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the dead being raised, and they did not worship, but attempted to kill him. But Cornelius was not such a one. For this reason, since he did all things on his part with diligence, God added what was lacking to him. Do not say, then, How did God overlook so-and-so, who was artless and good, being a Greek? For in the first place, if someone is artless, it is not possible for men to know, but only for the one who alone fashioned their hearts; then, it is also possible to say that often he was not concerned nor diligent. And how, he says, could he, being extremely artless? Therefore, consider for me this simple and guileless man, and observe him in worldly matters, and you will see him exhibiting much precision, which if he had wished to exhibit in spiritual matters as well, he would not have been overlooked; for the things of the truth are clearer than the sun. And wherever one may arrive, one will easily lay hold of one's own salvation, if one is willing to pay attention and not consider this a secondary matter. For were these matters confined to Palestine? Were they in a small corner of the world? Have you not heard the prophet saying, that "All shall know Me, from the least to the greatest"? Do you not see these things proving true? How then could these have an excuse, seeing the doctrine of truth spread out, and not investigating or caring to learn? 4. And do you demand these things from a rustic and a barbarian, he says? Not from a rustic and a barbarian only, but even if one is more barbarous than those living now. For what reason, tell me, in worldly matters does he know how to speak against it when wronged, and to resist when forced, and does and manages everything so as never to be injured in the least; but in spiritual matters he does not use this same intelligence? And when he worships a stone and considers it a god, and celebrates feasts, and spends money, and shows great fear, and is nowhere negligent because of his simplicity; but when he must seek the truly existing God, then you remind me of simplicity and artlessness? This is not so, it is not; for these are the charges of negligence alone. For whom do you consider to be simpler and more rustic, those in the time of Abraham or those now? It is clear that it was those. 60.642 And when was it easier to find piety, now or then? It is clear that it is now. For now the name of God has been proclaimed among all, and prophets have preached, and the events have come to pass, and the things of the Greeks have been refuted; but then the majority were still untaught, and sin prevailed, and there was no law to instruct, no prophet, no miracles, no teaching, no multitude of those who knew, nothing else of the kind, but all things were situated as in a deep and moonless and wintry night. But nevertheless that wonderful and noble man, though there were so many hindrances, both knew God, and practiced virtue, and led many to the same zeal, and this though he was not experienced in outside wisdom; for how could he, where letters had not yet even been invented? But nevertheless, since he contributed what was from himself, God then contributed what was from Himself. For you could not even say that Abraham received piety from his fathers; for he was an idolater; but nevertheless, having come from such ancestors, and being a barbarian and raised in the midst of barbarians, and having no teacher of piety, he both knew God, and was so much more approved than all his descendants who had enjoyed both law and prophets, that it is not even possible to say. Why indeed? Because in worldly matters he was not greatly concerned, but in spiritual matters he strained himself entirely. What about Melchizedek? Did he not also live in those times, and shine so brightly as even to be called a priest of God? For it is impossible, and very impossible, for one who is watchful ever to be overlooked. Let not these things trouble you; but knowing that everywhere the will has the authority, let us consider our own affairs, so that we may become better. Let us not call God to account, nor examine why He let this one go, and called that one. For we do the same thing, as if someone

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νεκροὺς ἐγειρομένους, καὶ οὐ προσεκύνουν, ἀλλ' ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν ἐπεχείρουν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁ Κορνήλιος τοιοῦτος. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο, ἐπειδὴ πάντα τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ μετὰ σπουδῆς ἔπραττε, καὶ τὸ λεῖπον αὐτῷ προσέθηκεν ὁ Θεός. Μὴ τοίνυν λέγε, Πῶς τὸν δεῖνα ἄπλαστον ὄντα καὶ χρηστὸν περιεῖδεν ὁ Θεὸς, Ἕλληνα ὄντα; Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ, εἴ τις ἄπλαστος, οὐκ ἀνθρώποις δυνατὸν εἰδέναι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πλάσαντι κατὰ μόνας τὰς καρδίας· ἔπειτα κἀκεῖνο ἔστιν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐφρόντισε πολλάκις οὐδὲ ἐσπούδασε. Καὶ πῶς, φησὶν, ἠδύνατο, σφόδρα ἄπλαστος ὤν; Οὐκοῦν τὸν ἁπλοῦν τοῦτον καὶ ἀφελῆ σκόπει μοι, καὶ καταμάνθανε ἐπὶ τῶν βιωτικῶν, καὶ ὄψει πολλὴν ἀκρίβειαν ἐπιδεικνύμενον, ἣν εἴ γε ἐβούλετο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι, οὐκ ἂν παρώφθη· καὶ γὰρ ἡλίου φανότερα τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας. Καὶ ὅπουπερ ἂν ἀφίκηταί τις, ῥᾳδίως ἐπιλήψεται τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίας, εἴ γε βουληθείη προσέχειν καὶ μὴ πάρεργον τοῦτο ἡγεῖσθαι. Μὴ γὰρ ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ τὰ πράγματα συνεκλείσθη; μὴ γὰρ ἐν γωνίᾳ μικρᾷ τῆς οἰκουμένης; Οὐκ ἤκουσας τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, ὅτι Πάντες εἰδήσουσί με ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου; οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὰ πράγματα ἀληθεύοντα; Πῶς οὖν ἂν ἔχοιεν οὗτοι συγγνώμην, ὁρῶντες τὸ δόγμα τῆς ἀληθείας ἐκτεταμένον, καὶ μὴ περιεργαζόμενοι μηδὲ φροντίζοντες μαθεῖν; δʹ. Καὶ ταῦτα παρὰ ἀγροίκου καὶ βαρβάρου, φησὶν, ἀπαιτεῖς; Οὐ παρὰ ἀγροίκου καὶ βαρβάρου μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴ τις τῶν νῦν ὄντων βαρβαρικώτερος. Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν, εἰπέ μοι, ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν βιωτικῶν καὶ ἀντειπεῖν οἶδεν ἀδικούμενος, καὶ ἀντιστῆναι βιαζόμενος, καὶ πάντα ποιεῖ καὶ πραγματεύεται, ὥστε μηδὲ μικρὸν ἐπηρεασθῆναί ποτε· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν οὐ κέχρηται τῇ αὐτῇ ταύτῃ συνέσει; καὶ ὅταν μὲν λίθον προσκυνῇ καὶ θεὸν ἡγεῖται, καὶ ἑορτὰς ἐπιτελῇ, καὶ χρήματα δαπανᾷ, καὶ πολὺν ἐπιδείκνυται φόβον, καὶ οὐδαμοῦ ῥᾴθυμος ἀπὸ τῆς ἀφελείας γίνεται· ὅταν δὲ τὸν ὄντως ὄντα Θεὸν ἐπιζητῆσαι δέῃ, τότε μοι ἀφελείας καὶ ἁπλότητος μέμνησαι; Οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα, οὐκ ἔστι· ῥᾳθυμίας γὰρ μόνης τὰ ἐγκλήματα. Τίνας γὰρ ἁπλουστέρους καὶ ἀγροικοτέρους εἶναι νομίζεις, τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἢ τοὺς νῦν; Εὔδηλον ὅτι ἐκείνους. Πότε δὲ εὐκολώτερον 60.642 εἶναι τὴν εὐσέβειαν εὑρεῖν, νῦν ἢ τότε; Εὔδηλον ὅτι νῦν. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ παρὰ πᾶσι καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ὄνομα βεβόηται, καὶ προφῆται ἀνεκήρυξαν, καὶ τὰ πράγματα ἐξέβη, καὶ τὰ Ἑλλήνων ἐλήλεγκται· τότε δὲ ἔτι ἀδιδάκτως εἶχον οἱ πλείους, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐκράτει, καὶ οὔτε νόμος ἦν παιδεύων, οὐ προφήτης, οὐ θαύματα, οὐ διδασκαλία, οὐ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν γινωσκόντων, οὐκ ἄλλο τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐν σκότῳ βαθεῖ καὶ ἀσελήνῳ καὶ χειμερίῳ νυκτὶ τὰ πράγματα διέκειντο ἅπαντα. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ὁ θαυμαστὸς ἐκεῖνος καὶ γενναῖος ἀνὴρ, καὶ τοσούτων ὄντων κωλυμάτων, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐπέγνω, καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἤσκησε, καὶ πολλοὺς εἰς τὸν ἴσον ἤγαγε ζῆλον, καὶ ταῦτα οὐδὲ τῆς ἔξωθεν σοφίας ἔμπειρος ὤν· πῶς γὰρ, ὅπου γε οὐδὲ γράμματα ἦν εὑρεθέντα πώποτε; Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐπειδὴ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ εἰσήνεγκε, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς τὰ ἑαυτοῦ λοιπὸν συνεισήνεγκεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖνο ἂν ἔχοις εἰπεῖν, ὅτι παρὰ πατέρων ἐδέξατο τὴν εὐσέβειαν ὁ Ἀβραάμ· καὶ γὰρ εἰδωλολάτρης ἦν ἐκεῖνος· ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ προγόνων γενόμενος τοιούτων, καὶ βάρβαρος ὢν καὶ ἐν μέσῳ βαρβάρων τραφεὶς, καὶ διδάσκαλον οὐδένα σχὼν εὐσεβείας, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐπέγνω, καὶ τῶν ἐκγόνων τῶν ἑαυτοῦ πάντων τῶν καὶ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν ἀπολελαυκότων τοσοῦτον ηὐδοκίμησε μᾶλλον, ὅσον οὐδὲ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν. Τί δήποτε; Ὅτι ἐν μὲν τοῖς βιωτικοῖς οὐ σφόδρα ἦν μεμεριμνημένος, ἐν δὲ τοῖς πνευματικοῖς ὅλον ἑαυτὸν συνέτεινε. Τί δὲ ὁ Μελχισεδέκ; οὐχὶ καὶ αὐτὸς κατ' ἐκείνους τοὺς χρόνους ἐγένετο, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἔλαμψεν, ὡς καὶ ἱερεὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ χρηματίσαι; Καὶ γὰρ ἀμήχανον, καὶ σφόδρα ἀμήχανον, τὸν νήφοντα περιοφθῆναί ποτε. Μηδὲ ταῦτα ὑμᾶς θορυβείτω· ἀλλ' εἰδότες, ὅτι πανταχοῦ τῆς γνώμης ἐστι τὸ κῦρος, τὰ ἡμέτερα αὐτῶν περισκοπῶμεν, ὅπως γενοίμεθα βελτίους. Μὴ τὸν Θεὸν ἀπαιτῶμεν εὐθύνας, μηδὲ ἐξετάζωμεν, διὰ τί τὸν δεῖνα εἴασε, καὶ τὸν δεῖνα ἐκάλεσε. Καὶ γὰρ ταυτὸν ποιοῦμεν, οἷον ἂν εἴ τις