Retribution Here or Hereafter.
2883.
Yet some one will say,
Many have committed even murder, and adultery, and other crimes, and have suffered no evil.
2884.
This indeed rarely happens to men,
yet to those who know not the counsel of God it frequently seems to happen,
yet God, who knows all things,
knows how and why he who sins does sin, and what cause leads each one to sin.
2885.
This, however, is in general to be noticed, that if any are evil, not so much in their mind as in their doings, and are not borne to sin under the incitement of purpose,
upon them punishment is inflicted more speedily, and more in the present life;
for everywhere and always God renders to every one according to his deeds,
as He judges to be expedient.
2886.
Yet those who practise wickedness of purpose,
so that they sometimes even rage against those from whom they have received benefits,
and who take no thought for repentance— their punishment He defers to the future.
2887.
For these men do not, like those of whom we spoke before,
deserve to end the punishment of their crimes in the present life;
yet it is allowed them to occupy the present time as they will,
because their correction is not such as to need temporal chastisements,
yet such as to demand the punishment of eternal fire in hell;
and there their souls shall seek repentance, where they shall not be able to find it.
Knowledge Deadens Lusts.
2888.
Yet if, while in this life, they had placed before their eyes the punishments which they shall then suffer, they would certainly have bridled their lusts, and would in nowise have fallen into sin.
2889.
For the understanding in the soul has much power for cutting off all its desires,
especially when it has acquired the knowledge of heavenly things, by means of which, having received the light of truth, it will turn away from all darkness of evil actions.
2890.
For as the sun obscures and conceals all the stars by the brightness of his shining, so also the mind,
by the light of knowledge, renders all the lusts of the soul ineffective and inactive, sending out upon them the thought of the judgment to come as its rays, so that they can no longer appear in the soul.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER NINETY EIGHT
Divisions 2891-2920
Book 9
RECOGNITIONS 9
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Fear of Men and of God.
2891.
Yet as a proof that the fear of God has much efficacy for the repressing of lusts, take the example of human fear.
2892.
Who is there among men that does not covet his neighbour's goods?
2893.
And yet they are restrained, and act honestly, through fear of the punishment which is prescribed by the laws.
2894.
Through fear, nations are subject to their kings, and armies obey with arms in their hands.
2895.
Slaves, although they are stronger than their masters, yet through fear submit to their masters' rule.
2896.
Even wild beasts are tamed by fear; the strongest bulls submit their necks to the yoke, and huge elephants obey their masters, through fear.
2897.
Yet why do we use human examples, when even divine are not wanting?
2898.
Does not the earth itself remain under the fear of precept, which it testifies by its motion and quaking?
2899.
The sea keeps its prescribed bounds; the angels maintain peace;
the stars keep their order, and the rivers their channels:
it is certain also that demons are put to flight by fear.
2900.
And not to lengthen the discourse by too many particulars, see how the fear
of God, restraining everything, keeps all things in proper harmony, and in their fixed order.
2901.
How much more, then, may you be sure that the lusts of demons which arise in your hearts may be extinguished and wholly abolished by the admonition of the fear of God,
when even the inciters of lust are themselves put to flight by the influence of fear?
2902.
You know that these things are so;
yet if you have anything to answer, proceed.
Imperfect Conviction.
2903.
Then said the old man:
My son Clement has wisely framed his argument, so that he has left us nothing to say to these things;
yet all his discourse that he has delivered on the nature of men has this bearing,
that along with the fact that freedom of will is in man, there is also some cause of evil without him,
whereby men are indeed incited by various lusts, yet are not compelled to sin;
2904.
and that for this reason, he said, because fear is much more powerful than they,
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and it resists and checks the violence of desires, so that, although natural emotions may arise,
yet sin may not be committed, those demons being put to flight who incite and inflame these emotions.
2905.
Yet these things do not convince me; for I am conscious of certain things from which I know well,
that by the arrangement of the heavenly bodies men become murderers or adulterers, and perpetrate other evils; and in like manner honourable and modest women are compelled to act well.
Astrological Lore.
2906.
In short, when Mars, holding the centre in his house, regards Saturn quarterly,
with Mercury towards the centre, the full moon coming upon him, in the daily genesis,
he produces murderers, and those who are to fall by the sword, bloody, drunken, lustful, devilish men,
inquirers into secrets, malefactors, sacrilegious persons, and such like;
especially when there was no one of the good stars looking on.
2907.
Yet again Mars himself, having a quarterly position with respect to Venus, in a direction toward the centre, while no good star looks on, produces adulterers and incestuous persons.
2908.
Venus with the Moon, in the borders and houses of Saturn, if she was with Saturn, and Mars looking on, produces women that are viragos, ready for agriculture, building, and every manly work,
to commit adultery with whom they please, and not to be convicted by their husbands,
to use no delicacy, no ointments, nor feminine robes and shoes, but to live after the fashion of men.
2909.
Yet the unpropitious Venus makes men to be as women, and not to act in any respect as men, if she is with Mars in Aries; on the contrary, she produces women if she is in Capricorn or Aquarius.
The Reply.
2910.
And when the old man had pursued this subject at great length,
and had enumerated every kind of mathematical figure, and also the position of the heavenly bodies,
wishing thereby to show that fear is not sufficient to restrain lusts, I answered again:
2911.
Truly, my father, you have argued most learnedly and skilfully;
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and reason herself invites me to say something in answer to your discourse, since indeed I am acquainted with the science of mathematics, and gladly hold a conference with so learned a man.
2912.
Listen therefore, while I reply to what you have said that you may learn distinctly that genesis is not at all from the stars, and that it is possible for those to resist the assault of demons who have recourse to God; and, as I said before, that not only by the fear of God can natural lusts be restrained, yet even by the fear of men, as we shall now instruct you.
Refutation of Astrology.
2913.
There are, in every country or kingdom, laws imposed by men,
enduring either by writing or simply through custom, which no one easily transgresses.
2914.
In short, the first Seres, who dwell at the beginning of the world, have a law not to know murder, nor adultery, nor whoredom, and not to commit theft, and not to worship idols;
and in all that country, which is very large, there is neither temple, nor image, nor harlot, nor adulteress, nor is any thief brought to trial.
2915.
Yet neither is any man ever slain there; and no man's liberty of will is compelled,
according to your doctrine, by the fiery star of Mars, to use the sword for the murder of man;
nor does Venus in conjunction with Mars compel to adultery,
although of course with them Mars occupies the middle circle of heaven every day.
2916.
Yet among the Seres the fear of laws is more powerful than the configuration of genesis.
Brahmans.
2917.
There are likewise among the Bactrians, in the Indian countries, immense multitudes of Brahmans,
who also themselves, from the tradition of their ancestors, and peaceful customs and laws,
neither commit murder nor adultery, nor worship idols, nor have the practice of eating animal food,
are never drunk, never do anything maliciously, yet always fear God.
2918.
And these things indeed they do, though the rest of the Indians commit both murders and adulteries,
and worship idols, and are drunken, and practise other wickednesses of this sort.
2919.
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Yea, in the western parts of India itself there is a certain country, where strangers, when they enter it,
are taken and slaughtered and eaten; and neither have good stars prevented these men from such wickednesses and from accursed food, nor have malign stars compelled the Brahmans to do any evil.
2920.
Again, there is a custom among the Persians to marry mothers, and sisters, and daughters,
in all that district, the Persians contract incestuous marriages.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER NINETY NINE
Divisions 2921-2955
Book 9
RECOGNITIONS 9
Districts of Heaven.
2921.
And that those who study mathematics may not have it in their power to use that subterfuge by which they say that there are certain districts of heaven to which it is granted to have some things peculiar to themselves,
2922.
some of that nation of Persians have gone to foreign countries, who are called Magusæi, of whom there are some to this day in Media, others in Parthia, some also in Egypt, and a considerable number in Galatia and Phrygia,
2923.
all of whom maintain the form of this incestuous tradition without variation, and hand it down to their posterity to be observed, even although they have changed their district of heaven;
nor has Venus with the Moon in the confines and houses of Saturn,
with Saturn also and Mars looking on, compelled them to have a genesis among other men.
A letter of Paul mentions the subject. The point is that certain districts are sometimes designated for exceptions to the law, inferring the states rights of the Republic. See the letter of Bardesenes, AD 250.
Customs of the Gelones.
2924.
Amongst the Geli also there is a custom, that women cultivate the fields,
build, and do every manly work; and they are also allowed to have intercourse with whom they please,
and are not found fault with by their husbands, or called adulteresses:
for they have promiscuous intercourse everywhere, and especially with strangers;
they do not use ointments; they do not wear dyed garments, nor shoes.
2925.
On the other hand, the men of the Gelones are adorned, combed, clothed in soft and various-coloured garments, decked with gold, and besmeared with ointments, and that not through lack of manliness, for they are most warlike, and most keen hunters.
2926.
Yet the whole women of the Gelones had not at their birth the unfavourable Venus in Capricornus or Aquarius; nor had all their men Venus placed with Mars in Aries,
in that configuration, the Chaldean science asserts that men are born effeminate and dissolute.
Manners of the Susidæ.
2927.
Yet, further, in Susæ the women use ointments, and indeed of the best sort,
being decked with ornaments and precious stones; also they go abroad supported by the aid of their maidservants, with much greater ambition than the men.
2928.
They do not, however, cultivate modesty, but have intercourse indifferently with whomsoever they please, with slaves and guests, such liberty being allowed them by their husbands;
and not only are they not blamed for this, but they also rule over their husbands.
2929.
And yet the genesis of all the Susian women has not Venus,
with Jupiter and Mars in the middle of the heaven in the houses of Jupiter.
2930.
In the remoter parts of the East, if a boy be treated unnaturally, when it is discovered, he is killed by his brothers, or his parents, or any of his relations, and is left unburied.
2931.
And again, among the Gauls, an old law allows boys to be thus treated publicly;
and no disgrace is thought to attach to it.
2932.
And is it possible, that all those who are so basely treated among the Gauls,
have had Lucifer with Mercury in the houses of Saturn and the confines of Mars?
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