CHAPTER LIX.
Probably those who embrace the views of Celsus will smile at us when we say, Át the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, of things on earth, and of things under the earth, and every tongue” is brought to “ confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father! But although they may ridicule such a statement, yet they will re- ceive much more convincing arguments in support of it than Celsus brings in behalf of Chnoumen, Chnachoumen, Cnat, Sicat, and the rest of the Egyptian catalogue, whom he mentions as being called upon, and as healing the diseases of different parts of the human body. And observe how, while seeking to turn us away from our faith in the God of all through Jesus Christ, he exhorts us for the welfare of our bodies to faith in six- and-thirty barbarous demons, whom the Egyptian magi alone call upon in some unknown way, and promise us in return great benefits. According to Celsus, then, it would be better for us ' now to give ourselves up to magic and sorcery than to embrace Christianity, and to put our faith in an innumerable multitude of demons than in the almighty, living, self-revealing God, who has manifested Himself by Him who by His great power has spread the true principles of holiness among all men throughout the world; yea, I may add without exaggeration, He has given this knowledge to all beings everywhere possessed of reason, and needing deliverance from the plague and corruption of sin.
/ 544 ORIGEN AGAINST CELS' CHAPTER LX.
Celsus, however, suspecting that the tend ing as he here gives is to lead to magic, and. may arise from these statements, adds: “ C be taken lest any one, by familiarizing hi matters, should become too much engrossed 1 through an excessive regard for the body, 1 mind turned away from higher things, and into oblivion. For perhaps we ought not to of those wise men who say that most of the taken up with carnal indulgence, blood, od and other such sensual things; and therefc to do more than lieal the body, or foretell tl and cities, and do other such things as relate If there is, then, such a dangerous tenden: as even the enemy of the truth of God co better is it to avoid all danger of giving our to the power of such demons, and of bece from higher things, and suffering them to through an excessive attention to the body; selves to the Supreme God through Jesus CI us such instruction, and asking of Him all | dianship of holy and good angels, to defend spirits intent on lust, and blood, and saci strange sounds, and other sensual things! confession of Celsus, they can do nothing 1 body. But, indeed, I would say that it is n demons, however much they are reverenced body. But in seeking recovery from dis either follow the more ordinary and simple recourse to medical art; or if he would go b methods adopted by men, he must rise to th way of seeking the blessing of Him wl through piety and prayers.
CHAPTER LXI.
CHAPTER LXI.
For consider with yourself which dispositi more acceptable to the Most High, whose Book vii. } ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 545 and universal, and who directs all for the welfare of mankind in body, and in mind, and in outward things,—whether that of the man who gives himself up to God in all things, or that of the man who is curiously inquisitive about the names of demons, their powers and agency, the incantations, the herbs proper to them, and the stones with the inscriptions graven on them, corresponding symbolically or otherwise to their tradi- tional shapes? It is plain even to the least intelligent, that the disposition of the man who is simple-minded, and not given to curious inquiries, but in all things devoted to the divine will, will be most pleasing to God, and to all those who are like God; but that of the man who, for the sake of bodily health, of bodily enjoyment, and outward prosperity, busies himself about the names of demons, and inquires by what incantations he shall appease them, will be condemned by God as bad and im- pious, and more agreeable to the nature of demons than of men, and will be given over to be torn and otherwise tormented by demons. For it is probable that they, as being wicked creatures, and, as Celsus confesses, addicted to blood, sacrificial odours, sweet sounds, and such like, will not keep their most solemn promises to those who supply them with these things. For if others invoke their aid against the persons who have already called upon them, and purchase their favour with a larger supply of blood, and odours, and such offerings as they require, they will take part against those who yesterday sacrificed and presented pleasant offerings to them.
CHAPTER LXII.
In a former passage, Celsus had spoken at length on the sub- ject of oracles, and had referred us to their answers as being the voice of the gods; but now he makes amends, and confesses that “those who foretell the fortunes of men and cities, and concern themselves about mortal affairs, are earth-spirits, who are given up to fleshly lust, blood, odours, sweet sounds, and other such things, and who are unable to rise above these sen- sual objects.” Perhaps, when we opposed the theological teach- ing of Celsus in regard to oracles, and the honour done to those called gods, some one might suspect us of impiety when we alleged that these were stratagems of demoniacal powers, to ORIG.—VOL. II. 2M 546 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Book vit.
draw men away to carnal indulgence. But any who enter- tained this suspicion against us, may now believe that the state- ments put forth by Christians were well-founded, when they see the above passage from the writings of one who is a pro- fessed adversary of Christianity, but who ποῦ at length writes as one who has been overcome by the spirit of truth. Although, therefore, Celsus says that * we must offer sacrifices to them, in so far as they are profitable to us, for to offer them indis- criminately is not allowed by reason," yet we are not to offer sacrifices to demons addicted to blood and odours; nor is the Divine Being to be profaned in our minds, by being brought down to the level of. wicked demons. If Celsus had carefully weighed the meaning of the word “ profitable,” and had con- sidered that the truest profit lies in virtue and in virtuous action, he would not have applied the phrase *as far as it is profitable" to the service of such demons, as he has acknow- ledged them to be. If, then, health of body and success in life were to come to us on condition of our serving such demons, we should prefer sickness and misfortune accompanied with the consciousness of our being truly devoted to the will of God. For this is preferable to being mortally diseased in mind, and wretched through being separate and outcasts from God, though healthy in body and abounding in earthly prosperity. And we would rather go for help to one who seeks nothing whatever but the well-being of men and of all rational creatures, than to those that delight in blood and sacrificial odours.
CHAPTER LXIII.
After having said so much of the demons, and of their fond- ness for blood and the odour of sacrifices, Celsus adds, as though wishing to retract the charge he had made: ** The more just opinion is, that demons desire nothing and need nothing, but that they take pleasure in those who discharge towards them offices of piety.” If Celsus believed this to be true, he should have ‘said so, instead of making his previous state- ments. But, indeed, human nature is never utterly forsaken by God and His only-begotten Son, the truth. Wherefore even Celsus spoke the truth when he made the demons take pleasure in the blood and smoke of victims; although, by the Book vil. } ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 547 force of his own evil nature, he falls back into his errors, and compares demons with men who rigorously discharge every duty, even to those who show no gratitude; while to those who are grateful they abound in acts of kindness. Here Celsus appears to me to get into confusion. At one time his judgment is darkened by the influence of demons, and at another he recovers from their deluding power, and gets some glimpses of the truth. For again he adds: “ We must never in any way lose our hold of God, whether by day or by night, whether in public or in secret, whether in word or in deed, but in whatever we do, or abstain from doing." That is, as I understand it, whatever we do in public, in all our actions, in all our words, “let the soul be constantly fixed upon God." And yet again, as though, after struggling in argument against the insane inspirations of demons, he were completely overcome by them, he adds: “If this is the case, what harm is there in gaining the favour of the rulers of the earth, whether of a nature different from ours, or human princes and kings? For these have gained their dignity through the instrumentality of demons." In a former part, Celsus did his utmost to debase our souls to the worship of demons; and now he wishes us to seek the favour of kings and princes, of whom, as the world and all history are full of them, I do not consider it necessary to quote examples.
CHAPTER LXIV.
CHAPTER LXIV.
There is therefore One whose favour we should seek, and to whom we ought to pray that He would be gracious to us—the Most High God, whose favour is gained by piety and the prac- tice of every virtue. Andif he would have us to seek the favour of others after the Most High God, let him consider that, as the motion of the shadow follows that of the body which casts it, so in like manner it follows, that when we have the favour of God, we have also the goodwill of all angels and spirits who .are friends of God. For they know who are worthy of the divine approval, and they are not only well disposed to them, but they co-operate with them in their endeavours to please God: they seek His favour on their behalf; with their prayers they join their own prayers and intercessions for them. We 548 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Boor vu may indeed boldly say, that men who aspire after better things have, when they pray to God, tens of thousands of sacred powers upon their side. These, even when not asked, pray with them, they bring succour to our mortal race, and if I may so say, take up arms alongside of it: for they see demons warring and fighting most keenly against the salvation of those who devote themselves to God, and despise the hostility of demons; they see them savage in their hatred of the man who refuses to serve them with the blood and fumes of sacrifices, but rather strives in every way, by word and deed, to be in peace and union with the Most High through Jesus, who put to flight multitudes of demons when He went about “healing,” and delivering “all who were oppressed by the devil.” * CHAPTER LXV.
CHAPTER LXV.
Moreover, we are to despise ingratiating ourselves with kings or any other men, not only if their favour is to be won by murders, licentiousness, or deeds of cruelty, but even if it involves impiety towards God, or any servile expressions of flattery and obsequi- ousness, which things are unworthy of brave and high-principled men, who aim at joining with their other virtues that highest of virtues, patience and fortitude. But whilst we do nothing which is contrary to the law and word of God, we are not so mad as to stir up against us the wrath of kings and princes, which will bring upon us sufferings and tortures, or even death. For we read: * Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God.”? These words we have in our exposition of the Epistle to the Romans, to the best of our ability, explained at length, and with various applications; but for the present we have taken them in their more obvious and generally received acceptation, to meet the saying of Celsus, that “ it is not without the power of demons that kings have been raised to their regal dignity.” Here much might be said on the constitution of kings and rulers, for the subject is a wide one, embracing such rulers as reign cruelly and tyrannically, and such as make the kingly office the means of indulging in luxury and sinful pleasures.
Boox vii. ] ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 549 We shall therefore, for the present, pass over the full considera- tion of this subject. We will, however, never swear by “the fortune of the king,” nor by aught else that is considered equiva- lent to God. For if the word “ fortune” is nothing but an ex- pression for the uncertain course of events, as some say, although they seem not to be agreed, we do not swear by that as God ‘which has no existence, as though it did really exist and was able to do something, lest we should bind ourselves by an oath to things which have no existence. If, on the other hand (as is thought by others, who say that to swear by the fortune of the king of the Romans is to swear by his demon), what is called the fortune of the king is in the power of demons, then in that case we must die sooner than swear by a wicked and treacherous demon, that ofttimes sins along with the man of whom it gains possession, and sins even more than he.
CHAPTER LXVI.
CHAPTER LXVI.
Then Celsus, following the example of those who are under the influence of demons—at one time recovering, at another relapsing, as though he were again becoming sensible—says: (Τῇ, however, any worshipper of God should be ordered to do anything impious, or to say anything base, such a command should in no wise be regarded; but we must encounter all kinds of torment, or submit to any kind of death, rather than say or even think anything unworthy of God.” Again, how- ever, from ignorance of our principles, and in entire confusion of thought, he says: * But if any one commands you to cele- brate the sun, or to sing a joyful triumphal song in praise of Minerva, you will by celebrating their praises seem to render . the higher praise to God; for piety, in extending to all things, becomes more perfect." To this our answer is, that we do not wait for any command to celebrate the praises of the sun; for we have been taught to speak well not only of those creatures that are obedient to the will of God, but even of our enemies. We therefore praise the sun as the glorious workmanship of. God, which obeys His laws and hearkens to the call, “ Praise the Lord, sun and moon,”' and with all your powers show forth the praises of the Father and Creator of all. Minerva, how- Ps. cxlviii. 3.
550 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Book vu ever, whom Celsus classes with the sun, is the subject of various Grecian myths, whether these contain any hidden meaning or not. They say that Minerva sprang fully armed from the brain of Jupiter; that when she was pursued by Vulcan, she fled from him to preserve her honour; and that from the seed which fell to the ground in the heat of Vulcan’s passion, there grew a child whom Minerva brought up and called Erichthonius, “ That owed his nurture to the blue-eyed maid, But from the teeming furrow took his birth, The mighty offspring of the foodful earth.”! It is therefore evident, that if we admit Minerva the daughter of Jupiter, we must also admit many fables and fictions which can be allowed by no one who discards fables and seeks after truth.
CHAPTER LXVII.
CHAPTER LXVII.
And to regard these myths in a figurative sense, and consider Minerva as representing prudence, let any one show what were the actual facts of her history, upon which this allegory is based. For, supposing honour was given to Minerva as having been a woman of ancient times, by those who instituted mys- teries and ceremonies for their followers, and who wished her name to be celebrated as that of a goddess, much more are we forbidden to pay divine honours to Minerva, if we are not per- mitted to worship so glorious an object as the sun, although we may celebrate its glory. Celsus, indeed, says that * we seem to do the greater honour to the great God when we sing hymns in honour of the sun and Minerva;" but we know it to be the opposite of that. For we sing hymns to the Most High alone, and His Only-begotten, who isthe Word and God; and we praise * God and His Only-begotten, as do also the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the host of heaven. For these all form a divine chorus, and unite with the just among men in celebrating the praises of the Most High God and His Only-begotten. We have already said that we must not swear by a human king, or by what is called “the fortune of the king." It is therefore unnecessary for us again to refute these statements: “If you ‘are commanded to swear by a human king, there is nothing Book vitt.] ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 551 wrong in that. For to him has been given whatever there is upon earth; and whatever you receive in this life, you receive from him.” We deny, however, that all things which are on the earth have been given to the king, or that whatever we receive in, this life we receive from him. For whatever we receive rightly and honourably we receive from God, and by His providence, as ripe fruits, and “corn which strengtheneth man’s heart, and the pleasant vine, and wine which rejoiceth the heart of man.”’ And moreover, the fruit of the olive-tree, to make his face to shine, we have from the providence of God.
CHAPTER LXVIII.
Celsus goes on to say: * We must not disobey the ancient writer, who said long ago, * Let one be king, whom the son of crafty Saturn appointed; ' "3 and adds: “If you set aside this maxim, you will deservedly suffer for it at the hands of the king. For if all were to do the same as you, there would be nothing to prevent his being left in utter solitude and desertion, and the affairs of the earth would fall into the hands of the wildest and most lawless bar- barians; and then there would no longer remain among men any of the glory of your religion or of the true wisdom.” If, then, “there shall be one lord, one king,” he must be, not the man “whom the son of crafty Saturn appointed,” but the man to whom He gave the power, who “removeth kings and setteth up kings,”* and who “raiseth up the useful man in time of need upon earth.”* For kings are not appointed by that son of Saturn, who, according to Grecian fable, hurled his father from his throne, and sent him down to Tartarus (whatever interpretation may be given to this allegory), but by God, who governs all things, and who wisely arranges whatever belongs to the appointment of kings. We therefore do set aside the maxim contained in the line, * Whom the son of crafty Saturn appointed;" for we know that no god or father of a god ever devises any- thing crooked or crafty. But we are far from setting aside the 552 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Book vu.
notion of a providence, and of things happening directly or indirectly through the agency of providence. And the king will not “inflict deserved punishment" upon us, if we say that not the son of crafty Saturn gave him his kingdom, but He who “removeth and setteth up kings.” And would that all . were to follow my example in rejecting the maxim of Homer, maintaining the divine origin of the kingdom, and observing the precept to honour the king! In these circumstances the king will not * be left in utter solitude and desertion,” neither will *the affairs of the world fall into the hands of the most impious and wild barbarians.” For if, in the words of Celsus, * they do as I do,” then it is evident that even the barbarians, when they yield obedience to the word of God, will become most obedient to the law, and most humane; and every form of worship will be destroyed except the religion of Christ, which will alone prevail. And indeed it will one day triumph, as its principles take possession of the minds of men more and more every day. CHAPTER LXIX.
Celsus, then, as if not observing that he was saying anything inconsistent with the words he had just used, “if all were to do the same as you,” adds: “You surely do not say that if the Romans were, in compliance with your wish, to neglect their customary duties to gods and men, and were to worship the Most High, or whatever you please to call him, that he vill come down and fight for them, so that they shall need no other help than his. For this same God, as yourselves say, promised of old this and much more to those who served hum, and see in what way he has helped them and you! They, in place of being masters of the whole world, are left with not so much as a patch of ground or a home; and as for you, if any of you transgresses even in secret, he is sought out and punished with death." As the question started is, * What would happen if the Romans were persuaded to adopt the principles of the Christians, to despise the duties paid to the recognised gods and to men, and to worship the Most High?” this is my answer to the question. We say that “if two" of us “shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for Book vu. ] ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 523 them of the Father" of the just, “which is in heaven;"! for God rejoices in the agreement of rational beings, and turns away from discord. And what are we to expect, if not only a very few agree, as at present, but the whole of the empire of Rome? For they will pray to the Word, who of old said to the Hebrews, when they were pursued by the Egyptians, “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace;”? and if they all unite in prayer with one accord, they will be able to put to flight far more enemies than those who were discomfited by the prayer of Moses when he cried to the Lord, and of those who prayed with him. Now, if what God promised to those who keep His law has not come to pass, the reason of its non- fulfilment is not to be ascribed to the unfaithfulness of God. But He had made the fulfilment of His premises to depend on certain conditions, —namely, that they should observe and live according to His law; and if the Jews have not a plot of ground nor a habitation left to them, although they had received these conditional promises, the entire blame is to be laid upon their crimes, and especially upon their guilt in the treatment of Jesus.
CHAPTER LXX.
CHAPTER LXX.
Dut if all the Romans, according to the supposition of Celsus, embrace the Christian faith, they will, when they pray, overcome their enemies; or rather, they will not war at all, being guarded by that divine power which promised to save five entire cities for the sake of fifty just persons. For men of God are assuredly the salt of the earth: they preserve the order of the world; and society is held together as long as the salt is uncorrupted: for ‘Cif the salt have lost its savour, it is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill; but it shall be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. He that hath ears, let him hear"? the meaning of these words. When God gives to tlie tempter permission to persecute us, then we suffer persecution; and when God wishes us to be free from suffering, even in the midst of a world that hates us, we enjoy a wonderful peace, trusting in the protection of Him who said, * Be of good cheer, I have overcome the Matt. xviii. 19. 3 Ex. xiv. 14.
554 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Boox vm world"! And truly He has overcome the world. Wherefore the world prevails only so long as it is the pleasure of Him who received from the Father power to overcome the world; and from His victory we take courage. Should He even wish us again to contend and struggle for our religion, let the enemy come against us, and we will say to them, * I can do all things, through Christ Jesus our Lord, which strengtheneth me.”* For of “two sparrows which are sold for a farthing,” as the Scripture says, * not one of them falls on the ground without our Father in heaven.”* And so completely does the divine providence embrace all things, that not even the hairs of our head fail to be numbered by Him.
CHAPTER LXXI.
CHAPTER LXXI.
Celsus again, as is usual with him, gets confused, and attri butes to us things which none of us have ever written. His words are: “ Surely it is intolerable for you to say, that if our present rulers, on embracing your opinions, are taken by the enemy, you will still be able to persuade those who rule after them; and after thése have been taken you will persuade their successors, and so on, until at length, when all who have yielded to your persuasion have been taken, some prudent ruler shall arise, with a foresight of what is impending, and he will destroy you all utterly before he himself perishes.” There is no need of any answer to these allegations: for none of us says of our present rulers, that if they embrace our opinions, and are taken by the enemy, we shall be able to persuade their successors; and when these are taken, those who come after them, and 9 on in succession. But on what does he ground the assertion, that when a succession of those who have yielded to our per- suasion have been taken because they did not drive back the enemy, some prudent ruler shall arise, with a foresight of what is impending, who shall utterly destroy us? But here he seems to me to delight in inventing and uttering the wildest nonsense.
CHAPTER LXXII.
Afterwards he says: “If it were possible,” implying at the same time that he thought it most desirable, “that all the inh» 1 John xvi. 33. 2 Phil. iv. 13. 3 Matt. x. 29, 30.
Book vm. | ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 555 bitants of Asia, Europe, and Libya, Greeks and barbarians, all to the uttermost ends of the earth, were to come under one law;” but judging this quite impossible, he adds, * Any one who thinks this possible, knows nothing.” It would require careful consideration and lengthened argument to prove that it 18 not only possible, but that it will surely come to pass, that all who are endowed with reason shall come under one law. How- ever, if we must refer to this subject, it will be with great brevity. The Stoics, indeed, hold that, when the strongest of the elements prevails, all things shall be turned into fire. But our belief is, that the Word shall prevail over the entire rational creation, and change every soul into His own perfection; in which state every one, by the mere exercise of his power, will choose what he desires, and obtain what he chooses. For although, in the diseases and wounds of the body, there are some which no medical skill can cure, yet we hold that in the mind there is no evil so strong that it may not be overcome by the Supreme Word and God. For stronger than all the evils in the soul is the Word, and the healing power that dwells in Him; and this healing He applies, according to the will of God, to every man. The consummation of all things is the destruction of evil, although as to the question whether it shall be so de- stroyed that it can never anywhere arise again, it is beyond our present purpose to say. Many things are said obscurely in the prophecies on the total destruction of evil, and the restoration to righteousness of every soul; but it will be enough for our present purpose to quote the following passage from Zephaniah: * Prepare and rise early; all the gleanings of their vineyards are destroyed. Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, on the day that I rise up for a testimony; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kings, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one con- sent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring my offering. In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: forthen I will take away out of 556 ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. [Boox vir.
the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride; and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid."! I leave it to those who are able, after a careful study of the whole subject, to un- fold the meaning of this prophecy, and especially to inquire into the signification of the words, * When the whole earth is destroyed, there will be turned upon the peoples a language according to their race,"? as things were before the confusion of tongues. Let them also carefully consider the promise, that all shall call upon the name of the Lord, and serve Him with one consent; also that all contemptuous. reproach . Shall be taken away, and there shall be no longer any injus- tice, or vain speech, or a deceitful tongue. And thus much it seemed needful for me to say briefly, and without entering into elaborate details, in answer to the remark of Celsus, that he considered any agreement between the inhabitants of Asia, Europe, and Libya, as well Greeks as barbarians, was impos- sible. And perhaps such a result would indeed be impossible to those who are still in the body, but not to those who are released from it.
CHAPTER LXXIII.
CHAPTER LXXIII.
In the next place, Celsus urges us “to help the king with all our might, and to labour with him in the maintenance of justice, to fight for him; and if he requires it, to fight under him, or lead an army along with him." To this our answer is, that we do, when occasion requires, give help to kings, and that, so to say, a divine help, “ putting on the whole armour of God."? And this we do in obedience to the injunction of the apostle, “I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority;" * and the 3 ** A language to last as long as the world." —BoUREREAU.
Book vuit. | ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. 557 more any one excels in piety, the more effective help does he render to kings, even more than is given by soldiers, who go forth to fight and slay as many of the enemy as they can. And to those enemies of our faith who require us to bear arms for the commonwealth, and to slay men, we can reply: “Do not those who are priests at certain shrines, and those who attend on certain gods, as you account them, keep their hands free from blood, that they may with hands unstained and free from human blood offer the appointed sacrifices to your gods; and even when war is upon you, you never enlist the priests in the army. If that, then, is a laudable custom, how much more so, that while others are engaged in battle, these too should engage as the priests and ministers of God, keeping their hands pure, and wrestling in prayers to God on behalf of those who are fighting in a righteous cause, and for the king who reigns righteously, that whatever is opposed to those who act right- eously may be destroyed!” And as we by our prayers van- quish all demons who stir up war, and lead to the violation of oaths, and disturb the peace, we in this way are much more helpful to the kings than those who go into the field to fight for them. And we do take our part in public affairs, when along with righteous prayers we join self-denying exercises and medi- tations, which teach us to despise pleasures, and not to be led away by them. And none fight better for the king than we