to be cast in our teeth, " I have nothing else whereby to live," may be more severely re- torted, " You have, then, whereby to live? If by your own laws, what have you to do with God? " 7 Then, as to the argument they have the hardihood to bring even from the Scrip- tures, "that the apostle has said, 'As each has been found, so let him persevere.*"^ We may all, therefore, persevere in sins, as the result of //lat interpretation! for there is not any one of us who has not been found as a sinner, since no other cause was the source of Christ's descent than that of setting sinners free. Again, they say the same apostle has left a precept, according to his own example, " That each one work with his own hands for a living."' If this precept is maintained in respect to a/i hands, I believe even the bath- thieves '° live by their hands, and robbers themselves gain the means to live by their hands; forgers, again, execute their evil handwritings, not of course with their feet, but hands; actors, however, achieve a liveli- hood not with hands alone, but with their entire limbs. Let the Church, therefore, stand open to a/i who are supported by their hands and by their own work; if there is no excep- tion of arts which the Discipline of God receives not. But some one says, in opposition to our proposition of " similitude being inter- dicted," " Why, then, did Moses in the desert make a likeness of a serpent out of bronze? " The figures, which used to be laid as a ground- work for some secret future dispensation, not with a view to the repeal of the law, but as a type of their own final cause, stand in a class by themselves. Otherwise, if we should in- terpret these things as the adversaries of the law do, do we, too, as the Marcionites do, ascribe inconsistency to the Almighty, whom t/iey " in this manner destroy as being mutable, while in one place He forbids, in another commands? But if any feigns ignorance of the fact that that effigy of the serpent of bronze, after the manner of one uphung, de- noted the shape of the Lord's cross," which artificer of this class should be admitted into the Church, if he ap' plies for admittance, with a knowledge of the law of God referred to in the former chapters, yet persisting in his unlawful craft. Fr. Junius would read, " e/us disciplinam."
7 i.e.. If laws of your own, and not the will and law of God, ar« the source and means of your life, you owe no thanks and no obe- dience to God, and therefore need not to seek admittance into His house (Oehler).
8 I Cor. vii. 20. In Eng. ver., " Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called."
10 i.e., thieves who frequented the public baths, which were a favorite resort at Rome.
" The Marcionites.
12 [The argument amounts to this, that symbols were not idols]: yet even so, God only could ordain symbols that were innocent. The Nehushtan of King Hezekiah teaches us the " peril of Idol- atry" (2 Kings, xviii. 4) and that even a divine symbol may be destroyed justly if it be turned to a violation of the Second Com- mandment.1 64 ON IDOLATRY.
[chap. vrn.
was to free us from serpents — that is, from the devil's angels — while, through itself, it hanged up the devil slain; or whatever other exposition of that figure has been revealed to worthier men ' no matter, provided we re- member the apostle afifirms that all things happened at that time to the People ' figura- tively.^ It is enough that the same God, as by law He forbade the making of similitude, did, by the extraordinary precept in the case of the serpent, interdict similitude.'* If you reverence the same God, you have His law, "Thou shalt make no similitude." ^ If you look back, too, to the precept enjoining the subsequently made similitude, do you, too, imitate Moses: make not any likeness in op- position to the law, unless to yoii^ too, God have bidden it.* CHAP. VI. — IDOLATRY CONDEMNED BY BAP- TISM. TO MAKE AN IDOL IS, IN FACT, TO WORSHIP IT.
If no law of God had prohibited idols to be made by us; if no voice of the Holy Spirit uttered general menace no less against the makers than the worshippers of idols; from our sacrament itself we would draw our inter- pretation that arts of that kind are opposed to the faith. For how have we renounced the devil and his angels, if we make them? What divorce have we declared from them, I say not ivith whom, but dependent ofi whom, we live? What discord have we entered into with those to whom we are under obligation for the sake of our maintenance? Can you have de- nied with the tongue what with the hand you confess? unmake by word what by deed you make? preach one God, you who make so many? preach the true God, you who make false ones? "I make,'' says one, "but I worship not;" as if there were some cause for which he dare not worship, besides that for which he ought not also to make, — the offence done to God, namely, in either case. Nay, you who make, that they may be able to be worshipped, do worship; and you wor- ship, not with the spirit of some worthless > [On which see Dr. Smith, Did. o/the Bible, ad voccm " Ser- pent."]
-i.e., the Jewish people, who are generally meant by the ex- pression " the People in the singular number in Scripture. We fchall endeavour to mark that distinction by writing the word, as here, with a capital.
4 On the principle that the exception proves the rule. As Oehler explains it: " By the fact of the extraordinary precept in that par- ticular case, God gave an indication that likeness-making had be- fore been forbidden and interdicted by Him."
5 Ex. XX. 4, etc. [The absurd " brazen serpent " which I have seen in the Church of St. Ambrose, in Milan, is with brazen hardi- hood aflfirmed to be the identical serpent which Moses lifted up in the wilderness. I'ut it lacks all symbolic character, as it is not set upon a pole nor in any way fitted to a cross. It greatly resem- bles a iiane set upon a pivot.]
<> [Elucidation 1.]
<> [Elucidation 1.]
perfume, but with your own; nor at the ex^ pense of a beast's soul, but of your own. To them you immolate your ingenuity; to them you make your sweat a libation; to them you kindle the torch of your forethought. More are you to them than a priest, since it is by ^ your means they have a priest; your diligence is their divinity. ^ Do you affirm that you li'orship not what you make? Ah! but they affirm not so, to whom you slay this fatter, more precious and greater victim, your salva- tion.
chap. vii. grief of the faithful at the admission of idol-makers into the church; nay, even into the ministry.
A whole day the zeal of faith will direct its pleadings to this quarter: bewailing that a Christian should come from idols into the Church; should come from an adversary work- shop into the house of God; should raise to God the Father hands which are the mothers of idols; should pray to God with the hands which, out of doors, are prayed to in op- position to God; should apply to the Lord's body those hands which confer bodies on demons. Nor is this sufficient. Grant that it be a small matter, if from other hands they receive what they contaminate; but even those very hands deliver to others what they have contaminated. Idol-artificers are chosen even into the ecclesiastical order. Oh wickedness! Once did the Jews lay hands on Christ; these mangle His body daily. Oh hands to be cut off! Now let the saying, "If thy hand make thee do evil, amputate it,"^ see to it whether it were uttered by way of similitude merely. What hands more to be amputated than those in which scandal is done to the Lord's body? _ CHAP. VIII. — other arts MADE SUBSERVIENT TO IDOLATRY. LAWFUL MEANS OF GAINING A LIVELIHOOD ABUNDANT.
There are also other species of very many arts which, although they extend not to the making of idols, yet, with the same crim- inality, furnish the adjuncts without which idols have no power. For it matters not whether you erect or equip: if you have em- bellished his temple, altar, or niche; if you have pressed out gold-leaf, or have wrought his insignia, or even his house: work of that kind, which confers not shape, but authority, is more important. If the necessity of main- 7 i.e.. Unless you made them, they would not exist, and there- fore [would not be regarded as divinities; therefore] your diligence gives th<^m their divinity.
«Matt. xviii. 8.
CHAP. IX.J ON IDOLATRY.
65 tenance ' is urged so much, the arts have other species withal to afford means of Hvelihood, without outstepping the path of discipline, that is, without the confiction of an idol. The plasterer knows both how to mend roofs, and lay on stuccoes, and polish a cistern, and trace ogives, and draw in relief on party-walls many other ornaments beside likenesses. The painter, too, the marble mason, the bronze- worker, and every graver whatever, knows ex- pansions =" of his own art, of course much easier of e.xecution. For how much more easil)^ does he who delineates a statue overlay a side- board! ^ How much sooner does he who curves a Mars out of a lime-tree, fasten together a chest! No art but is either mother or kins- woman of some neighbour * art: nothing is in- dependent of its neighbour. The veins of the arts are many as are the concupiscences of men. " But there is difference in wages and the rewards of handicraft;" therefore there is difference, too, in the labour required. Smaller wages are compensated by more fre- quent earning. How many are the party- walls which require statues? How many the temples and shrines which are built for idols? But houses, and ofificial residences, and baths, and tenements, how many are they? Shoe- and slipper-gilding is daily work; not so the gilding of Mercury and Serapis. Let that suffice for the gain ^ of handicrafts. Luxury and ostentation have more votaries than all superstition. Ostentation will re- quire dishes and cups more easily than super- stition. Luxury deals in wreaths, also, more than ceremony. When, therefore, we urge men generally to such kinds of handicrafts as do not come in contact with an idol indeed, and with the things which are appropriate to an idol; since, moreover, the things which are common to idols are often common to men too; of this also we ought to beware, that nothing be, with our knowledge, de- manded by any person from our idols' service. For if we shall have made that concession, and shall not have had recourse to the reme- dies so often used, I think we are not free of the contagion of idolatry, we whose (not unwitting) hands* are found busied in the tendence, or in the honour and service, of demons.
• See chaps, v. and xii.
2 See chap, ii^ " The exfiansiveness of idolatry."
3 Abacum. The word has various meanings; but this, perhaps, ■ K its most general use: as, for instance, in Horace and Juvenal.
4 Alterius = ercpoi' which in the New Testament is = to " neigh- bour" in Rom. xiii. 8, etc. [Our author must have borne in mind Cicero's beautiful words — " Etenim omnes artes quae ad humanita tem pertinent habent quoddam commune vinculum," etc. Pro Archia, i. torn. x. p. 10. Ed. Paris, 1817.]
5 Quaestum..A^notheir reading is " questum,'' which would re- quire us to translate " plaint."
5 CHAP. IX. — PROFESSIONS OF SOME KINDS ALLIED TO IDOLATRY. OF ASTROLOGY IN PARTICU- LAR.
We observe among the arts ' also some pro- fessions liable to the charge of idolatry. Of astrologers there should be no speaking even f but since one in these days has challenged us, defending on his own behalf perseverance in that profession, I will use a few words. I allege not that he honours idols, whose names he has inscribed on the heaven,^ to whom he has attributed all God's power; because men, presuming that we are disposed of by the im- mutable arbitrament of the stars, think on that account that God is not to be sought after. One proposition I lay down: that those angels, the deserters from God, the lovers of women," were likewise the discoverers of this curious art, on that account also condemned by God. Oh divine sentence, reaching even unto the earth in its vigour, whereto the unwitting ren- der testimony! The astrologers are expelled just like their angels. The city and Italy are interdicted to the astrologers, just as heaven to their angels." There is the same penalty of exclusion for disciples and masters. " But Magi and astrologers came from the east." '= We know the mutual alliance of magic and astrology. The interpreters of the stars, then, were the first to announce Christ's birth the first to present Him "gifts." By this bond, [must] I imagine, they put Christ under obligation to themselves? What then? Shall therefore the religion of those Magi act as patron now also to astrologers? Astrology now~a-days, forsooth, treats of Christ — is the science of the stars of Christ; not of Saturn, or Mars, and whomsoever else out of the same class of the dead '^ it pays observance to and preaches? But, however, that science has been allowed until the Gospel, in order that after Christ's birth no one should thence- forward interpret any one's nativity by the heaven. For they therefore offered to the then infant Lord that frankincense and myrrh and gold, to be, as it were, the close of worldly ''» sacrifice and glory, which Christ was 6 " Quorum manus non ignorantium," i.e., " the hands of whom not unwitting;" which may be rendered as above, because in En- glish, as in the Latin, the adjective " unwitting" belongs to the "whose," not to the "hands."
7 " Ars " in Latin is very generally used to mean " a scientijic art." [See Titus iii. 14. English margin.]
8 See Eph. v. 11, 12, and similar passages.
9 i.e., by naming the stars after them.
'° Comp. chap, iv., and the references there given. The idea seems founded on an ancient reading found in the Codex Alexan- drinus of the LXX. in Gen. vi. 2, "angels of God," for "sons of God."
" See Tac. Ann. ii. 31, etc. (Oehler.)
'= See Matt. ii.
'3 Because the names of the heathen divinities, which tised to be given to the stars, were in many cases only names of dead men deified.
»4 Or, heathenish.
66 ON IDOLATRY [chap. X, about to do away. What, then? The dream — sent, doubtless, of the will of God — suggested to the same Magi, namely, that they should go home, but by another way, not that by which they came. It means this: that they should not walk in their ancient path.' Not that Herod should not pursue them, who in fact did not pursue them; unwitting even that they had departed by another 7vaj, since he was withal unwitting by what way they came. Just so we ought to understand by it the right Way and' Discipline. And so the precept was rather, that thenceforward they should z£'a/>^ otherwise. So, too, that other species of magic which operates by miracles, emulous even in opposition to Moses, ^ tried God's patience until the Gospel. For thenceforward Simon Magus, just turned believer, (since he was still thinking somewhat of his juggling sect; to wit, that among the miracles of his pro- fession he might buy even the gift of the Holy Spirit through imposition of hands) was cursed by the apostles, and ejected from the faith. 3 Both he and that other magician, who was with Sergius Paulus, (since he began op- posing himself to the same apostles) was mulcted with loss of eyes." The same fate, I believe, would astrologers, too, have met, if any had fallen in the way of the apostles.
But yet, when magic is punished, of which astrology is a species, of course the species is condemned in the genus. After the Gospel, you will nowhere find either sophists, Chaldeans, enchanters, diviners, or magicians, except as clearly punished. "Where is the wise, where the grammarian, where the dis- puter of this age? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this age? " ^ You know noth- ing, astrologer, if you know not that you should be a Christian. If you did know it, you ought to have known this also, that you should have nothing more to do with that pro- fession of yours which, of itself, fore-chants the climacterics of others, and might instruct you of its own danger. There is no part nor lot for you in that system of yours.* He can- not hope for the kingdom of the heavens, whose finger or wand abuses' the heaven.
CHAP. X. — OF SCHOOLMASTERS AND THEIR DIF- FICULTIES.
Moreover, we must inquire likewise touch- ing schoolmasters; nor only of them, but « Or, sect.
3 See Ex. vii., viii., and comp. 2 Tim. iii. 8.
3 See Acts viii. 9-24.
4 See Acts xiii. 6-11.
* See Acts viii. 21.
7 See I Cor. vii. 31, " They that use this world as not abusing It." The astrologer abuses the heavens by putting the heavenly bodies to a sinful use.
also all other professors of literature. Nay, on the contrary, we must not doubt that they are in affinity with manifold idolatry: firsts in that it is necessary for them to preach the gods of the nations, to express their names, genealogies, honourable distinctions, all and singular; dind further, to observe the solem- nities and festivals of the same, as of them by whose means they compute their reve- nues. What schoolmaster, without a table of the seven idols, ^ will yet frequent the Quin- quatria? The very first payment of every pupil he consecrates both to the honour and to the name of Minerva; so that, even though he be not said " to eat of that which is sacri- ficed to idols ' ' ' no7ninally (not being dedicated to any particular idol), he is shunned as an idolater. What less of defilement does he incur on that ground,'" than a business brings which, both nominally and virtually, is conse- crated publicly to an idol? The Minervalia are as much Minerva's, as the Saturnalia Saturn's; Saturn's, which must necessarily be celebrated even by little slaves at the time of the Saturnalia. New-year's gifts likewise must be caught at, and the Septimontium kept; and all the presents of Midwinter and the feast of Dear Kinsmanship must be ex- acted; the schools must be wreathed with flowers; the flamens' wives and the sediles sacrifice; the school is honoured on the ap- pointed holy-days. The same thing takes place on an idol's birthday; every pomp of the devil is frequented. Who will think that these things are befitting to a Christian mas- ter," unless // be he who shall think them suitable likewise to one who is not a master? We know it may be said, " If teaching litera- ture is not lawful to God's servants, neither will learning be likewise;" and, " How could one be trained unto ordinary human intelli- gence, or unto any sense or action whatever, since literature is the means of training for all life? How do we repudiate secular studies, without which divine studies cannot be pur- sued? " Let us see, then, the necessity of literary erudition; let us reflect that partly it cannot be admitted, partly cannot be avoid- ed. Learning literature is allowable for be- lievers, rather than teaching; for the princi- ple of learning and of teaching is different.
If a believer teach literature, while he is teach- ing doubtless he commends, while he de- livers he affirms, while he recalls he bears testimony to, the praises of idols interspersed 8 i.e., the seven planets.
9 See I Cor. viii. 10.
'oi.e., because " he does not notninally eat," etc.
" [Note the Christian Schoolmaster, already distinguished as such, implying the existence and the character of Chnstian schools. Of which, learn more from the Emperor Julian, afterwards. 1 CHAP. XI.]
ON IDOLATRY.
67 therein. He seals the gods themselves with this name; ' whereas the Law, as we have said, prohibits " the names of gods to be pro- nounced," - and this name 3 to be conferred on vanity.* Hence the devil gets men's early faith built up from the beginnings of their erudition. Inquire whether he who catechizes about idols commit idolatry. But when a believer lea?-ns these things, if he is already capable of understanding what idolatry is, he neither receives nor allows them; much more if he is not yet capable. Or, when he begins to understand, it behoves him first to under- stand what he has previously learned, that is, touching God and the faith. Therefore he will reject those things, and will not receive them; and will be as safe as one who from one who knows it not, knowingly accepts poison, but does not drink it. To /lim ne- cessity is attributed as an excuse, because he has no other way to learn. Moreover, the not teaching literature is as much easier than the not learning, as it is easier, too, for the pupil not to attend, than for the master not to frequent, the rest of the defilements inci- dent to the schools from public and scholastic solemnities.
CHAP. XI. — CONNECTION BETWEEN COVETOUS- NESS AND IDOLATRY. CERTAIN TRADES, HOWEVER GAINFUL, TO BE AVOIDED.
If we think over the rest of faults, tracing them from their generations, let us begin with covetousness, " a root of all evils," ^ there- with, indeed, some having been ensnared, "have suffered shipwreck about faith." ^ Albeit covetousness is by the same apostle called idolatry.'' In the next place proceeding to mendacity, the minister of covetousness (of false swearing I am silent, since even swearing is not lawfuP) — is trade adapted for a servant of God? But, covetousness apart, what is the motive for acquiring? When the motive for acquiring ceases, there will be no necessity for trading. Grant now that there be some righteousness in business, gecure from the duty of watchfulness against covet- ousness and mendacity; I take it that that trade which pertains to the very soul and spirit of idols, which pampers every demon, falls under the charge of idolatry. Rather, ' i.e., the name of gods.
* Ex. xxiii. 13; Josh, xxiii. 7; Ps. xvi. 4; Hos. ii. 17; Zech. xiii. 2.
3 i.e., the name of God.
4 i.e., on an idol^ which, as Isaiah says, is "vanity."
7 Col. iii. 5. It has been suggested that for "quamvis" we should read " quum bis;" i.e. ^''seeing covetousness is twice called," etc. The two places are Col. iii. 5, and Eph. v. 5.
is not that the pri?icipal idolatry? If the self- same merchandises — frankincense, I mean^ and all other foreign productions — used as sacrifice to idols, are of use likewise to men for medicinal ointments, to us Christia?is also, over and above, for solaces of sepulture, let them see to it At all events, while the pomps, while the priesthoods, while the sacri- fices of idols, are furnished by dangers, by losses, by inconveniences, by cogitations, by runnings to and fro, or trades, what else are you demonstrated to be but an idols' agent? Let none contend that, in this way, exception may be taken to all trades. All graver faults extend the sphere for diligence in watchful- ness proportionably to the magnitude of the danger; in order that we may withdraw not only from the faults, but from the means through which they have being. For although the fault be done by others, it makes no dif- erence if it be dy my means. In no case ought I to be necessary to another, while he is doing what to me is unlawful. Hence I ought to understand that care must be taken by me, lest what I am forbidden to do be done by my means. In short, in another cause of no lighter guilt I observe that fore-judgment. In that I am interdicted from fornication, I furnish nothing of help or connivance to others for that purpose; in that I have separated my own flesh itself from stews, I acknowledge that I cannot exercise the trade of pandering, or keep that kind of places for my neighbour's behoof. So, too, the interdiction of murder shows me that a trainer of gladiators also is excluded from the Church; nor will any one fail to be the means of doing what he submin- isters to another to do. Behold, here is a more kindred fore-judgment: if a purveyor of the public victims come over to the faith, will you permit him to remain permanently in that trade? or if one who is already a believer shall have undertaken that business, will you think that he is to be retained in the Church? No, I take it; unless any one will dissemble in the case of a frankincense-seller too. In sooth, the agency of blood pertains to some, that of odours to others. If, before idols were in the world, idolatry, hitherto shapeless, used to be transacted by these wares; if, even now, the work of idolatry is perpetrated, for the most part, without the idol, by burnings oi odours; the frankincense-seller is a something even more serviceable even toward demons, for idolatry is more easily carried on without the idol, than without the ware of the frank- incense-seller.' Let us interrogate thoroughly 9 [The aversion of the early Christian Fathers passim to the ceremonial use of incense finds one explanation here.]
o8 ON IDOLATRY.
[chap. XIII.
the conscience of the faith itself. With what mouth will a Christian frankincense-seller, if he shall pass through temples, with what mouth will he spit down upon and blow out the smoking altars, for which himself has made provision? With what consistency will he exorcise his own foster-children,' to whom he affords his own house as store-room? In- deed, if he shall have ejected a demon, ^ let him. not congratulate himself on his faith, for he has not ejected an enemy j he ought to have had his prayer easily granted by one whom he is daily feeding.^ No art, then, no pro- fession, no trade, which administers either to equipping or forming idols, can be free from the title of idolatry; unless we interpret idol- atry to be altogether something else than the service of idol-tendence.
CHAP. XII. — FURTHER ANSWERS TO THE PLEA, In vain do we flatter ourselves as to the necessities of human maintenance, if — after faith sealed* — we say, " I have no means to live? " 5 For here I will now answer more fully that abrupt proposition. It is advanced too late. For after the similitude of that most prudent builder,^ who first computes the costs of the work, together with his own means, lest, when he has begun, he afterwards blush to find himself spent, deliberation should have been made before. But even now you have the Lord's sayings, as examples taking away from you all excuse. For what is it you say? "I shall be in need." But the Lord calls the needy " happy." ^ "I shall have no food." But "think not," says He, "about food; " * and as an example of clothing we have the lilies. ' " My work was my subsist- ence." Nay, but " all things are to be sold, and divided to the needy." '° " But provision must be made for children and posterity." " None, putting his hand on the plough, and looking back, is fit " for work." " But I was under contract." "None can serve two lords." " If you wish to be the Lord's disci- » i.e., the demons, or idols, to whom incense is burned.
2 i.e., from one possessed.