First Apology 12

And we are your helpers and allies for peace more than all other people, since we hold that it is impossible for an evildoer, a covetous person, or a conspirator, or a virtuous person, to escape the notice of God, and that each goes to eternal punishment or salvation according to the merit of his actions. For if all people knew this, no one would choose wickedness for a little while, knowing that he goes to eternal condemnation by fire; but he would by every means restrain himself and adorn himself with virtue, so as to obtain the good things from God and be free of the punishments. For those who, because of the laws and punishments you have laid down, try to escape notice when they do wrong, do wrong knowing that it is possible to escape your notice, since you are human; but if they learned and were persuaded that it is impossible to hide anything from God, not only what is done but even what is intended, they would at least because of the penalties be orderly in every way, as you too will agree. But you seem to fear that all may do right, and that you will no longer have anyone to punish; such would be the work of executioners, not of good rulers. And we are persuaded that these things too, as we said before, are brought about by evil demons, who demand sacrifices and worship even from those who live irrationally; but we do not suppose that you, who strive for piety and philosophy, will do anything irrational. But if you too, like the foolish, honor custom before truth, do what you can; but rulers who honor opinion before truth have as much power as robbers in a desert. That you will not succeed, the Word shows, than whom we know no more royal and just ruler after God who begot him. For as all avoid inheriting the poverty or sufferings or dishonor of their fathers, so the sensible person will not choose whatever the Word says one should not choose. That all these things would happen, I say, our Teacher foretold, he who is Son and Apostle of God the Father and Master of all, Jesus Christ, from whom we have also received the name of Christians. Therefore we are confident in all that he taught, since whatever he foretold would happen is seen actually happening; which is the work of God, to say something before it happens and so to show it happening as foretold. We might, then, stop here and add nothing more, reckoning that we ask what is just and true; but since we know that it is not easy to change quickly a soul held by ignorance, we have been eager to add a little, to persuade the lovers of truth, knowing that it is not impossible to flee ignorance when the truth has been set before it.