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Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna

Methodius of Olympus

Section 7

About this work

Author: Methodius of Olympus

VII. While the old man was thus exultant, and

‹ Section 6 Section 8 ›

rejoicing

with

exceeding

great

and

holy

joy

,

that

which

had

before

been

spoken

of

in

a

figure

by

the

prophet

Isaiah

,

the

holy

mother

of

God

now

manifestly

fulfilled

.

For

taking

,

as

from

a

pure

and

undefiled

altar

,

that

coal

living

and

ineffable

,

with

man’s

flesh

invested

,

in

the

embrace

of

her

sacred

hands

,

as

it

were

with

the

tongs

,

she

held

Him

out

to

that

just

one

,

addressing

and

exhorting

him

,

as

it

seems

to

me

,

in

words

to

this

effect

:

Receive

,

O

reverend

senior

,

thou

of

priests

the

most

excellent

,

receive

the

Lord

,

and

reap

the

full

fruition

of

that

hope

of

thine

which

is

not

left

widowed

and

desolate

.

Receive

,

thou

of

men

the

most

illustrious

,

the

unfailing

treasure

,

and

those

riches

which

can

never

be

taken

away

.

Take

to

thine

embrace

,

O

thou

of

men

most

wise

,

that

unspeakable

might

,

that

unsearchable

power

,

which

can

alone

support

thee

.

Embrace

,

thou

minister

of

the

temple

,

the

Greatness

infinite

,

and

the

Strength

incomparable

.

Fold

thyself

around

Him

who

is

the

very

life

itself

,

and

live

,

O

thou

of

men

most

venerable

.

Cling

closely

to

incorruption

and

be

renewed

,

O

thou

of

men

most

righteous

.

Not

too

bold

is

the

attempt

;

shrink

not

from

it

then

,

O

thou

of

men

most

holy

.

Satiate

thyself

with

Him

thou

hast

longed

for

,

and

take

thy

delight

in

Him

who

has

been

given

,

or

rather

who

gives

Himself

to

thee

,

O

thou

of

men

most

divine

.

Joyfully

draw

thy

light

,

O

thou

of

men

most

pious

,

from

the

Sun

of

Righteousness

,

that

gleams

around

thee

through

the

unsullied

mirror

of

the

flesh

.

Fear

not

His

gentleness

,

nor

let

His

clemency

terrify

thee

,

O

thou

of

men

most

blessed

.

Be

not

afraid

of

His

lenity

,

nor

shrink

from

His

kindness

,

O

thou

of

men

most

modest

.

Join

thyself

to

Him

with

alacrity

,

and

delay

not

to

obey

Him

.

That

which

is

spoken

to

thee

,

and

held

out

to

thee

,

savours

not

of

over

-

boldness

.

Be

not

then

reluctant

,

O

thou

of

men

the

most

decorous

.

The

flame

of

the

grace

of

my

Lord

does

not

consume

,

but

illuminates

thee

,

O

thou

of

men

most

just

.

Let

the

bush

which

set

forth

me

in

type

,

with

respect

to

the

verity

of

that

fire

which

yet

had

no

subsistence

,

teach

thee

this

,

O

thou

who

art

in

the

law

the

best

instructed

.

Let

that

furnace

which

was

as

it

were

a

breeze

distilling

dew

persuade

thee

,

O

master

,

of

the

dispensation

of

this

mystery

.

Then

,

beside

all

this

,

let

my

womb

be

a

proof

to

thee

,

in

which

He

was

contained

,

who

in

nought

else

was

ever

contained

,

of

the

substance

of

which

the

incarnate

Word

yet

deigned

to

become

incarnate

.

The

blast

of

the

trumpet

does

not

now

terrify

those

who

approach

,

nor

a

second

time

does

the

mountain

all

on

smoke

cause

terror

to

those

who

draw

nigh

,

nor

indeed

does

the

law

punish

relentlessly

those

who

would

boldly

touch

.

What

is

here

present

speaks

of

love

to

man

;

what

is

here

apparent

,

of

the

Divine

condescension

.

Thankfully

,

then

,

receive

the

God

who

comes

to

thee

,

for

He

shall

take

away

thine

iniquities

,

and

thoroughly

purge

thy

sins

.

In

thee

,

let

the

cleansing

of

the

world

first

,

as

in

type

,

have

place

.

In

thee

,

and

by

thee

,

let

that

justification

which

is

of

grace

become

known

beforehand

to

the

Gentiles

.

Thou

art

worthy

of

the

quickening

first

-

fruits

.

Thou

hast

made

good

use

of

the

law

.

Use

grace

henceforth

.

With

the

letter

thou

hast

grown

weary

;

in

the

spirit

be

renewed

.

Put

off

that

which

is

old

,

and

clothe

thyself

with

that

which

is

new

.

For

of

these

matters

I

think

not

that

thou

art

ignorant

.

Notes

59
Exod. iii. 2.
60
Dan. iii. 21.
61
Exod. xix. 16.
62
Ps. vi. 6.