82 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. ye heard me not,and did not listenwith your ears),saying, Let every one of you be convertedfrom his evilway, and from your most wicked desires; and ye shalldwell in that land which I have given you and your fathersfor ever and ever."1 And again:* "Go not afterother gods,to serve them, and do not worshipthem ; and provokeme not toanger in the works of your hands to scatteryou abroad; and ye have not hearkened unto me." 8 Also in the thirdbook of the Kings, Eliassaithunto the Lord : " In being jealousI have been jealousforthe Lord God Almighty ; because the childrenof Israelhave forsakenThee, have demolishedThine altars,and have slainThy prophetswith the sword ; and I have remained solitary,and theyseekmy life,to take itaway from me." * In Ezra also: " They have fallenaway from Thee, and have cast Thy law behind theirbacks,and have killedThy prophetswhich testifiedagainstthem that they shouldreturnto Thee."5 3. That itwas previouslyforetoldthatthey would neither know the Lord, nor understand,nor receiveHim. In Isaiah: u Hear, O heaven,and give ear,O earth: for the Lord hath spoken; I have begotten and brought up chil dren,but they have rejectedme. The ox knoweth hisowner, and the asshismaster'scrib: but Israelhath not known me, and my people hath not perceivedme. Ah sinfulnation,a peoplefilledwith sins,a wicked seed,corruptingchildren:ye have forsakenthe Lord, and have sent that Holy One of Israelintoanger."6 In the same alsothe Lord says: " Go and tellthispeople,Ye shallhear with the ear,and shallnot understand; and seeing,ye shallsee,and shallnot perceive. For the heart of thispeople hath waxed gross,and they hardlyhear with theirears,and they have shut up theireyes, lesthaply they shouldseewith theireyes,and hearwith their 1Jer.yii.25,xrv.4. 1Thewords" andagain" aresometimesomitted;andsometimesread " Moreover,inthesameplace." *Jer.xxv.6,7. *1 Kingsxix.10. 5Neh.ix.26. • Isa.i.2-4.