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Lactantius: The Divine Institutes, Books I–VII is unavailable, but you can change that!

The most important writing of Lactantius, The Divine Institutes was written between 303 and 311. Intended to point out the futility of pagan beliefs juxtaposed next to the reasonableness and truth of Christianity, this major work is one of the earliest systematic apologetic works written. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “It was the first attempt at a systematic exposition of Christian...

even is not at all bad, what will that moderation avail us? I ask whether they think a wise man ought to rejoice if he sees any evil befall his enemy, or whether he should restrain his joy if, when the enemy have been conquered and the tyrant oppressed, liberty and safety have been secured for the citizens. No one doubts that, in the first case, there should be some rejoicing; and, in the second, to rejoice but a little would be the greatest crime. The same things can be said about the other emotions.
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