St Athanasius the Great LETTERS, Part II, Complete

Translated by Cardinal Newman.

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Page 24

2. It becomes us then in these days of the Passover, to rise early with the saints, and approach the Lord with all our soul, with purity of body, with confession and godly faith in Him; so that when we have here first drunk, and are filled with these divine waters which [flow] from Him, we may be able to sit at table with the saints in heaven, and may share in the one voice of gladness which is there. From this sinners, because it wearied them, are rightly cast out, and hear the words, 'Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment [4514] ?' Sinners indeed thirst, but not for the grace of the Spirit; but being inflamed with wickedness, they are wholly set on fire by pleasures, as saith the Proverb, 'All day long he desires evil desires.' But the Prophet cries against them, saying, 'Wo unto those who rise up early, and follow strong drink; who continue until the evening, for wine inflameth them [4515] .' And since they run wild in wantonness, they dare to thirst for the destruction of others. Having first drunk of lying and unfaithful waters, those things have come upon them, which are stated by the Prophet; 'My wound,' saith he, 'is grievous, whence shall I be healed; it hath surely been to me like deceitful waters, in which there is no trust [4516] .' Secondly, while they drink with their companions, they lead astray and disturb the right mind, and turn away the simple from it. And what does he cry? 'Wo unto him who causeth his neighbour to drink turbid destruction, and maketh him drunk, that he may look upon his caverns [4517] .' But those who dissemble, and steal away the truth, quench their hearts. Having first drunk of these things, they go on to say those things which the whore saith in the Proverbs, 'Lay hold with delight on hidden bread, and sweet stolen waters [4518] .' They lay snares secretly, because they have not the freedom of virtue, nor the boldness of Wisdom [4519] , who praises herself in the gates, and employs freedom of speech in the broad ways, preaching on high walls. For this reason, they are bidden to 'lay hold with delight [4520] ,' because, having the choice between faith and pleasures, they steal the sweetness of truth, and disguise their own bitter waters [to escape] from the blame of their wickedness, which would have been speedy and public. On this account, the wolf puts on the skin of the sheep, sepulchres deceive by their whitened exteriors [4521] . Satan, that is [4522] ...

[4514] Matt. xxii. 12.

[4515] Prov. xxi. 26; Is. v. 11.

[4516] Jer. xv. 18.

[4517] Hab. ii. 15, LXX.

[4518] Prov. ix. 17.

[4519] Ib. viii. 2.

[4520] Cf. Letter vii. S:5.

[4521] Matt. vii. 15; xxiii. 27.

[4522] The Syriac ms. (which is imperfect) ends here. The fragments that follow are derived from different sources, mention whereof is made in the notes.

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