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| Constantine's Edict to the People of the Provinces concerning the Error of Polytheism, commencing with Some General Remarks on Virtue and Vice.
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Chapter XLVIII.—Constantine’s Edict to the People of the
Provinces concerning the Error of Polytheism, commencing with Some
General Remarks on Virtue and Vice.
“Victor
Constantinus, Maximus Augustus, to the people of the Eastern
provinces.
“Whatever is comprehended
under the sovereign3194
laws of nature,
seems to convey to all men an adequate idea of the forethought and
intelligence of the divine order. Nor can any, whose minds are directed
in the true path of knowledge to the attainment of that end, entertain
a doubt that the just perceptions of sound reason, as well as those of
the natural vision itself, through the sole influence of genuine
virtue, lead to the knowledge of God. Accordingly no wise man will ever
be surprised when he sees the mass of mankind influenced by opposite
sentiments. For the beauty of virtue would be useless3195
| 3195 By
a conjectural reading Stroth makes this “fools,” instead of
“useless,” and renders, “For fools would not
otherwise recognize the charm of virtue.” | and unperceived, did not vice display in
contrast with it the course of perversity and folly. Hence it is that
the one is crowned with reward, while the most high God is himself the
administrator of judgment to the other.
“And now I will endeavor
to lay before you all as explicitly as possible, the nature of my own
hopes of future happiness.3196
| 3196 [The remark of Valesius in reference to the difficulty of this
chapter appears probable; viz. that it is partly to be attributed to
Constantine’s own want of clearness, and partly to his
translator, who has rendered obscure Latin into still more obscure
Greek.—Bag.] | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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