De principiis

 To one who has received instruction and has practiced the ticklings and irritations occur, but reason, having been greatly strengthened and nourished

 He speaks to us as having free will and being the cause of our own destruction or salvation for he says, or do you despise the riches of his goodnes

 Since it was possible for him to be persuaded, and he certainly would have been persuaded, not being of an earthly nature, when constrained by the won

 In the underlying matter, from the one heat the wax is melted, but the clay is dried so the one energy working through moses on the one hand exposed

 In proportion to the unspeakable beneficence, to the greatest possible degree of blessedness they have attained. 3.1.13 therefore, he who is abandoned

 Stony hearts” and places in them “fleshy ones,” so that “his ordinances may be kept” and the commandments observed, it is not in our power to put away

 From the old [testament], being accused of such things. but if they seek a defense concerning the gospel, it must be said to them, unless they act rep

 Such things, by which having been seen and heard, the sin of those who after such great and numerous things have not believed is proven to be heavier

 Therefore, that which is from god is manifoldly and exceedingly more for salvation than that which is in our power. therefore, i think the saying mean

 Of the body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad” is it sound, when those who have done evil things have come to this course of a

 To advance to better things, while others fall from better things to worse, and some are preserved in good things or ascend from good things to better

 Nor when the teachers were many, to be preached everywhere in the world, so that greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish were added to the worship

 “grace is poured out on his lips”? for a proof of the “grace poured out on his lips” is that after a short time of his teaching (for he taught for abo

 In the sun and moon and stars and is not so manifest in the events of human life, as in the souls and the bodies of animals, since the “for what purp

 They thought, since the creator was imperfect and not good, that the savior had come announcing a more perfect god, whom they say is not the creator,

 You did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering.” 4.2.4 the way, therefore, that appears to us for how one ought to approach the scripture

 Character. but a spiritual interpretation for the one who is able to show of what “heavenly things the pattern and shadow” the jews “according to the

 Is so great upon the earth, and if not only upon the earth, but also elsewhere, it is necessary for us to learn. 4.2.8 these things, and others like t

 Like a farmer, that god 'planted a paradise in eden toward the east,' and made in it a 'tree of life,' visible and perceptible, so that by tasting of

 But also the saying “to be struck on the right jaw” is most improbable, since everyone who strikes, unless he happens to have some unnatural condition

 Every part has the spiritual, but not every part the corporeal for in many places the corporeal is shown to be impossible. therefore, much attention

 Of us.” and in another epistle: “but you have come to mount zion and to the city of the living god, the heavenly jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,

 Of israel or of those being far off, and the “descent into egypt of the seventy souls”, that there they might become “as the stars of heaven in number

in proportion to the unspeakable beneficence, to the greatest possible degree of blessedness they have attained. 3.1.13 Therefore, he who is abandoned is abandoned by a divine judgment, and God is long-suffering toward some sinners not without reason, but because it will be to their advantage with a view to the immortality of the soul and the endless age not to be quickly assisted to salvation, but to be led to it more slowly after having been tried by many evils. For just as physicians, though able to heal more quickly, when they suspect a hidden poison exists in the body, do the opposite of healing, acting this way because they wish to heal more safely, judging it better to keep a person in inflammation and sickness for a long time so that he may regain his health more securely, than to seem to heal him quickly, only to have the disease break out again later and the quicker cure prove to be temporary; in the same way God, knowing the secrets of the heart and foreknowing the future, through long-suffering permits, and perhaps even by external circumstances draws out, the hidden evil in order to cleanse the one who through carelessness has admitted the seeds of sin, so that when they have come to the surface, he, having vomited them, even if he has been in evils for a long time, may later be able, having obtained a cleansing, to be reconstituted after the wickedness. For God manages souls not with a view to the, so to speak, fifty years of this life here, but with a view to the endless age; for He has made the rational nature incorruptible and akin to Himself, and the rational soul is not shut out from healing as in the life here. 3.1.14 But come, let us also use such an image from the Gospel. There is a certain rock having a little shallow soil, on which if seeds fall, they spring up quickly, but having sprung up, since "it has no root," "when the sun has risen it is scorched and withers." And this rock is a human soul, hardened through negligence and petrified through wickedness; for a "stony heart" has been created in no one by God, but it becomes such from wickedness. So, just as if someone were to blame the farmer for not casting the seeds more quickly on the rocky ground, seeing some other rocky ground that received the seeds and sprouted, and the farmer were to answer that, "I will sow this ground more slowly, after applying things that can retain what will be sown," since the slower and safer result for this ground will be better than for the one that received it more quickly and superficially, we would be persuaded that the farmer speaks reasonably and has acted with knowledge. So also the great farmer of every nature postpones the benefit that might be thought quicker, so that it may not be superficial. But it is likely someone might raise an objection to this: "Why then does 'some of the seed fall upon' the soul which has soil on the surface, being as it were 'a rock'?" To this it must also be said that it is better for a certain soul, which has rather rashly willed the better things and not journeyed to them by the proper way, to obtain what it has willed, so that by condemning itself for this, it may patiently wait to receive its natural cultivation after a long time. For souls, one might say, are countless to us, and their characters are countless, and their movements and purposes and intentions and impulses are very many; of which there is only one excellent manager, who understands the seasons and the appropriate helps and the trainings and the ways—the God and Father of all, who knows how He leads even Pharaoh through so many things and through drowning. at which point the management of Pharaoh does not end, for he was not annihilated because he was drowned; "For in the hand of God are both we and our words, all understanding and knowledge of workmanship." And let these things suffice as a moderate defense concerning "Pharaoh's heart was hardened" and concerning, "He has mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardens." 3.1.15 But let us also look at the passage from Ezekiel which says: "I will take away their stony hearts from them and will put in fleshy ones, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my commandments." For if whenever God wills, he "takes away the

ὅσον παρὰ τὴν ἄρρητον εὐεργεσίαν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ὅσον μα καριότητος ἐληλύθασιν. 3.1.13 Οὐκοῦν ἐγκαταλείπεται θείᾳ κρίσει ὁ ἐγκαταλειπόμενος καὶ μακροθυμεῖ ἐπί τινας τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἀλόγως, ἀλλ' ὡς αὐτοῖς συνοίσοντος ὡς πρὸς τὴν ἀθανασίαν τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τὸν ἄπειρον αἰῶνα τοῦ μὴ ταχὺ συνεργηθῆναι εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ βράδιον ἐπὶ ταύτην ἀχθῆναι μετὰ τὸ πειραθῆναι πολλῶν κακῶν. ὥσπερ γάρ τινα καὶ ἰατροὶ δυνάμενοι τάχιον ἰάσασθαι, ὅταν ἐγκε κρυμμένον ἰὸν ὑπονοῶσιν ὑπάρχειν περὶ τὰ σώματα, τὸ ἐναντίον τῷ ἰάσασθαι ἐργάζονται, διὰ τὸ ἰᾶσθαι βούλεσθαι ἀσφαλέστερον τοῦτο ποιοῦντες, ἡγούμενοι κρεῖττον εἶναι πολλῷ χρόνῳ παρακατασχεῖν τινα ἐν τῷ φλεγμαίνειν καὶ κάμνειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ βεβαιότερον αὐτὸν τὴν ὑγείαν ἀπολαβεῖν ἤπερ τάχιον μὲν ῥῶσαι δοκεῖν, ὕστερον δὲ ἀναδῦναι καὶ πρόσκαιρον γενέσθαι τὴν ταχυτέραν ἴασιν· τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ὁ θεός, γινώσκων τὰ κρύφια τῆς καρδίας καὶ προγινώ σκων τὰ μέλλοντα, διὰ τῆς μακροθυμίας ἐπιτρέπει τάχα καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν συμβαινόντων ἐφελκόμενος τὸ ἐν κρυπτῷ κακὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καθᾶραι τὸν δι' ἀμέλειαν τὰ σπέρματα τῆς ἁμαρτίας κεχωρηκότα, ἵνα εἰς ἐπιπολὴν ἐλθόντα αὐτά τις ἐμέσας, εἰ καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐν κα κοῖς γεγένηται, ὕστερον δυνηθῇ καθαρσίου τυχὼν τοῦ μετὰ τὴν κα κίαν ἀναστοιχειωθῆναι. θεὸς γὰρ οἰκονομεῖ τὰς ψυχὰς οὐχ ὡς πρὸς τὴν φέρ' εἰπεῖν πεντηκονταετίαν τῆς ἐνθάδε ζωῆς, ἀλλ' ὡς πρὸς τὸν ἀπέραντον αἰῶνα· ἄφθαρτον γὰρ φύσιν πεποίηκε τὴν νοερὰν καὶ αὐτῷ συγγενῆ, καὶ οὐκ ἀποκλείεται ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐνταῦθα ζωῆς ἡ λογικὴ ψυχὴ τῆς θεραπείας. 3.1.14 Φέρε δὲ καὶ τοιαύτῃ εἰκόνι ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου χρησώ μεθα. ἔστι τις πέτρα ὀλίγην ἔχουσα καὶ ἐπιπόλαιον γῆν, εἰς ἣν ἂν πέσῃ τὰ σπέρματα ταχὺ ἀνθεῖ, ἀλλ' ἀνθήσαντα, ἐπεὶ «ῥίζαν οὐκ ἔχει», «ἡλίου ἀνατείλαντος καυματίζεται καὶ ξηραίνεται». καὶ αὕτη ἡ πέτρα ἀνθρωπίνη ἐστὶ ψυχὴ διὰ τὴν ἀμέλειαν σκληρυνθεῖσα καὶ διὰ τὴν κακίαν ἀπολιθωθεῖσα· «λιθίνη» γὰρ οὐδενὶ ἔκτισται ὑπὸ θεοῦ «καρδία», ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς πονηρίας τοιαύτη γίνεται. ὥσπερ οὖν εἰ ἐγκαλοῖ τις τῷ γεωργῷ, μὴ τάχιον τὰ σπέρματα ἐπὶ τὴν πετρώδη γῆν βαλόντι, ὁρῶν ἄλλην τινὰ πετρώδη γῆν λαβοῦσαν τὰ σπέρματα καὶ ἀνθοῦσαν, ἀποκρίναιτο ἂν ὁ γεωργὸς ὅτι βράδιον σπερῶ τὴν γῆν ταύτην, ἐπι βαλὼν τὰ δυνάμενα παρακατασχεῖν τὰ σπαρησόμενα, κρείττονος ἐσο μένου τῇδε τῇ γῇ τοῦ βραδυτέρου καὶ ἀσφαλεστέρου παρὰ τὴν τάχιον εἰληφυῖαν καὶ ἐπιπολαιοτέρως, πεισθείημεν ἂν ὡς εὐλόγως λέγοντι τῷ γεωργῷ καὶ ὡς ἐπιστημόνως πεποιηκότι· οὕτω καὶ ὁ μέγας πάσης φύσεως γεωργὸς ὑπερτίθεται τὴν νομισθεῖσαν ἂν τάχιον εὐποιΐαν, ἵνα μὴ ἐπιπόλαιος γένηται. ἀλλ' εἰκός τινα ἡμῖν πρὸς ταῦτα ἀνθυπ ενεγκεῖν· διὰ τί δέ «τι τῶν σπερμάτων πίπτει ἐπὶ τὴν» ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς ἔχουσαν τὴν γῆν, οἱονεὶ «πέτραν» οὖσαν, ψυχήν; λεκτέον δὲ καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο ὅτι βέλτιον τῇδέ τινι προπετέστερον βεβουλημένῃ τὰ κρείτ τονα καὶ οὐχὶ ὁδῷ ἐπ' αὐτὰ ὁδευσάσῃ τυχεῖν οὗ βεβούληται, ἵνα ἑαυτῆς ἐπὶ τούτῳ καταγνοῦσα τὴν κατὰ φύσιν γεωργίαν μακροθυμήσῃ ὕστερον πολλῷ χρόνῳ λαβεῖν. Ἄπειροι γὰρ ἡμῖν, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, αἱ ψυχαί, καὶ ἄπειρα τὰ τού των ἤθη, καὶ πλεῖστα ὅσα τὰ κινήματα καὶ αἱ προθέσεις καὶ αἱ ἐπι βολαὶ καὶ αἱ ὁρμαί· ὧν εἷς μόνος οἰκονόμος ἄριστος, καὶ τοὺς καιροὺς ἐπιστάμενος καὶ τὰ ἁρμόζοντα βοηθήματα καὶ τὰς ἀγωγὰς καὶ τὰς ὁδούς, ὁ τῶν ὅλων θεὸς καὶ πατήρ, ὁ εἰδὼς πῶς καὶ τὸν Φαραὼ ἄγει διὰ τοσῶνδε καὶ καταποντισμοῦ. εἰς ὃν οὐ καταλήγει ἡ οἰκονο μία τοῦ Φαραώ, οὐ γὰρ ἐπεὶ κατεποντώθη, ἀνελύθη· «ἐν γὰρ χειρὶ θεοῦ καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ λόγοι ἡμῶν πᾶσά τε φρόνησις καὶ ἐργατιῶν ἐπιστήμη». καὶ ταῦτα μὲν μετρίως εἰς ἀπολογίαν περὶ τοῦ «ἐσκλη ρύνθαι τὴν καρδίαν Φαραὼ» καὶ περὶ τοῦ· «ὃν θέλει ἐλεεῖ, ὃν δὲ θέλει σκληρύνει». 3.1.15 Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Ἰεζεκιὴλ λέγοντος· «ἐξελῶ τὰς λιθίνας καρδίας ἀπ' αὐτῶν καὶ ἐμβαλῶ σαρκίνας, ὅπως ἐν τοῖς δι καιώμασί μου πορεύωνται καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου φυλάσσωσιν». εἰ γὰρ ὅτε βούλεται ὁ θεὸς «ἐξαιρεῖ τὰς