39. But lately, O blindness,
I worshipped images produced from the furnace, gods made on anvils and
by hammers, the bones of elephants, paintings, wreaths on aged
trees;3309
| 3309 It
was a common practice with the Romans to hang the spoils of an enemy on
a tree, which was thus consecrated to some deity. Hence such
trees were sacred, and remained unhurt even to old age. Some have
supposed that the epithet “old” is applied from the fact
that the heathen used to offer to their gods objects no longer of use
to themselves; thus it was only old trees, past bearing fruit, which
were generally selected to hang the spoila upon. |
whenever I
espied an
anointed stone and one bedaubed with olive
oil, as if some
power resided in it I worshipped it, I addressed myself to it and
begged blessings from a senseless stock.
3310
| 3310 [This
interesting personal confession deserves especial note.] |
And these very gods of whose
existence I had convinced myself, I treated with gross insults, when I
believed them to be
wood,
stone, and
bones, or
imagined that they dwelt
in the substance of such objects. Now, having been led into the
paths of
truth by so great a
teacher, I know what all these things are,
I
entertain honourable thoughts concerning those which are worthy, I
offer no insult to any
divine name; and what is due to each, whether
inferior
3311
| 3311
Vel personæ vel capiti. |
or superior, I
assign with clearly-defined gradations, and on distinct
authority. Is
Christ, then, not to be regarded by us as God? and
is He, who in other respects may be deemed the very greatest,
not to be honoured with
divine worship, from whom we have already received while alive so great
gifts, and from whom, when the day comes, we expect greater
ones?
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