Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

468 THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH ANDthing that followed it during that time equalled itin reputation or ability. It was the best productthat his Eoman thought could draw from all thepreceding Grecian schools: and it was acceptedfor centuries as the standard of heathen morality.Let us, then, first note that in this book50 there isnothing like a recognition of God as the Creatorand Common Father; no call upon the humansoul to love him as such, and for his own per-* fections; no thought that the duty of man consistsin becoming like to him, nor his reward inattaining that likeness. The absence of such athought gives its character to the whole book,and measures its level. The second point to benoted is, that the happiness of man consists not inbeing like God, and consequently, in union withhim, but in virtue, which is living according tonature. In his reasonable nature everyone possessesa sufficient standard of moral action underevery circumstance which may arise. Thirdly ,throughout O the whole of his treatise Cicero makesno use of the doctrine of man's immortality. Hishappiness, then, is left to consist in virtue - lifeaccording ^p_ to V v-^ reason, "*" **J^