarry, and why do we delay, and come not with all eagerness and diligence to the feast, trusting that it is Jesus who calleth us? Who is all things for us, and was laden in ten thousand ways for our salvation; Who indeed hungered and thirsted for us, though He nourishes and gives us to drink of His saving gifts! For this is His glory, this the miracle of His divinity, that He changed our sufferings for His happiness. For, being life, He died that He might make us alive; being the Word, He became flesh, that He might, by the Word, instruct that which is flesh; and being the fountain of life, He thirsted our thirst, that thereby He might urge us to the feast, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to Me, and drink. At that time, Moses proclaimed the beginning of the feast, saying, This month is the beginning of months to you. But the Lord, Who came down in the end of the ages, proChrist the sum and substance of the Old Testament prophecies. 115

8 claimed a different day,—not as though He would abolish the law, far from it—but that He should establish the law, and be the end of the law. For Christ is the end of the law to every one that believeth in righteousness; as the blessed Paul saith, Do we make void the law by faith? by no means: we rather establish the law. 9 Now these things astonished even the officers who were sent by the Jews, so that wondering they said to the Pharisees, No man ever thus spake. What was it then that Jolou 7, 46. astonished those officers, or what was it which so affected the men as to make them marvel? It was nothing but the boldness and authority of our Saviour. For on former occasions of their applying to the prophetical writings, and those skilled in the law, they perceived that they referred those who applied, not to themselves, but elsewhere. Moses, for instance, A prophet will the Lord raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; to him hearken in all that he commands you. Isaiah again, Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and ye shall call his name Emmanuel. By others also, prophecies were uttered differently, and in various ways, concerning the Lord. But by the Lord, of Himself, and of no other, were these things prophesied; to Himself He limited them all, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to Me—not to any other person, but to Me. A man may indeed hear of those concerning My coming; but he must not henceforth drink from others, but from Me. Therefore let us also, when we come to the feast, no longer come as to old shadows, for they are accomplished; neither as to common feasts; but let us hasten as to the Lord, Who is Himself the feast, not looking upon it as an indulgence and delight of the belly, but as a manifestation of virtue. For the feasts of the heathen are full of greediness, and utter indolence, since they consider they celebrate a feast when

10 pensation came to an end when Christ appeared. The Christian religion was the closing of the Jewish economy, and therefore S. Paul speaks of Christians as those. 1 Cor. x. 11. they are idle; and they then work the works of perdition when they feast. Our feasts, on the contrary, are the scenes of virtuous exercises, and the practice of temperance; as also the prophetic word testifies in a certain place, saying, 19. The fast of the fourth, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth [month], shall be to the house of Judah for gladness, and rejoicing, and for pleasant feasts. Since therefore this occasion for exercise is before appointed, and such a day as this is come, and the prophetic voice gone forth to celebrate the feast, let us give all diligence to this good proclamation, and like those who are opposed to each other in the race course, vie with each other in observing the purity of the fast; by watchfulness in prayers; by practice in the Scriptures; by distributing to the poor, and by reconciliation with our enemies. Let us bind up those who are scattered abroad; banish pride; and instead thereof put on lowliness of mind, being at peace with all men, and urging the brethren to love. Thus also the blessed Paul was often engaged in fastings and watchings, and was willing to be accursed for his brethren. Also, again, the blessed David, having humbled himself by fastings,

11 Psalm 7, 3. used boldness, saying, O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is any iniquity in my hands, if I have repaid those who dealt evil with me, then may I fall from my enemies as a vain man. Acting thus, we shall conquer death; and receive an earnest of the kingdom of heaven. Conf. Letter vii. p. 57. 'The feast is not an indulgence in food, nor splendour of clothing, nor days of leisure.' Conf. 1 Corinth. ix. 24—27. Syr. The exhortation is, to be as ready to celebrate the feast, when the divine command is given, as were the runners in the races to start when the signal was made; and then to vie with each other in properly keeping it, as the runners strove to surpass each other in speed. Syr. Vid. note to Letter vi. p. 50. Conf. Eph. i. 13, 14.— 'that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance. In both the other places in the We begin the holy Easter feast on the tenth of Pharmuthi (April 5.), desisting from the holy fasts on the fifteenth of the same month Pharmuthi (April 10.), on the evening of the seventh day. And let us keep the holy feast on the sixteenth of the same month Pharmuthi (April 11.); adding one by one [the days] till the holy Pentecost, passing on to which, as through a succession of feasts, let us keep the festival to the Spirit, Who is always near us, in Jesus Christ, through Whom and with Whom to the Father be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

12 The fifteenth and sixteenth are wanting.

Letter 17.

1 Coss. Amantius, Albinus; Pref. Nestorius of Gaza; Indict. Easter-day III.; Easter-day, VII. Id. Apr.; XII. Pharmuthi; Moon on April 7. 19; Era Dioclet. 61. ATHANASIUS, to the Presbyters and Deacons of Alexandria, and the beloved brethren in Christ, greeting. According to custom, I give you notice respecting Easter, my beloved; that you also may notify the same to the districts of those who are at a distance, as is usual. Therefore, after this present festival, I mean this which is on the twentieth of the month Pharmuthi, the first of the Paschal week ensuing will be on the vii Id. April: or, according to the Alexandrians, on the twelfth of Pharmuthi. Give, therefore, notice in all those districts, that the first day of the Paschal week is on the vii Id. April, on the twelfth of Pharmuthi according to the Alexandrian reckoning. That ye may be in health in Christ, I pray, my beloved brethren.

2 It is observed here by Mr. Cureton, (who has also given the translation of this Letter), that S. Athan, gave notice at Easter upon what day Easter was to be observed in and not immediately after the succeeding Epiphany, as Cassian asserts to have been the custom of the Patriarch of Alexandria. (Cassian. Collat. x. cap. i. Edit. Lugduni 1606, p. 364.) The same period for forwarding the Paschal notice was observed with regard to the next Letter. In previous Epistles, we not unfrequently find reference made to Easter, as in course of celebration, at the time they were written. Thus the second com- mences: 'Again, my beloved, is Easter come, and gladness.' The fourth: 'Now again, my beloved, has God also brought us to the season of the feast.' Perhaps we should not be wrong in supposing that some of the Epistles were, in the first instance, delivered as homilies, at the places where they were written, and afterwards, with slight alterations, and the addition of the concluding parts, sent as Paschal Letters to the various dioceses. However, we know that, in consequence of the troubles of the Church, the usual period for forwarding the Letters was not always adhered to. (Vid. Letter iv. p. 31.)

Letter 18.

1 Coss. Constantius IV., Constans III.; Praf. Nestorius; Indict. IV.; Easter-day III. Kal. Apr.; IV. Pharmuthi; Easter-day on Mar. 30. Moon 21; Era Dioclet. 62. ATHANASIUS, to the Presbyters and Deacons of Alexandria, brethren beloved in the Lord, greeting. Ye have done well, dearly beloved brethren, that ye have given the customary notice of the holy Easter in those districts; for I have seen and acknowledged your exactness. By other letters I have also given you notice, that, when this year is finished, ye may know concerning the next. Yet now I have thought it necessary to write the same things that, since ye are exact, ye may also write with care. Therefore, after the conclusion of this feast, which is now at its termination, on the twelfth of the month Pharmuthi, which is on the vii Id. Apr.a, Easter-day is on the iii Kal. April; the fourth of Pharmuthi, according to the Alexandrians. When therefore the feast is finished, give notice again in these districts, according to the early custom, thus: The first of the Paschal week is on the iii Kal. April, which is the fourth of Pharmuthi, according to the Alexandrian reckoning. And let no man hesitate concerning the day; neither let any one contend, saying, It is requisite that Easter should be held on the twenty-seventh of the month Phamenoth; for it was discussed in the holy Synod, and all there settledᶜ it to be on the iii Kal. April. I say then that it is on the fourth of the month Pharmuthi; for the week before this is much too early. Therefore let there be no dispute, but let us act as becometh us. For I have thus written to the Romans also. Give notice then as it has been notified to you, that it is on the iii Kal. April; the fourth of Pharmuthi, according to the Alexandrian reckoning.

2 That ye may have health in the Lord, I pray, my dearly beloved brethren. This could not have been the Synod of Sardica, as Larsow states in a note, misled by an error in the index prefixed to the Letters. The Synod of Sardica was not held till the following year, In the index (Letter xv.) it is said, that the Council of Sardica was held in that year, and published directions with respect to the time of Easter. The translator of the Letters appears to have confused between the Synod of Antioch and that of Sardica. At a Synod held at Antioch in the Paschal question was discussed, (vid. Bever. Synod. tom. i. p. 430.), and this I conclude to be the Synod to which S. Athan. refers. ᶜ I think the Syr. 'misit' is an error for 'confirmavit.' In Letter xix. p. 126. we find 3 I am indebted to the kindness of J. C. Adams, Esq. M.A. Fellow of Pembroke College, for the following calculation. The 14th day of the Moon, reckoning from the time of mean New Moon, took place on Sunday the 23d. According to the rule which obtained in later times, and continued in use until the Gregorian reformation of the Calendar, the 14th day of the Ecclesiastical Moon took place on Saturday the 22d, which would make Easter-day happen on the 23d. It would seem, therefore, that the decision of the Synod referred to, brought the Ecclesiastical Moon into closer accordance with that of the heavens, than the later Calendar would have done.