Page:Philochristus, Abbott, 1878.djvu/311

Rh life to them which are whole, but fiery heats to them in whose veins the fever rageth, even so the fire of God (which compasseth all invisible things, so that naught can escape from the flame thereof) purifieth that which will be purified, but consumeth that which is corrupt, according as it is written, 'The jealousy of the Lord burneth like fire for ever.'"

Now Xanthias, the Greek merchant of Alexandria, was wont to say that Jesus would have done well to make distinction between the fire of God and the fires of men; lest his disciples should be led astray by his words, and lest they should suppose that Jesus was speaking of earthly destruction. But if Xanthias had lived unto these days, and had seen how, after the death of our Master, the most part of our nation were given up to darkness and madness, and their city and temple were burned with fire, and they themselves were consumed by hundreds and by thousands, then, as it seemeth to me, he would have perceived that the fire whereof Jesus spake consumeth alike things visible and invisible, and on earth as well as not on earth. Howbeit at this season we understood none of these things, and almost all thought that the Romans and other Gentiles in Jerusalem, and whosoever of our own nation stood up against our Master, should be slain and cast out into the valley of Hinnom to be consumed by fire and worms.

But while we thus disputed among ourselves, behold, we were now come nigh unto the village called Bethany; which lieth high up on the mountain called the Mount of Olives, and looketh, from above, upon the road that goeth down to Jericho. And from Bethany to Jerusalem is but sixteen furlongs or less. Here therefore our journey was at an end; for our Master was to tarry at Bethany, in the house of Mary and Martha, for that night and during the