VI.  Light was also the firstborn commandment given to the firstborn man (for the commandment of the Law is a lamp and a light;13    Prov. vi. 23. and again, Because Thy judgments are a light upon the earth);14    Ps. cxix. 105. although the envious darkness crept in and wrought wickedness.  And a Light typical and proportionate to those who were its subjects was the written law, adumbrating the truth and the sacrament of the great Light, for Moses’ face was made glorious by it.15    Exod. xxxiv. 30.  And, to mention more Lights—it was Light that appeared out of Fire to Moses, when it burned the bush indeed, but did not consume it,16    Ib. iii. 2. to shew its nature and to declare the power that was in it.  And it was Light that was in the pillar of fire that led Israel and tamed the wilderness.17    Ex. xiii. 21.  It was Light that carried up Elias in the car of fire,18    2 Kings ii. 11. and yet did not burn him as it carried him.  It was Light that shone round the Shepherds19    Luke ii. 9. when the Eternal Light was mingled with the temporal.  It was Light that was the beauty of the Star that went before to Bethlehem to guide the Wise Men’s way,20    Matt. ii. 9. and to be the escort of the Light That is above us, when He came amongst us.  Light was That Godhead Which was shewn upon the Mount to the disciples—and a little too strong for their eyes.21    Luke ix. 32, 34.  Light was That Vision which blazed out upon Paul,22    Acts ix. 3. and by wounding his eyes healed the darkness of his soul.  Light is also the brilliancy of heaven to those who have been purified here, when the righteous shall shine forth as the Sun,23    Matt. xiii. 43. and God shall stand in the midst of them,24    Wisd. iii. 7. gods and kings, deciding and distinguishing the ranks of the Blessedness of heaven.  Light beside these in a special sense is the illumination of Baptism of which we are now speaking; for it contains a great and marvellous sacrament of our salvation.

#2ʹ. Φῶς μὲν ἦν καὶ ἡ τῷ πρωτογόνῳ δοθεῖσα πρωτόγονος ἐντολὴ (ἐπειδὴ, Λύχνος ἐντολὴ νόμου καὶ φῶς: καὶ διότι, Φῶς τὰ προστάγματά σου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς), εἰ καὶ τὸ φθονερὸν σκότος ἐπεισελθὸν τὴν κακίαν ἐδημιούργησεν: φῶς δὲ τυπικὸν καὶ σύμμετρον τοῖς ὑποδεχομένοις, ὁ γραπτὸς νόμος, σκιαγραφῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ τὸ τοῦ μεγάλου φωτὸς μυστήριον: εἴπερ καὶ τὸ Μωϋσέως πρόσωπον τούτῳ δοξάζεται. Καὶ ἵνα πλείονα φῶτα δῶμεν τῷ λόγῳ, φῶς μὲν ἦν ἐκ πυρὸς τῷ Μωϋσεῖ φανταζόμενον, ἡνίκα τὴν βάτον ἔκαιε μὲν, οὐ κατέκαιε δὲ, ἵνα καὶ τὴν φύσιν παραδείξῃ, καὶ γνωρίσῃ τὴν δύναμιν: φῶς δὲ, τὸ ἐν στύλῳ πυρὸς ὁδηγῆσαν τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἡμερῶσαν τὴν ἔρημον: φῶς, τὸ Ἡλίαν ἁρπάσαν ἐν τῷ τοῦ πυρὸς ἅρματι, καὶ μὴ συμφλέξαν τὸν ἁρπαζόμενον: φῶς, τὸ τοὺς ποιμένας περιαστράψαν, ἡνίκα τὸ ἄχρονον φῶς τῷ χρονικῷ ἐμίγνυτο: φῶς, τὸ τοῦ προδραμόντος ἀστέρος ἐπὶ Βηθλεὲμ κάλλος, ἵνα καὶ Μάγους ὁδηγήσῃ, καὶ δορυφορήσῃ τὸ ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς φῶς, μεθ' ἡμῶν γενόμενον φῶς, ἡ παραδειχθεῖσα θεότης ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους τοῖς μαθηταῖς, μικροῦ στεῤῥοτέρα δὲ ὄψεως: φῶς, ἡ Παῦλον περιαστράψασα φαντασία, καὶ πληγῇ τῶν ὄψεων, τὸν σκότον τῆς ψυχῆς θεραπεύσασα: φῶς, καὶ ἡ ἐκεῖθεν λαμπρότης, τοῖς ἐνταῦθα κεκαθαρμένοις, ἡνίκα ἐκλάμψουσιν οἱ δίκαιοι ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, ὧν ἵσταται ὁ Θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ, θεῶν ὄντων καὶ βασιλέων, διαστέλλων καὶ διαιρῶν τὰς ἀξίας τῆς ἐκεῖθεν μακαριότητος: φῶς παρὰ ταῦτα ἰδιοτρόπως, ὁ τοῦ βαπτίσματος φωτισμὸς, περὶ οὗ νῦν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος, μέγα καὶ θαυμαστὸν τὸ τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν περιέχων μυστήριον.