74. And why, my opponent
says, did God, the Ruler and Lord of the universe, determine
that a Saviour, Christ, should be sent to you from the heights of
heaven a few hours ago, as it is said? We ask you too, on the
other hand, what cause, what reason is there that the seasons sometimes
do not recur at their own months, but that winter, summer, and autumn
come too late? why, after the crops have been dried up and the
corn3900
has
perished,
showers sometimes fall which should have dropped on them while yet
uninjured, and made provision for the wants of the time? Nay,
this we rather ask, why, if it were fitting that Hercules should be
born, Æsculapius, Mercury, Liber, and some others, that they might
be both added to the
assemblies of the gods, and might do men some
service,—why they were produced so late by
Jupiter, that only
later ages should know them, while the past ages
3901
of those who went before knew them
not? You will say that there was some reason. There was
then some reason here also that the Saviour of our race came not
lately, but to-day. What, then,
you ask, is the
reason? We do not deny that we do not know. For it is not
within the
power of any one to see the
mind of
God, or the way in which
He has arranged His plans.
3902
Man, a
blind creature, and not
knowing himself even, can
3903
| 3903
So Gelenius emended the ms.,
reading potens—“being able,” which he
changed into potest, as above, followed by later edd. |
in no way
learn what should happen,
when, or what its
nature is: the Father Himself, the Governor and
Lord of all, alone knows. Nor, if I have been unable to disclose
to you the causes why something is done in this way or that, does it
straightway follow, that what has been done becomes not done, and that
a thing becomes incredible, which has been shown to be beyond doubt by
such
3904
| 3904 Lit.,
“by such kinds of.” |
virtues
and
3905
| 3905
The ms. and first edd. read et
potestatibus potestatum—“and by powers of
powers;” the other edd. merely omit potestatibus, as
above, except Oehler, who, retaining it, changes potestatum into
protestata—“being witnessed to by,” etc.; but
there is no instance adduced in which the participle of this verb is
used passively. |
powers.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
