let us receive it joyfully with all our hearts, and let us believe in the
Lord God who will raise us in glorious light. As in the beginning, God
commanded by a word, (S. + and the world was) arid He said, Let there
be light, and night and day ; and heaven and earth and seas, and birds
and beasts, and creeping things of the earth (S. + and fourfooted beasts)
and trees, and everything was established (S. +in its nature) by His Word,
as the Scripture hath said, (S. + all these works that were done were
by means of the obedience they give Him ; they witness about God who
made them, that " He created and founded them out of nothing," (S. + they
also show a sign of the Resurrection. As therefore He made everything,)
thus also man who is His creature He will especially vivify and raise (S. +
For if He founded and established the world out of nothing, this would be
still more easy, that out of nothing He should vivify and raise man, who is
the creature of His hands), and as with human seed He clothes man with a
garment in the womb and makes him grow. If therefore He shall raise all
men, as He hath said in Isaiah, " All flesh shall see the salvation of God," IB. in. 10
yet more will He vivify and raise believers (S. + and again the believers
of believers, who are the Martyrs, He will vivify and raise and establish
in great glory, and make them His councillors), because to the simple
disciples who believe in Him, He hath promised a glory like that of
the stars ; but (S. + to the Martyrs) He hath promised to give eternal f- 62 a
glory, (S. + like shining bodies that are not wearied with exceeding light,
which shine continually. Therefore, as disciples of the Christ, let us
believe that we shall receive from Him all good things which He hath
counselled and promised us in eternal life. Let us be conformed to all His
doctrine and to His patience.) Let us believe in His birth from a virgin,
and in His coming and in His willing Passion. Let us be convinced
by means of the Holy Scriptures, as the Prophets announced beforehand
everything about His coming, and (S. + all these things) were confirmed in
our hearts (S. + for even the demons, when they trembled at His name,
extolled His coming. You believe therefore and are convinced of the
things that we said before) ; and we still more, we who were with Him,
and saw Him with our eyes and ate with Him, and were companions
and witnesses of His coming, we believe in the great unspeakable things
(S. gifts) which He will give as He hath promised. (S. + Let us believe
and hope that we shall receive, for all our faith is surely proved) if we
believe in His promises that they shall be. Let us be called to martyr-
dom for His name's sake ; when we go out of this world by confession, we Ap. con.