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errors. And let the example be from heresies; for if one of the impious should posit the Father as pre-existing the Son, many falsehoods follow from this principle, it being unsound. For he will suppose the Son to be a creature subject to correction, not eternal; for it is not possible for something to pre-exist the eternal. But if, according to their unsound hypothesis, the Father pre-exists, the Son would not be 93 eternal. It follows that he is a creature and a thing made, from which it follows that he is mutable and subject to change. This being so, he will not be God according to essence. Therefore, if ever you encounter unsound doctrines, seek out their first principle. For when this is overturned, the whole thing falls with it. Let a second example of the same be set forth. There are some who introduce docetism, thinking that the Savior appeared in semblance. One must ask for what reason he visited, and it is clear that it was for the sake of the salvation of men. But if he appeared in semblance, and if the teaching was in semblance, and the cross and the assumption, from which it follows that salvation also occurred in semblance and not in reality. which followed from the absurd principle. And so in the words set forth by Eliphaz there is something of this sort. There are two irrefutable principles for the gloomy things that befall men, one for the correction of sins, and the other for the purpose of demonstrating the courage and proof of those who are afflicted, which the following oracle signifies: "Blessed is the man who endures 94 temptation, because when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which he promised to those who love him." and again: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, because the testing of affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces approval, and approval hope." It is also possible to receive testimonies from the holy scriptures for the other kind. For it has been said: "I will bear the wrath of the Lord because I have sinned against him." For he says the infliction came about because of sin. Therefore, painful things are common to both the virtuous and the wicked, but the manner of the cause is different. At any rate, the things inflicted upon sinners because of the wickednesses they have committed are called "scourges" in the passage: "Many are the scourges of the sinner, but mercy will surround him who hopes in the Lord." And again: "If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments, and do not keep my statutes, and do not observe my commandments, I will visit their iniquities with a rod and their sins with scourges." These 95 same events and the same grievous and circumstantial things, when inflicted on the just, are not called "scourges" but "afflictions": "Many are the afflictions of the just," and: "In the affliction of the Lord I remembered." But also concerning the just man who is for the most part afflicted, according to what is said: "in everything afflicted, but not crushed," it is said: "and a scourge shall not come near your tent." Grievous things inflicted on someone, as has been said before, happen according to two irrefutable principles, either for the sake of punishment and correction or so that someone, having borne them with magnanimity, may obtain crowns for endurance and courage. Ignorant of this, Job's friends thought that he was afflicted according to one of these two ways, as one who turns aside on account of sins. At any rate, they did not posit the other way, although they were conscious of no sin in Job. For how was it possible, when it was testified of him that every day he steadfastly attended to his session with God, offering sacrifices on behalf of his sons, "lest they have thought evil things." For no sin of theirs was apparent. For which reason also 96 he made the offering on behalf of their thought. And this is even greater, that it was also testified of him by God, who said that "he was a just man, blameless" and what follows. Nevertheless, his friends, thinking, as has been said, that the inflictions are sent only according to the one way, did not dare to attribute these to a just man, wishing to show providence, that it brings afflictions in proportion to what has been done. And because of this assumption of theirs, contrary things to

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σφάλματα. καὶ ἔστω ἀφ' αἱρέσεων τὸ παράδειγμα· εἰ γάρ τις ἀσεβῶν θείη προϋπάρχοντα τὸν πατέρα τοῦ υἱοῦ, ταύτῃ τῇ ἀρχῇ σαθρᾷ οὔσῃ πολλὰ ἕπεται ψευδῆ· κτίσμα γὰρ εὐθυντὸν τὸν υἱὸν ὑπολήμψεται, οὐκ ἀΐδιον· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε ἀϊδίου προϋπάρχοντος. εἰ δὲ προϋπάρχει κατὰ τὴν σαθρὰν ὑπόθεσιν αὐτῶν ὁ πατήρ, οὐκ ἂν εἴη ὁ υἱὸς 93 ἀΐδιος. κτίσμα δὲ καὶ ποίημα αὐτὸν εἶναι ἕπεται, οἷς ἀκολουθεῖ τὸ τρεπτὸν εἶναι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀλλοιω τόν. τούτου οὕτως ἔχοντος οὐκ ἔσται κατ' οὐσίαν θεός. διόπερ εἴ ποτε σαθροῖς δόγμασιν περιτύχοις, τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτῶν ζήτει. ταύτης γὰρ ἀνατραπείσης συναπέρχεται ὅλα. ἐκκείσθω δὲ καὶ δεύτερον τοῦ αὐτοῦ παράδειγμα. εἰσίν τινες, οἳ τὴν δόκησιν εἰσάγουσιν, τῶι δοκεῖν πεφάνθαι τὸν ςωτῆρα φρονοῦντες. ζητητέον, τίνος ἕνεκα ἐπεδήμησεν, καὶ δῆλον, ὡς τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίας χάριν. εἰ δὲ δοκήσει ὤφθη καὶ εἰ διδασκαλία δοκήσει γέγονε, καὶ ὁ σταυρὸς καὶ ἡ ἀνάλημψις, οἷς ἕπεται δοκήσει καὶ τὴν σωτηρίαν καὶ οὐκ ἀληλθείᾳ γεγενῆσθαι. ὅπερ κατὰ τὴν ἄτοπον ἀρχὴν ἠκολούθησεν. καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐκτεθέντων τοίνυν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἐλιφὰζ λόγων τοιοῦτόν τι ἔστιν. δύο εἰσὶν ἀρχαὶ ἀναντίρρητοι τῶν ἐπιφερομένων ἀνθρώποις σκυθρωπῶν, μία μὲν ἡ κατὰ διόρθωσιν ἁμαρτημάτων, ἑτέρα δὲ ἡ πρὸς τὸ ἀνα δειχθῆναι ἀνδρείαν καὶ δοκιμὴν τῶν θλιβομένων, ὅπερ σημαίνει τὸ οὕτως ἔχον λόγιον· "μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὃς ὑπο94 μένει πειρασμόν, ὅτι δόκιμος γενάμενος λήμψεται τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς, ὃν ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν." καὶ πάλιν· "πᾶσαν χαρὰν ἡγήσασθε, ἀδελφοί μου, ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσητε ποικίλοις, ὅτι τὸ δοκίμιον τῆς θλίψεως κατεργάζεται ὑπομονήν, ἡ δὲ δ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα." ἔστιν δὲ καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου εἴδους ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων γραφῶν δέξασθαι μαρτύρια. εἴρηται γάρ· "ὀργὴν κυρίου ὑποίσω ὅτι ἥμαρτον αὐτῷ." τὴν γὰρ ἐπαγωγὴν δι' ἁμάρτημά φησιν γενέσθαι. κοινὰ τοίνυν τὰ ἐπίπονα καὶ σπουδαίῳ καὶ φαύλῳ, ἀλλ' ὁ τρόπος τῆς αἰτίας διάφορος. ἀμέλει γοῦν τὰ τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς διὰ τὰς γεγενημένας κακίας ἐπαγόμενα "μάστιγες" λέγονται ἐν τῷ· "πολλαὶ αἱ μάστιγες τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, τὸν δὲ ἐλπίζοντα ἐπὶ κύριον ἔλεος κυκλώσει." καὶ πάλιν· "ἐὰν ἐνκαταλίπωσιν οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ τὸν νόμον μου καὶ ἐν τοῖς κρίμασίν μου μὴ πορευθῶσιν, καὶ τὰ δικαιώματά μου μὴ φυλάξωσιν, καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς μου μὴ τηρήσωσιν, ἐπισκέψομαι ἐν ῥάβδωι τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν μάστιξιν τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν." τὰ αὐ95 τὰ ταῦτα συμπτώματα καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ ἀνιαρὰ καὶ περιστατικὰ τοῖς δικαίοις ἐπαγόμενα οὐ λέγονται "μάστιγες" ἀλλὰ "θλίψεις"· "πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων", καί· "ἐν θλίψει τοῦ κυρίου ἐμνήσθην." ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ δικαίου τοῦ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον θλιβομένου κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· "ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι, ἀλλ' οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι" λέγεται· "καὶ μάστιξ οὐκ ἐγγιεῖ τῷ σκηνώματί σου." τὰ ἐπαγόμενά τινι θλιβηρά, ὡς προείρηται, κατὰ δύο ἀναντιρρήτους ἀρχὰς συμβαίνει, ἢ ἐπιτιμίας ἕνεκα καὶ διορθώσεως ἢ ἵνα τις μεγαλοψύχως ἐνεγκὼν αὐτὰ ἐπὶ καρτερίᾳ καὶ ἀνδρείᾳ στεφάνων τύχῃ. τοῦτο ἀγνοήσαντες οἱ φίλοι τοῦ Ἰὼβ κατὰ τὸν ἕτερον τῶν δύο τούτων τρόπον ᾠήθησαν ὡς παρατρεπόμενος διὰ ἁμαρτήματα θλίβεται. οὐκ ἐντίθεσαν γοῦν τὸν ἕτερον τρόπον, καίτοι μηδὲν συνειδότες τῷ Ἰὼβ ἁμάρτημα. πῶς γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν, μαρτυρουμένου αὐτοῦ, ὡς καθ' ἡμέραν τῇ πρὸς θεὸν παρεδρίᾳ καρτερῶς προσεῖχεν ἀναφέρων ὑπὲρ τῶν υἱῶν θυσίας "μήποτε κακὰ ἐνενόησαν". οὐδὲν γὰρ φαινόμενον αὐτῶν ἐτύγχανεν ἁμάρτημα. διὸ καὶ 96 ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐννοίας αὐτῶν τὴν προσφορὰν ἐποίει. τοῦτο δὲ καὶ μεῖζον, ὅτι καὶ ὑπὸ θεοῦ ἐμαρτυρεῖτο λέγοντος ὡς "ἀνὴρ δίκαιος ἦν, ἄμεμπτος" καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ὅμως δὲ οἱ φίλοι κατὰ μόνον ὡς εἴρηται τὸν ἕτερον τρόπον τὰς ἐπαγωγὰς ἐπιπέμπεσθαι νο μίζοντες δικαίῳ προσθεῖν̣αι ταύτας οὐκ ἐτόλμων, δηλοῦν τὴν πρόνοιαν θέλοντες, ὅτι πρὸς τὰ πεπραγμένα τὰς θλίψεις ἐπάγει. διὰ ταύτην δὲ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ὑπόλημψιν ἀντίθετα πρὸς