follow his good
pleasure, into the paths of peace; and shall lead them out of darkness
into light, by his will, and shall direct them in the right way. They
are infidels, who say, Verily God is Christ the son of Mary. Say unto
them, And who could obtain anything from God to the contrary, if he
pleased to destroy Christ the son of Mary, and his mother, and all those
who are on the earth? For unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and
earth, and whatsoever is contained between them; he createth what he
pleaseth, and God is almighty. The Jews and the Christians say, We are
the children of God, and his beloved. Answer, Why therefore doth he
punish you for your sins? Nay, but ye are men, of those whom he hath
created. He forgiveth whom he pleaseth, and punisheth whom he pleaseth;
and unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth, and of what is
contained between them both; and unto him shall all things return. O ye
who have received the scriptures, now is our apostle come unto you,
declaring unto you the true religion, during the cessation of
apostles[86], lest ye should say, There came unto us no bearer of good
tidings, nor any warner: but now is a bearer of good tidings and a
warner come unto you; and God is almighty. Call to mind when Moses said
unto his people, O my people, remember the favor of God towards you,
since he hath appointed prophets among you, and constituted you kings,
and bestowed on you what he hath given to no other nation in the world.
O my people, enter the holy land, which God hath decreed you, and turn
not your backs, lest ye be subverted and perish. They answered, O Moses,
verily there are a gigantic people in the land; and we will by no means
enter it, until they depart thence; but if they depart thence, then will
we enter therein. And two men of those who feared God, unto whom God had
been gracious, said, Enter ye upon them suddenly by the gate of the
city; and when ye shall have entered the same, ye shall surely be
victorious: therefore trust in God, if ye are true believers. They
replied, O Moses, we will never enter the land, while they remain
therein: go therefore thou, and thy Lord, and fight; for we will sit
here. Moses said, O Lord, surely I am not master of any except myself,
and my brother; therefore make a distinction between us and the ungodly
people. God answered, Verily the land shall be forbidden them forty
years; during which time they shall wander like men astonished in the
ea