Page:Ante-Nicene Fathers volume 1.djvu/143

the wretched [Jews], wandering in error, trusted not in God Himself, but in the temple, as being the house of God. For almost after the manner of the Gentiles they worshipped Him in the temple.^[1] But learn how the Lord speaks, when abolishing it; "Who hath meted out heaven with a span, and the earth with his palm? Have not I?"^[2] "Thus saith the Lord, Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool: what kind of house will ye build to me, or what is the place of my rest?"^[3] Ye perceive that their hope is vain. Moreover, He again says, "Behold, they who have cast down this temple, even they shall build it up again."^[4] It has so happened.^[5] For through their going to war, it was destroyed by their enemies; and now they, as the servants of their enemies, shall rebuild it. Again, it was revealed that the city and the temple and the people of Israel were to be given up. For the Scripture saith, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the Lord will deliver up the sheep of His pasture, and their sheep-fold and tower, to destruction."^[6] And it so happened as the Lord had spoken. Let us inquire, then, if there still is a temple of God. There is—where He himself declared He would make and finish it. For it is written, "And it shall come to pass, when the week is completed, the temple of God shall be built in glory in the name of the Lord."^[7] I find, therefore, that a temple does exist. Learn, then, how it shall be built in the name of the Lord. Before we believed in God, the habitation of our heart was corrupt and weak, as being indeed like a temple made with hands. For it was full of idolatry, and was a habitation of demons, through our doing such things as were opposed to [the will of] God. But it shall be built, observe ye, in the name of the Lord, in order that the temple of the Lord may be built in glory. How? Learn [as follows]. Having received the forgiveness of sins, and placed our trust

1. That is, "they worshipped the temple instead of Him."
2. Isa. xl. 12.
3. Isa. lxvi. 1.
4. Comp. Isa. xlix. 17 (Sept.).
5. Cod. Sin. omits this.
6. Comp. Isa. v., Jer. xxv.; but the words do not occur in Scripture.
7. Dan. ix. 24–27; Hagg. ii. 10.