Chapter X.

So, when you allege that the ornaments of the heathen deities are found no less with God, with the object of claiming among these for general use the head-crown, you already lay it down for yourself, that we must not have among us, as a thing whose use we are to share with others, what is not to be found in the service of God. Well, what is so unworthy of God indeed as that which is worthy of an idol? But what is so worthy of an idol as that which is also worthy of a dead man? For it is the privilege of the dead also to be thus crowned, as they too straightway become idols, both by their dress and the service of deification, which (deification) is with us a second idolatry. Wanting, then, the sense, it will be theirs to use the thing for which the sense is wanting, just as if in full possession of the sense they wished to abuse it.  When there ceases to be any reality in the use, there is no distinction between using and abusing. Who can abuse a thing, when the precipient nature with which he wishes to carry out his purpose is not his to use it? The apostle, moreover, forbids us to abuse, while he would more naturally have taught us not to use, unless on the ground that, where there is no sense for things, there is no wrong use of them.  But the whole affair is meaningless, and is, in fact, a dead work so far as concerns the idols; though, without doubt, a living one as respects the demons29    [Compare De Idololatria, cap. xv., p. 70, supra.] to whom the religious rite belongs. “The idols of the heathen,” says David, “are silver and gold.” “They have eyes, and see not; a nose, and smell not; hands, and they will not handle.”30    Ps. cxv. 4–8. By means of these organs, indeed, we are to enjoy flowers; but if he declares that those who make idols will be like them, they already are so who use anything after the style of idol adornings. “To the pure all things are pure: so, likewise, all things to the impure are impure;”31    Tit. i. 15. but nothing is more impure than idols.  The substances are themselves as creatures of God without impurity, and in this their native state are free to the use of all; but the ministries to which in their use they are devoted, makes all the difference; for I, too, kill a cock for myself, just as Socrates did for Æsculapius; and if the smell of some place or other offends me, I burn the Arabian product myself, but not with the same ceremony, nor in the same dress, nor with the same pomp, with which it is done to idols.32    [He seems to know no use for incense except for burials and for fumigation.] If the creature is defiled by a mere word, as the apostle teaches, “But if any one say, This is offered in sacrifice to idols, you must not touch it,”33    1 Cor. x. 28. much more when it is polluted by the dress, and rites, and pomp of what is offered to the gods. Thus the crown also is made out to be an offering to idols;34    [Kaye (p. 362) defends our author against Barbeyrac’s animadversions, by the maxim, “put yourself in his place” i.e. among the abominations of Paganism.] for with this ceremony, and dress, and pomp, it is presented in sacrifice to idols, its originators, to whom its use is specially given over, and chiefly on this account, that what has no place among the things of God may not be admitted into use with us as with others.  Wherefore the apostle exclaims, “Flee idolatry:”35    1 Cor. x. 14. certainly idolatry whole and entire he means. Reflect on what a thicket it is, and how many thorns lie hid in it.  Nothing must be given to an idol, and so nothing must be taken from one. If it is inconsistent with faith to recline in an idol temple, what is it to appear in an idol dress? What communion have Christ and Belial? Therefore flee from it; for he enjoins us to keep at a distance from idolatry—to have no close dealings with it of any kind. Even an earthly serpent sucks in men at some distance with its breath.  Going still further, John says, “My little children, keep yourselves from idols,”36    1 John v. 21.—not now from idolatry, as if from the service of it, but from idols—that is, from any resemblance to them: for it is an unworthy thing that you, the image of the living God, should become the likeness of an idol and a dead man. Thus far we assert, that this attire belongs to idols, both from the history of its origin, and from its use by false religion; on this ground, besides, that while it is not mentioned as connected with the worship of God, it is more and more given over to those in whose antiquities, as well as festivals and services, it is found. In a word, the very doors, the very victims and altars, the very servants and priests, are crowned. You have, in Claudius, the crowns of all the various colleges of priests. We have added also that distinction between things altogether different from each other—things, namely, agreeable, and things contrary to reason—in answer to those who, because there happens to be the use of some things in common, maintain the right of participation in all things. With reference to this part of the subject, therefore, it now remains that the special grounds for wearing crowns should be examined, that while we show these to be foreign, nay, even opposed to our Christian discipline, we may demonstrate that none of them have any plea of reason to support it, on the basis of which this article of dress might be vindicated as one in whose use we can participate, as even some others may whose instances are cast up to us.

10. Ita cum idcirco proponis deorum saecularium commenta etiam apud Deum deprehendi, ut inter haec coronam quoque capitis communi usui uindices, ipse tibi iam praescribis non habendum in communione usus apud nos quod non inueniatur in Dei rebus. Quid enim tam indignum Deo quam quod dignum idolo? Quid autem tam dignum idolo quam quod et mortuo? Nam et mortuorum est ita coronari, quoniam et ipsi idola statim fiunt et habitu et cultu consecrationis, quae apud nos secunda idololatria est. Igitur qui careant sensu, illorum erit perinde uti ea re, cuius careant sensu, atque si abuti eo uellent, si sensu non carerent. Nulla uero distantia est abutendi, cum ueritas cessat utendi: cessante natura sentiendi qua uult, quis abutatur, cum non habeat qua utatur ? Nobis autem abuti apud apostolum non licet, facilius non uti docentem. Nisi quod nec abutuntur qui nihil sentiunt, sed uacant totum, et est ipsum quoque opus mortuum, quantum in idolis, uiuum plane, quantum in daemoniis ad quae pertinet superstitio. « Idola nationum, inquit Dauid, argentum et aurum : oculos habent, nec uident, nares, nec odorantur, manus, nec contrectabunt. » Per haec enim floribus frui est. Quod si tales edicit futuros qui idola fabricantur, tales iam sunt qui secundum idolorum ornatum quid utuntur. Omnia munda mundis; ita et immunda omnia immundis. Nihil autem immundius idolis. -- Ceterum substantiae mundae, ut Dei res, et hac sua condicione communes usui. -- Sed et ipsius usus administratio interest. Nam et ego mihi gallinaceum macto, non minus quam Aesculapio Socrates, et si me odor alicuius loci offenderit, Arabiae aliquid incendo, sed non eodem ritu, nec eodem habitu, nec eodem apparatu, quo agitur apud idola. Si enim uerbo nudo conditio polluitur, -- ut apostolus docet : « Si quis autem dixerit : hoc idolothytum est, ne contigeris », -- multo magis, cum saltitaueris habitu et ritu et apparatu idolothytorum, contaminatur. Ita et corona idolothytum efficitur. Hoc enim ritu et habitu et apparatu idolis immolatur auctoribus suis, quorum eo uel maxime proprius est usus, ne in communionem possit admitti, quod in Dei rebus non inuenitur. Propterea apostolus clamat : « Fugite idololatriam ! » Omnem utique et totam. Recogita siluam et quantae latitant spinae. Nihil dandum idolo; sic nec sumendum ab idolo. Si in idolio recumbere alienum est a fide, quid in idoli habitu uideri ? Quae communio Christo et Beliae ? Et ideo fugite. Longum enim diuortium mandat ab idololatria. In nullo proxime agendum : draco etiam terrenus de longinquo homines spiritu absorbet. Altius Iohannes : « Filioli, inquit, custodite uos ab idolis! »; non iam ab idololatria quasi officio, sed ab idolis, id est ab ipsa effigie eorum. Indignum enim ut imago Dei uiui imago idoli et mortui fias. Vsque adhuc proprietatem istius habitus et ex originis censu et ex superstitionis usu idolis uindicamus, ex eo praeterea quod, dum in rebus Dei non refertur, magis magisque illorum deputatur in quorum et antiquitatibus et sollemnitatibus et officiis conuenitur. Ipsae denique fores et ipsae hostiae et arae, ipsi ministri ac sacerdotes eorum coronantur. Habes omnium collegiorum sacerdotalium coronas apud Claudium. Sed et illam interstruximus distinctionem differentium rationalium et inrationalium eis occurrentem, qui communionem in omnibus de quorundam exemplorum occasione defendunt. Ad hanc itaque partem causas iam ipsas coronarias inspici superest, ut, dum ostendimus extraneas, immo et contrarias disciplinae, nullam earum rationis patrocinio fultam probemus, quo posset habitus huiusmodi quoque communioni uindicari, sicut et quidam quorum exempla nobis obiectantur.