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He set forth what had happened in order. Besides, if God had killed him immediately, He would not have given him any set time for repentance and improvement; but then living with trembling and fear, unless he was extremely insensible, and a beast rather than a man, he would have gained much from this life. Apart from these things, He was working out for him a lesser future punishment through this chastisement. For the sorrows or punishments brought upon us by God in the present life cut off no small part of the torments there. For this reason God is not accustomed to punish all who are worthy of the same punishments at once, so that those who are left may become better by their misfortunes; but He also often punishes all at once, as in the case of the flood, so that those may be prevented from advancing further in wickedness, and those after them may profit even more, with the leaven, as one might say, and the foundation of evils being destroyed from their midst along with those who dared them, and so that they might not have so many teachers of depravity. For if even without an example men could easily find evil things, what would they have done when there were many urging them toward wicked deeds? Therefore, one must be persuaded of this alone, that all things are managed for our benefit by God; but no longer to seek the manner, nor, being ignorant, to be vexed or disheartened. For it is neither possible to know these things, nor profitable, the one because we are mortal, the other because we are quickly lifted up into presumption. For God wills that even those who do not believe in him be saved by changing; as he himself says, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. But when, having enjoyed so much care, they are unwilling to become better and to recognize the truth, not even so does he abandon them; but since they have willingly deprived themselves of the heavenly life, He at least supplies them with all things for the pres 63.634 ent life, making his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sending rain on the just and on the unjust, and providing all other things for the sustenance of the present life. But if he takes such great care of his enemies, how will he overlook those who believe in him and serve him according to their ability? And for what reason has the devil not been removed from our midst? Let there be one antagonist, and let there be two athletes about to wrestle against him; and of these two athletes, let the one be corrupted by gluttony, neglected, weakened, enervated; but the other diligent, in good condition, spending time in wrestling-schools, in many gymnasia, showing all diligence concerning the contest. If, therefore, you take away the antagonist, which of these have you harmed? the lazy and careless one, or the diligent one who has labored so much? It is clear that it is the diligent one. For the one is wronged on account of the lazy one, when the antagonist is removed; but the lazy one, with him remaining, is no longer harmed on account of the diligent one; for he fell from his own laziness. Therefore, the one who is weak in purpose and neglected and lazy, even when the devil does not exist, quickly falls, and casts himself down into many chasms of wickedness. For even if we come to our own members, we shall find these too to be causes of destruction, if we do not pay attention, not on account of their own nature, but on account of our laziness. Consider: An eye was given, that seeing the creation you might glorify the Creator and Master; but, if you do not use the eye well, it becomes for you an agent of adultery. A tongue was given, that you might sing hymns and praise the Maker; but, if you do not pay attention well, it becomes for you a cause of blasphemy and shameful speech. Hands were given, that you might lift them up for prayers; but, if you are not sober, you extend them to covetousness. Feet were given, that you might run to good works; but, if you are neglectful, you will have wicked deeds through them. Do you see that everything harms the weak man, and even saving medicines cast him into death, not on account of their own nature, but on account of his weakness. The sight of God alone is enough to destroy the wicked; for if the presence of saints

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ἐφεξῆς καθίστη τὸ γεγονός. Ἄλλως τε, εἰ μὲν αὐτὸν ἀπέκτεινεν εὐθέως ὁ Θεὸς, οὐκ ἄν τινα προθεσμίαν αὐτῷ μετανοίας καὶ βελτιώσεως ἔδωκε· τότε δὲ τρόμῳ καὶ δέει συζῶν, εἰ μὴ λίαν ἀναίσθητος ἦν, καὶ θηρίον μᾶλλον ἢ ἄνθρωπος, πολλὰ ἂν ἀπὸ ταύτης ἐκέρδανε τῆς ζωῆς. Χωρὶς δὲ τούτων, ἐλάττονα αὐτῷ τὴν μέλλουσαν κόλασιν διὰ ταύτης αὐτῷ τῆς τιμωρίας εἰργάζετο. Τὰ γὰρ ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ ἐπαγόμενα ἡμῖν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ λυπηρὰ ἢ κολαστήρια, οὐ μικρὸν τῶν ἐκεῖ βασάνων ὑποτέμνεται μέρος. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τοὺς τῶν αὐτῶν ἀξίους τιμωριῶν, οὐχ ὁμοῦ πάντας κολάζειν εἴωθεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα οἱ λειπόμενοι βελτίους ταῖς ἐκείνων γένωνται συμφοραῖς· κολάζει δὲ καὶ πάντας ὁμοῦ πολλάκις, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ, ἵνα ἐκεῖνοι μὲν περαιτέρω προελθεῖν τῆς κακίας κωλυθῶσιν, οἱ δὲ μετ' ἐκείνους ἐκείνων μειζόνως κερδάνωσι, τῆς ζύμης, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι, καὶ τῆς ὑποθέσεως τῶν κακῶν ἀφανισθείσης ἐκ μέσου μετὰ τῶν τολμησάντων αὐτῶν, καὶ μὴ τοσούτους διδασκάλους φαυλότητος ἔχωσιν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ χωρὶς παραδείγματος εὐκόλως δύναιντ' ἂν εὑρεῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὰ κακὰ, τί ἂν ἔπραξαν πολλῶν ὄντων τῶν παρακαλούντων αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὰς πράξεις τὰς πονηράς; Τοῦτο οὖν μόνον πεπεῖσθαι χρὴ, ὅτι συμφερόντως ἡμῖν ἅπαντα οἰκονομεῖται παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ· τὸν δὲ τρόπον μηκέτι ζητεῖν, μηδὲ ἀγνοοῦντας ἀσχάλλειν ἢ ἀθυμεῖν. Οὔτε γὰρ δυνατὸν ταῦτα εἰδέναι, οὔτε συμφέρον, τὸ μὲν διὰ τὸ θνητοὺς εἶναι, τὸ δὲ διὰ τὸ ταχέως εἰς ἀπόνοιαν αἴρεσθαι. Βούλεται μὲν γὰρ καὶ τοὺς μὴ πιστεύοντας αὐτῷ σωθῆναι μεταβαλλομένους ὁ Θεός· καθὼς καὶ αὐτός φησι, Οὐκ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν. Ὅταν δὲ μὴ τοσαύτης ἐπιμελείας ἀπολαύσαντες ἐθελήσωσι γενέσθαι βελτίους, καὶ ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτοὺς ἀφίησιν· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τῆς οὐρανίου ζωῆς ἑαυτοὺς ἑκόντες ἀπεστέρησαν, τὰ γοῦν εἰς τὸν παρ 63.634 όντα βίον ἅπαντα αὐτοῖς χορηγεῖ, τὸν ἥλιον ἀνατέλλων ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς, καὶ βρέχων ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα τὰ πρὸς τὴν σύστασιν τῆς παρούσης παρέχων ζωῆς. Εἰ δὲ ἐχθρῶν τοσαύτην ποιεῖται πρόνοιαν, τοὺς πιστεύοντας αὐτῷ καὶ θεραπεύοντας αὐτὸν κατὰ δύναμιν τὴν αὑτῶν, πῶς περιόψεται; Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ μέσου γέγονεν ὁ διάβολος; Ἔστω ἀνταγωνιστὴς εἷς, ἔστωσαν καὶ ἀθληταὶ δύο πρὸς ἐκεῖνον παλαίειν μέλλοντες· καὶ τούτων τῶν δύο ἀθλητῶν, ὁ μὲν ὑπὸ γαστριμαργίας ἔστω διεφθαρμένος, ἠμελημένος, ἐξησθενημένος, ἐκνενευρισμένος· ὁ δὲ σπουδάζων, εὐεκτῶν, ἐν παλαίστραις διατρίβων, ἐν γυμνασίοις πολλοῖς, πᾶσαν σπουδὴν περὶ τὴν ἄθλησιν ἐπιδεικνύμενος. Ἂν τοίνυν ἀνέλῃς τὸν ἀνταγωνιστὴν, τίνι ἐπηρέασας τούτων; ἆρα τῷ ῥᾳθύμῳ καὶ ἀμελεῖ, ἢ τῷ σπουδαίῳ καὶ τοσαῦτα πεπονηκότι; Εὔδηλον ὅτι τῷ σπουδαίῳ. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸν ῥᾴθυμον ἠδίκηται, ἀναιρεθέντος τοῦ ἀνταγωνιστοῦ· ὁ δὲ ῥᾴθυμος μένοντος τούτου, οὐκέτι διὰ τὸν σπουδαῖον ἐπηρέασται· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς οἰκείας ῥᾳθυμίας κατέπεσεν. Ὁ τοίνυν ἀσθενὴς τὴν προαίρεσιν καὶ ἠμελημένος καὶ ῥᾴθυμος, καὶ διαβόλου οὐκ ὄντος, καταπίπτει ταχέως, καὶ εἰς βάραθρα πολλὰ κακίας ἑαυτὸν καταβάλλει. Κἂν γὰρ ἐπὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα μέλη ἔλθωμεν, καὶ ταῦτα εὑρήσομεν ἀπωλείας αἴτια, ἐὰν μὴ προσέχωμεν, οὐ παρὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν ῥᾳθυμίαν. Σκόπει δέ· Ὀφθαλμὸς ἐδόθη, ἵνα βλέπων τὴν κτίσιν δοξάσῃς τὸν Κτίστην καὶ ∆εσπότην· ἀλλ', ἐὰν μὴ καλῶς χρήσῃ τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ, μοιχείας σοι γίνεται πρόξενος. Γλῶττα ἐδόθη, ἵνα ὑμνῇς καὶ τὸν Ποιητὴν εὐφημῇς· ἀλλ', ἐὰν μὴ καλῶς προσέχῃς, βλασφημίας καὶ αἰσχρολογίας σοι γίνεται αἰτία. Χεῖρες ἐδόθησαν, ἵνα ἀνατείνῃς αὐτὰς εἰς εὐχάς· ἀλλ', ἐὰν μὴ νήφῃς, εἰς πλεονεξίαν ταύτας ἐκτείνεις. Πόδες ἐδόθησαν, ἵνα τρέχῃς εἰς καλὰ ἔργα· ἀλλ', ἐὰν ἀμελῇς, τὰς πονηρὰς δι' αὐτῶν ἕξεις πράξεις. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι τὸν ἀσθενῆ πάντα βλάπτει, καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ σωτήρια φάρμακα εἰς θάνατον ἐμβάλλει, οὐ παρὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τὴν ἐκείνου. Ἀρκεῖ μόνον ἡ θεοπτία ἀπολέσαι τοὺς πονηρούς· εἰ γὰρ ἁγίων παρουσία