30. And not only Paul, but generally all those to whom is committed any ministry of the word, never cease from testifying, but call heaven and earth to witness on the ground that now every deed that is done is done within them, and that in the examination of all the actions of life they will be present with the judged. So it is said, “He shall call to the heavens above and to earth, that he may judge his people.”  5  Ps. l. 4. And so Moses when about to deliver his oracles to the people says, “I call heaven and earth to witness this day;”  6  Deut. iv. 26. and again in his song he says, “Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak, and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth;”  7  Deut. xxxii. 1. and Isaiah, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;”  8  Isa. i. 2. and Jeremiah describes astonishment in heaven at the tidings of the unholy deeds of the people: “The heaven was astonished at this, and was horribly afraid, because my people committed two evils.”  9  Jer. ii. 12, 13, lxx. And so the apostle, knowing the angels to be set over men as tutors and guardians, calls them to witness. Moreover, Joshua, the son of Nun, even set up a stone as witness of his words (already a heap somewhere had been called a witness by Jacob),  10  Gen. xxxi. 47. for he says, “Behold this stone shall be a witness unto you this day to the end of days, when ye lie to the Lord our God,”  11  Josh. xxiv. 27, lxx. perhaps believing that by God’s power even the stones would speak to the conviction of the transgressors; or, if not, that at least each man’s conscience would be wounded by the force of the reminder. In this manner they who have been entrusted with the stewardship of souls provide witnesses, whatever they may be, so as to produce them at some future day. But the Spirit is ranked together with God, not on account of the emergency of the moment, but on account of the natural fellowship; is not dragged in by us, but invited by the Lord.

[30] Καὶ οὐχ οὗτος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντες ἁπλῶς οἱ λόγου τινὰ διακονίαν πεπιστευμένοι, οὐδένα χρόνον διαμαρτυρόμενοι παύονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐπιβοῶνται: ὡς καὶ νῦν πάσης πράξεως εἴσω αὐτῶν τελουμένης, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐξετάσει τῶν βεβιωμένων συνεσομένων τοῖς κρινομένοις. «Προσκαλέσεται γάρ, φησί, τὸν οὐρανὸν ἄνω, καὶ τὴν γῆν, τοῦ διακρῖναι τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ.» Ὅθεν Μωϋσῆς παρατίθεσθαι μέλλων τὰ λόγια τῷ λαῷ, «διαμαρτύρομαι ὑμῖν, φησί, σήμερον τόν τε οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν». Καὶ πάλιν τὴν ᾠδὴν λέγων: «Πρόσεχε, οὐρανέ, καὶ λαλήσω, καὶ ἀκουέτω γῆ ῥήματα ἐκ στόματός μου.» Καὶ Ἠσαΐας: «Ἄκουε, οὐρανέ, καὶ ἐνωτίζου, γῆ.» Ἰερεμίας δὲ καὶ ἔκστασίν τινα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκοῇ τῶν ἀνοσίων ἔργων τοῦ λαοῦ διηγεῖται: «Ἐξέστη ὁ οὐρανὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ, καὶ ἔφριξεν ἐπὶ πλεῖον σφόδρα, ὅτι δύο καὶ πονηρὰ ἐποίησεν ὁ λαός μου.» Καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος τοίνυν ὥσπερ παιδαγωγούς τινας ἢ παιδονόμους ἐπιτεταγμένους τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τοὺς ἀγγέλους εἰδώς, εἰς μαρτυρίαν ἐπεκαλέσατο. Ἰησοῦς δὲ ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ καὶ λίθον μάρτυρα τῶν λόγων ἔστησεν_ἤδη δέ που καὶ βουνὸς μάρτυς παρὰ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ὠνομάσθη. _ «Ἔσται γάρ, φησίν, ὁ λίθος ἐν ὑμῖν σήμερον εἰς μαρτύριον ἐπ' ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν, ἡνίκα ἂν ψεύσησθε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν»: τάχα μέν που πιστεύων τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς λίθους φωνὴν ἀφήσειν, εἰς ἔλεγχον τῶν παραβεβηκότων: εἰ δὲ μή, ἀλλὰ τό γε ἑκάστου συνειδὸς τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τῆς ὑπομνήσεως πάντως κατατρωθήσεσθαι. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν τοὺς μάρτυρας, οἵτινές ποτ' ἂν ὦσιν, ὥστε εἰς ὕστερον αὐτοὺς παραστήσεσθαι, οἱ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῶν ψυχῶν πεπιστευμένοι προετοιμάζονται. Τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα οὐ διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ καιροῦ χρείαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἐκ φύσεως κοινωνίαν συντέτακται τῷ Θεῷ, οὐχ ὑφ' ἡμῶν ἑλκυσθέν, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου παραληφθέν.