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| Chapter X
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Chapter X.
In the next place, since our opponents keep
repeating those statements about faith, we must say that, considering
it as a useful thing for the multitude, we admit that we teach those
men to believe without reasons, who are unable to abandon all other
employments, and give themselves to an examination of arguments; and
our opponents, although they do not acknowledge it, yet practically do
the same. For who is there that, on betaking himself to the study
of philosophy, and throwing himself into the ranks of some sect, either
by chance,3098
or because he is
provided with a teacher of that school, adopts such a course for any
other reason, except that he believes his particular sect to be
superior to any other? For, not waiting to hear the arguments of
all the other philosophers, and of all the different sects, and the
reasons for condemning one system and for supporting another, he in
this way elects to become a Stoic, e.g., or a Platonist, or a
Peripatetic, or an Epicurean, or a follower of some other school, and
is thus borne, although they will not admit it, by a kind of irrational
impulse to the practice, say of Stoicism, to the disregard of the
others; despising either Platonism, as being marked by greater humility
than the others; or Peripateticism, as more human, and as admitting
with more fairness3099
than other systems
the blessings of human life. And some also, alarmed at first
sight3100
| 3100 ἀπὸ
πρώτης
προσβολῆς. | about the doctrine of providence, from
seeing what happens in the world to the vicious and to the virtuous,
have rashly concluded that there is no divine providence at all, and
have adopted the views of Epicurus and Celsus.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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