8. This man told me these facts, and many others, which
deceitful and filthy spirit never did nor now do, but they dare to operate various miracles in order to impress men and they glorify the spirits and demons of deceit!.
You should pray above all that the gates of light may be opened to you, for these things are not intelligible and comprehensible to everybody unless God and his Christ give understanding to a man."
This man told me these facts, and many others, which there is not time now to relate, and then departed, enjoining me to investigate them, and I never saw him again.
Immediately a fire was lit in my soul, and a desire for the prophets seized me and for those men who are friends of Christ; as I turned over his words in my mind I found this the only reliable and profitable philosophy.
In fact this is the way and these the means whereby I am a philosopher.
I would like everybody to conceive a determination equal with mine not to abandon the doctrines of the Saviour.
For they include among them a certain menace, and they are sufficient to discourage those who are turning away from the right road, and also the most delightful refreshment exists for those who practise them.
If therefore you are concerned about yourself and are anxious to gain salvation, and trust in God, believing him not to be irrelevant to this matter?, it is possible for you to know God's Christ, to become initiated and to be happy."
\ ~ When I had said this, my dear friend3, Trypho's com- ~ panions laughed, but he smiled and said:
"T accept the rest of your opinions and am impressed with your enthusiasm for religion.
But it would be better for you to follow the philosophical system of Plato or of any
11 Tim. 4:1.
Or, "as you are not unacquainted with the subject"; but I think not.
*The book, as becomes evident in cap.141, is dedicated to a Marcus Pompeius, otherwise unknown. oe
other philosopher, practising perseverance and self-discipline and temperance, than to be deceived by false words and follow worthless men.
For if you were to remain in your original course of philosophy and live irreproachably, the hope of a better destiny would be retained; but what salvation is available for somebody who trusts in man?
If you wish to be persuaded by me (for I have already regarded you as a friend), first undergo circumcision, then in accordance with the law observe the sabbath and the major and minor feasts of God, and, in short, do all the things that are written in the law, and then perhaps one day there will be mercy for you from God.
If the Christ has been born and exists somewhere, he is incognito and does not even recognize himself, and has no power, until Elijah comes and anoints him and makes him manifest to all. You have received a _ futile rumour, and have invented some sort of Christ for yourselves, and for his sake you are now unreflectingly going into perdition."
9. "My dear man," I said, "may you receive pardon and be forgiven.
You do not know what you are saying but you are influenced by your teachers and you pontificate and say whatever accords with your mood.
If you are ready you can hear an account of how we are not deceived and will not cease preaching this Christ even though slanders are hurled against us by human agency, even though the fiercest tyrant would compel us to recant.
For I will show you, if you pay attention, we have not put our trust in empty legends nor in arguments incapable of proof, but in a religion full of a divine spirit and bursting with power and blossoming with grace."
At this his companions again burst into laughter and made an unseemly uproar.
So I got to my feet and prepared to go off.
But he took hold of my coat and said that he would not let me go until I had done what
I promised.
"Well," said I, "your companions must not