Melito of Sardis: "Who will contend against me? Let him
stand before me. It is I who delivered the condemned.
It is I who gave life to the dead. It is I who raised up
the buried. Who will argue with me? It is I, says Christ,
who destroyed death. It is I who triumphed over the
enemy, and having trod down Hades, and bound the
Strong Man, and have snatched mankind up to the
heights of heaven."
St. Athanasius: "Now, however, that the devil, that tyrant
against the whole world, is slain, we do not approach a
temporal feast, my beloved, but an eternal and heavenly.
Not in shadows do we shew it forth, but we come to it in
truth. For they being filled with the flesh of a dumb lamb,
accomplished the feast, and having anointed their door-posts
with the blood, implored aid against the destroyer. For
no more does death reign; but instead of death henceforth
is life, since our Lord said, 'I am the life;' so that
everything is filled with joy and gladness; as it is
written, 'The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice.'
For when death reigned, 'sitting down by the rivers of
Babylon, we wept,' and mourned, because we felt the
bitterness of captivity; but now that death and the kingdom
of the devil is abolished, everything is entirely filled
with joy and gladness. And God is no longer known only
in Judaea, but in all the earth, 'their voice hath gone
forth, and the knowledge of Him hath filled all the earth.'
(Letter 256, Part 3)
Odes of Solomon: "Because He is my Sun and His rays have
lifted me up and His light hath dispelled all darkness from
my face. In Him I have acquired eyes and have seen His holy
day: The way of error I have left, and have walked towards
Him and have received salvation from Him, without grudging.
I have put on incorruption through His name: and have put
off corruption by His grace. Death hath been destroyed
before my face: and Sheol bath been abolished by my word."
--
When blondes have more fun, do they know it?
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