Page:The Net of Faith.pdf/425

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There are so many different kinds of pagan peculiarities that it would take too long to dwell on each one of them. But in speaking about some of them (I would like to say a few words) as regards the respect and honor of the chief lord (Emperor) who purports to rule justly and honestly over the Christians, for the sake of their improvement and for good example. (For the Christians should excell, by virtue of their vocation, in their holy intercourse above all Gentiles and Jews).

The corruption of the original honesty being brought about by Constantine and his successors who, desiring to be Christian as well as the most important lords among the fellow Christians, are bound to be honored by the highest divine respect especially by the Christians themselves; at the same time, they stand in their midst with greatest licentiousness and with the utmost contrariness against God, to the profound detriment of faith. (The Emperor) keeps in his company courtiers and servants of a life most depraved, and distasteful to a Christian, of most wicked thievery, dishonest, shameless, full of haughtiness and cruelty, who want to possess anything upon which their eyes 108*