Chapter 40

1Concerning the ordinance of the gift which is of the Apostles, according to the orthodox statement (Jit. word). We have written concerning graces so far as God our Lord has granted to us of his own counsel. Formerly he gave grace {lit it) to man, while bringing near to him that which had gone astray in type ; and now (he gave) the beloved Son who is in all the holy ones. Having come to the source of the proper tradition in the churches, we have attained that 10 (men) should learn well what has been (received) until now ; they handed them on and kept them as our ordinances : yet, though they knew that they were quite firm concerning that which had been found for them, now unawares they slipped away. And those indeed who knew not, (to them) the Holy Spirit is giving the perfection of grace. For them who believe rightly as they know, how seemly it is that they should hand on and keep those things which are established in the Church. Concerning the ordinance of baptism. Those who shall be baptised shall do thus {lit. thus it is).^ They shall come into the baptistery, and they shall give their names. And then first they shall examine their lives as to whether they are fit for baptism, and if they read the Scriptures, and also if they have learnt the psalm. And likewise there shall be sponsors for him who shall be baptised, and thus he who is sponsor shall know that he shall give account at the day of judgment for it And they shall cause therefore * the prayer to follow after the examination, saying thus: [The prayer concerning those who gave their names] Lover of man and merciful author of blessing, merciful and whose habit is goodness, and the fountain of all blessing, thou who madest that which was not into that which was, with each one ^ which was made thou gavest size and place : thou art able — remove it and take it away. Now, Lord, take away and remove this thy servant from wickedness into goodness. Grant that he may inherit the blessed * sonship which is in the heavens, that he may then no longer be one born of flesh, but may abide truly in thine obedience: through thy only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer for those who gave their names. And again we beseech God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for those who gave their names, that he may open the ear of their heart and enlighten the eyes of their mind, and give to them the light of knowledge, he who has authority over mercy, the Lord our God And the deacon shall say : Pray ye for those who gave their names. And the bishop shall say : God the almighty, thou who calledst thy servants, who gave their names, from darkness into light, and from ignorance into the knowledge of the truth : blot out all the vestige of error from their thought; place thy law and thy commandment within their heart : and give to them knowledge which is seemly, impart to them, both men and women, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin ; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit, through our Lord Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer of consecration for those who bring the bread and water or oil to be blessed in the holy forty (days), after the examination of those who are to be baptised. God, my Lord Jesus Christ, lover of man, who alone hast made oblation.^ And thou knowest and to them indeed who are able thou speakest the greatness of the honour of the Father and of thy creation. Thou, the Mediator, the Chief Priest for every soul, and the healing for those who are suffering. Thou whose name is sanctified by the holy ones, may the power which enlightens thy name lighten upon the oil and water and bread, and make them to become safety and healing and purification for those who offered in faith, for thy name is restoration to us, and redemption, revelation, and sanctification. And to thee be glory and to thy holy Father now, etc. And he who comes to baptism shall learn the commandment as he receives (baptism) : how seemly it is that he live carefully, as he to whom will be imparted the holy atonement of grace by eating. At early morning the bread and water shall be blessed, and he shall be anointed with the oil, until (the time) when shall be imparted that holy grace of baptism. When therefore he will come to baptism, he who will baptise him shall take him, and having turned him then to the west, with his right hand or both his hands outstretched, and his face opposite towards the east without fear — -'and if he was a full-grown man he shall speak : but for the children who cannot speak, and if it was a weak person, the believing father and believing mother shall speak, s or relatives likewise (being) believing men and believing women. And he shall anathematise, being naked, in the water without fear, saying thus : [The first prayer for baptism, over the water] God, my Lord almighty, who madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them, who madest man in thine own form and likeness, who mingledst and unitedst the immortal with the mortal, who madest living man a combination of the two, and gavest to that which was made body a soul also, which thou causest to dwell within : iS stir this water and fill it up with thy Holy Spirit, that it may become water and Spirit for regeneration to those who are to be baptised : work a holy work and make them to become sons and daughters of thy holy name : wash them with water, and instruct them by the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ thy Son, through whom to thee with him be glory and might now and always and with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. The prayer of the consecration of the water. Eternal iS God, who knowest what is secret, we pray and beseech thee, send thy Holy Spirit and his power upon this water and change it and sanctify it and bless it and set it against., all that opposes, cause it to be against all divination and potions, both those which are drunk, and those which are sprinkled, or (used) in any other way ; cause it to be for healing and for life to him who shall receive of it in faith, and in the glory of thy only beloved Son, for to thee is glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. The prayer for the holy waters of the Yurdanos, which are mingled with sweet scent. As the priest stands towards the east with the proper vestment, and while the clergy stand in their several orders of sequence, he shall say, having first finished the ordinary form of prayer : God, my Lord almighty, thou madest heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them ; and thou madest man in thy form and in thy likeness ; and thou placedst him in the garden, that he might live an immortal life ; but he, having fallen into error by Satan, the enemy of our kind, became the cause of death upon us all : yet thy goodness did not therefore desert us, but thou sentest thine only Son our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, and not to judge the world, but to save the world by him. He therefore having come, changed our birth into the new (birth) which is by this water and Spirit of regeneration. And for this cause I call upon thee, my Lord, maker of all, who mingledst and unitedst mortal with immortal, having made living man a combination of the two, giving movement to the created body, and soul which thou causedst to dwell (in it) : stir this water and fill it up with that which is of the Holy Spirit, that it may become water and also Spirit of regeneration to those who shall be baptised in it Cause, my Lord, that they may become little sons and daughters of the holy name ; and purify them and wash them with water and instruct them with the Holy Spirit, through the coming of our Lord Christ with the Holy Spirit May it be to all who shall be TRANSLATIOH OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 167 baptised in it a washing of regeneratioa for cleansing from all sin. And prqare tlio% whom the Holy Spirit chose, to come upon them; that (dot hed) with incorinptible vesture they may rise at the resurrectioo of the dead; and may every evfl spixit be removed from thenu havii^ s been expelled according to thy hcdy in£dfible promise of our Lord Jesus Christ,^ through whom to thee widi him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might and greatness from before the age now and always and to geneia* tion of infinite generation, and to age of age. Amen. wo And then the priest shall go down into die water of the Yurdanos, taking hold o( the head of him who shall be baptised, and saying to him : I baptise thee in die name of the Father and the Son and die Holy Spirit, and at each of the names of the Holy Trinity, he who is baptised also saying Amen. And then having come up from the water, they who promise for him shall receive him, and he uriio was b^ytised shall find then a dean linen doth, that with it the water may be wiped off, and that he may be kept with great care. And if he who shall be baptised is weak, he shall stand up naked in the eariy morning as soon as one can see, and thus he who b^ises shall pour water upon his head, saying : I baptise thee in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Sfnrit, and at each name of the Holy Trinity he pours forth once, and not afterwards as to alL' And after they have clothed him with the baptismal (robe), the Chief Priest shall make prayer for the men, and if not, the priest before the unction with the chrism of him who was thus sanctified. The prayer of the holy oil of chrism with which the catechumens {lit. new ones) are anointed, and for full Christians who are sick.^ God, my Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thy hand invisible upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and Prophets ; and thou hast given power to it with thine own hand, that for those who shall be anointed therewith, it may be for healing and safety and benefit in all diseases and sicknesses, and for extermination of every Satanic adversary ; make an unction by thine own grace, really for them to whom it is given, the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. And breathe on his face thrice. The prayer of the holy oil for anointing him who is to be baptised. God, my Lord almighty, God of hosts [lit. powers), we call upon thy great name and powerful in all things and the Holy Spirit and thy universal name. We pray thee and we beseech thee to send upon this oil spirit and power, and cause it to become a breastplate of the faith against all work of Satan, and make (it) for the perfection of all piety and knowledge, through, etc. The prayer of the holy oil for unction with the chrism of those who are baptised. Thus in giving thanks shall the bishop speak and say : The Lord (be) with you all. And the people who stand by shall say : With thy spirit. And the bishop shall say : Lift up your hearts. And they who stand by shall say : (We have them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say : Let us give thanks to the Lord. And those shall say: Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, standing rightly, shall offer up the prayer and shall complete the invocation of the "> coming of the Holy Spirit, and say thus : Right it is and just. We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and worship thee and give thanks to thee for all the mercy which thou hast done for us and all thy benefit : when the world was gone astray thou savedst J 5 (it), having sent thine only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, not to judge the world, but to save the world, and gather together our dispersion, that we may assemble, and confess thee the one true God who sentest our Lord Jesus Christ ; through whom we offer this chrism «> which thou hast g^ven to us for healing and for using in other necessities, that thou wilt be willing and wilt send the Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord Jesus Christ ; and that it may become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit upon every person of those who receive the washing of regeneration and forgiveness, as far as thou hast given to them : and may it be to them redemption and sure grace and a holy seal of unction and communion of their nature with the Holy Spirit ; and cause that they may be named (his) temple, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age and unto the age, now, etc. The prayer of the holy oil, the oil with which he who is baptised is to be anointed on the place of anointing. My Lord, almighty, who wast to the Prophets God, and to the Apostles God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who from the beginning by the Prophets preachedst the coming of our Lord Christ, who sentest Yuhanes ,the Prophet before his coming, give power to this holy oil and bless it for baptism, may it sanctify thy servants and handmaids and prepare them {lU. him) for thee, while they {lit. he) call upon thee ; and cause it to destroy all poison and expel every evil and unclean spirit, and may all unclean lust remove away by this unction, through the name of thy only Son ; and may it be sanctified by thine own grace, and be to all who are baptised oil of healing and safety and power for planting the good olive tree and for (bearing) fruit toward thee and to Christ, through the Holy Spirit, by the faith in the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with, etc. as And breathe into the oil thrice. And with it he shall anoint him who is baptised on his breast and on his shoulders and all his body, saying : The oil of holy unction against every adversary, operate for grafting into thine own good olive tree, the Church, and work blessing. And he shall answer and say : Amen. And if it is a man (this is done) by him who ministers. or by the priest who is there ; or (if) a woman, by a female believer who is perpetually virgin. Further (the prayer) for the laying hand upon the catechumens. God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to thee have humbled their heads thy servants the catechumens, and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from thy worthy dwelling-place, bless them, male and female, and may thine ear hearken to them and hear their prayer. Give them to know the power of the word with which they are instructed as a sure utterance ; and in due time impart to them, male and female, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin ; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit through Christ : for to thee is glory and power and might, now, etc Concerning the oil of chrism for those who are baptised. The bishop shall speak thus in giving thanks after the several bishops and presbyters and deacons are ready. The Chief Priest being present shall celebrate, saying : The Lord (be) with you alL They who stand by shall say : With thy spirit And the bishop shall say : Lift up your hearts. They who are present shall say : We have (them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say : Let us give thanks to the Lord. And they who are present shall say : Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it belongs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, and standing in front carefully, shall offer up the prayer and say the invocation of the coming of the Holy Spirit, [the bishop] thus saying: Right it is and just We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and give thanks to thee in all that thou hast done to us — blessings and all thy benefit : for thou savedst the lost world, thou sentest thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, not to judge the world, but to save the world by him, and he gathered together our dispersion ; and we know that thou alone art the true Lord who sentest Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we offer to thee this chrism, which thou hast given us for healing and using in other necessities, that thou wouldst be willing to send thy Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and may it become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit for those who shall receive of it, and the washing of regeneration to them to whom was given redemption and sure grace ; may it seal them with the seal of unction and washing of their nature ; cause that they may be named the temple of the Holy Spirit, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. And breathe thrice into his face, and then anoint him with the holy chrism on his forehead and breast, saying to each : I give to thee the holy unction and the seal of grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say : Amen. If it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop, and anoint them after they have put on the baptismal (robe); and then he proceeds to pray, and having finished the prayer of the holy oil, they cause three little children to come near to him, and their elders likewise, and having turned them towards the west, first they shall anathematise Satan, saying thus : I anathematise thee, Satan, and all thy wicked angels and all thy work and all thy errors and all thy orders. And then turning himself again towards the east and stretching out his hands, he confesses God, saying : I believe in one God, the Father above all, almighty, and in the only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the resurrection of the body, and in the holy assembly, the one Catholic Church. And then he shall say thrice : Amen. And he shall say thus w stretching out his hands and humbling his head in fear, saying as he hears from him who baptises him thus, this . faith in the Trinity : I believe in thee, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in thine only Son Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the i5 resurrection of the body, and the holy, one. Catholic, Apostolic Church. And they shall ask him thrice, saying : Dost thou believe ? And thrice he shall say : I believe, I believe, I believe. And if it was a man fully grown he shall speak : and concerning children who have no *> word or a dumb person or sick, the believing father and believing mother, or relatives knowing (them), being likewise believers, shall speak instead of that child or instead of him who has no word or instead of the sick, saying each of their names. And after the confession of faith he says thus : (The prayer) of the laying on of hand. My Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom thy servants and handmaids have humbled themselves ; and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from the heaven thy sanctuary, stretch out thine invisible hand upon them. Lord of heaven and earth, who through thine only Son hast made known knowledge of thee in the earth, and hast prepared for them with a heavenly calling. Confirm these persons, that they may obtain thy power, and confirm their faith, that nothing shall ever separate them (from it), but let them be united in thine only Word, through whom to thee (be) glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. And breathe thrice. And thus shall they be anointed with the holy oil on the place of unction, anoint his heart and his breast and on his back and on all his body, saying thus : May the unction of holy oil operate against every adversary and for the planting firmly of the faith in the good olive tree, the Catholic Church, and do good. And he who is anointed shall say : Amen. The prayer after the unction. Father of thine only Son Jesus Christ, the root which is not cut off, redeemer of the sold, cause not to remain any trace of the old state in those who are converted to thy faith ; who are obeying thee. Cause that they may be in purity of soul, children of regeneration, those who share in thy grace; and impress upon them the living character, through thine only Son, through whom, etc And then the priest shall take him and go down into the Yurdanos and baptise him, and as he baptises him he shall look toward the east, (being) in the proper vestment And the clergy also standing in their orders, The presbyter shall first baptise the children, and further, the Chief Priest being down in the Yurdanos shall baptise, laying his hand upon him whom he baptises and saying thus : I baptise thee, N or M, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And he who is baptised shall say : Amen. And then after he has baptised he shall go forth to the Table as if for the $ Eucharist : and after they have prepared it (sc. the Table) for each, the bishops, presbyters, and deacons being present, the Chief Priest shall sanctify with the chrism, saying thus : The prayer of blessing and of laying hand on those who have been baptised, before the anointing with the chrism which has been sanctified, the bishop or the presbyter who baptised saying thus : Eternal God, almighty. Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hast regenerated us thy servants and thy handmaids by water and the Holy Spirit in the washing of regeneration which thou grantedst to them for the forgiveness of sin, send now upon them the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that therefore he may impart to them an entering into thy heavenly kingdom, according ^ to thy holy infallible promise, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and honour and might now, etc. And breathe thrice, and then anoint them with the holy chrism on the forehead and on his breast, saying to each one : The holy unction and the seal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say : Amen. And if it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop and anoint them, after they have been clothed with the baptismal (robe). And then (comes) the order {lit. sequence) of the Presfora.^ The (prayer of) unction of oil which the Chief Priest consecrates for those who receive the washing, and for sick believers.* God, my Lord, almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thine invisible hand upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and the Prophets ; and thou hast given power with thy hand that it may become to those who shall be anointed with it for healing and benefit, and for every disease ^nd every sickness. Destroy every adversary, and make (it) the unction of thy grace for remission of sin to those to whom has been g^ven the Holy Spirit, through the name and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age now, etc. And breathe therefore thrice. Before the Presfora and after the departure of the catechumens there shall be prayer of three kinds, for peace one, for the congregation one, and for the Patriarch (papas) one. And then the deacon shall say with a loud voice : Those who are not admitted to communion depart And none of the catechumens shall stand here within. And further, the subdeacon shall open the doors; and further he shall say ; Those who are not admitted to communion depart. And then further, the deacon shall say to the people : Kiss one another with a kiss of holiness. And then when they have severally given the salutation, the chief deacon shall say : Shut the doors, O subdeacons. This indeed as it was said at the prayer of the congregation. And if the bishop administers the baptism, or one ordained, he shall not say : There is not here a catechumen who is not one of the congregation, nor is there any adversary here. On the day alone on which they receive baptism, after the Presfora he shall offer the cup and the milk and honey with the bread and the cup of wine : and they shall bless (them) together, and those alone who «o receive for the first (time) shall receive of it And then the bishop shall say the thanksgiving of the milk : We give thanks to thee, God, almighty, the Father of our spirit, who hast begotten us again by water and the Spirit through Christ Jesus our Lord, 15: whom thou gavest. He instituted the holy^ washing (of baptism) for the forgiveness of sin to our race. Because we are thy flock which is in secret, born of the word, and we are nourished with the milk of nourishment of thy grace in the bosom of our holy mother by the voice of the consolations of the Holy Spirit And thou, O Lord, always hast given to us food and nourishment of thy sons, milking out the milk of life. According to the form and command of creation we offer to thee this milk and honey which flows from the holy Church, our mother, who caused us to grow by her breasts, which were sanctified by thee. O Lord, bless it with blessing and sanctify it with sanctifying, that it may become to them who partake of it incorruptible communion, nourishment and washing ; let it be for instruction ^ in thy fear and in soberness, and for measure of stature, because thine all honourable name has been glorified for ever and ever. Amen. And thou shalt give of his Body, and say : This is the Body of Christ. And he who receives shall say : Amen. And thou shalt give the cup, and say : This is the Blood of Christ And he who receives shall say : Amen and Amen. And afterwards thou shalt pray thus, having laid thy hand upon their head, and say : I bless thee, O Lord, because thou hast imparted to thy servants and thy handmaids the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, (and) that which is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Body and Blood of Christ. We pray thee and we beseech thee, surround thy servants and thy handmaids with the power of thine Angels, and be to them protection by thy divinity, cause them to obtain the heavenly mystery, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. The ordinance of Baptism is finished.