"On the Promises"
(Eus., _H. E._ vii. 24 and 25)
(1) Seeing that they bring forward a composition of Nepos,[177] on which
they rely too much as showing irrefutably that the Kingdom of Christ will
be on earth, though I accept and love Nepos for many other things, his
faith, his laboriousness, his study of the Scriptures, and the many
psalms he has written,[178] by which already many of the brethren are
encouraged, and though I hold him in all the greater respect because he
has gone to his rest before us, yet the truth is so dear to me and to be
preferred that I can indeed applaud and give my full assent to right
propositions, but must examine and correct whatever appears to be
unsoundly stated. And if he were still with us and propounding his views
merely by word of mouth, a discussion without writing would have sufficed
to persuade and convince our opponents by way of question and answer. But
now that this writing of his is published, which many think most
convincing, and certain teachers hold the law and the prophets of no
account and have relinquished the following of the Gospels and
depreciated the Epistles of the Apostles, while they parade the teaching
of this book as if it were some great and hidden mystery and will not
allow our simpler brethren to hold any high and noble opinion either
about the glorious and truly Divine appearing of our Lord[179] or about
our rising from the dead and our gathering together and being made like
unto Him,[180] but persuade them to hope for mean and passing enjoyments
like the present in the Kingdom of God, it is necessary that we also
should discuss the matter with our brother Nepos as if he were still
alive.