Chapter 7

For it is not, as I said, an earthly discovery which was given to them, nor do they take such pains to guard some mortal invention, nor have they been entrusted with the dispensation of human mysteries.

But in truth the Almighty and all-creating and invisible God himself founded among men the truth from heaven, and the holy and incomprehensible word, and established it in their hearts, not, as one might suppose, by sending some minister to men, or an angel, or ruler, or one of those who direct earthly things, or one of those who are entrusted with the dispensations in heaven, but the very artificer and Creator of the universe himself, by whom he made the heavens, by whom he enclosed the sea in its own bounds, whose mysteries all the elements guard faithfully; from whom the sun received the measure of the courses of the day, to whose command the moon is obedient to give light by night, whom the stars obey, following the course of the moon, by whom all things were ordered, and ordained, and placed in subjection, the heavens and the things in the heavens, the earth and the things in the earth, the sea and the things in the sea, fire, air, abyss, the things in the heights, the things in the depths, the things between them—him he sent to them.

Yes, but did he send him, as a man might suppose, in sovereignty and fear and terror?

Not so, but in gentleness and meekness, as a king sending a son, he sent him as King, he sent him as God, he sent him as Man to men, he was saving and persuading when he sent him, not compelling, for compulsion is not an attribute of God.

When he sent him he was calling, not pursuing; when he sent him he was loving, not judging.

For he will send him as judge, and who shall endure his coming?

they are thrown to wild beasts that they may deny the lord, and are not overcome?

Do you not see that the more of them are punished, the more do others multiply?

These things do not seem to be the works of man; these things are a miracle of God, these things are the proofs of his coming.