ous doctrine. He
justifies against his cavils the history of the Tower of Babel: and in
his fifth book, the Ten Commandments; showing in the same, that God is
not subject to jealousy, anger, or other passions, though he has an
infinite horror of sin. Julian objected that we also adore God the Son,
consequently have two gods. St. Cyril answers that he is the same God
with the Father. In the sixth book he reports the shameful vices of
Socrates, Plato, and their other heroes of paganism, in opposition to
the true virtues of the prophets and saints. Julian reproached Christ
that he did not appear great in the world, and only cured the pool, and
delivered demoniacs in villages; he reprehended Christians for refusing
to adore the noble ensign, the gift of Jupiter or Mars; yet, says he,
you adore the wood of {282} the cross, make its sign on your forehead,
and engrave it on the porches of your houses ([Greek: To toutu saurou
proskuneite tzolon, eikonas autou skiagrafountes en to metopo, kai pro
ton opennatos eggrafontes.] L. 6, adv. Jul. t. 6, p. 194.) To which St.
Cyril answers, (p. 195:) We glory in this sign of the precious cross,
since Christ triumphed on it; and it is to us the admonition of all
virtue. This father says in another place, (in Isaiam, t. 4, p. 294:)
"The faithful arm and intrench themselves with the sign of the cross,
overthrowing and breaking by it the power, and every assault of the
devils: for the cross is to us an impregnable rampart." In this sixth
book he produces the open acknowledgment of Julian that the heathenish
oracles had all ceased; but this he ascribed to old age and length of
time. St. Cyril shows the extravagance of this supposition, and that the
true reason was, because the power of the devil had been restrained by
the coming of Christ. He mentions the same in his Commentary on Isaiah,
(t. 2, p. 596.) In the seventh book, he proves that the great men in the
true religion far surpassed in virtue all the heroes of paganism. In the
eighth and ninth, that Christ was foretold by the ancient prophets, and
that the Old and New Law are in substance the same. In the tenth he
proves, that not only St. John, but all the Evangelists, teach Christ to
be truly God. Julian objects, (pp. 333, 335, 339, and 350,) that we also
adore the martyrs and their sepulchres: "Why do you prostrate yourselves
at the sepulchres?--which it is to be believed your Apostles did after
the death of their Master, and taught you