Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIII/Ephraim the Syrian and Aphrahat/Hymns For the Feast of the Epiphany/Hymn V

(.&#8212;Blessed be He that ordained baptism, for the atonement of the sons of Adam!)

1.&#160; Descend, my brethren, put on from the waters of baptism the Holy Spirit;&#8212;be joined with the spirits that minister to the Godhead!

2.&#160; For lo! He is the fire that secretly, seals also His flock,&#8212;by the Three spiritual Names, wherein the Evil One is put to flight.

3.&#160; John when he cried and said &#8220;This is the Lamb of God,&#8221;&#8212;thereby showed concerning the Gentiles that they are Abraham&#8217;s children.

4.&#160; This is he that testified of our Saviour, that with fire and the Spirit He should baptize.&#8212;Lo! the fire and the Spirit, my brethren, in the baptism of truth.

5.&#160; For greater is Baptism than Jordan that little river;&#8212;for that in streams of water and oil, the misdeeds of all men are washed out.

6.&#160; Elisha by seven times washing, cleansed Naaman&#8217;s leprosy:&#8212;in Baptism are cleansed the secret misdeeds in the soul.

7.&#160; Moses baptized the People in the midst of the sea, yet availed not&#8212;to wash their heart within, that was full of the defilements of misdeeds.

8.&#160; Lo! the priest in the likeness of Moses purges the defilements of the soul;&#8212;and with oil of anointing, lo! he seals new lambs for the Kingdom.

9.&#160; Samuel anointed David to be king among the People:&#8212;but lo! the priest anoints you to be heirs in the Kingdom.

10.&#160; For with the armour that David put on, after the anointing he fought&#8212;and laid low the giant who sought to subdue Israel.

11.&#160; Lo! again in the chrism of Christ, and in the armour that is from the water&#8212;the haughtiness of the Evil One is humbled, who sought to subdue the Gentiles.

12.&#160; By the water that flowed from the rock, the thirst of the People was quenched.&#160; Lo! in the fountain of Christ, the thirst of the peoples is quenched.

13.&#160; The rod of Moses opened the rock, and the streams flowed forth; and they were refreshed by its draught, who had grown faint with thirst.

14.&#160; Lo! from the side of Christ flowed the stream that bestowed life.&#8212;The Gentiles drank that were weary, and in it forgot their pains.

15.&#160; With Thy dew besprinkle my vileness, and my crimes in Thy blood shall be atoned!&#8212;And I shall be, O my Lord, at Thy right hand, and with Thy Saints I shall be joined!