The Epistle to Diogentus

Pseudo-Justinus Martyr

The Epistle to Diogentus. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913

Yes, but did he send him, as a man might suppose, in sovereignty and fear and terror?

Not so, but in gentleness and meekness, as a king sending a son, he sent him as King, he sent him as God, he sent him as Man to men, he was saving and persuading when he sent him, not compelling, for compulsion is not an attribute of God.

When he sent him he was calling, not pursuing; when he sent him he was loving, not judging.

For he will send him as judge, and who shall endure his coming?[*](There is here a lacuna in the MS. Probably the next sentence may be completed by prefixing Do you not see that before they are thrown.) ---

---they are thrown to wild beasts

that they may deny the lord, and are not overcome?

Do you not see that the more of them are punished, the more do others multiply?

These things do not seem to be the works of man; these things are a miracle of God, these things are the proofs of his coming.

For before he came what man had any knowledge[*](Human knowledge of God) at all of what God is?