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502 Credibility of the Gospel History.
persons, who in his own time wrote against the christian
religion. And he supposeth, there might be others who**
did the like about the same time, as well as*^ in former
times.
7. He also mentions one*^ Domitius, supposed*^ to be the
famous lawyer Domitianus Ulpianus, who made a collec-
tion of the Imperial Edicts that had been published against
the christians.
8. He intimates, that^ there were in his time many christians,
especially such as had a smattering of learning, who
wavered in the profession of Christianity.
9. We do not observe in Lactantius any notice taken of
those scandalous reflections upon the christians, which we
can find by our writings were common in the second century.
By the continued purity of their lives, and the force of their
Apologies, it is likely they had confuted and obliterated
those calumnies.
But they were still reckoned a silly? and contemptible
people, partly for*' following a crucified master and leader,
partly' for suflTering so many evils which they might have
avoided. Moreover, they were still called'' impious and
^ non ut contra hos scriberera, qui paucis verbis obteri poterant ;
sed ut omnes, qui ubique idem operis efficiunt aut effecerunt, uno semel impetu
profliga.rera. Non dubito enim, quin et alii plurimi, et multis in locis, et non
modo Grsecis, sed etiam Latinis literis, monimentuni injustitiae suae struxerint.
1. V. c. 4. in. '^ Omitto eos, qui prioribus earn teraponbus
necquicquam lacessierunt. 1. v. c. 2. sub iu.
^ Domitius, de OfEcio Proconsulis libro septimo, Rescripta Principum nefaria
collegit, ut doceret quibus poenis affici oporteret eos, qui se cultores Dei con-
fitcrentur. 1. v. c. 11. fin. '^ Vid. Heuman. Annot. in loc.
^ Nam si lucrari hos a morte, ad quam concitatissime tendunt, non potuerimus
; nostros tamen confirmabimus, quorum non est stabilis ac solidis
radicibus fundata et fixa sententia. Nutant enim plurimi, ac maxime, qui
liferarum aliquid attigerunt. 1. v. c. 1. p. 457.
B Si vobis sapientes videmur, imitamini; si stnlti, contemnite, aut etiara
ridete, si libet : nobis enim stultitia nostra prodest. 1. v. c. 12. p. 492.
Suam—sibi habeant sapientiam prudentes. Relinquant nobis stultitiam nos-
tram. ib. p. 493.
^ Venio nunc ad ipsam passionem, quae velut opprobrium nobis objectari
solet, quod et hominem, et ab hominibus insigni supplicio affectum et excru-
ciatum, colimus. 1. iv. c. 16. in.
' Docui, ut opinor, cur populus noster apud stultos habeatur. Nam cruciari
atque interifici malle, quam thura tribus digitis comprehensa in focum
jactare, tam ineptum videtur, quam, in periculo vitae, alterius animam magis
curare, quam suam. 1. v. c. 18. p. 515.
'' Impios enim vocant, ipsi scilicet pii, et ab humano sanguine abhorrentes.
1. V. c. 9. p. 483.—nee maledictis abstinent, sed quantis possunt verborum
contumeliis insectantur. Epit. c. 52. Sed soli ex omnibus impii judicantur,
qui Deum, qui veritatem sequuntur. Quae cum sit eadem justitia, eadem
sapientia, banc isti vel impietatis vel stultitiae crimine infamant, &c. ib. c. 55.