Catecheses ad illuminandos
grace. He does not give what is holy to the dogs but where He sees a good purpose, there He gives the seal of salvation, the wondrous one, which demo
may He keep you well-pleasing to Him To whom be the glory [and the power] unto the endless ages of ages. Amen. 2.t CATECHESIS II. OF THOSE WHO ARE TO
teachings, but of Ezekiel the Spirit-bearing prophet. For he, having taken up a lamentation for him, says: You are the seal of the likeness, and the c
extending the time? Therefore, what He did then after the hundred years, could He not have done immediately? But He deliberately extended it, giving a
the most swift change of the philanthropic God. Nevertheless, he says: In provoking, you have provoked the enemies of the Lord you had many enemies o
it is written: When you turn back and groan, then you shall be saved. He turned to the wall, and stretching his mind from his bed to heaven, (for the
therefore despair of his own salvation. Peter, the chiefest and leader of the apostles, denied the Lord three times at the word of a servant-girl but
having received it, acquires a power of holiness. 3.4 For since man is twofold, composed of soul and body, the purification is also twofold the incor
wearing a garment of camel's hair, and showing in himself the type of asceticism who also was sanctified by the Holy Spirit, while still being carrie
I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? And the martyrs indeed confess, having become a spectacle to the world, both to
of such is a form of licentiousness. What is greater than crucifying Christ? And of this the purification is baptism. For to the three thousand who ca
well, and to fornicate shamefully? What again is the benefit of being chaste well, and blaspheming impiously? The greatest possession, therefore, is t
they worshipped the passion through what was seen but others, being amazed at the brightness of gold, deified both it and the other materials. But if
being holy but for those from Adam, who had been shut up for a long time, not to obtain liberty at last? Isaiah the prophet preached so many things a
Christ, having descended in the form of a dove that which worked in the Law and the Prophets that which now also at the time of baptism seals your s
The soul has free will and the devil can make suggestions, but to compel against the will, he does not have the power. He suggests to you a thought o
bodies those who have come to marriage for the sake of begetting children, but not for the sake of loving pleasure. 4.26 And let those in a first mar
They say that this body is not raised. For it is raised and Isaiah is a witness, saying, The dead will be raised, and those in the tombs will be resu
tamper with the statutes. And of the Old Testament, as has been said, study the twenty-two books which, if you are a lover of learning, be zealous to
being about to become a partaker of the appellation. 5.2 Here, therefore, it is required, that one of you be found faithful from conscience. For it is
was left behind. God promises childbearing to the old man and Abraham, not being weak in faith, and considering his own body now dead paid attention
a dead man of four days, and on his own behalf to beseech the Redeemer? But what was lacking in the deceased, this was fulfilled through his true sist
hearken to the things which have been delivered and to hold this as a provision for the whole journey of life, and besides it to receive no other no
I do not speak of you who are present only, but even if all the flock of the whole ecumenical church, both that which now is and that which will be, s
they contain, and archangels according to their ability But Thrones and Dominions, more so than the former, but less than is their due. But only the
the earth is His footstool, but His power reaches even to those under the earth. 6.9 He is one, present everywhere, seeing all things, understanding a
of great blindness! If it is a divinity, it is certainly also good but if it is not good, why is it called a divinity? For if goodness belongs to God
and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. [Who also] brought down from the air to the earth the one considered God, who
eponymous, which began formerly in the reign of the emperor Probus. For the error is a full seventy years old, and there are men up to the present day
the Holy, has no forgiveness. Therefore, he blasphemed, calling himself the Holy Spirit. He who has fellowship with them, let him see with whom he ran
to have will be taken away. 6.29 And if it is necessary, and as some interpret, to say this: for the saying is not trivial even if he blinded the min
Into what, then, are these sons of rapine transformed? 6.32 Manichaeans, the offspring of idleness, who do not work and devour the things of those who
Do not withdraw. Hate also those who were once suspected of such things and if you do not in time comprehend their repentance, do not rashly entrust
between the doctrines concerning the Father, being in no way separated. 7.4 For the name of the Father, with the very utterance of the designation, al
we have been deemed worthy, Our Father who art in heaven, but the gift is according to loving-kindness. For not being born by nature from the Father i
Therefore the Psalm says to humanity: And forget your people, and your father's house, whom you chose as father, whom you drew to destruction. 7.13 No
ALMIGHTY. And a reading from Jeremiah: The great God, and the mighty Lord great in counsel, and mighty in works, the Almighty, the Lord of great name
a time for repentance, but having an unrepentant heart, they may be condemned more severely. Kings of men are those who rule upon the earth, but not w
Gabriel, being a servant of the Lord, appeared, and immediately he was terrified and fell on his face and until the angel forced himself into the lik
as the command ordained) how in summer, becoming higher, it makes the days longer, giving opportunity for work to men but in winter, it shortens its
the face of a man and it is changed into bread, strengthening the heart of man, and into all sorts of created fruits. 9.10 For these things, what was
all, which proceeds from every living creature? Already even from venomous vipers have antidotes proceeded for the salvation of men. But you will say
the only-begotten being indignant? 10.2 If anyone therefore wishes to be pious toward God, let him worship the Son, since the Father does not accept t
not called Lord in a figurative sense as we are, but in truth being Lord since by the will of the Father He rules over His own creations. For we have
all things have been subjected to him it is clear that this is with the exception of the one who subjected all things to him, [and the rest] that Go
name, lest from knowing clearly, they should readily plot against him. But he was called Jesus, not by men, but openly by an angel, who came not on hi
New is the name of Christians, and before this it did not exist, and new things are often spoken against because of their strangeness. The prophet sec
of God. The winds bear witness, being commanded and muzzled. The five loaves bear witness, multiplied for five thousand. The holy wood of the cross be
Our Lord Jesus Christ, but by the many he was unknown. And wishing to teach what was unknown, gathering the disciples, he asked: Who do they say that
he has not believed in the only-begotten Son of God. Concerning whom John, bearing witness, said: And we have seen His glory, glory as of an only-bego
Thus, we affirm. And not we alone are ignorant of the generation of the Son from the Father, but also all created nature. Ask the earth to tell, if it
more swiftly than our words or thoughts, He begot. For we, speaking in times, consume times but in the case of the divine power, the generation is ti
more briefly, let us neither separate, nor work a confusion. And never say the Son is alien from the Father nor accept those who say that the Father
dominions, or whatever is named, all things were made through Christ. He reigns over the things made by him not seizing a foreign dominion, but reign
to the Father and to the Holy Spirit,] now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. 12.t The twelfth catechesis of those being enlightened, delivere
is it for a virgin to give birth without a man? But since there is much contradiction and the battle is manifold, come, by the grace of Christ and the
preaching for salvation, do you speak in secret? Go up on a high mountain, you who bring good news to Zion I have spoken to the cities of Judah. What
having become man, since otherwise we could not contain him. For since we were not able to look upon or enjoy him as he was, he became what we are, so
human sophistries? are not the divine scriptures our salvation? are not the prophecies of the prophets? Therefore keep this deposit for me unshaken, a
they amount to four hundred eighty-three years. He said, therefore, that after Jerusalem was built, four hundred eighty-three years having passed and
Therefore, when Ahaz was king, Isaiah having said this, Ahaz having reigned for only sixteen years, and the prophecy to him having been spoken during
with adulteries and licentiousness. He who formed Adam also formed Eve, and by divine hands the male and the female were formed. None of the members i
to men from the female sex is the grace. For Eve was born from Adam, and not conceived from a mother, but as if brought forth from a man alone. Theref
See that a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see me having. Let the Lord who was born of a virgin be worshipped, and let the virgins know t
to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For he was not a mere man, as has been said, who was dying for us, but the Son of God, God made man.
having just come from the table and drunk the cup of blessing instead of the drink of salvation, he wanted to pour out righteous blood. He who ate his
and since the remaining time of the hour is circumscribed to a little, hear now a few of the most important, as is possible. But having received these
they have clay foundries. For by filtering out the fine and the rich and the useful part of the earth from the pebbles and separating the bulk of the
of the earth. Hold to the accuracy of the prophets and true testimony. 13.15 Marvel at the Lord being judged. He endured being led and carried by sold
thought, saying. Did He who knows the thoughts not know the outcome then? And what did they say? Come and let us put wood into his bread. And if the L
of peace, rejoice in the cross only, but also in time of persecution have the same faith. Do not be a friend of Jesus in time of peace and an enemy in
They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast a lot. And the lot was the allotment. 13.27 Again, being judged before Pilate
darkened. Wherefore he also justly heard: take courage not because your deeds are worthy of courage, but because a king is present, bestowing grace.
nor did he unwillingly give up his spirit? He called to the Father, saying: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. I commit it, that I may take i
He was condemned to death. The thirty pieces of silver bear witness. Gethsemane bears witness, where the betrayal took place. I do not yet speak of th
he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. and what follows. 14.1 Rejoice, Jerusalem, and hold a festival, all you who love Jesus fo
says: Lord, you have brought up my soul from Hades. There he says prophetically, you will not abandon, and here he speaks of what is to come as if it
A shelter from the ambitious construction of the tomb was in front of the rock. But where is the rock that has the shelter? Does it lie around the mid
In the evening weeping will lodge, and in the morning, rejoicing. For late was the disciples' grief, and early the joy of the resurrection. 14.5 Do yo
to the outworks that have been made? He says, therefore, in the Songs: in the shelter of the rock, close by the outwork. 14.10 At what season is the S
him. 14.13 For after the vision of the angels, Jesus himself, the angel, came, and the gospel says: and behold, Jesus met them, saying: rejoice. And t
Therefore in argument you accept your own things, but you reject ours, and these things written by the Hebrews among you? 14.16 But it is impossible,
of saints was raised through him. 14.19 Death was astonished when it saw a new man descending into Hades, not held by its bonds. For what reason, O ga
This, having then been rolled away, witnesses to the resurrection, lying there until today. Angels of God, being present, witnessed to the resurrectio
ten thousand times a thousand acclaiming him, and that Elijah was taken up to the east of the Jordan, but Christ ascended to the east of the brook Ced
having gone into heaven. But the apostle Paul, writing to the Romans, says: Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised, who is at the right hand of G
at the first coming only, but we also expect the second. and having said at the first, blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord, at the secon
to blood. Let those who have converted from the Manichæans be instructed, and let them no longer deify the luminaries, nor impiously think that this s
this happens? He says next: When therefore you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, let the o
but leads astray those of the Gentiles with magical illusions. 15.12 This aforementioned Antichrist comes, when the times of the Roman empire shall be
a fall, or a demolition on the pretext of rebuilding, or resulting from some other causes, shall cast down all the stones, I do not say of the outer c
Do not remember these things alone, but also share them generously with all. If you have a child according to the flesh, admonish him now. And if thro
is his sign? Lest ever an opposing power should dare to imitate it. And then, he says, will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And a true si
A thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. Not that this is the only number, but that the prophet w
living and dead, having died for the living and the dead. And as Paul says: For to this end Christ died and lived, that he might be Lord both of the d
of a wonderful man, nevertheless the sentence of death pronounced against Adam reached both him and those who came after, and this though they had not
of all things having come to be from God through Christ. This illumines the souls of the righteous, this also in the prophets, this also in the apostl
filled with ignorance, having dared to say such things about the Holy Spirit, which I do not dare to say. 16.8 Let the Phrygians be hated, and Montanu
he says but the water that I will give him, will become in him a spring of living water, leaping up to eternal life. A newer water, living and leapin
he went down to the road that leads to Gaza, when the eunuch was coming. And the Spirit said to Philip: Go near and join this chariot. Do you see the
is sent far away from knowledge, and sees also the things done by others. 16.17 Peter was not present with Ananias and Sapphira when they sold the pro
Wait for the Lord, O man. The things that happen are small, the things gifted are great. Having labored for a little time, you are about to be with an
to you. The Father through the Son with the Holy Spirit bestows all things. The gifts of the Father are not different from those of the Son, nor from
directly. And as we have in Chronicles, Azariah in the time of King Asa and Oziel in the time of King Jehoshaphat partook of the Holy Spirit, and agai
to collect and narrate more broadly the things concerning the Holy Spirit. But the time is short and it is necessary to be mindful also of the due me
that the Holy Spirit and the Paraclete are the same, it is said “but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit.” And concerning the Paraclete and the Spirit of t
He knows, but he also recognizes married people, if the marriage is according to the law. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied
demons. And immediately following: Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not
Water is poured around on the outside, but the Spirit also baptizes the soul within completely. And why do you marvel? Take a bodily example, small an
brings forth fruits, so also the same Spirit, remaining what it is, and having often worked in the prophets, now has shown something new and wonderful
wisdom (for they were unlettered and ordinary men), but through the working of the Spirit. For it is written: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,
Christ's calling. And let Ananias the devout, who was in Damascus, come as a witness for our words, saying to him: The Lord has sent me, Jesus who app
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: to abstain from things sacrificed to idol
bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. And again, writing to Timothy: Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 17.33
He gives that which is not seen. You come to a great examination, to a great enrollment in that one hour, which if you lose, the evil is irremediable
in Gothia. others having been burned by fire, rain or wind scattered the very ashes. From where is the body gathered? 18.3 To you, being a very small
are we raised? 18.7 The season is winter, as you see. The trees now stand as if dead. For where are the leaves of the fig tree? Where are the clusters
do not disbelieve in the resurrection of the dead, but what you see in the case of the moon, this you should believe also concerning yourself. Use the
And if it says that the dead will not praise you, Lord, this shows that since the appointed time for repentance and forgiveness is only in this life,
having received the trial, you may cause the seed to bear fruit by spreading it. But let it be remembered that the apostles also raised the dead, Pete
having been spoken again to you by us with all diligence, let it be recited word for word and remembered by you. 18.22 And since the Faith which is re
You should flee their defiled systems, but remain in the holy Catholic Church always, in which you were also reborn. And if ever you are visiting in c
he will keep it for eternal life. And again, that through preferring Christ to money and family and everyone who has left brothers or sisters, and so
Thus you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful metropolis Zion, on account of the law that came forth from Zion and the word of the
ALMIGHTY. And a reading from Jeremiah: The great God, and the mighty Lord; great in counsel, and mighty in works, the Almighty, the Lord of great name, and so forth. 8.1 For by believing IN ONE GOD, we cut off all polytheistic error, using this as a weapon against the Greeks and every opposing power of heretics. But by adding, IN ONE GOD THE FATHER, we fight against those of the circumcision, who deny the only-begotten Son of God. For as was said yesterday, even before explaining the things concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, by saying FATHER, we already signified that he is the father of a son; so that just as we understand that he is God, so we may understand that he also has a son. And we add to these things, that he is also ALMIGHTY. And this we say because of Greeks and Jews [alike] and all heretics. 8.2 For some of the Greeks have said that God is the soul of the world; and others, that his power reaches to heaven only, and no longer to the earth. And some, being deceived along with them, misusing the saying which says, And your truth reaches to the clouds, have dared to circumscribe the providence of God to the clouds and heaven, but to alienate from God the things on earth; forgetting the Psalm which says, If I ascend into heaven, you are there; if I go down into hades, you are present. For if there is nothing higher than heaven, and hades is deeper than the earth; he who rules the things below, also touches the earth. 8.3 But the heretics again, as was said before, do not know one almighty God. For Almighty is he who rules all things, who has authority over all things. But those who say that one is lord of the soul, and some other of the body, say neither of them is perfect, because each is lacking the other. For he who has authority over the soul, but not authority over the body, how is he almighty? And he who is lord of bodies, but does not have authority over spirits, how is he almighty? But the Lord refutes them, saying the opposite: But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. For if he does not have authority over both, how does the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ subject both to punishment? For how will he be able to take the body that belongs to another and cast it into hell, unless he first binds the strong man, and plunders his goods? 8.4 But the divine scripture and the doctrines of the truth know one God, who rules all things by his power, but endures many things because he wills it. For he rules even idolaters, but endures them through forbearance. He rules also the heretics who reject him, but endures them through long-suffering. He rules even the devil, but endures him through long-suffering; for it is not from inability that he endures, as one being overcome. For he is the beginning of the Lord's creation, made to be mocked, not by him (for he is unworthy), but by the angels made by him. And he permitted him [and] to live, that two things might happen: that he himself might be the more disgraced by being conquered, and [the] men might be crowned. O all-wise divine providence, which takes an evil purpose as the occasion for the salvation of the faithful. For just as he took the brother-hating purpose of Joseph's brothers as an occasion for his own dispensation, and having allowed them out of hatred to sell their brother, he took the occasion to make him king whom he wished; so he allowed the devil to wrestle, that those who conquer might be crowned, and that, victory having been gained, the one might be the more disgraced, being conquered by the weaker, while men are greatly glorified, having conquered him who was once an archangel. 8.5 Nothing, therefore, has been withdrawn from the power of God. For concerning him the scripture says, For all things are your servants. All things are indeed his servants; but his one only Son, and his one Holy Spirit, are outside all these; and all things are servants, through the one Son in the Holy Spirit they serve the Lord. God therefore rules all things, and endures murderers and robbers and fornicators through long-suffering; having set a time of deadline, in which he will render to each; so that those who have received a long
ΠΑΝΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΑ. Καὶ ἀνάγνωσις ἐκ τοῦ Ἱερεμίου· Ὁ Θεὸς ὁ μέγας, καὶ ὁ ἰσχυρὸς Κύριος· ὁ μέγας τῇ βουλῇ, καὶ δυνατὸς τοῖς ἔργοις,
ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ὁ μεγαλώνυμος Κύριος, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. 8.1 ∆ιὰ μὲν τοῦ πιστεύειν ΕΙΣ ἙΝΑ ΘΕΟΝ, πᾶσαν πολύθεον ἐκκόπτομεν πλάνην,
ὅπλῳ κεχρημένοι τούτῳ πρὸς Ἕλληνας καὶ πᾶσαν ἐναντίαν αἱρετικῶν δύναμιν. ∆ιὰ δὲ τοῦ προστιθέναι, ΕΙΣ ἙΝΑ ΘΕΟΝ ΠΑΤΕΡΑ, πρὸς
τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς μαχόμεθα, τοὺς ἀρνουμένους τὸν μονογενῆ Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καθὼς γὰρ εἴρηται τῇ χθὲς ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ πρὶν τρανῶσαι
τὰ περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τῷ εἰπεῖν ὅτι ΠΑΤΗΡ, ἤδη ἐδηλώσαμεν, ὅτι υἱοῦ ἐστι πατήρ· ἵνα ὥσπερ νοοῦμεν, ὅτι Θεός
ἐστιν, οὕτω νοήσωμεν, ὅτι καὶ υἱὸν ἔχει. Προστίθεμεν δὲ πρὸς ἐκείνοις, ὅτι καὶ ΠΑΝΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡ ἐστίν. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ διὰ Ἕλληνας
καὶ Ἰουδαίους [ὁμοῦ] καὶ πάντας αἱρετικούς φαμεν. 8.2 Ἑλλήνων μὲν γάρ τινες, ψυχὴν τοῦ κόσμου τὸν Θεὸν εἶπον· καὶ ἕτεροι,
τὴν ἐξουσίαν αὐτοῦ φθάνειν εἰς οὐρανὸν μόνον, μηκέτι δὲ καὶ εἰς γῆν. Καί τινες πλανηθέντες μετ' ἐκείνων, κακῶς τῷ ῥητῷ συγχρησάμενοι
τῷ λέγοντι, Καὶ ἡ ἀλήθειά σου ἕως τῶν νεφελῶν, ἐτόλμησαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν πρόνοιαν ἕως νεφελῶν περιγράψαι καὶ οὐρανοῦ, ἀπαλλοτριῶσαι
δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς· ἐπιλαθόμενοι τοῦ ψαλμοῦ τοῦ λέγοντος, Ἐὰν ἀναβῶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, σὺ ἐκεῖ εἶ· ἐὰν καταβῶ εἰς τὸν ᾅδην,
πάρει. Εἰ γὰρ ὑψηλότερον μὲν οὐρανοῦ οὐδέν ἐστι, βαθύτερον δὲ τῆς γῆς ὁ ᾅδης· ὁ τὰ κατώτερα κρατῶν, ἅπτεται καὶ τῆς γῆς. 8.3
Αἱρετικοὶ δὲ πάλιν, καθὼς εἴρηται καὶ πρότερον, οὐκ οἴδασιν ἕνα παντοκράτορα Θεόν. Παντοκράτωρ γάρ ἐστιν, ὁ πάντων κρατῶν,
ὁ πάντων ἐξουσιάζων. Οἱ δὲ λέγοντες, τὸν μὲν εἶναι τῆς ψυχῆς δεσπότην, τὸν δέ τινα τοῦ σώματος, οὐδέτερον αὐτῶν τέλειον λέγουσι,
τῷ λείπειν ἑκάτερον θατέρῳ. Ὁ γὰρ ψυχῆς ἐξουσίαν ἔχων, σώματος δὲ ἐξουσίαν μὴ ἔχων, πῶς παντοκράτωρ; Καὶ ὁ δεσπόζων σωμάτων,
μὴ ἐξουσιάζων δὲ πνευμάτων, πῶς παντοκράτωρ; Ἀλλ' ἀπελέγχει τούτους ὁ Κύριος, ἀπεναντίας λέγων· Φοβήθητε μᾶλλον τὸν δυνάμενον
καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεέννῃ. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἔχει ἑκατέρων τὴν ἐξουσίαν, πῶς ἀμφότερα ὑποβάλλει τῇ τιμωρίᾳ ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου
ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Πατήρ; Πῶς γὰρ δυνήσεται τὸ ἀλλότριον σῶμα λαβὼν, βαλεῖν εἰς γέενναν· ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον δήσῃ τὸν ἰσχυρὸν, καὶ
τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ διαρπάσῃ; 8.4 Ἀλλ' ἡ θεία γραφὴ καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας δόγματα, ἕνα Θεὸν οἶδε, πάντων μὲν κρατοῦντα τῇ δυνάμει,
πολλῶν δὲ ἀνεχόμενον διὰ τὸ θέλειν. Κρατεῖ γὰρ καὶ τῶν εἰδωλολατρῶν, ἀλλ' ἀνέχεται δι' ἀνεξικακίαν. Κρατεῖ καὶ τῶν ἀθετούντων
αὐτὸν αἱρετικῶν, ἀλλ' ἀνέχεται διὰ μακροθυμίαν. Κρατεῖ καὶ τοῦ διαβόλου, ἀλλ' ἀνέχεται διὰ μακροθυμίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἀδυνατῶν ἀνέχεται,
ὡς νικώμενος. Ἀρχὴ γάρ ἐστι πλάσματος Κυρίου, πεποιημένον ἐγκαταπαίζεσθαι, οὐχ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ (ἀνάξιος γάρ ἐστιν), ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τῶν
ἀγγέλων τῶν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ πεποιημένων. Συνεχώ ρησε δὲ αὐτῷ [καὶ] τὸ ζῇν, ἵνα δύο γένηται πράγματα· αὐτός τε μειζόνως ἀσχημονῇ
νικώμενος, καὶ [οἱ] ἄνθρωποι στεφανωθῶσιν. Ὦ πανσόφου θείας προνοίας, ἥτις τὴν πονηρὰν προαίρεσιν εἰς ὑπόθεσιν σωτηρίας λαμβάνει
τῶν πιστῶν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὴν μισάδελφον τῶν ἀδελφῶν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ προαίρεσιν, ἔλαβεν εἰς ὑπόθεσιν τῆς ἰδίας οἰκονομίας, καὶ συγχωρήσας
αὐτοῖς κατὰ μῖσος πωλῆσαι τὸν ἀδελφὸν, ὑπόθεσιν ἔλαβε τοῦ βασιλεῦσαι τοῦτον ὃν ἤθελεν· οὕτω συνεχώρησε παλαίειν τῷ διαβόλῳ,
ἵνα οἱ νικῶντες στεφανωθῶσι, καὶ ἵνα νίκης γενομένης, ὁ μὲν μεῖζον ἀσχημονῆται, ὑπὸ τῶν ἡττόνων νικώμενος, ἄνθρωποι δὲ μεγάλως
εὐδοκιμῶσι, τόν ποτε ἀρχάγγελον νικήσαντες. 8.5 Οὐδὲν οὖν ὑπεξῄρηται τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως. Περὶ αὐτοῦ γὰρ λέγει ἡ γραφή,
Ὅτι τὰ σύμπαντα δοῦλα σά. Τὰ σύμπαντα μὲν, δοῦλα αὐτοῦ· εἷς δὲ αὐτοῦ μόνος Υἱὸς, καὶ ἓν τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ Πνεῦμα, ἐκτὸς τούτων
πάντων· καὶ τὰ σύμπαντα δοῦλα, διὰ τοῦ ἑνὸς Υἱοῦ ἐν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δουλεύει τῷ δεσπότῃ. Κρατεῖ τοίνυν τῶν πάντων ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ
ἀνέχεται καὶ φονέων καὶ λῃστῶν, καὶ πόρνων διὰ μακροθυμίαν· ὁρίσας καιρὸν τῆς προθεσμίας, καθ' ὃν ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ· ἵνα οἱ
πολυχρόνιον λαβόντες τὴν
