On the Sole Government of God

HUMAN NATURE INITIALLY RECEIVED A COMBINATION OF INTELLIGENCE AND SAFETY TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH AND THE WORSHIP OWED TO THE ONE LORD OF ALL:

Yet envy, by suggesting the greatness of human achievements, led people to create idols. This superstitious practice, after persisting for a long time, is passed down to most people as if it were natural and true. It is the role of one who loves mankind, or rather one who loves God, to remind people, who have neglected it, of what they ought to know.

For the truth is in itself sufficient to reveal, through what is beneath the sky, the order established by Him who created them.

But forgetfulness has taken hold of human minds, and through God’s patience, people have rashly transferred to mortals the name meant for the only true God. And from the few, the spread of sin infected many, who were blinded by common customs to the understanding of what is lasting and unchangeable. The people of earlier generations, who established private and public ceremonies to honor those who were mightier, caused forgetfulness of the Catholic faith in their descendants.

But I, as I have just stated, along with a mind that loves God, will use the speech of one who loves humanity, and present it to those who have intelligence, which everyone should possess if they observe the universe's governance, so they might worship unchangeably Him who knows all things. I will do this not by mere display of words but by using evidence drawn from ancient Greek poetry and writings common to all. From these, the renowned men who made idol worship a law for the masses will be taught and proven by their own poets and literature to be greatly ignorant.

FIRST: then, Æschylus, in describing the arrangement of his work, also expressed himself in this way about the only God: “Keep the holy God far from humans, and never think that He, like yourself, is clothed in flesh; for the great God is unknown to a creature like you. He takes on different appearances; sometimes He seems like an unquenchable consuming fire, then like water, and at other times, He shrouds Himself in dark folds. Even the beasts of the earth reflect His sacred image; while the wind, clouds, rain, the roll of thunder, and the flash of lightning reveal to people their great and sovereign Lord. Before Him, the sea and rocks, every fountain, and all the waters bow in reverence; and as they gaze upon His awe-inspiring face, mountains and the earth, with the deepest ocean depths and the highest hill peaks, tremble: for He is the Lord Omnipotent; and this is the glory of God Most High.”

But he was not the only man who had knowledge of God; Sophocles also describes the nature of the only Creator of all things, the One God, in this way: "There is one God, truly there is only one, who made the heavens and the broad earth beneath, the glancing waves of ocean, and the winds; but many of us mortals err in heart, and set up, for comfort in our troubles, images of the gods in stone and brass, or figures carved in gold or ivory; and, providing for these, our handiworks, both sacrifice and grand ritual, we think that in doing so we are performing a pious act."

AND PHILEMON ALSO: who published many explanations of ancient customs, shares in the knowledge of the truth; and he writes:—“Tell me what thoughts of God we should have? One, who sees all things, yet is Himself unseen.”

EVEN ORPHEUS: who introduces three hundred and sixty gods, will bear testimony in my favor from the tract called *Diathecæ*, in which he appears to repent of his error by writing the following: "I’ll speak to those who may lawfully hear; All others, you profane, now close the doors! And, O Musaeus, listen to me, Who are the offspring of the light-bringing moon. The words I tell you now are truly indeed, And if you have seen my former thoughts, Let them not rob you of the blessed life; But instead, turn the depths of your own heart To that place where light and knowledge dwell.

Take the divine word to guide your steps; And walk well in the straight certain path, Look to the one and universal King, One, self-begotten, and the only One From whom all things, and we ourselves, have sprung. All things are open to His piercing gaze, While He Himself is still invisible; Present in all His works, though still unseen, He gives to mortals evil out of good, Sending both chilling wars and tearful griefs; And other than the Great King there is none.

The clouds forever settle around His throne; And mortal eyes in mere mortal faces Are weak to see Jove, reigning over all. He sits established in the brazen heavens Upon His throne; and underneath His feet He treads the earth, and stretches His right hand To all the ends of the ocean, and around Tremble the mountain ranges, and the streams, The depths, too, of the blue and hoary sea."

He speaks as if he had been an eyewitness to God's greatness. And Pythagoras agrees with him when he writes:—“If someone boldly claims, Behold, I am God! Beyond the One—Eternal—Infinite, Let him demonstrate his power from the throne he has taken and create another world, like the one we live in, declaring, This is mine. And not only that, but let him dwell there forever in this new domain. If he can accomplish this, then truly he is proclaimed a god.”

REGARDING HIM FURTHER: that He alone is powerful, both to judge the deeds done in life and the ignorance of the Deity displayed by people, I can bring forward witnesses from your own ranks. First, Sophocles speaks as follows: "That time of times shall come, it shall surely come, When from the golden sky down shall fall The abundant treasure of fire, and in burning flames All things of earth and heaven shall be consumed; And then, when all creation is dissolved, The sea's last wave shall die upon the shore, The barren earth stripped of trees, the burning air No winged creature shall carry. There are two roads to Hades, well we know; By this the righteous, and by that the wicked, On to their separate fates shall tend; and He, Who has destroyed all things, shall save all things."

AND PHILEMON AGAIN: —“Do you think, Nicostratus, that the dead, who here enjoyed whatever good life offers man, escape the notice of Divinity, as if they might be forgotten by Him? No, there’s an eye of Justice watching all; for if the good and bad find the same end, then go, rob, steal, plunder, as you will, do all the evil that seems good to you. Yet do not be deceived; for beneath there is a throne and place of judgment set, which God the Lord of all shall occupy; whose name is terrible, nor shall I dare to speak it in feeble human speech.”

AND EURIPIDES: —"God does not grudgingly give us a lease on life, so that we, the holders, may be fairly judged. If a mortal man thinks he can hide his daily guilt from the keen eye of God, it is an evil thought. If he happens to encounter Justice taking her time, she demands him as her lawful prisoner. But many of you quickly commit a twofold sin and claim there is no God. But, ah! there is; there is. Understand that the wicked who prospers should make the most of this precious time to redeem himself, or else he will face the due reward of punishment later on."

And that God is not appeased by the offerings and incense of evil-doers, but delivers justice to each in righteousness, Philemon again shall testify for me:—“If anyone dreams, O Pamphilus, that by sacrificing bulls or goats—or by Jupiter—any such things; Or by presenting gold or purple robes, Or images of ivory and gems; If thus he thinks he may win God's favor, He errs, and shows himself foolish. But let him rather be useful and good, Committing neither theft nor lustful acts, Nor foul murder for the sake of earthly riches. Let him not covet another man's wife or child, His splendid house, his wide property, His maiden, or his slave born in his house, His horses, or his cattle, or his beasts, No, covet not even a pin, O Pamphilus, For God, close by you, sees everything you do. He is always angry with the wicked, But finds pleasure in the righteous, Allowing him to reap the fruits of his labor, And to enjoy the bread his sweat has earned. But being righteous, ensure you fulfill your vows, And offer gifts to God the giver. Place your adornment not in outward appearances, But in inward purity of heart; Then, hearing the thunder, you shall not fear, Nor shall you flee, O master, at its voice, For you are conscious of no evil deed, And God, close by you, sees everything you do.”

AGAIN: Plato, in Timæus, says: "But if anyone upon consideration should actually conduct a thorough inquiry, they would not understand the difference between the human and divine nature; because God combines many things into one, and is also able to separate one into many things, given that He possesses knowledge and power; yet no man is, or ever will be, able to accomplish any of these."

BUT REGARDING THOSE WHO BELIEVE THEY WILL SHARE THE HOLY AND PERFECT NAME: which some have received through a vain tradition as if they were gods, Menander in the Auriga says:—“If there exists a god who walks out with an old woman, or who enters by stealth into houses through the folding doors, he can never please me; no, only the one who stays at home, a just and righteous God, to give salvation to His worshippers.”

THE SAME MENANDER: in the Sacerdos, says:—“There is no God, O woman, who can save one person by another; if indeed a person, with the sound of tinkling cymbals, can charm a god wherever he wishes, then surely the one who does so is the greater god. But these, O Rhode, are merely the cunning schemes which bold, shameless men of intrigue invent to earn themselves a living, and become a laughing-stock of the times.”

ONCE AGAIN: the same Menander, expressing his opinion about those who are considered gods, actually proving that they are not, says: "Yes, if I saw this, I would wish for my soul to return to me. For tell me where, O Getas, in the world is it possible to find righteous gods?"

IN THE DEPOSITUM: —“There’s an unrighteous judgment, it seems, even with the gods.”

AND EURIPIDES THE TRAGEDIAN: in Orestes, says:—“Apollo, having caused by his command The murder of the mother, does not know What honesty and justice mean. We serve the gods, whoever they may be; But from the central regions of the earth You see Apollo clearly gives responses To mortals, and whatever he says we do. I obeyed him, when she who bore me fell Slain by my hand: he is the wicked man. Then slay him, for it was he who sinned, not I. What could I do? Do you not think that the god Should free me from the blame which I bear?”

THE SAME ALSO IN HIPPOLYTUS: —“But on these points the gods do not judge correctly.”

AND IN ION: —“But what interest do I have in the daughter of Erechtheus? She's not related to people like me. But when I come with golden vessels for libations, I shall sprinkle the dew, and yet I must warn Apollo of his deeds; for when he marries maidens by force, he secretly betrays the children he fathers, and then neglects them when they're dying. Thus not you; but while you can, always pursue virtues, for the gods will surely punish the wicked. How is it right that you, who have set laws for men’s guidance, live unrighteously? But being absent, I shall speak freely, and you shall give satisfaction to men for forced marriages, you Neptune, Jupiter, who presides over heaven. You have emptied the temples, while you repay injustice. And though you praise the prudent to the skies, yet you have filled your hands with wickedness. It's no longer right to call men wicked if they imitate the sins of gods; no, let their teachers rather be evil.”

AND IN ARCHELAUS: —“Very often, my son, do gods confuse mankind.”

AND IN BELLEROPHON: —“They are not gods, who do not do what is right.”

AND AGAIN IN THE SAME: —“Gods reign in heaven most certainly, says one; But it is false,— -yes, false, -and let not him who speaks thus, be so foolish as to use ancient tradition, or to pay regard to my words: but with an unclouded eye see the matter in its clearest light. Absolute power, I say, robs people of life and property; breaks pledged faith; nor spares even cities, but with cruel hand despoils and devastates them ruthlessly. But those who do these things have more success than those who live a gentle pious life; and small cities, I know, which reverence gods, submissively bend before the many spears of larger impious ones; yes, and it seems to me if any person lounges idly, and abstains from working with their hands for sustenance, yet prays to the gods; they will very soon know if the gods will avert misfortunes from them.”

AND MENANDER IN DIPHILUS: —“Therefore, we ascribe praise and great honor to Him who is the Father and Lord of all; the sole maker and preserver of mankind, and who has filled our earth with all good things.”

IN THE PISCATORES: it is also written: "For I believe that which sustains my life is God; but He who usually meets the needs of men does not need any supplies from us, as He is all in all."

THE SAME IN THE BROTHERS: —“God is always intelligence to those who are righteous: so wisest men have thought.”

And in the Tibicinæ:—“Good reason finds a temple in all things where to worship; for what is the mind but simply the voice of God within us placed?”

Here's the passage translated into modern English:

AND THE TRAGEDIAN IN PHRIXUS: —"But if the pious and the impious share the same fate, how can we consider it just if Jove, the best, does not judge rightly?"

IN PHILOCTETES: —"You see how honorable gain is considered, even to the gods; and how the one is admired whose shrine is filled most with yellow gold. What, then, stops you, since it is good to be like gods, from accepting gain this way?"

IN HECUBA: —“O Jupiter! whoever you may be, about whom all knowledge fails except in word;”

AND: "Jupiter, whether you are truly a great necessity or the mind of man, I worship you!"

HERE IS PROOF OF VIRTUE AND A MIND THAT LOVES PRUDENCE: to return to the communion of unity and attach oneself to prudence for salvation, choosing the better things according to the free will given to humans; and to not believe that those who possess human passions are masters of all, as they do not seem to have even equal power with people. For in Homer, Demodocus claims he is self-taught—“God inspired me with strains.”

EVEN THOUGH HE IS MORTAL: Æsculapius and Apollo are taught to heal by Chiron the Centaur—a very unusual thing indeed, for gods to be taught by a man. Why do I need to mention Bacchus, who the poet says is mad? Or Hercules, who he says is unhappy? Why speak of Mars and Venus, the leaders of adultery, and use all these to establish the case at hand? For if someone, unknowingly, should imitate the deeds that are said to be divine, he would be considered among impure men and a stranger to life and humanity; and if anyone does so knowingly, he will have a plausible excuse for avoiding punishment, by arguing that imitating godlike deeds of audacity is no sin. But if anyone should criticize these deeds, they will strip away their well-known names and not conceal them with misleading and convincing words. It is necessary, then, to accept the true and unchanging Name, not just proclaimed by my words, but by those who have introduced us to the basics of learning, so that we do not, by living idly in this present existence—not only as those who are ignorant of the heavenly glory, but also as having shown ourselves ungrateful—render our account to the Judge.