S EEING then the days are exceeding evil, and the adversary has got the power of this present world we ought to give the more diligence to inquire into the righteous judgments of the Lord. 2 10 Now the assistants of our faith are fear and patience; our fellow-combatants, long-suffering and continence. 3 Whilst these remain pure in what relates unto the Lord, wisdom, and understanding, and science, and knowledge, rejoice together with them. 4 For God has manifested to us by all the prophets, that he has no occasion for our sacrifices, or burntofferings, or oblations: saying thus; To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord. 5 I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of 12fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of he-goats. continued. this at your hands? Ye shall no more tread my courts. 7 Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination unto me; your new moons and sabbaths ; the calling of assemblies I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting; your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth. 8 These things therefore hath God abolished, that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is without the yoke of any such necessity, might have the spiritual offering of men themselves. 9 For so the Lord saith agair to those heretofore; 14 Did I at all command your fathers when they came out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings of sacrifices? 10 But this I commanded them, saying, 15 Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against he neighbour, and love no false oath. 11 Forasmuch then as we are not without understanding, we ought to apprehend the design 16 of our merciful father. For he speaks to us, being willing that we who have been in the same error about the sacrifices, should seek and tind how to approach unto him. 12 And therefore he thus bespeaks us, 17The sacrifice of God (is a broken spirit,) a broken and contrite heart God will not despise. 13 Wherefore brethren, we ought the more diligently to inquire after those things that belong to our salvation, that the adversary may not have any en trance into us, and deprive us of our spiritual life. 14 Wherefore he again speaketh to them, concerning these 2 6 13 When ye come to appear before me; who hath required 1 Viz. faith and Charity. See before. Namely, which we are to believe. That is, which are to be hoped for, and end in love. Given us to know. 'Honestius et Altius: the more honestly and highly. "Like yourselves. 'In many things. 8 Age. 9Equitus. 10 Comp. Græc. Clem. Alex. 11 Isaiab 1.11. 12 Lambs. 13 Isaiah, í. 12, 13, 14. 14Jer. vii. 22, 23. 15 Zach. viii. 17. 16 Of the mercy of Our Father. 17 Psalm i. 19. things; Ye shall not fast as ye | do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 15 Is it such a fast that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soul? 2 Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord ? 16 But to us he saith on this wise. Is not this the fast that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free; and that ye break every yoke ? concerning Christ, &c. CHAP. III. 3 Let us not give ourselves the liberty of disputing with the wick17 4 Is it not to deal thy breaded and sinners; lest we should to the hungry, and that thou bring chance in time to become like unto the poor that are cast out to thy them. house? When thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh. 18 5 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee, the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. 19 Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry and he shall say, Here I am. If thou put away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 7 and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry; and satisfy the afflicted soul. 20 In this therefore brethren, God has manifested his 8 foreknowledge and love for us; because the people which he has purchased to his beloved Son were to believe in sincerity; and therefore he has shewn these things to all of us, that we should not run as proselytes to 10the Jewish law. Isa. Iviii. 4. Simplicity. V.5. 4 For the consummation of 13sin is come, as it is written, as the prophet Daniel says. And for this end the Lord hath shortened the times and the days, that his beloved might hasten his coming to his inheritance. 5 For so the prophet speaks; 14There shall ten kings reign in the heart, and there shall rise last of all another little one, and he shall humble three kings. 6 And again Daniel speaks in like manner concerning the kingdoms; 15 and I saw the fourth beast dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had ten horns, 16 I considered the horns, and behold there came up among them another little horn, before which were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots. 7 We ought therefore to understand this also: And I beseech you as one of your own brethren, loving you all beyond my own life, that you look well to yourselves, and be not like to those who17 add V. 6. V.7. V. 8. V.9. TV. 10. Providence. 11 Histantibus: read Instantidus. 12 Beloved. 17 "Temptation. Dan. ix. 14 Dan. vii. 16 V. 7. 16 V. 8. Heap up sina sin to sin, and say: That their covenant is ours also. Nay, but it is ours only for they have for ever lost that which Moses received. 8 For thus saith the Scripture: And Moses continued fasting forty days and forty nights in the Mount; and he received the covenant from the Lord, even the two tables of stone, written by the hand of God. 9 But having turned themselves to idols they lost it; as the Lord also said to Moses; Moses, 2go down quickly, for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves, and turned aside from the way which I commanded them. And Moses cast the two tables out of his hands and their covenant was broken; that the love of Jesus might be sealed in your hearts, unto the hope of his faith. : 10 Wherefore let us give heed unto the last times. For all the 'time past of our life, and our faith will profit us nothing; unless we continue to hate what is evil, and to withstand the future temptations. So the Son tells to suffer, proved. utmost of our power to keep his commandments; that we may re joice in his righteous judgments. 13 For God will judge the world without respect of persons: and every one shall receive according to his works. 14 If a man shall be good, his righteousness shall go before him; if wicked, the reward of his wickedness shall follow him. 16 Take heed therefore lest sitting still, now that we are cali ed, we fall asleep in our sins; and the wicked one getting the dominion ever us, stir us up, 7 and shut us out of the kingdom of the Lord. 16 Consider this also: although you have seen so great signs and wonders done among the people of the Jews, yet this notwithstanding the Lord hath forsaken them. 17 Beware therefore, lest it happen to us; as it is written. 8 There may be many called, but few chosen. CHAP. IV. That Christ was to suffer: proved from the prophecies concerning him. OR this did our Lord FOR ts, Let us resist all iniquity and Fvouchsafe to give up his body us; hate it. 11 Wherefore consider the works of the evil way. 5 Do not withdraw yourselves from others, as if you were already justified; but coming altogether into one place, inquire what is agreeable to and profitable for the beloved of God. For the Scripture saith ; "Wo unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their sight. 12 Let us become spiritual, a perfect temple to God. As much as in us lies let us meditate upon the fear of God; and strive to the to destruction, that through the forgiveness of our sins we might be sanctified; that is, by the sprinkling of his blood. 2 Now for what concerns the things that are written about him, some belong to the people of the Jews, and some to us. 3 For thus saith the Scripture: He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, and by his blood we are healed. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. 1 Exod. xxxi. xxxiv. Exod. xxxvii. 7. Deut. ix. 12. V. 19 • Daya. 'Heb. x. 25. 6 Vid. Gr. Clem. Alex. Isa. v., 21. 7 Matt. xxv. 7-10. Matt. xxii. 14. 9 Isa. lii. 5-7. 4 Wherefore we ought the more to give thanks unto God, for that he hath both declared unto us what is passed, 1 and not suffered us to be without understanding of those things that are to come. 1 5 But to them he saith; "The nests are not unjustly spread for the birds. 6 This he spake, because a man will justly perish, if having the knowledge of the way of truth, he shall nevertheless not refrain himself from the way of darkness. 7 And for this cause the Lord was content to suffer for our souls, although he be the Lord of the whole earth; to whom God said before the beginning of the world, 3 Let us make man after our own image and likeness. 8 Now how he suffered for us, seeing it was by men that he underwent it, I will shew you. 9 The prophets having received from him the gift of prophecy, spake before concerning him: concerning him 12 And when he chose his apostles, which were afterwards to publish his Gospel, he took men who had been very great sinners; that thereby he might plainly shew, That he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. 13 Then he clearly manifested himself to be the Son of God. For had he not come in the flesh, how should men have been able to look upon him, that they might be saved? 14 Seeing if they beheld only the sun, which was the work of his hands, and shall hereafter cease to be, they are not able to endure stedfastly to look against the rays of it. 15 Wherefore the Son of God came in the flesh for this cause, that he might fill up the measure of their iniquity, who have persecuted his prophets unto death. And for the same reason also he suffered. 16 For God hath said of the 10 But he, that he might abo-stripes of his flesh, that they were lish death, and make known the from them. And, I will smite the resurrection from the dead, was shepherd, and the sheep of the content, as it was necessary, to ap- flock shall be scattered. pear in the flesh, that he might make good the promise before given to our fathers, and preparing himself a new people, might demonstrate to them whilst he was upon earth, that after the resurrection he would judge the world. 11 And finally teaching the people of Israel, and doing many wonders and signs among them, he preached to them, and shewed the exceeding great love which he bare towards them. 17 Thus he would suffer, because it behoved him to suffer upon the cross. 18 For thus one saith, prophesying concerning him; Spare my soul from the sword. And again, Pierce my flesh from thy fear. 19 And again, the congregation of wicked doers rose up against me, (They have pierced my hands and my feet). 20 And again he saith, I gave my back to the smiters, 10 and my face I set as an hard rock. 8 1 Vid. Ed. Ox. p. 21. 2 Prov. i. 17. 3 Gen. i. 26. Learn. 5 Matt. ix. 13. "Namely, from the Jews. Zach. xiii. 6, 7. According to the LXX. Psalın xxii. 20. Psalm cxix. 120. Psalm xxii. 16, 17. These words were doubt less cited thus by Barnabas, because that without them, those foregoing de not prove the Crucifixion of Christ. But through the repetition of the same preposition, this latter part was so early omitted, that it was not in the Latin interpreter's copy. 10 Isaiah 1. 6. prophecies concerning A 2 CHAP. V. against Israel: 14 Wo be to their soul, because they have taken wicked counsel against themselves, saying, let us 15 lay snares for the righteous, because he is unprofitable to us The subject continued. ND when he had fulfilled the commandment of God, What says he? Who will contend with me? Let him stand against me: or who is he that will implead 8 Moses also in like manner me? Let him draw near to the speaketh to them; 16 Behold thus servant of the Lord. Wo be to saith the Lord God; Enter ye you! Because ye shall all wax into the good land of which the old as a garment, the moth shall Lord hath sworn to Abraham, and eat you up. Isaac, and Jacob, that he would 2 And again the prophet adds, give it you, and possess it; a land He is put for a stone for stumb-flowing with milk and honey. ling. Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a precious stone, a choice corner stone; an honourable stone. And what follows? And he that hopeth in him shall live for ever. 3 What then? Is our hope built upon a stone? God forbid. But because the Lord hath hardened his flesh against sufferings, he saith, I have put me as a firm rock. 4 And again the prophet adds; 'The stone which the builders refused has become the head of the corner. And again he saith; This is the great and wonderful day which the Lord hath made. I write these things the more plainly to you that ye may under stand: 10 For indeed I could be content even to die for your sakes. 5 But what saith the prophet again? 11 The counsel of the wicked encompassed me about. 12 They came about me, as bees about the honey-comb: and, 13 Upon my resture they cast lots. 6 Forasmuch then as our Saviour was to appear in the flesh and suffer, his passion was hereby foretold. 7 For thus saith the prophet 6 9 Now what the spiritual meaning of this is, learn; 17 It is as if it had been said, Put your trust in Jesus, who shall be manifested to you in the flesh. For man is the earth which suffers: forasmuch as out of the 18 substance of the earth Adam was formed. 10 What therefore does he mean when he says, Into a good land flowing with milk and honey? Blessed be our Lord, who has given us wisdom, and a heart to understand his secrets. For 80 says the prophet, 19 Who shall understand the hard sayings of the Lord? 20 But he that is wise, and intelligent, and that loves his Lord. 11 Seeing therefore he has renewed us by the remission of our sins, he has 21 put us into another frame, that we should have souls 22 like those of children, forming us again himself 23 by the spirit. 12 For thus the scripture saith concerning us, 24 where it introduceth the Father speaking to the Son; 25 Let us make man after our likeness and similitude; and let them have dominion over the beasts of the earth, and over the fowls of the air, and the fish of the sea. 8 1Isa. 1, 8, 9. Rep. In. Isa. viii. 14. Isa. xxviii. 16. "Gr. put in strength, or strengthened. Isa. 1. 7. Ps. cxviii. 22. V. 24. Clem. Alex. Strom. v. This is not in the Old Latin Version. 10 Vid. Ed. Ox. p. 29. a. Teoma τις αγαπης υμων. 11 Ps. xxii. 16. 12 Ps. cxviii. 12. 13 Ps. xxii. 18. 14 Is. iii. 9. 16 Bind. 16 Exod. xxxiii. l. 17 Vid. Cot. An. Marg. ex Clem. Alex. 18. προσωπου. 19 Osee, xiv. ult. 20 Prov. i. 6. Ec. i. 10. 1 Gr. made us another form. 22 Vid. Ed. Ox. p. 30. b. Vid. Vet. Lat. In. 24 As he saith to the Son. 25 Gen. i. 26. &c. |