2

the chapter being sought will be found placed under the letter with which it also begins; for example, 95.1044 that from alpha, under the letter alpha; and that from beta, under beta; likewise also all the following letters. But at the end of each letter there are cross-referenced titles, about which I will speak briefly a little later when I come to those places, clearly presenting the usefulness derived from them. And in the same way that wine mixed with water is pleasant and produces a delightful grace; so also the structure of the entire work, being a mixture from the divine Scripture, and from the holy and God-bearing men, has much recreation for those wishing to read, ease for the industrious to commit it to memory; and for all who encounter it, benefit. And if it is well and properly composed, this is from the influence from above. But if crudely, and not very skillfully, this is from my own weakness. The name for the whole composition is The Sacred Things. It should be known that opinions have also been gathered from the compositions of Philo and Josephus, for the glory of our truth, which is celebrated even by its enemies. The explanation of the cross-references. From here are the cross-references of the titles, of those beginning with the same letter, and both placed and found elsewhere. It will be said what a cross-reference is, and for what reason it was devised. A cross-reference is a word guiding and drawing us to where each of the things being sought is found. And it contributes much use to the composition. For not only does it grant a brief comprehension, but it also shortens the length of the discourse, not allowing us to repeat ourselves, and to annoy the hearers by saying the same things many times. But it has been devised especially for similar topics, that is, things said in many ways about one subject. For there are various titles in each book with headings of four names, and perhaps even of more; for example, Concerning the proud, and the arrogant, and the boastful, and the vainglorious. For even if these have their beginning from a different letter, it is the same in subject matter. Therefore they have received in common the citation of sayings from the divine Scripture and from the holy Fathers. And again, Concerning the rash, and the shameless, and the passionate, and the wrathful, and the quick-tempered. For all these also exist in the concept. And so that we might not draw out long discourses in assigning the same readings to things separated in words, and not in reality, the cross-reference has necessarily been devised, by which we obtain the exposition of the titles, that is, of the chapters, according to their letter. Therefore it is fitting for those who consult the index of letters to also examine the cross-references subjoined to it. For the chapter being sought will be found in one of these.

EXCELLENT INDEX OF THE PRESENT VOLUME.

Letter Alpha. 1. Concerning the eternal divinity of the holy and consubstantial Trinity;

and that God is one and alone in all things. 2. Concerning God being inescapable; and that He oversees all things, and nothing is hidden from Him. 3. Concerning God being incomprehensible, and His works; and that we must not seek or be overly curious about His hidden things; for the discovery of these is impossible and unattainable. 4. Concerning love and fear of God; and that they surpass every good. 5. Concerning contradiction toward God; and that one must not speak against, or justify oneself before God. 6. Concerning angels; that even angels who have sinned are punished. 7. Concerning angels; that God has appointed guardian angels. 8. Concerning the creation and constitution of man. 9. Concerning free will; that free will has been given to us by God, and it is in our power to be saved and to be lost. 10. Concerning the unstable and uncertain state of human affairs; and what man and his life are like; and that present things are vain, and weaker than a shadow. 11. Concerning good works; and that one ought to do good toward all; and that one ought the burdens of the

2

ζητούμενον κεφάλαιον εὑρεθήσεται κείμενον ἐν τῷ γράμματι ἀφ' οὗ καὶ ἄρχεται· οἷον, τὸ 95.1044 ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄλφα. εἰς τὸ ἄλφα στοιχεῖον· καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ βῆτα, εἰς τὸ βῆτα· ὁμοίως καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἅπαντα στοιχεῖα. Ἐν τέλει δὲ ἑκάστου γράμματός εἰσι τίτλοι παραπεμπόμενοι, περὶ ὧν μικρὸν ὕστερον ἐν τοῖς τόποις γενόμενος βραχέα ἐρῶ, σαφῶς τὸ ἐξ αὐτῶν χρήσιμον παριστῶν. Ὃν δὲ τρόπον οἶνος ὕδατι συγκραθεὶς, ἡδύς ἐστι καὶ ἐπιτερπῆ τὴν χάριν ἀποτελεῖ· οὕτως καὶ ἡ κατασκευὴ ὅλου τοῦ συγγράμματος, σύμμικτος οὖσα ἀπὸ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς, καὶ τῶν ὁσίων καὶ θεοφόρων ἀνδρῶν, πολλὴν ἔχει, τοῖς μὲν βουλομένοις ἀναγινώσκειν ψυχαγωγίαν, τοῖς δὲ φιλοπονοῦσιν, εἰς τὸ διὰ μνήμης ἀναλαβεῖν εὐμάρειαν· πᾶσι δὲ τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν, ὠφέλειαν. Καὶ εἰ μὲν καλῶς καὶ προσηκόντως συντέτακται, τοῦτο τῆς ἄνωθεν ὑπάρχει ῥοπῆς. Εἰ δὲ βαναύσως, καὶ οὐ λίαν εὐστόχως, τοῦτο τὸ τῆς ἐμῆς ἀσθενείας. Ὄνομα τῷ ὅλῳ συντάγματι τὰ ἱερά. Ἰστέον δὲ ὡς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν τοῦ Φίλωνος καὶ Ἰωσήππου συνταγμάτων ἠθροίσθησαν γνῶμαι, εἰς κλέος τῆς παρ' ἡμῖν ἀληθείας, καὶ ὑπὸ δυσμενῶν ἀνευφημουμένης. Ἡ λύσις τῶν παραπομπῶν. Ἐντεῦθεν αἱ παραπομπαὶ τῶν τίτλων, τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ στοιχείου ἀρχομένων, καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ κειμένων τε, καὶ εὑρισκομένων. Λεχθήσεται δὲ τί ἐστι παραπομπὴ, καὶ δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἐξεύρηται. Παραπομπή ἐστι λέξις ὁδηγοῦσα, καὶ ἕλκουσα ἡμᾶς ἔνθα ἕκαστον τῶν ζητουμένων εὑρίσκεται. Πολλὴν δὲ χρεῖαν εἰσφέρει τῷ συντάγματι. Οὐ μόνον γὰρ σύντομον κατάληψιν χαρίζεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ μῆκος λόγου ὑποτέμνεται, μὴ συγχωροῦσα παλιλλογεῖν, καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ πολλάκις λέγοντας ἐνοχλεῖν τοὺς ἀκούοντας. Μάλιστα δὲ ἐξηύρηται διὰ τὰ ὁμοιότροπα, ἤγουν τὰ ἐπὶ ἑνὸς πράγματος πολλαχῶς λεγόμενα. ∆ιάφοροι γάρ εἰσι τίτλοι ἐν ἑκάστῳ βίβλῳ ἐκ τεσσάρων ὀνομάτων, ἴσως δὲ καὶ ἐκ πλειόνων τὰς ἐπιγραφὰς ἔχοντες· οἷον, Περὶ ὑπερηφάνων, καὶ σοβαρῶν, καὶ ἀλαζόνων, καὶ κενοδόξων. Ταῦτα γὰρ εἰ καὶ ἀπὸ διαφόρου γράμματος ἔχουσι τὴν ἀρχὴν, ταὐτόν ἐστι τῷ ὑποκειμένῳ. ∆ιὸ καὶ τὴν τῶν ῥημάτων παράθεσιν ἀπὸ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς καὶ τῶν ὁσίων Πατέρων κοινῶς ἐδέξαντο. Καὶ πάλιν, Περὶ προπετοῦς, καὶ ἀναιδοῦς, καὶ θυμώδους, καὶ ὀργίλου, καὶ ὀξυχόλου. Καὶ ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα ἐν τῇ θεωρίᾳ ὑπάρχουσι. Καὶ ἵνα μὴ ἐν τῷ νέμειν τὰ αὐτὰ ἀναγνώσματα τοῖς ἐν ῥήμασι, καὶ οὐκ ἐν πράγμασι κεχωρισμένοις, μακροὺς ἀποτείνωμεν λόγους, ἀναγκαίως ἡ παραπομπὴ ἐξηύρηται, δι' ἧς περιγίνεται ἡμῖν ἡ κατὰ στοιχεῖον τῶν τίτλων, ἤγουν τῶν κεφαλαίων, ἔκθεσις. Προσήκει τοίνυν τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας τῷ πίνακι στοιχείων, καὶ τὰς παραπομπὰς τὰς ὑποτεταγμένας αὐτῷ ἐπισκέπτεσθαι. Τὸ γὰρ ζητούμενον κεφάλαιον ἐν ἑνὶ τούτων εὑρηθήσεται.

ΠΙΝΑΞ ΑΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΗΣ ΠΥΚΤΙ∆ΟΣ.

Στοιχεῖον ἄλφα. Αʹ. Περὶ ἀϊδίου θεότητος τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ὁμοουσίου Τριάδος·

καὶ ὅτι εἷς καὶ μόνος ἐν πᾶσι Θεός. Βʹ. Περὶ τοῦ ἄφευκτον εἶναι Θεόν· καὶ ὅτι πάντα ἐφορᾷ, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ λέληθεν. Γʹ. Περὶ τοῦ ἀκατάληπτον εἶναι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὅτι οὐ δεῖ ἡμᾶς τὰ κρυπτὰ αὐτοῦ ζητεῖν ἢ περιεργάζεσθαι· ἀνέφικτος γὰρ καὶ ἀκατάληπτος ἡ τούτων εὕρεσις. ∆ʹ. Περὶ ἀγάπης καὶ φόβου Θεοῦ· καὶ ὅτι παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ ὑπερέχουσι. Εʹ. Περὶ ἀντιλογίας πρὸς Θεόν· καὶ ὅτι οὐ δεῖ ἀντιλέγειν, ἢ δικαιολογεῖσθαι πρὸς Θεόν. ϛʹ. Περὶ ἀγγέλων· ὅτι καὶ ἄγγελοι ἁμαρτήσαντες κολάζονται. Ζʹ. Περὶ ἀγγέλων· ὅτι ἀγγέλους φύλακας ἐπέστησεν ὁ Θεός. Ηʹ. Περὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πλάσεως καὶ κατασκευῆς. Θʹ. Περὶ αὐτεξουσίου· ὅτι αὐτεξούσιον δέδοται ἡμῖν ἀπὸ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν ἔστι σωθῆναι καὶ ἀπολέσθαι. Ιʹ. Περὶ τῆς ἀστάτου καὶ ἀβεβαίου τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων καταστάσεως· καὶ τίνι ἔοικεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ ὁ βίος αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὅτι μάταια τὰ παρόντα, καὶ σκιᾶς ἀδρανέστερα. ΙΑʹ. Περὶ ἀγαθοεργίας· καὶ ὅτι χρὴ τὸ ἀγαθὸν πρὸς πάντας ποιεῖν· καὶ ὅτι χρὴ τὰ βάρη τοῦ