1) XVI. Such, O King, is the commandment of the law of
the Christians, and such is their manner of life. As men who know God, they ask
from Him petitions which are fitting for Him to grant and for them to receive.
And thus they employ their whole lifetime. And since they know the
loving-kindnesses of God toward them, behold! for their sake the glorious
things which are in the world flow forth to view. And verily, they are those
who found the truth when they went about and made search for it; and from what
we considered, we learned that they alone come near to a knowledge of the
truth. And they do not proclaim in the ears of the multitude the kind deeds
they do, but are careful that no one should notice them; and they conceal their
giving just as he who finds a treasure and conceals it. And they strive to be
righteous as those who expect to behold their Messiah, and to receive from Him
with great glory the promises made concerning them. And as for their words and
their precepts, O King, and their glorying in their worship, and the hope of
earning according to the work of each one of them their recompense which they
look for in another world-you may learn about these from their writings. It is
enough for us to have shortly informed your Majesty concerning the conduct and
the truth of the Christians. For great indeed, and wonderful is their doctrine
to him who will search into it and reflect upon it. And verily, this is a new
people, and there is something divine (lit: “a divine admixture”) in the midst
of them.
If you wish to read the entire Apology it can
be found here: http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/aristides_05_trans.htm.
That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to
comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and
height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God.
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