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divine, netther destres anything Which belongs to another, testho ahould injure any ono at ali in violation os the laW of humanity; nor does he long for any poWer or honour, stat hει may not do an injury to any one. For hs knows that ali are produced by tho fame God, and in the samo condition, and are
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othera, test, being corrupted by the happiness os prosperity, theyshonid glide into luxury and despise the precepis of God; as
them to fortitude When corrupted, and try and prove them Whensaithsul. For hoW can a generat provo the valour of his soldiers, uniess ho shali have an enemy' And yet there arises an ad
pleased missi virtus and faith ilaeis. Some suspect that it is
to expressi Persecution or calamity.
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not Without reason that the worship of tho gods is considerederit is so many men, so that thv mould rather dio than do that Whicli othors do that they may preserve their lite. Somo onadestres to know What that good is Which is degendod even to
by tho hand of man, but to the living God, Who is in heavent
many underetand that this is true, and admit it into theirbreast. In the neri place, as it is accustomed in happen in matters of uncertainty Whils they mahe inquiry of one another, What is the cause of this perseverance, many things Whicli relatoto religion, being spread abroad and caresully observed is rumo among one another, are learned; and becauso these are good they cannot fati to pleam. Moreover, tho revengs which fouloWs, as alWays happens, greatly impeis men to belleve. Nor, indeed, is it a stight causo that the unclean spirita os demons, liming received permission, throW themselves into tho bodios of many; and When these have asterWards been driven out, theywho havo been healed cling to the religion, the pomer of Whichthey have expεrienced. Theso numerous causes being collectedisgether, Wonderivlly gain over a great multitude in God. CHAP. XXIV.- tha divine venseanes insisted on tha torturemos ilia Christiana. Whatever, theresore, Wiched princes plan against us, GodHimself permiis to be done. And yet most uniust persecutore,
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Bestiua malaa.' Lactantius in severat passages applies this expre aion to tho perseeutore of the Christiana. a Vexationea.'
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OF TRUE RORS HIP. CIIΛP. I.- of tha worahip of the true God, and of innoceney, and of the worahip offatis fori. have completed that Whicli mas the object os o underishing, through tho teaching of the Divina Spirit, and the aid of tho truth iueis; tho causeos asserting and explaining Which was imposedupon me both is consciencs and salth, and by our Lota
the modo of Worship itself. For stat sacred and surpassing majesty requires hom man nothing more than innocencs alone;
and ii any ons has presented this to God, lis has sacrificed Minsuffcient piety and religion. But men, neglecting justice, though they are polluted by crimes and Outrages of ali hinds, thinh themselves religious is they havo sintned ius temples and altars missi the blood os victims, it they havs moistened thohearius missi a profusion os fragrant and old Wine.' Moreover, they also prepare sacred se is and choice banquela, as though
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and they estimato good and evit things by the perception and pleas o of the body alone. And as they judge of religion
Nihil moderati aut penat habent.' The expremion is horro in homSallust, Catiline, rii. 3 Per dimotum populum. Addicti et aerulantea voluptatibua.'
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honour. This is tho religion of heaven ot that Which consista os corrupi things, but of tho viriues of tho foui, Which has ita origin hom heaven; this is truo Worship, in Which tho mindos the worshipper presenis itseli as an undefilod offering to God. But hoπ this is to bo obtaine' ho. it is to bo afforded, tho discussion of this book mill inom; tor nothing can bo soillustrions and so suiled to man as to train men to justice. In Cicero, Catulus in tho Hortensius, Whilo he prefers phil sopby to ali inings, says that he would rather have ono aliori
treatiss respecting duty, than a long speech in behali ot a seditious man Cornelius. And this is plainly to bo regarded nos as the opinion os Catulus, Who perhaps did not ulter this saying, but as that of Cicero, Who Wroto it. Ι belleve that ho
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other Whita sinis to heli; and these γπ0 poeta haus introducedin thela poems, and philosophera in their disputations. And imdeed philosophers have represented tho one as belonging to virium, the other to vices; and they have represented that whichbelongs to virtves as sisep and mmed at the firat entrance,
in Which ii any one, having overcome tho dissicut , has clim dio the summit, they say that iis astemards has a levet path, abright and ple ant plain, and that he enjoys abundant and delightses fruits of his laboum; but that thoso viam thodissices of the sint approata has deterret glido and turn
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there are very great labonrs in undertining virtves, but that When they are gained thero ars the greatest advantages, and firm and incorruptibis pleraures; but that vices ensnare them inds of men Mith certain natural blandishmenis, and leadstem captivated by the appearance of empty plemures to bittergristi and miseri ,-an altogether Wiso discussion, ii theyknow tho sorin and limits of the virium themselves. For theyhad not learned either What they are, or What re ard a alta them frem God: but this me mill shoW in these two boota. But these men, becaum they mere ignorant or in doubi statilis fouis of men are immortal, estimated both virtves and vicosis earthly honoure or punishments. Tharesore ali this discussion respecting the tWo Ways has reference to frugality and luxu . For they say that the course of human lise resembles the letter L because every one os men, Wheu he has reachedtho threshold of early youth, and has arrived at the placa Where the way divides iraeli into two paris,' in is in doubi, and hesitates, and does not know to Which sido lis should rather
sophy or eloquence, or somo hono ablo aris by Whicli ho may turn to good conduci, Which cannot tahe placo mithout great
Virg. cimeta, vi. 540. Evadat ad bonam frugem. ' Frugalitatis.'