and diligently inquire into the ordinances of the Lord. Fear and patience, then, are helpers of our faith; and longsuffering and continence are things which fight on our side. While these remain pure in what respects the Lord, Wisdom, Understanding, Science, and Knowledge rejoice along with them.[1] For He hath revealed to us by all the prophets that He needs neither sacrifices, nor burnt-offerings, nor oblations, saying thus, "What is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord? I am full of burnt-offerings, and desire not the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and goats, not when ye come to appear before me: for who hath required these things at your hands? Tread no more my courts, not though ye bring with you fine flour. Incense is a vain abomination unto me, and your new moons and sabbaths I, cannot endure."[2] He has therefore abolished these things that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is without the yoke of necessity, might have a human oblation.[3] And again He says to them, "Did I command your fathers, when they went out from the land of Egypt, to offer unto me burnt-offerings and sacrifices? But this rather I commanded them. Let no one of you cherish any evil in his heart against his neighbour, and love not an oath of falsehood."[4] We ought therefore, being possessed of understanding, to perceive the gracious intention of our Father; for He speaks to us, desirous that we, not[5] going astray like them, should ask how we may approach Him. To us, then. He declares, "A sacrifice [pleasing] to God is a broken spirit; a smell of
- ↑ Or, "while these things continue, those which respect the Lord rejoice in purity along with them—Wisdom," etc.
- ↑ Isa. i. 11–14, from the Sept., as is the case throughout. We have given the quotation as it stands in Cod. Sin.
- ↑ Thus in the Latin. The Greek reads, "might not have a man-made oblation." The Latin text seems preferable, implying that, instead of the outward sacrifices of the law, there is now required a dedication of man himself. Hilgenfeld follows the Greek.
- ↑ Jer. vii. 22; Zech. viii. 17.
- ↑ So the Greek. Hilgenfeld, with the Latin, omits "not."
he that worketh possesseth power;" Hilgenfeld reads, "he that worketh against," the idea expressed above being intended.
