Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| Chapter CXXXIII.—The hard-heartedness of the Jews, for whom the Christians pray.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Chapter CXXXIII.—The hard-heartedness
of the Jews, for whom the Christians pray.
“Now, although these and all
other such unexpected and marvellous works were wrought amongst and seen
by you at different times, yet you are convicted by the prophets of
having gone to such a length as offering your own children to demons; and
besides all this, of having dared to do such things against Christ; and
you still dare to do them: for all which may it be granted to you to
obtain mercy and salvation from God and His Christ. For God, knowing
before that you would do such things, pronounced this curse upon you by
the prophet Isaiah: ‘Woe unto their soul! they have devised evil
counsel against themselves, saying, Let us bind the righteous man, for he
is distasteful to us. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own
doings. Woe to the wicked! evil, according to the works of his hands,
shall befall him. O my people, your exactors glean you, and those who
extort from you shall rule over you. O my people, they who call you
blessed cause you to err, and disorder the way of your paths. But now the
Lord shall assist His people to judgment, and He shall enter into
judgment with the elders of the people and the princes thereof. But why
have you burnt up my vineyard? and why is the spoil of the poor found in
your houses? Why do you wrong my people, and put to shame the countenance
of the humble?’2466
Again, in other
words, the same prophet spake to the same effect: ‘Woe unto them
that draw their iniquity as with a long cord, and their transgressions as
with the harness of an heifer’s yoke: who say, Let His speed come
near, and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel come, that we may
know it. Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil! that put light
for darkness, and darkness for light! that put bitter for sweet, and
sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and
prudent in their own sight! Woe unto those that are mighty among you, who
drink wine, who are men of strength, who mingle strong drink! who justify
the wicked for a reward, and take away justice from the righteous!
Therefore, as the stubble shall be burnt by the coal of fire, and utterly
consumed by the burning flame, their root shall be as wool, and their
flower shall go up like dust. For they would not have the law of the Lord
of Sabaoth, but despised2467
the word of the Lord, the
Holy One of Israel. And the Lord of Sabaoth was very angry, and laid His
hands upon them, and smote them; and He was provoked against the
mountains, and their carcases were in the midst like dung on the road.
And for all this they have not repented,2468
| 2468 Literally, “turned away.” | but
their hand is still high.’2469
For verily your hand is high to commit evil, because ye slew the Christ,
and do not repent of it; but so far from that, ye hate and murder us who
have believed through Him in the God and Father of all, as often as ye
can; and ye curse Him without ceasing, as well as those who side with
Him; while all of us pray for you, and for all men, as our Christ and
Lord taught us to do, when He enjoined us to pray even for our enemies,
and to love them that hate us, and to bless them that curse us.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
