and Wantonness: Praise of Moderation. 569 15. 27. hardships, and their frugal table, and spare diet, minister 1 Cor. unto them much soundness of body, and thence also much bloom. [18.] But if thou talkest of the pleasure of luxury, thou wilt find it to go no farther than the throat: since as soon as it hath passed the tongue, it is flown away, leaving behind in the body much that is disgusting. For do not I pray look on the voluptuaries at table only, but when you see them rise up, then follow them, and you will see bodies rather of wild beasts and irrational creatures, than of human beings. You will see them with headache, distended, bound up, needing a bed, and a couch, and plenty of rest, and like men who are tossed in a great tempest, and require others to save them, and long for that condition in which they were before they were swelled even to bursting': they carrying their giv ň bellies about with a burden like that of women with child, διαῤῥα and can scarce step forward, and scarce see, and scarce speak, and scarce do any thing. But if it should chance that they sleep a little, they see again strange dreams, and full of all manner of fancies. What should one say of that other madness of theirs? the madness of lust, I mean, for this also hath its fountains from hence. Yea, as horses wild after the female, so they, goaded on by the sting of their drunkenness, leap upon all, more irrational than they, and more frantic in their boundings; and committing many more unseemlinesses, which but to name is unlawful. For they know not in fact any longer what they suffer, nor what they do. But not so he that keeps from luxury: rather he sits in harbour, beholding other men's shipwrecks, and enjoys a pleasure pure and lasting, following after that life which becomes him that is free. Knowing therefore these things, let us flee from the evil banquets of luxury, and cleave to a spare table; that being of a good habit both of soul and body, we may both practise all virtue, and attain the good things to come, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father, with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, and honour, now and ever, and world without end. Amen. HOMILY XL. τουσι. 1 COR. XV. 29. Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead? if the dead rise not at all, why are they then baptized for the dead? He takes in hand again another topic, establishing what 1. he said at one time from what God doeth', and at another 2gár from the very things which they practise. And this also is no small plea for the defence of any cause, when a man brings forward the gainsayers themselves as witnessing by their own actions what he affirms. What then is that which he means? Or will ye that I should first mention, how they who are infected with the Marcionite heresy pervert this expression? And I know indeed that I shall excite much laughter; nevertheless, even on this account most of all I will mention it, that you may the more completely avoid this disease: viz. when any Catechumen departs among them, having concealed the living man under the couch of the dead, they approach the corpse, and talk with him, and ask him if he wishes to receive baptism; then, when he makes no answer, he that is concealed underneath saith in his stead, that of course he should wish to be baptized; and so they baptize him instead of the departed, like men jesting upon the stage. So great power hath the devil over the souls of careless sinners. Then being called to account, they allege this expression, saying, that even the apostle hath said, They who are baptized for the dead. Seest thou their extreme ridiculousness? Is it meet then to answer Epiphanius relates the same thing of the followers of Cerinthus, another section of the Gnostics, and says it was continued in his time by a kind of tradition in Asia Minor and in Galatia. Hær. 28. §. 6. 15. 29. The Apostles' Reserve in declaring the Baptismal Creed. 571 these things? I trow not; unless it were necessary to dis- 1 COR. course with madmen of what they in their frenzy utter. But that none of the more exceedingly simple folk may be led captive, one must needs submit to answer even these men. As thus, if this was Paul's meaning, wherefore did God threaten him that is not baptized? For it is impossible that any should not be baptized henceforth, this being once devised and besides, the fault no longer lies with the dead, but with the living. But to whom spake he, unless ye eat My flesh, and drink My blood, ye have no life in you1? To John the living, or to the dead, tell me? And again, unless a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God?? For if this be permitted, and there be no Joha need of the mind of the receiver, nor of his assent while he lives, what hinders both Greeks and Jews thus to become believers, other men after their decease doing these things in their stead? 6. 53. 2 3.5. δια δια κόπτον S. jńorws. But not to prolong fruitless toil in cutting asunder their petty spiders' webs3, come let us unfold unto you the force xvíof this expression. What then is Paul speaking of? [2.] But first I wish to remind you who are initiated of the response, which on that evening they who introduce you to the mysteries bid you make; and then I will also explain the saying of Paul: so this likewise will be clearer to you; we, after all other things ended, adding this, which Paul now saith. And I desire indeed expressly to utter it, but I dare not, on account of the uninitiated; for these add a difficulty to our exposition, compelling us either not to speak clearly, or to declare unto them the ineffable mysteries. Nevertheless, as I may be able, I will speak as through a veils. As thus: after the enunciation of those mystical and fearful words, and the awful rules of the doctrines which have come down from heaven, this also we add at the end, when we are about to baptize, bidding them say; I believe in the resurrection of the dead, and upon this faith we are baptized. I say, after we have confessed this together with the rest, then at last are we let down into the fountain of those sacred streams. This therefore Paul recalling to their minds, said, Probably Easter Eve. Vid. Bingham's Antiquities, ii. 6. 8.7. S.Cyril, Lect. 19.1. 5 συνεσκι ασμένως. 572 Holy Baptism, a Mean of Forgiveness, HOMIL. if there be no resurrection, why art thou then baptized for XL. the dead? i. e. the dead bodies. For in fact, with a view to this art thou baptized, affirming a resurrection of thy dead body, that it no longer remains dead. And thou indeed in the words makest mention of a resurrection of the dead; but the priest, as in a kind of image, signifies to thee by very deed, the things which thou hast believed and confessed in the appointed words. When without a sign thou believest, then he gives thee the sign also; when thou hast done thine own part, then also doth God fully assure thee. How, and in what manner? By the water. For the being baptized and immersed, and then emerging, is a symbol of the descent into hell, and the return thence. Wherefore also Paul calls baptism a burial, saying, Therefore we are buried with him 1 Rom. by baptism into death'. By this he makes that also which is to come credible, I mean, the resurrection of our bodies. For the blotting out sins is a much greater thing than the raising up of a body. And this Christ declaring, said, For whether is easier to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to 2 Mat. say, Take up thy bed, and walk?? "The former is the more 6.4. 9.5. (2.) difficult," saith He, "but since ye disbelieve it, as being hidden, and make the easier instead of the more difficult the demonstration of my power, neither will I refuse to afford you this proof. Then saith He to the paralytic, Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thine house." "And how is this difficult," saith one," when it is possible to kings also, and rulers? For they too forgive adulterers and homicides." Thou art jesting, O man, who sayest these things. For to forgive sins, with God only is possible. But rulers and kings, whether it is adulterers whom they forgive, or homicides, release them indeed from the present punishment; but their sin they do not purge out. Though they should advance to offices them that have been forgiven, though they should invest them with the purple itself, though they should set the diadem upon their heads, yet so they would only make them kings, but could not free them from their sin. It being God alone who doeth this; which accord b See before, Hom. 23. §. 3. p. 312. resurrection of thine own body. cf. Rom. vi.3-5. as quoted below, and the parallel places. and therefore a Pledge of Resurrection. 573 15. 31. ingly in the Laver of Regeneration He will bring to pass. 1 Cor. For His grace touches the very soul, and thence plucks up the sin by the root. Here is the reason why he that hath been forgiven by the king may be seen with his soul yet impure, but of him that is baptized no longer so, rather the very sun-beams are less pure than it, and it is such as it was originally formed, nay rather much better than that. For it is blessed with a Spirit, on every side enkindling it, and making its holiness intense. And as when thou art recasting iron or gold, thou makest it pure and new once more, just so the Holy Ghost also, recasting the soul in baptism as in a furnace, and consuming its sins, causes it to glisten with more purity than all purest gold. Further, the credibility of the resurrection of our bodies he signifies to thee again from what follows: viz. that since sin brought in death, now that the root is dried up, one must not after that doubt of the destruction of the fruit. Therefore having first mentioned the forgiveness of sins, thou dost next confess also the resurrection of the dead; the one guides thee, as by hand, on to the other. Yet again, because the term Resurrection is not sufficient to indicate the whole: for many, after rising, have again departed, as those in the Old Testament, as Lazarus, as they at the time of the crucifixion: one is bid to say, and the life everlasting, that none may any longer have a notion of death, after that resurrection. These words therefore Paul recalling to their minds, saith, What shall they do which are baptized for the dead? "For if there be no resurrection," saith he, " these words are but scenery. If there be no resurrection, how persuade we them to believe things which we do not bestow?" Just as if a person bidding another to sign and deliver a document, to the effect that he had received so much, should never give the sum named therein, yet after the subscription, should demand of him the specified monies. What then will remain for the subscriber to do, now that he hath made himself responsible, without having received what he admitted he had received? This then he here saith of those who are baptized also. What shall they do which are bap |