Page:Ante-Nicene Fathers volume 1.djvu/179

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TO THE EPHESIANS.
165

why are we not all prudent, since we have received the knowledge of God, which is Jesus Christ? Why do we foolishly perish, not recognising the gift which the Lord has of a truth sent to us?

God be led captive by his subtlety, as was the first woman.[1] Why do we not, as gifted with reason, act wisely? When we had received from Christ, and had grafted in us the faculty of judging concerning God, why do we fall headlong into ignorance? and why, through a careless neglect of acknowledging the gift which we have received, do we foolishly perish?


Chap. xviii.The glory of the cross.

Let my spirit be counted as nothing[2] for the sake of the cross, which is a stumbling-block[3] to those that do not believe, but to us salvation and life eternal. "Where is the wise man? where the disputer?"[4] Where is the boasting of those who are styled prudent? For our God, Jesus Christ, was, according to the appointment[5] of God, conceived in the womb by Mary, of the seed of David, but by

The cross of Christ is indeed a stumbling-block to those that do not believe, but to the believing it is salvation and life eternal. "Where is the wise man? where the disputer?"[4] Where is the boasting of those who are called mighty? For the Son of God, who was begotten before time began,[6] and established all things according to the will of the Father, He was conceived in the womb of Mary, according to the appointment of God, of the seed of David, and by the Holy Ghost. For says [the Scripture], "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and He

  1. Literally, "before the ages."
  2. Again περίψημα, translated "offscouring," Cor. iv. 13.
  3. Comp. 1 Cor. i. 18.
  4. 4.0 4.1 1 Cor. i. 20.
  5. Or "economy," or "dispensation." Comp. Col. i. 25; 1 Tim. i. 4.
  6. Literally, "before the ages."