Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Commodianus/The Instructions of Commodianus/Chapter 58

LVII.&#8212;That Worldly Things are Absolutely to Be Avoided.

If certain teachers, while looking for your gifts or fearing your persons, relax individual things to you, not only do I not grieve, but I am compelled to speak the truth.&#160; Thou art going to vain shows with the crowd of the evil one, where Satan is at work in the circus with din.&#160; Thou persuadest thyself that everything that shall please thee is lawful.&#160; Thou art the offspring of the Highest, mingled with the sons of the devil.&#160; Dost thou wish to see the former things which thou hast renounced?&#160; Art thou again conversant with them?&#160; What shall the Anointed One profit thee?&#160; Or if it is permitted, on account of weakness, that thou foolishly profane&#8230;Love not the world, nor its contents.&#160; Such is God&#8217;s word, and it seems good to thee.&#160; Thou observest man&#8217;s command, and shunnest God&#8217;s.&#160; Thou trustedst to the gift whereby the teachers shut up their mouths, that they may be silent, and not tell thee the divine commands; while I speak the truth, as thou art bound look to the Highest.&#160; Assign thyself as a follower to Him whose son thou wast.&#160; If thou seekest to live, being a believing man, as do the Gentiles, the joys of the world remove thee from the grace of Christ.&#160; With an undisciplined mind thou seekest what thou presumest to be easily lawful, both thy dear actors and their musical strains; nor carest thou that the offspring of such an one should babble follies.&#160; While thou thinkest that thou art enjoying life, thou art improvidently erring.&#160; The Highest commands, and thou shunnest His righteous precepts.