neighbours: they
give right judgement. They do not unto other that which they would not
have done unto themselves. They comfort such as wrong them, and make
friends of them: they labour to do good to their enemies: they are meek
and gentle. They refrain themselves from all unlawful intercourse and
all uncleanness. They despise not the widow, and grieve not the
orphan. He that hath distributeth liberally to him that hath not. If
they see a stranger, they bring him under their roof, and rejoice over
him, as it were their own brother: for they call themselves brethren,
not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For Christ his sake they
are ready to lay down their lives: they keep his commandments
faithfully, living righteous and holy lives, as the Lord their God
commanded them, giving him thanks every hour, for meat and drink and
every blessing. Verily, then, this is the way of truth which leadeth
its wayfarers unto the eternal kingdom promised by Christ in the life
to come.

"And that thou mayest know, O king, that I speak nought of myself, look
thou into the writings of the Christians, and thou shalt find that I
speak nothing but the truth. Well, therefore, hath thy son understood
it, and rightly hath he been taught to serve the living God, and to be
saved for the world to come. Great and marvellous are the things spoken
and wrought by the Christians, because they speak not the words of men
but the words of God. But all other nations are deceived, and deceive
themselves. Walking in darkness they stagger one against another like
drunken men. This is the end of my speech spoken unto thee, O king,
prompted by the truth that is in my mind. Wherefore let thy foolish
wise-acres refrain from babbling idly against the Lord; for it is
profitable to you to worship God the Creator, and hearken to his
incorruptible sayings, in order that ye may escape judgement and
punishment, and be found partakers of deathless life."

XXVIII.

When Nachor had fully delivered this oration, the king changed
countenance for very anger, but his orators and temple-keepers stood
speechless, having nothing but a few weak and rotten shreds of argument
in reply. But the king's son rejoiced in spirit and with glad
countenance magnified the Lord, who had made a path, where no path was,
for them tat trusted in him, who by the mouth of a foeman and enemy was
establishing the truth; and the leader of error had proved a defender
of the rig