Слово 40. На Святое Крещение

1. Yesterday we celebrated the bright day of Lights; and it was decent to make the day of our salvation a holiday - much more decent than for carnal friends to annually celebrate the days of marriage, birth, naming, entry into adolescence, housewarmings and other solemn days among people. Now let’s talk briefly about baptism and its beneficial effect on us; although yesterday the word did not stop there, because the shortness of time required it, and at the same time the word itself did not want to burden you with itself, for being burdened with a word is as hostile to the ear as excess food is to the body. Meanwhile, what is offered is worth attention, and the word about such subjects should not be listened to superficially, but with diligence, because to know the power of this sacrament is already enlightenment. 2. Scripture shows us threefold birth: carnal birth, baptismal birth, and resurrection birth. The first of them is a work of the night, slavish and passionate; the second is the work of the day: it is free, destroys passions, cuts off every veil that lies on us from birth, and leads us to the heavenly life; the third is more terrible and shorter than the first: it will in an instant gather all creation so that it may appear to the Creator and give an account of the local enslavement and way of life, whether it only followed the flesh or raptured with the spirit and honored the grace of rebirth. All these births, as it turns out, were honored by Christ with Himself: the first - with the original and vital inspiration; the second - by incarnation and baptism, when He Himself was baptized; third - by resurrection, of which He Himself became the firstfruits, and just as He became the firstborn among many brethren, He deigned to become the firstborn from the dead (Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:18). 3. But to philosophize about two births, namely the first and last, is indecent for the present time; Let us philosophize about the average birth, which is now necessary for us, from which it received its name, the Day of Lights. Enlightenment is the brightness of souls, the change of life, the questioning of conscience, which is from God (1 Pet. 3:21). Enlightenment is help in our weakness, putting off the flesh, following the Spirit, communicating with the Word, correcting the creation, drowning sin, communion of light, dispelling darkness. Enlightenment is a chariot that ascends to God, accompanying Christ, strengthening faith, perfecting the mind, the key of the Kingdom of Heaven, changing life, removing slavery, release from bonds, transformation of composition. Enlightenment (is there a need to list too many?) is the best and most majestic of God’s gifts. Just as there is what is called the Holy of Holies and the Song of Songs, since the latter are comprehensive and especially important, so it is brighter than any other enlightenment possible for us. 4. But this gift, like Christ the Giver of it, is called by many and different names; and this happens either because it is very pleasant for us (usually those who have a strong love for something hear with pleasure the names of their loved one), or because the variety of benefits contained in it has given us names. We call it gift, grace, baptism, anointing, enlightenment, clothing of incorruption, bath of rebirth, seal, everything that is honorable to us. We call it a gift - as given to those who bring nothing of themselves; by grace - as given to those who still owe; baptism, because sin is buried in water; anointing - as something priestly and royal, because kings and priests were anointed; enlightenment - like lordship; clothes - as a cover for shame; bath - like ablution; seal - as preservation and a sign of domination. The heavens rejoice over this gift; he is praised by Angels according to the affinity of lordship; he is the image of heavenly bliss; We also want to sing it, but we cannot sing it as much as we should. 5. God is the highest light, unapproachable, ineffable, neither comprehended by the mind, nor expressed in words, enlightening all rational nature, the same in the spiritual world as the sun in the sensory world, represented as we are purified, as we are represented, arousing love for Himself and, as love is again represented by the mind, only contemplated and comprehended for Himself, and little for what exists outside Him. pouring out. I am speaking about the light contemplated in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, whose richness is in their co-naturalness and in a single outpouring of light. The second light is an Angel - a certain stream or communion of the first Light; he finds his enlightenment in striving for the first Light and in serving It; and I don’t know whether he receives enlightenment based on the rank of his position, or whether he accepts his rank as he becomes enlightened. The third light is man, which is also known to the pagans; for man is called light (φῶς) both by the power of our inner word, and by those of us ourselves who are most like God and approach Him. I also know another light by which the primeval darkness is reflected or suppressed - this first foundation of the heavenly creation, that is, both the circular paths of the stars and the mountain guard that illuminates the whole world. 6. Light was given to the firstborn and the original commandment, because a lamp is the commandment of the law, and a light (Prov. 6:23) and a light before Your commandment on the earth (Isa. 26:9), although the envious darkness, invading, produced sin. Light, also representative and proportionate to the powers of those who receive it, is the written Law that covers the truth and mystery of the great Light, which is why the face of Moses is glorified by It. But we will decorate our word with many more lights. The light was also what appeared to Moses in the fire, when this vision burned, but did not burn the bush, in order to show both its nature and its strength. Light - both guiding Israel in the pillar of fire and making the desert pleasant. The Light is the one that caught Elijah on a fiery chariot and did not scorch the admired one. Light is the shepherd's leaf when the pre-temporal Light united with the temporary. Light - and that beauty of the star that preceded to Bethlehem, so that the Magi could show the way and accompany the Light, which is above us and united with us. Light is the Divinity revealed to the disciples on the mountain, however, unbearable for weak eyesight. Light is the vision that enveloped Paul and, through the defeat of his eyes, healed the darkness of his soul. Light - and the lordship there for those who have purified themselves here, when the righteous women are enlightened like the sun (Matthew 13:43) and God will stand in the midst of them, gods and kings, distributing and sharing the dignity of the bliss there. Moreover, light in its proper sense is the enlightenment of Baptism, about which we now have a word and in which lies the great and wonderful mystery of our salvation. 7. Since sinning is not at all characteristic of God - the first and uncomplicated nature (for simplicity is peaceful and serene), and also, I dare say, the angelic nature, or the nature closest to God because of its very closeness, but sinning is a human matter and is characteristic of further complexity (because complexity is the beginning of rebellion), then the Lord did not have the discretion to leave His creation helpless and neglect by her when she is in danger of rebelling against Him. But just as he created those who did not exist, so he recreated those who received existence - a creation that is more divine and higher than the former and which for beginners is a seal, and for those perfected by age - grace and restoration of the image that fell through sin, so that, out of despair, becoming worse and constantly drawn by it into greater evil, by the same despair we would not become completely outside of goodness and virtue and, having fallen into the depths of evil, as it is said, would not be careless (Prov. 18:3), but so that, just like those who complete a long journey after calming down from the work in the inn, so we, after renewal, willingly complete the rest of the journey. This grace and power of Baptism does not drown the world, as in ancient times, but cleanses sin in every person and completely washes away all impurity and filthiness introduced by damage. 8. Since we consist of two natures, that is, of soul and body, of visible and invisible nature, then the cleansing is twofold, namely by water and the Spirit; and one is accepted visibly and corporeally, while the other at the same time is accomplished incorporeally and invisibly; one is figurative, and the other is true and cleanses the very depths; and this, assisting the first birth, makes us new from the old, from the carnal, as we are now, godlike, boiling without fire and re-creating without destruction. For, to put it briefly, by the power of Baptism we must understand a covenant with God about entering into another life and about maintaining greater purity. And, of course, each of us should fear most of all and guard our soul with all care (Prov. 4:23), so as not to be found to have lied to this confession. For if God, accepted as a mediator in human contracts, confirms them, then how dangerous is it to become a violator of the covenants that we made with God Himself, and to be guilty before the Truth not only of other sins, but also of the lie itself? Moreover, there is no other rebirth, no reconstruction, no restoration to the ancient state. Although, as much as possible, we strive for it with many sighs and tears, and although through this the wounds are closed with difficulty, at least according to my definition and charter (we definitely believe that they are closed, we would even want the traces of the wounds to be erased, because I myself have a need for mercy); however, it is better not to have the need for a second cleansing, but to persist in the first, which, as I know, is common to everyone, and is not difficult, and is equally open to slaves and masters, poor and rich, low and high, noble and ignoble, debtors and non-debtors, like the inhalation of air and the pouring of light, the succession of annual times, the consideration of the universe - this is a great and common pleasure for all of us, as well as equal portions of faith. 9. For it is scary to use the most difficult instead of easy healing, rejecting the grace of mercy, becoming subject to punishment and rewarding sin with correction. And how many tears do you need to shed for them to compare with the source of Baptism? And who can guarantee that death awaits our healing? That before the judgment seat we will no longer become debtors and have no need for the fiery trial there? Perhaps you, a kind and philanthropic gardener, will pray to the Lord to spare the fig tree and not to chop it, as accused of infertility (Luke 13:6), but to allow it to be showered with pus - with tears, sighs, prayers, reclining on the bare ground, vigils, exhaustion of the body and correction through confession and self-abasement; but it is unknown whether the Lord will spare her, as she is occupying her place in vain, while another has a need for mercy and becomes worse from long-suffering towards her. Let us be buried with Christ through baptism, so that we may rise with Him; with Him we will descend, so that with Him we may also ascend on high; Let us ascend with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him! 10. If after baptism the enemy of light and the tempter attacks you (and he will attack you, because he attacked the Word and my God, deceived by the outer cover, and attacked the hidden Light, deceived by appearances), then you have how to defeat him. Do not be afraid of feat; oppose water, oppose Spirit; In this way all the flaming arrows of the evil one will be extinguished (Eph. 6:16). For the Spirit is here, and even the Spirit destroys the mountains (1 Kings 19:11); There is water here, and even water that extinguishes fire. If the tempter presents you with a need (as he dared to Christ) and demands that the loaves be made of stone (Matthew 4:3), thereby inciting hunger, do not prove yourself unaware of his intentions. Teach him what he has not yet learned; Oppose it with the word of life, which is the bread sent from heaven and giving life to the world. If he tempts you with vanity (like Christ, raising the church on his wing and saying: cast yourself down to prove the Divinity (Matthew 4:5-6)), do not overthrow yourself with exaltation. If he acquires this, he will not stop there: he is insatiable, reaches out to everything, deceives with good and ends in deceit - such is his way of beating! Even in the Scriptures, this murderer is knowledgeable - from one place he will say: it is written about bread, from another: it is written about Angels. It is written, he says, that His angel will command you concerning you, and they will take you up in their arms (Ps. 90:12). O cunning one for evil, why did I not finish the following (I firmly remember this, although you are silent), that, protected by the Trinity, I will step on you - the asp and the basilisk (13), and I will trample on the serpent and the scorpion (Luke 10:19)? If he begins to overcome you with insatiability, in one moment of time and vision, showing all the kingdoms as belonging to him, and demanding worship, despise him as a beggar, and with hope for the seal 275 say: “I myself am the image of God, I have not yet destroyed the heavenly glory, like you through exaltation; I have put on Christ, I have been transformed into Christ by baptism; you bow to me.” And the enemy, as I firmly know, defeated and disgraced by these words, just as he retreated from Christ - the first Light, so he will retreat from those enlightened by Him. This gives the font of baptism to those who feel its power! She offers such a feast to those who have a good hunger! 11. Let us therefore be baptized in order to overcome; Let us partake of the cleansing waters, which wash better than hyssop, which cleanse better than the blood of the law, which are more sacred than the ashes of the young, which sprinkle the defiled (Heb. 9:15), which have the power only to cleanse the body for a while, and not to completely destroy sin. For what need would there be for those who have once been purified to be purified? Let us be baptized now, so that we will not suffer compulsion tomorrow; Let us not distance a good deed from ourselves as an insult; Let us not wait until we become worse so that we can be forgiven more; Let us not be Christ's innkeepers and Christ's merchants, let us not burden ourselves beyond what we can bear, lest we sink with the ship and shipwreck grace, destroying everything when we hoped to receive more. Hurry to the gift while you still have control of your mind; until you are sick in body and spirit or you do not seem sick to those present, although you are healthy in mind; while your good is not in the hands of others, but you yourself are its master; until your tongue falters, becomes cold and can clearly pronounce (not to mention more) the words of arcane teaching; as long as you can become faithful so that others do not only guess about this, but are convinced of it, do not regret you, but please you; while the gift is obvious to you and not doubtful, grace touches the depths, and not the body is washed for burial; while there are no tears near you - signs of your departure, or they are withheld only to please you, and your wife and children want to prolong the minute of separation and seek the last words from you; while there is no inexperienced doctor with you, promising a few hours of life, which are not in his power, by tilting his head, defining the hope of healing, knowing how to talk about illness after death, moving away from you, or forcing a large payment, or letting you know about hopelessness; until the baptizer and the covetous man argue about you, one rushing to admonish you, and the other to become your heir, while time does not allow either one or the other. 12. Why do you expect good deeds from fever, and not from God? from time, not from reason; from a treacherous friend, and not from saving love; not from one’s own will, but from compulsion; not from freedom, but from extreme circumstances? Why do you need to learn about your departure from someone else, but you yourself don’t want to think about it as something that has already happened? Why do you seek medicine that will not help at all? Are you waiting for the sweat that promises a turning point in the disease, when perhaps the sweat of death is close? Heal yourself before the need arises, take pity on yourself, you are a close healer of the disease. Reserve for yourself truly saving medicine. While you are sailing with a fair wind, be afraid of a shipwreck - and, having fear as an assistant, you will endure less in the event of a shipwreck itself. Let the gift be received with triumph, and not with tears; let the talent be put into circulation and not buried in the ground; let there be some gap between grace and death, so that not only bad writings will be erased, but better ones will be written in their place, so that you will have not only grace, but also reward, not only avoid fire, but also inherit the glory that a gift given into circulation acquires. Some who are low in spirit consider it a great thing to avoid punishment, while those who are exalted in spirit strive for reward. 13. I know three degrees in those who are saved: slavery, mercenary and sonship. If you are a slave, then be afraid of beatings. If you are a mercenary, keep one thing in mind - get it. If you are higher than a slave and a hireling, even a son, be ashamed of God as a father, do good, because it is good to obey your father. Even if you didn’t expect to receive anything, pleasing your father is a reward in itself. May we not find ourselves neglecting this! How reckless it is to seize property for yourself and reject health; cleanse the body, but have cleansing of the soul only in reserve; to seek freedom from slavery below, and not to desire something above; to make every effort to ensure that the house and clothes are magnificent, and not to worry about becoming worthy of more; have the zeal to do good to others, and not want to do good to yourself! If this good were bought with money, you would not regret any treasures. And if it is offered out of love for humanity, you neglect the readiness of charity. Every time is proper for washing, because at every time death comes. With great voice I appeal to you with Paul: now is the time acceptable, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2), and by the word now it does not mean one known time, but every time. And one more thing: arise from sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will illuminate you (Eph. 5:14), ending the sinful night, because in the night is the hope of evil, says Isaiah (28:19), and it is more beneficial to be accepted in the morning. 14. This, when the time; gather and destroy granaries, also when it is time; and plant at the right time, and pick the ripe grapes; boldly put the ship to sea in the spring and bring it into the harbour, when winter comes and the sea begins to rage. May you have a time of war and peace, marriage and celibacy, friendship and discord, if you need it, and in general a time of every matter, if you should believe Solomon at all (Eccl. 3:1-8). And you should believe him, because the advice is useful. But always work out your salvation, and let every time be opportune for baptism. If, bypassing the present day, you constantly have in mind tomorrow and with such short delays the evil one, according to his custom, keeps you in his power, inspiring: “Give me the present, and give the future to God; youth for me, old age for God; I have years of pleasure, but He is a useless age,” then what danger you are in! How many accidents! Either the war consumed, or an earthquake crushed in ruins, or the sea swallowed, or an animal stole, or a disease destroyed, or a crumb that stopped in the throat (for it is easier for a person to die, although you think highly of the fact that you are an image), or excessive drinking, or a gusty wind, or a horse carried away, or a poisonous compound maliciously prepared, and perhaps instead of a saving one it turned out to be harmful, or a judge an inhumane or an inexorable executioner, or how many other such cases from which death occurs in a short time and no benefits are strong enough to stop it! 15. If you protect yourself with a seal, secure your future with the best and most effective benefit, marking your soul and body with chrismation and the Spirit, like Israel of old with the powerful blood and anointing that protected the firstborn (Ex. 12:13), then what can happen to you? And how much has been done for you! Listen to what is said in Proverbs: if you sit, you will be fearless; if you sleep, you will sleep sweetly (Proverbs 3:24). What is the gospel of David? Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the clogs and demon of the midday (Ps. 90:5-6). This is very important for your safety during your life (and it is not easy for a thief to encroach on a sheep on which a mark is placed, and one that does not have a mark on it will be stolen without fear), and after departing from life - a beautiful funeral cover, which is lighter than any clothing, more expensive than gold, more magnificent than a tomb, more sacred than barren mounds, more timely than the ripe firstfruits that all the dead bring as a gift to the dead, turning the custom into law. Let everything perish from you, everything will be stolen: money, property, thrones, distinctions and what else relates to the long-term viciousness; but you will safely end your life without losing any of the benefits God has given you for salvation. 16. But are you afraid lest you corrupt the grace within yourself, and therefore put off purification, as if you have no other? What then? Aren't you afraid that you will be in danger during persecution and lose your best asset - Christ? Is it really for this reason that you will avoid becoming a Christian? May such fear of an unhealthy person, such reasoning of a damaged mind, be removed from you! What careless, if I may say so, caution! What a trick of the evil one! He is real darkness, and pretends to be light; when he cannot keep up, attacking openly, he builds invisible intrigues; and, being cunning, he poses as a good adviser, so that in any way he can certainly overcome, and we in no case can avoid his slander. He obviously builds the same thing here. Not being able to clearly convince you to despise baptism, he harms you with fictitious caution, so that you, what you feared, when you yourself did not notice, endure it out of fear and, since you were afraid of corrupting the gift, through this very fear you would lose the gift. Such is the enemy; and will never leave his double-mindedness until he sees that we are hastening to heaven, from where he fell. But you, man of God, penetrate into the enemy’s malice; you are fighting with the strong and about the most important matter; do not take the enemy as an adviser; do not neglect to be called and to be faithful. As long as you are a catechumen, you stand on the threshold of piety, and you must go inside, walk through the courtyard, see the Holy One, look into the Holy of Holies, be with the Trinity. Great is that for which you are scolded; You also need great protection. Oppose the shield of faith: the enemy is afraid when you enter into battle with weapons. This is why he wants to see you naked from grace, so that it would be more convenient to defeat you unarmed and unprotected. It concerns every age, every kind of life, therefore reflect it in everything. 17. If you are young, stand with your supporters against passions, join the army of God, take courage against Goliath, captivate thousands and darkness. So take advantage of your age and do not allow your youth to wither away, killed by the imperfection of faith. You are old, and the time that everyone needs is close to you; Respect gray hair and with the prudence it requires, compensate for the weakness that you now have, help your few days, entrust cleansing to old age. Why, in deep old age and at your last breath, are you afraid of the things characteristic of youth? Or are you waiting to be washed dead, arousing not so much regret as hatred? Or do you love the remains of pleasures, being yourself the remains of life? It is a shame, exhausted by age, not to be exhausted by lust, but either to actually indulge in it, or to appear lustful, postponing purification. Do you have a baby? Don't give time for the damage to worsen; let him be sanctified in infancy and consecrated to the Spirit from his youth. Are you afraid of the seal due to the weakness of nature, like a cowardly and unfaithful mother? But Anna, even before birth, promised Samuel to God, and after birth she soon dedicated him and raised him for the sacred robe, not fearing human weakness, but believing in God. There is no need for you in the pendants and whispers, along with which the evil one enters, attracting to himself from the gullible the reverence due to God. Give your baby the Trinity - this great and good repository 276. 18. What else? Do you keep your virginity? Seal with purification; make him an accomplice and interlocutor in life; let it control your life, and your word, and every member, every movement, every feeling. Almost it, so that it will decorate you; May he give your head a crown of graces, and may he protect you with a crown of sweetness (Prov. 4:9). You tied the knot; tie also with a seal. Make this guardian of chastity your concubine, who is much more reliable than many eunuchs and many doorkeepers. If you have not yet been mated in the flesh, do not be afraid of doing so; You are pure even after marriage. I take responsibility; I am a matchmaker, I am a bridegroom. For marriage is not dishonorable only because virginity is more honorable than it. I will imitate Christ, the pure Bridegroom and Bridegroom, who works miracles in marriage and brings honor to the marriage by His presence. May only the marriage be pure and without any impurity of impure desires. I ask only one thing: accept the gift as a protection and bring the gift of purity from yourself for a time while the days set for prayer continue, which are more honest than working days, and then by mutual condition and agreement (1 Cor. 7:5). For we do not prescribe the law, but we give advice and we want to take something from yours for you and for your general safety. Let me say briefly: there is no kind of life, there is no state for which baptism would not be most beneficial. He who has power, accept the bridle, the slave - equality, the despondent - consolation, the complacent - guidance, the poor - inestimable wealth, the abounding - an excellent disposal of what you have. Do not contrive, do not contrive against your salvation. Although we deceive others, it is impossible to deceive ourselves. And the most dangerous and reckless thing is to play with yourself. 19. But you live in society, the treatment of people is not without defilement; Therefore, you are afraid that God’s mercy towards you will not be exhausted? The answer to this is simple. If possible, run and market with your good companion. Tie up the wings of an eagle or, more accurately, a dove, for what do you care about Caesar and what belongs to Caesar until you rest where there is no sin, no slander, no serpent gnawing on the way and preventing you from walking in God. Descend your soul from the world, flee Sodom, flee the fire, go without looking back, so as not to harden into a salt stone, escape to the mountain, so that death does not befall you too. If you are no longer free within yourself and have committed yourself to the necessary bonds, then tell yourself, or, better yet, I will tell you: the best thing is to be worthy of the good and preserve purification. If it is impossible to combine both, then it is better to sometimes denigrate yourself with somewhat worldly duties than to completely lose grace, as it is better, I think, sometimes to receive a reprimand from your father and master than to be completely rejected from him, and it is better to be illuminated by a few rays than to be in complete darkness. But it is common for a prudent person to choose both the greatest and most perfect goods and the least and easiest evils. Therefore, do not be too afraid of purification. For the righteous and humane Judge of our affairs always appreciates our merits, taking into account the nature of each person’s life. And more than once, the one who, living in the world, succeeded in a little, took advantage of the one who almost did not succeed in everything, living in freedom, since, I think, it is more worthy of surprise to walk slowly in chains than to run without carrying any weight, and, walking through the mud, to get a little dirty, than to be clean on a clean path. To prove the word, I will say that Rahab the harlot was justified by love of homosexuality alone, although she is not praised for anything else, and the tax collector, who was not praised for anything else, was exalted by one thing, namely humility, so that you would learn not to suddenly despair of yourself. 20. But you say: “What good is it for me to prematurely bind myself to baptism and hastily deprive myself of the pleasures of life, when I can enjoy the pleasures and then be granted grace? For those who began to work earlier in the vineyard were not given any preference, but were given wages equal to those of the latter (Matthew 20:1-15).” You, who say this, no matter whose reasoning it was, saved us from labor, revealing, not without sorrow, the secret of your slowness, and, not approving you for your bad deed, I praise you for your recognition. But listen also to the explanation of the parable, so that, due to inexperience, you do not draw harm from the Scripture. Firstly, here we are not talking about baptism, but about believers and those entering the good vineyard - the Church at different times, for on the day and hour who believed, he is obliged to work. Then those who came first, although they made more donations if you measure labor, but not more if you measure will; and perhaps the latter deserved more, although such a judgment is somewhat strange. The reason for the late entry into the vineyard was the late calling to do it. Let us consider what the difference was in everything else. The first believed and came not before a conditional payment was announced to them, and the latter began the work without an agreement, which serves as a sign of greater faith. The former have discovered within themselves envy and a tendency to grumble, while the latter are not accused of any such thing. And what was given to the first, with all their wickedness, was payment, and what was given to the last was mercy, which is why the first, still convicted of folly, are rightly deprived of more. The question is: what would happen to them if they were late? Obviously, the same fee as others. So, why do they complain about the one who gives the wages, as if he did not equalize the workers by giving equally? All this reduces the price of the sweat shed by the first, although they had already begun to work. From which it is clear that the division of the payment equally was fair, since will was measured equally with labor. 21. But if the parable, according to your interpretation, allegorically depicts the power of washing, what prevents, having come first and bearing the tar, not to envy the latter, so that you have an advantage in this very thing - in philanthropy, and receive retribution as a debt, and not as a gift? Finally, those workers who went into the vineyard and do not walk around it receive compensation. And there is a danger that the latter will not happen to you. Therefore, if you knew that you would be awarded a gift even with such reasoning, when you maliciously shorten your work somewhat, then it would be excusable to resort to such calculations and want to bargain for something from the Lord’s philanthropy; Not to mention that greater work in itself is a greater reward for a person whose heart is not completely devoted to knuckle-dragging. If, through such bargaining, you are in danger of not getting into the vineyard at all, and by gaining little you may incur a loss in the main, then be convinced by my words and, leaving behind incorrect interpretations and objections, proceed to the gift without calculations, so as not to lose your life before your hopes are fulfilled and not to learn from experience that you made such false ideas against yourself. 22. “What then? - you say. – Isn’t God merciful? He knows his thoughts, feels the disposition, and doesn’t he accept the desire to be baptized as baptism itself?” You say something similar to a riddle, if with God, in His love for mankind, the unenlightened is the same as the enlightened, or if the one who has entered the Kingdom of Heaven is equal to the one who only desires to receive it, although he does not do the works of the Kingdom. But I dare say about this what I think; I believe that others who have intelligence will agree with me. Of those who accepted the gift, some were completely far from God and salvation, delved into all kinds of vice and tried to be vicious. Others were, as it were, half thin and kept a middle ground between virtue and vice; Although they did evil, they did not approve of what they had done, just as people with fever do not praise their illness. Others, even before the accomplishment, were worthy of praise, either by nature, or because with their own diligence they prepared themselves for baptism, and after completion they turned out to be even better and more careful, they purified themselves in order to receive the benefit, and were very careful to preserve it. Of all of them, better than the completely bad are those who have lagged somewhat behind vice, and better are those who have lagged behind, are more zealous and have pre-prepared themselves for baptism, because they have some advantage, namely activity; and baptism, while erasing sins, does not destroy merit. But the best of all those who are numbered are those who cultivate grace itself and form themselves to the greatest possible beauty. 23. Likewise, among those who do not accept baptism, some are completely like cattle or beasts in their foolishness or evil behavior. In addition to other evils, they also have the fact that they, I think, do not really respect the gift of baptism; but, indeed, as a gift, if given to them, they love and, if not given, they despise. Others, although they honor the gift, are slow to accept it, either through negligence or incontinence. Others do not even have the opportunity to accept the gift, or perhaps due to their infancy, or due to some coincidence of circumstances completely beyond their control, due to which they are not worthy of grace, even if they themselves wished for it. And just as we found a great difference between the former, so we find between the latter. Complete despisers are worse than the intemperate and careless, and the latter are worse than those who, through ignorance or coercion, are deprived of the gift; for what is done under compulsion is nothing more than an involuntary sin. And I think that some will suffer punishment both for other vices and for despising baptism. Others, although they will suffer punishment, will be less, because not so much out of malice as out of ignorance they did not receive baptism. And the latter will not be glorified or punished by the righteous Judge, because although they are not sealed, they are not bad and have suffered more than they have done harm. For not everyone unworthy of punishment is worthy of honor, just as not everyone unworthy of honor is worthy of punishment. I will also consider the following. If you recognize as murder the mere intention to kill, without committing murder, then consider someone who wanted to be baptized, but was not actually baptized, to be baptized. If you don’t recognize the first, then why recognize the last? I don't see the reason. But when you want, we will reason this way. If desire is enough instead of the power of baptism, and for one desire you award yourself glory, then instead of glory, be content with one desire. And what harm is it to you not to be granted it when you have the desire? 24. So, since you have heard these voices, come to him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be ashamed (Ps. 33:6), because you have not achieved grace. Accept enlightenment while there is time, so that darkness does not pursue and haunt you (John 12:35), moving away from enlightenment. Night will come, and then after leaving here no one can do anything. The first is the word of David, and the last is the True Light, which enlightens every person coming into the world (John 1:9). Think that Solomon cruelly reproaches you, careless and slow: how long, O lazy ones, will you lie down? When will you arise from sleep (Prov. 6:9)? We invent this and that in order to avoid the guilt of sins (Ps. 140:4). “I’m waiting for the day of Lights; I respect Easter more; I’ll wait until Pentecost: it’s better to be enlightened with Christ; to rise with Christ on the day of resurrection; to honor the manifestation of the Spirit." What then? Death will come suddenly, on a day you never expected, and in an hour you never knew (Luke 12:46). And with you an evil traveler is a misery (Prov. 6:11) of grace, and you will be greedy in the midst of such riches of goodness. You should reap the opposite in the opposite, in tireless work - the harvest and in the source - cooling, like someone tormented by strong thirst, who diligently runs to the sources and extinguishes the fatigue from the journey with water, and not suffer Ishmael’s fate, not be exhausted by thirst from lack of water, or, as the proverb goes, not be tormented by thirst in the middle of the source. It’s not good to skip the market and then look for something to buy; it is not good to pass by the manna and then desire food; Late regret is bad; it’s bad to feel your loss then, when there is no way to turn it away, that is, after leaving here, after the bitter conclusion of what everyone has done in life, after the punishment of sinners and the glorification of the purified. Therefore, do not hesitate to approach grace, but hasten, so that the robber does not precede you, the adulterer does not advance, the covetous does not take advantage of you, the good is not anticipated by a murderer, tax collector, fornicator, or any of those who take the Kingdom by force and rapaciously (Matthew 11:12), but out of goodness it voluntarily endures violence and theft. Be slow to evil deeds, and quick to salvation, my dear, as I urge. 25. For both preparedness for the worst and slowness towards the better are equally bad. If they invited you to feast, do not rush; if you renounce the faith, run away; If in a crowd of evil-minded people they said to you: come with us and share in the blood: let us hide a righteous man in the land unrighteously (Prov. 1:11), - do not incline your ears. For you will gain two very great benefits from this: you will enlighten them about sin, and you yourself will get rid of the bad community. But if the great David says to you: come, let us rejoice in the Lord (Ps. 94:1), or another prophet: come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord (Is. 2:3), or the Savior Himself: come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28), and again: arise, let us go from here (John. 14:31) bright, brighter than snow, thicker than milk, shining brighter than sapphire stone (Lam. 4:7), then let us not shy away and hesitate. Let us become Peter and John: just as they hastened to the tomb and to the resurrection, so we will hasten to the baptismal font; let us flow together, then rather each other (John 20:4), trying to anticipate the good. And do not say: when I depart I return, and in the morning I am baptized; I am now able to do good (Prov. 3:28). “Let my mother arrive, let my father arrive, my brothers, my wife, my children, my friends, everything that is dear to me, and then I will be saved; and now is not the time for me to become light.” But beware lest those whom you hoped to have as accomplices in joy become accomplices in weeping. If they are with you, good; and if not, don't expect it. I’m ashamed to say: where is my baptismal offering? where are the bright clothes in which to be enlightened by baptism? Where is it necessary to accept my baptists, so as not to be ashamed of myself in this? But this, as you see, is very necessary and without this grace will be diminished! Do not indulge in trifles in important matters, do not indulge in low feelings; sacraments are more important than visible things; bring yourself as a gift, put on Christ, feed me with your life: I am glad of such hospitality, this is also pleasing to God, who bestows the greatest blessings. There is nothing great for God that a beggar would not give, so that the poor do not lag behind in this, not having anything to compete with the rich. And although in other things there is a difference between the rich and the poor, here the one who is more diligent is the richer. 26. Let nothing hinder you from going forward, let nothing distract your zeal. While the desire is strong, get what you want; While the iron is hot, temper it in cold water so that you don’t encounter anything that will stop your desire. I am Philip - be the eunuch of Candace. Say it yourself: behold, it is water that forbids me to be baptized (Acts 8:36)? Seize the opportunity, be glad for the good. And saying to be baptized, and being baptized, you were saved. Even if you were a mug in body, be white in soul; receive salvation, which there is nothing higher, nothing more worthy for those who have intelligence. Do not say: I must be baptized by a bishop, moreover a metropolitan and a Jerusalemite (grace does not come from a place, but from the Spirit), moreover, one of the noble people, for it is dangerous that my nobility should not be humiliated by the baptizer; or, although a priest, he is celibate, a man of abstinence and an angelic life, for it is intolerable if I become defiled during purification. Do not look into the credibility of the preacher or the baptist. They have another Judge who tests the invisible, because man sees on the face, but God is in the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). And for the purification of you, everyone is worthy of faith, if only he were one of those who received the power to do this, who were not openly condemned and were not alienated from the Church. Do not judge the judges, you who demand healing; do not consider the dignity of those who purify you; don't make a choice based on your parents. Although one is better or lower than the other, everyone is higher than you. Think about it this way: two rings, gold and iron, and the same royal face is carved on both, and both have seals made on wax. How is one seal different from another? Nothing. Recognize the substance on the wax, if you are the wisest of all. Tell me, which is the impression of an iron ring and which of a gold ring? And why is it the same? For although the substance is different, there is no difference in the mark. So let everyone be your baptist! For even if one were superior to another in life, the power of baptism is equal and can equally lead you to perfection, anyone who is instructed in the same faith. 27. Do not hesitate to be baptized together, the rich and the poor, the noble and the noble, the master and the one who is hitherto his slave. You will not show as much humility as Christ, into whom you are now baptized, who for you took on the form of a servant. From the day on which you are renewed, all the old differences have passed away, everyone has put on Christ in the same way. Knowing how John baptized, do not be ashamed to confess your sin, so that, having been subjected to shame here, you can avoid it there, because shame is part of the punishment there. Prove that you really hated sin by revealing it to everyone and putting it to shame. Do not despise the healing spell; do not complain about its duration; and this is a test of the sincerity with which you approach baptism. What if you work as hard as the Ethiopian queen, who ran from the ends of the earth to see the wisdom of Solomon? And behold, the multiplying of Solomon is here for those who understand the work completely (Luke 11:31). Let neither the distance of the journey, nor the vastness of the sea, nor fire, if it is on the road, nor any other small or large obstacle frighten you in order to be worthy of grace. If, without any labor, without any costs, you can get what you want, then how foolish it is to put off the gift! It is said: you who are thirsty, go to the water - this is what Isaiah commands you, and do not have any silver, but go buy and drink wine without the price of silver (Isaiah 55:1). What speed in philanthropy! What a convenience for purchasing! You just need to wish for the good, and it goes on sale; the very desire is accepted at a great price. The Lord thirsts to be thirsty for Him, gives water to those who want to drink, accepts it as a good deed if they ask Him for a good deed, is available, gives generously, and gives with greater pleasure than others accept themselves. Just let us not discover a low soul in ourselves, asking for what is unimportant and unworthy of the Giver. Blessed is the one from whom Christ asks for drink, as from the Samaritan woman, and to whom he gives a source of water flowing into an eternal belly (John 4:14)! Blessed is he who sows by all water (Isa. 32:20) and in every soul, which tomorrow will be cultivated and fed, and which is now trampled by the ox and the donkey, because it is overgrown with thorns, without water, oppressed by foolishness! Blessed is the one who, although the waters of the city (Joel 3:18), receives water from the house of the Lord and grows bread instead of reeds, brings food suitable for people, and not hard and useless; about which we must make every effort, so as not to remain short of achieving common grace. 28. They will object: “Let all this be fair in the reasoning of those seeking baptism. But what can you say about those who are still babies and feel neither harm nor grace? Should we baptize them too? Absolutely, if there is real danger. For it is better to be sanctified unconscious than to die unsealed and imperfect. Proof of this is the daily circumcision, which in an educational sense was a kind of seal and was performed on those who had not yet received the use of reason, as well as the anointing of the thresholds, which protects the firstborn through inanimate things. Regarding other young children, I give the following opinion: after waiting until the third birthday, or a little earlier, or a little later, when children can hear something mysterious and answer, although not completely understanding, but nevertheless imprinting it in their minds, their souls and bodies should be sanctified by the great sacrament of accomplishment. The reason for this is the following: although children then begin to be subject to responsibility for life, when the mind comes to maturity, and they understand the Sacrament (because sins of ignorance are not punished from them due to age), however, protecting them with baptism is, without a doubt, much more useful due to the dangers that suddenly encounter them and cannot be prevented by any means. 29. They will say: “Christ, despite all that He is God, was baptized for thirty years; How then do you command us to hasten with baptism?” By saying that He is God, you have solved the problem. He is pure purity and had no need for purification; He is cleansed for you, since he also bears flesh for you, being himself incorporeal. There was no danger for him to delay baptism, because He Himself had power in suffering, as well as in birth. But there is no small danger for you if you die, having been born into corruption only and not having put on incorruption. I also take into account that Christ needed to be baptized at such a time, and your relationship is different. For He appeared to the world at the age of thirty from birth, and not before, partly in order not to appear to act out of vanity (which is the disease of people who do not know decency), and partly because at this age virtue is fully tested and it is proper to be a teacher. When it was necessary to suffer the suffering that saves the world, then it became necessary for everything related to suffering to be added to the suffering, such as the appearance in the world, Baptism, testimony from above, preaching, concourse of people, miracles, and so that out of everything they could form, as it were, one whole, unbroken and not separated by intervals. For from baptism and preaching there is a shock (as this circumstance is called in Scripture (Matthew 21:2)) of those flocking, and from the multitude of people there is the manifestation of signs and wonders leading to the Gospel; and from miracles - envy, from envy - hatred, from hatred - deliberation and betrayal, from this - the cross and everything by which we are saved. So it was with Christ and for such reasons as are comprehensible to us. Or maybe there is another hidden reason for this. 30. But why do you need, following examples that are higher than you, to decide on something bad? For many other things that are narrated about the events of that time turn out to be different from how things are done now, and do not converge in time. For example, Christ fasted before temptation, and we fast before Easter. The meaning of both posts is the same, but relative to the time there is a considerable difference between them. Christ contrasts fasting with temptations, but for us it marks mortification with Christ and serves as a pre-festive cleansing. Christ fasts for forty days because He is God, and we proportioned the fast to our strength, although zeal convinces some to stretch beyond our strength. Christ also mysteriously teaches Easter to his disciples in the upper room, after supper and the day before suffering, and we celebrate it in houses of prayer, before supper and after resurrection. He rises on the third day, and we will rise again after a long time. So, our actions are both inseparable from the deeds of Christ, and are not associated with them in relation to time; on the contrary, Christ’s deeds are handed over to us in order to serve as some kind of model for our actions, but there cannot be a perfect rapprochement between them. Is it surprising if Christ, although he was baptized for our sake, differs from us in terms of time? But it seems to me that you point to this as something amazing and great when you oppose your salvation! 31. So, if you listen to me to any extent, abandoning such speculations, flow to the good and accomplish two feats: prepare yourself for baptism and preserve baptism. For it is just as difficult to acquire a benefit that we do not have, and, having acquired it, to preserve it. Often what is acquired with care is lost through negligence, and what is carelessly destroyed is returned through diligence. You have very good tools for getting what you want: vigils, fasts, reclining on bare ground, prayers, tears, mercy for the poor, almsgiving. Let this be both an offering of thanks for the benefits you have received, and at the same time a protective means. Does a good deed serve as a reminder of many commandments for you? Don't transgress them. Has a beggar come? Remember how poor you were and how rich you became! Is he asking you for bread or drink, or perhaps another Lazarus lies at your gate? Be ashamed of the mysterious meal that you began, the bread that you tasted, the cup that you partook of, sanctified by Christ’s suffering. Has a stranger come to you, having no home, coming from afar? Accept in his person the One who became a stranger for your sake, even a stranger among His own, who established himself in you by grace and drew you to a heavenly dwelling. Be Zacchaeus, who yesterday was a publican, and now has become generous: bring everything as a gift to the coming of Christ, so that you may be great, it is good to see Christ, although you are small in physical age. Lying sick and ulcerated? Be ashamed of your health and those ulcers from which Christ delivered you. If you see a naked person, put it on out of respect for your robe of incorruptibility, that is, for Christ, because if we are baptized into Christ, we put on Christ (Gal. 3:27). If you meet a falling debtor, tear apart every scripture, righteous and unrighteous (Isa. 58:6). Remember the thousands of talents that Christ forgave you. Don’t be a cruel torturer for a smaller debt, and for whom? For slaves like you, when the Lord has forgiven you a greater debt; Be afraid lest you be punished for His love for mankind, which was given to you as an example and which you did not imitate. 32. May this font be for you a cleansing not only of the body, but also of the image of God, not only the washing away of sins, but also the correction of life. Let him not only wash away the previous impurity, but also cleanse the source. Let him teach not only how to acquire well, but also how to lose what he has acquired well, or, which is much easier, to give up what he has acquired in a bad way. For what good is it if your sin is forgiven, but the offended person is not given satisfaction for the damage you caused? You have done twofold evil: you have acquired unrighteously, and you have withheld what you had acquired; in the first you received forgiveness, but in the second you are still committing injustice, because even now you have what is alien to you, and sin has not been destroyed, but is only divided in two by time: you dared to do one thing before baptism, and you continue the other after baptism. But the font provides remission of sins committed, not sins committed. It is necessary that the cleansing is not carried out for show, but penetrates you, so that you become completely bright, and not painted on the outside, so that grace does not serve as a cover for sins, but as liberation from them. Blessed are those who have abandoned iniquity, it is said about complete cleansing, and those who have covered themselves with sin (Ps. 31:1), - about those whose inner being has not yet been cleansed. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (2) - this is, as it were, the third category of sinners, whose deeds are not praiseworthy, but whose heart is innocent. 33. What am I saying? And where does my word lead? Yesterday you, soul, were a Canaanite woman, crooked from sin (Luke 13:11), and now you are straightened by the Word: do not bend again, do not bend to the ground, as one burdened with the bonds of the evil one, do not reach such humiliation that it is difficult for you to rise! Yesterday you dried up from severe bleeding, because you exuded murderous sin, but now the stream has dried up and you are blooming, because you touched the holy robe of Christ and a hundred streams (Matthew 9:20; Luke 8:44). Keep cleansing, so as not to become bleeding again and lose the strength to touch Christ and steal salvation. For Christ does not often allow Himself to be robbed, although He is very philanthropic. Yesterday you lay on your bed, relaxed and motionless, and had no man, and when the waters were troubled, you would be cast into the pool (John 5:7), but now you have found man together and God, or, better to say, the God-man; you were taken from the bed, or, better yet, you took the bed yourself and publicized the good deed. Be afraid to lie down on your bed again, relaxed from the pleasures of sin and bodily rest, but go healthy, remembering the commandment: Behold, you are healthy, let no one sin, so that it will not be worse (John 5:14), if after such a good deed you turn out to be bad. Lazarus, come out (John 11:43), it was said to you, who lay in the tomb, with a great voice (for what is louder than the Word?); and you came out not for four days, but for many days, having risen with the Three-day One, and was released from the burial shrouds. Do not become dead again, do not remain with those who live in tombs, and do not become captives of your own sins. It is unknown whether you will rise again from the graves until the final and general resurrection, which will bring all creation to judgment, not to be healed, but to hear the verdict and give an account of everything that has been acquired, good or bad. 34. If you were hitherto covered with leprosy, that is, the ugliness of a vicious life, and now, having been cleansed of purulent matter, you have assumed a healthy image, show your cleansing to me, your priest, so that I can find out how much higher it is than the purification of the law. Do not be one of the nine ungrateful people, but imitate the tenth. Although he was a Samaritan, he was more grateful than others. Beware lest you prosper again (Lev. 13:12), and lest an incurable disorder occur in your body. Previously, thrift and stinginess made your hand dry, but now let almsgiving and philanthropy stretch it. An excellent medicine for a sore hand is to lavish, give to the poor, exhaust everything you have generously until you reach the bottom (perhaps it will also flow out food for you, like the woman of Sarepta, especially if you happen to feed Elijah), and recognize poverty as a good acquisition for Christ, who became poor for us. If you were deaf and dumb, then let the Word announce you, or, better, restrain the one who announced it: do not block your ears from the teaching and instruction of the Lord, like an asp from the voice of those who have knowledge (Ps. 57:6). If you were blind and deprived of light, enlighten your eyes, so that not when you fall asleep into death (Ps. 12:4), in the light of the Lord you will see the light, in the Spirit of God - the Son, be illuminated by the threefold and indivisible Light. If you accept the whole Word into yourself, then you will gather into your soul all the healings of Christ, with which each one is healed separately; just be careful that you do not find yourself ignorant of the measure of grace, so that during your sleep and unkind carelessness the enemy does not sow tares; so that you, having aroused envy in the evil one through your purity, again do not make yourself worthy of regret through sin, so that, immensely rejoicing in the good and exalting yourself in it, you do not fall from this exaltation; but on the contrary, always work on purification, setting ascensions in your heart (Ps. 83:6); having been granted the gift of remission of sins, guard it with all diligence, so that remission depends on God, and observance depends on you. 35. How can this be achieved? Always remember Christ’s parable, it will be the best and most perfect aid for you. An unclean and material spirit, expelled by baptism, has come out of you. He cannot bear persecution; he cannot stand being homeless and homeless; passes through waterless places where the Divine stream has dried up (for there he loves to be); wanders, looking for peace, and does not find it. He approaches the baptized souls in whom the font has washed away the corruption. Afraid of water, it stifles his purification, like a legion dying in the sea. He returns again to the house from which he came, because he is shameless and stubborn; starts again, makes new attempts. If he finds that Christ has settled in and taken the place left by him, then again, reflected, he leaves without success, continuing his miserable wandering. If he finds a place in you marked and decorated, empty, unoccupied, equally ready to receive one or the other, whoever comes first, hastily enters, settles with greater reserves than before, and the latter will be more bitter than the first (Matthew 12:43-45). For before there was hope for correction and caution, but now damage has clearly become evident, through the removal of good attracting the evil one to itself, which is why the possession of the place has become firmer for the one who settled. 36. Again, and more than once, I will remind you of the enlightenments that I could read about them in God’s word; because the remembrance of this will be pleasant for yourself (what is more pleasant than light to those who have tasted the light?), and I will illuminate you with the words of Scripture: light has risen for the righteous, and the joy associated with it (Ps. 97:11). There is always light for the righteous (Prov. 13:9). Thou art wonderfully illuminating from the eternal mountains (Ps. 75:5), I think, the angelic Powers, which assist us in good deeds, say to God. The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom will I fear (Ps. 26:1)? - this is what David says. And he sometimes asks to send him light and truth (Ps. 42:3), and sometimes he thanks him for having partaken of it, since the light of God was signified on him (Ps. 4:7), that is, he was impressed and showed signs of the illumination given to him. Let us run only from the light generated by false fire; we will not walk by the light of our fire and the flame kindled by it (Isa. 50:11). I know the purifying fire, which Christ came to the earth (Luke 12:49) and Himself, in reference, called fire (Heb. 12:29). He destroys matter and evil skills; This is why Christ wants him to be kindled as soon as possible (Lk. 12:49), for he wants to hasten good deeds, when he also gives coals of fire to help us (Is. 47:14–15). I know the fire, not cleansing, but punitive, or Sodomite, which the Lord will rain on all sinners, adding a bogey and a stormy spirit (Ps. 10:6), or prepared for the devil and his angel (Matthew 25:41), or the one that comes before the face of the Lord and burns His enemies around (Ps. 97:3). There is also this most terrible fire, which works together with the never-ending worm; we cannot extinguish it, but it is perpetuated for the evil ones. For all this shows destructive power, unless someone here wants to present this more philanthropically and in accordance with the dignity of the punisher. 37. But just as twofold fire is known, so there is also twofold light. One is the lamp of the mind and guides our steps according to God. And the other is deceptive, inquisitive, opposed to the true light and pretends to be the true light in order to deceive by appearance. This is darkness and appears as noon, the most radiant light. So I hear about those running in the darkness of noon (Isa. 16:3). This is night and is considered enlightenment by those corrupted by voluptuousness. For what does David say? The night was around me, the accursed one, and I did not know, because I considered pleasure to be enlightenment (Ps. 139:11). But such are those who indulge in voluptuousness; and we will enlighten ourselves with the light of knowledge; and he will be enlightened if we sow in truth and reap the fruit of life (Hos. 10:12), since activity also leads to contemplation, so that, among other things, we know which light is true and which is false, and not make the mistake of choosing the worse instead of the good. Let us become light, as the great Light called the disciples: you are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Let us be lights in the world, holding the word alive (Phil. 2:15–16), that is, we will be a life-giving force for others. Let us eat God, let us eat the first and purest Light; let us go to His radiance (Bar. 4:2), before our noses may even stumble toward the dark and hostile mountains (Jer. 13:16). While it is day, as in days, let us walk decently, not in goat-speaking and drunkenness, not in fornication and adultery, for these are the secret works of the night (Rom. 13:13). 38. Let us purify ourselves, brothers, in every member, let us make every feeling innocent. Let there be nothing imperfect in us, nothing from the first birth, let us not leave anything unenlightened in ourselves. Let us enlighten ourselves with our eyes so that we can see rightly and, through close and curious vision, not bring into ourselves any fornicating idol. For although we will not serve passion, we will defile the soul. If we have a log or a twig, let us clear it so that we can see it in others. Let us be enlightened by our hearing, let us be enlightened by our tongue, so that we may hear what the Lord God will say, and when we hear, He will show us mercy in the morning (Ps. 142:8), and our hearing will be given joy and gladness (Ps. 50:10), which fill the divine ear; Let us not have a sharp sword (Ps. 56:5), let us not let a sharp razor (Ps. 51:4), let us not have labor and sickness under our tongues (Ps. 9:28), but let us speak the wisdom of God in hidden secrets (1 Cor. 2:7), honoring the tongues of fire (Acts 2:3). Let us heal ourselves in the sense of smell, so as not to pamper ourselves and, instead of a pleasant aroma, not to be covered with dust, but to be filled with the fragrance of what we are exhausted for the sake of the World, having perceived Him spiritually, being made up of Him to such an extent and being transformed into Him, so that we ourselves are fragrant with the aroma of fragrance (Eph. 5:2). Let us purify ourselves in touch, taste, and larynx, not looking for soft touches, not being consoled by the smoothness of things, but touching, as we should, the Word incarnate for our sake and imitating Thomas in this; not irritating the taste with moisture and foodstuffs, which arouse the most fatal irritations for us, but having tasted and known that the Lord is good - our best and eternal food (Ps. 33:9); not at all cooling the bitter and ungrateful larynx, which lets through what is put into it and does not retain it, but amusing it with words sweeter than honey. 39. Moreover, it is good, having a head cleansed, just as the head is cleansed - the source of feelings, to hold on to the Head of Christ, from which the whole body is composed and put together (Eph. 4:16), and to overthrow our prevailing sin, which exalts itself above the best in us. It is good to have consecrated and cleansed ramen, so that you can bear the cross of Christ, which is not suitable for everyone to bear. It is good to have consecrated hands and feet: hands, so that the saints are lifted up in every place (1 Tim. 2:8), accept the punishment of Christ, lest the Lord be angry (Ps. 2:12), and for their activity the word will be entrusted to them, as was given in the hand of 277 one of the prophets (Hag. 1:1); Let your feet not quickly shed blood and not flow for evil (Prov. 1:16), but be ready for the gospel, for the honor of the high calling (Phil. 3:14) and for receiving the washing and cleansing Christ. And if there is purification of the belly 278, which receives and shares verbal food, then it is good not to idolize it, pleasing it with sweet food and abolished fastings, but to purify and refine it as much as possible, so that it receives the word of the Lord within itself and beautifully grieves for the falling Israel (Jer. 4:19). I find that even the heart and entrails are honored. David convinces me of this, who asks that a pure heart be created in him, and a right spirit be renewed in the womb (Ps. 50:12), meaning by this, as I think, the power of thought, its movements or thoughts. 40. What do you think about loins and kidneys? And let’s not ignore this; let purification touch them too. Let our loins be girded and strengthened by self-control, as of old with Israel, who ate the Passover according to the law, for no one comes cleanly out of Egypt and escapes the destroyer except by bridling the loins. Let a good change occur in the kidneys, the power of desire will be directed towards God, so that you can say: Lord, all my desire is before You (Ps. 37:10), and I have not desired the day of man (Jer. 17:16). For he must become a man of desires, spiritual desires. In this way the serpent, which has most of its strength in the navel and loins (Job 40:11), will be destroyed in you, when those under its dominion will be put to death. But do not be surprised if I give great honor to our unbecoming ones (1 Cor. 12:23), killing and chastening them with words and standing courageously against substance. Let us give all the fruits of the earth (Col. 3:5), let us sanctify everything, and not the obstruction of the liver (Lev. 8:25), not the kidneys with fat, not this or that part of the body. For why do things dishonest? Let us offer ourselves entirely, let us be a verbal burnt offering, a perfect sacrifice. Let us make more than one frame, more than one breast, a priestly participation (Lev. 7:34), for this is not enough; but let us completely surrender ourselves, and accept ourselves entirely; because to fully accept oneself means to surrender to God and sacrifice one’s own salvation. 41. And above all and above all, keep the good pledge for which I live and bear my title, which I would like to have as a companion when leaving the world, with which I endure all sorrows and despise all the pleasures of life - keep the confession of faith in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I entrust this confession to you now, with it I will immerse you in the font, and with it I will bring you out. I give him to you for the rest of your life as a comrade and protector - one Divinity and one Power, Which is found in the Three individually and embraces the Three separately, without distinction in essences or natures, does not increase or decrease through additions and decreases, is everywhere equal, everywhere the same, like the one beauty and the one greatness of the sky. It is the Three Infinite, an infinite co-naturalness, where Each, intelligible by Himself, is God, as Father and Son, Son and Holy Spirit, with the preservation of personal properties in Each, and the Three, intelligible together, are also God; the former because of consubstantiality, the latter because of unity of command. Before I have time to think about the One, I am illuminated by the Three. Before I have time to separate the Three, I ascend to the One. When the One of the Three appears to me, I consider it whole; It fills my vision, and more escapes my sight. I cannot comprehend His greatness in order to add more to what remains. When I unite in the intuition of the Three, I see a single luminary, without being able to divide or measure the united light. 42. You are afraid of birth, lest something should be suffered. God does not suffer; but I fear the creature, lest I lose God through insult and unrighteous cutting, cutting off either the Son from the Father, or the essence of the Spirit from the Son. For the strange thing is that among those who weigh the Divinity poorly, not only is creation introduced into the Divinity, but the creation itself is again cut into itself. By these low and prostrate things, just as the Son is humiliated before the Father, so again the dignity of the Spirit is humiliated even before the Son, so that both God and creation are desecrated by this new theology. In the Trinity, venerable ones, there is nothing slavish, nothing created, nothing extraneous, as I heard from one of the wise. Even if he were still pleasing to man, he would not be a servant of Christ, says the divine Paul (Gal. 1:10). If I had still worshiped the creature or been baptized into the creature, I would not have been deified and would not have changed in my first birth. What will I say to those who worship Ashtoreth, or Chemosh - the abomination of Sidonstei (1 Kings 11:7), or the image of the star (Am. 5:26) - God, according to the beliefs of the pagans, is somewhat higher, however, creatures and the work of human hands - if I myself either do not worship the Two 279 in Whom I was baptized, or do I worship Them as slaves like me? For they are still slaves, although somewhat more honorable, because even among similar slaves there is a difference and preference. 43. I would be ready to call the Father great, from Whom the Equals have both equality and existence (on which everyone will agree), but I am afraid that the Beginning may become the beginning of the smaller ones and offend by preference. For there is no glory to the Beginning in the humiliation of Those Who are from Him. Moreover, I suspect that, due to your immoderation, taking up the word greater, you will bifurcate nature, attaching the concept of greater to everything. The father is no longer by nature, but by guilt, because between those who are equal in relation to essence there is neither greater nor less. I would be ready to prefer the Son to the Spirit as the Son, but the baptism that completes me with the Spirit does not allow this. But are you afraid that they will reproach you for tritheism? Take advantage of this benefit - unity in the Three, and leave protection to me. Let me be the shipbuilder, and you own the ship. And if you have another shipbuilder, then make me the architect of your house; You yourself live safely in the house, although you have not worked at all. And you will sail on the ship, and you will live in the house no less prosperously than I, their builder, although you did not put any effort into this. Do you see what kind of complacency? Do you see the favor of the Spirit? Fighting is my business, and you are given the fruits of victory. Let them depose me, and you enjoy the world and, helping with your prayers to the one fighting for you, give him your hand through faith. I have three stones with which I will hit a foreigner with a sling; I have three breaths on the son of the Sarepta woman (1 Kings 17:21), with which I will give life to the dead; I have three libations on logs (1 Kings 18:34, 25), with which I will sanctify the sacrifice, stirring up a wonderful fire with water, and I will overthrow the cold prophets, using the power of the sacrament for this. 44. But why continue the word? Now is the time to teach, not argue. I testify before God and before the chosen Angels that you will be baptized with this faith. If it is written in your heart differently than what my teaching requires, then we will rewrite it. I am not an unskillful painter of this; I write what is written, I teach, what I have learned and what I have kept from the beginning until this gray hair. There is danger for me, and there is a reward for me, as the steward of your soul, who baptizes you. If you believe rightly and are marked by good writings, keep what is written, despite the changing times, remaining unchanged in that which itself is unchangeable. Imitate Pilate, only for the better; Imitate the one who wrote poorly, you who are well written. Say to those who reassure you: “Pisah, pisah” (John 19:22). For I would be ashamed if good were conveniently shaken, while evil remained unshakable. It should be mobile from worse to better, and immobile from better to worse. If you are baptized in this way and according to such teaching, behold, I will not hinder my mouth (Ps. 39:10), behold I give my hands to the Spirit. Let us hasten salvation, rise up for baptism. The Spirit spreads its wings over you, the doer is full of zeal, the gift is ready. If you still worship and do not accept the perfect Divinity, then look for another baptizer or drowner; It is not my business to dissect the Divinity and make you dead during the rebirth, so that you have neither grace nor hope of grace, and in a few minutes shipwreck your salvation. For if you take away anything from the Divinity from One of the Three, then you will take away everything from the Divinity and sanctification from yourself. 45. But perhaps there is no writing in your soul, neither good nor bad, and now we need to write in you, we must raise you to perfection? Let's go inside the cloud; give me the tablets of your heart. I will be Moses for you - I (although it’s bold to say so) with the finger of God will write a new decalogue, I will write an abbreviation of salvation. And if there is some heretical and senseless beast, let it remain below; otherwise he is in danger of being stoned by the word of truth. I will baptize you, teaching you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. One common name of the Three is God. Let both the images and the sayings make you understand that you reject all atheism, as if you are being committed to the entire Divinity. Believe that the whole world, visible and invisible, created by God out of nothing and governed by the Providence of the Creator, will change into a better one. Believe that evil has neither a special essence nor a kingdom, that it is neither originless nor original, created by God, but is our work and the work of the evil one and has come into us from our negligence, and not from the Creator. Believe that the Son of God is the eternal Word, born of the Father timelessly and incorporeally, and He was born in the last days for your sake and as the Son of man, descended from the Virgin Mary, ineffable and undefiled (for there is no filth, where is God and where does salvation come from); that He is the whole man and at the same time God for the sake of all suffering man, in order to grant salvation to you all, destroying all condemnation of sin, impassive according to the Divinity, suffering according to the perceived humanity; you are as much a man as you become a god for His sake; that for our iniquities He was led to death, crucified and buried, because He tasted death and, rising on the third day, ascended into heaven in order to raise you with Him, cast down, but will again come at His glorious appearance to judge the living and the dead, He will come no longer in the flesh, but also not incorporeal, but in the image of a most magnificent body known to Him, so that He may be visible to those who have perforated Him, and to remain God, not involved in fatness. Moreover, recognize the resurrection, judgment and reward, according to the truthful scales of God. And this reward for those who are purified in heart will be light, that is, God visible and cognizable to the extent of purity, which we also call the Kingdom of Heaven, but for those who are blind in mind, that is, for those alienated from God to the extent of local myopia, there will be darkness. Finally, on this basis of dogma, do good, because faith without works is dead (James 2:26), as are works without faith. You know everything about the sacrament that can be discovered and said aloud to the people; and the rest, if the Trinity grants, you will find out by going inside, and you will hide this within yourself, sealing it with a seal. 46. ​​However, I also preach this to you: your presence at the great altar, to which you will be admitted immediately after baptism, is a foreshadowing of the glory there; the psalmody with which you will be led in is the beginning of the hymn there; the lamps that you light will mysteriously form the local light, with which we, pure and virgin souls, will go out to meet the Bridegroom, having the clear lamps of faith, not indulging in sleep through carelessness (so that the expected one could come unexpectedly), not being left without stock and oil and not lacking in good deeds, which would cast us out of the bridal chamber. For I see how pitiful this state is! The groom is close, the cry demands to go out to meet, and the wise will meet with a shining light, abundant in what is needed to support it; and others will become confused, seeking oil from those who have it at the wrong time. The bridegroom will soon ascend, the first will ascend with him, and the latter will remain outside, having spent the time in which they could have ascended, preparing the oil, and they will cry bitterly, having learned late how harmful carelessness is, when, no matter how much they ask for it, the bridal chamber is inaccessible to them; for they pitifully concluded it for themselves, acting, only in another respect, like those who refused to be at the wedding feast, which the good Father had prepared for the good Bridegroom, refusing either for the newlywed wife, or for the newly purchased village, or for a pair of oxen, which they acquired to their own detriment, having destroyed something great for a small thing. For there is no place there for the despiser, or the careless, or the one dressed vilely, and not in a wedding style, even if here he honors himself with the luminosity there and inwardly gives himself a place there, deceived by a vain hope. What then? When we go inside, then the Bridegroom knows what to teach and what to talk about with the souls who have entered. He will, as I think, converse, teaching the most perfect and purest knowledge, which may be given to us, students and teachers, about Christ our Lord Himself. To him be glory and power forever. Amen. Baptism and Confirmation. Φυλακτήριον - a bandage on the forehead and hands with words from the law of God, used by the Jews. According to the Slavic translation: by hand, but in the Greek text: ἐντῇ χειρί. The theologian here means memory by the womb.