Page:The Net of Faith.pdf/417

104* and they his pagan things. Sylvester who wanted him to join the faith did not insist that the Emperor give up everything pagan if he desired to become a Christian; no, instead he was admitted with all that poison among the Christians.

Even though he became a Christian, he still ruled over the pagans, for, although there was a true congregation of Christians in Rome, there were also all kinds of pagans. He held courts and discharged other offices and duties among the pagans, through the authority of compulsion in accordance with pagan right and law. Later he gave freedom to all of them to be come Christian if they so desired, with the promise that he would not persecute them as he had before. So: first he came to the Christian religion with pagan rule, offices and laws, then he continued in that practice, and many others after him, taking part in Christian spiritual matters. And there can be no doubt but that he made them partake of pagan features with which he came to them

Here is the proof of pagandeedspagan deeds [sic]: let him who wants to read reckon the number of the beast, and seeking he shall find nothing (in the beast) that is of Christ. Concerning Caesar's fusion of faith with paganism it is written: "Today the poison has been poured into the Church of Christ."

Rev. 13:18. With Irenaeus and many others, Chelc̄icky̍ interprets the beast to stand for the power of Rome.

See ,