Edition Masquer
Adversus Hermogenem

XI.

[1] Et tamen unde nobis persuadet Hermogenes malam esse materiam? Non enim poterit non malum dicere cui malum adscribit. Nam definimus diminutionem et subiectionem capere non posse quod si aeternum, ut alii coaeterno inferius deputetur. Ita et nunc nec malum dicimus competere illi, quia nec ex hoc subici possit, quod nullo modo potest subici, quia aeternum est. Sed cum alias summum bonum constet esse quod sit aeternum ut deus, per quod solus est deus, dum aeternus est, et ita bonus, dum deus, quomodo materiae inerit malum, quam ut aeternam summum bonum credi necesse est? [2] Aut si quod aeternum est poterit et mali capax esse, poterit hoc et in deum credi et sine causa gestiuit malum a deo transferre, si competit et aeterno competendo materiae. [3] Iam uero si quod aeternum est malum potest credi, inuincibile et insuperabile erit malum ut aeternum, et tum nos frustra laboramus de auferendo malo ex nobis ipsis, tum et deus hoc frustra mandat et praecipit, immo et iudicium frustra constituit deus, iniustitia utique puniturus. Quodsi contra mali finis, cum praeses eius diabolus abierit in ignem quem praeparauit illi deus et angelis eius, prius in puteum abyssi relegatus, cum reuelatio filiorum dei redemerit conditionem a malo utique uanitati subiectam, cum restituta innocentia et integritate conditionis pecora condixerint bestiis et paruuli de serpentibus luserint, cum pater filio posuerit inimicos sub pedes, utique operarios mali ---- itaque si finis malo competit, necesse est competierit initium erit materia habens initium habendo et finem mali; quae enim malo deputantur, secundum mali statum computantur.

Traduction Masquer
Against Hermogenes

Chapter XI.--Hermogenes Makes Great Efforts to Remove Evil from God to Matter. How He Fails to Do This Consistently with His Own Argument.

But, after all, ¹ by what proofs does Hermogenes persuade us that Matter is evil? For it will be impossible for him not to call that evil to which he imputes evil. Now we lay down this principle, ² that what is eternal cannot possibly admit of diminution and subjection, so as to be considered inferior to another co-eternal Being. So that we now affirm that evil is not even compatible with it, ³ since it is incapable of subjection, from the fact that it cannot in any wise be subject to any, because it is eternal. But inasmuch as, on other grounds, ⁴ it is evident what is eternal as God is the highest good, whereby also He alone is good--as being eternal, and therefore good--as being God, how can evil be inherent in Matter, which (since it is eternal) must needs be believed to be the highest good? Else if that which is eternal prove to be also capable of evil, this (evil) will be able to be also believed of God to His prejudice; ⁵ so that it is without adequate reason that he has been so anxious ⁶ to remove evil from God; since evil must be compatible with an eternal Being, even by being made compatible with Matter, as Hermogenes makes it. But, as the argument now stands, ⁷ since what is eternal can be deemed evil, the evil must prove to be invincible and insuperable, as being eternal; and in that case ⁸ it will be in vain that we labour "to put away evil from the midst of us;" ⁹ in that case, moreover, God vainly gives us such a command and precept; nay more, in vain has God appointed any judgment at all, when He means, indeed, ¹⁰ to inflict punishment with injustice. But if, on the other hand, there is to be an end of evil, when the chief thereof, the devil, shall "go away into the fire which God hath prepared for him and his angels" ¹¹ --having been first "cast into the bottomless pit;" ¹² when likewise "the manifestation of the children of God" ¹³ shall have "delivered the creature" ¹⁴ from evil, which had been "made subject to vanity;" ¹⁵ when the cattle restored in the innocence and integrity of their nature ¹⁶ shall be at peace ¹⁷ with the beasts of the field, when also little children shall play with serpents; ¹⁸ when the Father shall have put beneath the feet of His Son His enemies, ¹⁹ as being the workers of evil,--if in this way an end is compatible with evil, it must follow of necessity that a beginning is also compatible with it; and Matter will turn out to have a beginning, by virtue of its having also an end. For whatever things are set to the account of evil, ²⁰ have a compatibility with the condition of evil.