COMMODIANI INSTRUCTIONES ADVERSUS GENTIUM DEOS PRO CHRISTIANA DISCIPLINA: PER LITTERAS VERSUUM PRIMAS.

 I.---PRAEFATIO.

 II.---INDIGNATIO DEI.

 III.---CULTURA DAEMONUM.

 IV.---SATURNUS.

 V.---JUPPITER.

 VI.---DE FULMINE IPSIUS JOVIS.

 VII.---DE SEPTIZONIO ET STELLIS.

 VIII.---DE SOLE ET LUNA.

 IX.---MERCURIUS.

 X.---NEPTUNUS.

 XI.---APOLLO SORTILEGUS, FALSUS.

 XII.---LIBER PATER, BACCHUS.

 XIII.---INVICTUS.

 XIV.---SYLVANUS.

 XV.---HERCULES.

 XVI.---DE DIS DEABUSQUE.

 XVII.---DE SIMULACRIS EORUM.

 XVIII.---DE AMMUDATE ET DEO MAGNO.

 XIX.---NEMESIACIS VANIS.

 XX.---TITANES.

 XXI.---MONTESIANIS.

 XXII.---HEBETUDO SAECULI.

 XXIII.---DE UBIQUE PARATIS.

 XXIV.---INTER UTRUMQUE VIVENTIBUS.

 XXV.---QUI TIMENT, ET NON CREDENT.

 XXVI.---REPUGNANTIBUS ADVERSUS LEGEM CHRISTI DEI VIVI.

 XXVII.---STULTE NON PERMORERIS DEO.

 XXVIII.---JUSTI RESURGUNT.

 XXIX.---DIVITI INCREDULO MALO.

 XXX.---DIVITES HUMILES ESTOTE.

 XXXI.---JUDICIBUS.

 XXXII.---SIBI PLACENTIBUS.

 XXXIII.---GENTILIBUS.

 XXXIV.---ITEM GENTILIBUS IGNARIS.

 XXXV.---DE LIGNO VITAE ET MORTIS.

 XXXVI.---DE CRUCIS STULTITIA.

 XXXVII.---QUI JUDAEIDIANT FANATICI.

 XXXVIII.---JUDAEIS.

 XXXIX.---ITEM JUDAEIS.

 XL.---ITERUM IPSIS.

 XLI.---DE ANTICHRISTI TEMPORE.

 XLII.---DE POPULO ABSCONSO SANCTO OMNIPOTENTIS CHRISTI DEI VIVI.

 XLIII.---DE SAECULI ISTIUS FINE.

 XLIV.---DE RESURRECTIONE PRIMA.

 XLV.---DE DIE JUDICII.

 XLVI.---CATECUMINIS.

 XLVII.---FIDELIBUS.

 XLVIII.---FIDELES CAVETE MALUM.

 XLIX.---POENITENTIBUS.

 L.---QUI APOSTATAVERUNT DEO.

 LI.---DE INFANTIBUS.

 LII.---DESERTORES.

 LIII.---MILITIBUS CHRISTI.

 LIV.---DE REFUGIS.

 LV.---DE LOLII SEMINE.

 LVI.---DISSIMULATORI.

 LVII.---SAECULARIA IN TOTUM FUGIENDA.

 LVIII.---CHRISTIANUM TALEM ESSE.

 LIX.---MATRONIS EECLESIAE DEI VIVI.

 LX.---ITEM IPSIS.

 LXI.---IN ECCLESIA, OMNI POPULO DEI.

 LXII.---MARTYRIUM VOLENTI.

 LXIII.---BELLUM COTTIDIANUM.

 LXIV.---DE ZELO CONCUPISCENTIAE.

 LXV.---QUI DE MALO DONANT.

 LXVI.---DE PACE SUBDOLA.

 LXVII.---LECTORIBUS.

 LXVIII.---MINISTRIS.

 LXIX.---PASTORIBUS DEI.

 LXX.---MAJORIBUS NATIS DICO.

 LXXI.---INFIRMUM SIC VISITA.

 LXXII.---PAUPERIBUS SANIS.

 LXXIII.---FILIOS NON LUGENDOS.

 LXXIV.---DE POMPA FUNERIS.

 LXXV.---CLERICIS.

 LXXVI.---DE FABULOSIS ET SILENTIO.

 LXXVII.---EBRIOSIS.

 LXXVIII.---PASTORI.

 LXXIV.---ORANTI.

 LXXX.---NOMEN GAZAEI.

LVIII.—That the Christian Should Be Such.

When the Lord says that man should eat bread with groaning, here what art thou now doing, who desirest to live with joy?  Thou seekest to rescind the judgment uttered by the highest God when He first formed man; thou wishest to abandon the curb of the law.  If the Almighty God have bidden thee live with sweat, thou who art living in pleasure wilt already be a stranger to Him.  The Scripture saith that the Lord was angry with the Jews.  Their sons, refreshed with food, rose up to play.  Now, therefore, why do we follow these circumcised men?16    Sponte profectos.  In what respect they perished, we ought to beware; the greatest part of you, surrendered to luxuries, obey them.  Thou transgressest the law in staining thyself with dyes:  against thee the apostle cries out; yea, God cries out by him.  Your dissoluteness, says he, in itself ruins17    Deperdunt. you.  Be, then, such as Christ wishes you to be, gentle, and in Him joyful, for in the world you are sad.  Run, labour, sweat, fight with sadness.  Hope comes with labour, and the palm is given to victory.  If thou wishest to be refreshed, give help and encouragement to the martyr.  Wait for the repose to come in the passage of death.

LVIII.---CHRISTIANUM TALEM ESSE.

Cum Dominus dicat, in gemitu edere panem: Heic, ut quid nunc agis, qui cupis vivere laetus? Rescindere quaeris sententiam summi Dei missam In protoplastum: vis frenum prodere legis. Si Deus omnipotens cum sudore vivere jussit, Tu qui jucundaris, eris jam exterus illi. 0245B Indignatum ait Dominum scriptura ludaeis. Ab esca refecti surrexerunt ludere filii. Nunc ergo cur illos prosequimur sponte profectos? Unde perierunt illi, nos cavere debemus. Maxima pars vestrum luxuriis dedita paret. Transgrederis legem, cum te fucis inficis: in te Apostolus clamat, immo Deus per illum: Licentia vestra vos, inquit, in ipsa deperdunt. Esto ergo talis, qualem vult esse te Christus. Mitis et in illo hilaris, nam saeculo tristis. Excurre, labora, suda, cum tristitia pugna. Spes cum labore venit, et victoriae palma donatur. Si refrigerare cupis, admartyriza. Exspecta requiem futuram in transitu mortis.