Page:The religion of Plutarch, a pagan creed of apostolic times; an essay (IA religionofplutar00oakeiala).pdf/137

 it of that salutary effect which its immediate infliction would have upon the sinner, who regards it as accidental, and not necessarily connected with his crimes. The fault of a horse is corrected if bit and lash be applied at once; but all the beating and backing and shouting in the world at a later time will only injure his physique without improving his character. "So that I am quite unable to see what good is done by those Mills of God which are said to grind so late, since their delay brings justice to naught, and thus deprives vice of its restraining fear."

Plutarch, before replying to these weighty arguments, preaches a short and eloquent sermon on the text, "God moves in a mysterious way." His thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor His ways our ways. We must imitate the philosophic caution of the Academy. Men who never saw a battle may talk of military affairs, or discuss music who never played a note; "but it is a different thing for mere men like ourselves to peer too closely into matters that concern Divine Natures; just as if unskilled laymen were to try to penetrate the intention of an artist, the meaning of a physician's treatment, the inner significance of a legal enactment, by fanciful guesses and surmises It is easier for a mortal to make no definite assertion about the gods, but just this—that He knows best the proper. ]after [Greek: rhadion] with . 549 F.].]