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| Origin of Idolatry.
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Chapter
XIII.—Origin of Idolatry.
“But when all these things were done, men
turned again to impiety;734
| 734 [There is a similar
chapter in Homily IX. 7, but in a discourse on the following
day.—R.] | and on this
account a law was given by God to instruct them in the manner of
living. But in process of time, the worship of God and
righteousness were corrupted by the unbelieving and the wicked, as we
shall show more fully by and by. Moreover, perverse and erratic
religions were introduced, to which the greater part of men gave
themselves up, by occasion of holidays and solemnities, instituting
drinkings and banquets, following pipes, and flutes, and harps, and
diverse kinds of musical instruments, and indulging themselves in all
kinds of drunkenness and luxury. Hence every kind of error took
rise; hence they invented groves and altars, fillets and victims, and
after drunkenness they were agitated as if with mad emotions. By
this means power was given to the demons to enter into minds of this
sort, so that they seemed to lead insane dances and to rave like
Bacchanalians; hence were invented the gnashing of teeth, and bellowing
from the depth of their bowels; hence a terrible countenance and a
fierce aspect in men, so that he whom drunkenness had subverted and a
demon had instigated, was believed by the deceived and the erring to be
filled with the Deity.
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