28. For if the God of Martyrs had not checked his impiety, nor had dried up, like a poisonous stream, his intended and concealed villany, or cut it short by what means He only knew, according to His hidden wisdom and government, like as He suffered the iniquities of the Amorites to fill up their measure; but it was needful that his evil intention should be hated, and his offering be rejected, for the edification of the multitude, and that the justice and purity of God with respect to the things offered unto Himself should be manifested to the world.

ΚΗʹ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὴν ἀσέβειαν οὐκ ἐπέσχεν ὁ τῶν μαρτύρων Θεὸς, οὐδὲ τὴν μελετωμένην καὶ κρυπτομένην κακίαν ὥσπερ ῥεῦμα πονηρὸν εὐθὺς ἀνεξήρανεν, ἢ ἀνέκοψεν, οἷς αὐτὸς ἠπίστατο λόγοις, κατὰ τὴν ἄῤῥητον αὐτοῦ σοφίαν τε καὶ κυβέρνησιν, καθ' ἣν καὶ τὰς Ἀμοῤῥαίων ἀνομίας ἀναπληρωθῆναι ᾠκονόμει: ἀλλ' ἔδει τήν τε κακοήθειαν μισηθῆναι, καὶ τὴν τιμὴν ἀπωσθῆναι τῶν πολλῶν ἕνεκεν, καὶ δειχθῆναι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν περὶ πάντα τὰ προσφερόμενα ἰσότητά τε καὶ καθαρότητα.