“Since they estimated Him by these things, he tells them that God is also able to make men rich and poor, not that He Himself does it altogether, but that He can do it if He choose, as when He says, _He rebuketh the sea, and drieth it up, and bringeth all the rivers to be a desert_, although this never happened at all.”
“Since they spoke against visible signs, He makes use of a stronger correction, saying, _Have you never read, Out of the mouths of infants and of sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?_ He said well, _out of the mouths_.”
“Since toad-eaters, too, have to hear what is still more outrageous, and do not care, so neither are these men troubled, but they glory in their shamelessness, and when we talk to them about it, one of them answers, ‘Let me alone, it is very pleasant; and it can put an end to me for all I care’.”
“Sinners even living are dead, whilst the just, who are dead, live: sinners are an object of pity to all men even here because they have quarrelled with God, so are the just blessed in that place, since they have gone to Christ.”
“So Paul gave thanks to God in everything, knowing that God was proving him by these things; and he showed his burning zeal everywhere by allowing no obstacle to stand in his way.”
“Take up thy bed and walk, and go into thy house._ Sin is indeed a dire paralysis, or, rather, it is not only a paralysis, but something more fearful.”
“That which the Christian should have said the heathen said, and that which it would have been natural for the heathen to say the Christian put forward.”
“The Body of Christ: not many bodies, but one body.’ Just as bread is composed of many grains of wheat which are nowhere apparent in it, but still there, presenting no difference by reason of the kneading, so are we joined together with each other and with Christ.”
“The church is neither a gold nor a silver-smith’s shop, but an assembly of angels, therefore souls are what we want, and these things are acceptable to God through souls.”
“The Father has given all judgment to the Son: now I see them set over all judgment by the Son as if they were already in heaven, and had passed beyond nature, and had thrown off our passions also, to so great an authority have they been raised.”
