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| Chapter XIV.—The demons misrepresent Christian doctrine.
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For we forewarn you to be on
your guard, lest those demons whom we have been accusing should deceive
you, and quite divert you from reading and understanding what we say. For
they strive to hold you their slaves and servants; and sometimes by
appearances in dreams, and sometimes by magical impositions, they subdue
all who make no strong opposing effort for their own salvation. And thus
do we also, since our persuasion by the Word, stand aloof from them
(i.e., the demons), and follow the only unbegotten God through His Son
—we who formerly delighted in fornication, but now embrace
chastity alone; we who formerly used magical arts, dedicate ourselves to
the good and unbegotten God; we who valued above all things the
acquisition of wealth and possessions, now bring what we have into a
common stock, and communicate to every one in need; we who hated and
destroyed one another, and on account of their different manners would
not live1783
| 1783 Literally,
“would not use the same hearth or fire.” | with men
of a different tribe, now, since the coming of Christ, live familiarly
with them, and pray for our enemies, and endeavour to persuade those who
hate us unjustly to live conformably to the good precepts of Christ, to
the end that they may become partakers with us of the same joyful hope of
a reward from God the ruler of all. But lest we should seem to be
reasoning sophistically, we consider it right, before giving you the
promised1784
| 1784 See the end of
chap. xii. | explanation, to cite a few precepts given by
Christ Himself. And be it yours, as powerful rulers, to inquire whether
we have been taught and do teach these things truly. Brief and concise
utterances fell from Him, for He was no sophist, but His word was the
power of God.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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