B. Yet (will they perchance say) the Word which hath beamed forth of God the Father is above, yea and superior to all; and they are afraid to allot to Him what belong to man, lest haply He be wronged thereby and brought down to dishonour. Therefore they affirm that He took a man and connected with Himself this person in regard to whom what belong to man might have place and be spoken of, and no damage should accrue to the Nature of the Word Himself.

A. Hence he who is assumed will confessedly be conceived of and said to be other than He. But we will not follow their fatuity nor make them definers and innovators of our Faith, neglecting the sacred Scripture and dishonouring the Tradition from forth the holy Apostles and Evangelists: nor, for that a mind weak and most empty of learning has taken up its abode in them, and one that cannot look into the depth of the mystery, let us also go astray, sharing their unlearning and refusing to go the straight way of the truth. But we know that the most holy Paul hath written that we ought to throw down reasonings and every height which reareth itself against the knowledge of God and to reduce captive every thought unto the obedience of Christ.

But now, can you tell whereat they are offended and in Jewish wise stumble at the stone of offence?

B. I can, for how should I not? they are very many, but they shall be told one by one.

They say therefore that Christ has been sanctified by the Father: for it has been written, And John witnessed saying, I have seen the Spirit descending out of heaven and It abode on Him and I did not know Him but He who sent me to baptize in water, He said to me, Upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding upon Him, This is He Who baptizes with the Holy Ghost; and I have seen and have witnessed that this is the Son of God: Paul too hath written of Him, For He Who sanctifieth and the sanctified are all out of One. For the Word being God and Holy by Nature will by no means be sanctified; it remains therefore to say that the man assumed by Him in the way of connection has been sanctified.

A. How then does He Who has been baptized and Who received the open Descent of the Spirit, baptize with the Holy Ghost and perform what belong to and beseem the Divine Nature alone? for He is the Bestower of holiness. And in proof of this the Incarnate Word breathed, as a bodily act, His own proper good, upon the holy Apostles saying, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whosesoever sins ye remit they have been remitted, whosesoever ye retain they have been retained. And how has the divine Baptist, most clearly indicating Him Who has been sanctified, borne witness that This is the Son of God, alone and with the article? For the initiator of the world should, if he knew that it was another son beside Him Who is truly Son, have signified the Truth, saying clearly, This is he who by connection with the Son Who is by Nature and in truth has been made son by gift and grace: but he said nothing of the kind but, knowing that He is One and the Same, both Word from forth of God the Father, and from forth the seed of David according to the flesh, says that He was sanctified, as man, and again sanctifies, in that He is conceived of as God: for He was (as I said) this and that in the Same. If therefore He have not been made man, if He have not been born after the flesh, from a woman, let us drive away from Him what belong to man: but if it is true that lowering Himself unto emptiness He hath been made as we, why do they part from Him the things through, which He will be conceived of as emptied, with utter ill-counsel undoing the fair scheme of the Economy with flesh?

B. If therefore He be said both, to have received glory and been made Lord and to be exalted by the Father, to be set King also, shall you attribute these too to God the Word and will you not full surely be damaging His glory?

A. That the Nature of God the Word has been filled with true glory, Royalty and Lordship, how can one doubt? and that He is firmly to be conceived of as being in heights the most God-befitting? but since He appeared as man to whom all things are a gift and imparted: therefore He, Full and giving to all from out His own fulness, in human wise receives, making our poverty His own: and in Christ was an unwonted and strange marvel, in servant's form Lordship, in human mean estate God-befitting glory, that which is under the yoke (as to the measure of manhood) crowned with the dignities of Royalty, and in Supremest Excellences that which is low. For the Only-Begotten hath been made man, not in order that He might remain in the measure of the emptying, but in order that taking along therewith what is its. He might thus too be known to be God by Nature and might ennoble because of Himself the nature of man, rendering it participate of holy and Divine dignities. And we shall find the saints themselves too calling the Son even when He was made man, the glory of God the Father, and King and Lord. For Esaias somewhere says, As if a man gleaneth an olive-tree, thus shall they glean them, and when the vintage ceaseth, these shall shout with their voice, and they that are left in the earth shall rejoice together with the glory of the Lord, and again another of the saints says, Shine o Jerusalem for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee: lo darkness and gloom shall cover the earth hut upon thee shall the Lord appear and the glory of the Lord shall he seen on thee: and James His disciple says, Brethren, have not in respect of persons the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, the Divine Peter again, If ye are reproached for Christ, ye are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God hath rested upon you.

B. Enough, good sir, of such testimonies: but tell us how we ought to understand what is written of Christ, Who in the days of His flesh having offered supplications and entreaties with mighty cry and tears to Him that is able to save Him from death and, heard for His fear, although Son, learned obedience from the things which He suffered and, perfected, became author to them that obey Him of salvation indissoluble; I will add to what I said, this too, My God, My God, why forsookest Thou Me? for they say that such things are incongruous to God the Word and I would say that they come very far short of His inherent Excellence.

A. I myself too know that these things would not befit the Word which is sprung forth of God the Father, if the mode of the Economy be put aside and if we do not admit that He have been made flesh according to the Scriptures: but since we rest firmly on this, and the doubting one whit abont it involves a charge of impiety, come let us view closely, as far as we may, the depth of the economy.

The Word therefore from forth of God the Father appeared in likeness of us, to aid in countless ways our human condition and to shew full well the path that leads us to everything that is admirable. It was then necessary that we should learn, when temptation attacks them who are in peril for the love of God, what sort of people they ought to be who have chosen to live a life and conversation noble and excellent; whether they should be seen by their Saviour remiss and falling back into negligence and out of due season revelling and spreading themselves out for delight: or intent unto prayer and bathed in tears and thirsting for aid from Him and for manliness, if He should be pleased that we should also suffer. It needed besides what we should know to our profit, whither the goal of obedience ends and through what prizes it goes, what and how great the reward of endurance. Christ therefore became a pattern of such things, and hereto the divine Peter confirms us saying, For what renown if sinning and buffeted ye endure? but if well-doing ye endure, this is thank from God, because Christ too died for us, leaving usan ensample that ye should follow His steps. Hence the Word of God no longer bare and imparticipate in the measures of the emptying but in the days of His flesh has been made a pattern to us; in that then without any blame He could use the measures of the human nature and prolong His prayer and shed the tear and seem now both to need a Saviour and to learn obedience, albeit Son. For the Spirit-clad was as it were astonished at the Mystery, that being by Nature and truly Son and Eminent in the glories of the Godhead He let Himself down unto low estate, so as to undergo the meanness of our human poverty. Yet was the pattern (as I said) comely and helpful, so as one might learn hence, and that full easily, that we ought not to hasten another road, when the season calls us to manliness. And indeed Christ said at one time, And fear not them that slay the body but cannot slay the soul, but rather fear Him Who can destroy both soul and body in Hell, at another again, If any man will come after Me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. The duty of following Him, what else is it than that we must be all-manly against temptations, and with that, ask the aid that is from above not negligently nor remissly but using rather intensest prayers and letting fall from our eyes the tear of godly fear? 

B. You say well.

A.  If moreover He say, My God My God why forsookest Thou Me, how will they understand it?

B.  They would deem, as I suppose, that these are the words of the man who is assumed.

A. Of one who has broken down and who considers the onslaught of the trial as not to be borne, as intolerable, or how?

B. Of one who is distraught (as appears) out of human faint-heartedness: since to the disciples too He said, Exceeding sorrowful is My Soul unto death, and fell down before the Father Himself saying, Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from Me, yet not as I will but as THOU.

A.  And verily this is nothing else than what we said just now, Who in the days of His flesh having offered both supplications and entreaties to Him Who could save Him from death with a mighty cry and tears. If any think that Christ had come down to this point of faint-heartedness and that He was sorrowful and very heavy, holding it intolerable to suffer, overcome with fear and mastered by weakness, he clearly accuses Him of not being God, and shews that to no purpose, as it seems, did He rebuke Peter.

B.  How do you say?

A. For Christ said, See we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of man will be betrayed into the hands of sinners, and they shall mock Him and crucify Him, and the third day He shall rise. He being pious, says, [ God be] propitious to Thee, Lord, this shall not be to Thee. And what said Christ to him? Get thee behind Me satan, thou art an offence to Me, because thou dost not think the things of God but the things of men. And yet how did the disciple miss of what is fitting, in wanting the trial to be taken away from his Master, if it were insufferable to Him and by no means tolerable but rather lowering unto impotence and apt to shiver in pieces Him Who charged His disciples to be stout against the fear of death and to count suffering nothing, so that the good-pleasure of God should be accomplished by them?

And I wonder that they, saying that he has been connected with the Only-Begotten, and declaring him partaker of the Divine dignities, subject him to the fear of death, that so he may be seen to be bare man as we are and to have gained nothing from the Divine Dignities.  

B. What then is the plan of the Economy herein?

A.  Clearly mystical and deep and to be marvelled at by them who know aright the mystery of Christ. For view I pray, the words which beseem the emptying and are not incongruous to the measures of the manhood, how they were uttered in due and needful season, that He Who is over all creation might be seen to have been made in every respect as we. Hereto will follow again this also.

B.  What?

A. Seeing that we have been made accursed because of the transgression in Adam and forsaken of God have fallen under the snare of death, and that all things have been made new in Christ, and a return of our condition to what it was in the beginning [has taken place]; need was it that the second Adam which is out of Heaven, He Who is superior to all sin, the All-holy and Undefiled second first-fruits of our race, Christ, should free from sentence the nature of men and call again upon it the good favour that is from above and from the Father and undo the forsaking through His Obedience and entire subjection. For He did no sin, and the race of man in Him has gained the riches of spotlessness and entire blamelessness, so that it at length may with boldness cry out, My God my God why forsookest Thou me?

For consider that the Only-Begotten having been made man, gave forth such words as one of us and in behalf of our whole nature, as though He said , The first man hath transgressed, he slipped down into disobedience, he heeded not the command given him, by the wiles of the dragon he was carried off into wilfulness: therefore fall rightly has he been subjected unto decay and has become subject to doom, but Thou didst plant Me a second beginning to them on the earth, I am called, Second Adam. In Me Thou seest the race of man purged, achieving sinlessness, holy, all-pure. Give now the good things of Thy Clemency, undo the forsaking, rebuke decay and let wrath reach its period. I have conquered Satan himself too who of old prevailed, for he found in Me no whit of what was his.

Such then, as I think, is the meaning of the Saviour's words; for He was inviting the good favour of the Father not on Himself but on us rather. For as the [fruits] of wrath passed through as from the first root, I mean Adam, unto the whole nature of man (for death hath reigned from Adam unto Moses over them too which sinned not after the likeness of Adam's transgression): thus too will the [fruits] from our second first-fruits, Christ, pass through unto the whole human race. And the all-wise Paul will be our warrant, saying, For if by the transgression of one man the many died, much more by the righteousness of the One shall the many live, and again, For as in Adam all die so too in Christ shall all be quickened.

Β: Καίτοι φαῖεν ἂν ἴσως ἄνωθέν τε εἶναι καὶ μὴν καὶ ἐπάνω πάντων τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς πεφηνότα Λόγον, δεδίασι δὲ προσνέμειν αὐτῷ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, μὴ ἄρα πως ἀδικοῖτο δι' αὐτῶν, καὶ κατακομίζοιτο πρὸς τὸ δυσκλεές. Ταύτῃ τοι διατείνονται λαβεῖν αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἑαυτῷ τε τοῦτον συνάψαι, περὶ ὃν ἂν γένοιτό τε καὶ λέγοιτο τὰ ἀνθρώπινα. Ἔσται δὲ ὅλως εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου φύσιν τὸ βλάβος οὐδέν.

Α: Οὐκοῦν, ἕτερος μὲν ὁμολογουμένως νοοῖτ' ἂν καὶ λέγοιτο παρ' αὐτὸν ὁ ληφθείς. Πλὴν οὐ ταῖς ἐκείνων ἀβελτηρίαις ἑψόμεθα, οὔτε μὴν ὁριστὰς αὐτοὺς καὶ καινοτόμους τῆς ἑαυτῶν ποιησόμεθα πίστεως, τὴν ἱερὰν παρέντες Γραφὴν καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων καὶ εὐαγγελιστῶν παράδοσιν ἀτιμάσαντες. Οὐδὲ ἐπείπερ αὐτοῖς ἀδρανής τε καὶ ἀμαθέστατος ἐνῴκισται νοῦς, καὶ τὸ τοῦ μυστηρίου βάθος κατιδεῖν οὐχ οἷός τε, ταύτῃ τοι καὶ ἡμεῖς πλανώμεθα, συναμαθαίνοντες αὐτοῖς καὶ κατ' εὐθὺ τῆς ἀληθείας ἰέναι παραιτούμενοι. Ἴσμεν δὲ γεγραφότα τὸν ἱερώτατον Παῦλον ὅτι χρὴ λογισμοὺς καθαιρεῖν, καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζειν πᾶν νόημα εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Πλὴν οὖν, ἆρα ἔχοις εἰπεῖν τὰ ἐφ' οἷς σκανδαλίζονται, καὶ τῷ λίθῳ τοῦ προσκόμματος περιπταίουσιν Ἰουδαϊκῶς;

Β: Ἔχοιμ' ἄν, πῶς γὰρ οὔ; Καὶ πλεῖστα μὲν ὅσα ταυτί. Λελέξεται δὲ ἀναμέρος ἕκαστα. Φασὶ τοιγαροῦν Χριστὸν ἡγιάσθαι παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός. Γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι Καὶ ἐμαρτύρησεν Ἰωάννης λέγων, ὅτι Τεθέαμαι τὸ Πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐπ' αὐτόν, κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτὸν ἀλλ' ὁ πέμψας με βαπτίζειν ἐν ὕδατι, ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν· Ἐφ' ὃν ἂν ἴδῃς τὸ Πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον καὶ μένον ἐπ' αὐτόν, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βαπτίζων ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ. Κἀγὼ ἑώρακα καὶ μεμαρτύρηκα ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Γέγραφε δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος περὶ αὐτοῦ· Ὅ τε γὰρ ἁγιάζων καὶ οἱ ἁγιαζόμενοι ἐξ ἑνὸς πάντες. Ἁγιασθείη γὰρ ἥκιστά γε Θεὸς ὢν ὁ Λόγος καὶ ἅγιος κατὰ φύσιν. Λείπεται δὴ οὖν ἡγιάσθαι λέγειν τὸν ληφθέντα παρ' αὐτοῦ κατὰ συνάφειαν ἄνθρωπον.

Α: Εἶτα πῶς ὁ βεβαπτισμένος καὶ τὴν ἐμφανῆ τοῦ Πνεύματος λαβὼν καταφοίτησιν ἐν ἁγίῳ βαπτίζει Πνεύματι, καὶ τὰ μόνῃ πρέποντα καὶ ἐοικότα τῇ θείᾳ φύσει πληροῖ; Χορηγὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἁγιασμοῦ, καὶ τοῦτο δεικνύς, ὡς ἴδιον ἀγαθὸν ὁ ἐνανθρωπήσας Λόγος σωματικῶς ἐνεφύσα τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις λέγων· Λάβετε Πνεῦμα ἅγιον· ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφίενται, ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται. Πῶς δὲ τὸν ἡγιασμένον ἐναργέστατα καταδεικνὺς ὁ θεσπέσιος Βαπτιστής, μεμαρτύρηκεν ὅτι Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, μοναδικῶς καὶ ἐνάρθρως; Ἔδει γὰρ ὄντα τῆς ὑφ' ἡλίῳ μυσταγωγόν, εἴπερ ἕτερον ὄντα παρά γε τὸν ἀληθῶς Υἱὸν ἠπίστατο, κατασημῆναι τὸ ἀληθές, λέγοντα σαφῶς· Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κατὰ συνάφειαν τὴν πρὸς τὸν φύσει καὶ ἀληθῶς Υἱὸν δόσει τε καὶ χάριτι γεγονὼς Υἱός. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν μὲν ἔφη τοιοῦτον, ἕνα δὲ καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ὄντα γινώσκων καὶ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον καὶ ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ ∆αυεὶδ κατὰ σάρκα, ἁγιασθῆναι μέν φησι καθὸ ἄνθρωπος, ἁγιάζειν δὲ αὖ καθὸ νοεῖται Θεός. Ἦν γάρ, ὡς ἔφην, ἐν ταὐτῷ τοῦτο κἀκεῖνο. Εἰ μὲν οὖν οὐ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, εἰ μὴ γεγέννηται κατὰ σάρκα ἐκ γυναικός, ἀποσοβῶμεν αὐτοῦ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα. Εἰ δὲ ἀληθὲς ὅτι καθεὶς ἑαυτὸν εἰς κένωσιν, γέγονε καθ' ἡμᾶς, ἀνθότου τὰ δι' ὧν ἂν νοοῖτο κεκενωμένος ἀφιστᾶσιν αὐτοῦ, τῆς μετὰ σαρκὸς οἰκονομίας τὸ εὐτεχνὲς ἀβουλότατα παραλύοντες;

Β: Ἐὰν οὖν λέγηται καὶ δόξαν λαβεῖν καὶ γενέσθαι Κύριος, ὑψωθῆναί τε παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός, καταστῆναι δὲ καὶ βασιλεύς, ἀνάψεις ἄρα καὶ ταῦτα τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ, καὶ οὐ πάντη τε καὶ πάντως ἀδικήσεις αὐτοῦ τὴν δόξαν;

Α: Ὅτι μὲν οὖν δόξης τε καὶ βασιλείας καὶ κυριότητος ἀληθοῦς ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου μεμέστωται φύσις, πῶς ἂν ἐνδοιάσειέ τις; Ἀραρότως δὲ ὅτι καὶ ἐν ὑψώμασι νοεῖται τοῖς θεοπρεπεστάτοις. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πέφηνεν ἄνθρωπος, ᾧ πάντα ἐστὶ δοτὰ καὶ εἰσκεκριμένα, ταύτῃ τοι πλήρης ὑπάρχων καὶ ἐξ ἰδίου πληρώματος πᾶσι διδούς, ἀνθρωπίνως δέχεται, τὴν ἡμῶν πτωχείαν οἰκειούμενος, καὶ ἦν ἄηθές τε καὶ ξένον ἐν Χριστῷ τὸ παράδοξον, ἐν οἰκετικῇ μορφῇ κυριότης, ἐν ἀνθρωπίνῃ σμικροπρεπείᾳ δόξα θεοπρεπής, καὶ βασιλείας αὐχήμασιν ἐστεφανωμένον τὸ ὑπὸ ζυγόν, τό γε ἧκον εἰς ἀνθρωπότητος μέτρον, καὶ ἐν ὑπερτάταις ὑπεροχαῖς τὸ ταπεινόν. Γέγονε γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ὁ Μονογενής, οὐχ ἵνα τοῖς τῆς κενώσεως ἐναπομείνῃ μέτροις, ἀλλ' ἵνα λαβὼν σὺν αὐτῇ τὰ αὐτῆς, Θεὸς ὢν φύσει, καὶ οὕτω γνωρίζηται, καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου κατασεμνύνῃ φύσιν ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ, μέτοχον αὐτὴν ἀποφήνας ἱερῶν καὶ θείων ἀξιωμάτων. Εὑρήσομεν δὲ καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἁγίους δόξαν ὀνομάζοντας τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός, καὶ μέντοι καὶ βασιλέα, καὶ προσέτι Κύριον τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος. Ἡσαΐας μὲν γὰρ ὧδέ πή φησιν· Ὃν τρόπον ἐὰν ἄνθρωπος καλαμᾶται ἐλαίαν, οὕτω καλαμήσονται αὐτούς, καὶ ἐὰν παύσηται ὁ τρυγητός, οὗτοι φωνῇ βοήσονται. Οἱ δὲ καταλειφθέντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εὐφρανθήσονται ἅμα τῇ δόξῃ Κυρίου. Καὶ πάλιν ἕτερος τῶν ἁγίων· Φωτίζου, φησίν, Ἰερουσαλήμ· ἥκει γάρ σου τὸ φῶς, καὶ ἡ δόξα Κυρίου ἐπὶ σὲ ἀνατέταλκεν. Ἰδοὺ σκότος καὶ γνόφος καλύψει γῆν, ἐπὶ δὲ σὲ φανήσεται Κύριος, καὶ ἡ δόξα [αὐτοῦ] ἐπὶ σὲ ὀφθήσεται. Ἰάκωβός γε μὴν ὁ αὐτοῦ μαθητής· Ἀδελφοί, φησί, μὴ ἐν προσωποληψίαις ἔχετε τὴν πίστιν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς δόξης. Πέτρος δὲ αὖ ὁ θεσπέσιος· Εἰ ὀνειδίζεσθε ἐν Χριστῷ, μακάριοί ἐστε ὅτι τῆς δόξης καὶ τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ Πνεῦμα ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἀναπέπαυται.

Β: Ἅλις μὲν δὴ τῶν τοιούτων ἡμῖν, ὦ γενναῖε. Φράζε δὲ ὅπως πρὸς ἡμῶν νοεῖσθαι πρέπει τὸ περὶ Χριστοῦ γεγραμ μένον· Ὃς ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, δεήσεις τε καὶ ἱκετηρίας πρὸς τὸν δυνάμενον σώζειν αὐτὸν ἐκ θανάτου μετὰ κραυγῆς ἰσχυρᾶς καὶ δακρύων προσενέγκας, καὶ εἰσακουσθεὶς ἀπὸ τῆς εὐλαβείας, καίπερ ὢν Υἱός, ἔμαθεν ἀφ' ὧν ἔπαθε τὴν ὑπακοήν, καὶ τελειωθεὶς ἐγένετο τοῖς ὑπακούουσιν αὐτῷ αἴτιος σωτηρίας ἀκαταλύτου. Προσεποίσω δὲ κἀκεῖνο οἷς ἔφην, τὸ Θεέ μου, Θεέ μου, ἵνα τί με ἐγκατέλιπες; Ἀπεοικότα γὰρ εἶναί φασι τὰ τοιάδε τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ, καὶ ἡττῆσθαι πολὺ τῆς ἐνούσης ὑπεροχῆς αὐτῷ [φαίην ἄν].

Α: Ἴσημι καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ μὴ ἂν ἁρμόσαι ταυτὶ τῷ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς φύντι Λόγῳ, ἐξωσθέντος τοῦ τρόπου τῆς οἰκονομίας, καὶ οὐκ εἰσδεχθέντος πρὸς ἡμῶν τοῦ ὅτι Γέγονε σάρξ κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πρὸς τοῦτο διερηρείσμεθα, καὶ τὸ ἐνδοιάζειν ὅλως δυσσεβείας ἔχει γραφήν, φέρε τῆς οἰκονομίας τὸ βάθος, ὡς ἔνι, κατασκεψώμεθα. Ἐπέφανε τοίνυν ἡμῖν ἐν εἴδει τῷ καθ' ἡμᾶς ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγος, κατὰ μυρίους ὅσους ὀνήσων τρόπους τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, καὶ καταδείξων εὖ μάλα τὴν εἰς πᾶν ὁτιοῦν τῶν τεθαυμασμένων ἀποκομίζουσαν τρίβον. Ἦν οὖν ἀναγκαῖον ἀναμαθεῖν, πειρασμοῦ καταθέοντος καὶ τοὺς τῆς εἰς Θεὸν ἀγάπης ἕνεκα κινδυνεύοντας, ὁποίους τινὰς εἶναι χρὴ τοὺς τὴν εὐκλεᾶ καὶ ἐξαίρετον πολιτείαν καὶ ζωὴν κατορθοῦν ᾑρημένους, πότερα μεθιεμένους καὶ ἀναπίπτοντας εἰς τὸ ῥᾴθυμον, καὶ οὐκ ἐν καιρῷ τρυφῶντας καὶ εὐρυνομένους εἰς εὐθυμίαν ἢ συντεινομένους εἰς λιτάς, καὶ δεδακρυμένους ὁρᾶσθαι τῷ σώζοντι, καὶ τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ διψῶντας ἐπικουρίαν καὶ μέντοι καὶ εὐανδρίαν, εἴπερ ἕλοιτο καὶ παθεῖν ἡμᾶς. Ἔδει τε πρὸς τούτοις εἰδέναι χρησίμως ὅποι ποτὲ ἄρα τὸ τῆς ὑπακοῆς διέξεισι πέρας, καὶ διὰ ποίων ἔρχεται γερῶν, ὅσος τε καὶ οἷος τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὁ μισθός. Γέγονε τοίνυν ὑποτύπωσις τῶν τοιούτων ἡμῖν ὁ Χριστός, καὶ πρός γε τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ἐμπεδοῖ λέγων ὁ θεσπέσιος Πέτρος· Ποῖον γὰρ κλέος εἰ ἁμαρτάνοντες καὶ κολαφιζόμενοι ὑπομένετε; Ἀλλ' εἰ ἀγαθοποιοῦντες ὑπομενεῖτε, τοῦτο χάρις παρὰ Θεοῦ, ὅτι καὶ Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ὑμῖν ὑπολιμπάνων ὑπογραμμόν, ἵνα ἐπακολουθήσητε τοῖς ἴχνεσιν αὐτοῦ. Οὐκοῦν, οὐ γυμνὸς ὢν ἔτι καὶ τῶν τῆς κενώσεως ἀμέτοχος μέτρων ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ἀλλ' ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ γέγονεν ἡμῖν ὑπογραμμός, ἅτε καὶ ἀνεπιπλήκτως ἐξὸν αὐτῷ τοῖς τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος χρῆσθαι μέτροις, καὶ ἀνατεῖναι λιτήν, καὶ καταστάξαι δάκρυον, καὶ δοκεῖν ἤδη πως καὶ δεῖσθαι τοῦ σώζοντος, καὶ μανθάνειν τὴν ὑπακοήν, καίπερ ὄντα Υἱόν. Κατατέθηπε γὰρ ὥσπερ τὸ μυστήριον ὁ πνευματοφόρος, ὅτι φύσει τε καὶ ἀληθῶς ὑπάρχων Υἱός, καὶ τοῖς τῆς θεότητος αὐχήμασιν ἐμπρεπής, καθῆκεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς ταπείνωσιν, ὡς τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης πτωχείας ὑπελθεῖν τὸ σμικροπρεπές. Ἀλλ' ἦν εἰς ἡμᾶς, ὡς ἔφην, ὁ τοῦ πράγματος τύπος καλὸς καὶ ὀνησιφόρος· ὡς τό τοι μὴ χρῆναι διᾴττειν ἡμᾶς εἰς ἑτέραν ὁδόν, καιροῦ καλοῦντος εἰς εὐανδρίαν, ἀναμάθοι τις ἂν ἐντεῦθεν, καὶ ῥᾷστά γε δή. Καὶ γοῦν ἔφη Χριστός ποτε μὲν ὅτι Καὶ μὴ φοβεῖσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεννόντων τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι. Φοβήθητε δὲ μᾶλλον τὸν δυνάμενον καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεέννῃ· ποτὲ δὲ αὖ· Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτόν, καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι. Τὸ δὲ δεῖν οἴεσθαι κατακολουθεῖν αὐτῷ, τί ἂν ἕτερον εἴη παρά γε τὸ χρῆναι κατανδρίζεσθαι πειρασμῶν, μετὰ τοῦ τὴν ἄνωθεν ἐπικουρίαν αἰτεῖν οὐκ ἀτημελῶς τε καὶ παρειμένως, κεχρημένους δὲ μᾶλλον λιταῖς ταῖς ἐκτενεστάταις, καὶ καθιέντας [ὀμμάτων] τὸ ἐξ εὐλαβείας δάκρυον;

Β: Εὖ ἔφης.

Α: Εἰ δὲ δὴ λέγοι· Θεέ μου, Θεέ μου, ἵνα τί με ἐγκατέλιπες; [πῶς] ἂν ἄρα συνεῖεν αὐτοί;

Β: Οἰηθεῖεν ἄν, ὥς γε οἶμαί που, τοῦ ἀναληφθέντος ἀνθρώπου τὰς τοιαύτας εἶναι φωνάς.

Α: Ἀκηδιῶντος ἄρα, καὶ ἥκιστα μὲν οἰστήν, δυσφόρητον δὲ ποιουμένου τοῦ πειρασμοῦ τὴν ἔφοδον, ἢ πῶς;

Β: Ἀλύοντος, ὡς εἰκός, ἐξ ἀνθρωπίνης μικροψυχίας. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἔφασκε μαθηταῖς· Περίλυπός ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή μου ἕως θανάτου, προσέπιπτε δὲ καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ Πατρὶ λέγων· Πάτερ, εἰ δυνατόν, παρελθέτω ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο· πλὴν οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω, ἀλλ' ὡς σύ.

Α: Καὶ μὴν τοῦτό γέ ἐστιν ἕτερον οὐδὲν ἢ ὅπερ ἐλέγομεν ἀρτίως· Ὃς ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, δεήσεις τε καὶ ἱκετηρίας πρὸς τὸν δυνάμενον σώζειν αὐτὸν ἐκ θανάτου μετὰ κραυγῆς ἰσχυρᾶς καὶ δακρύων προσενέγκας. Εἰ δὲ δή τις οἴεται μικροψυχίας εἰς τοῦτο καθικέσθαι Χριστόν, λελυπῆσθαι δὲ καὶ ἀδημονεῖν ἀφορήτως ἔχοντα πρὸς τὸ παθεῖν, δέει νενικημένον καὶ ἀσθενείᾳ κεκρατημένον, γράφεται μὲν ὁμολογουμένως αὐτὸν ὡς οὐκ ὄντα Θεόν, εἰκῇ δέ, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἀποφήνειεν ἂν ἐπιτιμῶντα τῷ Πέτρῳ.

Β: Πῶς δὴ φής;

Α: Ἔφη μὲν γὰρ ὁ Χριστός· Ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ἰεροσόλυμα, καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδοθήσεται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτωλῶν, καὶ ἐμπαίξουσιν αὐτῷ, καὶ σταυρώσουσιν αὐτόν, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθήσεται. Ὁ δέ, ἐπείτοι φιλόθεος ἦν· Ἵλεώς σοι, Κύριε, φησίν, οὐ μὴ ἔσται σοι τοῦτο. Καὶ τί πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Χριστός; Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ, σκάνδαλόν μοι εἶ, ὅτι οὐ φρονεῖς τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καίτοι πῶς ἡμάρτανε τοῦ εἰκότος ὁ μαθητής, ἀποφέρεσθαι θέλων τοῦ διδασκάλου τὸν πειρασμόν, εἰ δύσοιστος ἦν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἥκιστα μὲν φορητός, καθιεὶς δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τὸ ἄναλκι καὶ συνθραύειν ἱκανὸν τὸν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς ἐπισκήπτοντα τῶν τοῦ θανάτου δειμάτων κατευμεγεθεῖν, καὶ παρ' οὐδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι τὸ παθεῖν, ἔστ' ἂν ἀνύηται πρὸς αὐτῶν τὸ Θεῷ δοκοῦν; Θαυμάζω δὲ ὅτι συνῆφθαι λέγοντες αὐτὸν τῷ Μονογενεῖ, καὶ τῶν θείων ἀξιωμάτων ἀποφαίνοντες κοινωνὸν [ἄνθρωπον], τῶν τοῦ θανάτου δειμάτων ῥίπτουσι κατόπιν, ἵν' ὁρῷτο καθ' ἡμᾶς, γυμνὸς δηλονότι καὶ ὡς ἀπὸ τῶν θείων ἀξιωμάτων κεκερδακὼς οὐδέν.

Β: Ὁποῖος οὖν ἄρα ἐστὶ τῆς ἔν γε τούτοις οἰκονομίας ὁ λόγος;

Α: Μυστικὸς †οτι† καὶ βαθὺς καὶ τεθαυμασμένος παρά γε τοῖς εἰδόσιν ὀρθῶς τὸ Χριστοῦ μυστήριον. Ἄθρει γάρ μοι τοὺς τῇ κενώσει πρέποντας λόγους, καὶ τοῖς τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος μέτροις οὐκ ἀπεοικότας, ὡς ἐν καιρῷ καὶ χρείᾳ γεγενημένους, ἵνα φανῆται πανταχοῦ καθ' ἡμᾶς γεγονὼς ὁ ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν. Ἕψεται δὲ τούτῳ κἀκεῖνο δὴ αὖ.

Β: Τὸ ποῖόν τι φής;

Α: Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ γεγόναμεν ἐπάρατοι διὰ τὴν ἐν Ἀδὰμ παράβασιν, πεπτώκαμεν δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ θανάτου πάγην, ἐγκαταλειφθέντες ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, πάντα δὲ γέγονεν ἐν Χριστῷ καινά, καὶ ἀναφοίτησις τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ ἐν ἀρχαῖς, ἐχρῆν ἀναγκαίως τὸν δεύτερον Ἀδάμ, τὸν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, τὸν ἁπάσης ἁμαρτίας κρείττονα, τὴν πάναγνον καὶ ἀβέβηλον ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ γένους δευτέραν, τουτέστι Χριστόν, ἀπαλλάξαι τῆς δίκης τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν, καὶ καλέσαι πάλιν ἐπ' αὐτῇ τὴν ἄνωθεν καὶ παρὰ Πατρὸς εὐμένειαν, λῦσαί τε τὴν ἐγκατάλειψιν διὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς καὶ τῆς εἰσάπαν ὑποταγῆς. Οὐ γὰρ ἐποίησεν ἁμαρτίαν, πεπλούτηκε δὲ τὸ ἀμώμητον ἡ ἀνθρώπου φύσις ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ τὸ ἀνεπίπληκτον παντελῶς, ἵνα δύνηται λοιπὸν ἐκ παρρησίας ἀναβοᾶν· Θεέ μου, Θεέ μου, ἵνα τί με ἐγκατέλιπες; Ἐννόει γὰρ ὅτι γεγονὼς ἄνθρωπος ὁ Μονογενής, ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν καὶ ὑπὲρ ἁπάσης τῆς φύσεως τὰς τοιαύτας ἠφίει φωνάς, μονονουχὶ λέγων· Πεπλημμέληκεν ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος, παρώλισθεν εἰς παρακοήν, κατημέλησε τῆς δοθείσης ἐντολῆς, τοῖς τοῦ δράκοντος φενακισμοῖς εἰς τὸ ἐξήνιον συνηρπάζετο· ταύτῃτοι, καὶ μάλα εἰκότως, ὑπενήνεκται τῇ φθορᾷ καὶ γέγονεν ὑπὸ δίκην. Ἀλλ' ἐμὲ δευτέραν ἐφύτευσας ἀρχὴν τοῖς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, κεχρημάτικα δὲ δεύτερος Ἀδάμ. Ἐν ἐμοὶ κεκαθαρμένην ὁρᾷς τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν, κατορθώσασαν τὸ ἀπλημμελές, ἁγίαν καὶ πάναγνον. ∆ίδου λοιπὸν τὰ ἐξ ἡμερότητος ἀγαθά, λύε τὴν ἐγκατάλειψιν, ἐπιτίμησον τῇ φθορᾷ, καὶ πέρας ἐχέτω τὰ ἐξ ὀργῆς. Νενίκηκα καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν πάλαι κρατήσαντα Σατανᾶν. Εὗρε γὰρ ἐν ἐμοὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ παντελῶς οὐδέν. Τοιοῦτος μὲν οὖν, ὥς γε οἶμαι, τῶν τοῦ Σωτῆρος λόγων ὁ νοῦς. Ἐκάλει γὰρ οὐκ ἐφ' ἑαυτὸν μᾶλλον, ἀλλ' ἐφ' ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς τὴν παρὰ Πατρὸς εὐμένειαν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἰς ὅλην τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν, καθάπερ ἐκ ῥίζης τῆς πρώτης, φημὶ τοῦ Ἀδάμ, διέβη τὰ ἐξ ὀργῆςβεβασίλευκε γὰρ ὁ θάνατος ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ μέχρι Μωϋσέως καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς μὴ ἁμαρτήσαντας ἐπὶ τῷ ὁμοιώματι τῆς παραβάσεως Ἀδάμ οὕτω καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῆς δευτέρας ἡμῶν ἀπαρχῆς, τουτέστι Χριστοῦ, πάλιν εἰς ἅπαν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον διαβήσεται γένος, καὶ πιστώσεται λέγων ὁ πάνσοφος Παῦλος· Εἰ γὰρ τῷ τοῦ ἑνὸς παραπτώματι οἱ πολλοὶ ἀπέθανον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τῷ τοῦ ἑνὸς δικαιώματι οἱ πολλοὶ ζήσονται. Καὶ πάλιν· Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ πάντες ἀποθνῄσκουσιν, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ πάντες ζωοποιηθήσονται.