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Translated by Ch. Browne and J. Swallow.
Gregory Theologian Bilingual Anthology, Resources Online and in Print
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30 Pages
Page 26
XL. And what of the loins, or reins, for we must not pass these over? Let the purification take hold of these also. Let our loins be girded about and kept in check by continence, as the Law bade Israel of old when partaking of the Passover. [4177] For none comes out of Egypt purely, or escapes the Destroyer, except he who has disciplined these. And let the reins be changed by that good conversion by which they transfer all the affections to God, so that they can say, Lord, all my desire is before Thee, [4178] and the day of man have I not desired; [4179] for you must be a man of desires, [4180] but they must be those of the spirit. For thus you would destroy the dragon that carries the greater part of his strength upon his navel and his loins, [4181] by slaying the power that comes to him from these. Do not be surprised at my giving a more abundant honour to our uncomely parts, [4182] mortifying them and making them chaste by my speech, and standing up against the flesh. Let us give to God all our members which are upon the earth; [4183] let us consecrate them all; not the lobe of the liver [4184] or the kidneys with the fat, nor some part of our bodies now this now that (why should we despise the rest?); but let us bring ourselves entire, let us be reasonable holocausts, [4185] perfect sacrifices; and let us not make only the shoulder or the breast a portion for the Priest to take away, [4186] for that would be a small thing, but let us give ourselves entire, that we may receive back ourselves entire; for this is to receive entirely, when we give ourselves to God and offer as a sacrifice our own salvation.
[4177] Exod. xii. 11.
[4178] Ps. xxxviii. 9.
[4179] Job xvii. 16.
[4180] Dan. x. 11.
[4181] Job xxxix. 16.
[4182] 1 Cor. xii. 23.
[4183] Col. iii. 5.
[4184] Levit. iii. 4. The Mosaic Law ordered that the upper part of the liver and the kidneys, together with the fat, should in creation sacrifices be consecrated to God; signifying that anger (which was intimated by the liver, which produces bile), and lust (signified by the kidneys and the fat) should especially be sacrificed to God. Again Moses assigned the shoulder and the breast of some sacrifices to the Priests, hinting obscurely at this, that we ought to take care to offer our hearts to the Priests by confession (for the heart is signified by the breast which protects it) and also our actions, which are intended by the shoulder, that by the Priest they may be presented to God. But the Apostle bids us mortify all our members which are upon the earth, and offer ourselves entire as a sacrifice to God, destroying with the sword of the Word of God all our evil and corrupt affections.—Nicetas.
[4185] Rom. xii. 1.
[4186] Levit. vii. 34.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/gregory-nazianzen/holy-baptism.asp?pg=26
