Просвещение есть светлость душ, изменение жизни, обещание доброй совести, которая от Бога (1 Петр. 3,21). Просвещение есть пособие в нашей немощи, отложение плоти, следование Духу, общение со Словом, исправление создания, потопление греха, причастие к свету, рассеяние тьмы. Просвещение есть колесница, возносящая к Богу, сопутствование Христу, подкрепление веры, совершенствование ума, ключ царствия небесного, перемена жизни, снятие рабства, разрешение от уз, претворение состава. Просвещение (нужно ли перечислять многое?) есть лучший и величественнейший из даров Божиих. Как есть именуемое Святая Святых и песни песней, поскольку последние многообъемлющие и особенно важны, так и оно светлее всякого иного, возможного для нас, просвещения.

Но этот дар, как и Податель его Христос, называется многими и различными именами; и это происходит или оттого, что он очень приятен для нас (обыкновенно же питающий к чему-либо сильную любовь с удовольствием слышит и имена любимого), или оттого, что многообразие заключающихся в нем благодеяний произвело у нас и наименования. Мы именуем его даром, благодатью, крещением, помазанием, просвещением, одеждой нетления, банею обновления, печатию, всем, что для нас досточестно. Именуем даром, как подаваемое тем, которые ничего не привносят от себя; благодатью, как подаваемое тем, которые еще и должны; крещением, потому что в воде погребается грех; помазанием, как нечто священническое и царское, потому что помазывались цари и священники; просвещением, как светлость; одеждой, как покровы стыда; банею, как омовение, печатию, как сохранение и знамение господства. Об этом даре сорадуются небеса; его славословят Ангелы, по сродству светлости; он есть образ небесного блаженства; его желаем и мы воспеть, но не можем, сколь должно.

Говорю же о свете, созерцаемом во Отце, и Сыне, и Святом Духе, Которых богатство в естественности и в едином исторжении светлости.

Второй свет есть ангел — некоторая струя, или причастие первого Света, он находит свое просвещение в стремлении к первому Свету и в служении Ему; и не знаю, по чину ли своего стояния получает просвещение или по мере просвещения приемлет свой чин.

Третий свет есть человек, что известно и язычникам; ибо светом (φως) называют человека, как они по силе внутреннего нашего слова, так и из нас самих те, которые наиболее уподобляются Богу и приближаются к Нему.

Знай и иной свет, которым отражена или пресечена первобытная тьма, — эту первую основу небесной твари, то есть как кругообразные пути звезд, так и горнюю стражу, обнимающую сиянием целый мир. Свет была данная первородному и первоначальная заповедь, потому что заповедь есть светильник и свет (Притч. 6, 2 3), и как свет повеления Твоя на земле (Ис. 26,9), хотя завистливая тьма, вторгшись, произвела грех. Свет также преобразовательный и соразмеренный с силами приемлющих есть написанный Закон, прикрывающий истину и тайну великого Света, почему и лицо Моисеево Им прославляется.

Но и еще многими светами украсим наше слово. Свет был и явившееся Моисею во огне, когда видение это опаляло, но не сжигало купину, чтобы и естество показать, и силу явить. Свет — и путеводившее Израиля в столпе огненном и делавшее приятную пустыню. Свет — восхитившее Илию на огненной колеснице и не опалившее похищаемого. Свет — облиставшее пастырей, когда довременный Свет соединился с временным. Свет — и та красота звезды, предшествовавшей в Вифлеем, чтобы и волхвам указать путь и сопутствовать Свету, который превыше нас и соединился с нами. Свет — явленное ученикам на горе Божество, впрочем нестерпимое для слабого зрения. Свет — ослепившее блеском Павла видение и поражением очей исцелившее тьму душевную. Свет — и тамошняя светлость для очистившихся здесь, когда воссияют праведники как солнце (Матф. 13,43), и станет Бог посреди них, богов и царей, распределяя и разделяя достоинство тамошнего блаженства. Кроме этого, свет, в собственном смысле, есть просвещение Крещения, о котором у нас ныне слово и в котором заключается великое и чудное таинство нашего спасения.

Since it is not at all proper to God to sin, the first and uncomplicated nature (for simplicity is peaceful and serene), and also, I dare say, to the angelic nature, or the nature closest to God, because of its very proximity, but to sin is a human matter and is characteristic of greater complexity (because complexity is the beginning of rebellion), the Lord did not deign to leave His creation helpless and despise it, when she is in danger of rebelling against Him. But as He created those who did not exist, so He recreated those who received existence, a creature who is more divine and higher than the former, and who is a seal for beginners, and grace and the restoration of the image of him who fell through sin for those who are perfect, so that, becoming worse out of despair, and constantly being led by it into greater evil, through the same despair we do not become completely outside of good and virtue, and falling into the depths of evil, as it is said, "We did not despise" (Proverbs 18:3), but that, as those who make a long journey, after resting from their labors in the inn, so we, after renewal, willingly complete the rest of the journey.

This grace and power of Baptism does not drown the world, as it did of old, but cleanses sin in every person and completely washes away all impurity and defilement brought by damage.

For, in short, the power of Baptism must be understood as a covenant with God to enter into another life and to observe greater purity.

And, of course, each of us should most of all fear and guard his soul more than anything else (Proverbs 4:23), so that we do not turn out to be lying to this confession. For if God, who is accepted as a mediator in human contracts, confirms them, how dangerous is it to become a transgressor of the covenants which we have made with God Himself, and to be guilty before the truth, not only of other sins, but also of falsehood itself? Moreover, there is no other regeneration, nor recreation, nor restoration to the ancient state. Although, as much as possible, we pursue it with many sighs and tears, and although through this the wounds are closed with difficulty, at least according to my definition and rule (we believe for sure that they do, we would even wish that the traces of wounds were blotted out; because I myself have need of mercy); However, it is better not to have need of the second purification, but to endure the first, which, as I know, is common to all, and is not difficult, and is equally open to slaves and masters, poor and rich, low and high, noble and ignoble, debtors and undue, as the inhalation of air and the pouring of light, the succession of seasons, the contemplation of the universe, is a great and common delight for all of us, and also equal portions of faith. For it is terrible to use the most difficult instead of easy healing, rejecting the grace of mercy, to become subject to punishment and to reward sin with correction. And how many tears do you need to shed in order for them to be compared with the source of Baptism? And who can guarantee that death awaits our cure? That before the judgment seat we will no longer become debtors and have no need of the fiery trial there? Perhaps you, good and philanthropic gardener, will pray to the Lord to spare the fig tree and not to cut it down as accused of barrenness (Luke 13:b), but to allow it to be surrounded with dung — tears, sighs, prayers, reclining on the bare ground, vigils, exhaustion of the body, and correction through confession and a self-abasement life; but it is not known whether the Lord will spare her, as occupying her place in vain, while another has need of mercy and becomes worse from long-suffering.

We are buried with Christ through baptism, that we may also rise with Him; with Him let us descend, that we may ascend with Him also on high; let us ascend with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him! If, after baptism, the enemy of light and the tempter tempt tempt you (and he will tempt, for he tempted the Word and my God, deceived by the outer covering, he tempted the hidden Light, deceived by appearances), then you have with which to overcome him. Do not be afraid of podvig, oppose the water, oppose the Spirit, and by this all the fiery darts of the evil one will be quenched (Ephesians 6:1b). For here is the Spirit, and even the Spirit, rends the mountains (3 Kings 19:11); There is water here, and even water that extinguishes fire. If the tempter presents you with need (as he dared to do with Christ), and demands that stones become bread (Matt. 4:3), thereby stirring up hunger; do not be ignorant of his intentions. Teach him what he has not yet learned; Contrast it with the word of life, which is bread sent from heaven and gives life to the world. If he tempts you with vanity (like Christ, having raised you up on the wing of the temple, and having spoken, throw yourself down in proof of the Godhead (Matt. 4.5. b); Do not bring yourself down by arrogance. If he acquires it, he does not stop there, he is insatiable, he reaches out to everything, deceives with good, and ends with deceit — such is the way of his warfare! Even in the Scriptures this murderer is well-versed; from one place he will say, "It is written about bread," from another, "It is written about angels." "For," he says, "by his angel he will give charge over you, and in their arms they will bear you up" (Psalm 90:12). O cunning one for evil, why did you not say what follows (I remember this clearly, although you will keep silent), that, protected by the Trinity, I will tread on you, the adder and the basilisk (13), and I will trample on the serpent and the scorpion (Luke 10:19)? But if he begins to overcome you with insatiability, in a moment of time and sight showing all the kingdoms as belonging to him, and demanding worship; despise him as a beggar, and with hope for a seal say: "I myself am the image of God, I have not yet destroyed the heavenly glory as you did through exaltation, I have put on Christ, I have been transfigured into Christ by Baptism, you worship me." And the enemy, as I know for sure, defeated and put to shame by these words, as he has departed from Christ, the first Light, so will he depart from those enlightened by him.

This will grant the baptismal font to those who feel its power! Such a feast she offers to those who hunger for good! Therefore, let us be baptized, that we may overcome; let us partake of the waters of purification, which wash better than hyssop, cleanse better than the blood of the law, which are holier than the ashes of prison, and through sprinkling sanctify that which is defiled (Heb. 9:15), which has power only for a time to cleanse the body, and not to completely destroy sin.

Hasten to the gift, while you are still in control, while you are not sick in body and spirit, or do not seem sick to those present, although you are sound in mind, while your good is not in the hands of others, but you yourself are his master, while your tongue does not stammer, is not cold, and can clearly pronounce (not to mention more) the words of the mystery, as long as you can become faithful in this way, that others may not only suspect this, but when they have ascertained it, they will not be sorry for thee, but may bless thee, while the gift is evident to thee, and not doubtful, grace touches the depths, and the body is not washed for burial, until there are no tears near thee, which are signs of thy departure, or only to please thee, and the wife and children desire to prolong the moment of separation, and seek the last words from thee, until you have with you an unskilled physician who promises a few hours of life that are not in his power, who determines the hope of healing by the inclination of his head, who knows how to reason about illness after death; by departing from you, or extorting a great payment, or making it known that you are hopeless, until the Baptist and the covetous argue about you, hastening — the one to bid you farewell, and the other to enter into your heirs, while time does not allow either. Why do you expect good deeds from fever, and not from God? From time, and not from reason? From an insidious friend, and not from saving love? Not from your own will, but from coercion? Not from freedom, but from the extremity of circumstances? Why do you need to learn about your departure from another, but you yourself do not want to think of it as having already come? Why do you seek healings that will not help in the least? Do you wait for the sweat that promises a turning point in the disease, when, perhaps, the sweat of death is near? Heal yourself before need comes; Have pity on yourself, you are a close healer of the disease. Reserve for yourself the truly salvific healing. As long as you sail with a fair wind, be afraid of shipwreck, and having fear as your helper, you will suffer less in the shipwreck itself.