A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

public, others again secret; and the former are permitted by thelaws; the latter are prohibited by the laws.”I, 4. (MSG, 11:661.) Let us notice, also, how he thinks tocast discredit upon our system of morals as neither venerable nora new branch of instruction, inasmuch as it is common to otherphilosophers.I, 9. (MSG, 11:672.) He says that “Certain of them do notwish either to give or to receive reasons for those things to whichthey hold; saying, ‘Do not examine, only believe and your faithwill save you!’ ”; and he alleges that such also say: “The wisdomof this life is bad, but foolishness is a good thing.”I, 38. (MSG, 11:733.) He admits somehow the miracles whichJesus wrought and by means of which He induced the multitudeto follow Him as the Christ. He wishes to throw discredit onthem, as having been done not by divine power, but by help ofmagic, for he says: “That he [Jesus], having been brought up [057]secretly and having served for hire in Egypt, and then comingto the knowledge of certain miraculous powers, returned fromthence, and by means of those powers proclaimed himself a god.”II, 55. (MSG, 11:884.) “Come, now, let us grant to you thatthese things [the prediction made by Christ of His resurrection]were said. Yet how many others are there who have used suchwonders to deceive their simple hearers, and who made gain oftheir deception? Such was the case, they say, with Zalmoxis inScythia, the slave of Pythagoras; and with Pythagoras himselfin Italy.… But the point to be considered is, whether any onewho was really dead ever rose with a veritable body. Or doyou imagine the statements of others not only are myths, butappear as such, but you have discovered a becoming and credibletermination of your drama, the voice from the cross when hebreathed his last, the earthquake and the darkness? that whileliving he was of no help to himself, but when dead he rose again,and showed the marks of his punishment and his hands as theyhad been. Who saw this? A frantic woman, as you state, and, if69