23. But who is this that says that he has held his peace before, and will not hold his peace for ever? Surely it is He who was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is without voice, so He opened not His mouth. Surely it is He who did not cry, nor was His voice heard in the streets. Surely He who was not rebellious, neither contradicted, when He offered His back to stripes, and His cheeks to the palms of the hands; neither turned away His face from the foulness of spitting. Surely it is He who, when He was accused by the priests and elders, answered nothing, and, to the wonder of Pilate, kept a most patient silence. This is He who, although He was silent in His passion, yet by and by will not be silent in His vengeance. This is our God, that is, not the God of all, but of the faithful and believing; and He, when He shall come manifest in His second advent, will not be silent.54 [Ps. l. 3.] For although He came first shrouded in humility, yet He shall come manifest in power.
XXIII. Quis autem est hic qui tacuisse se prius dicit et non semper tacebit? Utique ille qui sicut ovis ad victimam ductus est, et sicut agnus coram tondente se , sine voce non aperuit os suum ; utique ille qui non clamavit, neque in plateis vox ejus audita est; utique ille qui non fuit contumax, neque contradixit, cum dorsum suum poneret ad flagella et maxillas ad palmas, faciem autem suam non avertit a foeditate sputorum; utique ille qui, cum accusaretur a sacerdotibus et senioribus, nihil respondit et, admirante Pilato, patientissimum silentium tenuit. Hic est qui , cum in passione tacuerit , in ultione postmodum non tacebit. Hic est Deus noster, id est, non 0637B omnium, sed fidelium et credentium Deus, qui, cum in secundo adventu manifestus venerit, non silebit. Nam, cum in humilitate prius fuerit occultus, veniet in potestate manifestus.