[The Caution Observed at Heathen Tribunals Before the Condemnation of Criminals Affords Christians a Good Example.]
LII. Consider even the judicatures of this world, by whose power we see murderers, adulterers, wizards, robbers of sepulchres, and thieves brought to trial; and those that preside, when they have received their accusations from those that brought them, ask the malefactor whether those things be so. And though he does not deny the crimes, they do not presently send him out to punishment; but for several days they make inquiry about him with a full council, and with the veil interposed. And he that is to pass the final decree and suffrage of death against him, lifts up his hands to the sun, and solemnly affirms that he is innocent of the blood of the man. Though they be heathens, and know not the Deity, nor the vengeance which will fall upon men from God on account of those that are justly condemned, they avoid such unjust judgments.
[52] Θεάσασθε δὲ καὶ τὰ κοσμικὰ δικαστήρια, ὧν τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ὁρῶμεν ἀγομένους φονεῖς, μοιχούς, φαρμακούς, τυμβωρύχους, λῃστάς: καὶ τὰς ἀνακρίσεις αὐτῶν λαβόντες οἱ ἡγούμενοι παρὰ τῶν προσαγόντων λέγουσιν τῷ κακούργῳ, εἰ ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει: κἀκείνου συγκαταθεμένου οὐκ εὐθέως ἐπὶ τὴν κόλασιν αὐτὸν ἐκπέμπουσιν, ἀλλὰ πλείοσιν ἡμέραις ποιοῦνται αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐξέτασιν μετὰ συμβουλίου πολλοῦ καὶ παραπετάσματος μέσου: τελευταῖον ὅρον καὶ ψῆφον θανάτου ὁ μέλλων ἐκφέρειν κατ' αὐτοῦ, πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον ἐπάρας τὰς χεῖρας, διαμαρτύρεται ἀθῶος ὑπάρχειν τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καίτοι ὄντες ἐθνικοὶ καὶ οὐ γινώσκοντες θειότητα ἢ τὴν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἄμυναν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀναιτίως κατακριθέντων. Ὑμεῖς δέ, γινώσκοντες, τίς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ὁποῖα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ, πῶς ἂν κατὰ ἐπήρειαν δυνήσεσθέ τινι ἀπόφασιν δοῦναι, τῆς κρίσεως ὑμῶν παραχρῆμα γινωσκομένης Θεῷ; Καὶ εἰ μὲν δικαίως ἐκρίνατε, δικαίων ἀμοιβῶν καταξιωθήσεσθε καὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς αὖθις: εἰ δὲ ἀδίκως, πάλιν τῶν ὁμοίων τεύξεσθε. Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν, ἀδελφοί, συμβουλεύομεν ὑμῖν μᾶλλον ἐπαίνων ἀξιοῦσθαι παρὰ Θεῷ ἢ ψόγων, ὅτι Θεοῦ ἔπαινος ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἀνθρώποις, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ ψόγος θάνατος. ἀΐδιος.