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Introduction

Lecture XVIII (part 2 of 2)

Page 35 of 175

7. Moreover, the things which are hung up at idol festivals2374 , either meat or bread, or other such things polluted by the invocation of the unclean spirits, are reckoned in the pomp of the devil. For as the Bread and Wine of the Eucharist before the invocation of the Holy and Adorable Trinity were simple bread and wine, while after the invocation the Bread becomes the Body of Christ, and the Wine the Blood of Christ2375 , so in like manner such meats belonging to the pomp of Satan, though in their own nature simple, become profane by the invocation of the evil spirit.

8. After this thou sayest, "and all thy service2376 ." Now the service of the devil is prayer in idol temples; things done in honour of lifeless idols; the lighting of lamps2377 , or burning of incense by fountains or rivers2378 , as some persons cheated by dreams or by evil spirits do [resort to this2379 ], thinking to find a cure even for their bodily ailments. Go not after such things. The watching of birds, divination, omens, or amulets, or charms written on leaves, sorceries, or other evil arts2380 , and all such things, are services of the devil; therefore shun them. For if after renouncing Satan and associating thyself with Christ2381 , thou fall under their influence, thou shalt find2382 the tyrant more bitter; perchance, because he treated thee of old as his own, and relieved thee from his hard bondage, but has now been greatly exasperated by thee; so thou wilt be bereaved of Christ, and have experience of the other. Hast thou not heard the old history which tells us of Lot and his daughters? Was not he himself saved with his daughters, when he had gained the mountain, while his wife became a pillar of salt, set up as a monument for ever, in remembrance of her depraved will and her turning back. Take heed therefore to thyself, and turn not again to what is behind2383 , having put thine hand to the plough, and then turning back to the salt savour of this life's doings; but escape to the mountain, to Jesus Christ, that stone hewn without hands2384 , which has filled the world.

9. When therefore thou renouncest Satan, utterly breaking all thy covenant with him, that ancient league with hell2385 , there is opened to thee the paradise of God, which He planted towards the East, whence for his transgression our first father was banished; and a symbol of this was thy turning from West to East, the place of light2386 . Then thou wert told to say, "I believe in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Ghost, and in one Baptism of repentance2387 ." Of which things we spoke to thee at length in the former Lectures, as God's grace allowed us.

10. Guarded therefore by these discourses, be sober. For our adversary the devil, as was just now read, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour2388 . But though in former times death was mighty and devoured, at the holy Laver of regeneration God has wiped away every tear from off all faces2389 . For thou shalt no more mourn, now that thou hast put off the old man; but thou shalt keep holy-day2390 , clothed in the garment of salvation2391 , even Jesus Christ.

11. And these things were done in the outer chamber. But if God will, when in the succeeding lectures on the Mysteries we have entered into the Holy of Holies2392 , we shall there know the symbolical meaning of the things which are there performed. Now to God the Father, with the Son and the Holy Ghost, be glory, and power, and majesty, forever and ever. Amen.

Notes

  1. 2374

    paneguresi. The Panegyris was strictly a religious festival, but was commonly accompanied by a great fair or market, in which were sold not only such things as the worshippers might need for their offerings, e.g. frankincense, but also the flesh of the animals which had been sacrificed. Cf. Dictionary of Greek and Rom. Antiq. "Panegyris." Tertull. Apolog. § 42: "We do not go to your spectacles: yet the articles that are sold there, if I need them, I shall obtain more readily at their proper places. We certainly buy no frankincense."

  2. 2375

    Compare St. Paul's argument against meats offered to idols, : and on Cyril's Eucharistic doctrine, see notes on Cat. xxii.

  3. 2376

    The form of renunciation before Baptism is given in the Apostolic Constitutions, VII. 41: "I renounce Satan, and his works, and his pomps, and his services, and his angels, and his inventions, and all things that are under him." Cf. Tertull. De Spectaculis, § 4: "When on entering the water, we make profession of the Christian faith in the words of its rule, we bear public testimony that we have renounced the devil, his pomp, and his angels."

  4. 2377

    Herod. ii. 62: "At Sais, when the assembly takes place for the sacrifices (to Minerva, or Neith), there is one night on which the inhabitants all burn a multitude of lights in the open air round their houses....These burn the whole night, and give to the festival the name of the Feast of Lamps (Luchnokaie)."

  5. 2378

    Fountains and rivers had each its own deity or nymph, to whom sacrifices were offered, and incense burned.

  6. 2379

    es touto diebesan. These words are omitted in many mss., and regarded by the Benedictine Editor as a spurious addition made to complete the construction. The words e toiauta at the end of the sentence are better omitted, as in several good mss.

  7. 2380

    Cat. iv. 37; Apost. Const. vi.: "Be not a diviner, for that leads to idolatry....Thou shalt not use enchantments or purgations for thy child. Thou shalt not be a soothsayer nor a diviner by great or little birds. Nor shalt thou learn wicked arts; for all these things has the Law forbidden." , .

  8. 2381

    Apost. Const. vii. 41: "And after his renunciation let him in his association (suntassomenos) say, I associate myself with Christ."

  9. 2382

    peirathese (Cod. Mon. 1) is a better reading than peirasthese. Cf. Plat. Laches, 188 E: ton ergon epeirathen.

  10. 2383

    . On the pillar of salt, see Wisd. x. 7: "Of whose wickedness even to this day the waste land that smoketh is a testimony,...and a standing pillar of salt is a monument of an unbelieving soul." Joseph. Ant. I. xi. 4: "Moreover I have seen it, for it remains even unto this day." Bp. Lightfoot, Clem. Rom. Ep. ad Cor. xi. remarks that the region abounds in pillars of salt, and "Mediæval and even modern travellers have delighted to identify one or other of these with Lot's wife."

  11. 2384

    , .

  12. 2385

    Is. xxviii. 15.

  13. 2386

    Cf. S. Ambros. De Mysteriis, c. ii. 7: "Ad orientem converteris; qui enim renunciat diabolo ad Christum convertitur:" "Where he plainly intimates....that turning to the East was a symbol of their aversion from Satan and conversion unto Christ, that is, from darkness to light, from serving idols, to serve Him, who is the Sun of Righteousness and Fountain of Light" (Bingh. Ant. xi. vii. 7).

  14. 2387

    Cf. Didaché, vii. 1; Justin M. Apolog. I. c. 61 A; Swainson, Creeds, c. iii. on the short Baptismal Professions. "The writings of S. Cyprian distinctly tell us, that in his day the form of interrogation at Baptism was fixed and definite. He speaks of the "usitata et legitima verba interrogationis,"—and we know as distinctly that the interrogation included the words, "Dost thou believe in God the Father, in His Son Christ, in the Holy Spirit? Dost thou believe in remission of sins and eternal life through the Church?"

  15. 2388

    .

  16. 2389

    Is. xxv. 8; .

  17. 2390

    paneguriseis

  18. 2391

    Is. lxi. 10.

  19. 2392

    These words seem to imply that the Lectures on the Eucharist were to be delivered in the Holy Sepulchre, though the Mysteries themselves may be called metaphorically "the Holy of Holies."

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Volume 7, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (1890–1900). Public domain. Text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.