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They became fathers according to learning, but to emptiness and a curse. Therefore the Savior, lamenting them, said: that You travel across the sea and the dry land to make one proselyte. And when he becomes one, you make him a son of Gehenna. Not so are those of 2697 Christ. For a blessed seed will their seed be. But some have accepted this also according to the regeneration. For if there will be any toils then, they will be saving and very pleasant, such as angels endure. But a reward is stored up for them. Nor their offspring for a curse, that is, their thoughts, even if we should understand it of the apostles, whose fruit is the universal Church of the earth, and the children through the regeneration of the font have a comparison to those from Adam, to whose wife was said, "In sorrow you shall bring forth children;" for they begat according to the flesh; but the seed of the apostles is blessed, which they sowed in all the Churches, to whom indeed it has also been said: Before they call, I will hear them. This happened when they worked miracles in the Acts for the conversion of those called to faith, when all those who were formerly rapacious and beast-like had the same food in the Church as the tame, pasturing on the divine Scripture. And one having a venomous manner, ceasing from this, was fed on spiritual food, instead of earth. Having become such, how could they still do harm. But through these things the coming together of the two peoples into one is to be understood. For the sacred animals, and those suitable for sacrifices according to the law, signify Israel. But the profane, and the wild beasts, the gentiles being fed together on the divine teachings, and the heavenly bread. But observe, that it is not said that the tame would partake of the food of the beasts, but the opposite. For the worse had to follow the better, as the gentiles the apostles. But to those who think that the gentiles are to receive these things alongside the Jews in the old Jerusalem, we will say that nowhere among these things is there a mention of them for good, but reproaches for their impieties. And what is the necessity for beasts to be on the holy mountain? Or how is this worthy of a divine promise? but having mentioned the holy mountain, he says: Heaven is my throne, and the things upon it. Through which it is clearly advised regarding the Jerusalem on earth, that it is consequent to imagine it as such. For he spoke of a new people, and a new name. And besides, he also said that they shall no longer remember the former things. And through the following, he also turns away from their sacrifices, through which they thought they were pious, accepting only the humble and the quiet. But concerning the present saying, some have said that having sufficiently initiated the gentiles, he now turns to Israel itself, to lead it away from the shadow. CHAP. 60. 1-4. 9Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is the footstool of my feet. What 2700 house will you build for me? and what is the place of my rest?9 etc. But "throne" and "footstool" are spoken in a human manner. And concerning the beasts, David sings in agreement: "If I were hungry, would I not tell you? For all the beasts of the field are mine," and what follows. But the prophet, having rejected the sacrifices, introduced the evangelical way of life, preferring the humble, and meek, and reverent. it is not found according to the others, "the lawless one," but "he who slaughters a calf." And the cause of the rejection of Israel, although it was the firstborn, he brings forward, saying: And these have chosen their own ways, not having become upright judges in necessary matters, when they ought to have obeyed Christ who was introducing it. Then, also referring back to their ancient impiety, and their abominations, he says: Therefore I also will choose their mockings; that is, those who mock and revile them, clearly the Romans. And the cause is, because I called them, and they did not hear me, which was also said before these things. And the call is: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." And the things said concerning the years, some say were spoken simply about a long life, if indeed they would abide in his laws. For they will have the land unravaged, and fruits, as if ever-blooming in paradises, which things, having been foretold, did not happen because of their disobedience. For to those who repent

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πατέρες μὲν ἐγένοντο κατὰ μάθησιν, ἀλλ' εἰς κενὸν καὶ κατάραν. ∆ιὸ ταλανίζων αὐτοὺς ἔλεγεν ὁ Σωτήρ· ὅτι Περιάγετε τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ τὴν ξηρὰν, ποιῆσαι ἕνα προσήλυτον. Καὶ ἐὰν γένηται, ποιεῖτε αὐτὸν υἱὸν γεέννης. Οὐχ οὕτως οἱ τοῦ 2697 Χριστοῦ. Σπέρμα γὰρ εὐλογημένον ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν. Τινὲς δὲ καὶ τοῦτο κατὰ τὴν παλιγγενεσίαν ἐδέξαντο. Εἰ γάρ τινες ἔσονται τότε κόποι, σωτήριοι, καὶ λίαν ἡδεῖς, οἵους ὑπομένουσιν ἄγγελοι. Ἀλλὰ μισθὸς αὐτοῖς θησαυρίζεται. Οὐδὲ τὰ γεννήματα αὐτῶν εἰς κατάραν, τοῦτ' ἔστιν οἱ λογισμοὶ, κἂν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων δὲ νοήσωμεν, ὧν καρπὸς ἡ καθόλου τῆς γῆς Ἐκκλησία, καὶ τέκνα τὰ διὰ τῆς τοῦ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας παράθεσιν ἔχει πρὸς τὰ ἐξ Ἀδὰμ, οὗ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα λέλεκται τὸ, "Ἐν λύπαις τέξῃ τέκνα·" κατὰ σάρκα γὰρ ἐγέννων· τὸ δὲ σπέρμα τῶν ἀποστόλων εὐλογημένον, ὃ κατέσπειραν ἐν πάσαις ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις, οἷς δὴ καὶ λέλεκται· Πρὶν κεκράξαι αὐτοὺς, ἐπακούσομαι αὐτῶν. Ὅπερ ἐγίνετο θαυματουργούντων αὐτῶν ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν τῶν καλουμένων εἰς πίστιν, ὅτε πάντες οἱ πρὶν ἁρπακτικοί τε καὶ θηριώδεις τὴν αὐτὴν εἶχον ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῖς ἡμέροις τροφὴν, Γραφὴν τὴν θείαν νεμόμενοι. Καί τις ἰώδη τρόπον ἔχων, τούτου παυσάμενος τροφὴν ἐτρέφετο λογικὴν, ἀντὶ γῆς. Τοιοῦτοι δὲ γεγονότες, πῶς ἔτι βλάπτειν ἠδύναντο. Ἔστι δὲ διὰ τούτων καὶ τῶν δύο λαῶν νοεῖσθαι τὴν εἰς ἓν συνδρομήν. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἱερὰ ζῶα, καὶ θυσίαις κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἁρμόδια, σημαίνει τὸν Ἰσραήλ. Τὰ δὲ ἀνίερα, καὶ θηρία, τοὺς ἐθνικοὺς ὁμοῦ τρεφομένους τά τε θεῖα μαθήματα, καὶ τὸν οὐράνιον ἄρτον. Τήρει δὲ, ὡς οὐκ εἴρηται, τὰ ἥμερα τῆς τῶν θηρίων μεθέξειν τροφῆς, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον. Ἀκολουθεῖν γὰρ ἔδει τὰ χείρω τοῖς κρείττοσιν, ὡς τοῖς ἀποστόλοις τὰ ἔθνη. Πρὸς δὲ τοὺς οἰομένους τὰ ἔθνη τούτων τυχεῖν Ἰουδαίους ἐν τῇ παλαιᾷ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἐροῦμεν ὡς οὐδαμοῦ αὐτῶν ἐν τούτοις ἐπ' ἀγαθοῖς μνήμη, ἀλλ' ἀσεβημάτων ὀνειδισμοί. Τί δὲ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ὄρει θηρία τυγχάνειν; Ἢ πῶς τοῦτο θείας ἄξιον ἐπαγγελίας; ὄρους δὲ μνησθεὶς ἁγίου φησίν· Ὁ οὐρανός μοι θρόνος, καὶ τὰ ἐπ' αὐτῷ. ∆ι' ὧν προδήλως παραινεῖται τὴν ἐπὶ γῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, [ἢν] ἀκόλουθον τοιαύτην εἶναι φαντάζεσθαι. Καὶ λαὸν γὰρ καινὸν ἔφη, καὶ ὄνομα καινόν. Ἄλλως τε καὶ εἶπεν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶσι τῶν προτέρων ἔτι. ∆ιὰ δὲ τῶν ἐξῆς, καὶ τὰ θυσίας αὐτῶν ἀποστρέφεται, δι' ὧν ἐνόμιζον εὐσεβεῖν, τὸν ταπεινὸν, καὶ ἡσύχιον μόνον ἀποδεχόμενος. Πρὸς δὲ τὸ παρὸν ῥητὸν ἔφασάν τινες, ὡς ἱκανῶς μυσταγωγήσας τοὺς ἐθνικοὺς, μεθίσταται λοιπὸν ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἤδη τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, ἀποίσων αὐτὸν τῆς σκιᾶς. ΚΕΦΑΛ. Ξʹ. αδʹ. 9Οὕτως λέγει Κύριος· Ὁ οὐρανός μοι θρόνος, καὶ ἡ γῆ ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν μου. Ποῖον 2700 οἶκον οἰκοδομήσετέ μοι; καὶ ποῖος τόπος τῆς καταπαύσεώς μου9; κ.τ.λ. Ἀνθρωπίνως δὲ τὸ θρόνος, καὶ τὸ ὑποπόδιον εἴρηται. Περὶ δὲ τῶν θηρίων συμφώνως ψάλλει ∆αβίδ· "Ἐὰν πεινάσω, οὐ μή σοι εἴπω; ἐμὰ γάρ ἐστι πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ," καὶ τὰ ἑπόμενα. Ὁ δὲ προφήτης τὰς θυσίας ἀποβαλὼν, τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν εἰσήγαγεν πολιτείαν, τὸ ταπεινὸν, καὶ πρᾶον, καὶ εὐλαβὲς προτιμῶν. οὐ κεῖται δὲ κατὰ τοὺς λοιποὺς, ὁ δὲ ἄνομος, ἀλλ' ὁ δὲ σφαδάζων μόσχον. Τὴν δὲ τῆς ἀποβολῆς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ αἰτίαν καί τοι πρωτοτόκου γεγονότος, ἐπάγει λέγων· Καὶ οὗτοι ἐξελέξαντο τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν, οὐκ ὀρθοὶ γεγονότες ἐν ἀναγκαίοις πράγμασι δικασταὶ, δέον εἰσηγουμένῳ πειθαρχῆσαι Χριστῷ. Εἶτα καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἀνατρέχων ἀσέβειαν, καὶ τὰ βδελύγματα, φησί· ∆ιὸ κἀγὼ ἐκλέξομαι τὰ ἐμπαίγματα αὐτῶν· τοῦτ' ἔστι, τοὺς ἐμπαίζοντάς τε καὶ ἐμπαροινοῦντας αὐτοῖς, δηλονότι Ῥωμαίους. Ἡ δὲ αἰτία, διότι ἐκάλεσα αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐκ ἐπήκουσάν μου, ὃ καὶ πρὸ τούτων ἐλέγετο. Ἡ δὲ κλῆσις· "∆εῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες, καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς." Τὰ δὲ περὶ τῶν ἐτῶν εἰρημένα, τινὲς ἁπλῶς εἰρῆσθαί φασιν ἐπὶ πολυχρονίου ζωῆς, εἴγε τοῖς αὐτοῦ νόμοις ἐμμέννοιεν. Καὶ τὴν χώραν γὰρ ἀπόρθητον ἕξουσιν, καὶ καρποὺς, ὡς ἐν παραδείσοις ἀειθαλεῖς, ἃ προῤῥηθέντα διὰ τὴν αὐτῶν ἀπειθείαν οὐ γέγονεν. Μετανοοῦσι γὰρ