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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes
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preface.—of what great value the knowledge of the truth is and always has been.
Chap. i.— of religion and wisdom.
Chap. II.—That there is a providence in the affairs of men.
Chap. III.—Whether the universe is governed by the power of one god or of many.
Chap. IV.—That the one god was foretold even by the prophets.
Chap. V.—Of the testimonies of poets and philosophers.
Chap. VI.—Of divine testimonies, and of the sibyls and their predictions.
chap. VII.—Concerning the testimonies of apollo and the gods.
Chap. viii.—that god is without a body, nor does he need difference of sex for procreation.
Chap. IX.—Of hercules and his life and death.
Chap. xi.—of the origin, life, reign, name and death of jupiter, and of saturn and uranus.
Chap. xii.—that the stoics transfer the figments of the poets to a philosophical system.
Chap. xiv.—what the sacred history of euhemerus and ennius teaches concerning the gods.
Chap. xv.—how they who were men obtained the name of gods.
Chap. xviii.—on the consecration of gods, on account of the benefits which they conferred upon men.
Chap. xix.—that it is impossible for any one to worship the true god together with false deities.
Chap. xx.—of the gods peculiar to the Romans, and their sacred rites.
Chap. xxiii.—of the ages of vain superstitions, and the times at which they commenced.
Chap. iii.—that cicero and other men of learning erred in not turning away the people from error.
Chap. vI.—that neither the whole universe nor the elements are god, nor are they possessed of life.
Chap. viii.—of the use of reason in religion and of dreams, auguries, oracles, and similar portents.
Chap. ix.—of the devil, the world, god, providence, man, and his wisdom.
Chap. X.—Of the World, and Its Parts, the Elements and Seasons.
Chap. XI.—Of Living Creatures, of Man Prometheus, Deucalion, the ParcÆ.
Chap. XV.—Of the Corruption of Angels, and the Two Kinds of Demons.
Chap. XVI.—That Demons Have No Power Over Those Who are Established in the Faith.
Chap. XVII.—That Astrology, Soothsaying, and Similar Arts are the Invention of Demons.
Chap. XVIII.—Of the Patience and Vengeance of God, the Worship of Demons, and False Religions.
Chap. XIX.—Of the Worship of Images and Earthly Objects.
Chap. XX.—Of Philosophy and the Truth.
Chap. II.—Of Philosophy, and How Vain Was Its Occupation in Setting Forth the Truth.
Chap. III.—Of What Subjects Philosophy Consists, and Who Was the Chief Founder of the Academic Sect.
Chap. IV.—That Knowledge is Taken Away by Socrates, and Conjecture by Zeno.
Chap. V.—That the Knowledge of Many Things is Necessary.
Chap. VI.—Of Wisdom, and the Academics, and Natural Philosophy.
Chap. VII.—Of Moral Philosophy, and the Chief Good.
Chap. VIII.—Of the Chief Good, and the Pleasures of the Soul and Body, and of Virtue.
Chap. IX.—Of the Chief Good, and the Worship of the True God, and a Refutation of Anaxagoras.
Chap. X.—It is the Peculiar Property of Man to Know and Worship God.
Chap. XI.—Of Religion, Wisdom, and the Chief Good.
Chap. XIII.—Of the Immortality of the Soul, and of Wisdom, Philosophy, and Eloquence.
Chap. XIV.—That Lucretius and Others Have Erred, and Cicero Himself, in Fixing the Origin of Wisdom.
Chap. XXI.—Of the System of Plato, Which Would Lead to the Overthrow of States.
Chap. XXII.—Of the Precepts of Plato, and Censures of the Same.
Chap. XXIII.—Of the Errors of Certain Philosophers, and of the Sun and Moon.
Chap. XXIV.—Of the Antipodes, the Heaven, and the Stars.
Chap. XXV.—Of Learning Philosophy, and What Great Qualifications are Necessary for Its Pursuit.
Chap. XXVIII.—Of True Religion and of Nature. Whether Fortune is a Goddess, and of Philosophy.
Chap. XXIX.—Of Fortune Again, and Virtue.
Chap. II.—Where Wisdom is to Be Found Why Pythagoras and Plato Did Not Approach the Jews.
Chapter IV.—Of Wisdom Likewise, and Religion, and of the Right of Father and Lord.
Chap. VII.—Of the Name of Son, and Whence He is Called Jesus and Christ.
Chap. XI.—Of the Cause of the Incarnation of Christ.
Chap. XIII.—Of Jesus, God and Man And the Testimonies of the Prophets Concerning Him.
Chap. XIV.—Of the Priesthood of Jesus Foretold by the Prophets.
Chap. XV.—Of the Life and Miracles of Jesus, and Testimonies Concerning Them.
Chap. XVI.—Of the Passion of Jesus Christ That It Was Foretold.
Chap. XVII.—Of the Superstitions of the Jews, and Their Hatred Against Jesus.
Chap. XVIII.—Of the Lord’s Passion, and that It Was Foretold.
Chap. XIX.—Of the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus And the Predictions of These Events.
Chap. XXII.—Arguments of Unbelievers Against the Incarnation of Jesus.
Chap. XXIII.—Of Giving Precepts, and Acting.
Chap. XXIV.—The Overthrowing of the Arguments Above Urged by Way of Objection.
Chap. XXVI.—Of the Cross, and Other Tortures of Jesus, and of the Figure of the Lamb Under the Law.
Chap. XXVII.—Of the Wonders Effected by the Power of the Cross, and of Demons.
Chap. XXVIII.—Of Hope and True Religion, and of Superstition.
Chap. XXIX.—Of the Christian Religion, and of the Union of Jesus with the Father.
Chap. XXX.—Of Avoiding Heresies and Superstitions, and What is the Only True Catholic Church.
Chap. II.—To What an Extent the Christian Truth Has Been Assailed by Rash Men.
Chap. IV.—Why This Work Was Published, and Again of Tertullian and Cyprian.
Chap. V.—There Was True Justice Under Saturnus, But It Was Banished by Jupiter.
Chap. VII.—Of the Coming of Jesus, and Its Fruit And of the Virtues and Vices of that Age.
Chap. IX.—Of the Crimes of the Wicked, and the Torture Inflicted on the Christians.
Chap. X.—Of False Piety, and of False and True Religion.
Chap XI.—Of the Cruelty of the Heathens Against the Christians.
Chap. XII.—Of True Virtue And of the Estimation of a Good or Bad Citizen.
Chapter XIII.—Of the Increase and the Punishment of the Christians.
Chap. XIV.—Of the Fortitude of the Christians.
Chap. XV.—Of Folly, Wisdom, Piety, Equity, and Justice.
Chap. XVI.—Of the Duties of the Just Man, and the Equity of Christians.
Chap. XVII.—Of the Equity, Wisdom, and Foolishness of Christians.
Chap. XVIII.—Of Justice, Wisdom, and Folly.
Chap. XIX.—Of Virtue and the Tortures of Christians, and of the Right of a Father and Master.
Chap. XX.—Of the Vanity and Crimes, Impious Superstitions, and of the Tortures of the Christians.
Chap. XXII.—Of the Rage of the Demons Against Christians, and the Error of Unbelievers.
Chap. XXIII.—Of the Justice and Patience of the Christians.
Chap. XXIV.—Of the Divine Vengeance Inflicted on the Torturers of the Christians.
Chap. I.—Of the Worship of the True God, and of Innocency, and of the Worship of False Gods.
Chap. II.—Of the Worship of False Gods and the True God.
Chap. IV.—Of the Ways of Life, of Pleasures, Also of the Hardships of Christians.
Chap. V.—Of False and True Virtue And of Knowledge.
Chap. VI.—Of the Chief Good and Virtue, and or Knowledge and Righteousness.
Chap. VIII.—Of the Errors of Philosophers, and the Variableness of Law.
Chap. IX.—Of the Law and Precept of God Of Mercy, and the Error of the Philosophers.
Chap. X.—Of Religion Towards God, and Mercy Towards Men And of the Beginning of the World.
Chap. XI.—Of the Persons Upon Whom a Benefit is to Be Conferred.
Chap. XII.—Of the Kinds of Beneficence, and Works of Mercy.
Chap. XIII.—Of Repentance, of Mercy, and the Forgiveness of Sins.
Chap. XV.—Of the Affections, and the Opinion of the Peripatetics Respecting Them.
Chap. XVII.—Of the Affections and Their Use Of Patience, and the Chief Good of Christians.
Chap. XVIII.—Of Some Commands of God, and of Patience.
Chap. XIX.—Of the Affections and Their Use And of the Three Furies.
Chap. XXI.—Of the Pleasures of the Ears, and of Sacred Literature.
Chap. XXII.—Of the Pleasures of Taste and Smell.
Chap. XXIII. —De Tactus Voluptate Et Libidine, Atque de Matrimonio Et Continentiâ.
Chap. XXIV.—Of Repentance, of Pardon, and the Commands of God.
Chap. XXV.—Of Sacrifice, and of an Offering Worthy of God, and of the Form of Praising God.
Chap. II.—Of the Error of the Philosophers, and of the Divine Wisdom, and of the Golden Age.
Chap. III.—Of Nature, and of the World And a Censure of the Stoics and Epicureans.
Chap. V.—Of the Creation of Man, and of the Arrangement of the World, and of the Chief Good.
Chap. VI.—Why the World and Man Were Created. How Unprofitable is the Worship of False Gods.
Chap. VII.—Of the Variety of Philosophers, and Their Truth.
Chap. VIII.—Of the Immortality of the Soul.
Chap. IX.—Of the Immortality of the Soul, and of Virtue.
Chap. X.—Of Vices and Virtues, and of Life and Death.
Chap. XI.—Of the Last Times, and of the Soul and Body.
Chap. XII.—Of the Soul and the Body, and of Their Union and Separation and Return.
Chap. XIII.—Of the Soul, and the Testimonies Concerning Its Eternity.
Chap. XIV.—Of the First and Last Times of the World.
Chap. XV.—Of the Devastation of the World and Change of the Empires.
CHAP. XVI.—OF THE DEVASTATION of the World, and Its Prophetic Omens.
Chap. XVII.—Of the False Prophet, and the Hardships of the Righteous, and His Destruction.
Chap. XIX.—Of the Advent of Christ to Judgment, and of the Overcoming of the False Prophet.
Chap. XX.—Of the Judgment of Christ, of Christians, and of the Soul.
Chap. XXI.—Of the Torments and Punishments of Souls.
Chap. XXII.—Of the Error of the Poets, and the Return of the Soul from the Lower Regions.
Chap. XXIII.—Of the Resurrection of the Soul, and the Proofs of This Fact.
Chap. XXIV.—Of the Renewed World.
Chap. XXV.—Of the Last Times, and of the City of Rome.
Chap. XXVI.—Of the Loosing of the Devil, and of the Second and Greatest Judgment.
Chap. XXVII.—An Encouragement and Confirmation of the Pious.
The Epitome of the Divine Institutes.
The Preface.—The Plan and Purport of the Whole Epitome, And of the Institutions.
Chap. I.—Of the Divine Providence.
Chap. II.—That There is But One God, and that There Cannot Be More.
Chap. III.—The Testimonies of the Poets Concerning the One God.
Chap. IV.—The Testimonies of the Philosophers to the Unity of God.
Chap. V.—That the Prophetic Women—That Is, the Sibyls—Declare that There is But One God.
Chap. VI.—Since God is Eternal and Immortal, He Does Not Stand in Need of Sex and Succession.
Chap. VII.—Of the Wicked Life and Death of Hercules.
Chap. VIII.—Of Æsculapius, Apollo, Mars, Castor and Pollux, and of Mercurius and Bacchus.
Chap. IX.—Of the Disgraceful Deeds of the Gods.
Chap. X.—Of Jupiter, and His Licentious Life.
Chap. XI.—The Various Emblems Under Which the Poets Veiled the Turpitude of Jupiter.
Chap. XII.—The Poets Do Not Invent All Those Things Which Relate to the Gods.
Chap. XIII.—The Actions of Jupiter are Related from the Historian Euhemerus.
Chap. XIV.—The Actions of Saturnus and Uranus Taken from the Historians.
Chap. XX.—Of the Gods Peculiar to the Romans.
Chap. XXI.—Of the Sacred Rites of the Roman Gods.
Chap. XXII.—Of the Sacred Rites Introduced by Faunus and Numa.
Chap. XXIII.—Of the Gods and Sacred Rites of the Barbarians.
Chap. XXIV.—Of the Origin of Sacred Rites and Superstitions.
Chap. XXV.—Of the Golden Age, of Images, and Prometheus, Who First Fashioned Man.
Chap. XXVI.—Of the Worship of the Elements and Stars.
Chap. XXVII.—Of the Creation, Sin, and Punishment of Man And of Angels, Both Good and Bad.
Chap. XXVIII.—Of the Demons, and Their Evil Practices.
Chap. XXIX.—Of the Patience and Providence of God.
Chap. XXXI.—Of Knowledge and Supposition.
Chap. XXXII.—Of the Sects of Philosophers, and Their Disagreement.
Chap. XXXIII.—What is the Chief Good to Be Sought in Life.
Chap. XXXIV.—That Men are Born to Justice.
Chap. XXXV.—That Immortality is the Chief Good.
Chap. XXXVI.—Of the Philosophers,—Namely, Epicurus and Pythagoras.
Chap. XXXVII.—Of Socrates and His Contradiction.
Chap. XXXVIII.—Of Plato, Whose Doctrine Approaches More Nearly to the Truth.
Chap. XXXIX.—Of Various Philosophers, and of the Antipodes.
Chap. XL.—Of the Foolishness of the Philosophers.
Chap. XLI.—Of True Religion and Wisdom.
Chap. XLII.—Of Religious Wisdom: the Name of Christ Known to None, Except Himself and His Father.
Chap. XLIII.—Of the Name of Jesus Christ, and His Twofold Nativity.
Chap. XLIV.—The Twofold Nativity of Christ is Proved from the Prophets.
Chap. XLV.—The Power and Works of Christ are Proved from the Scriptures.
Chap. XLVI.—It is Proved from the Prophets that the Passion and Death of Christ Had Been Foretold.
Chap. XLVIII.—Of the Disinheriting of the Jews, and the Adoption of the Gentiles.
Chap. XLIX.—That God is One Only.
Chap. L.—Why God Assumed a Mortal Body, and Suffered Death.
Chap. LI.—Of the Death of Christ on the Cross.
Chap. LIII.—The Reasons of the Hatred Against the Christians are Examined and Refuted.
Chap. LIV.—Of the Freedom of Religion in the Worship of God.
Chap. LV.—The Heathens Charge Justice with Impiety in Following God.
Chap. LVI.—Of Justice, Which is the Worship of the True God.
Chap. LVII.—Of Wisdom and Foolishness.
Chap. LVIII.—Of the True Worship of God, and Sacrifice.
Chap. LIX.—Of the Ways of Life, and the First Times of the World.
Chap. LX.—Of the Duties of Justice.
Chap. LXII.—Of Restraining the Pleasures of the Senses.
Chap. LXIII.—That Shows are Most Powerful to Corrupt the Minds.
Chap. LXIV.—The Passions are to Be Subdued, and We Must Abstain from Forbidden Things.
Chap. LXV.—Precepts About Those Things Which are Commanded, and of Pity.
Chap. LXVI.—Of Faith in Religion, and of Fortitude.
Chap. LXVII.—Of Repentance, the Immortality of the Soul, and of Providence.
Chap. LXVIII.—Of the World, Man, and the Providence of God.
Chap. LXIX.—That the World Was Made on Account of Man, and Man on Account of God.
Chap. LXX.—The Immortality of the Soul is Confirmed.
Chap. LXXI.—Of the Last Times.
Chap. LXXII.—Of Christ Descending from Heaven to the General Judgment, and of the Millenarian Reign.
Chap. LXXIII.—The Hope of Safety is in the Religion and Worship of God.
That, therefore, which they perceived to be justly required by the demands of nature, but which they were themselves unable to perform, and saw that the philosophers could not effect, is accomplished only by divine instruction; for that only is wisdom. Doubtless they were able to persuade any one who do not even persuade themselves of anything; or they will crush the desires, moderate the anger, and restrain the lusts of any one, when they themselves both yield to vices, and acknowledge that they are overpowered by nature. But what influence is exerted on the souls of men by the precepts of God, because of their simplicity and truth, is shown by daily proofs. Give me a man who is passionate, scurrilous, and unrestrained; with a very few words of God,
“I will render him as gentle as a sheep.”456 Terence, Adelphi, iv. 1. |
Give me one who is grasping, covetous, and tenacious; I will presently restore him to you liberal, and freely bestowing his money with full hands. Give me a man who is afraid of pain and death; he shall presently despise crosses, and fires, and the bull of Phalaris.457 Perillus invented the brazen bull, which the tyrant Phalaris used as an instrument of torture. It was so constructed that the groans of the victims appeared to resemble the bellowing of the bull. Give me one who is lustful, an adulterer, a glutton; you shall presently see him sober, chaste, and temperate. Give me one who is cruel and bloodthirsty: that fury shall presently be changed into true clemency. Give me a man who is unjust, foolish, an evil-doer; forthwith he shall be just, and wise, and innocent: for by one laver458 The baptismal font. [i.e., as signifying Zech. xiii. 1.] all his wickedness shall be taken away. So great is the power of divine wisdom, that, when infused into the breast of man, by one impulse it once for all expels folly, which is the mother of faults, for the effecting of which there is no need of payment, or books, or nightly studies. These results are accomplished gratuitously, easily, and quickly, if only the ears are open and the breast thirsts for wisdom. Let no one fear: we do not sell water, nor offer the sun for a reward. The fountain of God, most abundant and most full, is open to all; and this heavenly light rises for all,459 See John i. 9. as many as have eyes. Did any of the philosophers effect these things, or is he able to effect them if he wishes? For though they spend their lives in the study of philosophy, they are neither able to improve any other person nor themselves (if nature has presented any obstacle). Therefore their wisdom, doing its utmost, does not eradicate, but hide vices. But a few precepts of God so entirely change the whole man, and having put off the old man, render him new, that you would not recognise him as the same.
CAPUT XXVI. Sapientiam sola doctrina coelestis largitur; et quam sit efficax lex Dei.
0431B Quod ergo illi poscente natura faciendum esse senserunt, sed tamen neque ipsi facere potuerunt, neque a philosophis fieri posse viderunt, sola haec efficit doctrina coelestis; quia sola sapientia est. Illi scilicet persuadere cuiquam poterunt, qui nihil persuadent etiam sibi? aut cujusquam cupiditates oppriment, 0432A iram temperabunt, libidinem coercebunt, cum ipsi et cedant vitiis, et fateantur, plus valere naturam? Dei autem praecepta, quia et simplicia, et vera sunt, quantum valeant in animis hominum, quotidiana experimenta demonstrant. Da mihi virum, qui sit iracundus, maledicus, effraenatus: paucissimis Dei verbis: Tam placidum, quam ovem, reddam.Da cupidum, avarum, tenacem: jam tibi eum liberalem dabo, et pecuniam suam plenis manibus largientem. Da timidum doloris ac mortis: jam cruces, et ignes, et taurum contemnet. Da libidinosum, adulterum, ganeonem: jam sobrium, castum, continentem videbis. Da crudelem et sanguinis appetentem: jam in veram clementiam furor ille mutabitur. Da injustum, insipientem, peccatorem: continuo et 0432B aequus, et prudens, et innocens erit. Uno enim lavacro malitia omnis abolebitur. Tanta divinae sapientiae vis est, ut in hominis pectus infusa, matrem delictorum stultitiam uno semel impetu expellat: ad quod efficiendum, non mercede, non libris, non lucubrationibus opus est. Gratis ista fiunt, facile, cito; 0433A modo pateant aures, et pectus sapientiam sitiat. 0433A Nemo vereatur: nos aquam non vendimus, nec solem mercede praestamus. Dei fons uberrimus atque plenissimus patet cunctis: et hoc coeleste lumen universis oritur (Vid. Joan. cap. I et VI), quicumque oculos habent. Num quis haec philosophorum aut unquam praestitit, aut praestare, si velit, potest? Qui cum aetates suas in studio philosophiae conterant, neque alium quemquam, neque seipsos (si natura paululum obstitit) possunt facere meliores. Itaque sapientia eorum, ut plurimum efficiat, non excidit vitia, sed abscondit. Pauca vero Dei praecepta sic totum hominem immutant, et exposito vetere novum reddunt, ut non cognoscas eumdem esse.