TRANSLATIONS OF CHRISTIAN LITERATURE FIFTY SPIRITUAL HOMILIES OF ST. MACARIUS THE EGYPTIAN A. J. MASON, D.D. TRANSLATIONS OF CHRISTIAN LITERATURE GENERAL EDITORS: W. J. SPARROW-SIMPSON, D.D., W. K. LOWTHER CLARKE, B.D. SERIES I GREEK TEXTS FIFTY SPIRITUAL HOMILIES OF ST. MACARIUS THE EGYPTIAN Constituenda est ergo nobis dominici schola seruitii. in qua institutione nihil asperum nihil graue nos constituturos speramus. sed et si quid paululum restrictius. .. propter emendationem uitiorum uel conseruationem caritatis processerit, non ilico pauore perterritus refugias uiam saluti?, quae non est nisi angusto initio incipienda processu uero conuersationis et fidei dilatato corde inenarrabili dilectionis dulcedine curritur uia mandatorum dei. BENEDICTVS. Fifty Spiritual Homilies of St. Macarius the Egyptian BY A. J. MASON, D.D. LONDON SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C. NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1921 1HC INSTITUTE OF MEDIAEVAL S7UM& 10 ELMSLEY PLACE TORONTO 6, CANADA, OCT 1921 I should wish to connect this volume containing thoughts better than my own with the name of Vincent Henry Stanton, Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge whom for fifty years I have had the privilege of counting my closest friend in a life rich in friendships [Reformatted by Mako A. Nagasawa, March 2018. Not all Greek letters had been properly translated, in which I preserved the garbled English letters. Page numbers in the table of contents have been updated. I have moved the Scripture references and footnotes into the body of the text. In some cases, I have expanded on the Scripture annotations. I was not able to reproduce the Index of Scripture References at the end. George A. Maloney S.J., Pseudo-Macarius: The Fifty Spiritual Homilies and the Great Letter (Mahweh, NJ: Paulist Press, 1992) has offered a new translation. Maloney makes the strong case that Pseudo-Macarius was a Syrian monk in Mesopotamia in the early 5 th century, who had read Athanasius and the Cappadocians. Maloney also discusses the Messalian controversy, as well as the very wide, significant impact of Pseudo-Macarius on future Christians.] CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1. THE AUTHOR. .. .. 7 2. HIS WRITINGS ..... 11 3. HIS TEACHING ..... 12 4. THE TEXT AND TRANSLATION. 19 HOMILY I An allegorical interpretation of the vision described in the prophet Ezekiel…….. 21 HOMILY II Concerning the kingdom of darkness, that is, of sin, and that God alone is able to take away sin from us, and to deliver us out of the bondage of the evil prince. .. 24 HOMILY III That the brethren ought to live in sincerity, simplicity, love, and peace with each other, and to carry on contest and war in their inward thoughts. ..... 25 HOMILY IV Christians ought to accomplish their race in this world with heed and care, that they may gain heavenly praises from God and angels ........ 27 HOMILY V A great difference between Christians and the men of this world. Those who have the spirit of the world are in heart and mind bound in earthly bonds, but the others long after the love of the heavenly Father, having Him only before their eyes with much desire ...... 32 HOMILY VI Those who desire to please God, ought to offer their pyayers in peace and quietness, in gentleness and wisdom, and not to give scandal to others by the use of loud outcries. The Homily also contains two questions, whether the thrones and crowns are actual created things, and concerning the twelve thrones of Israel .... 39 HOMILY VII Concerning the lovingkindness of Christ towards men. The Homily also contains certain questions and answers. .40 HOMILY VIII Concerning things which befall Christians at prayer, and concerning the measures of perfection, whether it is possible for Christians to reach the perfect measure. 41 HOMILY IX That the promises and prophecies of God are accomplished through manifold trial and temptation, and that those who cleave to God alone are delivered from the temptation of the evil one ......... 43 HOMILY X By lowliness of mind and earnestness the gifts of the Divine grace are preserved, but by pride and sloth they are destroyed ........ 45 HOMILY XI That the power of the Holy Ghost in man’s heart is like fire; and what things we need, in order to distinguish the thoughts that spring up in the heart; and concerning the dead serpent fixed by Moses at the top of the pole, which was a type of Christ. The Homily contains two dialogues, one between Christ and the evil one, Satan; the other between sinners and the same .... .46 HOMILY XII Concerning the state of Adam before he transgressed God’s commandment, and after he had lost both his own image and the heavenly. The Homily contains some very profitable questions ........ 50 HOMILY XIII What fruit God expects from Christians. .. 53 HOMILY XIV Those who give their thoughts and their mind to God do so in the hope that the eyes of their heart may be enlightened, and God vouchsafes to them mysteries in the greatest sanctity and purity, and imparts to them of His grace. What we who desire to attain the good things of heaven ought to do. Then the apostles and the prophets are compared to the sun’s rays coming in at a window. The Homily also teaches what is Satan’s ‘Earth, ‘ and what that of the angels, and that both are intangible and invisible ......... 54 HOMILY XV This Homily teaches at large how the soul ought to behave herself in holiness and chastity and purity towards her Spouse Christ Jesus, the Saviour of the world. It contains also certain discussions full of great instruction, viz., Whether at the resurrection all the members are raised up, and a great many more concerning Evil, and Grace, and Free Will, and the dignity of human nature…….. 55 HOMILY XVI That spiritual persons are subject to temptations and to the adversities which spring from the first sin. .65 HOMILY XVII Concerning the spiritual unction of Christians, and their glory, and that without Christ it is impossible to be saved or to become a partaker of eternal life. .. .68 HOMILY XVIII Concerning the Christian’s treasure, which is Christ and the Holy Ghost, who practises them in various ways to come to perfection. .. .. .. 71 HOMILY XIX Christians who desire to make progress and to grow ought to force themselves to every good thing, so as to deliver themselves from indwelling sin, and to be filled with the Holy Ghost ………. 73 HOMILY XX Only Christ, the true Physician of the inner man, can heal the soul, and array it in the garment of grace…. 75 HOMILY XXI A Christian man has a twofold warfare set before him, an inward and an outward, the latter, in withdrawing from earthly distractions; the former, in the heart, against the suggestions of the spirits of wickedness. .. .76 HOMILY XXII Concerning the twofold state of those who depart out of this life……. 78 HOMILY XXIII As only those born of the seed royal can wear the costly royal pearl, so only the children of God are allowed to wear the pearl of heaven. .. .. .. .79 HOMILY XXIV The state of Christians is like merchandise, and like leaven. As merchants amass earthly gains, so Christians gather together their thoughts that were scattered about the world. As leaven turns the whole lump into leaven, so the leaven of sin permeates the whole race of Adam; but Christ puts a heavenly leaven of goodness in faithful souls…. 79 HOMILY XXV This Homily teaches that no man, without being strengthened by Christ, is capable of overcoming the stumbling- blocks of the evil one, and what those who desire the divine glory must do. It teaches also that through Adam’s disobedience we came down into bondage to carnal passions, from which we are delivered by the mystery that is in the Cross. It instructs us besides that the power of tears and of the divine fire is great. .. .. .80 HOMILY XXVI Concerning the worth and value, the power and efficiency of the immortal soul, and how it is tempted by Satan and obtains deliverance from the temptations. It contains also some questions full of very great instruction. 82 HOMILY XXVII This Homily, like the foregoing, describes at length the dignity and status of a Christian man. Then it teaches many useful things concerning freewill, intermixing some questions full of divine wisdom ....... 87 HOMILY XXVIII This Homily describes and bewails the calamity of the soul, that by reason of sin the Lord does not dwell in it; and concerning John the Baptist, that none among those born of women is greater than he. .. .. 92 HOMILY XXIX God works the dispensations of grace upon mankind after a twofold manner, intending to require the fruits of it by a just judgment. .. .. .. .93 HOMILY XXX The soul that is to enter into the kingdom of God must be born of the Holy Ghost; and how this is effected. 95 HOMILY XXXI The believer ought to be changed in mind, and to gather up all his thoughts in God; for in these all service of God consists ......... 97 HOMILY XXXII The glory of Christians abides even now in their souls, and will be manifested at the time of resurrection, and will glorify their bodies in correspondence with their piety. 98 HOMILY XXXIII We ought to pray to God continually and with attention. 100 HOMILY XXXIV Concerning the glory of Christians, which shall be vouchsafed to their bodies at the resurrection, and they shall be enlightened, together with the soul ..... 101 HOMILY XXXV Concerning the old Sabbath and the new .... 102 HOMILY XXXVI Concerning the twofold resurrection of souls and bodies, and of the divers glory of the risen ....