Chapter VIII.—The Same Rule Holds with Regard to Colours.  God’s Creatures Generally Not to Be Used, Except for the Purposes to Which He Has Appointed Them.

Similarly, too, do even the servants43    Or, “slaves.” of those barbarians cause the glory to fade from the colours of our garments (by wearing the like); nay, even their party-walls use slightingly, to supply the place of painting, the Tyrian and the violet-coloured and the grand royal hangings, which you laboriously undo and metamorphose.  Purple with them is more paltry than red ochre; (and justly,) for what legitimate honour can garments derive from adulteration with illegitimate colours?  That which He Himself has not produced is not pleasing to God, unless He was unable to order sheep to be born with purple and sky-blue fleeces!  If He was able, then plainly He was unwilling:  what God willed not, of course ought not to be fashioned.  Those things, then, are not the best by nature which are not from God, the Author of nature.  Thus they are understood to be from the devil, from the corrupter of nature:  for there is no other whose they can be, if they are not God’s; because what are not God’s must necessarily be His rival’s.44    Comp. de Pæn., c. v. med.  But, beside the devil and his angels, other rival of God there is none.  Again, if the material substances are of God, it does not immediately follow that such ways of enjoying them among men (are so too).  It is matter for inquiry not only whence come conchs,45    Comp. c. vi. above. but what sphere of embellishment is assigned them, and where it is that they exhibit their beauty.  For all those profane pleasures of worldly46    Sæcularium. shows—as we have already published a volume of their own about them47    i.e., the treatise de Spectaculis.—(ay, and) even idolatry itself, derive their material causes from the creatures48    Rebus. of God.  Yet a Christian ought not to attach himself49    “Affici”—a rare use rather of “afficere,” but found in Cic. to the frenzies of the racecourse, or the atrocities of the arena, or the turpitudes of the stage, simply because God has given to man the horse, and the panther, and the power of speech:  just as a Christian cannot commit idolatry with impunity either, because the incense, and the wine, and the fire which feeds50    Or perhaps “is fed” thereby; for the word is “vescitur.” (thereon), and the animals which are made the victims, are God’s workmanship;51    “Conditio”—a rare use again. since even the material thing which is adored is God’s (creature).  Thus then, too, with regard to their active use, does the origin of the material substances, which descends from God, excuse (that use) as foreign to God, as guilty forsooth of worldly52    Sæcularis. glory!

CAPUT VIII.

Proinde et vestium de coloribus honorem servi etiam eorum terunt. Sed et parietes tyriis et hyacinthinis et illis regiis velis, quae vos operose resoluta transfiguratis, pro pictura abutuntur. Vilior est apud illos purpura, quam rubrica. Quis enim est vestium 1312B honor justus de adulterio colorum injustorum? Non placet Deo, quod non ipse produxit, nisi si non potuit purpureas et aerinas oves nasci jubere. Si potuit, ergo jam noluit; quod Deus noluit, utique non licet fingi. Non ergo natura optima sunt ista, quae a Deo non sunt, auctore naturae; sic diabolo esse intelliguntur, ab interpolatore naturae. Alterius enim esse non possunt, si Dei non sunt: quia aemuli sint necesse est, quae Dei non sunt; alius autem, praeter diabolum et angelos ejus, aemulus Dei non est. Caeterum, si materiae ex Deo sunt , non statim et hujusmodi fructus illarum ; nam et omnes 1313A istae profanae spectaculorum saecularium voluptates, sicut de ipsis suum volumen edidimus, ipsa etiam idololatria ex rebus Dei constat: non tamen ideo circi furoribus, aut arenae atrocitatibus, aut scenae turpitudinibus, christianum affici oportet, quia Deus et equum, et pantheram, et vocem homini dedit: nec ideo idololatriam impune faciet christianus, quia Dei conditio est et thus , et merum, et ignis qui vescitur , et animalia quae victimae fiunt, cum et ipsa materia, quae adoratur, Dei sit. Sic ergo et circa actum materiarum census a Deo descendens, accusat Deo extraneum, ut reum scilicet gloriae saecularis.