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| The Innocence of the Christians Not Compromised by the Iniquitous Laws Which Were Made Against Them. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter
VI.531
531 Compare The
Apology, c. iv. | —The Innocence of the Christians Not
Compromised by the Iniquitous Laws Which Were Made Against
Them.
Whenever these statements and answers of ours,
which truth suggests of its own accord, press and restrain your
conscience, which is the witness of its own ignorance, you betake
yourselves in hot haste to that poor altar of refuge,532
the authority of the laws, because these, of course, would never punish
the offensive533 sect, if their
deserts had not been fully considered by those who made the laws. Then
what is it which has prevented a like consideration on the part of
those who put the laws in force, when, in the case of all other crimes
which are similarly forbidden and punished by the laws, the penalty is
not inflicted534 until it is sought by
regular process?535 Take,536 for instance, the case of a murderer or an
adulterer. An examination is ordered touching the particulars537 of the crime, even though it is patent to all
what its nature538 is. Whatever wrong
has been done by the Christian ought to be brought to light. No
law forbids inquiry to be made; on the contrary, inquiry is made in the
interest of the laws.539
539 Literally,
“holding the inquiry makes for the laws.” | For how are you to
keep the law by precautions against that which the law forbids, if you
neutralize the carefulness of the precaution by your failing to
perceive540
540 Per defectionem
agnoscendi. | what it is you have
to keep? No law must keep to itself541 the knowledge of
its own righteousness,542 but (it owes it) to
those from whom it claims obedience. The law, however, becomes an
object of suspicion when it declines to approve itself. Naturally
enough,543 then, are the laws against
the Christians supposed to be
just and deserving of respect and observance, just as long as men
remain ignorant of their aim and purport; but when this is perceived,
their extreme injustice is discovered, and they are deservedly rejected
with abhorrence,544 along with (their
instruments of torture)—the swords, the crosses, and the lions.
An unjust law secures no respect. In my opinion, however, there is a
suspicion among you that some of these laws are unjust, since not a day
passes without your modifying their severity and iniquity by fresh
deliberations and decisions.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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