It therefore behoves us, who inquire much
concerning events at hand," to search diligently
into those things which are able to save us. Let
us then utterly flee from all the works of iniquity,
lest these should take hold of us ; and let us
hate the error of the present time, that we may set
our love on the world to come : let us not give
loose reins to our soul, that it should have power
to run with sinners and the wicked, lest we be-
come like them. The final stumbling-block (or
source of danger) approaches, concerning which
it is written, as Enoch '^ says, " For for this end
the Lord has cut short the times and the days,
that His Beloved may hasten ; and He will come
to the inheritance." And the prophet also speaks
thus : " Ten kingdoms shall reign upon the earth,
and a little king shall rise up after them, who
shall subdue under one three of the kings. '^ In
like manner Daniel says concerning the same,
" And I beheld the fourth beast, wicked and
powerful, and more savage than all the beasts of
the earth, and how from it sprang up ten horns,
and out of them a little budding horn, and how
it subdued under one three of the great horns." '•*
Ye ought therefore to understand. And this also
I further beg of you, as being one of you, and
loving you both individually and collectively
more than my own soul, to take heed now to
yourselves, and not to be like some, adding
largely to your sins, and saying, " The covenant
is both theirs and ours." "5 But they thus finally
lost it, after Mc*es had already received it. For
the Scripture saith, '' And Moses was fasting in