Rhythms on the Faith

Rhythms on the Faith

Ephrem the Syrian

c. AD 306–373

Eighty rhythms in which Ephrem answers those who pry into the nature of God, and insists that the Son’s generation from the Father is to be believed and not examined. They are among his central works against the Arians and Anomoeans, written in Edessa about the middle of the fourth century.

Rhythm 1.

1 INSTEAD of that all-quickening standard which He Who The Son's Generation incomprehensible to weak man. 107 teacheth all had set for us, a new faith hath this presumptuous generation made for us. He Who knoweth all knoweth what is the cause of their stirrings. If pride was the cause of them, may our Lord restrain its haughtiness, and if strife was the cause of them, may our Lord increase our harmony, and if love was the cause of them, may He reveal to them that be His, what is His. O thou that shootest at a great Mountain, fancy not that thine arrows have hit! from thyself they have gone a little way, and that standard they have not hit. For high is that Generation of the Son above the questioning of man. Set thyself a standard of thine own stock like that which is near thee, that by the testimony of what is near, that which is far may be believed. Let the soul be to thee a standard, for those that philosophize about it miss of it. For one confesses

2 Church. He that ordereth the successions of natures and creatures, He it is that ordered the successions of Prophets and of Apostles from one age even to another. Blessed be He that begun and perfecteth." If instead of 'traditions' we render successions, as may be done, still he plainly contemplates doctrine as delivered through those successions. Again, vol. i. p. 454, f. he says, "When thou hearest of the well-ordered ministry of Solomon's princes, and the exact arrangement of those who brought the supply of bread to the great congregation of men and women, and purveyed hay and barley for the stallions and the horses, bethink thyself of the all-pervading beautiful order which Immanuel has stamped upon His Church. For these spiritual princes nourish all the children of the Church in their order: the chief shepherds, to wit, offer deep things to the perfect, and to penitents and those that stand without the gates they bring hay and barley—not that these mysteries are barley and hay, but that men such as those, have their conversation like the beasts, and consequently are not nourished as rational men. Nourished however they are, seeing we give nourishment even to beasts; as the Prophet says, Thou, Lord, shalt save both man and beast." These passages bring out the force of the first sentence; they shew St. E. to conceive of the faith as somewhat substantive, as held by the Church only, as old, and so opposed to the new doctrine, and lastly, as dispensed by the Church. It may be added that the

3 word [a] is used for a mark or butt to aim at, in which sense it corresponds to the [a]n[as]i[as]i[as] [a]n[as] of St. Athanasius, c. Arian. iii. §. 28. As the soul may be a standard for the natural reason to aim at, so God is for the reason enlightened by Baptism: see note b, on p. 87. The soul unable to comprehend that it exists, another [says] that it existeth not. One puts it in subjection to death e, another above the power of death. One maketh it out of something, and another, out of nothing f. He that sees its greatness makes it a small part of somewhat great g, and he that sees its evanescence, maketh it a breath of air. There is that maketh it a breathing, and there is also that calleth it blood h. One that seeth its fieriness, says that it is of fire i, another that seeth its viewlessness j, lays down that it is of the wind. One makes it a part of God k, and another an inspiration [from God]. One maketh it of one essence, and another of many essences l. There is that maketh it of one element, and there is that maketh it of seven m compounded elements n. There is that magnifieth and extols its nature, and there is that degradeth its race and maketh it little. If then in regard to the bewildered soul, that which even dreams bewilder, men of research be so bewildered as to have

4 aim, as follows, i That the soul is incomprehensible appears from this: of those who have disputed about the soul, (to pass over the rife and endless battling about it) some have said that it did not exist, some that it did; some have doubted. If then the dogmatists allow that this is a controversy which cannot be settled, they do thereby allow the incomprehensibility of the soul. j Pyrrh. Hyp. ii. 5. p. 74. Fabr. 5 come short of it, who is able to trace out that untraceable Generation? Come let us wonder at him who says of the soul that it does not exist, for when the soul is even dwelling in him, it yet disputes against itself, it rejects itself, in that it says of its own essence that it exists not. The soul that gropeth not out its own self, [so as to know] whether it exists or exists not, sufficeth not to feel itself. How should it, which is at a loss what to say of itself, be able to search out Him by Whose S. hands it was created. Though in its proper nature not to be which grinds seen, its own mirror is, to let it see that it exists: in this, [the its gift of] speech, hath the soul been able to see itself, forasmuch mouth as it is by that gift that its glory is greater than that of the dumb animals. While then the soul exists, yet to itself it exists not, to its knowledge. For how can it not exist? for see! it is comprehended by its workings; and when from the Creator it existed, it perished by its own free-will. If then in regard to all this the soul rejecteth its true nature, and feeleth not its own majesty; this soul that denieth itself, what is there that it shall be able to confess to exist as it really does? And if the soul misseth of the very investigation of its own self, what shall it seek out by its searching? what shall it comprehend by its questioning? and if it be so far from itself, how shall it find the Secret One?

6 If then our knowledge knows not how to know itself, how shall it dare to raise difficulties about the Generation of Him that knoweth all things? The thing made that knoweth not itself, how should it seek into its Maker? The mighty Nature, that never was not, is spoken of by all mouths. The mouth that willeth to speak of That which is unspeakable, bringeth Him to littleness, in that it sufficeth not for His greatness. Every one then that wisheth to magnify God exceedingly, as He is great in His own Nature, himself in magnifying Him is magnified in Him. Restrain searching which sufficeth not [to reach] Him, and gain silence, which is becoming, of Him. Give me, Lord, to use them both discerningly, that I may neither search rashly, nor be silent carelessly. Teach me words of edification, and make me gain the silence of discernment.

Rhythm 2.

1. Blessed be he that hath fixed him up the delicate mirror of truth, and hath seen therein Thy Generation, which is too great for any tongues! Blessed be he that hath been brought near to the knowledge of truth, and hath learnt by it that God cannot be searched out by any man! Blessed he who lxx.§.1. hath been, Lord, a sailor of Truth in this generation, whose faith also hath not lost its savour among the savourless that pry into Thee! Blessed he that hath surrounded his hearing with the wall of silence, and through it have never broken the questionings of the wise that have fought with Thee! xx.§.3. Blessed he that hath let the wings of the Spirit grow secretly on him, and because there was questioning upon earth, hath left it and gone up to Heaven! Blessed he again that hath been a sailor for his Faith, and from the storms of controversy hath fled into the port of Silence! Blessed also be he that lvii.§.4. hath felt that the language of his mouth was weak, and the womb of it cannot suffice for that unutterable Generation! Blessed he that hath withheld his tongue from relating the Procreation, which is not allowed him [to speak of]! Blessed he that hath punished himself for ought that he has pried into S. whose harp sings thereof! Blessed he that hath tuned his harp with Psalms which David sung, with plain things that are not to be questioned, and obscure that are not to be searched into!

Blessed he that hath made him a measure of truth every day, and hath weighed therein all his questionings that he may not raise superfluous questions! Blessed he that hath made Him a just measure, which is meted with that of the Prophets and Apostles, the measure that Righteousness hath made! Blessed he that weigheth his searching by the edification of his hearers, and it is not too light, lest it should be wanting, nor too heavy, lest it be sunk! Blessed he that hath not passed over the boundary in his haste, and also he whose delay laboureth for peace, and findeth it! Blessed be he that seeks laboriously for that which he is competent to find! Blessed he that does not distract himself with investigating the Incomprehensible! Blessed he whose tongue hath been to Thee, Lord, as of a harp, and who sings with it sounds able to heal those that hear them!

2. Blessed be he, Lord, that hath gained the Truth which sustaineth the weak, whose verity also is as a staff to the feeble-minded! Blessed he whose doctrine is good leaven, so that he thereby communicates a right taste to the foolish who is unleavened! Blessed he that cleanseth his disputation as a mirror for them that are lacking in faith, that they may by it clear off their spots! Blessed he whose speech is as a medicine of life, and he quickeneth the spiritually dead that lift themselves up against Him that quickeneth all! Blessed he that is dumb what time Thy Generation is pried into! Blessed he that becometh a trumpet what time Thy Generation is proclaimed! 3. Blessed he that knoweth, Lord, that the power of searching after Thee is hard to obtain! Blessed he that knoweth how sweet is the taste of speaking Thy praise! Blessed be he, Lord, that giveth not his mouth to be a Evils of disputatiousness.

conduit for the foolish questionings that well forth from glozing disputers! Blessed he, Lord, whose tongue is a pure vessel, and he speaketh therewith the Truth that floweth down from Prophets and Apostles! Blessed he that hath not tasted the gall of wisdom of the Greeks! Blessed he that hath not let slip the simplicity of the Apostles!

Rhythm 3.

1. Blessed be he, Lord, who, in great love, hath been worthy to call Thee beloved Son, which [Name] God Thy Father Himself called Thee! Blessed he, Lord, that hath weaned his mouth from all questionings and hath called Thee the Son of God, which [Name] the Holy Ghost called Thee! Blessed he, Lord, Ps. 2, 7. &c. who hath been worthy to believe in simplicity and to call Thee 'Son,' as all the Prophets and Apostles called Thee! ab. p. 111,n.d. Blessed he that knoweth, Lord, that Thy Majesty is unsearchable, and hath rebuked his tongue speedily that by silence p. 110. he might honour Thy Generation! Blessed he, Lord, that hath obtained a hidden eye wherewith to see how the Angels turn abashed from Thee, and how shamelessly man dealeth! See iv. §. 1. Blessed he, Lord, that hath expanded his mind, and hath contemplated Thee, how that creatures cannot attain to Thee, and hath given Thee thanks, because he hath been worthy of having Thee to dwell in him! Blessed be he that knoweth, Lord, that Thou art God, the Son of God, and knoweth himself whose son he is—a mortal the son of a mortal! Blessed he that hath reflected that Adonai is Thy Father, and hath also remembered his own generation, that he is a Son of Adam of the dust! Blessed he that hath reflected that the Angels by silence confess Thee, and hath speedily chidden with himself because his tongue has been so daring! Blessed he that hath understood that the heavens above were still, and the earth below was moved, and hath quieted his soul whilst among the waves [thereof]! Blessed he, Lord, that Angels leave what man boldly prieth into.

2 hath learnt that the Seraph crieth, 'Holy,' and is still, that the Seraphim search not at all, and that hath left alone what the Seraphim leave, and hath chosen what the Seraphim chose! 2. Who then is not astonished that Thou art sitting at the Right Hand, and that dust which sitteth upon dust upon its dunghill searcheth into Thee! Blessed, Lord, be he that knoweth that Thou art in the Bosom of the [Divine] Essence, and hath remembered that himself is fast falling into the bosom of the earth his mother! Who, Lord, is not astonished that Thou art the Creator of all creatures, that man essayeth to search into Thee, and yet knoweth not what his own soul is! This is a wonder that it is Thou, Lord, alone that knowest Thy Father, and yet vile dust lifteth itself up even to search into Thy Father in Thee, O Lord! Blessed he, Lord, that by his conversation hath become godlike, who, as having sanctified himself, calleth Thee God, the Son of God!

Rhythm 4.

1. A thousand thousands stand, ten thousand ten thousands run: thousands and ten thousands are not able to search into One: for all of them in silence stand to minister. He hath no assessor save the Son who is from Him: within the Silence [alone] is there investigation into Him. If the Angels had come to search, they had met the Silence, and been restrained. The First-Born entered the belly, and the pure Virgin suffered not. He went in, and came forth in pangs, and the Fair One perceived Him. Glorious and hidden was His entering in: vile and visible His coming forth, for He was God in His going in, and Man in His coming forth. A wonder and an astonishment to hear! Fire went into the Belly, and clothed himself with a Body and came forth! Gabriel gave the Name of 'Lord' to Him Who is the Lord of Angels. He called Him 'Lord' that he might teach that He was his Lord, and not his fellow-servant. Michael was Gabriel's fellow-servant. The Son is the Lord of servants: High is His Nature as is His Name. The servant cannot search Him

a 'Silence' '' '' is used of God by Dionys. Areop. de Div. Nom. p. 841. which Corderius (p. 848.) says, is used, "because neither can we by speech declare God, nor doth He thereby so declare Himself to us as that we can know Him perfectly as He is." b 'Suffered,' will apply to mind or body. St. Hil. de Trin. iii. §. 19. 'She begat a perfect Man without having ought that was her's minished.' See on xviii. fin. The received doctrine is, that as Christ entered the house in spite of the doors being shut, so He came forth from the Blessed Virgin without opening the gate of her womb. See Petav. de Incarn. x. 6. §. 3. and Assem. in Oper. Gr. iii. (p. 41.) Huet. Origenian ii. 4. §. 2. who quote Pseud.-Orig. Hom. in div. Theod. Dial. 2. p. 79. St. Aug. de Civ. D. xxii. 8. §. 21. Jerom. c. Pel. ii. §. 4. St. Ambr. Epist. 81. (42. §. 4. Bened. whom see on Comm. in Luc. ii. §. 57.) St. Hormisd. Epist. 79. Greg. Magn. Hom. 26. §. 1. in Evan. besides several passages from the Opera Graeca of St. E. e. g. vol. ii. p. 265. "Mary neither suffered as a woman, nor had she the pains in bringing forth as a Virgin." See above, p. 40. and 46.

where he speaks of the womb as sealed, an expression used by Origen and others, and taken from Cant. iv. 12. The 'pangs' he mentions presently (if not those of Compassion) may of course be quite consistent with this, as they may have preceded Child-birth. particularly of the Incarnation and Omnipresence. 117 had begun to enquire into Thy appearance among things created, they comprehended not how, by running up and down, to come to a stand in their search into Thee. For See p. 24. they saw Thee in the depth, they saw Thee above on high; they saw Thee in the sepulchre, they saw Thee in the chamber, they saw Thee dead, they found Thee a raiser of the dead: they were amazed, they were astonied, and had no strength left. 4. In every place is Thy mysterious Presence, Lord, and S. Thy mystery from every place Thou art withdrawn. Though Thy mysterious Presence be in the height, yet it feeleth not that Thou art what Thou art. Though Thy mysterious Presence be in the depth, is it not comprehended what it is. Though Thy mysterious Presence be in the sea, from the sea Thou art concealed: though Thy mysterious Presence be in the dry land, it knoweth not that Thou art He. Blessed be the glorious hidden One, since even Thy little mystery is a fountain of mysteries! who is able to clear up mysteries that fail not? If a man were to take a likeness of Thee it would be a fountain whence all likenesses would flow, and to what shall Ps. 139.

Silence and prayer more becoming than prying, we be able to look and shadow out Thy Image upon our heart. In Thy one adorable Image ten thousand beauteous things are crowded together. 5. Wondrous art Thou altogether on all sides that we seek Thee! Thou art near and far off. Who shall approach to Thee? No searching is able to extend and reach unto Thee. When it had reached itself forth to approach, it was intercepted and stopped short. It is too short to reach Thy mountain; faith does find it, and love with prayer. Imagining and recommended by Scripture and the example of Angels. 119 7. And if there be a mode of seeking Him out, come let us seek out the hidden One; come, let us in astonishment feel after Him if He can be comprehended! Thou art revealed, Lord, to babes and hidden from the cunning; to him that believeth Thou art found, to him that searcheth Thou art hidden. Blessed be he that is simple in searching out Thee and vigorous at Thy promise. Searching, Lord, is too little to glorify Thee within itself. The power that extendeth unto every place is able to search for Thee, in the height to shadow Thee forth, and in the depth to feel after Thee, but though reaching to every place is not able to find out Thee. Blessed be he that hath felt that [only] in the Bosom of Thy Father is the enquiry into Thee fully set at rest.

8. The Seraph that is winged and flieth is too weak to search Thee out; his wing is weak in comparison of Thee, so as not to measure with Thy Majesty. In Thy Bosom are the worlds laid; how much soever one would wander into it, one is hindered. The Seraph whose voice proclaims Thee Holy, in reverential silence keeps from search into Thee. and Woe unto him that is bold, when the Seraph before Thee with his wings covereth his face! The Cherubs bear that Mighty One Who beareth all. Bowing downwards do the hosts of the Cherubim in fear beneath Thy chariot... and the hosts of the Cherubim in fear beneath Thy chariot... and the rest of the Cherses and fear to gaze therein, carrying yet not able to find Him, trembling when approaching. Blessed he that hath learnt the honour due to Thee from them, and hath praised and been silent in fear!

Rhythm 5.

1. THE knowledge of Angels searcheth in measure, the knowledge of men without measure goeth roaming. Thy mercy put in Thy way inns and milestones that the unsettled disputers might come into order. Blessed he that hath measured his wonder with his knowledge so as to reach the inns. The knowledge of man to the knowledge of an Angel is like a feeble twilight, and even the knowledge of Angels to the knowledge of the Spirit is as a little twinkling. [Yet] the Spirit Is. 53, 8. saith of the Son, 'Who hath declared His generation?' Rashn. f. ness is for running on and passing over the boundary which the Spirit came up to and was still. Degrees of knowledge as of created beings different. 121 stretch himself unto aught that is greater than his own measure. Hereto nature witnesseth by the subordination that is therein, for rank leadeth unto rank unto that which is the crown: and also the counsels of Jethro made subordinations from degree to degree even up to Moses himself. Men, who are of vile degree, trespass over the degrees of Angels to come up to the First-born and search into Him!

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

of those Angels, that without a veil, see the things of God, and are counted worthy to see the mysteries from God without the mediation of others. And these be like the fine flour, because it is by a light clear and pure that they are enlightened, and are in their essence pure without spot and without mixture. These are they whom we account Seraphim and Cherubim. But those who eat flower mixed with bran, are those [men] who hitherto have not attained to a capability for the pure light, for hitherto they have not attained a mind pure and perfect every whit, but there is over them a covering like to the bran, &c." See also vol. i. p. 269. We see here that he holds men and Angels to see God in very different ways; and that in spite of his holding as St. Thomas did, that Angels see God without any medium, he also holds in the text, that Angels themselves see Him in different degrees.

This seems to have been originally suggested by Plato, (Tim. §. 10. "He who established this universe was good, and in him who is good doth no envy ever at any time have place,") and is used in a similar way by St. E. R. xlvi. §. 2. St. Athan. c. Gent. §. 41. St. Greg. Naz. p. 16. d. p. 543. d. St. Gr. Nys. c. Eun. p. 372. a. xxi. §. 2. St. Epiphan. i. p. 959. a. If Arianism grew out of Platonism, we should not forget any service the heathen did to orthodoxy, especially when (as Heindorf notices) he is opposing the current heathen notion of the enviousness of the Divinity. i. e. put on our nature. Christ takes our names, gives us His. work of His that can be compared unto its Maker. For not even are the names of the two equal and more than the names are p. 133. they themselves unequal. The Lord willed in His love to make His servants share in His names. Priests and kings by grace clad on Thy surnames, and Moses and Joshua Thy names.

4. Merciful was the Lord in that He also clad on our names; Met. 13, even to a grain of mustard seed He condescended to compare Himself. He gave unto us His Names, He took from us our names. His Names made us great, our names made Him small. Blessed be he who covered his own name with Thy goodly Name, and hath ornamented with Thy Name his own names: Let nature be a furnace unto us p. 133. for the word of truth. Lo, the sun is all of him visible to the eye of all; it is not that he is in any thing concealed that the eye cannot search into him. The whole of him is visible before it, yet can it not see one hundredth part of him. In the sun is revealed Thy hidden Generation, and who can gaze upon the might thereof? Analogies in air and colour to God's pervading presence. 123

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

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

The Son is as unsearchable as the Father, Ps. 31, no one is able to veil himself in Him, yet He covereth him in Himself. We have shadowed forth for the sake of our quietness the Eternal that cannot be felt: let us not explore Him, but let us depart and go forth by the straight course to silence. If a blind man shall touch a living coal to explore it, its brightness profiteth him not, but its heat burneth him. So doth a hidden Essence harm them that search into it, but them that worship it, it advantageth. yet is Light, Life, and Health to the good and humble. 125 interest" with Him, that we may demand it of Him Mat. 25, again. 9. Praise thou the hidden Light by means of the gleaming from Him; hard is it for the eye of the soul to look at the secret Light. By means of the shining from Him it is able to go p. 87, to meet Him. He sent forth a brightness from Himself to n. h. them that sit in darkness. He turned away their eyes from the beauty of worthless things to the beauty of Him that sent Him. Wonder is there and astonishment at our age! for p. 107, there are bruises in our bodies, and scars in our souls, and n. d. seams in our spirits. Instead then of searching out where there was medicine suited for us, we have probed our Physician, and have searched into His nature and birth. Oh, how bitter is our wound! It is with the Physician that chaseth away our pangs that we have bruised our own selves.

10. May Thy faith be in my mind a curdle which, when poured into it, may thicken my thoughts from prying and p. 98, straying. I will knock at Thy gate, O Lord, that Thy gift §. 5. may dwell upon me in righteousness, that my poverty may come and be suddenly enriched, for it oweth ten thousand talents. O Lord, do Thou make me a debtor, that I may make Thee pay interest from what is Thine own.

Rhythm 6.

1. How then can a man miss of the True One, when the True One is a great Mountain that may be seen even by the blind? For who does not perceive by the word 'Father' that He has a Son; it was not because He was in need that He begat Him, seeing that He Who begat Him lacketh nothing; neither did any causes beget Him, the Father Himself in His Love begat the Glorious Son. The eye is too weak to gaze upon the great might of the sun. He maketh his intenseness dim, he softeneth down his vehemence, his ray doth spread itself abroad, and cometh down unto the eye. Without the Son of the Hidden no one hath seen the Hidden one; for He is concealed from His works. By His Son is the Essence seen which cannot be seen. In the Ray from Various veils, thro' which man is visited by Christ, his Creator. 127

2 Himself He softened His wondrous might; for our Strength-ener would not weaken. He was pleasing unto us, when He softened it for us. By a ray we have represented Him, not that this is indeed like Him, for there is nothing which accurately shadoweth forth Him. He lets Himself be shadowed forth in similitudes, that according to our strength we may learn Him in His blessed dispensations. 2. For in bread the Strong One that cannot be eaten, is eaten. In strong wine also is drunk the Power which cannot be drunk. We also anoint ourselves in oil with the Power which cannot be used as ointment. And as He hath softened Himself for the mouth in pleasant meats, and it eateth Him, so He hath made the sight of Himself soft to the eye. He hath softened His might in words, so that the ear may also hear Him. Amongst those conceived Thou art marvellous: amongst those born Thou art glorious: amongst the baptized Thou art approved: amongst the redeemed Thou art desirable: amongst the sacrificed Thou art slain: amongst pleasant meats Thou art eaten: among the Prophets Thou art mingled: in the Apostles Thou art mixed: the whole of Thee, Lord, is in all: in the deep Thou art buried: in the height Thou art worshipped!

3. In the beginning then by the First-born were the works created. For God said, Let there be light, and it was created. To whom then did He give the command, for as yet nothing existed? Now if He had given the command to light, He would not have commanded it to be, for He said, Let there be light. For this word 'it was,' is different from Gen. 1, 'let it be.' He evidently intended the First-born when He created Adam, [saying,] Let Us make man in Our Image, according to Our Likeness. It were blindness to think that then too weak to create in silence? Or the sounds which He spake did He give them a body, so that they became the works h? Both these alternatives are untenable i; that 1 S. are which is third is tenable, viz. that it was to the Second 2 S. are Person 2 that He gave the command; for if a man should say 2 S. His that God gave the command to the work to be created 3, this 3 Second is confuted in Adam, since He said not to him, let Us make 3 Iossenman in Our image; it was not to His companion i that He 3 See spake, nor yet to His servant did He give the command. 11, 34. It was not meet that a servant should be made by his fellow-servant. All of them were created by the Son.

4 5. A thing made is too little to create, along with the Creator, the creation. There is no other Eternal 4 to be as a 4 or partaker with Him; servant and associate fail, and the Only. 4 Son begotten Son remains, who was not to be commanded as a servant, nor be put on an equality with a companion. His Son sufficed for His voice. Blessed be the Eternal that softened the might of His voice in His Son k. For behold the First-born how different He is from companions, and from servants how diverse! For He is high and yet humbled Himself. He is lifted up above servants and lowered more than companions. He is not numbered with servants, neither is He reckoned with companions. He is raised up above both; He is not servant, since He is Son; He is not companion, since He is First-born. The true One is plainly revealed to him that willeth to see Him. The six days that were created bear witness on six sides; they proclaim to the four quarters, and to the height, and to the depth, that it was not the things made which He commanded to make themselves; by One, from One, were they created. The Father gave the command with His voice; the Son finished the work.

5 The words of Creation discussed. 6. It is very plain, that if He commanded the earth to bring forth, it was fitting that He should speak in the way of command with the earth also, as He said unto Eve, in sorrow shalt thou bring forth; instead of saying, let it bring forth, He would have said, 'bring forth.' It was His Son Himself Who set and planted it: by the Tree of Life alone, the Planter shadowed out His own Likeness. He knew how to make it known, that He was speaking with water, as He knew how to make it known, that He was speaking with Cain. When He said, let them bring forth fruit abundantly, He would have said, 'Bring ye forth abundantly.' For His speaking to them was different from that to others. His beloved Son He charged to create the beloved fishes and the beautiful birds. He that knoweth all things provided, that in the forming of man He should reveal the greatness of the First-born. He saw that of all His works the son of Adam was perverted. He revealed His Son openly, that whoso denied the First-born, him might Adam his father, who by the First-born was created, refute; when he was not, by Him He created him, and when he sinned and went astray, in Him He called him.—Jesus, Thou glorious Name, thou hidden bridge that carrieth over from death to life, at Thee have I arrived and stand still! in J Thy initial I am detained; be a bridge to my speech that I may pass over to Thy truth. Thy love is a bridge to Thy servant; by Thee shall I pass over to Thy Father; I will pass over and say, blessed be He that softened down His might in His Son!

6 and the seven indicates the creature by reason of the life and body. For in the former there are three things, whence it comes that God is to be loved with all the heart, with all the soul, and with all the mind; in the body the four elements, of which it consists, are quite obvious." This meaning of four occurs in St. E. i. p. 233 d. f. of our Lord's Body. As persons of late years found mysteries in the name Latinus, or as alpha and omega are insisted on in Holy Writ, so was Christ's holy name of old. St. E. may refer to what was obvious enough to devotional people of the day. Didymus de Trin. p. 264. treats in a like way of the word -. The proposed emendation requires the change of a single letter: how far the present letter in the codices may be like the proposed one, in default of any accurate description of the character used in them, (known to me) I cannot judge; but I think there is strong internal evidence in its favour which I proceed to state.

7 It is a thing very much to be observed, as bearing not only on this, but on other passages, that St. Ephrem's manner is not to quote Scripture, but to allude to it. Now whoever reads over this section, must see, at first sight, that something, supposed to be known, is wanting to make the connection between its parts clear. St. John 1, 18, which has in the Syriac the very word proposed, will supply this want. In the Syriac it runs thus: 'No man hath seen God at any time: God, the Only-Begotten, Who is in the Bosom of His Father, He hath declared Him.' Assume that St. E. is expecting his readers to be familiar with this text, and the passage becomes clear: insist on the present reading, and the allusion is lost. Next, the word (which it may seem to a Syriac scholar super-erogatory to assert) is in frequent use with St. Ephrem for the Womb, or Bosom of the Father. As the passages in which it occurs, will of course throw light upon the passage in question, it may be useful to put some of them together here.

8 (§. 1.) One of them has occurred already in R. iii. §. 2. "Blessed, Lord, be he that knoweth that Thou art in the Bosom of the [Divine] Essence, and hath remembered that himself is fast falling into the bosom of the earth, his mother." See also §. 7. and ix. 45. (§. 2.) In lx. §. 3. he says, "Leave ye unto God Himself the names that He called His Son: He affirmed that He begat Him from His own Bosom, (or Womb) yet not after our custom, but in a way above it, and all-wonderful." (§. 3.) And §. 5. 'The Holy One in [His Name] Eternal,' is consistent with His Eternity, in [His Name] 'Just,' with His Justice, in [His Name] 'Good,' with His Goodness: in these He is consistent; and how comes His Fatherhood to be different, in that it is inconsistent with Itself, if [that is] He has no glorious Son from His Bosom?' Here besides the we have the same epithet of the Son.

9 (§. 4.) Contr. Scrut. i. §. 2. fin. "If thou canst find out the Father, then along with Him shalt thou find out the Son? He is with His Mouth when commanding, with His Arm when He ordereth things. By Him He worketh, by Him likewise He commands: the One for the Other alone sufficeth: in His Bosom is He when He embraceth, &c." (§. 5.) Ib. §. 14. 'The Father, in whose Bosom is the Son, alone knoweth, &c.' And iii. §. 10. 'If thou canst measure that Eternal One, then thou hast measured the Son, that is from His Bosom.' Vol. ii. p. 330. a. 'Our Lord Jesus Christ rose unto us from the Bosom of His Father.' Ibid. p. 472. 'Praise thou the Son that dwelleth in His Bosom, and possesseth all things.' (§. 6.) To these passages shall be added one, in which I suspect there is the same mistake as in the text, as it will serve as an introduction to two or three other The use of the word 'Bosom' illustrated

10 passages, that will be found to bear upon the doctrine in the text. It occurs contr. Serut. i. §. 30. "How should a fruit be named so, if in reality it were not so? Name thou the Father 'Root,' surname the Son as His 'Fruit.' He is blended with Him, and distinct from Him. He is in His Bosom, and on His Right Hand. For if He were not blended with Him, then His Beloved were not in His Bosom. If again He were not distinct from Him, He would not be sitting at His Right Hand. Blended with Him is He, seeing He is in His Bosom, distinct from Him, seeing He is on His Right Hand. They are One in one Will: They are Two in two Names: They have not two Wills. They have two appellations. The Name of Fatherhood belongeth to the Father: His Name guardeth His Honour. The Name of Generateness belongeth to the Son, His Name guardeth His Generation," &c. see the place. Presently he adds, "Fruit and tree also are not one, though they are one. The fruit is known as the fruit, and the tree as the root. In one equal love are they mingled." Perhaps 'bosom' should be substituted here.

11 As then St. E. co frequently uses the word 'Bosom' in the sense here contemplated, as he uses it in a similar connection in (3.) to that of the present context, as a reference to St. John i. 18. will clear up the abrupt transition to the Incarnation; as the phrase the Father Himself seems to have so little force with the present reading; it seems not unlikely that the first letter of the word bosom is wrong. The context with the proposed reading would be capable of some such paraphrase as this: Though human eyes cannot gaze at the Son, as He is in the Bosom of the Father, as neither can they at the sun's light in its bosom; still in His Dispensation for man's good, the Son may be beheld. As St. E. is writing against the Anomoeans, it may serve further to illustrate the text, if some passages are put together which tend to shew that his view of doctrine is such as would preclude his sympathizing much with the Semi-arian way of opposing them. To the Anomoean tenet that the Son was unlike the Father, the Semi-arians opposed their statement, that He was in all things like ( not ), and by this rejection of the precluded the possibility of asserting that They have one Will except

12 figuratively, as brethren, who dwell together at unity, have one will. Doubtless the tone of the Semi-arians in many cases was better than their statements implied: still likeness of substance is not sameness, and therefore implies unlikeness, as St. Austin has on another matter observed, (c. Faust. Man. xvi. §. 15.) and as the Semi-arians at Ancyra (ap. Epiphan. i. p. 855. a.) seem to have seen. Neither am I able to see how the Two Persons, if not consubstantial, can possibly be conceived (save figuratively) to have one Will. So Greg. Nys. ii. p. 376. d. "The identity of choices necessarily indicates the community of nature in those that so choose." This (as has been shewn me) was proved by passages from the Fathers to be their usual doctrine, in the Latoran Council in A.D. 649. see Harduin's Conc. vol. iii. p. 858. Petav. de Trin. iv. 15. 13 The doctrine of the Perichoresis is taught in the passage just given from St. E., the perfect in-dwelling of One Person in the Other being expressed by the word I have rendered 'blended,' which, as is plain from this and other passages, (see above, p. 34, n. g. and xl. §. 1.) does not imply any confusion. Vol. ii. p. 471. d. puts his view on this point beyond a doubt. "One Name hath the Eternal, who hath none other that is equal to Him. But if He (be repeated in His Son, i. e.) is two owing to having a Son, how can He dwell in Him when He is not generate from Him? Great perplexity seeing that if the two eternals dwell in each other, lo! there is confusion with blasphemy. But if it be space in which they dwell, then the space is greater than the eternal, seeing it limiteth the same. It is clear that if Eternal dwell in Eternal, either He is His Son, or of His framing. But if the eternals dwell from everlasting each in his own place, &c." Here he is arguing against the Manichean notion of two eternal principles; he winds up with the passage just quoted §. 5. from p. 472, "Praise thou the Son, &c." and assumes the doctrine of the Perichoresis to be known, and that it will at once clash with the Manichean doctrine. To speak of a co-eternal Son in a co-eternal Father is consistent: to speak of a bad and good principle mutually indwelling in each other is inconsistent, and must lead to the assumption of a space in which they dwell, and which is greater than they. See on St. Austin's Confess. p. 314.

14 To return to the 'one Will.' In vol. ii. p. 396. O. G. he says on his death-bed, "Not by the Three Names of Fire, not by their One Movement and Will, have I ever doubted touching the Church or the power of God: If I have magnified the Father more than His Son in my mind, may He shew no mercy on me, or if I have made the Holy Spirit less than God, dark be mine eyes: If I have not confessed according to these words, to outer darkness may I go, or if I am speaking figuratively with the wicked in the fire may I burn." This solemn asseveration is consistent with the above cited passage, as also (as we shall see) with lxxvii. §. 5. and contr. Scrut. i. §. 32. ii. §. 8. Again in xlvi. 4. he argues against the heretical dilemma, 'if the True One begat, He begat either by His Will or against His Will.' But the reading in the text is not what one should expect from a writer aware of that dilemma, and arguing against it in another part of the same work.

15 In lii. §. 1. the very term in the present text is used I think unquestionably of the sonship which is by grace. 'As by His Names He is comprehended to be God, and Just and Good, so the Name of Father evinceth Him to be a Generator. For the very Name of Fatherhood used of Him beareth witness of the Son, and as He was the Father of One, in His Love it is that He is so of many. Praises be to His Grace!' which doctrine of sonship by grace occurs again in xxix. §. 1. in other terms. See v. §. 3. The epithet 'glorious' seems to me to suggest to St. E.'s mind the idea of the sun shining in his might. Hence he passes off to the giving of 'that Light' to us, through the Incarnation, and the blessings, sacramental or other, attending it. Or he may mean more generally, that we do not grasp the Divine Essence shining in its strength, but only some small part of Its operations. 'For look' (he says, vol. ii. p. 518, c. on another point) 'at the source of this sun which we see, and observe that the fountain-head of its rays is unbearable, but when the shining of it spreads abroad, feeble and dulled does the might of its rays become: heat too and the gleam of it which is from fire is dulled and minished each moment. How much more dulled then will the Brilliance be which from a lengthened

16 distance extendeth unto us!' It is quite possible that a scribe who looked over the passage before transcribing might purposely substitute 'love' for 'bosom' to suit the immediate context, if unlearned; and if heterodox to meet the wishes of others. But in §. 3. St. E. seems plainly to return to the coeternity of the Son with the Father, and to be arguing §. 5. that though commanded, He was in no way inferior, as the Homœousian system at least tended to make Him.

Rhythm 7.

1. Who, that forgets himself, and knows not his own understanding, would declare the nature of the First-born, the Lord of natures? The natures, that by Him exist, who is able to search out? Even that nature which is in himself he cannot search out. How then shall he who meets a reproof in his own self, in that he is not equal to [investigating] himself, be equal to [investigating] his Lord? Plain is the object before us, great, and open, and at hand: yet, whoso will hit at it, misses it and fails. If then the object close at hand none be capable of hitting, the Hidden Object that strikes awe what man shall find a way to hit? The Manhood none is equal to: who can attain unto the hidden Godhead? 2. Heb. 10, 20. 2. He came down, and veiled His face with a veil of Flesh. From the brilliance of His light the whole of Jordan light became. He gleamed a little in the mount; trembling, quivering, and aghast, were those three pillars that the Apostle so accounted: He granted them a sight of His hidden glory commensurate with their strength. The sea beheld Him and was shaken; though so sturdy with its waves, yet it bowed its back and bare Him, and took Him better than the colt. When He sat within the ship, the sailors counted Him a man: He went down and trod the sea, and awe the shipmen felt at Him. With no searching searched they Him, but with wonder wondered at Him. They praised and held their peace in fear. The Magi again sought Him, and when they found Him in the manger, it was not prying, but worship, that they offered to Him in silence: not empty strifes, but offerings, were what they gave to Him. Do thou too seek for the First-born, and if thou hast found Him in the height, instead of wrangling disputations open thy treasures before Him, and offer unto Him thy works.

3. Come, let us be astonied at the men that saw the King in His low estate, and neither searched nor sought; not one of them made inquiry: there, pure faith was victorious in silence. The Magi, when He was in His low estate, durst not search into Him, who shall dare to search into Him now that He hath gone up and sat down at the Right Hand on high? Yea, the thief made no enquiries, but believed without searching into Him. The one on the left hand enquired, and his enquiring cut off his hope. The Scribes that sought fell with Herod, who asked [after] Him. Satan tempted Him, wishing to know who He was. Unto all these that searched, the Messiah gave Himself not, as He did to the little children. A star rose above Him, to shew without all controversy that He was indeed the Bright Light of the Gentiles, in that they saw the Truth in Him. On Him when baptized the Spirit settled in the form of a dove, that He might shew without question that it was He who was to baptize with fire. The voice openly proclaimed, 'This is My Son and My Beloved,' that the voice might reprove prying.

4. These affections have they repressed who have refrained from searching, and have quieted the soul that it might believe without toil. The Pharisees enquired, Who is this, and Whose Son? As searching into the Truth they fell from the Truth. On faith all dependeth. When seeking after the Truth Himself, in the seeking of Him they lost Him. The centurion was commended when he marvelled at Him as God: in faith he honoured Him, and suffered Him not to come in. His coming in he counted a weighty matter: do thou then St. Thomas blamed for believing slowly. think so of searching into Him, because at this day thou hast no room for checking His visibly coming in, check and count a weighty thing the searching into Him, that He may praise thy faith before Angels on high. Weigh them together, the Centurion that believes, and that Thomas who would feel and search. His Lord praised the former, and the latter did His Master rebuke. If he were blamed that dared to search into Him and so believed, what disgrace does he store up for himself that wisheth to search first, and to believe afterwards?

4 The more usual view of St. Thomas' doubt is perhaps to regard it as a dispensation, whereby for 'the more confirmation of the faith' light was for a time withheld from him. It is, however, usual with St. E. to avail himself as well of the moral and literal, as of the deeper and spiritual, lessons of Scripture. Thus in p. 20. he may be said to moralize on Noah's drunkenness, while in vol. i. p. 152. there quoted, and p. 3. he considers of what it was the type: in vol. i. p. 112. d. we find him stating in terms that he gives both interpretations of the Benedictions of Jacob. Thus too in R. ix. §. 3. he speaks of Job as if he had done what (as he notices on Jerem. xx.) 'the Spirit says he did not,' sin or blaspheme with his lips. A large part of the prophecies he refers to Zorobabel, sometimes stating along with this, and sometimes not, the ultimate and spiritual sense of them.

5 See R. ix. §. 2. and xi. §. 4. St. Meletius in St. Epiph. i. p. 881. "There is reason to fear, lest, if forced to speak upon topics that we are not able to speak of, we should be no longer allowed to speak upon those whereof we are able. For it is from belief we ought to speak, and not from things spoken to believe; since it says, I believed and therefore did I speak." The Anomæans objected to the Catholics, that they worshipped they knew not what, (V. G. Nys. ii. p. 519. l.) In observing on this sort of reasoning, St. Bas. Ep. 234. §. 2. says, "A sufficient faith it is that knoweth that God is, without knowing what He is, in that He is a rewarder, &c. For the knowledge of the Divine Essence is the perception of His incomprehensible-ness; and what we worship is not that whereof it is comprehended what the essence is, but that it is."

In this Rhythm St. E. is enforcing the necessity of faith in order to the reception of doctrine of the Eternal Generation of the Son, a doctrine which 'more than any part of the Christian Religion requireth of us mere faith upon authority only.' See Pet. de Trin. v. 5. who gives several passages to this effect from the Greek and Latin Fathers.

Rhythm 8.

1. O the brightness of Moses which none could behold! Ex. 34, 29. They that beheld him were not able to look at a mortal: who shall dare to look upon the Quickener of all living? If the brightness of the servant was so powerful, who shall look stedfastly upon his Lord? for the Mount Sinai when Ex. 19, it saw Him, smoked and was melted before Him. The 18. mighty men were not equal to seeing the glory of Moses. A veil ministered between the brightness and the people, instead of the veil which wore away, a Brightness of living Fire surrounded the chariot, that the Cherubim might not be affrighted a. Let stillness and silence be the curtain to thee, Levit. 16, 2. that thou gaze not upon His Brightness. 2. There was none that approached the folds 1 of the visible 1 S. veil to pry into the brightness of the servant that was dwelling Bosom within it. When Moses had been to gaze on Him, all the tribes were moved: how much more fearful the searching into that wherein Thy Generation is hidden! If Thou lookest upon the Angels, the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens tremble before Thee. In the veil of Moses Thy Ex. 4, bright shining Truth was hidden, in his stammering was 10, 11; 6, 12. hidden Thy ready-speaking teaching 2. Beneath two veils 2 S. Thy Truth was hidden, and Thy speaking. As for the veil Targum Thou didst lift it up, and the stammering Thou didst make 2 Cor. 3, to speak plain. The whole of Thee came forth to sight. 16. Lo! Truth speaketh in the mouth, and verity is revealed to the eyes. The veil upon his face and the stammering of his mouth, as two veils veiled the blinded people: but to the just that longed for 3 Thy day Thou wert revealed. The 3pp.4.66.

Lessons against prying, from the types heretics also, who at this day are blinded with the veil, stutter, and are blindfold. They are blind to Thy beauty, and to Thy teaching dumb. 3. These types under Moses shadowed out to the foolish two veils spread over the crucifiers. The Truth hath risen up Deut. openly: let us not grope in darkness: let not searching into Him be unto us another veil. His beauty came forth openly. 28, 29. Job 12 25. Liken not thou Him to any thing, for He is like His Father in the whole of Him. Into the Holy of Holies the priest went in silence: once only in the year did he go in in fear. And if See Heb. he reverenced the whole of that dwelling-place of His, who shall dare to search into the Power which dwelt in it? Let us feel a share of his awe in searching out of the First-born, since He is Lord of the sanctuary. Numb. 4. Two hundred and fifty priests with their censers were burnt up, because they wished to seize on Aaron's priest-16, 2. hood; and they of Corah's company were swallowed up, ib. 31. because they wished to be priests. If the priesthood of Aaron was thus altogether fearful, how much more fearful 1 Acts the Lord of priests who made priests with His own Blood! 20, 28. Who would dare to search into Him? Great was the shock, contr. that the sons of Aaron were [so] suddenly burnt up! They Ser. i. dared to offer up strange fire, and were burnt up. Who §. 46. then will escape that bringeth up into the Church strange n. b. p. questioning?

There is indeed in the Church a seeking which 3 p. 112, questioning? There is indeed in the Church a seeking which n. g. examineh things revealed, but not one that prich into things p. 141. hidden. 2 Sam. 5. Uzzah, the chief priest, when he went to stay [the ark], 6, 6. was taken off. What he was commanded he did not, things 4 S. they not commanded he performed. He was commanded to carry commanded him the ark upon his shoulders: He put forth his hand to stay the Might of Him that stays up all things. He thought the ark was about to fall: when he approached it, it slew him. Do not shew honour to what is holy on a side that they have not commanded thee. Uzziah shewed an honour, which was a dishonour. Do not as avenging the Truth search into and dishonour the First-born. Think not that the faith is likely to fall. Itself supporteth them that are cast down: do not support it as Uzza, lest in anger it destroy thee.

6. The princes [of the Philistines] who were insolent honoured the ark; when they had made trial of its might, they worshipped it with offerings. Dagon, before it, was broken off, for it cut off his limbs. How much more should we honour the Gospel, before which the wicked one was destroyed. From his dominion did it cut him off; with offerings let us appease it, for it hath healed our torn wounds. The Jordan also saw the ark and was divided in two parts, for it ran away before it and fled behind it. It flowed down, not after its nature, because it saw the Lord of natures. If the ark was fearful because the tables were within it; how much more fearful is searching [into Him], and who shall approach unto it since the Lord of the tables is hidden in it? 7. Daniel saw wondrous living creatures. He saw also that the Ancient of Days was sitting in glory. He approached to the living creatures that he might ask and learn. He approached not to search into the glory of the High One. Fools have left the works and run on to the Maker that they might search out, Who He is. Daniel saw one of the Angels and was affrighted. He approached not to search into him; the voice that he heard he was not able to bear. Daniel was not able to hearken even to his voice. He looked not upon him that ministered; upon Him that was ministered unto, who shall look? The sea that saw the sign of Him feared and fled back and was moved, it was divided into two heaps. Daniel that asked concerning the words, heard that Daniel's unquestioning temper to be imitated.

Dan. 12, they were sealed, and that it was not seeming to search out the hidden things of the future! Who shall dare to search into the Treasury in Whom dwelleth all knowledge? The First-born is the Treasury of the Father, in Whom is all His counsel; and who is equal to searching into Him? Counsel, lit. thought or imagination. St. E. means to imply that the whole of the Father's counsels whether in creating or ruling are in the Son. St. G. Nys. ii. p. 376. urges against the Anomoans that their theory would exclude the Son from the functions of Providence, a simple Nature having a simple Will (wominess), which Will displays itself in Providence, in which Providence the Son doeth whatsoever He seeth the Father do. St. E. is arguing here, as others have done, that if the judgments of God are past finding out, a fortiori God Himself is incomprehensible. See St. Greg. Naz. i. p. 551. c. Nyss. ii. p. 520. c. St. Epiph. i. p. 943. c. St. Chrysost. Hom. I. de Inc. p. 300. who all refer to Rom. xi. 33.

Rhythm 9.

1. RIGHT was once the searching which hath been perverted in our age. Read and seek [to see] that He is the Son, so that thou seek not how He is so. Jordan fled and turned back to do honour to the ark. Thou searchest and goest in to do dishonour to His Majesty. The right-minded [sons] pp. 3, turned themselves so as not to look at Noah, that they might reprove the daring ones. They went backwards to hide what was uncovered. Do thou turn back the searching which uncovers what is hidden. There they hid what was uncovered: here men pry into what is concealed. The chaste men spread a garment and hid him that they might not see: the disputer, if possible, strippeth the First-born of His glory, that His whole Nature may be scrutinized. 2. Prove by thyself this, that all which is easy becomes difficult, if thou alterest the nature of it, or disturbest the order of it. Walking is very easy, and yet difficult if thou doest it backwards. Disputing is throughout difficult, because men dispute not orderly. Rashness hath perverted the Faith in our generation, because it is in a perverted way that it questioneth.

3. God pleaded with Job; He asked him about things before his eyes, and with questions put him to silence. If Job were not able to speak of things before his eyes, who shall dare to plead about the hidden things of the First-born? Weak was Job, who in his scourges overcame, in his questionings was overcome; on the side that belonged to him he overcame, on the side that did not belong to him even he Lessons against prying from the conduct was overcome; he overcame in the combat in which it belongs to us to overcome, in investigating he was overcome, for it is not ours to be disputing. The wicked one made confusion, that he might make us to cease from what is in our power, and in what was not belonging to us might make us over-anxious. 4. Ezechiel He asked if the bones would rise, and though the Prophet knew that the dead should be restored, he ventured not to speak of that which he knew. He gathered in all his knowledge, and to the Knower of all things he offered it up. Who shall dare to search into a question which is hidden away from all, and for One alone hath light upon it?

5. Zachariah also questioned about the mysteries revealed; the Angel therefore wished to prove him, if his earnestness Zech. 4, was exhausted, saying thus: Knowest thou not these things? He was not ashamed to confess, that he might put the proud to shame. The Prophet was not confident about his own 1 p. 128, knowledge, as the rash of our day. But Zachariah the priest questioned that he might dispute. The Angel took away his speech that he might make disputers fear; if the Chief Priest was smitten, because he scrutinized and wished to learn the generation and conception of the preacher and servant, terror, and shuddering, and fear to him who shall be bold enough to search into the generation of the Lord of all. 2 S. they Because Zachariah scrutinized, his mouth was bridled with silence. He afterwards in silence did honour unto that which he had scrutinized. The generation of the First-born how much more should we honour in silence! Since he was blamed that scrutinized the generation in the womb of his 3 S. of own wife, let him fear that hath approached to the [Divine] his Essence to search out His Well-beloved in His Womb.

Zachariah by his questionings let go of the Truth. Every man therefore that questioneth at all, his questioning shews that he has no faith hitherto. His prying looseneth the faith wherewith he had been believing. Zachariah sheweth this, since he lost the faith of his heart by the questions of his month. 5. The serpents bit the people in the wilderness. [Moses] Numb. fastened up another serpent that they might look thereon and be revived. The sight revived the people [of God] and faith the nations. A type of the First-born [this]! It was not searching into Him which healed them; seeing of Him alone revived them. In faith look upon the Lord of types, that He may quicken thee! Also the blood of the sprinkling that was poured out upon the doors, and the cloud too, and the rock, and the pillar, and the rod, these be types of the First-born. When this gainsaying people did not pry into the glorious types, do not ye Gentiles search into the First-born, that Treasure of mysteries, lest the blind rejoice [over you].

6. Though ye were all of one mind, ye have been divided, Clem. Alex. Strom. vi. f. 80. p. 780. Pott. "Half the world are as afraid, as children are of bugbear, of the Grecian philosophy, being apprehensive of its leading them astray. But if faith with them (for call it knowledge I cannot) be of such a sort that it may be by persuasive discourses loosened, let it be loosened at any rate by these discourses of theirs which belong to men that confess that the truth is not to be theirs; for truth, as one says, is invincible, but falsehood it is that gets loosened." So too St. Chrys. on Rom. iv. 21. p. 125. O. T. "He that is persuaded with words, may have his persuasion altered too by them. But he, &c." On Num. xxi. 8. p. 263. a. he says, "Moses fixed it in the door of the tabernacle, that they might turn their faces thither, from whence they had turned them away, and that the place whence healing came forth to them might be honourable in their eyes; the while in it were shadowed out types of Him who said, 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness for the healing of the children of Israel, so is the Son of Man to be lifted up upon the Cross for the redemption of all nations.'" The same fact he urges vol. ii. p. 483. e. as others have done, against the Jews,

as a proof that their law was typical and to pass away. "How came God who in the wilderness wrote and warned the Jew, saying, 'Thou shalt not make any image or likeness, lest thou die,' to form a serpent, whereon, as upon God, man should look and be healed?" Of the blood, see p. 32, note n. and p. 138, note b. of the cloud I do not recollect any other notice in St. E.; of the rock, on Num. xxi. 17. he says, "They say that that rock, which went with them, (1 Cor. x. 4.) even in the time that they journeyed, sent down twelve streams, but in the time of their encamping did not indeed withdraw them altogether, yet did not altogether send them down;" where he evidently has the Apostles filled from Christ in his mind, as he says plainly on Deut. xxxii. 13. that "the rock is a type of Christ, that true Rock Who is the Head of the eternal Building and Fountain of Life." Of the rod of Aaron which budded, he says on Num. xvii. that "it was a type of the adorable Body of Immanuel, which, although of the same nature with corruptible ones, remained itself alone in the sepulchre incorruptible."

God is incomprehensible to man. for that ye have come near to search into the Nature that cannot be searched out. The blind people thought that our Truth itself is false. If it were false, it would necessarily have been minished, lo! it is altogether strengthened! Ye blind perceive not that it is in His Majesty that ye have been straying, for if He had been an Angel or weak man, searching into Him would have been an easy thing; since one would have known that He was a servant. Disputing, then, which is against Him, comes to be in the place of Him. Itself bears witness that He is great, seeing He cannot be searched out, and proclaimeth that He is God, for lo! [all] ages have been wandering in Him, and have not been able to comprehend Him. If all measures were to come and go down to the sea, they would be short, and be surpassed, and would not contain the whole of it. They are measured by it, yet are unable to measure it; and not because they were surpassed, is that not the sea; for it is even because it is so, that the foolish dared to come down to Him. Whoever is able to search, to him He is poor. The knowledge that is able to comprehend Him that knoweth all things must be greater than Him, since it sufficeth to measure Him entirely. He that can search out the Father and the Son, is greater than Both of Them. Forbear, and let it be an anathema, for the Father and the Son to be searched into, and for dust and ashes to be lifted up!

Rhythm 10.

1. THOU, Lord, hast caused it to be written, Open thy mouth, Ps. 81, 10. and I shall fill it. Lo! the mouth of Thy servant is open to Thee, with his mind! Do Thou fill it, Lord, with Thy Gift, that according to Thy will I may sing Thy praise. For speaking of Thee every man hath his own proper measure; S. there are degrees of within the silence is Thy Generation sealed up, and what all measures to mouth is it that dareth to meddle therewith? Though Thy all men Nature is One, the explanations thereof are manifold. Lofty R. iv. §. 1. discourses are there, and intermediate, and lowly on the part of the lowly. Deem me worthy as it were of the crumbs, p. 152, n. b. S. wisdoms. note e, that I may gather up the droppings of Thy wisdom. 2. Thy visible Generation is laid up with Thy Father. note e, Angels are astonied at Thy smaller riches. A small drop, p. 115. O Lord, of Thy history becomes with those below a flood of interpretations; for if John, even, that great one, cried [saying], 'I am not worthy, O Lord, to [unloose] the 27. §. 8. latchets of Thy shoes,' I will flee as that sinful woman to Mat. 9, the shadow of Thy garments, that I may begin from thence;. and as she who was affrighted, yet took heart, because she was Mat. 9, 21. Luke 8, 47.

Lessons against prying from Christ's visible made whole; heal my fright at the danger, and let me take heart in Thee, may I be also moved from Thy garment to Thy Body, that according to my power I may speak of Thee. 3. Thy garment, Lord, is a fountain of medicines. In Thy visible vesture there dwelleth an hidden power. A little spittle from Thy mouth became also a great miracle of light in the midst of its clay. In Thy Bread is hidden the Spirit that cannot be eaten; in Thy Wine there dwelleth the Fire that cannot be drunk. The Spirit in Thy Bread and the Fire in Thy Cup are distinct miracles, which our lips receive. 4. When the Lord came down to the earth unto mortal men, He created them a new Creation, as in the Angels He mingled Fire and the Spirit, that they might be of Fire and Spirit in a hidden manner. The Seraph did not bring the living coal near with his fingers; it did but come close up to Isaiah's mouth; he did not himself lay hold of it or eat it; but unto us the Lord hath given both of them.

5. To the Angels which are spiritual Abraham brought bodily food, and they ate. A new miracle it is, that our mighty Lord giveth to bodily creatures Fire and the Spirit, as food Above, p. 81. he calls the Angels Empyreals, as in vol. ii. p. 330. f. 334. a. The word for 'Spirit,' as in Greek and Hebrew, is the same as that for 'wind.' The idea that Angels consist of Fire and Spirit is suggested by Ps. 104, 4. 'He maketh His Angels spirits, and His Ministers a flaming fire,' which of course does not (as Euseb. Præp. Ev. vii. 15. p. 326. d. notices) imply that they consist of material fire or wind, but only that the words are used of them, as fire and spirit are of God. St. Greg. Naz. Or. xxxiv. v. fin. p. 560. quoting the same text, says, "Angels are called fire and spirit, partly as being above our senses, and partly as ministering to our purification, though I am aware that these are names of the First Essence."

See above, p. 30, n. k. contr. Scrut. i. §. 12. St. James of Sarug, A. D. 480, quoted in Assemanni's Antirrh. adv. Kohl, p. 5. "The Seraph took not hold of it with his hand, that he might not be burned: neither did the prophet take it in his mouth, that he might not be consumed: the one did not seize hold of, the other did not eat the glorified (ember). It was because it was incorporeal, that it was not to be taken hold of, nor eaten, but after this Coal hath presented itself to sight in a Body, lo! it is eaten from the table of the Godhend. So on Ezek. x. v. 2. St. E. says, "These coals, and the man that is clothed in fine linen, that bringeth them and casteth them upon the people, are a type of the priest by whose mediatorship the living coals of the Life-producing Body of our Lord are given away. But see there is another Cherub that reacheth them forth, and placeth them in his fists! this is a type, to shew that it is not the priest who is able to make the Body, of the bread, but Another, to wit, the Holy Ghost: the priest, therefore, doth but lend his hands as a mediator, and his lips offer prayers with supplications, as a servant suing for mercy."—which passage seems to Ass. to have been copied by St. Chrysost. Hom. lxxxiii. in Matt. p. 870. b. See p. 119, n. l.

Greg. Naz. Or. 34. p. 549. "Abraham, that great patriarch, was justified by faith, and offered a sacrifice strange and typical of the great One: yet he saw not God as God, but nourished Him as if man, and was commended for having reverenced as far as he did comprehend." Generation and the fruits of it in the Eucharist. 147 and drink. Fire came down upon sinners in wrath, and consumed them. The Fire of the Merciful in bread cometh down and abideth. Instead of that fire which devoured men, ye eat a Fire in bread and are quickened. As fire came down on the sacrifice of Elijah and consumed it, the Fire of Mercy hath become to us a Living Sacrifice. Fire ate up the oblations, and we, O Lord, have eaten Thy Fire in Thy Oblation. 6. Who hath ever taken hold of the Spirit in his fists? Come and see, O Solomon, what the Lord of thy father hath done. For Fire and Spirit against its nature He hath mingled, and hath poured them into the fists of His disciples. He asked, 'Who hath bound the waters in a garment?' Lo! the Fountain in a garment, the lap of Mary! From the Cup of Life the distilling of life in the midst of the garment do Thine hand-maids take!

7. Oh, Might hidden in the veil of the sanctuary, that Might which the mind never conceives, It hath His love brought down; and It hath descended and brooded over the veil of the altar of propitiation. Lo! Fire and Spirit in the bosom of her that bare Thee! Lo! Fire and Spirit in that river wherein Thou wert baptized, Fire and Spirit in our baptism! In the Bread and the Cup is Fire and the Holy Ghost. Thy Bread killeth the greedy one who had made us his bread; Thy cup destroyeth death which swallowed us uph. We have eaten Thee, O Lord, yea, we have drunken Thee, not that we shall make Thee fail, but that we might have life in Theei. Mark 1, 8. The latchet of Thy shoe was a thing fearful to the discerning; the hem of Thy garment was fearful to the understanding: our generation is foolish in scrutinizing Thee. Oh, Feast which is drunken with new Wine! Wonder

Ps. 77, is there in Thy footsteps that went upon the waters; the great sea didst Thou make obedient beneath Thy feet; to a little stream1 Thy head made itself obedient, in that it condescended to be baptized therein. The stream2 was like John who baptized therein. Both of them in littleness mutually shadow out each other. To the little stream and the weak servant the Lord of them both made Himself obedient. 9. See my folds be filled, Lord, with the dropping of Thy blessings; and as no room is now remaining, as in my borders I am full, O stay Thy Gift, and, as a store, O keep it in Thy treasury for Thee to give it us again!

Rhythm 11.

1. I, O LORD, am not worthy, neither venture I upon this; for should I venture to fly, I should not reach it. He deceiveth Himself whosoever ventureth without Thee upon what is Thine, O Thou that art above all. Thy Nature with its breath reproacheth us when it affrighteth us. Thy height mocketh us, so high and lifted up is it. Thy mercy also, lo! it putteth us to shame, it hath so humbled itself to the abjects. Let him who hath ventured, yield proof openly; let his eye see the Great Mountain from afar, let his eye reprove that mind of his, because he hath scrutinized Him without measure; for his own troubled course reproacheth him, and his vision putteth him to shame. His troubled course reproacheth his tongue, that he hath thus strayed into that Majesty, in Whose Bosom the world is placed, as but a span.

2. Lo! his ear is not able to hear the mighty crash, neither can it hear the still silence; how then shall he hear the voice ab. p. 128, n.g. of the Son or the silence of the Father, when the silence too is vocal? The heavens declare the glory of God. Lo! a silence, the whole whereof muttereth among all languages to all languages! This firmament, lo! it declareth day by day the glory of its Maker. Man is too little to be able to hear all languages, and if he sufficed to hear the tongue of Angels that are spirits, so might he lift himself up to hear the silence which speaketh between the Father and the Son. Our The narrow path of Orthodoxy tongue is estranged to the voice of beasts; the tongue of Angels is estranged to every [other] tongue. That silence wherewith the Father speaketh with His Well-beloved, is strange unto the Angels.

3. Good is He that clad Him in all forms for our sight, clad Himself likewise in all voices in order to have intercourse with us. He alone is able to see His Own Nature, and His silence He alone can hear. His Son that is from Him is Himself also equal to Him. And he that is a stranger to His Nature is a stranger to the investigation of Him, and he wandereth exceedingly, since there is no path that leadeth to the Hidden One. When the Creator trod a path for the creature that the offerings of prayers might come to His door, it was not a path for prying which He made that by it man might come to the door of the [Divine] Essence. 4. To him that bringeth an offering and cometh unto prayer, the Way sheweth itself and cleaveth to him, and the Door itself when it seeth him, also openeth itself before his offering. Whoso cometh unto that Majesty to scrutinize, the paths are deceitful, the gates are closed to him, and there is a waste and a desert and a veritable solitude, and the rash one wanown nature doth reproach, in that he wandereth in Thee, while even it is not acquainted with itself. Foolish is he that thinketh he can overcome death, and he cannot know death nor its essence. Knowledge does not remain with him that forgetteth his own nature in Thy Nature. He is blameworthy who hath lost his own and found neither his own nor Thine. He deceiveth himself that thinketh that he hath mounted up and searched out Thee. He injureth not Thee by all his knowledge, since it is in Thee; and what is his, is without Thee.

5. My mouth sufficeth not for Thee, and I rejoice that I sufficed not, for if I sufficed it were a blasphemy on both accounts; either that the nature of man should be greater than that of God, or that it should be equal were harsh to think. Thy feast is athirst for them that were bidden. Without bound Thy banquet rejoiceth in ready guests and their dresses, Thy chamber longeth for the virgins whose lamps are furnished with oil. There are many called, that long for Thy door, but since Thy door is narrow, they are very few that have given up and cast away every thing, and have been able to enter in, because it hateth riches. 6. Thy furnace exulteth in us, that it may be perfect in the assaying, and true in the trial. And since Thou hast lifted up our mind unto the impress of Thy Image, on it, Lord, may there be cast the impress of Thy Truth. Thy path to us is long. It is shortened, for in His mercy He cut short the length of it, in His love for him that is weak. He extended His mountain unto him that is little, that the praise for Thy wisdom might be increased. The throne of Thy glory, and also the tribunal of Thy righteousness, rejoiceth in the victor that put the adversary to shame. Thy mercy also sustaineth the weak, and even Gehenna would be refreshed with Thy shadow.

See contr. Scrut. iii. §. 24. where a similar impossibility is noticed; unless it be thought that St. E. held with St. Austin (in a difficult passage in the Enchir. ad Laur. v. fin.) that the punishment of the damned, though unalterable as a condition, might, in degree, be al- leviated. It may be right to add, to prevent misconception, that St. E. held the fire of hell to be "inextinguishable, not consuming that which it devoureth, seeing it was not appointed to consume, but to cause suffering and torment." ii. p. 354, s.

Rhythm 12.

Christ, the Remnant, draweth all men to Him. 153 for Thy Twelve who shall sit thereat. With Thy rain every thing increaseth, with Thy dew every thing is moistened. Thy doctrine is a hidden dew for the hidden earth. Gather, O Lord, Thy fruit as a vintager, and offer it to Thy Father as a Sheaf of reconciliation. 3. Thou art a Branch of that Vine which is from Egypt, which also the wild boar of the forest devoured, when it sprouted and put forth its twig from it; which bare the blessed Cluster and the Cup of the Medicine of Life. From the family of the circumcised and from the place of tares there came up unto us the Sheaf which was full of New Bread, from the bitter the sweet Fruit, and from the murderers the Physician that healed all. In a spicy root the Son of David was brought to us, and from a dry ground flowed unto us the Fountain of mercies. How shall we reject that Fountain, which mercies have poured forth in dry lands? Thy key manifesteth itself unto him that seeketh it. Thy treasure rejoiceth in the thief that taketh it by violence, because Thou didst rejoice in that woman who from the hem of Thy garment took and stole a medicine for her plague. Thy leaven, O Lord, longed for a mass of sinners, that it might change them, and draw them to repentance. Thy light maketh the path of Truth even; it cleanseth out and taketh away from it [all] stumbling stones. Thy silver, O Lord, sheweth mercy unto the empty, that he may be enriched thereby. Thy pound sheweth mercy, since it cometh to the humble with ten pounds; Thy talent desireth to come to the indolent with ten. Glory to Him that enricheth all!

4. Thy armour, O Lord, rejoiceth in a penitent that fighteth with wickedness: Thy vineyard rejoiceth in the idler, who contendeth victoriously with the thrifty, that with open mouth and unveiled face he may claim his reward. Glory to the Rewarder of all! Thy yoke, Lord, rejoiceth in subduing the rebellious; Thy rod rejoiceth in scattering the assembled So, in the far west, St. Austin on Ps. 1. §. 4. "As this visible earth nourisheth and containeth the visible man, so doth that invisible earth the interior man: from the face of which earth it is that the wind scattereth the ungodly, &c." See also Jerome on Esai. lviii. v. fin. Of the parable here referred to (Matt. xx. 1.) he gives elsewhere, vol. i. p. 153, a. and p. 269, e. the other and perhaps more exact interpretation, which refers the different hours to the different interpositions of Christ for His Church.

Christ desirous of all men's salvation. Ezek. wolves, and Thy fold in gathering the persecuted sheep into 22, 7. the pasture. Glory to the Shepherd of all! Thy haven Ps. 2, 9. looketh for our ship, which Thou wilt bring unto it. Direct Ez. 34, it with Thy Spirit; in Thy love with the oars of Thy mercies 22. let it be assisted: let it stop the mouth of the greedy sea. Ps. 107, Glory to Thy assistance! Thy Rock looketh for them that 30. build, that the foundations may be builded upon it, and all John 10, that see it may give [Thee] glory. Let not their tower, Lord, 11. be a laughing-stock: in Thee may it be finished! Glory be to wind Him that perfecteth all! Thy seed looketh for lands that are Mat. 7, to be tilled. In the least may it bring from Thee thirty-fold; 24. and in the middling may it bring sixty, and in the perfect may Luke 14, it bring an hundred-fold. 28.

5. Thy mirror is clear, and all of it turneth towards Thee. Thy brightness inciteth the filthy to cleanse themselves thereon, since no impurity can be joined unto Thee, unless S.sears. it hath wiped from it its stains. Thy hyssop looketh for us ab.p.3. that it may be gracious unto us in its mercy. With the dew of Thy mercy, Lord, let us be cleansed again. The Lord Ezek. hath no pleasure in our uncleanness, though the Just One is 18, 23. greatly glorified in our purity. John 15,