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INTRODUCTOR NOTICE. ACTANTIUS has always hel a very hio placo
amon tho Christian athers, no only on account of the subject-matis of his ritings, ut also naccount of the varie erudition in ameetnes of EXpression, and the grace an elegance of style, is hichtho are characteriged. t appears, there re, more remaris
ablo that o litile is known it certaint respecting his e sonat history. e are unablorio fix ith precision ithor hoplace or time of his blath, and even his nam has been the subjectis much discussion It is known that he was a pupilo Arnobius, ho gave lecturos in rhetoricis Sicca in Africa. Henco it has been supposed that Lactantius mas a native of Africa .hil others have maintained that he was bor in Italy, and that his blathplaco probabi mas Firmium, o the Adriatic. He a probably bor about the iddis of the third century since heris spoken o a sar advince in iis about A.D. 15. Horis usuali donominated Lucius Caelius Firmianus Lactantius; ' ut the nam Caecilius is ometimes substitute sor Caelius, an it is uncertain hether Firmianus is a familynam oris locat designation. Somo have even supposed thath received tho nam o Lactantius tram the milis sosines of his style. Η attainexto great eminenco as a Dacher of rhetoric, and his fame fa ouisuipped in reputagoni his master Arnobius. Such, indeed, as his celebri , that he was invited by tho Emperor Diocletian to setile a Nicomedia, and there practiso his art. e appears, homeVer, is have medimith so litti successin that tu, acto have been reduce in extremo indigence.
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π LACTANTIUS. Abandoning his prosessionis a pleader holasvoted himself toliterar composition. It a probabi at this period that heombracod the Christian aith, and ws may perhapsae justifiodi supposin som connection etWeen his overt an his change of religion. eoas atterWard calle to ettio in Gaul, probabi about A.D. 315, and therampero Constantinoentruste to him the education o his son Crispus. e labolisvod to have died a Treves about A.D. 325. His principat or is an Introduetion to me Religion orrae Christian Institutiona, in even books, designed to supersedΘthecies complete reatisos o Minucius Felix Tertullian, andi Cyprian. In these oohs each of hic has a distinc titio,
and constitutes a separate essu, he demonstrates the salsehoodo the pagan religion, hows the vanit o thoieathen phil sophy, and undere es the defence of the Christia religionagainst ita adversaries. s also et sortii the natur os righ eo ness, gives instructions concerning the rue oratii ofGod, and treat of the punishment of the wiched, and there ard of the righteous in evertasting happiness. To the Institutions is appende an epitomo dedicate to Pentadius. he auctorini of this abridgmen has conquestione in modern times; ut it is expressi assigne to Lactantius by Hieronymus. The greater partis the work Wasmantinii the earlier editions and it Was nolinti thologin- ning of the eighteenth centur that it a discovere nearlyentire in an ancientis a Turin.
The treatis o the Angerii God is directe maint against the tenet of the Epicureans and Stoics, Who maintained thattho deed of men could produce no emotions os leasuro Orangor in the Deity. Lactantius hiad that tho love of the good necessarily implies the hatre os evit; and that in tenet of these philosophera, as tendin to overthrow the doctrine offuture reWard an punishments are subversive of the principies of true religion. In tho treatismon tho Workmanshipis God, or the Formationo Man the author dWolis pon the wondersu constructio osthe human frame, and the adaptationis means to end thereiudisplayed a proos os the wisdom and goodnes of God Tholatior par of the oo contain speculations concerning the natum and originis the foui.