22. The Donatists, of course, see it only in Africa!
TRACTATE 7 159 (2) And, indeed, some spirit or other was placated by the blood so that he pressed down the weight. Unclean spirits knew that Jesus Christ would come; they had heard it from the angels, they had heard it from the Prophets, they were expecting him to come. For if they were not expecting, why did they cry out, "What have we to do with you? Have you come to destroy us before the time? We know who you are, the holy one of God." They knew that he would come, but they were unaware of the time.
(3) But what have you heard about Jerusalem in the Psalm?
"For your servants have found her stones well pleasing, and they will have pity on her dust. You," it says, "arising, will have mercy on Sion; for the time has come that you pity her."^" When the time came for God to show mercy, the Lamb came. What kind of Lamb is it whom the wolves fear? What kind of Lamb is it who, though killed, kills the lion? For the devil has been called a lion, going about and roaring, seeking someone to devour;^' by the Lamb's blood the lion has been conquered. Behold the spectacles of Christians!
(4) And what is more, those men with the eyes of the flesh see vanity; we, with the eyes of the heart see truth. Do not think, brothers, that the Lord, our God, has sent us away without spectacles; for if there are no spectacles, why have you come together today? Look at what we have said. You have seen and shouted out; you would not shout out unless you had seen. And it is a great thing to view this through the whole world,^^ that is, the lion conquered by the Lamb's blood, the members of Christ snatched from the lion's teeth and joined to the body of Christ.
(5) Therefore some spirit has devised something similar to this, that his own image would be bought with blood; for he knew that one day the human race was going to be redeemed by the precious blood. For evil spirits contrive certain sem-
19. Cf. Mk 1.24; Lk 4.34; and Mt 8.29 which is the only text carrying the phrase "before the time."
20. Cf. Ps 101.1415 (in some editions i3~i4)- 21. Cf. 1 Pt5.8. 22. The Donatists, of course, see it only in Africa!