Chapter IX.—That It is the Prerogative of the Same Power to Be Beneficent and to Punish Justly. Also the Manner of the Instruction of the Logos.

With all His power, therefore, the Instructor of humanity, the Divine Word, using all the resources of wisdom, devotes Himself to the saving of the children, admonishing, upbraiding, blaming, chiding, reproving, threatening, healing, promising, favouring; and as it were, by many reins, curbing the irrational impulses of humanity. To speak briefly, therefore, the Lord acts towards us as we do towards our children. “Hast thou children? correct them,” is the exhortation of the book of Wisdom, “and bend them from their youth. Hast thou daughters? attend to their body, and let not thy face brighten towards them,”177    Ecclus. vii. 23, 24.    For obvious reasons, we have given the greater part of this chapter in the Latin version. [Much of this chapter requires this sacrifice to a proper verecundia; but the learned translators have possibly been too cautious, erring, however, on the right side of the question.]—although we love our children exceedingly, both sons and daughters, above aught else whatever. For those who speak with a man merely to please him, have little love for him, seeing they do not pain him; while those that speak for his good, though they inflict pain for the time, do him good for ever after. It is not immediate pleasure, but future enjoyment, that the Lord has in view.

Let us now proceed to consider the mode of His loving discipline, with the aid of the prophetic testimony.

Admonition, then, is the censure of loving care, and produces understanding. Such is the Instructor in His admonitions, as when He says in the Gospel, “How often would I have gathered thy children, as a bird gathers her young ones under her wings, and ye would not!”178    Matt. xxiii. 37.    [For the substance of this chapter, see Kaye, p. 84.] And again, the Scripture admonishes, saying, “And they committed adultery with stock and stone, and burnt incense to Baal.”179    Jer. iii. 9, vii. 9, xi. 13, xxxii. 29.    Gen. i. 27, 28. For it is a very great proof of His love, that, though knowing well the shamelessness of the people that had kicked and bounded away, He notwithstanding exhorts them to repentance, and says by Ezekiel, “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of scorpions; nevertheless, speak to them, if peradventure they will hear.”180    Ezek. ii. 6, 7.    Deut. xiv. 7. Further, to Moses He says, “Go and tell Pharaoh to send My people forth; but I know that he will not send them forth.”181    Ex. iii. 18, 19.    [He lays down the law, that marriage was instituted for the one result of replenishing the earth; and he thinks certain unclean animals of the Mosaic system to be types of the sensuality which is not less forbidden to the married than to others.] For He shows both things: both His divinity in His foreknowledge of what would take place, and His love in affording an opportunity for repentance to the self-determination of the soul. He admonishes also by Esaias, in His care for the people, when He says, “This people honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” What follows is reproving censure: “In vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”182    Isa. xxix. 13.    Rom. i. 26, 27. Here His loving care, having shown their sin, shows salvation side by side.

Upbraiding is censure on account of what is base, conciliating to what is noble. This is shown by Jeremiah: “They were female-mad horses; each one neighed after his neighbour’s wife. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”183    Jer. v. 8, 9.    Jer. xii. 9. [The empirical science of the day is here enlarged upon, by Clement, for he cannot forbear to make lust detestable by a natural parable of the foul hyæna.] He everywhere interweaves fear, because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of sense.”184    Prov. i. 7.    Ex. xx. 14. And again, by Hosea, He says, “Shall I not visit them? for they themselves were mingled with harlots, and sacrificed with the initiated; and the people that understood embraced a harlot.”185    Hos. iv. 14: “understood not” in the A.V.    Jer. v. 8. He shows their offence to be clearer, by declaring that they understood, and thus sinned wilfully. Understanding is the eye of the soul; wherefore also Israel means, “he that sees God”—that is, he that understands God.

Complaint is censure of those who are regarded as despising or neglecting. He employs this form when He says by Esaias: “Hear, O heaven; and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have begotten and brought up children, but they have disregarded Me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel hath not known Me.”186    Isa. i. 2, 3.    Lev. xviii. 22. For how shall we not regard it fearful, if he that knows God, shall not recognise the Lord; but while the ox and the ass, stupid and foolish animals, will know him who feeds them, Israel is found to be more irrational than these? And having, by Jeremiah, complained against the people on many grounds, He adds: “And they have forsaken Me, saith the Lord.”187    Jer i. 16, ii. 13, 29.    Lev. xviii. 20.

Invective188    Or, rebuke.    Prov. xix. 29. is a reproachful upbraiding, or chiding censure. This mode of treatment the Instructor employs in Isaiah, when He says, “Woe to you, children revolters. Thus saith the Lord, Ye have taken counsel, but not by Me; and made compacts, but not by My Spirit.”189    Isa. xxx. 1.    Ecclus. xxiii. 4, 5, 6. He uses the very bitter mordant of fear in each case repressing190    Lowth conjectures ἐπιστομῶν or ἐπιστομίζων, instead of ἀναστομῶν.    Gen. ii. 23. the people, and at the same time turning them to salvation; as also wool that is undergoing the process of dyeing is wont to be previously treated with mordants, in order to prepare it for taking on a fast colour.

Reproof is the bringing forward of sin, laying it before one. This form of instruction He employs as in the highest degree necessary, by reason of the feebleness of the faith of many. For He says by Esaias, “Ye have forsaken the Lord, and have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger.”191    Isa. i. 4.    [Tamen possunt senes et steriles matrimonium sanctum contrahere, et de re conjugali aliter docet Lanctantius de naturâ singulari mulierum argute disserens: q. v. in libro ejus de vero cultu, vi. cap. 23, p. 280, ed. Basiliæ 1521.] And He says also by Jeremiah: “Heaven was astonished at this, and the earth shuddered exceedingly. For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and have hewn out to themselves broken cisterns, which will not be able to hold water.”192    Jer. ii. 12, 13.    [Naturâ duce, sub lege Logi, omnia fidelibus licent non omnia tamen expediunt. Conf Paulum, I., Ad Corinth, vi. 12.] And again, by the same: “Jerusalem hath sinned a sin; therefore it became commotion. All that glorified her dishonoured her, when they saw her baseness.”193    Lam. i. 8.    Eph. v. 3. And He uses the bitter and biting194    H. reads δηκτικόν, for which the text has ἐπιδεικτικόν.    [He has argued powerfully on the delicacy and refinement which should be observed in Christian marriage, to which Lactantius in the next age will be found attributing the glory of chastity, as really as to a pure celibacy. He now continues the argument in a form which our translators do not scruple to English.] language of reproof in His consolations by Solomon, tacitly alluding to the love for children that characterizes His instruction: “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth;”195    Prov. iii. 11, 12.    Ecclus. xxiii. 18, 19. “For a man who is a sinner escapes reproof.”196    Ecclus. xxxii. 21.    Isa. xxix. 15. Consequently, therefore, the Scripture says, “Let the righteous reprove and correct me; but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.”197    Ps. cxli. 5.    John i. 5.

Bringing one to his senses (φρένωσις) is censure, which makes a man think. Neither from this form of instruction does he abstain, but says by Jeremiah, “How long shall I cry, and you not hear? So your ears are uncircumcised.”198    Jer. vi. 10.    Wisd. vii. 10 is probably referred to. O blessed forbearance! And again, by the same: “All the heathen are uncircumcised, but this people is uncircumcised in heart:”199    Jer. ix. 26.    Matt xxii. 30. “for the people are disobedient; children,” says He, “in whom is not faith.”200    Isa. xxx. 9.    That is, the Jewish.

Visitation is severe rebuke. He uses this species in the Gospel: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee!” The reduplication of the name gives strength to the rebuke. For he that knows God, how does he persecute God’s servants? Wherefore He says, “Your house is left desolate; for I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall not see Me, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.”201    Matt. xxiii. 37–39.    1 Cor. vi. 15. For if you do not receive His love, ye shall know His power.

Denunciation is vehement speech. And He employs denunciation as medicine, by Isaiah, saying, “Ah, sinful nation, lawless sons, people full of sins, wicked seed!”202    Isa. i. 4.    [1 Cor. x. 8; Num. xxv. 1–9. Clement says twenty-four thousand, with the Old Testament, but St. Paul says twenty-three thousand; on which, ad locum, see Speaker’s Commentary.] And in the Gospel by John He says, “Serpents, brood of vipers.”203    Nothing similar to this is found in the fourth Gospel; the reference may be to the words of the Baptist, Matt. iii. 7, Luke iii. 7.    Ecclus. xviii. 30.

Accusation is censure of wrong-doers. This mode of instruction He employs by David, when He says: “The people whom I knew not served me, and at the hearing of the ear obeyed me. Sons of strangers lied to me, and halted from their ways.”204    Ps. xviii. 43–45.    Ecclus. xix. 2, 3, 5. And by Jeremiah: “And I gave her a writing of divorcement, and covenant-breaking Judah feared not.”205    Jer. iii. 8.    [Right reason is the best remedy against all excesses, argues our author, but always subject to the express law of the Gospel.] And again: “And the house of Israel disregarded Me; and the house of Judah lied to the Lord.”206    Jer. v. 11, 12.

Bewailing one’s fate is latent censure, and by artful aid ministers salvation as under a veil. He made use of this by Jeremiah: “How did the city sit solitary that was full of people! She that ruled over territories became as a widow; she came under tribute; weeping, she wept in the night.”207    Lam. i. 1, 2.

Objurgation is objurgatory censure. Of this help the Divine Instructor made use by Jeremiah, saying, “Thou hadst a whore’s forehead; thou wast shameless towards all; and didst not call me to the house, who am thy father, and lord of thy virginity.”208    Jer. iii. 3, 4. “And a fair and graceful harlot skilled in enchanted potions.”209    Nahum iii. 4. With consummate art, after applying to the virgin the opprobrious name of whoredom, He thereupon calls her back to an honourable life by filling her with shame.

Indignation is a rightful upbraiding; or upbraiding on account of ways exalted above what is right. In this way He instructed by Moses, when He said, “Faulty children, a generation crooked and perverse, do ye thus requite the Lord? This people is foolish, and not wise. Is not this thy father who acquired thee?”210    Deut. xxxii. 5, 6. He says also by Isaiah, “Thy princes are disobedient, companions of thieves, loving gifts, following after rewards, not judging the orphans.”211    Isa. i. 23.

In fine, the system He pursues to inspire fear is the source of salvation. And it is the prerogative of goodness to save: “The mercy of the Lord is on all flesh, while He reproves, corrects, and teaches as a shepherd His flock. He pities those who receive His instruction, and those who eagerly seek union with Him.”212    Ecclus. xviii. 13, 14. And with such guidance He guarded the six hundred thousand footmen that were brought together in the hardness of heart in which they were found; scourging, pitying, striking, healing, in compassion and discipline: “For according to the greatness of His mercy, so is His rebuke.”213    Ecclus. xvi. 12. For it is indeed noble not to sin; but it is good also for the sinner to repent; just as it is best to be always in good health, but well to recover from disease. So He commands by Solomon: “Strike thou thy son with the rod, that thou mayest deliver his soul from death.”214    Prov. xxiii. 14. And again: “Abstain not from chastising thy son, but correct him with the rod; for he will not die.”215    Prov. xxiii. 13.

For reproof and rebuke, as also the original term implies, are the stripes of the soul, chastizing sins, preventing death, and leading to self-control those carried away to licentiousness. Thus also Plato, knowing reproof to be the greatest power for reformation, and the most sovereign purification, in accordance with what has been said, observes, “that he who is in the highest degree impure is uninstructed and base, by reason of his being unreproved in those respects in which he who is destined to be truly happy ought to be purest and best.”

For if rulers are not a terror to a good work, how shall God, who is by nature good, be a terror to him who sins not? “If thou doest evil, be afraid,”216    Rom. xiii. 3, 4. says the apostle. Wherefore the apostle himself also in every case uses stringent language to the Churches, after the Lord’s example; and conscious of his own boldness, and of the weakness of his hearers, he says to the Galatians: “Am I your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”217    Gal. iv. 16. Thus also people in health do not require a physician, do not require him as long as they are strong; but those who are ill need his skill. Thus also we who in our lives are ill of shameful lusts and reprehensible excesses, and other inflammatory effects of the passions, need the Saviour. And He administers not only mild, but also stringent medicines. The bitter roots of fear then arrest the eating sores of our sins. Wherefore also fear is salutary, if bitter. Sick, we truly stand in need of the Saviour; having wandered, of one to guide us; blind, of one to lead us to the light; thirsty, “of the fountain of life, of which whosoever partakes, shall no longer thirst;”218    John iv. 13, 14. dead, we need life; sheep, we need a shepherd; we who are children need a tutor, while universal humanity stands in need of Jesus; so that we may not continue intractable and sinners to the end, and thus fall into condemnation, but may be separated from the chaff, and stored up in the paternal garner. “For the fan is in the Lord’s hand, by which the chaff due to the fire is separated from the wheat.”219    Matt. iii. 12; Luke iii. 17. You may learn, if you will, the crowning wisdom of the all-holy Shepherd and Instructor, of the omnipotent and paternal Word, when He figuratively represents Himself as the Shepherd of the sheep. And He is the Tutor of the children. He says therefore by Ezekiel, directing His discourse to the elders, and setting before them a salutary description of His wise solicitude: “And that which is lame I will bind up, and that which is sick I will heal, and that which has wandered I will turn back; and I will feed them on my holy mountain.”220    Ezek. xxxiv. 14, 15, 16. Such are the promises of the good Shepherd.

Feed us, the children, as sheep. Yea, Master, fill us with righteousness, Thine own pasture; yea, O Instructor, feed us on Thy holy mountain the Church, which towers aloft, which is above the clouds, which touches heaven. “And I will be,” He says, “their Shepherd,”221    Ezek. xxxiv. 14–16. and will be near them, as the garment to their skin. He wishes to save my flesh by enveloping it in the robe of immortality, and He hath anointed my body. “They shall call Me,” He says, “and I will say, Here am I.”222    Isa. lviii. 9. Thou didst hear sooner than I expected, Master. “And if they pass over, they shall not slip,”223    Isa. xliii. 2. saith the Lord. For we who are passing over to immortality shall not fall into corruption, for He shall sustain us. For so He has said, and so He has willed. Such is our Instructor, righteously good. “I came not,” He says, “to be ministered unto, but to minister.”224    Matt. xx. 28; Mark x. 45. Wherefore He is introduced in the Gospel “wearied,”225    John iv. 6. because toiling for us, and promising “to give His life a ransom for many.”226    Matt. xx. 28. For him alone who does so He owns to be the good shepherd. Generous, therefore, is He who gives for us the greatest of all gifts, His own life; and beneficent exceedingly, and loving to men, in that, when He might have been Lord, He wished to be a brother man; and so good was He that He died for us.

Further, His righteousness cried, “If ye come straight to me, I also will come straight to you but if ye walk crooked, I also will walk crooked, saith the Lord of hosts;”227    Here Clement gives the sense of various passages, e.g., Jer. vi., Lev. xxvi. meaning by the crooked ways the chastisements of sinners. For the straight and natural way which is indicated by the Iota of the name of Jesus is His goodness, which is firm and sure towards those who have believed at hearing: “When I called, ye obeyed not, saith the Lord; but set at nought my counsels, and heeded not my reproofs.”228    Prov. i. 24, 25. Thus the Lord’s reproof is most beneficial. David also says of them, “A perverse and provoking race; a race which set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful with God: they kept not the covenant of God, and would not walk in His law.”229    Ps. lxxviii. 8, 10.

Such are the causes of provocation for which the Judge comes to inflict punishment on those that would not choose a life of goodness. Wherefore also afterwards He assailed them more roughly; in order, if possible, to drag them back from their impetuous rush towards death. He therefore tells by David the most manifest cause of the threatening: “They believed not in His wonderful works. When He slew them, they sought after Him, and turned and inquired early after God; and remembered that God was their Helper, and God the Most High their Redeemer.”230    Ps. lxxviii. 32–35. Thus He knew that they turned for fear, while they despised His love: for, for the most part, that goodness which is always mild is despised; but He who admonishes by the loving fear of righteousness is reverenced.

There is a twofold species of fear, the one of which is accompanied with reverence, such as citizens show towards good rulers, and we towards God, as also right-minded children towards their fathers. “For an unbroken horse turns out unmanageable, and a son who is let take his own way turns out reckless.”231    Ecclus. xxx. 8. The other species of fear is accompanied with hatred, which slaves feel towards hard masters, and the Hebrews felt, who made God a master, not a father. And as far as piety is concerned, that which is voluntary and spontaneous differs much, nay entirely, from what is forced. “For He,” it is said, “is merciful; He will heal their sins, and not destroy them, and fully turn away His anger, and not kindle all His wrath.”232    Ps. lxxviii. 38. See how the justice of the Instructor, which deals in rebukes, is shown; and the goodness of God, which deals in compassions. Wherefore David—that is, the Spirit by him—embracing them both, sings of God Himself, “Justice and judgment are the preparation of His throne: mercy and truth shall go before Thy face.”233    Ps. lxxxix. 14. He declares that it belongs to the same power both to judge and to do good. For there is power over both together, and judgment separates that which is just from its opposite. And He who is truly God is just and good; who is Himself all, and all is He; for He is God, the only God.

For as the mirror is not evil to an ugly man because it shows him what like he is; and as the physician is not evil to the sick man because he tells him of his fever,—for the physician is not the cause of the fever, but only points out the fever;—so neither is He, that reproves, ill-disposed towards him who is diseased in soul. For He does not put the transgressions on him, but only shows the sins which are there; in order to turn him away from similar practices. So God is good on His own account, and just also on ours, and He is just because He is good. And His justice is shown to us by His own Word from there from above, whence the Father was. For before He became Creator He was God; He was good. And therefore He wished to be Creator and Father. And the nature of all that love was the source of righteousness—the cause, too, of His lighting up His sun, and sending down His own Son. And He first announced the good righteousness that is from heaven, when He said, “No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; nor the Father, but the Son.”234    Luke x. 22. This mutual and reciprocal knowledge is the symbol of primeval justice. Then justice came down to men both in the letter and in the body, in the Word and in the law, constraining humanity to saving repentance; for it was good. But do you not obey God? Then blame yourself, who drag to yourself the judge.

Ὅτι τῆς αὐτῆς δυνάμεως καὶ εὐεργετεῖν καὶ κολάζειν δικαίως, ἐν ᾧ τίς ὁ τρόπος τῆς παιδαγωγίας τοῦ λόγου. Παντὶ τοίνυν σθένει ὁ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος παιδαγωγός, ὁ θεῖος ἡμῶν λόγος, πάσῃ καταχρώμενος σοφίας μηχανῇ, σῴζειν ἐπιβέβληται τοὺς νηπίους, νουθετῶν, ἐπιτιμῶν, ἐπιπλήττων, ἐλέγχων, ἀπειλούμενος, ἰώμενος, ἐπαγγελλόμενος, χαριζόμενος, πολλοῖς τισιν οἱονεὶ χαλινοῖς τὰς ἀλόγους τῆς ἀνθρω πότητος δεσμεύων ὁρμάς. Συνελόντι γοῦν εἰπεῖν, οὕτως ὁ κύριος πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς πρὸς τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν. Τέκνα σοί ἐστιν; παίδευσον αὐτά, ἡ σοφία παραινεῖ, καὶ κάμψον αὐτὰ ἐκ νεότητος αὐτῶν. Θυγατέρες σοί εἰσι; πρόσεχε τῷ σώματι αὐτῶν, καὶ μὴ ἱλαρώσῃς πρὸς αὐτὰς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου. Καίτοι τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν, υἱούς τε καὶ θυγατέρας, σφόδρα καὶ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἀγαπῶμεν. Ἐπεὶ δ' οἱ μὲν πρὸς χάριν ὁμιλοῦντες ὀλίγον ἀγαπῶσιν ὃ μὴ λυποῦσιν, οἱ δὲ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν ἐπιστύφοντες, εἰ καὶ παραυτίκα λυπηροί, ἀλλὰ εἰς τὸν ἔπειτα εὐεργετοῦσιν αἰῶνα, οὐ τὴν παραυτίκα ἡδονὴν ὁ κύριος, ἀλλὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν ἐσκόπησε τρυφήν. Ἐπίωμεν δὲ ἤδη καὶ τὸν τρόπον αὐτοῦ τῆς φιλανθρώπου παιδαγωγίας μετὰ μαρτυρίας προφητικῆς. Νουθέτησις μὲν οὖν ἐστιν ψόγος κηδεμονικός, νοῦ ἐμποιητικός. Τοιοῦτος ὁ παιδαγωγὸς νουθετῶν, ὡς κἀν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ λέγων ποσάκις ἠθέλησα συναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις συνάγει τὰ νοσσία αὐτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε. Αὖθίς τε ἡ γραφὴ νουθετεῖ, καὶ ἐμοίχευον λέγουσα τὸ ξύλον καὶ τὸν λίθον, καὶ ἐθυμίασαν τῇ Βάαλ. Μέγιστον γὰρ τεκμήριον τῆς φιλανθρωπίας αὐτοῦ, ὅτι καίτοι σαφῶς εἰδὼς τὴν ἀναισχυντίαν τοῦ ἐκλακτίσαντος λαοῦ καὶ ἀποσκιρτήσαντος, ὅμως ἐπὶ τὴν μετάνοιαν παρακαλεῖ καί φησιν διὰ τοῦ Ἰεζεκιήλ· υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, ἐν μέσῳ σκορπίων σὺ κατοικεῖς, πλὴν λάλησον αὐτοῖς, ἐὰν ἄρα ἀκούσωσιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ Μωυσεῖ πορεύου φησὶν καὶ εἰπὲ τῷ Φαραῴ, ἵνα ἐξαποστείλῃ τὸν λαόν, ἐγὼ δὲ οἶδα ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἐξαποστείλῃ αὐτούς. Ἐμφαίνει γὰρ ἄμφω, καὶ τὸ θεῖον προειδὼς τὸ ἐσόμενον, καὶ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον τὸ αὑτοῦ τῷ αὐτεξουσίῳ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀφορμὰς μετανοίας χαριζόμενος. Νουθετεῖ δὲ καὶ διὰ Ἡσαΐου κηδόμενος τοῦ λαοῦ, ὁπηνίκα λέγει· ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσί με, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἐστὶν ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, τοῦτό ἐστι ψόγος ἐλεγκτικός· μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων. Ἐνταῦθα ἡ κηδεμονία φανερώσασα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ παραλλήλου δείκνυσι τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ἐπιτίμησις δέ ἐστι ψόγος ἐπ' αἰσχροῖς οἰκειῶν πρὸς τὰ καλά. Τοῦτο ἐνδείκνυται διὰ Ἱερεμίου· ἵπποι θηλυμανεῖς ἐγενήθησαν, ἕκαστος ἐπὶ τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἐχρεμέτιζεν. Μὴ ἐπὶ τούτοις οὐκ ἐπισκέψομαι; λέγει κύριος· ἢ ἐν λαῷ τῷ τοιούτῳ οὐκ ἐκδικήσει ἡ ψυχή μου; Παραπλέκει δὲ πανταχοῦ τὸν φόβον, ὅτι φόβος κυρίου ἀρχὴ αἰσθήσεως. Καὶ πάλιν διὰ Ὠσηὲ οὐκ ἐπισκέψομαι φησὶν αὐτούς; ὅτι αὐτοὶ μετὰ τῶν πορνῶν συνεφύροντο καὶ μετὰ τῶν τετελεσμένων ἔθυον, καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ συνίων συνεπλέκετο πόρνῃ. ∆είκνυσιν αὐτῶν φανερώτερον τὸ ἁμάρτημα, συνιέναι αὐτοὺς ὁμολογῶν, ὡς ἑκόντας ἁμαρτάνοντας. Καὶ ἡ σύνεσις ὄψις ἐστὶ ψυχῆς. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Ἰσραὴλ ὁ ὁρῶν τὸν θεόν, τουτέστιν ὁ συνίων τὸν θεόν. Μέμψις δέ ἐστι ψόγος ὡς ὀλιγωρούντων ἢ ἀμελούντων. Κέχρηται τῷ τρόπῳ τούτῳ τῆς παιδαγωγίας διὰ Ἡσαΐου λέγων· ἄκουε, οὐρανέ, καὶ ἐνωτίζου, γῆ, ὅτι κύριος ἐλάλησεν· υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα, αὐτοὶ δέ με ἠθέτησαν. Ἔγνω βοῦς τὸν κτησάμενον καὶ ὄνος τὴν φάτνην τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ, Ἰσραὴλ δέ με οὐκ ἔγνω. Πῶς γὰρ οὐ δεινόν, εἰ ὁ εἰδὼς τὸν θεὸν οὐ γνώσεται τὸν κύριον, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν βοῦς καὶ ὁ ὄνος, τὰ νωθῆ ζῷα καὶ τὰ μωρά, εἴσεται τὸν τρέφοντα, ὁ δὲ Ἰσραὴλ ἀλογώτερος καὶ τούτων εὑρεθήσεται; Καὶ διὰ Ἱερεμίου πολλὰ καταμεμψάμενος τὸν λαὸν ἐπιφέρει· καὶ ἐμὲ ἐγκατέλιπον, λέγει κύριος. Ἐπίπληξις δέ ἐστιν ἐπιτίμησις ἐπιπληκτικὴ ἢ ψόγος πληκτικός, κέχρηται δὲ καὶ ταύτῃ τῇ θεραπείᾳ ὁ παιδαγωγὸς διὰ Ἡσαΐου λέγων· οὐαὶ τέκνα ἀποστάται, τάδε λέγει κύριος· ἐποιήσατε βουλὴν οὐ δι' ἐμοῦ, καὶ συνθήκας οὐ διὰ τοῦ πνεύματός μου. Στύμματι δὲ αὐστηροτάτῳ παρ' ἕκαστα προσχρῆται τῷ φόβῳ, ἀναστομῶν ἅμα καὶ ἐπιστρέφων δι' αὐτοῦ πρὸς σωτηρίαν τὸν λαόν, καθάπερ καὶ τὰ βαπτόμενα τῶν ἐρίων προστύφεσθαι φιλεῖ εἰς βεβαίαν εὐτρεπιζόμενα τῆς βαφῆς παραδοχήν. Ἔλεγχος δέ ἐστιν προφορὰ ἁμαρτίας εἰς τὸ μέσον φέρουσα. Τούτῳ μάλιστα συγχρῆται ὡς ἀναγκαίῳ τῷ τρόπῳ τῆς παιδαγωγίας διὰ τὸ ἔκλυτον τῆς τῶν πολλῶν πίστεως. Λέγει μὲν γὰρ διὰ Ἡσαΐου ἐγκατελίπετε τὸν κύριον καὶ παρωργίσατε τὸν ἅγιον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Λέγει δὲ καὶ διὰ Ἱερεμίου· ἐξέστη ὁ οὐρανὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ καὶ ἔφριξεν ἐπὶ πλείω ἡ γῆ· ὅτι δύο καὶ πονηρὰ ἐποίησεν ὁ λαὸς οὗτος· ἐμὲ ἐγκατέλιπον, πηγὴν ὕδατος ζῶντος, καὶ ὤρυξαν λάκκους συντετριμμένους, οἳ οὐ δυνήσον ται συσχεῖν ὕδωρ. Καὶ πάλιν διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· ἁμαρτίαν ἥμαρτεν Ἱερουσαλήμ· διὰ τοῦτο εἰς σάλον ἐγένετο· πάντες οἱ δοξάζοντες αὐτὴν ἠτίμασαν αὐτήν, ὅτι εἶδον ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς. Τὸ δὲ αὐστηρὸν τοῦ ἐλέγχου καὶ ἐπιπληκτικὸν διὰ Σολομῶντος παραμυθούμενος λέγει αἰνιττόμενος κατὰ τὸ παρασιωπώμενον τὸ φιλότεκνον τῆς παιδαγωγίας· υἱέ μου, μὴ ὀλιγώρει παιδείας κυρίου, μηδὲ ἐκλύου ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἐλεγχόμενος· ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ κύριος, παιδεύει, μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱόν, ὃν παραδέχεται, ὅτι ἁμαρτωλὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκκλίνει ἐλεγμόν. Ἀκολούθως τοίνυν ἐλεγχέτω με δίκαιος ἡ γραφὴ λέγει καὶ παιδευσάτω με, ἔλαιον δὲ ἁμαρτωλοῦ μὴ λιπανάτω τὴν κεφαλήν μου. Φρένωσις δέ ἐστι ψόγος φρενῶν ἐμποιητικός. Οὐδὲ τούτου ἀπέσχηται τοῦ τρόπου τῆς παιδαγωγίας, ἀλλὰ διὰ Ἱερεμίου φησίν· ἕως τίνος κεκράξομαι καὶ οὐκ εἰσακούσονται; ἰδοὺ ἀπερίτμητα τὰ ὦτα αὐτῶν. Ὢ τῆς μακαρίας ἀνεξικακίας. Καὶ πάλιν διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· ἀπερίτμητα πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ὁ δὲ λαὸς οὗτος ἀπερίτμητος καρδίᾳ. Ὅτι λαὸς ἀπειθής ἐστιν, οἱ υἱοί, φησίν, οἷς οὐκ ἔστι πίστις. Ἐπισκοπὴ δέ ἐστιν ἐπίπληξις σφοδρά. Κέχρηται τῷ εἴδει τούτῳ ἐν εὐαγγελίῳ· Ἱερουσαλὴμ Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἡ ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν. Καὶ ἡ ἐπαναδίπλωσις τοῦ ὀνόματος ἰσχυρὰν τὴν ἐπίπληξιν πεποίηται. Ὁ γὰρ εἰδὼς τὸν θεὸν πῶς τοὺς διακόνους τοῦ θεοῦ διώκει; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο φησίν· ἀφίεται ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος, λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν· ἀπάρτι οὐ μὴ ἴδητέ με, ἕως ἂν εἴπητε· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου. Εἰ γὰρ οὐ δέχεσθε τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, ἐπιγνώσεσθε τὴν ἐξουσίαν. Λοιδορία δέ ἐστι ψόγος ἐπιτεταμένος. Κέχρηται δὲ τῇ λοιδορίᾳ ἐν φαρμάκου μοίρᾳ διὰ Ἡσαΐου λέγων οὐαὶ ἔθνος ἁμαρτωλόν, υἱοὶ ἄνομοι, λαὸς πλήρης ἁμαρτιῶν, σπέρμα πονηρόν κἀν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ Ἰωάννου ὄφεις φησὶν γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν. Ἔγκλησις δέ ἐστι ψόγος ἀδικούντων. Τούτῳ τῷ παιδαγωγήματι διὰ ∆αβὶδ κέχρηται, λαός, ὃν οὐκ ἔγνων, λέγων ἐδούλευσέν μοι καὶ εἰς ἀκοὴν ὠτίου ὑπήκουσέν μου, υἱοὶ ἀλλότριοι ἐψεύσαντό μοι καὶ ἐχώλαναν ἀπὸ τῶν τρίβων αὐτῶν, καὶ διὰ Ἱερεμίου· καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτῇ βιβλίον ἀποστα σίου, καὶ οὐκ ἐφοβήθη ἡ ἀσύνθετος Ἰούδα, αὖθίς τε· καὶ ἠθέτησεν εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ οἶκος Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ὁ οἶκος Ἰούδα ἐψεύσατο τῷ κυρίῳ. Μεμψιμοιρία δέ ἐστι λάθριος ψόγος, τεχνικῇ βοηθείᾳ καὶ αὐτὴ σωτηρίαν οἰκονομουμένη ἐν παρακαλύμματι. Κέχρηται δὲ αὐτῇ διὰ Ἱερεμίου· πῶς ἐκάθισεν μόνη ἡ πόλις ἡ πεπληθυμμένη λαῶν; ἐγενήθη ὡσεὶ χήρα· ἄρχουσα χωρῶν ἐγενήθη εἰς φόρους· κλαίουσα ἔκλαυσεν ἐν νυκτί. ∆ιάσυρσις δέ ἐστι ψόγος διασυρτικός. Καὶ τούτῳ κέχρηται τῷ βοηθήματι ὁ θεῖος παιδαγωγὸς διὰ Ἱερεμίου λέγων· ὄψις πόρνης ἐγένετό σοι, ἀπηναισχύντησας πρὸς πάντας. Καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἶκον ἐκάλεσάς με καὶ πατέρα καὶ ἄρχοντα τῆς παρθενίας σου; Καὶ πόρνη καλὴ καὶ ἐπίχαρις, ἡγουμένη φαρμάκων. Τεχνικῶς πάνυ τὴν παρθένον τῷ τῆς πορνείας ἐνυβρίσας ὀνόματι, αὖθις ἐπὶ τὴν σεμνότητα ἐντρέπων μετακαλεῖται. Κατανεμέσησις δέ ἐστιν ἐπιτίμησις νόμιμος ἢ ἐπιτίμησις τῶν υἱῶν παρὰ τὸ προσῆκον ἐπαιρομένων. Ταύτῃ διὰ Μωσέως ἐπαιδαγώγει, τέκνα λέγων μωμητά, γενεὰ σκολιὰ καὶ διεστραμμένη, ταῦτα κυρίῳ ἀνταποδίδοτε; Οὗτος λαὸς μωρὸς καὶ οὐχὶ σοφός. Οὐκ αὐτὸς οὗτος ὁ πατὴρ ἐκτήσατό σε; Καὶ διὰ Ἡσαΐου φησίν· οἱ ἄρχοντές σου ἀπειθοῦσιν, κοινωνοὶ κλεπτῶν, ἀγαπῶντες δῶρα, διώκοντες ἀνταπόδομα, ὀρφανοῖς οὐ κρίνοντες. Καθόλου δὲ ἡ περὶ τὸν φόβον αὐτοῦ τεχνολογία σωτηρίας ἐστὶ πηγή, ἀγαθοῦ δέ γε τὸ σῴζειν· ἔλεος δὲ κυρίου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα· ἐλέγχων καὶ παιδεύων καὶ διδάσκων ὡς ποιμὴν τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ. Τοὺς ἐκδεχομένους παιδείαν ἐλεᾷ καὶ τοὺς κατασπουδάζοντας εἰς κόλλησιν αὐτῷ· καὶ ταύτῃ τῇ ἀγωγῇ ἑξακοσίας χιλιάδας πεζῶν, τοὺς ἐπισυναχθέντας ἐν ᾗ ἔσχον σκληροκαρδίᾳ, μαστιγῶν, ἐλεῶν, τύπτων, ἰώμενος, ἐν οἰκτιρμῷ καὶ παιδείᾳ διεφύλαξεν. Κατὰ γὰρ τὸ πολὺ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ, οὕτως καὶ ὁ ἔλεγχος αὐτοῦ. Καλὸν μὲν γὰρ τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν, ἀγαθὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ ἁμαρτόντα μετανοεῖν, ὥσπερ ἄριστον τὸ ὑγιαίνειν ἀεί, καλὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀνασφῆλαι τῆς νόσου. Ταύτῃ τοι καὶ διὰ Σολομῶντος παραγγέλλεται· σὺ μὲν ῥάβδῳ πάταξον τὸν υἱόν, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου ῥῦσαι. Καὶ πάλιν· μὴ ἀπόσχῃ νήπιον παιδεύων, εὔθυναι δὲ αὐτὸν ῥάβδῳ, οὐ γὰρ θανεῖται. Ἔλεγχος γὰρ καὶ ἐπίπληξις, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τοὔνομα αἰνίττεται, αὗται πληγαὶ ψυχῆς εἰσι, σωφρονίζουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας καὶ θάνατον ἀπείργουσαι, εἰς δὲ τὴν σωφροσύ νην ἄγουσαι τοὺς εἰς ἀκολασίαν ὑποφερομένους. Ταύτῃ τοι καὶ Πλάτων τὴν μεγίστην τῆς ἐπανορθώσεως δύναμιν καὶ τὴν κυριωτάτην κάθαρσιν τὸν ἔλεγχον εἰδὼς ἀκολούθως τῷ λόγῳ τὸν τὰ μέγιστα ἀκάθαρτον ὄντα ἀπαίδευτόν τε καὶ αἰσχρὸν γεγονέναι διὰ τὸ ἀνέλεγκτον εἶναι βούλεται, ᾗ καθαρώτατον καὶ κάλλιστον ἔπρεπεν τὸν ὄντως ἐσόμενον εὐδαίμονα εἶναι. Εἰ γὰρ οἱ ἄρχοντες οὐκ εἰσὶ φόβος τῷ ἀγαθῷ ἔργῳ, πῶς ὁ φύσει ἀγαθὸς θεὸς φόβος ἔσται τῷ μὴ ἁμαρτάνοντι; Ἐὰν δὲ τὸ κακὸν ποιῇς, φοβοῦ, ᾗ φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό τοι καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐπιστύφει παρ' ἕκαστα τὰς ἐκκλησίας κατ' εἰκόνα κυρίου καὶ συναισθόμενος τῆς ἑαυτοῦ παρρησίας καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀκουόντων ἀσθενείας πρὸς τοὺς Γαλάτας λέγει· ἐχθρὸς ὑμῶν γέγονα ἀληθεύων ὑμῖν; Ὡς δὲ οἱ ὑγιαίνοντες οὐ χρῄζουσιν ἰατροῦ, παρ' ὅσον ἔρρωνται, οἱ δὲ νοσοῦντες ἐπιδέονται τῆς τέχνης, οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς οἱ ἐν τῷ βίῳ νοσοῦντες περί τε τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τὰς ἐπονειδίστους περί τε τὰς ἀκρασίας τὰς ἐπιψόγους καὶ περὶ τὰς ἄλλας τῶν παθῶν φλεγμονὰς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐπιδεόμεθα· ὃ δὲ οὐ μόνον τὰ ἤπια ἐπιπάσσει φάρμακα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ στυπτικά. Ἱστᾶσιν γοῦν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τὰς νομὰς αἱ πικραὶ τοῦ φόβου ῥίζαι· διὸ καὶ σωτήριος, εἰ καὶ πικρός, ὁ φόβος. Εἰκότως ἄρα σωτῆρος μὲν οἱ νοσοῦντες δεόμεθα, οἱ πεπλανημένοι δὲ τοῦ καθηγησομένου καὶ οἱ τυφλοὶ τοῦ φωταγωγήσοντος καὶ οἱ διψῶντες τῆς πηγῆς τῆς ζωτικῆς, ἀφ' ἧς οἱ μεταλαβόντες οὐκέτι διψήσουσιν, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ δὲ τῆς ζωῆς ἐνδεεῖς καὶ τοῦ ποιμένος τὰ πρόβατα καὶ οἱ παῖδες τοῦ παιδαγωγοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἀνθρωπότης Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἀνάγωγοι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ εἰς τέλος τῆς καταδίκης ἐκπέσωμεν, διακριθῶμεν δὲ τῶν ἀχυρμιῶν καὶ εἰς τὴν πατρῴαν ἀποθήκην σωρευθῶμεν· τὸ γὰρ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ τοῦ κυρίου, ᾧ ἀποκρί νεται τοῦ πυροῦ τὸ ἄχυρον τὸ ὀφειλόμενον τῷ πυρί. Ἐξὸν δέ, εἰ βούλεσθε, τοῦ παναγίου ποιμένος καὶ παιδαγωγοῦ, τοῦ παντοκράτορος καὶ πατρικοῦ λόγου, τὴν ἄκραν σοφίαν καταμανθάνειν ἡμῖν, ἔνθα ἀλληγορεῖ, ποιμένα ἑαυτὸν προβάτων λέγων· ἔστι δὲ παιδαγωγὸς νηπίων. Φησὶν γοῦν διὰ Ἰεζεκιὴλ πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ἀποταθεὶς καί τινα αὐτοῖς σωτήριον παρατιθέμενος εὐλόγου φροντίδος ὑπογραμμόν· καὶ τὸ χωλὸν καταδήσω καὶ τὸ ὀχλούμενον ἰάσομαι καὶ τὸ πλανώμενον ἐπιστρέψω καὶ βοσκήσω αὐτοὺς ἐγὼ εἰς τὸ ὄρος τὸ ἅγιόν μου. Ταῦτ' ἐστὶν ἀγαθοῦ ποιμένος ἐπαγγέλματα· βόσκησον ἡμᾶς τοὺς νηπίους ὡς πρόβατα. Ναί, δέσποτα, τῆς σῆς πλήρωσον νομῆς, τῆς δικαιοσύνης· ναί, παιδαγωγέ, ποίμανον ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ ἅγιόν σου ὄρος, πρὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, τὴν ὑψωμένην, τὴν ὑπερνεφῆ, τὴν ἁπτομένην οὐρανῶν. Καὶ ἔσομαι, φησίν, αὐτῶν ποιμὴν καὶ ἔσομαι ἐγγὺς αὐτῶν ὡς ὁ χιτὼν τοῦ χρωτὸς αὐτῶν· σῶσαι βούλεταί μου τὴν σάρκα, περιβαλὼν τὸν χιτῶνα τῆς ἀφθαρσίας, καὶ τὸν χρῶτά μου κέχρικεν. Καλέσουσί με, φησί, καὶ ἐρῶ· ἰδοὺ πάρειμι. Θᾶττον ὑπήκουσας ἢ προσεδόκησα, δέσποτα· καὶ ἐὰν διαβαίνωσιν, οὐκ ὀλισθήσουσι, λέγει κύριος. Οὐ γὰρ πεσούμεθα εἰς φθορὰν οἱ διαβαίνοντες εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν, ὅτι ἀνθέξεται ἡμῶν αὐτός· ἔφη γὰρ αὐτὸς καὶ ἠθέλησεν αὐτός. Τοιοῦτος ἡμῶν ὁ παιδαγωγός, ἀγαθὸς ἐνδίκως. Οὐκ ἦλθον, φησί, διακονηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο εἰσάγεται ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ κεκμηκώς, ὁ κάμνων ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν καὶ δοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν ὑπισχνούμενος. Τοῦτον γὰρ μόνον ὁμολογεῖ ἀγαθὸν εἶναι ποιμένα· μεγαλόδωρος οὖν ὁ τὸ μέγιστον ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ, ἐπιδιδούς, καὶ μεγαλωφελὴς καὶ φιλάνθρωπος, ὅτι καὶ ἀνθρώπων, ἐξὸν εἶναι κύριον, ἀδελφὸς εἶναι βεβούληται· ὃ δὲ καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτον ἀγαθὸς ὥστε ἡμῶν καὶ ὑπερ αποθανεῖν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη κέκραγεν αὐτοῦ· ἐὰν ὀρθοὶ πρός με ἥκητε, κἀγὼ ὀρθὸς πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ἐὰν πλάγιοι πορεύησθε, κἀγὼ πλάγιος, λέγει κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων, τὰς ἐπιπλήξεις τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν πλαγίας αἰνιττόμενος ὁδούς. Ἡ γὰρ εὐθεῖα καὶ κατὰ φύσιν, ἣν αἰνίττεται τὸ ἰῶτα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἡ ἀγαθωσύνη αὐτοῦ, ἡ πρὸς τοὺς ἐξ ὑπακοῆς πεπιστευκότας ἀμετακίνητός τε καὶ ἀρρεπής. Ἐπειδὴ ἐκάλουν καὶ οὐχ ὑπηκούετε, λέγει κύριος, ἀλλὰ ἀκύρους ἐποιεῖτε τὰς ἐμὰς βουλάς, τοῖς δὲ ἐμοῖς ἐλέγχοις οὐ προσείχετε. Οὕτως ὁ κυριακὸς ἔλεγχος ὠφελιμώτατος. Περὶ τούτων καὶ διὰ ∆αβὶδ λέγει· γενεὰ σκολιὰ καὶ παραπικραίνουσα, γενεὰ ἥτις οὐ κατεύθυνεν τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστώθη μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῆς. Οὐκ ἐφυλάξαντο τὴν διαθήκην τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἤθελον πορεύεσθαι. Αὗται αἰτίαι παραπικρασμοῦ, δι' ἃς ὁ κριτὴς ἔρχεται τὴν δίκην ἐποίσων τοῖς τὴν εὐζωίαν ἑλέσθαι μὴ βεβουλημένοις. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς τραχύτερον ἐνθένδε προσενήνεκται, εἴ πως ἀναχαιτίσαι τῆς ἐπὶ τὸν θάνατον ὁρμῆς. Λέγει γοῦν διὰ ∆αβὶδ σαφεστάτην αἰτίαν τῆς ἀπειλῆς· οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν ἐν τοῖς θαυμασίοις αὐτοῦ. Ὅταν ἀπέκτεννεν αὐτούς, ἐξεζήτουν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπέστρεφον καὶ ὤρθριζον πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ ἐμνήσθησαν, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς βοηθὸς αὐτῶν ἐστιν καὶ ὁ θεὸς ὁ ὕψιστος λυτρωτὴς αὐτῶν ἐστιν. Οὕτως οἶδεν ἐπιστρέφοντας αὐτοὺς διὰ τὸν φόβον, τῆς δὲ φιλανθρωπίας αὐτοῦ καταπεφρονηκότας. Ὀλιγωρεῖται μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἐπίπαν τὸ ἀγαθὸν χρηστευόμενον ἀεί, θεραπεύεται δὲ ὑπομιμνῇσκον τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης φόβῳ. ∆ιττὸν δὲ τὸ εἶδος τοῦ φόβου, ὧν τὸ μὲν ἕτερον γίνεται μετὰ αἰδοῦς, ᾧ χρῶνται πολῖται μὲν πρὸς ἡγεμόνας ἀγαθοὺς καὶ ἡμεῖς πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καθάπερ οἱ παῖδες οἱ σώφρονες πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας· ἵππος γάρ, φησίν, ἀδάμαστος ἐκβαίνει σκληρός, καὶ υἱὸς ἀνειμένος ἐκβαίνει προαλής· τὸ δὲ ἕτερον εἶδος τοῦ φόβου μετὰ μίσους γίνεται, ᾧ δοῦλοι πρὸς δεσπότας κέχρηνται χαλεποὺς καὶ Ἑβραῖοι δεσπότην ποιήσαντες, οὐ πατέρα, τὸν θεόν. Πολλῷ δέ, οἶμαι, καὶ τῷ παντὶ τὸ ἑκούσιον καὶ κατὰ προαίρεσιν τοῦ κατὰ ἀνάγκην εἰς εὐσέβειαν διαφέρει. Αὐτὸς γάρ, φησίν, οἰκτίρμων ἐστίν, ἰάσεται τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν καὶ οὐ διαφθερεῖ· καὶ πληθυνεῖ τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐκκαύσει πᾶσαν τὴν ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ. Ὅρα πῶς τὸ δίκαιον ἐπιδείκνυται τοῦ παιδαγωγοῦ τὸ περὶ τὰς ἐπιτιμήσεις καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ περὶ τὰς οἰκτειρήσεις. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ὁ ∆αβίδ, τουτέστι τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ δι' αὐτοῦ, ἄμφω περιλαβὼν ἐπὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ψάλλει θεοῦ· δικαιοσύνη καὶ κρίμα ἑτοιμασία τοῦ θρόνου σου· ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθεια προπορεύσονται πρὸ προσώπου σου. Τῆς αὐτῆς εἶναι δυνάμεως ὁμολογεῖ καὶ κρίνειν καὶ εὐεργετεῖν· ἅμα γὰρ ἀμφοῖν ἡ ἐξουσία ἡ κρίσις τοῦ δικαίου διακρίνουσα τὰ ἐναντία. Καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς δίκαιος καὶ ἀγαθός, ὁ ὄντως θεός, ὁ ὢν αὐτὸς τὰ πάντα καὶ τὰ πάντα ὁ αὐτός, ὅτι αὐτὸς θεός, ὁ μόνος θεός. Ὡς γὰρ τὸ ἔσοπτρον τῷ αἰσχρῷ οὐ κακόν, ὅτι δεικνύει αὐτὸν οἷός ἐστιν, καὶ ὡς ὁ ἰατρὸς τῷ νοσοῦντι οὐ κακὸς ὁ τὸν πυρετὸν ἀναγγέλλων αὐτῷ, οὐ γὰρ αἴτιος τοῦ πυρετοῦ ὁ ἰατρός, ἀλλὰ ἔλεγχός ἐστι τοῦ πυρετοῦ, οὕτως οὐδὲ ὁ ἐλέγχων δύσνους τῷ κάμνοντι τὴν ψυχήν· οὐ γὰρ ἐντίθησι τὰ πλημμε λήματα, τὰ δὲ προσόντα ἐπιδείκνυσιν ἁμαρτήματα εἰς τὴν τῶν ὁμοίων ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἀποτροπήν. Ὥστε ἀγαθὸς μὲν ὁ θεὸς δι' ἑαυτόν, δίκαιος δὲ ἤδη δι' ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῦτο ὅτι ἀγαθός. Τὸ δίκαιον δὲ ἡμῖν διὰ τοῦ λόγου ἐνδείκνυται τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ ἐκεῖθεν ἄνωθεν, ὅθεν γέγονεν πατήρ. Πρὶν γὰρ κτίστην γενέσθαι θεὸς ἦν, ἀγαθὸς ἦν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ δημιουργὸς εἶναι καὶ πατὴρ ἠθέλησεν· καὶ ἡ τῆς ἀγάπης ἐκείνης σχέσις δικαιοσύνης γέγονεν ἀρχή, καὶ τὸν ἥλιον ἐπιλάμποντος τὸν αὑτοῦ καὶ τὸν υἱὸν καταπέμποντος τὸν αὑτοῦ· καὶ πρῶτος οὗτος τὴν ἐξ οὐρανῶν ἀγαθὴν κατήγγειλεν δικαιοσύνην, οὐδεὶς ἔγνω τὸν υἱὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ πατὴρ λέγων, οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱός. Αὕτη ἡ ἀντιταλαντεύουσα γνῶσις ἐπ' ἴσης δικαιοσύνης ἀρχαίας σύμβολον. Ἔπειτα δὲ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καταβέβηκεν ἡ δικαιοσύνη καὶ γράμματι καὶ σώματι, τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τῷ νόμῳ, εἰς μετάνοιαν τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα βιαζομένη σωτήριον· ἀγαθὴ γὰρ ἦν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὑπακούεις τῷ θεῷ· σεαυτὸν αἰτιῶ τὸν κριτὴν ἐπισπώμενος.