Chapter I.—Occasion
of the epistle.
Since I see thee, most excellent
Diognetus, exceedingly desirous to learn the mode of worshipping God
prevalent among the Christians, and inquiring very carefully and
earnestly concerning them, what God they trust in, and what form of
religion they observe,264264
so as all to look down upon the world itself, and despise death,
while they neither esteem those to be gods that are reckoned such by the
Greeks, nor hold to the superstition of the Jews; and what is the
affection which they cherish among themselves; and why, in fine, this new
kind or practice [of piety] has only now entered into the world,265265
and not long ago; I cordially welcome this thy desire, and I
implore God, who enables us both to speak and to hear, to grant to me so
to speak, that, above all, I may hear you have been edified,266266 and to you so to hear, that I
who speak may have no cause of regret for having done so.
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