46. But, to say the same things again and again,^37253725    Lit., “again and more frequently.” let this belief, so monstrous and impious, be put far from us, that God, who preserves^37263726    Lit., “the salvation of.” all things, the origin of the virtues and chief in^37273727    Lit., “height of.” benevolence, and, to exalt Him with human praise, most wise, just, making all things perfect, and that permanently,^37283728    Lit., “things perfect, and preserving the measure of their completeness;” i.e., continuing so. either made anything which was imperfect and not quite correct,^37293729    So the ms., LB., Oberthür and Oehler, reading claudum et quod minus esset a recto. All other edd. read eminus—“at a distance from the right.” or was the cause of misery or danger to any being, or arranged, commanded, and enjoined the very acts in which man’s life is passed and employed to flow from His arrangement. These things are unworthy of^37303730    Lit., “less than.” Him, and weaken the force of His greatness; and so far from His being believed to be their author, whoever imagines that man is sprung from Him is guilty of blasphemous impiety, man, a being miserable and wretched, who is sorry that he exists, hates and laments his state, and understands that he was produced for no other reason than lest evils should not have something^37313731    Lit., “material.” through which to spread themselves, and that there might always be wretched ones by whose agonies some unseen and cruel power,^37323732    Lit., “some power latent and cruelty.” adverse to men, should be gratified.