Against Celsus 4.32

But since nothing is stable in human nature, that commonwealth too, gradually corrupted, had to be changed. And providence, having transformed the dignity of their teaching where it needed transformation to suit people everywhere, has handed over, in place of them, to those from all nations who believe, the dignified worship of God according to Jesus. He, adorned not only with understanding but also with a divine portion, and having overthrown the doctrine concerning the daemons on earth, who delight in frankincense and blood and the steam of burnt fat, and drag men down from the conception of God like the Titans or Giants of myth, himself heedless of their plotting, which is aimed especially at the better people, laid down laws by which those who live will be blessed, in no way flattering the daemons with sacrifices, but wholly despising them through the Word of God, who helps those who look up to God. And since God willed that the word of Jesus should prevail among men, the daemons have been able to do nothing, though they moved every rope so that Christians might no longer exist; for they stirred up kings, the senate, rulers everywhere, and even the peoples themselves, who did not perceive the irrational and wicked working of the daemons, against the word and those who believe in it. But the Word of God, more powerful than all, taking hindrance as it were for food for its growth, advanced and won more souls; for God willed this. We have said these things, though in a digression, necessarily, I think; for we wanted to answer what Celsus says about the Jews, that they were runaways from Egypt, and that these men beloved of God never did anything worth mentioning. And to the claim that “they were never of any account or number,” we say that as “a chosen race” and “a royal priesthood,” withdrawing and avoiding mixing with the many so that their character might not be corrupted, they were guarded by the divine power; neither desiring, as most men do, to gain other kingdoms for themselves, nor abandoned so that, because of their small numbers, they became easy to attack and, as far as their small numbers went, were utterly destroyed. And this happened as long as they were worthy of God's protection. But when they had to be turned back to their God through sufferings, as a whole nation that was sinning, they were forsaken, sometimes more and sometimes less, until, under the Romans, having committed the greatest sin in killing Jesus, they were forsaken completely.