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to become evil, has not placed in him all the forms of wickedness; but being wholly joined to this one, he will show through him his own manifold contrivances of wickedness. Then he also states the reason for the permission: "Because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them a strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." These things we have been taught by the divine Scripture concerning the antichrist as well. And we have written about this in summary, since in interpreting the prophet Daniel and the Apostle, we have used longer discourses concerning his coming, and it is easy for one who wishes to consult those examples, and if we have omitted anything in these, to find it in those. The Church has received these doctrines from the God-bearing men, I mean the prophets and apostles, and those who succeeded them, not fashioning impious myths, nor following human reasonings, but believing in the divine words. But since the all-defiled have also corrupted the moral teaching, and have devised paths contrary to one another; for some have called marriage fornication, while others have embraced all lawless and impious licentiousness; come, let us also show the mind of the Church in matters of morals. 24. —Concerning virginity. Cerdon and Marcion, then, legislated virginity, warring against the Creator, so that they might not increase His creation through marriage. And Manes called marriage a co-worker of matter, and for this reason commanded virginity. And Saturnilus and Tatian openly called marriage of the devil. But the Lord God has not laid down laws concerning virginity; for He knows the thing is above nature; but by its praises He has urged those who are willing to the contest. For when the apostles said, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry," the Lord, taking up the discourse, said, "Not all can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of 83.533 God." And this He said not concerning the cutting off of the members, but of improper thoughts. Then He added, "He who is able to receive it, let him receive it." For which reason also the divine Apostle, speaking on virginity, says, "I have no commandment from the Lord; for the Lord has not laid down a law concerning virginity; but I give my judgment, as one who has received mercy from the Lord to be faithful." I advise, he says, I do not legislate, and this, not using boldness, but having received the ministry of preaching by divine decree. "I think, therefore, that it is good for a man to be so." And he has put "I think," not doubting about what he was advising, but restraining the word, lest it become a law. For the law has also transgression, and transgression brings punishment. For this reason he has added "I think," to show that the word is advice, and not a law. Then he shows what he called good: "Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a release. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife." For foreseeing the poisonous drugs of the heretics, he prepares the preventative remedy. Therefore, he first confirmed the law of marriage, and then introduced the counsels concerning virginity. For lest anyone should suppose that he, in condemning marriage, was legislating chastity, he necessarily strengthened the law of marriage, saying, "Do not seek a release;" and having laid down this same thing for chastity, and saying, "Do not seek a wife," he did not remain

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γενέσθαι πονηρίας, οὐ πάσας ἐντέ θεικε τὰς τῆς κακίας ἰδέας· τούτῳ δὲ ὅλος αὐτὸς συναφθεὶς, τὰς παντοδαπὰς αὑτοῦ τῆς πονηρίας δι' αὐτοῦ μηχανὰς ἐπιδείξει. Εἶτα λέγει καὶ τῆς συγχω ρήσεως τὴν αἰτίαν· "Ἀνθ' ὧν τὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀλη θείας οὐκ ἐδέξαντο, εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτούς. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πέμψει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης, εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει· ἵνα κριθῶσι πάντες οἱ μὴ πιστεύσαντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, ἀλλ' εὐδοκήσαντες τῇ ἀδικίᾳ." Ταῦτα καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου παρὰ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς ἐδιδάχθημεν. Ἐν κεφαλαίῳ δὲ καὶ τὰ περὶ τούτου γεγράφαμεν, ἐπειδήπερ καὶ τὸν προφήτην ∆ανιὴλ, καὶ τὸν Ἀπόστολον ἑρμη νεύοντες, μακροτέροις τοῖς περὶ τῆς τούτου παρου σίας ἐχρησάμεθα λόγοις, καὶ ῥᾴδιον τῷ βουλομένῳ τοῖς ὑποδείγμασιν ἐντυχεῖν ἐκείνοις, καὶ εἴ τι παραλελοίπαμεν ἐν τούτοις, ἐν ἐκείνοις εὑρεῖν. Ταῦτα παρὰ τῶν θεοφόρων ἀνδρῶν, προφητῶν, φημὶ, καὶ ἀποστόλων, καὶ τῶν ἐκείνους διαδεξαμένων, παρεί ληφεν ἡ Ἐκκλησία τὰ δόγματα, οὐ δυσσεβεῖς διαπλάσασα μύθους, οὐδὲ ἀνθρωπίνοις ἀκολουθήσασα λογισμοῖς, ἀλλὰ θείοις λόγοις πιστεύσασα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἠθικὴν διδασκαλίαν διέφθειραν οἱ παμ μίαροι, καὶ ἐναντίας ἀλλήλοις ἐπενόησαν ἀτραπούς· οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὸν γάμον πορνείαν ὠνόμασαν, οἱ δὲ πᾶ σαν ἔκθεσμον καὶ ἀθέμιτον ἀκολασίαν ἠσπάσαντο· φέρε καὶ τὸ ἐν τοῖς ἠθικοῖς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐπιδεί ξωμεν φρόνημα. Κ∆ʹ. -Περὶ παρθενίας. Κέρδων μὲν οὖν καὶ Μαρκίων τὴν παρθενίαν ἐνο μοθέτησαν τῷ ∆ημιουργῷ πολεμοῦντες, ἵνα μὴ διὰ τοῦ γάμου τὴν ἐκείνου δημιουργίαν αὐξήσωσιν. Ὁ δὲ Μάνης τὸν γάμον τῆς ὕλης ὠνόμασε συνεργὸν, καὶ τούτου χάριν παρθενεύειν ἐκέλευσε. Σατορνῖλος δὲ καὶ Τατιανὸς προφανῶς τὸν γάμον τοῦ διαβόλου ὠνό μασαν. Ὁ ∆εσπότης δὲ Θεὸς νόμους μὲν περὶ παρ θενίας οὐ τέθεικεν· οἶδε γὰρ ὑπὲρ φύσιν τὸ χρῆμα· ταῖς δὲ ταύτης εὐφημίαις ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τοὺς βου λομένους προέτρεψεν. Εἰρηκότων γὰρ τῶν ἀποστό λων· "Εἰ οὕτως ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μετὰ γυναικὸς, οὐ συμφέρει γῆμαι," ὑπολαβὼν ὁ Κύριος εἶπεν· "Οὐ πάντες χωροῦσι τὸν λόγον τοῦτον, ἀλλ' οἷς δέδοται. Εἰσὶ γὰρ εὐνοῦχοι, οἵτινες εὐνουχί σθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· καί εἰσιν εὐνοῦχοι, οἵ τινες εὐνούχισαν ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ 83.533 Θεοῦ." Τοῦτο δὲ οὐ περὶ τῆς τῶν μορίων, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς τῶν ἀτόπων λογισμῶν εἴρηκεν ἐκτομῆς. Εἶτα ἐπήγαγεν· "Ὁ δυνάμενος χωρεῖν, χωρείτω." Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος περὶ παρθενίας εἰσφέρων φησίν· "Ἐπιταγὴν Κυρίου οὐκ ἔχω· νόμον γὰρ περὶ παρθενίας ὁ Κύριος οὐ τέθεικε· γνώμην δὲ δίδωμι ὡς ἠλεημένος ὑπὸ Κυρίου πιστὸς εἶναι." Συμβουλεύω δὲ, φησὶν, οὐ νομοθετῶ, καὶ τοῦτο, οὐ θρασύτητι χρώμενος, ἀλλὰ ψήφῳ θείᾳ τὴν τοῦ κη ρύγματος ὑπουργίαν δεξάμενος. "Νομίζω οὖν τοῦτο καλὸν ὑπάρχειν ἀνθρώπῳ τὸ οὕτως εἶναι." Τὸ δὲ νομίζω τέθεικεν, οὐκ ἐνδοιάζων περὶ ὧν συνεβού λευεν, ἀλλὰ κολάζων τὸν λόγον, ἵνα μὴ γένηται νόμος. Ὁ γὰρ νόμος καὶ παράβασιν ἔχει, ἡ δὲ παράβασις ἐπιφέρει καὶ τιμωρίαν. Τούτου δὲ ἕνεκα τὸ νομίζω προστέθεικεν, ἵνα δείξῃ συμβουλὴν, ἀλλ' οὐ νόμον, ὄντα τὸν λόγον. Εἶτα δείκνυσι, τί καλὸν προσηγόρευ σεν· "∆έδεσαι γυναικί; μὴ ζήτει λύσιν. Λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα." Τῶν γὰρ αἱρε τικῶν τὰ δηλητήρια φάρμακα προορῶν, κατασκευά ζει τὴν προφυλακτικὴν θεραπείαν. ∆ιὸ δὴ πρότερον ἐβεβαίωσε τοῦ γάμου τὸν νόμον, εἶθ' οὕτως τὰς περὶ τῆς παρθενίας ὑποθήκας εἰσήνεγκεν. Ἵνα γὰρ μή τις αὐτὸν ὑπολάβῃ τοῦ γάμου κατηγοροῦντα τὴν ἁγνείαν νομοθετεῖν, ἀναγκαίως τοῦ γάμου τὸν νόμον ἐκράτυνεν, εἰπών· "Μὴ ζήτει λύσιν·" ταὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο τεθεικὼς ἐπὶ τῆς ἁγνείας, καὶ εἰπών· "Μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα," οὐκ ἐνέμεινε