Homily XVI.

Rom. IX. 1

“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.”

Did I not seem yesterday to you to have spoken some great and exorbitant things of Paul’s love toward Christ? And great indeed they were, too great for any words to express. Yet what you have heard to-day are as far above those things, as those things were above ours. And yet I did not think they could be exceeded, still when I came to what has been read to-day276    So Field from one ms. Vulg. “what has been read to-day, as it reached my ears.” it did appear far more glorious than the whole of the former. And that he was aware of this himself he shows by his exordium. For as on the point of entering upon greater things than those, and therefore liable to be disbelieved by the generality, he first uses a strong asseveration about the matter he is going to speak of; which many are in the habit of doing when they are going to say somewhat which is not believed by the generality, and about which they feel the utmost certainty in their own minds. Hence he says, “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, and my conscience beareth witness,”

Ver. 2, 3. “That I have a great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ.”277    Chaps. ix. x. and xi. may be viewed as a kind of appendix to the doctrinal part of the epistle, in which the apostle considers the problems to which the unbelief and rejection of the Jews gave rise. It is Paul’s purpose in these chapters to show that his doctrine does not contradict God’s promises to the Jews. Chap. ix. contains strong assertions that the providential dealing of God with the Jews is not to be called in question. It is evident from the gradual approach of the apostle to this theme, how painful it was to him to be compelled to contemplate it.—G.B.S.

What sayest thou, O Paul? from Christ, thy beloved One, from Whom neither kingdom nor hell, nor things visible nor intelligible, nor another world as great, would separate thee, is it from Him that thou wouldst now be accursed? What has happened? Hast thou changed, hast thou given over that love? No, he replies, fear not. Rather I have even made it more intense. How then is it that thou wouldest fain be accursed, and seekest a separation, and a removal to such a distance, that after it there is no possibility of finding a more distant one? Because I love Him exceedingly, he may reply. How, pray, and in what manner? For the things seem a riddle. Or rather, if you will, let us learn what the curse is, and then we will question him upon these points, and shall understand this unspeakable and extraordinary love. What then is the curse? Hear his own words, “If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.” (anathema, 1 Cor. xvi. 22.) That is, let him be set apart from all, removed from all. For as in the case of a thing dedicated (ἀνάθημα), which is set apart for God, no one would venture so much as to touch it with his hand or even to come near it; so too with a man who is put apart from the Church, in cutting him off from all, and removing him as far off as possible, he calls him by this name (ἀνάθεμα) in a contrary sense,278    Thus sacer is used in both senses, and devoted in our own language somewhat similarly. thus with much fear denouncing to all men to keep apart from him, and to spring away from him. For the thing set apart, no one, from respect of it, ventures to come near to. But from him who is cut off, all men separate themselves from a very opposite feeling. And so the separation is the same, and both the one and the other are equally removed from the generality. Still, the mode of separation is not the same, but in this case it is the opposite to what it is in that. For from the one they keep back as being dedicated to God; from the other as being estranged from God, and broken off from the Church. This then is what Paul means when he says, “I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ.” And he does not say merely that I could be willing, but using a stronger term, he says even, “I could wish” (or pray ηὐχόμην). But if what he says trouble you in your (ἀσθενέστερον) feebleness, consider the real state of the case, not only that he wished to be separated, but also the cause for which he wished it, and then you will see the greatness of his love.279    The force of ἠυχόμην here is: “I would wish, if it were a thing which could possibly be realized for the advantage of my brethren.” The word ἀνάθεμα means anything devoted to God and then (as in the N.T.) something devoted to his wrath, i.e. accursed. The expression is to be understood as the language of intense passion and can scarcely mean anything less than a readiness to perish if by so doing he could save his people Israel.—G.B.S. For he even circumcised (Timothy, Acts xvi. 3), and we pay no attention to what was done, but to the intention of it, and the cause of it, and hence we wonder at him the more. And he not only circumcised a person, but he even shaved himself and sacrificed (Acts xviii. 18; Acts xxi. 24), and yet surely we do not therefore assert him to be a Jew, but upon this very score to be perfectly free from Judaizing, and clear of it, and a genuine worshipper of Christ. As then when you see him circumcising and sacrificing, you do not therefore condemn him as Judaizing, but upon this very score have the best reason for crowning him as quite an alien to Judaism; thus when thou seest him to have become desirous of being accursed, do not therefore be troubled, but upon this very ground give him the loudest praise, when thou knowest the cause why he wishes this. For if we do not look narrowly into the causes, we shall call Elijah a manslayer, and Abraham not a manslayer only, but a murderer of his son.280    Aug. de Civ. Dei, i. 21. Butler, Anal. p. 262, ii. 3, v. fin. And Phinees and Peter we shall implead for murder likewise. Nor is it in the case of the saints alone, but also of the God of the universe, that he who does not keep to this rule, will be suspecting sundry unbecoming things. Now to prevent this happening in all cases of the kind, let us bring together both the cause, and the intention, and the time, and all that makes in behalf of what is so done, and in this way let us investigate the actions. And this we must do now also in the case of this blessed soul. Now what is the cause? It is Jesus Himself Who is so beloved. And yet he does not say for Him; for what he says is, I would wish that I were accursed from Him for my brethren. And this comes of his humbleness of mind. For he has no wish to make himself conspicuous, as if he were saying something great, and doing Christ a favor in this. Wherefore also he said “my kinsmen,” that he may conceal his high aim (πλεονέκτημα). Since to see that he wished it all for Christ’s sake, just hear what comes next. After speaking of kinsmen then, he proceeds,

Ver. 4, 5. “To whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the father’s, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, Who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”

And what is this? one asks. For if with a view to the belief of others he was willing to become accursed, he ought to have also wished for this in the Gentiles’ behalf. But if he wishes it in the Jews’ behalf only, it is a proof that he did not wish it for Christ’s sake, but for his own relationship to them. But in fact if he had prayed for the Gentiles only, this would not have been equally clear. But since it is for the Jews only, it is a clear proof that it is only for Christ’s glory that he is thus earnest. And I am aware that what I am saying will seem a paradox to you. Still if ye do not make a disturbance,281    This was sometimes done; but the mss. vary unusually in this word, and three different readings mean, “if ye are not disturbed.” See Twining on Arist. Poet. note 22, and Gaisf. on Rhet. p. 46. I will presently endeavor to make it clear. For what he has said he has not said nakedly; but since all were talking and accusing God, that after being counted worthy of the name of sons, and receiving the Law, and knowing Him beyond all men, and enjoying such great glory, and serving him beyond the whole world, and receiving the promises, and being from fathers who were His friends, and what was the greatest thing of all, having been forefathers of Christ Himself (for this is the meaning of the words, “of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came”), they are now cast out and disgraced; and in their place are introduced men who had never known Him, of the Gentiles. Now since they said all this, and blasphemed God, Paul hearing it, and being cut to the heart, and vexed for God’s glory’s sake, wished that he were accursed, had it been possible, so that they might be saved, and this blasphemy be put a stop to, and God might not seem to have deceived the offspring of those to whom He promised the gifts. And that you may see that it was in sorrow for this, that the promise of God might not seem to fall to the ground, which said to Abraham, “I will give this land to thee and to thy seed,” that he uttered this wish, he proceeds,

Ver. 6. “Not as though the word of God had taken none effect.”

To show that he had courage (Mar. and 4 mss. wished) to bear all these things for the word of God, that is, the promise made to Abraham. For as Moses seemed to be pleading for the Jews, yet was doing everything for God’s glory (for he says, “Lest they say, Because He was not able to save them, He led them forth to destroy them in the wilderness” (Deut. ix. 28); stay Thy wrath), so also does Paul, That they may not say (he means) that the promise of God has fallen to the ground, and He has disappointed us of that He vouched to us, and this word has not issued in deed, I could wish to be accursed. This then was why he did not speak of the Gentiles (for to them no promises had been made by Him, nor had they worshipped Him, wherefore neither did any blaspheme Him on their account), but it was for the Jews who had both received the promise, and had also been brought into closer connection with Him than others, that he expressed this wish. Do you see, that if he had expressed it for the Gentiles, he would not have been shown to be doing this so purely for Christ’s glory? But since he was willing to become accursed in the Jews’ behalf, then it was most evidenced that it was for Christ’s sake only that he desired this.282    As galled at the blasphemies against Him for breaking His promise. And for this cause he says,

“To whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the service of God, and the promises.”

For the Law, he means, which speaks of Christ, comes from thence, and all the covenants made with them, and Himself came from them, and the Fathers who received the promises were all from them. Yet still the opposite has resulted, and they have fallen from all their good things. Hence, he means, I am vexed, and if it were possible to be separated from the company about Christ, and to be made an alien, not from the love of Him (that be far from him; for even all this he was doing through love), but from all that enjoyment and glory, I would accept that lot, provided my Master were not to be blasphemed, that He might not have to hear some saying, that it has been all for stage-effect; He promises to one, and gives to another. He was sprung from one race, He saved another. It was to the forefathers of the Jews that He made the promises, and yet He has deserted their descendants, and put men, who never at any time knew Him, into their good things. They labored in the practice of the Law, and reading the Prophets, while men who have come but yesterday from heathen altars and images have been set up above them. What foresight is there in all this? Now that these things may not be said of my Master, he means, even if they are said unjustly, I would willingly lose even the kingdom and that glory unutterable, and any sufferings would I undergo, as considering it the greatest consolation possible no longer to hear Him Whom I so long for, so blasphemed. But if you be still against allowing this explanation, just reflect that many fathers have at many times taken up with thus much for their children, and have chosen to be separated from them, and rather to see them in honor, considering their honor dearer to them than their company. But since we are so short of love like this (Bacon, N. O. Aph. lib. 2, §7), we cannot even form an idea of what is here meant. For there be some that are so wholly unworthy even to hear the name of Paul, and that stand at such an interval and distance from that vehemency of his, as to fancy that he says this of temporal death. Who I should say were as ignorant of Paul, as the blind of the sun’s rays, or even much more so. For he that died daily, and set before him dangers thick as a snow-storm, and then said, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine?” and still unsatisfied with what he had said, and after going above the heaven and the heaven of heavens, and running through the Angels and Archangels, and all the higher orders of beings, and taking in at once things present, things to come, things visible, things intelligible, things grievous, and things good, that were on either part, and leaving nothing out at all, yet not even thus satiated, but even bodying forth another non-existing creation, how should he, by way of saying some great thing after all those things, make mention of a temporal death? It is not so, surely it is not! But such a notion is that of worms nestling in their dunghill. For had he said this, in what sense would he be wishing himself accursed from Christ? For death (Phil. i. 23) of that sort would have joined him more closely with the band of Christ, and made him enjoy that glory the more. Yet some there are who venture to say things different from these, even more ridiculous. It was not then, they say, death that he wished to have, but to be a treasure, a thing set apart, of Christ’s. And who even of the most worthless and indolent that would not wish for this? And in what way was this likely to be in his kinsmen’s behalf? Let us then leave these fables and trifles (for it is no more worth while making a reply to these things than to children babbling at play), and let us go back again to the words themselves, luxuriating in this very ocean of love, and fearlessly swimming there in every direction, and reflecting upon the unspeakable flame of love—or rather say what one may, one shall say nothing worthy the subject. For there is no ocean so wide, no flame so intense, as this. And no language can set it forth as it deserves, but he alone knew it who in good earnest gained it. And now let me bring the words themselves before you again.

“For I could wish that I myself were accursed.” What does the “I myself” mean? It means I that have been a teacher (1 Cor. ix. 27) of all, that have gathered together countless good deeds, that am waiting for countless crowns, that desired Him so much, as to value His love above all things, who all my days am burning for Him, and hold all things (Phil. iii. 8) of second importance to the love of Him. For even being loved by Christ was not the only thing he cared for, but loving Him exceedingly also. And this last he cared most for (τούτου μάλιστα ἦν). So it was that he looked to this only, and took all things light-heartedly. For he kept one aim in view in all circumstances, the fulfilling of this excellent love. And this he wishes for. But since things were not to take this course, nor he to become accursed,283    This passage makes, perhaps, a comment on the words, Luke ix. 24, Whosoever will lose his life (τὴν ψυχὴν), the same shall save it. he next attempts to go into a defence against the charges, and so to bring what was bruited abroad by all before them as to overthrow it. And before he openly enters into his defence against these, he first lays down some seeds of it beforehand. For when he says, “to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises,” he does but say that God willed them indeed to be saved, and this he showed by His former dealings, and by Christ’s having sprung from them, and by what He promised to the Fathers. But they out of their own untreatable temper thrust the benefit away from them. And this is also the reason of his setting down such things as set forth God’s gift, not such as were encomiums upon them. For the adoption came of His grace, and so too the glory, and the promises, and the Law. After taking all these things then into consideration, and reflecting how earnest God along with His Son, had been for their salvation, he lifts up his voice aloud, and says, “Who is284    So all copies of St. Chrys. The following words, however, imply that this was not his reading of the text, (which had before been read at length, as the first words of this Homily show, see p. 459), he quotes it as in our text, in Hom. xx. on 1 Cor. viii. 5, p. 266 O.T. and elsewhere. See note in Mill’s G. T. All mss. agree with the rec. text. blessed forever. Amen.”

So himself offering up thanksgiving for all men unto the Only-Begotten of God. What, he says, if others do blaspheme? Still we who know His mysteries, and His unspeakable Wisdom, and great Providence over us, know well that it is not to be blasphemed, but to be glorified, that He is worthy. Still not satisfied with being himself conscious of it, he endeavors next to use arguments, and to use a sharper way of speech against them. And he does not direct his aim at them, without first divesting them of a suspicion they had. Lest then he should seem to be addressing them as enemies, further on he says “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” (Rom. x. 1.) And here, along with other remarks, he so ordered things, as not to seem to be saying what he was going to say out of enmity against them. Hence he does not decline calling them even kinsmen and brothers. For even if it was for Christ’s sake that he said what he did, still he is for drawing (ἐπισπἅται) their mind to him also,285    1 ms. he is aware of their way of thinking, ἐπίσταται, this gives a more common sense to διάνοιαν. and paves his way to what he has to say, and quits himself of all suspicion owing to what had to be said against them, and then he at last goes into the subject most of them were looking for. For many, as I have already stated, wanted to know what was the reason why they who had received the promise fell short of it, while those who had even never heard of it were saved before them. Therefore, to clear up this difficulty, he brings forward the answer before the objection. For to prevent any from saying, What? Art thou more thoughtful for God’s glory than God is for His own? And does He need thy aid that His word may not fall to the ground? In reply to these things he says, I spoke this not as if God’s Word had fallen to the ground, but to show my love for Christ. For as things have had this issue, we are in no want of words in God’s behalf, or of showing that stand His promise did. God said to Abraham, “To thee and to thy seed will I give the land.” And, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. xii. 7, 3.) Let us see then, he says, of what sort this seed is. For it is not all that are from him that are his seed. Whence he says, “For they are not all Israel that are of (or from) Israel.”

Ver. 7. “Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children.”

Now when you come to know of what kind the seed of Abraham is, you will see that the promise is given to his seed, and know that the word hath not fallen to the ground.286    At v. 6 begins Paul’s theodicy in view of the lapse of the Israelites. The argument of vv. 6–13 is: God’s promise cannot fail because it applies to the true Israel. This point he illustrates from Old Testatment examples. The argument throughout this chapter is conducted from the point of view of God’s sovereign election. In the two subsequent chapters, other considerations drawn from the freedom and disobedience of the people are introduced. It is as if the apostle had said: God has done according to His sovereign good pleasure. We might leave the matter there. To one who should say: why then does he blame me? (v. 19), or: why has he made me thus? (23), we might reply: who art thou to reply against God? The apostle does not rest the consideration of the case with the presentation of this view. In the closing verses of the chap. he shifts the point of view and asks: why did Israel fail? why was she cut off and the Gentiles chosen? (31). He answers, because they did not seek righteousness by faith; they were not trustful and obedient, and hence they found the Messiah a stone of stumbling and failed to realize the ideal of their prophetic history.—G.B.S. Of what kind, pray, is the seed then? It is no saying of mine, he means, but the Old Testament itself explains itself by saying as follows, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” (Gen. xxi. 12.) What is, “In Isaac?” Explain.

Ver. 8. “That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise, these are counted for the seed.”

And observe the judgment and depth of Paul’s mind. For in interpreting, he does not say, “they which are the children of the flesh, these are not” the children of Abraham, but, “the children of God:” so blending the former things with the present, and showing that even Isaac was not merely Abraham’s son. And what he means is something of this sort: as many as have been born as Isaac was, they are sons of God, and of the seed of Abraham. And this is why he said, “in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” That one may learn that they who are born after the fashion of Isaac, these are in the truest sense Abraham’s children. In what way was Isaac born then? Not according to the law of nature, not according to the power of the flesh, but according to the power of the promise. What is meant then by the power of “the promise?”

Ver. 9. “At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.”

This promise then and word of God it was that fashioned Isaac, and begat him. For what if a womb was its instrument and the belly of a woman? Since it was not the power of the belly, but the might of the promise that begat the child. Thus are we also gendered by the words of God. Since in the pool of water it is the words of God which generate and fashion us. For it is by being baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that we are gendered. And this birth is not of nature, but of the promise of God. (John iii. 3; Eph. v. 26; James i. 18; 1 Pet. iii. 21.) For as after first foretelling the birth of Isaac, He then accomplished it; so ours also He had announced before, many ages ago by all the Prophets, and afterwards brought it to pass. You know how great He has set it forth as being, and how, as He promised a great thing, He furnished it with abundant ease! (Hos. ii. 1, etc.) But if the Jews were to say, that the words, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called,” mean this, that those born of Isaac should be reckoned to him for a seed, then the Edomites too, and all those people, ought to be denominated his sons, since their forefather Esau was a son of his. But now so far are they from being called sons, that they are the greatest possible aliens. You see then that it is not the children of the flesh that are the children of God, but that even in nature itself the generation by means of baptism from above was sketched out beforehand. And if you tell me of the womb, I in return have to tell you of the water. But as in this case all is of the Spirit, so in the other all was of promise. For the womb was more chilled than any water owing to barrenness and to old age. Let us then gain accurate knowledge of our own nobility, and display a life worthy of it. For in it is nothing fleshly or earthy: hence neither let there be in us. For it was neither sleep, nor the will of the flesh (John i. 13), nor embraces, nor the madness of desire, but “God’s love toward man,” which wrought the whole. (Tit. iii. 5.) And as in that case it was when the age was past hope, so in this also it was when the old age of sins had come over us, that Isaac287    i.e. the true Seed of promise. suddenly sprang up in youth, and we all became the children of God, and the seed of Abraham. (Is. xl. 31.)

Ver. 10. “And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac.”

The subject in question was an important one. Hence he turns to several arguments, and endeavors by all means to solve the difficulty. For if it was at once strange and new for them to be cast out after so great promises, it is much more strange that we even should come into their good things, who did not expect anything of the kind. And the case was the same as if a king’s son, who had promises made him that he should succeed to the power he had, were to be cast into the level of disreputable men, and in his place a condemned man, and one laden with evils unnumbered, after being taken out of prison, were to come into the power, which properly was the other’s. For he means, what have you to say? that the son is unworthy? Well, but so is this man unworthy, and much more so. Hence he ought either to have been punished along with the former, or to have been honored along with him. Now it was something of this sort which befel the Jews and the Gentiles, or something far more strange than this. Now that all were unworthy, he has shown above, where he says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. iii. 23.) But the new thing is, that when all were unworthy, the Gentiles were saved alone. And beside this there is another difficulty that some one may start, he says. If God had no intention of fulfilling the promises to them, why make them at all? For men who know not the future, and are many times deceived, do promise even the undeserving that they shall have their largesses. But He Who knoweth beforehand things to come as well as things present, and hath a clear knowledge that they will make themselves undeserving of the promises, and therefore will not receive any of the things specified,—why should He promise at all? Now what is Paul’s way of meeting all this? It is by showing what the Israel is to whom He made the promise. For when this has been shown, there is at the same time demonstrated the fact that the promises were all fulfilled. And to point this out he said, “For they are not all Israel that are of Israel.” And this is why he does not use the name of Jacob,288    Didymus in Psalm xcvii. 3, and Hesych. ps. lii. 7, ap. Corderium, t. 2. but that of Israel, which was a sign of the virtue of that just man, and of a gift from above, and of having seen God. (Gen. xxxii. 28.) Yet, “all,” he says, “have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. iii. 23.) Now if all have sinned, how come some to be saved, and some to perish? It is because all were not minded to come to Him, since for His part all were saved, for all were called. However, he does not set this down yet awhile, but meets it from an advantageous position, and from other examples, by bringing before them another question, and as in the former case meets a difficulty very great, by another difficulty. For when he was discussing how by Christ being justified all the rest enjoyed that righteousness, he brought in Adam’s case, saying, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned, much more they which receive abundance of grace shall reign in life.” (Rom. v. 17). And the case of Adam, indeed, he does not clear up, but from it he clears up His (or his own), and shows that it was more reasonable that He Who died in their behalf should have power over them at His will. For that when one had sinned all should be punished, does not seem to be so very reasonable to most men. But that when One had done aright all should be justified, is at once more reasonable and more suited to God. Yet still he has not solved the difficulty he raised. For the more obscure that point remained, the more the Jew was put to silence. And the difficulty of his position passed over to the other, and this become clearer from it (Mar. and 4 mss. “than that”). So in this passage also, it is by raising other difficulties that he meets the questions raised, inasmuch as it was against Jews that he was contending. Hence he takes no pains to solve the examples which he has brought before us. For he was not answerable for289    Gr. to them, i.e. to them considered as objections. Compare Matt. xxi. 27. “Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. them as in the fight against the Jews. But from them he makes his own subject throughout clearer. Why do you feel surprised, he means, that some of the Jews were saved, and some not saved at this time? Why of old, in the patriarch’s times, one may see this happening. For why was Isaac only called the seed, and yet he was the father of Ishmael also, and of several others. “But he was of a mother that was a slave.” And what has this to do with his father? Still I will not be captious. Let this son be set aside on his mother’s account. What are we to say of those sprung from Keturah? were they not free, and from a mother that was free? How came they not to be honored with the same preference as Isaac? And why do I speak of these? for Rebecca was even Isaac’s only wife, and bearing two children she bore them both to Isaac; still those so born, though of the same father, and the same mother, and the fruit of the same labor, being both of one father and one mother, and twins besides, yet did not enjoy the same lot. And yet here you have no mother’s slavery to account for it, as in Ishmael’s case, nor can you say that one was begotten of this womb and the other of a different one, as in the case of Keturah and Sarah, since in this case they had the same hour in common to them for their birth. This was why Paul then, in order to give a clearer example, says that this happened not in Isaac’s case only, “but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac.”

Ver. 11–13. “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

What was the cause then why one was loved and the other hated? why was it that one served, the other was served? It was because one was wicked, and the other good.290    If this is to be read interrogatively, so as to imply the negative, it must be understood of that time exclusively, as the context shows. And yet the children being not yet born, one was honored and the other condemned. For when they were not as yet born, God said, “the elder shall serve the younger.” With what intent then did God say this? Because He doth not wait, as man doth, to see from the issue of their acts the good and him who is not so, but even before these He knoweth which is the wicked and which not such. And this took place in the Israelites’ case also, in a still more wonderful way. Why, he says, do I speak of Esau and of Jacob, of whom one was wicked and the other good? For in the Israelites’ case, the sin belonged to all, since they all worshipped the calf. Yet notwithstanding some had mercy shown them, and others had not.291    He refers to the occasion on which the words next quoted were spoken, viz. when Moses interceded for them after that sin.

Ver. 15. “For I will have mercy, He says, on whom I will have mercy, and I will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” (Ex. xxxiii. 19.)

This one may see also in the case of those who are punished, for what would you say of Pharaoh who was punished, and had to pay so heavy a penalty? You say he was hardened and disobedient. Was he then alone such, and not even one person else? How came he then to be so severely punished? Why even in the case of the Jews did he call that a people which was no people, or again, why not count all worthy of equal honor? “For if they be” (it says) “as the sand of the sea, yet shall a remnant be saved.” (Is. x. 22.) And why is it to be only a remnant? You see what difficulty he has filled the subject with. And with great propriety. For when you have power to throw your adversary into perplexity, do not at once bring forward the answer, because if he be found himself responsible for the same ignorance, why take unnecessary dangers upon yourself? Why make him more bold, by drawing it all upon yourself? Now tell me, O thou Jew, that hast so many perplexing questions, and art unable to answer any of them, how thou comest to annoy us on account of the call of the Gentiles? I, however, have a good reason to give you why the Gentiles were justified and ye were cast out. And what is the reason? It is that they are of faith, ye of the works of the Law. And it is owing to this obstinacy of yours that ye have in every way (Mar. and several mss. all) been given up. For, “they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (Rom. x. 3.) The clearing up then of the whole passage, to give the whole sense summarily, is here brought out by that blessed person. But that this may be clearer, let us investigate the things he says also one by one; this knowing, that what the blessed Paul aimed at was, to show by all that he said that God only knoweth who are worthy, and no man whatever knoweth, even if he seem to know ever so well, but that in this sentence of his there are sundry aberrations. For He that knoweth the secrets of the hearts, He only knoweth for a certainty who deserve a crown, and who punishment and vengeance. Hence it is that many of those, by men esteemed good, He convicts and punishes, and those suspected to be bad He crowns, after showing it not to be so; thus forming his sentence not after the judgment of us slaves, but after his own keen and uncorrupt decision, and not waiting for the issue of actions to look at the wicked and him who is not so therefrom. But that we may not make the subject more obscure, again let us go to the very words of the Apostle.

Ver. 10. “And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one.”

I might, he implies, have mentioned the children by Keturah besides, but I do not. But to gain the victory from a vantage ground it is those born of one and the same father, and mother too, that I bring forward. For they were both sprung from Rebecca, and from Isaac the true-born, the elect, the son honored above all, of whom He said, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called,” who became “the father of us all;” but if he was our father, then should his sons have been our fathers; yet it was not so. You see how this happens not in Abraham’s case only, but also in that of his son himself, and how it is faith and virtue in all cases that is conspicuous, and gives the real relationship its character. For hence we learn that it is not only from the manner of birth, but owing to their being worthy of the father’s virtue, that the children are called children of him. For if it were only owing to the manner of the birth, then ought Esau to have enjoyed the same as Jacob did. For he also was from a womb as good as dead, and his mother was barren. Yet this was not the only thing required, but the character too, which fact contributes no common amount of practical instruction for us. And he does not say that one is good and another bad, and so the former was honored; lest this kind of argument should be wielded against him, “What, are those of the Gentiles good men rather than those of the circumcision?” For even supposing the truth of the matter was so, still he does not state it yet, as that would have seemed to be vexatious. But it is upon God’s knowledge that he has cast the whole, and this no one would venture to gainsay, though he were ever so frantic. “For the children being not yet born,” he says, “it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.” And he shows that noble birth after the flesh is of no avail, but we must seek for virtue of soul, which even before the works of it God knoweth of. For “the children,” he says, “being not yet born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose292    This expression supports St. Augustin’s interpretation of Rom. viii. 28. of God according to election might stand, it was said unto her that the elder shall serve the younger:” for this was a sign of foreknowledge, that they were chosen from the very birth. That the election made according to foreknowledge, might be manifestly of God, from the first day He at once saw and proclaimed which was good and which not. Do not then tell me that thou hast read the Law (he means) and the Prophets, and hast been a servant for such a long time. For He that knoweth how to assay the soul, knoweth which is worthy of being saved. Yield then to the incomprehensibleness of the election. For it is He alone Who knoweth how to crown aright. How many, for instance, seemed better than St. Matthew; to go by the exhibition of works then visible. But He that knoweth things undeclared, and is able to assay the mind’s aptitude, knew the pearl though lying in the mire, and after passing by others, and being well pleased with the beauty of this, He elected it, and by adding to the noble born free-will grace from Himself, He made it approved. For if in the case of these arts which are perishable, and indeed in other matters, those that are good judges do not use the grounds on which the uninstructed form their decision, in selecting out of what is put before them; but from points which they are themselves well aware of, they many times disparage that which the uninstructed approve, and decide upon what they disparage: and horse-breakers often do this with horses, and so the judges of precious stones, and workmen in other arts: much more will the God that loveth man, the infinite Wisdom, Who alone hath a clear knowledge of all things, not allow of man’s guesses, but will out of His own exact and unfailing Wisdom pass his sentence upon all men. Hence it was that He chose the publican, the thief, and the harlot; but dishonored priests, and elders, and rulers, and cast them out. And this one may see happening in the martyrs’ case also. Many accordingly of those who were utterly cast aside, have in the time of trial been crowned. And, on the other hand, some that have been held great ones by many have stumbled293    Perhaps alluding to the supplanting of Esau. and fallen. Do not then call the Creator to account, nor say, Why is it that one was crowned and another punished? For He knoweth how to do these things with exactness. Whence also he says, “Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated.” That it was with justice, you indeed know from the result: but Himself even before the result knew it clearly. For it is not a mere exhibition of works that God searcheth after, but a nobleness of choice and an obedient temper (γνώμην εὐγνώμονα) besides. For a man of this kind, if he should ever sin through some surprise,294    Literally under some circumstance, but περιστάσις implies surrounding and assault. will speedily recover himself. And if he should even stay long haply in a state of vice, he will not be overlooked, but God Who knoweth all things will speedily draw him out. And so he that is herein corrupted, even if he seem to do some good things, will perish, in that he doth this with an ill intention. Hence even David, after committing murder and adultery, since he did this as being carried away by surprise, and not from habitual practice of wickedness, speedily washed it out. The Pharisee, however, who had not perpetrated any such crime (Luke xviii. 11), but even had good deeds besides to boast of, lost all by the bad spirit he had chosen.

Ver. 14. “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.”

Hence there is no such thing in the case of us and the Jews. And then he goes on with another thing, a more clear than this. And of what sort is it?

Ver. 15. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

Here again he adds force to the objection by dividing it in two and meeting it, and starting another fresh difficulty. But to make what I have said clearer, one must needs explain it. God, he means, said that “the elder shall serve the younger,” before the travail. What then? “Is God unrighteous?” By no means. Now listen to what follows also. For in that case the virtue or the vice, might be the decisive thing. But here there was one sin on which all the Jews joined, that of the molten calf, and still some were punished, and some were not punished. And this is why He says, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (Ex. xxxiii. 19: observe context.) For it is not thine to know, O Moses, he means, which are deserving of My love toward man, but leave this to Me. But if Moses had no right to know, much less have we. And this is why he did not barely quote the passage, but also called to our minds to whom it was said. For it is Moses, he means, that he is speaking to, that at least by the dignity of the person he might make the objector modest. Having then given a solution of the difficulties raised, he divides it in two, by bringing forward another objection besides, as follows:

Ver. 16, 17. “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.295    One ms. adds, “Isaac, for his part, wished to bless Esau, he ran to the field (παιδίον, by a common mistake for πεδίον) to do his father’s bidding, desirous of the blessing. But God brought in Jacob who was worthy, and by a just judgment declared him deserving of the blessing.” For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.”

As then in the one case, he means, some were saved and some were punished, so here also. This man was reserved for this very purpose. And then he again urges the objection.

Ver. 18, 19. “Therefore He hath mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he then find fault? For who hath resisted His will?”

See what pains he takes to embarrass the subject in every way. And the answer he does not produce forthwith, it being a useful thing not to do so, but he first stops the disputant’s mouth, saying as follows,

Ver. 20. “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?”

This he does to take down the objector’s unseasonable inquisitiveness, and excessive curiosity, and to put a check upon it, and teach him to know what God is, and what man, and how incomprehensible His foreknowledge is, and how far above our reason, and how obedience to Him in all points is binding. So when he has made this preparatory step in his hearer, and has hushed and softened down his spirit, then with great felicity he introduces the answer, having made what he says easy of admittance with him. And he does not say, it is impossible to answer questions of this kind, but that (5 mss. No, but what? that) it is presumptuous to raise them. For our business is to obey what God does, not to be curious even if we do not know the reason of them. Wherefore he said, “Who art thou that repliest against God?” You see how very light he makes of him, how he bears down his swelling spirit! “Who art thou?” art thou a sharer of His power? (compare Job xxxviii.) nay, art thou sitting in judgment upon God? Why in comparison with Him thou canst not have a being even! nor this or that sort of being, but absolutely none! For the expression, “who art thou?” doth much more set him at naught than “thou art nothing.” And he takes other ways of showing further his indignation in the question, and does not say, “Who art thou that” answerest “God?” but, “that repliest against,” that is, that gainsayest, and that opposest. For the saying things ought to be so, and ought not to be so, is what a man does that “replieth against.” See how he scares them, how he terrifies them, how he makes them tremble rather than be questioning and curious. This is what an excellent teacher does; he does not follow his disciples’ fancy everywhere, but leads them to his own mind, and pulls up the thorns, and then puts the seed in, and does not answer at once in all cases to the questions put to him.

Ver. 20, 2l. “Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why hast Thou made me thus? Hath not the potter (Read Jer. xviii. 1–10) power, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?”

Here it is not to do away with free-will that he says this, but to show, up to what point we ought to obey God. For in respect of calling God to account, we ought to be as little disposed to it as the clay is. For we ought to abstain not from gainsaying or questioning only, but even from speaking or thinking of it at all, and to become like that lifeless matter, which followeth the potter’s hands, and lets itself be drawn about anywhere he may please. And this is the only point he applied the illustration to, not, that is, to any enunciation of the rule of life, but to the complete obedience and silence enforced upon us. And this we ought to observe in all cases, that we are not to take the illustrations quite entire, but after selecting the good of them, and that for which they were introduced, to let the rest alone. As, for instance, when he says, “He couched, he lay down as a lion;” (Numb. xxiv. 9) let us take out the indomitable and fearful part, not the brutality, nor any other of the things belonging to a lion. And again, when He says, “I will meet them as a bereaved bear” (Hos. xiii. 8), let us take the vindictiveness. And when he says, “our God is a consuming fire” (Deut. iv. 24; and Heb. xii. 29), the wasting power exerted in punishing. So also here must we single out the clay, the potter, and the vessels. And when he does go on to say, “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?” do not suppose that this is said by Paul as an account of the creation, nor as implying a necessity over the will, but to illustrate the sovereignty and difference of dispensations; for if we do not take it in this way, divers incongruities will follow, for if here he were speaking about the will, and those who are good and those not so, He will be Himself the Maker of these, and man will be free from all responsibility. And at this rate, Paul will also be shown to be at variance with himself, as he always bestows chief honor upon free choice. There is nothing else then which he here wishes to do, save to persuade the hearer to yield entirely to God, and at no time to call Him to account for anything whatever. For as the potter (he says) of the same lump makes what he pleaseth, and no one forbids it; thus also when God, of the same race of men, punisheth some, and honoreth others, be not thou curious nor meddlesome herein, but worship only, and imitate the clay. And as it followeth the hands of the potter, so do thou also the mind of Him that so ordereth things. For He worketh nothing at random, or mere hazard, though thou be ignorant of the secret of His Wisdom. Yet thou allowest the other of the same lump to make divers things, and findest no fault: but of Him you demand an account of His punishments and honors, and will not allow Him to know who is worthy and who is not so; but since the same296    Such is plainly the sense, but most mss. have τὸ αὐτο φύραμα τῆς οὐσίας ἐστὶ, it is the same lump in regard of the substance. lump is of the same substance, you assert that there are the same dispositions. And, how monstrous this is! And yet not even is it on the potter that the honor and the dishonor of the things made of the lump depends, but upon the use made by those that handle them, so here also it depends on the free choice. Still, as I said before, one must take this illustration to have one bearing only, which is that one should not contravene God, but yield to His incomprehensible Wisdom. For the examples ought to be greater than the subject, and than the things on account of which they are brought forward, so as to draw on the hearer better. Since if they were not greater and did not mount far above it, he could not attack as he ought, and shame the objectors. However, their ill-timed obstinacy he silenced in this way with becoming superiority. And then he introduces his answer. Now what is the answer?

Ver. 22, 23, 24. “What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom He hath chosen, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.”

What he means is somewhat as follows. Pharaoh was a vessel of wrath, that is, a man who by his own hard-heartedness had kindled the wrath of God. For after enjoying much long-suffering, he became no better, but remained unimproved. Wherefore he calleth him not only “a vessel of wrath,” but also one “fitted for destruction.” That is, fully fitted indeed, but by his own proper self.297    The Greek word, κατηρτισμένον, makes this more obvious. For neither had God left out aught of the things likely to recover him, nor did he leave out aught of those that would ruin him, and put him beyond any forgiveness. Yet still, though God knew this, “He endured him with much long-suffering,” being willing to bring him to repentance. For had He not willed this, then He would not have been thus long-suffering. But as he would not use the long-suffering in order to repentance, but fully fitted himself for wrath, He used him for the correction of others, through the punishment inflicted upon him making them better, and in this way setting forth His power. For that it is not God’s wish that His power be so made known, but in another way, by His benefits, namely, and kindnesses, he had shown above in all possible ways. For if Paul does not wish to appear powerful in this way (“not that we should appear approved,” he says, “but that ye should do that which is honest,”) (2 Cor. xiii. 7), much less doth God. But after that he had shown long-suffering, that He might lead to repentance, but he did not repent, He suffered him a long time, that He might display at once His goodness and His power, even if that man were not minded to gain anything from this great long-suffering. As then by punishing this man, who continued incorrigible, He showed His power, so by having pitied those who had done many sins but repented, He manifested His love toward man. But it does not say, love towards man, but glory, to show that this is especially God’s glory, and for this He was above all things earnest. But in saying, “which He had afore prepared unto glory,” he does not mean that all is God’s doing. Since if this were so, there were nothing to hinder all men from being saved. But he is setting forth again His foreknowledge, and doing away with the difference between the Jews and the Gentiles. And on this topic again he grounds a defence of his statement, which is no small one. For it was not in the case of the Jews only that some men perished, and some were saved, but with the Gentiles also this was the case. Wherefore he does not say, all the Gentiles, but, “of the Gentiles,” nor, all the Jews, but, “of the Jews.” As then Pharaoh became a vessel of wrath by his own lawlessness, so did these become vessels of mercy by their own readiness to obey. For though the more part is of God, still they also have contributed themselves some little. Whence he does not say either, vessels of well-doing, or vessels of boldness (παρρησίας), but “vessels of mercy,” to show that the whole is of God. For the phrase, “it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,” even if it comes in the course of the objection, still, were it said by Paul, would create no difficulty. Because when he says, “it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,” he does not deprive us of free-will, but shows that all is not one’s own, for that it requires grace from above. For it is binding on us to will, and also to run: but to confide not in our own labors, but in the love of God toward man. And this he has expressed elsewhere. “Yet not I, but the grace which was with me.” (1 Cor. xv. 10.) And he well says, “Which He had afore prepared unto glory.” For since they reproached them with this, that they were saved by grace, and thought to make them ashamed, he far more than sets aside this insinuation. For if the thing brought glory even to God, much more to them through whom God was glorified. But observe his forbearance, and unspeakable wisdom. For when he had it in his power to adduce, as an instance of those punished, not Pharaoh, but such of the Jews as had sinned, and so make his discourse much clearer, and show that where there were the same fathers, and the same sins, some perished, and some had mercy shown them, and persuade them not to be doubtful-minded, even if some of the Gentiles were saved, while the Jews were perishing; that he might not make his discourse irksome, the showing forth of the punishment he draws from the foreigner, so that he may not be forced to call them “vessels of wrath.” But those that obtained mercy he draws from the people of the Jews. And besides, he also has spoken in a sufficient way in God’s behalf, because though He knew very well that the nation was fitting itself as a vessel of destruction, still He contributed all on His part, His patience, His long-suffering, and that not merely long-suffering, but “much long-suffering;” yet still he was not minded to state it barely against the Jews. Whence then are some vessels of wrath, and some of mercy? Of their own free choice. God, however, being very good, shows the same kindness to both. For it was not those in a state of salvation only to whom He showed mercy, but also Pharaoh, as far as His part went. For of the same long-suffering, both they and he had the advantage. And if he was not saved, it was quite owing to his own will: since, as for what concerneth God, he had as much done for him as they who were saved. Having then given to the question that answer which was furnished by facts, in order to give his discourse the advantage of other testimony in its favor, he introduces the prophets also making the same declarations aforetime. For Hosea, he says, of old put this in writing, as follows:

Ver. 25. “I will call them My people, which were not My people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.”

Here to prevent their saying, that you are deceiving us here with specious reasoning, he calls Hosea to witness, who crieth and saith, “I will call them My people, who were not My people.” (Hos. ii. 23.) Who then are the not-people? Plainly, the Gentiles. And who the not-beloved? The same again. However, he says, that they shall become at once people, and beloved, and sons of God.

Ver. 26. “For even they shall be called,” he says, “the children of the living God.”

But if they should assert that this was said of those of the Jews who believed, even then the argument stands. For if with those who after so many benefits were hard-hearted and estranged, and had lost their being as a people, so great a change was wrought, what is there to prevent even those who were not estranged after being taken to Him, but were originally aliens, from being called, and, provided they obey, from being counted worthy of the same blessings? Having then done with Hosea, he does not content himself with him only, but also brings Isaiah in after him. sounding in harmony with him.

Ver. 27. “For Esaias,” he says, “crieth concerning Israel.”

That is, speaks out boldly, and uses no dissimulation. Why then lay a charge against us, when they afore declared the same thing with more than trumpet’s loudness? And what does Isaiah cry? “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.” (Is. x. 22.)

Do you see that he too does not say that all are to be saved, but that those that are worthy shall? For I regard not the multitude, he means, nor does a race diffused so far distress me, but those only do I save that yield themselves worthy of it. And he does not mention the “sand of the sea” without a reason, but to remind them of the ancient promise whereof they had made themselves unworthy. Why then are you troubled, as though the promise had failed, when all the Prophets show that it is not all that are to be saved? Then he mentions the mode of the salvation also. Observe the accuracy of the Prophet, and the judgment of the Apostle, what a testimony he has cited, how exceedingly apposite! For it not only shows us that those to be saved are some and not all, but also adds the way they are to be saved. How then are they to be saved, and how will God count them worthy of the benefit?

Ver. 28. “He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness,” he says, “because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” (Ib. 23, LXX.)

What he means then is somewhat of this sort. There is no need of fetching a circuit, and of trouble, and the vexation of the works of the Law, for the salvation is by a very short way. For such is faith, it holds salvation in a few short words. “For if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Rom. x. 9.) Now you see what this, “the Lord shall make a short word (LXX. lit.) upon earth,” is. And what is indeed wonderful is, that this short word carries with it not salvation only, but also righteousness.

Ver 29. “And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and had been made like unto Gomorrha.” (Is. i. 9.)

Here again he shows another thing, that not even those few were saved from their own resources. For they too would have perished, and met with Sodom’s fate, that is, they would have had to undergo utter destruction (for they (of Sodom) were also destroyed root and branch, and left not even the slightest remnant of themselves,) and they too, he means, would have been like these, unless God had used much kindness to them, and had saved them by faith. And this happened also in the case of the visible captivity, the majority having been taken away captive and perished, and some few only being saved.

Ver. 30, 31. “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.”

Here at last is the clearest answer. For since he had used a proof as well from facts (“for they are not all Israel that are of Israel”) as from the case of the forefathers Jacob and Esau, and from the prophets Hosea and Isaiah, he further gives the most decisive answer, after first adding to the perplexity. The points discussed, then, are two; one that the Gentiles attained, and the other that they attained it without following after it, that is, without taking pains about it. And again in the Jews’ case also there are two difficulties of the same kind; one that Israel attained not, the other that, though they took pains, they attained not. Whence also his use of words is more emphatical. For he does not say that they had, but that they “attained to righteousness.” For what is especially new and unusual is, that they who followed after it attained not, but they which followed not after it attained. And he seems to be indulging them by saying, “followed after.” But afterwards he strikes the blow home. For since he had a strong answer to give them, he had no fear of making the objection a little harsher. Hence he doth not speak of faith either, and the righteousness ensuing thereon, but shows that before the faith even, on their own ground they were worsted and condemned. For thou, O Jew, he says, hast not found even the righteousness which was by the Law. For thou hast transgressed it, and become liable to the curse. But these that came not through the Law, but by another road, have found a greater righteousness than this, that, namely, which is of faith. And this he had also said before. “For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God” (Rom. iv.): so showing that the other righteousness was greater than this. Before, then, I said that there were two difficulties, but now they have even become three questions: that the Gentiles found righteousness, and found it without following after it, and found a greater than that of the Law. These same difficulties are again felt in the Jews’ case with an opposite view. That Israel did not find, and though he took pains he did not find, and did not find even the less. Having then thrust his hearer into perplexity, he proceeds to give a concise answer, and tells him the cause of all that is said. When then is the cause?

Ver. 32. “Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law.”

This is the clearest answer in the passage, which if he had said immediately upon starting, he would not have gained so easy a hearing. But since it is after many perplexities, and preparations, and demonstrations that he sets it down, and after using countless preparatory steps, he has at last made it more intelligible, and also more easily admitted. For this he says is the cause of their destruction: “Because it was not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law,” that they wished to be justified. And he does not say, “by works,” but, “as it were by the works of the Law,” to show that they had not even this righteousness.

“For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;”

Ver. 33. “As it is written, Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”

You see again how it is from faith that the boldness comes, and the gift is universal; since it is not of the Jews only that this is said, but also of the whole human race. For every one, he would say, whether Jew, or Grecian, or Scythian, or Thracian, or whatsoever else he may be, will, if he believes, enjoy the privilege of great boldness. But the wonder in the Prophet is that he foretells not only that they should believe, but also that they should not believe. For to stumble is to disbelieve. As in the former passage he points out them that perish and them that are saved, where he says, “If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved. And, If the Lord of Sabaoth had not left us a seed, we should have been as Sodoma.” And, “He hath called not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles;” so here too he implies that some will believe, and some will stumble. But stumbling comes of not taking heed, of gaping after other things. Since then they did give heed to the Law, they stumbled on the stone, “And a stone of stumbling and rock of offence” he calls it from the character and end of those that believe not.

Is then the language used made plain to you? or does it still want much in clearness? I think indeed that, to those who have been attending, it is easy to get a clear view of it. But if it has slipped anybody’s memory, you can meet in private, and learn what it was. And this is why I have continued longer upon this explanatory part of the discourse, that I might not be compelled to break off the continuity of the context, and so spoil the clearness of the statements. And for this cause too I will bring my discourse to a conclusion here, without saying anything to you on the more immediately practical points, as I generally do, lest I should make a fresh indistinctness in your memories by saying so much. It is time now to come to the proper conclusion, by shutting up the discourse with the doxology to the God of all. Let us then both pause, me that am speaking and you that are hearing, and offer up glory to Him. For His is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙϚʹ. Ἀλήθειαν λέγω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι, συμ μαρτυρούσης μοι τῆς συνειδήσεώς μου ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. αʹ. Ἆρα οὐ μεγάλα τινὰ καὶ ὑπερφυῆ τῇ προτεραίᾳ περὶ τῆς τοῦ Παύλου περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν ἀγάπης ἐδόκουν ὑμῖν εἰρηκέναι; Καὶ γὰρ ἦν φύσει μεγάλα, καὶ πάντα ὑπερβαίνοντα λόγον: ἀλλ' ὅμως τὰ σήμερον λεχθέντα τοσαύτην ἔχει τὴν ὑπερβολὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνα, ὅσην ἐκεῖνα πρὸς τὰ ἡμέτερα. Καίτοι γε οὐκ ᾤμην αὐτὰ ἔχειν ὑπερβολὴν, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐπελθόντα τὰ σήμερον ἡμῖν ἀναγνωσθέντα πολὺ πάντων ἐκείνων ἐφάνη λαμπρότερα: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς συνιδὼν, ἀπὸ τῶν προοιμίων αὐτὸ ἐνέφηνεν, ἅτε εἰς μείζονα ἐμβαίνειν μέλλων καὶ ἀπιστεῖσθαι παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν. Πρότερον δὲ διαβεβαιοῦται περὶ ὧν μέλλει λέγειν: ὅπερ πολλοῖς ἔθος ποιεῖν, ὅταν μέλλωσί τι λέγειν παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀπιστούμενον, καὶ ὑπὲρ οὗ σφόδρα ἑαυτούς εἰσι πεπεικότες. Καὶ γὰρ Ἀλήθειαν λέγω, φησὶ, καὶ οὐ ψεύδομαι, καὶ ἡ συνείδησίς μοι μαρτυρεῖ, ὅτι λύπη μοί ἐστι μεγάλη, καὶ ἀδιάλειπτος ὀδύνη τῇ καρδίᾳ μου. Ηὐχόμην γὰρ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Τί λέγεις, ὦ Παῦλε; Ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ποθουμένου, οὗ μήτε βασιλεία σε, μήτε γέεννα ἐχώριζε, μήτε τὰ ὁρώμενα, μήτε τὰ νοούμενα, μήτε ἄλλα τοσαῦτα, ἀπὸ τούτου νῦν εὔχῃ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι; Τί γέγονε; μὴ μεταβέβλησαι, καὶ κατέλυσας τὸν πόθον ἐκεῖνον; Οὐχὶ, φησὶ, μὴ δείσῃς: καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐπέτεινα αὐτὸν μᾶλλον. Πῶς οὖν εὔχῃ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι, καὶ ἀλλοτρίωσιν ζητεῖς, καὶ χωρισμὸν τοιοῦτον, μεθ' ὃν ἕτερον οὐκ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν; Ἐπειδὴ σφόδρα αὐτὸν φιλῶ, φησί. Πῶς, εἰπέ μοι, καὶ ποίῳ τρόπῳ; καὶ γὰρ αἰνίγματι τὸ πρᾶγμα ἔοικε. Μᾶλλον δὲ, εἰ δοκεῖ, πρῶτον μάθωμεν τί ποτέ ἐστι τὸ ἀνάθεμα, καὶ τότε αὐτὸν ἐρωτήσωμεν περὶ τούτων, καὶ τὴν ἀπόῤῥητον ταύτην καὶ παράδοξον εἰσόμεθα ἀγάπην. Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ ἀνάθεμα; Ἄκουσον αὐτοῦ λέγοντος: Εἴ τις οὐ φιλεῖ τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, ἔστω ἀνάθεμα: τουτέστι, κεχωρίσθω πάντων, ἀλλότριος ἔστω πάντων. Καθάπερ γὰρ τοῦ ἀναθέματος τοῦ ἀνατιθεμένου τῷ Θεῷ οὐδεὶς ἂν τολμήσειεν ἁπλῶς ταῖς χερσὶν ἅψασθαι, οὐδὲ ἐγγὺς γενέσθαι: οὕτω καὶ τὸν χωριζόμενον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, πάντων ἀποτέμνων, καὶ ὡς ποῤῥωτάτω ἀπάγων, τούτῳ τῷ ὀνόματι ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐναντίου καλεῖ, μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ φόβου πᾶσιν ἀπαγορεύων αὐτοῦ ἀποχωρίζεσθαι καὶ ἀποπηδᾷν. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ ἀναθέματι τιμῆς ἕνεκα οὐδεὶς ἐτόλμα ἐγγίσαι: τοῦ δὲ ἀποτιμηθέντος, ἐξ ἐναντίας ἐχωρίζοντο γνώμης ἅπαντες. Ὥστε ὁ μὲν χωρισμὸς εἷς, καὶ ὁμοίως καὶ τοῦτο κἀκεῖνο τῶν πολλῶν ἠλλοτρίωται: ὁ δὲ τρόπος τοῦ χωρισμοῦ οὐχ εἷς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐναντίος οὗτος ἐκείνου. Τοῦ μὲν γὰρ ἀπείχοντο ὡς ἀνακειμένου Θεῷ, τοῦ δὲ ὡς ἠλλοτριωμένου Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀποῤῥαγέντος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Τοῦτο οὖν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγεν: Ηὐχόμην ἀνάθεμα εἶναι ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἐβουλόμην, ἀλλὰ ἐπιτείνων αὐτὸ, φησὶ καὶ, Ηὐχόμην. Εἰ δὲ θορυβεῖ σε ἅτε ἀσθενέστερα ὄντα τὰ λεγόμενα, τὸ πρᾶγμα λογίζου, μὴ μόνον ὅτι χωρισθῆναι ἐβούλετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν, δι' ἣν ἐβούλετο, καὶ τότε ὄψει αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς ἀγάπης: ἐπεὶ καὶ περιέτεμε, καὶ οὐ τῷ γενομένῳ προσέχομεν, ἀλλὰ τῇ γνώμῃ καὶ τῇ αἰτίᾳ τοῦ γενομένου, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μᾶλλον αὐτὸν θαυμάζομεν. Οὐ περιέτεμε δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξυρᾶτο καὶ ἔθυσε: καὶ οὐ δήπου διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸν Ἰουδαῖόν φαμεν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο μάλιστα ἀπηλλάχθαι Ἰουδαϊσμοῦ καὶ καθαρεύειν καὶ γνήσιον εἶναι τοῦ Χριστοῦ θεραπευτήν. Ὥσπερ οὖν αὐτὸν περιτέμνοντα βλέπων καὶ θύοντα. οὐ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸν καταδικάζεις ὡς Ἰουδαΐζοντα, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο μάλιστα στεφανοῖς, ὡς ἀλλότριον ὄντα Ἰουδαϊσμοῦ: οὕτω καὶ ὁρῶν ἐπιθυμοῦντα ἀνάθεμα γενέσθαι, μὴ διὰ τοῦτο θορυβηθῇς, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο μάλιστα αὐτὸν ἀνακήρυξον, τὴν αἰτίαν καταμαθὼν, δι' ἣν τοῦτο βούλεται. Ἂν γὰρ μὴ τὰς αἰτίας ἐξετάσωμεν, καὶ τὸν Ἠλίαν ἀνδροφόνον ἐροῦμεν, καὶ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ οὐκ ἀνδροφόνον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παιδοκτόνον: καὶ τὸν Φινεὲς δὲ καὶ τὸν Πέτρον φόνου γραψόμεθα πάλιν, καὶ οὐ περὶ τῶν ἁγίων δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ, ὁ μὴ τηρῶν τοῦτον τὸν κανόνα, πολλὰ ἄτοπα ὑποπτεύσει. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ τοῦτο γένηται, ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν τοιούτων καὶ αἰτίαν καὶ γνώμην καὶ καιρὸν καὶ πάντα τὰ ὑπὲρ τῶν γινομένων ἀπολογούμενα συναγαγόντες, οὕτω τὰ πράγματα ἐξετάζωμεν: ὃ καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ τῆς μακαρίας ταύτης ψυχῆς ποιητέον ἡμῖν. Τίς οὖν ἡ αἰτία; Πάλιν αὐτὸς ὁ ποθούμενος Ἰησοῦς. Καὶ μὴν οὐ δι' αὐτὸν, φησίν: ηὐχόμην γὰρ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, φησὶν, ἀνάθεμα εἶναι ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου. Καὶ τοῦτο τῆς αὐτοῦ ταπεινοφροσύνης: οὐ γὰρ βούλεται ὡς μέγα τι λέγων, καὶ τῷ Χριστῷ τοῦτο χαριζόμενος φανῆναι. Διὸ καὶ εἶπε, Συγγενῶν, ἵνα κρύψῃ τὸ πλεονέκτημα: ἐπεὶ, ὅτι τὸ πᾶν διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ἤθελεν, ἄκουσον τῶν ἑξῆς: εἰπὼν γὰρ, Τῶν συγγενῶν, ἐπήγαγεν: Ὧν ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ αἱ διαθῆκαι καὶ ἡ νομοθεσία καὶ ἡ λατρεία καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι, ὧν οἱ πατέρες, καὶ ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, ὢν ἐπὶ πάντων Θεὸς εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. βʹ. Καὶ τί τοῦτο; φησίν. Εἰ γὰρ ὑπὲρ τοῦ πιστεῦσαι ἑτέρους ἐβούλετο γενέσθαι ἀνάθεμα, ἔδει καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐθνῶν τοῦτο εὔξασθαι: εἰ δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίων εὔχεται μόνων, δείκνυσιν οὐ διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸ βουλόμενος, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἐκείνους οἰκείωσιν. Καὶ μὴν, εἰ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐθνῶν ηὔξατο μόνων, οὐκ ἂν ὁμοίως τοῦτο ἐφάνη: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίων μόνων, δείκνυται καθαρῶς διὰ τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ δόξαν τοῦτο σπουδάζων. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν, ὅτι παράδοξον ὑμῖν εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ λεγόμενον: πλὴν, ἐὰν μὴ θορυβῆσθε, ταχέως αὐτὸ πειράσομαι ποιῆσαι σαφές. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁπλῶς ταῦτα εἴρηκεν, ἅπερ εἴρηκεν, ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ πάντες ἔλεγον καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατηγόρουν, ὅτι υἱοὶ Θεοῦ καταξιωθέντες κληθῆναι, καὶ νόμον δεξάμενοι, καὶ πρὸ πάντων αὐτὸν εἰδότες, καὶ τοσαύτης ἀπολαύσαντες δόξης, καὶ θεραπεύσαντες αὐτὸν πρὸ τῆς οἰκουμένης, καὶ ἐπαγγελίας δεξάμενοι, καὶ πατέρες ὄντες τῶν αὐτῶν φυλῶν, καὶ τὸ δὴ μεῖζον πάντων, καὶ προπάτορες αὐτοῦ γενόμενοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ (τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν, Ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα), ἐκβέβληνται καὶ ἠτίμωνται, ἀντεισήχθησαν δὲ ἀντ' ἐκείνων οἱ μηδέποτε αὐτὸν ἐπιγνόντες ἄνθρωποι οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν: ἐπεὶ οὖν ταῦτα λέγοντες τὸν Θεὸν ἐβλασφήμουν, ἀκούων ταῦτα καὶ δακνόμενος ὁ Παῦλος, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης ἀλγῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ηὔξατο ἀνάθεμα εἶναι, εἴ γε δυνατὸν ἦν, ὥστε ἐκείνους σωθῆναι, καὶ τὴν βλασφημίαν ταύτην καταλυθῆναι, καὶ μὴ δόξαι τὸν Θεὸν ἠπατηκέναι τοὺς ἐκγόνους τοὺς ἐκείνων, οἷς τὰς δωρεὰς ἐπηγγείλατο. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι ὑπὲρ τούτου κοπτόμενος, τοῦ μὴ δόξαι τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ διαπίπτειν τὴν λέγουσαν τῷ Ἀβραὰμ, Σοὶ δώσω τὴν γῆν ταύτην καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου, ταῦτα ηὔχετο: μετὰ τὸ ταῦτα εἰπεῖν, ἐπήγαγεν: Οὐχ οἷον δὲ, ὅτι ἐκπέπτωκεν ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ: δεικνὺς ὅτι πάντα ταῦτα διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπομεῖναι ἠνείχετο: τουτέστι, τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τὴν πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ γεγενημένην. Καθάπερ γὰρ Μωϋσῆς ἐδόκει μὲν ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίων πρεσβεύειν, τὸ δὲ πᾶν ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔπραττεν (Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ εἴπωσι, φησὶν, ὅτι παρὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς σῶσαι, ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἀπολέσαι ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ: κατάλυσον τὴν ὀργήν): οὕτω δὴ καὶ Παῦλος, Ἵνα μὴ εἴπωσι, φησὶν, ὅτι ἐξέπεσεν ἡ ἐπαγγελία τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐψεύσατο ἃ ὑπέσχετο, καὶ εἰς ἔργον οὐκ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ λόγος, ἠβουλόμην ἀνάθεμα γενέσθαι. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο οὐχ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐθνῶν φησιν (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν πρὸς ἐκείνους ἐπηγγελμένον αὐτὸ, οὐδὲ ἦσαν αὐτὸν τεθεραπευκότες: διὸ οὐδὲ ἐβλασφήμουν αὐτὸν δι' ἐκείνους), ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τῶν καὶ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν δεξαμένων, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων οἰκειωθέντων αὐτῷ, ταῦτα ηὔχετο. Εἶδες, ὅτι, εἰ μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐθνῶν ηὔξατο, οὐκ ἂν οὕτως ἐφάνη καθαρῶς διὰ τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ δόξαν τοῦτο ποιῶν: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίων ἐβουλήθη γενέσθαι ἀνάθεμα, τότε μάλιστα ἐδείχθη, ὅτι διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν μόνον ταῦτα ἐπιθυμεῖ: διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγεν: Ὧν ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ ἡ λατρεία καὶ ἡ ἐπαγγελία. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ νόμος ἐκεῖθεν ὁ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγων, φησὶ, καὶ αἱ συνθῆκαι αἱ πρὸς αὐτοὺς πᾶσαι, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξ αὐτῶν, καὶ οἱ πατέρες οἱ δεξάμενοι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἐξ ἐκείνων πάντες: ἀλλ' ὅμως τοὐναντίον γέγονε, καὶ πάντων ἐξέπεσον τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Διὰ τοῦτο κόπτομαι, φησὶ, καὶ εἴ γε ἦν χωρισθῆναι τοῦ περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν χοροῦ, καὶ ἀλλοτριωθῆναι, οὐχὶ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ (μὴ γένοιτο, ἐπεὶ καὶ ταῦτα δι' ἀγάπην ἐποίει), ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἀπολαύσεως ἐκείνης καὶ τῆς δόξης, κατεδεξάμην ἂν, ὥστε μὴ τὸν Δεσπότην βλασφημηθῆναι τὸν ἐμὸν, διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀκοῦσαι λεγόντων τινῶν, ὅτι Σκηνὴ τὰ πράγματα γέγονεν: ἄλλοις ὑπέσχετο, καὶ ἄλλοις ἔδωκεν: ἐξ ἄλλων ἐγεννήθη, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἔσωσε: τοῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων προγόνοις ἐπήγγελτο, καὶ τοὺς ἐκγόνους αὐτῶν ἀφεὶς, τοὺς οὐδέποτε αὐτὸν ἐγνωκότας εἰς τὰ ἐκείνων εἰσήγαγεν ἀγαθά: ἐκεῖνοι τὸν νόμον ἔκαμον μελετῶντες, καὶ τὰς προφητείας ἀναγινώσκοντες, καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν βωμῶν καὶ τῶν εἰδώλων χθὲς ἐπανελθόντες, ἀνώτεροι γεγόνασιν ἐκείνων: ποῦ ταῦτα προνοίας; Ἵν' οὖν ταῦτα μὴ λέγηται περὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου τοῦ ἐμοῦ, φησὶν, εἰ καὶ ἀδίκως λέγεται, καὶ βασιλείας ἡδέως ἂν ἐξέπιπτον, καὶ τῆς δόξης ἐκείνης τῆς ἀποῤῥήτου, καὶ πάντα ὑπέμεινα ἂν τὰ δεινὰ, μεγίστην ἁπάντων ἡγούμενος παραμυθίαν εἶναι τοῦ πόνου τὸ τὸν οὕτω ποθούμενον μηκέτι βλασφημούμενον ἀκούειν. Εἰ δὲ οὐδέπω καταδέχῃ τὸ εἰρημένον, ἐννόησον, ὅτι καὶ πατέρες πολλοὶ πολλάκις ταῦτα ὑπὲρ παίδων κατεδέξαντο, καὶ εἵλοντο αὐτῶν χωρισθῆναι, καὶ μόνον αὐτοὺς εὐδοκιμοῦντας ὁρᾷν, τῆς συνουσίας αὐτῶν ἡδίω νομίζοντες εἶναι τὴν εὐδοκίμησιν τὴν ἐκείνων. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ πόῤῥω τῆς ἀγάπης ἐσμὲν ταύτης, οὐδὲ νοῆσαι τὰ λεγόμενα δυνάμεθα. Οὕτω γάρ τινες καὶ τὴν Παύλου προσηγορίαν οὐδὲ ἀκοῦσαί εἰσιν ἄξιοι, καὶ τῆς σφοδρότητος τῆς ἐκείνου πόῤῥω καὶ μακρὰν ἑστήκασιν, ὡς καὶ περὶ θανάτου τοῦ προσκαίρου ταῦτα λέγειν αὐτὸν νομίζειν: οὓς τοσοῦτον εἴποιμι ἂν ἀγνοεῖν τὸν Παῦλον, ὅσον τοὺς πηροὺς τὴν ἀκτῖνα τὴν ἡλιακήν: μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πολλῷ πλέον. Ὁ γὰρ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀποθνήσκων, καὶ νιφάδας κινδύνων θεὶς, καὶ εἰπὼν, Τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ; θλῖψις, ἢ στενοχωρία, ἢ λιμὸς, ἢ διωγμός; καὶ οὐκ ἀρκεσθεὶς τοῖς λεχθεῖσιν, ἀλλ' ὑπερβὰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἀγγέλους καὶ ἀρχαγγέλους, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄνω περιδραμὼν, καὶ συλλαβὼν ὁμοῦ τὰ παρόντα, τὰ μέλλοντα, τὰ ὁρώμενα, τὰ νοούμενα, τὰ λυπηρὰ, τὰ χρηστὰ, τὰ ἐν ἑκατέροις, καὶ οὐδὲν ὅλως ἀφεὶς, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτω κορεσθεὶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέραν τοσαύτην κτίσιν τὴν οὐκ οὖσαν ὑποστησάμενος: πῶς ὡς μέγα τι λέγων μετ' ἐκεῖνα πάντα, θανάτου τοῦ προσκαίρου ἐμνημόνευσεν ἄν; γʹ. Οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα, οὐκ ἔστιν: ἀλλὰ σκωλήκων ἐν κοπρίᾳ φωλευόντων ἡ τοιαύτη ὑπόνοια. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἔλεγε, πῶς ἀνάθεμα ἑαυτὸν ηὔχετο εἶναι ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ; Ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος θάνατος μᾶλλον τῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνῆπτε χορῷ, καὶ τῆς δόξης ἀπολαύειν ἐκείνης ἐποίει. Ἀλλὰ γάρ εἰσί τινες, οἳ καὶ τούτων ἕτερα καταγελαστότερα τολμῶσι λέγειν. Οὐ γὰρ θάνατον, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ κειμήλιον καὶ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι ηὔχετο τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ τίς τοῦτο καὶ τῶν σφόδρα εὐτελῶν καὶ ἀναπεπτωκότων οὐκ ἂν εὔξαιτο; Πῶς δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν συγγενῶν τοῦτο ἔμελλε τῶν αὐτοῦ γενέσθαι; Ἀφέντες τοίνυν τοὺς μύθους καὶ τὰς φλυαρίας (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀντιλέγειν πρὸς ταῦτα ἄξιον, ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδὲ πρὸς τὰ παιδία τὰ ψελλίζοντα, εἰς αὐτὴν πάλιν τὴν ῥῆσιν ἐπανέλθωμεν, ἐντρυφῶντες αὐτοῦ τῷ πελάγει τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ μετὰ ἀδείας πανταχοῦ νηχόμενοι, καὶ τὴν φλόγα ἐννοοῦντες τὴν ἄφατον: μᾶλλον δὲ, ὅπερ ἂν εἴποι τις, οὐδὲν ἄξιον ἐρεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ πελάγους παντὸς εὐρυτέρα, καὶ φλογὸς ἁπάσης σφοδροτέρα ἦν αὕτη, καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτὴν κατ' ἀξίαν ἀναγορεῦσαι δυνήσεται λόγος: ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος μόνος οἶδεν αὐτὴν ὁ μετὰ ἀκριβείας αὐτὴν κτησάμενος. Φέρε οὖν πάλιν αὐτὰ τὰ ῥήματα εἰς μέσον ἀγάγωμεν: Ηὐχόμην γὰρ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι αὐτὸς ἐγώ. Τί ἐστιν, Αὐτὸς ἐγώ; Ὁ διδάσκαλος ἁπάντων γενόμενος, ὁ μυρία κατορθώματα συναγαγὼν, ὁ μυρίους ἀναμένων στεφάνους, ὁ ποθήσας αὐτὸν οὕτως, ὡς πάντων προτιμῆσαι αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀγάπην, ὁ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν δι' αὐτὸν καιόμενος, καὶ πάντα δεύτερα εἶναι νομίζων τοῦ φίλτρου τοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦ φιλεῖσθαι ἔμελεν αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ σφόδρα φιλεῖν αὐτόν: καὶ τοῦτο μάλιστα ἦν. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο πρὸς τοῦτο ἔβλεπε μόνον, καὶ πάντα εὐκόλως ἔφερεν: ἓν γὰρ ἐσκόπει διὰ πάντων, τὸ τὸν καλὸν τοῦτον ἐμπλῆσαι ἔρωτα. Καὶ εὔχεται μὲν ταῦτα: ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ ἔμελλε γίνεσθαι οὕτως, οὐδὲ ἔμελλεν ἀνάθεμα εἶναι, πειρᾶται λοιπὸν καὶ εἰς ἀπολογίαν ἐμβῆναι τῶν ἐγκλημάτων, καὶ τὰ θρυλλούμενα παρὰ πάντων εἰς μέσον ἄγων, ἀνατρέψαι. Καὶ πρὶν εἰς τὴν σαφῆ τούτων ἀπολογίαν ἐμβῆναι, τὰ σπέρματα αὐτῆς ἤδη προκαταβάλλεται. Ὅταν γὰρ λέγῃ, Ὧν ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ ἡ νομοθεσία καὶ ἡ λατρεία καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι, οὐδὲν ἄλλο φησὶν, ἢ ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς μὲν αὐτοὺς ἐβούλετο σωθῆναι (καὶ τοῦτο ἐδήλωσε δι' ὧν ἔμπροσθεν ἐποίησε, καὶ δι' ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐξ ἐκείνων ἐγένετο, καὶ δι' ὧν τοῖς πατράσιν ἐπηγγείλατο): αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐξ οἰκείας ἀγνωμοσύνης ἀπεκρούσαντο τὴν εὐεργεσίαν. Διὸ καὶ ἐκεῖνα τίθησιν, ἅπερ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δωρεᾶς ἐστιν ἐνδεικτικὰ μόνον, οὐκ ἐκείνων ἐγκώμια: καὶ γὰρ ἡ υἱοθεσία τῆς αὐτοῦ γέγονε χάριτος, καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι καὶ ὁ νόμος. Ἅπερ ἅπαντα ἐννοήσας, καὶ λογισάμενος πόσην ὁ Θεὸς μετὰ τοῦ Παιδὸς ἐποιήσατο τὴν σπουδὴν σῶσαι αὐτοὺς, ἀνεβόησε μέγα, καὶ εἶπεν: Ὅς ἐστιν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν: τὴν ὑπὲρ πάντων εὐχαριστίαν ἀναφέρων αὐτὸς τῷ Μονογενεῖ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τί γὰρ, εἰ καὶ ἕτεροι βλασφημοῦσι, φησὶν, ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς οἱ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα εἰδότες αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὴν σοφίαν τὴν ἄφατον, καὶ τὴν πρόνοιαν τὴν πολλὴν, ἴσμεν σαφῶς, ὅτι οὐ τοῦ βλασφημεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ τοῦ δοξάζεσθαι ἄξιος. Οὐκ ἀρκεσθεὶς δὲ αὐτοῦ τῷ συνειδότι, πειρᾶται καὶ λογισμὸν τιθέναι λοιπὸν, καὶ σφοδροτέρῳ κεχρῆσθαι κατ' αὐτῶν τῷ λόγῳ: καὶ οὐ πρότερον ἀποτείνεται πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ἕως τὴν ὑπόνοιαν τὴν αὐτῶν περιεῖλεν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ δόξῃ ὡς ἐχθροῖς διαλέγεσθαι, καὶ προϊών φησιν: Ἀδελφοὶ, ἡ μὲν εὐδοκία τῆς ἐμῆς καρδίας, καὶ ἡ δέησις ἡ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἐστιν εἰς σωτηρίαν: καὶ ἐνταῦθα δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων, ὧν εἴρηκε, κατεσκεύαζε τὸ μὴ δόξαι δι' ἔχθραν λέγειν, ἅπερ ἔμελλε κατ' αὐτῶν ἐρεῖν: διόπερ οὐδὲ συγγενεῖς αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀδελφοὺς παραιτεῖται ὀνομάζειν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν ἔλεγεν, ἅπερ ἔλεγεν, ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων ἐπισπᾶται διάνοιαν, καὶ προοδοποιεῖ τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ πάσης ἑαυτὸν ὑποψίας ἀπαλλάττει διὰ τὰ μέλλοντα κατ' αὐτῶν λεχθήσεσθαι, καὶ τότε λοιπὸν ἐμβαίνει εἰς τὸν παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν ζητούμενον λόγον. Καὶ γὰρ ἐζήτουν πολλοὶ, καθάπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, τίνος ἕνεκεν οἱ μὲν δεξάμενοι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν ἐξέπεσον, οἱ δὲ μὴ ἀκούσαντες αὐτῆς πώποτε, πρὸ ἐκείνων ἐσώθησαν. Ταύτην τοίνυν λύων τὴν ἀπορίαν, πρὸ τῆς ἀντιθέσεως τὴν λύσιν ἐπάγει. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγῃ τις: Τί οὖν; σὺ μᾶλλον φροντίζεις τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἢ ὁ Θεὸς τῆς ἑαυτοῦ; καὶ, Τῆς παρὰ σοῦ δεῖται βοηθείας, ὥστε μὴ ἐκπεσεῖν αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον; πρὸς ταῦτα ἱστάμενός φησι: Ταῦτα δὲ εἶπον, Οὐχ οἷον ὅτι ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκπέπτωκεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα δείξω τὸ περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν φίλτρον. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὕτω τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκβάντων, οὐκ ἀποροῦμεν τῶν ὑπὲρ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγων, φησὶ, καὶ τοῦ δεῖξαι, ὅτι ἕστηκεν ἡ ἐπαγγελία. Εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀβραάμ: Σοὶ καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω τὴν γῆν: καὶ, Ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου πάντα τὰ ἔθνη. Ἴδωμεν οὖν ποῖόν ἐστι τὸ σπέρμα, φησίν: οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ αὐτοῦ σπέρματα αὐτοῦ εἰσι: διὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν: Οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ: οὐδ' ὅτι εἰσὶ σπέρμα Ἀβραὰμ, πάντες τέκνα. δʹ. Ἂν τοίνυν μάθῃς ποῖόν ἐστι τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, ὄψει δοθεῖσαν τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ, καὶ γνώσῃ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐξέπεσεν ὁ λόγος. Ποῖον οὖν ἐστιν, εἰπέ μοι, τὸ σπέρμα; Οὐκ ἐγὼ λέγω, φησὶν, ἀλλ' αὐτὴ ἡ Παλαιὰ ἑαυτὴν ἑρμηνεύει, οὕτω λέγουσα: Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα. Τί ἐστιν, Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ, ἑρμήνευσον. Τουτέστιν, οὐ τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς, ταῦτα τέκνα Θεοῦ: ἀλλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας λογίζεται εἰς σπέρμα. Καὶ ὅρα Παύλου σύνεσιν καὶ μεγαλόνοιαν: ἑρμηνεύων γὰρ οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Οὐ τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς, ταῦτα τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, ἀλλὰ, Τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ: τῷ παρόντι τὰ παλαιὰ συνάπτων, καὶ δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὐδὲ Ἰσαὰκ ἁπλῶς τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ τέκνον ἦν. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν: Ὅσοι κατὰ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ἐγεννήθησαν, οὗτοι τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσι, καὶ σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο εἶπεν, Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα, ἵνα μάθῃς, ὅτι οἱ τῷ τρόπῳ τούτῳ γεννώμενοι τῷ κατὰ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ, οὗτοι μάλιστά εἰσι τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ. Πῶς οὖν ὁ Ἰσαὰκ ἐγεννήθη; Οὐ κατὰ νόμον φύσεως, οὐδὲ κατὰ δύναμιν σαρκὸς, ἀλλὰ κατὰ δύναμιν ἐπαγγελίας. Τί ἐστι, κατὰ δύναμιν ἐπαγγελίας; Κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐλεύσομαι πρὸς σὲ, καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάῤῥᾳ υἱός. Αὕτη ἡ ἐπαγγελία τοίνυν, καὶ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ διέπλασέ τε καὶ ἐγέννησε. Τί γὰρ, εἰ καὶ μήτρα ὑπέκειτο καὶ νηδὺς γυναικός; Οὐ γὰρ ἡ δύναμις τῆς νηδύος, ἀλλ' ἡ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἰσχὺς ἔτεκε τὸ παιδίον. Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς γεννώμεθα διὰ τῶν ῥημάτων τοῦ Θεοῦ: ἐν γὰρ τῇ κολυμβήθρᾳ τῶν ὑδάτων ῥήματά ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ γεννῶντα ἡμᾶς καὶ διαπλάττοντα: εἰς γὰρ ὄνομα Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος βαπτιζόμενοι γεννώμεθα. Αὕτη δὲ οὐχὶ φύσεως, ἀλλ' ἐπαγγελίας τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ γέννησις. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὴν τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ προαγορεύσας γέννησιν, τότε αὐτὴν ἐπλήρωσεν: οὕτω καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν πρὸ πολλῶν προανεφώνησε χρόνων διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ἁπάντων, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰς ἔργον ἐξήγαγεν. Εἶδες ἡλίκον ἀπέδειξε, καὶ πῶς μέγα ἐπαγγειλάμενος κατεσκεύασεν αὐτὸ μετ' εὐκολίας ἁπάσης; Εἰ δὲ λέγοιεν Ἰουδαῖοι, ὅτι τὸ, Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα, τοῦτο εἶναι τὸ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ γεννωμένους αὐτῷ λογίζεσθαι εἰς σπέρμα, ἔδει καὶ τοὺς Ἰδουμαίους καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀπ' ἐκείνου υἱοὺς χρηματίζειν αὐτοῦ: ὁ γὰρ πρόγονος αὐτῶν Ἡσαῦ υἱὸς ἦν τοῦ Ἰσαάκ. Νῦν δὲ οὐ μόνον οὐ χρηματίζουσι παῖδες, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα εἰσὶν ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι. Ὁρᾷς, ὅτι οὐ τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς, ταῦτα τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ φύσει ἡ διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἄνωθεν προϋπογράφεται γέννησις; Εἰ δὲ τὴν μήτραν μοι λέγεις, ἔχω κἀγὼ τὸ ὕδωρ εἰπεῖν. Ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐνταῦθα τὸ πᾶν τοῦ Πνεύματος, οὕτω κἀκεῖ τὸ πᾶν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας: τοῦ γὰρ ὕδατος ψυχροτέρα ἦν ἡ μήτρα διὰ τὴν στείρωσιν καὶ τὸ γῆρας. Καταμάθωμεν τοίνυν ἡμῶν τὴν εὐγένειαν μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἁπάσης, καὶ ἀξίαν αὐτῆς ἐπιδειξώμεθα πολιτείαν: οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔχει τι σαρκικὸν οὐδὲ γεῶδες. Μὴ τοίνυν μηδὲ ἡμεῖς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὕπνος, οὐδὲ θέλημα σαρκὸς καὶ περιπλοκαὶ, οὐδὲ οἶστρος ἐπιθυμίας, ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπία τὸ πᾶν ἐποίησε. Καὶ καθάπερ ἐκεῖ τῆς ἡλικίας ἀπογνωσθείσης, οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοῦ γήρως τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐπελθόντος, ἐξαίφνης νέος ἀνῆλθεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ πάντες τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγόναμεν παῖδες, καὶ σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ. Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ῥεβέκκα ἐξ ἑνὸς κοίτην ἔχουσα Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν. Μέγα τὸ ζητούμενον ἦν: διὸ καὶ πολλοὺς κινεῖ λογισμοὺς, καὶ πανταχόθεν ἐπιχειρεῖ λῦσαι τὴν ἀπορίαν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ παράδοξον καὶ καινὸν τὸ μετὰ τοσαύτας ἐπαγγελίας ἐκπεσεῖν ἐκείνους, πολλῷ παραδοξότερον, τὸ καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰς τὰ ἐκείνων εἰσελθεῖν ἀγαθὰ, τοὺς μηδὲν προσδοκήσαντας τοιοῦτον. Καὶ ταυτὸν ἐγένετο, οἷον ἂν εἰ βασιλέως υἱὸς ἐπαγγελίας ἔχων τὴν ἀρχὴν διαδέξασθαι τὴν ἐκείνου, εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀτίμων ἐκβληθείη τάξιν, καὶ ἀντ' ἐκείνου κατάδικος ἄνθρωπος καὶ μυρίων γέμων κακῶν, ἐκβληθεὶς τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, τὴν ἀρχὴν λάβοι τὴν ἐκείνῳ προσήκουσαν. Τί γὰρ ἂν ἔχοις εἰπεῖν; φησίν. Ὅτι ἀνάξιος ὁ υἱός; Ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτος ἀνάξιος, καὶ πολλῷ μᾶλλον. Οὐκοῦν ἔδει ἢ ὁμοῦ κολάζεσθαι, ἢ ὁμοῦ τιμᾶσθαι. Τοιοῦτον δή τι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν γέγονε, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ πολλῷ τούτου παραδοξότερον. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἅπαντες ἀνάξιοι, ἐδήλωσεν ἐν τοῖς εἰρημένοις, εἰπών: Πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον, καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ: τὸ δὲ καινὸν, ὅτι πάντων ἀναξίων ὄντων, τὰ ἔθνη διεσώθη μόνα. Μετὰ δὲ τούτων καὶ ἕτερον ἄν τις διαπορήσειε πάλιν, φησίν. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἔμελλε πληροῦν αὐτοῖς τὰς ὑποσχέσεις ὁ Θεὸς, τίνος ἕνεκεν καὶ ὑπισχνεῖτο; Ἄνθρωποι μὲν γὰρ οἱ τὸ μέλλον μὴ εἰδότες, πολλάκις ἀπατώμενοι, καὶ τοῖς οὐκ ἀξίοις τὰς αὐτῶν λαβεῖν δωρεὰς ἐπαγγέλλονται: ὁ δὲ καὶ τὰ παρόντα καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα προειδὼς, καὶ σαφῶς ἐπιστάμενος, ὅτι ἀναξίους ἑαυτοὺς καταστήσουσι τῶν ὑποσχέσεων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲν λήψονται τῶν εἰρημένων, τίνος ἕνεκεν καὶ ἐπαγγέλλεται; εʹ. Πῶς οὖν αὐτὰ ἔλυσεν ὁ Παῦλος; Ἀπὸ τοῦ δεῖξαι τίς ἐστιν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ, ᾧ ὑπέσχετο. Τούτου γὰρ δειχθέντος, καὶ ἐκεῖνο συναποδέδεικται, τὸ πεπληρῶσθαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἁπάσας. Ὅπερ οὖν δηλῶν ἔλεγεν: Οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ τὸ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ὄνομα τέθεικε, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, ὅπερ ἀρετῆς ἦν τοῦ δικαίου καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν δωρεᾶς καὶ τοῦ Θεὸν ἑωρακέναι σύμβολον. Καίτοι φησὶν, ὅτι πάντες ἥμαρτον, καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἰ οὖν πάντες ἥμαρτον, πῶς οἱ μὲν ἐσώθησαν, οἱ δὲ ἀπώλοντο, Ὅτι μὴ πάντες προσελθεῖν ἠβουλήθησαν: ὡς τό γε αὐτοῦ μέρος διεσώθησαν ἅπαντες: καὶ γὰρ ἐκλήθησαν ἅπαντες. Ἀλλὰ τέως τοῦτο οὐ τίθησιν, ἀλλ' ἐκ περιουσίας αὐτὸ λύει, καὶ ἐκ παραδειγμάτων ἑτέρων, ἄλλο ζήτημα εἰς μέσον ἄγων, καὶ καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἔλυσεν ἀπορίαν μεγίστην δι' ἀπορίας ἑτέρας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐζητεῖτο, πῶς, τοῦ Χριστοῦ δικαιωθέντος, πάντες ἀπήλαυσαν οἱ λοιποὶ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐκείνης, τὸ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ παρεισήγαγε, λέγων: Εἰ γὰρ τῷ τοῦ ἑνὸς παραπτώματι ὁ θάνατος ἐβασίλευσε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἱ τὴν περισσείαν τῆς χάριτος λαβόντες, ἐν ζωῇ βασιλεύσουσι. Καὶ τὸ μὲν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ οὐ λύει, τὸ δὲ αὐτοῦ λύει ἐκ τούτου, καὶ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι λόγον ἔχει πλείονα τὸ τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀποθανόντα ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν αὐτῶν ὡς ἂν θέλῃ. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἑνὸς ἁμαρτήσαντος πάντας κολάζεσθαι, οὐ σφόδρα δοκεῖ κατὰ λόγον γίνεσθαι τοῖς πολλοῖς: τὸ δὲ ἑνὸς κατορθώσαντος πάντας δικαιοῦσθαι, καὶ λόγον ἔχοι ἂν μᾶλλον, καὶ τῷ Θεῷ πρεπωδέστερον. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐκ ἔλυσεν ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἀπορούμενον: ὅσῳ γὰρ ἀσαφέστερον ἔμενε, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ὁ Ἰουδαῖος ἐπεστομίζετο: καὶ ἡ τούτου διαπόρησις ἐπ' ἐκεῖνο μετέβαινε, καὶ σαφέστερον τοῦτο ἐκεῖθεν γίνεται. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, ἐκ διαπορουμένων ἑτέρων λύει τὰ ζητούμενα: πρὸς γὰρ Ἰουδαίους ὁ ἀγὼν ἦν αὐτῷ. Διά τοι τοῦτο τὰ μὲν παραδείγματα, ἅπερ ἤγαγεν εἰς μέσον, οὐ σφόδρα λύει: οὐ γὰρ ἦν ὑπεύθυνος τοιούτοις, ὡς ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἰουδαίους μάχῃ: τὰ δὲ αὐτοῦ πάντα ἐξ ἐκείνων ποιεῖ σαφέστερα. Τί γὰρ θαυμάζεις, φησὶν, ὅτι Ἰουδαίων οἱ μὲν ἐσώθησαν, οἱ δὲ οὐκ ἐσώθησαν νῦν; Καὶ γὰρ ἄνωθεν τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῶν πατριαρχῶν γινόμενον ἴδοι τις ἄν. Διὰ τί γὰρ ὁ Ἰσαὰκ σπέρμα καλεῖται μόνος, καίτοι γε καὶ τοῦ Ἰσμαὴλ οὗτος ἦν πατὴρ καὶ ἑτέρων πλειόνων; Ἀλλ' ἀπὸ δούλης ἦν μητρός; Καὶ τί τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν γεγεννηκότα; Πλὴν οὐδὲν φιλονεικῶ: ἐκβαλ[λ]έσθω διὰ τὴν μητέρα οὗτος: τί ἂν εἴποιμεν περὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς Χεττούρας; οὐχὶ ἐλεύθεροι, καὶ ἐξ ἐλευθέρας; διὰ τί μὴ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐτιμήθησαν προεδρίοις τῷ Ἰσαάκ; Καὶ τί λέγω τούτους; Ἡ γὰρ Ῥεβέκκα καὶ μόνη τῷ Ἰσαὰκ γέγονε γυνὴ, καὶ δύο τεκοῦσα παῖδας, ἐκ τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ ἔτεκεν ἀμφοτέρους: ἀλλ' ὅμως οἱ τεχθέντες τοῦ αὐτοῦ πατρὸς ὄντες, τῆς αὐτῆς μητρὸς, τὰς αὐτὰς λύσαντες ὠδῖνας, καὶ ὁμοπάτριοι ὄντες καὶ ὁμομήτριοι, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις καὶ δίδυμοι, οὐ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπήλαυσαν. Καίτοι γε ἐνταῦθα οὐ δουλείαν ἔχεις αἰτιᾶσθαι μητρὸς, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰσμαὴλ, οὐδὲ τὸν μὲν ἐκ ταύτης, τὸν δὲ ἐξ ἑτέρας γεγεννῆσθαι νηδύος, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῆς Χεττούρας καὶ τῆς Σάῤῥας, ὅπου γε καὶ τῆς ὥρας αὐτῆς ἐκοινώνησαν τῶν ὠδίνων. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ὡς ἐπὶ σαφέστερον ἐξελθὼν παράδειγμα, Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦτο συνέβη, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ῥεβέκκα ἐξ ἑνὸς κοίτην ἔχουσα Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν. Μήπω γὰρ γεννηθέντων, μηδὲ πραξάντων τι ἀγαθὸν ἢ κακὸν, ἵνα ἡ κατ' ἐκλογὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόθεσις μένῃ, οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος, ἐῤῥήθη αὐτῇ, ὅτι Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι: καθὼς γέγραπται. Τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγάπησα, τὸν δὲ Ἡσαῦ ἐμίσησα. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν ὁ μὲν ἐφιλεῖτο, ὁ δὲ ἐμισεῖτο; διὰ τί ὁ μὲν ἐδούλευεν, ὁ δὲ ἐδουλεύετο; Ἐπειδὴ ὁ μὲν πονηρὸς, ὁ δὲ ἀγαθὸς ἦν; Καίτοι μηδέπω γεννηθέντων, ὁ μὲν ἐτιμᾶτο, ὁ δὲ κατεδικάζετο: οὔπω γὰρ γεννηθέντων, ὁ Θεὸς ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τοῦτο εἶπεν ὁ Θεός; Ὅτι οὐκ ἀναμένει, καθάπερ ἄνθρωπος, ἀπὸ τοῦ τέλους τῶν πραγμάτων ἰδεῖν τὸν ἀγαθὸν, καὶ τὸν οὐ τοιοῦτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸ τούτων οἶδε τίς μὲν ὁ πονηρὸς, τίς δὲ ὁ μὴ τοιοῦτος. Καὶ τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν γέγονε μετὰ πλείονος τοῦ θαύματος. Τί γὰρ λέγω, φησὶ, περὶ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ, ὧν ὁ μὲν πονηρὸς ἦν, ὁ δὲ ἀγαθός; Ἐπὶ γὰρ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν κοινὸν τὸ ἁμάρτημα ἦν: πάντες γὰρ τὸν μόσχον προσεκύνησαν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οἱ μὲν ἠλεήθησαν, οἱ δὲ οὐκ ἠλεήθησαν: Ἐλεήσω γὰρ, φησὶν, ὃν ἂν ἐλεῶ, καὶ οἰκτειρήσω ὃν ἂν οἰκτείρω. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κολαζομένων ἴδοι τις ἄν. Τί γὰρ ἂν εἴποις περὶ τοῦ Φαραὼ, ὅτι ἐκολάσθη καὶ τοσαύτην ἔδωκε δίκην; Ὅτι σκληρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀπειθής. Ἆρ' οὖν αὐτὸς μόνος, ἄλλος δὲ οὐδὲ εἷς; πῶς οὖν οὗτος οὕτω σφοδρῶς ἐκολάζετο; τί δήποτε δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸν οὐ λαὸν ἐκάλεσε λαὸν, καὶ πάλιν, οὐ πάντας τῆς αὐτῆς ἠξίωσε τιμῆς; Ἐὰν γὰρ ὦσι, φησὶν, ὡσεὶ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸ κατάλειμμα σωθήσεται. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν τὸ κατάλειμμα μόνον; Ὁρᾷς ὅσης ἀπορίας ἐνέπλησε τὰ προκείμενα; Καὶ μάλα εἰκότως: ὅταν γὰρ ἐξῇ τὸν ἀντίδικον εἰς ἀπορίαν ἐμβαλεῖν, μὴ εὐθέως τὴν λύσιν ἔπαγε. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς φανείη τῆς αὐτῆς ἀγνοίας ὑπεύθυνος ὢν, τί κινδύνους αὐτὸς ἀνέχῃ περιττούς; τί θρασύτερον ποιεῖς ἐκεῖνον, τὸ πᾶν ἐπὶ σαυτὸν ἕλκων; Ϛʹ. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, ὦ Ἰουδαῖε, τοσαῦτα ἀπορῶν, καὶ λύειν οὐδὲν τούτων δυνάμενος, πῶς ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ἐθνῶν κλήσεως ἡμῖν πράγματα παρέχεις; Καίτοι γε ἐγὼ ἔχω καὶ αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν δικαίαν, δι' ἣν τὰ ἔθνη ἐδικαιώθη, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐξεπέσετε. Τίς οὖν ἡ αἰτία; Ὅτι οἱ μὲν ἐκ πίστεως, ὑμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἐξ ἔργων νόμου. Καὶ ταῦτα φιλονεικήσαντες προεδόθητε πανταχόθεν. Ἀγνοοῦντες γὰρ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν δικαιοσύνην ζητοῦντες στῆσαι, τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ὑπετάγησαν. Ἡ μὲν οὖν λύσις τοῦ χωρίου παντὸς, ὡς ἐν κεφαλαίῳ τὸ πᾶν εἰπεῖν, οὕτω προάγεται παρὰ τῆς μακαρίας ἐκείνης ψυχῆς: ἵνα δὲ καὶ σαφέστερα ταῦτα γένηται, καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν εἰρημένων ποιησώμεθα τὴν ἐξέτασιν, ἐκεῖνο εἰδότες, ὅτι τὸ σπουδαζόμενον τῷ μακαρίῳ Παύλῳ τοῦτο ἦν, διδάξαι διὰ πάντων τῶν εἰρημένων, ὅτι τοὺς ἀξίους ὁ Θεὸς οἶδε μόνος, ἀνθρώπων δὲ οὐδεὶς, κἂν σφόδρα εἰδέναι δοκῇ, ἀλλὰ πολλαχοῦ διαπίπτει τὰ τῆς ψήφου ταύτης. Ὁ γὰρ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα τῆς διανοίας ἐπιστάμενος, αὐτὸς οἶδε σαφῶς, τίνες μὲν στεφάνων ἄξιοι, τίνες δὲ κολάσεως καὶ τιμωρίας. Διὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ πολλοὺς παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νομιζομένους ἀγαθοὺς εἶναι ἐκόλασε διελέγξας, καὶ πονηροὺς ὑποπτευομένους ἐστεφάνωσε, δείξας οὐκ ὄντας τοιούτους: οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν δούλων γνώμης, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκείας κρίσεως τῆς ἀκριβοῦς καὶ ἀδεκάστου τὴν ψῆφον φέρων, καὶ οὐκ ἀναμένων ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν πράξεων ἐκβάσεως ἰδεῖν τὸν φαῦλον, καὶ τὸν οὐ τοιοῦτον. Πλὴν ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ πάλιν ἀσαφέστερον τὸν λόγον ποιήσωμεν, ἐπ' αὐτὰ τὰ ῥήματα ἴωμεν τὰ ἀποστολικά. Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ῥεβέκκα ἐξ ἑνὸς κοίτην ἔχουσα. Ἠδυνάμην μὲν γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰπεῖν καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς Χεττούρας, ἀλλ' οὐ λέγω: ἀλλ' ὥστε ἐκ περιουσίας τὴν νίκην ἄρασθαι, τοὺς ἐξ ἑνὸς πατρὸς καὶ μιᾶς τεχθέντας μητρὸς, τούτους εἰς μέσον ἄγω. Καὶ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥεβέκκας ἦσαν ἀμφότεροι, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ γνησίου παιδὸς, τοῦ δοκίμου, τοῦ πάντων προτιμηθέντος, περὶ οὗ ἔφησεν: Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα, τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν πάντων γενομένου. Εἰ δὲ πατὴρ ἡμῶν ἐκεῖνος, καὶ τοὺς ἐξ ἐκείνου πατέρας ἔδει εἶναι: ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐγένοντο. Εἶδες πῶς οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ τοῦτο μόνον συμβαίνει, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ παιδὸς, καὶ πανταχοῦ πίστις καὶ ἀρετή ἐστιν ἡ διαλάμπουσα, καὶ τὴν ἀκριβῆ συγγένειαν χαρακτηρίζουσα; Ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ μανθάνομεν, ὅτι οὐ μόνον τὸν τρόπον τῆς γεννήσεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸ ἄξιοι εἶναι τῆς ἀρετῆς τοῦ γεγεννηκότος, οἱ παῖδες καλοῦνται παῖδες ἐκείνου. Εἰ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ τρόπου τῆς γεννήσεως μόνον, ἔδει καὶ τὸν Ἡσαῦ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπολαῦσαι τῷ Ἰακώβ: καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὗτος ἀπὸ νενεκρωμένης μήτρας ἦν, καὶ στεῖρα ἦν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ. Ἀλλ' οὐ τοῦτο ἦν τὸ ζητούμενον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ τρόπος, ὅπερ οὐ τὸ τυχὸν καὶ εἰς βίου συμβάλλεται διδασκαλίαν ἡμῖν. Καὶ οὐ λέγει, ὅτι Ἐπειδὴ ὁ μὲν ἀγαθὸς, ὁ δὲ πονηρὸς, διὰ τοῦτο προετιμήθη, ἵνα μὴ εὐθέως ἀντιπέσῃ αὐτῷ τοῦτο: Τί οὖν; ἀγαθοὶ οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν μᾶλλον, ἢ οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ οὕτως εἶχεν ἡ τοῦ πράγματος ἀλήθεια, ἀλλ' οὔπω αὐτὸ τίθησι: καὶ γὰρ ἐδόκει φορτικώτερον εἶναι: ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ γνῶσιν τὸ πᾶν ἔῤῥιψεν, ᾗτινι μαχέσασθαι οὐδεὶς ἂν ἐτόλμησεν, οὐδὲ εἰ σφόδρα μαινόμενος ἦν. Μήπω γὰρ γεννηθέντων, φησὶ, μηδὲ πραξάντων τι ἀγαθὸν, ἐῤῥέθη αὐτῇ, ὅτι Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι: καὶ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι ἡ κατὰ σάρκα εὐγένεια οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ, ἀλλὰ ψυχῆς ἀρετὴν δεῖ ζητεῖν, ἣν καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἔργων ὁ Θεὸς οἶδε. Μήπω γὰρ γεννηθέντων, φησὶ, μηδὲ πραξάντων τι ἀγαθὸν ἢ κακὸν, ἵνα ἡ κατ' ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις τοῦ Θεοῦ μένῃ, ἐῤῥέθη αὐτῇ, ὅτι Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι. Τοῦτο γὰρ προγνώσεως, τὸ καὶ ἐξ ὠδίνων αὐτῶν ἐκλέγεσθαι: ἵνα φανῇ, φησὶ, τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ ἐκλογὴ ἡ κατὰ πρόθεσιν καὶ πρόγνωσιν γενομένη: ἐκ πρώτης γὰρ ἡμέρας καὶ τὸν ἀγαθὸν, καὶ τὸν οὐ τοιοῦτον καὶ οἶδε καὶ ἐκήρυξε. Μὴ τοίνυν μοι λέγε, ὅτι νόμον, φησὶν, ἀνέγνως καὶ προφήτας, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐδούλευσας χρόνον. Ὁ γὰρ εἰδὼς ψυχὴν καὶ δοκιμάζειν, οὗτος οἶδε καὶ τίς ἄξιός ἐστι σωθῆναι. Παραχώρει τοίνυν τῷ ἀκαταλήπτῳ τῆς ἐκλογῆς: καὶ γὰρ μόνος αὐτὸς οἶδεν ἀκριβῶς στεφανοῦν. Πόσοι γοῦν τοῦ Ματθαίου βελτίους εἶναι ἐδόκουν κατὰ τὴν τῶν ἔργων ἐπίδειξιν τὴν φαινομένην; Ἀλλ' ὁ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα εἰδὼς, καὶ διανοίας ἐπιτηδειότητα δοκιμάσαι δυνάμενος, καὶ ἐν τῷ βορβόρῳ τὸν μαργαρίτην κείμενον ἔγνω, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους παραδραμὼν, καὶ τούτου τὴν εὐμορφίαν θαυμάσας, αὐτὸν ἐξελέξατο, καὶ τῇ τῆς προαιρέσεως εὐγενείᾳ τὴν παρ' ἑαυτοῦ προσθεὶς χάριν, δόκιμον αὐτὸν ἀπέφηνεν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν τεχνῶν τούτων τῶν ἐπικήρων, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων πραγμάτων, οἱ δεινοὶ κρίνειν οὐκ ἀφ' ὧν οἱ ἰδιῶται ψηφίζονται, ἀπὸ τούτων ἐκλέγονται τὰ προκείμενα, ἀλλ' ἀφ' ὧν ἴσασιν αὐτοὶ σαφῶς, καὶ τὸ μὲν παρὰ τοῖς ἰδιώταις δοκιμασθὲν πολλάκις ἠτίμασαν, τὸ δὲ ἀτιμασθὲν ἐνέκριναν: καὶ πωλοδάμναι πολλάκις ἐπὶ τῶν ἵππων τοῦτο ἐποίησαν, καὶ οἱ τῶν τιμίων λίθων κριταὶ, καὶ οἱ τῶν ἄλλων δὲ τεχνῶν δημιουργοί: πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Θεὸς, ἡ ἄπειρος σοφία, ὁ μόνος πάντα εἰδὼς σαφῶς, οὐκ ἀνέξεται τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπονοίας, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκείας σοφίας τῆς ἀκριβοῦς καὶ ἀδιαπτώτου τὴν περὶ πάντων οἴσει ψῆφον. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τελώνην ἐξελέξατο καὶ λῃστὴν καὶ πόρνην: ἱερέας δὲ καὶ πρεσβυτέρους καὶ ἄρχοντας ἠτίμησε καὶ ἐξέβαλε. ζʹ. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μαρτύρων συμβαῖνον ἴδοι τις ἄν. Πολλοὶ γοῦν τῶν σφόδρα ἀπεῤῥιμμένων ἐν καιρῷ τῶν ἀγώνων ἐστεφανώθησαν: καὶ τοὐναντίον, μεγάλοι παρὰ πολλοῖς νομισθέντες εἶναί τινες, ὑπεσκελίσθησαν καὶ κατέπεσον. Μὴ τοίνυν εὐθύνας ἀπαίτει τὸν Δημιουργὸν, μηδὲ λέγε: Διὰ τί ὁ μὲν ἐστεφανώθη, ὁ δὲ ἐκολάσθη; Οἶδε γὰρ μετὰ ἀκριβείας ταῦτα ποιεῖν: διὸ καὶ ἔλεγε: Τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγάπησα, τὸν δὲ Ἡσαῦ ἐμίσησα. Ὅτι γὰρ δικαίως, σὺ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ τέλους ἔγνως, αὐτὸς δὲ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τέλους ᾔδει σαφῶς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔργων ἐπίδειξιν ζητεῖ μόνον ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ προαιρέσεως εὐγένειαν καὶ γνώμην εὐγνώμονα. Ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος, κἂν ὑπὸ περιστάσεώς τινός ποτε ἁμάρτῃ, ταχέως ἑαυτὸν ἀναστήσεται: κἂν ἐν κακίᾳ διατρίβων τύχῃ, οὐ περιοφθήσεται, ἀλλὰ ταχέως αὐτὸν ἀνιμήσεται ὁ πάντα εἰδὼς Θεός: ὥσπερ ὁ ταυτὶ διεφθαρμένος, κἂν ἀγαθόν τι δόξῃ ποιεῖν, ἀπολεῖται μετὰ πονηρᾶς τοῦτο ἐργαζόμενος γνώμης: ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Δαυῒδ, καὶ φονεύσας, καὶ μοιχεύσας, ἐπειδὴ ἀπὸ περιστάσεώς τινος συναρπαγεὶς, οὐκ ἀπὸ μελέτης τῆς κατὰ τὴν πονηρίαν ταῦτα εἰργάσατο, ταχέως αὐτὰ ἀπενίψατο: ὁ μέντοι Φαρισαῖος, οὐδὲν τούτων τολμήσας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις κομῶν ἀγαθοῖς, τῇ πονηρᾷ προαιρέσει πάντα ἀπώλεσε. Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; μὴ ἀδικία παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ; Μὴ γένοιτο. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲ ἐφ' ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων. Εἶτα ἐπάγει ἕτερον τούτου ἀσαφέστερον. Καὶ ποῖον; Τῷ γὰρ Μωϋσῇ λέγει: Ἐλεήσω ὃν ἂν ἐλεῶ, καὶ οἰκτειρήσω ὃν ἂν οἰκτείρω. Καὶ πάλιν αὔξει τὴν ἀντίθεσιν διὰ μέσου διακόπτων αὐτὴν, καὶ λύων, καὶ ἑτέραν πάλιν ἀπορίαν ποιῶν. Ἵνα δὲ σαφέστερον γένηται τὸ λεγόμενον, ἑρμηνεῦσαι αὐτὸ ἀναγκαῖον. Εἶπε, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι πρὸ τῆς ὠδῖνος. Τί οὖν; μὴ ἄδικος ὁ Θεός; Οὐδαμῶς. Οὐκοῦν ἄκουε καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς: ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ κἂν ἡ ἀρετὴ, κἂν ἡ κακία διέκρινεν: ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἓν τὸ ἁμάρτημα ἦν ἁπάντων Ἰουδαίων, τὸ τῆς μοσχοποιίας, καὶ ὅμως οἱ μὲν ἐκολάσθησαν, οἱ δὲ οὐκ ἐκολάσθησαν: διὸ ἔλεγεν: Ἐλεήσω ὃν ἂν ἐλεῶ, καὶ οἰκτειρήσω ὃν ἂν οἰκτείρω. Οὐ γὰρ σόν ἐστιν εἰδέναι, ὦ Μωϋσῆ, τίνες ἄξιοι φιλανθρωπίας, ἀλλ' ἐμοὶ παραχώρει τοῦτο. Εἰ δὲ Μωϋσέως οὐκ ἦν εἰδέναι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμῶν. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς τέθεικε τὸ εἰρημένον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τίνα εἶπεν, ἐμνημόνευσε: Τῷ γὰρ Μωϋσῇ, φησὶ λέγει: ἵνα καὶ τῷ ἀξιώματι τοῦ προσώπου τὸν ἀντιλέγοντα ἐντρέψῃ. Εἰπὼν τοίνυν τὴν λύσιν τῶν ἀπορουμένων, διὰ μέσου διακόπτει, πάλιν ἑτέραν ἀντίθεσιν εἰσάγων, καὶ λέγων: Ἄρα οὗτος τοῦ θέλοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος Θεοῦ. Λέγει γὰρ ἡ Γραφὴ τῷ Φαραὼ, ὅτι Εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε, ὅπως ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν δύναμίν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ, φησὶν, οἱ μὲν ἐσώθησαν, οἱ δὲ ἐκολάσθησαν: οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα οὗτος εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐτηρεῖτο. Εἶτα πάλιν ἀντίθεσιν ἐπάγει: Ἄρα οὖν ὃν θέλει ἐλεεῖ, ὃν δὲ θέλει σκληρύνει. Ἐρεῖς οὖν μοι: Τί ἔτι μέμφεται; τῷ γὰρ θελήματι αὐτοῦ τίς ἀνθέστηκεν; Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἐσπούδασεν αὐτὸ ποιῆσαι διὰ πάντων ἄπορον; Καὶ οὐδὲ τὴν λύσιν εὐθέως ἐπάγει, συμφερόντως καὶ τοῦτο ποιῶν. ἀλλ' ἐπιστομίζει πρῶτον τὸν ζητοῦντα, λέγων οὕτω: Μενοῦνγε, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ Θεῷ; Ποιεῖ δὲ τοῦτο, τὴν ἄκαιρον αὐτοῦ περιεργίαν ἀναστέλλων, καὶ τὴν πολλὴν πολυπραγμοσύνην, καὶ χαλινὸν περιτιθεὶς, καὶ παιδεύων εἰδέναι τί μὲν Θεὸς, τί δὲ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ πῶς ἀκατάληπτος αὐτοῦ ἡ πρόνοια, καὶ πῶς ὑπερβαίνουσα τὸν ἡμέτερον λογισμὸν, καὶ πῶς ἅπαντα αὐτῷ πείθεσθαι δεῖ: ἵν' ὅταν τοῦτο κατασκευάσῃ παρὰ τῷ ἀκροατῇ, καὶ καταστείλῃ καὶ λεάνῃ τὴν γνώμην, τότε μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς εὐκολίας ἐπάγων τὴν λύσιν, εὐπαράδεκτον αὐτῷ ποιήσῃ τὸ λεγόμενον. Καὶ οὐ λέγει, ὅτι ἀδύνατον τὸ τοιαῦτα λύειν, ἀλλὰ τί; Παράνομον τὸ τοιαῦτα ζητεῖν: δεῖ γὰρ πείθεσθαι τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ λεγομένοις, οὐ περιεργάζεσθαι. κἂν τὸν λόγον αὐτῶν ἀγνοῶμεν: διό φησι: Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ Θεῶ; Εἶδες πῶς ἐξηυτέλισε, πῶς κατήνεγκε τὸ φύσημα; Σὺ τίς εἶ; Κοινωνὸς εἶ τῆς ἀρχῆς; ἀλλὰ δικαστὴς ἐκάθισας τῷ Θεῷ; Πρὸς γὰρ τὴν ἐκείνου σύγκρισιν οὐδὲ εἶναί τι δύνασαι, οὐ τόδε ἢ τόδε, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ εἶναί τι. Τοῦ γὰρ εἰπεῖν, Οὐδὲν εἶ, πολὺ τὸ εἰπεῖν, Τίς εἶ, οὐδαμινέστερον. Καὶ ἄλλως πλείονα τὴν ἀγανάκτησιν ἐνδείκνυται τῇ ἐρωτήσει. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀποκρινόμενος τῷ Θεῷ; ἀλλ' Ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος, τουτέστιν, ὁ ἀντιλέγων, ὁ ἐναντιούμενος; Τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Οὕτως ἔδει, καὶ, Οὐχ οὕτως ἔδει, ἀνταποκρινομένου ἐστίν. Εἶδες πῶς ἐφόβησε, πῶς κατέπληξε, πῶς τρέμειν μᾶλλον ἐποίησεν, ἢ ζητεῖν καὶ περιεργάζεσθαι; Τοῦτο ἀρίστου διδασκάλου, τὸ μὴ τῇ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἕπεσθαι πανταχοῦ, ἀλλ' αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον ἄγειν θέλημα, καὶ τὰς ἀκάνθας ἀποσπᾷν, καὶ τότε καταβάλλειν τὰ σπέρματα, καὶ μὴ εὐθέως πρὸς τὰ ἐρωτώμενα ἀποκρίνεσθαι πανταχοῦ. Μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι, Τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως; ἢ οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν ὁ κεραμεὺς τοῦ πηλοῦ, ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος ποιῆσαι, ὃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν σκεῦος, ὃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν; ηʹ. Ἐνταῦθα οὐ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον ἀναιρῶν τοῦτο λέγει, ἀλλὰ δεικνὺς μέχρι πόσου δεῖ πείθεσθαι τῷ Θεῷ. Εἰς γὰρ τὸ τὸν Θεὸν ἀπαιτεῖν εὐθύνας, οὐδὲν μᾶλλον τοῦ πηλοῦ διακεῖσθαι δεῖ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μόνον ἀντιλέγειν οὐ χρὴ, οὐδὲ ζητεῖν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ φθέγγεσθαι ὅλως, οὐδὲ ἐννοεῖν, ἀλλ' ἐοικέναι ἐκείνῳ τῷ ἀψύχῳ, καὶ ταῖς χερσὶν ἑπομένῳ τοῦ κεραμέως, καὶ περιαγομένῳ ὅπουπερ ἂν ἐκεῖνος ἐθέλῃ. Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ μόνον τὸ ὑπόδειγμα ἔλαβεν, οὐκ εἰς τὴν τῆς πολιτείας ἐπίδειξιν, ἀλλ' εἰς τὴν ὑποτεταγμένην ὑπακοὴν καὶ σιγήν. Καὶ τοῦτο πανταχοῦ δεῖ παρατηρεῖν, ὅτι τὰ ὑποδείγματα οὐ πάντα καθόλου δεῖ λαμβάνειν, ἀλλὰ τὸ χρήσιμον αὐτῶν ἐκλεξαμένους, καὶ εἰς ὅπερ παρείληπται, τὸ λοιπὸν ἅπαν ἐᾷν. Ὥσπερ οὖν ὅταν λέγῃ, Ἀναπεσὼν ἐκοιμήθη ὡς λέων, τὸ ἄμαχον καὶ φοβερὸν ἐκλαμβάνομεν, οὐ τὸ θηριῶδες οὐδὲ ἄλλο τι τῶν τῷ λέοντι προσόντων: καὶ πάλιν ὅταν λέγῃ, Ἀπαντήσομαι αὐτοῖς, ὡς ἄρκτος ἀπορουμένη, τὸ τιμωρητικόν: καὶ ὅταν λέγῃ, Ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον, τὸ δαπανητικὸν τὸ ἐκ τῆς κολάσεως: οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸν πηλὸν καὶ τὸν κεραμέα καὶ τὰ σκεύη ἐκλαμβάνειν ἀνάγκη. Καὶ ὅταν δὲ ἐπάγῃ καὶ λέγῃ, Ἢ οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν ὁ κεραμεὺς τοῦ πηλοῦ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος ποιῆσαι, ὃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν σκεῦος, ὃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν; μὴ εἰς δημιουργίας λόγον νόμιζε ταῦτα εἰρῆσθαι τῷ Παύλῳ, μὴ εἰς γνώμης ἀνάγκην, ἀλλ' εἰς οἰκονομιῶν ἐξουσίαν καὶ διαφοράν. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ οὕτως ἐκλάβοιμεν, πολλὰ τὰ ἄτοπα ἕψεται. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ περὶ γνώμης ἐνταῦθα ὁ λόγος, καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ τῶν οὐ τοιούτων ἔσται αὐτὸς δημιουργὸς τούτων, καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος πάσης αἰτίας ἐκτός: φανεῖται δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος οὕτως αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ μαχόμενος ὁ πανταχοῦ τὴν προαίρεσιν στεφανῶν. Οὐδὲν τοίνυν ἕτερον ἐνταῦθα κατασκευάσαι βούλεται, ἢ τὸ πεῖσαι τὸν ἀκροατὴν μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς ἁπάσης εἴκειν, τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ μηδενὸς μηδέποτε ἀπαιτεῖν εὐθύνας αὐτόν. Καθάπερ γὰρ ὁ κεραμεὺς, φησὶν, ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος ἃ βούλεται ποιεῖ, καὶ οὐδεὶς ὁ ἀντιλέγων: οὕτω καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ γένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοὺς μὲν κολάζοντα, τοὺς δὲ τιμῶντα μὴ περιεργάζου, μηδὲ πολυπραγμόνει, ἀλλὰ προσκύνει μόνον, καὶ μιμοῦ τὸν πηλόν: καὶ καθάπερ ἐκεῖνος ἕπεται ταῖς χερσὶ τοῦ κεραμέως, οὕτω καὶ σὺ τῇ γνώμῃ τοῦ ταῦτα οἰκονομοῦντος. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἁπλῶς, οὐδὲ ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἐργάζεται, κἂν αὐτὸς ἀγνοῇς καὶ τὸ τῆς σοφίας ἀπόῤῥητον. Σὺ δὲ ἐκείνῳ μὲν συγχωρεῖς ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ φυράματος διάφορα ποιεῖν, καὶ οὐκ ἐγκαλεῖς: τοῦτον δὲ εὐθύνας ἀπαιτεῖς τῶν κολάσεων καὶ τῶν τιμῶν, καὶ οὐ παραχωρεῖς αὐτῷ εἰδέναι, τίς μὲν ἄξιος, τίς δὲ οὐ τοιοῦτος, ἀλλ' ἐπειδήπερ τὸ αὐτὸ φύραμα τῆς αὐτῆς οὐσίας ἐστὶ, καὶ τὰς αὐτὰς προαιρέσεις ἀξιοῖς εἶναι. Καὶ πόσης ταῦτα παραπληξίας: Καίτοι γε οὐδὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ κεραμέως ἐκ τοῦ φυράματος τὸ ἄτιμον καὶ τὸ ἔντιμον, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς χρήσεως τῶν μεταχειριζομένων, ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἀπὸ τῆς προαιρέσεως. Πλὴν, ὅπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, εἰς ἓν τοῦτο λαμβάνειν δεῖ μόνον τὸ ὑπόδειγμα, τὸ μὴ δεῖν ἀντιλέγειν τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ παραχωρεῖν αὐτοῦ τῷ ἀκαταλήπτῳ τῆς σοφίας. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ παραδείγματα μείζονα εἶναι δεῖ τῶν προκειμένων, καὶ ὑπὲρ ὧν εἰς μέσον ἄγεται, ὥστε μᾶλλον ἐνεργεῖν τὸν ἀκροατήν: ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ μεῖζον εἴη, καὶ πλείονα ἔχοι τὴν ὑπερβολὴν, οὐκ ἂν ὡς χρὴ καθικέσθαι δυνηθείη, καὶ ἐντρέψαι τὸν ἀντιλέγοντα. Τὴν μὲν οὖν ἄκαιρον αὐτῶν φιλονεικίαν οὕτως ἐπεστόμισε μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης ὑπερβολῆς: ἐπάγει δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ τὴν λύσιν. Τίς οὖν ἡ λύσις; Εἰ δὲ θέλων ὁ Θεὸς ἐνδείξασθαι τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ γνωρίσαι τὸ δυνατὸν αὐτοῦ, ἤνεγκεν ἐν πολλῇ μακροθυμίᾳ σκεύη ὀργῆς κατηρτισμένα εἰς ἀπώλειαν: καὶ ἵνα γνωρίσῃ τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς δόξης αὑτοῦ ἐπὶ σκεύη ἐλέους, ἃ προητοίμασεν εἰς δόξαν: οὓς καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ἡμᾶς, οὐ μόνον ἐξ Ἰουδαίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ ἐθνῶν. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι: Σκεῦος ὀργῆς ἦν ὁ Φαραώ: τουτέστιν, ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ὀργὴν ἀνάπτων διὰ τῆς οἰκείας σκληρότητος: πολλῆς γὰρ ἀπολαύσας μακροθυμίας, οὐκ ἐγένετο βελτίων, ἀλλ' ἀδιόρθωτος ἔμεινε. Διὸ οὐδὲ σκεῦος ὀργῆς αὐτὸν ἐκάλεσε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατηρτισμένον εἰς ἀπώλειαν: τουτέστι, ἀπηρτισμένον, οἴκοθεν μέντοι καὶ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ. Οὔτε γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέλιπέ τι τῶν εἰς τὴν διόρθωσιν εἰκόντων τὴν ἐκείνου, οὔτε αὐτὸς ἐνέλιπέ τι τῶν ἀπολλύντων αὐτὸν, καὶ πάσης ἀποστερούντων συγγνώμης. Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ ταῦτα εἰδὼς ὁ Θεὸς, ἤνεγκεν πολλῇ μακροθυμίᾳ, βουλόμενος αὐτὸν εἰς μετάνοιαν ἀγαγεῖν: εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο ἤθελεν, οὐδ' ἂν ἐμακροθύμησεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν εἰς μετάνοιαν τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ χρήσασθαι, ἀλλ' ἀπήρτισεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς ὀργὴν, ἐχρήσατο αὐτῷ εἰς τὴν ἑτέρων διόρθωσιν διὰ τῆς εἰς ἐκεῖνον κολάσεως ἑτέρους σπουδαιοτέρους ποιῶν, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ ταύτῃ δεικνύς. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ βούλεται ὁ Θεὸς οὕτως αὐτοῦ γνωρίζεσθαι τὸ δυνατὸν, ἀλλὰ ἑτέρως δι' ὧν εὐεργετεῖ, δι' ὧν εὖ ποιεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο διὰ πάντων ἐδήλωσεν ἄνωθεν. Εἰ γὰρ Παῦλος οὐχ οὕτω βούλεται φαίνεσθαι δυνατός: Οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἡμεῖς δόκιμοι φανῶμεν, φησὶν, ἀλλ' ἵνα ὑμεῖς τὸ καλὸν ποιῆτε: πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἐμακροθύμησε μὲν, ἵνα εἰς μετάνοιαν ἀγάγῃ, οὐ μετενόησε δὲ ἐκεῖνος, ἤνεγκεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον, ὁμοῦ μὲν τὴν αὐτοῦ χρηστότητα ἐπιδεικνύμενος, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τὴν δύναμιν, εἰ μὴ βουληθείη τι κερδᾶναι ἐκεῖνος ἀπὸ τῆς πολλῆς ταύτης μακροθυμίας. Ὥσπερ οὖν τοῦτον ἀδιόρθωτον μείναντα κολάσας, ἔδειξεν αὑτοῦ τὴν δύναμιν: οὕτω τοὺς πολλὰ ἁμαρτήσαντας καὶ μετανοήσαντας ἐλεήσας, ἐδήλωσεν αὑτοῦ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν. θʹ. Ἀλλ' οὐκ εἶπε τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν δόξαν, δεικνὺς ὅτι τοῦτο μάλιστα δόξα Θεοῦ, καὶ τοῦτο πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ἐσπούδακεν. Ὅταν δὲ λέγῃ, Ἃ προητοίμασεν εἰς δόξαν, οὐ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ πᾶν εἶναί φησιν: ἐπεὶ εἰ τοῦτο ἦν, οὐδὲν ἐκώλυσεν ἅπαντας σώζεσθαι: ἀλλὰ πάλιν αὐτοῦ τὴν πρόγνωσιν δείκνυσι, καὶ τὸ μέσον Ἰουδαίων καὶ ἐθνῶν ἀναιρεῖ. Καὶ οὐ μικρὰν δὲ καὶ ἐντεῦθεν τῷ λόγῳ κατασκευάζει πάλιν ἀπολογίαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων οἱ μὲν ἀπώλοντο, οἱ δὲ ἐσώθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν τοῦτο γέγονε: διόπερ οὐδὲ λέγει τὰ ἔθνη πάντα, ἀλλ', Ἐξ ἐθνῶν: οὐδὲ, Ἰουδαίους πάντας, ἀλλὰ, Τοὺς ἐξ Ἰουδαίων. Ὥσπερ οὖν ὁ Φαραὼ σκεῦος ὀργῆς γέγονεν ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκείας παρανομίας: οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι σκεύη ἐλέους ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκείας εὐγνωμοσύνης. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ πλέον ἐστὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ αὐτοί τι μικρὸν εἰσηνέγκαμεν. Διὸ οὐδὲ εἶπε, σκεύη κατορθωμάτων, οὐδὲ, σκεύη παῤῥησίας, ἀλλὰ, Σκεύη ἐλέους, δεικνὺς, ὅτι τὸ πᾶν ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ, Οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος, εἰ καὶ ἐν τάξει ἀντιθέσεως εἴρηται, ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Παύλου λεγόμενον, οὐδεμίαν ἀπορίαν φέρει. Ὅταν γὰρ εἴπῃ, Οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος, οὐ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἀναιρεῖ, ἀλλὰ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι οὐ τὸ πᾶν αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ δεῖται τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος. Δεῖ μὲν γὰρ καὶ θέλειν καὶ τρέχειν, θαῤῥεῖν δὲ μὴ τοῖς οἰκείοις πόνοις, ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίᾳ: ὅπερ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ἔλεγεν: Οὐκ ἐγὼ δὲ, ἀλλ' ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ σὺν ἐμοί. Καὶ καλῶς εἶπεν: Ἃ προητοίμασεν εἰς δόξαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦτο ὠνείδιζον, ὅτι χάριτι ἐσώθησαν, καὶ καταισχύνειν αὐτοὺς ἐνόμιζον, ἐκ πολλῆς τῆς περιουσίας ταύτην ἀναιρεῖ τὴν ὑπόνοιαν. Εἰ γὰρ τῷ Θεῷ τὸ πρᾶγμα δόξαν ἤνεγκε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐκείνοις, δι' ὧν ὁ Θεὸς ἐδοξάσθη. Σκόπει δὲ αὐτοῦ εὐγνωμοσύνην καὶ σοφίαν ἄφατον. Δυνάμενος γὰρ μὴ τὸν Φαραὼ παρενεγκεῖν εἰς τὸν περὶ τῶν κολαζομένων λόγον, ἀλλ' ἐξ Ἰουδαίων τοὺς ἡμαρτηκότας, καὶ σαφέστερον μᾶλλον ποιῆσαι τὸν λόγον, καὶ δεῖξαι ὅτι ἔνθα οἱ αὐτοὶ πατέρες, ἔνθα τὰ αὐτὰ ἁμαρτήματα, οἱ μὲν ἀπώλοντο, οἱ δὲ ἠλεήθησαν, καὶ πεῖσαι μηκέτι διαπορεῖν, εἰ καὶ ἐξ ἐθνῶν τινες ἐσώθησαν, Ἰουδαίων ἀπολλυμένων: ἵνα μὴ ποιήσῃ τὸν λόγον φορτικὸν, τὴν μὲν τῆς κολάσεως ἀπόδειξιν ἀπὸ τοῦ βαρβάρου παράγει, ὥστε μὴ ἀναγκασθῆναι σκεύη ὀργῆς αὐτοὺς καλέσαι: τοὺς δὲ ἐλεουμένους ἀπὸ τοῦ δήμου τῶν Ἰουδαίων παράγει. Καίτοι γε ἱκανῶς καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀπολογεῖται, ὅτι καὶ σφόδρα αὐτὸν εἰδὼς ἀπαρτίζοντα ἑαυτὸν σκεῦος ἀπωλείας, ὅμως τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ εἰσήνεγκε, τὴν ἀνοχὴν, τὴν μακροθυμίαν, καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς μακροθυμίαν, ἀλλὰ πολλὴν μακροθυμίαν: ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων αὐτὸ γυμνάσαι. Πόθεν οὖν οἱ μὲν σκεύη ὀργῆς, οἱ δὲ ἐλέους; Ἀπὸ προαιρέσεως οἰκείας. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς σφόδρα ἀγαθὸς ὢν, ἐπ' ἀμφοτέρων τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιδείκνυται χρηστότητα. Καὶ γὰρ οὐχὶ τοὺς σωζομένους ἠλέησε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν Φαραὼ, τό γε αὐτοῦ μέρος: τῆς γὰρ αὐτῆς μακροθυμίας κἀκεῖνοι καὶ οὗτος ἀπήλαυσαν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἐσώθη, παρὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ γνώμην τὸ πᾶν: ὡς τό γε εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ἧκον, οὐδὲν ἔλαττον τῶν διασωθέντων ἔσχεν. Ἀποδοὺς τοίνυν τὴν λύσιν τῷ ζητήματι τὴν διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων, ὥστε καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ἀξιόπιστον ποιῆσαι τὸν λόγον, τοὺς προφήτας εἰσάγει τὰ αὐτὰ προαναφωνοῦντας. Καὶ γὰρ Ὠσηὲ, φησὶν, ἄνωθεν ταῦτα ἔγραφεν, οὕτω λέγων: Καλέσω τὸν οὐ λαόν μου, λαόν μου: καὶ τὴν οὐκ ἠγαπημένην, ἠγαπημένην. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγωσιν, ὅτι Παραλογίζῃ ἡμᾶς ταῦτα λέγων, τὸν Ὠσηὲ ἐκάλεσε μάρτυρα, βοῶντα καὶ λέγοντα: Καλέσω τὸν οὐ λαόν μου, λαόν μου. Τίς γὰρ ἦν ὁ οὐ λαός; Τὰ ἔθνη δῆλον. Καὶ τίς ἡ οὐκ ἠγαπημένη; Τὰ αὐτὰ πάλιν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἔφησεν αὐτοὺς καὶ Λαὸν καὶ Ἠγαπημένην, καὶ υἱοὺς Θεοῦ ἔσεσθαι. Ἐκεῖ γὰρ κληθήσονται, φησὶν, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ ζῶντος. Εἰ δὲ λέγοιεν περὶ τῶν ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πιστευσάντων τοῦτο εἰρῆσθαι, καὶ οὕτως ὁ λόγος ἵσταται. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγνωμονησάντων μετὰ πολλὰς εὐεργεσίας, καὶ ἀλλοτριωθέντων, καὶ τὸ λαὸς εἶναι ἀπολωλεκότων τοσαύτη γέγονεν ἡ μεταβολὴ, τί ἐκώλυσε καὶ τοὺς οὐ μετὰ τὴν οἰκείωσιν ἀλλοτριωθέντας, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀλλοτρίους ὄντας, κληθῆναι, καὶ ὑπακούσαντας τῶν αὐτῶν ἀξιωθῆναι; Παραγαγὼν τοίνυν τὸν Ὠσηὲ, οὐκ ἀρκεῖται τούτῳ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν Ἡσαΐαν μετ' ἐκεῖνον εἰσάγει συνῳδὰ τούτῳ φθεγγόμενον. Ἡσαΐας γὰρ κράζει, φησὶν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ: τουτέστι, μετὰ παῤῥησίας ἀναφωνεῖ, καὶ οὐχ ὑποστέλλεται. Τί τοίνυν ἡμῖν ἐγκαλεῖτε, ὅταν ἐκεῖνοι σάλπιγγος λαμπρότερον ταῦτα προαναφωνῶσι; Τί οὖν κράζει ὁ Ἡσαΐας; Ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, ὡσεὶ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάττης, τὸ ἐγκατάλειμμα σωθήσεται. Ὁρᾷς, ὅτι καὶ ἐκεῖνος οὐχὶ πάντας λέγει σώσεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀξίους σωθῆναι; Οὐ γὰρ αἰδοῦμαι τὸ πλῆθος, φησὶν, οὐδὲ δυσωπεῖ με τὸ γένος, οὕτως ἐκκεχυμένον, ἀλλ' ἐκείνους σώζω μόνον τοὺς ἀξίους ἑαυτοὺς παρέχοντας. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἄμμου θαλάσσης ἐμνημόνευσεν, ἀλλ' ἀναμιμνήσκων αὐτοὺς παλαιᾶς ἐπαγγελίας, ἧς ἀναξίους ἑαυτοὺς κατέστησαν. Τί τοίνυν θορυβεῖσθε, ὡς τῆς ὑποσχέσεως διαπεσούσης, τῶν προφητῶν ἁπάντων δηλούντων, οὐ πάντας εἶναι τοὺς σωζομένους; Εἶτα καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς σωτηρίας λέγει. Εἶδες ἀκρίβειαν προφητικὴν, καὶ σύνεσιν ἀποστολικὴν, οἵαν μαρτυρίαν ἐπήγαγε, πῶς σφόδρα ἐπιτηδείαν; Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὅτι τινές εἰσιν οἱ σωζόμενοι καὶ οὐχὶ πάντες, δείκνυσιν ἡμῖν αὕτη, ἀλλὰ καὶ πῶς σωθήσονται προστίθησι. Πῶς οὖν σωθήσονται; καὶ πῶς αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς ἀξιώσει τῆς εὐεργεσίας; Λόγον συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων, φησὶν, ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, ὅτι λόγον συντετμημένον ποιήσει Κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοῦτό ἐστιν: Οὐ περιόδου χρεία καὶ πόνων καὶ ταλαιπωρίας τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων τῶν νομίμων, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς συντομίας ἔσται ἡ σωτηρία. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ πίστις: ἐν βραχέσι ῥήμασιν ἔχει τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ἐὰν γὰρ ὁμολογήσῃς, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ στόματί σου Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, καὶ πιστεύσῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, σωθήσῃ. ιʹ. Εἶδες τί ἐστι, Λόγον συντετμημένον ποιήσει Κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς; Καὶ τὸ δὴ θαυμαστὸν, ὅτι ὁ βραχὺς οὗτος λόγος οὐ σωτηρίαν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐκόμισε. Καὶ καθὼς προείρηκεν Ἡσαΐας, Εἰ μὴ Κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα, ὡς Σόδομα ἂν ἐγενήθημεν, καὶ ὡς Γόμοῤῥα ἂν ὡμοιώθημεν. Πάλιν ἐνταῦθα ἄλλο τι δείκνυσιν, ὅτι οὐδ' αὐτοὶ οἱ ὀλίγοι οἴκοθεν διεσώθησαν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι ἀπώλοντο ἂν καὶ τὰ Σοδόμων ἔπαθον, τουτέστι, πανωλεθρίαν ὑπέμειναν ἄν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖνοι πρόῤῥιζοι πάντες ἀπώλοντο, καὶ οὐδὲ τὸ τυχὸν σπέρμα αὐτῶν κατέλιπον: καὶ οὗτοι γοῦν, φησὶν, ὡς ἐκεῖνοι ἂν ἐγένοντο, εἰ μὴ πολλῇ ὁ Θεὸς ἐχρήσατο τῇ ἀγαθότητι, καὶ διετήρησε διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτούς. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς αἰσθητῆς γέγονεν αἰχμαλωσίας: οἱ μὲν γὰρ πλείους ἀπήχθησαν καὶ ἀπώλοντο, ὀλίγοι δὲ διεσώθησαν μόνοι. Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν, φησίν; Ὅτι ἔθνη τὰ μὴ διώκοντα δικαιοσύνην κατέλαβε δικαιοσύνην, δικαιοσύνην δὲ τὴν ἐκ πίστεως: Ἰσραὴλ δὲ διώκων νόμον δικαιοσύνης, εἰς νόμον δικαιοσύνης οὐκ ἔφθασεν. Ἡ σαφεστάτη λύσις ἐνταῦθα λοιπόν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων ἔδειξεν: Οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ: καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν προγόνων τοῦ Ἰακὼβ καὶ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ τὴν κυριωτάτην ἐπάγει λύσιν ἐκ τοῦ Ὠσηὲ καὶ τοῦ Ἡσαΐου, πρότερον τὴν ἀπορίαν αὐξήσας. Καὶ γὰρ δύο ἐστὶ τὰ ζητούμενα, ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἐπέτυχε, καὶ μὴ διώκοντα ἐπέτυχε, τουτέστι, μὴ σπουδάσαντα. Καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὁμοίως τὰ δύο ἄπορα, ὅτι καὶ Ἰσραὴλ οὐκ ἐπέτυχε, καὶ σπουδάζων οὐκ ἐπέτυχε. Διὸ καὶ ταῖς λέξεσιν ἐμφαντικώτερον κέχρηται: οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἔσχε δικαιοσύνην, ἀλλὰ, Κατέλαβε. Τὸ γὰρ καινὸν μάλιστα καὶ παράδοξον τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι ὁ διώκων οὐ κατέλαβεν, ὁ δὲ μὴ διώκων κατέλαβε. Καὶ δοκεῖ μὲν αὐτοῖς χαρίζεσθαι τῷ λέγειν, Διώκων: ὕστερον δὲ καιρίαν ἐπάγει τὴν πληγήν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔχει ἰσχυρὰν λύσιν ἐπαγαγεῖν, οὐδὲν δέδοικε χαλεπωτέραν ποιῶν τὴν ἀντίθεσιν. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ περὶ πίστεως διαλέγεται, καὶ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν δικαιοσύνης, ἀλλὰ δείκνυσι πρὸ τῆς πίστεως καὶ ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις ἡττηθέντας αὐτοὺς καὶ καταδεδικασμένους. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ, ὦ Ἰουδαῖε, φησὶν, οὐδὲ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου δικαιοσύνην εὗρες: παρέβης γὰρ αὐτὸν, καὶ ὑπεύθυνος γέγονας τῇ ἀρᾷ: οὗτοι δὲ οἱ μὴ διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐλθόντες, ἀλλ' ἑτέρας ὁδοῦ, μείζονα ταύτης εὗρον δικαιοσύνην, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως: ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ἀνώτερον ἔλεγεν. Εἰ γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη, ἔχει καύχημα, ἀλλ' οὐ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν: δεικνὺς, ὅτι αὕτη ἡ δικαιοσύνη μείζων ἐκείνης ἐστίν. Ἔμπροσθεν μὲν οὖν ἔλεγον, ὅτι δύο ἐστὶ τὰ ἀπορούμενα, νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τρία τὰ ζητήματα γέγονεν: ὅτι τὰ ἔθνη καὶ εὗρε δικαιοσύνην, καὶ μὴ διώκοντα εὗρε, καὶ μείζονα εὗρε τῆς ἐκ τοῦ νόμου. Τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων διαπορεῖται πάλιν ἐξ ἐναντίας, ὅτι Ἰσραὴλ οὐχ εὗρε, καὶ σπουδάζων οὐχ εὗρε, καὶ τὴν ἐλάττονα οὐχ εὗρεν. Ἐμβαλὼν τοίνυν εἰς ἀπορίαν τὸν ἀκροατὴν, ἐπάγει λοιπὸν σύντομον τὴν λύσιν, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν φησὶ τῶν εἰρημένων ἁπάντων. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν ἡ αἰτία; Ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐξ ἔργων νόμου. Αὕτη ἡ σαφεστάτη τοῦ χωρίου παντὸς λύσις, ἣν εὐθέως ἐκ προοιμίων εἰ εἶπεν, οὐκ ἂν οὕτως εὐπαράδεκτος ἐγεγόνει: ἐπειδὴ δὲ μετὰ πολλὰς ἀπορίας καὶ κατασκευὰς καὶ ἀποδείξεις αὐτὴν τέθεικε, καὶ προδιορθώσεσι μυρίαις ἐχρήσατο, εὐμαθεστέραν τε αὐτὴν λοιπὸν καὶ εὐπαράδεκτον μᾶλλον ἐποίησε. Τοῦτο γὰρ αἴτιον τῆς ἀπωλείας αὐτῶν φησιν, Ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐξ ἔργων νόμου ἠθέλησαν δικαιωθῆναι. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐξ ἔργων, ἀλλ', Ὡς ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐδὲ ταύτην ἔσχον τὴν δικαιοσύνην. Προσέκοψαν γὰρ τῷ λίθῳ τοῦ προσκόμματος, καθὼς γέγραπται: Ἰδοὺ τίθημι ἐν Σιὼν λίθον προσκόμματος, καὶ πέτραν σκανδάλου: καὶ πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτὸν οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται. Εἶδες πάλιν πῶς ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως ἡ παῤῥησία, καὶ καθολικὴ ἡ δωρεά; Οὐ γὰρ περὶ Ἰουδαίων εἴρηται μόνον, ἀλλὰ περὶ παντὸς τοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένους. Πᾶς γὰρ, φησὶ, κἂν Ἰουδαῖος, κἂν Ἕλλην, κἂν Σκύθης, κἂν Θρᾲξ, κἂν ὁστισοῦν ἕτερος ᾖ πιστεύσας, πολλῆς ἀπολαύσεται τῆς παῤῥησίας. Τὸ δὲ θαυμαστὸν τοῦ προφήτου, ὅτι οὐχ ὅτι πιστεύσουσι μόνον εἶπεν, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ ἀπιστήσουσι: τὸ γὰρ προσκόψαι, τὸ ἀπιστῆσαί ἐστιν. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἀνωτέρω τούς τε ἀπολλυμένους τούς τε σωζομένους ἐδήλωσεν εἰπὼν, Ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ὡσεὶ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάττης, τὸ ἐγκατάλειμμα σωθήσεται: καὶ, Εἰ μὴ Κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα, ὡς Σόδομα ἂν ἐγενήθημεν: καὶ, Ἐκάλεσεν οὐ μόνον ἐξ Ἰουδαίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ ἐθνῶν: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα λέγει, ὅτι οἱ μὲν πιστεύσουσιν, οἱ δὲ προσκόψουσι: τὸ δὲ προσκόπτειν ἐκ τοῦ μὴ προσέχειν γίνεται, ἐκ τοῦ πρὸς ἕτερα κεχηνέναι. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ οὗτοι τῷ νόμῳ προσεῖχον, προσέκοψαν τῷ λίθῳ. Προσκόμματος δὲ λίθον καὶ πέτραν σκανδάλου φησὶν ἀπὸ τῆς γνώμης καὶ τοῦ τέλους τῶν μὴ πιστευσάντων. Ἄρα ὑμῖν δῆλα γέγονε τὰ εἰρημένα, ἢ πολλῆς ἔτι δεῖται τῆς σαφηνείας; Ἐγὼ μὲν οἶμαι τοῖς προσεσχηκόσιν εὐσύνοπτα εἶναι: εἰ δέ τινας διέλαθεν, ἔξεστι καὶ ἰδίᾳ συντυχόντας ἐρωτῆσαι καὶ μαθεῖν. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ εἰς μακρότερον ἐξήνεγκα τοῦ λόγου τὴν ἐξήγησιν, ἵνα μὴ ἀναγκασθῶ, διατεμὼν τὸ συνεχὲς τῆς ἀκολουθίας λυμήνασθαι τὴν σαφήνειαν τῶν λεγομένων. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα καταλύσω τὸν λόγον, οὐδὲν περὶ τῶν ἠθικωτέρων ὑμῖν διαλεχθεὶς, ὅπερ ἔθος ἡμῖν ποιεῖν, ὥστε μὴ πάλιν ἐπισκοτίσαι τῇ μνήμῃ τὰ πλήθη τῶν λεγομένων. Ὥρα δὴ λοιπὸν καταλῦσαι εἰς τὸ προσῆκον τέλος, κατακλείσαντας τὸν λόγον, τὴν δοξολογίαν τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ, κοινῇ τοίνυν ἀναπαυσάμενοι ἡμεῖς τε οἱ λέγοντες, ὑμεῖς τε οἱ ἀκούοντες, ἀναπέμψωμεν αὐτῷ δόξαν, ὅτι αὐτοῦ ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.