Soul before baptism is weak; after the sea Amalek is fought

way also the human soul, just now running out from slavery from passions, and shifting harbor toward the better things, and wishing to follow along with the divine law, is tender-minded and more easily touched, and would be easily startled, having seen sweat and war’s law behind, and will think it welcome to pass time again in what it once was. And indeed those from Israel, having seen the Egyptians’ array, and having given up at the mere sight of the war, were attacking the divine Moses saying: ‘Was this not a word which we spoke in Egypt to you saying, Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? for it is better for us to serve Egyptians than to die in this wilderness.’ Therefore weak unto battle, and most ready toward slavery, and altogether easily terrified before holy baptism is the human soul; but if having obtained the grace it should put on the power from on high, it will most strongly counter those who wish to pursue, and will fight nobly, and would most easily beat off the uprisings of the enemies, Christ generaling and shielding in front. For we will prevail in no other way than according to this very manner.

Palladius: Look then through what examples you will also set this before us; for you will not be at a loss anywhere.

Cyril: Through very many indeed it is easy to show, yet from the first neighbor at least, and from what Moses himself has written; for those who had given up at the mere sight of the Egyptians, when they crossed the Red Sea, and were fulfilling the type of holy baptism (for they were baptized, he says, into Moses, just as also the wise Paul writes, in the cloud and in the sea), were already being shown fight-ready and terrible toward resistance against the enemies—yet through Christ. And it has been written thus: ‘And Amalek came and was warring Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua: Choose for yourself powerful men, and going out array against Amalek tomorrow; and behold I have stood upon the top of the hill, and the rod of God is in my hand. And Joshua did just as Moses said to him, and going out arrayed against Amalek; and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up upon the top of the hill. And it came to be, whenever Moses lifted up the hands Israel was prevailing, and whenever he let the hands down Amalek was prevailing. And Moses’ hands were heavy, and taking a stone they put it under him, and he sat upon it, and Aaron and Hur were supporting his hands, from here one and from here one; and Moses’ hands became supported until sun’s settings; and Joshua turned Amalek and all his people in slaughter of sword. And the Lord said to Moses: Write this unto a memorial in a book, and give into Joshua’s ears, that with a wiping I will wipe out the memorial of Amalek from under the heaven. And Moses built an altar to the Lord, and named its name, The Lord my refuge, because with a hidden hand the Lord wars upon Amalek from generations unto generations.’