56 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. ON THE EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 1. That idolsare not gods,and that the elements are not to be worshippedin the placeof gods. In the 113th Psalm it is shown that " the idolsof the heathen are silverand gold,thework of men's hands. They have a mouth, and speak not; eyes have they,and seenot. They have ears,and hear not ; neitheristhereany breathin theirmouth. Let those thatmake them be made likeunto them."1 Also in the Wisdom of Solomon: "They counted allthe idolsof the nationsto be gods,wlnch neitherhave the use of eyes to see,nor noses to draw breath,nor earsto hear,nor fingerson theirhands to handle; and as fortheir feet,they are slow to go. For man made them, and he that borrowed his own spiritfashionedthem ; but no man can make a god likeunto himself. For, sincehe is mortal,he worketh a dead thingwith wicked hands ; for he himself is betterthan the thingswhich he worshippeth,sincehe indeed lived once, but they never."2 In Exodus also: "Thou shaltnot make to thee an idol,nor the likenessof any thing."8 Moreover, in Solomon, concerningthe elements: "Neither by consideringthe works did they acknowledge who was the workmaster; but deemed eitherfire,or wind, or the swiftair,or the circleof the stars,or the violent water, or the sun, or the moon, to be gods.4 On account of whose beauty,if they thought this,letthem know how much more beautifulis the Lord than they. Or if they admired theirpowers and operations,let them understand by them, that He thatmade thesemighty thingsismightier than they."5 2. That God alonemust be worshipped. " As itiswritten,Thou shaltworshipthe Lord thy God, 1Ps.exxxv.15-18,cxv.4-8. 1 Wisd.xv.15-17. 8 Ex.xx.4. 4Pameliusandothersreadhere," thegodswho ruleovertheworld," apparentlytakingthewordsfromthethirteenthchapterof thebookof Wisdom,and fromtheTestimonies,ill.59,below,wheretheyarcquoted. 5 Wisd.xiii.1-4.