Demonstrations · Part 39

8. The freeman who has put on, that Angel in the waters,--is as the fellow of servants, that he may be made like to the Lord,--Who became bondman unto bondmen.

9. He Who enriches all came down, and put on poverty,--that He might divide to the poor, the stores that were hidden,--out of the treasure-house of the water.

10. The lowly one again that has put on, the Giver of all greatness, in the water,--even though he be base in the sight of fools, yet is great in the sight of the Watchers,--for that he is clad in greatness.

11. For like as He Who is great, Who became lowly in His love,--by the unbelievers was persecuted, and by the Watchers was worshipped,--was made lowly and makes the lowly great.

12. Thus let him be lowly who is great, that in him the lowly may be great:--Let us be like to Him Who is greater than all, Who became less than all:--He was made lowly, and makes all men great.

13. The meek man who has put on Him Who is great, in the water,--though humble be his countenance, very great is his discernment,--for He Who is exalted above all dwells in him.

14. For who could be found to despise the bush of thorn,--the despised and humble, wherein the Majesty in fire,--made its dwelling within?

15. Who again could be found, to despise Moses,--the meek and slow of speech,--when that excelling glory--dwelt upon his meekness?

16. They that despised him despised his Lord; the wicked that despised him--the earth swallowed up in anger; the Levites who scorned Him,--the fire devoured in fury.

17. Of Him Christ commanded, "Thou shalt not call him Raca," who is baptized and has put Him on; for whoso despises the despised, despises with him the Mighty.

18. In Eden and in the world, are parables of our Lord;--and what tongue can gather, the similitudes of His mysteries?--for He is figured all of Him in all things.

19. In the Scriptures He is written of; on Nature He is impressed;--His crown is figured in kings, in prophets His truth, His atonement in priests.

20. In the rod was He of Moses, and in the hyssops of Aaron,--and in the crown of David: to the prophets pertains His similitude, to the Apostles His Gospel.

21. Revelations beheld Thee, proverbs looked for Thee,--mysteries expected Thee, similitudes saluted Thee, parables showed types of Thee.

22. The Covenant of Moses looked forward to the Gospel:--all things of old time, flew on and alighted thereon, in the new Covenant.

23. Lo! the prophets have poured out on Him, their glorious mysteries;--the priests and kings have poured out upon Him, their wonderful types:--they all have poured them out on all of Him.

24. Christ overcame and surpassed, by His teachings the mysteries,--by His interpretations the parables; as the sea into its midst--receives all streams.

25. For Christ is the sea, and He can receive--the fountains and brooks, the rivers and streams, that flow from the midst of the Scriptures.

Hymn V.

(Resp.--Blessed be He that ordained baptism, for the atonement of the sons of Adam!)

1. Descend, my brethren, put on from the waters of baptism the Holy Spirit;--be joined with the spirits that minister to the Godhead!

2. For lo! He is the fire that secretly, seals also His flock,--by the Three spiritual Names, wherein the Evil One is put to flight.

3. John when he cried and said "This is the Lamb of God,"--thereby showed concerning the Gentiles that they are Abraham's children.

4. This is he that testified of our Saviour, that with fire and the Spirit He should baptize.--Lo! the fire and the Spirit, my brethren, in the baptism of truth.

5. For greater is Baptism than Jordan that little river;--for that in streams of water and oil, the misdeeds of all men are washed out.

6. Elisha by seven times washing, cleansed Naaman's leprosy:--in Baptism are cleansed the secret misdeeds in the soul.

7. Moses baptized the People in the midst of the sea, yet availed not--to wash their heart within, that was full of the defilements of misdeeds.

8. Lo! the priest in the likeness of Moses purges the defilements of the soul;--and with oil of anointing, lo! he seals new lambs for the Kingdom.

9. Samuel anointed David to be king among the People:--but lo! the priest anoints you to be heirs in the Kingdom.

10. For with the armour that David put on, after the anointing he fought--and laid low the giant who sought to subdue Israel.

11. Lo! again in the chrism of Christ, and in the armour that is from the water--the haughtiness of the Evil One is humbled, who sought to subdue the Gentiles.

12. By the water that flowed from the rock, the thirst of the People was quenched. Lo! in the fountain of Christ, the thirst of the peoples is quenched.

13. The rod of Moses opened the rock, and the streams flowed forth; and they were refreshed by its draught, who had grown faint with thirst.

14. Lo! from the side of Christ flowed the stream that bestowed life.--The Gentiles drank that were weary, and in it forgot their pains.

15. With Thy dew besprinkle my vileness, and my crimes in Thy blood shall be atoned!--And I shall be, O my Lord, at Thy right hand, and with Thy Saints I shall be joined!

Hymn VI.

(Resp.--Blessed be He Who was baptized that He might baptize you, that ye should be absolved from your offences.)

1. The Spirit came down from on high,--and hallowed the waters by His brooding.--In the baptism of John,--He passed by the rest and abode on One:--but now He has descended and abode,--on all that are born of the water.

2. Out of all that John baptized,--on One it was that the Spirit dwelt:--but now He has flown and come down,--that He may dwell on the many;--and as each after each comes up,--He loves him and abides on him.

3. A marvel it is that surpasses all!--To the water He went down and was baptized.--The seas declared it blessed,--that river wherein Thou wast baptized:--even the waters that were in heaven envied,--because they were not worthy to be Thy bath.