But this type was fulfilled by the future; for, when after the coming of the Only one in the flesh the Spirit was poured out, the grace that was upon Moses was darkened, and the fire of the torch of the law, when brought near to the gospel, is extinguished by the all-brilliant rays of the Sun of righteousness. > > CXIV. ---- OF THE HOLY MAR SEVERUS FROM THE LETTER TO MITRAEUS 1157.
[519-38.] When he was about to deliver Jerusalem to utter destruction on account of the abundance of evil things that were done in it, and showed the prophet Ezekiel the form that such wrath was to take, and sent forth the angels who performed this office, one executor of these things he commanded|449 thus: «Pass through the midst of Jerusalem, and give forth a mark on the foreheads of the men who groan and are distressed, on account of all the unlawful acts that have been done within her»; and to the others he said, «Go after him and destroy and spare not; and have no mercy on old man and on young man and virgins; and the old men and the women slay utterly; and begin with my holy ones; but those that have the mark upon them approach not» 1158. The expression, 'begin with my holy ones' shows 1159 this, that there were men who were very proud of the garb of the high-priesthood, and on account of the place of the temple and the sanctuary were much puffed up, but were devoid of good deeds ; and therefore he tells the tormenting angels to make a beginning with those who ought to have conducted themselves in such a way as to be able to stretch out their hands to God on behalf of others also who sin, and restrain the threat and the punishment impending over them.1160 |450
> > CXV. ---- OF MAR SEVERUS, FROM THE LETTER TO HERACLIANA 1161.
[519-25.] But Isaiah 1162 also the prophet, beholding beforehand with foreseeing eyes the holy order of the monks, who take upon themselves the voluntary distresses for the sake of the law of the Lord, said that their tribulation was offered to God in place of sacrifices and offerings, in that he wrote thus: «At that time there shall come up offerings to the Lord of Sabaoth from a people distressed and plucked»1163. But the word 'plucked' shows the abundance of the distresses; for, if one grasp the hair of a man's head, and pluck this out by force, one causes him intolerable pain and injury. Wherefore also the great Job too, when he wished to show the abundance of his own pains, said, «Having grasped me by my locks he tore» (or «plucked») «me» 1164. Accordingly therefore, since you have been marked for such a life, you ought to have souls ready and prepared for every trial that is thought to be hard. |451
> > CXVI. (XXVII) ---- OF THE HOLY SEVERUS FROM THE TREATISE AGAINST THE CODICILS OF ALEXANDER; AFTER ITS TWO PARTS (?). (XXVII)
(To John, Theodore, and John) 1165.
Accordingly therefore, since you have been marked for such a life, you ought to have souls ready and prepared for every trial that is thought to be hard. |451
> > CXVI. (XXVII) ---- OF THE HOLY SEVERUS FROM THE TREATISE AGAINST THE CODICILS OF ALEXANDER; AFTER ITS TWO PARTS (? ). (XXVII)
(To John, Theodore, and John) 1165.
[519-38.] But he 1166 says concerning what is written in Matthew, «Many bodies of the saints who slept arose» 1167: «For, if 'many', it is plain that all did not; and, if 'saints', it is beyond controversy that those of wicked men and. men who died in sins did not also rise».
[519-38. ] But he 1166 says concerning what is written in Matthew, «Many bodies of the saints who slept arose» 1167: «For, if 'many', it is plain that all did not; and, if 'saints', it is beyond controversy that those of wicked men and. men who died in sins did not also rise».
(And a little farther on.) For this also is the reason for which he said that they 'appeared to many', to show the object for which they rose, and through a thing that is manifest to make known something that is not manifest, whom Christ's descent into Sheol benefited, viz. the saints who had already purified their soul. For, when he went thither, he made proclamation to the spirits in prison also who had aforetime been disobedient according to the statement of the apostle Peter 1168. And to all alike he appeared, having broken gates of bronze and shattered bars of iron as it is written 1169. But all did not know him, nor benefit by his appearance, but those |452 only who lived uprightly, who also, if he had appeared to them while they were still living the life in the flesh would certainly have believed on him. (And lower down.) But that all did not rise at that time with Christ, nor all who had died benefit by his descent into Sheol, although he himself appeared and made proclamation to all alike, but those who had already purified their soul as we have said, and therefore knew him and believed, Gregory the Theologian in the sermon on the Passover handed down, after expanding the question as is proper in what he added, writing thus 1170: «If he go down to Sheol go down with him. Know the mysteries there, what is the economy of the double descent 1171, what the principle. Does he simply save all by appearing, or there also those who believe 1172?» And Ignatius the truly God-clad and martyr, who, or some other man 1173, saw ineffable mysteries, so that he was even careful to say of himself, and this with humble mind, «For I also in that I am hound and am able to understand |453 the heavenly things and the angelic locations, and the princely companies, visible and again invisible, am not thereby a disciple» 1174, in writing to those at Magnesia said thus: «For the divine prophets lived in Jesus Christ; therefore also they were persecuted, being inspired by his grace in order that the incredulous might be persuaded that there is one God who revealed himself through Jesus Christ his Son»; and a little further on: «How shall we able to live without him? whom the prophets also, being his disciples in the spirit, expected as a teacher, and therefore he whom they rightly awaited, when he came, raised them from the place of the dead» 1175. You see that those who like the prophets lived in Jesus Christ, that is in justice and saintly deeds, benefited by our Saviour's descent into Sheol; many of whose bodies arose, and appeared for the confirmation only of the power of him who went down into the lower parts of the earth as I said, not to give the recompense of the resurrection that is promised to all together, on the day of the righteous recompensing.
(And lower down.) «For to this end it was preached to the dead also, that |454 they may be judged in the flesh as men, but live in God in the spirit» 1176. For it was not to the just, but chiefly to sinners and those sunk in transgression that the gospel was proclaimed, that they might judge themselves, humanly publishing a sentence against themselves and judging the flesh, and bringing their soul into subjection by works of repentance and urging it to escape from the divine judgment, since there is also fear of falling into the hands of the living God 1177, in order that they might be judged in the flesh as men (that is, that a man in mercy on his soul might judge himself), but live in God in the spirit.
> > CXVII. ---- OF THE SAME HOLY SEVERUS, FROM THE HYPOMESTIKA TO CAESARIA THE HYPATISSA, FROM THE Ist BOOK FROM THE 20th HYPOMNESTIKON 1178, SPEAKING ABOUT THE DEPARTED.
[519-38.] But they are conscious of services and prayers, and especially those that are made over the bloodless sacrifice on behalf of their life; and assuredly |455 some consolation results to them in proportion to the measure of each man's character. And they are conscious too of alms given to the poor on their behalf; for they also are a rational sacrifice as Paul teaches this and says, «To give alms and to impart forget not; for such sacrifices please God»1179. For that those who have fallen asleep in Christ are conscious of these things the ritual also which was handed down to the churches from of old by the apostles and from the beginning to the present day clearly witnesses; for the deacon makes proclamation to those who are standing while the bloodless sacrifice is being offered that they are to make supplication on behalf of those who have fallen asleep, and on behalf of those on whose behalf they are making commemorations and alms. But it is not lawful for us to say that any of the things enjoined in the holy churches is useless or vain.
Of the same holy Severus, from the same 20th hypomnestikon.
But it is not lawful for us to say that any of the things enjoined in the holy churches is useless or vain. Of the same holy Severus, from the same 20th hypomnestikon.
From the God-inspired Scripture we learn that in the resurrection both the just shall see the just and the sinners the sinners; but the just also |456 shall see the sinners who have conducted themselves in a manner opposite to their own being sent to the endless torments, and the sinners also shall gaze from afar at the righteous who have been injured by them enjoying pleasures. And this is a kind of punishment which they will bear in addition to their torments in the pains, that of being tormented by remorse, and then they will know from what good things they have fallen. These things the Lord taught us in the gospel as in an image and type delineated beforehand, by means of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Lazarus, having been justified by endurance in the distresses of poverty, was known by righteous Abraham, and was resting in his bosom; and the rich man also when judgment was being exacted from him for his sins, and his mercilessness towards Lazarus, while he was in the flame that is not quenched, from afar saw and knew Lazarus. This the Book of Wisdom also shows, in that it clearly depicts the wicked as knowing on the day of judgment the just who have been set at naught and evil entreated by them; and it speaks thus: «And they shall come to perception of their sins in fear; and their iniquity shall stand up against them and reprove them. Then shall the just man stand up with great boldness against the face of those who afflicted him and spurned his labour. They shall see |457 and be troubled with sore fear, and they shall be amazed at the greatness of his salvation. And repenting in their soul they shall say, and in affliction of spirit they shall groan and say, 'This was he who was then to us fools for a derision and a parable and a reproach. His life we counted folly, and his death contemptible. How is it that he hath been counted among the sons of God and his inheritance is with the saints? Did we then err from the way of truth, and did the light of justice not shine upon us? '» 1180 Lo! therefore they of whom we speak, who were friends to one another with the evil friendship that is of perdition, on the last day at the judgment shall recognise one another, and the just man, whom in this world they senselessly set at naught and derided, they shall see to have been counted among the sons of God and to be receiving inheritance with the saints; and so thereafter they shall be separated, the one party to the outer darkness as it is written 1181, or to the fire that is not quenched, or to the gnashing of teeth and to the weeping and to the worm that undyingly torments, and to judgments that are sent in such forms, and the other to the blessed abodes in the kingdom of heaven. For the words «Let the wicked man be taken away that he see not the glory of the Lord» 1182 are spoken with this meaning, that he shall not |458 share in the glory of the Lord that is given to his just ones.
Though 1183 they shall not come lo judgment nor stand before the judgment-seat of Christ according to what is stated by the psalmist: «Therefore the wicked shall not stand in judgment»1184, yet still they will be aware what glory the just are enjoying, and of what they themselves have been deprived on account of their unbelief, in order that they may be tormented by this also. That it is the custom of Scripture to use the expression 'see' in place of 'share' or 'have experience' is made known by that which is stated by David also, «May the Lord bless thee out of Zion, and mayest thou look upon the good things of Jerusalem»1185. And Ezekiel the prophet shows that the grievous tyrants of the different peoples and the soldiers with them, who did evil with one another and armed themselves in sins, shall also be together in the eternal torments; for he said, «There is Assyria, and all his concourse»; and again, «There is Elam and all his host»; and further on, «There were given Moshach and Thubel, and all their host»1186. But that those who have lived uprightly will know those whom they love in the future life Isaiah |459 the prophet clearly cries, in that he terms them deer, inasmuch as by means of their struggles against passions they trampled upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the the adversary (for a deer is a serpent-slaying animal); for he said thus: «There the does met one another, and saw one another's face. They passed over in number and none of them perished. They sought not one another, because the Lord commanded them, and his spirit gathered them»1187. And kinsmen shall know kinsmen, as the sacred Scripture teaches us, saying of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob who died, in one place, «he was added to his fathers», in another, «he was added to his kin», and again, «he was added to his people»1188. And David the wise, who as a prophet was initiated in and saw the future hope beforehand, when he had buried his son, bathed and anointed himself, and changed his garments, and set out a table, saying, «Wherefore do I fast? Shall I be able to bring him back any more? I shall go to him, but he himself will not return to me»1189. He would not suddenly have been converted from that mournful sorrow to such great cheerfulness unless he had been assured that he should see the boy again living in the resurrection. The |460 doctors of the church, weaving words of consolation from these and similar thoughts and from scriptural indications, persuaded fathers and mothers who were mourning beyond measure that in the resurrection they would see and receive their children who had died, and in like manner kinsmen and friends.
> > CXVIII. ---- FRAGMENT OF A LETTER OF SEVERUS TO SOTERIC OF CAESAREA, FROM THE COPTIC. 1190
Apa Severus to Soteric, [the] bishop of Cappadocia. But the Christ-loving and revered general 1191 Patrick rose and said to him in righteous anger, «A synod that everyone has rejected it does not befit you to bring up afresh by the minute which you have drawn up». He answered and |461 said, «But I for my part will bring up nothing that may prejudice the synod. As for that minute, I drew it up at the bidding of the devout king, being desirous to bring certain monasteries into the faith with us». But I answered and said, «His majesty did not know that you were desirous of confirming the synod by that minute. The revered and Christ-loving patrician Paul the son of Vivian 1192 answered and said, «And in order to reconcile four or five monasteries to yourself you will dissolve the whole unity of the churches». The bishop Julian 1193 also said to him, «Must we needs draw up that minute, because you desire to reconcile the monasteries to yourself? And who constrained you to receive oaths and signatures from the bishops whom you from time to time ordain, that they would accept the synod of Chalcedon?» |462
APPENDIX
> > A CANON CONCERNING THE HOLY AND GREAT SEVERUS PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH IN SYRIA WHICH IS PERFORMED ON THE 8th OF FEBRUARY, AND IS IN THE 4th OBLIQUE TONE.
The 1st hymn. Praise the glorious Lord.
The rod which was cleft 1194 divided the indivisible sea and the sun saw land which had never seen it; and it whelmed the iniquitous foeman in the water of the deep, and Israel passed through by a road that had not been trodden, singing a hymn and saying, «Let us praise the Lord God for he is gloriously splendid and glorious» 1195.
Who is able and sufficient as is meet to praise thy triumphs, O saintly and blessed Severus? For they overcome and surpass all intelligence and reason and knowledge. Thee Christ raised up as a champion of the orthodox faith, Christ whom also thou didst praise 'for he is gloriously splendid and glorious'. |463
Since thou first receivedst the seal of light, thou didst never consent to defile this by the lusts of the world, but straightway betookest thyself to the life of asceticism and didst commune with Christ the King, the Saviour of all created things, whom also thou didst praise 'for he is gloriously splendid and glorious'.
My heart hath been strengthened.
Thou art the strength and confirmation of them that hope in thee. Lord of all, thou art the light of them that are in darkness and to thee my spirit maketh confession without ceasing.
My heart hath been strengthened. Thou art the strength and confirmation of them that hope in thee. Lord of all, thou art the light of them that are in darkness and to thee my spirit maketh confession without ceasing.
Thou art the strength of the truth, thou art the sound prop. Thou art the pillar and the foundation of the churches and we honour the day of thy commemoration.
Thou didst raise up and confirm the right faith in the churches which were torn by heresies, our father, and we honour the day of thy commemoration.
Lord, I have heard.
Thou rodest in procession upon horses which are those who please thee, |464 Lord of all, and with strength thou didst hold these reins in thine hands and they became as it were a great salvation in that comeliness becometh (?) 1196 them that cry in faith «Praise to the might of thy being, Lord of all».
That wolf once attacked as one that is bold when Justinian overthrew and expelled the party of the orthodox; but Severus opposed him in the mind of the Lord, and by the shafts of his words rescued and saved the flock that was being despoiled.
Thou didst set up and strengthen the right teachings of the faith without blame, having thrust away alike the cleavage and the confusion of those who foolishly dared io divide or confound, in that thou taughtest us rightly to proclaim the doctrine of one incarnate nature.
In the night my soul.
Give light to us all, Lord, by thy life-giving commands, and, leading us with thine exalted arm, grant thy peace to our souls, merciful one.
Supplicate, saintly one, on behalf of the members of the holy church, that |465 they may quickly in mercy be at peace and be united, and through thy prayer be delivered from the assaults of heresies.
Arise saintly one now also to defend the flock which hath fled to thee for refuge, and restrain by the might of thy prayer the treacherous wolves of all the heresies, who are howling to break it in pieces, and make them cease from it.
Thou confessedst the incarnate Word to be one hypostasis. and nature only, that was in no wise divided or changed; and therefore the believers zealously honour the day of thy commemoration.
«I cried unto the Lord» 1197.
I pour out my prayer before God, and to him I reveal and declare my distress, because my soul hath been filled with evil things, and my very life hath approached and reached Sheol. Lift me up from destruction, my God, like Jonah from beneath the sea and save me.
Thou passedst wisely through the grievous storm of this perturbed world, holding the definition of the orthodox faith, and now in heaven thou dwellest with the saints because thou showedst thyself a strenuous defender of the teachings that are full of life, O blessed one. |466
Lift me up from destruction, my God, like Jonah from beneath the sea and save me. Thou passedst wisely through the grievous storm of this perturbed world, holding the definition of the orthodox faith, and now in heaven thou dwellest with the saints because thou showedst thyself a strenuous defender of the teachings that are full of life, O blessed one. |466
In knowledge and in a life of virtue, as in these two things 1198 thou didst glitter and shine brightly, while thou wast eminent in all things, and didst urge all nations to come to the faith and diligently admonish everyone with thy sound words, O blessed one.
«Blessed art thou»1199.
Once that tyrant commanded and provided the furnace to be heated in the plain of Dura to burn those who feared God, the furnace in which the three boys, having been made like to the one God, uttered a triple song of praise and said, «God of our saintly fathers, blessed art thou»2.
When Marcian once set up the evil invocation of two natures to overthrow the orthodox, thereby, our father, thou becamest more illustrious in that thou didst urge and teach all men to cry and say, «God of our saintly fathers, blessed art thou».
Thou showedst thyself an approved one among the doctors, O saintly Severus, and with them thou didst profess and proclaim and fill the world with the right doctrines and saidst, «The Son, the Word who became |467 incarnate, is one nature and hypostasis» and taughtest us to cry and to say, «God of our saintly fathers, blessed art thou».
«Bless, all ye» 1200.
Praise him who was glorified on the holy mountain, and in the flame in the bush figured beforehand and showed to Moses by a miracle the mystery of the Virgin, the Lord of all, and exalt him without ceasing for ever and ever.
Praise him who bestowed such a luminary upon his church, one who stood forth as an advocate of the right doctrines, and in all his contests was shown as victor, the Lord of all.
Thou becamest a teacher of the apostolic faith, and a subverter of the heresy that is full of impiety, thou who didst never divide Christ the Son, but who didst confess him. Praise the Lord of all.
«My soul magnifieth»1201.
Thee we confess to be verily the God-bearer in whom we have been saved |468 and delivered, O pure Virgin, and 1202 together with the bodiless hosts we all magnify thee.
We who have been enlightened through thee proclaim thee to be verily the teacher of orthodoxy, and therefore the church and all its children honou-reth the day of thy commemoration.
Truly thou art the invariable image of all the orthodox teachers, carrying their doctrine and their manner of life at the same time, saintly Severus.
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