308 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER tion to the conditionof eternity,as wellimmortalityarising from inconruption,as incorruptioncoming from immortality. CHAPTER V. Argument. — If we regard the anger,and indignation,and liatredof God describedin the sacredpages,we must remember thattheyare not tobe understoodas bearingthe characterof human vices. Moreover, if we read of His wrath,and considercertain descriptionsof His indignation,and learn that hatredis assertedof Him, yet we are not to understand theseto be assertedof Him in the sensein which they are human vices. For allthesethings,althoughthey may corruptman, cannot at allcorruptthe divinepower. For such passionsas these willrightlybe saidto be in men, and willnot rightlybe judged to be in God. For man can be corrupted by these things,because he can be corrupted;God cannot be cor rupted by them, because He cannot be corrupted. These things,forsooth,have theirforcewhich they may exercise, but only where a materialcapableof impressionprecedes them, not where a substancethatcannot be impressedpre cedes them. For thatGod isangry,arisesfrom no vicein Him, but He is so for our advantage. For He ismerciful even then when He threatens,becauseby thesethreatsmen are recalledto rectitude.For, for those who want the motive to a virtuouslifefear is necessary,that they who have forsakenreasonmay at leastbe moved by terror. And thus allthose,eitherangersof God or hatreds,or whatever they are of thiskind,being displayedfor our medicine(as the case teaches),have arisenof wisdom, not from vice,nor do they originatefrom frailty; wherefore alsothey cannot availfor the corruptionof God. For the diversityof the materialsin us of which we consist,is accustomed to arouse the discordof anger which corruptsus ; but this,whetherof natureor of defect,cannot subsistin God, seeingthatHe is