Chapter VI.—The Gospel Was Preached to Jews and Gentiles in Hades.1437    [The ideas on which our author bases his views of Christ’s descent into the invisible world, are well expounded by Kaye, p. 189.]

But as the proclamation [of the Gospel] has come now at the fit time, so also at the fit time were the Law and the Prophets given to the Barbarians, and Philosophy to the Greeks, to fit their ears for the Gospel. “Therefore,” says the Lord who delivered Israel, “in an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee. And I have given thee for a Covenant to the nations; that thou mightest inhabit the earth, and receive the inheritance of the wilderness; saying to those that are in bonds, Come forth; and to those that are in darkness, Show yourselves.” For if the “prisoners” are the Jews, of whom the Lord said, “Come forth, ye that will, from your bonds,”—meaning the voluntary bound, and who have taken on them “the burdens grievous to be borne”1438    Matt. xxiii. 4; Luke xi. 46. by human injunction—it is plain that “those in darkness” are they who have the ruling faculty of the soul buried in idolatry.

For to those who were righteous according to the law, faith was wanting. Wherefore also the Lord, in healing them, said, “Thy faith hath saved thee.”1439    Matt. ix. 22, etc. But to those that were righteous according to philosophy, not only faith in the Lord, but also the abandonment of idolatry, were necessary. Straightway, on the revelation of the truth, they also repented of their previous conduct.

Wherefore the Lord preached the Gospel to those in Hades. Accordingly the Scripture says, “Hades says to Destruction, We have not seen His form, but we have heard His voice.”1440    The passage which seems to be alluded to here is Job xxviii. 22, “Destruction and Death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.” It is not plainly the place, which, the words above say, heard the voice, but those who have been put in Hades, and have abandoned themselves to destruction, as persons who have thrown themselves voluntarily from a ship into the sea. They, then, are those that hear the divine power and voice. For who in his senses can suppose the souls of the righteous and those of sinners in the same condemnation, charging Providence with injustice?

But how? Do not [the Scriptures] show that the Lord preached1441    εὐηγγελίσθαι used actively for εὐαγγελίσαι, as also immediately after εὐηγγελισμένοι for εὐαγγελισάμενοι. the Gospel to those that perished in the flood, or rather had been chained, and to those kept “in ward and guard”?1442    1 Pet. iii. 19, 20. And it has been shown also,1443    Potter, p. 452. [See ii. p. 357, supra.] in the second book of the Stromata, that the apostles, following the Lord, preached the Gospel to those in Hades. For it was requisite, in my opinion, that as here, so also there, the best of the disciples should be imitators of the Master; so that He should bring to repentance those belonging to the Hebrews, and they the Gentiles; that is, those who had lived in righteousness according to the Law and Philosophy, who had ended life not perfectly, but sinfully. For it was suitable to the divine administration, that those possessed of greater worth in righteousness, and whose life had been pre-eminent, on repenting of their transgressions, though found in another place, yet being confessedly of the number of the people of God Almighty, should be saved, each one according to his individual knowledge.

And, as I think, the Saviour also exerts His might because it is His work to save; which accordingly He also did by drawing to salvation those who became willing, by the preaching [of the Gospel], to believe on Him, wherever they were. If, then, the Lord descended to Hades for no other end but to preach the Gospel, as He did descend; it was either to preach the Gospel to all or to the Hebrews only. If, accordingly, to all, then all who believe shall be saved, although they may be of the Gentiles, on making their profession there; since God’s punishments are saving and disciplinary, leading to conversion, and choosing rather the repentance them the death of a sinner;1444    Ezek. xviii. 23, 32; xxxiii. 11, etc. and especially since souls, although darkened by passions, when released from their bodies, are able to perceive more clearly, because of their being no longer obstructed by the paltry flesh.

If, then, He preached only to the Jews, who wanted the knowledge and faith of the Saviour, it is plain that, since God is no respecter of persons, the apostles also, as here, so there preached the Gospel to those of the heathen who were ready for conversion. And it is well said by the Shepherd, “They went down with them therefore into the water, and again ascended. But these descended alive, and again ascended alive. But those who had fallen asleep, descended dead, but ascended alive.”1445    Hermas, book iii. chap. xvi. p. 49. Quoted also in Stromata, ii. p. 357, ante, from which the text here is corrected; Potter, 452. Further the Gospel1446    Matt. xxvii. 52. says, “that many bodies of those that slept arose,”—plainly as having been translated to a better state.1447    τάξιν. There took place, then, a universal movement and translation through the economy of the Saviour.1448    [In connection with John v. 25, we may suppose that the opening of the graves, at the passion and resurrection, is an intimation of some sublime mystery, perhaps such as here intimated.]

One righteous man, then, differs not, as righteous, from another righteous man, whether he be of the Law or a Greek. For God is not only Lord of the Jews, but of all men, and more nearly the Father of those who know Him. For if to live well and according to the law is to live, also to live rationally according to the law is to live; and those who lived rightly before the Law were classed under faith,1449    Rom. iii. 29, x. 12, etc. and judged to be righteous,—it is evident that those, too, who were outside of the Law, having lived rightly, in consequence of the peculiar nature of the voice,1450    Apparently God’s voice to them. Sylburgius proposes to read φύσεως instead of φωνῆς here. though they are in Hades and in ward,1451    1 Pet. iii. 19. on hearing the voice of the Lord, whether that of His own person or that acting through His apostles, with all speed turned and believed. For we remember that the Lord is “the power of God,”1452    1 Cor. i. 24. and power can never be weak.

So I think it is demonstrated that the God being good, and the Lord powerful, they save with a righteousness and equality which extend to all that turn to Him, whether here or elsewhere. For it is not here alone that the active power of God is beforehand, but it is everywhere and is always at work. Accordingly, in the Preaching of Peter, the Lord says to the disciples after the resurrection, “I have chosen you twelve disciples, judging you worthy of me,” whom the Lord wished to be apostles, having judged them faithful, sending them into the world to the men on the earth, that they may know that there is one God, showing clearly what would take place by the faith of Christ; that they who heard and believed should be saved; and that those who believed not, after having heard, should bear witness, not having the excuse to allege, We have not heard.

What then? Did not the same dispensation obtain in Hades, so that even there, all the souls, on hearing the proclamation, might either exhibit repentance, or confess that their punishment was just, because they believed not? And it were the exercise of no ordinary arbitrariness, for those who had departed before the advent of the Lord (not having the Gospel preached to them, and having afforded no ground from themselves, in consequence of believing or not) to obtain either salvation or punishment. For it is not right that these should be condemned without trial, and that those alone who lived after the advent should have the advantage of the divine righteousness. But to all rational souls it was said from above, “Whatever one of you has done in ignorance, without clearly knowing God, if, on becoming conscious, he repent, all his sins will be forgiven him.”1453    Alluding apparently to such passages as Acts iii. 17, 19, and xvii. 30. “For, behold,” it is said, “I have set before your face death and life, that ye may choose life.”1454    Deut. xxx. 15, 19. God says that He set, not that He made both, in order to the comparison of choice. And in another Scripture He says, “If ye hear Me, and be willing, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye hear Me not, and are not willing, the sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things.”1455    Isa. i. 19, 20.

Again, David expressly (or rather the Lord in the person of the saint, and the same from the foundation of the world is each one who at different periods is saved, and shall be saved by faith) says, “My heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced, and my flesh shall still rest in hope. For Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, nor wilt Thou give Thine holy one to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the paths of life, Thou wilt make me full of joy in Thy presence.”1456    Ps. xvi. 9–11; Acts ii. 26–28. As, then, the people was precious to the Lord, so also is the entire holy people; he also who is converted from the Gentiles, who was prophesied under the name of proselyte, along with the Jew. For rightly the Scripture says, that “the ox and the bear shall come together.”1457    Isa. xi. 7. For the Jew is designated by the ox, from the animal under the yoke being reckoned clean, according to the law; for the ox both parts the hoof and chews the cud. And the Gentile is designated by the bear, which is an unclean and wild beast. And this animal brings forth a shapeless lump of flesh, which it shapes into the likeness of a beast solely by its tongue. For he who is convened from among the Gentiles is formed from a beastlike life to gentleness by the word; and, when once tamed, is made clean, just as the ox. For example, the prophet says, “The sirens, and the daughters of the sparrows, and all the beasts of the field, shall bless me.”1458    Isa. xliii. 20. Of the number of unclean animals, the wild beasts of the field are known to be, that is, of the world; since those who are wild in respect of faith, and polluted in life, and not purified by the righteousness which is according to the law, are called wild beasts. But changed from wild beasts by the faith of the Lord, they become men of God, advancing from the wish to change to the fact. For some the Lord exhorts, and to those who have already made the attempt he stretches forth His hand, and draws them up. “For the Lord dreads not the face of any one, nor will He regard greatness; for He hath made small and great, and cares alike for all.”1459    Wisd. vi. 7. And David says, “For the heathen are fixed in the destruction they have caused; their foot is taken in the snare which they hid.”1460    Ps. ix. 15. “But the Lord was a refuge to the poor, a help in season also in affliction.”1461    Ps. ix. 9. Those, then, that were in affliction had the Gospel seasonably proclaimed. And therefore it said, “Declare among the heathen his pursuits,”1462    Ps. ix. 11. that they may not be judged unjustly.

If, then, He preached the Gospel to those in the flesh that they might not be condemned unjustly, how is it conceivable that He did not for the same cause preach the Gospel to those who had departed this life before His advent? “For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness: His countenance beholdeth uprightness.”1463    Ps. xi. 7. “But he that loveth wickedness hateth his own soul.”1464    Ps. xi. 6, Septuagint version.

If, then, in the deluge all sinful flesh perished, punishment having been inflicted on them for correction, we must first believe that the will of God, which is disciplinary and beneficent,1465    Sylburgius’ conjecture, εὐεργετικόν, seems greatly preferable to the reading of the text, ἐνεργητικόν. saves those who turn to Him. Then, too, the more subtle substance, the soul, could never receive any injury from the grosser element of water, its subtle and simple nature rendering it impalpable, called as it is incorporeal. But whatever is gross, made so in consequence of sin, this is cast away along with the carnal spirit which lusts against the soul.1466    [Kaye, p. 189.]

Now also Valentinus, the Coryphæus of those who herald community, in his book on The Intercourse of Friends, writes in these words: “Many of the things that are written, though in common books, are found written in the church of God. For those sayings which proceed from the heart are vain. For the law written in the heart is the People1467    Grabe reads λόγος for λαός, “Word of the Beloved,” etc. of the Beloved—loved and loving Him.” For whether it be the Jewish writings or those of the philosophers that he calls “the Common Books,” he makes the truth common. And Isidore,1468    [See Epiphan, Opp., ii. 391, ed. Oehler, Berlin, 1859: also Mosheim, First Three Centuries, vol. i. p. 434.] at once son and disciple to Basilides, in the first book of the Expositions of the Prophet Parchor, writes also in these words: “The Attics say that certain things were intimated to Socrates, in consequence of a dæmon attending on him. And Aristotle says that all men are provided with dæmons, that attend on them during the time they are in the body,—having taken this piece of prophetic instruction and transferred it to his own books, without acknowledging whence he had abstracted this statement.” And again, in the second book of his work, he thus writes: “And let no one think that what we say is peculiar to the elect, was said before by any philosophers. For it is not a discovery of theirs. For having appropriated it from our prophets, they attributed it to him who is wise according to them.” Again, in the same: “For to me it appears that those who profess to philosophize, do so that they may learn what is the winged oak,1469    Grabe suggests, instead of δρῦς here, δρύοψ, a kind of woodpecker, mentioned by Aristophanes. and the variegated robe on it, all of which Pherecydes has employed as theological allegories, having taken them from the prophecy of Cham.”

Ἀλλ' ὡς κατὰ καιρὸν ἥκει τὸ κήρυγμα νῦν, οὕτως κατὰ καιρὸν ἐδόθη νόμος μὲν καὶ προφῆται βαρβάροις, φιλοσοφία δὲ Ἕλλησι, τὰς ἀκοὰς ἐθίζουσα πρὸς τὸ κήρυγμα. λέγει γοῦν κύριος ὁ ῥυσάμενος Ἰσραήλ· καιρῷ δεκτῷ ἐπήκουσά σου καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σωτηρίας ἐβοήθησά σοι, ἔδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην ἐθνῶν τοῦ κατασκηνῶσαι τὴν γῆν καὶ κληρονομῆσαι κληρονομίαν ἐρήμου, λέγοντα τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς· ἐξέλθετε, καὶ τοῖς ἐν τῷ σκότει ἀνακαλυφθῆναι. εἰ γὰρ δέσμιοι μὲν Ἰουδαῖοι, ἐφ' ὧν καὶ ὁ κύριος ἐξέλθετε εἶπεν ἐκ τῶν δεσμῶν οἱ θέλοντες, τοὺς ἑκουσίως δεδεμένους καὶ τὰ δυσβάστακτα φορτία (φησὶν) αὑτοῖς διὰ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης παρεγχειρήσεως ἐπαναθεμένους λέγων, δῆλον ὡς οἱ ἐν σκότει οὗτοι ἂν εἶεν οἱ ἐν τῇ εἰδωλολατρείᾳ κατορωρυγμένον ἔχοντες τὸ ἡγεμονικόν. τοῖς μὲν γὰρ κατὰ νόμον δικαίοις ἔλειπεν ἡ πίστις, διὸ καὶ τούτους ἰώμενος ὁ κύριος ἔλεγεν· ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε· τοῖς δὲ κατὰ φιλοσοφίαν δικαίοις οὐχ ἡ πίστις μόνον ἡ εἰς τὸν κύριον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἀποστῆναι τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας ἔδει. αὐτίκα ἀποκαλυφθείσης τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς προπεπραγμένοις μεταμέλονται· διόπερ ὁ κύριος εὐηγγελίσατο καὶ τοῖς ἐν Ἅιδου. φησὶ γοῦν ἡ γραφή· λέγει ὁ Ἅιδης τῇ ἀπωλείᾳ· εἶδος μὲν αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἴδομεν, φωνὴν δὲ αὐτοῦ ἠκούσαμεν. οὐχ ὁ τόπος δή που φωνὴν λαβὼν εἶπεν τὰ προειρημένα, ἀλλ' οἱ ἐν Ἅιδου καταταγέντες καὶ εἰς ἀπώλειαν ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδεδωκότες καθάπερ ἔκ τινος νεὼς εἰς θάλασσαν ἑκόντες ἀπορρίψαντες, οὗτοι τοίνυν εἰσὶν οἱ ἐπακούσαντες τῆς θείας δυνάμεώς τε καὶ φωνῆς· ἐπεὶ τίς ἂν εὖ φρονῶν ἐν μιᾷ καταδίκῃ καὶ τὰς τῶν δικαίων καὶ τὰς τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ὑπολάβοι εἶναι ψυχάς, ἀδικίαν τῆς προνοίας καταχέων; τί δ'; οὐχὶ δηλοῦσιν εὐηγγελίσθαι τὸν κύριον τοῖς τε ἀπολωλόσιν ἐν τῷ κατακλυσμῷ, μᾶλλον δὲ πεπεδημένοις, καὶ τοῖς ἐν φυλακῇ τε καὶ φρουρᾷ συνεχομένοις; δέδεικται δὲ κἀν τῷ δευτέρῳ Στρωματεῖ τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἀκολούθως τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ τοὺς ἐν Ἅιδου εὐηγγελισμένους· ἐχρῆν γάρ, οἶμαι, ὥσπερ κἀνταῦθα, οὕτως δὲ κἀκεῖσε τοὺς ἀρίστους τῶν μαθητῶν μιμητὰς γενέσθαι τοῦ διδασκάλου, ἵν' ὃ μὲν τοὺς ἐξ Ἑβραίων, οἳ δὲ τὰ ἔθνη εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν ἀγάγωσι, τουτέστιν τοὺς ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τῇ κατὰ νόμον καὶ κατὰ φιλοσοφίαν βεβιωκότας μέν, οὐ τελείως δέ, ἀλλ' ἁμαρτητικῶς διαπεραναμένους τὸν βίον· τουτὶ γὰρ ἔπρεπεν τῇ θείᾳ οἰκονομίᾳ τοὺς ἀξίαν μᾶλλον ἐσχηκότας ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ προηγουμένως βεβιωκότας ἐπί τε τοῖς πλημμεληθεῖσι μετανενοηκότας, κἂν ἐν ἄλλῳ τόπῳ τύχωσιν ἐξομολογούμενοι, ἐν τοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ ὄντας τοῦ παντοκράτορος κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν ἑκάστου γνῶσιν σωθῆναι. Ἐνεργεῖ δέ, οἶμαι, καὶ ὁ σωτήρ, ἐπεὶ τὸ σῴζειν ἔργον αὐτοῦ· ὅπερ οὖν καὶ πεποίηκεν, τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεῦσαι βεβουλημένους διὰ τοῦ κηρύγματος, ὅποι ποτ' ἔτυχον γεγονότες, ἑλκύσας εἰς σωτηρίαν. εἰ γοῦν ὁ κύριος δι' οὐδὲν ἕτερον εἰς Ἅιδου κατῆλθεν ἢ διὰ τὸ εὐαγγελίσασθαι, ὥσπερ κατῆλθεν, ἤτοι πάντας εὐηγγελίσατο ἢ μόνους Ἑβραίους. εἰ μὲν οὖν πάντας, σωθήσονται πάντες οἱ πιστεύσαντες, κἂν ἐξ ἐθνῶν ὄντες τύχωσιν, ἐξομολογησάμενοι ἤδη ἐκεῖ, ἐπεὶ σωτήριοι καὶ παιδευτικαὶ αἱ κολάσεις τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν ἄγουσαι καὶ τὴν μετάνοιαν τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ τὸν θάνατον αἱρούμεναι, καὶ ταῦτα καθαρώτερον διορᾶν δυναμένων τῶν σωμάτων ἀπηλλαγμένων ψυχῶν, κἂν πάθεσιν ἐπισκοτῶνται, διὰ τὸ μηκέτι ἐπιπροσθεῖσθαι σαρκίῳ· εἰ δὲ Ἰουδαίους μόνον εὐηγγελίσατο, οἷς ἔλειπεν ἡ διὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐπίγνωσίς τε καὶ πίστις, δῆλόν που ὡς ἄρα ἀπροσωπολήπτου ὄντος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι, καθάπερ ἐνταῦθα, οὕτως κἀκεῖ τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἐπιτηδείους εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν εὐηγγελίσαντο, καὶ καλῶς εἴρηται τῷ Ποιμένι· κατέβησαν οὖν [μετ'] αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ, ἀλλ' οὗτοι μὲν ζῶντες κατέβησαν καὶ ζῶντες ἀνέβησαν· ἐκεῖνοι δὲ οἱ προκεκοιμημένοι νεκροὶ κατέβησαν, ζῶντες δὲ ἀνέβησαν. Ναὶ μὴν καὶ σώματά φησι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πολλὰ τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἀνεστάσθαι, εἰς ἀμείνω δηλονότι μετατεθειμένων τάξιν. γέγονεν ἄρα τις καθολικὴ κίνησις καὶ μετάθεσις κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ σωτῆρος. δίκαιος τοίνυν δικαίου καθὸ δίκαιός ἐστιν οὐ διαφέρει, ἐάν τε νομικὸς ᾖ ἐάν τε Ἕλλην· οὐ γὰρ Ἰουδαίων μόνων, πάντων δὲ ἀνθρώπων ὁ θεὸς κύριος, προσεχέστερον δὲ τῶν ἐγνωκότων πατήρ. εἰ γὰρ τὸ καλῶς βιοῦν καὶ νομίμως ἐστὶ βιοῦν καὶ τὸ εὐλόγως βιοῦν κατὰ νόμον ἐστὶ βιοῦν, ὀρθῶς δὲ βεβιωκότες οἱ πρὸ νόμου εἰς πίστιν ἐλογίσθησαν καὶ δίκαιοι εἶναι ἐκρίθησαν, δῆλόν που καὶ τοὺς ἐκτὸς νόμου γενομένους διὰ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἰδιότητα, ὀρθῶς βεβιωκότας, εἰ καὶ ἐν Ἅιδου ἔτυχον ὄντες καὶ ἐν φρουρᾷ, ἐπακούσαντας τῆς τοῦ κυρίου φωνῆς, εἴτε τῆς αὐθεντικῆς εἴτε καὶ τῆς διὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐνεργούσης, ᾗ τάχος ἐπιστραφῆναί τε καὶ πιστεῦσαι. μεμνήμεθα γὰρ ὅτι δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν ὁ κύριος· καὶ οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἀσθενήσαι δύναμις. οὕτως οἶμαι δείκνυσθαι ἀγαθὸν μὲν τὸν θεόν, δυνατὸν δὲ τὸν κύριον σῴζειν μετὰ δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἰσότητος τῆς πρὸς τοὺς ἐπιστρέφοντας εἴτε ἐνταῦθα εἴτε καὶ ἀλλαχόθι. οὐ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα μόνον ἡ δύναμις ἡ ἐνεργητικὴ φθάνει, πάντῃ δέ ἐστι καὶ ἀεὶ ἐργάζεται. Αὐτίκα ἐν τῷ Πέτρου Κηρύγματι ὁ κύριός φησι πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν· ἐξελεξάμην ὑμᾶς δώδεκα, μαθητὰς κρίνας ἀξίους ἐμοῦ, οὓς ὁ κύριος ἠθέλησεν, καὶ ἀποστόλους πιστοὺς ἡγησάμενος εἶναι, πέμπων ἐπὶ τὸν κόσμον εὐαγγελίσασθαι τοὺς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἀνθρώπους, γινώσκειν ὅτι εἷς θεός ἐστιν, διὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ πίστεως ἐμῆς δηλοῦντας τὰ μέλλοντα, ὅπως οἱ ἀκούσαντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες σωθῶσιν, οἱ δὲ μὴ πιστεύσαντες ἀκούσαντες μαρτυρήσωσιν, οὐκ ἔχοντες ἀπολογίαν εἰπεῖν· "οὐκ ἠκούσαμεν." τί οὖν; οὐχὶ καὶ ἐν Ἅιδου ἡ αὐτὴ γέγονεν οἰκονομία; ἵνα κἀκεῖ πᾶσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ ἀκούσασαι τοῦ κηρύγματος ἢ τὴν μετάνοιαν ἐνδείξωνται ἢ τὴν κόλασιν δικαίαν εἶναι, δι' ὧν οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν, ὁμολογήσωσιν. ἦν δ' ἂν πλεονεξίας οὐ τῆς τυχούσης ἔργον τοὺς προεξεληλυθότας τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου, μὴ εὐηγγελισμένους μηδὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν τὴν αἰτίαν παρασχομένους κατὰ τὸ πιστεῦσαι ἢ μή, ἤτοι τῆς σωτηρίας ἢ τῆς κολάσεως μετασχεῖν. οὐ γάρ που θέμις τοὺς μὲν ἀκρίτως καταδεδικάσθαι, μόνους δὲ τοὺς μετὰ τὴν παρουσίαν τῆς θείας ἀπολελαυκέναι δικαιοσύνης. πάσαις δ' ἄνωθεν ταῖς ψυχαῖς εἴρηται ταῖς λογικαῖς· ὅσα ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ τις ὑμῶν ἐποίησεν μὴ εἰδὼς σαφῶς τὸν θεόν, ἐὰν ἐπιγνοὺς μετανοήσῃ, πάντα αὐτῷ ἀφεθήσεται τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. ἰδοὺ γάρ· φησί, τέθεικα πρὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὴν ζωήν, ἐκλέξασθαι τὴν ζωήν, πρὸς σύγκρισιν ἐκλογῆς τεθεῖσθαι λέγων ὁ θεός, οὐ πεποιηκέναι ἄμφω. καὶ ἐν ἑτέρᾳ γραφῇ λέγει· ἐὰν ἀκούσητέ μου καὶ θελήσητε, τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῆς γῆς φάγεσθε· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀκούσητέ μου μηδὲ θελήσητε, μάχαιρα ὑμᾶς κατέδεται· τὸ γὰρ στόμα κυρίου ἐλάλησεν ταῦτα. πάλιν δὲ ἄντικρυς ὁ ∆αβίδ. μᾶλλον δὲ ὁ κύριος ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ ὁσίου (εἷς δὲ οὗτος ἐκ καταβολῆς κόσμου, πᾶς ὁ διαφόροις χρόνοις διὰ πίστεως σωθείς τε καὶ σωθησόμενος)· ηὐφράνθη μου ἡ καρδία καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο ἡ γλῶσσά μου. ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει ἐπ' ἐλπίδι, φησίν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς Ἅιδην οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. ἐγνώρισάς μοι ὁδοὺς ζωῆς· πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου. Ὥσπερ οὖν τίμιος ὁ λαὸς τῷ κυρίῳ, οὕτως ὁ λαὸς ἅγιος ἅπας ἐστὶν σὺν τῷ Ἰουδαίῳ καὶ ὁ ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἐπιστρέφων, ὃς ὁ προσήλυτος προεφητεύετο. εἰκότως ἄρα βοῦν φησι καὶ ἄρκτον ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἔσεσθαι ἡ γραφή· βοῦς μὲν γὰρ εἴρηται ὁ Ἰουδαῖος ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ νόμον ὑπὸ ζυγὸν καθαροῦ κριθέντος ζῴου, ἐπεὶ καὶ διχηλεῖ καὶ μηρυκᾶται ὁ βοῦς· ὁ ἐθνικὸς δὲ διὰ τῆς ἄρκτου ἐμφαίνεται, ἀκαθάρτου καὶ ἀγρίου θηρίου· τίκτει δὲ τὸ ζῷον σάρκα ἀτύπωτον, ἣν σχηματίζει εἰς τὴν τοῦ θηρίου ὁμοιότητα τῇ γλώττῃ μόνον· λόγῳ γὰρ τυποῦται εἰς τὸ ἡμερῶσθαι ἐκ τοῦ θηριώδους βίου ὁ ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἐπιστρέφων, τιθασευθείς τε ἤδη καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς βοῦς ἁγνίζεται. αὐτίκα φησὶν ὁ προφήτης· σειρῆνες εὐλογήσουσίν με καὶ θυγατέρες στρουθῶν καὶ τὰ θηρία πάντα τοῦ ἀγροῦ. τῶν ἀκαθάρτων ζῴων τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ γιγνώσκεται, τουτέστι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐπεὶ τοὺς εἰς πίστιν ἀγρίους καὶ ῥυπαροὺς τὸν βίον μηδὲ τῇ κατὰ νόμον δικαιοσύνῃ κεκαθαρμένους θηρία προσαγορεύει. μεταβαλόντες μέντοι ἐκ τοῦ εἶναι θηρία διὰ τῆς κυριακῆς πίστεως ἄνθρωποι γίνονται θεοῦ, ἐκ τοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν θελῆσαι μεταβάλλεσθαι εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι προκόπτοντες. τοὺς μὲν γὰρ προτρέπει ὁ κύριος, τοῖς δὲ ἤδη ἐγχειρήσασι καὶ χεῖρα ὀρέγει καὶ ἀνέλκει οὐ γὰρ ὑποστέλλεται πρόσωπον ὁ πάντων δεσπότης οὐδὲ ἐντραπήσεται μέγεθος, ὅτι μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν ὁμοίως τε προνοεῖ πάντων. καὶ ὁ ∆αβίδ φησιν· εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐνεπάγησαν ἔθνη ἐν διαφθορᾷ ᾗ ἐποίησαν, ἐν παγίδι ταύτῃ ᾗ ἔκρυψαν συνελήφθη ὁ ποὺς αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ ἐγένετο κύριος καταφυγὴ τῷ πένητι, βοηθὸς ἐν εὐκαιρίᾳ καὶ ἐν θλίψει. εὐκαίρως ἄρα εὐηγγελίσθησαν οἱ ἐν θλίψει ὄντες. καὶ διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· ἀναγγείλατε ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἀδίκως κριθῶσιν. εἰ τοίνυν τοὺς ἐν σαρκὶ διὰ τοῦτο εὐηγγελίσατο, ἵνα μὴ καταδικασθῶσιν ἀδίκως, πῶς οὐ καὶ τοὺς προεξεληλυθότας τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν εὐηγγελίσατο αἰτίαν; δίκαιος γὰρ ὁ κύριος καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἠγάπησεν, εὐθύτητα εἶδεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ. ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν ἀδικίαν μισεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν. Εἰ γοῦν ἐν τῷ κατακλυσμῷ ἀπώλετο πᾶσα ἁμαρτωλὸς σάρξ, εἰς παιδείαν γενομένης αὐτοῖς τῆς κολάσεως, πρῶτον μὲν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ παιδευτικὸν καὶ ἐνεργητικὸν τυγχάνον σῴζειν τοὺς ἐπιστρέφοντας πιστευτέον, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τὸ λεπτομερέστερον, ἡ ψυχή, οὐκ ἄν ποτε πρὸς τοῦ παχυμερεστέρου ὕδατος πάθοι τι δεινόν, διὰ λεπτότητα καὶ ἁπλότητα μὴ κρατουμένη, ᾗ καὶ ἀσώματος προσαγορεύεται. ὃ δ' ἂν παχυμερὲς ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας πεπαχυμμένον τύχῃ, τοῦτο ἀπορρίπτεται σὺν τῷ σαρκικῷ πνεύματι τῷ κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιθυμοῦντι. ἤδη δὲ καὶ τῶν τὴν κοινότητα πρεσβευόντων ὁ κορυφαῖος Οὐαλεντῖνος ἐν τῇ Περὶ φίλων ὁμιλίᾳ κατὰ λέξιν γράφει· πολλὰ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν ταῖς δημοσίαις βίβλοις εὑρίσκεται γεγραμμένα ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ· τὰ γὰρ κοινὰ ταῦτα ἔστι τὰ ἀπὸ καρδίας ῥήματα, νόμος ὁ γραπτὸς ἐν καρδίᾳ· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ λαὸς ὁ τοῦ ἠγαπημένου, ὁ φιλούμενος καὶ φιλῶν αὐτόν. δημοσίας γὰρ βίβλους εἴτε τὰς Ἰουδαϊκὰς λέγει γραφὰς εἴτε τὰς τῶν φιλοσόφων, κοινοποιεῖ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἰσίδωρός τε ὁ Βασιλείδου υἱὸς ἅμα καὶ μαθητὴς ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ τῶν τοῦ προφήτου Παρχὼρ Ἐξηγητικῶν καὶ αὐτὸς κατὰ λέξιν γράφει· φασὶ δὲ οἱ Ἀττικοὶ μεμηνῦσθαί τινα Σωκράτει παρεπομένου δαίμονος αὐτῷ, καὶ Ἀριστοτέλης δαίμοσι κεχρῆσθαι πάντας ἀνθρώπους λέγει συνομαρτοῦσιν αὐτοῖς παρὰ τὸν χρόνον τῆς ἐνσωματώσεως, προφητικὸν τοῦτο μάθημα λαβὼν καὶ καταθέμενος εἰς τὰ ἑαυτοῦ βιβλία, μὴ ὁμολογήσας ὅθεν ὑφείλετο τὸν λόγον τοῦτον. καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ τῆς αὐτῆς συντάξεως ὧδέ πως γράφει· καὶ μή τις οἰέσθω, ὅ φαμεν ἴδιον εἶναι τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν, τοῦτο προειρημένον ὑπάρχειν ὑπό τινων φιλοσόφων· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν αὐτῶν εὕρεμα, τῶν δὲ προφητῶν σφετερισάμενοι προσέθηκαν τῷ μὴ ὑπάρχοντι κατ' αὐτοὺς σοφῷ. αὖθίς τε ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ· καὶ γάρ μοι δοκεῖ τοὺς προσποιουμένους φιλοσοφεῖν, ἵνα μάθωσι τί ἐστιν ἡ ὑπόπτερος δρῦς καὶ τὸ ἐπ' αὐτῇ πεποικιλμένον φᾶρος, πάντα ὅσα Φερεκύδης ἀλληγορήσας ἐθεολόγησεν, λαβὼν ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ Χὰμ προφητείας τὴν ὑπόθεσιν·