BOOK 13 (from: _Christian Fathers,_ E. H. Bickersteth, 1838 translation) TO Diognetus <> <<4648 East Saint Catherine Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85040-5369>> <> CHAPTER 1 1:1 |Since I perceive thee, most excellent Diognetus, to be exceedingly desirous to understand the religion of the Christians, and very openly and anxiously inquiring concerning them, in what God reposing their trust, and in what manner serving him, they all look beyond the world, and despise death; and neither reverence those who are reputed gods by the Greeks, nor observe the superstition of the Jews; and what is the source of the strong affection they hear each other; and why this new society or institution entered the world now only and not earlier; -- I praise thee for this zeal of thine, and entreat of God, who enables us both to speak and to hear, that I may so speak, as that thou mayest receive benefit in hearing, and that thou mayest so hear, as that the speaker may not be grieved. CHAPTER 2 2:1 |Come, then, and cleansing thyself from all the reasonings that pre-occupy thy mind, and laying aside the prejudice that deceives thee, and becoming, as from the first, a new man, since thou art about to listen, as thou thyself hast confessed, to a new doctrine, behold not only with thine eyes, but also with thy understanding, of what substance or of what nature those are, whom you call and esteem to be gods. 2:2 Is not one a stone, like that which is trampled under our feet? Is not another brass, not better than that we use in brazen vessels? Another wood, and that already rotten? Another silver, needing a man to guard it lest it be stolen? Another iron, corroded with rust? Another earthen, not more comely than that used for the meanest service? 2:3 Are not all these of perishable material? Are not they fashioned with tools and with fire? Did not the stone-cutter frame one, and the brazier another, and the silversmith another, and the potter another? And before by the art of these they were fashioned into their present shape, did not each of them change its shape according to the will of each workman, and might still change it? Might not the vessels that are now formed of the same material become like these, if they gained the same workman? 2:4 Might not these again, which are now adored by you, be made by the hand of men like the rest? Are they not all dumb? Are they not blind? Are they not lifeless? Are they not senseless? Are they not motionless? Do they not all corrupt? Do they not all perish? 2:5 These you call gods! These you serve! These you worship! Finally, into the likeness of these you are turned! 2:6 For this cause do you hate the Christians, because they do not esteem those to be gods? 2:7 And do not you yourselves, who so account and esteem them, despise them much worse? Do not you scorn them much more who worship those of stone and earth without a guard, but lock up by night those of silver and gold, and by day set guards over them lest they be stolen? 2:8 But as to the offerings you seem to render them -- if they have sense you rather punish them; but if they are senseless, as if to convict them, you reverence them with blood and incense. 2:9 Would any of you endure these? Would any of you suffer them to be presented to himself? Nay, there is no man who willingly would endure this punishment; for he has sense and reason: but the stone endures it for it is senseless. You convict them, therefore, yourselves, as void of sense. 2:10 |I have many other reasons besides to mention, why Christians should not serve such gods as these; but if there be any to whom even these do not appear enough, I count it useless to mention others. CHAPTER 3 3:1 |But further, why they do not worship in the same manner with the Jews, I suppose thou art mainly desirous to learn. 3:2 The Jews, therefore, though they refrain from the above-mentioned worship, and are willing to reverence one God overall, and to account him Lord, yet if they offer to him the same worship, of such kind as is offered to those mentioned above, themselves too are deceived. 3:3 For, if the Greeks in presenting these offerings to the senseless and the deaf are an example of folly, these in judging it fit to present the same to God, as though he needed them, might still more justly account it folly and not worship. 3:4 For, he who has made the heaven, and the earth, and all things therein, and who provides for us all whatever we need, can himself need none of those things which he himself furnishes to those who fancy they are giving to him. 3:5 And those who judge it meet to present to him sacrifices of blood, and smoke, and whole burnt offerings, and to dignify him by such honours as these, seem to me not at all to differ from those who shew the same honour to deaf idols which cannot perceive the honour rendered, since they fancy they render something to him who needs nothing. CHAPTER 4 4:1 But indeed as to their anxiety about meats, and their superstition about the sabbaths, and their boasts of circumcision, and their pride in their fasts and new moons, ridiculous and not worthy of mention, I think it needless for thee to learn from me. 4:2 For of the things created by God for the use of men, to receive some as created well, and to reject others as useless and superfluous, how can it but be unreasonable? ^1 4:3 And to belie God as though forbidding to do a good work on the sabbath days, how can it be other than profane? 4:4 And to boast in the diminution of the flesh, as a proof of election, as though on this account in some distinguished manner beloved by God, how can it be other than ridiculous? 4:5 But that they should, watching the stars and the moon, bend their anxious diligence upon months and days, and accommodate the dispensations of God, and the changing seasons, to their own affections; that some should be for feasts, and others for days of sorrow, who would judge to be a proof of religion, and not much rather of folly? 4:6 |That Christians, then, with reason refrain from the common idolatry and deceit, and from the busy superstition and pride of the Jews, I conceive thou hast been taught sufficiently: but the mystery of their own peculiar worship do not expect that thou canst be taught by man. == small type on == ^1 See Isaiah 1:10-20; 66:1-4; and Jeremiah 7:21-24, for similar views. == small type off == CHAPTER 5 5:1 |For Christians, neither by country nor by speech, nor by civil customs, are distinguished from the rest of men. 5:2 For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor use any modified dialect, nor practise a distinct manner of life. 5:3 Nor is this any code of instruction invented for them by the skill and care of busy-minded men, nor are they patrons of human doctrine as is the case with some. 5:4 But inhabiting both Grecian and barbarian cities, and, as each was called, following their native customs in apparel and food, and in the other circumstances of life, they exhibit the condition of their own polity as admirable, and without controversy marvellous. 5:5 They inhabit countries where they are natives, yet as strangers; they share in all things as citizens, and endure all things as aliens. Every foreign land is to them as a native country, and every native country as a foreign land. 5:6 They marry like all others, they have children, and do not cast off their offspring. 5:7 They have a common table, 5:8 they live in the flesh, but they do not live according to the flesh. 5:9 They pass their life upon earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. 5:10 They obey the appointed laws, and by their own lives excel those laws. 5:11 They love all men, and are persecuted by all men. 5:12 They are unknown, and are condemned. They are put to death, and spring to life. 5:13 They are poor, and make many rich. They are in need of all things, and they abound in all things. 5:14 They are dishonoured, and in those dishonours they are glorified. They are blasphemed by men, and are justified by God. 5:15 They are reviled, and bless. They are reproached, and pay reverence. 5:16 For doing good they are punished as evil. When punished they rejoice as quickened to life. 5:17 They are warred upon by Jews as aliens, and are persecuted by Greeks; and those who hate them have no cause to give for their hatred. CHAPTER 6 6:1 |But to speak plainly, what the soul is in the body, these Christians are in the world. 6:2 The soul is spread through all the members of the body, and Christians through the cities of the world. 6:3 The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. 6:4 The soul, invisible itself, is kept in the body which is visible; and Christians are known as dwelling in the world, but their worship remains invisible. 6:5 The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it though not injured by it, because it is hindered from indulging its lusts. The world also hates Christians though injured by them in nothing, because they are arrayed against its pleasures. 6:6 The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and its members, and Christians love those who hate them. 6:7 The soul has been shut up in the body, and itself restrains the body; and Christians are shut up in the world as in a prison, but they themselves restrain the world. 6:8 The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle, and Christians sojourn among things corruptible, awaiting the immortality in the heavens. 6:9 The soul when straitened in meats and drinks is made better, and Christians being persecuted daily increase the more. 6:10 So noble a station has God appointed them, which it is not lawful for them to refuse. CHAPTER 7 7:1 For this, as I said, is no earthly invention that has been delivered to them; nor is it the judgment of a mortal which they deem it right to guard so carefully; nor are they entrusted with a charge of human mysteries; 7:2 but the Almighty, and all-creating, and invisible God himself, has from the heavens himself planted among men the truth, and the holy and incomprehensible word, and has rooted it firmly within their hearts. Not sending to men, as one might have supposed, some servant, or angel, or ruler, either any of those that order earthly things, or any of those exercising principality in heaven, but the very framer and artificer of all things, by whom he created the heavens, by whom he shut in the sea within its own bounds, whose mysterious appointments all the elements faithfully obey; from whom they received, to keep them, the measures of their daily courses; whom the moon obeys while he bids her to shine by night; whom the stars obey which follow the pathway of the moon; by whom all things have been appointed, and distributed, and ordered; the heavens and the things in the heavens; earth and the things in the earth; the sea and the things in the sea; fire, air, the deep; the things in the height, the things in the depth, the things between. 7:3 Did he therefore send him to them as any man might suppose, for tyranny, and fear, and consternation? 7:4 No, truly, but in meekness, in gentleness. He sent him, as a king sending a son who is a king. He sent him as God, he sent him as to men, he sent him as a Saviour. As obeying, not as compelled; for to be compelled pertains not to God. 7:5 He sent him in love and not in judgment, 7:6 for he will hereafter send him to judge, and who shall abide his coming? 7:7 |Dost thou not see them cast to the wild beasts, that they may deny the Lord, and not overcome? 7:8 and that the more numerous their persecutors, so much the more do the others increase? 7:9 These things do not appear like the works of men, these things are the power of God; these things are proofs of his presence. CHAPTER 8 8:1 For who at all among men knew what God he is, before he himself came? 8:2 Dost thou receive the vain and childish discourses of those trustworthy philosophers, of whom some said that fire was God? whither they shall go themselves, this they style God; some, water; some, others of the elements created by God. 8:3 Yet if any one is disposed to receive these accounts, he might equally exhibit each of the other creatures as God. 8:4 But these are the lies and errors of deceivers, 8:5 and no one among men hath either seen or known him. 8:6 But he has revealed himself, and revealed himself through faith, by which alone it has been permitted us to see God. 8:7 For God the Lord and framer of the universe, who has made all things, and assigned their courses, not only was full of love to mankind, but also long-suffering. 8:8 Nay indeed he was always such, and is, and will be kind, and good, and passionless, and true, and he only is good. 8:9 But having planned a vast and unutterable design, which he communicated to his Son alone; 8:10 so long as he kept in mystery and concealed his wise counsel, he appeared to be careless and regardless of us; 8:11 but after that he revealed and manifested by his beloved Son the things prepared from the beginning, he granted us all things at once, both to partake of his benefits, and to behold those glories which who among us could ever have expected? CHAPTER 9 9:1 He knew therefore all things within himself, together with his Son, after the order of his dispensations. Throughout then the course of former times he suffered us to be hurried on as we chose in lawless courses, led away by pleasures and lusts; not by any means delighted with our sins, but forbearing; nor having pleasure in that time of unrighteousness, but creating the discernment of righteousness, that being convicted in that time by our own works, as unworthy of life, we might now, by the kindness of God, be made worthy; and having manifested our powerlessness in ourselves to enter into the kingdom of God, we might be made able by the power of God. 9:2 But when our wickedness had been filled up, and it had been perfectly manifested that the wages of sin was punishment, and death was looked for, and the time came which God fore-appointed as remaining to manifest his own kindness and power, he, as being ONE LOVE, of surpassing good will to man, hated us not, nor thrust us away, nor remembered our offences. But he was long-suffering, bore with us, himself took upon him our sins, himself gave his own Son a ransom for us, the Holy for the lawless, the harmless for the wicked, the just for the unjust, the uncorruptible for the corruptible, the immortal for the mortal. 9:3 For what else could cover our sins besides his righteousness? 9:4 In whom was it possible that we, the lawless and the unholy, could be justified, save by the Son of God alone? 9:5 O sweet exchange! O unsearchable wisdom! O unexpected benefits! that the sin of many should be hidden by one righteous, and the righteousness of one justify many sinners! 9:6 Having then proved in the former time the inability of our nature to obtain life, and now having revealed the Saviour who is able to save, even what seemed incapable of salvation, in both ways he sought that we might trust in his goodness, account him our nourisher, father, teacher, counsellor, physician, wisdom, light, honour, glory, strength and life; and not be anxious concerning raiment and food. CHAPTER 10 10:1 |This faith shouldest thou also then desire and receive, first thou wilt obtain the knowledge of the Father. 10:2 For God loved men, for whose sake he made the world, to whom he subjected all things therein, to whom he gave reason, to whom judgment, to whom alone he granted to turn their gaze upon himself, whom he framed after his own image, to whom he sent forth his only begotten Son, to whom he promised the kingdom in heaven, and will bestow it on those who have loved him. 10:3 And when thou knowest him, with what joy supposest thou thou wilt be filled, or how wilt thou love him who has so loved thee before! 10:4 And loving him, thou wilt be a copier of his goodness. And wonder not that man can become a copier of God; he can, God himself willing it. 10:5 For neither to lord it over our neighbours, nor to seek to have more than the weaker, nor to be rich and oppress the more needy, is to be happy: nor can any one in these things imitate God, nay these things are foreign from his majesty. 10:6 But whoever bears the burden of his neighbour; who, in whatever he is superior, seeks to benefit another who is beneath him; who, in whatever he possesses, receiving it from God, becomes as a god to those who receive from him, this man is an imitator of God. 10:7 Then thou wilt behold, though sojourning on earth, that God is ruling in the heavens; then wilt thou begin to utter the mysteries of God; then wilt thou both love and admire those who are punished, because they refuse to deny God. Then wilt thou condemn the deceit and error of the world, when thou shalt have learned truly to live in heaven. When thou shalt despise what here seems death; when thou shalt fear the true death, which is reserved for those condemned to that everlasting fire which shall endlessly torment those delivered to it, 10:8 then wilt thou admire those who suffer for righteousness, and wilt count the fire they suffer blessed, when thou hast learned the other. CHAPTER 11 11:1 These are not strange things that I discourse of. Nor do I make inquiry unreasonably, but having been a disciple of apostles, I am become a teacher of the Gentiles. The truths delivered to the saints I minister to those who become disciples of the truth. 11:2 For who that has been rightly instructed, and born again by the lovely Word, does not seek clearly to learn the things which by the Word have been evidently shown to the disciples, to whom the Word himself having appeared has manifested it, speaking with boldness, not apprehended by the faithless, but declaring it to the disciples; who being accounted faithful by him, learn the mysteries of the Father? 11:3 For which cause he sent forth the Word, that he might appear to the world. Who being dishonoured by the people, but proclaimed by apostles, was believed on among the Gentiles. 11:4 This is he who was from the beginning; who yesterday appeared, and is found to be eternal, and yet ever born afresh in the hearts of saints. 11:5 He is the eternal One, to-day accounted a Son; by whom the church is enriched, and grace, freely bestowed, is multiplied among the saints, furnishing wisdom, revealing mysteries, announcing times, rejoicing over the faithful, freely given to those who seek it. By whom the boundaries of faith are not broken, nor the boundaries of the fathers transgressed. 11:6 |Then, farther, the fear of the law is soothed to rest, and the grace of the prophets is understood, and the faith of the gospel is established, and the tradition of the apostles is preserved, and the church exults in the abundance of grace; 11:7 which grace if thou grieve not, thou wilt learn those things which the Word teaches, by whom he will, and whenever he will. 11:8 For whatever things, by the will of the Word who commands us, we have been stirred up to utter laboriously, we are out of love become communicators to you of the things revealed to ourselves. CHAPTER 12 12:1 |And when you have met with these things, and listened with earnestness, you will know what great things God bestows on those who love him aright, who become a paradise of delights, bringing forth within themselves all manner of flourishing and fruitful trees, adorned with manifold fruits. 12:2 For in this field are planted a tree of knowledge and a tree of life, yet the tree of knowledge destroys not, but disobedience destroys. 12:3 For the things recorded are not unmeaning, how that God from the beginning planted a tree of life in the midst of paradise, revealing life through knowledge, which our first parents not using rightly, were stripped naked by the deceit of the serpent. 12:4 For neither is there life without knowledge, nor is knowledge safe without the true life. Wherefore each was planted side by side; 12:5 which property the apostle beholding, and blaming a knowledge pursued without the truth ordained for life, says knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth. 12:6 For he who fancies that he knows any thing, without a true knowledge, and one which is witnessed by an inward life, knows not that he is deceived by the serpent, not having chosen life. But he who has learned with reverence, and seeking for life, plants in hope, waiting for the fruit. 12:7 Let thy heart be knowledge, and thy life the true Word received within, 12:8 of which, if thou bring forth the tree and retain the fruit, thou wilt reap continually the things desired by God, which the serpent cannot touch and error cannot approach. Nor is this life corrupted like Eve, but is preserved as a virgin; 12:9 and salvation is revealed, and the apostles are instructed, and the passover of the Lord is spread, and songs of praise are united and harmoniously combined, and the Word himself takes delight in the instruction of his saints, through whom the Father is glorified, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.