Chap. LIII.—The Reasons of the Hatred Against the Christians are Examined and Refuted.

But they say that they do these things for the defence of their gods. In the first place, if they are gods, and have any power and influence, they have no need of the defence and protection of men, but they manifestly defend themselves. Or how is man able to hope for aid from them, if they are unable to average even their own injuries? Therefore it is a vain and foolish thing to wish to be avengers of the gods, except that their distrust is more apparent from this. For he who undertakes the protection of the god whom he worships, admits the worthlessness of that god; but if he worships him on this account, because he thinks him powerful, he ought not to wish to defend him, by whom he himself ought to be defended. We therefore act rightly. For when those defenders of false gods, who are rebellious against the true God, persecute His name in us, we resist not either in deed or in word, but with meekness, and silence, and patience, we endure whatever cruelty is able to contrive against us. For we have confidence in God, from whom we expect that retribution will hereafter follow. Nor is this confidence ungrounded, since we have in some cases heard, and in other cases seen, the miserable ends of all those who have dared to commit this crime. Nor has any one had it in his power to insult God with impunity; but he who has been unwilling to learn by word has learned by his own punishment who is the true God.  

I should wish to know, when they compel men to sacrifice against their will, what reasoning they have with themselves, or to whom they make that offering. If it is made to the gods, that is not worship, nor an acceptable sacrifice, which is made by those who are displeasing to them, which is extorted by injury, which is enforced by pain. But if it is done to those whom they compel, it is plainly not a benefit, which any one would not receive, he even prefers rather to die. If it is a good to which you call me, why do you invite me with evil? why with blows, and not with words? why not by argument, but by bodily tortures? Whence it is manifest that that is an evil, to which you do not allure me willing, but drag me refusing. What folly is it to wish to consult the good of any one against his will! If any one, under the pressure of evils, attempts to have recourse to death, can you, if you either wrest the sword from his hand, or cut the halter, or drag him away from the precipice, or pour out the poison, boast yourself as the preserver of the man, when he, whom you think that you have preserved, does not thank you, and thinks that you have acted ill towards him, in averting from him the death which be desired, and in not permitting him to reach the end and rest from his labours? For a benefit ought not to be weighed according to the quality of the action, but according to the feelings of him who receives it. Why should you reckon as a benefit that which is an injury to me? Do you wish me to worship your gods, which I consider deadly to myself? If it is a good, I do not envy it. Enjoy your good by yourself. There is no reason why you should wish to succour my error, which I have undertaken by my judgment and inclination. If it is evil, why do you drag me to a participation in evil? Use your own fortune. I prefer to die in the practice of that which is good, than to live in evil.  

CAPUT LIII. (Div. Inst. lib. V, c. 21.) 1059CRationes odii in christianos expenduntur, et refelluntur.

Sed haec facere se dicunt, ut deos suos defendant. Primum si dii sunt, et habent aliquid potestatis ac numinis, defensione hominis patrocinioque non indigent, sed seipsos utique defendunt. Aut quomodo ab iis homo sperare auxilium potest, si ne suas quidem injurias possunt vindicare? Stultum igitur et vanum deorum esse vindices velle; nisi quod ex eo magis apparet diffidentia. Qui enim patrocinium Dei quem colit, suscipit, illum esse nihil confitetur: si autem ideo colit, quia potentem arbitratur, non 1059D debet eum velle defendere, a quo ipse est defendendus. 1060A Nos igitur recte. Nam cum isti defensores falsorum deorum adversus verum Deum rebelles, nomen ejus in nobis persequuntur, nec re, nec verbo repugnamus; sed mites, et taciti, et patientes perferimus omnia quaecumque adversus nos potest crudelitas machinari. Habemus enim fiduciam in Deo, a quo expectamus secuturam protinus ultionem. Nec est inanis ista fiducia: siquidem eorum omnium, qui hoc facinus ausi sunt, miserabiles exitus partim cognovimus, partim videmus. Nec ullus habuit impune, quod Deum laesit; et qui sit verus Deus, qui verbo discere noluit, supplicio suo didicit.

Vellem scire, cum invitos adigunt ad sacrificium, quid secum habeant rationis, aut cui praestent, quod faciunt. Si diis, non est ille cultus, nec acceptabile 1060B sacrificium, quod fit ingratis, quod extorquetur per injuriam, quod eruitur per dolorem. Si autem ipsis, quos cogunt, non est utique beneficium, quod quis ne accipiat, etiam mori mavult. Si bonum non est, ad quod me vocas? cur malo invitas? cur non verbis, sed verberibus; cur non ratione, sed cruciatibus corporis? Unde apparet malum esse illud, ad quod non illicis volentem, sed trahis recusantem. Quae stultitia est consulere velle nolenti? An si aliquis, prementibus malis, ad mortem confugere conatur, num potes, si aut gladium extorseris, aut laqueum ruperis, aut praecipitio retraxeris, aut venenum effuderis, conservatorem te hominis gloriari, cum ille, quem servasse te putas, nec gratias agat, et te male secum arbitretur egisse, quod mortem 1060C sibi prohibueris optatam, quod ad finem, quod ad requiem malorum pervenire non sinueris? Beneficium enim non ex qualitate rei debet, sed ex animo ejus, qui accipit, ponderari. Cur pro beneficio imputes, quod mihi maleficium est? Vis me deos tuos colere, quod ego mihi mortiferum duco. Si bonum est, non invideo. Fruere solus bono tuo. Non est quod velis errori meo succurrere, quem judicio ac voluntate suscepi. Si malum, quid me ad consortium mali rapis? Utere sorte tua. Ego malo in bono mori quam in malo vivere.