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Lactantius devotes several sections of the Divine Institutes <\/em> (6.11-12) to an analysis of Roman benefaction and to a sketch of a Christian alternative. He writes that it is \u201ca great work of justice to protect and defend orphans and widows ho are destitute and stand in need of assistance; and therefore that divine law prescribes this to all.\u201d In the Roman empire, \u201call good judges deem that it belongs to their office to favour them with natural kindness, and to strive to benefit them.\u201d <\/p>\n Yet the care of orphans and widows is especially incumbent on Christians \u201csince we have received the law, and the words of God Himself giving us instructions.\u201d Pagans \u201cperceive that it is naturally just to protect those who need protection, but they do not perceive why it is so.\u201d God wants everyone, no matter how destitute, to face life and death \u201cwith promptitude and boldness,\u201d knowing that God will care for him. <\/p>\n Romans gave benefits to one another for advantage, and thus did not see the use of \u201cburying of strangers and the poor,\u201d since they \u201cmeasured all their duties by utility.\u201d Though they had an \u201cinkling of the truth,\u201d the could not see \u201cany advantage\u201d in a benefit to the dead. Death was the impenetrable boundary of benefaction. <\/p>\n To care for the poor is, for Lactantius, a form of worship: \u201cto undertake the care and support of the sick, who need some one to assist them, is the part of the greatest kindness, and of great beneficence; and he who shall do this will both gain a living sacrifice to God.\u201d God promises to make good on the offering: \u201cthat which he has given to another for a time he will himself receive from God for eternity.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lactantius devotes several sections of the Divine Institutes (6.11-12) to an analysis of Roman benefaction and to a sketch of a Christian alternative. He writes that it is \u201ca great work of justice to protect and defend orphans and widows ho are destitute and stand in need of assistance; and therefore that divine law prescribes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-history"],"yoast_head":"\n