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These things have been brought to bear on, "Be renewed toward me, O islands," and what follows. For having spoken about the Churches and the apostles, he will add this, You have not spoken to you in secret. And as He presents the trustworthiness of God in relation to so great a promise, He also teaches how much the race of men has been honored by Him, so as to receive a saving call. And not simply, Lord, he says (for many are falsely called so in heaven and on earth), but the one who declares who he is by what he has made: Heaven for the dwelling of angels; and earth as a habitation for men. Who were able both to live well and to know God, having been made in His image, and to be on earth what the intellectual powers are in heaven. For He said that the earth was prepared for them, so that according to the saying, "Let the water be gathered into one collection, and let the dry land appear;" as therefore to me who am honored the preaching of the Gospel has also been granted, having given this to all, as the Creator of all, not to Jews only. Therefore He says: I am the Lord, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret. For I have extended the divine Gospel to all. Therefore the sound of the aforementioned apostles went out into all the earth. For the oracles of Moses were spoken in secret, in the Hebrew tongue and with such characters, and in an impassable and waterless desert. 2433 But the preaching of Christ is spoken in every tongue, and is written in all letters. But the phrase "not in secret," most have interpreted in this way, so that no one might say: He is indeed God and truly the only one, but it is unclear whether He wishes others also to be called gods. I ordained a law concerning this, he says, speaking nothing in secret. For the Lord descended on Mount Sinai in the form of fire, and with the sound of trumpets, and with thunders and lightnings, and the whole world was in suspense, when you were called and the rule of the Egyptians was sinking, not so that you might serve vain things; for he has called the idol vain; for He preached to you openly, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve, and you shall not make for yourself an idol." And the phrase, "I am," has often been said exhortatively, for the understanding of the only God who also performed the miracles of old. Speaking righteousness and proclaiming truth. For the law indeed ordained what was to be done righteously; but it also hinted at the truth in shadows, prefiguring the things in Christ. For Moses spoke about Him. And these things, indeed, they say. But according to the first interpretation, I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek in vain.' But according to Symmachus, seek me in vain. But according to the others, seek me emptily. For I proclaimed the Gospel to you first. And so that you might not seem to worship God in vain, I promised you as a reward eternal life, and "what eye has not seen," and the rest. And since I am God, speaking righteousness and proclaiming truth, according to the word of righteousness, after those of the circumcision, I call all to myself, and I make a common proclamation. Assemble and come, and take counsel together, you who are saved from the nations. But instead of "take counsel together," Symmachus says, "draw near to me, you who have escaped from the nations." And "assemble" is the word of one calling those whom Satan has scattered. For the Savior, having come, endured death for us, so that, according to the evangelist, he might also gather into one the children of God who were scattered, bound together by unity of mind and faith. And he says, "come," as to those who are far off. For error separates from God. Therefore Paul also says, "You who once were far off have been brought near." And again, "He preached peace to you who were far off, and peace to those who were near." And a prophet also says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you;" but "take counsel together" exhorts to approach with understanding. For it is necessary, having denied all error, thus to approach God, having exchanged a pious mind for former foolishness. 2436 Having gathered yourselves together, therefore, understand how utterly foolish are those who carry the wood of their graven image, that is, who exalt it as if to offer to it the glory of God. That is, those who carry inanimate things, as they are unable to move, how can they, when travelling or sailing, ask for help from them? But if they have anything to say about their own gods, let them approach. For having drawn near, they will recognize the true God.

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ἐπενήνεκται ταῦτα τῷ, "Ἐγκαινίζεσθε πρός με νῆσοι," καὶ τοῖς ἑξῆς. Περὶ γὰρ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων εἰπὼν, ἐποίσει τὸ, Οὐκ ἐν κρυφῇ ὑμῖν λελαλήκατε. Ὡς δὲ πρὸς τὴν τοσαύτην ἐπαγγελίαν τὸ ἀξιόπιστον παρίστησι τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ διδάσκει πόσον αὐτῷ τετίμηται τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος, ὡς καὶ κλήσεως σωτηρίου τυχεῖν. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς, Κύριος, φησὶ (πλεῖστοι γὰρ λέγονται ψευδῶς ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἐν γῇ), ἀλλ' ὁ δι' ὧν ἐποίησεν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ δηλῶν· Οὐρανὸν μὲν εἰς ἀγγέλων διατριβήν· γῆν δὲ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις διαίτημα. Οἵπερ ἠδύναντο εὖ τε ζῇν, καὶ γινώσκειν Θεὸν, ἅτε κατ' εἰκόνα γενόμενοι, κἀπὶ γῆς εἶναι, ὅπερ αἱ νοεραὶ δυνάμεις ἐν οὐρανῷ. Καὶ τὴν γῆν γὰρ δι' αὐτούς φησ κατασκευάσασαν ἔφη, ἵνα κατὰ τό· "Συναχθήτω τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς συναγωγὴν μίαν, καὶ ὀφθήτω ἡ ξηρά·" ὡς οὖν ἐμοὶ τιμίῳ καὶ τὸ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου δεδώρηται κήρυγμα, πᾶσι τοῦτο δοὺς, ὡς πάντων ∆ημιουργὸς, οὐκ Ἰουδαίοις καὶ μόνοις. ∆ιό φησιν· Ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι. Οὐκ ἐν κρυφῇ λελάληκα. Πᾶσι γὰρ τὸ θεῖον Εὐαγγέλιον ἥπλωσα. ∆ιόπερ εἰς πᾶσαν γῆν ἐξῆλθε τῶν εἰρημένων ἀποστόλων ὁ φθόγγος. Τὰ γὰρ Μωσέως λόγια κρυφῆ λελάληται, γλώττῃ μὲν Ἑβραΐδι καὶ χαρακτῆρσι τοιούτοις, ἐν ἀβάτῳ τε ἐρήμῳ καὶ ἀνύδρῳ. 2433 Τὸ δὲ κήρυγμα τὸ Χριστοῦ πάσῃ γλώττῃ λαλεῖται, καὶ πᾶσι γράμμασι γράφεται. Τὸ δὲ οὐκ ἐν κρυφῇ, τοῦτον οἱ πλείους τὸν τρόπον ἑρμήνευσαν, ὡς ἂν μήτις εἴποι· Θεὸς μέν ἐστι καὶ μόνος ἀληθῶς, ἀλλ' ἄδηλον μὴ καὶ ἄλλους ἐθέλει καλεῖσθαι θεούς. Νόμον φησὶ περὶ τούτου διέταξα λάθρα λαλήσας μηδέν. Κατέβη γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος Σινᾶ ἐν εἴδει πυρὸς, καὶ σαλπίγγων ἠχὼ, βρονταῖς τε καὶ ἀστραπαῖς, καὶ ἦν ἡ οἰκουμένη πᾶσα μετέωρος, ὑμῶν τε κληθέντων καὶ τῆς Αἰγυπτίων καταδυομένης ἀρχῆς, οὐχ ἵνα ματαίοις δουλεύσητε· μάταιον γὰρ τὸ εἴδωλον εἴρηκε· φανερῶς γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐκήρυξε, "Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις, καὶ οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ εἴδωλον." Πολλάκις δὲ τὸ, ἐγώ εἰμι, λέλεκται προτρεπτικῶς, εἰς κατανόησιν τοῦ μόνον Θεοῦ καὶ τὰ πάλαι ποιήσαντος θαύματα. Λαλῶν δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἀναγγέλλων ἀλήθειαν. ∆ιέταττε μὲν γὰρ ὁ νόμος τὰ πρακτέα δικαίως· ᾐνίττετο δὲ καὶ ταῖς σκιαῖς τὴν ἀλήθειαν τὰ ἐν Χριστῷ προτυπῶν. Περὶ αὐτοῦ γὰρ ἐλάλησε Μωσῆς. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν οὗτοι. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν πρώτην ἐξήγησιν, Οὐκ εἶπον τῷ σπέρματι Ἰακὼβ, Μάταιον ζητήσατε. Κατὰ δὲ Σύμμαχον, ματαίως ζητήσατέ με. Κατὰ δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους, κενῶς ζητήσατέ με. Τὸ γὰρ Εὐαγγέλιον πρώτοις ὑμῖν ἀνεκήρυξα. Καὶ ὡς ἂν μὴ δόξητε μάτην θεοσεβεῖν, μισθὸν ὑμῖν ζωὴν ἐπηγγειλάμην αἰώνιον, καὶ ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ Θεός εἰμι λαλῶν δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἀναγγέλλων ἀλήθειαν, κατὰ τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης λόγον, μετὰ τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς, καλῶ πάντας πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν, κήρυγμά τε ποιοῦμαι κοινόν. Συνάχθητε καὶ ἥκετε, καὶ βουλεύσασθε ἅμα οἱ σωζόμενοι τῶν ἐθνῶν. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ βουλεύσασθε ἅμα, Σύμμαχος, προσεγγίσατέ μοι, φησὶν, οἱ διαπεφευγότες τῶν ἐθνῶν. Τὸ δὲ συνάχθητε καλοῦντός ἐστιν οὓς ὁ Σατανᾶς διεσκέδασεν. Ἐλθὼν γὰρ ὁ Σωτὴρ θάνατον ὑπέμεινε δι' ἡμᾶς, ἵνα, κατὰ τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν, καὶ τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ διεσκορπισμένα συναγάγῃ εἰς ἓν συνδεθέντας ὁμοψυχίᾳ καὶ πίστει. Καὶ ὡς μακρὰν οὖσιν ἥκει φησί. Θεοῦ γὰρ ἀφίστησι πλάνη. ∆ιὸ καὶ Παῦλός φησιν, "Οἵ ποτε ὄντες μακρὰν, ἐγενήθητε ἐγγύς." Καὶ πάλιν, "Εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην ὑμῖν τοῖς μακράν, καὶ εἰρήνην τοῖς ἐγγύς." Καὶ προφήτης δέ φησιν· "Ἐγγίσατε τῷ Θεῷ καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν·" τὸ δὲ βουλεύσασθε ἅμα, πρὸς τὸ σὺν φρονήσει προσιέναι παρακαλεῖ. ∆εῖ γὰρ πᾶσαν πλάνην ἀρνησαμένους οὕτως προσιέναι Θεῷ νοῦν εὐσεβῆ τῆς πρὶν ἀφροσύνης ἀλλαξαμένους. 2436 Συστρέψαντες οὖν ἑαυτοὺς συνίδετε ὡς ἀνόητοι παντελῶς οἱ αἴροντες τὸ ξύλον γλύμμα αὐτῶν, ὅ ἐστιν ὑψοῦντες ὡς δόξαν αὐτῷ προσάγειν Θεοῦ. Ἤγουν οἱ τὰ ἄψυχα φέροντες, ὡς μὴ κινεῖσθαι δυνάμενα, πῶς ὁδοιποροῦντες, ἢ πλέοντες τὴν παρὰ τούτων αἰτοῦνται βοήθειαν; Εἰ δὲ ἔχουσί τι περὶ τῶν ἰδίων λέγειν θεῶν, προσίτωσαν. Σύνεγγυς γὰρ γεγονότες τὸν ἀληθῆ Θεὸν ἐπιγνώσονται.