6

Christian doctrine to be withheld from Catechumens.

INTROD. to-morrow. On the contrary, the teaching concerning the LECT. laver of regeneration, delivered in course, how shall it be made

(7.)

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 corner, 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 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.

13. 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, σχολάand know that I am God. If thou seest the Believers minis- i.e. tering without care, yet they enjoy security, they know what gaged. Ps. 46, they have received, they are in possession of grace. But 10. 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.

be disen

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, I suffer 1 Cor. not a woman to speak in the Church: and let the married 14, 34. woman do the same; let her pray, moving her lips, her voice not sounding: that Samuel may come, and thy barren Vid. 1 Sam.1, soul may bear the salvation of God who hears prayer; for this is the meaning of the word Samuel.

13. 17.

15. I 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 metal. Let the stubbornness

LECT.

The benefits of Baptism,

INTROD. of unbelief feel the anvil, let the superfluous scales drop off as of iron, and what is pure remain: let the rust be rubbed off, and the true metal be left. May God at length shew you that night, that darkness which shews like day, concerning Ps. 139, which it is said, The darkness shall not be darkened from 12. Sept. 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 awgóμs- receiving salvation. Even now let your ears ring with the yov. vid. sound: long for that glorious sound, which after your sal47. vation, the angels shall chant over you, Blessed are they whose iniquities 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 in the outward man and radiant in

Acts 2,

translat

should

be saved.

your

souls.

16. Great indeed is the Baptism which is offered you. (10.) It 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? Eph. 6, Have thy feet 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 heart to receive doctrine, to have fellowship in holy mysteries. Pray more often, that God may

15.

e On Easter Eve lights were kept burning in the Church all through the night. Vid. Nyssen. Orat. 4. in Resur.

pp. 867. 8. Euseb. vit. Const. iv. 22. Naz. Orat. 42. p. 676.

though in the eyes of the world an unprofitable element. 9

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 him 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.

12. 15.

17. We indeed, as men, charge and teach these things; (11.) for you, see you make not our building hay, and stubble, 1 Cor. 3, and chaff; that we may not suffer loss, our work being 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 14. 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 Holy Spirit, throughout all ages, in Christ Jesus our Lord, da avto whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen.

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.

δα

gayi

εξάλει

Στον.

LECTURE I.

ON THE PURPOSE OF MIND NECESSARY FOR BAPTISM.

LECT.

7.

28.

I.

ISAIAH i. 16-19.

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from 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.

1. DISCIPLES of the New Testament, and communicants in the mysteries of Christ, as yet indeed by calling only, but ere Ezek. long by grace, make you a new heart, and a new spirit, that 18, 31. there may be gladness among the inhabitants of heaven; for Luke15, if over one sinner that repenteth there is joy, according to the Gospel, how much more shall the salvation of so many souls move the inhabitants of heaven to gladness? Ye have betaken yourselves to a good, a most glorious path; run with awe the race of godliness. Here is present, all-prepared to redeem Mat.11, you, the Only-begotten Son of God, and says, Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. You that have on you the harsh clothing of offences, who are Prov. 5, holden with the cords of your own sins, listen to the Prophet's voice, saying, Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; that the company of Ps. 32, Angels may chant over you, Blessed are they whose iniquities have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Ye who have just lighted the torches of faith, preserve them in your hands unquenched: that He, who once, on this most holy Calvary, opened Paradise to the robber on account of his faith, may grant to you to sing the bridal hymn.

22.

1.