The Instructions of Commodianus.
The Instructions of Commodianus
VI.—Of the Same Jupiter’s Thunderbolt.
VII.—Of the Septizonium and the Stars.
XI.—Apollo the Soothsaying and False.
XVI.—Of the Gods and Goddesses.
XVIII.—Of Ammydates and the Great God.
XXIII.—Of Those Who are Everywhere Ready.
XXIV.—Of Those Who Live Between the Two.
XXV.—They Who Fear and Will Not Believe.
XXVI.—To Those Who Resist the Law of Christ the Living God.
XXVII.—O Fool, Thou Dost Not Die to God.
XXVIII.—The Righteous Rise Again.
XXIX.—To the Wicked and Unbelieving Rich Man.
XXXIV.—Moreover, to Ignorant Gentiles.
XXXV.—Of the Tree of Life and Death.
XXXVI.—Of the Foolishness of the Cross.
XXXVII.—The Fanatics Who Judaize.
XLII.—Of the Hidden and Holy People of the Almighty Christ, the Living God.
XLIII.—Of the End of This Age.
XLIV.—Of the First Resurrection.
XLVIII.—O Faithful, Beware of Evil.
L.—Who Have Apostatized from God.
LIII.—To the Soldiers of Christ.
LVII.—That Worldly Things are Absolutely to Be Avoided.
LVIII.—That the Christian Should Be Such.
LIX.—To the Matrons of the Church of the Living God.
LXI.—In the Church to All the People of God.
LXII.—To Him Who Wishes for Martyrdom.
LXIV.—Of the Zeal of Concupiscence.
LXX.—I Speak to the Elder-Born.
LXXIII.—That Sons are Not to Be Bewailed.
LXX.—I Speak to the Elder-Born.
The time demands that I alone should speak to you truth.
He is often admonished by one word which many refuse. I wish you to turn your hatred against me alone, that the hearts of all may tremble at the tempter. Look to the saying that truly begets hatred, (and consider) how many things I have lately indeed foretold concerning a delusive peace, while, alas, the enticing seducer has come upon you unawares, and because ye have not known how that his wiles were imminent, ye have perished; ye work absolutely bitter things, but that is itself the characteristic of the world; not any one for whom ye intercede acts for nothing. He who takes refuge from your fire, plunges in the whirlpool. Then the wretch, stripped naked, seeks assistance from you. The judges themselves shudder at your frauds…of a shorter title, I should not labour at so many lines. Ye who teach, look upon those to whom ye willingly tend, when for yourselves ye both receive banquets and feed upon them. For those things are ye already almost entering the foundations of the earth.
LXX.---MAJORIBUS NATIS DICO.
Me solum exposcit tempus vobis dicere verum. 0254A Ab uno saepe monetur, quod multi detrectant. In me solum volo odia convertere vestra, Omnium ut paveant praecordia tentatorem. Respicite dictum, quod veritas odia tollat. Jam praedixi quidem de pace subdola quanta. Blandiens dum vobis subrepsit, heu, seductor. Vos quia nescistis laqueos instare, ruistis. Sorbetis omnino amara, sed est saeculi ipsum. Non gratis agit, pro quo interceditis, ullus. Ab igne qui refugit, agit in voragine, vestro: Tunc petit suppetium miser denudatus a vobis. Ipsi jam horrescunt judices peculantia vestra. S . . . . . . . . . . . . . De breviori titulo non tot inararem, Inspicitis docentes quibus vos tenditis ultro: 0254B Cum ipsis et epulas capitis, et pascitis ipsos. Ob ea jam terrae poene fundamenta intratis.