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On Idolatry

Chapter XIII.--Of the Observance of Days Connected with Idolatry.

But why speak of sacrifices and priesthoods? Of spectacles, moreover, and pleasures of that kind, we have already filled a volume of their own. ¹ In this place must be handled the subject of holidays and other extraordinary solemnities, which we accord sometimes to our wantonness, sometimes to our timidity, in opposition to the common faith and Discipline. The first point, indeed, on which I shall join issue is this: whether a servant of God ought to share with the very nations themselves in matters of his kind either in dress, or in food, or in any other kind of their gladness. "To rejoice with the rejoicing, and grieve with the grieving," ² is said about brethren by the apostle when exhorting to unanimity. But, for these purposes, "There is nought of communion between light and darkness," ³ between life and death or else we rescind what is written, "The world shall rejoice, but ye shall grieve." ⁴ If we rejoice with the world, there is reason to fear that with the world we shall grieve too. But when the world rejoices, let us grieve; and when the world afterward grieves, we shall rejoice. Thus, too, Eleazar ⁵ in Hades, ⁶ (attaining refreshment in Abraham's bosom) and the rich man, (on the other hand, set in the torment of fire) compensate, by an answerable retribution, their alternate vicissitudes of evil and good. There are certain gift-days, which with some adjust the claim of honour, with others the debt of wages. "Now, then," you say, "I shall receive back what is mine, or pay back what is another's." If men have consecrated for themselves this custom from superstition, why do you, estranged as you are from all their vanity, participate in solemnities consecrated to idols; as if for you also there were some prescript about a day, short of the observance of a particular day, to prevent your paying or receiving what you owe a man, or what is owed you by a man? Give me the form after which you wish to be dealt with. For why should you skulk withal, when you contaminate your own conscience by your neighbour's ignorance? If you are not unknown to be a Christian, you are tempted, and you act as if you were not a Christian against your neighbour's conscience; if, however, you shall be disguised withal, ⁷ you are the slave of the temptation. At all events, whether in the latter or the former way, you are guilty of being "ashamed of God." ⁸ But "whosoever shall be ashamed of Me in the presence of men, of him will I too be ashamed," says He, "in the presence of my Father who is in the heavens." ⁹

[See Elucid. X. p. 59, supra.]

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De Idololatria

XIII.

[1] Sed de sacrificiis et sacerdotiis quid loquar ? De spectaculis autem et uoluptatibus eiusmodi suum iam uolumen impleuimus. Hoc loco retractari oportet de festis diebus et aliis extraordinariis sollemnitatibus, quas interdum lasciuiae, interdum timiditati nostrae subscribimus aduersus fidem disciplinamque communicantes nationibus in idolicis rebus. [2] De hoc quidem primo consistam, an cum ipsis quoque nationibus communicare in huiusmodi seruus dei debeat siue habitu siue uictu uel quo alio genere laetitiae earum. Gaudere cum gaudentibus et lugere cum lugentibus de fratribus dictum est ab apostolo ad unanimitatem cohortante. [3] Ceterum ad haec nihil communionis est lumini et tenebris, uitae et morti, aut scindimus quod est scriptum : saeculum gaudebit, uos uero lugebitis. Si cum saeculo gaudemus, uerendum est, ne cum saeculo et lugeamus. [4] Saeculo autem gaudente lugeamus et saeculo postea lugente gaudebimus. Sic et Eleazar apud inferos in sinu Abrahae refrigerium consecutus, contra diues in tormento ignis constitutus alternas malorum et bonorum uices aemula retributione compensant. Sunt quidam dies munerum, quae apud alios honoris titulum, apud alios mercedis debitum expungunt. [5] Nunc ergo, inquis, recipiam meum uel rependam alienum. Si hunc morem sibi homines de superstitione consecrauerunt, tu extraneus ab omni eorum uanitate quid participas idolothyta sollemnia, quasi tibi quoque praescriptum sit de die, quominus id, quod homini debes uel tibi ab homine debetur, citra diei obseruationem luas uel recipias. [6] Da formam, in qua uelis agi tecum. Cur enim et lateas, cum ignorantia alterius tuam conscientiam contamines ? Si non ignoraris quod sis Christianus, temptaris et contra conscientiam alterius agis tamquam non Christianus : sin uero et dissimulaueris, temptatus addictus es. Certe siue hac siue illac, reus es confusionis in deo. Qui autem confusus super me fuerit penes homines, et ego confundar super illo, inquit, penes patrem meum, qui est in caelis.