Lactantius

“ For nothing among earthly things can be venerable and worthy of heaven; but it is virtue alone, and justice alone, which can be judged a true, and heavenly, and perpetual good, because it is neither given to any one, nor taken away. And since Christ came upon earth, supplied with virtue and righteousness, yea rather, since He Himself is virtue, and Himself righteousness, He descended that He might teach it and mould the character of man. ”

“ We feign nothing; we add nothing. They who performed the actions had these accounts; they, against whom these things were spoken, read them. But even now the inheritors of their name and guilt have these accounts, and in their daily readings re-echo their own condemnation as foretold by the voice of the prophets; nor do they ever admit them into their heart, which is also itself a part of their condemnation. The Jews, therefore, being often reproved by Christ, who upbraided them with their sins and iniquities, and being almost deserted by the people, were stirred up to put Him to death. ”

“ But His form was without honour, and defective beyond the rest of men. He is a man acquainted [17] with grief, and knowing how to endure infirmity, because He turned [18] His face away from us; and He was not esteemed. He carries our sins, and He endures pain for us: and we thought that He Himself [19] was in pain, and grief, and vexation. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised [20] for our offences; the chastisement [21] of our peace was upon Him, by His bruises [22] we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, and God hath delivered Him up for our sins. ”