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| Chapter XII.—Christians live as under God’s eye. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
And more than all other men are we
your helpers and allies in promoting peace, seeing that we hold this
view, that it is alike impossible for the wicked, the covetous, the
conspirator, and for the virtuous, to escape the notice of God, and that
each man goes to everlasting punishment or salvation according to the
value of his actions. For if all men knew this, no one would choose
wickedness even for a little, knowing that he goes to the everlasting
punishment of fire; but would by all means restrain himself, and adorn
himself with virtue, that he might obtain the good gifts of God, and
escape the punishments. For those who, on account of the laws and
punishments you impose, endeavour to escape detection when they offend
(and they offend, too, under the impression that it is quite possible to
escape your detection, since you are but men), those persons, if they
learned and were convinced that nothing, whether actually done or only
intended, can escape the knowledge of God, would by all means live
decently on account of the penalties threatened, as even you yourselves
will admit. But you seem to fear lest all men become righteous, and you
no longer have any to punish. Such would be the concern of public
executioners, but not of good princes. But, as we before said, we are
persuaded that these things are prompted by evil spirits, who demand
sacrifices and service even from those who live unreasonably; but as for
you, we presume that you who aim at [a reputation for] piety and
philosophy will do nothing unreasonable. But if you also, like the foolish, prefer custom
to truth, do what you have power to do. But just so much power have
rulers who esteem opinion more than truth, as robbers have in a desert.
And that you will not succeed is
declared by the Word, than whom, after God who begat Him, we know there
is no ruler more kingly and just. For as all shrink from succeeding to
the poverty or sufferings or obscurity of their fathers, so whatever the
Word forbids us to choose, the sensible man will not choose. That all these things
should come to pass, I say, our Teacher foretold, He who is both Son and
Apostle of God the Father of all and the Ruler, Jesus Christ; from whom
also we have the name of Christians. Whence we become more assured of all
the things He taught us, since whatever He beforehand foretold should
come to pass, is seen in fact coming to pass; and this is the work of
God, to tell of a thing before it happens, and as it was foretold so to
show it happening. It were possible to pause here and add no more,
reckoning that we demand what is just and true; but because we are well
aware that it is not easy suddenly to change a mind possessed by
ignorance, we intend to add a few things, for the sake of persuading
those who love the truth, knowing that it is not impossible to put
ignorance to flight by presenting the truth. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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