Lactantius

Name: Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus — Chap. XI
Author: Lactantius

Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (1885)

Summary

“Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus — Chap. XI”, published in 1885, is a work by Lactantius. It explores elements such as gods, power and poet.

Quotes from Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (Lactantius)

Lactantius, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (1885)

“ We have sufficiently taught, as I think, in our Institutions, that there cannot be many gods; because, if the divine energy and power be distributed among several, it must necessarily be diminished. But that which is lessened is plainly mortal; but if He is not mortal, He can neither be lessened nor divided. Therefore there is but one God, in whom complete energy and power can neither be lessened nor increased. But if there are many, while they separately have something of power and authority, the sum itself decreases ”

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Source: Wikisource

Lactantius, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (1885)

“ Truly it would be a long task to follow up the opinions of all separately, who, although they used different names, nevertheless agreed in one power which governed the world. But, however, though philosophers and poets, and those, in short, who worship the gods, often acknowledge the Supreme God, yet no one ever inquired into, no one discussed, the subject of His worship and honours; with that persuasion, in truth, with which, always believing Him to be bounteous and incorruptible, they think [10] that He is neither angry with any one, nor stands in need of any worship. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Lactantius, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (1885)

“ There cannot therefore be many rulers in this world, nor many masters in one house, nor many pilots in one ship, nor many leaders in one herd or flock, nor many queens in one swarm. But there could not have been many suns in heaven, as there are not several souls in one body; so entirely does the whole of nature agree in unity. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Lactantius, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (1885)

“ And stirs the mighty whole,” [1]
it is evident from the testimony of the poet, that there is one God who inhabits the world, since the whole body cannot be inhabited and governed except by one mind. Therefore all divine power must be in one person, by whose will and command all things are ruled; and therefore He is so great, that He cannot be described in words by man, or estimated by the senses. From what source, therefore, did the opinion or persuasion [2] respecting many gods come to men? ”

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Source: Wikisource

Lactantius, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (1885)

“ Without doubt, all those who are worshipped as gods were men, and were also the earliest and greatest kings; but who is ignorant that they were invested with divine honours after death, either on account of the virtue by which they had profited the race of men, or that they obtained immortal memory on account of the benefits and inventions by which they had adorned human life? ”

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Source: Wikisource

Lactantius, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (1885)

“ Pythagoras also admits that there is but one God, saying that there is an incorporeal mind, which, being diffused and stretched through all nature, gives vital perception to all living creatures; but Antisthenes, in his Physics, said that there was but one natural God, although the nations and cities have gods of their own people. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Lactantius, Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (1885)

“ And this he proclaimed not with dissimulation as an Academic, but truly and in accordance with the feeling of his mind, because the truth cannot be uprooted from human perceptions: that which the foresight of man was able to attain to, he attained to, that he might expose false things. ”

Lactantius

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Quotes from Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VI, A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus… (Lactantius)

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