50.

The Lord then, knowing what is good for us beyond ourselves, thus secured the disciples; and they, being thus taught, set right those of Thessalonica ¹ when likely on this point to run into error. However, since Christ’s enemies do not yield even to these considerations, I wish, though knowing that they have a heart harder than Pharaoh, to ask them again concerning this. In Paradise God asks, ‘Adam, where art Thou ²’ and He inquires of Cain also, ‘Where is Abel thy brother ³?’ What then say you to this? for if you think Him ignorant and therefore to have asked, you are already of the party of the Manichees, for this is their bold thought; but if, fearing the open name, ye force yourselves to say, that He asks knowing, what is there extravagant or strange in the doctrine, that ye should thus fall, on finding that the Son, in whom God then inquired, that same Son who now is clad in flesh, inquires of the disciples as man? unless forsooth, having become Manichees, you are willing to blame ⁴ the question then put to Adam and all that you may give full play ⁵ to your perverseness. For being exposed on all sides, you still make a whispering ⁶ from the words of Luke, which are rightly said, but ill understood by you. And what this is, we must state, that so also their corrupt ⁷ meaning may be shewn.