10

who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not as though they are.” That He makes Abraham a father concerning the nations, who do not have their race from him, is clear both from his saying "in the presence of," and also from his adding, "who gives life to the dead," showing the birth of Isaac from dead bodies, that through him he became the father of many nations, because of the salvation that came to the world from him; that is, Christ, in whom all the nations who have believed have made room for Abraham to be called their father. “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform; wherefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. He says, "Against hope," that is, as far as it concerns men, but "in hope," that is, in God.” “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” Lest the hearer should say, And what is this to us? 95.473 for he is the one who was justified; He places us near the patriarch, or rather, even much more; for so great is the nobility, that his faith is a type of ours. “Who was delivered for our offenses.” that He might bear our sins upon the tree. “And was raised again for our justification.” For for this reason He both died and rose again, that He might make us righteous.

CHAPTER 5. “Therefore being justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our

Lord Jesus Christ.” Having discoursed at length on faith, he introduces an exhortation concerning a resplendent life. Since he put faith before the righteousness that is from works, lest anyone should think what was said was written as a pretext for sloth, he says, let us have peace, that is, let us no longer sin; for this is to have war with God. “By whom also we have had access.” If He Himself reconciled us when we were at war, he says, it is reasonable to remain in the reconciliation, and to give this recompense to Him, lest He seem to have reconciled stubborn and ungrateful people to the Father. “By faith.” His works, he says, are various and many and different; for He died for us, and reconciled us, and brought us near, and has given unspeakable grace; but we have brought only faith. “Into this grace wherein we stand.” To be deemed worthy of the knowledge of God, to be freed from error, to know the truth; to attain all the good things through baptism. “And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” He has set two things, the present and the future; for by speaking of grace, he indicated the present good things we have received. And by saying, and we rejoice in hope, he revealed all future things. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also.” Why do I say, he says, that the future good things are worthy of boasting? The present painful things themselves are sufficient to adorn us, and to make us magnanimous in them. And rightly, "we glory," that he might introduce the exhortation even in his own person. “Knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.” Since what was said was paradoxical, that the pain 95.476 ful things produce pleasure in them, and boasting, he confirms it by reasoning. What he says is of this sort: Patience and tribulation have a very great fruit even before the things to come, and make the one who is tempted approved; and it contributes something to the things to come. For it makes hope flourish in us; for nothing so prepares one to hope for good things as a good conscience. “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad

10

ζωοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς, καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα.» Ὅτι περὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν, τῶν μὴ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὸ γένος ἐχόντων, πατέρα τίθησι τὸν Ἀβραὰμ, δῆλον μὲν καὶ ἐκ τοῦ κατέναντι εἰπεῖν, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐπαγαγεῖν δὲ, τοῦ ζωοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς, δηλῶν τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν σωμάτων τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ γονὴν, ὅτι δι' αὐτοῦ πολλῶν γέγονεν πατὴρ ἐθνῶν, διὰ τὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ συμβᾶσαν τῷ κόσμῳ σωτηρίαν· τουτέστι Χριστὸν εἰς ὃν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη πιστεύσαντα χώραν δεδώκασι τῷ Ἀβραὰμ αὐτῶν καλεῖσθαι πατέρα. «Ὃς παρ' ἐλπίδα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι πατέρα αὐτὸν πολλῶν ἐθνῶν, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον, Οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου. Καὶ μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει, κατενόησεν τὸ αὐτοῦ σῶμα ἤδη νενεκρωμένον, ἑκατονταετής που ὑπάρχων, καὶ τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάῤῥας· εἰς δὲ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐ διεκρίθη τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, ἀλλ' ἐνεδυναμώθη τῇ πίστει, δοὺς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ πληροφορηθεὶς ὅτι ὃ ἐπήγγελται, δυνατός ἐστι καὶ ποιῆσαι· διὸ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην. Παρ' ἐλπίδα μὲν, τὴν ὅσον ἐν ἀνθρώποις, ἐπ' ἐλπίδι δὲ, τῇ εἰς Θεὸν λέγει.» «Οὐκ ἐγράφη δὲ δι' αὐτὸν μόνον, ὅτι ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ἡμᾶς, οἷς μέλλει λογίζεσθαι τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἐκ νεκρῶν.» Ἵνα μὴ λέγῃ ὁ ἀκροατὴς, Καὶ τί πρὸς ἡμᾶς; 95.473 ἐκεῖνος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ δικαιωθείς· ἵστησιν ἡμᾶς ἐγγὺς τοῦ πατριάρχου, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πολλῷ πλέον· τοσαύτη γὰρ ἡ εὐγένεια, ὡς τὴν ἐκείνου πίστιν τῆς ἡμετέρας τύπον εἶναι. «Ὃς παρεδόθη διὰ τὰ παραπτώματα ἡμῶν.» Ἵνα τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν ἀνενέγκῃ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου. «Καὶ ἠγέρθη διὰ τὴν δικαίωσιν ἡμῶν.» ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ ἀπέθανεν καὶ ἀνέστη, ἵνα δικαίους ἡμᾶς ἐργάσηται.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Εʹ. «∆ικαιωθέντες οὖν ἐκ πίστεως, εἰρήνην ἔχωμεν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν διὰ τοῦ

Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.» Πολλὰ διαλεχθεὶς περὶ πίστεως παραίνεσιν εἰσφέρει περὶ βίου λαμπροῦ. Ἐπειδὴ τὴν πίστιν τῆς διὰ τῶν ἔργων δικαιοσύνης προέθηκεν, ἵνα μὴ νομίσῃ τὶς ῥᾳθυμίας ὑπόθεσιν γεγραμμένον εἶναι τὸ λεγόμενον, φησὶν, εἰρήνην ἔχωμεν, τουτέστι μηκέτι ἁμαρτάνωμεν· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν πόλεμον ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. «∆ι' οὗ καὶ τὴν προσαγωγὴν ἐσχήκαμεν.» Εἰ αὐτὸς ἡμᾶς κατήλλαξεν ἐκπεπολεμημένους, φησὶν, εὔλογον μένειν ἐπὶ τῆς καταλλαγῆς, καὶ ταύτην ἀποδοῦναι αὐτῷ τὴν ἀμοιβὴν, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ σκαιοὺς καὶ ἀγνώμονας κατηλλαγέναι τῷ Πατρί. «Τῇ πίστει.» Τὰ μὲν αὐτοῦ ποικίλα, φησὶν, καὶ πολλὰ καὶ διάφορα· καὶ γὰρ ἀπέθανεν δι' ἡμᾶς, καὶ κατήλλαξεν ἡμᾶς καὶ προσήγαγεν, καὶ χάριν δέδωκεν ἄφατον· ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν πίστιν μόνον εἰσενέγκαμεν. «Εἰς τὴν χάριν αὐτὴν ἐν ᾗ ἑστήκαμεν.» Τὸ ἀξιωθῆναι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ γνώσεως, τὸ τῆς πλάνης ἀπαλλαγῆναι, τὸ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπιγνῶναι· τὸ πάντων ἐπιτυχεῖν τῶν διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἀγαθῶν. «Καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ.» ∆ύο τέθεικεν, τὰ παρόντα, καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα· τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἰπεῖν τὴν χάριν, τὰ παρόντα ἐδήλωσεν, ἅπερ ἐλάβομεν ἀγαθά. Τὸ δὲ εἰπεῖν, καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι, τὰ μέλλοντα ἐξεκάλυψεν ἅπαντα. «Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν.» Τί λέγω, φησὶν, τὰ μέλλοντα ἀγαθὰ ἄξια καυχήσεως; Αὐτὰ μὲν οὖν τὰ παρόντα λυπηρὰ, ἱκανὰ ἡμᾶς καλλωπίσαι, καὶ ποιῆσαι μεγαλοφρονεῖν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς. Καὶ καλῶς, καυχώμεθα, ἵνα κἂν τῷ οἰκείῳ προσώπῳ εἰσάγῃ τὴν παραίνεσιν. «Εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμὴν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα.» Ἐπειδὴ παράδοξον ἦν τὸ λεγόμενον, τοῦ τὰ λυ 95.476 πηρὰ ἡδονὴν αὐτοῖς ἐμποιεῖν, καὶ καύχημα, πιστοῦται αὐτῷ λογισμῷ. Ὃ δὲ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Ἔχει μὲν καὶ πρὸ τῶν μελλόντων μέγιστον καρπὸν ἡ ὑπομονὴ καὶ ἡ θλίψις, καὶ εὐδόκιμον ποιεῖ τὸν πειραζόμενον· συντελεῖ δέ τι πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα. Τὴν γὰρ ἐλπίδα ἀκμάζειν ποιεῖ ἐν ἡμῖν· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω χρηστὰ ἐλπίζειν παρασκευάζει, ὡς ἀγαθὸν συνειδός. «Ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει. Ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται