Against Celsus 6.23

But if anyone wishes to take occasions for a more mystical contemplation of the entry of souls into divine things, not from the utterly obscure sect Celsus cited but from books that are partly Jewish, read in their synagogues and accepted by Christians, and partly Christian only, let him read what was seen by the prophet at the end of the prophecy of Ezekiel, where different gates are described, hinting at something about the different entry of more divine souls into better things. Let him also read in the Revelation of John what is said about the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and its foundations and gates. And if he is able to learn, through symbols, the way also shown for those who will travel to divine things, let him read the book of Moses entitled Numbers, and let him seek someone able to initiate him into what is written about the camps of the children of Israel: which were placed first, toward the east; which toward the southwest or the south; which toward the sea; and which last, toward the north. For he will see in these passages contemplations that are not contemptible, nor, as Celsus thinks, in need of foolish hearers and slaves. For he will grasp who are among them and what concerns the nature of the numbers listed in them and assigned to each tribe; but it did not seem to me timely to set these out now. Let Celsus and those who read his book know that nowhere in the genuine Scriptures believed to be divine are seven heavens mentioned; nor do our prophets say anything taken from the Persians or the Cabiri, nor do the apostles of Jesus, nor the Son of God himself.