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he offered sacrifices for things unseen and unconfessed. But he who took such care for things unseen and of the mind, consider what he was like in things manifest; see for me how he immediately fulfilled the apostolic word which says: fathers, bring up your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. This is the care of children, this the governance of parents. Consider what kind of men he was making them. He showed their virtue most of all, indeed, by mentioning their great harmony, and then also from the governance of their father. Lest, he says, in their thought they have conceived evil things against God. Not that they are such, but that they are men. Did he himself never think any such thing? A great thing it is, then, to fear even the unseen things. 9 Lest, he says, my sons in their thought have conceived evil things against God. For in word they would not have dared to say such a thing, having such an instructor and teacher. But since he was not an examiner of unseen things, he contrived and reasoned so that not even those things should escape him. “The manifest things,” he says, “I will be able to correct; what must I do concerning the unseen things?” And yet to Moses God says: The manifest things belong to you and to your sons, but the unseen things to the Lord your God. But this man did not leave even the unseen things to God, but he himself endeavored to correct these things too by some therapeutic method; for at the same time this became an instruction to his children, not only a removal of sins. For knowing that punishment lies with God even for the thoughts and sins of the mind—for the father would not have offered a sacrifice if he were not hastening to absolve a sin—, and being continually instructed in these things through the sacrifices, they would have become more hesitant, if any such thing did happen. Do you see him correcting not the sins in deeds, but also those in thoughts, and fulfilling by his works what was said by Christ? For out of the heart, he says, proceed evil thoughts, and these are the things which defile a man. Since, therefore, these things defile a man, he was cleansing them. Do you see a cleansing not Mosaic nor legal, but apostolic, wiping their minds clean each day? Not by exhortation and counsel only, but also by governance and prayers to God, he cared for them not only as a father, but also as their priest, although we know of no priest at that time. 10 Let fathers, as many as have children, hear how much care they ought to take for them. For since it was a drinking party, since it was a banquet, and the mind is often accustomed to be led astray at such times,—for this reason Moses also said: when you have eaten and drunk, remember the Lord your God. That is to say: that place is a precipice, it quickly leads to forgetfulness. Therefore, remember then especially, when the devil is especially eager to cast the treasure from your mind. So, therefore, this man also knew that luxury and indulgence produce some such thing—thus also the children of Israel ate and rose up to play—, for this reason, when the drinking party was completed, he offered the sacrifices. Some say that in ancient times there were also priests, like Melchizedek, self-ordained; this then is what *he sent* means. But if he offers sacrifices, it is not according to the law, since Abraham also offered, and Noah, and Abel. But what? Was he to rebuke them? But he did not know the sin. But to overlook it? But it often happened that they had sinned. See how even in the sacrifice he taught them harmony, offering one calf for all as for one soul. See how affectionate, how devout, how God-fearing, how just, how true, how abstaining from every evil thing. Blameless; for you cannot accuse him of neglecting his children. Just; because he provided as much care for them as was needed. God-fearing; because he did this for God's sake. So what should we say? That he loved his children? That he loved God? From which love did he do this more? It seems to me from the love for God and then from the love for his children. 1,5f Thus did Job, it says, all the days. Do you see the piety? Not for a fixed number of days, but for all time. But we, if we should do some good thing once or twice, or pray,

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ἀδήλων καὶ οὐχ ὡμολογημένων τὰς θυσίας προσέφερεν. ὁ δὲ τῶν ἀδήλων καὶ τῶν κατὰ διάνοιαν τοσαύτην πρόνοιαν ποιούμενος οἷος ἦν ἐν τοῖς φανεροῖς, ἐννόησον· ὅρα δέ μοι, τὸ ἀποστολικὸν πῶς ἐπλήρου εὐθέως τὸ λέγον· οἱ πατέρες, ἐκτρέφετε ὑμῶν τὰ τέκνα ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ κυρίου. τοῦτο ἐπιμέλεια παίδων, τοῦτο προστασία γεγεννηκότων. ἐννόησον, οἵους αὐτοὺς ἀπειργάζετο. μάλιστα μὲν οὖν αὐτῶν τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐνέφηνεν εἰπὼν τὴν πολλὴν ὁμόνοιαν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς προστασίας τοῦ πατρός. μήποτε, φησίν, ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ αὐτῶν κακὰ ἐνενόησαν πρὸς τὸν θεόν. οὐχ ὅτι τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἄνθρωποί εἰσιν. ἆρα αὐτὸς οὐδέποτε τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν ἐνενόησεν; μέγα ἄρα πρᾶγμα τὸ καὶ τὰ ἄδηλα δεδοικέναι. 9 μήποτε, φησίν, οἱ υἱοί μου ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ αὐτῶν κακὰ ἐνενόησαν πρὸς τὸν θεόν. λόγῳ γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἐτόλμησαν εἰπεῖν τοιοῦτον ἔχοντες τὸν παιδευτὴν καὶ διδάσκαλον. ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἀδήλων οὐκ ἦν ἐξεταστής, ἐπενόησε καὶ ἐλογίσατο, ὡς μηδ' ἐκεῖνα αὐτὸν διαφυγεῖν. «τὰ φανερὰ δυνήσομαι», φησίν, «διορθοῦν· τί δεῖ ποιῆσαί με περὶ τῶν ἀδήλων;» καὶ μὴν τῷ Μωσεῖ φησιν ὁ θεός· τὰ φανερὰ ὑμῖν καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς ὑμῶν, τὰ δὲ ἄδηλα κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ. ἀλλ' οὗτος οὐδὲ τὰ ἄδηλα ἀφῆκε τῷ θεῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῦτα αὐτὸς ἐβιάζετο διορθοῦν θεραπευτικῇ τινι μεθόδῳ· ὁμοῦ γὰρ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ διδασκαλία τοῖς παισὶν ἐγίνετο, οὐχὶ ἁμαρτημάτων ἀναίρεσις μόνον. οἱ γὰρ εἰδότες, ὅτι καὶ τῶν κατὰ διάνοιαν λογισμῶν καὶ ἁμαρτημάτων τιμωρία κεῖται παρὰ τῷ θεῷ-οὐ γὰρ ἂν ὁ πατὴρ θυσίαν προσήνεγκεν, εἰ μὴ ἁμαρτίαν ἀναλῦσαι ἔσπευδεν-, καὶ συνεχῶς ταῦτα παιδευόμενοι διὰ τῶν θυσιῶν ὀκνηρότεροι, εἰ καί τι τοιοῦτον συνέβαινεν, ἐγένοντο ἄν. ὁρᾷς οὐχὶ τὰς ἐν τοῖς πράγμασιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἐν τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἁμαρτίας αὐτὸν διορθοῦντα καὶ τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰρημένον διὰ τῶν ἔργων πληροῦντα; ἐκ γὰρ τῆς καρδίας, φησίν, ἐξέρχονται διαλογισμοὶ πονηροί, καὶ ταῦτά ἐστι τὰ κοινοῦντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον. ἐπεὶ οὖν ταῦτα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἐκαθέριζεν αὐτούς. ὁρᾷς καθαρμὸν οὐχὶ Μωσαϊκὸν οὐδὲ νομικόν, ἀλλὰ ἀποστολικὸν τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν ἀποσμήχοντα καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν; οὐχὶ παραινέσει καὶ συμβουλῇ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ προστασίᾳ καὶ εὐχαῖς ταῖς πρὸς τὸν θεόν, οὐχ ὡς πατὴρ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς ἱερεὺς αὐτῶν ἐκήδετο, καίτοι οὐδένα ἴσμεν ἱερέα τότε. 10 ἀκουέτωσαν οἱ πατέρες, ὅσοι παῖδας ἔχουσιν, ὅσην ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ποιεῖσθαι πρόνοιαν ὀφείλουσιν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πότος ἦν, ἐπειδὴ συμπόσιον ἦν, εἴωθε δὲ πολλάκις ἡ διάνοια παρατρέπεσθαι παρὰ τοὺς τοιούτους καιρούς,-διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Μωσῆς ἔλεγεν· φαγὼν καὶ πιὼν μνήσθητι κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου. τουτέστιν· ἀπόκρημνος ὁ τόπος ἐστὶν ἐκεῖνος, ταχέως εἰς λήθην ἄγει. τότε οὖν μάλιστα μέμνησο, ὅτε μάλιστα ἐκβαλεῖν σου τῆς διανοίας ἐπείγεται τὸν θησαυρὸν ὁ διάβολος. οὕτως οὖν καὶ οὗτος ᾔδει τὴν τρυφὴν καὶ τὴν διάχυσιν ἐργαζομένην τι τοιοῦτον-οὕτω καὶ οἱ Ἰσραὴλ παῖδες ἔφαγον καὶ ἀνέστησαν παίζειν- , διὰ τοῦτο πεπληρωμένου τοῦ πότου τὰς θυσίας προσέφερεν. τινές φασιν, ὅτι καὶ ἱερεῖς τὸ παλαιὸν ἦσαν, ὥσπερ ὁ Μελχισεδέκ, αὐτοχειροτόνητοι· τοῦτο οὖν ἐστι τὸ ἀπέστελλεν. εἰ δὲ προσφέρει θυσίας, οὐχὶ κατὰ νόμον, ἐπεὶ καὶ Ἀβραὰμ προσήνεγκε καὶ Νῶε καὶ Ἄβελ. ἀλλὰ τί; ἔδει ἐπιτιμῆσαι αὐτοῖς; ἀλλ' οὐκ ᾔδει τὸ ἁμάρτημα. ἀλλὰ παραδραμεῖν; ἀλλὰ πολλάκις συνέβαινεν ἡμαρτηκέναι. ὅρα, πῶς καὶ ἐν τῇ θυσίᾳ ὁμόνοιαν αὐτοὺς ἐδίδασκεν ἕνα ὑπὲρ πάντων μόσχον προσφέρων ὡς ὑπὲρ μιᾶς ψυχῆς. ὅρα, πῶς φιλόστοργος, πῶς εὐσεβής, πῶς θεοσεβής, πῶς δίκαιος, πῶς ἀληθινός, πῶς ἀπεχόμενος ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος. ἄμεμπτος· οὐ γὰρ ἔχεις ἐγκαλέσαι, ὅτι ἠμέλει τῶν παίδων. δίκαιος· ὅτι παρεῖχεν ὅσην ἔδει πρόνοιαν αὐτοῖς. θεοσεβής· ὅτι διὰ τὸν θεὸν τοῦτο ἐποίει. ἄρα τί ἂν εἴποιμεν; ὅτι τοὺς παῖδας ἐφίλει; ὅτι τὸν θεὸν ἐφίλει; ἀπὸ ποίου φίλτρου τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἔπραττεν; ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ τοῦ περὶ τὸν θεὸν καὶ τότε τοῦ περὶ τοὺς παῖδας. 1,5f οὕτως ἐποίει, φησίν, πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ˉ̓Ιώβ. ὁρᾷς τὴν εὐσέβειαν; οὐχὶ πρὸς ὡρισμένον ἡμερῶν ἀριθμόν, ἀλλὰ πάντα τὸν χρόνον. ἡμεῖς δὲ ἂν ἅπαξ ἢ δεύτερον ποιήσωμέν τι ἀγαθὸν ἢ εὐξώμεθα,