Page:Philochristus, Abbott, 1878.djvu/152

144 in the shapes of swine; and Eliezer heard it, and said that it was a judgment of the Lord. Then was Nathaniel sorely grieved, and he came to Jesus and told him every thing; both that which Eliezer had said, and how Hannah had cried unto him, and afterwards how the evil spirits had entered into her. But Jesus (as it was reported to me by Nathaniel), being exceeding wroth, arose in haste upon hearing of this story; and he went forth straightway to the house of Hannah and cast out the seven devils, and bade her be of good cheer and live in peace. And then it was that he uttered this saying against the Scribes, whereof I made mention above, namely that they kept the key of the Kingdom of God, but would neither enter in themselves, nor suffer others to enter in.

Now it happened that, soon after these things, I brought Nathaniel to visit the Rabbi Jonathan at his lodging in Capernaum; and we found there the aforesaid Eliezer the son of Arak conversing with him. When Eliezer saw us, he complained sorely of the light-mindedness (so he called it) which our Master manifested in receiving sinners. But Jonathan replied saying that the cause lay in the exceeding gentleness of our Master, because he knew not the evil nature of man.

"For," said he, "from his birth upward, Jesus of Nazareth hath moved in Paradise; and being himself good, pure, and gentle, he believeth that others also are in their thoughts like unto himself, and that they need but a little help to make them in their deeds like unto himself. For he esteemeth of sin as being naught but an infirmity. But time and experience will open his eyes."

Then answered Nathaniel and said to Eliezer, "But is it not truly said, O son of Arak, that 'The perfection of wisdom is repentance?' and again, 'When a man hath been wholly wicked, and hath repented at last, the Holy