from Heaven's almighty ruling hand. His precise words are,—
"The events which befall men are consequent upon the tenor of their lives. Pestilence, sedition, famine, and plenty are all regulated with reference to our course of life."[1]
In regard to the philosophers, who search into the secrets of nature, he remarks, that they often obscure the truth, when the subject of their reasoning surpasses their powers. So Socrates played constantly with the subtleties of controversy. And Plato, although he was sound in asserting that the word (logos) is God, and also the Son of God, yet he errs by introducing a plurality of gods. Pythagoras lied when he said that his knowledge came directly as a revelation from God, for he received it from the Egyptian priests.
"The soul of man is eternal," says Constantine; "but all things which had a beginning must have an end."
The coming of Christ, he asserts, was predicted by the prophets, the sibyls, and sublime poets. Even Virgil refers to the Christians, where he sings,—
"Behold a new, a heaven-born race appears."
And again,—
"Begin, Sicilian Muse, a loftier strain,
The voice of Cuma's oracle is heard again."
"See where the circling years new blessings bring;
The virgin comes, and He, the long-wished king."
"Beneath whose reign, the iron offspring ends,—
And golden progeny from Heaven descends."
"His kingdom banished Virtue shall restore,
And Crime shall threat the guilty world no more."
—See Dryden's Virgil, Ecl. 4.
- ↑ He trusted in Providence, like Cromwell, and had a standing army of 300,000 men, and twenty-nine naval squadrons.
