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Orthodox Confession
St Peter Mogila, tr. Lodvel, 1762
Part 1, 5. Questions 41–50
Question 41
What are we to think concerning this Salutation?
Answer.
First, Thou must believe that this Salutation was originally appointed by God himself: though it was taught unto Men by the Arch-Angel Gabriel, who hath not dared to have used it, unless he had been so commanded by God. The words of the holy Elizabeth were also inspired by the Holy Ghost, as is evident from the Evangelist’s Account (Luke i. 41), Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she spake out with a loud Voice, and said, Blessed art thou among Women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb. Also the Words which the Church hath added are of the Holy Ghost.
And the Church, by the Authority with which she is vested, doth command us, that when we pray, we should frequently honour and praise the blessed Virgin with this Salutation.
Question 42
What is taught us in this Salutation?
Answer.
In this Salutation is contained a Commemoration, that the Son of God became Man, and of the Benefits which we receive thereby: And also we learn thereby, that when the eternal Word of God, which is without Beginning, came down from Heaven he brought not Flesh with him, but received it in the Womb of the most holy Virgin, formed of her purest Blood, by the Operation of the Holy Spirit; so that he was born of her as of his proper Parent. And this we must most truly and firmly believe; for the Church doth condemn, as Heretics, all such as hold that the Saviour came down from Heaven already clothed with Flesh, wherewith he passed through the holy Virgin as through a Door (Cyril of Jerusalem his Catechis. xiii.). We are, farthermore, taught therein to call the blessed Virgin God-bearing, according to the human Nature of Christ; and that Christ, who was born of her, was perfect God, and perfect Man. Moreover, this Salutation, in calling the Virgin full of Grace, teacheth us, that as she is the Mother of God, she is made more abundantly a Partaker of the divine Grace than any created Being: Wherefore the Church rightly extolleth her above the Cherubim and Seraphim, For she, far above all the Choirs of Angels, is at the right Hand of her Son, with all Honour and Glory, according to David (Psal. xlv. 10), Upon thy Right Hand did stand, the Queen, in a Vesture of Gold wrought about with divers Colours. Every orthodox Christian ought to repeat this Salutation with the utmost Reverence, and implore the Intercession of the Virgin; for the Prayer of the Mother availeth much with the Son. And whosoever would be a devout Honourer of the Virgin, let him (alway standing, not sitting) repeat the Hymn called Akathiston, and other Supplication and Hymns, which the Church hath composed in Honour of the Mother of God.
Question 43
What is the fourth Article of the Creed?
Answer.
Chiefly six Things. First, That the Word verily, and indeed, suffered on the Cross for our Sakes, and truly and really died, according to that same Humanity which he received from the Virgin Mary: As is manifest from the holy Book (Luke xxiii. 46), And when Jesus had cried with a loud Voice, he said, Father, into thy Hands I commend my Spirit; and having said thus he gave up the Ghost. And that he truly poured out his precious Blood for us, wherewith he redeemed us, as the Apostle witnesseth (Eph. i. 5, 7), Who hath predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children, by Jesus Christ, in whom we have Redemption through his Blood, the Forgiveness of Sins according to the Riches of his Grace.
Question 45
What is the second Thing contained in this Article?
Answer.
That Christ suffered the Punishment of us Sinners, having no Sin in Himself: as the Apostle St. Peter testifieth (1 Pet. i. 18), Forasmuch as ye know ye were not redeemed with corruptible Things, as Silver and Gold, from your vain Conversation taught you by your Fathers, but with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb, without Blemish and without Spot. In like manner doth John the Baptist bear Witness, that Jesus, who was perfectly innocent, and free from any Stain of Sin, suffered for our Sins; For thus saith he (John i. 29), Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the Sin of the World. And this was voluntarily, and of his own free Will, as himself saith (John x. 18), I have Power to lay down my Life, and I have Power to take it again.
Question 46
What is the third Thing taught?
Answer.
That Christ suffered on the Cross, according to his human Nature, not according to his Divinity. For his divine Nature suffered not: that was not fastened to the Cross, that did not give its Face to be spit upon, nor to the Smiters: that died not. And that Christ was crucified only in the Flesh the Apostle manifesteth, saying (Coloss. i. 21, 22), Now hath he reconciled in the Body of his Flesh through Death, to present you holy, and unblameable, and unreprovable before him. Nevertheless his divine Nature, having taken to it the Humanity, was never again separated from it. Not in the Time of his Passion and Death upon the Cross; not even in Death; although his Soul was separated from his Body, yet did not his Divinity ever depart from his Body or his Soul. So that in Death itself Christ still continued one and the Same Person.
Question 47
What is the fourth Part contained in this Article?
Answer.
That the Death of Christ was abundantly more excelled, and of far greater Benefits, than could be the Death of all other Men: For these especial Reasons. First, Because of the heavy Burden of our Sins, as saith the Prophet (Isai. liii. 4), He hath borne our Griefs and carried our Sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our Transgressions, he was bruised for our Iniquities. Also the Prophet Jeremiah, speaking in the Person of Christ (Lament. i. 12), Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see if there be any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow, which is done unto me. Secondly, For that on the Cross he fulfilled his priestly Office, offering himself to God and the Father, for the Redemption of Mankind: as the Apostle speaks concerning him (1 Tim. xi. 6), Who gave himself a Ransom for all. And again (Eph. v. 2), Christ loved us, and hath given himself for us, an Offering and a Sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling Savour. Also in another Place (Rom. v. 8), While we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us. Thirdly, Because on the Cross he completed the Reconciliation which he had undertaken between God and Man; as the Apostle just mentioned declareth (Coloss. i. 20 and ii. 14), By him to reconcile all Things unto himself, having made Peace through the Blood of his Cross; Blotting out the Handwriting of Ordinances that was against us; which was contrary to us; and took it out of the Way, nailing it to the Cross.
Question 48
What is the fifth Thing contained in this Article?
Answer.
Concerning the Burial of our Lord Jesus Christ, as he was really and truly fastened to the Cross, and underwent the most grievous Torments, so was he verily and indeed dead, and buried in an honourable Place; which came to pass for this End, that from henceforth none should doubt of the real Resurrection of Christ from the Dead. For had he been buried in an obscure Bye-Place, and, as we say, in a Corner, it would have given good Occasion to the Jews to have opposed our Lord with their Slanders: Wherefore, that the glorious Resurrection of Christ might be more unquestionable and glorious, the Jews, as if they had been directed by Providence, go to Pilate, and say unto him (Matth. xxvii. 64), Command therefore that the Sepulchre be made sure until the third Day: and Pilate said unto them, Ye have a Watch; go your Way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went and made the Sepulchre sure, sealing the Stone, and setting a Watch. Which Watch of the Jews afforded a most certain and manifest Proof of Christ’s Resurrection; being struck with great Dread at the Time it was come to pass, as the Scripture informs us (Matth. xxxviii. 2), And behold there was a great Earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and came and rolled back the Stone from the Door, and sat upon it; and for Fear of him the Keepers did shake and became as dead Men. Who afterwards (ver. 11) going into the City, told the chief Priests all that had happened. Being, as it were, constrained to testify what the Angel had spoken to the Women, saying (ver. 5), I know that ye seek Jesus that was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said; come and see the Place where the Lord lay, and go quickly, and tell his Disciples that he is risen from the Dead. For this Cause, therefore, it was that the Sepulchre of our Lord should be in a Place of Honour, that it might be clear to all that his Disciples did not steal him away, and bury him in an unknown obscure Place, as the perverse Jews gave out, having corrupted the Keepers with large Money. But this empty Suspicion was fully confuted by the Tomb itself, wherein our Lord had been buried, and by the sealing of the Stone, and by the Guard which the Jews had set. Beside Joseph and Nicodemus were Men of great Honour and Account in their Nation. Lastly, The precious Linen wherein the dead Body of our Lord had been wrapped, and the Napkin which was about his Head, remained folded up in the Sepulchre after he was arisen; all which sufficiently proved that his Body had not been secretly conveyed away by the Disciples, but was indeed returned to Life. To this it deserves to be added, that according to the holy Prophecies it was of Necessity that our Lord’s Sepulchre should be honourable, as it is, and has been: for so sayeth the Prophet Isaiah (ch. xi. 10), And his Rest shall be glorious. Now, whosoever visiteth this Sepulchre, in Faith and Love of Christ, he shall obtain Pardon of many Sins; coming through that, in his Mind, unto Christ himself.
Question 49
From what hath been said, I am become desirous to know in what Place the Soul of Christ remained after its departure from his Body, and before his Resurrection.
Answer.
The Soul of Christ, although separated from his Body, yet remained joined to his Divinity, and together with it went down to Hell: although no mention is made thereof in this Article, yet we are sufficiently certified that it is so by many Hymns of the Church on this Subject, which teach that Christ, together with his Soul and his Divinity, descended into Hell. As this Troparion, or Hymn of the Church, particularly setteth forth —
With thy Body in the Tomb.
With thy Soul in Hell.
In Paradise with the Thief,
And on thy Throne with the Father and the Holy Ghost,
Thou wast God, O Christ!
Filling all things, thyself unbounded.
And having delivered from thence the Souls of the holy Fathers, he led them into Paradise, together with the Thief who had believed on him when he was crucified.
Question 50
What is the sixth Thing contained in this Article?
Answer.
This Article, by making mention of the Cross on which Christ died and wrought the great Work of our Salvation, prompts us to comment something concerning it: Of which the Apostle St. Paul thus speaketh (Galat. vi. 14), God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: whereby the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World. And again (1 Cor. i. 18), The preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the Power of God. For many and great Reasons, therefore, the Cross is venerable unto us, as the peculiar Sign of Christ, on which a wonderful Power is bestowed of putting evil Spirits to flight: Forasmuch as it was anointed with the Blood of the Son of God, who breathed out his Soul thereon. To this Purpose hear St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem (Catechis. xiii.), “When we sign ourselves with the venerable Sign of the Cross, the Devil then being mindful that Christ was nailed to the Cross for our Salvation, and for the Destruction of his hellish Power, can no longer be present, nor withstand the Power of the Cross; but he fleeth from us, and ceaseth to tempt us, more especially as we usually call upon the Name of our Saviour Christ at the same Time.” Wherefore it is necessary that we should frequently use to sign ourselves with this holy Sign; forasmuch as we perceive ourselves too commonly beset with the Temptations of the Devil, which we cannot otherwise drive away than by the Sign of the Lifegiving Cross, and seriously calling upon the Name of Jesus Christ. And by this, we not only drive away the Insults of the Spirits of Darkness from our Persons, but also from whatever belongeth unto us; from our Meat and our Drink, from our Utensils, and everything appertaining to us. Wherefore St. Cyril, in the Place before mentioned, saith farther: “Bless thyself with the venerable Sign of the Cross, when thou eatest and when thou drinkest; when thou standest and when thou sittest; when thou speaketh and when thou walkest. Begin not any Business or Employment without first making this reverend Sign; in thine House or on the Way, in the Day or in the Night, and in all Places.”