Coptic Homilies in the Dialect of Upper Egypt

Coptic Homilies in the Dialect of Upper Egypt

continued

VI. The Discourse of Proclus, Bishop of Cyzicus, on his Enthronement

1 Likewise A HOMILY PRONOUNCED BY PRO-KLOS, BISHOP OF CYZICUS, IN THE CHURCH OF ANTHEMIUS IN CONSTANTINOPLE, ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE EASTER, WHEN HE WAS INSTALLED IN THE ARCHIEPISCOPAL SEAT, AND NESTORIUS THE HERETIC WAS PRESENT. May the precious miracle of our Saviour overcome our [halting] speech, and may the utterance of words of great weight vanquish our tongue this day in respect of this miracle, for otherwise we shall not attain to the capacity for preaching, according to its true value, the goodness of Him Whom they crucified for our sakes. For what is there which hath ever happened that is like unto that which we now see by faith? Moreover, what mind hath ever existed which hath been able to think it out as it really is? Or what understanding hath ever been able to reason it out? Or what heart hath ever been able to depict it to itself? Or what power of speech hath ever described it? Or what eye hath ever seen it? Or what ear hath ever heard the report of such a miracle as this, and of such love, that is to say, of Christ Who took upon Himself flesh in very truth, and bestowed upon us the blessing of life?

2 Never before did the sun look upon one hanging on the wood of the cross, who was so shamefully slandered as was He—for our sakes. Never before did the sun see any one purchasing our nature under a curse. Never before was the redemption of the world sold for thirty [pieces] of silver. Never before did there exist passion and death, which were without sin, in the smelting furnace of sin. Never before was one who was without a father, according to the flesh, condemned to death by the governor. Never before was there one who was hung upon the tree to draw every one to him, and to give life unto them. Never before did the tomb receive into it a dead body which had plundered death. Never before did the heavens become dark as night at mid-day, [as they did] through Him, in order that they might not see the tragedy which they dared to act in respect of God, for they presumed to touch His flesh. Never before did Amente quake as it did when it swallowed Him up. Never before was the earth made beautiful by a sepulchre which contained life; it was, however, no sepulchre, but rather a bridal bed. He Whom they buried therein did not suffer corruption; on the contrary, He Who went down into it became a bridegroom. Never before hath any natural man passed three days and three nights in the earth, and risen up therefrom, except Him Who of Himself fashioned the temple of His Body in the womb of the Virgin, according to that which He knew, He it was Who rose on the third day. He raised up the temple, He lifted it up, by His will through death, and He made manifest the Resurrection through the birth-pangs of the Virgin.

3 Now in this place (i. e., world) time followeth after begetting, but in this place (i. e., world) he who prevaileth is he who preacheth at all times in haste. No lamb which could have been offered up on the altar could ever have carried away the sins of the world, except at that time when God took the form of a servant. And He fashioned an ineffable body for Himself, and He clothed Himself therewith; now this was His flesh, the life. His blood is the redemption. The Spirit is the seal. The nature of God is without beginning. Well therefore hath the blessed Paul said, 'Old things have departed; behold, new things exist.' [The new heaven,] that is to say, He Who hath come down from it (i. e., heaven) hath blessed our coming thereto. The new earth: He Who was laid in a manger. He purified it through the flesh wherein He was placed. The new sea, which is vast and deep: the feet of men of flesh do not pass over it, neither is it contaminated by sin. The new life: this is He Who hath made war to cease from Him, and [the life] is full and made perfect in peace. The new humanity: this is that which hath washed itself and cleansed itself in water, and hath smelted itself a second time in the furnace of the Holy Spirit. The new worship: this is not the savour of sacrifice a second time, neither is it circumcision, but it is the worshipping by faith, and the glorifying of One Substance in Three Persons.

4 These things are they which the prophet preached unto us saying, 'In that day God shall make Himself manifest in counsel and in glory upon the earth.' In what day? Declare thou unto us, O prophet. He saith, 'In that day wherein God, Who is over all nature, shall take upon Himself flesh of a woman, according to that which He knoweth. The Virgin shall bring forth by ineffable mystery, without a husband, a Man, and a Lover of men, Who shall not change. He will make death to vomit me forth, this [death] which hath swallowed me up, which I know not. His tomb shall be the treasury of the Resurrection. And the captivity of man He will make to be the mother of freedom. And why should I multiply words? Passion belongeth to my flesh, but power belongeth to divinity.' But declare unto us, O thou prophet, in what manner shall God make Himself manifest on the earth? Will it be without [His] manhood? Will it be without [His] flesh? 'Get thee hence, O heretic, and speak not of this, for I will not declare [the matter] unto thee,' [saith] the prophet. 'If God were to appear without this, I speak of the flesh, O thou new and vain dogmatizer, neither thy face, nor thine eye, would be able to bear His light. And creation could not clothe herself with [her covering of] nature; the mighty Devil would not be able to go against Him to fight with Him, for he would quake before the Creator. Death would not dare to swallow up the indestructible nature of God, and Amente would be in abject terror of God if He were naked in respect of the flesh. The Seraphim would not be able to gaze upon Him, and how would it be possible for Amente not to quake?

5 'Now the nature of God had need of a hood (or, covering), not in order to clothe itself (I speak of the indestructible nature of His Divinity) but in order that we might not be struck dumb at the sight of Him. It was not a covering like unto that of Moses, for that was a covering of the darkness which was ignorance. It was not a curtain which was made by cunning weavers, for its beauty was not due to a mixture of many colours. It was not [like unto] the covering of the mercy seat, which was interwoven with gold, for its beauty was not derived from a material substance. It was not [the work of] the Cherubim, neither was it wrought by the hand of man; for the cunning handiwork thereof was marvellous.' Now the sheep hath need of a covering [of wool], in order that it may be guarded by it from the wolf which eateth man.

6 Now the new Jew hath also attacked my words, and hath scoffed at the words of great import of the prophet, and hath contended against the Holy Spirit. And what doth he say? [He saith,] 'I do not believe that God appeared upon the earth, or that He Who hath no form hath taken shape in the similitude of a man.' But if thou deridest the Law, O Jew, and if thou wilt not hearken to the Prophets, and if thou wilt treat with contumely the Evangelists, and if thou wilt pervert the words of the Apostles, let us then enquire of the Elements, and let us learn from them what they have to confess concerning God Who died in the flesh, and Who He is. Come now, first of all let us enquire of the sun. Tell us, O Sun: For what reason didst thou withdraw to thyself thy rays when the Lord was crucified? Why was it? Was it because He Whom they crucified was an ordinary man? If this be so, thou shouldst have done the same when they slew Abel, the righteous man.

7 I will also enquire of heaven. Tell us, O Heaven: For what reason didst thou clothe thyself with darkness at the hour of noon? Was it because the Jews pierced the side of the Lord? Or was it because He Whom they crucified for us was an ordinary man? If He was, why didst thou not understand [and do the same] when they stoned Naboth the Israelite? [I will also enquire of the earth.] Tell us, O Earth: For what reason didst thou quake when these fighters against God committed this abominable deed of presumption? Was it because He Whom they crucified was an ordinary man? If He was, why didst thou not quake when they sawed Isaiah asunder by [the command of] Manasseh? Let us enquire also of the temple. Tell us, O Temple: For what reason was the veil of the temple rent in twain when they crucified Christ? Was it because He Whom they crucified was an ordinary man? If He was, why wast not thou brought to the ground when they poured out in the midst of thee the blood of Zecharias?

8 And now, all creation which is without speech maketh its defence before us, and saith: 'Did we not proclaim our grief for the Creator, Who was not a fellow-servant with us, Who had been condemned to death? nay, but we were sorely moved, and we trembled with fear at the dishonour [which was shewn] to God.' For Heaven cried out saying, 'He Whom they crucified in the flesh is God Who took upon Himself flesh. This I know of a certainty, for,' Heaven saith, 'I am the Heaven which He bowed, and He came down.' The Sun cried out saying, 'It is my Lord, the Jesus Whom they have crucified in the flesh. I, even I, was afraid of the splendour of His Divinity, and I withdrew into myself my rays of light.' The Earth also cried out saying, 'The Creator Who hath taken upon Himself flesh is He Whom they have crucified in the flesh.' It saith also, 'Now though I took His flesh into my bosom when He was in the manger, I could not include within my dominion His Divinity.' The Sea cried out saying, 'He Whom they have crucified in the flesh is not my fellow-servant. The footsteps of my fellow-servant [Peter] did indeed press upon my back, but the feet of my Lord made pure (or, sanctified) my nature.' The Temple cried out saying, 'He Whom they worshipped in me from the beginning is He Whom they have treated with contumely in the flesh.

9 Because I was unable to bear so great and so presumptuous a deed, I rent my raiment.' Amente cried out saying, 'It was not an ordinary man who came down into my domain, for,' it saith, 'I know what suffering I received. He Whom I took in as a captive I found to be one Who was stronger than everything else (i. e., the Almighty).' But if thou wilt not believe the Elements, let us, then, enquire of the Powers which are in the heavens. Tell us, O ye Angels, and Archangels, and all ye Hosts which are in the heavens, Who is He Who appeared upon the earth? Who is He Whom they crucified in the flesh? And they all make answer, and cry out with the prophet David, 'The Lord of Might, He is the King of Glory,' unto Whom belong the Glory and the Power for [all] ages. Amen.

VII. The Discourse of Proclus, Bishop of Cyzicus, in the Presence of Nestorius

1 The homily which proklos, bishop of cyzicus, pronounced in the great church of constantinople, when nestorius the heretic was present, concerning his contemptible dogma, on the sunday which preceded the holy forty days. Very great are the riches of the nourishment of the wisdom of the grace of God. Numberless are the benefits of this gathering together of spiritual beings. Honourable is the merchandise of the market of the Church. Joyful is the festival before the altar. Exceedingly splendid is the profit of the traffic with the Saviour. Indescribable are the ungrudged riches of the nails of the Saviour. Great is the treasure of the gifts which appertain to the beings of heaven. This love knoweth not poverty, for it is Christ Who giveth this charity. And if thou wishest, O beloved, and wilt look into the Holy Scriptures, thou shalt have knowledge of the riches which are immeasurable [and shall understand that] He giveth great gifts. For He wisheth to make thee to know this with careful exactness, and the forms and ways in which He doeth this are various. For from the beginning our Lord Jesus Christ hath not ceased to do good to the race of men.

2 Having banished the first [man], that is to say, Adam, to the place of one who hath been condemned to punishment, He took him and seated him with Him upon the throne in the heavens. He saw Abel when they slew him for a sacrifice, and after his death He made Himself the accuser of his murderer in converse [with him]. and He protected him like a star among the race of men. He found Abraham when he was a sojourner [in a strange land], and He made him the father of all nations. He saw also Joseph when he was in fetters, and He raised him up [to be] an image (or, example) of chastity to the world. He saw Moses who had fled from Egypt, and He made him [to be] the guide of a people that was without number. Jesus, the son of Nun, was a spy in the country of Palestine, and He curbed the course of the sun and the moon [for him].

3 He took David from a flock of sheep, and made him king of his race, and the father of the Awful Mystery. He caused Balaam not to hearken unto the ass, and He made the animal to become a reasoning creature instead of A speechless brute. In order to make it a useful thing He bestowed reasoning power on the Red Sea. He made the rod of Aaron to shoot forth new blossoms, contrary to its nature. He set up a serpent of brass in the desert, like a physician of marvellous powers. He saw Elijah as he fled, and He took him up and made him an inhabitant of heaven. He made the flame of the furnace which was in Babylon become cool for the Three Children. He made the lions which were in the pit become like ready disciples of Daniel. 4 He made the belly of the whale in the sea to become like the bridal bed of the prophet. He made the brothel of Rahab to be changed into an orderly hospital for the reception of strangers. My tongue, however, will not suffice for the narration of all His works of goodness, for the wealth of His working power overcometh my tongue. Now the festival of the Church is full of benefits of every kind for our salvation, according to that which is written, 'Every good gift and every perfect gift are from heaven, and they come down through the Father of Light.' In this world He giveth those which are on the earth, [and] those which are in the heavens. In this world He is the maker of sufferings (i. e., vices), and He maketh men to acquire virtues. In this world the offering is made with material possessions, and the market-place is quiet—I speak of the Church. In this world the clouds give rain through the waters of the Gospel. In this world there are the trumpets of the Apostles, and the preaching of the Trinity uncreate. In this world spiritual hymns fight against the tyranny of the passions which exist in our intellectual members. In this world Adam is naked on the earth, and we clothe ourselves in the Light which is from heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ. In this world we overthrow the ancient tyrant, and we adore the Mystery, which is of the Virgin. In this world the note of hand of our sins is torn up, and a contract of freedom is delivered unto us. In this world passion is killed, and our soul is made to live again.

5 O thou festival, the place of which is upon the earth, [and] the benefit of which is in heaven! In this world are preached with a loud voice the useful medicines of the fast of the holy Forty Days, and the great reward of continence, and the angelic character of virginity, and the almsgiving which is accepted, and the gentle disposition, and the quality of blessing, and the meekness which is without limit, and the longsuffering which is like unto that of God, and the immeasurable patience which cannot be submerged, and the character of not seeking to pry into faith, [and into] the Uncreatedness of the Trinity, and into the incomprehensibility of the dispensation of the flesh. But if thou dost attempt to enquire deeply into the matter, by means of thy power of reasoning powers, thou wilt find that this glorious miracle is wholly beyond all investigation whatsoever.

6 Now the intellect of man hath not the ability to discover by enquiry by what means God became man, and in what way God, Who is impassible, and is One, and is, moreover, rot of the earth, took form to Himself in the flesh. He Who Is hath no beginning. Out of the Father, without change, is He Who hath come into being in the last days, and hath made Himself manifest in the Virgin. He Who Is is uncreate. He Who hath come into being is not a phantom, for He is God in truth, and man in truth. He is of like substance with the Father, and He is the same as I am, so far as my birth is concerned, according to that [portion of Him] which is create, with the exception of sins. The Nature of God is uncreate, and that Nature which He hath taken with me is not false, but is indeed the same (?). We do not divide the Natures into two Persons, but the two Natures are one Person, and proceed from the divinity and manhood of the economy of the Son, which maketh [them] to become one of one with Him. As the result of the oneness, which it is impossible to describe, He becometh the Only-begotten Son. The heretics think mad [this view], and the Jews break their minds (or, hearts) [concerning it], and the Greeks (or, Heathen) cut themselves off [from us].

7 The Son cannot be separated from the Father, and yet He was nourished like men. He took upon Himself flesh without change. He took the whole of man, [and] was not divided. He, the whole of Him, is in heaven; and He, the whole of Him, is on the earth; and He, the whole of Him, is in every place; for the Nature of God cannot be divided. In that wherewith He clothed Himself (i. e., the flesh) He endured sufferings patiently, but He freed me from sufferings by means of that [flesh] which He took upon Himself. We call Him the Son of God, because He is God the Word in very truth, and because He is the wisdom and the intelligence (or, mind) which are inseparable from the Father according to [His] nature (even as the two animals which are yoked together and are driven by the charioteer), God and man. For He is the strength of His Father, therefore is He the Protector of all the things which have come into being. He is the Truth, therefore is He the distinguishing Mark of the Father. He is the Image [of Him], therefore is He the same Substance, and He it is Whom the Father hath begotten without change. He is the Light, therefore is He the Sun of our souls. He is the Life, therefore we live in Him, and we exist and we move [through Him]. He is Justice, therefore He it is Who giveth unto each and every one according to his merit. He is Holiness, therefore is He the Slayer of sin. He is Salvation, therefore it is He Who hath purchased the whole world with His Blood. He is the Resurrection, therefore it is He Who hath set free those who are in the tomb, and hath made them new a second time by His Blood.

8 But thou sayest[, O Jew], 'Declare unto me other [things].' I tell thee, O Jew, that I am not ashamed to declare [them] with a loud voice, for my salvation is the economy of the Son. For He Who Is existeth of and by Himself, and He Who Himself hath become create, hath Himself become create for my sake. And He worked miracles as God, and He bore patiently very many sufferings as a man. That He Himself, therefore, became create was due to His commerciation for me. Because He was a man He took [upon Himself flesh] in truth, though surely He was the leaven of the bread. For this reason He became a son of man, for in truth He took flesh from a woman without a husband. For He is the Way, therefore He is the Guide to His Father. Next, He is the Door, therefore He is the Guide into Paradise. He is the Shepherd, therefore He is the Seeker after the sheep which is lost. He is the Sheep, therefore they slew Him on behalf of the whole world. He is the Lamb, therefore He is the Cleanser of the world from its impurity. For His administration (or, economy) is beyond compare, and His Nature is unchangeable. He is the high priest, therefore He offered Himself up for us. He is the God Who Is. In that He was without mother, He was superior to our nature; in that He was without ancestors among us He appertained not to us in our nature. His generation hath never been recorded in any form, or in any place whatsoever. The inhabitants of heaven cannot utter it, the dwellers upon the earth cannot declare it, and in no place whatsoever can any interpret it. For He took body, and soul, and mind (or, intelligence), in order that through them He might be able to deliver us from death.

9 Be ashamed, then, O Jew, because of the sufferings which He endured on thy behalf, and the miracles which He performed for thy sake. But thou, the new Jew, wilt say, 'What are the miracles which He performed?' And I, even I, will say unto thee, 'What are the miracles which He hath performed on your behalf, O ye who strive against God, in comparison with those which He hath performed for us? Which of these miracles is the greater? Which of them make thee to wonder most concerning them? Which is the greater miracle? The heavens raining down bread, or God taking upon Himself flesh? Which is the greater miracle? The sea which became divided that thou mightest pass through it, or the Virgin who ceased not to be a virgin, even after a passage had been made through her? Which is the greater miracle? The rod which made the rock to become a lake of water, or the Cross which cleansed the world?'

10 Be thou ashamed, therefore, at these miracles, O Jew, and do thou worship Him Who took upon Himself flesh. But perhaps thou, O heretic, wilt also say, 'What are the miracles?' O Jew, if thou wishest to know what are the miracles, hearken and I will inform thee concerning them. They are: the begetting of the Child without seed; the childbirth which was not preceded by the marriage-bed and union with man; the Virgin who was holy and undefiled, who was both virgin and mother at the same time, and was still a virgin; the course and the disappearance of the star; the hymns of the angels, the fear of the shepherds, the gifts of the Magi, the obedience of the sea, the flight of the wind and its sinking to rest; the walking on the lake, the stilling of the waves; the leaping to the feet of those who were paralysed; the making of the blind to see, the driving out of the devils; the revivification of those who were dead; the terror-stricken state of created things; the lamentation of heaven, the sun which became dark, the rocks which split asunder, the rending of the veil in the Temple, the destruction of Amente, the coming forth from the tombs of those who were dead, the conversion of the thief, the affixing to the Cross of the handwriting, and the bill of debt for which we were liable, the overthrow of thy synagogue, the increase of the Church, and the growth and spreading abroad of piety. Finally, when thou hast vomited thine error and thy folly, do thou thyself cry out with the Lawgiver Moses, saying, 'This is my God, I will ascribe glory unto Him,' for unto Him belong glory and power, for all ages of ages. Amen.

VIII. The Discourse of Apa Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, on the End of the World

1 Let us understand now, O my brethren, that at the moment when God created all things, there was none who knew, neither was there any voice or disturbance, but there existed great quietness and silence when He fashioned the universe. And we hear in the Holy Scriptures concerning the day when the heavens and the earth shall come to an end, and how great the confusion (or, trouble) shall be is described therein. And another angel spake saying, 'They shall bring about the end of the world,' even as we have heard. And our Saviour made known to us in the Gospels concerning the overthrowings and the tribulations, and the earthquakes which shall take place, for He said, 'There shall be great tribulations, the like of which hath not been since the beginning, at the creation of the world, and the like of which there shall never be again.' And He said also in another place, 'Heaven and earth shall be convulsed, and the powers which are in the heavens shall be shaken in that day, [and there shall be] great earthquakes, and blasts of the trumpet, and great and frequent flashes of lightning, with mighty thunderings.'

2 For the angels shall send forth from His mountain messengers into the world, and they shall gather together all mankind, and shall make them to stand before the throne of the Son of God, and they shall separate the wicked from among the righteous. Behold now, at the time when He created all things no one knew except Himself and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Concerning that hour wherein He shall destroy all created things, when everything shall be overthrown, concerning that last hour, I say, and the destruction of the heavens and the earth, no one whatsoever shall know, not even the angels in the heavens, except Himself and His beloved Son, even as we have said before. Now it is written that [as no sound was heard at the creation], so in the days in which Solomon was building the temple of God in Jerusalem, there was no sound heard therein, neither the sound of an axe, nor that of an iron hammer. And during the twenty years in which the king was building this temple in this manner, there was not heard therein even the sound of the artificer who worked in gold.

3 And why was this? First of all, because the temple was being built for God, in Whose place of abode no disturbance of any kind must make itself manifest. [And secondly] because the wise king who was building the temple to the Lord God chose Solomon to continue the building of the temple to Him in this manner, that is to say, in quietness, according to the manner in which work on the first creation was performed, which He founded in quietness, and there was no sound, neither was there any disturbance. [And thirdly] because God worketh with His own thoughts, and with His intelligence, and He hath therefore no need of a crowd [of workmen] who would disturb the place wherein they perform their work. Nay, God is not one who worketh in this manner, but His thoughts and His command are wholly sufficient to make everything which is made.

4 For this reason hearken unto that which is written in the Exodus of Moses, for when Moses had made the tabernacle, and the ark of the covenant, God said [unto him] 'Take heed that thou makest everything according to the pattern which hath been shewn unto thee on the mountain'. Now, who was it that made them except the command of God? That is to say, God shall build for Himself the temple which is necessary [for Him]. And this also is what the wise man Paul wrote concerning Him saying, 'Ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God abideth in you.' And again he wrote, 'Know ye not that ye are the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you?' And moreover, one of the wise men of old used to say, 'The great altar of God is the heart of the wise man.' 5 The hand and the power of God are the things which made all created things, and moreover, it is they which have made man. Again hear what Isaiah saith in the character of God: 'Is it not My hand which hath stablished whatsoever is in the earth? And is it not My right hand which hath made firm the heavens? I call unto them all, and they all stand up at one time.' And again, the blessed man David cried out saying, 'It is His hand which hath fashioned the dry land.' And again, in [the Book of] Hosea He saith, 'It is My hand which hath created the hosts of heaven.' And again in [the Book of] Isaiah [He saith], 'Heaven is My throne, the earth is My footstool: What kind of a house shall ye build for Me? saith the Lord.' Was it not My hand which made all these things? It was My hand, moreover, which fashioned the first man Adam. Therefore, after the fashioning of the first man which is [related] in Genesis …

6 And again the righteous man Job saith, 'Remember that Thou hast made me of clay, and I shall return again to the earth.' And again, 'Hast Thou not poured me out like the milk, and turned me over and over like a cheese? Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, Thou hast knitted me together by means of bones and tendons (or, sinews). Thou hast granted unto me a heart of life and favour, and it is Thy visitation which hath protected my spirit. These things are in Thy heart, and I know, moreover, that Thou art able [to do] everything, and that there existeth nothing which Thou art not able to do.' Then again the Psalmist David saith, 'Thy hands have made and fashioned me.' And again, 'For Thou art He Who took me out of my mother's womb.' And again, 'In secret my body was not hidden from Thee, for Thou didst fashion it in secret.' And again God saith in [the Book of] Jeremiah, 'Before I had fashioned thee in the womb I knew thee, and before thou didst come out therefrom I sanctified thee.'

7 Now, after all these things, if it was the hand of God which created all things which exist, the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and everything which is therein, for what reason shall they be destroyed, and become dissolved with a mighty overthrow, both inanimate things and man, and the temple of Solomon? And again God saith in the Gospel, 'I work, and My Father hath worked hitherto.' Now the [things of the] Six Days which God made, He made in great joy, and in gladness, and in silence. And again, during the six thousand years which He hath made [since that time], He hath supplied the world with His commandments, and with His laws, and with His holy Prophets. And of all these the principal things are, His holy desire which He hath shewn (or, made) towards us, and all the sufferings of His Apostles, and all the supplies which have been needed by men, and by the courses of the luminaries. And again, after all these [years], in a moment, suddenly everything which hath been made shall be overthrown and destroyed. And again, the [things of the] Six Days which God made when He created the world, [and] all these [later] things, shall be destroyed, and shall dissolve in the twinkling of an eye. For He, the Lord of All, and the Fabricator, Jesus Christ, Himself said in the Gospel, 'Heaven and earth shall pass away.'

8 And again, because of that day and that hour none knoweth except the Father, therefore the great overthrow which shall take place shall be unbearable. O how great shall be the sorrow of heart, and all the sufferings, at that awful time, that is to say, when the administration and management of the service of the luminaries by the angels, and the sending down of the dew upon the earth, and the blowing of the winds, and the strength of the earth which He giveth to the children of men, and the rivers and the streams—when I say, all these things shall be blotted out in a single moment, and shall be destroyed! And what reason is there why a single moment should have the power to do all these evil things, except it be because of sin and disobedience? It was the first transgression, that is to say, disobedience, which cast man forth from Paradise. It hath changed this world, and hath made to exist the things which ought not to exist; and the things which ought indeed to exist it hath set a restraint upon. It hath made God Who is without anger to be wroth, and hath turned the Father from gladness to grief.

9 Now, who is he who hath committed all these sins? It is the Enemy of every man, this evil beast which slayeth the soul, this bird which snatcheth greedily at its prey, this serpent which biteth, this fire which blazeth fiercely, this thief who carrieth off all souls [into] sin, this murderous barbarian, this troubled pool, this desert road, this evil tare, this sin which inviteth death, this similitude of hunger (or, greed), this stirrer up of war, this destroyer of the city, this waster of the people, who maketh the whole land to be without fruit. It is, moreover, he who doth make the heavens to withhold the dew, and, besides, he maketh parents to look upon the death of their children without mourning for their beloved. 10 He changeth kings, he leadeth the nations into error, and he bringeth the nations to boundaries of countries which do not belong to them. The thorn and the bramble exist because of Sin, and because of Sin death hath become king. Moreover, because of Sin a judgement took place in the Paradise, and punishments [were inflicted] in the place of gladness. Moreover, because of Sin there was to be weeping in the world which was to come, and sorrow of heart was to be in all created beings. Because of Sin there was a deluge upon the earth, and the cataracts of heaven poured down from heaven the waters of wrath upon the earth, and the fountains of the great deep were opened, and they belched forth the waters of vengeance. Because of Sin God meditated the blotting out of every created thing which was on the face of the whole earth. The transgression of the Watchers, that is to say, Giants, was like unto a flood, and it was sin, and impurity, and the concealment of uncleanness of every kind which burnt up Sodom and Gomorrah. The superfluous meddling of the men of Calneh (?) was what made diverse the languages of men, and at length they became scattered abroad over the whole earth. It was sin and cruel obstinacy which filled Pharaoh and destroyed the multitudes of Egypt. It was lawlessness and idolatry which destroyed the seven nations in the land of Canaan. It was sin and disobedience to God which consumed six hundred thousand Israelites in the desert, by sword, and fire, and by serpents, because they chose sin for themselves, and forsook the Lord their God.

11 Because of all these God cried out in [the Book of] Isaiah saying: 'For behold, in My anger I will make the sea to become a desert, and I will turn the rivers into dry land, and the fishes thereof shall be dried up, and shall be without water, and shall die because of thirst. I will spread darkness over the heavens as a garment, and I will make the apparel thereof like unto sackcloth.' Now it was Sin which did all these things, and because thereof the evil of this single hour shall overthrow and shall destroy at this awful time all the things which have been set in order since the beginning of the creation of the world. 12 Now let us again hearken concerning the building of the temple which Solomon builded in such great silence; and concerning Him Who was able to destroy it to its foundation. For it is written thus in the Third [Book of] the Kingdom concerning the temple which Solomon builded in the Name of the Lord:—Behold, O God of Israel, there hath been heard the sound neither of hammer, nor axe, nor the sound of any tool of iron whatsoever; even though, in his wisdom, which was great, he permitted a few men to work in a certain place which was at some distance from the temple. Now this he did in order that the sound of the workers in gold might not shut out from the ears of the king, and prevent him from hearing, the pleadings of those who came unto him to receive judgement. Now therefore God gave unto him peace, and there was no war made upon him whilst he was building, and no hostile attack was made upon him either on this side or on that; and because of this peace he was not burdened with any serious anxiety concerning the care of the kingdom. He used to rise very early each morning, and go into the place which he had prepared, and sit down there, and all the works continued to progress in due order; and there was no idleness or lax labour.

13 For these reasons he did not permit a handicraftsman to work in the place which he had stablished; that the place might not be disturbed continually, and that he might not be prevented from hearing the voices of those who were pleading before the king. Now according to what is reported, he [finished] building the house after twenty years, and [then] he dedicated the house to God. And he went into the temple, and all Israel was with him; he bowed his knees before the altar of the Lord, and his hands were stretched out towards the heavens, and he prayed thus saying: 'O Lord God of Israel, if the heaven, and the heaven of heavens suffice Thee not, then verily God will not come and abide with men. And now, O God, hearken Thou unto the prayer which Thy servant maketh unto Thee, in order that Thine eyes and Thine ears may be open towards this house.' And, in short, after hearing these words God spake unto him over the altar saying, 'I have heard thy prayer which thou hast made to Me. I do not dwell in a house which hath been fashioned by the hands of man, yet, because of thy labours which thou hast performed (and if thou shalt keep My commandments, and My judgements which I have given into thy hands), Mine eyes and Mine ears shall be open over this house which thou hast built. If, however, thou transgress My commandments, I will cast away this great place from Me, and it shall be destroyed and become such a wilderness that all those who shall pass by it shall marvel, and shall smite together their hands, and shall whistle, and shall say, "Why have these things happened to this great place?" And it shall be told them, "Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, and made themselves servants of strange gods."'

14 Observe now, moreover, that after Solomon had gone to his rest, the people committed sin, and they cleaved to this evil friend, who is Sin, who also made the first man to commit sin in the Paradise, and who hath changed the world from the beginning. It was he also who destroyed the temple of the Hebrews by the hands of the Chaldeans, which name is interpreted 'those who are scattered', or 'those who are corrupt'. As concerning [the statements] that Solomon spent twenty years in building it with costly stones, and that the materials which he made ready for the work were very great in quantity, these words refer to the work of the eighty thousand men who bare burdens, and thirty thousand men who cut down trees in Lebanon, and thirty-six hundred scribes (i.e., overseers), and eighty thousand hewers of stone in the mountains. And after all these labours [to think] that this Enemy, that is to say, Sin, should cause it to be destroyed in a few days! Further, might we not say that the Chaldeans worked against Jerusalem throughout a whole year? Therefore in this one year was scattered and wasted the labours of the preceding twenty years, and this because of Sin. That which the Hebrews built the Chaldeans destroyed because of the lawlessness of the people. That which had been builded in silence was destroyed amid great confusion and noise. That which Solomon built in wisdom Zedekiah destroyed in his lawlessness. Rightly therefore did God put the following proverb in the mouth of Solomon and make him say, 'The wise among women build up houses, but the worker of folly destroyeth it with her hands.' And the blessed man Paul also saith, 'Knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up.'

15 All these things came into being through Solomon, but the overthrow and the destruction thereof took place through Zedekiah. The sound of the tools of the workmen was not heard during the building of the temple by Solomon the wise man, but the sound of the axes and the hammers shook Jerusalem when the Chaldeans destroyed it through the folly of Zedekiah. Now, after these things, hearken unto the words which the holy man Stephen spake saying, 'Solomon built a temple, but the Most High dwelleth not in that which is made by the hands. Then where shall God dwell?' He saith, 'In very deed God shall dwell with men.' And this indeed took place, for our Lord Jesus Christ came forth from the heavens, and took up His abode with us, and He put on a human body, like unto ours, but without sin. This is the holy and honourable temple which our Saviour took upon Himself of His own free will. Moreover, David spake of Him when he said, 'Thy temple is holy, and is a miracle in righteousness.' Truly and surely the Holy Virgin Mary is the miracle, for no human being hath been created on earth like unto her. Mary is the temple which is more exalted and more honourable than the temple of Solomon, for it is she who hath become the temple of the True God, Jesus Christ, Jesus our Lord, through Whom is the glory, and with Him the Father and the Holy Spirit for all ages of ages. Amen.

IX. The Discourse of Saint Athanasius, Archbishop of Rakote, on the Soul and the Body

1 Now the word which hath been sent from heaven hath no ill-will (or, grudging) therein, and it is ready to cleanse that which is in the soul, provided that ye yourselves be prepared for the strength of the word, which, however, hath also need of him that listeneth. For it is like the rain from heaven, which doth not produce fruit without the earth, neither doth the earth make things to grow without the rain from heaven. The meaning of which is, that the disciple gaineth no advantage without a master to teach him, neither doth the master without a pupil to listen to him. The Logos giveth the speech; let obedience (or, listening) of those who hearken to it make it perfect. For behold the Logos giveth its strength, [provided that] ye yourselves are without ill-will (or, grudging), and that ye first of all purify yourselves from every restraining influence and [from] ill-will (or, envy), and from unbelief, which are the enemies of righteousness. Now envy warreth against love, and unbelief against belief, even as bitterness warreth against sweetness, and darkness against light, and that which is evil against that which is good; and death warreth against life, and falsehood against truth. Now those who are full of the strength of that which is adverse to good, and have in them envy, and ill-will, and unbelief, hate love and faith (or, belief), and those who hate these things are the enemies of God.

2 For we know, O my beloved, that all those who are filled with envy, and ill-will, and unbelief, are the enemies of righteousness; take good heed to yourselves, therefore, that ye may not become the enemies of righteousness. Take unto yourselves belief and love, for through these salvation hath come unto all the saints, from the beginning even until this present. Moreover, make ye manifest the power of love, not only in word, but also in deed; now God hath given salvation for all of us. For we ourselves did not come into being as the whole world came into being, by the word of His mouth only, but He made us both by word and by deed. God was not content with making Himself to say, 'Let us make man according to Our likeness and image,' but He made the action follow the word. For God took a piece of earth from the earth, and fashioned man, according to His own image and likeness, and He breathed into his face the breath of life. Now when Adam was nigh unto death because of his transgression, the material body of Adam needed to be fashioned a second time by the hand of God, the Fabricator, in order that he might receive salvation.

3 Now [the body of] man rotteth away, and is buried in the earth, but the soul, which God breathed into him when he became a living soul, separateth itself from him. And further, when [the body] is dead they carry off the soul into a place of darkness, into the region which is called 'Amente'. For the soul and the body become separated, and death divideth them each from the other. Now the soul is fettered in Amente, but the body (or, flesh) dissolveth in the earth. And there is a very great gulf [fixed] between them—the flesh and the soul. Now the flesh disappeareth, and is diffused abroad in the earth wherein it hath been buried, but the soul is powerless in the bonds of Amente. The soul, which is a strong thing, is fettered in the darkness, but the body, which is a weak thing, dissolveth in the earth. Now the body is not strong [enough] to move, [and] it dissolveth in the [funerary] mountain; neither is the soul able to do anything, [for] it is fettered in Amente. For when death beareth away a man, the strong portion [of him], which is the soul, it fettereth in Amente, and the weak portion [of him], which is the flesh, it carrieth off [into the earth.]

4 Now it is like a general who captureth the city of a king; when he hath taken possession thereof he first of all seizeth the king and shutteth him up under restraint. And this is what death doeth first of all to the soul. Now the body is like unto a ship which hath no steersman upon it, that is to say, the body perisheth, and it falleth to pieces, limb from limb, because the soul hath ceased to steer it. And the members thereof are dissipated in the [funerary] mountain, and they perish like the city which hath been laid waste, and like the ship which hath no steersman in it, and hath become submerged in the waters. For it is the soul itself which steereth its body, even as the king administereth his city. 5 Now when the man is dead, his soul is not able to steer his flesh, because it is fettered in Amente, and it drifteth about among the waves of [un]righteousness, even as a steersman whose ship drifteth about on the sea. And the soul heeleth over into the waves which are ready for it, and it is driven on into the breakers of the thieves that engulf it, that is to say, adultery, and fornication, and the love of ornament, and the worship of idols, and the slaying of men, and hatred; now these are the things whereby man slayeth the soul. And because of these things, whereby [the Evil One] hath seduced the soul, it is given over to the Evil One to whom it hath clung closely, and it is carried away into Amente; for he carrieth it off like a thief. Moreover, he maketh it to be without the power to assist its own body which perisheth. The flesh dissolveth in the earth, the substance (?) thereof decayeth, and one member droppeth away from the other because the soul is not in the body to bind them together.

6 And the soul itself is bound in Amente, having fetters not on the feet only, but on its whole person. For this reason it hath not the power to give help to its own body, and to prevent it from decaying in the earth. Now it is like a captain who dieth when his ship foundereth, that is to say, if the soul were not bound in Amente, it would be able to steer its own body, and would not allow it to perish. Moreover, the soul is bound [in Amente] not only with fetters, but it is bound with its own sins as with cords, and for this reason it hath become powerless, and it forsaketh its body, leaving it to perish in the earth. And besides, the soul is made to suffer tortures in Amente. It becometh the footstool of death, and when it is in Amente it is wont to weep and sigh after its good body, saying, 'Where is my body, that body wherein I used to sing hymns? Where is my body, that body wherein I used to pray to God? Where is my good body, that body wherein, when I was a man, I used to walk about with my friends and my kinsfolk? And I made merry in my body, I was called [by my name] whilst I was in my human body, and now I am no longer a man, but a soul. Now when death hath separated the soul from the body they call the body a "corpse", and it giveth forth foetidness. I enquire after my body, [but] I do not enquire after my name, that body together with which I was a man and in which I spake.'

7 And when the soul ceaseth to be in its body, the body can never again speak with a pleasing voice, but with a choked and exceedingly sad voice; and it is like unto a musical instrument which hath no sound in it and is speechless. That is to say, the soul is not in the body to give utterance therefrom. And the body perisheth in the earth like a broken pot, and it becometh speechless, and it hath neither sound nor voice; and it is motionless, for it is a corpse, for the soul which adorned it hath departed, taking with it the power of speech. And it is impossible, moreover, to know what any man who is dead was like, for his form is destroyed by the sand. And thou canst know neither [what] his face [was like], nor the form of his person, nor the height of his stature, nor canst thou tell what the sound of his voice was like. For the son cannot know his own father, or his mother, or his brother, or his friend; it is wholly impossible [for him] to recognize the face of any one [of them] in the tomb. The lips have rotted away, the nose hath decayed, the eyes are blocked up, the colour of the face hath changed, and it is impossible to recognize any one of them; because all bodies turn into dust in the tomb, and they perish, and nothing of them remaineth to

8 Now it is impossible to identify a bone, and to make it to rejoin the body to which it belonged, because the bone hath become bare, and there is no flesh on it. And besides this, even before the flesh which elothed the bone crumbled away it would have been impossible for thee to shew clearly to whom it belonged. For who can identify a bone when it hath been taken out of the member [to which it belonged]? Or who is there that can make known to us the colour [of the hair] of one who is dead? And it is wholly impossible for thee to recognize the bones of Adam, or [to say] what manner of men the Prophets were, and what kind of bodies had the Patriarchs and the Apostles. They have all been cast in the earth, and their heads and their bodies have become separated.

9 If the son were to seek after his father in the tomb, he would not recognize him, neither would a friend recognize his friend, nor a brother recognize his brother; nor could a man address any one of them by name, being sure that he really was the person who bore that name, or identify his form, because they have all turned to dust in the tomb, and there is no longer any human resemblance in them. For man is scattered abroad over the face of all the earth, and he is poured out in every place, for the earth beareth a grievous burden of tombs and sepulchres, and every place is filled with the blood of those who are dead. Moreover, the earth hath become one [great] sepulchre for those who are dead. It was one man only (i. e., Adam) who was taken from the earth, but those who are buried in it are thousands of thousands, and tens of thousands of tens of thousands. Every place is filled with the dead, the sea and the rivers, the earth and the mountains, and the wild beasts and the birds of prey devour the dead, and are sated with their slaughtered bodies. And Amente is filled with the souls which are bound in fetters.

10 O thou form of earth wherein grief is abundant! O thou form of man which groweth [only] for destruction, and flourisheth only in sorrows and sighings! The joy of those who are upon the earth is only for a moment, and yet they are wont to think that it is great; but it slippeth away speedily through their hands. Behold, one man rejoiceth, and taketh a woman to wife, and soon after he weepeth for her, for she is dead! Behold, one man rejoiceth in his son, and behold, soon after he weepeth over his grave! Behold, another man exulteth because of his father, and [soon] afterwards he maketh lamentation and burieth him! For there is no profit whatsoever for man; he is one who [is intended to] lament, and there is no consolation in him. He hath not the power to pacify him that shall destroy [him], neither doth he receive him that could console him. Each man, in his own way, must die for himself, and no friend can make an appeal for his friend; but each man must suffer the death to which he is liable. There is no prophet of God who can give men consolation, for they will not hearken unto him. Neither will they really believe in the God of heaven, nor will they do His Will until they fall into death.

11 Moreover, God is wroth with man because of his unutterable and indescribable transgressions, which destroy him. For man suffereth evil in every way because of his transgressions, [namely] by sickness, by punishment, by sorrow, by the grief and suffering which envelop him, by cold and heat, by burning, by wild beasts, and birds of prey, and reptiles, by the times in which he liveth, and by old age. The winds, and the earthquakes, and the rains, and the dews, do harm to man. The rivers drown him, the wild beasts devour him, and he is destroyed by death. All [these things] have held him in contempt since he was disobedient to God. And having been driven forth from the Paradise he came out into this world which is full of sufferings. In it are envy, and adultery, and fornication, and idolatry: and these are the things through which man dieth. All these things have become fellow-workers with death in respect of man, and they war against him with wickednesses in order that death may bring him to the dust.

12 For man hath at no time any enjoyment, never hath he any pleasure. For when during his lifetime doth man rejoice? Doth he rejoice when he is in the womb of his mother? What kind of enjoyment can he have when he is carried about in the darkness and foetor thereof, and when he is in pain and restraint on every side in the blood of the belly? But he must come forth from his mother's body: doth he rejoice [in doing this]? Nay, for he runneth an exceedingly great risk of dying. But surely he rejoiceth when he is at his mother's breast? Now in what manner doth he take the nipple? He crieth loudly and weepeth. Now the child that is healthy neither crieth out nor weepeth. 13 But surely when man is a little child, he crawleth about on the ground and rejoiceth? In what way then doth he rejoice? He is liable to be attacked by some beast, which will trample him to death, and will split open his head, and the foam of his mouth and his intestines will be scattered about on the herbage (?) and on the ground. But surely if he groweth up into a young man he will rejoice? In what way, then, will he rejoice? [I say] he cannot rejoice; for the disposition of youth surroundeth him on every side with the lusts which are full of danger, and if he doth not crush them they cause him to die in an evil manner. But surely when he hath taken a wife, and hath begotten children, he will rejoice? In what way, then, will he rejoice? He will live in a state of anxiety about the children who will commit acts of folly. But surely when he shall have become an old man [he will rejoice, and take rest]? In what way, then, will he have rest? He will rest with the dangers of old age [always] round about him. And at the end of all these [troubles] is the expectation of death, which consumeth the soul like a fire.

14 O thou death, thou carriest off [people] of every age and condition—the children and the old man, the youth and the man of mature growth. For age (or, stature) is no obstacle to death, and he carrieth away [people] of every age and condition. Now it is an exceedingly sorrowful thing to look upon death in man, and to contemplate his decay. The face hath become ghastly pallid in the garb of death, and the body hath become shrivelled up, and the mouth is shut up, and the hair hath become lustreless (?), and the eyes have become sightless and are shut, and the limbs are motionless. And as for the other changes which take place in the body when it is placed in the earth, the flesh crumbleth away, and the sinews and ligaments decay, and the other [members] which have been laid bare, [and] those which have not been laid bare, become dissolved, and the humours which have dried up, and the dust which is abundant. For man is a thing of nought, and he is like unto a flower of the grasses which withereth, and he shrivelleth up like a log of wood which is burned in the fire and is consumed.

15 Now after the destruction of man, and [seeing] his wretchedness, which was very great, God visited that which He Himself had fashioned, and had made in His own form and likeness, in order that Death might not become the conqueror. Death boasted himself saying, 'I will conquer man.' Now the Devil fighteth against man at all times, and he carrieth him away captive through the evil of death into the gate of Amente. And he hurleth his wickedness against man at all times, until at length he bringeth him under the power of death, and he shutteth him up in the prison of Amente. For this reason the soul which is fast bound in darkness is not able to make its escape from the place of imprisonment of those who are dead. For this reason the Father sent His Son upon the earth. Now He had no body of flesh; therefore the Holy Spirit caused Him to take upon Himself flesh in the womb of the Virgin.

16 And God became man so that He might deliver him that had gone astray, and might gather together those who were scattered through the envy of the Devil, and might bring them into His fold. Death having made a separation in man, those whom Death had scattered, these did Christ gather together, and He hath made man one again, the soul with the body. For Death bound the soul in Amente, and he made the flesh to dissolve in the earth; thus he divided man into two parts. The Saviour Jesus, however, Himself set free the soul from its bonds, and He bound the flesh together inseparably, and He brought the two towards each other, and made them one of one, the soul and the body, and He rejoined them each to the other. He gave the body to the soul, and the soul He placed in the body; He made [the body] to be an instrument of speech, and He gave it constituted members.

17 And now, O soul, sing thou hymns of praise in the body wherein thou art, to thine own Imperishable God, because Christ died for us, in order that we might live with Him for ever. For He was neither liable to Death, nor was He under any obligation to die by Death; neither was it absolutely necessary for Him to make Himself to become man, nor had He Himself any need to take upon Himself the flesh of man: for He is God, and He is arrayed in all the glory of Divinity. For this reason he endured patiently and was made after the manner of men who die, [though] He is the God Who alone dieth not. Now for what reason did He come down upon the earth, seeing that He Himself was the King, Who was reigning over the heavens? Who compelled Him to go to the Cross, and to die gladly?

18 Though He Himself was the Fabricator of the universe, He endured patiently, and allowed Himself to be begotten in the womb of a woman. And they wrapped in swaddling bands Him that had been arrayed in all the glory of the Father. He Who sat on the chariots of the Cherubim was laid in a manger, and He sucked the nipple at the breast of a woman. He before Whom the Seraphim stand in awe ascribing glory to His Divinity, He Who sent forth waters to flow in the rivers, and the rains, and the dews, and Who sent forth waters from heaven, received baptism in the Jordan by a mortal man. He from Whom the whole universe receiveth light was treated with contempt by the Jews. He upon Whose Word hang the seven heavens, and the firmament, and the earth, and Amente, was Himself hung upon a Cross of wood. He Who took a clod of dead earth, and fashioned it into a living man, bare patiently the scorn of those who mocked Him, in order that by the contempt of Himself He might save man, who had gone to perdition through his own sins. He gave His soul of salvation for the soul of man. He gave His holy flesh on behalf of the whole race of Adam. And He gave His Blood on behalf of all. He gave Man for man, and His death for our death. And the death which men are under an obligation to suffer, and which they fear, became a blessing, because Christ died for us.

19 This is the love which Christ made manifest. He died for us, who are sinners, in order that He might save us. For what righteous man ever died on behalf of a sinner? Or what father ever died on behalf of his own son, whom he had begotten? Again, what friend ever died on behalf of his friend? Or what loving brother ever died on behalf of his brother? No man ever did such a thing, that is to say, no man ever let himself die for another by his own wish, or through his own good pleasure only. But Christ came of Himself, and of His own free will and love. And as to us sinners, not only did He fashion us in the form of Adam and make us to become men, but when we were dead in [our] sins, He came and bore suffering on our behalf; and He hath given us life again by His love.

20 Now at the time when He fashioned us with His hand, He had not suffered [on our behalf]; but now that He hath begotten us a second time, through the suffering of His death, He suffereth with us even as doth she who gave [us] birth. He hath borne with us for an exceedingly long time, and He hath not burnt up the world, [the people whereof] treated Him with contempt, and scourged Him by the hands of sinners, and put Him to death, and buried Him, according to that which the prophet spake saying, 'Thou hast brought me into the dust (or, grave) of death.' Who was it that brought Him there? It was the wicked people whom He loved that put Him to death. He came to them to save them, and they cast Him aside like a straw. Consider moreover, O men, the return which the children of Israel made to our God. They pierced the side of Him Who had created them. They inflicted sufferings upon Him Who had on very many occasions conferred benefits upon them and their fathers. They paid Him back with evil things instead of good, and they shewed hatred instead of the true [love] wherewith He had loved them. They made sorrowful Him Who had given joy unto them. He Who had raised the dead among them, and they saw Him doing it; He Who had healed the lame, and cleansed those who were leprous, He Who had given light to the blind— He it was Whom they killed, and hung upon a tree!

21 Consider moreover, O men, the insolent daring of the Jews. They hung [upon a tree] Him that had hung out the earth. They drove nails into Him that had stablished the earth on the waters. They broke [the limbs] of Him that had heaped up the heavens in His wisdom. They bound as a prisoner Him that had released them from the servitude of Pharaoh. They put fetters on Him that had set free sinners. To Him that had given them a stream of water to quench their thirst did they give vinegar to drink when He thirsted, and they sustained Him with gall when He was in the agony of death on the Cross, and they did not remember that He it was Who had given them [water as sweet as] honey to drink from the rock. They bound the hands and the feet of Him that had unbound the limbs of those who were paralysed. They themselves were bound in the hand of the Devil because they performed His will; for he kept them bound until the coming of Him that should release those who were in captivity, and set free those who were bound. Of Him that had sent forth the sun and the moon to give light to them, and had opened the eyes of those who were blind from their birth, did they close the eyes like those of a dead man. Him Who had raised the dead did they bury in the earth.

22 O what a new and incomprehensible mystery! He Who was the Judge was judged. He Who had done away their sins was bound with cords. Nails were driven into the hands of Him Who had fashioned men. They hung on a tree Him Who had placed breath in their throats. They broke Him Who could break their members from their bodies. On the Cross they compelled Him Who had filled the earth with life to drink gall. He through Whom the whole universe liveth died. Now they did scoff at Him greatly whilst He was on the Cross, and before He died they gave utterance to many mocking words, and they gibed at Him. When our Lord was hanging upon the wood of the Cross, the sepulchres opened, and Amente was rent asunder. He delivered the souls [therefrom], and He raised up the dead, and very many of the saints shewed themselves in Jerusalem. Now these things happened before the mystery was fulfilled on the Cross. And when Christ died, He abolished the Enemy, He bound in fetters the mighty tyrant, He set His Cross before him. He conquered in their presence, and He gained the victory.

23 Our Lord Jesus Christ lifted up His Body on the Cross, and when Death had seen Life, he fell down at His feet. Then the Powers of the heavens marvelled at His wisdom. The angels were stupefied with admiration of Him. The elements were terror-stricken, and all created things were shaken when they saw this new mystery, and this awful sight. They saw God hanging on a tree, and men were lifted up near Him on the tree. His feet were fastened to it by means of nails, and likewise His hands, which were extended, were fastened by nails to the tree. And the Jews mocked at Him, and laughed at Him, and derided Him, because they did not understand the mystery. The earth trembled (or, shook) when it saw the shamelessness of the Jews. The mountains thereof trembled, and the hills shook and quaked. The sea made its waves to rise up to a height sufficient to cover the world. The abyss was disturbed, and opened its mouth to swallow up all created things. The whole of creation was moved with wrath because of the abominable insolence of the Jews. The luminaries of heaven became dark, the sun withdrew to rest, the moon was perturbed and hid itself, and the stars ceased to shine on the wicked men. Though the moon was full, it did not shine, and moreover, the sun having withdrawn to rest, the whole world was in darkness. They saw their God Who had created them hanging upon a tree like a thief. The day turned into night.

24 And an angel who was wroth came forth from among all the angels, with his drawn sword in his hands, to slay them quickly altogether. And he was prevented [from doing this] by the mercy of Christ. And the angel laid his hand upon the curtain of the temple, and rent it in twain, from the top to the bottom. And all the angels were looking forth from the heavens, and they were wroth because the lovingkindness of God the Father prevented them all from destroying the Jews. The light of the day took to flight, the world was shrouded in darkness, the darkness of the blackest night. All these things happened before Christ closed His eyes. And His light made haste to rise in Amente. And Amente was perturbed when the Lord went down into it, not in the flesh, but in the spirit; for He had power over all creation, and He could destroy [it] before His last hour. He poured out His Blood on the earth, and It protected the earth and those who were therein. His Body continued to hang upon the tree for the sake of the elements, and His Spirit went down into Amente, and saved those who were in that region. He despoiled Amente, and made Himself Master of all of it.

25 His Body raised up those who were dead on the earth, and His Spirit set free the souls which were in Amente. For in that hour in which our Lord was hanging upon the Cross, in that very same hour, the sepulchres opened, and the gatekeepers of Amente saw Him, and they shook with fear and took to flight. He burst open the gates of brass, He broke through the bolts of iron, and He took the souls which were in Amente and carried them to His Father. When the Lord had broken up Amente, and had gained the victory over Death, He set the Enemy under restraint. Now the souls He brought out of Amente, but the bodies He raised up on the earth. Furthermore, consider the mighty and marvellous strength which was in His mortal body as He hung upon the tree! For neither was creation able to endure His dead body, nor could the Elements endure it, and Amente could not endure His Spirit. Every place was filled with trouble because of the sufferings of our Saviour, and all created things were troubled because of His death, for they were not accustomed to see their Lord treated with scorn and contempt. All created things were stupefied and said, 'What is this new

26 mystery? The judges pass judgement upon Him and He speaketh not. Those who know Him not look upon Him, and are not ashamed. Those who have no authority over Him take possession of Him, and He resisteth them not. Those who are not His equals treat Him with scorn, and He becometh not angry. He Who is impassible endureth sufferings, and is not wroth. He Who is immortal hath died, and He hath endured [pain] patiently. He Who dwelleth in the heavens hath been buried in the earth, and hath kept silence.' 'What is this mystery?' saith all creation, for every thing marvelled at His lovingkindness. And having risen from the dead at dawn on the First Day of the Week, and having vanquished death, He bound in fetters the tyrant and set men free. Then did every created thing know that the Judge had had judgement passed on Him for the sake of the salvation of man, and that, for man's sake, He Who was invisible had been seen, and He Who was infinite had been measured, and He Who was impassible had endured sufferings, and He Who was immortal had died, and He Who was in the heavens had been buried.

27 For He Who had become man was judged in order that He might shew mercy to us. He was put to death in order that He might set free those who were in bonds. He endured sufferings in order that He might give us rest. He died that He might make us to live. He was buried in order that He might raise us [from the dead]. If the Lord had not endured sufferings with the race of man, by what manner of means would mankind have been saved? Moreover, Death fell down at the feet of Christ, and Christ carried him away, and the Devil who had been a rebel became a captive. Christ made Amente to quake and the power of the Devil He turned backwards. Death heard the voice of the Lord as He cried unto all the souls, 'Come forth, O ye who are bound in fetters! O ye who sit in the darkness and shadow of death, on you hath the light risen. I preach unto you life, for I am Christ, the Son of God.' Then He set free the souls of the saints, and He raised them up with Him.

28 And earth itself cried out saying, 'Spare me, O Lord. Free Thou me from the curse which is on me. Remove from me the wickedness of the Devil. Thou hast held me to be worthy of having Thy Body buried in me, in the Place of the Blood, which was poured out upon me, in order that Thou mightest raise men from the dead. Thy glorious Image is spread abroad in every place. Except Thyself, when Thou utterest Thy words, no one shall resist Thy commands; but it was Thy love which compelled Thee to come to the beings whom Thou hadst fashioned. For behold, Thou didst stand on the earth, and didst seek after the members of the beings whom Thou hadst made. Take Thou, then, man, the deposit. Take Thou Thine image, which Thou hast committed as a pledge to me. Take Thou Adam, being complete in his likeness.'

29 Then Christ rose from the dead in the third hour of the day, and He took the saints with Him to His Father; now all mankind shall receive salvation through the death of Christ. For one was judged instead of all men, and salvation and mercy [came] into the whole world. Moreover, one died in order that all might rise from the dead. And the Lord died on behalf of every one, in order that every one should rise from the dead with Him. For having died, He put man on Himself like a garment, and took him with Him into the heaven which is in the heavens, and man became one of one with Him. He took Him as a gift to His Father. The gift was not gold, neither was it silver, but it was man whom He had created in His own likeness, and in His own image. Moreover, this [Christ] did God the Father exalt. He seated Him on His right hand, on the Exalted Throne, and He appointed Him to be the Judge of those who are living, and of those who are dead, and Captain of all His creation. He sitteth above the Cherubim, He Who hath created the Jerusalem of heaven, that is to say, the True Bridegroom, and the King of all the Ages. Glory be unto Him for all ages of ages. Amen.