17

a great difference of dignities will be found, but not of the forms. For how would the glory concerning one another be known, if it were not recognized from the forms that they are humans? Why then do they not concede to God, and cherish what he will be pleased with, not commanding that it must happen in such and such a way, being content with that which from the beginning he was pleased to make, preferring nothing to this? Since the one who formed was pleased that in this form it is good for the nature of man to be revealed, yet those who are eager to comprehend all things by reason and wisdom, 96.493 and who do not endure to concede anything more to God in knowledge, say that such a form is fitting for the constitution of this life; for feet were fashioned for walking, hands for work, eyes were formed for seeing, ears were implanted for hearing, and so forth; but in the immortal life, there being no longer any need of these things, the differentiation and the form of such members is superfluous; as if God were perhaps at a loss, even in the present constitution of this life, to give another form, and to fashion it free of need for every purpose, and to work unhindered without such members the things now activated and accomplished through them. Or do we not see among the animals, some being without this sort of part, and others without that sort? and all live and grow, and multiply according to their kind. For what do feet contribute to movement for the race of birds, who travel more swiftly than all those who make their way by feet to whatever places they wish? And again, what harm did the deprivation of feet and hands do to the races of aquatic creatures? Do they not live and grow according to their kinds? and likewise what harm did the not having of entrails do to the races of oysters, and the loss of eyes to the mole-rat? And I do not say that God either did not know how to make these things, or was unable; may I not be so mad; but while both knowing and being able to make infinitely more differences and forms of animals and plants and seeds, he produced as many as he considered it good for the constitution of the world. Let no one then suppose a poverty concerning the Creator, as if it were not possible for him to make our life and constitution in another way—he who is able to make myriad and infinite ideas of forms, knowing both the rational activities and what things were suitable for the constitution of this life and for the one to come, so that nothing of the members might be mortal, nor unseemly. Just as therefore he was also pleased to make the present form; which, I know not why, being ashamed, they reproach their own members, and the members which in the corruptible life are subject to passion and corruptible, on account of the mortality and corruptibility of this life, they attempt to mock, as if they were unable to be transformed into incorruptibility and immutability, and laughing they name them, saying, "What need have I of a belly, and of the intestines, or of such parts?" not considering that when the need is removed for the parts fashioned for such a need, the function is also removed with it, with all things being transformed from the corruptible state into incorruptibility, but with the forms remaining, having been fashioned well and beautifully by the Creator. For it is possible to perceive as in an image, even in this corruptible life, that the part of the navel, having served a purpose at one time, and in the mother's womb having fulfilled the need of the embryo, after the departure from there, ceased from its use, but its form remains in us, not disappearing, and we think this is neither a shame nor a disorder. But let this be said as in an example; 96.496 for we have compared a corruptible thing with corruptible things. For the glory of the future life, with an incomparable excess, both surpasses and excels the present things, with the need ceasing, but with the members becoming more glorious. For indeed concerning the members ceasing from their use, and remaining somehow in another more glorious way, the divine Apostle also signified, writing to the Corinthians: Foods for the belly, and the belly for foods; but God will do away with both it and them, that is, he will cause them to cease. For he does not say this as a curse, as some have supposed, but what will certainly be. For since he was discoursing concerning fornication, restraining it with all his power,

17

ἀξιωμάτων πολλὴ διαφορὰ εὑρεθήσεται, ἀλλ' οὐ τῶν σχημάτων. Πῶς γὰρ γνωσθῇ ἡ περὶ ἀλλήλους δόξα, μὴ γνωριζομένων ἐκ τῶν σχημάτων, ὅτι ἄνθρωποι τυγχάνουσι; τί οὖν [οὐ?] συγχωροῦσι Θεῷ, καὶ στέργουσιν, ὅπερ εὐδοκήσει, μὴ ἐπιτασσόμενοι ὅτι τοιῶσδε καὶ τοιῶσδε ὀφείλει γενέσθαι, ἀρεσκόμενοι εἰς ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ηὐδόκησεν ποιῆσαι, μηδὲν τούτου προτιμῶντες; Ἐπειδὴ τούτῳ τῷ σχήματι ὁ πλάσας ηὐδόκησε καλῶς ἔχειν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου φανεροῦσθαι φύσιν, ἀλλ' οἱ πάντα λόγῳ, καὶ σοφία καταλαβεῖν σπουδάζοντες, 96.493 καὶ μηδὲν εἰς γνῶσιν πλέον τῷ Θεῷ παραχωρεῖν ἀνεχόμενοι, ἔτι τοιόνδε σχῆμα τοῦ βίου τούτου καταστάσει ἁρμόζειν φασί· πόδες γὰρ διὰ τὸν περίπατον, χεῖρες διὰ τὴν ἐργασίαν κατεσκευάσθησαν, ὀφθαλμοὶ διὰ τὸ βλέπειν ἐπλάσθησαν, ὦτα διὰ τὸ ἀκούειν ἐνεφυτεύθησαν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀθανάτῳ ζωῇ, μηδεμιᾶς τούτων χρείας ἔτι τυγχανούσης, περιττὴ τῶν τοιῶνδε μελῶν ἡ διαφορὰ καὶ τὸ σχῆμα· ὡς τάχα ἀποροῦντος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ τοῦ βίου τούτου καταστάσει ἕτερον δοῦναι σχῆμα, καὶ ἀνενδεὲς πρὸς πᾶσαν χρείαν κατασκευάσαι, καὶ χωρὶς τῶν τοιῶνδε μελῶν τὰ νῦν δι' αὐτῶν ἐνεργούμενά τε καὶ ἐπιτελούμενα, ἀπαρεμποδίστως ἐργάζεσθαι. Ἢ οὐχ ὁρῶμεν ἐν τοῖς ζώοις, τὰ μὲν χωρὶς τοῦ τοιοῦδε μορίου, τὰ δὲ χωρὶς τοιοῦδε τυγχάνοντα; καὶ πάντα ζῇ καὶ αὔξει, καὶ πληθύνεται κατὰ γένος. Τί γὰρ συμβάλλονται πόδες πρὸς μετάβασιν τῷ τῶν ὀρνέων γένει, οἳ ὡς ὀξύτερον πάντων τῶν διὰ ποδῶν τὴν πορείαν ποιούντων δίεισι πρὸς οὓς ἂν βούλωνται τόπους; Τί δὲ πάλιν ἐζημίωσε τὰ τῶν ἐνύδρων γένη, ποδῶν καὶ χειρῶν στέρησις; Οὐ ζῇ καὶ αὔξει κατὰ γένη; τί δὲ ὁμοίως τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ἐντόσθια παρέβλαψε τῶν ὀστρέων τὰ γένη, καὶ ἀσπάλακα ἡ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ζημία; Καὶ οὐ λέγω ὅτι ταῦτα, ἢ ἠγνόει ποιῆσαι, ἢ ἠδυνάτει ὁ Θεός· μὴ οὕτως μανείην· ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ ἀπειροπλάσιον, καὶ εἰδὼς, καὶ ποιῆσαι δυνάμενος ζώων τε καὶ φυτῶν, σπερμάτων διαφορὰς καὶ σχήματα, τοσαῦτα παρήγαγεν, ὅσα καλῶς ἔχειν ἡγήσατο περὶ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου σύστασιν. Μὴ οὖν πτωχείαν [τις] ὑπονοοῖτο ἂν περὶ τοῦ ∆ημιουργοῦ, ὡς μὴ ἐγχωροῦντος ἑτέρως ποιῆσαι τὴν ἡμετέραν ζωήν τε καὶ σύστασιν, μυρίας δυναμένου, καὶ ἀπείρους ἰδέας ποιῆσαι σχημάτων, ἵνα καὶ τὰς λογικὰς ἐπιστάμενος ἐνεργείας, καὶ ἃ τῇ τοῦ βίου τούτου καταστάσει ἁρμόδια ὄντα ἐτύγχανε, καὶ ἐν τῇ μελλούσῃ, μήτε θνητόν τι τῶν μελῶν, μήτε ἀπρεπὲς τυγχάνοι. Ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τὸ νῦν εὐδόκησε ποιῆσαι σχῆμα· ὅπερ, οὐκ οἶδα διὰ τί, ἐπαισχυνόμενοι, ἐπονειδίζονται τοῖς ἰδίοις μέλεσι, καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ φθαρτῇ ζωῇ παθητὰ καὶ φθαρτὰ τυγχάνοντα μέλη, διὰ τὸ τούτου τοῦ βίου θνητὸν καὶ φθαρτὸν, ὡς μὴ δυνάμενα μεταποιηθῆναι εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ ἀτρεπτότητα, διασύρειν ἐπιχειροῦσι, καὶ γελῶντες ἐξονομάζουσιν, ὅτι Τί μοι χρεία κοιλίας, καὶ τῶν ἐντέρων, ἢ τοιῶνδε μορίων; μὴ σκοποῦντες, ὅτι τῶν πρὸς τὴν τοιάνδε χρείαν κατασκευασθέντων τῆς χρείας ἀναιρουμένης, συναναιρεῖται καὶ ἡ ἐργασία, πάντων μεταποιουμένων ἐκ τῆς φθαρτῆς καταστάσεως εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν, τῶν δὲ σχημάτων εὖ καὶ καλῶς παρὰ τοῦ ∆ημιουργοῦ κατασκευασθέντων καὶ διαμενόντων. Ἔστι γὰρ ὡς ἐν εἰκόνι καὶ ἐν τῇ φθαρτῇ ταύτῃ ζωῇ συνιδεῖν, ὅτι τοῦ ὀμφαλοῦ τὸ μόριον ἐν καιρῷ χρησιμεῦσαν, καὶ ἐν τῇ μητρῴα γαστρὶ τὴν τοῦ σπέρματος χρείαν πληρῶσαν, μετὰ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἔξοδον, τῆς μὲν χρείας ἐπαύθη, τὸ δὲ τούτου σχῆμα ἐν ἡμῖν μένει μὴ ἀφανιζόμενον, καὶ οὔτε αἰσχύνην, οὔτε ἀκοσμίαν τοῦτο οἰόμεθα. Ὡς ἐν ὑποδείγματι δὲ 96.496 εἰρήσθω· φθαρτὸν γὰρ φθαρτοῖς συνεκρίναμεν. Ἡ γὰρ τοῦ μέλλοντος βίου δόξα ἀσυγκρίτῳ ὑπερβολῇ πρὸς τὰ παρόντα ὑπερβάλλει τε καὶ ὑπέρκειται, παυσομένης μὲν τῆς χρείας, ἐπιδοξοτέρων δὲ τῶν μελῶν γινομένων. Περὶ γάρτοι τοῦ παύεσθαι τῆς χρείας τὰ μέλη, καὶ ἑτέρως πῶς ἐνδοξοτέρως διαμένειν, καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος Κορινθίοις γράφων ἐσήμανε· Τὰ βρώματα τῇ κοιλίᾳ, καὶ ἡ κοιλία τοῖς βρώμασιν· ὁ Θεὸς καὶ ταύτην, καὶ ταῦτα καταργήσει, τουτέστι, παύσει. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπαρώμενος λέγει, ὥς τινες ὑπενόησαν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πάντως ἐσόμενον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ περὶ πορνείας διελέγετο, πάσῃ δυνάμει ἀπείργων,