IX.
God, out of goodness, hath mingled fear with goodness. For what is beneficial for each one, that He also supplies, as a physician to a sick man, as a father to his insubordinate child: "For he that spareth his rod hateth his son." 1 And the Lord and His apostles walked in the midst of fear and labours. When, then, the affliction is sent in the person of a righteous man, 2 it is either from the Lord rebuking him for a sin committed before, or guarding him on account of the future, or not preventing by the exercise of His power an assault from without, 3 --for some good end to him and to those near, for the sake of example.
