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The Epitome of the Divine Institutes

Lactantius

Chapter 58

About this work

A condensed presentation of Lactantius’s apologetic project, summarizing his case against pagan worship and his account of divine providence, true religion, justice, and Christian hope.

Author: Lactantius
Date: Early 4th century
Origin: Nicomedia or Gaul
Genre: Apology

Chap. LVIII.—Of the True Worship of God, and Sacrifice.

I have spoken of justice, what was

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its

nature

.

It

follows

that

I

show

what

is

true

sacrifice

to

God

,

what

is

the

most

just

manner

of

worshipping

Him

,

lest

any

one

should

think

that

victims

,

or

odours

,

or

precious

gifts

,

are

desired

by

God

,

who

,

if

He

is

not

subject

to

hunger

,

and

thirst

,

and

cold

,

and

desire

of

all

earthly

things

,

does

not

therefore

make

use

of

all

these

things

which

are

presented

in

temples

and

to

gods

of

earth

;

but

as

corporeal

offerings

are

necessary

for

corporeal

beings

,

so

manifestly

an

incorporeal

sacrifice

is

necessary

for

an

incorporeal

being

.

But

God

has

no

need

of

those

things

which

He

has

given

to

man

for

his

use

,

since

all

the

earth

is

under

His

power

:

He

needs

not

a

temple

,

since

the

world

is

His

dwelling

;

He

needs

not

an

image

,

since

He

is

incomprehensible

both

to

the

eyes

and

to

the

mind

;

He

needs

not

earthly

lights

,

for

He

was

able

to

kindle

the

light

of

the

sun

,

with

the

other

stars

,

for

the

use

of

man

.

What

then

does

God

require

from

man

but

worship

of

the

mind

,

which

is

pure

and

holy

?

For

those

things

which

are

made

by

the

hands

,

or

are

outside

of

man

,

are

senseless

,

frail

,

and

displeasing

.

This

is

true

sacrifice

,

which

is

brought

forth

not

from

the

chest

but

from

the

heart

;

not

that

which

is

offered

by

the

hand

,

but

by

the

mind

.

This

is

the

acceptable

victim

,

which

the

mind

sacrifices

of

itself

.

For

what

do

victims

bestow

?

What

does

incense

?

What

do

garments

?

What

does

silver

?

What

gold

?

What

precious

stones

,

—

if

there

is

not

a

pure

mind

on

the

part

of

the

worshipper

?

Therefore

it

is

justice

only

which

God

requires

.

In

this

is

sacrifice

;

in

this

the

worship

of

God

,

respecting

which

I

must

now

speak

,

and

show

in

what

works

justice

must

necessarily

be

contained

.