Oration XLV. The Second Oration on Easter.

 I.  I will stand upon my watch, saith the venerable Habakkuk and I will take my post beside him today on the authority and observation which was give

 II.  The Lord’s Passover, the Passover, and again I say the Passover to the honour of the Trinity.  This is to us a Feast of feasts and a Solemnity of

 III.  God always was and always is, and always will be or rather, God always Is.

 IV.  And when Infinity is considered from two points of view, beginning and end (for that which is beyond these and not limited by them is Infinity),

 V.  But since this movement of Self-contemplation alone could not satisfy Goodness, but Good must be poured out and go forth beyond Itself, to multipl

 VI.  Thus then and for these reasons, He gave being to the world of thought, as far as I can reason on these matters, and estimate great things in my

 VII.  Mind then and sense, thus distinguished from each other, had remained within their own boundaries, and bore in themselves the magnificence of th

 VIII.  This being He placed in paradise—whatever that paradise may have been (having honoured him with the gift of free will, in order that good might

 IX.  And having first been chastened by many means because his sins were many, whose root of evil sprang up through divers causes and sundry times, by

 X.  But perhaps some one of those who are too impetuous and festive may say, “What has all this to do with us?  Spur on your horse to the goal talk t

 XI.  But before our time the Holy Apostle declared that the Law was but a shadow of things to come, which are conceived by thought.  And God too, who

 XII.  But we, standing midway between those whose minds are utterly dense on the one side, and on the other those who are very contemplative and exalt

 XIII.  Thus then and for this cause the written Law came in, gathering us into Christ and this is the account of the Sacrifices as I account for them

 XIV.  What more?  The First Month is introduced, or rather the beginning of months, whether it was so among the Hebrews from the beginning, or was mad

 XV.  Then comes the Sacred Night, the Anniversary of the confused darkness of the present life, into which the primæval darkness is dissolved, and all

 XVI.  Well, let them lament we will feed on the Lamb toward evening—for Christ’s Passion was in the completion of the ages because too He communicat

 XVII.  Nor would it be right for us to pass over the manner of this eating either, for the Law does not do so, but carries its mystical labour even to

 XVIII.  And let the loins of the unreasoning animals be unbound and loose, for they have not the gift of reason which can overcome pleasure (it is not

 XIX.  And as to shoes , let him who is about to touch the Holy Land which the feet of God have trodden, put them off, as Moses did upon the Mount, the

 XX.  What sayest thou?  Thus it hath pleased Him that thou shouldest come forth out of Egypt, the iron furnace that thou shouldest leave behind the i

 XXI.  If you are a Rachel or a Leah, a patriarchal and great soul, steal whatever idols of your father you can find not, however, that you may keep t

 XXII.   Now we are to examine another fact and dogma, neglected by most people, but in my judgment well worth enquiring into.  To Whom was that Blood

 XXIII.  Now we will partake of a Passover which is still typical though it is plainer than the old one.  For that is ever new which is now becoming k

 XXIV.  If you are a Simon of Cyrene, take up the Cross and follow.  If you are crucified with Him as a robber, penitent

 XXV.  And if He ascend up into Heaven, ascend with Him.  Be one of those angels who escort Him, or one of those who receive Him.  Bid the gates be lif

 XXVI.   To this what will those cavillers say, those bitter reasoners about Godhead, those detractors of all things that are praiseworthy, those darke

 XXVII.  He was sent, but sent according to His Manhood (for He was of two Natures), since He was hungry and thirsty and weary, and was distressed and

 XXVIII.  It is now needful for us to sum up our discourse as follows:  We were created that we might be made happy.  We were made happy when we were c

 XXIX.  Many indeed are the miracles of that time:  God crucified the sun darkened and again rekindled for it was fitting that the creatures should s

 XXX.  But, O Pascha, great and holy and purifier of all the world—for I will speak to thee as to a living person—O Word of God and Light and Life and

XXIV.  If you are a Simon of Cyrene,77    Mark xv. 21. take up the Cross and follow.  If you are crucified with Him as a robber,78    Luke xxiii. 42. acknowledge God as a penitent robber.  If even He was numbered among the transgressors79    Isa. liii. 12. for you and your sin, do you become law-abiding for His sake.  Worship Him Who was hanged for you, even if you yourself are hanging; make some gain even from your wickedness; purchase salvation by your death; enter with Jesus into Paradise,80    Luke xxiii. 43. so that you may learn from what you have fallen.81    Rev. ii. 5.  Contemplate the glories that are there; let the murderer die outside with his blasphemies; and if you be a Joseph of Arimathæa,82    Luke xxiii. 52. beg the Body from him that crucified Him, make thine own that which cleanses the world.83    1 John i. 7.  If you be a Nicodemus, the worshipper of God by night, bury Him with spices.84    John xix. 39.  If you be a Mary, or another Mary, or a Salome, or a Joanna, weep in the early morning.  Be first to see the stone taken away,85    Ib. xx. 11, etc. and perhaps you will see the Angels and Jesus Himself.  Say something; hear His Voice.  If He say to you, Touch Me not,86    Ib. xxi. 17. stand afar off; reverence the Word, but grieve not; for He knoweth those to whom He appeareth first.  Keep the feast of the Resurrection; come to the aid of Eve who was first to fall, of Her who first embraced the Christ, and made Him known to the disciples.  Be a Peter or a John; hasten to the Sepulchre, running together, running against one another, vying in the noble race.87    Ib. xx. 3, 4.  And even if you be beaten in speed, win the victory of zeal; not Looking into the tomb, but Going in.  And if, like a Thomas, you were left out when the disciples were assembled to whom Christ shews Himself, when you do see Him be not faithless;88    Ib. xx. 25. and if you do not believe, then believe those who tell you; and if you cannot believe them either, then have confidence in the print of the nails.  If He descend into Hell,89    1 Pet. iii. 19. descend with Him.  Learn to know the mysteries of Christ there also, what is the providential purpose of the twofold descent, to save all men absolutely by His manifestation, or there too only them that believe.

ΚΔʹ. Ἂν Σίμων ἦς Κυρηναῖος, τὸν σταυρὸν ἆρον, καὶ ἀκολούθησον. Ἂν συσταυρωθῇς ὡς λῃστὴς, ὡς εὐγνώμων τὸν Θεὸν γνώρισον: εἰ κἀκεῖνος μετὰ ἀνόμων ἐλογίσθη διὰ σὲ καὶ τὴν σὴν ἁμαρτίαν, σὺ γενοῦ δι' ἐκεῖνον ἔννομος. Προσκύνησον τὸν διὰ σὲ κρεμασθέντα, καὶ κρεμάμενος: κέρδανόν τι καὶ παρὰ τῆς κακίας: ὤμνησαι τῷ θανάτῳ τὴν σωτηρίαν: εἰς τὸν παράδεισον εἴσελθε μετὰ Ἰησοῦ, ὥστε μαθεῖν ὧν ἐκπέπτωκας: Τὰ ἐκεῖ κάλλη θεώρησον: τὸν γογγυστὴν ἄφες ἀποθανεῖν ἔξω, μετὰ τῆς βλασφημίας. Κἂν Ἰωσὴφ ᾖς ὁ ἀπὸ Ἀριμαθαίας, αἴτησαι τὸ σῶμα παρὰ τοῦ σταυροῦντος: σὸν γενέσθω τὸ τοῦ κόσμου καθάρσιον. Κἂν Νικόδημος ᾖς, ὁ νυκτερινὸς θεοσεβὴς, μύροις αὐτὸν ἐνταφίασον. Κἂν Μαρία τις ᾖς, κἂν ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία, κἂν Σαλώμη, κἂν Ἰωάννα, δάκρυσον ὀρθρία. Ἴδε πρώτη τὸν λίθον ἡρμένον, τυχὸν δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους, καὶ Ἰησοῦν αὐτόν. Φθέγξαι τι: φωνῆς ἄκουσον. Ἂν ἀκούσῃς. Μή μου ἅπτου, πόῤῥω στῆθι, σεβάσθητι τὸν Λόγον, ἀλλὰ μὴ λυπηθῇς. Οἶδε γὰρ οἷς ὀφθῇ πρῶτον. Ἐγκαίνισον τὴν ἀνάστασιν: τῇ Εὔᾳ βοήθησον, τῇ πρώτῃ πεσούσῃ, τῇ πρώτῃ Τριστὸν ἀσπάσασθαι, καὶ γνωρίσαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς. Γενοῦ Πέτρος, ἢ Ἰωάννης: ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον ἐπείχθητι, ἀντιτρέχων, συντρέχων, τὴν καλὴν ἅμιλλαν ἁμιλλώμενος. Κἂν προληφθῇς τῷ τάχει, τῇ σπουδῇ νίκησον μὴ παρακύψας εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, ἀλλ' ἔνδον γενόμενος. Κἂν ὡς Θωμᾶς ἀπολειφθῇς, τῶν μαθητῶν συνηγμένων, οἷς Χριστὸς ἐμφανίζεται, ὅταν ἴδῃς, μὴ ἀπιστήσῃς: κἂν ἀπιστήσῃς, τοῖς λέγουσι πίστευσον: εἰ δὲ μηδὲ τούτοις, τοῖς τύποις τῶν ἥλων πιστώθητι. Ἂν εἰς ᾅδου κατίῃ, συγκάτελθε. Γνῶθι καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖσε τοῦ Χριστοῦ μυστήρια, τίς ἡ οἰκονομία τῆς διπλῆς καταβάσεως, τίς ὁ λόγος: ἁπλῶς σώζει πάντας ἐπιφανεὶς, ἢ κακεῖ τοὺς πιστεύοντας.