be lawful ? And to speak falsely of God, as if He forbade us to do what is good on the Sabbath- days, — how is not this impious ? And to glory in the circumcision "* of the flesh as a proof of election, and as if, on account of it, they were specially beloved by God, — how is it not a sub- ject of ridicule ? And as to their observing months and days,s as if waiting upon ^ the stars and the moon, and their distributing,^ according to their own tendencies, the appointments of God, and the vicissitudes of the seasons, some for festivities,^ and others for mourning, — who would deem this a part of divine worship, and not much rather a manifestation of folly? I suppose, then, you are sufficiently convinced that the Christians properly abstain from the vanity and error common [to both Jews and Gentiles], and from the busy-body spirit and vain boasting of the JtJws ; but you must not hope to learn the mystery of their peculiar mode of worshipping God from any mortal.