Chapter XI.—These things are worthy to be known and believed. - ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

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Chapter XI.—These things are worthy to be known and believed.
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Chapter XI.—These things are worthy to be known and believed.

I do not speak of things strange to me, nor do I aim at anything inconsistent with right reason;³¹⁹

³¹⁹ Some render, “nor do I rashly seek to persuade others.”
but having been a disciple of the Apostles, I am become a teacher of the Gentiles. I minister the things delivered to me to those that are disciples worthy of the truth. For who that is rightly taught and begotten by the loving³²⁰

³²⁰ Some propose to read, “and becoming a friend to the Word.”
Word, would not seek to learn accurately the things which have been clearly shown by the Word to His disciples, to whom the Word being manifested has revealed them, speaking plainly [to them], not understood indeed by the unbelieving, but conversing with the disciples, who, being esteemed faithful by Him, acquired a knowledge of the mysteries of the Father? For which³²¹

³²¹ It has been proposed to connect this with the preceding sentence, and read, “have known the mysteries of the Father, viz., for what purpose He sent the Word.”
reason He sent the Word, that He might be manifested to the world; and He, being despised by the people [of the Jews], was, when preached by the Apostles, believed on by the Gentiles.³²²

³²² [Comp. 1 Tim. iii. 16.]
This is He who was from the beginning, who appeared as if new, and was found old, and yet who is ever born afresh in the hearts of the saints. This is He who, being from everlasting, is to-day called³²³

³²³ Or, “esteemed.”
the Son; through whom the Church is enriched, and grace, widely spread, increases in the saints, furnishing understanding, revealing mysteries, announcing times, rejoicing over the faithful, giving³²⁴

³²⁴ Or, “given.”
to those that seek, by whom the limits of faith are not broken through, nor the boundaries set by the fathers passed over. Then the fear of the law is chanted, and the grace of the prophets is known, and the faith of the gospels is established, and the tradition of the Apostles is preserved, and the grace of the Church exults; which grace if you grieve not, you shall know those things which the Word teaches, by whom He wills, and when He pleases. For whatever things we are moved to utter by the will of the Word commanding us, we communicate to you with pains, and from a love of the things that have been revealed to us.
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