Theo. Thou mayest be sure that he wan many by that practise. For the ambitious, ⟨image 46⟩glorious, and covetous, which desired honours, riches, and offices in the court, and to be heaved up into high dignity, sought to please him, perceiving that they were most made of that most favoured his religion, and were farthest from the Christian religion, which this Apostate hated to the death. But notwithstanding all these practises, he could not win so many by this means as he desired: for, by reason that there were many Christian Emperors before him, since Constantine the great, the number of the Christians was greatly increased, in so much that Julians Court was full, and the greatest part of his officers & servants were Christians. For this cause he used a more subtle craft and dangerous sleight,1 to deceive the most virtuous, & those which most feared God, and his religion. For he knew that good life and holy conversation would much move the people. And because y• Pastors, and Ministers of the Christians, were then of very upright life and holy conversation, and that by their example they stirred and drew men to their religion, and to fellow their doctrine, and also confirmed those more which had already received their religion, ⟨image 47⟩he went about to reform the state and lives of the Priests and religious men of the Paynims,2 and their Gods & Idols, after the example of the Pastors and Ministers of the Christians. And this he did, to the end that the Christians should cast the Gentiles in teeth, with the wicked life of their Priests and Ministers, neither that the Gentiles being offended therewith, should be moved to forsake their heathnish religion, and become Christians. For they that have any spark of the fear of God, yea the very superstitious and Idolaters, mislike their Pastors and Ministers of what religion so ever they be, when they perceive their wicked and vicious life. For even the wicked them selves,3 look for better life then their own at their hands whom they esteem to be their guides, & to have administration of things which they think holy. And therefore they require of such persons a straighter and uprighter life than their own or any other. For they think they have more liberty then they that ought to be the example & rule of their life.
Theo. Thou maiest be sure that he wan many by that practise. For the ambicious, ⟨image 46⟩glorious, and couetous, whiche desired honours, riches, and offices in the court, and to be heaued vp into high dignitie, sought to please hym, perceiuyng that thei were most made of that most fauoured his religion, and were farthest from the Christian religion, whiche this Apostata hated to the death. But notwithstandyng all these practises, he could not winne so many by this meanes as he desired: for, by reason that there were many Christian Emperours before hym, since Constantine the greate, the nomber of the Christians was greatly encreased, in so muche that Iulians Courte was full, and the greatest parte of his officers & seruantes were Christians. For this cause he vsed a more subtill craft and dangerous sleight,1 to deceiue the most vertuous, & those which most feared God, and his religion. For he knewe that good life and holie conuersation would muche moue the people. And because y• Pastors, and Ministers of the Christians, were thē of very vpright life and holie conuersatiō, and that by their example thei stirred and drewe men to their religion, and to fellow their doctrine, and also confirmed those more which had already receiued their religion, ⟨image 47⟩he went about to reforme the state and liues of the Priestes and religious mē of the Paynims,2 and their Gods & Idols, after the example of the Pastors and Ministers of the Christians. And this he did, to the ende that the Christians should cast the Gentiles in teeth, with the wicked life of their Priestes and Ministers, neither that the Gētiles being offended therwith, should be moued to forsake their heathnish religion, and become Christians. For thei that haue any sparke of the feare of God, yea the very superstitious and Idolaters, mislike their Pastours and Ministers of what religion so euer thei be, whē thei perceiue their wicked and vicious life. For euen the wicked them selues,3 looke for better life then their own at their hands whō thei esteeme to bee their guides, & to haue administratiō of thinges which thei think holie. And therefore thei require of suche persons a straighter and vprighter life thē their own or any other. For thei think thei haue more libertie then thei that ought to be the example & rule of their life.
- 1Christians in Julians CourtChristians in Iulians Court
- 2Another subtlety of Julian to make men have the better devotion to the heathen religion.Another subtilty of Iulian to make men haue the better deuotion to the heathen religion.
- 3The offence of the evil life of PastorsThe offence of the euill life of Pastors
