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Seneca, among the other superstitions of civil theology, also found
fault with the sacred things of the Jews, and especially the
sabbaths, affirming that they act uselessly in keeping those seventh
days, whereby they lose through idleness about the seventh part of
their life, and also many things which demand immediate attention are
damaged. The Christians, however, who were already most hostile to
the Jews, he did not dare to mention, either for praise or blame,
lest, if he praised them, he should do so against the ancient custom
of his country, or, perhaps, if he should blame them, he should do
so against his own will.
When he was speaking concerning those Jews, he said, "When,
meanwhile, the customs of that most accursed nation have gained such
strength that they have been now received in all lands, the conquered
have given laws to the conquerors." By these words he expresses his
astonishment; and, not knowing what the providence of God was leading
him to say, subjoins in plain words an opinion by which he showed what
he thought about the meaning of those sacred institutions: "For,"
he says, "those, however, know the cause of their rites, whilst the
greater part of the people know not why they perform theirs." But
concerning the solemnities of the Jews, either why or how far they
were instituted by divine authority, and afterwards, in due time, by
the same authority taken away from the people of God, to whom the
mystery of eternal life was revealed, we have both spoken elsewhere,
especially when we were treating against the Manichaeans, and also
intend to speak in this work in a more suitable place.
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