Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| Chapter LXV
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Chapter LXV.
He imagines, however, that we utter these
exhortations for the conversion of sinners, because we are able to gain
over no one who is really good and righteous, and therefore open our
gates to the most unholy and abandoned of men. But if any one
will fairly observe our assemblies we can present a greater number of
those who have been converted from not a very wicked life, than of
those who have committed the most abominable sins. For naturally
those who are conscious to themselves of better things, desire that
those promises may be true which are declared by God regarding the
reward of the righteous, and thus assent more readily to the statements
(of Scripture) than those do who have led very wicked lives, and who
are prevented by their very consciousness (of evil) from admitting that
they will be punished by the Judge of all with such punishment as
befits those who have sinned so greatly, and as would not be inflicted
by the Judge of all contrary to right reason.3635
| 3635 και οὐ παρὰ
τὸν ὀρθὸν
λόγον
προσάγοιτο
ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐπὶ
πᾶσι
δικαστοῦ. [See infra, book iv. cap. lxxix, and
Elucidations there named.] | Sometimes, also, when very abandoned
men are willing to accept the doctrine of (future) punishment, on
account of the hope which is based upon repentance, they are prevented
from so doing by their habit of sinning, being constantly
dipped,3636
| 3636 [ἐπιμόνως
βεβαμμένοι.
S.] | and, as it were,
dyed3637
| 3637 [ὡσπεγεὶ
δευσοποιηθέντες
απὸ τῆς
κακίας. S.] | in wickedness, and possessing no longer the
power to turn from it easily to a proper life, and one regulated
according to right reason. And although Celsus observes this, he
nevertheless, I know not why, expresses himself in the following
terms: “And yet, indeed, it is manifest to every one that
no one by chastisement, much less by merciful treatment, could effect a
complete change in those who are sinners both by nature and custom, for
to change nature is an exceedingly difficult thing. But they who
are without sin are partakers of a better
life.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
