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When the king found that promises and menaces were alike unavailing, and that Symeon firmly refused to worship the sun, or to betray his religion, he remanded him to prison; probably imagining that, if kept for a time in bonds, he would change his mind. .

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[x. § 1]... The following day, which happened to be the sixth day of the week, and likewise the day on which, as immediately preceding the festival of the Resurrection, the annual memorial of the Passion of the Saviour is celebrated, the king issued orders for the decapitation of Symeon; for he had been again conducted to the palace from the prison, had reasoned most boldly with Sapor on points of doctrine, and had expressed a determination never to worship either the king or the sun.

[§ 2] On the same day, a hundred other prisoners were ordered to be slain. Symeon beheld their execution, and last of all he was put to death. Amongst the victims were bishops, presbyters, and other clergy of different grades. Greek Ecclesiastical Historians, iv. 59-62.

No. 158.—Julian's Treatment of the Army From Sozomen [ƒ. c. 425], H.E. V. xvii. §§ 2-4, 8–12.

[§ 2] To habituate them in all things to the worship of the gods, he restored the ancient form of the standard of the Roman armies, which, as we have already stated, Constantine had, at the command of God, converted into the sign of the Cross.

[§ 31 Julian also caused to be painted, in juxtaposition with his own figure, on the public pictures, a representation either of Jupiter coming out of heaven and presenting to him the symbols of Imperial power, a crown or a purple robe, or else of Mars, or of Mercury, with their eyes intently fixed upon him, as if to express their admiration of his eloquence and military skill.

[S4] He placed the pictures of the gods in juxtaposition with his own, in order that the people might be led to worship them under the pretext of rendering due honour to him.

[§ 8] When the day came round for giving money to the troops, which day generally fell upon the anniversary of

some festival among the Romans, such as that of the birth of the Emperor, or the foundation of some royal city, Julian reflected that soldiers are naturally thoughtless and simple, and disposed to be covetous of money, and therefore concluded that it would be a favourable opportunity to seduce them to the worship of the gods. Accordingly, as each soldier approached to receive the money, he was cornmanded to offer sacrifice, fire and incense having previously been placed for this purpose near the Emperor, according to an ancient Roman custom.

[§ 9] Some of the soldiers had the courage to refuse to offer sacrifice and receive the gold; others were so habituated to the observance of the ancient custom, that they conformed to it without imagining that they were committing sin. Others, again, deluded by the lustre of the gold, complied with the pagan rite, and suffered themselves to fall into the temptation from which they ought to have fled.

[§ 10] It is related that as some of those who had ignorantly fallen into sin were seated at table and drinking to each other, one among them happened to mention the name of Christ. Another of the guests immediately exclaimed: "It is extraordinary that you should call upon Christ when, but a short time ago, you denied Him, for the sake of the Emperor's gift, by throwing incense into the fire." [SI] On hearing this observation they all became suddenly conscious of the sin they had committed. . .

[§ 12] They then presented themselves before the Emperor, threw back his gold, and besought him to put them to death. . . . He refrained from slaying them, lest they should enjoy the honour of martyrdom; he therefore merely deprived them of their military commission, and dismissed them from the court.-Greek Ecclesiastical Historians, iv. 234-6.

No. 159.-Manichæism, its Attractions and their Cure

From Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 396-†430. De utilitate credendi [392], §§ 20, 21, 34 (Op. viii. 57 sq., 67 sq.; P.L. xlii. 78 sq., 89 sq.).

[§ 20] Having then laid down these principles, which, as I think, are so just that I ought to win that cause in your

opinion with any adversary, I will set before you as well as I can what way I followed when I was seeking for true religion with that disposition with which I have now explained that it must be sought. For when I departed from you across the sea, now delaying and hesitating what I ought to hold, what to abandon, which hesitation rose every day greater before me, from the time that I was a hearer of that man, whose arrival, as you know, was promised to us as from heaven in order to explain all the things which were stirring us, and found him to be, a certain eloquence excepted, such as the rest. Being now settled in Italy, I reasoned and deliberated greatly with myself, not whether I should remain in that sect, into which I was sorry that I had fallen, but in what manner the truth was to be found, my sighs for love of which are known to no one better than to yourself. Often it seems to me that it could not be found, and great waves of my thoughts were borne along towards decision in favour of the Academics. Often again, looking as deeply as I could into the human mind, so full of life and intelligence and clearness, I thought that truth did not lie hid, except that in it the method of search lay hid, and that this same method must be received from some divine authority. There remained the enquiry what was that authority, since in the midst of such great dissensions every one promised that he would furnish it. And so there met me an intricate wood, in which indeed I was annoyed at being entangled, and in the midst of all this, without any rest, my mind was agitated with the desire of finding the truth. Yet I kept on loosening myself more and more from those whom I had already determined to abandon. But there remained nothing else in so great dangers, but to entreat the Divine Providence with tearful and piteous words that He would bring me help. And this I went on doing diligently; and now certain disputations of the Bishop of Milan had almost moved me to desire, not without some hope, to enquire, about the Old Testament itself, many points which, as you know, we used to execrate having been ill commended to us. And I had decided to be a catechumen in the Church, to which I had been delivered by my parents, for so long a time till I should either find what I wished, or persuade myself that it ought not to be

sought. Had there been one who could teach, he would have found me then most ready and very teachable. If, then, you see that you too have been affected in this way and with like care for your soul, and if you now seem to yourself to have been sufficiently tossed about, and wish to put an end to these toils, follow the way of Catholic discipline, which has come down even to us from Christ through the Apostles, and will pass on hereafter to posterity.

[§ 21] That, you say, is ridiculous, since all profess that they hold and teach this. All heretics profess this, I cannot deny it, but so as to promise those whom they entice, that they will give them a reason concerning the most obscure matters; and on this ground they chiefly charge the Catholic Church that they who come to it are bidden to believe; but they boast that they do not impose a yoke of believing, but open a fountain of teaching. What, say you, could have been said which would more pertain to their praise? It is not so. For they do this, not because furnished with any strength, but that they may gain the favour of some crowd by the name of reason, in the promise of which the soul of man naturally delights, and not considering its own strength and health, by desiring the meats of the whole, which are ill given except to those in good health, rushes in upon the poison of deceivers. For true religion can in no way be rightly entered upon, except those things be believed which each one afterwards, if he shall conduct himself rightly and be worthy, attains to and understands, nor altogether without a certain weighty control of authority.

[S 34] This is, believe me, a most wholesome authority, this is a lifting up of our mind first from dwelling on earth, this a turning from the love of this world to the true God. It is authority alone which moves fools to hasten to wisdom. So long as we cannot understand pure truths, it is miserable indeed to be deceived by authority; but certainly it is more miserable not to be moved. For if the Providence of God does not preside over human affairs, there is no need to busy ourselves about religion. But if the outward appearance of all things which we must assuredly believe to issue forth from some source of most true beauty, and some, I know not what, interior feeling exhorts as it were publicly and

privately all the better kind of minds to seek God and to serve God, we must not give up the hope that some authority has been appointed by that same God, resting whereon, as on a sure step, we may be raised to God. But this, when reason is set aside, which, as we have often said, it is most difficult for fools to understand when pure, moves us in a twofold manner, partly by miracles, partly by multitude of followers. Nothing of these is necessary for a wise man; who would deny it? But our business now is, how we may be able to be wise, that is to cleave to the truth, which assuredly the filthy soul cannot do. Now the filth of the soul is, to explain it briefly, a love of any things besides the soul and God, from which filth the more purged any one is so much the more easily does he behold the truth. Therefore, to wish to see the truth that you may purge your soul, when it is therefore purged that you may see, is certainly perverse. and preposterous. Therefore authority is at hand to a man unable to see the truth, that he may become fitted for it, and suffer himself to be purged; and, as I said a little before, no one doubts that this avails partly by miracles, partly by multitude. I call a miracle whatever appears difficult or unusual beyond the expectation or power of him who wonders at it. In which kind nothing is more adapted for the people and for foolish men in general, than what is brought near to the senses. But again, these are divided into two classes, for there are some which only cause wonder, but some procure favour and good-will. For if any one were to see a man flying, since that circumstance would confer no advantage on the spectator beyond the sight itself, he would only wonder. But if any one affected with grievous and hopeless disease were to recover at once upon being bidden, he will surpass his wonder at his cure by love for him who cured him. Such things were done at that time when God as much as was sufficient appeared unto men in true man. The sick were healed, the lepers cleansed, power to walk was restored to the lame, sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf. The men of that time saw water changed into wine, five thousand satisfied with five loaves, the sea crossed over on foot, the dead rising again; so certain things done for the body by more manifest benefit, certain things again for the mind by more hidden

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