Chapter XXXIII.—But Let Us Not Give Up the Practice of Good Works and Love.  God Himself is an Example to Us of Good Works.

What shall we do,164    I. ἐροῦμιν (shall we say). then, brethren?  Shall we become slothful in well-doing, and cease from the practice of love?  God forbid that any such course should be followed by us!  But rather let us hasten with all energy and readiness of mind to perform every good work.  For the Creator and Lord of all Himself rejoices in His works.  For by His infinitely great power He established the heavens, and by His incomprehensible wisdom He adorned them.  He also divided the earth from the water which surrounds it, and fixed it upon the immovable foundation of His own will.  The animals also which are upon it He commanded by His own word165    Or, “commandment.” into existence.  So likewise, when He had formed166    I. προετοιμάσας (having previously prepared). the sea, and the living creatures which are in it, He enclosed them [within their proper bounds] by His own power.  Above all,167    Or, “in addition to all.” with His holy and undefiled hands He formed man, the most excellent [of His creatures], and truly great through the understanding given him—the express likeness of His own image.  For thus says God:  “Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness.  So God made man; male and female He created them.”168    Gen. i. 26, 27.  Having thus finished all these things, He approved them, and blessed them, and said, “Increase and multiply.”169    Gen. i. 28.  We see,170    Or, “let us consider.” then, how all righteous men have been adorned with good works, and how the Lord Himself, adorning Himself with His works, rejoiced.  Having therefore such an example, let us without delay accede to His will, and let us work the work of righteousness with our whole strength.

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΛΓ’. Τί οὖν ποιήσωμεν, ἀδελφοί; ἀργήσωμεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγαθοποιΐας καὶ ἐγκαταλίπωμεν τὴν ἀγάπην; Μηθαμῶς τοῦτο ἐάσαι ὁ δεσπότης ἐφ' ἡμῖν γε γενηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ σπεύσωμεν μετὰ ἐκτενείας καὶ προθυμίας πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐπιτελεῖν. Aὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ δημιουργὸς καὶ δεσπότης τῶν ἁπάντων ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ ἀγαλλιᾶται. Τῷ γὰρ παμμεγεθεστάτῳ αὐτοῦ κράτει οὐρανοὺς ἐστήρισεν καὶ τῇ ἀκαταλήπτῳ αὐτοῦ συνέσει διεκόσμησεν αὐτούς· γῆν τε διεχώρισεν ἀπὸ τοῦ περιέχοντος αὐτὴν ὕδατος καὶ ἥδρασεν ἐπὶ τὸν ἀσφαλῆ τοῦ ἰδίου βουλήματος θεμέλιον, τά τε ἐν αὐτῇ ζῷα φοιτῶντα τῇ ἑαυτοῦ διατάξει ἐκέλευσεν εἶναι· θάλασσαν καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ζῷα προετοιμάσας ἐνέκλεισεν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμει. Ἐπὶ πᾶσι τὸ ἐξοχώτατον καὶ παμμέγεθες, ἄνθρωπον, ταῖς ἱεραῖς καὶ ἀμώμοις χερσὶν ἔπλασεν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ εἰκόνος χαρακτῆρα. Oὕτως γάρ φησιν ὁ θεός· «Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν ἡμετέραν. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὐτούς.» Ταῦτα οὖν πάντα τελειώσας ἐπῄνεσεν αὐτὰ καὶ ηὐλόγησεν καὶ εἶπεν· «Aὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε.» Ἴδωμεν, ὅτι ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς πάντες ἐκοσμήθησαν οἱ δίκαιοι, καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ κύριος ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς ἑαυτὸν κοσμήσας ἐχάρη. Ἔχοντες οὖν τοῦτον τὸν ὑπογραμμὸν ἀόκνως προσέλθωμεν τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ· ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος ἡμῶν ἐργασώμεθα ἔργον δικαιοσύνης.