The Glory of Creation and the Sorrow of the Elect

Because of the transformation of the Spirit, as he has previously stated, we have grace in having the ruling principle in creation, receiving the glory of the true Son; so that it is not beyond glory that such a great and such a creation should be subjected to men, who appear small in creation.

He has unloosed the elect from all accusations, and justification has pre-ordained the condemnation (Rom 8:33-34); so that neither a condemning law, nor the rulers of this age, holding man by sin and drawing him through sin into the slavery of death, shall still be strong against us. But the terror of the law ceases, being overcome by the grace of Christ, and the wickedness of the rulers of this age is weakened by the goodness of Him who was slaughtered for us and voluntarily gave Himself up by the good pleasure of God and Father, even though a resurrection came upon Him, concealing death, and we no longer see Christ having died, but living and sitting at the Father's side, and interceding for men according to the human, through which also He was joined to men, uniting what was divided.

From the hoped-for good things, both extremes have proceeded (Rom 9:1-5): the contention regarding love and the lamentation regarding those who have fallen away. For those being benefited love, but those failing in the benefits lament appropriately. He says, intensifying with divine testimony, that he does not speak only in word but also in disposition and truth, that he has the greatest sorrow continually present for his kinsmen. Let no one disbelieve, he says, if I lament concerning the adversaries and persecutors, nor let it be considered paradoxical if I desired to suffer the greatest things on their behalf, being handed over unto death by Christ.

For how is it not a pity that they hear men—those who are near them, even their own people—who have been called sons of God from the beginning, and have been glorified with glory from God in the world, and have received the covenant concerning bodily laws previously, and now have the second one having come regarding spiritual things in their hands, and those chosen for the worship of God and the promises of future good things, the fathers of the saints and God-loving ones, those homogeneous with the flesh of the Lord, these being cast off and despised and having fallen now into the greatest shame and lowliness. But therefore, even if what happened concerning them is worthy of lamentation, it is worthy to bless the God who thus judged, the Master over all, to whom all blessing is justly returned from all and upon all. And indeed, even regarding the most holy judgments, neither because the due justice of those being judged will appear manifest, nor because they are being turned away from Him by their prior intimacy with God, [...]