Egyptian Idolatry More Reasonable Than Others.
1894.
When Peter was speaking thus, all we who heard him laughed.
1895.
Then said Peter:
You laugh at the absurdities of others, because through long custom you do not see your own.
1896.
For indeed it is not without reason that you laugh at the folly of the Egyptians, who worship dumb animals, while they themselves are rational.
1897.
Yet I will tell you how they also laugh at you; for they say,
We worship living animals, though mortal;
yet you worship and adore things which never were alive at all.
1898.
They add this also, that they are figures and allegories of certain powers by whose help the race of men is governed.
1899.
Taking refuge in this for shame, they fabricate these and similar excuses, and so endeavour to screen their error.
1900.
Yet this is not the time to answer the Egyptians,
and leaving the care of those who are present to heal the disease of the absent.
1901.
For it is a certain indication that you are held to be free from sickness of this sort,
since you do not grieve over it as your own, but laugh at it as that of others.
Second Suggestion Continued.
1902.
Yet let us come back to you, whose opinion it is that God should be regarded as Cæsar,
and the gods as the ministers and deputies of Cæsar.
1903.
Follow me attentively, and I shall presently show you the lurking-places of the serpent,
which lie in the crooked windings of this argument.
1904.
It ought to be regarded by all as certain and beyond doubt, that no creature can be on a level with God,
because He was made by none, yet Himself made all things;
nor indeed can any one be found so irrational, as to suppose that the thing made can be compared with the maker.
1905.
If therefore the human mind, not only by reason, yet even by a sort of natural instinct,
rightly holds this opinion, that that is called God to which nothing can be compared or equalled,
yet which exceeds all and excels all;
how can it be supposed that that name which is believed to be above all,
is rightly given to those whom you think to be employed for the service and comfort of human life?
1906.
Yet we shall add this also.
1907.
This world was undoubtedly made, and is corruptible, as we shall show more fully by and by;
meantime it is admitted both that it has been made and that it is corruptible.
1908.
If therefore the world cannot be called God, and rightly so, because it is corruptible,
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how shall parts of the world take the name of God?
1909.
For inasmuch as the whole world cannot be God, much more its parts cannot.
1910.
Therefore, if we come back to the example of Cæsar, you will see how far you are in error.
1911.
It is not lawful for any one, though a man of the same nature with him, to be compared with Cæsar:
do you think, then, that any one ought to be compared with God, who excels all in this respect, that He was made by none, but Himself made all things?
1912.
But, indeed, you dare not give the name of Cæsar to any other, because he immediately punishes one who offends against him; you dare give that of God to others, because He delays the punishment of offenders against Him, in order to their repentance.
Third Suggestion.
1913.
Through the mouths of others also that serpent is wont to speak in this wise:
1914.
We adore visible images in honour of the invisible God.
1915.
Now this is most certainly false.
1916.
For if you really wished to worship the image of God,
you would do good to man, and so worship the true image of God in him.
1917.
For the image of God is in every man, though His likeness is not in all,
yet where the soul is benign and the mind pure.
1918.
If, therefore, you wish truly to honour the image of God, we declare to you what is true, that you should do good to and pay honour and reverence to man, who is made in the image of God;
1919.
that you minister food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, hospitality to the stranger, and necessary things to the prisoner;
and that is what will be regarded as truly bestowed upon God.
1920.
And so far do these things go to the honour of God's image,
that he who does not these things is regarded as casting reproach upon the divine image.
1921.
What, then, is that honour of God which consists in running from one stone or wooden figure to another, in venerating empty and lifeless figures as deities, and despising men in whom the image of God is of a truth?
1922.
Yea, rather be assured, that whoever commits murder or adultery, or anything that causes suffering or injury to men, in all these the image of God is violated.
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1923.
For to injure men is a great impiety towards God.
1924.
Whenever, therefore, you do to another what you would not have another do to you, you defile the image of God with undeserved distresses.
1925.
Understand, therefore, that that is the suggestion of the serpent lurking within you, which persuades you that you may seem to be pious when you worship insensible things, and may not seem impious when you injure sensible and rational beings.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN
Divisions 1926-1965
Book 5
RECOGNITIONS 5
Fourth Suggestion.
1926.
Yet to these things the serpent answers us with another mouth, and says:
If God did not wish these things to be, then they should not be.
1927.
I am not telling you how it is that many contrary things are permitted to be in this world for the probation of every one's mind.
1928.
Yet this is what is suitable to be said in the meantime:
1929.
If, according to you, everything that was to be worshipped ought not to have been,
there would have been almost nothing in this world,
for what is there that you have left without worshipping it?
1930.
The sun, the moon, the stars, the water, the earth, mountains, trees, stones, men;
there is no one of these that you have not worshipped.
1931.
According to your saying, therefore, none of these ought to have been made by God,
that you might not have anything that you could worship!
1932.
Yea, He ought not even to have made men themselves to be the worshippers!
1933.
Yet this is the very thing which that serpent which lurks within you desires:
for he spares none of you;
he would have no one of you escape from destruction.
1934.
Yet it shall not be so,
for I tell you, that not that which is worshipped is in fault, yet he who worships.
1935.
For with God is righteous judgment;
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and He judges in one way the sufferer, and in another way the doer, of wrong.
Fifth Suggestion.
1936.
Yet you say: Then those who adore what ought not to be adored,
should be immediately destroyed by God, to prevent others doing the like.
1937.
Yet are you wiser than God, that you should offer Him counsel? Romans 11:34
1938.
He knows what to do.
1939.
For with all who are placed in ignorance He exercises patience, because He is merciful and gracious;
1940.
and He foresees that many of the ungodly become godly,
and that even some of those who worship impure statues and polluted images
have been converted to God, and forsaking their sins and doing good works, attain to salvation.
1941.
Yet it is said:
We ought never to have come even to the thought of doing these things.
1942.
You do not know what freedom of will is,
and you forget that he is good who is so by his own intention;
yet, he who is retained in goodness by necessity cannot be called good,
because it is not of himself that he is so.
1943.
Because, therefore, there is in every one liberty to choose good or evil, he either acquires rewards, or brings destruction on himself.
1944.
Nay it is said,
God brings to our minds whatsoever we think.
1945.
What mean ye, O men?
You blaspheme.
1946.
For if He brings all our thoughts into our minds,
then it is He that suggests to us thoughts of adultery, and covetousness, and blasphemy, and every kind of effeminacy.
1947.
Cease, I entreat of you, these blasphemies, and understand what is the honour worthy of God.
1948.
And say not, as some of you are wont to say, that God needs not honour from men.
1949.
Indeed, He truly is in need of none;
yet you ought to know that the honour which you bestow upon God is profitable to yourselves.
1950.
For what is so execrable, as for a man not to render thanks to his Creator?
Sixth Suggestion.
1951.
Yet it is said:
We do better, who give thanks both to Himself, and to all with Him.
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1952.
In this you do not understand that there is the ruin of your salvation.
1953.
For it is as if a sick man should call in for his cure at once a physician and poisoners;
since these could indeed injure him, but not cure him;
and the true physician would refuse to mix his remedies with their poisons,
lest either the man's destruction should be ascribed to the good, or his recovery, to the injurious.
1954.
Yet you say:
Is God then indignant or envious, if, when He benefits us, our thanks be rendered to others?
1955.
Even if He be not indignant, at all events He does not wish to be the author of error,
that by means of His work credit should be given to a vain idol.
1956.
And what is so impious, so ungrateful, as to obtain a benefit from God,
and to render thanks to blocks of wood and stone?
1957.
Wherefore arise, and understand your salvation.
1958.
For God is in need of no one, nor does He require anything, nor is He hurt by anything;
yet we are either helped or hurt, in that we are grateful or ungrateful.
1959.
For what does God gain from our praises, or what does He lose by our blasphemies?
1960.
Only this we must remember,
that God brings into proximity and friendship with Him the soul that renders thanks to Him,
and yet the wicked demon possesses the ungrateful soul.
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