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| Chapter LXXV
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Chapter
LXXV.
For, in the first place, he is of opinion that
“thunders, and lightnings, and rains are not the works of
God,”—thus showing more clearly at last his Epicurean
leanings; and in the second place, that “even if one were to
grant that these were the works of God, they are brought into existence
not more for the support of us who are human beings, than for that of
plants, and trees, and herbs, and thorns,”—maintaining,
like a true Epicurean, that these things are the product of chance, and
not the work of Providence. For if these things are of no more
use to us than to plants, and trees, and herbs, and thorns, it is
evident either that they do not proceed from Providence at all, or from
a providence which does not provide for us in a greater degree than for
trees, and herbs, and thorns. Now, either of these suppositions
is impious in itself, and it would be foolish to refute such statements
by answering any one who brought against us the charge of impiety; for
it is manifest to every one, from what has been said, who is the person
guilty of impiety. In the next place, he adds:
“Although you may say that these things, viz., plants, and trees,
and herbs, and thorns, grow
for the use of men, why will you maintain that they grow for the use of
men rather than for that of the most savage of irrational
animals?” Let Celsus then say distinctly that the great
diversity among the products of the earth is not the work of
Providence, but that a certain fortuitous concurrence of atoms3994
| 3994 συντυχία
τις ἀτόμων. | gave birth to qualities so diverse, and that
it was owing to chance that so many kinds of plants, and trees, and
herbs resemble one another, and that no disposing reason gave existence
to them,3995
| 3995 οὐδεὶς
λόγος
τεχνικὸς
ὑπέστησεν
αὐτά. | and that they do
not derive their origin from an understanding that is beyond all
admiration. We Christians, however, who are devoted to the
worship of the only God, who created these things, feel grateful for
them to Him who made them, because not only for us, but also (on our
account) for the animals which are subject to us, He has prepared such
a home,3996
seeing “He
causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of
man, that He may bring forth food out of the earth, and wine that
maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and
bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.”3997
But that He should have provided food
even for the most savage animals is not matter of surprise, for these
very animals are said by some who have philosophized (upon the subject)
to have been created for the purpose of affording exercise to the
rational creature. And one of our own wise men says
somewhere: “Do not say, What is this? or Wherefore is that?
for all things have been made for their uses. And do not say,
What is this? or Wherefore is that? for everything shall be sought out
in its season.”3998
| 3998 Cf. Ecclus. xxxix. 21, and 16, 17. | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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