Introduction

PREFACE.

S. Cyarit, the author of the Catechetical Lectures which follow, was born in an age ill adapted. for the comfort or satisfaction of persons distinguished by his peculiar character of mind, and in consequence did not receive that justice from contemporaries which the Church Catholic has since rendered to his memory.

The Churches of Palestine, apparently his native country, were the first to give reception to Arius on his expulsion from Alexandria, and without adopting his heresy, affected to mediate and hold the balance between him and his accusers, They were followed in this line of conduct by the provinces of Syria and Asia Minor, till the whole of the East, as far as it was Grecian, became more or less a large party, enduring to be headed by men who went the whole length of Arianisin, from a fear of being considered Alexandrians or Athanasians, and a notion, for one reason or other, that it was thus pursuing a moderate course, and avoiding extremes.

What were the motives which led to this perverted view of its duty to Catholic truth, then so seriously endangered, and what the palliations in the case of individuals, need not be minutely considered here.

Suffice it to say, that between the Churches of Asia and the metropolis of Egypt there had been distinctions, not to say differences and jealousies of long standing; to which was added this great and real difficulty, that a Council held at Antioch about sixty years before had condemned the very term, Homoiision, which was the symbol received at Nicea, and maintained by the Alexandrians.

The latter were in close agreement with the b

li eee PREFACE.

Latin Church, especially with Rome; and thus two great confederacies, as they may be called, were matured at this distressing era, which outlived the controversy forming them, the Roman, including the West and Egypt, and the Asiatic, extending from Constantinople to Jerusalem.

Of the Roman party, viewed at and after the Arian period, were Alexander, Athanasius, Eustathius, Marcellus, Julius, Ambrose, and Jerome; of the Asiatic, Eusebius of Czsarea, Cyril, Meletius,

Eusebius of Samosata, Basil of Caesarea (the Great), Basil of Ancyra, Eustathius of Sebaste, and Flavian.

Of the latter, some were Semi-arian; of the former, one at least was Sabellian; while the majority of both were, to say the least, strictly orthodox ; some of the latter indeed acquiescing with more or less of cordiality in the expediency of adopting the important Symbol of the Nicene Council, but others, it need scarcely be said, on both sides, being pillars of the Church in their day, as they have been her lights since.

Such was the general position of the Church; and it is only confessing that the early Bishops and Divines were men " of like passions with" ourselves, to add, that some of them sometimes misunderstood or were prejudiced against others, and have left on record reports, for the truth of which they trusted perhaps too much to their antecedent persuasions, or the representations of their own friends. When Arianism ceased to be supported by the civil power, the controversy between East and West died; and peace was easily effected.

And the terms of effecting it were these:—the reception ofthe Homoiision by the Asiatics, and on that reception their recognition, in spite of their past scruples, by the Alexandrians and Latins.

In this sketch the main outlines of S. Cyril's history will be found to be contained ; he seems to have been afraid of the term Homoiision', to have been disinclined both to the friends of Athanasius and to the Arians', to have allowed the tyranny of the latter, to have shared in the general reconciliation, and at length both in life and death to have received honours from the ® y. Bened. note iv. 7. xvi. 23.

> Leot. iv. 8. xi. 12, 16, 17. xv. 9.

PREFACE. iii Church, which, in spite of whatever objections may be made to them, appear, on a closer examination of his history, not to be undeserved. the dat and placo of hia births unkoo mn. he Served Pe vate tous.

With his eee commence the historical difficulties under which his memory labours.

It can scarcely be doubted that one of his consecrators was Acacius of Caesarea', the leader of Arianism in the East, who had just before (A. D.

347,) been deposed by the Council of Sardica; yet, as the after history shews, Cyril was no friend of the Arians or of Acacius*.

He was canonically consecrated by the Bishops of his province, and as Acacius was still in possession of the principal see, he was compelled to a recognition which he might have wished to dispense with.

He seems to have been a lover of peace; the Council of Sardica was at first as little acknowledged by his own party as by the Arians; and Acacius, being even beyond other Arians skilful and subtle in argument, and admitting the special formula* of Cyril on the doctrine in controversy, probably succeeded in disguising his heresy from him.

A more painful account, however, of his consecration is given by S. Jerome', supported in the main by other writers, which can only be explained by supposing that Father to be misled by the information or involved in the prejudices of Cyril'senemies.

He relates, that upon Maximus's death, the © v. Diss. Bened. p. xviii. 9qiv. 7. xi. 4. 9.

4 Theod. ii. 26.

£ Jer. car "Socr. fi. 88, Sozom.

iv PREFACE.

Arians seized upon the Church of Jerusalem, and promised Cyril the see on condition of his renouncing the ordination he had received from Maximus, and submitting to re-ordination from their hands; that he assented, served in the Church as a mere Deacon, and was then raised by Acacius to the Episcopate, when he persecuted Heraclius, whom Maximus had consecrated as his successor.

This account, incredible in itself, is contradicted, on the one hand, by the second General

Council, which in its Synodal letter plainly states that he had been " canonically ordained" Bishop, and on the other by his own writings, which as plainly shew, that in doctrine he was in no respect an Arian or an Arianizer.

If he suffers in memory from the Latin party as if Arian, he suffered not less in his life from the Arians as being orthodox.

Seven or eight years after his consecration, he had a dispute with Acacius about the rights of their respective Churches*.

Acacius in consequence accused him to the Emperor Constantius of holding with the orthodox; to which it was added that he had during a scarcity sold some offerings made by Constantine to his Church, to supply the wants of the poor.

Cyril in consequence was deposed, and retired to Tarsus'; where, in spite of the efforts of Acacius, he was hospitably received, and employed by Silvanus the Semi-arian Bishop of the place.

We find him at the same time in friendship with Eustathius of Sebaste and Basil of Ancyra, both Semi-arians'.

His own wnitings, however, as has already been intimated, are most exactly orthodox, though he does not in the Catechetical

Lectures, use the word Homoiision; and in associating with these men he went little further than S. Hilary*, during his banishment in Asia Minor, who calls Basil and Eustathius

" most holy men," than S. Athanasius, who acknowledges as " brethren" those who but scrupled at the word Homoiision', a ape ii. 40. S0z0m. iv. 25. Theod.

* Hilar. de Synod. 77, 88. &e. v. ii.

27. fragm. II. 4, - Ben. Cyr. p.

Ix. h Theodor, ii. 26.

' Sozom. iv. 26. Philostorg. iv. 12.

' Athan. de Synod. 41.

PREFACE. or than S. Basil of Caesarea, who till a late period of his life was an intimate friend of Eustathius.

In A. D. 359, two years after his deposition, he successfully appealed against Acacius to the Council of Seleucia", one of the two branches of the great Council of East and West, which was convened under the patronage of Constantius to settle the troubles of the Christian world.

But the next year, Acacius contriving to bring the matter before a Council at Constantinople, where the Emperor was staying, Cyril with his friends was a second time deposed, and banished from Palestine'.

On Constantius's death all the banished Bishops were restored', and Cyril, who was at that time with Meletius of Antioch, returned to Jerusalem, A.D. 362.

He was there at the time of Julian's attempt to rebuild the Temple', and frgm the Prophecies boldly foretold its failure.

- He was once more driven from his see, during the reign of the Arian Valens', (A.D. 367,) and he remained dispossessed till A.D. 378.

About the time of the death of Valens, the last of the Arian princes, he was restored, but under what circumstances is unknown.

The Arians fell once for all with their imperial protectors; and soon after, that union of Christian Churches took place, which would never have been interrupted, had not a few bold and subtle-minded men contrived to delude them into the belief of mutual differences.

S. Athanasius, the great peace-maker of the Church, was gone to his rest; and S. Basil also, who had mourned over evils which he had no means of remedying.

Gregory of Nyssa, the brother of the latter, Gregory of Nazianzum, Meletius of Antioch, remained ; and were present together with Cyril in the second General

Council', which formally restored the latter to his see, and in ™ y. Dissert. 1. Ed. Bened. p.lvi. F.

4 Sozom. iv. 30. Jerom. Catal. Script. a . iv. 25. Philostorg. iv. 12.

Ecoles. 112.

; Ve nal ¥

® Soorat. v. 8. Sozom. vii. 7. v. Dis- © Sozom. v. 5. sert. Bened. p. lxxxii.

P Socrat. iii. 20. Ruffin. i. 37.

vi PREFACE. its letter to the Western Bishops speaks of him as " the most reverend and religious Cyril, long since canonically appointed by the Bishops of the province, and in many ways and places a withstander of the Arians'."

He died about the year 386:

Except one or two short compositions and fragments, nothing remains of his writings but his Catechetical Lectures.

No ecclesiastical writer could be selected more suitable to illustrate the main principle on which the present " Library of the Fathers" has been undertaken, than S. Cyril of Jerusalem.

His Catechetical Lectures were delivered, as we have seen, when he was a young man; and he belonged, till many years after their delivery, to a party or school of theology, distinct, to say the least, from that to which the most illustrious divines of bis day belonged; a school, never dominant in the Church, and expiring with his age.

It is not then on the score of especial personal authority that his Lectures are now presented to the English reader; and if the simple object of this Publication were to introduce the latter to the wise and good of former times, S. Cyril would have no claims to a place in it beyond many who have lived since.

In saying this, it is far indeed from being asserted, that the personal claims of the Fathers of the Church on our deference are inconsiderable; for it happens, not unnaturally, that the works which have been preserved, were worth preserving, or rather that their writers would have been extraordinary men its any age, and speak with the weight of great experience, ability, and sanctity.

To those who believe that moral truth is not gained by the mere exercise of the intellect, but is granted to moral attainments, and that God speaks to inquirers after truth by the mouth of those who possess these, the writings of 8. Basil or 8. Augustine must always have an authority independent of their date or their agreement; noris it possible for serious persons to read them, without feeling the authority which they possess as individuals.

This, how- * Theod. Hist. v. 9.

PREFACE. vii ever, whatever it be, is not the main subject to which the present Translations propose to direct attention.

The works to be translated have been viewed simply and plainly in the light of witnesses to an historical fact, viz. the religion which the Apostles transmitted to the early Charches, a fact to be ascertained as other past facts, by testimony, requiring the same kind of evidence, moral not demonstrative, open to the same difficulties of proof, and to be determined by the same practical judgment.

It seems hardly conceivable that a fact so public and so great as the religion of the first Christians should be incapable of ascertainment, at least in its outlines, that it should have so passed away like a dream, that the Most opposite opinions may at this day be maintained about it without possibility of contradiction. If it was soon corrupted or extinguished, then it is obvious to inquire after the history of such corruption or extinction; such a revolution every where, without historical] record, being as unaccountable as the disappearance of the original religion for which it is brought to account.

At first sight there is, to say the least, a considerable antecedent improbability in the notion, that, whereas we know the tenets and the history of the Stoic or the Academic philosophy, yet we do not know the main tenets, nor yet the fundamental principles, nor even the spirit and temper of Apostolic Christianity.

Under a sense of this improbability, in other words with an expectation that historical research would supply what they sought, our Divines at and since the Reformation have betaken themselves to the extant documents of the early

Church, in order to determine thereby what the system of Primitive Christianity was; and so to elicit from Scripture more completely and accurately that revealed truth, which, though revealed there, is not on its surface, but needs to be deduced and developed from it. They went to the Fathers for information concerning matters, on which the Fathers at first sight certainly do promise to give information, just as inquirers into any other branch of knowledge might study

viii PREFACE. those authors who have treated of it; and, whether or not they found what they sought, it surely was reasonable so to seek it, and cannot be condemned except by the event,—that is, by shewing that their expectation, however reasonable antecedently, is mistaken in fact, that after the search into history, no evidence is forthcoming concerning the tenets, nor yet the principles, nor even the temper which the Apostles inculcated.

A like expectation has actuated the present Publication ; it has been conceived probable, to say the least, that the study of the writings of the Fathers will enable us to determine morally, to make up our minds for practical purposes, what the doctrines of the Apostles were, for instance whether or not they believed in our Lord's Divinity, or the general necessity of Baptism for salvation ;—or if not the doctrines, still what were their principles, as whether or not or how far they allowed of using secular means for advancing Christian truth, or whether or not they sanctioned the monarchical principle, or again the centralizing principle, or again the principle of perpetuity in Church matters, or whether they considered that Scripture should be interpreted in the mere letter, or what is called spiritually ;—or at least what was their ¢emper, for instance, whether or not it was what is now called in reproach superstitious, or whether or not exclusive, or whether or not opposed to display and excitement.

On some or other of these points there are surely grounds for expecting information from the Fathers, sufficient for our practice, and therefore having claims upon it.

Recourse then being had to the writings of the Fathers, in order to obtain information as to this historical fact, viz. the doctrines, the principles, and the religious temper of Apostolical Christianity, so far we have little to do with the personal endowments of the Fathers, except as these bear on the question of their fidelity.

Their being men of strictest lives and most surpassing holiness, would not prove that they knew what it was the Apostles taught; and, were they but

PREFACE. ix ordinary men, this need not incapacitate them from being faithful witnesses and serviceable informants, if they were in a position to be such.

We should have only to take into account, and weigh against each other, their qualifications and disqualifications, for being evidence toa fact; we should have to balance honesty against prejudice, education against party influence, early attachments against reason, and so on.

Thus we should treat them, taken one by one; but even this sort of personal scrutiny will be practically superseded, when we consult them, not separately, but as our Reformed Church ever has done, together; and demand their sranimous testimony to any point of doctrine or discipline, before we make any Serious use of them: for, it stands to reason that, where they agree, the peculiarities of their respective nations, education, history, and period, instead of suggesting an indefinite suspicion against the subject-matter of their testimony, does but increase the evidence of its truth.

Their testimony becomes the concurrence of many independent witnesses in behalf of the same facts; and, if it is to be slighted or disparaged, one does not see what knowledge of the past remains to us, or what matter for the historian. Viewing S. Cyril, for instance, as one of a body who bears a concordant evidence to the historical fact, that the Apostles taught that Christ is God ', or that Baptism is the remedy of original sin', or that celibacy is not imperative on the clergy*, whether he was Asiatic or African, of the Roman or the Oriental party, as little matters, as when we consider him as one of a company bearing witness to the historical fact, that the Apostles and their associates wrote the New Testament.

Indeed, as the matter stands, there is something very remarkable and even startling to the reader of S. Cyril, to find in a divine of his school such a perfect agreement, for instance as regards the doctrine of the Trinity, with those Fathers who in his age were more famous as champions of it.

Here is a writer, separated by t iv. 7. &c.

> xii, 25.

2 Introd, 16. ii. 5. iii, 4. 11. xii. 15.

x PREFACE. whatever cause from what, speaking historically, may be called the Athanasian School, suspicious of its adherents, and suspected by them; yet he, when he comes toexplainhimeelf', expresses precisely the same doctrine as that of Athanasius or Gregory, while he merely abstains from the particular theological term in which the latter Fathers agreeably to the Nicene Council conveyed it.

Can we have a clearer proof that the difference of opinion between them was not one of ecclesiastical and traditionary doctrine, but of practical judgment? that the Fathers at Nicwa wisely considered that, under the circumstances, the word in question was the only symbol which would secure the Church against the insidious heresy which was assailing it, while S. Cyril', with Eusebius of Cesarea, Meletius, and others, shrunk from it, at least for a while, as if an addition to the Creed, ora word already taken into. the service of an opposite heresy*, and likely to introduce into the Church heretical notions?

Their judgment, which was erroneous, was their own; their faith was not theirs only, but shared with them by the whole Christian world.

At the same time it must be granted, that this view of the Fathers as witnesses to Apostolic truth not individually but collectively, clear and unanswerable as it is, considered as a view, is open to some great practical inconveniences, when acted on in such an undertaking as that in which the present

Editors are engaged. For since, by the supposition, no one of the Fathers is necessarily right in all his doctrine, taken by himself, but may be erroneous in secondary points, each taken by himself is in danger, by his own peculiarities, on the one hand of throwing discredit on all together, on the other of perplexing those who by means of the Fathers are inquiring after Catholic truth.

And whereas in any publication of this nature, they cannot appear all at once, but first one and then

Y iv. 7. vi. 1. x. and xi. xii. 1. de Synod. 12. (ed. Bened. Cyr. lii. B.) + v. Hilar. Contr. Const.3.12. Athan.

* vid. Bull. Defens. F. N, if. 1,

PREFACE. xi another, and at all events cannot be read altogether, it follows that, during their gradual perusal, unavoidable prejudice will often attach to the Fathers, and to the Catholic Faith, and to those who are enforcing the latter by means of the former.

And thus Editors of the Fathers are pretty much in the condition of Architects, who lie under the disadvantage, from which Painters and Sculptors are exempt, of having their work exposed to public criticism through every stage of its execution, and being expected to provide symmetry and congruity in its parts independent of the whole.

Such are the circumstances in which we find ourselves, open to remark for every opinion, every sentence, every phrase, of every Father, before its meaning, relevancy, importance, or bearings are ascertained ; before it is known whether it will be, as it were, obliterated by others, or completed, or explained, or modified, or unanimously witnessed.

And since the evil is in the nature of the case itself, we can do no more than have patience, and recommend patience to others, and with the racer in the Tragedy look forward steadily and hopefully to the event,—TQ TEAEI sist

$égev,—when, as we trust, all that is inharmonious and anomalous in the details, will at length be practically smoothed.

Meanwhile, as regards the condition of the reader himself, we consider that we shall sufficiently provide for his perplexity by reminding him of his duty to take his own Church for the present as his guide, and her decisions as a key and final arbiter, as regards the particular statements of the separate Fathers, which he may meet with; being fully confident, that her judgment which he begins by taking as a touchstone of each, will in the event be found to be really formed, as it ought to be, on a view of the testimony of all.

, In expressing, however, these thoughts, it is obvious to anticipate an objection of another sort which is likely to be urged against our undertaking, to the effect that all these dangers and warnings are gratuitous, Scripture itself contain-

xii PREFACE. ing sufficient information concerning the doctrines, principles, and mind of the Apostles, without having recourse to the difficult and, as has been above confessed, the anxious task, whether ultimately successful or not, of collecting the object of our inquiry from the writings of the Fathers.

This is not the place to treat of an objection, to which much attention has been drawn for several years past; yet thus much may be observed in passing :—If the sufficiency of Scripture for teaching as well as proving the Christian faith be maintained as a theological truth, the grounds in reason must be demanded, grounds such as are independent of that inquiry into history which itis brought forward to prohibit. If itis urged as a truth obvious in matter of fact, and practically certain, then its maintainers have to account for the actual disagreement among readers of Scripture as to what the faith, principles, and temper of the Apostles were.

And if it be urged on the authority of the sixth Article of our Church, then they must be asked, why if this Article contained a reason against deferring to Antiquity, the Convocation of 1571, which imposed it, at the same time, as is well known, ordered all preachers to teach according to the Catholic Fathers, and why our most eminent Divines, beginning with the writers of the Homilies themselves, have ever pursued that very method.

Nothing can be more certain than that Scripture contains all necessary doctrine; yet nothing, it is presumed, can be more certain either, than that, practically speaking, it needs an interpreter; nothing more certain than that our Church and her Divines assign the witness of the early ages of Christianity concerning Apostolic doctrine, as that interpreter.

Without, however, entering into a question which our Church seems to have determined for us, a few words shall be devoted to the explanation of a verbal difficulty by which it is often perplexed.

An objection is made, which, when analyzed, resolves itself into the following form.

PREPACE. xiii " Either Antiquity does or does not teach something over and above Scripture: if it does, it adds to the inspired word ;—if it does not, it is useless.—Does it then or does it not add to Scripture?"

And, as if shewing that the question is a perplexed one, of various writers who advocate the use of Antiquity, one may be found to speak of the writings of the Fathers as enabling us to ascertain and revive truths which have fallen into desuetude, while another may strenuously maintain, that they impart the knowledge of no new truths over and above what Scripture sets before us.

Now, not to touch upon other points suggested by this question, it may be asked by way of explanation, whether the exposition of the true sense of any legal document, any statute or deed, which has been contested, is an addition to it or not?

It is in point of words certainly ; for if the words were the same, it would be no explanation; but it is no addition to the sense, for it professes to be neither more nor less than the very sense, which is expressed in one set of words in the original document, in another in the comment.

In like manner, when our Saviour says, "I and My Father are One," and Antiquity interprets " One" to mean "one in substance," this is an addition to the wording, but no addition to the sense.

Of many possible means of interpreting a word, it cuts away all but one, or if it recognises others, it reduces them to harmony and subordination to that one.

Unless the Evangelist wished his readers to be allowed to put any conceivable sense upon the word, the power of doing so is no privilege; rather it is a privilege to know that very meaning, which to the exclusion of all others is the true meaning.

Catholic Tradition professes to do for Scripture just which is desirable, whether it is possible or not, to relieve us from the chance of taking one or other of the many senses which are wrong or insufficient, instead of the one sense which is true and complete.

But again, every diligent reader of the Bible has a certain

xiv PREFACE. idea in his own mind of what its teaching is, an idea which he cannot say is gained from this or that particular passage, but which he has gained from it as a whole, and which if he attempted to prove argumentatively, he might perplex himself or fall into inconsistencies, because he has never trained bis mind in such logical processes; yet nevertheless he has in matter of fact a view of Scripture doctrine, and that gained from Scripture, and which, if he states it, he does not necessarily state in words of Scripture, and which, whether after all correct or not, is not incorrect merely because he does not express it in Scripture words, or because he cannot tell whence he got it, or logically refer it to, or prove it from, particular passages.

One man is a Calvinist, another an Arminian, another a Latitudinarian; not logically merely, but from the impression gained from Scripture.

Is the Latitudinarian necessarily adding to Scripture because he maintains the proposition, " religious opinions matter not, so that a man is sincere," a proposition not tm terminis in Scripture?

Surely he is unscriptural, not because he uses words not in Scripture, but because he thereby expresses ideas which are not expressed in Scripture.

In answer then to the question, whether the Catholic system is an addition to Scripture, we reply, in one sense it is, in another it is not.

It is not, inasmuch as it is not an addition to the range of independent zdeas which Almighty God intended should he expressed and conveyed on the whole by the inspired text : it is an addition, inasmuch as it is in addition to their arrangement, and to the words containing them,—inasmuch as it stands as a conclusion contrasted with its premisses, inasmuch as it does that which every reader of the Scriptures does for himself, express and convey the ideas more explicitly and determinately than he finds them, and inasmuch as there may be difficulty in duly referring every part of the explicit doctrine to the various parts of Scripture which contain it.

PREFACE. xv Nothing here is intended beyond setting right an ambiguity of speech which both perplexes persons, and leads them to think that they differ from others, from whom they do not differ.

No member of the English Church ever thought that the Church's creed was an addition to Scripture in any other sense than that in which an individual's own impression concerning the sense of Scripture is an addition to it; or ever referred to a supposed deposit of faith distinct from Scripture existing in the writings of the Fathers, inany other sense than in that in which asking a friend's opinion about the sense of Scrip- . ture, might be called imputing to him unscriptural opinions.

The question of words then may easily be cleared up, though it often becomes a difficulty; the real subject in dispute, which is not here to be discussed, being this, how this one true sense of Scripture is to be leamed, whether by philological criticism upon definite texts,—or by a promised superintendence of the Holy Ghost teaching the mind the true doctrines from Scripture, (whether by a general impression upon the mind, or by leading it, text by text piecemeal into dactrine by doctrine ;)

—or, on the other hand, by a blessing of the Spirit upon studying it in the right way, that is, in the way actually provided, in other words, according to the Church's interpretations.

In all cases the text of Scripture and ap exposition of it are supposed ; in the one the exposition comes first and is brought to Scripture, in the other it is brought out after examination into Scripture; but you cannot help assigning some exposition or other, if you value the Bible at all. Those alone will be content to ascribe no sense to Scripture, who think it matters not whether it has any sense or not.

As to the case of a ditference eventually occurring in any instance of importance, between what an individual considers to be the sense of Scripture and that which he finds Antiquity to put upon it, the previous question must be asked, whether such difference is likely to arise.

It will not arise in the case of the majority, nor again in the case of serious, sensible, and humble minds ;

xvi PREFACE. and where men are not such, it will be but one out of many difficulties.

A person however, thus circumstanced, whether from his own fault or not, ¢s in a difficulty; difficulties are often our lot, and we must bear them, as we think God would have us.

Wecan cut the knot by throwing off the authority of the Fathers; and we can remain under the burden of the difficulty by allowing that authority ; but, however we act, we have no licence to please our taste or humour, but we act under a responsibility.

Two main respects have been mentioned, in which the concordant testimony of the Fathers may be considered to throw light upon the sense of Scripture : on these a few words are now necessary with a special reference to S. Cyril,—first as regards the doctrine of Scripture, next as regards the interpretation of texts.

Now it will be found that they are more concordant as to the doctrines themselves contained in Scripture, than as to the passages in which these are contained and their respective force; and, again, that they are more concordant in their view of the principles upon which Scripture is to be interpreted, than in their application of these principles, and their view of the sense in consequence to be assigned to particular texts.

This was to be expected, as may easily be made appear.

There seems to have been no Catholic exposition of Scripture, no traditionary comment upon its continuous text.

The subject-matter of Catholic tradition, as preserved in the writings of the Fathers, is, not Scripture interpretation or proof, but certain doctrines, professing to be those of the Gospel: and since among these we find this, " that Scripture contains all the Gospel doctrines," we infer, that, according to the mind of the Fathers, those very doctrines which they declare to be the Christian faith are contained in and are to be proved from Scripture.

But where they occur in Scripture cannot be ascertained from the Fathers, except so far as the accidental course of controversy has brought out their joint

PREFACE. xvii witness concerning certain great passages, on which they do seem to have had traditionary information.

The Arian and other heresies obliged them to appeal to Scripture in behalf of a certain cardinal doctrine which they held by uninterrupted tradition ; and thus have been the means of pointing out to us particular texts in which are contained the great truths which were assailed.

But while we are thus furnished with a portion of the Scripture proof of Catholic doctrine, guaranteed to us by the unanimous consent of the Church, it is natural also, under the circumstances above mentioned, that many of the discussions which occurred should contain appeals to Scripture of a less cogent character, and evidencing the exercise of mere private judgment upon the text in default of Catholic Tradition.

The early Church had read Scripture not for argument but for edification; it is not wonderful that though holding the truth, and seeing it in the inspired text, and often seeing there what we fail to see, she should nevertheless be as little able to distribute exactly each portion of the truth to each of its places in the text, and to analyze the grounds of those impressions which the whole conveyed, as religious persons in the private walks of life may be now-a-days.

Accordingly her divines, one by one, while they witness to the truth itself most sufficiently, as speaking from Tradition, yet often prove it insufficiently, as relying necessarily on private judgment.

For instance, the text, He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father, is taken by S. Cyril, agreeably with other early writers, as a proof that Christ is in all things like (pos év maciv) to the Father; (Lect. xi. 18.) and the text, acept a man be born of water and of the Spirit, as a proof of the necessity of Baptism. (Lect. iii. 4.) But though there are many of equal cogency, there are many also, about which there may be fairly difference of opinion, as when he interprets, Surely God is in thee, (Isai. 45, 14.) of the Indwelling _ of the Father in the Son. (Lect. xi. 16.)

XViii PREFACE.

And, while it is not at all surprising even though the Fathers should occasionally adduce texts as proofs of certain doctrines which are not so, neither is it strange that they should overlook proofs which did exist, and which we are able to discern.

For they were in the light of a recent Tradition ; we are in the twilight of a distant age; and our minds, like eyes accustomed to the twilight, may discern much in the dark parts of Scripture, which were hid from them by their very privilege.

Such imperfections, however, in the Scripture proofs adduced by the Fathers, whether in excess or defect, do not interfere at all with their maintenance of the great principles that there is a Faith, and that it is in Scripture.

As far as S. Cyril is concerned, the following passages witness both truths clearly. "This Seal," he says, speaking of the Creed, " have thou ever in mind; which now by way of summary has been touched on in its heads, and, if the Lord grant, shall hereafter be set forth according to our power with Scripture proofs.

For concerning the divine and sacred mysteries of the Faith, we ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures; nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities, and the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell you these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of what is set forth; for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures." (Lect. iv. 17.)

Again: " Take thou and bold that faith only as a learner and in profession, which is by the Church delivered to thee, and is established from all Scripture.

For since all cannot read the Scripture, but some as being unlearned, others by business, are hindered from the knowledge of them, in order that the soul may not perish for lack of instruction, in the Articles which are few we comprehend the whole doctrine of the faith ... Commit to memory the Faith, merely listening to the words; and expect at the fitting season the proof of each

PREFACE. xix of its patis from the Divine Scriptures.

For the Articles of the Faith were not composed at the good pleasure of man; but the most important points chosen from all Scripture, make up the one teaching of the Faith.

And as the mustard seed ina little grain contains many branches, thus also this Faith, in a few words, has enfolded in its bosom the whole knowledge of godliness contained both in the Old and New

Testaments." (Lect. v. 12.) The doctrine, expressed in these and other passages of S. Cyril, is implied and assumed im a most striking way in a number of others'.

So much on the Scripture proof of doctrine as contained in the Fathers; as to the doctrinal sense of Scripture, the second point to be spoken of, what has been already observed is quite consistent, not to say connected with the remark to be made concerning it, viz. that the Fathers are far more concordant in assigning principles of Scripture interpretation, than in the interpretation of particular passages.

Indeed the very view they took of the Bible led to variety, apparent discordance, and private conjecture in interpreting it. They considered it to be a sort of storehouse of sacred treasures *, contained under the letterin endless profusion, piled, as it were, one on another, with order indeed and by rule, but still often so deeply lodged within the text, that from ordinary eyes they were almost hidden*.

Hence it was considered as a duty and privilege proposed to the Christian, to find out the " wondrous things of God's law;" and no meaning was so remote from the literal text as to be proved thereby to be foreign to it in the Divine intention.

While then, according to their disposition or school of theology, they were led, more or less, to attempt to search into the deep mysteries of Scripture for themselves*, they felt little difficulty in multiplicity of interpretations, little fear of inconsistency. And while such a prin- > xi. 12, xii.5. xiii. 8, 9, xiv. 2.xvi.

1, 2. 24.

¢ iii, 16, vi. 98, 29. xii. 19.

XX PREFACE. ciple as has been described necessarily led them to diversity in their interpretations, that diversity does but increase our evidence of the fact of their one and all holding that principle; and thus, while their value as commentators varies with their personal qualifications, their adherence to that principle comes to us as a Catholic tradition.

Instances of individual, local, or transitory opinion, that is, of what would at present, rightly or wrongly, be called fancifulness and caprice, are frequent in S. Cyril's Lectures, and scarcely need specifying.

Such, for example, is his interpreting, " Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn," of the Holy Sepulchre, (Lect. xiii. 35.) or " At evening time it shall be light," of the circumstances of the Crucifixion; (Lect. xiii. 24.) and much more his considering, " Thou hast wrought salvation in the midst of the earth," (Lect. xiii. 28.) to allude to Golgotha, and " the fountain sealed," to Christ in the sepulchre after the sealing of the stone. (Lect. xiv. 5.)

These interpretations, whether his own or uot, and whether true or not, do not profess to be traditional, and are but witnesses, to the great principle from which they proceed, of the everliving intelligence, deep and varied meaning, and inexhaustible fulness of Holy Scripture.

This indeed he bimself declares in one place in words which may be suitably extracted. After giving two conjectures concerning the doctrinal meaning of the Blood and Water, which came from our Lord's side, viz. that it typifies the Jews' imprecation of His blood upon them and Pilate's washing his hands of it, or again the condemnation of the Jews and the baptismal pardon of Christians, he adds, " For nothing happened without a meaning,

(oddev sixij yéyovev.) Our fathers who have written comments, have given another reason of this matter.

For since in the Gospel the power of salutary Baptism is two-fold, that bestowed by means of water on the Illuminated, and that to holy

Martyrs in persecutions through their own blood, there came out of that salutary side blood and water," &c. (Lect. xiii. 21.)

PREFACE. met When then it is inquired, what information is given us by the Fathers, concerning Scripture or Catholic doctrine, we reply, that they rather declare doctrine and say that it is in Scripture, than prove it by Scripture, at once concordantly and in detail; and again, that they rather tell us how we must set about interpreting Scripture, than authoritatively interpret it for us.

It is presumed that this is on the whole correct; true as it also is, that on a number of the most important points of doctrine they have preserved to us, with an unanimity which is an evidence of its Apostolic origin, the very texts in which they are contained.

Still after all the Fathers are rather led to dwell on Scripture by itself, and on the doctrinal system by itself, as two distinct, parallel, and substantive sources of divine information, than to blend and almost identify the two, as a variety of circumstances has occasioned or obliged us to do at this day.

It would at first sight seem unnecessary to add to what has been said, any remark on mistakes or apparent mistakes committed by S. Cyril in matters of fact; but as this is often a ground of misconception, the subject shall be briefly noticed.

For instance, as to his statement concerning the discovery of the True Cross', he is to be treated as any other historical witness under the same circumstances, and the weight of his evidence, whatever it is, is to be balanced against the improbability of the fact recorded, whether antecedent, or arising from the silence concerning it of Eusebius and Constantine. Again, we may well allow that he was not a natural historian, without hurting his theological character.

It is true that he believed in the existence of the Phenix', and argued from the analogy afforded by it in favour of the Resurrection.

That is, he was philosophical on false grounds.

And in like manner persons have proved, as they thought, the Noachical deluge from stones found on the top of hills, or have attributed it to the action f Lect, iv. 10. x. 19, xiii. 4.

6 xviii. 8.

xxl PREFACE. of a comet, or have believed or doubted the existence of the sea serpent or the dodo, and never have been reckoned worse or better divines for either success or failure in such conjectures.

It as little follows that a theologian must be an ornithologist, as that an ornithologist or comparative anatomist must be a theologian; and as no one in this day would reckon ignorance of divinity as a bar to eminence and authority in scientific researches, so it betrays a poverty of argument to reproach S. Cyril, or Eusebius, or S. Clement before them, with not being proficients in a branch of knowledge which has been a peculiar study of modern times.

They did not profess to be natural historians; let it be enough for this age to cultivate physical science itself, without molesting the Fathers with its new standards of intellectual superiority, Let it be enough for it to despise the province of theology, without seeking to remodel it.

The Fathers did not profess the science on which it prides itself; nothing but inspiration could secure them from shewing ignorance concerning it; and no one pretends that S. Cyril or S. Clement were inspired.

It is only necessary to add with respect to the present Translation, that for almost the whole of it the Editors are indebted to Mr. Cnurc#, Fellow of Oriel College.

It has been made from the Benedictine Text compared with the Oxford Edition of Milles, the Benedictine Sections in the separate Lectures being marked by numbers at the beginning of the paragraphs, and the Oxford sections on the margin.

The few notes which are introduced are almost confined to the elucidation of matter of fact, and have been kept clear as far as possible from the expression of opinions; in drawing them up, much use has been made of the valuable information contained in the Oxford and Benedictine Editions.

Such words of S. Cyril as have a theological, controversial, or critical importance, are usually placed in the margin opposite

PREFACE. xxii their place in the Translation.

'The quotations from Scripture are given in the words of our received version, wherever the Greek of Cyril admitted of it; when otherwise, it has been signified in the margin.

J. H. N.

Oxrorp, The Feast of St. Matthew, 1838.

Notice concerning the Churches in which the Lectures were delivered.

Ir has already been observed, that St. Cyril delivered the following Lectures in the year 347 or 348.

He delivered them without book, in the Churches raised over the spot made sacred by our Lord's death, burial, and resurrection; those addressed to the Catechumens, excepting the Introductory Lecture, in the evening, that being the usual time for religious meetings during Lent; and those on the Mysteries, at noon.

It may be interesting to the reader to be put in possession of Eusebius's description of the Basilica and Church, which Constantine erected, in which the Lectures were delivered.

The circumstance of its being contemporaneous history will be considered perhaps to compensate for the turgidness of the style.

In his panegyric upon Constantine, he briefly noticed the buildings in question thus:

'"* As regards Palestine, in the midst of the royal home of the Hebrews, at the very place of the Saving Witness *, he employed himself in ornamenting richly and with munificent earnestness a vast House of prayer and Holy Temple to the Saving Sign; and paid honour to the Great Saviour's tomb of eternal memory, His very trophy raised over death, with decorations not to be described." c. 9.

And more at Jength in his life of thesame Emperor.

" He considered it his duty to constitute that most blessed spot in Jerusalem, of the Saving Resurrection, an object of admiration and reverence toall.

Accordingly he gave orders to construct there a House of Prayer, not projecting it apart from God, but moved in spirit by the Saviour Himself.

For in former @ Vid. Cyiil, Lect. xiv. 6.

XXV days irreligious men, or rather the whole race of evil Spirits by means of them, had made it a point to consign over that divine monument of immortality to darkness and oblivion. ..

Not sparing their labour in the work, and bringing earth from other places, they conceal the whole place; and then raising it up high and paving it with stones, they bury the divine treasure somewhere beneath under this vast mound.

Then as though nothing more' was to be done, above that ground, they contrive a sepulchre, dreadful indeed for souls ; by building a dark shrine of dead idols to the unchaste spirit called Venus.

And there they offered impure sacrifices upon profane and guilty altars..... No one ever, governor, or general, or emperor himself, was found equal for the overthrow of this daring deed, but one, the favoured of the All

Sovereign God.

Influenced then by a Divine Spirit, he bore not that the place aforenamed should be hidden under that unholy mass, by the counsels of enemies, forgotten and unknown; he yielded not to the wickedness of the perpetrators of the deed; so, invoking God his Helper, he bids purify the place, deeming it fitting that what had been the most polluted by our enemies, should receive the noblest work of good through him.

And upon the word the structures of falsehood began to fall upon the ground from their height above; and images, evil spirits, and the whole edifice of error fell into pieces and were demolished.

Nor did the Emperor's zeal rest here ; but he orders to carry off and cast away, far away from the spot, the materials, wood and stone.

Deeds followed upon word; yet even at this point was he not satisfied.

Again, divinely moved, he commanded to dig deep and carry out the soil itself, together with the mound, far away, as having been polluted by the mire of devilish sacrifices.

This too was instantly done; on which another foundation instead of the first came to light, one in the depth of the earth, and the awful and all-holy Witness of the Saving Resurrection came to light beyond all hope; and then that cave, a holy of holies, began to image forth the scene of the revival of the

XXvi Saviour. Thus after its setting in darkness, it again came forth to the light ; and to those who came to see, it afforded a manifest view of the history of the things done there, witnessing by facts more vocally than any voice the Saviour's resurrection.

All this being done, immediately the Emperor by pious edicts and unsparing contributions, commands to build about the Saving Cave, a House of prayer, worthy of God, with rich and royal magnificence, having long proposed this, and contemplated the future with special eagerness ;—sending to the Governors of the Eastern provinces, by unsparing and loving contributions to accomplish an extraordinary, great, and rich work ; and to the then Bishop of Jerusalem, [Macarias,] the following letter, &c......

" First of all, he set about the decorations of the Sacred Cave itself, that divine monument, by which an Angel dazzling with light once told good tidings of the regeneration manifested to all through the Saviour.

This then first, as the beginning of the whole, the Emperor's devotion enriched with choice pillars and much embellishment, beautifying it with ornaments of every sort.

" Next he passed over an ample space opened to the sky ; which was paved with shining stone, and surrounded on three sides with long porticos.

*" But on the fourth side which was opposite the Cave, and looked eastward, was added the Royal Temple, [the Basilica,] an extraordinary work, rising to an immense height, and spread out in exceeding length and width.

The inner walls were covered with marble slabs of various colours, and the outside face of the walls, shining with polished stones closely fitted together, was a specimen of supernatural beauty not inferior to the look of marble.

The roof without was protected with lead, as a defence against the weather; and the roof within was composed of carved fretwork, and by means of compartments stretched its vast expanse over the whole Basilica, and was covered throughout with resplendent gold, so as to make the whole Temple dazzling as with a blaze of light.

XXVii " On each side ran a portico with two ranges along the length of the Temple, both above and under ground ; and of this too the roof was enriched with gold. The outside ranges consisted of enormous columns; and the inside of quadrangular buttresses highly ornamented.

Three handsome doors on the East let in the multitude who would enter.

" At the opposite end, was the perfection of the whole work, a hemisphere', at the top of the Basilica; girt with twelve pillars according to the number of the Apostles of the Saviour, with capitals ornamented with large silver cups, which the Emperor himself gave as a most beautiful offering to his

God.

"" Hence, as one goes forward to the entrances lying before the Temple, he interposed an open court; and on each side, first a hall, then porticos, and then hall doors. Next, reaching into the broad marketplace, was placed the vestibule of the whole tastefully fashioned, affording to those who were passing outside a striking view of the wonders within.

'"' This Temple then the Emperor raised as a conspicuous Witness of the Saving Resurrection, beautifying it with rich and royal materials.

And he embellished it with innumerable gifts of undescribable splendour, with gold, silver, precious stones of every kind; of which the exquisite workmanship in particular, whether in size, number, or variety, does not admit of being recounted here." (iii, 25—40.) A ground-plan of the Church and Basilica is subjoined :— b i. e. the Apsis where the Altar was

A. The Anastasis, that is, the Church upon the site of the Holy Sepulchre; where S. Cyril delivered his last five Lectures.

(Lect. xviii. 33.) The Holy Sepulchre was within a stone's cast of the top of Golgotha, on the southern side of the hill.

It originally consisted of two caves, (Lect. xiv. 9.) an inner and an outer, of which the latter was destroyed by Constantine.

'The former, which he left, and, as it would appear, (vid. above note a on Lect. xiv.

9.) cut off from the main body of the rock, is shaped round outside hke a horseshoe with the circular part towards the West, and is entered by the East.

Inside it remains apparently in its ancient form of a trapezium; the roof can he touched with the hand, and on the, North is an opening in the face of the rock, where our

Lord's body seems to have been placed.

The stone which had been placed at the mouth of the cave lay in S, Cyril's time near the Sepulchre whether within or withoat.

(Lect. xiii. 39.) The Church built over the Holy Sepulchre was circular.

B. Golgotha or Calvary, the place of our Lord's Crucifixion.

The whole mount, including the site of the sacred buildings, was sometimes called Golgotha.

(Vid. Lect. iv. 10. 14. xvi. 4.) Sometimes only its top where the Crucifixion actually took place, which was to the North of the Basilica of the Holy Cross.

(Lect. xiii. 4.) It was without the walls of the ancient city, to the North of Mount Sion, and about a mile and a half to the West of the Mount of Olives; and in S. Cyril's time it was a wild desolate spot, some traces remaining of the garden in which the Sepulchre was situated.

(Lect. xiv. 5.) C. The Basilica of Constantine, or Church of the Holy Cross, (Euseb. Laud. C. 9.) called also the Martyrium or Testimony, as being built close upon and in memory of our

Lord's Passion; where S. Cyril delivered his first eighteen Lectures.

The Basilica uf the Holy Cross, lay to the West of the Holy Sepulchre, being connected with it by a court open above, paved with choice marble, and bounded on all but the West side with a portico. Jt lay higher than the court, from which it seems to have been entered by steps; and there were three doors at the entrance, through which the Holy Sepulchre and the summit of Golgotha were seen.

Porticos ran along the North and South, and the Altar was at the West end. a. The Holy Sepulchre, with the entrance on the Kast. b. The open Court connecting the Avastasis or Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with the Basilica of the Holy Cross. c. Steps up to the Basilica. d. Entrances. e. Ambo, where was the place of reading Scripture and preaching. f Altar. gBishop's Throne. h. Spring of water for the Baptistery.

™ a ae a — — ~ i i S ao = ~ + 2.

~ - — le of <* a mad © —— 3s. oe ia <= Se + leet > @ 'a ~ Li} << — f a = , . iM =. s) @ hal'

Oi wi See § eer ose a <a ae mt > ok -—) » > Geeat i ced op: whbnps Gales ape, 5 ope ces a) tee cere »G Te cred ooa= gt CES mm nad ag ad te get AE ale deamiiy ecemtiad Ye wEiaa TT D = Franeeinte # maior 482 bap done sees eit an ad eed maar — -— &- a4 ie et: is "4

' eee ee"

CATECHETICAL

LECTURES OF

S. CYRIL.

LECTURES ADDRESSED TO CANDIDATES FOR BAPTISM DURING

LENT, IN THE BASILICA OF THE HOLY CROSS.

INTRODUCTORY LECTURE.

Page 1.

[Delivered in fall Church, and therefore perhaps on a Sunday.)

LECTURE I.

Page 10.

ON THE PURPOSE OF MIND NECESSARY FOR BAPTISM.

Isaiah i. 16—19.

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings Srom before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.

{Probably in the first week.)

LECTURE II.

Page 14,

ON THE POWER OF REPENTANCE FOR THE REMISSION OF SIN.

Ezekiel xviii. 20—23.

The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed,

XKXil

CONTENTS.

and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him; in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

{Probably in the firat week.]

LECTURE III.

Page 25.

ON HOLY BAPTISM.

. Romans vi. 8, 4.

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into His death?

Therefore we are buried with Him by Baplism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

[Probably in the first week.]

LECTURE IV.

Page 34.

ON THE TEN POINTS OF FAITH.

Colossians ii. 8.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

[Probably in the first week. ]

LECTURE V.

Page 52.

ON FAITH.

Hebrews xi. 1, 2.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen: for by it the elders obtained a good report.

CONTENTS.

EXXiii

LECTURE VI.

Page 60,

ON THE ONITY OF GOD.

Isaiah xlv. 16, 17.

They shall go to confusion together that are partakers of idols ; but Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation, ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

LECTURE VII.

Page 79.

ON GOD, THE FATHER.

Eph. iii. 14, 15.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family of heaven and earth ts named.

[Next day to the sixth.]}

LECTURE VIII.

Page 86.

ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD.

Jer. xxxii. 18, 19.

The Great, the Mighty God; the Lord of Hosts is His Name, great in counsel, and mighty in work.

{Next day to the seventh.]

LECTURE IX.

Page 90,

ON GOD, THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS.

Job xxxviii. 2, 3.

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou Me.

LECTURE X.

Page 9%.

ON THE ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST.

1 Corinthians viii. 5, 6.

For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many and lords many,) but to us there is One God the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.

LECTURE XI.

Page 110.

ON THE SON OF GOD, AS ONLY-BEGOTTEN, BEFORE ALL AGES,

AND THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS.

Hebrews i. 1, 2.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath tn these last days spoken unto us by His Son.

[Next day to the tenth.]

LECTURE XII.

Page 123.

ON THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD.

Isaiah vii. 10-—14.

Moreover the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it etther in the depth, or in the height above.

And Ahaz said, J will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord.

And he said, Hear ye now, O House of David; ts it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?

Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His Name

Immanuel.

[Next day to the eleventh.]

CONTENTS.

xxiv

LECTURE XIII.

Page 142.

ON THE CRUCIFIXION AND BURIAL OF CHRIST.

Isaiah hii. 1, 7.

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? .... He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.

[Some days before the fourteentb.]

LECTURE XIV.

Page 165.

ON THE RESURRECTION, ASCENSION, AND EXALTATION

OF CHRIST.

1 Corinthians xv. 1—4.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received,and therein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep tn memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was burted, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

{On a Monday in the beginning of the month Xanthicus, (April,) shortly after the Equinox.)

LECTURE XV.

Page 183.

ON THE SECOND ADVENT, THE LAST JUDGMENT, AND THE

PERPETUITY OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM.

Dan. vii. 9—14.

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, &c.... The judgment was set, and the books were opened, o.... I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven,

XXKvi

CONTENTS.

and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, $c.

. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, &c.

LECTURE XVI.

Page 203.

ON THE ONE HOLY GHOST, THE COMFORTER, WHICH SPAKE IN

THE PROPHETS.

1 Cor. xii. 1, 4.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you tgnorant.... Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

[A few days before Easter.]

LECTURE XVII.

Page 220.

ON THE HOLY GHOST.

1 Cor. xii. 8.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; &e.

(A few days before Easter.]

LECTURE XVIII.

Page 240.

ON THE RESURRECTION OF THE FLESH, THE CATHOLIC

CHURCH, AND THE LIFE EVERLASTING.

Ezekiel xxxvii. 1.

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirtt of the Lord, and set me down in the midst Sf the valley which was full of bones.

(On Easter Eve.]

CONTENTS.

XxXvil

LECTURES ADDRESSED TO THE BAPTIZED IN EASTER WEEK

IN THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

LECTURE XIX.

(ON THE MYSTERIES.

1.) Page 258,

ON THE RITES BEFORE BAPTISM.

1 Pet. v. 8—14, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,

&e.

[On Monday in Easter Week.|

LECTURE XX.

(ON THE MYB8TEEIES.

II.) Page 263.

ON THE RITE OF BAPTISM.

Rom. vi. 3—14.

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? &c. ... for ye are not under the Law, but under grace.

{On Tuesday in Easter Week.]

LECTURE XXI.

(OK THE MYSTERIES.

ITI.) Page 267.

ON THE HOLY CHRISM.

1 John ii. 20—28.

But ye hare an unction from the Holy One, §c..... that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ushamed before Him at His coming.

[On Wednesday in Easter Week.]

XXXVill

CONTENTS.

LECTURE XXII.

(ON THE MYSTERIES. IV.)

Page 270.

ON THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CARIST.

1 Cor. xi. 23.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread, Sc.

[On Thursday in Easter Week.)

LECTURE XXIII.

(ON THE MYSTERIES. Y.)

Page 273.

ON THE COMMUNION SERVICE.

1 Pet. ii. 1.

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and evil speakings, &c.

[On Friday in Easter Week.}

CREED OF THE CHURCH OF JERUSALEM,

[Collected from St. Cyril's Leotares.] WE believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things, visible and invisible:

And in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God; begotten of the Father Very God, before all worlds; by whom all things were made; who came in the flesh, and was made man of the Virgin and the Holy Ghost; He was crucified and buried; He rose again the third day; and ascended into heaven, and sat on the right hand of the Father; and He cometh in glory to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end:

And in One Holy Ghost, the Comforter, who spake in the Prophets: and in one Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins: and in one Holy Catholic Church: and in the Resurrection of the dead: and in the Life everlasting.

Baptism is offered to all, but to the unprepared 1s a curse.

Ivtrov. His body went down and came up; but his soul was not Lect: buried together with Christ, nor with Him raised.

I mention such instances of falls, that thou mayest not fail; for these 1 Cor. things happened to them for ensamples, and they are written

10,11. fo» the admonition of those, who up to this day are ever coming.

Let no one of you be found tempting grace: let no Heb.12, root of bitterness spring up, and trouble you: let not any of 15.

—_ you enter, saying, Come, let us see what the faithful do: I will go in and see, that I may learn what is done.

Expectest thou to see, and not to be seen: and thinkest thou to busy _ thee with what is doing, and God not be busy with thine heart the while?

Mat.22, $. A certain man in the Gospels busily pried into the 13. marriage feast: he took an unbecoming garment, came in, sat down, and ate; for the bridegroom permitted thus far; whereas, when he saw the white robes of all, he ought himself likewise to have taken such another; yet he shared like meats with them, being unlike them in fashion and in purpose.

But the bridegroom, though bountiful, was not undiscerning ; and, as he went round to each of the guests and viewed them, (not that he was careful how they feasted, but how they behaved,) seeing a stranger, not having a wedding-garment on, he said to him, Friend, how camest thou in hither? With what stained raiments? with what a conscience? What, though the porter stopped thee not, because of the bountifulness of the entertainer? what, though thou wert ignorant in what fashion thou shouldest enter into the banquet? yet thou camest in, thou didst see the glistering fashion of the guests.

Shouldest thou iam, not have learned at least from what thou sawest? Shouldest pa thou not have made a seasonable retreat, that thou mightest ing 2 have a seasonable return ? but now hast thou turned in unseabon's sonably, that unseasonably thou mightest be thrust out.

So been he commands his servants, Bind his feet, which have daringly intruded,—bind his hands, which were not skilled to robe him in thebright garment; and cast him into the outer darkness ; for he is unworthy of the wedding torches.

Thou hast seen how he fared then; take heed to thyself.

(3.) 4. For we, the ministers of Christ, have admitted every man, and holding as it were the place of door-keepers, have left the door unfastened.

Thou hast been free then to enter with a

Those who come lightly, must not go back, but become serious. 8 soul bemired with sins, and a defiled purpose.

Entered thou hast: thou hast passed, thou hast been enrolled.

Seest thou these venerable arrangements of the Church?

Viewest thou her order and discipline, the reading of the Scriptures, the sarnssv presence of the religious, the course of teaching? Let then bia the place affect thee, let the sight sober thee.

Depart in good time now, and enter to-morrow in better.

If avarice has been the fashion of thy soul, put on another, and then come in: put off what thou hadst, cloke it not over: put off,

I pray thee, fornication and uncleannesss, and put on the most bright robe of soberness.

This charge I give thee, before Jesus the spouse of souls come in, and see their fashion.

Thou art allowed a distant day; thou hast a penitence of - forty'; thou hast full time to put off, and to wash thee, to put on, and to enter in.

But if thou abide in thy evil purpose, he who speaks is blameless, but thou must not look for grace: for though the water shall receive thee, the Spirit will not accept thee.

Whoso is conscious of a wound, let him take the salve: whoso has fallen, let him rise: let there be no Simon among you, no hypocrisy, no idle curiosity about the matter.

5. Perhaps thou comest on another ground.

Aman may (4.) be wishing to pay court to a woman, and on that account come hither: and the same applies to women likewise: again, a slave often wishes thus to please his master, or one friend another.

1 avail myself ofthis angler's bait, and receive thee, as one who has come indeed with an unsound purpose, but art to be saved by a good hope.

Thou knewest not perchance whither thou wast coming, nor what net was taking thee.

Thou art within the Church's nets, submit to be taken ; flee not, for Jesus would secure thee, not to make thee die, but by death to make thee live.

For thou must die and rise again; thou hast heard the Apostle saying, Dead indeed to Bom. 6, sin, but alive unto righteousness.

Die then to thy sins, and) pe 9 live to righteousness: yea, from this day forth, live.

24.

6. Look, I beseech thee, how great dignity Jesus presents to thee.

Thou wert called a Catechumen, which means, hearing with the ears, hearing hope, and not perceiving ;

> InsomeChurches this period wasof Churches of Italy it seems to have been thirty days; in other twenty; in the oa than forty.

Baptism cannot be administered more than once.

Ivrrov. hearing mysteries, yet not understanding: hearing Scriptures, LECT: vet not knowing their depth.

Thou no longer hearest with the ears, but thou hearest within; for the indwelling Spirit henceforth fashions thy mind into a house of God.

When thou shalt hear what is written concerning mysteries, then thou shalt understand, what hitherto thou knewest not.

And think not it is a trifle thou receivest.

Thou, a wretched man, wleves,areceivest the Name of God; for hear the words of Paul, God ts believers fosthful ; and another Scripture, God is faithful and just.

Vinavses, 'i ;

. justified. This the Psalmist foreseeing, since men were to receive the arree Name ascribed to God, said in the person of God, I have said, yee 2. Ye are Gods, and are all the children of the Most High.

6.' But -beware lest with the name of believer thou have the purpose ofanunbeliever.

Thou hast entered into the struggle ; labour therefore in the race, for season thou hast none other such.

If thou hadst thy wedding day before thee, wouldest thou not make light of aught besides, and be full of preparations for the feast ? And wilt thou not then, when on the eve of consecrating thy soul to a heavenly spouse, let go carnal things that thou mayest take hold of spiritual ?

7. The bath of Baptism we may not receive twice or thrice; else, it might be said, Though I fail once, I shail go right next time: whereas if thou failest once, there is no setting things right, for there is One Lord, and One Faith, and One

Baptism: none but heretics are re-baptized, since their former baptism was not baptism *.

(5.) 8. For God seeks nothing else from us, save a good purpose.

Say not, How are my sins blotted out? 1 tell thee, from willing, from believing ; what is shorter than this? But if thy lips declare thy willing, but thy heart is silent, He knows the heart who judgeth thee.

Cease then henceforth from every wicked thing: refrain thy tongue from light words, thine eye from sin, thy mind from roving after useless matters.

9. Let thy feet hasten to the Catechisings, receive with earnestness the Exorcisms; for whether thou art breathed

S. Cyprian, and the African Church of his day, Seatiaared it invalid inallcases; sodid the Churches of AsiaMinor at thesame date.S. Dionysius of Alexandria is claimed on both sides, tinustwice.

Hieron.in Eph. iv.

5. What Cyrilsays about heretical baptism should be observed.

The Roman Church considered it invalid only when (the offi-

Exorcisms through the Spirit drive out the devil from the soul. 5 upon, or exorcised, the Ordinance is to thee salvation.

It is as though thou hadst gold unwrought or alloyed, blended with various substances, with brass, and tin, and iron, and lead: we seek to have the gold pure, but it cannot be cleansed from foreign substances without fire.

Even so, without Exorcisms, the soul cannot be cleansed ; and they are divine, collected from the divine Scriptures.

Thy face is veiled', that thy mind may be henceforth at leisure; lest a roving eye cause aroving heart.

But though thine eyes be veiled, thine ears are not hindered receiving what is saving.

For as the goldsmith, conveying the blast upon the fire through delicate instruments, and as it were breathing on the gold which is hid in the hollow of the forge, stimulates the flame it acts upon, and so obtains what he is seeking; so also, exorcisers, infusing fear by the Holy Ghost, and setting the soul on fire in the crucible of the body, make the evil spirit flee, who is our enemy, and salvation and the hope of eternal life abide; and henceforth the soul, cleansed from its sins, hath salvation.

(6.) Let us then, brethren, abide in hope, surrendering ourselves and hoping; so may the God of all, seeing our purpose, cleanse us from sins, and impart to us good hopes of our estate, and grant us saving penitence! He who calls, is God, and thou art the person called.

10. Abide thou in the Catechisings: though our discourse be long, let not thy mind be wearied out.

For thou art receiving thine armour against the antagonist power; against heresies, against Jews, and Samaritans, and Gentiles.

Thou hast many enemies; take to thee many darts; thou hast many to hurl them at.

And thou hast need to learn how to hurl them at the Greek; how to do battle against heretic, against Jew and Samaritan.

The armour indeed is ready, and most ready is the sword of the Spirit; but thou also must stretch forth thy hands with good resolve, that thou mayest war the Lord's warfare, mayest overcome the powers that oppose thee, mayest escape defeat from every heretical attempt.

1]. This charge also I give thee.

Study the things that are spoken, and keep them for ever.

Think not that they are the ordinary Homilies, which are excellent indeed, and trustworthy, but if neglected to-day, may be attended to 4 Forthis custom, vid. Bingham, AnDissert. xii. 15. tiq. x. 2. §. 12. Basnag. Annal. vol. ii.

Christian doctrine to be withheld from Catechumens.

Ixtnop. to-morrow.

On the contrary, the teaching concerning the Lrcr. laver of regeneration, delivered in course, how shall it be made up, if to-day it be neglected?

Consider it to be the planting season; unless we dig, and that deeply, how shall that afterwards be planted rightly, which has once been planted ill? Or consider Catechising to be a kind of building: unless we dig deep, and lay the foundation,—unless by successive fastenings in the masonry, we bind the frame-work of the house together, that no opening be detected, nor the work be left unsound, nought avails all our former labour.

But stone must succeed stone in course, and corner must follow corer, and, inequalities being smoothed away, the masonry must rise regular.

In like manner we are bringing to thee the stones, as it were, of knowledge; thou must hear concerning the Living God; concerning Judgment; concerning Christ; concerning the Resurrection; and many things are made to follow one the other, which though now dropped one by one, at length are presented in harmonious connection.

But if thou wilt not connect then into one whole, and remember what is first, and what is second, the builder indeed buildeth, but the building will be unstable.

12. Now when the Catechising has taken place, should a Catechumen ask, what the teachers have said, tell nothing

(7.) to a stranger; for we deliver to thee a mystery, even the hope of the life to come: keep the mystery for Him who pays thee.

Let no man say to thee, What harm, if I also know it? So the sick ask for wine; but if it be unseasonably given them, it occasions delirium, and two evils follow; the sick man dies, and the physician gets an ill name.

Thus is it with the Catechumen also if he should hear from the Believer: the Catechumen is made delirious, for not understanding what he has heard, he finds fault with it, and scoffs at it, and the Believer bears the blame of a betrayer.

But now thou art standing on the frontiers; see thou let out nothing ; not that the things spoken do not deserve telling, but the ear that hears does not deserve receiving.

Thou thyself wast once a Catechumen, and then I told thee not what was coming.

When thou hast by practice reached the height of what is taught thee, then wilt thou understand that the Catechumens are unworthy to hear them.

18. Ye who have been enrolled, are become the sons and

Reverence to be observed in Church.

daughters of one Mother.

When ye have entered in before (8.) the hour of exorcising, let one of you speak what may promote godliness: and if any of your number be not present, seek for him.

If thou wert called to a banquet, wouldest thou not wait for thy fellow-guest? If thou hadst a brother, wouldest thou not seek thy brother's good? Henceforth meddle not unprofitably with external matters; what the city hath done, or the town, or Prince, or Bishop, or Presbyter.

Look upward, thy present hour hath need of that.

Be still, exeardand know that Iam God.

If thou seest the Believers minis5+ aiscs. tering without care, yet they enjoy security, they know what gaged.

- ° Pa. 46, they have received, they are in possession of grace.

Butjo, ' thou art just now in the turn of the scale, to be received or ' not: thou must not copy those who are free from care, but cherish fear.

14. And when the Exorcism is made, until the rest who are exorcised be come, let the men stay with the men, and the women with the women.

Here I would allude to Noah's ark; in which were Noah and his sons, and his wife and their wives; and though the ark was one, and the door was shut, yet had things been arranged suitably.

And though the Church be shut, and all of you within it, yet let there be a distinction, of men with men and women with women.

Let not the ground of your salvation become a means of destruction. Even though there be good ground for your sitting near each other, yet let passions be away.

Then, let the men when sitting have a useful book; and let one read, and another listen: and if there be no book, let the one pray, and another speak something useful; and let the party of young women be so ordered, that they may either be singing or reading, but without noise, so that their lips may speak, but others may not hear.

For, says the Apostle, J suffer. Cor. not a woman to speak in the Church: and let the married }* 3+ woman do the same; let her pray, moving her lips, her voice not sounding: that Samuel may come, and thy barren Vid. soul may bear the salvation of God who hears prayer ; tor ere

| this is the meaning of the word Samuel.

15. 1 will behold each man's earnestness; each woman's (9.) reverence.

Let your mind be refined as by fire unto reverence, let your soul be forged as meta].

Jet the stubbornness

The benefits of Baptism, Inrnop. of unbelief feel the anvil, let the superfluous scales drop off

="*- as of iron, and what is pure remain: let the rast be rubbed off, and the true metal be left.

May God at length shew you that night, that darkness which shews like day', concerning get which it is said, The darkness shall not be darkened from "thee, and the night shall be light as the day.

At that time, to each man and woman among you may the gate of paradise be opened; may you then enjoy the fragrant waters, which contain Christ; may you then receive Christ's name, and the efficacious power of divine things! Even now, I beseech you, lift up the eye of your understanding; imagine the angelic choirs, and God the Lord of all sitting, and His

Only-begotten Son sitting with Him on His right-hand, and the Spirit with them present, and thrones and dominions doing service, and each man and woman among you ewtfusTeceiving salvation.

Even now let your ears ring with the wy. vidsound: long for that glorious sound, which after your sal47. vation, the angels shall chant over you, Blessed are they whose edin ou, *tquattes have been forgiven,and who e sins have been covered ; version, when, like stars of the Church, you shall enter in it, bright such as .

: should 10 the outward man and radiant in your souls. besaved.

16, Great indeed is the Baptism which is offered you.

(10.) 1+ is a ransom to captives ; the remission of offences; the death of sin; the regeneration of the soul; the garment of light; the holy seal indissoluble; the chariot to heaven; the luxury of paradise; a procuring of the kingdom; the gift of adoption.

But a serpent by the wayside is watching the passengers; beware lest he bite thee with unbelief; he sees So many receiving salvation, and seeks to devour some of them.

Thou art going to the Father of Spirits, but thou art going past that serpent; how then must thou pass him? oe 6, Have thy fect shod with the preparation of the gospel of 'peace; that even if he bite, he may not hurt thee.

Have faith indwelling, strong hope, a sandal of power, wherewith to pass the enemy, and enter the presence of thy Lord.

Prepare thine own heuart to receive doctrine, to have fellowship in holy mysteries.

Pray more often, that God may ¢ On Easter Eve lights were kept - 867. 8. Euseb. vit.

Const. i burning in the Church allthrough the Naz. Orat. 42, p676. o ve night.

Vid, Nyssen. Orat. 4.in Resur.

though in the eyes of the world an unprofitable element.

make thee worthy of the heavenly and immortal mysteries.

Let neither day be without its work, nor night, but when sleep fails thine eyes, at once abandon thy thoughts to prayer.

And shouldest thou find any shameful, any base imagination rising, reflect upon God's judgment, to remind thee of salvation; give up thy mind to sacred studies, that it may forget wicked things.

If thou find any one saying to thee, And art thou going to the water, to be baptized in it? what, hath not the city baths of late? Be sure that it is the dragon of the sea, who is plotting this against thee; give no heed to the lips of hin who speaketh, but to God who worketh.

Guard thine own soul, that thou mayest escape the snare, that abiding in » hope, thou mayest become the heir of everlasting salvation.

17. We indeed, as men, charge and teach these things; (11.) for you, see you make not our building hay, and stubdle,

1 Cor.3, and chaff; that we may not suffer loss, our work being! 1° burnt; but make our work, gold and silver and precious stones.

It is for me to speak. but thine to second me, and God's part to perfect.

Let us nerve our minds; let us brace up our souls; let us prepare our hearts; the race is for our soul, our hope about eternal things.

God is able, who knows your hearts, and perceives who is sincere, and who is a hypocrite, both to preserve the sincere, and to give faith to the hypocrite; nay even to the unbeliever, if he give Him but his heart.

And may He blot out the hand-writing that col. 2, is against you, and grant you forgiveness of your former }* trespasses; may He plant you in the Church, and enlist you for Himself, putting on you the armour of righteousness! And may He fill you with the heavenly things of the New Testament, and give you the indelible seal of the sp,.y/Holy Spirit, throughout all ages, in Christ Jesus our Lord, #4"

? Edna. to whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen. weer.

To the Reader.

These Catechetical Lectures thou mayest put into the hands of candidates for Baptism and of baptized believers, but by no means of Catechumens, nor of any others who are not Christians; as thou shalt answer to the Lord.

And if thou takest a copy of them, write this in the beginning, as in the sight of the Lord.

↑ Back to top