rapture and inspiration, which can place them in some sort among the Sibyls.

For this reason Constantine the Great, Lactantius, St Augustine, and other Fathers, have brought forward their

authentic proofs of our religion.

testimonies as This testimony

is drawn from the Fourth Eclogue, and runs as follows:

"Jam nova progenies cœlo demittitur alto.
Ultima Cumæi venit jam carminis ætas.

Jam redit et virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna," etc.
"Iu modo nascenti puero, qui ferrea primum,
Definet, ac toto surget gens aurea mundo,

Casta, fave, Lucina.

Te duce si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri.
Irrita, perpetua solvent formidine terras."

I translate the above in prose, in order to render more faithfully the sense :

"A new-born infant is now sent to us from

the highest heaven. Behold the last age predicted in the verses of the Sibyl Cumea. A new course is taken by the greatest order of the ages. The Virgin also returns now, and the reign of Saturn, etc. You, O chaste Lucina, be propitious to this new-born infant, who will end a nation hard as iron, and will make another to be born, beautiful and precious as the gold.

"Under the rule of this infant, if there rests any traces of our crimes, they will be effaced, and he will deliver the world from an eternal fear."

The next authority is that of the Emperor Aurelian, who certainly cannot be accused of being favourable to the Christians, since he was their greatest persecutor. It has been stated already that the Books of the Sibyls were forbidden to be read by the Christians, which evidently proves that they spoke in favour of our religion; but the letter which L. Domitius Aurelian sent to the Senate 271 years after the birth of Our Lord is a still more manifest proof :

"Miror vos patres sancti, tandiu de aperiendis libris Sibyllinis dubitasse, perindie quassi in Christianorum Ecclesia et non in templo omnium deorum tractaretis,” etc.

"I am astonished, holy Fathers, that you should have doubted so long a time, whether to consult the Books of the Sibyls or not, as though you had to discuss this in a Church of Christians and not in the Temple of all the gods," etc.

In order to understand his meaning it must be remarked that this Prince was engaged in the Marcomanic war, which was a dangerous one, and many of the bad politicians were not of

opinion to have recourse to their gods, or to consult the Sibyls, alleging that to do so would be to betray fear in the Emperor, and the weakness of the Empire; but Aurelian on the contrary wrote to the Senate, that it was not a shameful thing for Princes to demand succour from their gods in their needs, and as for themselves, they need not be in any fear to open the Books of the Sibyls, the perusal of which was only forbidden to the Christians.

Further proofs can be adduced in defence of the Sibyls from what two illustrious Roman historians, both enemies to the Christians, have said concerning a very ancient prediction of the Sibyls, which was that a person, a native of Judea, would make himself the master of the Universe. These historians were Tacitus and Suetonius. Tacitus * says as follows: "Pluribus persuasio inerat antiquis, sacerdotum litteris contineri, eo ipso tempore fore ut valesceret oriens profectique Judæa rerum potirentur." Many of the ancients were convinced that the writings which were under the guardianship of the priests declared that at the same time the East would become powerful, and that the people * Corn. Tacit. L. ii. circa mesb.

C

that came from Judea would become masters of all the world.

Suetonius says the same. "Percrebuerat Oriente toto vetus et constans opinio esse in fatis, ut eo tempore Judæa profecti rerum poteirentur." An ancient and permanent opinion is spread throughout the East, that the Fates* held that then the people coming from Judea would render themselves masters of the whole Universe.

It must be here remarked, firstly, that these two authors speak of a report which is very ancient, widely spread and continuous, and which preceded the coming of Jesus Christ, since they both wrote about this question twenty-six years after each other.

Secondly, that this report proceeded from a prediction of the Sibyls, which Suetonius styles the Fates, and Tacitus the writings of the priests, that is to say, the writings which were under the care of the priests.

Thirdly, that this prophecy predicted that the people coming from Judea would subject the Romans, and would become the lords of all the Universe. This report so alarmed Vespasian, that he put to death all the Jews who were of

* Destinies.

the family of David. Moreover, it is certain that this prediction marks the time of the birth of the Son of God, and the preaching of His Gospel.

It is well known that these two authors, and Josephus with them, flattered Vespasian in telling him that it was to him that this prophecy referred; but it is evident that this prophecy concerns solely Our Lord, and that this report had its origin not only from the Prophets, but also from the Books of the Sibyls, as Tacitus remarks, and the Ancient Destinies that Suetonius speaks of.