That philosophical discourses, however, distinguished by orderly arrangement and elegant expression,[441] should produce such results in the case of those individuals just enumerated, and upon others[442] who have led wicked lives, is not at all to be wondered at. But when we consider that those discourses, which Celsus terms “vulgar,”[443] are filled with power, as if they were spells, and see that they at once convert multitudes from a life of licentiousness to one of extreme regularity,[444] and from a life of wickedness to a better, and from a state of cowardice or unmanliness to one of such high-toned courage as to lead men to despise even death through the piety which shows itself within them, why should we not justly admire the power which they contain? For the words of those who at the first assumed the office of [Christian] ambassadors, and who gave their labours to rear up the churches of God,—nay, their preaching also,—were accompanied with a persuasive power, though not like that found among those who profess the philosophy of Plato, or of any other merely human philosopher, which possesses no other qualities than those of human nature. But the demonstration which followed the words of the apostles of Jesus was given from God, and was accredited[445] by the Spirit and by power. And therefore _their_ word ran swiftly and speedily, or rather the word of _God_ through their instrumentality, transformed numbers of persons who had been sinners both by nature and habit, whom no one could have reformed by punishment, but who were changed by the word, which moulded and transformed them according to its pleasure. Footnote 441: Ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν τάξιν καὶ σύνθεσιν καὶ φράσιν τῶν ἀπὸ φιλοσοφίας λόγων. Footnote 442: The reading in the text is ἄλλως, for which ἄλλους has been conjectured by Ruæus and Boherellus, and which has been adopted in the translation. Footnote 443: ἰδιωτικοὺς. Footnote 444: εὐσταθέστατον. Footnote 445: πιστικὴ ἀπὸ πνεύματος. Chapter LXIX. Celsus continues in his usual manner, asserting that “to change a nature entirely is exceedingly difficult.” We, however, who know of only one nature in every rational soul, and who maintain that none has been created evil by the Author of all things, but that many have _become_ wicked through education, and perverse example, and surrounding influences,[446] so that wickedness has been naturalized[447] in some individuals, are persuaded that for the word of God to change a nature in which evil has been naturalized is not only not impossible, but is even a work of no very great difficulty, if a man only believe that he must entrust himself to the God of all things, and do everything with a view to please Him with whom “Both good and bad are not in the same honour, Nor do the idle man and he who has laboured much Perish alike.”[448]