23. And the holy People inherited an eternal Kingdom; the holy people who were chosen instead of the People. For He provoked them to jealousy with a people that was not a people. And with a foolish people He angered them. [817] And He set free the holy people. For lo! every covenant of God is freed from the burden of kings and princes. [818] For even if a man has served the heathen, as soon as ever he draws nigh unto the covenant of God, he is set free. But the Jews are toiling in bondage amongst the Gentiles. For thus he said about the Saints;--They shall inherit the Kingdom that is beneath the heaven. [819] But if he had said it about them (the Jews), why are they toiling in service amongst the Gentiles? And if they say that it has not taken place as yet; then (we ask) is the Kingdom that shall be given to the Son of man, to be heavenly or earthly? And lo! the children of the Kingdom are sealed, and they have received their emancipation from this world. For since it exists now, it will not be willing to be subjected to the power of the King, Who shall come and take to Himself His Kingdom. But it will guard His pledges with honour, that when He shall come to bring to nought the Kingdom, he may come upon them not in anger. For when He, Whose is the Kingdom, [820] shall come in His second coming, He will take to Himself whatever He has given. And He Himself will be King for ever and ever. And His Kingdom shall not pass away, because it is an eternal Kingdom.
24. For first, He gave the Kingdom to the sons of Jacob, and subdued to them the children of Esau; as Isaac said to Esau:--Thou shalt serve Jacob thy brother. [821] And when again they did not prosper in the Kingdom, He took it away from the children of Jacob and gave it to the children of Esau until He should come Whose it is. [822] And they will deliver up the deposit to its Giver, and will not deal fraudulently with it. And the Guardian of the Kingdom is subject to Him to Whom all things are subject. Therefore this Kingdom of the children of Esau shall not be delivered up into the hand of the hosts that are gathered together, that desire to go up against it; because the Kingdom is being kept safe for its Giver, and He Himself will preserve it. And as to this that I wrote to thee, beloved, that the Kingdom of the children of Esau is being kept safe for its Giver, doubt not about it, that that Kingdom will not be conquered. For a mighty champion Whose name is Jesus shall come with power, and bearing as His armour all the power of the Kingdom. And search out and see that also by the poll-tax [823] He was enrolled amongst them. And as He was enrolled by the poll-tax amongst them, He will also succour them. And His standard abounds in that place, and they are clothed in His armour, and shall not be found wanting in war. And if thou shouldest say unto me:--"In the years of the Kings that preceded these, why did they conquer and subdue the beast?" It was because the chiefs and kings who stood up at that time in the Kingdom of the children of Esau did not wish to lead with them to the war the Man who was enrolled with them in the poll-tax. Therefore the beast was subdued a little, but was not slain.
25. But concerning these things that I have written for thee, my beloved, namely, concerning that which is written in Daniel, I have not brought them to an end, but (have stopped) short of the end. And if any man dispute about them, say thus to him, that these words are not concluded, because the words of God are infinite, nor will they be concluded. For the foolish man says, "Here unto (these) words reach." And again, it is not possible to add to them or to diminish from them. [824] For the riches of God cannot be computed or limited. For if thou take away water from the sea, the deficiency will be imperceptible. And if thou remove sand from the sea-shore, its measure will not be diminished. And if thou count the stars of heaven, thou wilt not arrive at the sum of them. And if thou kindle fire from a burning, it will not a whit be lessened. And if thou receive of the Spirit of Christ, Christ will not a whit be diminished. And if Christ dwell in thee, yet He will not be completed in thee. And if the sun enter the windows of thy house, yet the sun in its entirety will not come to thee. And all these things that I have enumerated for thee were created by the word of God. Therefore know thou, that, as concerning the word of God no man has reached or will reach its end. Therefore, have thou no disputation about these things, but say:--"These things are so. That is enough." But hear these things from me, and also enquire about them of our brethren, children of our faith. But whosoever shall mock at the words of his brother, even if he say, "mine are wise," yet hearken not to his words. And concerning what I wrote to thee about these forces that are being stirred up to war, it is not as though anything has been revealed to me that I have made known these things to thee, but attend to the words at the head of the letter:--Every one who exalteth himself shall be humbled. For even if the forces shall go up and conquer, yet know that it is a chastisement of God; and though they conquer, they shall be condemned in a righteous judgment. But yet be thou assured of this, that the beast shall be slain at its (appointed) time. But do thou, my brother, at this time be earnest in imploring mercy, that there may be peace upon the people of God.
[729] Apocryphal; see Ps. Clem., Homil. xii. 29.
[730] Luke xvi. 15.
[731] Luke xiv. 11.
[732] Jer. ix. 23.
[733] 2 Cor. x. 17.
[734] Ps. xxxvii. 35, 36.
[735] Is. xiv. 13.
[736] Is. xiv. 15, 16.
[737] 2 Kings xix. 23, 24; Is. xxxvii. 24, 25.
[738] Is. x. 15.
[739] 2 Kings xviii. 35.
[740] Is. xiv. 25.
[741] 2 Kings xix. 21-23, 28; Is. xxxvii. 22-24, 29.
[742] 2 Kings xix. 37; Is. xxxvii. 38.
[743] Dan. viii. 2, 4.
[744] Dan. viii. 20, 21.
[745] This Demonstration was therefore written in the year 648 according to the "era of the Greeks,"--i.e., reckoning from b.c. 311-312. This year accordingly corresponds with the year 336-7 a.d.; and the "ram."
[746] Dan. vii. 19.
[747] Dan. vii. 8.
[748] Dan. vii. 9, 13, 14, 22.
[749] 2 Kings xx. 18; Is. xxxix. 7.
[750] Ezek. xviii. 3.
[751] Ezek. xxviii. 2.
[752] Ezek. xxviii. 14, 15.
[753] Lam. iv. 2.
[754] Lam. iv. 1.
[755] Zech. ix. 16.
[756] Jer. xx. 9.
[757] Jer. v. 14.
[758] Jer. xxiii. 29.
[759] Ezek. xxviii. 14.
[760] Lam. iv. 20.
[761] Lam. v. 16.
[762] Ezek. xxviii. 16.
[763] Ezek. xxix. 18, 19.
[764] Ezek. xxviii. 14.
[765] Ezek. xxviii. 16.
[766] Dan. iv. 17, 19.
[767] Is. xxiii. 15, 17.
[768] Dan. vii. 7.
[769] Dan. ii. 31-33.
[770] Ib. ii. 38.
[771] Jer. li. 7.
[772] Gen. x. 10.
[773] Dan. ii. 39.
[774] Ibid.
[775] Gen. x. 2.
[776] Dan. ii. 40.
[777] Dan. ii. 43.
[778] This passage describes the Roman Republic and empire.
[779] Dan. ii. 44.
[780] Dan. ii. 34.
[781] Dan. ii. 35.
[782] Dan. vii. 4-7.
[783] Dan. vii. 2.
[784] Jer. l. 17.
[785] Dan. iv. 30.
[786] Jer. xxviii. 14; xxv. 11.
[787] The Romans are here signified, according to Rabinical doctrine, as descendants of Esau.
[788] The "kingdom of the Greeks" is here reckoned from the "era of the Greeks," b.c. 311-12, in the reign of Seleucus Nicanor, to the end of the Ptolemies; b.c. 43,--269 years, as above. From b.c. 43 to the death of the Emperor Philip, a.d. 249, makes up (approximately) the 293 years of the text. Philip was reputed to have been the first Christian Emperor, (Euseb. H. E., VI. 34; Jerome, Chronicon).
[789] Dan. vii. 8, 24.
[790] Dan. vii. 8.
[791] 2 Macc. vi. 2-4.
[792] 2 Macc. v. 26.
[793] Ps. lxxix. 1-3.
[794] 2 Macc. vi. 18-31; vii.
[795] 2 Macc. v. 27.
[796] Dan. vii. 21.
[797] Dan. vii. 25.
[798] 2 Macc. vi. 10, 11.
[799] Dan. vii. 25.
[800] Dan. vii. 26.
[801] 2 Macc. ix. 5-12.
[802] Is. xli. 14.
[803] 2 Macc. ix. 13, 18, 19, 28.
[804] Dan. vii. 27.
[805] Jer. vi. 30.
[806] Lam. iv. 16.
[807] Is. lii. 11.
[808] Dan. vii. 27.
[809] Hos. viii. 10.
[810] Deut. xxxii. 32.
[811] Is. v. 2.
[812] Is. v. 1 sqq.
[813] Matt. xix. 28.
[814] Is. v. 1-6.
[815] Ezek. xv. 4, 5.
[816] Luke xx. 10 sqq.
[817] Deut. xxxii. 21.
[818] Hos. viii. 10.
[819] Dan. vii. 27.
[820] Gen. xlix. 10.
[821] Gen. xxvii. 40.
[822] Gen. xlix. 10.
[823] Luke ii. 1, 2.
[824] Deut. iv. 2.
Demonstration VI.--Of Monks.
1. Expedient is the word that I speak and worthy of acceptance:--Let us now awake from our sleep, [825] and lift up both our hearts and hands to God towards heaven; lest suddenly the Lord of the house come, that when He comes He may find us in watchfulness. [826] Let us observe the appointed time of the glorious bridegroom, [827] that we may enter with Him into His bride-chamber. Let us prepare oil for our lamps that we may go forth to meet Him with joy. Let us make ready provision for our abiding-place, for the way that is narrow and strait. And let us put away and cast from us all uncleanness, and put on wedding garments. Let us trade with the silver that we have received, [828] that we may be called diligent servants. Let us be constant in prayer, that we may pass by the place where fear dwells. Let us cleanse our heart from iniquity, that we may see the Lofty One in His honour. Let us be merciful, as it is written, that God may have mercy upon us. [829] Let there be peace amongst us, that we may be called the brethren of Christ. Let us hunger for righteousness, that we may be satisfied [830] from the table of His Kingdom. Let us be the salt of truth, that we may not become food for the serpent. Let us purge our seed from thorns, that we may produce fruit a hundred-fold. Let us found our building on the rock, [831] that it may not be shaken by the winds and waves. Let us be vessels unto honour [832] that we may be required by the Lord for His use. Let us sell all our possessions, and buy for ourselves the pearl, [833] that we may be rich. Let us lay up our treasures in heaven, [834] that when we come we may open them and have pleasure in them. Let us visit our Lord in the persons of the sick, [835] that He may invite us to stand at His right hand. Let us hate ourselves and love Christ, as He loved us and gave Himself up for our sakes. [836] Let us honour the spirit of Christ, that we may receive grace from Him. Let us be strangers to the world, [837] even as Christ was not of it. Let us be humble and mild, that we may inherit the land of life. Let us be unflagging in His service, that He may cause us to serve in the abode of the saints. Let us pray His prayer in purity, that it may have access to the Lord of Majesty. Let us be partakers in His suffering, that so we may also rise up in His resurrection. [838] Let us bear His sign upon our bodies, that we may be delivered from the wrath to come. For fearful is the day in which He will come, and who is able to endure it? [839] Furious and hot is His wrath, and it will destroy all the wicked. Let us set upon our head the helmet of redemption, [840] that we may not be wounded and die in the battle. Let us gird our loins with truth, that we may not be found impotent in the contest. Let us arise and awaken Christ, that He may still the stormy blasts from us. Let us take as a shield against the Evil One, the preparation of the Gospel of our Redeemer. Let us receive power from our Lord to tread upon snakes and scorpions. [841] Let us lay aside from us wrath, with all fury and malice. Let no reviling proceed out of our mouth, with which we pray unto God. Let us not be cursers, that we may be delivered from the curse of the law. Let us be diligent workers, that we may obtain our reward with those of old. Let us take up the burden of the day, that we may seek a more abundant reward. Let us not be idle workers, for lo! our Lord has hired us for His vineyard. [842] Let us be planted as vines in the midst of His vineyard, for it is the true vineyard. Let us be fruitful vines, that we may not be uprooted out of His vineyard. Let us be a sweet odour, that our fragrance may breathe forth to all around. Let us be poor in the world, and let us enrich many by the doctrine of our Lord. Let us not call anyone our father in the earth, [843] that we may be the children of the Father which is in heaven. Though we have nothing, yet we possess all things. [844] Though no man know us, yet they that have knowledge of us are many. Let us rejoice in our hope at every time, [845] that He Who is our hope and our Redeemer may rejoice in us. Let us judge ourselves righteously and condemn ourselves, that we may not hang down our faces before the judges who shall sit upon thrones and judge the tribes. [846] Let us take to ourselves, as armour for the contest, [847] the preparation of the Gospel. Let us knock at the door of heaven, [848] that it may be opened before us, and we may enter in through it.