Secundum præcedentes meritorum causas. Footnote 586: Ex. xix. 19. Footnote 587: Diversas animarum naturas. Footnote 588: Quodammodo. Footnote 589: ὁσον ἐπὶ τῇ ὑποκειμενῃ φύσει. Footnote 590: ἑνὸς φυραμάτος τῶν λογικῶν ὑποστάσεων. Footnote 591: Cf. Ex. xix. 19. Footnote 592: κατὰ φιλονεικίαν. Footnote 593: σώζουσι. Footnote 594: ἐκ προτέρων τινῶν κατορθωμάτων. Footnote 595: τὸ ἐφ’ ἡμῖν. Footnote 596: ἐπιστήμη; probably in the sense of πρόγνωσις. Footnote 597: τῆς καταχρήσεως τοῦ κατ’ ἀξίαν τοῦ ἐφ’ ἡμῖν. “Nec sine usu liberi nostri arbitrii, quod peculiare nobis et meriti nostri est” (Redepenning). Footnote 598: οὔτε τοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ μόνον. Footnote 599: ὕλην τινὰ διαφορᾶς. CHAPTER II. ON THE OPPOSING POWERS. 1. We have now to notice, agreeably to the statements of Scripture, how the opposing powers, or the devil himself, contends with the human race, inciting and instigating men to sin. And in the first place, in the book of Genesis,[600] the serpent is described as having seduced Eve; regarding whom, in the work entitled _The Ascension of Moses_[601] (a little treatise, of which the Apostle Jude makes mention in his epistle), the archangel Michael, when disputing with the devil regarding the body of Moses, says that the serpent, being inspired by the devil, was the cause of Adam and Eve’s transgression. This also is made a subject of inquiry by some, viz. who the angel was that, speaking from heaven to Abraham, said, “Now I know that thou fearest God, and on my account hast not spared thy beloved son, whom thou lovedst.”[602] For he is manifestly described as an angel who said that he knew then that Abraham feared God, and had not spared his beloved son, as the Scripture declares, although he did not say that it was on account of God that Abraham had done this, but on his, that is, the speaker’s account. We must also ascertain who that is of whom it is stated in the book of Exodus that he wished to slay Moses, because he was taking his departure for Egypt;[603] and afterwards, also, who he is that is called the destroying[604] angel, as well as he who in the book of Leviticus is called Apopompæus, _i.e._ Averter, regarding whom Scripture says, “One lot for the Lord, and one lot for Apopompæus, _i.e._ the Averter.”[605] In the first book of Kings, also, an evil spirit is said to strangle[606] Saul; and in the third book, Micaiah the prophet says, “I saw the Lord of Israel sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him, on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said, Who will deceive Achab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said to him, Wherewith? And he