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De iis qui baptismum differunt

OF THE SAME GREGORY, TO THOSE WHO DELAY IN BAPTISM. The kings of this world, whenever they write laws that properly regulate the lives of men, entrusting them to the magistrates, through them command them to be published to their subjects, so that in this way the commands might be kept inviolate.

And the great God gave laws to the leaders of the Churches, which each year at the proper times bringing forth, we read to you, and we command you to keep what is written to the best of your ability. Behold, therefore, the good steward of all things, who revolves the years and governs the cycle of the seasons, has brought a day of salvation, on which it is our custom to call strangers to adoption, the poor to a participation in grace, those defiled by transgressions to the cleansing of sins. And this is that ancient proclamation, which preceded a little the manifestation of the Savior: "A voice of one crying 46.417 in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" And if I am neither John, nor David, yet let not the lowliness of the servant harm the power of the Lord's law. For we do not obey what is proclaimed out of reverence for the scribes of the laws; but fearing the authority of the Lawgiver, we submit to the commands. A royal grace has come, granting relief to two afflicted groups: to prisoners, release, to debtors, forgiveness. And for this reason I too, for both groups, open up the appropriate remedies; and with much confidence I promise the help that comes from care.

And so that no one may think the cure is expensive, I will name beforehand the medicines with which I heal the sick. For to some through water and the bath I guarantee health, and for others through a few tears I wipe away the sickness. For the treatment is simple, and the gift is God-sent, and truly great is the success, to be rid of chronic wounds without cautery or incision, which we suffered badly from the bites of the serpent. Come then, you who are afflicted, to your own care, and do not treat the matter with indifference. For a disease that has grown old and become chronic, becomes stronger than the art of healing. You who are poor and needy, hasten to the distribution of the royal gifts; you sheep, to the seal and the sign of the cross, the averter of evils. Give me your names, so that I may inscribe them in perceptible books, and write them with ink; but that God may mark them on incorruptible tablets, writing with His own finger, as once He did the law for the Hebrews. "Draw near to him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed. Wash yourselves, take away your sins." These things were written long ago; but the power of the letters has not grown old, but it flourishes and is strong every day. Come out of the prison, I beseech you. Hate the dark dwellings of sin. Flee the devil, as a harsh jailer, who is nourished and profits from the misfortune of sinners. For as God rejoices in our righteousness, so the author of sin delights in our transgressions. You are outside of paradise, O catechumen, sharing in the exile of Adam the forefather. But now that the door is opened for you, enter from where you came out, and do not delay, lest death intervening should block the entrance. The head at last grows white, the summer of life is near, perhaps the sickle is being sharpened against us, and I am afraid, lest while we are sleeping and occupied with vain vanities, it should come suddenly

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De iis qui baptismum differunt

ΤΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΒΡΑ∆ΥΝΟΝΤΑΣ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΒΑΠΤΙΣΜΑ. Οἱ τῆς οἰκουμένης ταύτης βασιλεῖς, ἡνίκα ἂν νόμους συγγράψωσι τοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίους καλῶς κα νονίζοντας, τοῖς ἄρχουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐγχειρίζοντες, δι' ἐκείνων κελεύουσι τοῖς ὑπηκόοις δημοσιεύεσθαι, ἵν' οὕτως ἀπαράβατα τὰ προστεταγμένα φυλάττοιτο.

Ἔδωκε δὲ ὁ μέγας Θεὸς νόμους τοῖς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἡγεμόσιν, οὓς καθ' ἕκαστον ἐνιαυτὸν ἐν τοῖς καθήκουσι χρόνοις προφέροντες, ὑπαναγινώσκομεν ὑμῖν, καὶ τηρεῖν εἰς δύναμιν τὰ γεγραμμένα κελεύο μεν. Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἀγαθὸς οἰκονόμος, ὁ τοὺς ἐνιαυτοὺς ἀνακυκλῶν καὶ κυβερνῶν τὴν τῶν χρόνων περίοδον, ἤγαγεν ἡμέραν σωτήριον, καθ' ἣν σύνηθες ἡμῖν καλεῖν εἰς υἱοθεσίαν τοὺς ξένους, εἰς χάριτος μετουσίαν τοὺς πενομένους, εἰς κάθαρσιν ἁμαρτιῶν τοὺς ἐῤῥυπωμένους τοῖς πλημμελήμασι. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἐκεῖνο κήρυγμα, τὸ προλαβὸν ὀλίγον τοῦ Σωτῆρος τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν· «Φωνὴ βοῶντος 46.417 ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ.» Εἰ δὲ μήτε Ἰωάννης, μήτε ∆αβὶδ ἐγὼ, ἀλλὰ ἡ ταπεινότης τοῦ ὑπηρέτου μὴ βλαπτέτω τοῦ ∆εσποτικοῦ νόμου τὴν δύναμιν. Οὔτε γὰρ τοὺς γραμματέας τῶν νόμων αἰδούμενοι τοῖς διηγορευμένοις πειθόμεθα· ἀλλὰ δεδοικότες τοῦ Νομοθέτου τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ὑποκύπτομεν τοῖς προστάγμασιν. Ἦλθε χάρις βασιλικὴ δυσὶ τάγμασι θλιβομένοις χαριζομένη τὴν ἄνεσιν· τοῖς δεσμώταις λύσιν, τοῖς ὀφειλέταις συγχώρησιν. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κἀγὼ ἀμφοτέροις τοῖς τάγμασιν, τὰ κατάλληλα ἰατρεῖα ἀνοίγω· καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς πεποιθήσεως ὑπισχνοῦμαι τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἐπιμελείας βοήθειαν.

Ἵνα δὲ μὴ νομίσῃ τις πολυδάπανον τὴν θεραπείαν, αὐτὰ προλέγω τὰ φάρμακα οἷς ἐξιῶμαι τοὺς κάμνοντας. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ δι' ὕδατος καὶ λουτροῦ ἐγγυῶμαι τὴν ὑγείαν, τῶν δὲ δι' ὀλίγων δακρύων ἐξαλείφω τὴν νόσον. Ἁπλῆ γὰρ ἡ μεταχείρησις, καὶ θεόπεμπτος ἡ δωρεὰ, καὶ μεγάλη ἀληθῶς ἡ ἐπιτυχία, χωρὶς καύσεως ἢ τομῆς χρονίων ἀπαλλαγῆναι τραυμάτων, ἃ κακῶς ἐπάθομεν ἐκ τῶν δηγμάτων τοῦ ὄφεως. Ἔλθετε οὖν, οἱ κεκακωμένοι, πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἐπιμέ λειαν, καὶ μὴ ῥᾳθυμίᾳ δότε τὸ πρᾶγμα. Νόσος γὰρ παλαιωθεῖσα καὶ ἐγχρονίσασα, τέχνης θεραπείας γίνεται κρείττων. Οἱ πένητες καὶ ἐνδεεῖς, σπεύσατε πρὸς τὴν διανομὴν τῶν βασιλικῶν χαρισμάτων· τὰ πρόβατα, πρὸς τὴν σφραγῖδα καὶ τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ σταυροῦ τὸ τῶν κακῶν ἀλεξητήριον. ∆ότε μοι τὰ ὀνόματα, ἵνα ἐγὼ μὲν αὐτὰ ταῖς αἰσθηταῖς ἐγχαράξω βίβλοις, καὶ γράψω τῷ μέλανι· Θεὸς δὲ ταῖς ἀφθάρτοις πλα ξὶν ἐνσημήνηται, δακτύλῳ γράψας ἰδίῳ, ὥς ποτε τοῖς Ἑβραίοις τὸν νόμον. «Προσέλθετε πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ φωτίσθητε, καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα ὑμῶν οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. Λούσασθε, ἀφέλεσθε τὰς ἁμαρτίας ὑμῶν.» Ταῦτα ἐγράφη πρὸ πολλοῦ· οὐκ ἐπαλαιώθη δὲ τῶν γραμμάτων ἡ δύναμις, ἀλλ' ἀκμάζει καὶ καθ' ἡμέραν ἰσχύει. Ἐξέλθετε τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, παρακαλῶ. Μισήσατε τὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας σκοτεινὰ οἰκητήρια. Φεύγετε τὸν διάβολον, ὡς πικρὸν δεσμοφύλακα, ἐκ τῆς συμφορᾶς τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν τρεφόμενον καὶ κερδαίνοντα. Ὡς γὰρ Θεὸς εὐφραίνεται ταῖς δικαιοσύναις ἡμῶν, οὕτως ἐφήδεται τοῖς παραπτώμασιν ὁ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αἴτιος. Ἔξω τοῦ παραδείσου τυγχάνεις, ὁ κατηχούμενος, κοινωνῶν τῆς ἐξορίας τῷ Ἀδὰμ τῷ προπάτορι. Νῦν δέ σοι τῆς θύρας ὑπανοιγομένης, εἴσελθε ὅθεν ἐξῆλθες, καὶ μὴ βραδύνῃς, μήπου θάνατος παρεμπεσὼν ἀποφρά ξῃ τὴν εἴσοδον. Ἡ κεφαλὴ λοιπὸν λευκαίνεται, τοῦ βίου τὸ θέρος ἐγγὺς, τάχα ἀκονᾶται καθ' ἡμῶν ἡ δρεπάνη, καὶ δέδοικα, μὴ καθευδόντων ἡμῶν καὶ ἐνασχολουμένων ταῖς ματαίαις ματαιότησιν, ἀθρόον ἐπιστῇ