Concerning the Sacraments · Part 1

CONCERNING THE SACRAMENTS

BOOK I

CHAPTER I

Why instruction on the sacraments was deferred. The "opening

of the ears. "

i. The sacraments which you have received are the theme of my discourse. To have given a reasoned account of these earlier would not have been right; x for in a Christian man faith is first. Therefore, at Rome2 the title of " faithful " is given to those who have been baptized; and also our father Abraham was justified by faith, not by works? So you received baptism, you believed. For it is wrong for me to think otherwise; for thou wouldst not have been called to grace,- had not Christ thought thee worthy of his grace.

2. Therefore, what did we do on the Saturday? What but "the opening"?4 Which mysteries of "opening" were performed, when the priest 5 touched thine ears and

1 Cf. de Myst. i. 2 (note).

* The reading "Romae" is found in most MSS. But the obvious difficulty that the name "faithful" was not peculiar to Rome suggests that there may be an error. Three MSS. read redo nomine, and the Roman edition substitutes recte ("rightly").

3 A summary of Rom. iv. 2, 3, 9.

4 Cf. de Myst. i. 3 (note).

5 The following is the use of the titles of the ministry in this work. "Deacon" is not used; its place is taken by "levite." The word presbyter is applied to the second order of the ministry. The highest order is denominated alike "bishop" and "priest" (sacerdos). In this chapter it is clear that " bishop " and

nostrils. It is this which our Lord Jesus Christ indicates in the Gospel, when a deaf and dumb 1 man was brought to him, and he touched his ears and his mouth: the ears, because he was deaf; the mouth, because he was dumb: and said, Ephpheta. It is a Hebrew word, which rendered into Latin is adaperire, that is, Be opened. The reason, therefore, that the priest touched thine ears was that thine ears might be opened to the discourse and the address of the priest.

3. But thou sayest to me, "Why the nostrils?" In that case, because he was dumb, he touched his mouth; that, since he could not speak heavenly mysteries, he might receive utterance from Christ. Also, in that case because it was a man; in our case, because women are baptized, and there is not the same purity in the servant 2 as in the Lord (for what comparison can there be, when the latter forgives sins, the former has his sins remitted?), there- fore, on account of the grace bestowed by his act and office, the bishop touches not the mouth but the nostrils; that thou mayest receive a sweet savour of eternal godli- ness, and that thou mayest say, For we are a sweet savour of Christ unto God,z as the holy Apostle said; and there may be in thee the full fragrance of faith and devotion.

"priest" are the same person (cf. §3); and it appears that throughout the book the word "priest" is applied only to the bishop. This was the older practice (T.). We find, however, occasionally in earlier times, e.g. in Tertullian, an anticipation of its later application to the presbyter, and this use of the term became generally current in the West towards the close of the fourth century. For the use of terms in de Myst. see note on ii. 6. 1 Mk. vii. 32 f. a Cf. de Myst. i. 4.

3 2 Cor. ii. 15.

CHAPTER II

The unction before baptism. Of the renunciations, and the dignity of the office of priests, who were witnesses of their baptismai promises.

4. We came to the font, thou didst enter. Consider whom thou sawest; consider what thou saidst, recall it carefully. A levite met thee, a presbyter met thee.1 Thou wast anointed as Christ's athlete; as about to wrestle in the fight of this world, thou didst profess the objects of thy wrestling. He who wrestles, has some- thing to hope for; where the contest is, there is the crown. Thou wrestlest in the world, but thou art crowned by Christ, and thou art crowned for contests in the world; for, though the reward is in heaven, yet the earning of the reward is placed here.

5. When he asked thee, " Dost thou renounce the devil and his works," what didst thou reply? "I re- nounce." " Dost thou renounce the world and its pleasures," what didst thou reply? "I renounce." Be mindful 2 of thy words, and never let the contents of thy bond pass from thy memory. If thou givest a man thy note of hand, thou art held to be under acknowledgment of receiving his money; thou art held bound, and the lender keeps thee to it, however unwilling thou mayest be. If thou deniest, thou goest before the judge, and there thou art convicted by thy bond.

6. Consider where thou didst promise, or to whom

1 Cf. de My st. ii. 6.

a This admonition is found in substance as a formula in the Milanese Ordo of Beroldus (Magistretti, p. 92), and the Manuale Ambrosianum (Magistretti, II. 467). See Thompson, Offices oj Baptism and Confirmation, p. 129. It is not quoted in the parallel passage, de Myst. ii. 5. Mr. W. -C. Bishop suggests to me that the words may have been introduced into the later Ambrosian rite from de Sacram. on the assumption that that work was com- posed by Ambrose and that the words describe a part of the service.

thou didst promise. Thou sawest a levite. But he is the minister of Christ; thou hast seen him ministering at the altar. Therefore, thy note of hand is kept, not on earth, but in heaven. Consider where thou receivest the heavenly mysteries. If the body of Christ is here, the angels are stationed here also. Where the body is, there also are the eagles,1 hast thou read in the Gospel. Where the body of Christ is, there also the eagles are wont to fly, that they may shun earthly things, pursue heavenly.

7. Why do I say this? Because men also are angels, whosoever proclaim Christ, and seem to be admitted into the place of angels. How? Take the case of the Baptist. John was born of a man and a woman. Yet hear how even he is an angel: Behold, I send my angel before thy face, and he shall prepare thy way before thee.2 Take another passage of the prophet Malachi: For the priest's lips keep knowledge, and they seek the law at his mouth: for he is the angel of God Almighty? These things are said to extol the dignity of the priest, not to claim anything for personal merits.4

8. Therefore, thou hast renounced the world, thou hast renounced this life. Be careful. A man who owes money is always considering his bond. And thou who owest faith to Christ, keep faith, which is much more precious than money; for faith is an eternal possession, money a temporal. And, therefore, always remember what thou hast promised, and thou wilt be more cautious. If thou keepest thy promise, thou wilt keep also thy bond.

1 Mt. xxiv. 28; Lk. xvii. yj.

2 Mai. iii. 1. There is a play on the word angelus which may mean either "messenger" or "angel."

3 Mai. ii. 7. Cf. de Myst. ii. 6. 4 Cf. de Myst. v. 27.

CHAPTER III

In the baptismal rite there zuas more than appeared to the

outward eye.

9. Then thou drewest near;1 thou sawest the font, thou sawest also the priest above the font. Nor can I doubt, that this may have occurred to your mind, which occurred to the Syrian Naaman; for, although he was cleansed, yet he doubted previously. Why? I will tell; listen.

10. Thou didst enter, thou sawest the water, thou sawest the priest, thou sawest a levite. Let not some one haply say, " Is this all? " Yes, it is all. It is truly all,2 where all is innocency, all is godliness, all is grace, all is sanctification. Thou hast seen all that thou couldst see with the eyes of thy body and with human vision. Thou hast not seen the things which are effected, because they cannot be seen. The things which are not seen are far greater than those which are seen; since the things which are seen are temporal, the things which are not seen are eternal?

CHAPTER IV

The sacraments of Christians are more divine, and earlier, than those of the Jews, The meaning of the Passover.

11. Therefore, let us say this first (hold my words as a pledge, and exact full payment). We marvel at

1 With this and the following section cf. de Myst. iii. 8..

* Mr. Colson suggests that, as the author in what follows con- tends that what is visible to the eye is not all that is involved in baptism, a negative answer is required. By removing the full stop after Immo est totum we get the sense, "No, the whole, the true whole, is where all is innocency."

2 Cor. iv. 18. For the quotation cf. de Myst. iii. 8.