55. But if this record of
events is false, as you say, how comes it that in so short a time the
whole world has been filled with such a religion? or how could nations
dwelling widely apart, and separated by climate and by the convexities
of heaven,3352
| 3352
That is, by the climate and the inclination of the earth’s
surface. |
unite in one
conclusion? They have been
prevailed upon,
say my
opponents, by mere assertions, been led into
vain hopes; and in
their reckless madness have chosen to incur voluntarily the risks of
death, although they had hitherto seen nothing of such a
kind as could
by its wonderful and
strange character induce them to
adopt this manner
of
worship. Nay, because they saw all these things to be done by
Christ Himself and by His
apostles, who being sent throughout
the whole
world carried with them the blessings of the
Father, which
they dispensed in benefiting
3353
| 3353 So
the 1st ed., Ursinus, Elmenhorst, Orelli, and Hildebrand, reading
munerandis, which is found in the ms. in a later handwriting, for the original reading of the
ms. munera dis. |
as well the minds as the bodies of
men; overcome by the force of the very
truth itself they both
devoted
themselves to God, and reckoned it as but a small sacrifice to
surrender their bodies to you and to give their flesh to be
mangled.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
