The Divine Institutes
Classic translation
4th c. · Apologetics · English translation, 1890
Source edition: The Ante-Nicene Fathers (ed. Roberts & Donaldson, 1885)
Cover art: Mount Vesuvius at Midnight — Albert Bierstadt (American, 1830–1902) (Wikimedia Commons (Cleveland Museum of Art), Public domain)
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Contents
- Book 1
- Preface.—Of What Great Value the Knowledge of the Truth is and Always Has Been
- Chap. 1.—Of Religion and Wisdom
- Chap. 2.—That There is a Providence in the Affairs of Men
- Chap. 3.—Whether the Universe is Governed by the Power of One God or of Many
- Chap. 4.—That the One God Was Foretold Even by the Prophets
- Chap. 5.—Of the Testimonies of Poets and Philosophers
- Chap. 6.—Of Divine Testimonies, and of the Sibyls and Their Predictions
- Chap. 7.—Concerning the Testimonies of Apollo and the Gods
- Chap. 8.—That God is Without a Body, nor Does He Need Difference of Sex for…
- Chap. 9.—Of Hercules and His Life and Death
- Chap. 10.—Of the Life and Actions of Æsculapius, Apollo, Neptune, Mars, Castor…
- Chap. 11.—Of the Origin, Life, Reign, Name and Death of Jupiter, and of Saturn…
- Chap. 12.—That the Stoics Transfer the Figments of the Poets to a Philosophical…
- Chap. 13.—How Vain and Trifling Are the Interpretations of the Stoics…
- Chap. 14.—What the Sacred History of Euhemerus and Ennius Teaches Concerning…
- Chap. 15.—How They Who Were Men Obtained the Name of Gods
- Chap. 16.—By What Argument it is Proved That Those Who Are Distinguished by a…
- Chap. 17.—Concerning the Same Opinion of the Stoics, and Concerning the…
- Chap. 18.—On the Consecration of Gods, on Account of the Benefits Which They…
- Chap. 19.—That it is Impossible for Any One to Worship the True God Together…
- Chap. 20.—Of the Gods Peculiar to the Romans, and Their Sacred Rites
- Chap. 21.—Of Certain Deities Peculiar to Barbarians, and Their Sacred Rites…
- Chap. 22.—Who Was the Author of the Vanities Before Described in Italy Among…
- Chap. 23.—Of the Ages of Vain Superstitions, and the Times at Which They…
- Book 2
- Chap. 1.—That Forgetfulness of Reason Makes Men Ignorant of the True God, Whom…
- Chap. 2.—What Was the First Cause of Making Images; of the True Likeness of…
- Chap. 3.—That Cicero and Other Men of Learning Erred in Not Turning Away the…
- Chap. 4.—Of Images, and the Ornaments of Temples, and the Contempt in Which…
- Chap. 5.—That God Only, the Creator of All Things, is to Be Worshipped, and Not…
- Chap. 6.—That Neither the Whole Universe nor the Elements Are God, nor Are They…
- Chap. 7.—Of God, and the Religious Rites of the Foolish; of Avarice, and the…
- Chap. 8.—Of the Use of Reason in Religion; and of Dreams, Auguries, Oracles…
- Chap. 9.—Of the Devil, the World, God, Providence, Man, and His Wisdom
- Chap. 10.—Of the World, and its Parts, the Elements and Seasons
- Chap. 11.—Of Living Creatures, of Man; Prometheus, Deucalion, the Parcæ
- Chap. 12.—That Animals Were Not Produced Spontaneously, but by a Divine…
- Chap. 13.—Why Man is of Two Sexes; What is His First Death, and What the Second…
- Chap. 14.—Of Noah the Inventor of Wine, Who First Had Knowledge of the Stars…
- Chap. 15.—Of the Corruption of Angels, and the Two Kinds of Demons
- Chap. 16.—That Demons Have No Power Over Those Who Are Established in the Faith
- Chap. 17.—That Astrology, Soothsaying, and Similar Arts Are the Invention of…
- Chap. 18.—Of the Patience and Vengeance of God, the Worship of Demons, and…
- Chap. 19.—Of the Worship of Images and Earthly Objects
- Chap. 20.—Of Philosophy and the Truth
- Book 3
- Chap. 1.—A Comparison of the Truth With Eloquence: Why the Philosophers Did Not…
- Chap. 2.—Of Philosophy, and How Vain Was its Occupation in Setting Forth the…
- Chap. 3.—Of What Subjects Philosophy Consists, and Who Was the Chief Founder of…
- Chap. 4.—That Knowledge is Taken Away by Socrates, and Conjecture by Zeno
- Chap. 5.—That the Knowledge of Many Things is Necessary
- Chap. 6.—Of Wisdom, and the Academics, and Natural Philosophy
- Chap. 7.—Of Moral Philosophy, and the Chief Good
- Chap. 8.—Of the Chief Good, and the Pleasures of the Soul and Body, and of…
- Chap. 9.—Of the Chief Good, and the Worship of the True God, and a Refutation…
- Chap. 10.—It is the Peculiar Property of Man to Know and Worship God
- Chap. 11.—Of Religion, Wisdom, and the Chief Good
- Chap. 12.—Of the Twofold Conflict of Body and Soul; and of Desiring Virtue on…
- Chap. 13.—Of the Immortality of the Soul, and of Wisdom, Philosophy, and…
- Chap. 14.—That Lucretius and Others Have Erred, and Cicero Himself, in Fixing…
- Chap. 15.—The Error of Seneca in Philosophy, and How the Speech of Philosophers…
- Chap. 16.—That the Philosophers Who Give Good Instructions Live Badly, by the…
- Chap. 17.—He Passes From Philosophy to the Philosophers, Beginning With…
- Chap. 18.—The Pythagoreans and Stoics, While They Hold the Immortality of the…
- Chap. 19.—Cicero and Others of the Wisest Men Teach the Immortality of the…
- Chap. 20.—Socrates Had More Knowledge in Philosophy Than Other Men, Although in…
- Chap. 21.—Of the System of Plato, Which Would Lead to the Overthrow of States
- Chap. 22.—Of the Precepts of Plato, and Censures of the Same
- Chap. 23.—Of the Errors of Certain Philosophers, and of the Sun and Moon
- Chap. 24.—Of the Antipodes, the Heaven, and the Stars
- Chap. 25.—Of Learning Philosophy, and What Great Qualifications Are Necessary…
- Chap. 26.—It is Divine Instruction Only Which Bestows Wisdom; and of What…
- Chap. 27.—How Little the Precepts of Philosophers Contribute to True Wisdom…
- Chap. 28.—Of True Religion and of Nature. Whether Fortune is a Goddess, and of…
- Chap. 29.—Of Fortune Again, and Virtue
- Chap. 30.—The Conclusion of the Things Before Spoken; and by What Means We Must…
- Book 4
- Chap. 1.—Of the Former Religion of Men, and How Error Was Spread Over Every…
- Chap. 2.—Where Wisdom is to Be Found; Why Pythagoras and Plato Did Not Approach…
- Chap. 3.—Wisdom and Religion Cannot Be Separated: the Lord of Nature Must…
- 4. Of wisdom likewise, and religion, and of the right of father and lord
- Chap. 5.—The Oracles of the Prophets Must Be Looked Into; and of Their Times…
- Chap. 6.—Almighty God Begat His Son; and the Testimonies of the Sibyls and of…
- Chap. 7.—Of the Name of Son, and Whence He is Called Jesus and Christ
- Chap. 8.—Of the Birth of Jesus in the Spirit and in the Flesh: of Spirits and…
- Chap. 9.—Of the Word of God
- Chap. 10.—Of the Advent of Jesus; Of the Fortunes of the Jews, and Their…
- Chap. 11.—Of the Cause of the Incarnation of Christ
- Chap. 12.—Of the Birth of Jesus From the Virgin; of His Life, Death, and…
- Chap. 13.—Of Jesus, God and Man; and the Testimonies of the Prophets Concerning…
- Chap. 14.—Of the Priesthood of Jesus Foretold by the Prophets
- Chap. 15.—Of the Life and Miracles of Jesus, and Testimonies Concerning Them
- Chap. 16.—Of the Passion of Jesus Christ; That it Was Foretold
- Chap. 17.—Of the Superstitions of the Jews, and Their Hatred Against Jesus
- Chap. 18.—Of the Lord’s Passion, and That it Was Foretold
- Chap. 19.—Of the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus; and the Predictions…
- Chap. 20.—Of the Departure of Jesus Into Galilee After His Resurrection; and of…
- Chap. 21.—Of the Ascension of Jesus, and the Foretelling of it; and of the…
- Chap. 22.—Arguments of Unbelievers Against the Incarnation of Jesus
- Chap. 23.—Of Giving Precepts, and Acting
- Chap. 24.—The Overthrowing of the Arguments Above Urged by Way of Objection
- Chap. 25.—Of the Advent of Jesus in the Flesh and Spirit, That He Might Be…
- Chap. 26.—Of the Cross, and Other Tortures of Jesus, and of the Figure of the…
- Chap. 27.—Of the Wonders Effected by the Power of the Cross, and of Demons
- Chap. 28.—Of Hope and True Religion, and of Superstition
- Chap. 29.—Of the Christian Religion, and of the Union of Jesus With the Father
- Chap. 30.—Of Avoiding Heresies and Superstitions, and What is the Only True…
- Book 5. Of Justice
- Chap. 1.—Of the Non-condemnation of Accused Persons Without a Hearing of Their…
- Chap. 2.—To What an Extent the Christian Truth Has Been Assailed by Rash Men
- Chap. 3.—Of the Truth of the Christian Doctrine, and the Vanity of its…
- Chap. 4.—Why This Work Was Published, and Again of Tertullian and Cyprian
- Chap. 5.—there Was True Justice Under Saturnus, but it Was Banished by Jupiter
- Chap. 6.—After the Banishment of Justice, Lust, Unjust Laws, Daring, Avarice…
- Chap. 7.—Of the Coming of Jesus, and its Fruit; and of the Virtues and Vices of…
- Chap. 8.—Of Justice Known to All, but Not Embraced; of the True Temple of God…
- Chap. 9.—Of the Crimes of the Wicked, and the Torture Inflicted on the…
- Chap. 10.—Of False Piety, and of False and True Religion
- Chap 11.—Of the Cruelty of the Heathens Against the Christians
- Chap. 12.—Of True Virtue; and of the Estimation of a Good or Bad Citizen
- 13. Of the increase and the punishment of the Christians
- Chap. 14.—Of the Fortitude of the Christians
- Chap. 15.—Of Folly, Wisdom, Piety, Equity, and Justice
- Chap. 16.—Of the Duties of the Just Man, and the Equity of Christians
- Chap. 17.—Of the Equity, Wisdom, and Foolishness of Christians
- Chap. 18.—Of Justice, Wisdom, and Folly
- Chap. 19.—Of Virtue and the Tortures of Christians, and of the Right of a…
- Chap. 20.—Of the Vanity and Crimes, Impious Superstitions, and of the Tortures…
- Chap. 21.—Of the Worship of Other Gods and the True God, and of the Animals…
- Chap. 22.—Of the Rage of the Demons Against Christians, and the Error of…
- Chap. 23.—Of the Justice and Patience of the Christians
- Chap. 24.—Of the Divine Vengeance Inflicted on the Torturers of the Christians
- Book 6. Of True Worship
- Chap. 1.—Of the Worship of the True God, and of Innocency, and of the Worship…
- Chap. 2.—Of the Worship of False Gods and the True God
- Chap. 3.—Of the Ways, and of Vices and Virtues; and of the Rewards of Heaven…
- Chap. 4.—Of the Ways of Life, of Pleasures, Also of the Hardships of Christians
- Chap. 5.—Of False and True Virtue; and of Knowledge
- Chap. 6.—Of the Chief Good and Virtue, and or Knowledge and Righteousness
- Chap. 7.—Of the Way of Error and of Truth: That It is Single, Narrow, and…
- Chap. 8.—Of the Errors of Philosophers, and the Variableness of Law
- Chap. 9.—Of the Law and Precept of God; of Mercy, and the Error of the…
- Chap. 10.—Of Religion Towards God, and Mercy Towards Men; and of the Beginning…
- Chap. 11.—Of the Persons Upon Whom a Benefit is to Be Conferred
- Chap. 12.—Of the Kinds of Beneficence, and Works of Mercy
- Chap. 13.—Of Repentance, of Mercy, and the Forgiveness of Sins
- Chap. 14.—Of the Affections, and the Opinion of the Stoics Respecting Them; and…
- Chap. 15.—Of the Affections, and the Opinion of the Peripatetics Respecting Them
- Chap. 16.—Of the Affections, and the Refutation of the Opinion of the…
- Chap. 17.—Of the Affections and Their Use; of Patience, and the Chief Good of…
- Chap. 18.—Of Some Commands of God, and of Patience
- Chap. 19.—Of the Affections and Their Use; and of the Three Furies
- Chap. 20.—Of the Senses, and Their Pleasures in the Brutes and in Man; and of…
- Chap. 21.—Of the Pleasures of the Ears, and of Sacred Literature
- Chap. 22.—Of the Pleasures of Taste and Smell
- Chap. 23.—De Tactus Voluptate Et Libidine, Atque De Matrimonio Et Continentiâ
- Chap. 24.—Of Repentance, of Pardon, and the Commands of God
- Chap. 25.—Of Sacrifice, and of an Offering Worthy of God, and of the Form of…
- Book 7. Of a Happy Life
- Chap. 1.—Of the World, and Those Who Are About to Believe, and Those Who Are…
- Chap. 2.—Of the Error of the Philosophers, and of the Divine Wisdom, and of the…
- Chap. 3.—Of Nature, and of the World; and a Censure of the Stoics and Epicureans
- Chap. 4.—That All Things Were Created for Some Use, Even Those Things Which…
- Chap. 5.—Of the Creation of Man, and of the Arrangement of the World, and of…
- Chap. 6.—Why the World and Man Were Created. How Unprofitable is the Worship of…
- Chap. 7.—Of the Variety of Philosophers, and Their Truth
- Chap. 8.—Of the Immortality of the Soul
- Chap. 9.—Of the Immortality of the Soul, and of Virtue
- Chap. 10.—Of Vices and Virtues, and of Life and Death
- Chap. 11.—Of the Last Times, and of the Soul and Body
- Chap. 12.—Of the Soul and the Body, and of Their Union and Separation and Return
- Chap. 13.—Of the Soul, and the Testimonies Concerning its Eternity
- Chap. 14.—Of the First and Last Times of the World
- Chap. 15.—Of the Devastation of the World and Change of the Empires
- Chap. 16.—Of the Devastation of the World, and its Prophetic Omens
- Chap. 17.—Of the False Prophet, and the Hardships of the Righteous, and His…
- Chap. 18.—Of the Fortunes of the World at the Last Time, and of the Things…
- Chap. 19.—Of the Advent of Christ to Judgment, and of the Overcoming of the…
- Chap. 20.—Of the Judgment of Christ, of Christians, and of the Soul
- Chap. 21.—Of the Torments and Punishments of Souls
- Chap. 22.—Of the Error of the Poets, and the Return of the Soul From the Lower…
- Chap. 23.—Of the Resurrection of the Soul, and the Proofs of This Fact
- Chap. 24.—Of the Renewed World
- Chap. 25.—Of the Last Times, and of the City of Rome
- Chap. 26.—Of the Loosing of the Devil, and of the Second and Greatest Judgment
- Chap. 27.—An Encouragement and Confirmation of the Pious
- The Epitome of the Divine Institutes
- Introduction
- The Preface.—The Plan and Purport of the Whole Epitome, and of the Institutions
- Chap. 1.—Of the Divine Providence
- Chap. 2.—That There is but One God, and That There Cannot Be More
- Chap. 3.—The Testimonies of the Poets Concerning the One God
- Chap. 4.—The Testimonies of the Philosophers to the Unity of God
- Chap. 5.—That the Prophetic Women—that is, the Sibyls—declare That There is but…
- Chap. 6.—Since God is Eternal and Immortal, He Does Not Stand in Need of Sex…
- Chap. 7.—Of the Wicked Life and Death of Hercules
- Chap. 8.—Of Æsculapius, Apollo, Mars, Castor and Pollux, and of Mercurius and…
- Chap. 9.—Of the Disgraceful Deeds of the Gods
- Chap. 10.—Of Jupiter, and His Licentious Life
- Chap. 11.—The Various Emblems Under Which the Poets Veiled the Turpitude of…
- Chap. 12.—The Poets Do Not Invent All Those Things Which Relate to the Gods
- Chap. 13.—The Actions of Jupiter Are Related From the Historian Euhemerus
- Chap. 14.—The Actions of Saturnus and Uranus Taken From the Historians
- Chap. 20.—Of the Gods Peculiar to the Romans
- Chap. 21.—Of the Sacred Rites of the Roman Gods
- Chap. 22.—Of the Sacred Rites Introduced by Faunus and Numa
- Chap. 23.—Of the Gods and Sacred Rites of the Barbarians
- Chap. 24.—Of the Origin of Sacred Rites and Superstitions
- Chap. 25.—Of the Golden Age, of Images, and Prometheus, Who First Fashioned Man
- Chap. 26.—Of the Worship of the Elements and Stars
- Chap. 27.—Of the Creation, Sin, and Punishment of Man; and of Angels, Both Good…
- Chap. 28.—Of the Demons, and Their Evil Practices
- Chap. 29.—Of the Patience and Providence of God
- Chap. 30.—Of False Wisdom
- Chap. 31.—Of Knowledge and Supposition
- Chap. 32.—Of the Sects of Philosophers, and Their Disagreement
- Chap. 33.—What is the Chief Good to Be Sought in Life
- Chap. 34.—That Men Are Born to Justice
- Chap. 35.—That Immortality is the Chief Good
- Chap. 36.—Of the Philosophers,—namely, Epicurus and Pythagoras
- Chap. 37.—Of Socrates and His Contradiction
- Chap. 38.—Of Plato, Whose Doctrine Approaches More Nearly to the Truth
- Chap. 39.—Of Various Philosophers, and of the Antipodes
- Chap. 40.—Of the Foolishness of the Philosophers
- Chap. 41.—Of True Religion and Wisdom
- Chap. 42.—Of Religious Wisdom: the Name of Christ Known to None, Except Himself…
- Chap. 43.—Of the Name of Jesus Christ, and His Twofold Nativity
- Chap. 44.—The Twofold Nativity of Christ is Proved From the Prophets
- Chap. 45.—The Power and Works of Christ Are Proved From the Scriptures
- Chap. 46.—It is Proved From the Prophets That the Passion and Death of Christ…
- Chap. 47.—Of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Sending of the Apostles, and…
- Chap. 48.—Of the Disinheriting of the Jews, and the Adoption of the Gentiles
- Chap. 49.—That God is One Only
- Chap. 50.—Why God Assumed a Mortal Body, and Suffered Death
- Chap. 51.—Of the Death of Christ on the Cross
- Chap. 52.—The Hope of the Salvation of Men Consists in the Knowledge of the…
- Chap. 53.—The Reasons of the Hatred Against the Christians Are Examined and…
- Chap. 54.—Of the Freedom of Religion in the Worship of God
- Chap. 55.—The Heathens Charge Justice With Impiety in Following God
- Chap. 56.—Of Justice, Which is the Worship of the True God
- Chap. 57.—Of Wisdom and Foolishness
- Chap. 58.—Of the True Worship of God, and Sacrifice
- Chap. 59.—Of the Ways of Life, and the First Times of the World
- Chap. 60.—Of the Duties of Justice
- Chap. 61.—Of the Passions
- Chap. 62.—Of Restraining the Pleasures of the Senses
- Chap. 63.—That Shows Are Most Powerful to Corrupt the Minds
- Chap. 64.—The Passions Are to Be Subdued, and We Must Abstain From Forbidden…
- Chap. 65.—Precepts About Those Things Which Are Commanded, and of Pity
- Chap. 66.—Of Faith in Religion, and of Fortitude
- Chap. 67.—Of Repentance, the Immortality of the Soul, and of Providence
- Chap. 68.—Of the World, Man, and the Providence of God
- Chap. 69.—That the World Was Made on Account of Man, and Man on Account of God
- Chap. 70.—The Immortality of the Soul is Confirmed
- Chap. 71.—Of the Last Times
- Chap. 72.—Of Christ Descending From Heaven to the General Judgment, and of the…
- Chap. 73.—The Hope of Safety is in the Religion and Worship of God
- Elucidations