第144章
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  ButthegeniusandpowerofJulianwereunequaltotheenterpriseofrestoringareligionwhichwasdestituteoftheologicalprinciples,ofmoralprecepts,andofecclesiasticaldiscipline;whichrapidlyhastenedtodecayanddissolution,andwasnotsusceptibleofanysolidorconsistentreformation。Thejurisdictionofthesupremepontiff,moreespeciallyafterthatofficehadbeenunitedwiththeImperialdignity,comprehendedthewholeextentoftheRomanempire。Juliannamedforhisvicars,intheseveralprovinces,thepriestsandphilosopherswhomheesteemedthebestqualifiedtocooperateintheexecutionofhisgreatdesign;andhispastoralletters,^37ifwemayusethatname,stillrepresentaverycurioussketchofhiswishesandintentions。Hedirects,thatineverycitythesacerdotalordershouldbecomposed,withoutanydistinctionofbirthandfortune,ofthosepersonswhowerethemostconspicuousfortheloveofthegods,andofmen。\"Iftheyareguilty,\"continueshe,\"ofanyscandalousoffence,theyshouldbecensuredordegradedbythesuperiorpontiff;butaslongastheyretaintheirrank,theyareentitledtotherespectofthemagistratesandpeople。Theirhumilitymaybeshownintheplainnessoftheirdomesticgarb;theirdignity,inthepompofholyvestments。Whentheyaresummonedintheirturntoofficiatebeforethealtar,theyoughtnot,duringtheappointednumberofdays,todepartfromtheprecinctsofthetemple;norshouldasingledaybesufferedtoelapse,withouttheprayersandthesacrifice,whichtheyareobligedtoofferfortheprosperityofthestate,andofindividuals。Theexerciseoftheirsacredfunctionsrequiresanimmaculatepurity,bothofmindandbody;

  andevenwhentheyaredismissedfromthetempletotheoccupationsofcommonlife,itisincumbentonthemtoexcelindecencyandvirtuetherestoftheirfellow—citizens。Thepriestofthegodsshouldneverbeseenintheatresortaverns。Hisconversationshouldbechaste,hisdiettemperate,hisfriendsofhonorablereputation;andifhesometimesvisitstheForumorthePalace,heshouldappearonlyastheadvocateofthosewhohavevainlysolicitedeitherjusticeormercy。Hisstudiesshouldbesuitedtothesanctityofhisprofession。Licentioustales,orcomedies,orsatires,mustbebanishedfromhislibrary,whichoughtsolelytoconsistofhistoricalorphilosophicalwritings;

  ofhistory,whichisfoundedintruth,andofphilosophy,whichisconnectedwithreligion。TheimpiousopinionsoftheEpicureansandscepticsdeservehisabhorrenceandcontempt;^38

  butheshoulddiligentlystudythesystemsofPythagoras,ofPlato,andoftheStoics,whichunanimouslyteachthattherearegods;thattheworldisgovernedbytheirprovidence;thattheirgoodnessisthesourceofeverytemporalblessing;andthattheyhavepreparedforthehumansoulafuturestateofrewardorpunishment。\"TheImperialpontiffinculcates,inthemostpersuasivelanguage,thedutiesofbenevolenceandhospitality;

  exhortshisinferiorclergytorecommendtheuniversalpracticeofthosevirtues;promisestoassisttheirindigencefromthepublictreasury;anddeclareshisresolutionofestablishinghospitalsineverycity,wherethepoorshouldbereceivedwithoutanyinvidiousdistinctionofcountryorofreligion。

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