“But, setting aside these things, let us consider this earnestly, that God the Creator of the universe, foreseeing the future differences of His creation, foresaw and provided diverse ranks and different offices to each of His creatures, according to the peculiar movements which were produced from freedom of will; so that while all men are of one substance in respect of the method of creation, there should yet be diversity in ranks and offices, according to the peculiar movements of minds, to be produced from liberty of will.  Therefore He foresaw that there would be faults in His creatures; and the method of His justice demanded that punishment should follow faults, for the sake of amendment.  It behoved, therefore, that there should be ministers of punishment, and yet that freedom of will should draw them into that order.  Moreover, those also must have enemies to conquer, who had undertaken the contests for the heavenly rewards.  Thus, therefore, neither are those things destitute of utility which are thought to be evil, since the conquered unwillingly acquire eternal rewards for those by whom they are conquered.  But let this suffice on these points, for in process of time even more secret things shall be disclosed.

E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH