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Lactantius

The Epitome of the Divine Institutes

The Preface.—The plan and purport of the whole Epitome, and of the Institutions

Chap. I.—Of the divine providence

Chap. II.—That there is but one God, and that there cannot be more

Chap. III.—The testimonies of the poets concerning the one God

Chap. IV.—The testimonies of the philosophers to the unity of God

Chap. V.—That the prophetic women—that is, the Sibyls—declare that there is but one God

Chap. VI.—Since God is eternal and immortal, he does not stand in need of sex and succession

Chap. VII.—Of the wicked life and death of Hercules

Chap. VIII.—Of Æsculapius, Apollo, Mars, Castor and Pollux, and of Mercurius and Bacchus

Chap. IX.—Of the disgraceful deeds of the gods

Chap. X.—Of Jupiter, and his licentious life

Chap. XI.—The various emblems under which the poets veiled the turpitude of Jupiter

Chap. XII.—The poets do not invent all those things which relate to the gods

Chap. XIII.—The actions of Jupiter are related from the historian Euhemerus

Chap. XIV.—The actions of Saturnus and Uranus taken from the historians

Chap. XX.—Of the gods peculiar to the Romans

Chap. XXI.—Of the sacred rites of the Roman gods

Chap. XXII.—Of the sacred rites Introduced by Faunus and Numa

Chap. XXIII.—Of the Gods and sacred rites of the barbarians

Chap. XXIV.—Of the origin of sacred rites and superstitions

Chap. XXV.—Of the golden age, of images, and Prometheus, who first fashioned man

Chap. XXVI.—Of the worship of the elements and stars

Chap. XXVII.—Of the creation, sin, and punishment of man; and of angels, both good and bad

Chap. XXVIII.—Of the demons, and their evil practices

Chap. XXIX.—Of the patience and providence of God

Chap. XXX.—Of false wisdom

Chap. XXXI.—Of knowledge and supposition

Chap. XXXII.—Of the sects of philosophers, and their disagreement

Chap. XXXIII.—What is the chief good to be sought in life

Chap. XXXIV.—That men are born to justice

Chap. XXXV.—That immortality is the chief good

Chap. XXXVI.—Of the philosophers,—namely, Epicurus and Pythagoras

Chap. XXXVII.—Of Socrates and his contradiction

Chap. XXXVIII.—Of Plato, whose doctrine approaches more nearly to the truth

Chap. XXXIX.—Of various philosophers, and of the antipodes

Chap. XL.—Of the foolishness of the philosophers

Chap. XLI.—Of true religion and wisdom

Chap. XLII.—Of religious wisdom: the name of Christ known to none, except himself and his father

Chap. XLIII.—Of the name of Jesus Christ, and his twofold nativity

Chap. XLIV.—The twofold nativity of Christ is proved from the prophets

Chap. XLV.—The power and works of Christ are proved from the scriptures

Chap. XLVI.—It is proved from the prophets that the passion and death of Christ had been foretold

Chap. XLVII.—Of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the sending of the apostles, and the ascension of the saviour into heaven

Chap. XLVIII.—Of the disinheriting of the Jews, and the adoption of the Gentiles

Chap. XLIX.—That God is one only

Chap. L.—Why God assumed a mortal body, and suffered death

Chap. LI.—Of the death of Christ on the cross

Chap. LII.—The hope of the salvation of men consists in the knowledge of the true God, and of the hatred of the heathens against the Christians

Chap. LIII.—The reasons of the hatred against the Christians are examined and refuted

Chap. LIV.—Of the freedom of religion in the worship of God

Chap. LV.—The heathens charge justice with impiety in following God

Chap. LVI.—Of justice, which is the worship of the true God

Chap. LVII.—Of wisdom and foolishness

Chap. LVIII.—Of the true worship of God, and sacrifice

Chap. LIX.—Of the ways of life, and the first times of the world

Chap. LX.—Of the duties of justice

Chap. LXI.—Of the passions

Chap. LXII.—Of restraining the pleasures of the senses

Chap. LXIII.—That shows are most powerful to corrupt the minds

Chap. LXIV.—The passions are to be subdued, and we must abstain from forbidden things

Chap. LXV.—Precepts about those things which are commanded, and of pity

Chap. LXVI.—Of faith in religion, and of fortitude

Chap. LXVII.—Of repentance, the immortality of the soul, and of providence

Chap. LXVIII.—Of the world, man, and the providence of God

Chap. LXIX.—That the world was made on account of man, and man on account of God

Chap. LXX.—The immortality of the soul is confirmed

Chap. LXXI.—Of the last times

Chap. LXXII.—Of Christ descending from heaven to the general judgment, and of the millenarian reign

Chap. LXXIII.—The hope of safety is in the religion and worship of God

Elucidations