IV.

50 Books that compose the Canon of Scripture.

LECT. without approaching one another; and he found them agreeing not in sense only, but in words. For the matter was not one of witty invention, or a contrivance of man's cunning devices; but the interpretation of the Divine Scriptures, spoken by the Holy Ghost, was, of the Holy Ghost accomplished.

φα.

Justin.

i. 65.

(22.) 35. Read the two and twenty books of these Scriptures: ȧrózgu and have nothing to do with the uncertain books. Those only study earnestly, which we read confidently even in Church. Far wiser than thou, and more devout, were the Apostles, and gorra- the ancient Bishops, the rulers of the Church, who have ravid. handed down these: thou, therefore, who art a child of the Apol. Church, trench not on their sanctions. And of the Old Testament, as hath been said, study the two and twenty books; and these, if thou art diligent, strive to remember by name, as I repeat them. Of the Law, are the first five books of Moses; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy: then Joshua the son of Nun: and the book of Judges and of Ruth, which is numbered the seventh. Of the remaining Historical books, the first and second books of Kings are among the Hebrews one book, and so the third and fourth books; and likewise the first and second books of Chronicles make one book; and the first and second books of Esdras are one; and the twelfth is the book of Esther: these are the Historical books. The books which are written in verses are five; Job, and the book of Psalms, and Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, which is the seventeenth book. After these come the five Prophetic books: the one book of the Twelve Prophets; the book of Esaias; the book of Jeremias, which with Baruch, the Lamentations, and the Epistle makes one book; then Ezekiel; and the book of Daniel is the twenty-second book of the Old Testament.

γραφα.

36. Of the New Testament, there are only the four Gospels: - the rest are forged and mischievous. The Manichæans also wrote a Gospel according to Thomas, which made acceptable with the fragrance of the evangelic name, corrupts the souls of the simpler sort. And receive also the Acts of the Twelve Apostles; and in addition to these, the seven Catholic Epistles, of James and Peter and John and Jude: and the final seal of all, and the last work of the disciples, the fourteen Epistles

of Paul. But all the rest, let them be put aside into the second rank; and what is not read in the churches, that read not by thyself, according as thou hast heard. Thus far of these things.

37. Fly also from every devilish work, and listen not to (23.) that apostate Serpent, who has of his own choice changed himself from a good nature; who can persuade those who are willing, but can force no one. And give heed neither to observations of the stars, nor to auguries, nor to omens, nor to the fabulous divinations of the Greeks. And sorcery, and the craft of charms, and their most wicked practices for calling up the dead, receive not even to listen to them. Stand aloof from every sort of intemperance, being neither a glutton, nor a lover of pleasure; raised above all covetousness, and the taking of usury. Nor throw thyself into the assemblies of the heathen spectacles: nor ever use amulets in thy sicknesses: and put away from thee also the pollution of tavern-haunting. And fall not into Judaism, nor into the sect of the Samaritans: for henceforth hath Jesus Christ ransomed thee. Abstain from all observance of Sabbaths, and from calling any indifferent meat common or unclean." Especially abhor all the assemblies of wicked heretics: and in every way make thine own soul safe, by fastings, by prayers, by alms, by reading of the divine oracles: that living in soberness and godly doctrine for the rest of thy time in the flesh, thou mayest enjoy the one salvation of the Laver of Regeneration, and having been thus listed in the heavenly hosts by God and the Father, thou mayest also be counted worthy of the heavenly crown, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

c S. Cyril keeps silence about the Apocalypse, after the usage of the early Greek Church (vid. Tillemont S. John,

66

note 9.) as the Latins with respect to
the Epistle to the Hebrews.

LECTURE V.

ON FAITH".

9.

LECT.
V.

HEBREWS xi. 1, 2.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen: for by it the elders obtained a good report.

1. How great the dignity is which the Lord bestows on you, in transferring you from the order of Catechumens to that of the Faithful, Paul the Apostle sets before you, saying, 1 Cor. 1, God is Faithful, by whom ye were called to the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ. For as God is called Faithful, thou likewise receivest this title, receiving in it a great dignity. For as God is called Good, Just, Almighty, the Artificer of Vid. In- the Universe, so also He is called Faithful; think then to how great a dignity thou art rising, being on the eve of sharing a title of God.

trod.

Lect. n.

6.

6.

2. Now then it is only required, that a man be found Prov.20, among you faithful in his conscience: for a faithful man, saith Scripture, who can find? Not that thou shouldest shew 1 Cor. 4, thy conscience to me; for thou art not to be judged of man's judgment; but that thou manifest to God a guileless faith, Ps. 7, 9. who trieth the reins and the hearts, and knoweth the thoughts Ps. 94, of men. A faithful man is something great, and wealthier than

3.

a S. Cyril treats in this and five following Lectures of the following articles in succession, which make up the Creed of Jerusalem. "I believe" (Lecture 5) in one God (6) The Father (7) Almighty (8) Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible (9) And in One Lord Jesus Christ (10) the Only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Very God by whom all things were made (11) Who was incarnate and made man (12)

crucified and buried (13) and rose from the dead the third day and ascended into the heavens, and sat down at the right hand of the Father (14) and is coming to judge quick and dead (15) And in the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, Who spake by the Prophets (16. 17) and in One Holy Catholic Church, and resurrection of the flesh, and in life everlasting (18). Milles in loc. also Ed. Benedict. p. 84.

Exercise of faith in matters of this world.

53

any wealthy. For to the faithful man belongs the whole Prov.17, 6. Sept. world of riches, in that he thinks lightly of them, and tramples them under foot. For those who in appearance are wealthy, and possess much, yet are poor in soul: for in proportion as they amass, do they pine from longing for what is still wanting. But the faithful man, most wondrously, in poverty is rich; for knowing that we need only to have raiment and food, 1 Tim. and being content with these, he has put riches under foot.

6, 8. 3. Nor is it only among us, who bear the title of Christ, (2.) that the dignity of faith is great: for likewise all that is accomplished in the world, even by those who are aliens from the Church, is accomplished by faith. By faith, marriage laws knit together persons unknown one to another: and one who is strange to us, through the faith placed in marriage compacts, becomes a sharer in strange persons and strange possessions. By faith is husbandry also upheld: for he who does not believe he shall receive a harvest, endures not its toils. By faith, sea-faring men, putting their trust in a very slender plank, exchange that most solid element the earth, for the unsteady motion of the waves; yielding themselves to uncertain hopes, and carrying with them as something surer than any anchor, their faith. By faith then most affairs of men hold together: and this not among us only, but likewise among those who are without, as hath been said; for though they receive not the Scriptures, but bring forward doctrines of their own, yet these also do they receive by faith.

6.

4. To that faith which is true, the lesson which was read today likewise calls you, setting before you, how you also must please God; for, He saith, without faith it is impossible Heb.11, to please Him. For when will a man set himself to serve God, unless he believes that He is a rewarder? When will a young woman choose a virgin life, or a young man be sober minded, unless they believe that chastity has a crown unfading? Faith is the eye which enlightens the whole conscience, and creates in it understanding; for the Prophet saith, And if ye believe not, neither shall ye understand. Is. 7, 9. Sept. Faith stops the mouths of lions, according to Daniel; for the Scripture saith concerning him, that Daniel was taken up Dan. 6, out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, 23. because he believed in his God. Is there aught more fearful

V.

LECT. than the devil? But even against him we have no other weapon than faith, an impalpable buckler against an unseen foe. For he discharges manifold darts, and shoots in the darkness those who are not watching; but, since the foe is unseen, we have, as a stout defence, faith, according to the Eph. 6, saying of the Apostle, Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. For when, as oft-times happens, a fiery dart of desire of base indulgence is hurled by the devil, faith, shadowing forth the judgment, cools the soul, and quenches it.

16.

(3.)

xxxds πρὸς τεκ νογονίαν.

19.

man,

5. Now we have many things to say concerning faith, and the whole day would not suffice us discoursing of it: for the present be we content with Abraham alone, one of the examples of the Old Testament, seeing that we also are become his sons through faith. He was justified not only by works, but by faith also: and though he did many things well, yet was he never called the friend of God, except when he believed; moreover every deed of his was perfected by faith. By faith he left his parents: by faith he abandoned country, dwelling-place, and home. As then he was justified, so be thou also justified. Further, his body was dead: for he was an old and his wife Sarah was old also, and no hope of children was left him. God promises offspring to the old Rom. 4, man: and Abraham, not being weak in faith, nor considering his own body now dead; thinking not of his body's infirmity, Heb.11, but of the power of Him who promised, and judging Him faithful who had promised, in a wondrous manner gained a child from bodies as good as dead. And when after he had gained a son, he was ordered to offer him, although he had Gen. 21, heard that, In Isaac shall thy seed be called, he offered his only-begotten son to God, believing that God was able even to raise him from the dead. So having bound his son, and laid him upon the wood, in intent he offered him, but by the goodness of God, who gave him a lamb instead of his child, he received his son alive. Wherefore, he being faithful, was Rom. 4, sealed unto righteousness, and received circumcision, the seal of the righteousness which he had yet being uncircumcised; Gen. 17, having received the promise that he should be the father of many nations.

11.

12.

11.

5.

6. How then is Abraham the father of many nations? Of