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The Discourse on the Holy Theophany

Hippolytus

Section 10

About this work

Author: Hippolytus

10. Come then, be begotten again, O man

‹ Section 9

,

into

the

adoption

of

God

.

And

how

?

says

one

.

If

thou

practisest

adultery

no

more

,

and

committest

not

murder

,

and

servest

not

idols

;

if

thou

art

not

overmastered

by

pleasure

;

if

thou

dost

not

suffer

the

feeling

of

pride

to

rule

thee

;

if

thou

cleanest

off

the

filthiness

of

impurity

,

and

puttest

off

the

burden

of

sin

;

if

thou

castest

off

the

armour

of

the

devil

,

and

puttest

on

the

breastplate

of

faith

,

even

as

Isaiah

saith

,

“

Wash

you

,

and

seek

judgment

,

relieve

the

oppressed

,

judge

the

fatherless

,

and

plead

for

the

widow

.

And

come

and

let

us

reason

together

,

saith

the

Lord

.

Though

your

sins

be

as

scarlet

,

I

shall

make

them

white

as

snow

;

and

though

they

be

like

crimson

,

I

shall

make

them

white

as

wool

.

And

if

ye

be

willing

,

and

hear

my

voice

,

ye

shall

eat

the

good

of

the

land

.

”

Do

you

see

,

beloved

,

how

the

prophet

spake

beforetime

of

the

purifying

power

of

baptism

?

For

he

who

comes

down

in

faith

to

the

laver

of

regeneration

,

and

renounces

the

devil

,

and

joins

himself

to

Christ

;

who

denies

the

enemy

,

and

makes

the

confession

that

Christ

is

God

;

who

puts

off

the

bondage

,

and

puts

on

the

adoption

,

—

he

comes

up

from

the

baptism

brilliant

as

the

sun

,

flashing

forth

the

beams

of

righteousness

,

and

,

which

is

indeed

the

chief

thing

,

he

returns

a

son

of

God

and

joint

-

heir

with

Christ

.

To

Him

be

the

glory

and

the

power

,

together

with

His

most

holy

,

and

good

,

and

quickening

Spirit

,

now

and

ever

,

and

to

all

the

ages

of

the

ages

.

Amen

.

Notes

55
Isa. i. 16–19.
56
This seems to refer to what the poets sing as to the sun rising out of the waves of ocean. (Fabricius.) [Note, this is not said of such as Simon Magus, but of one who puts off the bondage, i.e., of corruption. Our author’s perorations are habitually sublime.]