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another having previously begun the evil, it has received its origin, and has acted according to the wickedness of the one who sowed it, it is called an evil seed. Prepare your children to be slaughtered for the sins of your father. But sometimes the evil seed of someone is spoken of, not as being born in every case from a preceding sowing, but the very thing that begins the generation of another is called a seed. For just as in the creation of the world the things that first sprouted were seeds of others, but they themselves were not from others (for they were older than those perfected from seed), so perhaps now also the word calls an evil seed the one who initiates an example of wickedness for others and becomes, as it were, a seed through imitation, not as having its substance from predecessors, but as providing the beginning for those who come after. And someone can be an evil seed by himself, being the author of wickedness; and again, one who has been taught by evil teachers can be similarly addressed. Seed of Canaan, and not of Judah, that sinner heard, not because his fleshly lineage was illegitimate and mixed from Canaan; but because of the imitation of Canaan, he is called seed of Canaan. Therefore, each one can, from his own choice, be either a holy seed, or the opposite. For hear Paul, saying: For in Christ Jesus through the Gospel I have begotten you. And that, As many as received him, to them he gave power to become children of God. And, Everyone who commits sin is born of the devil. 14.282 And what does the word mean when it commands the evil seed to prepare its children for slaughter for the sins of the father? In many places we have observed that the works of each person and the fruits of the soul are called children. For she will be saved (it says) through childbearing, if they remain in faith and love and holiness with sobriety. For the soul is saved, like a wife of the undeceived bridegroom, when through the word it brings forth children, that is, good deeds, if it persists in its good state and is not obscured by any subsequent sins. So we also (hearing according to the spiritual and divine law of the blessing, which says: Blessed are the offspring of your womb) do not think it is anything else than the fruits of the soul. For from fear of you, Lord, we have conceived and been in pain and have brought forth a spirit of salvation, which we have wrought upon the earth. The destruction, therefore, of evil works is called a slaughter of children, which happens for the benefit of the father who begot them. Therefore, the tropology in this place has a hidden philanthropy, commanding the evil seed (as far as possible) to be lightened from the weight of their evils. For those who are formed according to the evil one and have become sons of wickedness ought to slaughter all the offspring of their own soul for their sins. For if we do not die to sin, how shall we live to righteousness? For (it says) lest they should rise up and fill the earth with cities. For the rising up of wickedness is evil; therefore it must remain dead, and not be permitted to exist in a system and multitude. For this is the city. For it is fitting for the Lord of Sabaoth to destroy the name and remnant and seed of wickedness. 14.283 Blessed is the state of the soul and of human society, in which the name of wickedness is not mentioned, according to the Apostle, who said: But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints. And secondly, that there should not even be a remnant. For many, having turned away from evil works, as it were retaining the memories of their former deeds, through these they often renew the sin that was dormant. Therefore, so that there may be no remnant, that is, that the last seed of evil teaching may not exist, lest those who come after be left behind through imitation of their predecessors, thus says the Lord: And I will make Babylonia a desolation, so that hedgehogs may dwell there, and it shall become nothing; and I will make it a pit of clay for destruction. The philanthropic Lord will make Babylonia desolate

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ἑτέρου προ καταρξαμένου τῆς κακίας, τὴν γένεσιν εἴληφε, καὶ πεποίηκε κατὰ τὴν πονηρίαν τοῦ σπείραντος αὐτὸν, Σπέρμα λέγεται πονηρόν. Ἑτοίμασον τὰ τέκνα σου σφαγῆναι ταῖς ἁμαρ τίαις τοῦ πατρός σου. Λέγεται δέ ποτε σπέρμα πονηρόν τινος, οὐ πάντως ἐκ προαγούσης σπορᾶς γενόμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατάρχον εἰς τὴν ἑτέρου γένεσιν σπέρμα προσ αγορεύεται. Ὡς γὰρ ἐν τῇ κοσμοποιίᾳ τὰ πρώτως βλαστήσοντα, σπέρματα μὲν ἦν ἑτέρων, αὐτὰ δὲ οὐκ ἦν ἐξ ἑτέρων (πρεσβύτερα γὰρ ἦν τῶν κατὰ σπέρμα τελειουμένων) οὕτω τάχα καὶ νῦν ὁ λόγος τὸν ἄλλοις εἰς ὑπόδειγμα πο νηρίας κατάρχοντα καὶ οἱονεὶ σπέρμα γινόμενον διὰ τῆς μιμήσεως, σπέρμα πονηρὸν ὀνομάζει, οὐχ ὡς ἀπὸ προα γόντων τὴν ὑπόστασιν ἔχοντα, ἀλλ' ὡς τοῖς ἐπιγινομένοις τὴν ἀρχὴν παρεχόμενον. ∆ύναται δὲ παρ' ἑαυτόν τις σπέρμα πονηρὸν εἶναι, ἀρχηγὸς τῆς κακίας ὑπάρχων· καὶ πάλιν ὁ πονηροῖς διδασκάλοις μαθητευθεὶς, ὁμοίως προσαγορεύε σθαι. Σπέρμα Χαναὰν, καὶ οὐκ Ἰούδα, ἤκουσεν ὁ ἁμαρτω λὸς ἐκεῖνος, οὐ τῷ τὸ γένος τῆς σαρκὸς νόθον ἔχειν καὶ ἐπίμικτον ἀπὸ τοῦ Χαναάν· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν μίμησιν τοῦ Χα ναὰν, σπέρμα Χαναὰν ὀνομάζεται. ∆ύναται οὖν ἕκαστος ἐκ τῆς αὐτοῦ προαιρέσεως ἢ σπέρμα ἅγιον εἶναι, ἢ τὸ ἐναντίον. Ἄκουε γὰρ Παύλου, λέγοντος· Ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰτοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα. Καὶ τὸ Ὅσοι ἔλαβον αὐτὸν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι. Καὶ Πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου γεγέννηται. 14.282 Τί δὲ βουλόμενος ὁ λόγος προστάσσει τῷ πονηρῷ σπέρματι, ἑτοιμάσαι τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ εἰς σφαγὴν ταῖς ἁμαρ τίαις τοῦ πατρός; Πολλαχοῦ τετηρήκαμεν, τὰ ἑκάστου ἔργα καὶ τοὺς καρποὺς τῆς ψυχῆς τέκνα προσαγορεύεσθαι. Σω θήσεται γὰρ (φησὶ) διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας, ἐὰν μείνωσιν ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ καὶ ἁγιασμῷ μετὰ σωφροσύνης. Σώζεται γὰρ ἡ ψυχὴ, ὡς γυνὴ τοῦ μὴ ἀπατηθέντος νυμφίου, ἐπειδὰν διὰ τοῦ λόγου καρποφορεῖν ποιήσῃ τέκνα, τὰς ἀγαθὰς πράξεις, ἐὰν ἐπιμείνῃ τῇ ἕξει τῇ ἀγαθῇ καὶ μὴ ἀμαυρωθῇ ἀπό τινων ἐπιγινομένων ἁμαρτημάτων. Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς (κατὰ τὸν πνευ ματικὸν καὶ θεῖον ἀκούοντες νόμον τῆς εὐλογίας, λεγούσης· Εὐλογημένα τὰ ἔγγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου) οὐκ ἄλλο τι νο μίζομεν εἶναι, ἢ τοὺς καρποὺς τῆς ψυχῆς. Ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ φόβου σου, Κύριε, ἐν γαστρὶ ἐλάβομεν καὶ ὠδινήσαμεν καὶ ἐτέκομεν πνεῦμα σωτηρίας, ὃ ἐποιήσαμεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ὁ οὖν ἀφανισμὸς τῶν πονηρῶν ἔργων σφαγὴ τέκνων λέγε ται, ἐπ' ὠφελείᾳ γινομένη τοῦ γεννήσαντος πατρός. Λανθά νουσαν οὖν ἔχει φιλανθρωπίαν ἡ κατὰ τὸν τόπον τροπολογία προστάσσουσα τῷ πονηρῷ σπέρματι (κατὰ τὸ ἐνδεχόμενον) κουφίσαι ἀπὸ τοῦ βάρους τῶν κακιῶν αὐτῶν. Οἱ γὰρ με μορφωμένοι κατὰ τὸν πονηρὸν καὶ υἱοὶ τῆς κακίας γενό μενοι, πάντα τὰ ἔγγονα τῆς ἑαυτῶν ψυχῆς σφάζειν ὀφεί λουσι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις. Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν τῇ ἁμαρ τίᾳ, πῶς ζήσομεν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ; Ἵνα γὰρ (φησὶ) μὴ ἀνα στῶσι καὶ ἐμπλήσωσι τὴν γῆν πόλεων. Πονηρὸν γὰρ ἡ ἐπανάστασις τῆς κακίας· διὸ δεῖ αὐτὴν μένειν νεκρὰν, καὶ μὴ συγχωρεῖσθαι ἐν συστήματι καὶ πλήθει γίνεσθαι. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἡ πόλις. Πρέπει γὰρ Κυρίῳ Σαβαὼθ ἀπολλύειν τὸ κακίας ὄνομα καὶ ἐγκατάλειμμα καὶ σπέρμα. 14.283 Μακαρία κατάστασις ψυχῆς καὶ πολιτείας ἀνθρω πίνης, ἐν ᾗ ὄνομα κακίας οὐ χρηματίζει, κατὰ τὸν Ἀπό στολον, εἰπόντα· Πορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία ἢ ἀσέλγεια μηδὲ ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις. ∆εύτερον δὲ, τὸ ἐγκατάλειμμα γοῦν μὴ εἶναι. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐπιστρέ ψαντες ἀπὸ πονηρῶν ἔργων, οἱονεὶ τὰς μνήμας τῶν πα λαιῶν ἔργων παρακατέχοντες, δι' αὐτῶν πολλάκις ἀνανεοῦν ται τὴν ἡσυχάζουσαν ἁμαρτίαν. Ἵνα οὖν μηδὲ ἐγκατά λειμμα ᾖ, ἤγουν τὸ τελευταῖον σπέρμα μὴ ὑπάρχῃ πονηρᾶς διδασκαλίας τοῖς ἐφεξῆς μὴ ὑπολείπεσθαι ἐκ τῆς μιμήσεως τῶν προειληφότων, Τάδε λέγει Κύριος· Καὶ θήσω τὴν Βα βυλωνίαν ἔρημον, ὥστε κατοικεῖν ἐχίνους καὶ ἔσται εἰς οὐδέν· καὶ θήσω αὐτὴν πηλοῦ βάραθρον εἰς ἀπώλειαν. Ἔρημον θήσεσθαι τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Κύριος