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15. Can it at any time or place be an unrighteous thing for a man to
love God with all his Mart, with all his soul, and with all his
mind, and his neighbour as himself? Therefore those offences which be
contrary to nature are everywhere and at all times to be held in
detestation and punished; such were those of the Sodomites, which
should all nations commit, they should all be held guilty of the same
crime by the divine law, which hath not so made men that they should in
that way abuse one another. For even that fellowship which should be
between God and us is violated, when that same nature of which He is
author is polluted by the perversity of lust. But those offences which
are contrary to the customs of men are to be avoided according to the
customs severally prevailing; so that an agreement made, and confirmed
by custom or law of any city or nation, may not be violated at the
lawless pleasure of any, whether citizen or stranger. For any part
which is not consistent with its whole is unseemly. But when God
commands anything contrary to the customs or compacts of any nation to
be done, though it were never done by them before, it is to be done;
and if intermitted it is to be restored, and, if never established,
to be established. For if it be lawful for a king, in the state over
which he reigns, to command that which neither he himself nor any one
before him had commanded, and to obey him cannot be held to be inimical
to the public interest, nay, it were so if he were not obeyed
(for obedience to princes is a general compact of human society),
how much more, then, ought we unhesitatingly to obey God, the
Governor of all His creatures! For as among the authorities of human
society the greater authority is obeyed before the lesser, so must God
above all.
16. So also in deeds of violence, where there is a desire to harm,
whether by contumely or injury; and both of these either by reason of
revenge, as one enemy against another; or to obtain some advantage
over another, as the highwayman to the traveller; or for the avoiding
of some evil, as with him who is in fear of another; or through envy,
as the unfortunate man to one who is happy; or as he that is prosperous
in anything to him who he fears will become equal to himself, or whose
equality he grieves at; or for the mere pleasure in another's pains,
as the spectators of gladiators, or the deriders and mockers of
others. These be the chief iniquities which spring forth from the lust
of the flesh, of the eye, and of power, whether singly, or t,no
together, or all at once. And so do men live in opposition to the
three and seven, that psaltery "of ten strings," Thy ten
commandments, O God most high and most sweet. But what foul
offences can there be against Thee who canst not be defiled? Or what
deeds of violence against thee who canst not be harmed? But Thou
avengest that which men perpetrate against themselves, seeing also that
when they sin against Thee, they do wickedly against their own souls;
and iniquity gives itself the lie, either by corrupting or perverting
their nature, which Thou hast made and ordained, or by an!immoderate
use of things permitted, or in "burning" in things forbidden to that
use which is against nature; or when convicted, raging with heart and
voice against Thee, kicking against the pricks; or when, breaking
through the pale of. human society, they audaciously rejoice in
private combinations or divisions, according as they have been pleased
or offended. And these things are done whenever Thou art forsaken,
O Fountain of Life, who art the only and true Creator and Ruler of
the universe, and by a self-willed pride any one false thing is
selected therefrom and loved. So, then, by a humble piety we return
to Thee; and thou purgest us from our evil customs, and art merciful
unto the sins of those who confess unto Thee, and dost "hear the
groaning of the prisoner," and dost loosen us from those fetters which
we have forged for ourselves, if we lift not up against Thee the horns
of a false liberty, - losing all through craving more, by loving more
our own private good than Thee, the good of all.
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