7 Let my life be sacrificed
for the doctrine of the cross;
which is indeed a scandal to the
unbelievers, but to us is salvation
and life eternal.
8 Where is the wise man?
Where is the disputer? Where
is the boasting of those who
are called wise?
9 For our Lord Jesus Christ was
according to the dispensation of
God, conceived in the womb of
Mary, of the seed of David,
by the Holy Ghost. He was born
and baptized, that through his
passion he might purify water,
to the washing away of sin.
10 Now the Virginity of Mary,
and he who was born of her, was
kept in secret from the prince of
this world; as was also the death
of our Lord: three of the mysteries
the most spoken of throughout the
world, yet done in secret by God.
11 How then was our Saviour
manifested to the world? A star
shone in heaven beyond all the
other stars, and its light was
inexpressible, and its novelty
struck terror into men's minds.
All the rest of the stars,
together with the sun and moon,
were the chorus to this star;
but that sent out its light
exceedingly above them all.
12 And men began to be troubled
to think whence this new star
came so unlike to all the others.
13 Hence all the power of magic
became dissolved; and every bond
of wickedness was destroyed: men's
ignorance was taken away; and
the old kingdom abolished; God
himself appearing in the form
of a man, for the renewal of
eternal life.
14 From thence began what
God had prepared: from thence.
forth things were disturbed;
forasmuch as he designed to
abolish death.
15 But if Jesus Christ shall
give me grace through your prayers,
and if it be his will, I purpose
in a second epistle which I will
suddenly write unto you, to manifest
to you more fully the dispensation
of which I have now begun to speak,
about the new man, which is Jesus
Christ; both in his faith, and
charity; in his suffering, and
in his resurrection.
16 Especially if the Lord shall
make known unto me, that ye all
by name come together united in
one faith, and in Jesus Christ;
who was of the race of David
according to the flesh; the Son
of man, and son of God; obeying
your bishop and the presbytery
with an entire affection; breaking
one and the same bread, which is
the medicine of immortality;
our antidote that we should not
die, but live for ever in Christ
Jesus.