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each preserves its boundaries. For the fire remaining in the water, 55.391 and the water in the fire, neither did the one dry up the other, nor did the other extinguish the one. And yet lightning is sharper, brighter, more cutting than the sun's fire. And our eyes bear witness, continually assailed by its rays; but the force of that other they are not able to bear even for a moment. And the sun runs across the heaven throughout the whole day, but this in a single moment of time, the whole inhabited world; just as Christ also testifies, saying: As the lightning goes forth from the east, and appears even to the west. Who brings forth winds from His treasuries. This again is another nature, providing us with no small service, but one so great that it contributes to a large part of our life, and refreshes wearied bodies, and cools them, and makes the air lighter. For this is the work of winds, to stir up the air, so that being motionless it is not corrupted, to ripen the fruits, to nourish our bodies. What might one say of their uses in navigation, the seasons in which they arise in an orderly way, and yield to one another, dancing on the sea, and carrying sailors across? And one has escorted, and another has taken over, and they travel opposite ways, and they minister, and their conflict again becomes useful to life. And one could mention countless other works of the winds. But nevertheless, having passed over all these things, the Prophet, and having left them for the hearer to consider, he himself presented only the ease of creation. For to say, From his treasuries, is not to show that there are certain treasuries of winds, but the facility of the one presiding, the readiness of the creation, its preparedness. For just as he who has things in a treasury brings forth all things with freedom, and when he wishes; so also the creator of all made all things easily, and delivered them to nature. Have you seen how much difference there is also in the air, just as also in water and in fire, how many varieties? For indeed, of water, some is from a spring, some from the sea, some from the air, some in clouds, some heavenly, some above the heavens, and some underground. And in fire, some is in the sun, some is in the moon, some is in the stars, some in lightning flashes, some in the air, some from wood, that which is around us, and from a lamp, and some from the earth; for in many places such is given up from the earth, like springs of water; some in stones being struck together, some in the foliage of trees, when they too are rubbed together, and some in thunderbolts. So also in the air, some is thicker, that which is around us; some is thinner, and that which is higher is again more fiery. And of the winds the differences are many; for one is thinner, and another thicker; one is colder, and another drier; one is more moist, and another warmer. And air and cloud, the one moves more slowly, the other more quickly, as if on horses. So also with clouds and winds, some resemble water-carrying vessels, at one time filled with waters, at another carried along empty; and others resemble a fan. But you, seeing these things and their difference and their variety, marvel at the Creator. Who smote the firstborn of Egypt. Having spoken of general things, and having shown the providence of God 55.392 for the whole inhabited world, through the lightnings, through the winds, through the air, through the clouds, through the rains, and having refuted the nonsense of those who say that providence extends only as far as the moon, he comes to the particular, the part concerning the Jews. For that earth, and heaven, and all visible things enjoy His loving-kindness, he showed through the things that were said; but in order that he might make the Jews more grateful, he also narrates the particular things, showing that the God of all, and who provides for all, bestowed on them some special benefits. And yet even the things done for them, were again universal. For the fact that they were chosen from among the others, it caused those others to be provoked to jealousy; which Paul also shows, saying: To

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ἑκάστη διατηρεῖ ὅρους. Μένον γὰρ τὸ πῦρ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι, 55.391 καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐν τῷ πυρὶ, οὔτε τοῦτο ἐκεῖνο ἀνεξήρανεν, οὔτε ἐκεῖνο τοῦτο κατέσβεσε. Καίτοι ἡ ἀστραπὴ τοῦ ἡλιακοῦ πυρὸς ὀξύτερον, φανότερον, τομώτερον. Καὶ μαρτυροῦσιν αἱ ὄψεις αὐταῖς ἀκτῖσι διηνεκῶς προσβάλλουσαι· ἐκείνης δὲ τὴν φορὰν οὐδὲ πρὸς βραχὺ δυνάμεναι ἐνεγκεῖν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἥλιος διὰ πάσης ἡμέρας διατρέχει τὸν οὐρανὸν, αὕτη δὲ ἐν μιᾷ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν· καθάπερ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς μαρτυρεῖ λέγων· Ὥσπερ ἡ ἀστραπὴ πορεύεται ἐξ ἀνατολῶν, καὶ φαίνεται ἕως δυσμῶν. Ὁ ἐξάγων ἀνέμους ἐκ θησαυρῶν αὐτοῦ. Αὕτη πάλιν ἑτέρα φύσις, χρείαν οὐ μικρὰν ἡμῖν παρέχουσα, ἀλλὰ τοσαύτην, ὥστε εἰς τὸ πολὺ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν συντελεῖν, καὶ κεκμηκότα ἀνακτᾶσθαι τὰ σώματα, καὶ καταψύχειν, καὶ τὸν ἀέρα κουφότερον ποιεῖν. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔργον ἀνέμων, ἀναῤῥιπίζειν τὸν ἀέρα, ὥστε μὴ ἀκίνητον ὄντα φθείρεσθαι, πεπαίνειν τοὺς καρποὺς, τρέφειν τὰ σώματα. Τί ἄν τις εἴποι τὰς ἐν ναυτιλίᾳ χρείας αὐτῶν, τοὺς καιροὺς, καθ' οὓς τεταγμένως ἐφίστανται, καὶ παραχωροῦσιν ἀλλήλοις, χορεύοντες ἐν τῷ πελάγει, καὶ τοὺς πλωτῆρας διαβιβάζοντες; Καὶ ὁ μὲν παρέπεμψεν, ὁ δὲ διεδέξατο, καὶ ἐναντίας ὁδεύουσιν ὁδοὺς, καὶ διακονοῦνται, καὶ ἡ μάχη αὐτῶν τῷ βίῳ πάλιν γίνεται χρήσιμος. Καὶ μυρία ἕτερα ἄν τις εἴποι τῶν ἀνέμων ἔργα. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ταῦτα πάντα παραδραμὼν ὁ Προφήτης, καὶ καταλιπὼν τῷ ἀκροατῇ ἀναλέγεσθαι, αὐτὸς μόνον τὴν εὐκολίαν τῆς δημιουργίας παρέστησε. Τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν, Ἐκ θησαυρῶν αὐτοῦ, οὐ τοῦτο δηλοῦντός ἐστιν, ὅτι θησαυροί τινές εἰσιν ἀνέμων, ἀλλὰ τὸ εὔκολον τοῦ ἐπιστατοῦντος, τὸ ἕτοιμον τῆς κτίσεως, τὸ παρεσκευασμένον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ ἐν θησαυρῷ ἔχων, μετ' ἀδείας ἐξάγει πάντα, καὶ ὅτε βούλεται· οὕτω καὶ ὁ τοῦ παντὸς δημιουργὸς πάντα εὐκόλως ἐποίησε, καὶ τῇ φύσει παρέδωκεν. Εἶδες πόση καὶ ἐν ἀέρι διαφορὰ, καθάπερ καὶ ἐν ὕδατι καὶ ἐν πυρὶ, πολλαὶ ἐναλλαγαί; Καὶ γὰρ τοῦ ὕδατος τὸν μέν ἐστι πηγαῖον, τὸ δὲ θαλάττιον, τὸ δὲ ἀέριον, τὸ δὲ ἐν νεφέλαις, τὸ δὲ οὐράνιον, τὸ δὲ ὑπεράνω τῶν οὐρανῶν, τὸ δὲ ὑπόγειον. Καὶ ἐν τῷ πυρὶ, τὸ μέν ἐστιν ἐν ἡλίῳ, τὸ δέ ἐστιν ἐν σελήνῃ, τὸ δέ ἐστιν ἐν ἄστροις, τὸ δὲ ἐν ἀστραπαῖς, τὸ δὲ ἐν ἀέρι, τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ ξύλων, τὸ περὶ ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸ λυχνιαῖον, τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ γῆς· καὶ γάρ ἐστι πολλαχοῦ τοιοῦτον ἀπὸ γῆς ἀναδιδόμενον, ὥσπερ αἱ πηγαὶ τῶν ὑδάτων· τὸ δὲ ἐν λίθοις παρατριβομένοις, τὸ δὲ ἐν κόμαις δένδρων, καὶ αὐτῶν παρατριβομένων, τὸ δὲ ἐν κεραυνοῖς. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐν ἀέρι, ὁ μέν ἐστι παχύτερος, ὁ περὶ ἡμᾶς· ὁ δὲ λεπτότερος, ὁ δὲ ἀνώτερος πάλιν πυρωδέστερος. Καὶ τῶν ἀνέμων πολλαὶ αἱ διαφοραί· ὁ μὲν γὰρ λεπτότερος, ὁ δὲ παχύτερος· ὁ μὲν ψυχρότερος, ὁ δὲ ξηρότερος· ὁ μὲν ὑγρότερος, ὁ δὲ θερμότερος. Ἀὴρ δὲ καὶ νέφος, τὸ μὲν σχολαιότερον, τὸ δὲ ταχύτερον χωρεῖ, καθάπερ ἐφ' ἵππων. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ νεφελῶν καὶ ἀνέμων αἱ μὲν ἐοίκασιν ὑδροφόροις σκεύεσι, ποτὲ μὲν ὑδάτων ἐμπεπλησμέναι, ποτὲ δὲ κεναὶ φερόμεναι· αἱ δὲ ῥιπίδι ἐοίκασι. Σὺ δὲ ταῦτα ὁρῶν καὶ τὴν διαφορὰν καὶ τὴν ποικιλίαν αὐτῶν, θαύμαζε τὸν δημιουργόν. Ὃς ἐπάταξε τὰ πρωτότοκα Αἰγύπτου. Εἰπὼν τὰ καθόλου, καὶ δείξας τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν πρό 55.392 νοιαν τὴν περὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν, διὰ τῶν ἀστραπῶν, διὰ τῶν ἀνέμων, διὰ τῶν ἀέρων, διὰ τῶν νεφελῶν, διὰ τῶν ὑετῶν, καὶ ἐλέγξας τὴν ληρωδίαν τῶν μέχρι σελήνης πρόνοιαν λεγόντων εἶναι, ἐπὶ τὸ μερικὸν ἔρχεται τὸ περὶ Ἰουδαίους μέρος. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ γῆ, καὶ οὐρανὸς, καὶ τὰ ὁρώμενα πάντα τῆς αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἀπολαύει, ἔδειξε διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων· ἵνα δὲ εὐγνωμονεστέρους Ἰουδαίους ἐργάσηται, καὶ τὰ μερικὰ διηγεῖται, δεικνὺς ὅτι ὁ καθόλου Θεὸς, καὶ τῶν ἁπάντων προνοῶν, ἰδικὰς αὐτοῖς τινας εὐεργεσίας ἐχαρίσατο. Καίτοι καὶ τὰ εἰς ἐκείνους γινόμενα, καθολικὰ πάλιν ἦν. Τό τε γὰρ ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων αὐτοὺς ἐξειλέχθαι, παραζηλοῦν ἐκείνους ἐποίει· ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δεικνὺς λέγει· Τῷ