barlaam and ioasaph-第41节

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hey　reap　the　immortal　harvest　of　recompense　in　the　kingdom　of　unending　and　divine　felicity。〃


XXXII。

Theudas　said　unto　him；　〃Behold；　it　is　evident　that　our　religion　was　instituted　by　many　mighty　wise　men；　and　interpreters；　marvellous　in　virtue　and　learning；　and　all　the　kings　and　rulers　of　the　earth　have　received　it　as　good　and　sure　in　every　point。　But　that　of　the　Galileans　was　preached　by　some　country　peasants；　poor　and　common　men；　a　mere　handful；　not　exceeding　twelve　in　number。　　How　then　should　one　prefer　the　preaching　of　these　few　obscure　countrymen　to　the　ordinance　of　the　many　that　are　mighty　and　brilliantly　wise？　　What　is　the　proof　that　your　teachers　be　right　and　the　others　wrong？〃

Again　the　king's　son　made　answer；　〃Belike；　Theudas；　thou　art　the　ass　of　the　proverb；　that　heard　but　heeded　not　the　harp；　or　rather　the　adder　that　stoppeth　her　ears；　that　she　may　not　hear　the　voice　of　the　charmers。　　Well；　therefore；　spake　the　prophet　concerning　thee；　If　the　Ethiopian　can　change　his　skin；　or　the　leopard　his　spots；　then　mayest　thou　also　do　good；　that　hast　been　taught　to　do　evil。　　Thou　fool　and　blind；　why　doth　not　the　force　of　truth　bring　thee　to　thy　senses？　　The　very　fact　that　your　foul　idols　are　commended　by　many　men　of　marvellous　wisdom；　and　established　by　kings；　while　the　Gospel　is　preached　by　a　few　men　of　no　mark；　sheweth　the　might　of　our　religion　and　the　weakness　and　deadliness　of　your　wicked　doctrines。　　Because　your　side；　despite　its　having　wise　advocates　and　mighty　champions；　is　dying　down；　and　waxing　weak；　whilst　our　religion；　though　possessed　of　no　human　help；　shineth　from　afar　brighter　than　the　sun；　and　hath　won　the　fulness　of　the　world。　　If　it　had　been　set　up　by　orators　and　philosophers；　and　had　had　kings　for　its　succour；　thou　that　art　evil　wouldst　have　found　occasion　to　declare　that　it　was　wholly　of　human　power。　But　now；　seeing；　as　thou　dost；　that　the　holy　Gospel；　though　composed　but　by　common　fishermen；　and　persecuted　by　every　tyrant；　hath　after　this　won　the　whole　world　for　its　sound　hath　gone　out　into　all　lands；　and　its　words　into　the　ends　of　the　world　　what　canst　thou　say　but　that　it　is　a　divine　and　unconquerable　power　establishing　its　own　cause　for　the　salvation　of　mankind？　　But　what　proof　seekest　thou；　O　fool；　that　thy　prophets　are　liars　and　ours　true；　better　than　the　truths　I　have　told　thee？　　Except　thy　cause　had　been　vain　talk　and　falsehood；　it　could　not；　possessing　such　human　support　as　it　did；　have　suffered　loss　and　decline。　　For　he　saith；　‘I　have　seen　the　ungodly　in　great　power；　and　exalted　like　the　cedars　of　Libanus：　and　I　went　by　and　lo；　he　was　gone：　and　I　sought　him　but　his　place　could　nowhere　be　found。'

〃Concerning　you；　the　defenders　of　idolatry；　were　these　words　spoken　by　the　prophet。　　For　a　very；　very　little　while　and　your　place　shall　not　be　found：　but；　like　as　the　smoke　vanisheth；　and　like　as　wax　melteth　in　face　of　the　fire；　so　shall　ye　fail。　　But；　as　touching　the　divine　wisdom　of　the　Gospel；　thus　saith　the　Lord；　‘Heaven　and　earth　shall　pass　away；　but　my　words　shall　not　pass　away。'　　And　again　the　Psalmist　saith；　‘Thou；　Lord；　in　the　beginning　hast　laid　the　foundation　of　the　earth；　and　the　heavens　are　the　work　of　thy　hands。　　They　shall　perish；　but　thou　endurest；　and　they　all　shall　wax　old　as　doth　a　garment；　and　as　a　vesture　shalt　thou　fold　them　up；　and　they　shall　be　changed；　but　thou　art　the　same；　and　thy　years　shall　not　fail！'　　And　those　divine　preachers　of　the　coming　of　Christ；　those　wise　fishers　of　the　world；　whose　nets　drew　all　men　from　the　depths　of　deceit；　whom　thou；　in　thy　vileness　and　bondage　to　sin；　dost　vilify；　did　by　signs　and　wonders　and　manifold　powers　shine　as　the　sun　in　the　world；　giving　sight　to　the　blind；　hearing　to　the　deaf；　motion　to　the　lame；　and　life　to　the　dead。　　Their　shadows　alone　healed　all　the　ailments　of　men。　　The　devils；　whom　ye　dread　as　gods；　they　not　only　cast　forth　from　men's　bodies；　but　even　drave　out　of　the　world　itself　by　the　sign　of　the　cross；　whereby　they　destroyed　all　sorcery；　and　rendered　witchcraft　powerless。　　And　these　men；　by　curing　every　disease　of　man　by　the　power　of　Christ；　and　renewing　all　creation；　are　rightly　admired　as　preachers　of　truth　by　all　men　of　sound　mind。　　But　what　hast　thou　thyself　to　say　of　thy　wise　men　and　orators；　whose　wisdom　God　hath　made　foolish；　the　advocates　of　the　devil？　　What　worthy　memorial　have　they　bequeathed　to　the　world？　　Tell　me。　　And　what　canst　thou　tell　of　them　but　unreason　and　shamefulness；　and　vain　craft　that　with　glosing　words　concealeth　the　mire　of　their　unsavoury　worship？

〃Moreover　such　of　your　poets　as　have　been　able　to　soar　a　little　above　this　great　madness　have　said；　with　more　truth；　that　they；　which　are　called　gods；　were　men；　and　because　certain　of　them　had　been　rulers　of　regions　and　cities；　and　others　had　done　something　of　no　great　account　in　their　lifetime；　men　were　so　deceived　as　to　call　them　gods。　　It　standeth　on　record　that　the　man　Seruch　was　the　first　to　bring　in　the　use　of　images。　　For　it　is　said　that　in　the　old　times　he　honoured　those　who　had　achieved　some　memorable　deed　of　courage；　friendship；　or　any　other　such　virtue　with　statues　and　pillars。　　But　after　generations　forgat　the　intention　of　their　ancestors：　and；　whereas　it　was　only　for　remembrance　sake　that　they　had　set　up　statues　and　pillars　to　the　doers　of　noble　deeds；　now　they　were；　little　by　little；　led　astray　through　the　working　of　the　prince　of　evil；　the　devil；　and　treated　as　immortal　gods　men　of　like　passions　and　corruptible　as　themselves　and　further　devised　sacrifices　and　drink…offerings　for　them；　　the　devils；　thou　mayest　know；　taking　up　their　abode　in　these　images　and　diverting　to　themselves　these　honours　and　sacrifices。　Accordingly　these　devils　persuade　men；　who　refuse　to　have　God　in　their　knowledge；　to　consider　them　as　gods　for　two　reasons：　first；　that　they　may　be　glorified　by　this　title　（for　they　are　puffed　up　with　arrogance；　and　delight　to　be　honoured　as　gods）　next；　that　they　may　drag　their　poor　dupes　into　the　unquenchable　fire　prepared　for　themselves。　　Hence　they　teach　men　all　iniquity　and　filthiness；　seeing　that　they　have　once　subjected　themselves　to　their　deceit。　　So　when　men　had　arrived　at　this　pinnacle　of　evil；　they；　being　darkened；　set　up　every　man　an　idol　of　his　own　vice　and　his　own　lust；　and　call　it　a　god。　　They　were　abominable　in　their　error；　more　abominable　in　the　absurdity　of　the　objects　that　they　chose　to　worship；　until　the　Lord　came；　and　of　his　tender　mercy　redeemed　us　that　trust　in　him　from　this　wicked　and　deadly　error；　and　taught　men　the　true　knowledge　of　God。　　For　there　is　no　salvation　except　in　him；　and　there　is　none　other　God；　neither　in　heaven；　nor　in　earth；　except　him　only；　the　Maker　of　all；　who　moveth　all　things　by　the　word　of　his　power：　for　he　saith；　‘By　the　word　of　the　Lord　were　the　heavens　made　stedfast；　and　all　the　power　of　them　by　the　breath　of　his　mouth；'　and；　‘All　things　were　made　by　him；　and　without　him　was　not　anything　made　that　was　made。'〃

When　Theudas　had　heard　these　sayings；　and　seen　that　the　word　was　full　of　divine　wisdom；　like　one　thunder…struck；　he　was　smitten　dumb。　　Now　late　in　time；　and　with　difficulty；　came　he　to　understand　his　own　misery；　for　the　word　of　salvation　had　touched　the　darkened　vision　of　his　heart；　and　there　fell　upon　him　deep　remorse　for　his　past　sins。　　He　renounced　the　error　of　his　idols；　and　ran　towards　the　light　of　godliness；　and　from　henceforth　departed　from　his　miserable　life；　and　made　himself　as　bitter　an　enemy　of　vile　affections　and　sorceries　as　he　before　had　pledged　himself　their　devoted　friend；　For　at　this　season　he　stood　up　in　the　midst　of　the　assembly；　and　cried　with　a　loud　voice；　saying；　〃Verily；　O　king；　the　Spirit　of　God　dwelleth　in　thy　son。　　Verily；　we　are　defeated；　and　have　no　further　apology；　and　have　no　strength　to　face　the　words　that　he　hath　uttered。　　Mighty　therefore；　in　sooth；　is　the　God　of　the　Christians：　mighty　is　their　faith：　mighty　are　their　mysteries。〃

Then　he　turned　him　round　toward　the　king's　son　and　said；　〃Tell　me　now；　thou　man；　whose　soul　is　enlightened；　will　Christ　accept　me；　if　I　forsake　my　evil　deeds　and　turn　to　him？〃　　〃Yea；〃　said　that　preacher　of　truth；　〃Yea；　he　receiveth　thee　and　all　that　turn　to　him。　　And　he　not　only　receiveth　thee；　but　he　goeth　out　to　meet　thee　returning　out　of　the　way　of　iniquity；　as　though　it　were　a　son　returning　from　a　far　country。　　And　he　falleth　on　his　neck　and　kisseth　him；　and　he　strippeth　him　of　the　shameful　robe　of　sin；　and　putteth　on　him　a　cloak　of　brightest　glory；　making　mystic　gladness　for　the　powers　on　high；　keeping　feast　for　the　return　of　the　lost　sheep。　　The　Lord　himself　saith；　‘There　is　exceeding　great　joy　in　heaven　over　one　sinner　that　repenteth'：　and　again；　‘I　am　not　come　to　call　the　righteous　but　sinners　to　repentance。'　And　he　saith　also　by　the　Prophet；　‘As　I　live；　saith　the　Lord；　I　have　no　pleasure　in　the　death　of　the　sinner；　and　the　ungodly；　but　that　he　should　turn　from　his　way　and　live。　　Turn　ye；　turn　ye　from　your　evil　way。　　And　why　will　ye　die；　O　house　of　Israel？'　　For　the　wickedness　of　the　wicked　shall　not　hurt　him　in　the　day　that　he　turneth　from　his　wickedness；　if　he　do　righteousness　and　walk　in　the　statutes　of　life；　he　shall　surely　live；　he　shall　not　die。　None　of　his　sins　which　he　hath　committed　shall　be　remembered