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constantine. I. The Life of Constantine. II. The Oration of Constantine. III. The Oration of Eusebius · The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine, by Eusebius Pamphilus · Chapter XLII

An Earnest Exhortation to worship God

Page 449 of 692

"And now, since it appears by the clearest and most convincing evidence, that the miseries which erewhile oppressed the entire human race are now banished from every part of the world, through the power of Almighty God, and at the same time the counsel and aid which he is pleased on many occasions to administer through our agency; it remains for all, both individually and unitedly, to observe and seriously consider how great this power and how efficacious this grace are, which have annihilated and utterly destroyed this generation, as I may call them, of most wicked and evil men; have restored joy to the good, and diffused it over all countries; and now guarantee the fullest authority both to honor the Divine law as it should be honored, with all reverence, and pay due observance to those who have dedicated themselves to the service of that law. These rising as from some dark abyss and, with an enlightened knowledge of the present course of events, will henceforward render to its precepts that becoming reverence and honor which are consistent with their pious character.

Let this ordinance be published in our Eastern provinces."3189

Notes

  1. 3189

    [This seems to be the subscription or signature in the emperor's own handwriting, which is referred to at the end of ch. 23.—Bag.]

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Volume 1, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (1890–1900). Public domain. Text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.