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Chapter
LXXXI.
Our noble opponent, however, not observing how
many philosophers there are who admit the existence of Providence, and
who hold that Providence created all things for the sake of rational
beings, overturns as far as he can those doctrines which are of use in
showing the harmony that prevails in these matters between Christianity
and philosophy; nor does he see how great is the injury done to
religion from accepting the statement that before God there is no
difference between a man and an ant or a bee, but proceeds to add, that
“if men appear to be superior to irrational animals on this
account, that they have built cities, and make use of a political
constitution, and forms of government, and sovereignties,4012 this is to say nothing to the purpose, for
ants and bees do the same. Bees, indeed, have a sovereign, who
has followers and attendants; and there occur among them wars and
victories, and slaughterings of the vanquished,4013
4013 τῶν
ἡττημένων
αἱρέσεις.
“Nota αἱρέσεις hoc
loco sumi pro internecionibus, cædibus. Haud scio an alibi
reperiatur pari significatu. Forte etiam scribendum καθαιρέσεις
.”—Ruæus. |
and cities and suburbs, and a succession of labours, and judgments
passed upon the idle and the wicked; for the drones are driven away and
punished.” Now here he did not observe the difference that
exists between what is done after reason and consideration, and what is
the result of an irrational nature, and is purely mechanical. For
the origin of these things is not explained by the existence of any
rational principle in those who make them, because they do not possess
any such principle; but the most ancient Being, who is also the Son of
God, and the King of all things that exist, has created an irrational
nature, which, as being irrational, acts as a help to those who are
deemed worthy of reason. Cities, accordingly, were established
among men, with many arts and well-arranged laws; while constitutions,
and governments, and sovereignties among men are either such as are
properly so termed, and which exemplify certain virtuous tendencies and
workings, or they are those which are improperly so called, and which
were devised, so far as could be done, in imitation of the
former: for it was by contemplating these that the most
successful legislators established the best constitutions, and
governments, and sovereignties. None of these things, however,
can be found among irrational animals, although Celsus may transfer
rational names, and arrangements which belong to rational beings, as
cities and constitutions, and rulers and sovereignties, even to ants
and bees; in respect to which matters, however, ants and bees merit no
approval, because they do not act from reflection. But we ought
to admire the divine nature, which extended even to irrational animals
the capacity, as it were, of imitating rational beings, perhaps with a
view of putting rational beings to shame; so that by looking upon ants,
for instance, they might become more industrious and more thrifty in
the management of their goods; while, by considering the bees, they
might place themselves in subjection to their Ruler, and take their
respective parts in those constitutional duties which are of use in
ensuring the safety of cities.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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