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CIV. Justly are they punisht, that are irreverent to the Gods they own.
MOre justly shall they be punished, who are irreverent and irreligious to∣ward those whom they think to be Gods † 1.1 And this was alleged among other cau∣ses of the Peloponnesian war * 1.2 between the Athenians and Lacedemonians, and by Philip of Macedon * 1.3 against the Phocen∣ses; of whose sacrilege Justin * 1.4 thus; It was athing that ought to be expiated by the forces of all the world. Hierom on the sixt of Daniel: So long as the vessels were in the Idol-temple of Babylon, the Lord was not angry (for they seemed to have consecrated the things of God to divine worship, though by an erroneous opinion they mistook the Deity:) but after that they pollute the divine things by human uses, presently punishment waits upon the sacrilege. And truly Austin is of opi∣nion, that God advanced the Empire of the Romans, because, though in a false way, they were so studious of religion; and, as Lactantius speaks, performed the chiefest business of man, though not in truth, yet with a good intention. And we have said above, that perjuries, even by false Gods, are revenged by the true God. He is punished, said Seneca, be∣cause * 1.5 he did it as to God: his opinion