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to the nature of iron; or as when from water or stone, fire, or some other matter, such a fire comes to be in like manner. Again, we understand unbegotten without substance to be that which in no way and nowhere exists. Someone said without substance, he did away with hypostasis and the existence of substance. Without substance, and without hypostasis, signifies the nature that neither subsists nor exists at all. But someone saying in-substance and without hypostasis, indicated the substance which subsists in something. But to say God is unbegotten, or unbegotten with the article, putting God before, or adding again the same name, did not do away with substance, nor the being of God, but says that this is also not begotten; but indeed it does not indicate that the substance of God was created either. But because it did not do away with the being of God, it did not for that reason indicate what the substance of God is. I do not say quality or quantity, as they profess to demonstrate in their vain talk, but this: how the name of the term "unbegotten" shows the substance of God to be. But the how a thing is, and that very thing which it is, what it is like or what it is, happens to be much more unknown, as it is unsearchable by any created nature. For if his judgments are a great abyss, as the Prophet says, and his ways unsearchable, then they are altogether and inscrutable, according to the Apostle; how much more so is he himself, whose judgments and ways are such? And it is no wonder if God himself is such, when his things are such. For if what God has prepared for those who love him eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, according to what is written; how much more ineffable would one say is the nature of God himself who prepared such things, for those who believe in him piously and without idle curiosity? 29.752 But indeed many are called words, but one is the eternal Word of God, who is also proclaimed as God in the Gospel, through whom all things were made. And many are called sons of God in the Scripture, according to, I have begotten and exalted sons; and again; Israel is my firstborn son. However, by adoption and by a certain character they are made sons by the true God, adopted sons and not true. For things proceed from nature and truth. But if he who is by nature essentially begotten from him does not exist according to the denial of the Anomoeans, where will those by adoption be found? But the most ignorant impiously apply to the divinity things spoken in human terms, and taking in one part the Scriptures that were spoken in many parts and in many ways, they fall, not enduring to be guided well. For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous will walk in them; but the impious stumble in the straight ways. And the wonder is, from what things those who are sound in faith benefit, from these are harmed those who are sick with useless questionings and disputes about words, as the Apostle said. That it is a disease of the soul to inquire badly and with idle curiosity about God, and especially with unbelief, is evident to all. For if they disbelieve the all-holy God himself concerning the things about him; how will they listen to his prophets or apostles, who speak in the divine Scriptures the things concerning him and of those who are to hope in him? For he who comes to God must believe that he exists. To believe; not to investigate with idle curiosity and unbelief what he is; not what he is not. For what he is, he was, and is, and will be always; and to all he gives being, as being by nature God. Why then do you disbelieve, O man? Do you disbelieve that God has his own Son, and do you ask how God begot? But if you ask the how concerning God, you would surely also ask the where, as in a place, and the when, as in time. But if it is absurd to ask such a thing concerning God, it would be more absurd not to believe. Perhaps you do not yet blush, being in unbelief. For you seek in order to find not faith, but unbelief. This is true according to what is written; Wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul. But Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness, and he was called a friend of God. Blessed Abraham is both said to be and is a friend of God. A friend through faith, a friend through obedience to God; but you are an enemy through unbelief and disobedience to God. But Abraham believed God,

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τῇ τοῦ σιδήρου φύσει· ἢ ὡς ὅταν ἀπὸ ὕδατος ἢ λίθου πῦρ, ἢ ἄλλης τινὸς ὕλης, ὡσαύτως τὸ τοιοῦτον γένηται πῦρ. Πάλιν ἀγέν νητον ἀνούσιον νοοῦμεν τὸ μηδαμῆ μηδαμῶς ὄν. Εἶπέ τις ἀνούσιον, ὑπόστασιν ἀνεῖλε καὶ οὐσίας ὕπαρξιν. Ἀνούσιον, καὶ ἀνυπόστατον, τὴν μὴ ὑπάρχουσαν μήτε οὖσαν ὅλως σημαίνει φύσιν. Τὸ δὲ ἐνούσιον καὶ ἀνυπόστατον λέγων τις, τὴν ἐνυπάρχουσαν οὐσίαν ἐδήλωσε. Τὸ δὲ λέγειν ἀγέννητον τὸν Θεὸν, ἢ ἀγέν νητον μετὰ τοῦ ἄρθρου, προτάξας Θεὸν, ἢ ἐπενέγκας πάλιν τὸ αὐτὸ ὄνομα, οὐκ οὐσίαν ἀνεῖλεν, οὐδὲ τὸ εἶ ναι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ταύτην δὲ καὶ μὴ γεγεννημένην εἶναι λέγει· ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδὲ κτισθεῖσαν δηλοῖ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τὸ εἶναι τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἀνεῖλεν, ἤδη τὸ τί εἶναι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν ἐδήλω σεν. Οὐ λέγω ποιότητα ἢ ποσότητα, ὡς ἐκεῖνοι ἐπαγ γέλλονται ἀποδεῖξαι ματαιολογοῦντες ἀλλὰ τοῦτο, πῶς εἶναι δείκνυσι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν ἡ τῆς ἀγεννήτου φωνῆς ὀνομασία. Τὸ δὲ πῶς εἶναί τι, καὶ αὐτὸ ἐκεῖνο ὅ ἐστιν, ὁποῖον εἶναι ἢ τί εἶναι, πολὺ μᾶλλον ἄδηλον τυγχάνει ὡς ἀνεξιχνίαστον πάσῃ κτιστῇ φύσει ὑπάρχον. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ ἄβυσσος πολλὴ, ὥς φησιν ὁ Προφήτης, καὶ αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι, οὐκοῦν πάντως καὶ ἀνεξερεύ νητοι, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον· πόσῳ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς, οὗ αἱ κρίσεις καὶ αἱ ὁδοὶ τοιαῦται; Καὶ οὐ θαῦμα εἰ αὐ τὸς ὁ Θεὸς τοιοῦτος, ὅπου γε τὰ αὐτοῦ τοιαῦτα. Εἰ γὰρ ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν ὀφ θαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν, οὐδὲ οὖς ἤκουσεν, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· πόσῳ μᾶλ λον αὐτοῦ τοῦ τὰ τοιαῦτα παρασκευάσαντος Θεοῦ τὴν φύσιν ἀῤῥητοτέραν ἄν τις εἴποι τῶν εὐσεβῶς καὶ ἀπεριέργως εἰς αὐτὸν πιστευόντων; 29.752 Ἀλλὰ μὴν οὖν καὶ λόγοι πολλοὶ προσαγορεύον ται, εἷς δὲ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀΐδιος, ὁ καὶ Θεὸς ἐν Εὐαγγε λίῳ κηρυσσόμενος, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο. Καὶ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ λέγονται πολλοὶ ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ, κατὰ τὸ, Υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα· καὶ πάλιν· Υἱὸς πρωτότο κός μου Ἰσραήλ. Θέσει μέντοι καὶ χαρακτῆρί τινι υἱοθετούμενοι ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ, υἱοὶ θετοὶ καὶ μὴ ἀληθινοί. Ἀπὸ γὰρ φύσεως καὶ ἀληθείας ὁρ μᾶται τὰ πράγματα. Εἰ δὲ ὁ φύσει οὐσιωδῶς ἐξ αὐ τοῦ γεννηθεὶς οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνομοιουσια στῶν ἀθέτησιν, ποῦ οἱ θέσει εὑρεθήσονται; Ἀλλὰ τὰ ἀνθρωπολογούμενα οἱ ἀμαθέστατοι τῇ θεότητι ἀσε βῶς προσάπτουσι, καὶ τὰς πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρό πως ῥηθείσας Γραφὰς μονομερῶς ἐκλαμβάνοντες πί πτουσιν, ὁδηγεῖσθαι καλῶς οὐκ ἀνεχόμενοι. Εὐθεῖαι γὰρ αἱ ὁδοὶ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ δίκαιοι πορεύσονται ἐν αὐταῖς· οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ἐν ταῖς εὐθείαις προσκό πτουσι. Καὶ τὸ θαῦμα, ἀφ' ὧν ὠφελοῦνται οἱ τῇ πίστει ὑγιαίνοντες, ἀπὸ τούτων βλάπτονται οἱ νο σοῦντες περὶ ζητήσεις καὶ λογομαχίας ἀργὰς, ὡς εἶ πεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος. Ὅτι δὲ ψυχῆς νόσημά ἐστι τὸ κακῶς καὶ περιέργως ζητεῖν περὶ Θεοῦ, καὶ μάλιστα μετὰ ἀπιστίας, πᾶσι φανερόν. Εἰ γὰρ αὐτῷ τῷ παναγίῳ Θεῷ τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπιστοῦσι· πῶς τῶν προφητῶν αὐτοῦ ἢ ἀποστόλων ἀκούσωσι, λεγόν των ἐν θείαις Γραφαῖς τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν μελλόντων ἐλπίζειν; Πιστεῦσαι γὰρ δεῖ τὸν προσερχόμενον τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι ἔστι. Πιστεῦσαι· μὴ γὰρ ἀπίστως περιεργάζεσθαι ὅ τί ἐστιν· μὴ γὰρ ὅ τι οὐκ ἔστιν. Ὃ γάρ ἐστιν, ἦν, καὶ ἔστι, καὶ ἔσται ἀεί· καὶ τοῖς πᾶσι τὸ εἶναι δωρεῖται, ὡς φύσει ὢν Θεός. Τί οὖν ἀπιστεῖς, ὦ ἄνθρωπε; Ἀπιστεῖς, ὅτι ἴδιον ἔχει Υἱὸν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ζητεῖς πῶς ἐγέννησε Θεός; Εἰ δὲ τὸ πῶς ἐπὶ Θεοῦ ἐπερωτᾷς, πάντως καὶ τὸ ποῦ, ὡς ἐν τόπῳ, καὶ πότε, ὡς ἐν χρόνῳ συνεπερωτήσειας. Εἰ δὲ ἄτοπον ἐπὶ Θεοῦ τὸ τοιοῦτον ἐπερωτᾷν, ἀτοπώ τερον ἂν εἴη τὸ μὴ πιστεύειν. Τάχα οὔπω ἐρυθριᾷς ἐν ἀπιστίᾳ ὑπάρχων. Ζητεῖς γὰρ ἵνα εὕρῃς οὐ πί στιν, ἀλλ' ἀπιστίαν. Τοῦτο ἀληθὲς κατὰ τὸ γεγραμ μένον· Εἰς κακότεχνον ψυχὴν οὐκ εἰσελεύ σεται σοφία. Ἐπίστευσε δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, καὶ φίλος Θεοῦ ἐκλήθη. Φίλος Θεοῦ ὁ μακάριος Ἀβραὰμ καὶ εἴρη ται, καὶ ἔστι. Φίλος διὰ πίστιν, φίλος δι' ὑπακοὴν Θεοῦ· σὺ δὲ ἐχθρὸς διὰ ἀπιστίαν καὶ παρακοὴν Θεοῦ. Ἐπίστευσε δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ Θεῷ,