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Oration XL. The Oration on Holy Baptism.
I. Yesterday we kept high Festival on the illustrious Day of the Holy Lights for it was fitting that rejoicings should be kept for our Salvation, an
II. The Word recognizes three Births for us namely, the natural birth, that of Baptism, and that of the Resurrection. Of these the first is by nigh
III. Concerning two of these births, the first and the last, we have not to speak on the present occasion. Let us discourse upon the second, which i
IV. And as Christ the Giver of it is called by many various names, so too is this Gift, whether it is from the exceeding gladness of its nature (as t
V. God is Light: the highest, the unapproachable, the ineffable, That can neither be conceived in the mind nor uttered with the lips,
VI. Light was also the firstborn commandment given to the firstborn man (for the commandment of the Law is a lamp and a light and again, Because Thy
VII. For since to be utterly sinless belongs to God, and to the first and uncompounded nature (for simplicity is peaceful, and not subject to dissens
VIII. And since we are double-made, I mean of body and soul, and the one part is visible, the other invisible, so the cleansing also is twofold, by w
IX. For it is a strange thing to substitute for a painless remedy one which is more painful to cast away the grace of mercy, and owe a debt of punis
X. If after baptism the persecutor and tempter of the light assail you (for he assailed even the Word my God through the veil, the hidden Light throu
XI. Let us then be baptized that we may win the victory let us partake of the cleansing waters, more purifying than hyssop, purer than the legal blo
XII. Why wait for a fever to bring you this blessing, and refuse it from God? Why will you have it through lapse of time, and not through reason? W
XIII. I know of three classes among the saved the slaves, the hired servants, the sons. If you are a slave, be afraid of the whip if you are a hir
XIV. Sow in good season, and gather together, and open thy barns when it is the time to do so and plant in season, and let the clusters be cut when
XV. But if you would fortify yourself beforehand with the Seal, and secure yourself for the future with the best and strongest of all aids, being sig
XVI. But are you afraid lest you should destroy the Gift, and do you therefore put off your cleansing, because you cannot have it a second time? Wha
XVII. Art thou young? stand against thy passions be numbered with the alliance in the army of God: do valiantly against Goliath.
XVIII. What more? Are you living in Virginity? Be sealed by this purification make this the sharer and companion of your life. Let this direct yo
XIX. But you have to live in the midst of public affairs, and are stained by them and it would be a terrible thing to waste this mercy. The answer
XX. But some will say, What shall I gain, if, when I am preoccupied by baptism, and have cut off myself by my haste from the pleasures of life, when
XXI. But supposing that the Parable does sketch the power of the font according to your interpretation, what would prevent you, if you entered first,
XXII. But then, you say, is not God merciful, and since He knows our thoughts and searches out our desires, will He not take the desire of Baptism in
XXIII. And so also in those who fail to receive the Gift, some are altogether animal or bestial, according as they are either foolish or wicked and
XXIV. Therefore since you have heard these words, come forward to it, and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed through missing the Gra
XXV. Take my advice, my friend, and be slow to do evil, but swift to your salvation for readiness to evil and tardiness to good are equally bad. If
XXVI. Let nothing hinder you from going on, nor draw you away from your readiness. While your desire is still vehement, seize upon that which you de
XXVII. Do not disdain to be baptized with a poor man, if you are rich or if you are noble, with one who is lowborn or if you are a master, with one
XXVIII. Be it so, some will say, in the case of those who ask for Baptism what have you to say about those who are still children, and conscious nei
XXIX. But, one says, Christ was thirty years old when He was baptized, and that although He was God and do you bid us hurry our Baptism?—You have so
XXX. But for you, what necessity is there that by following the examples which are far above you, you should do a thing so ill-advised for yourself?
XXXI. If then you will listen to me, you will bid a long farewell to all such arguments, and you will jump at this Blessing, and begin to struggle in
XXXII. Let the laver be not for your body only, but also for the image of God in you not merely a washing away of sins in you, but also a correction
XXXIII. What say I then, and what is my argument? Yesterday you were a Canaanite soul bent together by sin today you have been made straight by the
XXXIV. If you were full of leprosy, that shapeless evil, yet you scraped off the evil matter, and received again the Image whole. Shew your cleansin
XXXV. How shall this be? Remember always the parable, and so will you best and most perfectly help yourself. The unclean and malignant spirit is go
XXXVI. I will remind you again about Illuminations, and that often, and will reckon them up from Holy Scripture. For I myself shall be happier for r
XXXVII. And as I know of two kinds of fire, so also do I of light. The one is the light of our ruling power directing our steps according to the wil
XXXVIII. Let us cleanse every member, Brethren, let us purify every sense let nothing in us be imperfect or of our first birth let us leave nothing
XXXIX. And in addition to what has been said, it is good with our head cleansed, as the head which is the workshop of the senses is cleansed, to hold
XL. And what of the loins, or reins, for we must not pass these over? Let the purification take hold of these also. Let our loins be girded about a
XLI. Besides all this and before all, keep I pray you the good deposit, by which I live and work, and which I desire to have as the companion of my d
XLII. Do you fear to speak of Generation lest you should attribute aught of passion to the impassible God? I on the other hand fear to speak of Crea
XLIII. I should like to call the Father the greater, because from him flows both the Equality and the Being of the Equals (this will be granted on al
XLIV. What need have I any more of speech? It is the time for teaching, not for controversy. I protest before God and the elect Angels, be thou bap
XLV. But not yet perhaps is there formed upon your soul any writing good or bad and you want to be written upon today, and formed by us unto perfect
XLVI. But one thing more I preach unto you. The Station in which you shall presently stand after your Baptism before the Great Sanctuary is a forety
Preached at Constantinople Jan. 6, 381, being the day following the delivery of that on the Holy Lights.
ΛΟΓΟΣ Μʹ.Εἰς τὸ ἅγιον βάπτισμα.
