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| Concerning Festivals in Honour of Emperors, Victories, and the Like. Examples of the Three Children and Daniel.
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Chapter XV.—Concerning
Festivals in Honour of Emperors, Victories, and the Like.
Examples of the Three Children and Daniel.
But “let your works shine,” saith
He;276
but now all our shops and gates shine!
You will now-a-days find more doors of heathens without lamps and
laurel-wreaths than of Christians. What does the case seem to be with
regard to that species (of ceremony) also? If it is an idol’s
honour, without doubt an idol’s honour is idolatry. If it is for
a man’s sake, let us again consider that all idolatry is for
man’s sake;277
| 277 See chap. ix. p. 152,
note 4. | let us again consider
that all idolatry is a worship done to men, since it is generally
agreed even among their worshippers that aforetime the gods themselves
of the nations were men; and so it makes no difference whether that
superstitious homage be rendered to men of a former age or of this.
Idolatry is condemned, not on account of the persons which are set up
for worship, but on account of those its observances, which pertain to
demons. “The things which are Cæsar’s are to be
rendered to Cæsar.”278
| 278 Matt. xxii. 21; Mark xii. 17; Luke xx.
25. | It is enough that He
set in apposition thereto, “and to God the things which are
God’s.” What things, then, are Cæsar’s? Those,
to wit, about which the consultation was then held, whether the
poll-tax should be furnished to Cæsar or no. Therefore, too, the
Lord demanded that the money should be shown Him, and inquired about
the image, whose it was; and when He had heard it was
Cæsar’s, said, “Render to Cæsar what are
Cæsar’s, and what are God’s to God;” that is,
the image of Cæsar, which is on the coin, to Cæsar, and the
image of God, which is on man,279
to God; so as to
render to Cæsar indeed money, to God yourself. Otherwise, what
will be God’s, if all things are Cæsar’s?
“Then,” do you say, “the lamps before my doors, and
the laurels on my posts are an honour to God?” They are
there of course, not because they are an honour to God, but to him
who is honour in God’s stead by ceremonial observances of that
kind, so far as is manifest, saving the religious performance, which is
in secret appertaining to demons. For we ought to be sure if there are
any whose notice it escapes through ignorance of this world’s
literature, that there are among the Romans even gods of entrances;
Cardea (Hinge-goddess), called after hinges, and Forculus (Door-god)
after doors, and Limentinus (Threshold-god) after the threshold, and
Janus himself (Gate-god) after the gate: and of course we know that,
though names be empty and feigned, yet, when they are drawn down into
superstition, demons and every unclean spirit seize them for
themselves, through the bond of consecration. Otherwise demons have no
name individually, but they there find a name where they find also a
token. Among the Greeks likewise we read of Apollo Thyræus,
i.e. of the door, and the Antelii, or Anthelii, demons, as
presiders over entrances. These things, therefore, the Holy Spirit
foreseeing from the beginning, fore-chanted, through the most ancient
prophet Enoch, that even entrances would come into superstitious use. For we see too
that other entrances280
| 280 The word is the
same as that for “the mouth” of a river, etc. Hence Oehler
supposes the “entrances” or “mouths”
here referred to to be the mouths of fountains, where
nymphs were supposed to dwell. Nympha is supposed to be
the same word as Lympha. See Hor. Sat. i. 5, 97; and
Macleane’s note. | are adored in the
baths. But if there are beings which are adored in entrances, it
is to them that both the lamps and the laurels will pertain. To an idol
you will have done whatever you shall have done to an entrance.
In this place I call a witness on the authority also of God; because it
is not safe to suppress whatever may have been shown to one, of
course for the sake of all. I know that a brother was severely
chastised, the same night, through a vision, because on the sudden
announcement of public rejoicings his servants had wreathed his
gates. And yet himself had not wreathed, or commanded them to be
wreathed; for he had gone forth from home before, and on his
return had reprehended the deed. So strictly are we appraised
with God in matters of this kind, even with regard to the discipline of
our family.281
| 281 [He seems to refer to
some Providential event, perhaps announced in a dream, not necessarily
out of the course of common occurrences.] | Therefore, as to what
relates to the honours due to kings or emperors, we have a prescript
sufficient, that it behoves us to be in all obedience, according to the
apostle’s precept,282
“subject to
magistrates, and princes, and powers;”283
but
within the limits of discipline, so long as we keep ourselves separate
from idolatry. For it is for this reason, too, that that example of the
three brethren has forerun us, who, in other respects obedient toward
king Nebuchodonosor rejected with all constancy the honour to his
image,284
proving that whatever is extolled beyond the
measure of human honour, unto the resemblance of divine sublimity, is
idolatry. So too, Daniel, in all other points submissive to
Darius, remained in his duty so long as it was free from danger to his
religion;285
for, to avoid
undergoing that danger, he feared the royal lions no more
than they the royal fires. Let, therefore, them who have no
light, light their lamps daily; let them over whom the fires of hell
are imminent, affix to their posts, laurels doomed presently to
burn: to them the testimonies of darkness and the omens of their
penalties are suitable. You are a light of the world,286
and a tree ever green.287
If you have renounced temples, make not your own gate a temple. I have
said too little. If you have renounced stews, clothe not your own house
with the appearance of a new brothel.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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