Confession of the Philosopher, Aristides---Baffling Nonsense

XV.  Now the Christians⁴⁴²³ trace their origin from the Lord Jesus Christ.  And He is acknowledged by the Holy Spirit to be the son of the most high God, who came down from heaven for the salvation of men.  And being born of a pure virgin, unbegotten and immaculate, He assumed flesh and revealed himself among men that He might recall them to Himself from their wandering after many gods.  And having accomplished His wonderful dispensation, by a voluntary choice He tasted death on the cross, fulfilling an august dispensation.  And after three days He came to life again and ascended into heaven.  And if you would read, O King, you may judge the glory of His presence from the holy gospel writing, as it is called among themselves.  He had twelve disciples, who after His ascension to heaven went forth into the provinces of the whole world, and declared His greatness.  As for instance, one of them traversed the countries about us, proclaiming the doctrine of the truth.  From this it is, that they who still observe the righteousness enjoined by their preaching are called Christians.

And these are they who more than 277all the nations on the earth have found the truth.  For they know God, the Creator and Fashioner of all things through the only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit⁴⁴²⁴; and beside Him they worship no other God.  They have the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself graven upon their hearts; and they observe them, looking forward to the resurrection of the dead and life in the world to come.  They do not commit adultery nor fornication, nor bear false witness, nor covet the things of others; they honour father and mother, and love their neighbours; they judge justly, and they never do to others what they would not wish to happen to themselves; they appeal to those who injure them, and try to win them as friends; they are eager to do good to their enemies; they are gentle and easy to be entreated; they abstain from all unlawful conversation and from all impurity; they despise not the widow, nor oppress the orphan; and he that has, gives ungrudgingly for the maintenance of him who has not.