Having, then, all these considerations in our view, we hold that the soul of him who has reached every virtue in his course, and the soul of him whose portion of life has been simply nothing, are equally out of the reach of those sufferings which flow from wickedness. Nevertheless we do not conceive of the employment of their lives as on the same level at all. The one has heard those heavenly announcements, by which, in the words of the Prophet, “the glory of God is declared27    Ps. xix. 1.,” and, travelling through creation, has been led to the apprehension of a Master of the creation; he has taken the true Wisdom for his teacher, that Wisdom which the spectacle of the Universe suggests; and when he observed the beauty of this material sunlight he had grasped by analogy the beauty of the real sunlight28    This mysticism of Gregory is an extension of Origen’s view that there are direct affinities or analogies between the visible and invisible world. Gregory here and elsewhere proposes to find in the facts of nature nothing less than analogies with the energies, and so with the essence, of the Deity. The marks stamped upon the Creation translate these energies into language intelligible to us: just as the energies in their turn translate the essence, as he insists on in his treatise against Eunomius. This world, in effect, exists only in order to manifest the Divine Being. But the human soul, of all that is created, is the special field where analogies to the Creator are to be sought, because we feel both by their energies alone; both the soul and God are hid from us, in their essence. “Since,” he says (De Hom Opif. c. xi.) “one of the attributes we contemplate in the Divine nature is incomprehensibility of essence, it is clearly necessary that in this point ‘the image’ should be able to show its resemblance to the Archetype. For if, while the Archetype transcends comprehension, the essence of ‘the image’ were comprehended, the contrary character of the attributes we behold in them would prove the defect of ‘the image’; but since the essence of our Mind eludes our knowledge, it has an exact resemblance to the Supreme essence, figuring as it does by its own unknowableness the incomprehensible Being.” Therefore, Gregory goes to the interior facts of our nature for the actual proof of theological doctrine. God is “spirit” because of the spirituality of the soul. The “generation” of the Son is proved by the Will emanating from the Reason. Gregory follows this line even more resolutely than Origen. He was the first Father who sought to explain the Trinity by the triple divisions of the soul which Platonism offered. Cf. his treatise De eo quod sit ad immutabilitatem, &c., p. 26.; he saw in the solid firmness of this earth the unchangeableness of its Creator; when he perceived the immensity of the heavens he was led on the road towards the vast Infinity of that Power which encompasses the Universe; when he saw the rays of the sun reaching from such sublimities even to ourselves he began to believe, by the means of such phenomena, that the activities of the Divine Intelligence did not fail to descend from the heights of Deity even to each one of us; for if a single luminary can occupy everything alike that lies beneath it with the force of light, and, more than that, can, while lending itself to all who can use it, still remain self-centred and undissipated, how much more shall the Creator of that luminary become “all in all,” as the Apostle speaks, and come into each with such a measure of Himself as each subject of His influence can receive! Nay, look only at an ear of corn, at the germinating of some plant, at a ripe bunch of grapes, at the beauty of early autumn, whether in fruit or flower, at the grass springing unbidden, at the mountain reaching up with its summit to the height of the ether, at the springs on its slopes bursting from those swelling breasts, and running in rivers through the glens, at the sea receiving those streams from every direction and yet remaining within its limits, with waves edged by the stretches of beach and never stepping beyond those fixed boundaries of continent: look at these and such-like sights, and how can the eye of reason fail to find in them all that our education for Realities requires? Has a man who looks at such spectacles procured for himself only a slight power for the enjoyment of those delights beyond? Not to speak of the studies which sharpen the mind towards moral excellence, geometry, I mean, and astronomy, and the knowledge of the truth that the science of numbers gives, and every method that furnishes a proof of the unknown and a conviction of the known, and, before all these, the philosophy contained in the inspired Writings, which affords a complete purification to those who educate themselves thereby in the mysteries of God. But the man who has acquired the knowledge of none of these things and has not even been conducted by the material cosmos to the perception of the beauties above it, and passes through life with his mind in a kind of tender, unformed, and untrained state, he is not the man that is likely to be placed amongst the same surroundings as our argument has indicated that other man, before spoken of, to be placed; so that, in this view, it can no longer be maintained that, in the two supposed and completely opposite cases, the one who has taken no part in life is more blessed than the one who has taken a noble part in it. Certainly, in comparison with one who has lived all his life in sin, not only the innocent babe but even one who has never come into the world at all will be blessed. We learn as much too in the case of Judas, from the sentence pronounced upon him in the Gospels29    S. Matt. xxvi. 24.; namely, that when we think of such men, that which never existed is to be preferred to that which has existed in such sin. For, as to the latter, on account of the depth of the ingrained evil, the chastisement in the way of purgation will be extended into infinity30    εἰς ἄπειρον παρατείνεται. Such passages as these must be set against others in Gregory, such as the concluding part of the De Animâ et Resurrectione,in arriving at an exact knowledge of his views about a Universal ᾽Αποκατάστασις; but as for what has never existed, how can any torment touch it?—However, notwithstanding that, the man who institutes a comparison between the infantine immature life and that of perfect virtue, must himself be pronounced immature for so judging of realities. Do you, then, in consequence of this, ask the reason why so and so, quite tender in age, is quietly taken away from amongst the living? Do you ask what the Divine wisdom contemplates in this? Well, if you are thinking of all those infants who are proofs of illicit connections, and so are made away with by their parents, you are not justified in calling to account, for such wickedness, that God Who will surely bring to judgment the unholy deeds done in this way. In the case, on the other hand, of any infant who, though his parents have nurtured him, and have with nursing and supplication spent earnest care upon him, nevertheless does not continue in this world, but succumbs to a sickness even unto death, which is unmistakably the sole cause of it, we venture upon the following considerations. It is a sign of the perfection of God’s providence, that He not only heals maladies31    πάθη. that have come into existence, but also provides that some should be never mixed up at all in the things which He has forbidden; it is reasonable, that is, to expect that He Who knows the future equally with the past should check the advance of an infant to complete maturity, in order that the evil may not be developed which His foreknowledge has detected in his future life, and in order that a lifetime granted to one whose evil dispositions will be lifelong may not become the actual material for his vice. We shall better explain what we are thinking of by an illustration.

Πρὸς ταῦτα βλέποντες ἔξω μὲν τῶν ἐκ πονηρίας κακῶν ὁμοίως εἶναί φαμεν τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ τε διὰ πάσης ἀρετῆς ἥκοντος καὶ τοῦ μηδὲ ὅλως μετεσχηκότος τοῦ βίου: οὐ μὴν ἐν τῷ ὁμοίῳ τὴν ἑκατέρου τούτων διαγωγὴν ἐννοοῦμεν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἤκουσε, καθὼς ὁ προφήτης φησί, τῶν οὐρανίων διηγημάτων, δι' ὧν ἡ δόξα τοῦ θεοῦ καταγγέλλεται, καὶ διὰ τῆς κτίσεως πρὸς τὴν κατανόησιν ὡδηγήθη τοῦ δεσπότου τῆς κτίσεως καὶ διδασκάλῳ τῆς ὄντως σοφίας ἐχρήσατο τῇ ἐν τοῖς οὖσι θεωρουμένῃ σοφίᾳ τό τε τοῦ φωτὸς τούτου κάλλος κατανοήσας ἀναλογικῶς τὸ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ φωτὸς κάλλος ἐνόησε καὶ ἐν τῷ παγίῳ τῆς γῆς τὸ τοῦ πεποιηκότος αὐτὴν ἀμετάθετον ἐπαιδεύθη καὶ τὸ ἀμέτρητον τοῦ οὐρανίου μεγέθους κατανοήσας πρὸς τὸ ἄπειρόν τε καὶ ἀόριστον τῆς ἐμπεριεχούσης τὸ πᾶν δυνάμεως ὡδηγήθη τάς τε ἀκτῖνας ἰδὼν τοῦ ἡλίου ἐκ τῶν τοσούτων ὑψωμάτων μέχρις ἡμῶν διηκούσας τὸ μὴ ἀτονεῖν τὰς προνοητικὰς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐνεργείας πρὸς ἕκαστον ἡμῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ τῆς θεότητος ὕψους κατιέναι διὰ τῶν φαινομένων ἐπίστευσεν. εἰ γὰρ εἷς ὢν ὁ φωστὴρ κοινῇ τε τὸ ὑποκείμενον ἅπαν τῇ φωτιστικῇ δυνάμει καταλαμβάνει καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς μετέχουσιν ἑαυτὸν ἐπινέμων ὅλος ἑκάστῳ καὶ ἀδιαίρετος πάρεστι, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ τοῦ φωστῆρος δημιουργὸς καὶ Πάντα ἐν πᾶσι γίνεται, καθώς φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος, καὶ ἑκάστῳ πάρεστι τοσοῦτον ἑαυτὸν διδούς, ὅσον τὸ ὑποκείμενον δέχεται. ἀλλὰ καὶ στάχυν τις ἰδὼν ἐπὶ γῆς καὶ τὴν ἐκ φυτοῦ βλάστην καὶ βότρυν ὥριμον καὶ τὸ τῆς ὀπώρας κάλλος ἢ ἐν καρποῖς ἢ ἐν ἄνθεσι καὶ τὴν αὐτόματον πόαν καὶ ὄρος ἐπὶ τὸ αἰθέριον ὕψος ἀπὸ τῆς ἄκρας ἀνατεινόμενον καὶ τὰς ἐν ὑπωρείαις πηγάς, μαζῶν δίκην ἐκ τῶν λαγόνων τοῦ ὄρους ἐπιρρεούσας, ποταμούς τε διὰ τῶν κοίλων ῥέοντας καὶ θάλασσαν ὑποδεχομένην τὰ πανταχόθεν ῥεύματα καὶ ἐν τῷ μέτρῳ μένουσαν κύματά τε τοῖς αἰγιαλοῖς ὁριζόμενα καὶ οὐκ ἐπεξιοῦσαν ὑπὲρ τοὺς τεταγμένους ὅρους κατὰ τῆς ἠπείρου τὴν θάλασσαν: ὁ ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα βλέπων πῶς οὐκ ἂν τὰ πάντα διαλάβοι τῷ λόγῳ, δι' ὧν γίνεται τοῖς θεολογοῦσιν ἡ διδασκαλία τοῦ ὄντος, οὐ μικρὰν ἑαυτῷ δύναμιν πρὸς τὴν μετουσίαν τῆς τρυφῆς ἐκείνης παρασκευάσας τῷ εἶναι παρ' αὐτῷ τὰ νοήματα, δι' ὧν ὁδηγεῖται πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἡ διάνοια, γεωμετρίαν τε καὶ ἀστρονομίαν καὶ τὴν διὰ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ κατανόησιν τῆς ἀληθείας πᾶσάν τε μέθοδον ἀποδεικτικὴν τῶν ἀγνοουμένων καὶ βεβαιωτικὴν τῶν κατειλημμένων καὶ πρό γε τούτων τὴν τῆς θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς φιλοσοφίαν, τελείαν ἐπάγουσαν κάθαρσιν τοῖς δι' αὐτῆς τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένοις μυστήρια; ὁ δὲ μηδενὸς τούτων ἐν γνώσει γενόμενος μηδὲ χειραγωγηθεὶς διὰ τοῦ κόσμου πρὸς τὴν τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων ἀγαθῶν κατανόησιν, ἁπαλός τις καὶ ἀγύμναστος καὶ ἀτριβὴς τὴν διάνοιαν παρελθὼν τὸν βίον, ἐκεῖνος οὐκ ἂν ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς εἴη, ἐν οἷς ὁ λόγος τὸν προλαβόντα ἀπέδειξεν, ὡς μηκέτι διὰ τοῦτο μακαριστότερον ἀποδείκνυσθαι κατὰ τὴν προενεχθεῖσαν ἡμῖν ἀντίθεσιν τὸν μὴ μετασχόντα τοῦ βίου τοῦ μετασχόντος καλῶς. τοῦ μὲν γὰρ κακίᾳ συνεζηκότος οὐ μόνον ὁ ἀπειρόκακος ἂν εἴη μακαριστότερος, ἀλλὰ τάχα καὶ ὁ μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν παρελθὼν εἰς τὸν βίον: τοιοῦτον γὰρ καὶ περὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα διὰ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς φωνῆς ἐδιδάχθημεν, ὅτι ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων κρεῖττον τοῦ κατὰ κακίαν ὑφεστῶτός ἐστι τὸ παντελῶς ἀνυπόστατον: τῷ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸ βάθος τῆς ἐμφυείσης κακίας εἰς ἄπειρον παρατείνεται ἡ διὰ τῆς καθάρσεως κόλασις, τοῦ δὲ μὴ ὄντος πῶς ἂν ὀδύνη καθάψαιτο; εἰ δέ τις πρὸς τὸν κατ' ἀρετὴν βίον κρίνοι τὸν νηπιώδη καὶ ἄωρον, ὄντως ἄωρος ὁ τοιοῦτός ἐστι τοιαύτῃ κρίσει περὶ τῶν ὄντων χρώμενος.
Ἐρωτᾷς οὖν, ὅτου χάριν ἐν τούτῳ τῆς ἡλικίας τις ὢν τῆς ζωῆς ὑπεξάγεται, τί διὰ τούτου τῆς θείας σοφίας προμηθουμένης. ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν περὶ τούτων λέγοις, ὅσα τῆς παρανόμου κυήσεως ἔλεγχος γίνεται καὶ διὰ τοῦτο παρὰ τῶν γεννησαμένων ἐξαφανίζεται, οὐκ εἰκότως ἂν τῶν τῆς κακίας ἔργων τὸν θεὸν ἀπαιτοίης τὸν λόγον, τὸν τὰ μὴ καλῶς ἐπὶ τούτῳ γεγενημένα εἰς κρίσιν ἄγοντα: εἰ δέ τις καὶ ἀνατρεφομένων τῶν γεννητόρων καὶ δι' ἐπιμελείας θεραπευόντων καὶ δι' εὐχῆς σπουδαζόντων ὅμως οὐ μετέχει τοῦ βίου, κατακρατοῦντος μέχρι θανάτου τοῦ ἀρρωστήματος (ὃ μόνον τῆς αἰτίας ἀναμφιβόλως ἐστίν), ταῦτα περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰκάζομεν, ὅτι τελείας ἐστὶ προνοίας οὐ μόνον γεγονότα θεραπεύειν τὰ πάθη, ἀλλ' ὅπως ἂν μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχήν τις τοῖς ἀπηγορευμένοις ἐγγένοιτο προνοεῖν. τὸν γὰρ ἐγνωκότα ἐπ' ἴσης τῷ παρεληλυθότι τὸ μέλλον ἐπικωλύειν εἰκὸς τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ τέλειον τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ νηπίου πρόοδον, ὡς ἂν μὴ τῇ προγνωστικῇ δυνάμει τὸ κατανοηθὲν κακὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος οὕτως βιώσεσθαι τελειωθείη καὶ γένηται τῷ τοιαύτῃ προαιρέσει συζήσεσθαι μέλλοντι ὕλη κακίας ὁ βίος. ὑποδείγματι δέ τινι ῥᾴδιον ἂν εἴη παραστῆσαι τὸ νόημα: