it*' ^■:^ ^,.,----i^^m. n Chsinty C. CUrh .\ » > . I THE APOLOGIES / O F y Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and MiNucius Felix, In Defence of the Chriftian Religion, WITH THE COMMONITORY Vincent'tus Lirinenfis, Concerning the Primitive RULE of FAITH, Tranflated from their Originals: With Notes, for the Advantage chiefiy of Englifh Readers, and a Preliminary Discourse upon each Author. Together with A Prefatory Dissertation about the Right Use of the Fathers, By Wi L L I a m"^ e e V e s , M. A. Rector of Craneford^ in Middlefex, Vol. II. Tufcito mbis nihil ejje antjquhs quam Chrlfti}ura ferviire^ nee Patrurr. transferre termhm. Hieronym. Epif. 68. ad Theo. LONDON^ Printed by W,B. for A. and J. ChurchtU^ at the BlacJ^-Sivan in Pater-Nojler-Roif. 1709. THE CONTENTS OF THE Preliminary Dissertation T o T H E O&avius of Minucius Felix. THE Difference between TertuWhn tf;?^ Minuci- us in point of Stile^ with the Reafon for that Difference P* ij 2 The Defign and. StruUure of the Dialogue 2 CaEcilius, O^hvius, and. Minucius, all three Afri- cans, with their fever al Parts in this Dialogue 5 ji/l three Heathens ibid. 0£lavius, and Minucius, both Lawyers^ with their Charaffer and Converfion 3, 4 The Converfion of thefe two famous Advocates gave new Life and Luftre to the Chrifiian Caufe 4, 5 The Charaffer of Caecilius, with the Difficulty of hps Converfion 5; Oftavius dies fir ff^ and the Primitive Way of ex pr ef- fing our Sorrow upon the Death of our Friends^ in the Example of Minacxus 5,5 This a real Dialogue^ put together by Minucius after the Death of 0£lavius 6 A 2 The The Contents. The Time in which Minucius liv'd 6, 7 A Summary of the whole Dialogue 7, Sec. A Supplement of the ancient Catechetical Infirudions^ being an Abridgment of St. Auftin'x Book de Gate* chizandis Rudibus 19, &:c. A Vindication of Minucius from two things charged upon him by Mr. Dupin 32 This Dialogue refiord to its true Author by the lear- ned Baldwin 3 5 The Edition of Mr. Davies followed in this Tranfla- tion^ with afhort Account of the Verfion and the 'Notes ibid. THE THE CONTENTS O F T H E PRELIMINARY TO ViNCENTIUS LiRINENSIS. 'Odern Loofnefs in Belief and VraUice like to prove deflruUive P* '7? . Tie Yapifts dofignal Service to their Church by pretending great Deference to the Ancients^ thcf re oily they have hut little 174 All Partiet think it reputable tojeem Primitive ibid. Such wanton Wits^ who banter w for being fo^ oppo- fed to the founders of Parochial Libraries 175 A ChnraUer of Mr. Le Clerc'j Temper and Learn- ing 176 Inftanced in his refolving the Miracle of the Sun^s ftjndingftill, Joli 10. 12. by Ref rail ion 177 This Tranflation of Vine. Lirinenfis defign'd for an Antidote againfl fuch Innovators 180 Such Ancients being the beft Guardians and Interpre- ters of our f acred Rule of Faith the Scriptures ibid. This Commonitory when wrote^ loith the Advantages of that time^ and for what Purpofe 181 The The Contents. The Author's Country^ Fami/y, Imployment^ 8cc. 182 The Deftgn of this Book^ with its chief Rules ibid. The Church of England conformable hereunto 1 j. That of Rome falfly pretends to be fo 5 ^ ° ^ The Primitive Fathers of what Authority J84 Their Senfe of Scripture a good. Rule for our ^ Interpretation of it \ qc Proved by Arguments which TertuUian urgeth^ again ji Antiprimitives j Ohje^ions anfwered, 189 The Orthodox fhew a continual Succefjign of Bi- fhops in their Churchy which Here ticks do not at' tempt 192 A Recapitulation of Tertullian'x Arguments^ proving thofe the befl Interpreters oj Scripture to whom its Cuflody was committed 1 9? Herefies ^ what , in what Senfe ^ and why they muji he \ 94 Becaufe fome Men will indulge hujls and Paf- fions 195 When they do fo^ they will wreji Scripture to countenance "em jgS Exemplified in Cerinthus, Socinus, Le Clerc, ^a Why the Scriptures are left capable of falfe Con- fir u^ion 199 By Men of corrupt Minds efpecially 200 The Being of Hereftes c'onfijlent with the Chriflian Church arid Faith , therefore impertinently objuled by Vapifls again fi us in England 201 Difputes and Differences about the Nature of Things^ rather a Proof that there is /owe Iruth^ than that there is none 205 Thefe Differences in Religion foretold by Chrifi, are rather a Confirmation of^ than ObjeUion againft his Go/pel 204 The good U/es which Providence makes of "em^ efpe- cially for eftablifiying true Faith 205 AUtters The Contents. Matters of faith as necejjiry to Siulvation as Matters of F rail ice 208 Creeds necejfary to teach Matters ef Faith 210 Uerefy to oppofe eftahlijh^d Creeds 2 1 2 Proved from Scripture and Reafon 2 1 3 What done in this Verjion^ and l^htes 219 Efpecially to fatisfy fuch Seekers whom Terrul- lian complains of and are now revived in Spi- noza, and other Sceptifks. >MM|iHHHH^Mai^M>WMMaaMMWa«^ A Pre- ERRATA. P Age 157. 1. 4. in Notis, for Demoniackst read D^monkc^s, Pag. 159. 1. 2. in Not. f. as well, r. as well at, Pag. 17$. I. 15. f. BaUdey r. BaUd. Pag. 310. I. 8. f. Simulation, r. S'milation. The Third Sheet wrong Pag'd. A Preliminary DissEiiTAtioM t o T H E OCTAVIUS O F MINUCIUS FELIX. FR O M the WilJes of Africk^ come We now Into the Gardens of Italy-, from the Rugged nefles of Tertu/Iian, into the Plains ofMi/iucif^, en- rich'd with all the Delicacies of an ea(y and flowing Eloquence. For thele two Apologifts, tho' they differ not inCountrey, and very little in Time, yet are they very much different in Drels, or in their Mode of Di£lion» In TertuUian, you lee the Air of Carthage almoft in ev'ry Particle, a vail ftock of Science of all Ibrts, with a mighty Weight of Argument, and a very plentiful Vein of Salt and Poignancy, that runs thro\ and highly Seaforts all his Difcoutfes. But tho' the Ore is very valuable, and worth digging for, yet is it extremely hard to come at 5 the Tteafure is guarded about with a molt formidable Stile, and Men care not for Converfing much upon hard Terms, where they can't do it without the trouble of an Interpreter, B But A Freli/ninary Differtation But now in Minuciw^ pure Gold lies juft upon the Surfa(;gii.7PU^nd an extenfive Genius at work, with all theAd vantages of Politenefi as well as Literature ; an agreeable infufion of Wit and Argument in the moft plealing Vehicle ^ for he wants not T^r/^/Z/^w's Strength, and out-does him much in beauty and eafinefs of Ex- preflion. The Sweetnefs of his Stile, and the grateful Bitterneft of his Satyr, like the happy Temperament in Arch BiOiop Tillotfori's Writings, feem to be no ill Comment upon his Nature, but fpeak him Good and Gracious, Frank and Affable, a great Matter of Ad- drefs, and perfeftly well skill'd in the Art of Perfuafion j for his hard Arguments, and foft Tongue^ in Solomon's Phrafe, break the Bone^ and infinuate like Oyl : He Reafbns feverely, and Rallies delightfully, and Cuts and Cures with a gentle Hand. In a word, he was a moft able Advocate, and the Chriftian Caufe cou'd hardly fall into better Hands j for he feems made to Charm his Reader, and to carry him where he pleaies. The Ccrre£lnefs and Beauty of his Language, I take to be much owing to his Profeflion •, by Converfing at Rome^ and Pleading at the Bar, he in a great meafure wore off the Afperities of the African Diale£l:, and polifh'd up his ftrange Tongue to the Purity and Standard of the Latin Idiom. In the Stru8:ure of this Dialogue, the Defign and Order are extremely Beautiful and Taking, and fpeak a Mafter-builder ^ for in the very entrance, he inlenlibly lays hold upon our PafTions with fuch bewitching words in the Chara£^er of his beloved Othvim^ and leads on to the occafion of the Conference with fuch awaking Defcriptions, and fers off the minuteft Matters with fuch furprifing Imbellifhments, that he has in a man- ner got our Hearts, before he comes to open his Caufe. Had the Subftance of this Conference been thrown into a fingle folitary Relation, the Dilcourfe had not been halt fo lively or affeding-, but now in the Dialogue, wi our (elves feem to be prelenc at the Debate, our « PalSons to the O&avius of Miiiucius Felix. 3 Paflions are engag'd, and all intent upon the ilFue of the Battel, we fee, and hear, and ly mpathize all the way, and at length bear part in the Triumph, at the Converfion of a Sinner. Ccecilius cdXU6.Natalis^ and O^avius^ who goes alfo' by the Name o^Januar'ms^ are the two Difputants ini the Dialogue, the firft a Heathen^ the other aGV//?M/7 5 between whom, our Minuc'ius Felix Marcus fits as Moderator. The moft probable Conjeclure, and not obfcurely hinted at in the Text is, that they were ali three ^ Africans-^ and whoever compares 'Jertulltan^ St. Cypria/i^ and Arnobitis^ with this of vli//?//.://^/, will find the Tang and Shibboleth of Africk to be more or lefs" a diftinguiftiing Character in them all ^ fo fruitful h-^'it Africk been, (the noted Mother of Prodigies) in the Production of extraordinary Defenders of the Faith, The Triumvirat in this grand Affair of Religion had been all Heathens.^ and all profoundly pra£lic'd in the Heathen impurities. Otfavius^ and Mi/tucius were both '' Lawyers, and had let out their Tongues in the Pa- tronage of the vileft ' Caufes, and had both perfecuted the Chrijfians to the utmoft power of a malicious Elo- quence. They had been fworn Brothers in iniquity, and by their own confefiion taken a long rurr in '^ Amours, in the Intreagues and Gallantries of the Age. O^iavius'i Eyes were the firft opened, but like a true Cbriftian Friend, he cou'd not be content to enjoy the Divine Light alone, and fee his Minuciiis^ \i\^ other half., lyd in Darkrteis, and the fhadow of Death : They had, ic feems, been lovely and pleafant in their former lives, and their love was wonderful^ p^ff^ng the love of Wo- men i nor were they divided in their Death, either as" that implies a Death unto Sin, and a new Birth unto Righteoufnels, or a real Death by the divorce of Sou! and Body ^ for OUavius was no fooner enlighten'd, but • Seft. 9. N, 4. •> Seft. 2. N", 2. " Seft, 23, f Scft. I. B" 2' Ire A Treliminary Dijfertation ht haflens with the glad Tidings to his Minuc'ius ^ and Minucius on the other hand well knew that his Jecmd Sclf^ his dear OUav'ms^ cou'd have no Defign upon him but his Happinefsi and fuch an alTurance, no doubt, fiilly prepar'd his Mind for the impreflions of Reafon; for words from the Mouth of fuch a Friend, drop like Honey from the Honey-comb -, when, Irom the Mouth ofMicaiuh^ or a Prophet whom we hate, Truth it lelf becomes unacceptable. We are now then to look upon this bleffed Pair as one in Religion, as well as Friend- fhip •, and their ChriHianity, we may well conclude, made no Abatements in Friendfhip, but only refin'd their Love, and made the Pafiion burn the Purer. Ac- cordingly, we find thele two heavenly Friends congra- tulating each other upon their new Life, and with all their Oratory, feeming to want words for the Joy. Thty look back upon the paft pleafures of Sin with diftaiie, fhame, and fbrrow, and can reli(h nothing for the future, but the feverities of the Chriitian Religion ^ theTranfports they now exprefs, are like thofe ol poor Wretcheji in fight of Land after a fruitless and tempe- ftuous Voyage ^ they are now in the Haven where they wou'd be ; they both turn Advocates for the Faith ^ and Racks and Tortures they overlook with Triumph •, and without any other retaining Fee, but the profpeftof a Happir.efs beyond the Grave, the two Lawyers ftrenu- oully maintain and plead the Caufe of the Crucif/d Jefus, The coming over of two fuch Advocates, gave a new Acceflion of Lultre to the Chn^ian Party, and help'd to take oft' from that popular Obje£\ion ot Poverty and Ignorance, fo perpetually urg'd againit 'em-, and there- iore ' Arnohius^ in a kind of Infulr, lets the heathen know, that Orators and Lancyers of the firft Magnitude had embraced the Dotlrine of the Crofs ^ and rhat he had his Eye upon our Minucius in this Encomium^ is • Lib. I. ' no to the Oflavius of Minucuis Felix. no improbable Conje£lure. O^avius and AUnucius ieem now to be under no want but to reduce their ftraggling Friend, and make CecUim as happy as them- lelves. But this was a Work of Difficulty, and feem'd to call for the laft efforts of Reafon and Friendlhip ^ for he was a Man of Latitude^ and therefore hardly to be come at with Argument •, he was his own Idol, and had no Religion but to ierve himlelf j he' was loud, empty, and inconfiftenr, and in a word, a fwaggering Atheiftical Witj for one while we find him for neither Gods nor Providence, and then again for both j for all the Gods in vogue, all the Worlfl over ^ a mighty y?;V/&- ler for implicit b'aith^ and blind Devotion^ for Antiquity^ XJniverfaUty^ and Temporal Succefs and Felicity^ as De- monftrations of the Truth of thQ Roman Heajheniffn-^ the very Three Notes, according to BclUrmine^ of the Truth of the prefent Roman Church. And to compleat his CharaO:er, he had imbibed Philofophy enough to raife his Vanity, and corrupt his Mind-, enough only to intoxicate his Head with Conceit, and to fet him at the greatefi diftance from the reach of Argument. But notwithftanding this feemingly inaccelTible temper of Mind, we find Cecilius at length by the Grace of God and good words, a glorious Convert; and in all pro- bability, the Converter of the Great St. Cyprian-, for a farther Account of which I refer to Seftion the firft, and Note the ;d in the following Treatile. O^avius departed this Life firft, and as I faid before, in this Death alfo they were not divided •, for Minu- cius perfues him beyond the Grave, and in his Mind goes along with him into the other World ; he raifes him again as it were by the Powers of Gratitude, and is never well without him in his thoughts ; he blelfes God for his Example, and keeps his good Inftruftions alive upon his Soul, and digelfs 'em into Spiritual Nourifh- ment ^ and in fhorr, reads us an admirable Lefture on a Primitive Duty, much out of Fadiioa and Repute at B 3 prelent, A Treliminary Dissertation. prefent, and that is, what acknowledgments we ought to make to God in particular for the Example and Be- nefactions of ^ departed Friends. We are now then to look upon this as a real Dia- logue, which our Minucius infcribes O^av'ms in honour oi his departed Friend of the fame Name, and as the fum of that Conference they held together at the Con- verfion oi Cecil/ us. It was evidently thus put together by Minucius after the ^ Death ofO^avius-, but to go about to aflign the diftance between the Conference, and the Compofing this Dialogue, wou'd be rather to Pivine, than to Conjecture : For the very Time in which our Minucius liv'd is much Controverted, and we have very little from the Ancients to help us out in the matter. The Learned Baldwin in his Diflertation before this Author^ places him below the middle of the third Century, between St. Cyprian and hatlamius^ about the Reigns ci'Decius oxValerianusr, and hisrea- fon for fo Qoing is grounded upon St. j^erome's Apolo- gy 2ga\n&. Jovini an ^ Ep. L. c. iv. p. io6. where he is placed in this order. But then 'tis to be remember'd, that St. Jerome jfets him before St. Cyprian not only in his Epiftie, Ixxxi^'. p. 328. where he does not perfue the order of Time, but c;ven in his Catalogue where he does, viL Micron, de Scrifrt. Ecclef. c. Ixviii. Edit. Par, Here, I l^y, our Minucius is placed among the Writers who liv'd about the Reign oiSeverus.^ inim.ediately be- ifore that Caius fb much celebrated for his Difpute with .^roclus ihs Montanijf., under Antoninus Car ac alia. The Learned Du Fin ranges him in the beginning of the third Century, and our no lefs Learned Dr. Cave, in his Chronological Table of the tirft three Centuries, places him in the Year 207. tho' in his Hift. Liter. Part i. p, 66. he fets him lower, to the Year 220. and others put him under the Reign of Alexander ^ but Baronius ^ See more upon this Head, SeU. i. N. r, "_ Seft. I. N. J- places to the Ofiavius c/'Miniicius Felix. places him about the end of Severus^ An;?. 211. and in my opinion not without Reafbn j for he is favoured by the order of Time in St. Jerome ^ he obferves more- over, that the Qhriftians look juft with the fame fad Face of AffliQion in this Dialogue, as in the Apology oiTertuUian^ that the Perfecution was ftill on fbor, or rather frefh ftarted, and that this therefore muft needs be the Perfecution of Severus ^ for when Ceci- I'lus upbraids the Chriftians for having neither ^ Church nor Altar, O&avius does not go about to deny the Charge, but now in the time 0^ Alexander^ 'tis well known that the Chriftians had publick places of Wor- Ihip, which were afterwards Demolifh'd hy Maximin about the Year 295:. nor does it look probable, that Ced/ius wou'd call the Chriftians in the Reign o^A/ex- • ander, a parcel of Tatterdemalion^ Raggedy Starved ' Scoundrels^ becaule Alexander'^ Palace fwarm'dwith Chriftians j and his Mother Mammxa was concluded a Chriftian, having given good Reafon for fuch a fufpi- cion at leaft, by fending her Guard for Or'igen to con- du£l him to Antioch^ where he continued for fome time, and inftru6ted her fully in the Chriftian Do£trine, vid.Eufeb.Hift. Eccl. lib. vi. r. 21. p. 223. lib. vi. f. 28. And thus much for the Time in which our Almuc'ius Felix Marcus liv'd. In the next place I think it proper, for the greater eaie and Entertainment of the Engl'ijh Reader, to lay before him a fummary of the whole. Cfcilius the Hea- then begins firft in Commendation of Scepticifm^ and , what he wants in Science makes up with Confidence. He grows angry, and talks himfelf ftark Mad in a Mo- ment, and then, according to cuftom, vents hisPafiion in calling Names ^ he fwears it is infufferable, that af ter the greateft Philofophers have been quite jaded in the purjuit of Truth, a company of blockheaded Chri- ^ Vid. Sell. 10. And the Notes upon the place, i Seft. 8. B 4 Bii}^s A Preliminary Dijfertation fl'iam forfooth, fhou'd fet up to be wiler than all be- fore 'em. He difcards all certainty, and yet pofidye |s he, that there is neither God nor Providence, and then gives us a Taft of his Philofbphy, and tells how to make a World with Epicurean Atoms ^ with as much Aflurance as if he himlelf had made it •, and goes on to infult a Providence from the common Topicks of fufFering Innocence, and other leeming Flaws and incongruities in the prefent Syftem. Thus Reeling to and fro for a while, like a Man drunk in his Intelle£tu- als, at length he turns quite over to the other extreme, and from a Sceptick, or moderate Atheift^ commences a violent Bigm for all the Superttitious ways of Wor- Oiip all the World over-, he fets up for Apparitions, Oracles, Auguries, Omens, Soothfayings, and the very fiftions of the Poets-, and in the ftrift Oblervations of thefe things, he founds the rife, progrefs, and comple- tion of the' Rijot^/? Grandeur. In his Judgment, 'tis the v/ifer way by much to go on in the Track of our Fore-fathers without Refle£lion, and trouble our Heads no farther about Religion j but if we muft needs he religious, his Maxim then is, to be of the Religion that is uppermoft, to make fure of fleeping in a whole skin, and not play the fool and let pur Confciences do us a miichief. But as the Superfti- tiousFit grows hotter upon him, he puts on frefh Whip- fiord to his,Satyr, and with all his Zeal lays on the Diagoras% Frotjgoras's^ A'theifts and Scepticks, and brands them as the Bane of all Society, and a Nufance to the World. Afterwards, he attacks the Chriftian Religion in par- ticular, and the Cbriftians too at flrft went by the Name oithe Atheijis, whom he moreover calls a pack of i/- iiterate^ Poor^ Sneaking^ Fale-jaced^ White-hveyd Raf- cals, confederated in the Night by inhuman Rites and Sacrifices, fculking about in Holes, without a word %o fay for themfelves in publick, and yet perpetually ^nting in corners abou: a Refurrediojjj and the Joys """"■'^ ■■■■■■ ' ■ ' '^f to the Oftavius of Minucius Felix. of another World ^ a ftarv'd ragged Tribe, and themoft contentedft, faddeft looked Fellows that Eyes ever be- held. And what (fays he) can be more provoking, than to hear thefe Ka>toc'^a The ftrangeft com- pound certainly of Ignorance and Fool-hardinefs that was ever put together ! for they make a perfe£l jeft of our Racks and Tortures, carelels of Life and Fortune, and every worldly Comfort, and all for a Fool's Pa- radile in Reverfion, for a Life to come, forfooih, after Death. After this, he runs raving on at the amazing growth of the Chnftian Sedj charges 'em with private Marks of Diftin6tion ^ for extravagant Charity and Paffion to one another upon little or no acquaintance •, for the en- dearing titles of Brethren-^ for the Worfhip of an Afs's Head, and the Genitalia of the Bifhop \ for the wor- fhip of Crolfes and a Crucify'd Malefattor ^ for eating in the Sacrament an Infant cover'd over with Meal ^ and for the moft unclean Pra£lices at their Love-Feafts, He upbraids 'em for having neither Temple, Altar or Image •, he ridicules the notion of One God, fuch a God as was never worfhip'd by any Nation, but that wretched one of the Jews^ and worfhip'd by them too with Temple, Altar, Sacrifices, and Ceremonies 5 and that this one God, with all his worfhippers, was taken and led away Captive by the Romans^ by the help of the Roman Deities. Then he argues againit the pofli- bility of one God's taking care of every thing, and blaf^ phemes fuch an over- curious Being, as intolerably im- pertinent. He makes merry with the Doftrine of the general Gonliagration , and itands up for the eternal duration of the Unlverfe. He fpends a deal of his Ar- tillery againft the Refurre£lion of the Body, and ban- iers Heaven and Hell ^ a jyieer blind oiily, and the I o A Preliminary DiJJertation Dream of Poets *, and all this by the help of Deftiny ; for he fuppofes Man a neceflary Agent, and then con- cludes him unaccountable. He inquires into the pre- ient Circumftances o^ Chrifiians^ and finds 'em in this Life to be of all Men niofi miferahle , which in his judgment is Demonftration enough, that the Goi of Chriflians either will not or cannot relieve his Servants, and confequently, that he is either malicious or Impo- tent. Whereas the Romans^ who bid defiance to the God of Chriftians^ [^ord it over the World, and take their fwill in all the pleafures of it •, while the Chrifli- ans^ poor Rogues, mope about in difmal plight, de- fpis'd and perlecuted by all, and are their own Perfe- cutors too into the bargain : for they are fworn Ene- mies to their own Flefh and Blood, to all the Pomps, Plays, Pleafures, and jovial Doings of the World; they'll be hang'd fooner than come into our Temples, or touch our Sacrifices, or be feen at our Feafts and Theaters, or fo much as wear a Garland of Flowers upon their Heads. For fhame then (concludes Qecilius) forbear to be fuch religious fufFering Coxcomjs any longer; take down your Affections and Eyes from a- bove, and employ 'em about your Feet and the World before you ; fit down contentedly with your forry pit- tance of Learning, and confefs your utter Ignorance in Divine Matters, as being quite out of your Element, according to the Example of the Great Socrates^ and the moft knowing Sages of old •, take my word for it, and 'tis a choice good Maxim, that 'tis the wifeft way by much, without more ado, to leave things juft as we find 'em, for fear of unfettling, and introducing either Superftition or Atheiftn to the Ruin of the State. Thus the Heathen Cecilius ; and in him you fee the Principles of a Libertine, and a Man of Intereft ; you lee in him a mighty pretence to Argument, a world of Smoak and Darknels, Noife and Confidence, Pafljon and Inconfiftency in all his Reafonings. You fee like- wife the dreadful Difcouragements the Chriftian Reli- gion to the 0(3:avius of Minucius Felix. i X glon at firft lay under from Perfecution and Calumny, and hovo hard it was for flejh and Blood to enter into the Kingdom of God^ or embrace the Gofpel. Had the lame Difcouragements continu'd on, and Chriftianity been ftill on the fufFering fide, perpetual mifery had been too mighiy a Temptation to infidelity 5 but the Dodrine of the Crofs being io worthy of God in it felf, and put into the Hands of fuch weak Inftruments, who fufFer'd fo long and lb much, and thereby gave greater and more publick proofs of their fincerity, andforfbme Ages Triumphing over the Heathen Gods, the Devils then worfhip'd as fuch, till they had quite routed the Kingdom of Darknels, and then at length bringing over the Civil Powers to the Religion of the Crucify 'd }e* fus^ and all this only by Meeknels, Miracle, andNon- Refiftance, thefe, I fay, are Demonftrations of that Al- mighty Wifdom, tliat hath made every thing beautiful in hps time^ and which put it almoft out of the Power of After-Ages to fufped: Chriftianity for a Cheats it never being the way of an Impoftor to deal fo much or ib long in the Light, and upon fuch Politicks, as humanly fpeaking, are never likely to fucceed. And therefore, after io much Expence and Plenty of Evi- dence, after all this miraculous Suffering and Succeis, to dif believe on Itiil, makes the Cafe oi Modern Infi- dels more intolerable than that of Heathens^ who had fuch terrible Arguments to Fle(h and Blood, as Poverty and Perfecution, Racks and Tortures, to plead for their not being Chrijiians. One thing here indeed is too remarkable to be paft over in filence, and it is this, that Cecil/us, after all his raking into Dirt to make up his load of Calumny, fhould forget to put in Rebel into that foul- mouth'd Catalogue of ill Names he throws at Chriflians. A- dultery, Inceft, Murder, and eating of Children, he charges roundly upon the I'aithful-^ but this new SeU Was fo fcandaloufly FaJJive at the firft, fuch notorious Non-Re/iJiance-Alen^ fuch ftriQ Followers of that y^ufi One^ 15 A Freliminary DiJJertation One^ whom St. James fo emphatically fays, ye have condemned and killed^ and he doth not rejiji you^ that this Heathen thought it more advifable to blacken 'em with any thing than Rebellion. Hence alfo we may leam Patience under the moft provoking Accufations, and to get the better of Calumny by the Primitive Art of living our felves into Reputation ; and that x^'Non- Refiflance be an Error, we are encompals'd with a cloud of Witnefles for the fame Doftrine, and may be fure we err in good Company, and that it is but a beauti- ful frailty at the worft, and fuch a one as God will gracioufly interpret to our exceeding Reward, it being an Error io very like Truth, that the noble Army of Martyrs made the fame miftake^ and it being certain alfo that the miftake is not wilful, becaufe no Man wou'd wilfully chule to fuffer, did he think he might go to Heaven as fiirely upon much eafier Terms. When Ceciiius had finifli'd his Harangue, he Plumes himfelf upon his Performance, as unanfwerable, and with an Air of Triumph, what (lays he) can this beg- gerly Baker of a Philofopher, this Gentleman of Flau- /«'s Tribe, reply to my Arguments? And thus he be- gins and ends with great uniformity in giving ill words tor Realbns. Here our Minucius the Moderator interpofes ; gently, fair and foftly, good Ceciiius^ ftay and hear what O^a- vius has to fay, before you infult him at this rate. After a Complement or two pals'd upon Ceciiius for his mighty Command of Words, and a friendly infinua- tion of his Dexterity at Shuffling and Evalion, he makes this juft Remark upon the way of Dilputants in general, that they make it their bufinefs to perplex and puzzle a Caufe, and fhew much more concern for Victory, than Truth. But not to Ipend more time in Reflefti ons of this kind, OSavius the Cbriftian ftands ready witL an Anfwer, and pray without more ado let's hear what lie has to lay in defence of his Religion. OUavifri to the OfiaVius of Minucius Felix:. i 3 03avius at his firft fetting out, takes notice of the rambling inconfiftency throughout this whole Dilcourl^, and of the ftrange Union of extremes, of Atheilm and Superftition in one and the fame Perfon. But this, (fays he) I will not charge upon my CecUius as Artifice and dunning, liich flippery dealing being no ways agreeable to the franknefs and ingenuity of his Temper ^ but it fares with him, as with a bewilder'd Traveller, who when he comes to feveral Paths, ftands in fuQ)enle, not daring to f hule any, nor yet able to follow all. Afterwards he takes to pieces, and examins all his Rea- Ibnings in particular ^ he lets him know firft, how weak and unbecoming a Man of Senfe it is, to be in fuch a terrible Paflion with Chrijliam^ meerly for the want of Riches and Literature j that in all difquifitions about Truth, 'tis not the Authority or Weight of the Difputant, but of his Arguments, that is the Point to be minded, for the more plain and unadorn'd a Dif- courle, the greater Air it hath of Truth. He readily grants to Qec'ilius^ that 'tis every Man's duty to keep his Thoughts more at home upon the ftudy of himlelf^ and to be fenfible of his own Mediocrity j but then he argues that we cannot come to a right knowledge of our felves, without knowing our Maker \ for abftraft- ing Man from his Relation to God, and another World, he is one of the oddeft and moft unhappy Animals in Nature 5 either prey'd upon continually with vain Fears, or flatter'd with vain hopes about a Life to come, when there is no fuch thing. He then proves a God and a Providence from that admirable Beauty and Contexture which comes out and meets our Eye in every part of the Univerfe, from the harmony of the Seafons, from the make of every Creature, and of Man efpecially. He goes on to prove that there can be but one God, and that he mulf be invifible to our Eyes of Flefh, as being a pure Spirit,, and that being Infinite, he cannot be comprehenhble by any thing but his Infinite Self only. That Mankind naturally know him, and when the 14 A Preliminary Differtatiofi the Vulgar lift up their Hands to Heaven, and cry out, the Great God^ the true God^ and // it fhall fleaje God^ 'tis pure Inftinft, and the Voice of Nature de- claring for the Unity of that God which is the God of Chrijiians. He then runs over the Opinions of the Phi- lolbphers, and fliews, that the moft celebrated of them all concur in the notion of one Supreme Deity, tho* under different Denominations. After this, he demon- ftrates the Antiquity of the Heathen Fables to be no Ground for their Credibility, and that; they have not the leaft fhadow of Truth, either from Reafon or Te- ftimony, but are in themfelves wickedly impertinent and ridiculous, and that a Man mull be void of com- mon Senfe, as well as Shame, to entertain and credit em. Then he taxes the Poets for giving Life and Re- putation to fuch horrid Abfurdities, by inftilling 'em into the Minds of unwary Youth, by inflaming their Lufts with the intrigues and ftories of luftful Deities, and by taking poffeffion of their Hearts with the Melody and Magick of inchanting Verfe. He proves likewife, that the Foundations of the Roman Empire were not laid in Religion, but in Parricide, Rapes, and Perfidi- oufhels, and grew up to its prefent Bulk by the lame Arts of Injuftice, Violence, and Sacrilege. That their Generals frequently made a Jeft of Auguries, Omens, and other Sacred Ceremonies, and yet were viftorious in fpite of their Irreligion. That their Oracles were moft often falfe, and always ambiguous, and the De- mons had bad luck indeed, fhou'd they never chance to hit right once after fo many random Conjeflures. That thele Demons are unclean Spirits, and being alie- nated from God, make it their whole employment by fuch Superftitions to eftrange Mankind alfo from him. That thefe likewife are the wicked Spirits that lie fculking about in your Statues, and in the Entrails of Beafts, and difpofe the Lots and the Flight of Birds, and play fuch mad pranks in the Bodies they poffels 5 bttt by us adjur'd in the Name of our God 3 they quit to the Oftavius of Minucius Felix. 1 5 their Pofleffions with howling Agonies-, they cannot ftand our bare words, but fly away in fuch horrid confufion , as if it were Hell to them to hear us ^eak. After this, he lays open their Injuftice and Barbarity for accufing Chrijiians of Inceft, Murder, and every Abomination, and yet never concerning themfelves a- bout the Truth of thefe Articles, but Tormenting and Racking the accufed only to renounce their Religion, He lets them know likewife, that the Chrijiians are Men of more Senfe than to Worfhip the Head of an Als •, and of much purer Morals, than to commit the leaft uncleannefs in their Feafts and Sacred Myfteries; and that fuch Accufations were too monftrous to find any Credit in the World, did not the Acculers, by their own Anions, prove 'em praQicable. That for Chriftians, they neither worfhip'd aMalefa£l:or, nor a Man j well knowing, that a Criminal cannot delerve Divine Ho- nour, nor a meer Man be pofiibly a God. And for Crofies, they neither worfhip'd nor wifh'd for 'em. That they were fo far from eating an Infant, that they religioufly abftain'd from every thing where there was Blood. But for the heathens, 'twas evident fuch Mur- ders went glibly down with them, from their frequent expofing their own Children to be devoured by wild Beafts, or ftarv'd by hunger, ^c. and from their Po- tions to procure Abortions, and from their Human Sa- crifices, and their continually dealing with Blood in all their holy Things. Moreover, he adds, that the Chri- flian Se£l difcover'd all the Charms and Graces of Mo- defty, not only in their Looks and Behaviour, but the Virtue was rooted in their Hearts, and from thence fhot forth into the Face, and beautify'd all their A£lions; and therefore they commonly married but once, and for no other end, but for the fake of Children. Their Feafts were frugal, and always leafon'd with Gravity and Chearfulnefs. Their numbers continually encreas'd from all parts of the World, and from all Degrees and Ranks I ^ A frtliminary Dijfertation, Ranks of Men ^ and this was no ill fign of the Powet of Chriftian Godlinefs. Nor had they any private Marks of Diftin£tion j a rare fimplicity, meeknefs, ^nd fweetnefi of Temper, was the diftlnguifhing Livery of Chriftians. They love one another ^o exceedingly, and call one another Brethren^ becaufe they are Children of the fame God, Servants of the lame Matter, and Co- heirs of the lame Happinefs. That they have neither Images, Temples, nor Altats, is, becaufe they look up- on the infinite Majefty of God to be abus'd by the re- prefentation of Images, and not to be pertt up in Tem- ples j and the moft agreeable Altar, to be a Holy Mind. That the moft acceptable Sacrifices to God, ate Juftice, Charity, Purity, and Innocence. That the God of C^r/- ftians is both Invifible and Omniprefent, and that he knows all things, and is every where in the darkeft of Abyfles, even the Abyfs of our own Minds. That never People were fb encompafs'd with Miracle, and fb prodigioufly defended as the Jews wete, while they ftuck clofe to the Worfliip of their God^ but riii- fery with a witnefs, always purfued U|Jon the heels of Difobedience. He then goes on to ftiew how the Philofophers in ge- neral concur'd with Chriftians in the Conflagration, and other DoQrines. That Pythagoras and Vlato taught one part of theRefurre£tion, when they taught the Im- mortality and Tranfmigration of the Soul. And as to the feeming impoffibility of a Refurre£lion, 'tis much the fame thing, if not eafier , to raife Men from the dead, than to give 'em Life and Being at firft from nothing. He argues likewile, that all the Revolutions in Nature are Emblems of a RefurreQion ^ and that wicked Men are againft this Do£lrine, becaufe tha DoSbine is againft them j for they had much rather bes Annihilated, than rais*d again only to Torment. That they take Advantage from the prelent impunity in this Life, to conclude againft any after reckoning in a Life to comej but Vengeance will be jufter, and heavier 2 tho to the Ofl:avias c>/Minucius Feli5€. 1 7 the flower it comes. That the Torments of the Dattl- hed are infinite both in degree and duration. Tha£ the Fire of Hell confumes and nourifhes at the fame time the BocTies it preys upon. That after fo many- Divine LelTons and Demonftrations of a Deity, 'cis not a lefs Sin to be ignorant of God, than to affront him* That there is no comparifon between Heathens and Chriflians in the point of Moral Duties ♦, for the Heathens pra£tile the Adulteries they prohibit, but Chriftians will not ib much as allow of wickednels in Thought, and ftand in awe only of their own Con- fciences. That their Prifans were cram'd with Cri- minals, but not one Chrijiian to be found amongft 'em, but either a Confeffor or an Apoftate. And as forDe- ftiny, it was ftrangely foolifh to plead that in excufe for Sin, becaufe Ekftiny is nothing but the execution of God's Decrees, regulated by his infallible Prefcience of what the A£l:ions of every one will be, but with* out neceflitating them fo to be. And as to Poverty, Chriftians are fo far from being adiam'd upon that account, that they glory in the Objection ^ for they conclude no Man poor, but he that thinks himfelf fo ^ and that they have learnt the Art of poffcflTing all things, by defiring nothing-, and that by being (tript of the incumbrance of Riches, they find themfelves the lighter to run the Race that is fet before 'em» That their Sufferings are no Argument either of the Malice or the Impotence of the God they ferve, but Tryals 6nly to prove and purify 'em. That many . Heathens are cry'd up to the Skies for Suffering, tho* Chriftians are cry'd "down as much for rhe very fame Virtue*, and yet the Scevo/a's and Regalus^s are not comparable, not only to the Men of our Se£t, but even to our Women and Children, who look upon all your inventions of Cruelty as meet Jetts and Scare- Crows, That the Perfons who are inclos'd in theit own Fat, fpd furrounded with Wealth and Honour, lie in g mm%i bu; fitted like Vi^ims for flaughter, C and 8 A Preliminary Dijfertation and made a Prey for Sycophants, to be flatter'd out of their Senfes into the grofTeft Abominations. That there can be no real Happinefs here without the true Knowledge of God, becaufe worldly Happinefs is but a Dream, and flips thro' our Fingers, while we fancy we have it faft in our Hands ^ and therefore, that a Chriflian^ tho' he may feem to be miferable, yet in reality can never be fo. He adds likewife, that the Chriflians religloufly abftain'd from the Plays, and Pomps, and Vanities of the Gentile World, becaufe they look'd upon fuch Diverfions, as inconfiftent with good Manners, and their molt Holy Religion. That the Dlfciples of the Crofs liv'd above the very ideas and fpeculations of the Philofophers ; who, notwith- ftanding a mighty appearance of Wifdom in their Writings, and a very grave Face of Virtue and Aufte- rity in their Beards and Habits, were feldom found at Heart ^ whereas the Chriftians^ tho' they always kept a ftrid guard upon their Behaviour, yet their main bufinefs was to be good at bottom, to have their Hearts and Looks all of a piece, and a Confcience void oj offence towards God and Man. OSavius had no fooner finifh'd his Anfwer, but Ce- cilius, as it were like another Sau/^ was (truck down with the light and brightnefs of heavenly Truth-, and being convinced and ravifh'd at the fame time with the Difcovery, the Tranfport was too big to ftay for the determination ofMinucius, and therefore he ufurps the Office of the Judge, and thus pronounces Sentence himfelf, We are both Conquerors^ Oftavius triumphs over CecUius, andQ^aWus triumphs over Error -^ I am perfeUly fatisjied^ and from henceforth fubfcribe Chrijiian for ever. Ceciliuis Eyes being thus open'd, and the Man at length help'd out of the Mire oi Heathenifm^ the next Point was to fet him right in the way of Truth, and to Catechife him more particularly in the^^rft Funda- mental Principles of the Cbriftian Religion j but this, by to the Ofiavius of Minueius Peli>t. tp by confent, was put ofF for the fubje£l of the nex,t days Conference- and that Catechetical Le6lure is not now extant, which from the foregoing Piece we have good reafon to believe, wou'd have been a moft in^^ firu£tive and beautiful Conclufion. To fupply there^ fore this Defideratum^ aud from an African Bifhop too, in whole time the way of Catechizing can hardly •be thought to have vary'd much from that of Alinu-' €ius^ I have here fubjoin'd a Sumnaary of Sr. Aujfin's Book, De Catechisandis Rudibus 5 which to me is a moft warm and enlightening Difcourfe^ whereby the EngUJh Reader will fee the Catechetical InltruQionS of Old, befors Adult Perfons were admitted by Bap' f'lfm into the Privileges of the Faithful-, and which, 1 think, he can hardly read, without fome good EfFe£is both upon his Underftanding and his Heart. : The firft Interrogatory propos'd by the Catechift to the Catechumen ^ was, whether the Motive of his coming now to be made a Chriftian, was the profpe£fe of fome Advantage in the Life prefent, or in that to come? Upon his anfwering, inthe Life to com^.^ God be prais'd, (reply 'd the Catechift) andOl nfiy- Brother^ I exceedingly Congratulate your Arrival^ 2sX this Haven, and am heartily glad to find you now Anchoring upon true and folid Happinefs, in this .dangerous and ftormy pafTage of Life. But let me tell you , that tho' you are now in queft only of a future Happinefs, yet if you keep firm to your pro- mife, you will -find ftrange Enjoyment and Compla- cency at prefent^ you will foon be fenfibleof the in- expreffible Difference between the pleafures of a Chri^^ ftian and a Voluptuary, and that a good Confcience is the greateft Epicurifm in the World 1 And this you'll find the rather, becaufe Temporary Satisfactions are not the things you come now to reap from your Religion. Some indeed turn Chriftians the better to ingratiate with f^me great Men^ and others come with more fincerity, but not with lefs dangerous Prin- C % ciplesj 20 A Trdiminary Dijjertation ciples J for they feem to look upon it, as an Article in the Covenant, that Chrijiians (hou'd be the hap- pleft, richeit, and fineft People in the World ^ but find- ing fome Gentiles making a better figure than Chrifti- ans^ they are offended, and immediately take leave of their new Religion. But he only is the perfe£l 0)rt' fiian, who loves God much more than he fears Hell; who, fuppofing God fhou'd put it to him in thefe words, Jou are at liberty to wallow everlafiingly in carnal Vleafures^ and. to fin on to the utmoji oj your Ability^ nor fhall you be interrupted in your Enjoy- mem by Deaths or punijlfd with Hell ^ only remember.^ that you Jhall never be fufferd to reft in wy Prejence. He, I fay, is the True Chriftian, who upon thefe Terms wou'd abhor the Indulgence to Sin, not out of fear of PunlQimenr, but purely for fear of offending that God he loves above all Things, and in whofe Prefence alone is that Reft for Souls, which Eye hath not feen^ nor Ear heard, nor hoi enter'^d into the heart of Man to conceive, and which he has prepared for them that love bim in this manner. After this Congratulary Introdu£lion, he goes on to inftruft the Candidate in the Belief of the one True God, who was the Maker of Heaven and Earthy for Mar ci fin and other Hereticks afferted another Being above the Creator. He then acquaints him with the Creation of our firft Parents, the Natiii^e of that Di- vine Image after which they were made, their con- ditional Happinefs and Immortality, their original Righteoufnefs and Peifeftion, both as to Underftand- ing and Freedom of Willj their unhappy Fall, and God's Fore-knowledge of ir, and the Juftice and Good- nefs of God, in making Man under that View, either to bean Objeft of his Juftice, or an Illuftraiion of his Mercy. After this, he lays before him the amazing Patience and Long-fuffering of God with obftinate Sin- ners, and his wile and merciful Proje£ls to bring them to Repentance and Happinefs. For before he brought the to the Oftavlus of Minucius Felix. 2 1 the Deluge upon the World, and deftroy'd all Man- kind but good 'Noah and his Family, he gave 'em fair warning for an Hundred Years together while ihQ Ark was a building, and this he did in order to prevent the impending Vengeance by a timely Repentance, as he afterwards did to Niniveh for the fame Reafon, and with better Succefs. That this Ark of Wood was a Type of that Salvation, which the true Believers in After-ages (hou'd obtain by the Crucify'd Jefus on a wooden Crofs -, that in the idolatrous World there were always fome righteous worftiippers of the True God, and fuch was faithful Abraham^ from whom a mighty People were to arife, who (hou'd Worfhip the True God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, whilft the reft of the World lay in darknefs and the fhadow of Death, totally immers'd in fin and the Service of De- vils. However, this peculiar People, thefe worfhip- pers of the True God only, were ftrangely Carnal, and grofs of Underftanding 5 for excepting fome fewr only, the greater part by much ferv'd God under the view of a Temporal Benefa£itor^ and tho* the Jeticijh Religion was in a manner wholly figurative, and there was no one Ceremony of it, but what was a fliadow of things to come, of Chriit and his Church, yet they fat down with the Shadow for the Subftancej thejr look'd not beyond the Type, nor cou'd ever by all the SucceflTion of Prophets, be made to underftand the De- lign of a Suffering MeJJiah. The Patriarchs and Holy Men of Old, you are to look upon asmyftical Mem- bers of Chrift, tho* they liv'd long before the coming of Chrift in the Flefli^ for they by Faith were united to him who is the Head of the Church, the only be- gotten Son of God, the Logos of the Father, equal to, and Coeternal with the Father, he by whom all things were made, he himfelf, 1 fay, was made Man for our fakes. This People of God, ths Pofterity of faithful Ahra^ kam, was forely affli^ed by a cruel Tyrant in Mg^pt^ C 3 till ^^ A Preliminary Differtation. till upon their complaints to God, he fent his Servant Mo/es, one of their own Nation, to deliver them. This fame Mofes^ by a prodigious ftiower of fucceffive Ca- lamities at length plagu'd the obdurate Tyrant into a compliance, fo that he let ihQ I/raelites depart his Kingr dom upon their own Terms ; Mo/es then condu£ied them to the Red Sea, which upon his Command forth- with divided its Waters, and open'd a way for the Peo- ple of God, with all their Subftance to pafs thro' upon dry Ground i and then again upon the Command of Mo/es ^ the Waters returned and covered the Chariots^ iind horjemen^ and all the Hoft c/ Pharaoh that came into the Sea after them, there remained not Jo much as one of them. Thus as the Earth was purg'd from a Deluge of Sin, by a Deluge of Water, and thejuft vpere faved by an Ark of Wood ^ fo here again the Feople of God found Salvation by thofe Waters that deftroy^d their Enemies , and the "Rod oiMofes which wrought the Salvation, was Typical of the falutary Wood of the Crofs, by virtue of which all true Be- lievers are to be faved ^ and the Red Sea likewife was but Typical of the Baptifmal Whiqt, by which the Children of God pafs over as it were into a new Lifej and whereby their greateft Enemies, their Sins, are wafh'd away and deftroy'd. But among the I/rae/ites^ nothing was a more lively figure of Chrift'sPaflion, and the Virtue of his Blood, than that Command of God, to kill a Lamb and eat it, and take of the Blood and Jirike it on the tvoo fide-pofis^ and on the upper door poji of the houfe whereon ihey Jhall eat it, and the Blood was to be a token upon the Houfes where the Ifraelites were, that when the Lord faw the Blood he wou'd pafs over them, and fmite only the JEgyptians, And therefore is Chrift called the J^amh of God, and faid by the Prophet, to be led as a Sheep to the /laughter ^ in token of whofe Blood, and with the fign of whofe Crofs, you your felf are to be fign'd this day in the foretods as ^Xi'QjriJfia^is ^le. and as the /^wj in to the 05:avius of Minucius Felix. 2 3 ligure only fign'd the Pofts of their Houfes. After this, he preffes the neceffity of Church- Communion ^ and fhews how Chrift our Head, and his Church, were delineated to the Life in all the Jewifb Oecono- my 5 and that the ceremonial part of the Law was obferv'd indeed by all the IJrael'ites^ but underftood hy few. Thro' fuch variety of Types and Shadows of Things to come, (which now faith he wou'd be too tedi- ous to recount, and which we now fee fulfill'd in the Chriftian Church) was that chofen Nation condu£ted to the Land of Promife, which was another Image of the Kingdom of Heaven ^ for there was the famous City of God, Jerufalem-^ a Type of that Jerufalem which U above ^ and is free ^ and the Mother of us all-^ the Citizens of which, are all the Holy Men which were, and are, and ever will be, together with all that Hoft of Angels who fell not by pride from their Pri- mitive Holinefs and Obedience. Of this City, the Lord Jefus Chriji , the Logos of God, is King ; to whom the higheft Angelical Powers pay their pro- foundeft Obedience; which Divine Word or Logos took upon him human Nature^ to give him a new Title to the Obedience of Mankind ^ all which unfal- len Angels, together with juft Men, (hall Reign with him in Reft and Triumph everlafting. An eminent Type of which heavenly King, in that Temporal Kingdom of Jerufdem^ was good King "David \ from whofe Seed, according to the Flefh, came our true King, the Lord God Chrift, who U over all^ God blcf- fed for ever. Amen. After this, he proceeds to inftru^ the Chriftian No' vice in the Do£lrine of Obedience to Civil Powers, from the Example of the Captive I/raelites in Baby- lon^ who during their Captivity, were commanded to pray for the Peace and Profperity of thofe who held 'em in Captivity. And moreover, Sr. A ftin affirms this to be' Figurative of that Subje8:ion which the Chriftian Church in all Ages was to pay to the Kings C 4 of 2A, A Freliminary Differtation pF this World, according to that Apoftolical DoQirine, which commands, That every Soul be fuhjeU, to the Vigher Powers^ and that we render Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Cuflome to whom Cujiome, and fo like- iwife in all Qther Cafes, where we can pay adual Obe- dience to human Conftitqtions, without breaking in upon the Commands of God •, an example of which Do£lrine our Lord himfelf was, when at the expence of a Miracle he paid his Capitation-Money for that head, which he took upon himfelf purely for the Re- demption of Mankind. And therefore all the Re- deemed of Ghrift are commanded to do as he did, to pay Obedience to their Temporal Mafters, which very Mafters the Chriftian Servants themfelves fhall Judge at the laft Day, if they perfevere in their wickednefs, or with whom they (hajl equally Reign, if their Ma- ilers turn unto their True Lord in Righteoufnefs. How- ever, we Chrijiiaris are commanded to bear with the Tworlt of Tyrants, and to be fubje£l: till the final Deli- yerance of the Chriftian Church at the conclufion of the World ^ which very Deliverance of the Church was prefigur'd alfo by that of the j^ews, after feventy Years Captivity in B,;bylon •, but till this appoinred time of Triumph, we are to continue in fubje£lion to the mcfl perfecuting Princes of this World, and ac- cording to St. Faulh Do£lrine to pray foi^ Kings and all that are in Authority^ even whilft they are the ene- plies of the Church of Chrift. When/u^ Ages of the World were finifh'd, the firjl of which is to be computed from Adam to Noah, the Jecond from Noah to Abraham^ the third from Abra- ^ har: to King David, the fourth from David to thp Babylonijh Captivity, the fifth from the Captivity to the Advent of Chrift ; In i\{\sfixth Age or Period of the World, Hay,'the typical part of the Law, and the Prediftions of the Prophets were notorioufly ve- jify'd J the promised Mejfiah^ underftood only by a Im Paui^r^hs and Prophets, manifefted himfelf tp , .V. ..^. - V >• ^-. ' . . . •••• tM to the OSavius of Minucius Felix. 25 the Gentile World ^ and now Mankind for a greater Proof of their Ingenuity, are not put under that ne- ceflity of believing as the Jews were : They are led on now to the Faith of Chrift by the hopes only of an Invifible Happinefs, by the expeQation of Joys to come in the full fruition of God in the other World-, where^ as under the Jewifh Oecononny, they ferv'd God as it were by a compulfion of vifible Rewards and Puni(h- menis, and were continually over-aw'd by a miraculous Succeflion of Mercies or Judgments. So that as in the fixth Day of the Creation Man was made after the Image of God^ lb in this fixth Age of the World, the Mind of Man was to be reftor'd to that Divine Image again, which after God U created in Right eoufnefs and true Holinefs. And then is this Law of Righteoufnefs futfiU'd, when we ferve God not in hopes of fome prefent Gratuity or worldly Blefling, but purely out of Love to the Divine Nature, who enjoins the Duty. And who can forbear to make the moft ample returns of Love to that moft Holy and Merciful God, who firft fo loved us, his moft bitter Enemies, as for our Redemption to fend his only begotten Son, by whom he made all things, and who, without any change or |dimiaxi|:ion of his Divine Nature, but by afluming Hu- man Nlatur^, was made Man j not only to live here upon Earth and inftru£t Man by his Example, but alfo to be Sacrific'd by him and for him. Accordingly, being made Man for our Inftru8;ion, he gave us in feimftlf an imitable Example of the contempt of worldly Grandeur •, he endur'd all the Evils himfelf^ which he commands his Difciples to endure, that fo we might learn from our Mafter to place neither our Happinefs por Infelicity in the things of this World. He was born of a Mother who was a Virgin 5 a Vir* gin at her Conception, a Virgin at her Delivery, and a Virgin to her Death •, and yet betroth'd to a poor Carpenter, to be a ftanding Mortification to the Pride |nd Folly of fuch who pretend to be Chrift*s Difciples, - .,,,, ,.... ^ ■■ ■ ' ' and q6 a Preliminary Dijfertation and yet value themfelves fo exceedingly upon the ac- count of Family. The Almightv Maker and Proprie- tor of all things chofe to be born in a Village and in a Manger, that his Servants might learn from his Ex- ample to fare contentedly as their Mafter did ^ he wou'd not be made an earthly King, that his KoUow- ers might learn from thence to [et their Affetlions on things above ^ and not on things on the Earth. He who was the Bread, and Well of Life, chofe to be Hungry and Thirfty for our fakes j he who was himfelf the Way^ the Truth^ and the Light ^ fatigu'd himfelf on Earth to bring us to Heaven ; he who made the Dumb to Speak, and the Deaf to Hear, became Dumb, and opened not his Mouth before hisRevilers, the better to inftruSt us in the great Chriftian Duties of Hum- lity^ Meeknefs^ and "Patience'^ that Almighty and Al- merciful Phyfitian who loofen'd us from our Infirmi- ties, he who was the Scourge of Pain, Difeafes and Devils, who was the Lord of Life, and Triumph'd over Death, he, I fay, was bound and buffeted himfelf^ fcourg'd, and fpit upon, and crucify 'd, and all for our fakes. This raifer of the dead dy'd himfelf, but rofe again never to dye more, that no Man henceforward Ihould prefume to build his contempt of Death upon this falfe Principle, That after death he woi to be no more. After his Refurre£^ion, for the further confirmation of his Difciples, he convers'd with 'em forty days, and made his Afcent into Heaven before their Eyes^ and upon the fiftieth Day from the Refurre£lion, he fent down the Holy Ghoft upon his Apoftles, according to Promife, by whom the Love of God was fhed abroad in their Hearts in fuch a meafure, that to fulfil the Law of Righteoufnefs, was no longer a burden but a pleafure. For as the Children of Ifrael^ fifty days af- ter the killing and eating the Lamb, and iigning the Pofts of the Door with the Blood, (which was the faj^cver in Type only) leceiv'd the Law writiqn with th« to the Oftavius of Minucms Felix. ay the E'nger of GoJ^ by which we underftand the Hcf/y Ghoft i fo afcer the Paflion and Relurredion of our Lord, who is the true Pajfover^ on the fiftieth Day, was the fame Holy Ghoft fent upon the Apoftles, and fat upon each of them in the appearance of Clo- ven Tongues, like as of firej by which they were enabled to addrefs to all the difperfed Jews at that time at Jerufakm^ and to preach the wonderful Works of Chriil: in all Languages, and with all Boldnefs, and to do all manner ot Miracles in his Name, infomuch that the very fliadow of Peter paffing by, gave Life and Health. The Jexx^s confounded at this Power of Miracles in his Name, whom they had juft Crucify'd, were fome of them the more enrag'd at the Apoftles on account of this new accefs of Strength and Con- fidence upon the Death of their Matter ; others of them obferving, that after the utmoft efforts of Human Power and Malice, His furviving Difciplei were Arm'd with ftill more Courage and miraculous Afliftance, were perfectly overcome vvith the Evidence, and many thoufands of 'em believ'd on him whom they had Crucify'd. They were now entirely wean'd from worldly Bleffings, and the expedations of a Temporal Meffiah'^ their Thoughts were all on wing after their Lord in Heaven •, and as a fure proof of this, they fold all their PolTeffions and laid the Price of 'em at the Apoftles Feet, and had every thing in Common, and with Heart and Mind were all one in the Lord, Upon this, the believing Jews were barbaroufly per- fecuted by the unbelieving party, which occafion'd a general Difperfion •, and by -this, the Word of God, the good Seed, was fcatter'd abroad in remoter Coun- tries, and the perfecuted Converts not only propaga- ted the Doftrine, but fuffer'd alfo after the example of the crucify'd yfcj^fl^, who endur'd grief, fuffering wrongfully, that they might follow his Steps. A- inongft thefe Perfecutors of the 5tff/?/j, the warmeft ^ealot was the celebrated Apoftle St. Paul himfelf, I. tiS A Freliminary Dijfertation but he was violently Arrefted from Heaven in bis courfe of Perfecution, and from thence forward grew much more remarkable for his Zeal and Sufferings for the Name of Chrift, than ever he was before for his outrage agatnft it. Afterwards the ftorms arofe muclj more violent and lafting, and the Chriftians were con- tinually harrafs'd by the Gentiles^ drag'd to their Tri- bunals, and there condemned to the moft frightful Deaths, meerly upon profeffing the Name of Chrifti- 4ns. So fadly did they experience the Truth of that Predi£lion of our Lord, Behold^ 1 fend you forth as Sheep in the midft of Wolves. But the Church of Chrift, fet forth by the Vine which was to fpread her Branches thro' the World, was according to Prophecy likewife, to fruftify, and fpread the more, the more it was water'd by the Blood ol Martyrs-^ accordingly, after a moft prodigious effu- iion of Chriftian Blood all the World over, the perfecu- tingKingdoms laid down their Arms at length, and fub- mitted with Triumph to the worQiip of the Crucify'd Jefus^ which for fo many Years had been a ftumbling block to the/(?a?j5 and to the Greeks Foolifhnefs. However, after this amazing growth of the Chriftian Church, the Vine^ by our Lord's Command, was ftill to be prun'd and kept in order, and thofe unfruitful Branches taken off, which fpread forth and made a goodly fhew in the Name of Chrift, but in truth corrupted the Purity of his Doftrine to ferve their own Glory and Intereft, and propagated Schifms and He- relies wherever they came 5 by which Divifions the Church was exercis'd, approv'd, and illuftrated, and her Patience and Do&rine clear'd and vindicated to her great Advantage. All thefe things therefore, which we read fo long before they had a being, de- fcrib'd in Figure and Prophecy, we now with won- derful Satisfaction fee fulfiU'd in Faft. And as the Primitive Chriftians by the power of prefent Miracles, were thoroughly perfuaded that all thefe Predi^ion^ wou'4 io the Oflavius of Minucius Felix. ap Wou'd be verify 'd in their Seafon, fo we now, by the completion of thefe already paft, make no doubt of the fulfilling of the reft which are yet to come. We are therefore confident that the Day of Judgment, we read of in Scripture, will moft aflfuredly come to pafe, wherein all the Citizens of Babylon and Jerufalem^ that is, the good and the bad all the World over, fhall be rais'd again with their former Bodies to give an account of their Actions before the Tribunal of Chrift 5 for he who came in the Humiliation of Man, fhall come again in the Brightnefs of his glory, and divide the Juft from the Unjuft, not only from fuch as wou'd not be prevailed upon to believe the Gofpel, but from fuchalfo as held the Truth in Qnrighteoufnefsj upon the Good, he (hall beftow a Kingdom with himfelf eternal in the Heavens-, and upon the Wicked, eter- nal Punifliment with the Devil. But as no worldly Happinefs can in any wife come into competition with the Blifs the Saints fhall inherit, fo no temporal Pu- nifhments can be compar'd to the Torments of the Damned, either as to degree or duration. Let me therefore entreat you, O my Brother, to ftrengthen your felf in his Might, on whom you now profefs to believe ; fortify your Mind againft thofe viru- lent Tongues that make a mock of our Religion, and from the Quiver of the Devil fhoot their Arrows, and play all their bittereft words againft our ftrongeft hold efpecially, the Doftrine of the Refurre8:ion. Think with your felf, that he who made you to be what you are when you was nor, can with the fame eafe, after deaah, make you again to be what you was. For 'tis no more trouble to Omnipotence to rally again thofe Particles, however difpers'd, which once com- posed your Body, than to mutter together the fcatter'd Clouds, and cover the Sky in a Moment. Be you therefore Itedfaft and immoveable in this Faith, and betake your felf forthwith to a good Life. Fly, O my Brother, fly thofe Torments, where the Tormen- tors JO A Preliminary Dijfertation tors never ceale, and the Tormented never dye, but are dying for ever. Contra^: your Pafiions all to this Point, and fet your Soul on fire with the Thoughts of that heavenly Blifs, where you will be always in A£lion and always at Reft; for the Devotion of the Saints above never ceafes, nor will everfatiate^ la- bour of Mind, and pain of Body, will be no more, not one pityable ObjeSt, not a breath of Sorrow, or the leaft fhadow of want ever overcaft that Beatifick Country. For there God will be all Delights, and we with all the bleflTed Society of Angels and good Men made perfe8:, (hall, from his Divine Prefence, drink Rivers of Pleafure for evermore. The equality of Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, and that Unity of Trinity by which thefe Three are one, the Myftery we now embr^e by Faith, and fo loudly celebrate in our Creed, we (hall then contemplate Face to Face in the profoundeft iilence of excatick Adoration, and be abforpt in Vifion. Let thefe heavenly Joys live iixt and rooted in your Heart, and pray fervently to your new Lord, that he wou'd defend you againft all Temp* rations. Be conftantly upon your Guard againft the Wiles of the Devil, for he will not only attack you openly by his profefs'd Agents who gnafli to fee the Kingdom of darknefs in a manner quite deftroy'd by ChriftianSj but he will undermine you alfo by thol^ Hereticks and Schifmaticks I juft now mentioned, as cut ofF from the Unity of the Church, like unfruitful Branches from the Vine ^ and fometimes he will make the ^ews his Engines to tempt and ruin you. But above all, beware of the Wolves in Sheeps*clothing, thofe Serpents that lye as yet undifcover'd in the bo- fome of the Church -, for the Foi/on of A/ps under fuch unfufpeSled Lips, is in moft danger of iniinuating with fuccels. Prepare thy Soul then for Temptations of every Kind, and from every Quarter ^ for you will find many of thofe to frequent the Pa^an Theaters, whom, upon the Chriftian Feftivals, you will find in the to the Oftavius of Minucius Felix. 3 1 the Church, and this perhaps may be a Temptation to you to do the like. In fhort, you will find fome dark naughr, and worfe than Heathens^ who go by the Name of Chriftians ; but let me tell you, that if your coming to be baptiz'd into Chrift's Religion, be with a defign to live like thefe Men, your coming will be to no purpofc ^ for the Name of Chriftian will be of no Service to an unrepenting finner •, according to that of our Matter, not every one that fays unto me^ Lord^ Lord^ Jhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven^ but he that doth the will of my Father. Place not your confidence in good Works, nor look upon any thing you can do as Meritorious, for it is God which worketh in you^ both to will and to do of his good pleafure. If you fufFer for Chrift, great will be your Reward in Heaven ^ but from him, who giveth place to the De- vil, and mifemploys his Talent, fhall be taken even that he hath. Walk humbly with thy God, that he permit thee not to be tempted above what thou art able 5 for God refifleth the froud^ but giveth grace to the humble. After thefe Inftru£lions, the Catechumen is inter- rogated , whether he believes the things aforefaid, and heartily deiires to obferve 'em-, and when he has folemnly profefs'd his Faith and Sincerity, he is to be Baptiz'd , and fign'd with the fign of the Crofs, and then treated as a Member of the Chriftian Church. This Digreffion from Minucius to St. Auftin, is not going much out of my way, becaufe it not only gives the Reader a beautiful Scheme of the Divine Oeco- nomy in Man's Salvation from the firft to the fecond Adam^ the Lord from Heaven^ but in fon^e meafure fupplies the want of the next Ddy^s Catechetical Con- ference, which from the Taft we have of this Author, we may well judge wou'd have been a very deSrable piece of Chriflian Antiquity -, for the Dialogue as we now have it concludes abruptly, and is rather a gL^ Con* 32 AFrelimindfy Dijfertation. Confutation of Heathenifm i-om Heathen Writers, than a Proof and Explanation of the Chriftian Do- 9:rine. But I cannot, wiih the Learned Du Pia^ think this a fault in my Author-^ for certainly, Gf- ciiius the Heathen was to be convinced of the Folly of his own Religion, before he was particularly to be inftru8;ed in the Myftenes of the Chriftian Faith. Mr. Du P/Vs Charader of the Treatife before us is this, The Dialogue is Elegant., the ExpreJJions are vdell chofen^ the Words proper^ the Turn agreeable^ the Rea/ons are fet forth to Advantagf:.^ and beauti- fy' d with a great deal of Learning : But he does not appear to be very well skilPd in the Myfleries of Re- ligion^ and he feems to have believd that the Soul (hoi^d dye with the Body. Now for my part, with all the Eyes I have, I cannot fee where hg does not appear to be very well skilfd in the Myfleries of Religion^ for he has hardly faid a word about 'em^ this being left for the Subjeft of the following day's Conference, which is not now extant. And for bis feeming to have believed that the Soul Jhou^d dye with the Body^ this feems to me to be a miftake both of Du Pin and his Commentator ^ for he feems to believe no fuch thing, nor can it fairly be deduced from this Expreffion, Nihil effe poft obitum, ^ ante ortum nihil fuiffe^ as I have obferv'd upon the Paflage. For this is no more than ' Tertullian had laid before him, no more than St. Auftin faid after him in the fum- mary before us, and in (hort is this. He is Arguing with the Heathen the poffibility of the Refurreftion^ and therefore, fuppofing with you, that Man after Death is jufl fuch a nothing as he was before his Qon^ ception^yQX. you muft grant it as eafy for God to raife him again, as to make him at firft. And this is • Apol. c. 48. De Refurr. Carn. c. 2. c. 18. the A Preliminary Differtation^ &c. ^ the Argument the fathers all make ufe of, for the • 93 proof of a Refurre£tion. This Dialogue OSavius^ pafs'd a great while for the Eighth Book of Arnoiius, it being found toge- ther with the feven Books of Arnobius^ in an an- cient Manufcript of the Vatican Library, till the Famous Lawyer Baliuinus difcover'd the Error, and in a learned Preface reftor'd it to its true Author, Minucius. The Edition I have followed, is that of Mr.JDdu/Vj", it being not only the laft, but the Corre£left I think by muchj and illuftrated with ingenious Notes, and fome very happy Conje£l:ures ^ where I have diflent- ed from him, I have given my Reafons for fo doing. In the Tranflation, I have made it my bufinefs not only to be True and Juft to the Senfe of my Author^ but to his Air and Sweetnefs of Expreffion, and to render him agreably and like himfelf : But after all, there are fome peculiar Graces in one Language, which in another can hardly be preferv'd in their en- tire Beauty j and Minucius^ I fear, will never be made to fpeak fo finely in Englijh^ as he does in l.atin. In my Notes, I have forbore medling much with dry Critkifm^ and chiefly obferv'd what I thought might be of moft fervice to Religion •, and becaufe my Aw^ thor has borrow'd fo much from Tully\ Quiver, and batter'd down the wickednefs in high Places, from the very Forts of Philofophy, I have fet down, or referr'd to thofe beautiful Paflages he has made ufe of in defence of Chriftianity, where the Commenta- tors have been lilent. And now I have nothing more to add, but only a wifli, that this Difcourfe which made fo glorious a Convert of Cacilius the Heathen, may have fome good efFeft in this Age, as well by convincing our Scepticks and Infidels, as by contirm- jng the Faithful. D THE «8 the Oftavius of 3^ THE C T A V I U S O F Marcus Minucius Felix. Concerning the Vanity of Idols. I.TTJ THILEI was mufing, and my Mind 1/1/ taken all up with the Thoughts of V V my faithful Comer ade, my good O^aviffs, I was under fb fweet a fufpenfe, and fo ravifh'd with the pleafing Reflexion, that I fancy'd my felf in a manner really got back again into the agreeable Hours I once enjoy 'd, and not under the imaginary Pofleffion of Pleafures paft and gone. Thus my O^avius, tho' withdrawn from my Eyes, ftill dwelt in myBreaft, and I faw that Abfence had but wrapt him the fafter about the Strings of my Heart. Nor was it without reafon, that this excellent *j^ Marcus Minucius Felix. excellent and * holy Perfon at his departure * jy^ out of this World left fuch eager Defires and Longings for him in my Soul 3 for he always » Nee immerho difcedens vir eximius (^ fanlfus.J Fromthefeaad the words foregoing, I am inclin'd to believe, that Olfavius de- parted this Life fome time after the Converfion of CicH'ms ; but to go about to diflinguifh the diflance between the Conference with C<«ci//«y, and the compofingof this Dialogue by Mn«cf«x, wou'd be rather to divine than to conjefture. The Lofs of fuch an old and agreeable Companion, of fo good a Friend, and fo good aChrifiian, our Author took extremely to Heart j and the way he took to fupply his Abfence, was to make him as prcfent to his Mind as he cou'd, by recalling the pleafing Hours he once enjoy'd, and by preferving his excellent Difcourfes alive and warm in his Soiil, and by infcribing his Book, OHnvmsy in honour of his de- parted Friend. And here I cannot but fay, that as the Primitive Chriftians met at the Martyrs Tombs to celebrate their Memories, to blefs God for their Examples , to reinflame their own Devoti- ons, and wean 'em ffom the World ; fo I think it the Duty of every Chriftian now to thank God frequently in private for their Dead, as well as living Benefaftors, to cherifh their Memories, to ruminate on their Virtues, and go after them in their Thoughts, and not to leave 'em at the Grave, and take all the Pains we caa to forget 'em j for this is not only a Piece of facred Gratitude, but of mighty advantage to our own Souls, tho' of none to the Souls departed j for the Thoughts of a dead, as well as the Sight of a dying Friend, do flrangely open the Mind, and foften it for heavenly Impreffions. And were it not for gojng t©o much abroad from pur felves, and wearing off thefe Thoughts among the Liv- ing, we (hou'd find our Minds ofc'ner upon their Journey to the other \^orld, and in a much better Difpofition to leave this than we generally find they are : And there is an excellent Office to this purpofe lidded to the Reformed Devotions^ by Dr. Hk\es. The Word SitnllHS^ or Samt^ |i6t only here, but among all the Pri- mitive Writers, and in many places of the New Teftament, is buc another word for Chi[ijiian , and (lands oppos'd not to unfound Chriftians, but to Heathens. Thus, i Cor. i. 2. To them that are fanlt'ified in Chnji Jefus, called to be Saints (or rather called the Saints) with all that in every place call upon the Name of Jefus Chrift our Lord. The San^ified in Chrifl Jefu4^ and the Saints called^ feem to be Words of the fame import , denoting fuch as were called forth, and feparated from the World, thro' Faith in Chrift j for 'tis certain , that many Members of the Church of Corinth wanted the inward Sanftification of the Spirit, but OSlavius was Vir eximiks ^ fanHuSf a Chrijiian in Life^ as well as Frofejfion. D 2 burnt » The O&avius of v5^ burnt with equal Fire, and lov*d tr»e fo paffio- nately again, that both in our Divetfions and Bufinefs, our Minds continually play'd in con- fort to one another, infomuch, that you'd ima- gin there was but one Soul between us both. Thus he alone was the Confident in my A- mours, and he alone my Companion in Errors 5 and after Break of Day, when from the Abyfs of Darknefs I had emerged into the Light of Wifdom, and Truth divine, he then refused me not as a '^ Companion, but to his greater Glory, ran before me as a Guide. While therefore I was turning over the Thoughts of our living together, and our perpetual Famili- arity thro* every Stage of Life, my Mind ftopt in her Travels, and Tetled her Intention chief- ly upon that Difcourfe of his in the momen- tous Difputation he had in my Prefence with Cacilius, whereby he brought him over to the the true Religion, tho* at that ^ time extreme- ly ■ ■ ■■ ■■ i-.i i» « » ' l^on refpuit Coniitem^ fed quod eft glomfms pracucunit.~\ From hence 'tis evident that OlUv'tus and Af'inuttus had kept Company a long time in the Vices and Superftition of the Age , and were confiderably advanced in Years and Vanity, before their Eyes were opened to fee the Wifdom and Truths as he emphatically ftiles Chri- Aianity in this Place ; they both broke thro' the ftrong Holds of Education and Intercft, and every Worldly Temptation, for the Doftrine of the Crofs. O^avms it feems nad the Glory of lead- ing the way, but like a true Friend, he cou'd not be content to be happy without his M'lnucm, till his Companion in Error (ba- red with him in the Truth j nor cou'd Minuciw ftay long behind, according to that of Horace^ Ah te me£ fi fxrtem anmA YAp'it Ataturior vis, quid morer altera .^ '^ Cicilium fuperftitiofis vanitatibui etiam nunc inh^renteniy dec.'] Fontim in the Life of St. Cyprian^ fays, that it was one CdtcHiut^ ^ Presbyc^ of venerable Age and Piety, wljo brought over the greas Marcus Minucius Felix. ^ ly bigotted to the Heathen Vanities and Su- ^ ^7 perftition. IF. For OUavim having fome Bufinefs, and a longing Defire to fee me, came to Romt 5 and the Vifit was the more obliging, becaufe he had forc'd his way thro* the ftrong Endear- ments of Houfe, Wife, and Children ^ and that too which is mod amiable in Children, even while they were in the Seafon of Inno- cence and Prattle, expreffing themfelves by faalfs in their broken Dialed , • a Dialed that has all its Graces from the pretty Imperfeftions of the fault'ring Tongue. At whofe arrival^ with what exceffive ungovernable Joy I was tranfported , I want words to exprefs 3 and the unexpefted Prefence of the friendlieft Man on Earth was that which fwell'd the Paflioa the higher. After a Day or two therefore, when continued Prefence had abated the firft Tranfports, and we had acquainted each other with our mutual Adventures during our Ab- fence, we refolv'd upon a Journey to the plea- greac Cyprian to the ChriftiaD Faith , who upon his Converfion took on hiai the Name of CacUlus, as being the Father of his pew Life;- but that this decWut, was the fame with him in this Dialogue, Rigaltius and others can fee no reafon to believe, but I confefs I can fee no good reafon to disbelieve it -, for Cyprian was converted about the Year 243, that is, 52 Years after this Dia- logue, when our CaciUus muft needs be an old Man ; and he was an African too as well as St. Cyprian , aad that which makes the Conjefture the more probable, i?, thatoneof the firft Books which Sz. Cyprian ''Ntott^vix^. Concerning the Vanity of Idols, is taken almoft wholly out of this of Minucms. There is a huge Pother about ctiam nunc irthArentem^ but it manifeftly refers to the time of the Confc» rence with Cxcilius, when he was deep in the Heathen Superfticion, and not of the Writing of this Dialogue, when he was deliver'd out of the Mire of Hcathenifm into the Purity of the Gofpel. D 3 fant ao The Ofiavius of ^i fant City of ^ O^U 5 and the rather, becaufe I look'd upon thofe fait Baths as an agreeable and proper Remedy for dryii^ up the Humors I was then afflifted with. It was ^ Vacation- time, and that gave me a Loofe from my Bu- finefs at the Bar 3 for it was the time after the Summer's Heat , when Autumn promised fair, and put on the Face of Temperate. Wefet out therefore in the Morning early, and as we were walking upon the Sea-fhore, and a kindly Breeze fann'd and refrefh'd our Limbs, and the yield- ing Sand foftiy fubmitted to our Feet , asnd made it delicious Travelling, C^cilius on a fud- den efpy'd the Statue of Seraph^ and according to the vulgar Mode of Superftition, rais'd his Hand to his Mouth, and pay'd his ^ Adoration in Kifles. III. Super- ^ PlacuJt Ofliam petere^ &c,^ Oflia was built by Ancus Martim in the Mouth of the Tyber, renowned for the Retirement of the learned Romans j for thus Tully, lib. $. de Fin. c. 24. fpeaking of Scipio Africams , Qtiem Tyberina decwfio fefto iUo die tanto gaudio affecit. Here it was alfo that St. Auftin had his famous Difcourfe with his Mother Monica about the Felicities of the other World; here it was fhe died and was buried. Confejf. lib. 9. * Ad vindemiam feris judiciariam curam relaxaverant.^ Hence we find that Minucius was not only a Lawyer, but that he prafti- fed at the Bar after he profefs'd Chriftianity. The Vintage-time was Vacation with the Romans^ as well as Harveft with us, and for the fame reafon, Ke quit Mejfium aut vindemiarum tempore adverfx' rium cogeret ad judicium venire. Vid. Vlpian. in Pandeliu^ leg. i. de teriii. That no one fljou'd be dijlurbed with Law-fuits in time of Har- vefi or Vintage. f Cacilius^fimulacro Serapidis demtato^ ut vitlgus fuperjiitiofus folet, manum ori admovens , ofculum labiii prejjit.'] To Adore, is literally to lift the Hand to the Mouth ^ and it being the vulgar Mode to ex- prefs their Worfliip bykifTingtheHand, therefore 'rz-^^rKvveiv and Adorare^ which both fignifie to Kifs, fignifie alfo to Worfhip. That this was an ancient Form among the Heathen , we may fee from thac Marcus Minucius Felix. ^ III. Upon which O^avlns addreffing to me, ^fo faid thus^ It is not well done, Brother Mark, ^ thus to leave your infeparable Companion in the depth that o£Jfob, If 1 beheld the Sun when it Jhined^ or my Mouth hath kfjfed my Hand, This alfo were Iniquity y for Ifl}ou"d have denfd the God that is above, cap. 51". v. 25, 27, 28. Befidcs this way of Worfliip by Kiffing the Hand, they kiffed the Idol it felf, accord- ing to that of Hofea. 1 3. 2. Let the Men that facrifice, kifs the Calves. In the foregoing Apology, cap. 6. TertuUian lays, that in the Confullhip of F//o and GdWnwj, Serapit, znd Ijis, mdHar- focrates with his Cymcephalus were turn'd out of the Capitol, and cheir Altars demolifh'd. And accordingly, fays Tully, Si Diifunt iUi quos colimusy (fy- accepimus, cur non eodem in genere Serapim ^ Ifim numeremus ? But TertuUian fays, they were reftored to their divine Honours, and fo we find from Ikc*;?, Kos in Templa tuam Romana accepimus Ifm, Semideofqj Canes, i«f fijlra jubenPia lulfus. Concerning the Original of this Serapis, Ruffinus fays, there were various Opinions, Some took, him to be Jove, Cujus capiti modius juper impofitus, vel quia cum menfura modoq; cunHa indicet moderari, vel vJtam mortalibus frugum largitate prdberi, Ruf. Hift. Eccl. lib. 2. But the learned Vojjius, in his Book, of Idolatry, has made it appear with wonderful Probability from this of Ruffinus, and the Tefli- monies of Julius Maternus, and Suidas^ and from other Argu- ments, that the Memory of Jofeph was preferved under the Mgyp- tian Apk. For he obferves, firft, that 'tis highly probable that fo extraordinary a Perfon, fo great a Prophet and States man, and fo publick a Benefaftor as 3^ofeph was , wou'd have his Memory confccrated to Pofteriiy ; that the ^yptians were moft likely to do this by fome Symbolical Reprefentation of the Kindaefs ; that no Symbol was more proper for this than the Egyptian Apis, be- caufe the Famine was prsefigured by the Lean Kine, and the Plenty by the Fat ; that Minucius had a Golden Bull erefted to his Memo- ry at Rome, for relieving the People in a time of Famine. 'Tis evident, likewife, by Pharaoh's rewarding JFofeph, that the Egyp- tians were defirous of fliewing their Gratitude, chat it vyas a com- mon Praftice among 'em to perpetuate the Memory of Benefaftors by fome Symbols, which tho' at firft defign'd only for Civil Ule, were afterwards abus'd into Idolatry and Superfticjon. And laftly, the very Names Apti and Serapis, ^ive great Light and Probability JO the Conjedture, for Vojjius conceives Apis to be the facred Name oijofeph among the /Egyptians, and is as much as ^K father; and P 4 ■ ^ Jofeph £^ The 09:avius of 4^ depth of vulgar Darknefs, and to fuffer him in fo clear a Day to ftumble upon Stones 5 Stones indeed of Figure, and § anointed with Jofeph himfelf fays, that he was a Father ta Pharaeb -, and Seraph as Ruffinus and Suidas both tell us, had a Buftiel on his Head. And Serapis feems probably to be deriv'd from IIIW 5or, which frgnifies a B«//, and yipit. So that here we have the facred Story of fofepb vilibly traced thro' all the Egyptian Darknefs and Superfticion in their famous Idol Serapis^ of which all other Ac- counts feem purely Fabulous, aud without Foundation. s Lap'ides unilos^ &c.3 The anointing Stones with Oil, was the Symbol of Confecration. Hence that of Clemens AUxandrinus, Strom 7. concerning fuperftitious Men, tpetvjet x/'-S^of, to o A6>o- fj^out Kfrct^v '7!r^(y)cwjHvJi?, omnem lapidem^ ut dicitur^ maum adorantes ; which Arnobius calls Lubrkatum lap'tdem ^ ex olivi unguine fordidatum, and not Ordinatum as Grotius reads it upon Gen. 28. 18. This Mode of Confecratfng Stones by VnHion was ve- ry ancient, and as the mod ancient Rites among the Greeks were deriv'd from the Phoenicians^ and to them from thejevcs-, fo this of anoint ivg Stones feems evidently to be derived from the Praftice of Jacob in Gen. 28. 18. where it is faid , And Jacob rofe ttp early in the Morning^ and took the Stone that he bad for a Ptliovc, and fet it up for a Pillar^ and poured Oil upon the top of it^ and he called the Name of that Place, Bethel, This very Stone (fay the Jevps) the Phoenicians afterwards worlhipped, and confecrated other Scones with the like Unftion, and called them Bxtylia or Bs- tylcs^ in M emory of that erefted at Bethel. This word for a Stone we find in the Heathen Damafcius inPhotius, p. io(52, lotfg. etJ'ov r BcuTv\ov S'ta. r di^Q- Kivi/uSiJov^ vidi B£tylum, lapidem in aere mot urn. So likewife in Sanchuniathony as he is tranflated by Philo in Eujebius de prsp.Evang. lib. i.e. 10. p. 37. k'Tnv'omi Oioi Ov^vU BffJJd\/a,, Md-at kfji'^tix^^ f/MXct^Uffa'^i^. Veus Coelw B£tylia reperit^ animatos lapides infolenti arte molitus. Thus again, Pliny ex Sotaco^ lib. 37. c. 9. per illas qu£nigr£ funt,^ rotunda^ urbes expugnari ^ Cliiffes, eafq\ B&tulos vocari. And the Greek Etymologift Hefychius^ tells us, that B£tulus was the Stone which Saturn devour'd inftead of Jupiter ^ and becaufe Rhea co^ ver'd it with a Goatskin, which in the Greek is Bo/tw (tho' that lignifies any other Skin, as well as that of a Goat) therefore from BruTM Bo/tjia©-, or B£telusy or BAtylus • to fuch lamentable E- tymologics are the Greek Grammarians often forced for want of underftanding the Jewifh Antiquities. See more upon this Subjeft in Bocbart. de Phoen. Col. lib. 2. c. 2. p. 785. Seld.de ViitSyris. Heinf, in Clem. Alex. Strom. 7. Cafaub. ad Theopb.p, 295. Herald, ad Arnob^ lib. I. BP Patrick upon Qen. 28. i8. Marcus Minuclus Felix. \^ Oil, and Crowned, but Stones however ftiil '^ifi they are 5 for you cannot but be fenfible that your permitting fo foul an Error in your Friend, sedounds no lefs to your difgrace than his. This Difcourfe of his held us thro* half the CitYy and now we began to find our felves upon the free and open Shore. There the gently waftiing Waves had fpread the extremeft v Sands into the Order of an artificial Walk. And as the Sea always expreffes fome Rough- nefs in his Looks , even when the Winds are ftill, altho* he did not roll in Foam and angry Surges to Land, yet were we much delighted as we walk'd upon the Edges of the Water, to fee the crifping friezly Waves glide in Snaky Folds, one while playing againft our Feet, and then again retiring and loft in the devouring Ocean. Softly then and calmly, as the Sea a- boHt us , we traveird on, and kept upon the Brim of the gently-declining Shore, beguiling the way with our Stories. Thefe Stories were Difcourfes of O^avius concerning Navigation. But when we had thus walk'd and talk'd as long as we thought good, we returned back the fame way we came 5 and being got to the Dock , where the fmaller Veffels are laid up to be careen d, we faw a parcel of Boys won- drous bufie at making Dttck^ and Drakes upon the Sea. The ^ Nature of that Play, is, to take ^ IsLufHS efi teftam teretem, de littorelegere, &c.3 This Boyifli Play is called by the Greeks e-Zorf^'K/^iwo^. And Suidas tells us, that |'Tor£$t>c»f«j', isUeui'ici m «V 'sreu^aa-iv ol maHHii og-^-Ko, <^V/«vl8? ^i ^dKa^f' And JhHus Pollux after a particular De- ' fcriptioa 4^ The Ofiavius of .^2 take the fmootheft Shell they can find upon the 5hore, and holding it between their Fingers, with the fiat fide downwards, or in aPofitioa parallel to the Horizon, to whirl jt low upon the Water as far as they are able 5 fo that the Shell may but juft graze upon the Back of the Sea, and keep dancing upon the Waves all the time the trajedory Force continues 5 or in other words, twinkle upon the Surface, cutting Ga- pers (heer abng it fails. And that Boy comes offVidor, whofe Shell skims the fartheft, and jumps the ofteneft in skiming. IV. Whil'ft we therefore were taken up with this Sight , C£cilius was nothing mov'd , nor vouchfaf 'd one fmile at the Boyifli Contenti- on, but mute, and in the Dumps, and moping by himfelf , his doleful Looks feem*d to wit- nefs huge Afflidion. What's the matter, faid I, CacUihs ^ What's become of the wonted Gaiety that fat upon thofe Cheeks, and that Air of Pleafantry which perpetually fparkled in thofe Eyes, even when you was moft in the Serious? I muft tell you, reply'd he, the late Difcourfe of our O^avius noxtXts me extremely, fcription of this Sport concludes jufl like our Author , ^ )<> IP' 'wA»9«f r d^iJiArau « vim tiS^'IkkovJi^ lib. 9.C.7. This was, it feems, an ancient and celebrated Sport , and treated of by many learned Criticks, as the Reader, if he thinks it worth while, may fee in the Edition of this Author by Mr. Vnvifs -, 'tis what we, I think, call Dm\s and. Brakes^ upon which Minuths has bcftow'd abundance of very fine words, and entertain'd us nobly upon a ve- ry little Subjeft. And fmce the Author has fliew'd fo much good Humour, as well as Eloquence, in this pretty and furprifing De- fcription, I was obliged to attempt to do juftice to h\iViuc\s and Drakes^ to fet 'em off with all thi Majefty and Pomp of Expref- fion, to make \% the more diverting and confiderable Triflpo m Marcus Minucius Felix. »5^ in which Inveftive he took occafion to chaftife XfZ your Negligence feverely, for a handle only to lafti my Ignorance the more unmercifully. I am refolv'd therefore to puQi my Refentments farther, and to argue this whole matter with OBavius from top to bottom. If he accepts the Challenge, I dare promife that as contemptibly as he thinks of me, and my Religion, he (hall foon find the difference between rallying with thofe of his own Tribe, and difputing clofely with Philofophers. Let us retire then to yon lofty Pile of Stone thrown up for the (belter of the Bath, and there fit down to refre(h our felves after walking, and to compofe us the better for the debate in Hand. The Motion was no fooner made, but down we fate, I in the middle, and they on each fide 5 nor ftood we upon Ceremony, or confider'd our Rank or Quality in thus placing our felves, for Friend- (hip always finds, or makes Men equal. But I fat middlemoft in the Quality of an Arbitrator only, that being next to both I might have an Ear for each, and the more conveniently mo- derate between the two Difputants. Cacilius then thus began. V. Brother Mark, tho* I am fully fatisfy'd that you are very well appointed to moderate between us , as having diligently examined ^ both Religions your felf, and upon mature Deli- '" VtpQte cHmdHigenter inutroq-yvivendigenere verfatus, repudkrh alterumy alterum comprobaris.'] From hence it appears, that at this Conference Minucius was well advanced in Years, for he had tho- rowly been ver&'d in both Religions, he had diligently examin'd the 5 Pretences *4& TheO&2ivmof V^>f Deliberation quitted ours, and gone over to the ChriOian way of Worftiip 3 yet I muft remind you at prefent, that you are to aft like an impartial Judge, to hold the Ballance even, and incline to neither Party; that your Sentence may plainly appear, not to be the EfFeft of your Inclination, but purely the liTue of your Judgement. If there- fore you 11 fit and hear as a perfect Stranger, and no ways prejudg'd on either fide, *tis the eafieft thing imaginable to make it appear, that in human Affairs, all things are ^ doubt- ful, uncertain, difputable^ and that our Know- ledge of 'em is not Science, but Opinion. And this makes me the lefs wonder, to fee fome tir'd in the queft of Truth, and in de- fpair of tracing it home, without more ado furrender to the next Opinion in their way, rather than obftinately maintain the Chafe, Pretences and Principles of both, and upon fullConviftion went over to the Chriftian. And nothing certainly but the ftroQgeft Conviftion cou'd have engaged the Lawyer to quit his Pafiions, Intereft, and the eftablifh'd Religion, and to go over to the fufFering fide with- out a Fee, without any Hopes of Reward but in another World. * Omnia, in rebus humanis dubtAy incerta^ fH^^^f^ ; ^i^iVlj <""" nia veYiJimilia^ quam vera."} CacHius at his firft fetting out reels to and fro like a Man drunk in his Incelleduals, he triumphs be- fore he has flruck on? ftroke , and with ail the Air of Afturance and Self-fufficiency pronounces hjmfelf certain that there is nothing certain i he makes flight of the Gods, and fwaggers againft a Pro- vidence, and can make and govern a World without 'em j he thun- ders and lightens throughout his Difcourfe with Flafhes of Wir, and ratling Eloquence, and is inconnftent with himfelf from be- ginning to end i in a word, he afts the Part of Velleius the Aca- aemtcl^ to the Life, of whom Cicero writes thus, Turn Velleius, fi- denterfaney ut ijli folenty nihil tarn verens quam ne dubitare aliqm de re videretur^ tanquam modo ex Deorum CorciliOy (fyr ex Epicuri /n- tsrmHndiis defcendijJeP, &c. de Nat. V&ir. lib. i. c. 8 and Marcus Minucius Felix. ^ and put themfelves to more Pain about it. ^'f 'lis therefore a deplorable thing, and enough to make a wife Man mad to think on't, that a certain Se& of Ideots, and thefe too neither ' skill'd in facred or prophane Learning, nor fo much as qualify'd for a Trade, that fuch Fellows (hou'd dare to take upon them to de- termine dogmatically of the mod important and higheft Points in Divinity 5 Points, which all the Sefts of Philofophers in all Ages have been beating their Brains about, and left undecided to this Day 5 nor without Reafon, (ince hu- man Mediocrity is not only infinitely too (bort * Stud'mum rudesy L'lterarum profanos^ ^c.J Thus in the Alfs 0/ the ApoftleSy chap. 4. v. 13. When they faw the Boldnefs of Peter and j^ehn, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant Men, Af^^fjLfjLctjoi ^ }J^ia^, they marvelled^ &c. This for three Cen- turies was theObjeftion againft the Profeflbrs of Chriftianity, thefe were the Names given them by Luc'ian^ avQ^ottoi iS'iu^. Luc'ian, Peregr. p. 358. by Afclepiades^ Chriflianl funt turba imperita, 'till' terata frequentia. Afclep. apud Prudent, in R. Mart. p. 208. By HierocleSy apud Eufeb, 512. Petrus ^ Paulus '^JS'^euy i^ A'7raxi' Or fuppofing all the Parts of the Univerfe united, rang'd and formed by a ^ fortuitous Concourfe of Atoms, what need of * Sht fortuHis concurfionibus totius mmdi membra coalita^ &c.] The firft Strong-hold (or rather Caftle of Air) the Inconfiftent Cxciliui betakes himfelf to, is, the Epicurean Hypothefis. Here he ftruts about a while and prides himfelf in h\% Atoms ^ and frames Heaven and Earth, an everlafting Succeffion of Suns and Stars, and what not ? By the help only of Matter and Chance-medly. He then llioots his Bolts againft a Providence from the indifcriniinate Events of Good and Evil, and attempts to bani(h the Fear of a- nother Marcus Minucius Felix. ^^ of an omnifcient Artift > If Fire kindled the Jt^ Stars, and the Heavens are buoy*d up by their ^ own Matter, and the Earth faft'ned by its own Weight, and all the Liquids drain'd themfelves into a Sea, whence this Religion, and thefe Fears, which are downright Superftition> Man and ev'ry Animal breathing, as they are but a fpontaneous Concretion of the Ele- mfents, into which Man and Animal are again crumbled, refolv'd, diffipated,foallthe reft too nother World out of this. For the' Epicurus allowed a natural Prolepfis or Anticipation of a Deity in the Mind of Man, antece- dent to Reafoning, and from thence argu'd, that what is natural muftbe true ; and that the Gods ought toberefpefted for the Excel- lency of their Nature, Habet enm venerationem jujlam qukquU ex- cellit. Tally de Nat. Deor. lib. i. c. 1 7. And tho' he wrote a Book de Sanliitate^ for fo much Civility to the Gods, as the Author of the Rights wou'd have for the Chriftian Religion ; yet for all this he was an arrant Atheifl at the bottom j according to that of Poji- donius^ nullos ejje Deos Epicuro videri^ 5«beon, the whole .Koft of Idols in Worfhip. " bum aras exftruunt etiam ign^tii Numinibiti^ &C.3 We are told, that the Celtiber'uns, or People of Arragor, were wont to piy their Devotion to the unl(novcn God upon a full Moon, by Dan- cing all Night in unfeemly Poftures j for thus Straboy 1. 3. Celti- her't ((y eorum Vicini in Boream habitantes^ cuipiam Deo cujta mmen mn extaty rotunda. Luna^ tempore Tn^urno ante fores per omnes domos Marcus Minucius Felix. 53 Deities, and Infernal Spirits 5 in a word, by thus getting to themfelvesall the Religions in the World, they got to Rule it for their^Pains. Hence a perpetual Tenor of Worlhip, not im- pair'd, but ftrengthen'd by Age ^ for the An- cients always paid a Veneration to Temples fernoSlantJaltuf ag^tantes^ &c. And Ph'ilojlratm in the Life of .4/>oi- JoniHt^ lib. 6. and Paufaniat^ lib.i. moreover tell us, that the Atheni- ans had their unknown Deities^ and to mention no more, St. Paul himfelf affures us, AUs 17. 25. that in Athensht favv an Altar tcS @g« <*JV«V^, To the Vnknovon God. And we are inform'd like- wife from St. /erow, that there was an Altar alfo with an In- fcription Qioii dfvaTots^ ignotismminibuSy asdecilius here fpeaks. Vid. Hieron. in Titum cap. i. For thefe are his Words, Infcriptio au- tem ar£, mn ita erat ut Paulus ajjeruit, fed ita, Diis Afi£^ Diis Ig' notiSy ^ Peregrinii. This was exceffive Boldnefs in jerom to con- tradift St. Paul in a Thing he faw with his own Eyes, and which isconfirm'd hy Luci an, Philip, p. 1121, 1129. The whole In- fcription we find from Oecumenius was this, "Er/ q « k, j^ AiCvti^, &zro dfveo?-a }y ^kva. So prone were they to Superflinon, that when St. Pdul preach'd up Jefus and the Refurre^ion, they took Ana- Jlafis or the Refurre^ion to be a Goddefs, as Chryfofiom and Oe- cumenius both obferve upon the Place. Tho' Dr. Bentty faith, that they too well underftood the Notion of a Refurre!'lion to think it a Goddefs^ Serm. 2. p. 9. With whom the Learned Dr. Whitb) agrees in his Annotations ^ but if that be all the rea- fon, I cannot fee how they came not to underftand the Notion of Fides and Fortuna, Febris and Cloacinay too well to Worfliip 'cm for GoddelJes ^ for Anaflafis feems to bid as fair for a God- defs, as thofe and many others. For fear then they (hou'd omlc any, they erefted Altars to the Vnknown Gods ; the Caiife of\ which we arej told, was a Vifion appearing to Philippides in his EmbafTy to the Lacedemonians for Aid againfl the Fer/i^tns, and complaining that Pan^ (who by Socrates, and others, was look'd upon as cm '^livja., the God who made all things} was not wor- fliipped, and promifing hisAffiftanee if he was-, they therefore proving Viftorious, and for fear of Pans Anger for the time to come, erefted an Altar to the Vn\norvn God. Now this Supreme Deity was called the VnkjtownGod^ not becaufc they had no No- tion of him, but becaufe they had no Image to Worfhip him by, and fo cou'd not tell what to make of him, nor where to find him > upon occafion, as they cou'd their own Idols. He was a God as f£cilins fpeaks, fiuem nee ojlendere poffunt^ ngc v'tdere. 54. The Oflavius of and Ceremonies according to their Age, and the Obfcurity of their Original. VII. Wor was it but upon good grounds, (for I will venture, at prefent, to own a Pro- vidence, and fo err in ' Favour of the Gods, if it be an Error) that our Anceftors fpent fo much Pains, either in the Obfervation of Au- guries, or in theConfulting of Entrails, or in the Inftitution of Sacred Rites, or the Con* fecration of Temples. For examine your Books of Record, and there you'll find the Ceremo- nies of all Religions matriculated, either how they were to return Thanks for the Divine Favours, or to deprecate impending Wrath, or to attone it while taking Vengeance upon them. The ^ Id^xa^ Mother of the Gods, who by her Arrival both clear'd the Matrons Cha- ftity. ' Auftm mm Interim fy ipfe concedere, <^ fic melius errare, &C.3 C«c?//Kj- finds liimfelf in the torrent and hurry of Djfputation car- ried off from his Epicurean Principles into the Confenton of a Pro- vidence ; and chat the Roman Greatnefs was owing to the Roman Gods J for fear, I fay, that this Concetilion (hould refleft upon his former Reafonings againft a Divine Providence, (which here- alTumes Seftion the lo"*, callirig fnch a God impudenter cwiofutnj before he enters upcn the Proofs of a Providence in favour of the Romans, he prefaces thus by way of Prevention, Aufim enim in- terim (fy- ipfe cnncedcre, tfjy fc melius errare. I will venture for a while to acknowledge the Care and hfpellion of the Gods, and their extraordinary Concern fr the Remans upon the account of their Devo- tion J and fo ma\e a better mi(la\e than Oftavius, who afferts an All- feeing Providence, notwithftandiag the Worfhippers of it do nothing elfe but pray, and futfer for fo doing. ? Tefiii Mater Idaa, &:c.] Amcngfl feveral other Tricks of the Ddimons^ you have this juft hinted ar by TertuUian. Ap. cap. 22« and told more at large by LaSantius, Mam cum ex libris Sy- imiah' Id£a M.iter ejfa accita, ^ in vado Tyberini fluminis Navis qua vehebatur, hdififfet, nee uUa vi commoveretur^ Claudiam ferunt qu£ femper impudica effet hahita ob nimios corporis cultus, Deam fubmijjis genibus orn^e ut fi fe Ciij%m judicarst fuum cingulum feque- 5 retur^ Marcus Minucius Felix. 55 ftity, and deliver'd Rome from her Fears of the Enemy, is an Authentick Witnefs of Di- vine Providence. The Statues in the Lake jHturna. of the two Equelkian " Brothers Co. jior and Pollux^ appearing juft in the fame Habit with their Statues, and who came pan- ting upon their Smoiking Steeds, and brought the News from Perfia of the Vidory the fame Day they procured it, do fiifficiently tcftify the fame Providence of the Gods. The Reftora- tion of the Circevjim Games upon the Dream of a ^^ Pleheidfi, is another Inftance of the Concern of an offended Jove. The ^ Decii who devoted themfelves for their Country, prove the fame Thing. And Cnrtius likewife, who at the Command of the Gods rode into the gaping Earth, and bravely clos'd the Gulph with the bulk of his Horfe and the Rider, is another Witnefs to the fame Purpofe. The (lighted Auguries to our coft have demon- ftrated the Concern of the Gods much oftner retur^ Ha navim qu£ ab omn'i juventute non valuit commoveri^ ab una tnuliere effe commotam, LaiK de Or. Er. I. 2. p. 82. " Tefies Equeftrium fratrum Statudi, &C.3 Thcfe are called by TertuUian, Phantafmata Cajloruw^ aud mentioned by La^fantius in the Places above cited ; and they are produced alfo for Inftances of a Providence by Balbus mTully de N D. 1. 2. c. 2. In mftra acie Caftor ify" Pollux ex equis pugnare vifi funt^ ^ recentiore me- moria iidem Tyndarida Perfen vi3um nunciaverurt. Which when Cotta comes ro dnfvver, he calls Fabellas amies, lib. ^;c. 5. "^ Tejiis ludorum offenfi Jovh de fowno plebeii Nonilnis iteratio.^ Thus again Cicero^ Exin curdam Ruftko Rom.tno v'lfus efl ventre, qui dkeret, Pr&ful^m fibi mn placuijje lud'is, idque ab eodem '-juffum effe eum Senatui nunciare, ilium mn ejje aufum, iterum effe idem vifum, &c. lib. I. de Divinat. c. 2(5. Which Word iterum perhaps was the reafon why Minucius here chofes to ufe iteratio. * Deciorum devotio rata.'] Thus Tully again, Tit autem etiam Dedorum devotionibus placatos deos effe cenfes. de N. D. lib, 3. c. 6* E 4 than 5 6 T^he Oftayius of than we defir'd. Thus y Allia is become an ill-boding Name to this Day, and reads us a continual Le(5ture againft the Contempt of the Gods. Thus the Naval Fight of "" CUu- ditff and 'jumus againft the Carthagimam , may be look'd upon rather as a direful Ship- wreck caufed by Heaven, than the defolation of a Battel. And Flamwius's defpifing the y Sic Allia mmen infaufium.'] Here ic was that the Gdw/j gave the Romans fuch a fatal Overthrow, that Dies Allicnfis went pro- verbially afterwards fcr Dies ivfaujhs^ an mluc\y or black. Day, Hence chat of Lucan^ Ei dantnata dlk Romanis Allia Fajiis. Thus likevvife Ovid in Ibln. H^c ejl in Fajlis cut dat gravis Allia noTKen. hnd Suetonius fays, that nothing cou'd fucceed well with fltel- Jiiis, qui omni divino humamque ]ure negleElo Altievfi die Pontificatum maximum ce fit. Suet^vit. ViieLc. 7. The only Quertion is, how this comes to be put among the Inftances of defpifing Religion, and the Anfwer we have in A. Cell. NoH.Att. lib. 5. c. 17. namely, becaufe ^ Sulpkius before he er:gag'd with the Gauls, facrificed the Day after the Ides^ and many Senators had obferv'd, Quntiens belli gerendi gratia- res divina fojlridie Kalendas, Nonas, Idus, a J^agijireitu Populi Roman/ faSlaeJfet, ejus belli proximo deinceps prdiHo rempublicam male geflamfuijfe ^ turn Senatus eanirem ad'Pontifices rejecit ipfi, quodvideretur flatuerent ; Pontifices decreverunty nullum his diehus Sacrificium re^e futurum. ' Sic Claudii ^ Junii non prdium in Pcenos, fed ferale Naufra* gium.^ When the Pulbrius, or Pullet-prophet, told P. Claudius that the Chickens wou'd not Ear, he in derifion bid him throw *em into the Water, to fee if they wou'd Drink, ut biherent qurt viam effe nollent. Qui rifiis claffe deviHa multas ipfi lachrymas.^ piagnam Populo Romano cladem attulit. And then fallows the In- flanre of Junius, Ccllegu ejus Junius eodem bello nonne tempeftate duffem amifit cum aufpiciis non paruijjet Z Cic. de. N. D. lib. 2. c. 5. the followfflg Examples quoted by Minucim we havelikewife m Tully, concermng Flaminius; he fays, negleiluReligione apudThra- f)mcnum ceddiffe, cum magna ReipubUcs.vulnere -^ and more at large in his Book de Divinat. 1. i. c. 55. where he returns the PuUor rius this Anfwer, Pr£clara vero aufpicia^ ft efurientibus gullii res geri poterit, faturis' nihil geretur; and what our Author mentions ■ of Crajfus, Dirarum imprecationes Cra£us ^ meruit ^ irrifii. Tully expreffes thus, M. Crajjb quid acciderity videmus dirarum ob- nuuiatione negleUa, Augu- Marcus Minuclus Felix. 57 /Auguries, was the Caufe which fwell'd the Waters of Thrafymen^ and purpled them with Blood. And in our Parthian Expedition for the Recovery of our Standards, Crajfus defer- vedly paid for his Ridiculing the Dire Impre- cations. I pafs over many Ancient Relations nor do I fay one Word of the Poetical Stories concerning the Nativities of the Gods, the Prefents they have made, and the Pofts they have undertaken 5 I omit alfo the Predidtions of the Oracles, for fear you (hould think An- tiquity a little too much inclin d to Fable. Con- fider the Temples and Shrines of the Gods, the Defence and Ornament of the City, which are infinitely more Auguft and Venerable upon ^he account of their Divine ^ Inhabitants, for the * Intende Templis — magis funt augufla Num'mibus Incorts,pr£fenti- ius InquU'mis^quamCultks infignibus^&Cc.'] From hence I obferve,thac our Heathen Caciliui was not fo grofs as to beheve the Images tliem- felves to be Gods; but only that they were to be worfhipped upna the account of ihcIndT^eWmg Deities^ which by Magical Ceremonies ■ and Enchantments were introduced, and there thought to be con- ifia'd, as we fay the DevU is in a Circle. For this Reafon, when the Romans plunder'd a City they brought the Idols along with 'em, concluding the Deities and the Images went together, as we find by C£cHius. With relation to this it is, I conceive, that the A- poftle, AHs 17. 2$. fays, That God it not worftnpped with Mens Hands, as if he could be worfhipped only, or fpoken to in a Con- fecrated Image made by Man. But tho' thefe Images were thus inhabited and influenced by the Daemons, yet the Writers both of Old and New Teftament, and all the Primitive Fathers, reprefent them ftill as they were in themfelves, hJ^ukcl Aipavet, dumb I- dols, and fuch only as gave Anfvyers by the help of Ev(l Spirits. This Indwelling or Inhabitation of the Daemons, was the Founda- tion then oi the Heathen-Idolatry -J and had they worfhipped the true God the fame way and for the fame reafon, it had been Idolatry, and exprcfly againft the fecond Commandment •, for if ^indwelling be a good ground for Worfhip, we may Worfhip every Creature in the World, for God hipifelf is pref^at evjy where 58 The Ofiavius of the prefent Indwelling Deities they contain, than for all the Riches and External Glitter of their Sacred Furniture 5 for hence it is, that the Priefts come fo big with the God, and gather Events not yet in Being ^ hence are they in- fpir'd how to caution againft future Dangers, to cure Difeafes, to give hopes to theAfflidted, help to the Miferable, comfort to the Cala- mitous, and eafe to the Painful. In fliort, e- ven we our felves in our Repofe, do fee, hear, and acknowledge the Gods by Night, whom impioufly we difown, difcard and blafpheme by Day. VIII. Since therefore we have the firm Con- fent of all Nations for a Proof that there are Gods, tho* their Nature and Original are lit- alike, tho' we have not fuch vifible Exhibitions of his Divine Glory y the God of Ifrael ftiles himfelf a Jealous God, and upon the fevereft Penalties forbad his People to Worfhip him, as the Nations did the Devils, that is by Images -, and therefore to fay, that the Jews vvorfhipped the C/ok^/ it felfbecaufe of the Shel^^i' itah, is a miftake in Fa6V, they worfhipped towards it as we bow towards the Altar-, but they worftiipped the Cloud no more than v/e worfhip the Bread and iVine in the Eucharifi, notv^ithftanding the Defcent of the Holy Spirit upon the Confecrated Elements, as the Fathers fuppos'd. No Indwelling lefs than fuch an Union whereby God and the Creature becomes One Pcrfon, as in our Lord Chrift, can be a Foundation of Divine Worfhip •, and therefore the Learned Bi/f)op of Sarunt in his Expofition upon the 28th ^rticle^ p. 334. where he fays, that Juftin Atartyrmd Irensus, and others, fuppos'd an Vnion of the Elements to the Body ofCbrift, like that of the Humane Nature's being united to the Divine, is not to be un- derftood flriftly, becaufe jufl fuch a Union wou'd make the Ele- ments juft as much the Body of Chrift, as God and Man is one Perfon Chrift Jefm ; and confequently by virtue of fuch an Hype- fiatic Union, the Fathers ought to have worfhipped the Sacred Elements, which they never did, as theBifhop hath fufficiently proved, and therefore they ne^r dream'd of any Union here, jkft like that of the Drvine and HumAnt Nature in Chrift. tic Marcus Minucius Felix. ^p tie known 3 I cannot bear to hear a Man of fuch a brazen Effrontery, and fo bloated with his Atheiftical fort of Wit 5 I cannot, I fay, endure to hear him run down a Reli- gion fo Venerable in Years, fo Beneficial to chePublick, and fo Good to us All. • For tho* there were fuch Men as that ^ Theodorm of Cyren£^ or bis Predeceffor Diagoras of Melos, furnam'd The Atheiji, both which by afferting the Non-exiftence of the Gods, ufterly .de- ftrov'd all that Fear and Reverence, which a- lone can reftrain Mankind, and hold 'em with- in the bounds of Government, yet thefe Men will never have the Name and Reputation of Sages for Reading Lectures of Atheifm under the Colour of Philofophy. If the Men of ^ SH licet tile Theodorus Cyrenxw, vel, qui prior ViagbrOi Melius^ cui Atheon cognomen appofuit antiquitas, qui uterque nuUos deos affe- veraiulo, timorem omnetn^ quo humanitas regitWj venerationemqtte penitiis fuftulerunt, &c.3 The Ingenious Editor Mr. Davie fy in his Notes upon this Place is in a doubt, whether it fhou'd not be read Diagoras Milefms, from the Authority of the Manufcript; and becaufe the Learned Dr, Bentlcy has cbfcrv'd ad frag. Cattima- chi 85, that he is cali'd Milefiu^^ not only by Eufebius and Theodo- rety but by Chrjf [of, cm, Horn. 4. upon i Cor. cap. i. The Matter I thinlc is not much ; but fince 'tis allowed that Diagoras was born in the lilaad. Me los., Ilnce 'tis allowed alfo, that our Afwwc/«j has borrowed not a little from Cicero, and manifeftly in this very Paf- fage, there feems to belittle reafon to doubt, but that our Author wrote as he found it in Cicero, whofe Words are thefe, Deos ejfe dixerunt, dubitarefe Protagoras , mllos ejfe cmnino Diagoras Melius^ ffy Theodorus Cyrenaicus putaverunt -, and a little after thus, hiud fcio anpietate adverfus DeosfublatUy fides ttiam For Honefty loves the Light, Vice only walks in Mask, and wants a Place to hide in. Why have they neither "^ Altar, nor Temple, nor any * Nexus infanddi CupWtat'ts involvunt per ihcertum fort'n, &C.3 To what I have already faid upon this abominable and groundJefs Scandal charg d upon the Love-fealils to render the Chriftians odi- ous j I add, chat Dr. Whitby think; it not improbable from that of St. Pauly I Cor. 5. i. It is reported commonly, that there is Fornica- tion among you^ and fuch Fornication as is not fo much as naTtied among the Gentiles^ that one fhou'd have hit Father's Wife. From thefe words A6>f a;tiss^, it is every where heard of, or 'tis the common Talk ; he thinks it, I fay, not improbable, that this vile Objeftion took its Rif6j efpecially if the Corinthians had the Foundation of this Pra- ftice from the ^ewi-, from whom the Chriftians for fome time were not diftingaifti'd. " Curnullas aras habent^ Templa nulUy nulla nota fimulacra /j This Objeftion againft the Chriftians for havin^ no Altars, Temples or Images, we find in Origen againft Celfus, lib. 3. in Arnobius adverf, Gent. I. 6. LaHan. Inft. adv. Gent. J. 2. c,^» But certain it is, that the Chriftians even in the Apoftles times had Places fet apart for divine Worlhip. For thus St. Paul, i Cor. 11. 22. Have yk hot Houfes to eat and drink '", or deffiife ye the Church of God ^ They had not indeed, (nor can it be expefted they ftiou'd) fuch fiateiy Strudures for Churches in cimesof Perfeciition,as when the Empire became Chriftianj bwc they had their \i^Soy or upper ^oom F 2 K?re 58 The Oftavius of any Images of Note? Why do they never converfe openly, nor have any AfTemblies in pablick ? Why, unlefs the thing they worftiip is puniftiable or infamous? From whence, I pray, or who, or where is this Only, Solita- ry, Deftitute God, whom not one free Nati- on or Kingdom knows any thing of, no not even the Roman Bigotry, which worihips all the Gods all the World over > The Je»/ in- deed, a defolate wretched People, did wor- ftiip this one Solitary God, but then they Here it was that TeUr went up upon the Houfe4op to prdy^ AS. lo. 9. and where the Apoftles and Difdples alTembled together daily for Praver, and where the Holv Ghoft came down upon them in cloven Tongues of Fire, at the Feaft of Pentecoft. For as they fold their Lands, fo no doubt they fet apart fome part of their Houfes for divine Service. Accordingly, we find Salutations fent to Nym- phas^ and the Church at his Houfe, to Philemon^ and the Church at his Houje^ to Aquila and Prifcilla, and the Church at their ffoufe, &c. ^udin Martyr in the preceding Apology, tells us that all theChri- ftians in Town or Country met together upon Sunday \n one Place to worlhip and celebrate the Lord's Supper. This Paffage therefore of C£c'i[ius isnotftriftly, and according to the Letter tobeunderflood, as if the Chriftians in his time had no Churches^ or fix'd and ftated Places of Worfhip, but only that they had no Temples according to the Heathen Notion of a Temple, which was a Cloyfter of Deities (hut up in their Idols by Magick Spells, like Birds in a Cagej for they fuppos'd their Gods as much confin'd within their Shrines, as th6 Shrines were within the Temple. According to this No- tion therefore the Chriftians anfwer'd, that they had no Temples^ nor ought to have zny, for as much as the God they worftiipped, was fuch a one as fiU'd Heaven and Earth, and dwelt not in Tem- ples made with Hunds^ in their Sence of Confinement. And be« caufe .the word Temple was appropriated to this Nation of Encloi- ftering the Deity by ^n Idol, therefore the Chriftians for the beft part of the firft three hundred Years abftain'd from the ufe of the word Temple^ calling tfeeir Places of divine Worlhip, Ecclepx^ oiKoi -^ 'E«.;tAK(rU?, KveictKcl, 'EvKJr\eiai,SiCc. and feldom or ne- ver Nctoi or Templa. But this Subjeft is io largely and learnedly treated by Mr. Mede in bis Difcourfe concerning Churches^ lib. 2. f . 5 1 9. and by Dr. Cave in his Primitive Chrijlianity^ Part i, cap. 5. p. 123. that I fliall fay no more ab^uc it. worfhip- Marcus Miiiucins Felix. 6p worOiipped him with Temples, Altars, Sacri- fices and Ceremonies 5 and he was fo Puiney, fo far from a God Almighty, that both him- fejf and all his People are now Captives to the Roman Deities. But for Chriftians , what a ftrange imaginary Monfter do they drefs up in oppofition to our eftablifti'd Ways of Worftiip> This God of theirs, whom they can neither ^.(hew, nor fee, is a Being, forfooth, that fees every thing himfelf, that bufily pries into all our Manners, all our Anions, knows all our Words, and the very Secrets of the Heart 5 a Being, forfooth, that is here, and there, and every where, troublefome, feftlefs, and even impudently inquifitive 5 prefent to all we do, and peeping in every Corner , when 'tis not " Deum Ilium fuum, quern tiec oftendere pojjunt^ nee videre, &C.3 C^c'tl'ms (^s we obferv'd) at his firft fetting out pl?y'd the Epicurean Part, but forgetting himfelf in his PafTion ran out into particular Inftaneesof the Care of the Gods, with refpeft to the Roman f, and prefaced that Excurfion with a fie melius errare . Here we find the Fit returning, and the Wretch raving again agaioft the Being of one only invifible God, and the Poffibility of a Pro- vidence, calling fuch a Deity, impudenter curhfum-y jufl; in the fame ftrain, and almoft in the fame words, with Velleius in Tully ^ de U. D. lib. I. cap. 20. And the Argument he ufes to ridicule the God of the ChrUlians by, is, becaufe, nee oftendere pojfunt , mciidere^ they cou'd fliew no Idol of him to other s^ nor have ary Sight of him themfetves. For not only Maximus Tyyius^ V'ijfert. ^S. p. 1570. but the aforefaid Velleius likewife argues , That the Gods are of the fame Shape and Figure with Men, Homink effe fpecie Deos confi- tftndum e/?, Cic. de N. D. lib. i. cap. 18. The Heathens then con- cluded there cou'd be no Religion, where there were no Images^ according to that of LaHantius^ nee ullam effe Religionem^ ubicunq\ Hid non fulferinty Lac. /. 2 c.6. And the Carnal Jews feem to be very much of a Mind with the Gentiles in this Point, ftrangely de- firous to gratifie their Eyes with the Objeft of their Worfhip, as ^e find from thatof£*a^, 32. i. Vp^ mti\e\isGodSf which fjall go before us, F 3 poffibl^ 70 Tie Oflavius of poffible for him to attend upon Particulars, while he is incumber'd with Univerfals, nor can he be fufEcient for Univerfals, while he is diftrafted with Singulars. XI. Nor ftop they here, but threaten the whole Globe, and all the Stars with a general ° Conflagration, and are very intent upon the Ruin. Alas ! as if any thing was able to un- hinge the eternal Order eftablifh'd by the di- vine Laws of Nature, or that all the Elements wou'd break their Confederacy, and the hea- venly Syftem be diflblved, and this Machine of ours, or Bulk of Earth thus pois'd and fur- rounded, be torn from its Foundation. Nor content with this Chimera, they fet their Heads on work to fpin out other old Womens Fables, and give out, that after death, after their Bodies are burnt to Alhes, they ihall fpring up into Life again, and with an unac- countable Affurance credit each other in their Fi(9:ions, infomuch that you'dfwear they had already experienced a Refurredion ^ a two edgfed Mifchief , and double Madnefs I Firft^ To denounce Deftruction to Heaven and all its Stars, which at our Death we leave for ever, as we found *em at our Birth. And Secondly, To promife themfelves, when dead and extin- guilh'd, eternal Life 5 fince when we die, we * Toto orh'i^ — cum Sideribus fuis minantur Incendium^ &C.3 The General Conflagration was not only the Opinion of Chriflians, but of the Stoicks, according to that of Tully, Academ. Quefi. Lib.^, c. 38, Fore tamen aliquavJo^ ut omn'u h'lc mmdus ardore deflagret. depart Marcus Minucius Felix. depart into juft fuch a State as we had before we had our Being. And yet, forfooth, they cry out againft Funeral Piles, and condemn our way of burning the Dead 3 as if all Bo- dies, tho' volatiliz'd by Fire, were not in fuc- ceeding Ages refolv'd into Earth again. Nor is it a Matter of any moment, whether we are torn in pieces by wild Beafts, or devoured by Seas, or cover'd in Earth, or rarify'd by Fire 5 fince if thefe Carcafes are fenfible after Death, all forts of Burial are a Punifhment 3 if not, that is the beft , which difpaches 'em the fooneft. Fed with this Fools-Pa radife of a Refurredtion, they promife themfelves, as the only deferving People, eternal Life and Hap- pinefs^ and threaten all others, as wicked, with Torments that (hall never have an end. I ha n'c faid half I cou'd fay againft this fort of Men, was I not in haft 5 nor need I labour more to (hew them to be the Men of Injuftice, I have (hewn it fufficiently already 5 but grant- ing *em to be the good People they pretend to be, is it not a received Opinion among ve- ry many, and a Maxim too among your felves. That Fate is the Canfe of all the Good and Evil that is done in the World ^ For as fome hold, that in all our Doings we are aded by Fate, fo you fay we are afted by God 5 fo that yoi| are not of this Religion by choice, but by Election of God 5 and by this way of arguing you make your own God an unjuft Judge, who punifties Men not for their Fault but their Fortune. But, pray tell me, ftiall ypa rife F 4 ag^^^ 71 ny The Oftavius of ag3in with or without a p Body ? And if with Bodies, with what fort of Bodies > With the fame Bodies you once had, or with new ones? If you fay without a Body, then I am fare 'tis impoliible, fince there can be no fuch thing as eith-r Mind, Soul or Life without a Body 5 if with this very fome Body, alas! that is va- nifti'd long ago ^ if with another Body, then is it a new Man that rifes, and not the old One repair'd. And yet after fuch an infinite Flux of Ages, can you ever tell me of one Perfon, who had the Privilege of returning from the p Vtrumne fine Corpore^ an cum corporibifs ? ^ corporibus quibus^ ipftfnc, an innovatis, refurgatur / ] The Refurreftion of the Body feems not to have enter'd into the Imagination of the Heathens, and when that Uod^rine was preaqh'd to them, they look'd upon it as a thing impoflible to God himfelf. For thus Pliny, Hifi, Nat. /. 2. c. 7 Ne Deum quidem poffe omnia, nee Mortal^s aterni' tate Jonare, nee remvare D^unHos. But fuppofing it poflible, C£- al'im puts the Quefticn here juft as we find it put ia St. PauH time ; But fome Men trill fay, how are the Dead raifed up, and with what B:>dy do they come .^ i Cor. 15. 5$. This, I fay, was the Queftion of the I'hilofophers ; and the Ground of the Objeftion againft the Refurreftion of the Body, was this, That the Body was nothing better than the Prifon of the Soul. Kod «|uai Do not the Romans without your God, rule and govern , and Lord it over the whole World, and you? But you all this time, pen- five and anxious, fequefter your felves from the moft faftiionable Pleafures 5 you vifit not our Plays, but renounce our Pomps 5 never does Chriftian appear at a publick Feaft^ you abhor our facred Games, nor will you touch a Bit of what the Priefts have ^ taken of be- fore *• Pr Is not the wife Delay of "^ Simo- nides the Melic^ to beadmir'd and followed by All ? Who, upon his being queftion'd by the Tyrant Hiero about his Opinion of the Gods, " Qjio genere philofophari ^ caute indoH't pojjiint^ afyr doBi glo- r/o/e.j CacilJuSy methinks, might have fpared this Flourifh upon the Academics^ for their Study d Difguife and Obfcurity in matters of the higheft Moment -, for as I have already faid, Plato was the fetter up of the Academy, and the introducer of this artful Doubt- ing and Ambiguity^ for fear of fuffering for plain Truth, as ho- neft Socrates had done before him. Thefe Cautious Philofophers, and j^o^er^/e Profcffors of Truth, did little more than play at Bo- peep with the World, and hug themfelves in a Cloud of their own making •, but Chriftians were the only Se^ that dared to Preach up NaJ^ed Truth, and ftand by their Sermons under the fure and certain hope of dying and rifing again to Eternal Life for fo do- ing. ^ Huid F Smonidis melici nonne admiranda omnibus ^ fellanda Cuhllatio?~\ This Inftance flands thus iaTully, de N. D. J. li c. 22. De quo cum quafivijfet hoc idem Tyr annus Hiero, deliberandi caufa fibi unum diem pojhlavit, cum idem ex eo poffridie qu£rerety biduimr petivit, cum f&pius duplicaret numerum dierum, admiranfque Hiero cur it* facer et-^ quia^ quanto, inquity diutJHS confidero, tanti mibi [pes videtur obfcurisr. firft Marcus Minucius Felix. 7^ firft requir'd one Day for Deliberation, and after that two Days more, at length another 5 and being advis'd to anfwer, and told, that the impatient Tyrant won d be put off no longer, he reply'd, That the more he conjiderd the ^eftion, the harder he found it* In my opinion alfo, doubtful things are to be lefi: as we found 'em 5 nor ought we to prefume pertly and dogmaticaly to pronounce on ei- ther fide of a Queftion, which fo many and fo great Men after all their Deliberation have left undecided, for fear either of introducing do- ting Superftition, or deftroying all Religion. XIV. Thus C£cilius, and with a fmiling Air, (for the Storm had pretty well difcharg'd it felf in this Torrent of Words) let's fee now wh2itO^avif0 dares reply to thefe Things, a Gentleman of ^ Plantus's Tribe, a topping Baker, but a moft fad Philofopher. Hold, Sir, faid I, fair and foftly, fpare your Re- flections and Growings for it does not be- come you as yet to triumph, nor to boaft your Powers of Eloquence, before your Anta- gonift is fully heard 5 efpecially in a Caufe * Homo Pi'autim ProfapU.'] Cadlius, that he might be all of a piece, as he began, fo he concludes in throwing Dirr, inftead of bringing Arguments •, he falls foul again upon Otiavius, before he has Patience to hear him one Word in his Defence, and infults him as a poor Rafcally Fellow, One of Plautus'y Tribe ^ for the un- derftanding of which Title we need only obferve what St. Jerome in his C/jron/c. an. i. Olymp, 145. tells us, xhztFlautus was fo Poor, that in a time of Famine he was forced to let out himfelf to a Ba^er^ during which Servitude he wrote at his fpare Hours three of his Plays j the like Refleftion upon the Chriftians we find made by Celfus^ Orig. contr. Celf. 1. 9. p. 144. So popular and powerful an Ob;eftioa is Poverty againft Truth. 5 where 8o The Ofiavius of where the Conteft is not for Praife, but Truthi And tho' otherwifel cou'd have been extreme- ly pleas'd with all the Artful Variety and Subiiliies of your Oration, yet am I extremely oiFended, not fo much at any thing you have faid at prefent, but at the whole Trade of Dif- putatioh as it is managed in general ^ I am concerned to fee, even the plaineft Truths of- tentimes f© fadly difguis'd and wrefted, ac- cording to the Strength of the Difputants, and their Powers of Eloquence. This is notori- bufly owing to the eafinefs of the Auditors, who fuffering themfelves to be call'd off by the Artificial Beauty, and colouring of Words, from the examination of the Things in quefti-^ on,y aflentto all that's faid without diftindion^ and not confidering that what has the appear- ance of being incredible, may after all be true, and that what has the face of Truth may prove to be falfe they difcern not the one from the other. The oftner therefore they give an implicit Faith to bold Aflcverations, the oftner are they caught by skilful Deceivers 5 and thus continually cheated by their own Raftinefs » Sine dekilH affent'untur di^U omnibus — •nefckntes inejje (^ incredibjli verum tfy in venfimili Afendacium.'] This grave and wife Obfervation of JUinucius the Moderator^ how prone unskilful Peo- ple are to be decoy'd away wirh fine Words, and to pin an impli- cit Faith upnn the Authority and bnld AfTeverations of their Teacb'^rs^ without putt'ng themCelves to the pain of judging for themfelves, is whar'Tw/Zy alfo frequently complains of as a great Prejuaice tr> Truth, Hum etiam obeji plerumque ns^ qui difcere vo- lunty auBorhas eorum qui fe docere profitentur, deftnmt en'tm fuum judicium adhibere id hahent ratum^ cjaod .xb eo quern pobant ]ndtcatum vident\ and a lictlc after in the P-rfon of the Academic^-, non e- n'lmfumHs i/, quibus nihil verum effe videatur^ fedii qui omnibus ve- risfalfa quadum ad'pmSfa eJJs iUdcamus^ &c, N . D. 1. z. c. 5. 3 and Marcus Minucius Felix. 8 and Credulity, they complain not of the Judge, ' they lay the blame not upon themfelves, but upon the uncertainty of Things 5 'till at length being Piqu'd to find themfelves thus often in the Wrong, they chofe to condemn all Things and believe nothing, to run into univerfal Scepticifm, rather than be at the Pains of dif- cerning Truth from Error. 'Tis our Duty therefore to fet a.Guard upon our felves, thaC we labour not under the like prejudices againft all Difcourfes in general about Truth ^ and be not, like many weak People, furioufly tran- fported againft the Perfons of Men 5 for foch unwary Believers finding themfelves trick'd upon by thofe they had a good Opinion of, fall, at length, into the like extreme, and come to fufpeft all for Knaves 3 and to diftrUft even thofe whom they might by Experience have found worthy of their Confidence. We there- fore intent upon what is warmly debated on both fides, and knowing withal, that often- times the Truth is on the one fide much ob- fcur'd, and that great fubtlety us'd on the o- ther fide may by the help of a mighty flow of Words pafs inftead of proof 5 confidering this, I fay, I (hall weigh evxy thing with all the exadnefs I am able, in order to cboofe and take up with Truth, and to commend Sophiftry without believing it. XV. This I mufttell you (reply'd C^ciliuf) is not like a fair Judge ^ for 'tis very injurious thus to anticipate, and abruptly interpofe a grave Difcourfe of your own, only to weaken the G Force 8 2 The Oftavius of Force of mine, fince ^ OBaviusis tbeMan, who is to give an Anfwer to ev'ry Particular, as ic lies* in its full and entire Strength. If(faidl) you can think again of what you accufe me, you'll find (if I miftake not) that I have inter- pos'donly for the common Intereft of Truth 5 that we may hold the Ballance even, and af- ter the niceft examination give Sentence ac* cording to the weight of Tlyngs, and not be determin'd by the bubbles of an empty Elo- quence 5 nor ought we, as you complain, to call off any longer our Intention upon Things 5 efpecially (ince you fee our Od^avius ftands prepar'd to Anfwer, and waits only our atten- tive Silence. XVI. Upon which Motion O&avtHs thus began 5 I (hall plead my beft, OMinucius^ and endeavour, as well as I am able, to wafh off thefe foul Afperfions upon our Religion, by a true Reprefentation of Faft. And to be plain with you, my C/ecilius, in the beginning of your Difcourfe you have exprefs'd your felf in fuch a loofe, rambling, flippery Manner, that I am at a lofs to tell, whether 'tis the ef- fect of vour indigefted Learning, or fome wil- ful Mip^k^j^r whether you are not fallen quite of your Senfes with your Superftition 5 for one whil6 you are for believing Gods, and * JumAr'ti Noftri, &c.] I take the liberty to keep to one and the lame Name throughout, becaufe by calling the fame Period fometimes Cliavius and fometimes Jmuarius^ and fo again Cxci- liw and then Natatif^ we Ihou'd be apt co Hop and perplex the common Reader upon no occafion. then Marcus Minucilis Felix. 83 then again at a ftand, as if it was your defign only to dodge about in Ambiguities, for fear of being laid hold on with an Anfwer. Buc I will not, I cannot believe fo ill of my Qeci* lius, fuch Qjerks and Subtleties are no ways agreeable to the fimplicity and franknefs of his Temper. What then > Why, 'tis, jull: with him, as with a Man that knows not the right way, when he comes to a Place where the Road divides into different Paths, he ftands in fufpence, not daring to choofe any, and not able to follow all. So is it with him, who has no certain Knowledge of the Truth, he totters in his Mind, and changes his Opinion as often as any fufpicious Ob- jeftions come in his way. No marvel there-* fore, if C£cilius finds himfelf in this tottering condition, toft to and fro, and floating on Un- certainties 5 to prevent which reftlefs pofture of Mind for the future, I will give him clear and convincing Arguments, and tho* of diffe- rent kinds, yet all prov'd and confirm'd by Truth alone. Nor (hall he ever hereafter bedif- quieted with any more Doubts and Vagaries which way he is to go. And becaufe my Brother broke into fuch a Paffion, and threw out a par- cel of hard Names, proreftingthat he had not Patience to hear a Company of illiterate poor Ignorants, difcourfing of Things Divine ^ I wou'd have him know, that all Men what- ever without diftin(5tion of Age, Sex or Qua- lity, are born capable of Senfe and Reafon ; and that Wifdom is not owing to Fortune, but Nature 5 and moreover, that the Philofo- G 3 phers. The Oflavius of phers themfelves, and the raoft celebratcdl Inventors of Arts, before they fignaliz'd them'- felves by the excellency of their Genius, were look'd upon as Plebeians, unlearned and juft fuch Tatterdemallions, as he takes us to be ^ that the Rich were fetter'd to their Trea- fures, and us'd their Eyes more to contem- plate Gold than Heaven 5 and that they were as poor inconfiderable People as weChri- ftians, who made the Difcoveries ofWirdom^ and deliver'd the Rules of it to Pofterity. So that 'tis very well known, that a mighty Ge- nins is not an Entail of Fortune, nor the Fruit of Study, but a Felicity of Mind we brought in- to the World along with us. Choler and Paf- fion therefore are foolifti Things, let him be what he will who puts himfelf upon the difqui- fition and ftudy of Divine Matters 3 fince 'tis not the ^ Quality of the Speaker, but the Truth of what is fpoken we are to refped ^ and the plainer the Difcourre,theraore v jfible the Truth, as being ftript of the fufpicious Beauty and Graces of Oratory, and in its native Simplicity more intelligible, as a Rule ought to be. XVn. Nor do I deny, what C^cilins has taken fo much pains to prove, that Man muft learn to know himfelf, and diligently examin his Nature, his Original, and the End of his Being 5 whether he was only a mere Cpncre- ' Cum mn DJfputantit AuHoritaf^ fed Difpufatmk vnitas requha- tur.'] Which fully expreffes thus, Non enim tarn Autlores in D'lf- putancio^ quam Kat'mxU momenta quxrendafunt. N.D. 1. i.e. 5. iVe are mt- to mind fo much who it H that (peaks ^ as what iP h that is Marcus Minuciiis Felix. 85 tion of the Elements, and thus admirably ad- jjufted by blind Atoms, or made, and fa(hioned, and animated by God. But this we cannot apprehend without ftudying the Worid, and its Maker 3 for thefe Things are foclofelycon- neded and chaio'd together, that you muft di- ligently examin the Nature of God, before you can underftand that of Man 5 091" can you ever be a good Citizen of the World, before this common City of us All, the World and you, are well acquainted 5 and certainly, fince in this chiefly it is that we differ from Beafts, , that whereas they are prone to Earth, and bent downward by Nature, and fram'd to look no farther than the good of their Bellies 5 yet Man is made ^ ered and upright, and by that makeform'd for the Contemplation of Hea- ven, and has Language and Reafon to con- dud him to the Knowledge and Imitation of God 5 for a Creature fo conftituted to be ig- norant of his Maker, to wink as hard as he can, that be may not fee that Glorious Be- ing that is thrufting in at his Eyes, and knock- ing for Admiffion at all his Senfes, is the moft inexcufable Ignorance imaginable. For 'tis moft abominable Sacrilege to be Poring upon Earth for that, which you are only to find in * Nos quibw vultw ereSfw^ quibuf Sufpeilm in Ceelum ctatw e/?, Sermo be Self-exijlenty Self moving^ obliquely direfted, and to meet .-aq- Cv^rding to any Laws of Mechariftn^ yet being hard and infrav^i- hh, they wou'dnot cohere, or produce any Solid Body more con- fifteot than Ropes of Sand, much lefs fuch glorious Bodies as the Planets^ moving in ElUptkk. Orbits^ by a Principle of Gravitation or Attralim^ no wife effential to Matter, nor aipcountable by any Laws of Mechanifm. He then who can j^erfuade himfetf, ihat fuch a beautiful Fabrickas this World is, v*as fram'd and confoli- dated by a fortuitous Jumble of fuch infrangible Particles, Imuft fay with Tully, mn intelligo^ cur non idem put et^ fi imumerahiUs unius ^ vigititi formx literarum vel aurea^ vcl quales lihet^ aliqui tonjiciantur^ pojje ex his in terram exc^ffis Annates £nni/, ut deinceps iegi pojjint effici-^ quod nefcio arme in uno quldem verfu poj^ttantatn vtf- kre Fortuna. Cic. de N. D. 1. a., c. 37* that Marcus Minucius Felix. 87 that 'twas jumbled together by a fortuitous Con- courfe of Atoms. For what is fo clear and un- deniable, when you lift up your Eyes to Hea- ven, and when you look down upon all about you, than that there is a Deity of moft excel- lent Underftanding, that infpires, moves, fup- portsand governs ail Nature? Confider the vaft expanfe of Heaven, and the rapidity of its Mo- tion, either when it is ftudded with Stars by Night, or enlightened with the Sun by Day 5 then (hall you fee that Almighty Hand which poifes them in their Orbs, and '^ ballances them in their Movement. Behold how the Sun girds up and regulates the Year by its Annual Cir- cuit, and how the Moon meafures round a 'Month by its Increafe, Decay and total Dif- appearance. What need I mention thecon- ^ Japifcks, quamfit meo fummi Moderator is mha (^ divina Li- brat'to.'] This Poife or Libration of the Heavenly Bodies in their feveral Scscions plainly fpoke a God to the Wifer Heathens ; but as the more we know of the Works of God, ihe more ftill we are ravifh'd with Pleafure and Amazement-, fo in this very Inftance, fince the Difcoveries of Sir //• Newton, (whom vve may call qua/i quendam Deum Phihfopkorum^ with much better reafon than Tullji did FUtoJ fjnce thefe, I fay, vve fee with wonder and demon- il ration, chat 'tis not polTible tor thefe Bodies to be thus ballanced and preferved in their Motions without a Power fuperior to Mat* ter. For 'tis now beyond difpute, that the great and primary Law of Nature imprinted upon all the Bodies of theUniverfe, is, that ev'ry part of ev'ry E)dy attrafts or gravitates towards ev'ry part of ev'ry other Body \ and the general Conditions of this Law are, that the force by which one part attrafts another in dif- ferent diftances from it, is reciprocally as the Squares of chofe diftances, and that at the fame diftance the force of the Attraftion of one pare towards divers others , is as the quantity of Matter they contain. Thefe raft Bodies then being exaftly rang'd accord- ing to the Matter they contain, are preferv'd in their feveral Or- bits, by virtue of their mutual Gravitation to one another, which being a Property not belonging to Matter, muft be imprefs'd by a Power fuperior to it. G 4 ftant 88 The Oaavios of ftant viciffitudes of Light and Darknefs, for the alternate ^ Reparation of Reft and La- bour > I muft leave it to Aftrologers to tell you more at large the Ufes of the Stars, either how they direft the Pilot in Navigation, or the Husbandman in his Seafons of Plowing and Reaping 5 ev'ry one of which Celeftial Bodies, as they requir'd Almighty Power and Wifdom at firft to create and range them in their Sta- tions, fo do they require the moft confummate Wifdom and Sagacity to comprehend them now they are created. Moreover, does not the ftanding Variety of Seafons marching in jroodly Order teftify the Divine Author? The 5 Spring with her Flowers, the Summer with her * Quid tenebrarum ^ lumhts die am recUrf antes vices ^ ut fit nobit operif^ quietu alterna Reparatio /l Which is exprefs'd by Tully thus, ^am diei noHifque vicijjitudo confervat animantes, tribuens aliud agendt tempus, aliud quiefcendi. Now this is wonderfully provided for by the Rotation of the Earth abauc her Axe^ for thereby we have the Viciffitudes of Day and Night j the Day for fpending our Spirits about our Work, and the Night by its Coolncfs and Quiet to recover and recruit them for the bufinefs of the Day following j for Nutrition is moftly perform'din the Night, becaufe when our Minds and Bodies are employ'd, the Blood has too rapid a Motion, and the expence of Spirits is too great for the bufinefs of Nou- riftiing ; a gentle and uniform Motion is neccffary to convey Nou- rilhing Juices to their proper Places, and fettle 'em there j and for this reafon it is, that the grofleft People naturally Sleep the Jongeft, and that they are the grolTer for fo fleeping. ' Ver £que cum fuis fioribm^ ^ s.flaf cum fuis mejjibus^ ^ au- tutmi maturitas grata^ ^ hiberna oUvitas neceffaria,'] The beau- tiful Seafons of the Year are made by Tully alfo, as well as OUa- vius^ another inftance of a wife Providence ; we are all fenfible of the Pleafureand NecefTityof fuch Seafons, and we who underhand the Reafon of 'em better than the old Philofophers did, fee more Reafon to confefs a Providence in this diftribution than they did. For had the Earth turn'd about her own Axe only once in twenty four Hours, then all our Viciffuudes had been of Days and Nights only, Marcus Minucius Felix. ^ go her Harvefts, and the Ripening Autumn with grateful Fruits, and the raoift and un^ious Winter, are all equally neceffkry ^ which Or- der had certainly been difturbed before now, had it not been fix d by the wifeft Power. What an Argument of a Providence is it, thus to interpofe and moderate the Extremes of Winter and Summer, with the allays of Spring only, which had by no means been fufficienc for Vegetation ^ had the Earth made a Period about the Sun once a Year without any Rotation about her own Axe^ we fliou'd hav6 had but one long Day, and another equal Night-, had both thefe been united mth- oxxt the ParaOelifm oi the ^w of the Diurnal Rotation to itfelf, we might have had our Days and Nights 5 but our other Seafons had been uncertain, and in fome Places none at all. Rigaltius is of Opinion, that Hiberna Olivitas is to be taken figuratively, for the Unftioufnefs or Moilhire of the Winter, that being neceffary to fatten and prepare the Ground for the Summer Seafon, tho' if it be uaderftood with refpeft to the time of Olives^ which was in December^ he fays, facile concedam , upon which Mr. Davies with fomething lefs Modefty replies, Inariafunt qua comment us ejl Nic. Rigaltius-^ and then adds for the Honour of Oronovius, that he rightly underftood it, pro ipfa. hieme^ quemadmodum me(fes pro (zfiate^ &c. and gives us a Quotation out of Columella^ that Figs are ripe in December . The matter is not much, take the Word Olivitas how you will, but I cannot but obferve here, as I fhall do quickly again, that iomt Criticks have a fcurvy Trick of making the Primitive Writers fpeak as infignificantly as they can ^ but fince Oiiavius is proving a Providence from the wife variety of the Seafons, and in order to this, fpecifies the ufefulnefs of each Seafon , I can hardly think he wou'd inftance in Winter, which Is an unwelcome Seafon, withoutgiving fome Reafon for it, and he cou'd not give a better than his Hibernas Olivitas necejfaria^ if by that he meant the Fat VnBious Moifture of the Winter Seafon-^ for had we enjoy'd a conflant Summer, our Ground had been worn out and become effete with Vegetation ; there wou'd not haVe fallen fufficient quantities of Rain for purging, foftning, and im- pregnating the Earth j for we find there is more than twice or thrice as much Rain falls in the Winter fix Months from Septem- ber to Aprily than in the Summer fix Months, and yet all this is but fufficient for fix Months Vegetation ; and therefore I am wil- ling, with Rigaltius^ to allow this old Chriftian fo much Philofo- phy, as to intend this by his Olivitas neceffaria, notwiihftanding Mr. Davies is fo pofuive ?o the contrary. 5 and po The Ofiavius of and Autumn, that we pafs the Year about with Security and Comfort, between the exceffesof Parching Heat and Cold > Obferve the Sea, and you 11 find it bounded with a Shore, a Law it cannot tranfgrefs 3 look into the vegetable World, and fee how all the Trees draw their Life from the Bowels of the Earth 5 view the Ocean in conftant Ebb and Flow, and the Foun- tains running in full Veins, and the Rivers perpetually gliding in their wonted Channels. ^ What need I fpend more Words to (hew, how providentially this fpot of Earth is canton'd out into s Hills, and Dales, and Plains ? What need * Quid loquar reHa MontluWy Coliium fexa^ porreHa Camporum.^ fhvts Tully among many other Inflances enumerated by our Au- thor, mentions, Impenienthm Afontium ahudines, imwenfitatefque CamporutTty de N. D.l. 2. cap. 59. Mountains indeed have been fet forth, not as the handy- work of Gcd, but as the Ruins of the Deluge, of no advantage, and afpeft hideous ; but r«//;., it feems, and our Olictvius underftood better, than to be of this Opinion. For the making this inftance of Divine Wifdora the more intelli- gible, 'cistobe obferv'd, that from the Calculations of feveral the ijiceft Searchers into Nature, it has been found, that the Sun railes a quantity of Vapours from the furface of the Sea in a Year's time fufficient to furnifh all our Rivers with frefh Waters for the fame fpace •, moreover, that thefe Vapours thus rais'd, rarify'd, dilated and put into a violent Motion by the heat of the Sun, as by a Fire under an Alembecliy are carry'd about the Atmofphere 'till they hit againft thefe Eminencies, and by that fhock are condens'd, and by that Condenfation becoming heavier than the Air they fwim in, fail down upon the Mountains, whcfe inward parts be- ing hollow and flony preferve them, as it were in a Bafouy 'till bC" ing gathcr'd in fuch quantities that they overflow, and ouze out at the next eafieft Paffage they meet with, and in their Defccnt joining with others, form Rivulets, and from a conjunftion of thefe form Rivers. Whereas, had we no Mountains, thefc Va. pours wou'd fall equally upon many Places together, and fo be tiick'd up either in the fpongy Mould, or raife a general Puddle, But, granting we might have had Rivers without Mountains, j^which I cannot conceive poffibl?) jet thefc Rivers (eou'd they * tavc Marcus Minncius Felix. pi -need I fpeak of the various ^ Artillery for the defence of every Animal? Some arm'd with Horns, or hedg'd about with Teeth, or forti- fy'd With Hoofs and Claws, or fpear'd with Sti«gs ^ and others either fwift of Foot, or Wing ? But above all, the beautiful Structure of Man raoft plainly fpeaks a God 5 Man of Stature ftraight , and Vifage ered:, with Eyes at top like Gentries, watching over the other Senfes within the Tower. XVin. But I (hou'd never come to an end,was have ran at al! upon a Level) mult have run only in a flrcighc Line -, but now by the help of Mountains they branch out into in- numerable winding?, and by rhefe means not only viftc and en- rich the Sail of many different Countries, but furnifh them with fuch a convenient Carriage as they could not be well without. Thefej and abundance more of Advantages, (not to mention thofc of Water- works) do we receive from the wile (icuacion of Moun- tains, which fome Men have fo Tragically defcribed, as if they defign'd to bring an ill Report upon the good Works of the Creator, wherein they have difcover'd an admirable Vein of Eloquence, and a moft wonderful want of Philofophy at the lame lime. '■ Quidve Anmantium loquar adverfw feje tutelam mult'tformem ? uliii arwatns cofnibus^ alias dentibm JtptM, ^fmdatas wygulis^ ^ jpkatas ijculeis, aut pedum celeritate liber as ^ mt elatione p'lnnanm^ Jpfa proicipue forma noflr^pulchrttudo Deum fatetur Artificem, flatus rigidus, v\iltus ere^us, ocul'i in fummo^ velut in fpecula conftitutiy ^ omnes c£t-eri fenfhs velut in crrce compofiti.'] As Cmdlius arm'd himfelf chiefly from TuUy, fo from Tully too, Oiiavius thought itbeft to difirm him, the Objeftions and Anfwers are take Whoever imagines that he knows the divine Majefty, lellens it 5 and whoever does not leflen it, can never pretend to know it. Inquire not his Name, for God is his Name, and there only we ufe Names, where many In- dividuals are to be diftinguifti'd by their pro- per Appellations ^ but to God , who is but One, the Name of God is all in all 5 for if I call him Father, you forthwith conceive of him, as an EartWy Parent 5 if King or Lord, 95 . "" Infinhus, Immenfus^ i^ folifibi, tantus quantus eft, notus.'] There is nothing more certain, than that our Minds are circumfcrib'd and limited, as well as our Bodies ; and therefore 'tis as impnffible to comprehend God in our finite Capacities, as to grafp the World in our Hands. Finins and Infinites do not only differ in Degree, but totogenere^ are of a quite different Nature ^ for no finite Addi- tion of Finhes can maite an Infinite, nor is there any affignable Pro- portion between them ^ we may underftaqd their relative Nature, or the finite Relations oi Infinites to one another, but the pofitive Nature of Infinites is abfolutely inc^mprehenfible by any Under- ftjnding, but that of God himfelf-, and therefore, if it was fitting to fay, what the Allmighty, Infinite, Immenfe Being cannot do, we might fay, he cannot make a Creature to comprehend himfelf. In all our Inquiries then, wherever Infinity in its abfolute Nature and pofitive Qualities is iriiply'd , we have nothing to do but to leave the Matter as we found it. And accordingly in Matters of Faith of this Kind, our Bufinefs is firfl impartially to examin whe- ther fuch and fuch things be reveal'd or no, and then to fubmic our Reafon to Revelation , and noT to (hew our felves fuch proud Fools as to ftrain our finite Intellerts after that which is intelligible only to the infinite Mind ; for then we conceive moft worthily of God, when we conceive him incomprehenfible, or in our Author's words, ideo fic eum digne .iJlinittmHs, dum innftimMlem dkimus. yoqr ^6 The Oftavius of your Fancy clothes him with fuch Ideas as thofe Words ftand for with Men. Take but away this human Covering of Words, and you'll fee the divine Nature the better. More- over, have I not all the World on my fide in the Acknowledgment of this one God > I hear the People when they lift up their Hands to Heaven, fay nothing elfe, but " The God, The great " Audio vulgus^ cum ad coelum maniis tendunty nihil aliud quam Deum dkunt , & Deus magnus e/?, & Deus verus e^, & fi Deus dederit. Vulgi ifle naturalis fermo eji , an Chriliiani confitentis ora- tio .''3 The(e are the Words of Tertutlian in the foregoing Apology, and in his Book de Teflimon, An. 'tis the Argument alfo of Juftin Martyr, St. Cyprian, Armbius, Lalfantius, which they all ufe, cer- tatim, as Mr.Davies fays, for the Proof of the one fupreme God ; And yet after all thefe venerable Authorities, this ingenious Perfon^ I am forry to fay it, with the ufual Air of his admir'd le Clerc^ thus magifterially determines, Quk in re falliturjujlinus cum cete- ris. And al! the Reafon for fo much Aifurance is taken out of A- nobius himfelf, lib. ii. p. 89. the better to expofe the thing, and make Arnobius difprove here what he had been proving, pag.^^. The words argu'd from are thefe, Dii certi certas apud vos (Ethni- cos) habent tutelas, Ucentias, petejlates, neq; eorum ab aliquoid, quod ejus non Jit potejlatis ac licentia^ poftulatis. This he confirms from J4. Gell. lib. 2. c. 28. where 'tis faid, that not knowing the God that prefided over Earthquakes, Ferias ejus rei causa ediHo imperabant, fed Dei nomen , ita uti folet, — Statuere iy edicere quiefcebant, nc alitm pro alio nominando, falsa, religiove Populum alUgarent. From whence he roundly concludes, that the Chriftian Writers above nam'd were all miftaken, and le Clerc only to be minded, who by the Name of the God, &c. underftands that particular God, Qui agendis rebus preefl, who prefided over thofe things for which the People addrefs'd, utpulchre animadvertit eruditijfimus Joan. Cltri- cus. Art. Crit, P.ii. S. i.e. 11, 10. The Sum of the Argument on Mr. Clerc$ fide, and his Admirer Mr. Davies, then is this : By order of the chief Pontiffs it was decreed, that no God but of fuch a Name, and fuch a Cure or Province, fhou'd be addrefs'd to by the People for the Things under his particular Jurifdiftion, there- fore none but fome fuch Particular God is to be underftood here, by the Name. of The Great God, the True God, &c. The Fathers on the other fide argue thus, The general Voice of the People is the Voice of Truth, as being the Diftate of Nature ; but the People gene- Marcus Minuclus Felix. great God, The true God, and if it /hall pleafe God, This Expreffion in the Vulgar, is the Voice of Nature 5 and is it not alfo the Con • fefiion 97 generally cry out The God, The great and true God, notwithftand- ing this Order to the contrary, therefore there is fuch a God. But for the fuller Vindication of the Fathevs in this Point, I ask the Reader's Patience vvhilft I enquire into tv'vo Things, Firfl, Concern- ing the Truth of the Faft : Secondly, the Force of the Argument. Thefe Fathers then all fpeak of it as a known common Matter of Faft, of which certainly they were better Judges, both as to the I'rafticeand the meaning of it, than leClerc or Mr. Davies can be, as living at that time, and having been Heathens themfelves. And that this was a very familiar Form of Prayer among the vulgar Fa' gans, we are aiTur'd alfo from Proclus upon Plato's Timaits, p. 2B6, where we have the Reafon of itlikewife, namely, becaufe the onefu' />»'e/weGoi)?wasmoreuniverfalIybeliev'd throughout the World in all Ages, than the many inferiour Gods, The words are thefe, » tw r mr^effhlM d^'xp-'^ ^SLucu d-^ttcy.tH'^ ^ cupitreti ffi/J%ft)f 2'<7/i' ft), itj >^ 'Tff^votetv et'T ajj<^ hi T&f 'nrctvjt, if ■nyAO'cu tz-i^Alaai' ova.§yi- 9i^v y6 0JJ7CU'; KecJAtpalvi^ to iv r -TzrAnOaf. Thus all Religions and Seils concur in the Confeffion of one Fir ft or Supreme Principle, and all Men involve the God for their Helper, but thut there are Gods after or belove this higheji Principle, and that the Care of the Vniverfe is devolved upon them, k a Notion tf>hich all Seils do not believe ; and the Reafon of this, is, becaufe this one God or Vnity appears more evident than a Plurality or Multitude of Gods. We learn likevvife from Arrianus his Epiiletus, lib. 2. c. 7, that the very Form of Prayer fo long in ufe in the Chriftian Church, liveM ikiniTou, Lord have mercy upon us, was anciently ufed by fome Heathens, either amongft the Greeks or Latins, or both 5 for thus faith Epiftetus, -f vso/ cmKethif^oi; J^i'ofj^a, avir ah //o- mine, non tamfaceto, quitm ad fcribctidi licentlam Ulero. De N. D, 1. I.e. 44.. H 2 to 1 00 The Oflavius of to bis own Will and Pleafure 5 what fays Vtr- gil of Mantua ? Does not he yet fpeak more plain, and neareft to Truth ? In the Begin- ning (fays he) a ° Spirit quicken d Heaven and Earth, and all the Parts of the Univerfe, and a Mind infus'd a&uated the whole Mafs, the Author of Men and Beaflj, and every Animal. " Sp'iritus intus alHy (fy- irtfufa. Mens agitata — — De«w namque ire per omnes Terrafquey trailufque marhy cxlumque profundumJ] There were two very different Opinions about this Point? Plaia held God to be a Spirit diffus'd thro' the Univerfe, bat iHvt fAiij.iJ'^j^ovy that he did rseivlA Kojfieiv rai 'u^.^^etla. J^id is:cf.v]cov Vovlety govern all things by permeating every Thing, but diJii'ycot, without mixing with any Thing-^ thtt he was called ^'ikcuov, quaji 'mdv\et J'la.iov, pervading aU Things^ the Letter Kappa being taken in ovg-oy.ict( hzKcty for better Pronunciation only. Vid. CratyU p. 4 1 3. And this Uotion I take to be agreeable to that of the Apo- fiUy in him we live and move, and have our Being. The other Opi- nion held by the Stolcl^s was, that the whole Univerfe was not only animated by, but united to one common Soul, and that thi& Animal of a World is God. Stoici (fays TertuUianJ volunt Deum fic per Materiam decucurriffey quomodo Mel per Favos. The Stoicks wih have God to run thro' Matter y as Honey vMns thro' the Combs. Thus again, Varro in St. Aujiin. Civ. D. I. 7. c. 6. gives us his own Senfe, and that oitht Stoicl^s alfo in this Cafe, ficut hominemfa- pientem cum fit ex Corpore (^ Animo, tamen ab animo did fapientemy it a Mundum Deum did ab animoy cum fit ex animo ^ corpore. Now looking upon God under this View, as intimately pervading the Univerfe, and mixing with it, and fo making one infinite Ani- maly as Soul and Body make one Man, they concluded they might worfhip him in all his feveral Parts and Members •, not that they took thefe Parts or Portions for fo many Gods, but only that the Mundane Soul was united to them All. Accordingly Balbus in Cicero thus explains himfelf, Quarum rerumy quia vis erat tanta, ut fine t>eo regi mn poffity ipfa Res Deorum nomen obtinuit. "Nat. Dear. lib. 2. and PUny^ no great Friend to the Notion of a Deity, thus accounts for the worfhipping of him in the feveral Creatures and "^ Portions of the Univerfe, Fragilis Let us run over the Dodrine of the Philofophers, if you pleafe, and you'll find them, tho' dif- ferently expreffing themfelves in Words, yet as to the Thing, allconfpiringin oneand the fame Opinion. I omit the ancient Wife Men of Greece, defervedly fo call'd upon the ac- count of their Sayings 5 let Thales the Mile- fian, the Principal of them, ferve for the reft, who was the firft that difcours'd accurately concerning Heavenly Matters. This fame M/- lefian Thales affirm'd Water to be the Principle of Things 5 but withal, that God was that Mind which form'd every Being out of this Fluid into a World. But let me tell you, this account of p Water and the Spirit was a No- tion p Eho aJtior ^ Sublimior aqu£ ^ Spiritus ratio, quam ut ab ha- mine pot uerhinveniri, a Deo tradita.'] Thales oi Miletus, oraso- thers think, a Fhmician, was the Founder of the lonicli Order, he fpetit moft of his time in Egypt, in the Study of Philofophy, and is reported to have convcrs'd there not only witli the Jews, but par- ticularly with the Prophets, from whom in all probability (as our 4uthor concludes) he had this Notion of the Origin of the World H 2 froM 102 The Oflavius of tion far above the reach of any Mortal, had not God, who was that Spirit, reveal'd it to Mofes. Thus you fee how the principal Phi- lofopher exad^ly concurs with us ChriQians. After him Anaximenes^ and then Diogenes Sur- named Apolloniates, make God of a Nature Aerial, Infinite and Immenfe. Thefe then agree with us in the Dodlrine of One God. The God of Attaxagoras^ is an Infinite Mind that difpofes and puts every Thing in Motion 5 from Water and the Sphit^ a Notion above the Reach of mere Mortal \ Iiiventhti, Bur the Origin of All thinj^s from Water, both Art- j Jtotle ^nd Plutarch iiicnhc to /iotKer before him, from this Vcrfe», ClKiAvh', oW^ 'j.pViCti 'Srdl^iajt TSTC^^. After much Travel andSrudy in Egypt^ he is faid in his ojd Age to have returned and fettled at Mtletia, and propagated this Phi- lofcphy. yid' Eufcb,pr£far. Evang. lib. i^,cap. 13 lib. \o.cap. 4. Tia true, indeed, ihnAriiiotk reckons him as d^yriyoi t" to/(w;tm? ©.'Xifi-oflet?, the Ringleader ef thi f/ylopathianAtheifls, as derivitig all Things from Water only, as Homer had done before him, not excep.ing the very Gods, BaiAriJlotle was no very fair Dealer with the Reputations of Phifo- fophers, and he has contradifted himfdf in theCharafler ofThaks^ as to his being an Atheifl % de An. lib. 1 . c. 8. where he fpeaks of liim as a Tbeij} m thele Words, ;s9 iv tt>! ohm /'4 tivh 4-^'xpjj /w?- f.<.i)(Qcu (paa-'w. cSiVKfeoiiy Oa.\7)i «/)Gn -srAcTot -srAHfH ■d-iay it). Some /^7, that Soul or Ufs n wangled with the Vniverfc, and thence perhaps it wai^ th.it Thales imagind that all Things are full of Gods, B<-fides, Laertim and F In t arch give him the Charafter of the firfl Ajfertor of the Soul's Immortality ; and Tally fpeaks of him in thefe Words, Thales enim Jlfdefuu, qui primin de talibm rebut qu£fivity "uquii.m dixit ejje initium reruw, Veum autem earn Mentem, qu£ ex aqua. citnUa fingeret. De Nat. Deor. lib. i. c. 10. The reft of the Philofophers mention'd in this Seftion are fo many, that a tole- lerable Account of their Tenets vvou'd not comd within my com- pafs, and therefore I refer the Reader firfl to Cicero^ de N. D. lib. i,^ from whence our Author has manifeftly defaibed tlvemj and if he defires farther Satisfaftion, he mayconfulc £«/ei. Pt/Hp. EvAvgo and Ckdvcortb's Ivtellelhal Sj/Jhm, • ' and Marcus Minucius Felix. and the God of Pythagoras^ is a Mind that permeates and takes care of the Univerfe, and is the Original of all Life. XetJophanes is well known to have defin'd God to be an Animated Infinite. Antiflhems holds a Plurality of Gods over feveral Nations, but one only Deity Su- preme by Nature. Speufipfius is for that natural, animal Virtue, by which All things are con- dudted to be God. Does not Democritusy alt ha the firft Inventor of the Atomick Philofophy, does not he often fpeak of that Nature, which is the Author of thofe Images and intentional Species, by which we underftand, and feel, and fee, &c. as God ? Strata likewife fets up Nature for God. Even your famous Epicurus, who makes either Unadive, or no Gods, Dei- fies Nature. AriftotU is at variance with him- ■felf, however, he affigns one Sovereign Power 5 for one while he calls Mind God, another while the World he will have God, and then again he makes God above the World. He- raclides of Pdntus reels about in the fame man- ner, however, he afcribes a Divine Mind to God, or elfe to the World, or elfe makes a pure Divine Mind itfelf to be God. Theophra- fifffy and Zeno J and Chryfppus^ and Cleanthes, tho' all at difference, yet at the long run they all meet in the Notion of one Providence that fuperintends the World. For Cleanthes fome- times makes God to be a Mind, fometimes a Soul, fometimes JEther, and fometimes Rea-» fon. His Mafter Zefto makes the Natural and Divine'Law in Things to be God, and fome-r times Mther, and fometimes Reafon, to be H 4 the 103 104 -^^-^^ Oftavius of the Fountain of all. This fame Philofopher, methinks, by calling Juno Air, Jupiter Hea- ven, NeptuneSea, Vulcan Fire, and all the reft likewife of the Popular Gods, Elements, by fuch Names feverely confutes, and lafties the Publick Vanity of worlhipping fuch Deities. Chrjjippus fays much the fame Things, for he believes God fometimes to be a Divine Ener- gy, a Rational Nature, and then again the World, and then fatal Neceffity 3 and copies after Zeno by interpreting the Fables of the Gods in the Verfes of Hefiod, Homer and Or- pheus into Natural Principles. And Diogenes the Babylonian^ expounds the lying in of Jove, and the Birth of Minerva, and fuch like Fidi- ons, not of the Gods, but of Nature. Xeno- phon the Difciple of Socrates, affirms the form of the true God to be invifible, and therefore not to be fearch'd after. Arifto of Chios af- firms him likewife to be incomprehenfible, and both the one and the other underftood the Divine Majefty beft, by defpairing to un- derftand it. But of all the Philofophers, Flato deliver'd himfelf the plaineft and trueftof God, of Things, and Names 5 and his Difcourfes had been purely Divine, had he not fome- times comply'd too far with the Vanities of the Age, and allay'd them with the Errors in Faftiion. This fame "i Plato therefore in his Tim£Hs " Platoni itaque wTiw.£o Dew eft quern i ties to God, ourNeighbowr, and our felves, even to a pitch Evan- gelical, certainly much higher than thofe of their Seft that went before them ; witnefs tliat cKcellsnt Prayer with which Simplklus con- Marcus Minucius Felix. #107 lofophers, or that the Philofophers of old were Chriftians. If then, the World is go- vern'd by a Providence, and by one God, the weaker fort of Ancients charm'd and capti- vated with Fables, ought not furely to engage us in the fame Errors, in fpite of all the Argu- ments to the contrary, of the wifeft Philofo- poncludes his Cemment upon EpWetus ; for firfl he here direfts his Prayer to God, The Lord and Father and Guide of our inteUeifual Natures, 'lK{JXa ai, J'itmoja., o -^o]"? ^ ^fiy-uv r iv Yifxtv Aofs, to put us in mind ofthofe excellent Faculties he. has endued us veith ;" and moreover, avyi/Tr^.^oA '5 «? (wroK/vrfjo/f nf/iv 'sr^pf n koLQa^- triv T '^ r aji(o/(jS^Joi,x.beEnlight'ned. The laftCIaufe of this Heathens Prayer is very remarkable, ly TvTe>.rov, n- 2co]n^cf. iKzldju dtptheiv r^Kkeoi T dx^uu r -^vXiKcov ^m^S of/.^druy, o^(y.. ytvu:pofe 'eni himfclf ; and nothing more proper than for our Chriftian Apolo- jiift to copy after fo wife a Heathen in ridiculing their Gods. For thus TuHy does it, A'. D. /. i. SelL 29. Jovem femper barbaturtiy Apoll'inein femper imberbem, c£fios ccuhs Mnerv£, cttrideos ejfe Nep- tun't-^ ^ qiadem Athous Lnidamus Vidcanum eum , quern fecit aI- camenss, in quo fi ante, atq\ vejVito , leviter apparet Claudicatio noa deformis j claudum igit'ur habebimns VeUm, &c. 4 Years, •% ivlarcaS^ifiucius Felix. Years, without a Bearci 5 ; a'n^,yet fmooth Jpol- io'sSon MfcHldprns with '^a;xei25{;) laudable "Beard on 5 there's N&ptune with Eyes^9t;tereen, and Minerva, of Sky-colour, and Goggie-iy'j^f;^^ there's Mercury with winged Feet, and Pati with Hoofs, and Saturn with Fetters, and Ja^ tins with his two Faces, as if he always wenc backward 5 thQXQS Diana one while with her Paps girt up like a Huntrefs 5 and then again, at Ephefus with Breafts like Towers 5 and when (he paffes for an infernal Goddefs, under thef Title of Trivia , (he is horridly branched out into three Heads, and Hands innumerable. How fares it with your own Jove himfelf^ Why, fometimes h« has a Beard, and fome- times not $ when he is ftiled Jupiter ^ Ammon^ he ^ Cum Hummm dk'ttur^ hdbet cortiua ; (fy" cum CapHoUrus^ tunc gerit fulmina-, (fy" cum Latiaris^ cmore perfundHur \ {y cum Fere' tmsy nm auditur.'] This Jupiter Hammon worfhip'd by the Egyp- , tians was plainly Cham or fiam^ the Son of Nnah^ as I have already ihevv'd ; his Temple and Idol is thus defct-ib'd by Lucauy 1. 9. Ventum erat ad Templum^ Vhyc'n quod Gentibits unum, Jnculti Garamantes habent ^ fiut Corntger ilUc Jupiter^ ut memorant, fed non ant fulmimt vibrans^ Ant fimilis noflro •, fed tortis cornibus Ammm, His Idol is called Kejto'j^J(7'ioTou or Ram-headed ; the Reafons why h« is thus fet forth, are laid to be chiefly thefe three. F;>/?, The Sun was worfhip'd under the Title of Ammwy and was therefore fee forth with the Horns of ^Ram, becaufe with Aftronorners the Sign Arks in the Zodiac is the Beginning of the Year. Secondly, Be- caufe, as the Strength of horned Beaftslissin their Horns, fo the Ititiuence of the Sun is pulh'd into every thing below by irsBeiains. Thirdly^ Becaufe the Refleftion Of the Sun is Cornute or Hornlike, Thefe perhaps may be Reafons with feme, but to me, I crnfefs, they feem very odd ones \ and therefore in all the Languages that Ikaow any thing of, finding Strength and Power to be iignify'cl I 2 ^ by i6 The Oftavius of be is honour'd with Horns 5 when Capltotinns, he is arm'd with Thunder 5 when Latiam, he is befmear'd with Blood 5 and when Feretriusy he is not miqded. To make (hort on t, there are as many Monfters of Jove , as Names. Erigafte dy'd by a Halter, to live a Virgin a- niong the flaming Stars. Pollux and Cajior die, to live by Turns. JEfiulapms is ftruck down with Thunder to rife up a God 5 and Hercules is fcow'rd in the Oetean Flames from his human Drofs into a Being Divine. XXII. Thefe are the Stories and Romances we learn from our ignorant Forefathers, and what is worfe, which we our felves ftudy ta improve 5 and efpecially by the Verfes of the * Poets , wIk) have done their beft by their Repu- by liorns^ according to that of the Pfalmifly All the Horns of the Wicked will I cut ojf, but the Horns of the Righteous flmll be exalted, I conclude the Horns of the Idol Ammon to be Emblems only of State and Magnificence. For 'tis faid oi Mofes, when he came dowii from God, that Aaron and the People faw that his Face flm- ed \ which the Latin tranflates , Fades ejus erat cornuta^ hit Face was horned^ And hence it is, that Mofes is painted with Horns j but this Error, I fuppofe, grew from the Ambiguity of the He- brew word, which fignifies both Horns and Brightnefs. Cum La- tiaris cruore perfunditur. Thefe humane Sacrifices you have par- ticulariz'd in the foregoing Apology, and we find LaHantius de- claring the like ; defalf. Rel. I. i. Se^. 2i. p. 50. Latialis Jupiter etiam nunc /anguine colitur humano, ^ cum Feretrius non auditur. The Derivation of Feretrius is known fufficiently, and largely ex- plain'd by Rigaltius upsn this place, and I follow him in the reading aditur inftead of auditur, and for his Reafons there af- fign'd. * Has Fabulas ab Imperitis difcimus, carminibufq'^pra* dpue Poetarum^ qui plurimum quantum veritati ipfa. fua aulloritate tmuere.'] Tis experimentally certain that good Poetfy upon ill Subjefts has done great Mifchief in the moral World j for lewd Poets are the Devil's prime Minifters, a fort 0/ Conjurers that raife 7 ■ "• "" '" up Marcus Minuciiis Felix. 1 1 y Reputation, to prejudice the Truth; for which Reafon ViatVy to his eternal Honour, banifn'd the famous ^ Homer , with all his Lawrels, from his imaginary Commonwealth. For this is the prime Poet, who in the § Trojan up fuch filthy Spirits io the Minds ot Youth that can hardly be laid j the Poifon goes down with Pleafure in that delightful Ve- hicle. The Abufes of this Art have been the Complaint of the Vertuous in all-Ages; Mimc'ius complains of it here, and fo did Tully before him, nee enlm multo abfurdiora [unt ea, qu,z Poetarum 'vocibus fufa^ ipsa, fua fuavitate mcuerutit, lib. i. de N. D. feft. i6. ^ Plato ideo Ho'merum ilium inclytum de Civitate quam in Sermone inftituehat^ ejecit.'] With the like Concern for Virtue does TuUy cry out againft the Plague of Poets, in his Tufculane Que- ftlons^ lib. 2. feft. ii. p. ^58. Sed videfne^ Poet£ quid mali ajfe- rant ? — Molliunt animos noJlroSf ita funt deinde dulces, ut non le- gantur modoy fed etiam edifcantur ; fic ad malam domefticam difci- flinam, vitamq-^ umbratilemy ^ deticatam cum accejferunt etiam Poetry nervos omnis virtutis elidunt •, relle igitur a Platone educunfur ex ea civitate, quamfinxit ille, cum mores optimos, ^ optimum Kei- publicx ftatum exquireret. ^ Hk enim pr^cipuus bello Troico Deos veflros^ etfi ludos facit, ta- men in hominum rebus iy ailibus mifcuit.'] The reft of this Seftion is evidently in imitation of Tully, and Tertulian ; the latter you have before you, and therefore I (hall fet down fome Paffages of Jully only, to this purpofe. — Accepimus enim Deorum Cupiditates, MgritudineSy Iracundias-^ nee vera, ut FabuUferunt, Dii belli s pra- liifq, caruerunt ; nee folum ut apud Homerum, cum duos exercitus con- trarios alii Dii ex alia parte de fender ent^ fed etiam^ ut cum titanJs^ Ut cum Gigantibuiy propria bellagejferunt. Hsic <(^ dicuntur^ before he worftiips him 3 whilft all love to follow the Track of their Forefathers without Refledion, and choofe to join in the Delufion with others, rather then believe their Senfes, and judge for themfelves, while they refolve to be ignorant of what they fear 3 thus Cove- toufne^ in truth is the Idol you ferve under Images of Gold and Silver. This it is that makes empty Statues fuch worftiipful Figures 3 hence all the Roman Superftition, whole Rites upon examination, you'll find ridiculous in moft things, and pitiable in many. For fome you'll cration, with a Trumpeter, and the Pontifex Maximum going before and pronouncing the ancient folemn Words of Dedication, which Livy in the place above cited calls, verba prdiire, not much unHke w w^c wp liaye already obferv'd upon Tertulliatisfine monitore. • fee J 2 A Tfce OSavius of fee running about ftark ^ naked the coldeft Day in Winter 5 others V march with ftrangc Caps upon their Heads, and ftuck about with ancient ^ Nudi cruda. hyeme difcununt^ &c.] The Lupercalia are faid to be firft inftituted ia Arcadia, in Honour of Pan the God of Shepherds, buc afterwards were brought into great Worfhip ac Rome. They were folemniz'd upon the unfortunate Days of Febru' ary. The Word Lupercalia implies as much as a Feafl of Wolves, in Memory of Romultti and RentHf who were nurs'd by a Wolf. The Priefts called Luperci began their Proceflion from the foot of Mount Palatine^ by the Romans called Lupercal, the place where the Wolf is faid to have fuckl'd Romulw. See Servius upon that of Virgil, /€«. 1. 8. Et gelida. monftrat fub Yupe LupercaL At this Feilival, two Goats were flain, and two young Noblemen had their Foreheads befmear'd with the Blood j that done, they cut the Goat's Skins into Thongs, and ran about the City Ihrk naked, ftriking all they met. Hence that of Virgil^ nine exuUatites Salios, nudofque Lupercos. Vid. Serv. in Mn. 1. 8. A Dog was likewife Sacrific'd at this time, as being an Enemy to Romulm's Nurfe, the Wolf; and they ran about Naked, becaufe Pan, to whom this Solemnity was offer'd, was fo Painted. ViJ, Plut. in Romul. ' Alii incedmt pileati^ Scuta vetera circumferunt^ pelles cxdunt, Mendicantes vkatimDeos ducunt.'] Thefe were the Saliiy the Priefts of Mars, fo called a faliendo, from their Dancing. The cccafion of this Inftitution is faid to be this ; in the Reign of Uuma {"vid. Plut. in Num. J there was a raging Peftilence among the Romans not to be remov'd, either by Med'cine or Sacrifice ; at which time a brazen Target called £nea Pelta, or Ancile, is re- torted to have fallen from above into the Hands oiNuma, with a Voice promifing all Health to the Romans while that Target fhou'd be kept fafe -, vvnereupon Mamuriw, by Numa's Order, made ele- ven other Ancilia or Targets, fo like the firft, that they cou'd not eafily be diftinguifli'd, that if any one ftiou'd go about to fteal the Original, he might miftake one for the other. See Seriiim upon that of Virgil, Mn. 8. Lapfa Ancilia Ccelo. Hence likewife th-at of Ovid, Faft. lib. 3. Quis mihi nunc dicat, quare Ccelefiia Mariis Arma ferant Salii^ Mamuriumque canant ^ Thefe Salii had the Cuftody of thefe Ancilia, and ev*ry Afarch they drefs'd ihemfelves up in parti-colour'd Coats, call'd Tunka Marcus Minucius Felix. laj ancient Targets, beating Drums, and lugging the poor Gods about a begging from Houfe to Houfe. Some "^ Temples are vifitable but once a Year, and others never. Some are for- bidden '^ Men, fome Women, and other Rites unap- verficolor, girt clofe about 'em with a Belt term'd Qu Or of that, where the Prieft offers his own Inftruments for a Mefs to his Deity? What Violence does he offer to God, who thinks to propitiate him with fuch Ob- fcenities ? For had he a Mind for Eunuch- Priefts, he wou'd create, and not make them fuch. Who has not Underftanding enough to fee, that fuch Worfhippers are out of their Senfes 5 and that thofe only who are as Mad as themfelves, can Patronize fuch Extrava- gancies 5 and I muft fay, that the number of Franticks, is the great fupport of the common Frenzy. XXV. However, exceffive Devotion (^ay you) laid the Foundation of the Roman Em- pire, and rais'd it to the exceffive Grandeur we fee ^ for the Romans were much more ce- lebrated for Religion and Piety than Valour 5 O certainly ! For we have llluftrious and moft Noble Tokens of the Roman Juftice from the very Infancy of their Empire 5 for were they not in the beginning confederated by Crimes, . and fortify'd by Villanies, and from fuch Re- ligious Methods grew up to be a Terror to all about 'em ? Had they not at firft a^n Afylnm^ a San6tuary for a Rabble of Debtors, Profli- gates, Inceftuous, Cut-throats, Rebels to fly to ? And Romulus himfelf, their General and Ruler, that he might fignalize himfelf, and excel his People in WiCkednefs, began with the Murther of , his Brother. Thefe were the hopeful Beginnings of this Religious City. Soon after, without Precedent, and againft the 28 The Oftavius of the Law of Nations, they ravilh'd the Neigh- bouring Virgins promised and betroth'd to o- thers 5 nor were they lefs abufive to the Mar- ried Women ^ and when they had thus dilho- nour'd the Women, they fell foul upon their Parents, waged War with their Fathers-in- Law, andfpilt the Blood of their Allies. What a Scene of Impiety, Luft, and Aflurance in Wickednefs is here ? At length they drive out their Neighbours, plunder their Cities, their Temples, and their Altars, carry Home the Captive, and raife themfelves by their own Wickednefs upon the Ruin of others. This was the Difcipline of Romulus^ and the fuc- ceeding Kings and Generals, to this Day are exactly of the fame Religion. Thus the K(7- fftans have nothing in Poffeffion, nothing in Worftiip, but what is Plunder. All your Tem- ples are Booty, rais'd from the Ruins of Ci- ties, from the Spoils of the Gods, and the flaughter'd Priefts. Thus to obferve the Re- ligions you have triumph'd over, and to a- dore the Deities you carry Captive in Tri- umph, is downright Infult and Mockery. For to worfhip what you Ileal, is to confecrate Sacrilege, not Deities. The Roman Vidories then are but fo many Roman Villanies, and e- very Trophy a Spoil from the Gods of fome Nation or other. The Romans therefore are not fo great upon the fcore of Religion, bu^t by profperous Sacrilege. Nor can it be ima- gind, that in their Wars they (hou'd have the Gods on their fide whom they fought a- gainft, and whom they began not to worfhip, 'till Marcus Minucius Felix. i 2p 'dll they triumpb'd over 'em. Befides, what cou'd thofe poor Gods do for the Romans^ who cou'd do nothing for their own worfhip- pers againft *em > And as for the Native Gods of Rome^ we know em full well 5 there's R&* mnlns, Picus, Tiberinus^ and Confus^ and Pi- hfMtns, and Volumnus, The Goddefs of Clofe- ftools, Cloaciffd, TatiHs had the good Fortune to find, and firft brought her into WorQiip 5 Hoftilius rais*d Fear and Pallor to the Honour of Deities, and afterwards a certain Mortal, I have forgoe who, made a Goddefs of a "" Fe- ver, Behold thy Nurfing Deities, O jRd particularly Pythagoras by Porphyry inAjamblichus., Apallonius Tya- ii£us by Hierocles, and Apuleius by others, arc all let up to ballance the mightv Works of Jefus of Nazareth ^ and his Difciples^ to whom fay they this wonderworking Secret was committed by their >Iaftef, Buf, W^i allowing thefe Philofophets to have done. Marcus Minucius Felix. i ay well that the Daemons are forc'd to confefs all thefe things of themfelves, as often as we rack 'em into Gonfeffion with our bare Words only. fome ftrange things , as James and Jamhres, and the Egyptian Magi did j yet did any of thefe Philofophers attempt to filence the Heathen Oracles^ and force the Spirit f in the Pythonefs^ or the Demoniacy to confefs themfelves Devils in the prefence of the Senate ^ Did they go about doing good, and employ their Pow- ers in Miracles of Mercy and Charity, and perform thefe mighty Works at a word fpeaking, or with a Touch of their Garment, and in the Face of the World, and before their moft implacable jpnemies? Did they tranfmit this Power to any of their Difciples pf working Miracles for fome hundred of Years in their Mafier's Name, and for the Confirmation of the holieft Doftrine imagina- ble, till it became the Religion of the whole World i or rather, did they not do all their Feats to eftablifh Men in their heathe- nilh Impurities, which no Miracles cou'd juflifie? Befides, hovf came Chrift and his Difciples to convert thefe very Egyptians, firom whom they are faid to have learn'd their Magi ck? How came the Primitive Chriftians, fuch illiterate and errant Ideots in the Opinion of the Philofophers, to be all of a fudden fuch arrant De- vils at the black Art, as to outdo all other the moft learned Sefts ; fo that they cou'd be never equal'd nor detefted, neither by the Heathens themfelves , nor Apoftare Chriftians ? How came fo many alfo of them which ufed curious Arts, to bring thdr Boo1(S to- gether upon their Converfion, and burn them before alt Men, info- much , that when they counted the Price of them , they found it fifty thoufand Pieces of Silver ^ So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed. And Laftly, how came the Devil to be fo great a Fool as to lend out his Power againft himfelf, to do Miracles for the Service and Worfhip of one God only in all manner of Holinefs, and to pull down all his own idolatrous Temples with his owa Hands? So that if the Chriftian Religion be a Cheat, 'tis a Cheat, I will venture to fay, that we are bound to embrace and follow ; becaufe God has permitted fuch infuperable fears to lye in our way againft Infidelity, that a wife and good Man cinnot help believing the Gofpel ; for greater and more notorious Mi- racles, and for the Confirmation of a better Doftrine, cannot be fuppos'd poffibleto be done by the moft mighty andhoJicftEieing, than thofe we find recorded in Scripture. And the refifting fo much Evidence, is juftly look'd upon, as the Sin againjl the Holy GhoJ^i in thofe who were Eye-witneffcs of the Fafts, and imputed *ero to the Power of Beel:i^ebub ; and therefore this Sin ftiall mpt be forgiven, becaufe God can do no more for the CoDviftion of Ifuch pi Infidelj and leave him a free Creature. 138 The Ofiavius of and force 'em out of the Bodies they poflefs, by fuch tormenting Speeches as they cannot bear. For Saturn, and Serapis, and Jupiter ^ and whatever other Daemons you worfhip, not able to endure their Pain, proclaim their Na- ture ; And you may be well aflur'd, that they wou'd never be at the expence of framing Lies to their own Shame, efpecially in the prefence of you who adore 'em. Take their word then, and believe em to be Devils, when you have it from their own Mouths, and to their own Ruin. For when we ad- Jure them by the One true God, the Wretches fore againft their Will, fall into horrible Shi- verings, and either fpring forthwith from the Bodies they poffefs, or vani(h.by degrees, ac- cording to the Faith of the Patient , or the Grace of the Phyfician. Thus they dare not ftand the Prefence of Chriftians , whofe Af- femblies they difturb at a diftance by your Hands. For this reafon therefore they infinu- ate themfelves into weak Minds , and there privately fow the hatred of that Religion they fear^ for 'tis natural to hate what we fear, and to perfecute what we are afraid of, to the beft of our Powef. Thus they feize upon Mens Spirits, and fecure their Affedions, that being prepoffeft, they may be fure to begin to hate us, before they know us, for fear that by knowing us they (hou'd be conftrain'd to love and imitate us, or at leaQ not be able to find how to condemn us. XXVIIL But how unjuft it is to pafs Sen- f^i^e, as you do., without any previous In- quiry Marcus Minucius Felix. quiry into the Merits of the Caufe 5 be for once perfuaded by us, who now repent of the like Pradice. For heretofore we were juft the fame with your felves, under juft the fame Preju- dices , as lying under the fame Powers of Darknefs and Stupidity. We were as confident as you now are, that theChriftians worfhippd Monfters, devoured Infants, and after Feaft- ing fell to Inceft, without ever confidering, that notwithftanding fuch Stories were conti- nually blown about from Mouth to Mouth, yet nothing like *em cou'd ever be tracd out and prov'd^ nor in all this time one Man alive produced to make the leaft Difcovery, tho' he had not only Aflurance of a Pardon, but wa? alfo under the Temptations of a Reward fop fo doing. But a Chriftian is fo great a Stran- ger to Wickednefs, that when he is accus'd, you fee nonp of the natural Indications of Guilt, nothing of Shame or Fear about him 5 all that you hear from him, is, that he repents of nothing, but only for not having been a Chriftian fooner. And we heretofore, when we y concern'd our felves at the Bar in the defence of the Sacrilegious, Inceftuous, and even of Parricides 5 we our felvds, I fay, had the Confcience to think it|juft for Chrifti- ans not to be heard one tittle upon their In- didtment 5 nay, fometimes we have (hewn our felves inore favage in our Pity than our Rage 5 ' Nos tamen cum Sacrileges — tuendos [ufapiebamus^ &C.3 It appears probable from hence, that OSlav'ms was a Lawyer as well Minucius^ for he here confeffes that he had pleaded t^ie Capfe oi the Sacrilegious and vileft Heathens. 13^ Wo T^he OSavius of ^| by torturing Confeflbrs to fave themfelves by I denying their Religion 5 a ftrange Abufe of Tortures! To employ Racks to fqueeze oat Lies , which were made only to extort Truth. And if in any infirm Chriftian , the Torture happened to be too hard for his Religion, and cou'd but prevail upon him to renounce his Faith , we immediately acquitted him 5 as if by renouncing his Chriftian Name, he wip'd Jiimfelf clear of all the Crimes charg d againft him. Don't you fee then that we were once of the fame Mind with your felves, and did Juft the fame Things as you do now ? whereas had we at that time been ad^ted, not by the In- ftfgation of the Devil, but by right Reafon, we (hou d not have judg'd it reafonable to have conftrain'd Chriftians to deny their Chriftia- nity, but only to confefs the Incefts, Abomi- nations, Prophanations, and facrificing of In- fants, charg'd upon em in their Indidlments, For with thefe and fuch like Stories the evil Spirits have ftuff'd the Ears of fimple People to raife in 'em an execrable Horror againft us. Nor is it any great wonder, confidering the Nature of Fame , which being an uncertain Report, feecfs and lives upon a mixture of Lies 5 and is quite deftroy'd therefore by the Evidence of Truth 5 it is not ftrange, I fay, that fuch an evil Fame (hou'd be kept alive, fince 'tis the whole Bufinefs of evil Spirits to preferve it 5 for from them it is, that Lies do live and move and have their Being. Hence it is that you came to hear that the Head of an Afs is fo di- vine a thing with us 3 but who can have fo ^ little Marcu* Minucius Felk. little Bfains as to worftiip the Head of an Afs > or rather, who can be fo much an Afs himfelf as to think it credible for a Piece of one to be worlhipped, unlefs thofe who have entire AiTes in the Stalls with their Goddefs Epona in fuch facred Veneration, and drefs up the fame Ani- mals with Ifif in divine Apparel ? But you do as much for the Heads of Bulls, and Rams, and make 'em ferve both for Gods and Sacrifice. You have likewife a ftrange medly of Gods, a Compound of Goat and Man, and you pay divine Worfhip to the Heads of Lyons and Dogs. Moreover, don't you adore and feed the Bull Afisy as well as the Egyptians ? Nor do you condemn their Worftiip of Serpents, Crocodiles, Beafts, Birds and Fifties 5 any one of which Gods, fliou*d a Man chance to kill, 'tis as much as his Life's worth. Thefe fame Egyptians, and not a few among your felves, do not ftand more in awe of Ifis, than of a fliarp Qnyon-^ and pay as fearful a Re- fpeft, (faving your prefence) to a "^ Fart^ as to your God Serapis, And he who fets about that Lie of worfhipping the Biftiop's Privitys, endeavours to Father his own Naftinefs upon us. For fuch infamous Devotions beft fuit with thofe, whofe common Praftice it is for both Sexes to proftitute themfelves to each other, as naked as they were born 5 amongft whom all fort of Obfcenity in perfedion paffes for Gal- lantry. Men who even envy the Extravagances * Nee Serap'uiem magis, quam ftrepitui per pudenda corporis ex- freffos contremlfcunt.'] See the Notes of Rigalfifts for thii fearful ^efpeil to fo odd a ihiog. of, 141 iij.2 The 0&3i\ms of of the lewdefl; Stf umpets, and commit the moft brutifti and (hocking Abominations in Natures Men of the impureft Tongues, confidering the Pradice they put em to, (hou*d they never fpeak a word 5 who are rather tir'd out than a(ham*d of their Debaucheries. O Filthinefs incredible ! They choofe to undergo and pra- ftice fuch intolerable llncleanneffes , as the more tender Age cannot bear, and what the moft hardy Slaves will not be conftrain'd to endure. XXIX* Thefe and fuch (hameful Villanies we cannot bear to hear, and it is a Violence to our Modefty fo much as to name any more, tho* in our own Defence 5 for the Crimes you lay upon a chafte and baftiful People are of that Nature , that we (hou d think 'em incredible, did not you convince us to the contrary by your own Pradice. For whereas you tax our Religion with the Worftiip of a Criminal and his Crofs , you are ftrangely out of the way of Truth, to imagin either that a Criminal can deferve to be taken for a Deity, or that a ineer ^ Man can poffibly be a God. He furely is • Longe de vkmia veritat'is erratiSy qui putath Veum credi, aitt mtruiffe noxiurtiy aut potutffe Terremm.'} St. Paul charges it as a Crime upon the Galatians, that in their Heathen State, they did Service to thettty which by Nature are tio Gods-, and our AMor won- ders at their Abfurdity here , to think that the Chrijiians con'd worlhip either a Criminal or a Man^ for a God. The wifeft Hea- thensy even Socrates himfelf, as I have already fliewn, did think the Worfhip oiJnferiour Deities^ or thofe who are by Nature no Gods^ lawful ; and there is indeed hardly any Plea the Socinians ufe for the worfliip of Jefm Chrift, as a rnade God, which was not before roadf Marcus Minucius Felix. is miferable in good earneft, wbofe hopes all hang upon a Mortal 3 for his whole Comfort expires with the Man. The Egjpthns^ 'tis true chofe out a Man to worfhip, he is the Be- ing they propitiate, him they confult upon all Emergencies, and he it is they facrifice to^ and yet this mighty he, who is a God to o- thers, is moft certainly a Man to himfelf, whe- ther he will or no 3 he may deceive others , but he himfelf cannot but be fenfible what he is. Nay, you your felves complement your own Princes and Emperors, not as great and eminent Men, for then the Incenfe wou*d be allowable, but your falfe and fulfome Flattery addrefles to 'em as Gods 3 whereas in good truth, the Man of Fame, as well as the Man of Goodnefs , are beft celebrated, when our Efteem for the one, and our AfFeftion for the other, are exprefs*d to them both, as Men on- ly. Thus you invoke their Deity, fupplicate their Images, implore their Genius ^ that is their Dsemon, and it is now become lefs ha- zardous for a Man to fwear falfely by the Ge- nius of '^ove, than by that of the Emperour. As for the Adoration of Croffes you objefted againft us, 1 muft tell you, that we neither a- dore ^ Croffes nor defire them. You certainly who 45 made ufe for rhe worfliip o{ fubordinate Gods, by rhe PhilofophersJ Since then the Socmans God by Grace^ is not a God by Nature, and none but a God by Nature can be worfhipped without a Sin, ac- cording to St. Paul, and this PalTage of Minucius, it muft of confe- quence be Idolatry in the Socinians to worfliip Chrift as Gorf, whom they affirm by Nature to be a meer Man. ^ Cruces etiam nee colimus , nee optamus^ Tour Jefw, faith TryphOj having by this fallen under the extremejl Curfe of the La» of God, 1^4 The Oftavius of who worftiip wooden Gods, are the moft like- ly People to adore Wooden Croffes, as being Parts of the fame Subftance with your Deities. For what elfe are your Enfigns, Flags and Standards, but Croffes gilt and beautify'd > your vidtorious Trophies, not only reprefent a fimple Crofs, but a Crofs with a Man upon it. The ^ Sign of a Crofs naturally appears in a Ship, Cody we cannot fuffickntly admire that you (hou'd expeH any Good from Cody who place your hopes in a Man that was crucify d^ g^' aVdfw- 'TTov Tojjgu&ivjety for our Law fliles every one that was crucify d accurfeJi IDial. cumTryph. 227, 249, 317. And as it was zjlumbling B/oci^ to the fewsy fo was it to the Greedy FooUJhnefs j as we find in all thefe Apologies. But St. Paul faith, Godforbidthat Ifl)ou'dgleryfave in the Crofs (four Lord J efusChri fly &c. The Primitive Chriftians therefore, who like St. PaulyWttt Crucify'd to the World, gloried in nothing more than the Sign of the Crofs, and not only at Baptifm, but almofl upon every ocafion fign'd themfelves with it, to let the World fee, they were not afham'd of their Crucify'd Mafler. And this exter- nal Refpeft, and the frequent Ufe of the Crofs gave occafiwi ta the Heathens (who were apt to wreft every thing) to give our, that the Chriftians worfhipp'd a Crofs. But this Calumny all the Apologifts refute by denying the Faft ; and Minuciw here in the moft exprefs words imaginable, faith, Cruces etiam nee colimw nee optamui -y As for CroffeSy we neither worflupy nor wifh for 'em. * Signum fane Cruets naturaliter vifimw in naviy Scc.'] I make no doubt here with the learned Mr. DavieSy but that our Author coTpied after TertuSiany as he had done before itomJufiinMar' tyr-y but that they did it AC^{]tKAi., the Knowledge of Things to come, and Vifions^ and prophetick Prediliions ; but confirms it from what he himfelf and others had feeii, KctQwf Z) ditio/j^ 'nroKhuv a.S'ZKtpuv c* TM hicah-Aaia. m^pifjiKci 'x^a.tia-f/.ajet k-x^ovjav. As we our f elves have heard many Brethren in the Church, who had prophetical Gifts^ and by the Spirit fpa^e with Tongnes, and difcover'd the Secrets of Men, and expounded the Myfleries cfGoi^ 1. 2. c. 57. Befides, 'tis not to be imagin'd but that the Converts of the Apoftles, thofe of Learning efpecially, and who were fet over the Flock of Chrifl, vvou'd be very inquifitive with their Teachers about the Types of the Law, and how they were fulfill'd in the Gofpel, and why the Apoftlesfhou'd not gratify their Defi re in this I cannot cell. Thefe are forne Reafons with me, why we fhou'd not be fo ovei languine in cenfuring the earlieft Fathers for fome figurative Expofitions, which may now feem harfti to us •, for the typical Part of the Law is not all fully explain'd in the Gofpel, and what more feemingly harlh in the Fathers, than the Allegory oi Sarah and Hagar, which tho' exprefly alTerted by St. Paul to be Typical of the Two Covenants^ will not be allow'd of by fome latter Critick,s. St. John tells us. That Oi Mofes lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernefs, even fo mujl the Son of Man be lifted up. This fay the Ancients was a Figure of the Crofs, and a Symbol of Salvation ; for he that turn'd to it, was faved from Death, not by virtue of the Serpent he faw with his Eyes, but by the Saviour of the World ; and what more pro- iSable than this Interpretation? I know not feemingly a more my- fterious Ceremony than that of holding up the Hands of Mofes while Joffiua fought ^ this Juftin Martyr calls r tuttov r ^ajj§7, ^ 0' TvVoi' 'f T ov'oiAct]^ c777X.A>')(r«ft)f. Tryph. p. 3^8. A Type of tne Crofs ^ and a Type alfo afthe Invocation of the Namejefus. Now Jofliua was both a Type, and the very Name of Jejus, and the holding up the Hands of Mofes^ fays Juft'n, was in the Form of a Crofs -, and then Amalech's prevailing when that Pofture was alter'd, was Typical of our future prevailing againft Amalec\, or our fpiritual $ Enemies, Marcus Minucius Felix. the Sign of the Crofs has either fome Founda- tion in Nature, or in your own Religion 5 and therefore not to be obje&ed 'agairtfl Chri- ftians, XXX. I come now to return him his An- fwer, who affirms the Slaughter and Blood of an Infant, to be the initiating Ceremony into the Chriftian Myftery. Do you think it pra- fticable for fuch a tender little Body to be butcher'd at this rate ? or that any one cou'd prevail with himfelf to let out the Blood of this Babe before it was well in ? No one can think the Barbarity credible, but he who can find in his Heart to do it. And who fo juft- ly fufpicious for fuch a Faft, as your* owa felves, whom I fee expofing your Infants to wild Beafts and Birds, or ftrangling them after the moft miferable manner ? Nay, fome of you will not give 'em the liberty to be born, bur by cruel Potions procure Abortion, and fraother the hopeful Beginnings of what wou'd come to be a Man , in his Mother's Womb , and 47 Enemies, by the Power of the crucify'd foJJma or ]fefns. What more agreeable, eafie, and appofite than this Expofition ? Or who may better pretend to the Gift of Interpretation, which was then in the Church, than this holy Martyr ? Of this fort are his other Interpretations in that excellent Dialogue, which in a little time I hope to fee abroad, and in EngliJJ}^ and the Martyr therein juftly adorn'd and vindicated ^ for there the Types, Figures, and Pro- phefies are fo beautifully apply'd, and do fo clearly fet forth Chrijl to be God. And in the learned Grotiits, and fome others, they are fo very jejune and empty, and fo ftrangely fparing upon our Lord's Divinity, that upon Comparifon, there feems to me to be as much difference between the Interpretations of the Martyr and fome Moderns^ as between a Man himfelf, and his Clothes fluff'd with Straw. Nor had I been fo long in vindicating the Fathers upon this Head , had I not found fome Crlt'icks much longer ia making them Cabbalijls. L 2 commit The Ofiavlus of commit Parricide before he is in the World. And thefe forfooth are the Leflbns you learn from your Cods ^ for Saturft expos'd not his Children indeed, but he eat 'em. With good Reafon therefore in fome Parts of Africa were Infants facrific'd to him by their own Parents, who did all they cou'd with good words and Kiffes to keep *em quiet, for fear their Cries (hou'd unhallow and fpoil all, and make it a lamentable Sacrifice. It was a religious Rite amongft the Scythians, and with Egyptian Bu- firis, to offer Strangers upon their Altars 5 and the Gauls flay'd human, or rather inhuman ViAims to Mercury. The Rowans buried alive a Greek and a Gaul of both Sexes, for an A- tonement to their Deities 5 and Jupiter Latiaris is worfhipped by them to this Day with Homi- cide, and gorg'd with the Blood of condemned Malefaftors, Saturn's own Son eat gormandiz- ing upon human Flefh. This fame Man-eater of a God, was he, I fuppofe, who inftruded Catiline to confederate his Confpirators with Blood 5 and taught Bellona likewife to confe- crate her Priefts with Draughts of the fame Liquor. And hence came the Receipt for cu- ring the Falling-ficknefs with the Blood of a Man, a Remedy much worfe than the Difeafe. Nor do they come much behind hand, who devour wild Beafts, frefb from the Amphithea- ter , all o'er befmear'd and dy'd with Blood, Beafts fatted with the Limbs and Entrals of Men. But for Chriftians, as we think it un- lawful to be Spectators of your bloody Sights, fo cannot we endure to hear of them 3 and we have Marcus Minucius Felix. i ^p have fo much Averfion to Human Blood, that we will not To much as ^ tafte of the Flefti of Beafls, if we know there is any thing of Blood in it. XXXF. And as for the Inceftuous Banquet, 'tis a Story as falfe and black as the Devils who combin'd to make it 5 that they might fully the Reputation of our Chaftity by fo monftrous a Calumny 5 in order to prejudice Men's Minds, and fill 'em with averfion and horror to the Truth before they know it. Thus it is, your Friend Fronto has declaim'd againft us upon this Topic, affirming nothing upon Teftimo- ny, but only throwing about his Dirt like an Orator. For fuch Monfters breed only among your felves. Tis no Crime with the 'Perfims to mix with their Mothers, and in Egypt^ and at Athens^ *tis lawful to Marry with Sifters. Your Memoirs and Tragedies ring with In- ceftsj and the Pleafure you take in reading and hearing 'em, (hews your liking to the Sin. And you have ftill farther encourage- ment to be Inceftuous from the example of the very Gods you Worfbip, who make no- thing of lying with their Mothers, Daugh- ^ Vt nee eduUum pecorum in cibis fangmnem noverimus?] Moft of the material Points in this and the following Seftion have been already notify'd in the preceding Apologies •, only we may obferve farther, that the Apoftolical Decree for abjla'ming from Bloody was ftriftly obferv'd for a long time in the Primitive Church both in theEafland Weft, vvhiA Decree we find renew'd with the Addition of a Penalty in Canon IlXUL of thofe which pafs under the Title of Apflolkaly Si quis Epifcopus, vel Presbyter, vel Diaconus vel om- nino ex Sacerdotali Catalogo comederit Carnem in [anguine fu£ animx, iiel quod a feris captum^ vet ntorticiniuniy dtptnatur 3 toe en'im tcK froh'ibet, fi antem fit Laicus^ [egregetur. L 3 tcr$ i^o The Oflavius of ters and Sifters. No wonder therefore, Inceft is fo frequently found amongft you, for 'tis always in practice, tho' not always difcover'd. Nay, fuch is your Unhappinefs, that you fall into this Sin without knowing it 5 for while you are thus liberal of your Luft, and fow Children about in ev'ry place, and while thofe you have born at home, you expofe to the Mercy of Strangers 5 'tis ten to one but in your Travels you fall foul upon your Relati- ons, and go in ignorantly into your own Chil- dren. Thus the Inceftuous Banquet is a Lye of . your own framing, while you have no know- ledge of us, or while j/OH make tto Confcience in committifjg that your f elves , which you faljly charge upon Chrijtians, But 'tis our bufinefs, not fo much to take care about a face of Mo- defty, as to wear it in our Mind. We moft willingly contain within the Band of one ^ Mar- riage ' Vnhis Matrimonii vinculo libenter inhjuremus.'] I cannot fee from this ExpreflTion, libenter inh^r emus ^ we are eafily contented with one Wife only ; how according to Mr. Davies^ Minucius is one of thofe who condemn sfecond Marriages j for the Expreffion fair- ly interpreted, feems to imply no more than tliat of Si. Paul^ I Cor, 7. 8, 9. I Jay therefore to the Vnmarried andWidorvr^ it is good for them 'if they abide even as I, but if they cannot contain, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn. And die reafon of this Advice he grounds upon the Perfecution then raging a- gainfVthe Chriftians, I fuppofe therefore that this is good for thepre- fentDiflreJI, v. 26. Now Si. Paul's preferring a fingle State to a Married one, confidering prefent Difirefsy I doubt not, gave occa- fion to fome to ftrain the Point too far, and to condemn fecond Marriages in general, tho' the Apoftle exprefly, not only makes 'em Lawful, but in fome Circumftances Neceffary. And now if we confider the foftnefs of the Expreffion, libenter inh^remus^ I can fee no reafon why our Minucius may not as fairly be inter- preted to fide with St. Paul, as with fome Jieretic\s ; for the troubles of the Chriftian Profeffors, were at this time alfo very great upon the account of .Religion, and a wife and good Chri- Aiao Marcus Minucius Felix. Tiage only. We either know no Woman, or but one, and that purely for the fatisfadtion of having Children. Our Feafts are not only chafte, but fober 5 for we neither indulge in Eating, nor do we fpin out the repaft with Wine, but temper Chearfulnefs with Gravity 5 pure in Difcourfe, in Body purer, and many preferve a perpetual Continency without the leaft Oftentation of it. In a word, fo far are we from any inceftuous Defire, that fome can- not bear the Thought of lawful Pleafures without a Bluth. Nor does it follow, that becaufe we refufe to bear any Offices among you, we muft needs be of the fcum of the People. Nor arc we ^ Factious, tho' we are all 151 flian wou'd not chufe to be iticumber'd with the Cares of a Fa- mily in the midft of Perfecucions. The fame Apoftle alfo or- ders, thatBifliops, Priefts and Deacons fliou'd be the Husbands but of one Wife ^ i Tim. ^. 2. This, lam not ignorant, is general- ly interpreted of one Wife at a time, according to the 17th ApO' Jiolical Canon, Qui poji fan^ium baptiftnum duobus Conj ugiis fnerit impUdtus mn potefl ejje EpifcopHs^ vel Presbyter, vel Diaconus. But fiirce St. Paul to the Corinthians advifes the Widorvs and Vn- married to abide even as he •, fince he tells Timothy, that Bifliops, C5rc- muft be the Husbands of one Wife, fince fecond Marriages were condenin'd by fome, and hardly looked upon as very ho- nourable by any ; and fince likewife the Clergy were to be chofea out of the moft fhining Lights, and eminent Inftances of Cha- ftity, Temperance, and evVy Virtue, and that it is a greater per- feftion not to Burn, than to Marry j for thefe Reafons I am ape to believe, that St. Paul's direftion to Timothy about the choice of thofe he fliou'd lay Hands upon, vix,. That they (hou'd be the Husbands of one Wife^ does not fignify one Wife at a time, but fuch as had never been but once Married ; fuch b^ing brighter Exam- ples of Abftemioufiiefs, and much likeUer to attend diligently up- on the Cure of Souls, and theOifices of Charity, than thofe who had been Married to two or three Wives, and perhaps had a Fa- mily of Children from each to provide for. ^ Nee fajlidiofi] fumus.'] For which I read with Heraldus, FaShfi, and for the Reafoo by him alfign'd. For 'tis evideatly ia 1^2 The Oftavius of all bent upon the fame Kingdom, and relifh but one and the fame Happinefs ^ for we are as quiet and inoffenfive in our Aflemblies, as when we are all alone 3 nor are we fo flippant of Tongue in corners only, our Silence is ow- ing to your felves, who either are afliam'd or afraid to hear us in Publick. The daily § in- creafe of our numbers is fo far from a difpa- ragement to our Religion, that it is a Tefti^ mony in its Comr/iCndation 5 for the Chriftian Party are faithful Adherents to their holy Profeffion , and are continually augmented \m\z3iion of TertuWan; and I can make no Senfe of Faftidioft with omnes — eadem congregati quiet e qua finguli-^ buc if we read FaHiofty then 'tis plainly to wipe off an Objeftion againft their frequent Meetings ; that tho' they were all fet upon the fame Happinefs or Kingdom, yet in their Aflemblies they never had any Caballings againil the State, but were as harmlefs in a Body, as apart; and then Afinuc'ius's — onmes — eadem congregati quiete, qua finguli^ will be the fame with Tertullian'Sj Hoc fumus congregati y quod iy difperfi. Hoc unherfi, quod ify- ftnguU. ^ Et quod in dies noftri numerus augetur, mn eji crimen Errorif, fedTeftimonium Laudis.'] St. F(i«/ informs the Church oiKome and Colofsy that in the fpace of thirty Years the Gofpel had been preach'd throughout the World, and brought forth Fruit in ev'ry Nation, on which account it foon obtain'd the Name of « K^Tk Is '' Et cum Homo latins maneam, intra unam adiculam vim tant£ Majeftatif inctudam ^~] The dtdiculam here raention'd, I take to be a Shrine, which was a little Chapel reprefenting the form of a Temple with an Image in it, which being fet upon an Altar, or fome other Place, and the Leaves of the Door being open'd, the Image ftood or fat in State, and fo was reprefented to the Speftator. This Mdicula^ or little Chapel^ was properly among i\iQ Rsmans called Ferculufn, not very ditferent from theNato? a- fnong 1^4 '^^^ Ofiavius of Is it not more becoming fuch a Deity, to dedi- cate our Mind to him for a Temple, and to confecrate our Hearts into Altars ? Shall I bring fuch Sacrifices and Oblations to my God, as he has made for my own ufe, as if I turn'd his bounteous Prefents back again upon his own Hands ? Tis Ingratitude, fince the Sa- crifices and Vidims we are now to offer, are Juft, and pure, and innocent Souls. He there- fore who ftudies Innocence, is at hi? Devoti- on 5 he who is doing Juftice, is doing Sacri- fice 5 to abftain from Injuries, is to propitiate the Deity, and to fave a Man, is to flay the nobleft Vi(3:im. Behold ! Thefe are our Sacri- fices, thefe the Chriftian Rites of Worlhip ! Thus amongfl: us, the beft worlhipper is the jufteft Man. But fay you, we can neither fee nor (hew the God we worfhip s, and for this Reafon, fay I, we believe him to be the God, mong the Grecians. Thus we have mention in Athcn£W of Yicl<^ifu!ffft domo, becaufe Marcus Minudus Felix. becaufe we perceive, but cannot fee him. For in all his Works, in ev'ry Motion of the Uni- verfe, we behold the Divine Virtue prefent, either in Thunder, Lightning, or in Calm. Nor think it ftrange, you fee not God 5 for the Wind fubmits not to be feen itfelf, tho' it moves, tofles to and fro, and agitates every thing. The Sun which makes all vifible, will not endure to be feen himfelf 3 our Eyes can- not ftand his Shine, but link and languilh un- der his Rays dired, and if you wou'd gaze on him long, you will gaze your felf blind. What then > Wou'd you ftare upon the very Maker of the Sun, and feed your Eyes upon the Fountain of Light, and fupport the infufferable Shock of Divine Glory it felf, whofe Lightning and Thunder only your Eyes and Ears cannot bear? Wou'd you fee God with Eyes of Flelh, when 'tis more than they can do to fee the Soul by which you are quicken'd and made to Speak ? but according to your Dodirine, God is not acquainted with the Anions of Men 5 for be- ing lodg'd in Heaven, he is too far off to take care of all , either in general or particular. Miftaken, fadly miftaken Man ! For how can God be faid to be afar off, when all things in Heaven and in Earth, and beyond this Pro- vince of the Globe, are known to him, and full of God? For in all places whatever, he is not only near us, but in us. Confider the Sun again, who is fix'd in Heaven, and yet overfees the whole Earth , every where pre- fent, and diffused in every thing, and nothing is H$ t6 The Oftavius of is hid from the light thereof. How much ra- ther then is the univerfal Parent and Spedlator, from whom nothing is hid, how much ra- ther is he prefent in Darknefs, prefent in the greateft Abyfs of Darknefs, even that of our own Thoughts ? For we not only adt under him, but to fpeak nearer to Truth, in him and with him, we live, and move, and have our Being. XXXIII. Nor let us flatter our felves with fecurity from our numbers, for tho* we may feem innumerable by human Arithmetick, yet in the Eye of God are we as nothing. Tis we who diftinguiOi by Countries and Nations, but to God the Univerfe is but as one Cot- tage. Kings fee what paffes in their King- doms by the Eyes only of their Minifters, but God has no occafion for Informers. For we not only live under his Eye, but in his Bofom. You objeft likewife, that the worfliipping of one God with Altars and Temples, and abun- dance of Ceremony, ftood not the Jetvsin any (lead. Here again you abufe your felf, either by not knowing, or not calling to Mind the Ancient, but the After-ftate of the Jews only. For that Ancient People fo long as they wor- ftiipped our God with Purity and Innocence, and according to the Rites of their Religion 5 our God, 1 fay, for there is no other God but him, fo long as they were obedient to his wholfora Precepts, from Few they became In- numerable, from Poor they became Rich, and from Slaves they grew into Kings 5 while fmall in Marcus Minucius Felix. 157 in number, and defencelefs, they fly from a numerous and well-appointed Army, and by the Command of God, and the Confederacy of the Elements, overwhelm'd their purfuers all in the Red-Sea, Read over again their own Writings, or if the Rowan pleafe you better, read what Flavius Jofepkus, and Aftto- ninus Julianus have written of the Jews^ not to mention elder Hiftorians 5 and you'll foon be convinc'd, that their Sins pull'd down their , Misfortunes, and that not one Difafter befel this People, but what was foretold (hou'd be- fall 'em, if they perfifted in their Obftinacy. Thus you'll find, that they abandon'd God, before their God abandon'd them 5 and that they were not taken Prifoners together with their God, as you juftnow impioufly aflerted 3 but that he himfelf deliver'd 'em into the Hands of their Enemies for deferting his Reli- gion. But as to the general Conflagration, I muft tell you, 'tis a very vulgar Error to ima- gin, that there is not Fire enough in (lore for fuch an univerfal Deftruftion, or that it cou'd not be fufpended for fo many Ages. For what Man of Senfe can make a doubt, but that all Things v^hich had a beginning may have an end> Or that Things made, mayperilh? That Heaven it felf with all its Furniture, as it be- gan, fo it will ceafe to be ? That frefli-water Fountains, and their original Nourifliment the Seas, will all evaporate into Fire ? For 'tis a fettl'd Opinion among the Stokks, that when the Moifture is all confum'd, the World will turn into a Blaze ^ and the Eptcureatjs likewife 5 8 The Oftavius of are of the fame Opinion touching the Confla- gration of the Elements, and the diffolution of the Univerfe. Plato moreover faith, that the feveral Parts of this Mundane Syftem are kept in repair by alternate returns of Deluges and Conflagrations 3 and tho' he will have the World fo made, as to be everlafting by its make, yet he vi^ithal grants, that the fupreme Artift, God alone, can unmake and ruin it at pleafure. And certainly there is nothing fo M^onderful in this, that the Workman fiioud. be able to deftroy the Work of his own Hands. You fee then, that your Sages Philofophize jufl: as we do, not that we tread in their Steps, but that they have taken thefe sketches of Truth from the Divine Sermons of our Pro- phets, and have difguis'd their Theft. For thus even the mod famous of your Philofo- phers, Pythagoras in the firft place, and efpe- cially Plato, have done by the Doctrine of the Refurredtion 5 they deliver'd it deceitfully and by halves, when they taught the Immortality of the Soul, and the Metempfychofis 3 and the more to disfigure the Truth, they add like- wife, that thefe Souls frequently ftiift their Lodgings, and return into Sheep, and Birds, and Beafts. An Opinion altogether unworthy a Pbilofopher, or a fincere Lover of Truth, and fit only for fuch, whofe defign is to cor- rupt and mimick it. But 'tis fuiiicient to my purpofe to ftiew, that your Philofophers in fome meafure do chime in with Chriftians. But who has fo little Senfe, or indeed is fo much a Brute, as to prefume to impugn this evi- Marcus Minucius Felix. evident Truth, that Man, who was at firft made by God, can after Death, be made by him again ? For ^ fuppofing Man to be juft fuch a nothing after this Life, as he was before it, yet as he had his Being at firft from nothing, fo furely he may be reftored to that Being again from fuch a Nothing. For it feems to be a Work of greater difficulty to give a Be- ginning to what is not, than a Reftoration of Being to what has been. Do you believe that which is vaniftied from our (hort Sight, to be loft to God } For all Bodies, whether dryM to Powder, or diflblv'd to Water, or crumbled to Alhes, or attenuated to Smoak, are loft to us indeed, but God, the Almighty Guardian of the Elements, has *em ftill in referve as much as ever. Nor are we under fad Appre- henfions of fufFering any Lofs for want of ^ Interment, as you vainly imagin 5 but only look 159 • Nihil ejje pofi oh'itum^ (fy ante ortum nif/il fuijje.'] Upon this Paffage Mr. Davies has juftly taken Notice, that there is no rea- fon to conclude with the Learned Dupin, that M'lmc'ms believ'd the Soul to dye with the Body. I have likewife obferv'dthe fame in the Preliminary to this Author^ and clear'd him from that Af- perfion ^ and it we confider that Juft'm Martyr^ and from him TertuUian, (who are both exprefs for the Immortality of the S^ul) do both argue the pofTibility of a Refurreftion from the like Con- Ceffions, we can hardly queftion whether Minucius^ who in this Dialo8;ue has borrow'd fo much from TertuUian^ did not follow the Sence of his Countryman in this Point alfb. For the Nihil here is us'd juft in the fame Signification, and upon the fame Subjed, as it is us'd by Tertullian Ap. cap. 48. and is to be un- derftood according to the Vulgar, who concluded Nothing to exift that was not vifible. There needs nothing more than to confider this PaflTage as it ftands in the Tranflation. ^ Nee, ut creditis, uUum damnum Sepulture timemus, fed vete* rem iy meliorem confnetudinem huwandi frequentamus.^ In an Epi- ftle of the Churches of Vienna, and Lyws ia France^ to thofe in i6o The Oftavius of look upon Inhumation as the moft ancient and moft decent way of Burial. Behold, how all Nature is at work to comfort us with Images of u4/irf and Phrygia^ we find that the Heathens after many vain and fruitlefs Attempts to fupprefs the Chriftian Religion, by inflifting the cruelleft Torments on the Profeffors of it, which they brave- ly endur'd, looking for a joyful Refurreftion, at laft thought o£ a way, as they fondly ima^in'd, to deprive them of that too j which was by taking the Bodies of the Martyrs after they had lain expos'd fix Days in the open Air to all forts of Contempt and Injury, and burning them to Allies, and then fcatteriog thofe Afiies upon the IMver RbodanuSy with this infulcing Challenge, Let us now fee whether they can rife aga'w^ and whether the God tney worfhip can help them, and deliver them out of our Hands. I id. Eufeb. Hifi. Ecc. 1. $. cap. I. Tacitus obfervesof the Jews, that in oppofition to the Roman Cuftom , they did not burn the Bodies of the Dead, but buried them under Ground after the manner of the Egyptians^ Corpora condere, quam cremare, e more Egyptio, Hifl. 1. 5. It is ob- ferv'd by others alfo of the Egyptians, Qa,7rJH(Ti o' A}fuV7/o/ a** 'ra.etx<^<"'lii' p(<>y.cuoi 3 Kcuovja' YIouohs «? Teii Ki^vcti piT' n-/]ii. Laert. Pyrr. But the Jews in this, no more foliow'd the Egyptians than the Perfians, for they did not make ufe of the Egyptian rciLexyJu(7ii\ and differ'd alfo as much from the Grecians as the Romans ; f^ "EwVjj iy,ajje loft to him. And therefore, we are no o- therwife prov'd by AfEi(Sions, than Gold is pu- rity *d by the Fire. XXXVI. How fair a fpeftacle in the fight of God, is a Chriftian, ent'ring the Lifts with Afflidion, and with a noble Firmnefs combat- ing Menaces, Racks and Tortures ? When with a difdainful Smile he marches to Execution thro* the Clamours of the People, and infults the Horrors of the Executioner ? When he bravely maintains his Liberty againft Kings and Princes, and fubmits to God alone, whofe Servant he is > When like a Conqueror, he triumphs over the Judge that condemns him ? For he certainly is Victorious who obtains what he fights fon What Soldier will not dare Dangers under the Eye of his General > For none receives the Premium before proof of his Courage ^ and yet the General can give no more than be can» He may crown the Sol- diery with Honours, but with length of Days lie cannot. But a Soldier of God is neither a- bandon'd in Mifery, nor loft in Death. And thus, tho' a Chriftian may feem to be mifera- ble, yet in reality he can never be fo. Some Sufferers you your felves exalt to the Skies, fuch as Mncius Sc£voU, who having mifs'd of his aim in killing a King, voluntarily burnt the miftaking Hand, and fo faved his Life by his , hardinefs. And how many Perfons are there amongft us, who have fufFer'd not only their ffaada JDLit: their whole Body tp bf burn^ with- put Marcus Minucius Felix. 167 out complaining, when their Deliverance was in their own Power ? But why do I go about to compare our Mm with your Muc'tus^ or Aquili/fs, or Regulus, when our very Children, our Sons and our Daughters, by an infpired Patience, make a meer Jeft of your Gibbets, and Racks, and wild Beafts, and all your o- ther Scare-crows of Cruelty. And is not this enough to convince you, O Wretches, that nothing but the ftrongeft Reafons cou'd per- fuade Men to fuffer at this rate, and nothing lefs than Almighty Power fupport 'em in their Sufferings? I can't tell why you (hou'd not think thus of Chriftian?, unlefs it be that you are mifled by feeing fuch as know not God, flow in Riches, and loaded with Honours and Power. Alas , poor Wretches ! They are lifted the higher, on purpofeto make their Fall the heavier.- They are fatted, but like Beafts for Slaughter, and crown'd like Viaims for Sacrifice. Nay, fome are raifed up to Em- pires and Dominions, on purpofe to be a Prey to rafcally Sycophants, who are freely in- dulg'd to flatter 'em out of their Senfes, and to make Merchandize of their Inclinations. For without the Knowledge of God, what folid Happinefs can there be in all they enjoy > When Worldly Happinefs without this Divine Knowledge is no better than Death, and like a Dream; vanifties away before we can lay hands on't. Are you an Emperor, fuppofe? Why, you fear no lefs than you are fear'd 5 and ^ho' you have your Guards about you, yet alone, you find your felf in Danger. Are you Rich > ^ M 4 But 1 6S T-^^ OSiavius of But let me tell you, 'tis ill f^ufting to Fortune,and fuch an unweildy Equipage for this (hort Jour- ney of Life is not neceflary, but burthenfom. You fancy perhaps you look big in your Pur- ples, and other Badges of Honour ^ but pray remember, there is not a more contemptible Idol, or a vainer Inftance of Human Folly, than to (hine ia Purple with a ragged Mind. Are you nobly defcended, and full of yDur Anceftors > Yet know that we all come into the World alike, and ftand really diftinguiQi'd by Virtue alone. We therefore who compute our Nobility not by Blood, but by our Man- ners, do with good reafon Renounce your Sin- ful Pleafures, Pomps and Speftacles, whofe O- riginal with refped to their Sacrednefs, and whofe pernicious allurements to Sin, we both alike condemn. For in your Circettjian Games, who can but abhor the Madnefs of the People clamouring on different Sides ? And as for your Gladiatorian Diverfions, who can fit with eafe in that School of Murder > And for your Theatres, there alfo the Extravagance is not jefs, but the Lewdnefs longer. For one while the Mimick either recites Adulteries, or (hews them 5 another while the Lafcivious Aftor plays the Gallant, and kindles the Paflion he feigns. He likewife vilifies your Gods by per- fonating their Rapes, Sighs and Difcords. And fo alfo by a well diffembled Sorrow, and hy- pocritical Geftures, he fets you a crying to the Life. Thus are you Mad upon Murder in good earned, and yet forfooth cannot bear it in F^- ble without a Tear^ XXXVIi, ' Marcus Minucius Felix. 1 6^ XXXVII. But whereas we will not com- municate with you in the remains of your Meat and Drink-OfFerings, 'tis not an Argu- ment of Superftition, but an AfTertion of our true Liberty, our Deliverance from Ikmon-wor' Jhip, For tho' ev'ry Thing for the life of Man, as it is the incorruptible Provifion, or Gift ot God , cannot be the worfe for Food, by thus abufing it upon Devils 5 yet, how- ever, we come not near it, for fear of giving occafion to conclude, either that we arc in the Service of thofe Demons whofe Sacrifices we partake of, or elfe that we are a(ham'd of our own Religion, But farther, who can think us fo fcrupulous, that we dare not give our felves the Indulgence of a Spring-Flower, when he fees us gather the Rofe and Lilie of the Spring, and ev'ry thing t\^Q of this kind, that is of an inviting Colour and Fragrancy > We fpread Flowers loofe upon our Couches, and wear 'em in Pofies about our Necks 5 but for wearing 'em in Chaplets upon our Heads, in that you muft pardon us. For 'tis our way to take in the Scent of an agreeable Flower with our Noftrils, and not with our Hair, and not to think our Nofes on the backfide of our Heads. Nor do we crown our Dead with Gar- lands 5 and I much rather wonder at you for fo doing, for placing a Light before the Dead, if infenfible 5 or for crowning him with Flow- ers, if fenfible 5 fdr if he be Happy, he feels no Want 5 and if Miferable, he is Miferable beyond the refreftiment of Flowers. But as for us, we celebrate the Funerals of our Dead 5 with JO The OSavius of with the fame decency and quiet we live 5 we drefs up no withering Garland, but the never- fading Crown of Glory weexpeft from God 5 we, who (it down contented with the Libera- lity of our God in this Life, who live above Fears under the Hopes of future Felicity, and are animated in thefe Hopes by the AlTurances we now have of that Divine Majefty which is fo prefent to us in time of Need. Thus Happy (hall we find our felves in the Refurredion, and bleffed all our Life long do we find our felves in the contemplation of what (hall be. Much good may do then, Socrates the Athema»Scof^Qr, with his Nihil Scire, with his confeffedly profound Ignorance, ennobl'd for this Confefiion by the Teftimony of a moft lying Devil. Let Arcefi- las now alfo, and QarmaAcs and Pyrrho, and all the Race of Sceptic^s doubt on, and Sifxo- pides procraftinate for ever. We defpife the haughty Tribe of Philofophers, whom we know to be Tyrants in their way, and Cor- rupters and Adulterers of the Truth, and al- ways Eloquent againft the Vices they pra^tife. We wear not our Wifdomon our Beards, but in our Minds 5 we talk not great Things, but live 'em. To conclude, the Sum of our boaft- ing is, that we are got intopoffefiion of what the Philofophers have been always in queft of, and what with all their Application they cou'd never find. Why then fo much ill Will, and Envy ftirring amongft us, if the Divine Truth is come to perfcftion in our Time ? Let us make a good ufe of the Bleding, let us go- vern our Knowledge with difcretjon, let Super- ftition Marcus Minucius Felix. ftition and Impiety be no more, and let true Re- ligion triumph in their (lead. XXXVIII. When O^avius had thus gone thro* all the Objediions of C^ecilius, we ftood (ilent for a while, and aftonifti'd at his An- fwer 5 as for me, (fays Minucius) I was per- fedily loft in admiration, ac what he had fo excellently prov'd, and fetoff by Reafon, Ex- ample and Authority, (things much eafiercon- ceiv'd than exprefs'd) and to fee how he had beat out the Enemy from their ftrong Holds, and turn'd the very Philofophers againft em, whom they took for their Guard, and demon^ ftrated the Truth, not only to be eafily intelli- gible, but evidently on his fide. XXXIX. While therefore I was mufing up- on thefe things in filence, C^ecilius cou'd con- tain no longer, but broke out into thefe Ex- preffions ; I not only congratulate ray O^avi/ff^ but my felf exceedingly ^ nor do I expeft the determination of our Arbitrator, we are both Conquerors, and fo that I can't forbear Ufur- ping, and putting in for the chief Share in the Viftory 5 for as O&avius triumphs over me, fo I triumph over Error. And therefore upon fumming up the Evidence I thus pronounce j I fubmic my felf entirely to God, I acknow- ledge his Providence, and do publickly declare the Chriftian Religion, which from hence- forward I call my own, to be the only true Re- ligion. However, there are fome things yet behind I want to be inftrudted in, not fuch as in any wife make againft the Chriftian Truth, l)VJt fucb pnly as I judge necefTary for a farther proficiency »7' jy2 The O&SLv'ms of proficiency in it, but it growing towards Nigbf, I (hall ftay 'till to Morrow for a fuller and more convenient Difquifition about this whole Matter. XL. As for my part, faid I, I muft come in alfo for no little (hare of Joy in this Vidtory 5 for I find my felf under exceeding Tranfports for all our Sakes ^ that my Odtavius is confef- fedly come off Vidtor, and fo hath excus'd me from the Odium of pronouncing Sentence where my Friends are concern d. Nor can I ever fuf- ficiently commend him for his excellent Dif- courfe ^ the Teftimony of a Man, and one Man anly,is a poor thing ^ he has his exceeding re- compence from God, who infpir'd him with the Language, and help'd him to the Vidory. After this, we all departed in triumph 5 C^aV Ims full of Joy, that he was a Believer 5 and O^avifts no lefs Joyful, that he had made him fo 5 and I as well pleas'd as either, that my Friend C£cilii{s was Converted, and my Friend Ocfaviuf the Converter, >■ '■■■ — A 73 A Preliminary Discourse T O t H E COMMONITORY OF Vincentim Lirinenjis, Concerning the RULE of FAITH In D E F E N c E of the Primitive Fathers. ^ ^" M ii^IS a rijtng Maxtm^ I know, and a great eafe ■ to Flefh and Blood it is, to let every thing ■ go as it w/7/, and every one believe and do -*- as he lifl 5 but 'tis an unprimitive Maxio?, and may in due time unchurch Us, as it did AJia : For whoever holds it, will never burn for the Faitby but fol/cw it afar off^ and fit down and warm him- felf with the Crucijiers, to fee the End. The Yun^ damentaU of Chrittianity are now as freely que- ftion'd 174 ^ Preliminary Difconrfe ftion'd as the Hay and Stubble^ and the moft difpu- table Do£lrines built upon them. Nay, as if a New Faith was to be delivered to the Saints^ we are growing fick of the Old^ and nothing will go down at prefent but Rarities in Religion. We challenge the fame Liberty and Property in the Election of our Creed as in the Choice of our Government ; and God himfelf muft no more Rule over us in the one, than the other : But according to Vincentim^ There U no concerning Truth which is not Ancient ^ and what is truly l^evo^ ii certainly ¥alfe. The letting licentious Books pafs uncenfur'd, is like letting Children fay what they pleafe : It may delight at firft, but foon comes to break our Hearts. From the Beginning it xaas not Jo. Old Eli was a good Man but a bad. Governourj and as fuch, punilh'd too for our Ad-' monition. There Is no Pretext whatever has been more fer- viceable to the Church oiRome^ than a feeming Re- verence for the Fathers •, nor can we more efFeftually befriend it, than by vilifying their Authority : For though, in truth, the Papijis pay as little deference to the Ancients as fome who call themfelves Pro- teflants^ yet are they much wifer than to own if. Becaufe, after all that the moft inquifiiive and cu- rious Malice can fay againft them, good Chriftians will be mighty apt to fufpe£l thofe who rail at the , Integrity of ApojioUck Men and Martyrs^ and the Learned find much reafon to blefs God for their A- bilities: For who have fo nobly defended the Church of^ England againft all her Adverfaries, and made fuch lafting Provifion for their own Memories, as the Jevael\ Pearfon\ Stiliingfleet\ Beveridge\ BuH\ and fuch orhers, who (tudied the Scriptures under the diie£lion of the Fathers^ And that there cannot be a greater Reflexion caft on any Churchy than to fay, // ^ moji u.-^li^e the Primitive^ we need no other Proof than rhe iabour'd Attempts of each Parry to piovc? their Conformity to it. i And to Vincentius Lirinenfis. And therefore when the very Frofejfors of Geneva are wiping off the Scales from their Eyes, and re- ceiving Sight^ and riling up in the Vindication of Primitive Doftrine and Primitive Government 5 for fuch as ftile themfelves Presbyters of the Church of Englartd^ to be making merry with the Nakednefs of the Fathers^ and with tho/e who chufe rather to co- ver it 5 and in defpight of our venerable Reformers and the Canons of their own Churchy to pride them- lelves in their Contempt of Antiquity^ is extremely iil-tim'd, to fay no worfe of it ; and it is their Blindnefs that makes 'em Bold. As for fuch Divines as Trade only in Balade and Banter, and in riming good Senfe and good Manners out of Countenance, they, mechinks, of all Men living might fpare their Satyr upon the Country Clergy^ for following the Primitive Chriftians in the unprofitable Notion of the divine Right of Government ^ who dare to be Poor, and refide upon their Cures^ and be true to their Truft ^ and if they have not the Wit, how- ever have the Grace^ not to write as if they were ordained only to make a Jeft of every thing that is Sacred. But 'tis pofTible fuch Men may be out in their Politicks as well as their Divinity^ and at laft write themfelves out of Reputation, and not into Preferment. For if that way of fooling be the way to Preferment, then what wou'd have deposed a Pref- byter in the beft Times will dignify him now. But God be praifed, the Country Clergy have fome Lay friends yet, as well as thofe of their own Order, who>. think 'em ObjeQs not of Ridicule, but Pity^ who love our Nation^ and have inrich'd us with Libraries to affWage the pain of Contempt and Poverty by an Application to Books,, and to enable us to ferve God, and his People better: For which be their Memories ever precious among us, and wherejoever in thefe Parifhes the Go/pel Jhall be preached, there let this alfo, that thefe Men have done^ be told for a Memo- rial of them till the RefurreCtioo of the Jult, when he »75 y6 A Preliminary Difcourfe he that hath received a Prophet in the Name of aFrd- fhet^ Jhall receive a Prophet's Reward. Bar one of the molt blazing Innovators of this Age, who moves in a neighbouring Sphere, (and there for ever may he move in fpight of all the Intreague to tranfplant him hither) is the admir'd Le Clerc^ i fworn Enemy to the Primitive Chriftians^ one who has wrote himfelf (poor Man) to the Stumps, to Martyr 'em over again, to Gibbet up their Names and their Do£trines, and the very Matters of Fa£t they all relate, efpecially when they feem to refle£t upon the Devil, and rejoice that the Damons were fubjeff. unto themy one who is conjejfedly worn out almoft in the Service of the Party j that is, in deba- fing the divinely'infpir'd Scriptures^ in tranflating the Rights^ falfly fo called, and in tranflating and com- menting away the New Tejiament, and in his lalt Days hath done as much for the Old; and to fi//up his Mea- fure^ has prefix'd his Name, and dedicated the Per- formance to one of the Angel's of our Churchy and wou'd fain have the World believe as if he wrote it at the Inftin£l and Encouragement of that learned Pre- late 5 for my own parr, I will not, I cannot believe it : For he has perfeftly made another Tale of a Tub of the Holy Scriptures^ and I had rather believe no Bible at all, than believe it in the Senfe of that Qom- tnentator. I know of no Reafon he has to boaft his kind Reception among Englijh Divines ^ for feveraly I am fure, have feverely animadverted upon his un- juft Cenfures of the ancient Fathers 5 the Reverend £)r. Whitby, who agrees with him only in the Per- fon dedicated to^ has given him due Correftion for his perpetual Abufes throughout the Apoftolick Wri- tings : and the Right Reverend the Bifhop will find a time, no doubt, to exprefs his Refentments for the like Affront to the Law and the Prophets patronized on him, in fpight of all the Encomiums given him by the Man^ whofe Commendation is a Blot even up- on his Lordfljip's Expojition. And that he may no longer to Vincentiiis Lirincnfis. longer boaft our Approbation of his outlandijh Divi- nity, I have ftept out of the vvay in the Margin^ to give a Proof of the Size of the Man^ both as to his Ability and his Confidence j where to Qiew his Parts in fpoiling a Miracle^ he has made Shipwreck of common Senfe, even to a Demonftration. He will find I have been very merciful in fingling out ond Inftance only, of the many that might be produc'd 5 for I affure hirifi it would be wondrous eafy to fur- nifli out yearly a Bibliotheque of his own Blunders 5 but the living upon the worft of the bell Authors^ iS a Diet I leave to this Critjck. The Inftance '^ in the Margin is of fuch a kind , wherein his untutor'd Fancy ■ LeClerc. Jofh. x. 12. i^iwd fieri potu'tt infolicis Refraftioni° bus, quibks, vt notum eft, Sol nobU fupra Horixpntem effe videtur^ turn mndHm ortus fit^ ^ jam occiderit. Idemq; in Laponia oculii non occidlt foJftitialibus diebus, licet revera Horixontem fuheat. To. naturalize Miracles, and thereby to undermine the Authority of Scripture which exprefly aiTerts 'em, and is built upon 'em, he has recourfe to Refrallions ; the Nature of which had he but to- lerably underflood, he wou'd have known how very little fcrvice- able it is to the wretched purpofe for which he alledgeth it. For by the natural Laws hereof, as Opticians give 'em, 'tis impoHiblc t(3 make the Surt feem to fland flill for a whole Day, as Jojhua (x, 1 5.) exprefly faith it did; fo tliat one Day wot as lovg ai two^ as the Author of EcclefiaJlicHf comments on this Text, cap, ^6. v, 4, To make an Objeft in a very fwift and oblique Motion to the Eye to appear Quiefcent for a whole Day, or which in effeft is the fame, to make that which is feen under different Angles and in divers Places, to appear by Retraftion j as if, for many Hours, it flill kept the very fame place, is a Problem in Dioptricks yet unknowii to the Mafters of that Science. Our Critic}^, I jfind, has heard that 'tis ufual for Refraftion to make the Sun appear higher than ic . is j and thence concludes, that he can thereby'Vaife it as high as he pleafes, and without a Miracle prolong the Day to what length he will. But he will find himfelf much miftaken in his conclufion^ For chough 'tis true, that the Sun is fomewhat elevated by Re- fraftion, efpecially when very near the Hori'^on 5 yet the Angle of Elevation, ^hen largefi (as at its Rifing and Setting ) doth not exceed 32 Minutes, (which is about the appearing Diameter of the Sua j and this Angle gradually decreafes to the Altitude of 30' Degrees, where Aftronomers tell us it quite vanifhes, and is not tonger fenfiblij So chat the ufual bending of i:h| Rays cau.fed by 178 A Preliminary Difcourfe Fancy cannot fo eafily rove, and therefore ( if I mi- ftake not) what he or his admirers^ will fcarce ever have the Hardinefs to anfwer. Since their paflRng out of the thin ^ther into our thicker Atmofphere, call'd Refraftion, can in no cafe do him any Service to make the Sun ftand ftill for one Moment, much lefs to make a Winter's Day as long, or longer than a Summer's. 'Tis well he calls the Refra- Urns he makes ufe of, uncommon oneSy fmce they are fo monftroufly unlike thofe which Nature works. But, as if it ftill look'd too much like Miracle, to allow any thing that is fo much as uncommon in facred Hiftory, in his following Words (as if he retraced the foregoing) he tells us, That fomewhat like H happens evry Day at the Rifwg and Setting of the Sun •, and that in Lapland almoji the fame Miracle appears once or twice every Tear by the mojl common Refrailiony the Sun being there feen for feveral Days together, and Of it were to ftand fliU, vehen in truth it is quite Set under the Ho- rizon. And this feafon he reprefents as the Solflice, or the Time wlien the Sun for fome Days ftands ftill, as it did in the Text. This 1 am fure is Art or Sincerity very uncommon, whatever his Re- f rations are : For it wrefts the whole Frame of Heaven and Earth to countenarxe an Abfurdity, and to impofe upon unwary Readers. The Laplanders have m fuch Appearance among 'em as he quotes. The Sun at ics Soljlice, is fo far from being at their Horiz,on for fe- versl Days, that it is at its utmoft height in their Meridian. Di- reftly under the North and South Poles indeed, where we know of no Inhabitants, and where the Sun Rifes and Sets only by its an- nual Motion, the Equator and the Hori:(Qn becoming all one, its Refraftion there, as at all other Horizons, is 52 Minutes; but this is fo very little (as I have already told him ) that it can never do him the fignal Service he wcu'd have it, tho' he were allow'd thus monflroufly to cliop the Soljiices into the Equinoxes, and to con- found the Trop. of S and V9 with the Equator. He needed not have gone fo far as Lapland for fo fmall a Refraftion as one of ■3,2 Minutes, for that he had at Home, if 'twould do him any iiervice. One thing more alfo I muft tell him, which for good Reafon he conceals from the Reader, thac n jt only the Similitude of the Sun, but the Body it felf is as truly feen through the re- f rafted Ray at the Horizon, as through the dircft one at Noon Day. But if inftead of the ufual refrafting Atmofphere, he aflferts from his Friend Spimzjt, That the Sun-beams then pafs'd through a much denfer Medium ; Ice, fuppofe, or Wactr, whicTi gives a much greater bent to the Rays than the thickeft Air can, the Sine of the Angle at Incidence to that of Refraftion being then as 4 to 9. Yet this fuppofition being a very abfurd one, cannot be al- low'd, and if it weje, it cannoc do the Bufmels he afligns ir. It 3 cannoc to Vincentius Lirinenfis. 1 79 Since therefore the Flague of Innovating is begurtj and the Fefitlence walketh not in Darkncfs only, bat xaafleth at Noon-day^ 'tis high time to think of an ' cannocbe allow'd, becaufe nothing lefs than a Miracle, whic'i he cares not to be beholden to, can fuftain fuch a Quantity of Wa- ter either Liquid or Frozen, fufpended in the Air for a whole Day: The fpecificl< Gravity of thefe two ElemencJ is fo very un- equal, that Caftles may be as eafily builc and inhabited in the Air < by our Mechanical Criticlc, as Rivers of Water, or Mountains of Ice lodg'd there upon fuch yielding Foundations. But to perfue his Fancy, let us throw him this Impoflibility alfo into the Bar- gain, yet his darling Refrafticn (except miraculoufly aflifted and diverted of its ufua! natural Properties) even then is ss far as ever from ferving of his turn, and helping him at a dead lift. For lee him have what Oceans of Water and prodigious Cakes of Ice he pleafes, and in fpight of all the Laws of Gravitation, let him fix 'em pendulous in the Air for as long a time as he fancies 5 yet, without another Miracle thefe pellucid grofs Bodies, as to their Figure, fite and meafures of Refrafting, mufl flill obferve the eftablifti'd Laws of their Nature. They mufl: confequently be fomewhat plain and hang fqmewhat Parallel to the Horizon, from the Principles of their Generation •, and for the fame Natural Rea- fons, as Rivers here on Earth ( whether Fluid or Frozen) are fo. And if this be the Shape, and Site, then the Refraftion of the Rays coming from above into the fubjacent Ice, being as about Four to Three, tliey mufl when coming out of the fuperior Ice into the fubjacent Air be as about Three to Four; io the fuperior Refraftion being reftify'd by the inferior one, the Sun mud ap- pear in the fame Place as if look'd at in a direft Line, through the fame Medium^ and without any other vifible Etfefts of Refraftioa, then when fhinning on us through a common Glafs Window. A bold and boundlefs Fancy, as our Critcl^% is, may ftiil rove on, and form ten thoufand Shapes and Situations of Ice and Rivers in the Clouds in fpight oiHydrajlatklis^ and draw as many beloved Confequences from 'em, in fpight of Opticas. For he that is np Friend to iycriptiire-Miracks may be the more fond of thofe which are of his own making. But inftead of thus amufing the Ignorant, and tickling the Profane with his audacious Potuit's and precarious Pent Eire's and May he's^ (which I am not the firft who has charg'd him with ) he had much better condefcend to learn Philofophy from the Afodernsy and Divi.nity from the Ancknts } elfe in cv'ry Book that he obtrudes on the Publick, he may be thus expofing himfelf to the Correftion of tlie Learned and the Pity of the Pious. For he mufl never think, that the new Advancements in Philofjphy, and the old Eftablifiiments in Divinity, Father s^ Bible and all, will be turn'd out of Doors to make room for his eternal B'ibllotbeques and free Comments. N 2 Antidote^ ;3o A Trel'mtnary Difconrfe Antidote^ and to be as Induftrious in Saving, as o- thers are in the Arts of Deftru£tion. Upon this view I thought it proper to conclude w^ith this Yre- fervative againft Novelties in Religion •, it being re- commended by the ht^ Critkks as a fliort but excel- lent and judicious Traft, concerning theR«/^ ofFaith^ the NeceJJity of Church-Communion^ and xhtjuft Au- thority of the Primitive Fathers^ &:c. And I am in hopes, by the Blefling of God, that it may prove a Receipt of good life in an Age, when fo many are for living without Jefus Chriji in the World ^ when Rule and Faith^ Communion^ Church and Frieflhoad^ are all cry'd down for pioui Frauds^ Prie/icraft^ and the Cant only of the gown'd Tribe for the Benefit of the Impoftors. The divinely infpird Writings we profefs to be our Rule, and our only perfe£l Rule of Faith and Manners j but we fay withal, that the Ancients were not only the faithful G^flz-^w;?;- of the f acred Depojitum, but the ableft Interpreters alfo of that Rule •, and that their Writings are left too for our Admonition^ upon whom the Ends of the World are come, And*therefore the mighty Applications of late to get 'em out of the Way, put me in mind of the whining of the Wolves in the Fable, who wou'd enter into Alliance with the Sheep^ provided they woud put away their Dogs. Vincentius indeed is the youngeft by much of the Ancients here tranflated, hut his wsltw: of Antiquity is confiderably ballanc'd by feme peculiar Advantages in the Time he liv'd. According to his own Account he compos'd this Commonitory about three Years after the Council of Ephefus^ in CCCCXXXIV, a Time when the Church had been extremely pefter'd with fuccellive Plagues of various Herefy, which put the Orthodox upon diftinguiihing and wording themfelves with all the Care and Correftnefs imaginable, to provide (if poffible) againft fuch as l^y in wait to deceive and wreft ev'ry loofe unguarded Expreffion. A Time, when by the Advantage of General Councils^ 2II rhe wifeft to Vincentius Lirinenfis. i8i wifeft Heads in Chriftendom had been lately confe- derate to deliver the World from Error, and to in- fure Pofterity from the Powers of Darkne/s ; and when, by a joint Examination of Holy Scripture, and by the moft diligent re-fearches into the Do£lrine and PraQice o^ ApoftoHck Churches, and into the general Confent of the earlieft and moft approv'd Writers of ev'ry Age down to themfelves, they had diftinftly and fully explained the Creed, and ftated^ defin'd, and fettl'd all the neceflary Points, either of Dodrine or Government. In this advantageous Time, I fay it was, that our Vincentius liv'd, and in this inftrufting Age, and after the moft ferious and ut- moft Application to the beft Men and the beft Books, and under the Affiftance of a blefled Retirement ( as he himfelf tells us) he compos'd this Rule of With y and he has done it with much Fidelity, Clearnefs and Eloquence. Compofe it he did, it feems, for his own private life; for he concluded a Right Faith as neceflfary to Salvation as a Right Practice 5 and therefore, though he had taken Sanctuary in his beloved Harbour of a Monaftery from the Embarraf- ments of a military Life, and lock'd himfelf up ^ from the glittering Temptations of the World, for a freer devoting of himfelf to the Praftice of Chrifti- an Morality •, yet cou'd he not be fatisfy'd, or think himfelf wife unto Salvation, till he, like a wife Builder, had made fure of the Foundation, and ex- amln'd the Principles of his Faith t Firft, by the Holy Scriptures, then by the unammous Conjent of the moft ancient fathers -, and laftly, by the definiti^ ons of the Catholick Church in Council, This was the Method, thefe the Pains Vincentius look'd upon himfelf oblig'd to take for the fecurity of his Faith, and confequently what he thought all others oblig'd to likewife, under the fame advantages of Ability and Leifure. He was by Nation a frenchman, and after a weari* forne Tour in the Wars, retir'd to a Monaftery in N 3 thg %2 ^ Treliminary Difcourfe thplfle o^Lerins, where he entet'd into Holy Orders, and was none of the leaft Ornaments of the Church. He was the Brother of Lupu£ Bifhop of Troyes^ faith Eucherius, who, for the brightnefs of his Devotion and the inward Beauties of his Mind, calls him, Interno Gemmam fplendore perfpicuam. But the in- trinfick Worth and Splendor of this Jewel fparkles in ev'ry Page of his Book, the Subje£l of which I now ijaften to, having more fully fet forth in the Notes what I thought neceffary to be known of his Petfon. The defign then of this little Treatife is to de- liver well difpos'd Chriftians from the falfe and perplexing Gloffes of Hereticks^ and to ihew 'em how, and when they may reft fatisfy'd in their Creed without any farther Doubt or Scruple abour ir, notwithftanding all the loud and dazling Pretences to InfalUbility^ or fuch as fet up for a difcovery of l^ew Matters of Faith. The Rules he prefcribes for com- ing to this indubitable certainty, are rhefe Two, Firft, That we fettle our Faith upon the Authority of Scripture. Secondly, Upon the Tradition of the Catholic kOmrch, But fihce Men will be putting the Queftion- If the Canon of Scripture be per- pB^ atd abundantly fufficient in all rejpells^ what need can there be of Ecclefiafiical Tradition? He anlwers— For finding out the true Senfe of Scrip- ture^ which is differently interpreted by Kovatianus^ Thotinus^ Sabelliu^^ and other Hereticks. After vvhich lie tells us what he means by Ecclefuiftical Tradition 5 ^od ubiqi.c^ q'Hod fcmper^ quod ab om nib its credit urn fji^ That which hath Antiquity^ Univerfality^ and she Confent of all joining in the Belief of it. In exa£l conformity to this Rule, the Church of England profeffeth to defend and maintain no other Do£lrine than that which is truly CathoUck ^nd Apojhlick'^ and for fuch warranted not only f)y the written Word of God, but alfo by the con- current Teftimonies of the ancient fathers. For in a Synod Anno MDLXXI. amongft other Canons IJie fee to Vincentius Lirinenfis, 183 forth this, for the dire£lion of the Clergy. That they Jhould never teach any thing oi Matter of Faith rel'tgioujly to he ohferv'd^ hut that which it agreeahle to the Dodrine of the Old and New Tejlament^ and colleded out of the fame by the Catholick Fathers and ancient Bifhops of the Churchy lib. Can. Ecclef. Ang. cap. <5. p. 19. Tis true indeed, that ev'ry Fopijh Prieft takes an Oath never to interpret the Scriptures otherwife than according to the unanimous confent of the Fathers y and at the fame time fwears — Without the leaji douht to receive and profefs all other things which have he en deliver' d^ defi.n'd^ and declard by the f acred Canons and CEcumenical Councils^ and efpe^ daily by the Holy Synod of Trent •, that is, they have more efpecially fworn to believe without the leaji doubt^ a dozen frefh Articles never heard of by the Ancients^ much lefs admitted into the Creed of any Primitive Church. Out of this monftrous Wen which is now grown to the Body of the Nicene Faith^ one Article is Tranfub* Jiantiation ; and when Men have renounc'd their fenfes upon Oath,and fworn themfelves blind,they are readily difpos'd to fwear to the truth of any Colour : Which makes me lefs wonder, when I find fo many Romijh Writers, and the Commentators in particular,boafting of our Vincentius as a Champion of their Church. One muft conclude 'em verily out of their fenfes ^01 worfe, in thus doing •, for furely never Men were more unlucky v in the choice of a Champion than the Papijfs are in the choice of him ; For had Vincentius been affifted with a prophetick Vifion of the future Corruptions in the Church of Rome^ he cou'd hardly have exprefs'd him- felf more clearly againft it. The whole Defign and Bent of his Book is dire£tly againft all Innovations in the Faith^ and for flicking inviolably to the Creed as then explained, and always underftood by the A- poflolick Churches, which though (as he faith) fomewhat enlarged in Balk by reafon of the new Uerefies it provided againft, yet was the Growch N 4 perfectly I §4 4 Prefimifiary Difcourfi perfe8:ly Natural, and it difFer'd no more in Effe/i-^ fials than a Man differs from a Child. Wherea? the Trent- Additions have made a meer Centaur of a Creed, and ihere is no more Affinity between the Old and their NeiG of Rule Faith^ than between a Man and a Horfe. So that I am not bold in affirming, that vve (hall never know when a Man is writing for or ^gainft us, if this Comfnonitory is not exprefly on our fide 5 and it is as notable an Irony to fay, that Vin- fcntirs has been writing for the Church of Rome^ asi that the King of France is Hghting for the Liberties of England. The abufe is fo palpable, that I dare leave it to the judgnient of any impartial Reader without any more ado. But becaufe the whole Fabrick of this Book is built upon this fecondary fundamental^ viz. That the ferife of the Primitive Church ps the Rule we are to go by in the Interpretation of Scripture^ efpecially (li to Matters of faith ^ and becaufe the Interpreters ^ow a Days are perpetually running Divifions upoii the facred Text, and turning it like a Nofe of Wax to ev'ry purpofe, I (hall in compliance with the main pefign of my Author, in juftification of the Canonsi of our own Church, and in confirmation of what I have been ad^^ancing in the general Preface, farthg? pdejavour co mak? out this moft important Queftir on, concerning the Authority of the Primitive Fathers, TertulJjan tells us, that about his Time there were fome Hertticks extravagant enough to call in que- ilion the Ability of the Aipoft/es themfelves, and to give out, ^ That they were not fu^ciently acquainted toiih a/1 neceffary Revelations^ and in the like fran- ijck Mood contradiRed thetnjelves again in the fame freath^ faying. That th^ Apo files indeed did know ■ iVo?! ommit Apofiolos fcijfe, eudem agitati dementia, qua, rurfm fo^'Vei'tunt :, Omnia qu'idem Aj)oJhlos fcijfe, fed non omnia omnibnf tradiu'.ffe ; in Utroque Cbrijtum reprehenjmi fuhjicientes^ Hut ant ifliinus ln(\ruBos\ aut pavm Jirr.plicss Jpojhlos miferiPo Prsfcripc kmti. H^^rei cap. 22, . -. ; - v.? to Vincentius Lirinenfis. 185 fill things^ but that they did not teach all they knem to the World: In both Cafts laying Chrifl under the f curvy imputation^ of fending out Apoftles either not fo well inftru^edj or not fo honeft as they ftjould be* And a little after he tells us, ^ That in order to fet a Mark upon the Ignorance of the Apoftles^ they urge^ that Peter and hk Companions were reprimanded by Paul 5 and therefore^ fay they^ there muji be Jome failure in them ^ and thps^ they fay^ purely to make way for this conclufion^ That a more plentiful effufion of Wifdom might pojjtbly have fince come down upon them^ jujl oi it happen d to Paul, when he repri* manded hk Predeceffbrs in the Faith. In like manner fome of our modern Criticks and Libertines^ to pre- pare a way for their Bibliotheques and Antichriftian Comments^ wou'd bear down the World, that all the ancient Martyrs and Qonfejfors were a Crew of Old. good for nothing Friefts only ; and according to late Father Dryden^ and the Author of the Hiftory of Re- ligion^ never make any diftinSllon between Heathen^ Turkifh, Fopijh or Troteftant Priefis ^ but in general, wou'd have Prieji pafs for the moft ridiculouSj fcoundrel Name upon Earth, and wou'd (if they durft ) in the fame fenfe call our Saviour, the old high Prieft. They wou'd fain have the People be- lieve that they are the hugeous Men of Parts^ of Penetration and clear Ideas^ and that all the Primi" tive Fathers were as meer GrafJ)oppers in comparifon of them •, that they were out in the relations of FaQ:, weak in their Reafonings, and inconfiftent in theif Conclufions. But this is an idle Calumny which I have al- ready anfwer'dj and therefore (hall fay only with '' Froponunt ergo ad Juggillandum Igmrantiam aliquant Apojlolo- rum^ quod Petrm ((y Qui cum eo, reprehenfi fint a Paulo, Adeo^ ihquiunty aliquid eU defuit •, ut ex hoc etiam illud ftruantypotuijfe po- flea pleuiorem fcientiam fuperveniref qualis ehener'fp Pauio re^rebeiio denti Antecelfores, ■ • '■ ' • * ---"--< t- - , ' 85 A Preliminary Difcourfe an old- Frieft ' , That if they agreed in nothing elfe^ they agreed^ I hope, in Martyrdom ; and this is a Do£lrine our Anti-primitives, I believe, love their Skins too well, ever to agree in. For if ever the Gnats and the F//Vj (as Vincent ius calls the Hereticks of his Time ) who make fuch a buz with their Pene- tration, if ever the witlings of this Age, fhou'd by theit Devil- craft prevail over the Giants of 0/d^ then farewel Go/pel and Government either in Church or State : For when they become the ruling interpre- ters of the Scriptures, they will put a Crown on their Head and a Reed in their Hands, and bow before them, and cry. Hail King of the Jews ^ make a mighty Ihew, of God knows what Refpe8: and Reverence for his Word, and after all, crucify it to what Senfe they pleafe. The Sum then of what I have to add here in Vin- dication of Vincentius^s Rule of faith, (hall be taken out of Tertullian^s Frefcription againft Hereticks \ not fo much upon the Authority of that father, (tho* he is very ancient) as for the intrinfick goodnefs of his Arguments -, and withal to fhew, that our Author was not blinded with a mere implicit Reverence for Antiquity, but that his Veneration was the mature iffue of long Study and found Judgment -, as he has evidently made appear in his CharaQers of Origen and Tertullian, where he has laid on fine Colours with a mafterly Hand and fignal Impartiality, in not fparing their Vices for our fecurity, and yet doing Juftice alfo to their virtues -, whereby he has approved bimfelf an able and fincere lover of Truth. Tertullian then tells •* us, that in his Time there were fome Hereticks whole Tongues were continu- ally tipt with Qofpel, and always running in Bible- phrafe 5 The Scripture, the Scripture was the cry, and by Scripture only wou'd they be try'd. The Cant ' Bene quod Petrm Paulo ^ in jyJartyr'io adjiquatur. TermlK Przfcr. cap, 24. ^ Praffcript. cap. 15. it to Vincentius Lirinenfis. jg^ it feems, made a mighty impreflion upon fome Folh, and brought no Jmall Gain unto the Craft/men, Upon which Tertull'ian takes 'em to task, and lets 'em know in ihe firft place, that notwithftanding all this godly Clamour, they had no right to a Scripture Difputation^r as being Hereticks and not * Chriftic^fis^ That by the Apoflles Order, a Man that is an Here- tick, after the Jirji and fecond Admonition, is to be rejeded^ and not after Difputation i and this becaufe fuch a one ftands felf condemn'' d^ the Fault lying not in his Underttanding but his Will ^ and therefore that wilful Perverfnels which calls for a Cenfure up- on an Heretick, forbids difputing with him. And after all (fays he) what Good is like to come of fuch a Scripture Compat f" For this Here/y receives not fome ^ Scriptures, and if it receives fome it re-' ceives 'em not entire, and if entire, then you may be fure they'll interpret away the Senfe of 'em-, and whatever Conviction they lie under, they cannot poffibly be brought to a Confeffion of the Truth, but obftinately ftick to their Adulterations, or their own ambiguous Expojitions : And moreover, they are ^ oblig'd to retort and fay, that 'tis we who have adulterated the Scriptures and clapt falfe Glofles up- on 'em. The firft Point therefore to be made out and fettl'd, is, In whofe hands the pure genuine Scriptures are depofited', from vifhom, and by whom^ and when, and to whom the DoUrine was fir fi delivered that makes Men Chriflians -, and wherever this true Chriftian Doftrine and Difcipline (hall appear to be, there the true genuine Scriptures, the true Interpreta- tion of thofe Scriptures, and all the true Chriftian Traditions will appear to be alfo. In order therefore ^ then to make out this mofl: con- Cap. \6. f Ifia h^refis non red fit pafdam Scripturat, ^c. cap. 17. « Hice^s eji enm ^ illos dlcere, a Nobis popim adultma Scriptui rum ifrtc. ran. «8. - ; . -- ferning ytfrww, ^c, cap. 18, * Cap. 20' 88 A freliminary Difcourfe cerning Queftion, it is to beremember'd, that juft upon our Lord's Afcenfion hecommiflion'd hxsApoftles to go and difciple all Nations^ baptizing them in the Name of the father ^ and of the Son^ and of the Holy Ghoft. Ac- cordingly the Apofties having receiv'd the promis'd Afliftance of the Holy Spirit to work Miracles and fpeak with Tongues, they proclaim'd the Faith in Jefm Chrifl firft in j^udaa ; and there planted Church- es, and thence went out into all the Ends of the Earth, and publifh'd the fame Faith to the Gentiles, and conftituted Churches in ev'ry City -, from whom the other Churches derived their firft Principles and Seeds of DoElrine , and from whom alfo other Churches do daily derive, or they could not be true Churches. For this Reafon likewife they have the Reputation of ApoftoUck ^ becaufe they are the OiF- fpring o^ ApoftoUck Churches : For ev'ry Kind muft be trac'd up to its Original Now as from that one Church planted by the Apofties fprung up fo many fiourifliing Churches, fo to all thefe is the Title of Primitive and ApoftoUck Churches due alfo, while they live in the Unity of the fame Faith and in brotherly Love and Communion with one another; and nothing cou'd make 'em do fo and preferve thefe facred Rights fntire, but the Tradition of one and the fame Do- Srine and Difcipline. Here then it is ( fays this Fri" fRitive Priefi) I prefcribe * and fix, that the Truth of our Religion can no otherwife be prov'd than by its conformity to thofe very Churches which the A- poftles planted, to which they themfelves preached as well by Word of Mouth, as by Writing. If this then be the Cafe, 'tis evident that ev'ry Do- £trine which confpires in the fame Faith with thefe A- foftolick Mother Churches, is to be receiv'd for true, and for the very fame Doftrine undoubtedly which the Churches receiv'd from the Apofties, the Apofties from Chrift, and Chrift from God. And confequently '■' ; Cap. 21. L ^ ev'ry to Vincentius Lirinenfis. l8j? ev'ry other Doftrine is to be condemn'd as fpurious, that favours not of the Truth of thefe Churches, and of the Apoltles, and of Chrift, and of God. All then to be prov'd in fhort is this, That the Do£lrin3 we preach has a juft indifputable Tide to the Claim ofApoflo/ick Tradition^ and this will be a demon- ftration of its Truth, and of the Falfity likewife of all heretical Innovations. And our Title to Apofto- lical Tradition will from hence appear unqueft ion- able, becaufe we communicate with the Apojiolick. Churches, and there is not one of our Churches which^ maintains any Do6lrine different from what is taught in the Churches planted by the very Apoftles them- felves. And this entire Harmony and Agreement is the moft convincing Proof imaginable, that we are orthodox and found in the Faith. After this he replies at large to a tnoft abfurd Obje- Qion (for what will not //^r^//V/^jobje£t?) viz, Thatr the Apoftles Commiffion to preach was not full and per- ' fe£l:, and therefore they did not deliver ev'ry necefTary Article to the Churches they planted. I do not find that this ObjeQion has been new drefs'd of late, by any of our vampers up of old Uerefies j but fomething like has been attempted ^ The Qanon of the NewTe* fiament (which our Vincentiui calls complete and per- fe[l) has been queftion'd and peck'd at by /. T. in his Amyntor j but the Canon has been fufficiently vindica- ted, and the dabler in Antiquity folidly refuted and filenc'd by the late Reverend and Learned yix.JohnRi- char if on. -By a namelefs Critick alfo (whom all the World knows by his 'Novelty and his Confidence) the /acred Canon has been maim'd in a vital Part, by his endeavouring to prove, that the Apoftles were not perpetually infpir'd and fuperintended by the Holy Ghoft in all they wrote; (though if an Angel fhould preach any other Gojpel^ he was to be accurfed) yet fiice thefe Innovators care not to fpeak out, and ex- p-efly to call in queftion the fufficiency of the di- vinely- infpir'd Writers^ I fhall wave Tertullian*^ J anfwef ipo A Preliminary Difcourfe anfwer to this Objeftlon, obferving one Paffage only which I wou'd have our Father-haters take notice of, and it is this — — ^anquam etji Quaedam inter Domefticos, ut ita dixerim^differebant-^ non tamen ea fuijfe credendum eft^ qu£ aliam Fidei Regulam' /u' perinducerent^ ^c. cap. 26. For although among their Domefticks^ as I may Jo call V/z?, they ( the Apoflles) difcours''d of fame things more fully (which to me is a good Reafon for a greater deference to the Wri- tings of Ignatius and Apoftolick Men, than to the Criticifms of any modern Commentator ) yet are we not to imagine that they were of fuch a Nature as to fuperinduce another Rule of Faith. But the following ^ Obje£lion which the Hereticks flung in the way of the Faithful, is much to our purpofe, and worthy our Confideration, and it is this 5 That fuppofing the Apoftles to have exprefs'd themfelves fully and clearly, yet the Churches per- haps might mifunderftand and mifconftrue 'em. And that they did fo (fay they j is evident from thefe Re- proofs — foolijh Galatians who hath bewitched you ? And again, Te did run well, who did hinder you ^ I marvel that you are jo foon removd from him that called you into the Grace of Chrift, unto another Gof^ pel. And fo likewife to the Corinthians, he fays, that they were Carnal^ who thought they knew fome- thing, when indeed they knew nothing as they ought to know it. But thefe Obje8:ors (replies TertuUian) wou'd do well to remember, that there were other Churches, for whofe Faith, Knowledge and Good- nefs, Sr. Faul rejoices and glveth Thanks to God ; and that thefe celebrated Churches are now in ftri£l Communion with thofe reptov'd by the Apoftle, But ^ let it be, that they have all err'd, that the A' poftle was miftaken in the Character he gave of 'em, that the Holy Spirit took no care to lead any of 'em into the way of Truth, but fuffer'd all the Churches ^ Cap. 27. ' Cap. 28. to to Vincentius Lirinenfis. ip^ to mifunderftand the Apoftles, and to believe o^ therwife than the Apoftles taught: But pray now, tell me then, how 16 many famous Churches came all to ftumble upon one and the fame Faith ? For fuch a prodigious Number of Men cou'd never come by chance to hit exaQly upon the fame things and one Error of Faith in the Churches wou'd foon have branch'd out into many others. And therefore one and the fame Do£lrine in fo many Churches can ne- ver be look'd upon as a lucky hit only of Error, but muft be the Eff'e£l of Tradition ; let them therefore fpeak out and fay, that they were in an Error who firft deliver'd the Doftrine. However "". it be, an Error it feems there was, and all the time this Er- ror reign'd, not a Heretick to behear'd of; noiW^r- cionite or Valentiman to be found, to fet the captive Truth at Liberty, and miftaken Travellers in the right way to Heaven : Bat all this while the Gofpel was preach'd amifs; Men believ'd amifs •, fo many Thoufands of Thoufands were baptiz'd amifs ^ fo many Works of Faith adminifter'd amifs ; fo many Miracles, Gifts and Graces were wrought and con- ferr'd amifs ^ fo many Sacerdotal and Minifterial Funftions perform'd amifs ^ fo many crown'd with Martyrdom, and all in the Wfong \ And I wou'd willingly be inform'd likewife, how the Affairs of God all this time came to go on fo miraculoufly fuc- cefsful, before Men knew who was the God they were to ferve ; and how there came to be fuch a vaft Increale of Chriflians before the right Chrift was difcover'd; and how Herefy came to get the Start of the true Dodrine, for in other things Truth is always before Imitation, and the Subftance before the Shadow. But " if any of thefe hereticks have the Con- fidence to put in their Claim to ApofloUck Antiquity, becaufe they were in Being in the Time of the Apo- ftles^ let 'em (fay we) (hew .the Origin of their f" Cap. 2p. » Cap. 32, Churches 5 I pa A Preliminary Difcourfe Churches •, let 'em give us a Catalogue of their Bi- /hops fucceflively deriv'd down from the firft Foun- dation of Churches •, and prove that their firlt Bi- /hop was either confecrated by an Apojile or an Apo- ftoUck Man who conltancly adher'd to the Apoftles^ or that he had fuch a PredecefTor in his See. For thus it is that the Apoftolick Churches derive their Pefcent ; as the Church of Smyrna produceth her Folycarp placed there by St. fohn ^ the Church of Rome her Clemens placed there oy St. Peter 5 and fo all the reft of the Churches have their Bijhops to (hew, who were conftituted Bijhops by che Apojj/es^ and who have handed down the Apojio/ick Tr/dition to this prefent Age. And let your Heretkks pro- duce any thing like this, if they can 5 and what may they not attempt to produce after fo much Bbfphe- my ? But (hou'd they pretend to any fuch things who will credit 'em? For if you will be at che Pains to compare their Doftrine with that of the'^/^^^/d-j-, you will find fuch a monftrous difference between 'em^ that '/is hardly pofiible to believe that fuch abominable Abfurdities fhou'd come either from an Apoftle or an Apojiolick Perfon. For as the Apoftles wou'd not teach different DoQrines from one ano- thety fo neither wou-'d the Men oj thofe Times have taught any thing contrary to the Apoji/es^ unlefs it were fuch only as went out from 'em becaufe they were not of 'em. But now thefe Heretic As cannoij make out their Apojlolicalnefs in any fenfe, either from a SucceJJion of Bijhops or a conjormity in D^- iirine '^ nor are they admitted into Fellowfhip and Communion with any Churches that in ^ny refpe£l; are Apojiolical. Thus then I have given in, the judgment of Ter- tullian ( and in him the Senfe of all the Catholick Writers down* to Vincentius) concerning the furejl and fafeji way of interpreting the Canon of Script ure^ as to Matters of ¥aith efpecially •, which is the main Subje£l of the following Book< And if I miilakg h Vincentius Lirinenfia. ip3 hot, there is a great deal of good Senfe in what this old Frifft has deliver'd, and nothing more is needful to be added upon this Head, but only to put his Ar- guments together and fo leave 'em to the confidera- tion of the Reader. The Propofition aflerred is^ That the Interpretation of the Scriptures wm com- ffiitted to thofe Men^ to vohofe Truji the Scriptures them/elves were committed. For the Proof of this we are told, that the Apoftles who had the Gift of difcerning Spirits^ and confequently of choofing the molt faithful Perfons to be Fellow-Labourers with 'iem in the Gofpel, went out and planted Churches in every City : Thefe Fellow-Labourers or Dome flicks^ whom rhey fet over their new Plantations^ they par- ticularly inftructed by Word of Mouth upon every occafion, as Chrift had inltru£led them ^ and by the Laying on of Hands^ conferr'd the fame miraculous Abilities on them as they themfelves had received ac- cording to Promife : And for a farther fecurity yet, there was a Creed call'd by St. Pj^/, The Form of found Words ^ a Standard of Faith by which all Do- Qrines were to be try'd, drawn up by the Apoftles or their Companions, and fix'd in thefe Apoflolick Churches-, and this depofitum was committed to the Cuftody of the Bifhop, who no doubt was particu- larly inftru£led in the full meaning of everv Arricle: Thefe iipi?/?^//V/^ Churches maintain'd a ftri£l: Friend- (hip, Communion and Correfpondence with each o- ther, which was a demonltration of their Unity in Dodrine and Government. From thefe Mother^ Churches were many others propagated, and thefe too copied exactly after their Original, and there* fore were look'd upon as Apol}ohck'^ and if any Difpute arofe concerning the genuinefs of a Texr, or the Interpretation of it, recourfe was immediately had to the Mother-Churchy and fo the Difpute was ended. Now if the Apoftles can be fuppos'd not to have taken the utmoft Care about the fecurity of the Faith in thofe Churches they planted, and which O were ip^ A Preliminary Difcourfe were to be a Pattern to the refti if thofe tiomeflicki who convers'd with the Apoftles and were inftru£led from their Mouths, and miraculoufly affifted by the Holy Ghoft, and who laid down their Lives for the Faith, may be fuppos'd deficient either in point of Ability or Integrity : Nay, if their immediate Suc- ceffors, who had the Benefit of their Writings in their original Purity, and were not without the ex- traordinary Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit, and who liv'd and dy'd in Catholick Communion ; if thefe, I fay, may be fuppos'd to have no advantages for underftanding the Senfe of Scripture above a mo^ dern Interpreter^ then I think we may fuppofe any thing : We may fuppofe he Qerc equal to an Apo- file^ we may burn all the Primitive Writings, and take up with his nem Bible -^ for if that Dutch Com^ mentator is in the Right, all the Catholick Writers in the firil: Ages were in the Wrong, and the Bible was never underftood by any before he wrote his Com- ments on it. I conclude therefore with Vincentiusy that the moft ancient fathers were incomparably the beft qualify'd for the Interpretation of Scripture, which was the thing to be prov'd. But though this ^ be the main thing our Author builds on, yet be there other co-incident Propofitions neceilary to be clear'd and fettled in a fceptical Age, that is for pulling down every Thing and fetting up Nothing : And I think they may be all reduc'd under thefe Three Heads : Firft, l^hat Herefies muft be. Secondly, That their being ii no Objection again/} the Goodnefs of any Churchy or the Truth cf the Chriflian Faith. Third- ly, That AU Iters of t'aith are as neceffary to Salva- tion aj Matters of Pra^ice. To make way for the Proof of thefe things, we muft obferve, that Uerefy was a word us'd at firft indifferently, to denote any fort or SeU of Men di- ftinguifh'd from others by fome peculiar Po£lrines or Pra9:ices, either true or falfe, good or bad ^ but when a Form of Do^rine was deliver d which all Men were oblig'd to Vincentius Lirinenfis. dijUg'd to believe under pain of D.imnadon, and all Believers under the like Penalty oblig'd to be of one and the fame Communion, then both Herefy and Sch'ijm began to be us'd in a limited and worfer Senfe : Herefy was reftrain'd co fignlfy an Error about the Faith, and Schifm to denote a Breach of Order and Chriftian Communion. When therefore 'tis faid that there mufl be Ucrcfies^ we are not |o imagn an abfolure Neceffity of God's making, that they mult unavoidably be 5 for then we cou'd no more be blam'd for being Heretic ks than for not being Angels^ fince it is God that haucb'to fay : No wonder then that fuclt an ungrateful Inflitution nor only met with much oppoficion, but thar many who profefs'd it foon fell a tampering and contriving how to make luch a 2 pinching ip6 A Preliminary Difcourfe pinching Religion fit eafy upon their Inclinations, from whence there muft be Herejies \ and were in FaQ: we £nd in the very beginning of Chriftianity, when the Gnofticks were for cutting it to their own liking. This will be plainer yet, if we do but confider the Nature of the Evidence or the Manner wherein this Do£trine iSideliver'dv That the Scriptures are the Word of God, that thofe we now have are Genuine, are Truths unqueftionably evident to every wife and well-difpofed Perfon ^ but the Proof we have for the Truth of thefe things is not fo violently ftrong andde- monftrative as to bear down all Oppofition •, as we find from the many Unbelievers and Scepticks that have been and are in the World. So neither is the Senfe of Scripture fo irrefiftibly clear and piercing, that perverfe Men cannot poflibly raife any Difputes and Clouds about it. With great Judgment therefore fays " Tertullian^ I make no fcruple to affirm^ that the very Scriptures them f elves are Jo difpos'd by the Will of God af to afford fubje& Matter for Hereticks to work upon^ when I read^ that Herefies muft be, which cannot be without the Scriptures. When the Difciples came to Chrift and ask'd him, why he fpoke to thofe about him in Parables, he anfwer'd, Becaufe to you it is given to know the My ft er its of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it U not given j therefore [peak I to them in F arables, becaufe they fee- ing fee not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they underftand, Matth. i^. v. lo, ii, i?. that is, to you who are willing to learn, who are honeft well-mean- ing Perfons, I think fit to difcourfe of the Myfteries of the Kingdom plainly and without referve ; and the Reafon I fpeak to others in a parabolical obfcurer ° Nee peridipor dicere ipjas quoque Scripturas fic ejfe ex Dei volun- tate difpofitat^ ut Uxratkis materias fubminijlrarenty cum legam, Oportere Hstefes eJfe, qux fine ScripmU tjfe non poffnnt, Praefcripc. cap. 59. way, to Vincentius Lirinenfis. way, is, becaufe they are not difpos'd for Truth, nor come with a defign of being the better for my Inftru- ftions. And when the Rulers and the People came flocking about him, to hear his Wifdom and fee his Works, and to ask him who he was, he gives 'em, we find, no direft anfwer, but fends 'em to Mo/es and the Prophets^ and to his Doftrine and his Mira- cles, from whence they might eafily colleft who he was, if they had a mind ^ and if nor, he knew they wou'd not believe, let him fay what he wou'd ^ For if any Man will do hU Will he Jhall know of the Do- Grine^ whether it be of God^ or whether 1 /peak of ^y J^^f' God has given us Eyes, but if we will not fee, he will not work a Miracle for the Cure of af- fefted Blindnefs : If the Go/pel be hid, it is hid to them that are loji, in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not^ left the Light of the glorious Go [pel of Chrift^ who is the Image of God^ fhou'd Jhine unto them. It is reported by fome of the Ancients ^ that St. John^ at the defire of the Afiatick Bi(hops, com- pos'd his Gojpel in Vindication of our Saviour's Di- vinity, againft Cerinthus and the Ebionitesy who affirm'd Chrift to be a fnere Man only. The Apo- ftle therefore upon the entrance of his Gofpel thus declares; In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. And the Word was made Flejh^ and dwelt among us, U.C. As diftinft and clear as this Scripture is for the Divine and Hu- man Nature in Chrift, Hereticks there were who cou'd make a (hift to elude ir. For iome faid, that the Word was not God; and others again faid, that the Word was not made Flejh, but was Flefh in ap- pearance only. I will not mention the monftrous 97 ^ Hkron. Verba fohan. Eujeb, Hift' Eccl. lib, 3. cap. 24. lib.^« Pi fm |p8 A freUm'wary Difcourfe Fains the Socinians have been at to Un-god our Sa- viour in fpight of his beloved Apoftle, but I cannot quite pafs oyer the good endeavours of Le Qerc to fecond the fame Dofitine with another evafion ; For according to him thus we are to underftand St. John^ In the Begi?2ning voas Reafon^ and Reajon was in God -^ A marvellous difcovery ! AndReafon was God :, that is, the Man Chrift was God by, Office, as an Ambaffa- dor is King : And Reafon was made flefh •, that is, f^eafon was made conjp'tcuous in the Man in whom it was. Pne vyou'd think likewife that St. Paul had exprefs'd himfelf very intelligibly upon the fame Ar- ticle, when fpeaking of the Jews, he faid : Of whom, according to the ¥leJJ), Chrift came^ who m over all, Qod blefed for ever. Amen. But here again by the }iocus Pocus of a Colon after ^ (t^^m, according to the flefh, never to be met with in any Verfion, againft the general Sgnfe of the fathers^ and againft the na- tural Conftru6ion of the Words in the very Opinion of Socjnus^ is he Clerc (a never failing Man at Inno- vation) for making one with them who wou'd read and underftand the Text thus ; Of whom, according to the fleft), Chrift came-, and then with a grateful (Exclamation J God I who ii over all, be blejjed for ever. Amen. Though fince I find he has been pleas'd to declare that Dr. Mill has well prov'd, that Chrifl is ftiled God over all bleffcd for ever. But who fo hlind as they who will not fee? And what ftrange fjoik do fome Criticks make with the plaineft Scrip- ture by the arbitrary Ufe of G/(?;7j/ Once more*, \i is faid, Thoii fhalt not make unto thee any graven Image, or any hkenefsof any thing that u in the Heaven above., or that is in the Earth beneath, or that ii in ihe Water under the Earth -, thou fhalt not bow down thy felf to them, nor ferve them. A Perfon who had no deHgns in his Head but to ferve God, muft needs think that this Precept, with the gradual enu- tneratiorj of all Things from Heaven above to the Waters under thf Earthy was as particular and ex- '-"■' ■■-■'■■' '"■ '-'■ ■ ' -^ ■ ■ - ^ — f§. to Vincciuius Lirinenfis. ipp prefs as words cou'd well be, againtt all forts of image- worfhip ^ but yet becaufe it is not faid, Thoic Jhalt not worfhip God through an Image, or thy Wor- fhip fljall not terminate in the Image, or fome fuch explanatory Claufe and Reftri£lion, bowing down to Images and ferving them, is as much in PraSice with fome Men, as if there had been no fuch thing as the Second Commandment. God, no doubt, if he had pleas'd, cou'd have ex- prefs'd his Will fo clearly and fenc'd about his Laws with fuch Frovifo\ Explications and Limitations, as fhou'd have made it much more difficult, nay, impoffible for any one to mifunderltand or evade them 5 and fo he cou'd have made Man impeccable, or redeemed him from the Poffibility as well as the Penalty of Sin -, but where then had been the Proof of Ingenuity and Faith fulnefs, that they which are approved may be made manijefl ? Befides, for the fame Reafon that one Precept is to be infallibly fecur'd, fo is another and another, and fo on ; and fo there muft have been Millions and Millions of Explicati- ons and Cautions j every Rule muft have been hedg'd about with as many Securities as there are Poffibilities to miftake or pervert- it 5 every Propofition fettled, every ObjeClion poffible anfwer'd, every Word fully ex- plained, every Comma and Colon immoveable-, and what not, to guard againtt all the ways of Error ? And what a ftrangc Book for Size and Senfe muft the Bible have been then? And Error being infinite, it might have been faid ' perhaps without a Figure, that even the World it felf vooi^d not contain the Books which Jhoud be written. From the nature then of the Doftrine which goes fo much againft the Grain of Flefh and Blood, from the manner of the Evidence alfo wherein thofe grating Truths are deliver'd, which requires not only common Senfe and Reafon, but a peculiar Probity and Teachablenefs of Spirit to underftand them : From both thefe, I fay, it is certain that without a Mi- racle there muft be tierejies ; efpecially in the next O 4 place^ 200 J Preliminary Difcourfg place, if we confider the Corruprions of Mankind. Where this unpallatable Religitui wou'd go down but by halves, and cou'd not per feQIy get the bet- ter of Mens unruly Lufts and Pailions, there the Men wou'd be fure to do their beft to get the better of Religion, and to bend or break it to their Inclinations. The Man of Foliticks will make it a Tool, and where it ftands in his way it (hall be no Religion for him. The Man of Pleafure wilt have no more Chriftianity than comports with his Enjoyments i and the Godlinefs that is not Gain (hall be no Godlinefs for the Man of Intereft. The Man of Fa£lion will fetch Chains and Links of Iron from Scripture to hind Kings and Nobles withal. The free thinker will be confin'd to no Creed but one of his own making, and with hut one Article^ and that too a very ambiguous one \ his clear Ideas muft be the length of his Faith, and where he cannot fee he will not believe. The vain Philofopher will comply with the facredText no farther than he can make that comply with his beloved Hypothefis •, and the conceited Critick muft have his Colons and Colourings in defiance of the old Reading and the Senfe of all Antiquity, Where will the itch of Novelty and a profane CuriO' |iry reft contented ? Or what Scripture will be clear enough, or what ConviGion fufficient for Pride, Pre- judice and Party ? Ambition and Avarice will let up for hfa/Zibi/ity-Mipon Gofpel-Authority, and ufurp the Keys of Heaven, and open and fhut at Pleafure ^ and the Lazy and Voluptuous will not be at thQ Pains to examine how the U/urpers came by them, be- caufe they- can he let in upon eafy Terms. So that to ask why there fliou'd be Herejies, is in efFe£l: to ask why there fhou'd be fuch things as Pride and Stubboinefs, Vanity and Wantonnefs, Envy and Ma- lice, Ambition and Covetoufnefs, Luxury and La- zinefs, or any other Corruption in Human Na- t^ure : For till corrupted Nature is perfe£i:ly cur'd, there will be breakings out into wicked Opinions as '■•,■■■"- • ^ • . • vvell to Vincentius Lirinenfis. 201 well as wicked Praftices •, and Difeafes of Mind are no more to be wonder'd at than Difeafes of the Body. God in his Wifdom has not thought fit to tye up Mankind by Miracle, and force 'enn to be Good ^ and for the fame Reafon he does not force 'em to be Orthodox •, and therefore Uerefies muft be. Which brings me to the fecond General^ That the being of Uerefies are no ObjeUion againft the Good- nefs of any Churchy or the Truth of the Cbriftian faith. There is no one Objection ofcner in the Mouth of Fapifis, and with lefs Reafon, than the Schifms and Uerefies among F rot eft ants : For if they have had Monfters of this kind in great Plenty at Rome-^ if fuch fpiritual Wickedneffes have been in their High Tlaces, and Arians fate even in St.P^/^r's Chair ^ if there has been Altar againft Altar, and Fope againft Fope^ as moft certainly there have been, why fuch an Out-cry from that Quarter againft the Divifions in England^ unlefs it be to amufe the People, that the Church of Rome is all Love, Unity and Concord. But that the People may not be thus amus'd, I de- fire 'em to look again before they believe, into a fhorc but full Treatife '^ compos'd on purpofe to arm the Ignorant againft this popular Delufion^ whereby the weakeft Froteftant may foon be enabl'd to cut off the many headed Monfter with his own Sword. But that Recrimination may not be thought our only Argument, I fay, Firft, That for the fame Reafon that Fapifis argue againft Froteftants from this To- pick, any. one may likewife againit the Church of God in Heaven from the Fall of Angels : Againft the Church of God on Earth among the Jews^ from the Schifms of Corah and Jeroboam^ and from the He- refy of the Sadducees and other Se£ls among them. At ihi$ rate likewife one might argue againft Chrift and his Apoftles, from the Apoftacy of fudoi : A- " An Apologetical Vindication of the Church of England-^ by George Hickes^ D. D, (JOB A Preliminary Difcourfe gainft the Church of Gm//? , from the Schifms and Divifions in it ; and in a word, againft every Church planted by the Apoftles. For notwithftand- ing thal^ Twelve, known, infaUihle and. faithful judges 6f Qontroverjy, there were as many and as damnable Uerefies crept in even in the Apojlolick Age, as in any after Age perhaps during the fame fpace of Time •, fo little will Infallibility ferve the Turn it is fet up for. For, as I have already (hewn, there will never bean end of Schifm and Herefy, till we are all both Infallible and Impeccable, till we can* not poflibly be deceiv'd or deceive. And is not this now a very fine Argument againft the Goodnefs of the Church of England, that will hold good againft every particular Church both in Heaven and Earth ? And if it be an eflfential Mark of the Truth and Goodnefs of a Church to lofe none of thofe that were baptiz'd into it, then there never was a true or ^ood Church -, and thofe who have gone off from Rome, are as unanfwerable an Ohje£lion againft the Fapifis as our Separatifts are againft us. But then, Secondly, I fay farther, that bareUnity or Agreement is no certain Mark of the Truth or Goodnefs of a Church, but the Things united in 5 becaufe this is the common Mark of all Parties : And if this be an Argument of Truth and Goodnefs, then fo far as they agree among themfelves, fo far they muft be all in the right, though never fo contrary to each other. The murderers of our 'Lord, who cry'd out with great unanimity, crucify him, crucify him, muft for this Reafon be in the Right , the more than Forty who bound themfelves under a Curfe to kill Vaul, muft be in the Right; the more than Forty times Forty who murder'd King Charles I. who talk'd of nothing more than Union and Com- munion, they too muft have been in the Rights nay, the Kingdom of Darknefs muft be in the Right, for that alfo we are told is at Unity in it felf •, for if Satan be divided againjl himfelf hov) fhall \ * then to Vincentius Lirinenfis. • 205 ihen his Kingdom ft and ^ But this is fo filly an Ar- gument that 1 fliall perfue it no farther 5 for I think we are rn no want of Examples at prefent to prove, that Men may be united in Error as well as Truth. This Yopijh Obje£lion againft the Truth and Goodnefs ofFroteftant Churches from thQ Schi/ms and Herejies amongft 'em, is taken up by Atheifts^ Deifts and Seep- t'lcks^ againft the Truth of all Religion in general: But with what Reafon, I leave the impartial Reader to judge from thefe few following Confiderations. 1. That Difputes and Differences about the Na- ture and Modes of a Thing, are no Argument againft the Truth and Being of the Thing difputed about. For is it reafonable to argue after this manner ? There ' has been much Difpute 2^o\xt fquaring the C/>^/^,there- fore there is no Circle at all. There has been much diC- pute about the Motion oj the Earthy therefore there is no Earth, There has been much Difpute about the di- vifibiltty of Matter ^xhQXQ^oia there is no Matter atall» Men difpute about the Titles to an Eftate^ or the Mea^ fure of their hand^ therefore there is no Title^ nor E- flate, nor Mea/ure, nor Land, Travellers difpute about the right JVay^ therefore there is no Way, Lawyers dif- pute about the Sen/e of a Law, therefore there is no Law. Divines difpute about the Sen/e of the Go/pe/^ therefore there is no Go/pel at all. On the contrary, 1 think with much better Reafon we ought to con- clude, that there is fome obje£t of fuch Difputes^ or fuch Difputes wou'd never have been. There have been from Time to Time a world of Martyrs and Confeffors, a world of Books, Difcourfes and Conferences about the Truth of Religion, therefore there is fuch a thing as True Religion ; becaufe Men who are in their Wits don't ufe to fuffer, and die, and difpute eternally about nothing. 2. At this rate all Truths muft depend upon the Will of Man 5 for if fome Scepticks are pleas'd to be in the Humour to difpute, whether there was fuch I Man as JuUi^ Cafar^ or fuch a Perfon as Jefus of * ' ' ' ' JSlazareth ao4 ' ^ Preliminary Difconrfe Nazdreth, or whether Three and Three are equal to Six : If fuch Difpures can alter the Nature of Things, then thefe Truths, when difputed, are to be no longer Truths. But Truths are not of that limber and flexible Nature as to be difputed away at our Pleafurci Things will be what they are in fpight of all our little Reafonings about 'em : And though a Stoick in good Health may make bold to argue a- gainft the reality of Pain, yet in his Sicknefs he will find Pain to be what it is, and to be too hard for all his Philofopby. '^dfy. Thefe very Difputes and Differences were foretold by Chrift and his Apoftles for the verification of his Religion, and therefore certainly ought to be no Objeftion againft it. Men may be too far gone for Argument as well as Phyfick. Pharaoh was paft the Power of Miracle 5 and the Reafons which foften fome, harden others : For though Qrifl de- clar'd before-hand, that it muft needs be that Offences come V and though thefe Offences came as he had de- clar'd, yet the very fulfilling of this Prophecy was turn'd by fome to the difgrace of Chriftianity, and had no other Effe8: upon the Apoftate Julian than to make him fay, That the Galilaean had now veriffd his own faying^ That he came not to J end Peace on Earthy but the Sword. And for ^he fame witty Reafon ether L/^^r/i^yifx have advanc'da Srep beyond Julian^ and declared it the wifeft way to throw off all Religion, till all Parties are agreed about it. But wicked Spirits will fuck Poifon from an Antidote, and turn the beft Proof for the Truth of Chriftianity as an Objeftion againft it. The worfer fort of Hea- thens argu'd againft the Faith from the many Dif- putes and Differences about ir, and from the ftrange Calamities and Sufferings of its Profeftors; whereas the good Primitive Chrijlians were the mors confirm'd in the Faith by thefe Objedions. In the moft provo- king Diftreffes they rejoyc'd^ and were exceeding glad lyhen they Juffefd jor Right eoufnefs fake^ we|l knowing fs inipiorum, Sermonibus ^'Difputationibus fuis obfcura legis h pi.blicum deducerent. Vid. Auguft. in Pfal. 54. & in ilia verba, ((^ a^ropin^Hdvit cor Uliits) item lib. t6, de Civitace Dei, cap. 2. tnany ao8 A Treliminary Difcourfe fUdny things in the Scriptures lay hid, and when eX' communicated Hereticks were continually embroiling the Church of God with ^ueflions^ then thefe Ob/cur i ties were brought to light ^ and the Will of God under Jtood* ¥or had we any complete Treat if e of the Trinity^ before the Arians open'^d their Mouths againft it ? Had we any perfeU TraU about Repentance, till the Novatians opposed it ? Had we any Jet difcourfe about Baptifm till Heretical Rebaptizers contradi^ed the Pra^ice of the Church ? So neither had we any thing thoroughly, and to tlje bottom examined and ft at ed concerning the very Unity of the two Natures in the F erf on of Chrift, as now we have, till the feparation thereupon began to endanger the weak Brethren. When thofe who had Abi- lity and Skill in untying fuch Knots, did by their Dif- - courfes and Difputations bring thefe hidden things of the Law to light for the Vrefervation of the Infirm, who were pefter'd with fuch ^eftions by ungodly Men. If then the Allwife Providence can make all things work together jor good^ to them that love God-, if he can fetch Light out of Darknefs, and ntiake even Schifms and Here fie s in many refpeOis beneficial •, if he permits 'em to be for the greater Advancement in divine Truths, for a more diligent Application of our Studies to the Word of God, for the Trial and Ma- nifeftation of the Faithful in this World , and for greater Degrees of Glory in the next, and for many other excellent Ends ; then I hope it fufficiently ap* pears. That the Being of Herefies are no Ob jetton a- gainft the Goodnefs of any Church, or the Truth of the Chriflian Faith -, which was the fecond General to be made out -, and fo I eoqie to the Third and laft. That Matters of Faith afie as neceffary to Salvation as Matters of Fra&ice. There axe in the Wodd not a Few vyho ftand very much upon their Veracity, their Honotir, jnd the Mo- rality of their Lives •, who profefs to believe a God, and are not againit Following the Light of Nature ^ but for believing reveal'd Religion, they fay with the great to Vincentius Lirinenfe. ao^ great Syrian , the Lord pardon thy Servant h this thing. But if" you look into the bottom of this Pre-* tence, and enquire how it comes to pafs that they profefs to believe in God, and yet refufe to believe in Chrift, you will find the main Reafon to be this 5 that they can be Deifts at a much eafier rate than Chriftians'^ that their Notion of a God is of a more flexible and complying Nature j that Truth, and Ju- flice, and Holinefs, are no eflential Attributes of their God, and therefore that by his Nature he is not oblig'd to punifh the Breach of his Laws, much lefs in fo fevere a manner as is declar'd in the Gofpel. To fuch a Notion of a Deity, to an Idol of tneir own making that cramps 'em not in their Enjoyments, and will not call 'em to an account for their A£l:ionSj they can bow down and woriliip, that is, according to theif Trophet Epicurus^ pay a decent KefpeU to one that is fo much above them. And as for the Light of Na* ture, they can make that what they pleafe, and fo live how they pleafe^ for what is Nature (fay they) hut Inclination and Cuftom ? And what have not Men Inclination or Cuftom for ? They have Inclination and Cuftom for all forts of Vices ; they have Cuftom for all forts of Religions, and for no Religion at all ^ and fo from the Light of Nature can arifs no Obligation at all. Whereas the Laws of the Gofpel are too fc vere and holy for them, the Precepts too exprefs and poficive to be eluded, and the Threatnings bare and terribly glittering, like a Sword drawn from the Scab- bard, and pointed diredly at our Hearts, and there^- fore we muft turn away our Head , or comply with its Rules, or we cannot be eafie. Men love Dark- nefs, becaufe their Deeds are evil, and they hate the Light becaufe it (hews them ^ and therefore the Light of the Gofpel is as troublefome to a wicked Man, as the Light of the Sun (hining tull upon the Face of a Perfon who has a mind to ileep, he draws the Cur' tain to be at reft, P Some ' 2IO A Preliminary Difcourfe Some others there are who wou'd fain pafs for mighty Orthodox^ and for the only fincere Lovers of Trutb^ and who are wonderfully florid in their Enco' mlums upon Chriflian Morality^ but yet don't care for a Vorm of found Words ^ they look upon fo many ejlahlifh^d Articles of faith, as fo many Impo- fitions upon the Liberty of Free Thinkers^ and are by no means willing to bring their Underftandings into Captivity, and for believing out of fight. But if a Creedholder might take the Liberty of talking freely with thefe freemen of Reafon^ I would tell them, that a form of found Words, or Creed there certainly was, drawn up either by the Apoftles themfelves, or fome of their Companions, and depofited in the A- pofioHck Churches , as the Meafure or Standard of Faith i and that the moft 'Primitive Chriftians who preach'd up the Necefiity of living according to the Gofpel-Ethicks ^ and who dy'd too fuch Deaths as their Latitudinarian Enemies think it npt a Duty to do, thefe very Martyrs and Confeflbrs , I fay, one and all, concluded themfelves as much oblig'd to be- lieve according to the Rule of faith, which was their Creed, and to conform to it in their Interpretations of the Gofpel , as to live foberly, righteoufly and -godly i and that Hereticks^ who either adulterated the Faith, or ftole from, and diminifli'd it, were in as damnable a Condition , as thofe who liv'd in a conftant Breach of the Sevent;h and Eighth Command- ments. For Inftance, Ignatius, the faithful Difciple of the beloved and loving Apoftle St. John, with all his Charity and Meeknefs could find no better Names for hereticks, than ^ Beafis in human Shape. Again, * If then fuch as have thus defiled themfelves accordipg ad Smyrn. l» of'o'*'? ^ cw{«ft»j/ cww, Epift. ad Ephcf. to to Vincehtiiis Lirinenfis. 2 1 1 i^ the F/eJh , have /uffer^d Death ^ how much more Jhall he fuffer^ who by his wicked DoClrine hath defiled. the Faith of God for which fefus Chrifi was Cru- cify' d 5 fuch a polluted Wretch fhall depart into Fire unquenchable , both he and hU hearer. Once morej •" My Bret\>ren., he not deceii^d^ if any one goes after a fchifmatical Teacher^ he fhall not inherit the King- dom of God. But vve will pafs over Juftin Martyr^ and Irenaus, who is particularly large upon this Head, and come to Tertullian. And here not to mention his other Tracts againft particular Uereticks^ I fhall take notice only of his Vrefcription againft 'em all in ge- neral, wherein he has accounted for the Being of Her e fie 5 ^ their Nature, their Caufes, and their Ef- fects, with the Remedies againft 'em, and a particu- lar Defcription of the Way and Manner of fuch Tempters^ who tho' they have not Cloven Feet, yet go about with the fame Defign as ihofe that have, feeking whom they may devour. This Frefcription \ take to be the belt Primitive Receipt we have againft: that Itch of Novelty, that Lufi of Curiofity, as Vin-> centius calls it, which is the Bane of Chriftianity, againft the fpecious Poifon of fuch over inquifitive Spirits, fuch ungovernable Wiis, as afFeO: Nofirum's in Divinity, and will have fomething new, or nothing in Religion. "^ For my part (fays he) I cannot but ad- mire to find you thus furpriz'd that there fhou'd be fuch Diftempers of Mind among Chriftians zsherefies^ and that they fhou'd do fuch a world of Mifchief •, for are not Fevers permitted to b&, and to kill \h abundance ? But inftead of lofing your lelves in amazement at thefe Kinds of Evil, you ftrive all yotf can to prevent and cure 'em J whereas at the Sight of Herefie^ which brings eternal Death , and the Burnings of a greater Fire^ you ftand ftill in helplefs Wonder, when a little Con- fideration and Pains Wou'd make you forbear won- " M>j T^KAvS^i clJ^i\(poi fjLMy elrn XiC.^v'it AKoKa^ei, (ict,aiKeicij/ ©gK 8 KKy\ejvoiiei. Epift. ad Philadelph. * Fupi^t, Cap. I, 2. P 3 dring 213 A Frelimirtary Difcourfe dring either at their Being, or their EfFefts, and fe- cure you againft them. " For we have a Rule of faith which teacheth us what we are to defend, and by that Rule we believe-, and then he recites the Creed at length, and adds, ^ This is the Ruie of Faith laid down by Chrift, about which there have been no Queftions rais'd among U5, but what have been rais'd by hereticks ^ and the Oppofition to this Rule is that which conftitutes an Heretick, Now this Rule be- ing kept entire and complete, you may feek and de- bate, and give your Curiofity its utmoft Range. He goes on likewife, and fays, A certain Rule of Faith is given \ you have a Law ^ and Obedience to that Law will fave you. Curiofity and an affefted Oftentation of much Knowledge, is the Ground of all thefe vain Refearches. But let Curiofity for once give way to Faith, and vain Glory to your eternal Salvation. Let us hear no more of thefe Clamours and Divifions, but learn at laft to be quiet ^ to know nothing con- trary to the Eftablijh'd Rule of Faith, is to know all things. Once more. From ^ whence come Herefies > From the Devil, and they differ not at all from Ido- latry, and both come from the fame Father of Lies 5 for either Hereticks feign another God in oppofition to the Creator, or if they confefs one Creator, they don't allew him thofe Perfections which are truly his •, and therefore every Lye they tell of God is a fort of Idolatry. And in the Conclufion, he charges them as they tender their Salvation to preferve the Faith in the bond of Peace ; ^ for thefe are Things which no Body will forfake who is mindful of a future Judgement, when we muft all ftand before the Tribunal of Chrilt to give an Account of our Faith in thefirjl Place. Towards the latter end of the fourth Century Epipha- niiis in three Books gave us the Anatomy of Fourfcore Herefies ^ he laid Open the Difeafes for a Preferva- * Cap. 13. \ Cap. 14. * Cap. 40. • Cap. 44. tive to Vincentius Lirinenfis. 212 tive againft *em. St. Auftin has given us an Abflra£l of the fame with an Addition of fome more Herejies in his own Time, in a Difcourfe ad ^uod-vult-Deum. Vincentius makej no Scruple to affirm that Donatus and his Sch'ifmatical Followers had their Portion with the Apoftate Angels j he has chalk'd out the way all the true Believers of old went in •, he has pointed to the Rocks , the Temptations , and Occafions of ma- ny great Mens fplitting upon them ; and charges us not to make Shipwrack of Faith and Commu- nion , as we value our everlafting Happinefs. The Defign of the Ecclejiaflical Writers^ and all the an- cient Councils^ was for the fecurity of the Depojitum^ the Faith once delivered -^ nor did it ever enter into the Head of any Primitive Catholick^ that Toleration or EJiabli/hment alter'd the Nature of Herejie and Schifm^ any more than that of Faganifm. From all which it appears unqueftionably evident, that accor- ding to the Sence of the Primitive Church , a Right faith was oi necejfary to Salvation as a Right Pra- dice. It appears as evident likewife from exprefs Scrip- ture •, Te believe in God, believe alfo in me. He that believethy and is baptized, fhall be faved% but he that believeth not Jhall be damned. There is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we- mujl be faved, but that of Chrift. he ioui hath the Son, hath Life^ and he that hath not the Son of God^ hath not Life. Examine your /elves , whether ye be in the Faith. There is one Body and one Spirit, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm. Till we all come into the Unity of the Faith , and ofihe Knowledge of the Son of God, That we henceforth be no more Children, tojfed to and fro, and carried about with every Wind of Do&rine, by the Slight of Men, and cunning Craf- tine/s, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Holding Faith, and a good Confcience , which fome having put away, concerning Faith have made Shipwreck; of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander j whom I have de- P 3 liver^d a 14 A Freliminary Difcourfe liver' d unto Sat an ^ that they may learn not to blafphem?, having Damnation becauje they caft off their firft Faith. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write un- to you of the common Salvation ^ it was needful for me to write unto^ and exhort you that ye fhould ear- nejily contend for the Faith- which woi once de/iver^d unto the Saints. For there are certain Men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordain'd to this condemnation, ungodly Men, turning the Grace of our God into lafcivioufnefs , and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jefus Chrifi. Tbefe be they who feparate themf elves, fenfual, having not the Spirit, But ye beloved^ building up your f elves on your mofi holy Faith, praying in thd Holy Ghoft, keep your Jelve's in the love of God, &C. From the Authority of Scripture as underftood by the Fathers , let us go a little to the Reafon of the thing ; and if we confider the Nature of the Chrifli- an Covenant, we find that a publick Profeflion of Faith, in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl, is the Con- dition without which we cannot be Chriftians; and therefore unlefs we can be fav'd by Chriji without being Chriftians, fuch a Faith is necelTary in the firft Place, and then a good Life muft follow. Nay, if a Heathen Man and a Sinner was baptiz'd in this Faith, and dy'd before he had time to perform the other Part of the Covenant concerning a good Life, he was juftijicd by Faith , zvithout Works. From whence I think 'tis very evident, that we are firft to fhew our Faith, and then our Works, before we can claim any Title to the Proroifes of the Gofpel. And confe- quently, 'tis the higheft Arrogance and Prefumption in fonie Moralifis to^ftand fo much upon the Good- nefs of their Lives, and at the fame time make a Jeft of Orthodoxy -, ' for were they fen times better Men than they are, their Morality nmkQ^ 'em not ChriiUans, and they have performed but one half of their Covenant $■ for iU Faith without Works is dead^ to Vincentius Lirinenfis. 215 fo on the other hand is it as true, that Works without Faith are dead alfo. idly. A good Life alone does not anfwer one of the great Defigns of Chrift's coming into the World. For he came not merely to plant among us a more perfeO: and fublime Morality^ but for his own greater Glory, to fet us right in our Notions of the Divine Nature^ that we fhou'd laud and magnify the ever blefled Trinity of Ferfotis in the Unity of the Godhead, with that Tri-une Glorification here on Earthy as Angeh do in Heaven^ faying Day and Night, lioly^ Holy^ Holy^ Lord God Almighty ^ and for this end are we baptiz'd in the Name of thefe Thriee ferfons and One God. Chrift came into the World to de- monftrate God's infinite Juftice and hatred of Sin, that wou'd be propitiated with nothing lefs than the infinitely meritorious Sacrifice of his beloved and only begotten Son, and thereby to ftrilie us with a proportionate Horror of Sin , and to comfort us again with the fulnefs of his Satisfaffion and Atone- ment, and to make us able to comprehend what is the Breadth, and Length, and Depth, and Height ; *and to know the Love of Chrift which pajfeth Knowledge^ that we might be filled with all the Fulnefs of God. But this admirable Temperament, this whole ftu- pendous Fabrick of divine Juftice, Wifdom and Mercy, drops in a manner to the Ground, and dwin- dles comparatively into nothing, if we believe C^z-i^ to be a mere Man only : For where was that love of Chrift which pajfeth knowledge ? where was that all- fufficient Satisfadion for rhe Sins of the whole World, if Qhrift was but a Creature^ For as a Crea- ture, he was oblig'd to do all he poflibly cou'd do for his Creator, and had all poffible Helps a^d En- couragements for fo doing. And who can expe£l to efcape that neglefts to inquire into this wonderful Project of divine Love, and the valuable Reafons of lb great Salvation ? Shall a bare Moral Life, or the P 4 " Psofeflfion , A Freliminary Difcourfe Pfofeffion of one Jingle Article^ That fe/ui of Na- zareth WM a Ferfon fent from God^ be fufficient to make amends for a wilful Ignorance in fuch a mo- mentous Concern, much more anfwer for a ftudied contempt of this whole Chain of Mercies, for vili- fying the Blood of God^ for the Expence of fo many Miracles, and for the Death of fo many Martyrs for the fame Doclrine, and all other Means of Inftru£li. on? Or what Man of Ingenuity and Gratitude wou'd not think himfelf under the higheft Obligation to be at all the Pains imaginable to have a right Notion of thefe things, in order to be duly afFeQed with them > Again, if we confider the jealoufy God has always exprefs'd for his incommunicable Honour, the Seve- rity of his Laws againft the leaft Shadow of Idol- worfhip; the Difperfions, Captivities, and other Judgments he fent upon his own People for their idolatry ; and the Care he took for the more efFe£l:ual difperfing and fignalizing his own Name abroad, and making the God of Ifrael by degrees to be the only Obje8: of Divine Worfhip. If we confider this, I fay, how can we imagine that in the laft and perfe£l Revelation of his Will, this jealous God wou'd put all good Men under antnfuperable Temptation of he^ lieving a Lie of fuch a facrilegious abominable Na- ture, as that of worfliipping a Man for God^ But then if Chrift be God ot God^ of the fame Suh fiance zvith the hither^ begotten from all Eternity^ by whom all things were made ; if this Divine P erf on was ptade ¥lcfl} and crucify 'd for our fakes, and for pro- feil^ng God to be his own proper Natural Father^ as much as any Man is the Son of his Father according to the FleQi, with what Face can we imagine that our Redeemer will pafs by fuch unjuft, ungrateful Re- turns iq his ranfom'd Captives as the ungodding theis Lord and Malter \ That he who woi in the Form of a Servant for our fakes, but thought it no Robbery to fif f'jual vmh Gody will be content to be ihrult down into to Vincentius Lirinenfis. 21 into the Rank of Creatures after fuch Manifeftations of his Divhiity and Philanthropy > And that a Moral Life and a formal Profeffing him to be the Mejftah ^ that is, a Frophet^ he who wof to come^ or a V erf on jent from God, (hall be a fufficient Plea for fuch an unfpeakable Affront to him, who is God blejjed for ever^ Amen ? We are to believe likewife, that the Divine and Human Nature were fo united as to make Chrift but one Verfon-^ otherwife, as Vincentius faith, we introduce a quaternity of Ferfons into Di- vine Worfhip, which was the Reafon that the Ephe* fine Council, and our Author^ were fo zealous and watchful about ftating this Ferfonal Union, and in condemning the Herefy of Nefiorius. Of fuch con- fequenoe was an orthodox Faith, as well as a good Life, judg'd to be by the earlieft and beft Chri- ftians. If it be urg'd by our Mora/ijis or our one Article Creed-makers, that 'Natural Laws are of greater Ob- ligation than Fofitive ones, becaufe thele have an intrinfick Goodnefs in themfslves, whereas the other are goo4 only becaufe commanded •, that th^ Notion of 'one God is knowable by the Light of Nature, that Juftice alfo and Charity, and all the other Mo- ral Virtues are neceffary to the well-being of Man- kind, but the Notion of Three Ferfons in the God- head is beyond the difcovery and reach of Natural Reafon, and a Notion the World may fubfift very well without : To this I anfwer. Firft, That the diftin£lion of Obligations between Moral and Foji- tive Duties is to be underftood with great Caution : For though the goodnefs of a Law he a great Motive and Inducement to Obedience, yet the formal Reafon of Obligation does not arife from the Goodnefs of a Law, but from the Authority and Will of the Le- giflator. God commands a thing which was before indifferent, therefore that thing is as much a Law as If it was never fo good in its own Nature 5 he for- bad 2i8 A Preliminary Difcourfe bad the eating of a Tree in the midft of the Garden, which without that Prohibition had been indiflPerent : But Adam^ and in him all his Pofterity, was con- demn'd for the Breach of a Law purely Tojitive : God forbad the gathering of Sticks on the Sahhath- day, therefore the Man that gathered 'em was put to Death for it. When God therefore fays that he will have Mercy and not Sacrifice^ it is not to be under* flood as if God wou'd have any of his Laws broken; but as oar Saviour explains it, Thefe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone, I ask then, what are Natural Laws ? Why, what we con- clude merely from the Light of Nature that God has commanded or forbidden, either to be bdiev'd or done. What then are Pojitive Laws ? Why, what we kn6w to be the Will of God by his exprefs Word only. In both Cafes then we fee, that 'tis the Will of God and not the Goodnefs of the Thing, or the Manner of the Difcovery which induces the Obligation. Befides, it is of eternal Reafon that we fliou'd worfhip the Deity according to his Nature when known : If then there are Three Per- fons in the Godhead, Confubftantial, Coequal and Coeternal, then are we as much oblig'd from the Reafon of the thing when reveal'd, to pay divine Honours to thefe Three divine Per/ons, as we were by Nature oblig'd to worfhip one God before we knew of thefe Modes of Subjtftence in the Godhead. And, laftly, a right Faith is neceflary in order to a right Practice; for we find it to be true in Fa£l:, that Herejies are inconfiftent with the Pra£tice of true Chriftian Morality. Thus then I think I have prov'd, That Here/ies muft be j that their Being is no Ohjetli- on againji the goodnefs of any Church or the Truth , of the Chriflian Faith : And in the next place, That Matters of Faith are oi neceffary to Salvation as Mat- ters of Practice. I have fhew'd likewife, that the ^ule of Faith depofited with the Mother Churches by ;he to Vineentius Lirinenfis. 2 ip the Apoftles or their Companions^ that the Writings of Apoftolick Bifhops and Catholick Doftors in confor- mity to this Rule, and the feveral fucceeding expla- natory Enlargements on the Creed ^ eftablifh'd by General Councils in oppofition to rifing Herefies, are the beft Canon for the Interpretation of Holy Scrip- ture. And in doing this I have perfu'd the main Defign of my Author , and herein have been dor ing fome Service, I hope, to the 'Primitive Pro^ teftant Church of England, againft all Heretical In- novations. As to the Verjion^ I have little to fay, but only that I have made it my endeavour to be true and juft to my Author^ and to exprefs his Senfe with all the Brevity and Fulnefs, Strength and Perfpicuity I am matter of I have taken the Liberty likewife (as fome others before me have done) to throw fome- times two Chapters into one, when they feem'd to break in too faft and interrupt the Thread and Cohe- rence of the Argument. 1 confulted the feveral Edi- tions of Yilefachus^ Coflerius^ BahiziM^ and that of Cambridge^ and where they differ (which is not much and in Matters of little Moment) I follow that reading which in my Judgment feems the trueft. As for the Notes^ they are fuch as I judg'd moft ufeful and inftruftive to a common Reader -^ fuch as might give him a fight of the Wiles and Artifices of the old Innovators^ with the Nature of their Doftrines, the dreadful Notion the Orthodox always had of He- re fy and Schifm^ and the prudent Meafures they took to provide againft them •, fuch as may give an im- partial Reader a juft and rational Averfion to that Church that makes her boafts 0^ Antiquity^ and ufurps the Name of Catholick^ and yet has throvvn off the Catholick Principles, debauch'd their E)o£lrines, adul- terated and maim'd their Writings, added to their Faith, and appeals to Vincentim^ in fpight of all his Declarations againft Innovation, and his main Rule 2 of 220 A Freliminary Difcourfe of tryifjg every DoUrine by the Canon of Scripture as under ftood by the Ancient^ CathoHck, Univerjal Church, In a word, the defign of the 'Notes is to fet' the Primitive Religion in a true Light, and to let every honeft Man fee what Church bids faireft for Antiquity. To conclude then, I find in Tertullian a certain SeS^ who from thefe words — Seek and ye pjalljind^ tliought themfelves oblig'd to reft fatisfy'd with no- thing, but to feek on for ever, and for every thing in fpight of the cleareft Revelation about it. To this SeU of Seekers the father addrefles, and tells 'em, that they had ftrangely miftaken the Defign and Meaning .of thofe words •, for they were fpoken in the Infancy of the Gofpel, when all Men doubted as yet whether he were the Chrifl or no ^ that they were intended as a_Reproof to the Jews^ who knew where Chrift was to be fought: They have Mofes and the Trophets (fays he) and they fpeak of Chrift 5 and accordingly commands 'em elfewhere in exprefs words to fearch the Scriptures, for in them ye have eternal Life, for they fpeak of me. This then ( fays Tertullian) is the meaning of the Command, feek end ye fhall find. Bur fuppofing it to be fpoken to all Mankind, yet we muft interpret the words accord- ing to common Senfe and Reafon. We are to feek till we find and then to give over feeking, as the Woman in the Gofpel fought diligently for her piece of Silver till (he found it, and then fhe gave over fweeping and feeking, and rejoyc'd with her Friends that (he had found the Piece which was loft. There is then a certain pofitive Rule of Faith taught by Chrift, which all Nations are bound to believe, and there- fore to feek, that when they have found they may |)eUeve. For which Reafon you are to feek till you have found, and when you have found you muft be- lieve-, and nothing more is wanting but to keep this faith found and inviolate. And if any one doubts / ■ what to Vincentius Lirinenfis. 22 1^ what this Faith is, I (hall make it appear, that it is the Depofttum committed to our Trult, and is now in our keeping. With much more to the fame purpofe, Frafcript, cap. 8, 9, 10, ^c. ThQ Seeders are now ri^/rg again, and fitting up the Arms of the ancient Atheifts^ and rallying ail their fcatter'd Forces under new Generals -^^indi by the help of Spinoza^ Hobbs^ and fome fi:efher Scepticks^ Cri- ticks ^ Rights-men^ Commentators and free Thinker Sy feem to be in great hopes of retrieving the Day, a- gainft God and all good Men : You may know them by their Fruits^ and bjr the Name of the Jincere ho- vers of Truth. They are gone out in the Spirit of their Father the Dev'il^ fincerely feeking whom they may devour : They feek fincerely to Reafon us out of the Immortality of our Souls, and to argue us down to the Level of the Beafis that perijh : They feek fincerely only to find Faults in the divinely in- fpir'd Writings^ and to make a Mock of all the noble Army of Martyrs and Confeffors ^ and of all they wrote, and did, and fuffer'd for the Faith : They feek fincerely to prove, that Chriji was made Flefh^ and Flefti only as we are : They feek fincerely to in- terpret away a Providence even from his own Word, and to turn God into Nature^ and his Priefls out of the World. Let us on the other fide, feek as fincerely to ferve God, as they do to ferve the Devil : Let us not be afham'd to come forth in Publick and fight the Lord's Battel in this time of Need : Let us contend earneft- Jy for the Faith once delivered to the Saints^ and with a Zeal according to knowledge: Let us try the Spi- rits^ and fearch the Scriptures as our only Rule, and ftudy the Fathers as the beft Interpreters of that Rule : Let m hold fafl our Frofefjion without waver- ing -, and let m confider one another to provoke unto Love and to good Works : Not forfaking the Affem- bling of our f elves together^ oi the manner of fome 222 A Preliminary Difconrfe^ &c. PS 5 remembring withal, who it was that faid, Be- hold I come Shortly^ and. my Reward is with me, to give to every Man according as hU Works Jhall he. And do thou, O Almighty God, who haft compafs'd us about with fo great a Cloud of Witnefies, give m Grace that being not like Children carried away with every bla^ of vain DoUrine^ we may be efta- hlijf}d in the Truth of thy holy Go/pel^ through Jefui Chriji our Lord. Amen. THE 22^ THE COMMONITORY OF Vincentim Lirinenjis^ Concerning the RULE of FAITH In Oppofition to all Heretical Innovations. PREFACE. 'The Author s Moti*ves for Z^ndertaJ^ng the Worh^ WH E N I rcfleft upon thefe Admoni- . tions in Scripture, Remember ^^t? Deut.32.7^ Days of Old, confidcr the Tears of many Gefterations 5 asl^ thy Father and he will • This certainly was not the original Title, and we may reafon- ably conclude it to have been, as we find it in GcnnadiHf, lib. de illnft. Ecclef. Scriptor, c. 64. CoMmonitorium Peregr'mi adverfm Ha- retkos. And from the Defign of this Traft, from feveral Paffages in it, and from the great Opinion Vincentim had of Tntulliani Abilities, 'tis not unHkely that in this Title he had ajQ eye upon that celebrated Pr;fcriptkn adyerfHi Jlxrepicos. JJoem ^24 '^^^ Commonitory JIkw tbeSy thy Elders and they will tell thee, Prov. 22. And again, Bon> down thine Ear, and hear the 17' words of the Wife. And fo likewife. My Son^ 'ov-. 3. 1. j^QY'get not my Lanps, hut let thine Heart k,eep my Commandments 5 I am inclin'd to believe that it may be of fome ufe, if I ^' Peregrine, the leaft of all the Servants of God, Qiou'd by his *" Videtur m'lh'i, tninimo omnium fervorum Det^ Peregrino, quod res non mmm£ utHttatu, Domino adjuvante, futura fit, &e.3 Vinceti' tiui by fome learned Men is charg'd as a Sem'i-PeUghny and the Author of the Vincentutn Queftionsy and to have conceal'd himfelf under the Name of Peregmw^ that he might animadvert upon St. Auftin the more fecurely. Vid. Corn. Janfen. Jpr. Ep. Vefenf. Auguftin. p. 75. p. 454. Voff. H'lfi. Pelag. lib. i. c.p. On the other hand, he has his Compurgators, who acquit him of the whole Charge, particularly Bartholomdiw Petrw Duacenfisy in a let Difcourfe before this Commonitory, which I confefs I have not feen. What I have to fay in my Authors Vindication, in ihort is this y No one oftner implores divine AlTiftance than our Vincentiufy he condemns Pelagim over and over again, and ranks him and his Difciple Celeftm among the vileft Hereticks : He highly extols Pope Celefiine'% Zest] in writing to the French Bifhops, and repro- ving their Moderation and RemilTncfs in not publickly declaring a- gainft, and cenfuring the Impugners of St. Aujlin. 'Tis true ia- deed, that abouc this Time the Doftrine of Grace and Eleftion ran: extremely high, and a Man cou'd not fay that he was a free Agent, but he was prefently cry'd down for a Scm'i-Febgian ; and our Au- thor vTell knowing what great things Juflin Martyr and other An- cients had fpoken of SocrateSy and fuch as liv'd up to the Light of Nature, might think perhaps that Sc. Auflin had innovated an4 ftrain'd fome Points a little too far the wrong way, as vve bend 3 Stick to the contrary Extreme in order to ftraiten it. But that he cover'd himfcif under the Njme of Peregrinm^ the more commo- dioufly to fall upon this excellent Father, is very ftrange to me •, becaufe he has done it, if at all, fo fparingly and obfcurely, that the Reader mud have a very jealous Eye and as flrong a Fancy to fpy out St. Auftin in this Commoiutory, as to find out the Face of a Man in the Moon : The Paffages fuppos'd to refleft upon him I (hall note in their Order. But there are much better Reafons to be gi- ven for Vincentiius going under the Name of Peregrinui ^ for I look upon it partly as cheeffeft of his Humility, becaufe he fliles himfelf in the fame Sentence, The le.jft of all the Servants of God, in imitation of that of the Apoftle, I am the leaf of the Apojlles-^ and of Vincentius Lirinenfis. 825 his Divine Affiftance commit to Writing what I have truly and faithfully learnt from the Holy Fathers. For by this means at leaft, (whatever elfe may come of it) I (hall cer- tainly provide for my own Infirmity, and have a conftant Supply at hand for the Reparati- on of a frail and broken Memory : And yet not only the Vfefulmfs of the Work, but the Confidei^Ation ofTime^ and the Commodioufnefs of the Place, are other Inducements alfo to this Undertaking. For as Time is always fnatch- ing fomething from us in this World, fo we by way of Reprizal, (hou* d be always fnatch- ing fomething from Time, to make Provifion for Eternity. And this more efpecially now, when not only the terrible Expectation of the Day "^ of Judgment juft approaching, prefTes us and lefs than the leafi of all Saints. And as Chriftians in general go under the denomination of Strangers and Pilgrims in Scripture, lo Vincentiw had a more particular Reafon for affuming the Title of Peregrine or Stranger^ as being a MonJ^ and more eminently en- ftrang'd from the World. Befides, it was a common Praftice, efpecially amongft the Monks of Lerin^ to difguife themfelves un- der an appellative Name. Thus Salvian took the Name of Timo' them ; and Homratus the Abbot and Founder of this Monaftery, who wrote ,ihe Life of St. Hilary Bifliop of Aries, alTum'd the Name of Reverendus. After all, Vincentius was Cotemporary with St. Aufiin^ and in a Country and Monaftery where he did noc think himfelf oblig'd to be a rigid Follower of that great Man, whatfoever Efteem he might have for him. Nor can this be any Db)eftion sgainft the Rules here ddiver'd by him for difcerning the Doftrines of Faith, from Herefy, Error and Opinion •, fince they are the fame which the Church always obferv'd, which the holy Fathers lay down in their Writings, and which St. i4«//f/j him- felf gives in many places. = Prjifertim, curri i^ AppropinquantH .I){yini Judicii terribilif qufi- dam expe^atio augeri efflagitet Jiudia keligionii : Et novorum H&re- ficorum fraudulentia multum cms iy attentionis indigeat.li It has Q^ been 226 the Commonitory us to double our Diligence in Religion, but alfo the Artifice of modern Hereticks makes it neceiTary for Us to be upon our Guard, and calls for our utmoft Care and Application to fence againft them. The Commodiouftiefs of the Place is I ike wife another Invitation to the Work. For having made my Efcape from the Crowd and Clutter of Cities to an obfcure Vil- lage, and there (hut my felf up in tlie Cloy- fters of a ^ Monaftery, I am able to put in practice been often obferv'd already, how generally itobcain'd, if not a- m iDg the Apoft!es, yet certainly amongfl: their immediate Suc- celTors, that the World was drawing to a Conclufion •, and the frishtful Scene of Mifery and Confufion, the Inundation of the barbarous Nations j the Wars and rutmurs of Wars ^ look'd as it were like the Harbingers of approaching Judgment, and hclp'd no doubt to quicken this Opinion in Vmmtius^ fo generally enter- tain'd by the Ancients, That the End of all Things wnt at hand. For near this time it was that Genfericus, King of the Vandals, by the Inftij^ation of the Arians, mifcrably perfccuted the Orthodox Bifhops, and retook and ncWdCarthage ; that AttHa, King of the //w«y, not only invaded the two Hung.nie<:, but laid wafte Macedo- ria^ Myfpa^ A'cha'u, &c. and made terrible Attempts alfo upon the Weftern Empire. Vid. Platm. in the Life of Xyftus^ or SixtuSy as he calls him. <* Secret um Ahnaflerii' ffabitaculum, &c,3 The Place of our Author's Retirement was a Monaitcry in the Ifland of Lerina in ihe Mediterrsr.e^ny adjoyning to France, now call'd the Ifle of Ho- ncratus, the Founder of the Monaftery. Whoever has a Mrad to fee a Defcription of the Charms of Solitude,, and the Beauty of Lcrin, and an accr;unt of the Great Men, befides our VincentiHS form'd in c'lac Retirement, may confult a little Book of Eucherius in prdife of uc Delurt, dedicated to St. Hilary afterward Biftlop of Aries. But that which I ?hink of more Importance to obferve, is, that the Primitive Monies were quite another fort of People from thofe who i;o under that denomination now adays. For they feem at firft to have been driven out by Perfecutions into Mountains and Departs, R cks and Caves, where they liv'd to God and themfei'ves al >ne under prodigious Mortifications, without ever intermcdling in Affair^ either of Church or State. St. Antho- py, a dear Friend t < AtbJmfius, was the firft Founder of the Mona- ftick [nOicLuion : He was -S L'ay-Man, and of the fame Rank were all the Monks at firft, acceding to that of Sc. JeromyMonachus Platigen- J t'iJy (?/ Vinccndus Lirinenii^. 327 pradkice that of the Pfalmifi without diftradii- On, Be Jiill, dftd ^noiv that I am God, Pfal4tf.io. Moreover, fuch a Work fuics beft with that religious Life I now profels 5 I have been fuf- ficiently tofs'd about for fome time in the fad Variety and Confufion of a Military Life, but now at length by the Bleffing of Chrift, have taken Shelter in this ^ Harhour of Relight, the fafeft t'tf^ non Docenth officium habet, 'Tis the Office of a Monl^ to mourn^ and not to teach. Duarenus de Sacr. Ecclef. Mimfi. tfy Benef. lib. i. c. 20. tells us, That there were no Priefls in the ancient Monafte- ries, but the Monks came all to the common Churches as other People did. They fometimes indeed fent to a Pried to come and Officiate amongft 'em, and to be eas'd of that Trouble procur'd fome Monks to be ordain'd, th^f fo thev might be a Church as ic were amongft themrelves. Vid. Lindan. F^n->p!. Hire illy. Lachry* mx; For by little and little every Monk of 'em got into Orders and began to incroach upon the Authority and Revenues of the Churches, either becaufe they were Founded within their Lands, or becaufe it pleas'd the Pope at length to take them from theBi- ftiops and fubjeft them to the Monks, who rerurn'd him the Com^ plement of Infallibility for his Ufurpation. In thefe Monafterics then were the Youth train'd up, as they were in all Cathedral Churches before the Founding of Univerfities. But here it may be obferv'd, that either for fome forefeen or aftual Abufts in thefe Monaftick Societies, it was decreed by the Fourth Canon of the Council oiChatcedm^ that no Monafteries or Religious Houfes what- ever, fhould be founded without the Confenr of the Eifhop of the City, and that they fhou'd be all fubjeft to Epifcopal Jurif^iHion. Taf Q kaS' ind^hjj 'm'oKiv ii^ yj^^-V Movci^ovjui \isro]{j dy^Scu ttS '"E'TTta-KO'Tru. How well this Canon hath been obferv'd, the many Exemptions here in EngLmd are a Proof vvi:h a Witnefs ; They are Handing Marks of the Beaj}, and fiiamefu! Scars of /'o/'/,'?; Tyranny, which after all our Averfion to Rome, we care not fhcu'd be car'd, and which ftiew us ro be as yet diftant from the Primitive Church in point of Governin'rr.t. The firff Invaders of this kind, and the intolerable Afcer-abufes may be feen more fi'llv in the learned Ei- fhop Beveridge's AnnGt?.t'ions upon the Canon t:' w mentioned. « Tmdem nos in Per turn Religionis^ cuvltis jemper fidifjlimm^ Chrifio adjphante condidhms,'] The good Vincaniui^ h leems, had feen enough of the World and a Military Life, to be heartily (ick of both, and co make for this Rxien of Religion with ail jhe Sail q^» he a 28 The Commonitory fafefl: Refuge from the World 5 here to diveft my Soul of all its ruffling Paflions of Pride and Vanity 5 and to offer unro God the acceptable Sacrifice of an humble and truly Chriftian Spi- rit 5 that thus infur'd from worldly Temptati- ons, I may avoid not only the Wrecks of the Life pVefent, but the Burnings of that which is to come. I (hall now then, in the Name of the Lord, fet about the Work, viz,, to tranfcribe thofe things that have been deliver'd by the Fathers, and are depofited in our Hands 5 and this I (hall do with the Fidelity of a Relator, rather than the Prefumption of an Author : And here the Rule I fhall obferve in Writing will be this. Not to colled every Thing, but only to touch upon neceflary Principles. Nor ftiall I affe^ he cou'd, in order to get out of the way of Temptatiorfj- and to difpofe his Soul for the Enjoyments of another Ikic. This Haven he calls CmU'is femper fidiffimum : And the fame folitary way of Living is highly recommended by Athanafius^ Baftl, Naxjar^^etiy Chryfoflom^ and many others. But the Storms and Perfecutions of thcfe Times no doubt help'd to infpire the Panegy^jcks, and en- creafe the PafTion for Retirement : For certain it is, that as great if not greater things may be faid for the Publick, as tlie Private Life. A Man may be dead to the World in the midft of its Temptati- ons, and he may meet with the Devil in a Wildernefs, as well as in a Court •, and Pride and Sowernefs are extremely apt to grow in the Shade. If Dangers are more and mightier abroad, the Ex- ample is more fliining and the Viftory and Reward proportionably greater ; and had our Author liv'd to fee the Degeneracy of feme Monafteries, he would have found it poffihle to have fuffer'd Ship- wreck in his beloved Haven, and not have call'd it, Cmil'ts femper fidijjimum. After all, our Saviour's Example of go'wg about doing Good^ is worth all the fpeculations in the World. Here again the Reader may take notice, what an humble acknowledgment our Au- thor expreflesof the Necefltty of Divine Grace j for we have Chr't* flo adfyirante. In mmine Dom'wi^ Domino prxftante, Domino adjuvaiJte^ ■11 within a few Lines one of another. any (?/ Vincentius Lirinenfis, 22 p any Imbellifhments or Accuracy of Stile in this Epitome, but go in the plain common way of Expreflion, that it may pafs rather for a Book of Memorandums, than a perfeft Treatife. Fine Figures and Correftnefs of Stile, I leave to the Men of Brightnefs, or the ProfefTors of Eloquence 5 I fhall content my felf with hav- ing drawn up this Breviary for the Benefit of Memory, and chiefly indeed for my own pri- vate life. However, by degrees, recollefting what I have read, I defign, God willing, to fet it out more correct and perfed. And this I thought proper to advertize, that if it (hould chance to get from me, and fall into the Hands of the Faithful, they would pleafe not to be too hafty in their Cenfures, when they find it confeffedly anunfinifti'd Piece, and have the Author's word that he will polilhit more com- pletely. CHAR I. The Method of difcerning Herefies, I have been at ^ great Pains, and often made it my particular Bufinefs to confult very many *" S£pe JgUur magno fiudio tly fumma attenthne perquhens , Nujufmodi femper Refponfnm ab omnibus fere retuli.2 Is it poffible lb imagin , that at this time there fhou'd have been a famous infallible Judge of Contraverfies fix'd at Rome , and a Weftern Monk, and a great Revercncer of that Apoftolick, See know nothing of it ? Aad ia this Cafe, idem ejl non ejfe^ i^ non apparere, Infal- 3 T/j^ Commonitory ny Ferfons of the highcft Rank for Piety and Learning, about a certain general Rule to diftinguifh the trueCatholick Faith from the Depravations of Herefie 5 and^ after repeated ^ Inquiries, the Sura of all their Anfwers amoun- ted to this. That if 1, or any other Chriftian, would difcover the Artifice of growing Here- ticks, and keep out of their Snares, and conti- nue perfeftly found in the right Faith , the Way, -by God's Grace, is to fecure it upon thefe Xwo Foundations, ift^ Upon the Ju- thority of Holy Scripture 5 and after that, ZJp- on fh& Tradition of the Catbolich Church. libility hid as god not be at all , as not nppear to be. Nay, that Vincentius in a lee Difcoiirfe about a Rule ot Faith, and a Preferva- "tive a^ainfl Herefie and Schifm, Ihould not only pafs over xht Church of F^o/ne, but exrlude it, is more fbange yet. And yet thus ir is; for here he tells us, that after his utnioft Inquiries a- mong the Living and the D:ad, amcng the beH Men, and the beft Books, he could meet with no other Direction for the fccurity of his Faith, but to foliow tltct m^iptLvux; ovo\xaIuV' Vid. Theodoret. H'tji. Ecclef. I. 2. c. 6. The Semi-Ariansy and thofe which were Orthodox as to the Divinity of the Son, but oppos'd the Divinity of the Holy Spirit, were call- ed isrvdifMijofji.AXot , and afterwards Macedonians. Vid. S. Aug, tis». $2. This Herefie was firfl condemn'd by the Council of A- lexandria. Vid. Socr. lib. 3. c. 7. Afterwards by the Council of Illy- ricum. Theodoret. Htfl. Eccl. 1. 4. c. 8. and by a Synod held at Rome with the Gallican Bifhops under Damafus. Theodoret. I. 2. c. 22. And by another Synod at Rome under the fame Damafus. Theodoret. h $. c. I o. After all it was fully condemn'd in the Second General Council ztConfiantinopky which to the ^iiiTlvivfxet £yiov, where the Nicene Creed ended , added, tb KtietoVy 70 ^ao'TroioVj -ri cact Tlel\eJi litTO^di'o/U^'OVt ^ 70 (Tiw HetjeJt )y q « a-VfjLT^^JKWJH/jSfJOVt ^ a-iw J" 0^.0.(0 /tj^ov. Thus the Herefie of liiacedonius^ who made the Holy Ghoft a created Perfon was anathematiz'd by the Second General Council at Conflantinople j the very Firft Canon of which amongft feveral other Hereticks makes mention of the Uvd'i/.ct^o' [Uyoiy or the fighters againjl the Holy GhoS. CHAP. 424. The Commonitory CHAP. in. Certain Rules for the fafe CondnB of a Chrifltan in the Choice of his Opinions. AN D for us who are in the Bofom of the Catholick Church , it ought to be our firft and principal Care to choofe fuch Do- ctrines, as we find to have been believ'd in all * Places, at all Times, and by all the Faithful, Tot ' Quod ubiq-y quod fewper; quod ub omnibus cred'ttum ell. Hoc efi etenJm vere proprieq., Catholkum.'^ Bell.trmin'$¥'n{i Note of a true Church is taken from the Name of Catholick. < Bellar. c 4. de Jiot. Ecclef. p. 1477. The Apojlle (fays he) 1 Cor. 5, 4. make^ it theMar\ of Schifmnticl^s to be called after the Name ofpuf(icnlarAfenj fho'cftheApoJilesthemfelveSy whether of Paul, orApo^os, or Cephas. And in the Writings of the Fatfjers^ the Orthodox Churches were diflin^ guijh'd by the Name ofCatholicl^, and the Conventicles of Schifmuticlis and Hereticlis by the Names of their Firft Authors. And therefore fince the Church of Rome is by hsr bittcreft Enemies called Catholick^ and the fever al Seils of the Reformed after the pifticular Names of their DoHors^ as Lutherans, Calvinifts, Zuruglians, &c, itfoUowt ghat the Name of Catholic^ is not only a fure undoubted Mark "f ^^^ true Churchy hup alfo , that this Church of Rome is that Church: Firft, then obferve , that the Chriftian Church vvas nor known by the Name of Catholic^ jn the beginning, we find no mention of this Name in all the New Teftarnenr ; and therefore the Name of Catholick can be no effential Note of the true Church : And Catholick Ijping a Term that refpefts the diffufivenefs pf the Church, it had been a very improper Epithet before the ChriAian Church was fpread thro' any confiderable parr of the World , to have call'd ic Catholick. The moft ancient Author that I know of, who calls the Church, Catholick^ is Ignatius in his Epiftle to the Smyrnsans, p. 6. ucr'w)) oTK rtV % yjJSQi 'TncrS'? • &«,« » KctBoXun liCKPitma, But now to argue from" a Name to a Thing , that the Church of Rome is a purs Orthodox Church, becaufe fhe is called Catholicity is juft fuch an Argument, as if the greateft Rogue in Chriftendom Ihould go about to prove himfelf an honeft Man, becaufe, for- footh, he is call'd a Chrijiian. When good Men can't be call'd by ill hiames j or bad Men give theipfelvcj g,ood Names, then, and not ' of Vincentius Lirinenfis. 03 ^ For there is nothing truly and properly Catho- licky (as the Word fufficiently declares) but what truly and fully comprehends all thefe. And we are thus Catholick, when we follow %)mverfality^ Antiquity^ and unanimous Con- fent 5 but we follow XJniverfality, when we profefs that only to be the true Faith, which is profefs'd by the Church all the World over. In like manner, we are Followers oi Antiquity^ when we religioufly adhere to that Sence of Scripture, which manifeftly obtained amongft the holy Fathers our Predeceflbrs. And laftly, we follow Co»fe»t, when we embrace the De- finitions and Opinions of almoft all, if not all, the Bilhops and Teachers in the ancient Church. not till then, will tlie Title of Catholicli, be a good Proof of an undefiled Church. But that which makes an Orthodox Church, is an Orthodox Faith ; and according to this Rule of VincentJUf, that is the true Catholick Faith which has obtaiiicl in all Places^ at all Times, and been believ'd by all the Faithful. Let us fee now how the prefent Church of Rome , who appropriates to her felf the Name of Catholick, can juftifie this Title according to this Defini- tion. Let Iier prove thet) her unwritten Traditions, her feven Sa* craments, the Sacrifice of the Mafs, Tranfubftantiation, her Half- Communion, Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, Worfhip of Images, the Pope's Infallibility, and all the Definitions of the Trent-Coua" cil, that is, let her prove the Creed of Pope Pius the Fourth to have been tfie Creed of all the Churches at all times from the A- poflles to the Council of Nice, or only in the Days of the Apoftles, and we will allow her to be a true Member of the Catholick Church J but even then the Roman can't be called the Catholic^ Church, unlefs it be by the fame Figure as they now call a Comma- rion Single. And therefore till ihe can prove thefe Doftrines to be agreeable to the holy Scriptures as interpreted by the general Coo- lent of the Ancients in ail Times atjd Places, 'tis evident that by this Rule of Vincentiusy flie holds not the true Catholick Faith, and coafe^uently deferves Qot to be calkd 4 Catholick Church, CHAP- ^2^ The Commottitory CHAP. IV. DireSlions in Cafe of Schifm. BUT what (hall an Orthodox Chriftian do, if fome pare of the Church (hall cut it felf off from Communion with the Catholick Faith ? Why then , there is nothing to be done, but to prefer the Body that is found, before a putrefy 'd and infectious Member. But what if fome new Error (hould infed not on- ly a fmall part, but (hould be ready to fpread it felf at the fame time over the ^ whole Ghnrch? Then we mu(t be fure to cleave clofe to Antiquity, which on a fudden cannot be totally corrupted by any novel Impofture. But what if among the very Ancients we find two or three Perfons, or perhaps a whole City or Province in an Error ? Why then our great Care muft be to prefer the Determinations of the Ancient Church made in fome general ^ J!^«W ft novella aliqua Contagh mn jam portiunculaffi tantitm , fedtotampariter Ecclefium commctculare conetur ?'] Owt Author ^\xp- pofes a Cafe here , which , were I a Papift , I (hould not thank him for , viz. That the whole Prefent Church might pofjibly be cor- rupted. And what then will become of the Infallibility of the Church of Rome ^ And when he comes to the Proof of this in hisi fixth Chapter, he gives an Inftance of an Herefie, which had al- moft corrupted the whole World , the Latin Church, efpecially the Pope himfelf not excepted, as I fhall ftiew when I come to t\\c loflance. But by the rvhole Church , our Author muft mean the, Church Reprefentative^ and not the Church Dijfufwe^ or every in-; dividual Member of Chriftendom, becaufe he fuppofes fome found Chriftians to be left, and for a Prefervative agaiaft this univerfaj Corruption, advifes 'em to keep clofe to Antiquity y which on a fud- den cjnnpE be totally polluted with any novel Impofture. Council o/'Vincentius Lirinenfis. 237 Cbuncii (if any fuch Determinations there be) before the Rafhnefs br Ignorance of fome Par- ticulars. But what if a Queftion arife, con- cerning which there are no fuch Determinati- ons extant ? Why then we muft make it our Bufinefs to confult the Judgements of the An- cients, and compare together what thofe Au- thors have faid at feveral times and diftinft places, who perfevering in the Faith and Com- munion of the one Catholick Church, may be look'd on as approved Teachers, and worthy of Credit 5 and whatever we find to have been afferted not only by one or two of them, but to have been held, written, and taught by all, unanimoufly, clearly, commonly, and con- ftantly, there to ^ fix our Faith , and reft fa- tisfy'd. ' Id ftbi quoq\ inteWgat abfq, uUa. dubitatione credendunit] Viit-^ centius telJs that upon any emergent Difficulty concerning the Faith, we (hould have Recourfe to the Decrees of general Councils, if any fuch Decrees relating to the Point in Queftion are to be found j if not, he bids us confult fuch of the Ancients, who at dif- ferent times, and different places were look'd upon as the moft ap- proved Doftors of the Age they liv'd in ^ and what they teach una- nimoufly, plainly, frequently, and conftantly, of that to reft indu- dubitably cert am. But tho' indubitable Certainty in our Author's Opinion is fufficient, yet in the Opinion of the Papifts^ it feems it is not ', for they tell us, that we muft have an abfolute infallible Certainty in Matters of Faith, and fend us therefore to a Church, which (as they fay) cannot err 5 becaufe if we may be deceiv'd^ ne muft be always uncertain. But firft, how am I to be infallibly certain of this infallible Church? From Scripture ? That cannoc be, becaufe, tho' I undoubtedly believe the Scripture to be the Word of God, yet the Reafons I believe ic upon are the intrin- fick Goodnefs of the Revelation and human Teftimony. And therefore the Effeft cannot exceed the Caufe, and my Belief rife higher than the Motives of Credibility, that is, I cannot be infal- libly certain upon the Grounds only of a moral Affurance. Second- ly, Suppofing I was infallibly certain of the Truth of Scripture ; yet is ic any where faid direftly, and in exprefs Terms, that rhe $ Church aigS The Commonitory tisfy'd. But to make this Matter more intelli- gible, I fhall illuftrate each Rule by an Exam- ple, and dwell lomething more particularly upon it 5 for fear that out of an overfond De- fire of Brevity, I fhou'd too lightly pafs over the moft weighty Points in this (hort and cur- fory way of Writing. church of Kome cannot err ? If not, hovv can I be oblig'd to fee that clearly which is but obfcure, and which none of the Ancients cou'd fee any more than I ? This is in effeft to command ImpofTt- bilities, and oblige Men to fee what isinvifible. Thirdly, We read of Degrees of Faith in Scripture, of a Little and Great ^ a Weak^ and a Strong Faith, we find the Apoftles praying to God to help their llnbeliefy and to increase their Faith ^ but do Men ufe to pray for degrees of Infallibility, or to believe what they fee or know? So that Faich is not founded upon infallible Certainty, nor are the Motives of it equal to the Evidence of Senfe or Science. And laftly. To fay, That if we muy be deceived, rre muSi be always un- certain ; is to tell all the World what they know to be a Lye. For 'tis poffible that my Senfes may deceive me fometimes, and yet I am indubitably certain of what I lee and feel. I have often miftook my Road ; but does it follow from thence, that I cannot be cer- tain of my Way to the neKt Door, or my own Parifh-Church? I conclude therefore with my Author, that upon any emergent Diffi- culty concerning Matters of Faith, when I have follovv'd the Di- rettions here laid down, I may reft even fo Indubitably certain as to lay down my Life tor it, tho' not Abfnlutely infallible, that the Faich which was fufficient for the Primitive Chriftians, will be fo to me •, and that God will affuredly accept of iuch a Faith, becaufe I have done my beft to be rightly inform'dj and no Man can do more. CHAP, of VincejQtiiis Lirinenfe .3 3^ CHAP. V. ^he Example of the Donatifts apply d here to -P^erv^ That n>e ought to k^ep to Uni- verfality. IN the Time of ^ Donatus, from whom the Donatifis derived their Name, a great Part of Africa plung'd themfelves into his extrava- gant Error 5 and no longer mindful of the Name "' Tempore Donatio aquoVonatifidi.^ The Inflance of Don^fw be- ing here produc'd to illuftrate that Part of the Rule, which orders tts to adhere to the Communion of the Catholick Church in Cafe of any particular Schtfm, it may not be improper to give fome Account of the Schil'm, and the Schifm-maker. There were two Donati of the fame Party, Vomtw Biftiop of CaJ£ Nigra or Calame, and Donatio Bifliop of Carthage, and Succeffor to Majorims. I have rvYJtten a Bool^^ (faith St. AujiinJ againjl the Epijlle of Dona- tus yvho rras Bi/hop of Carthage, next after Ma)orinus, wherein he pretends that the Baptjfm of Jefm Chrisi it not valid out of hU Com" mmion, vid. Aug. Retrain. 1. i. c. 21. From this DanatHf it was, that the Schifmatieks call'd themfelves Donatifis, The Occafion of this long and bloody Schifm, was this •, upon the Death of MenfU' rii4i Eifhop oi Carthage ^ Cecilian was chofen to fucceed him by the unanimous Suffrages of the People, and confecrated by Felix. Bifhop of AptungU. Whereupon Botrm and Celefius, who had been intriguing for that Biflioprick, finding themfelves difappoin- ted, ftruck in with one LuciUa, an imperious and ftomachful Lady, who cou'd never forgive the Reprimand Cecilian, when Arch- Dea- con, gave her for kiffing the Bones of a dead Man juft before (he receiv'd the Communion. Thefe three fet their Heads a working to out Cecilian of his Biflioprick, and for that end difpatch'd Let- ters to Secundus Biftiop of Tigifis to haften to Carthage, with the lefl of the Numidian Bifliops,who had been Traditcrs in the Viockft- an Perfecution j and yet falfly objcfted this very Crime againft fe//ar, thereby to invalidate the Ordination oi Cecilian r, accordingly they protefted againft Communion with Cecilian, and fet up M^'prinus m his fteadj who w* a Donjeftick of LuclUa^ and had been Rea- 246 the Commonitoty Naiiie of ChriftUny nor the Religion they pfb- fefs'd, preferr'd the Sacrilegious Raftinefs of a (ingle Pcrfon, before the Authority of the whole Chriftian Church. In this critical Jun- ^ure then, thofe in Africa that detefted the abominable Schifra, and held Communion with all the other Churches in Chriftendom, thofe der of Carthage when CeciUan was Deacon -, they fent like wife a Circular Letter to all the Bilhops of Africa to pcrfuade them to a Rupture with Cecilian. However, CecHian continu'd in the See of Carthage y and in Comrtiunion with great Part of the Biftiops of Jifrkay and with all the other Bifliops of the World,- who declar'd themfelves in his Favour againft the Uum'idianSy who made the Schifm. They were condemn'd by a Synod of nineteen Bifhops ztRomey where M'lltiades was Prefident. But the Party of Ma]o* rinus concluding they had hard meafure, addrefs'd themfelves to Conjidntine \ upon which, in the Year 314, he call'd a Council in the City of Arles^ which condemn'd them likewife. At laft they appeaPd from hence to the Emperor, who, believing he might take Cognizance of this Caufe as being a Matter of Faft only, an Accu- fation againft Cecilian ; or becaufe he wou'd oblige the DonatiUs to yield, (as St. ^w/Jm thinks) gave Judgment himfelf at Milan in favour of Cecilian •, condemn'd the Donatiftsy caus'd an Infor- mation to be drawn up againft Sylvanus who was of their Party, and their Temples to be taken from them ; but recommends 'em to be gently treated, as a Means to bring them back into the Bo- iomoithtChmch.vid.Optat.Milev.\,iy2y contr. Parmen. Au- guft. Epift. 162. 165, 166. (^ alibi. As to their Opinions, I have already taken notice of their Prefumption in Rebaptizing the Ca* tholic^s, which Epiphanius remarks as the Praftice of the Cathari alfo, Epiphan, Hdtx. 59. And as Schifmaticks have always fet up for Saints, fo the Donatifts were the Puritans of that Age ; they look'd upon themfelves as the only People of the Lord , as the Church without Spot or Wrinli^le, and pretended to perfeft Righte- teoufnefs ^ and this was common to them with the Novatians, Aug. 1. 2. contr. Ep. Parmen. c. 7, 8, 9. Secondly, They held the Juft to be defil'd by Communicating with the Wicked, and That to be no Church at all, where fuch a mix'd Communion was tole- rated •, and this too was common to them with the Novatians» vid. CypY. lib. 4. Ep. 2. And as a Confequence of this, they a- greed with the Kovatians, That they alone were the Church of Chrift. Aug. H&r. dp. How they fubdivided into Faftions, and into what Extravagances they ran at length, may be feem more , fully in Tneodoret. lib. 4. Nxret. Fab. along of Vincentius Lirinenfo. i^i aloae are the People who can be faid to be in a State of Salvation, who continu'd within the Sacred ^ Boundaries of the Catholick Faith, and Union. And herein they have left a very memorable Precedent, That according to this laudable " Soli ex iltif omnibus intra Sacraria Catholica Fidei falvi ejpi potuerunt.'] In this Schifm of the Donatijis^ our Author concludes none in a State ot Salvation but fuch as adher'd to ehe Communion of the Gatholick Church. Optatus oiM'ikvi adv. Parmen. l.i.de Schifm. Donat. makes Schifm vvorfe than Homicide and Idolatry. And St. Aujiin upon the like Occafion asks, QuidprodeSf homini vet [ana Fides ubi tethali vulnere ,Schtj'matii perempta eii fanitas Chari' tatU ? 1. 1. de Bapt. cont. Donatift. cap. 8. What will a found Faith profit a Afan^ when theSoundnefs of hU Charity ii dejlroy'd by the fatal Wound of Schifm / And to mention but one more, and that is the bleffed Cyprian^ who tells us, That nothing, tho' ever fo good and excellent, no, not Martyrdom it felf, is available to the Salvation of Heretick or Schifmatick. Si quit ad Hxreticos aut Schifmaticos rejeilus ab Ecclefia tranfeat, iy fi occifus propter mmeti Domini pofimodum fuerit extra Ecclefiam conjlitutus cr ab unitate divifus^ coronari in morte nonpoteil. Lib. 4. Ep. 2. Which I rake tb be the bcft Interpretation of that of the Apoftle, If I give my Body to be burn'd^ and have not Charity^ it profiteth me nothing. This then was the Notion which Ignatius, Cyprian^ Aufiin, and all the Old Prieffs (according to the Modern Diaieft) had of Schifm from the Beginning-, and tho' now it is look'd upon only as a Spi- ritual Scare-crow^ yet Names will not alter the Nature of Things, and Schifm will never ceafe to be a Sin, till Charity ceafes to be i Vercue ; for Schifm is the Mother of Uncharitablenefs, and every evil Work. The Novatians and Donatifls were not fo outrageous in their Schifm as to lay afidc the very Principle of Vnity, which they look'd upon the Bifhop to be, and therefore had Titular Eifliops of their own, and fo kept up the Face and Appearance of a Church ; but our Separatifis make that Principle of Vnity the very Ground of their Schifm j for which Rcafon, had they liv'd in the Primitive Times, I know not any with whom they cou'd have held Communion. Thus then it ftands at prefent with the Church of England ; the Papijls on one fide condemn her for Novelty in Doftrine, tho' fhe profeffes the fame Articles of Faith which the Ancient Catholick Church always profef^'d ; the Separatifis on the other fide condemn her of Anti-Chriftianifm in Governmentj tho' fhe maintains the fame Form of Government which always obrain'd in the Priminve Church ; and between thefe two Mill-* R ftoaes 2^2 The Commomlory laudable Practice, Pofterity in the like Cafe fiiou'd always preferr the found Dodtrineof the llniverfal Church before the Frenzies of one Man, or the Madnefs of a Party. CHAP. VI. The Example of the Arians apply d here to illujirate that Kule^ which fays^ That rve muU reject 'Novelty ^ and l\eep prm to Antiquity. Moreover, when the ° Arlan Herefy had not only fprcad its Poifon over a fmall Portion of Chriflendom, but had in a manner infeded the whole Chriftian World ^ and al- mofi: fljnes (he is ground ; and if flie offers to take her Enemies to Task, and provide for her own Security, riiey both prcfcntly cry out upon Perfecution, like untoward Children^ that kick, and fcrafch, and bite, and yet all the while cfv out as if they were kill'd. ° Item qmr.do A)ruimrum venemftn mn jjm p'ortfunctiram qiiait' daWy fed pcni Orhcnt totum contaminaverat, &c.^' Tho' cur Author is made i'o much of by the Faplll.'r, tho' he ftands Sainred in the Roman Martjrolrgy, yet does he ftab the prefent Church of Rome to the heart almofl in every Chapter. For here he tells us, that the whole World in a manner was rurn'd Aricn^ according to that of Jerome^ Ir.gfmuit tot us Orbn, (fy Ar'iamm je effe mhatus eif.. Vial. adv. Lucifer, c, 7, And whenever the like fnfefticn 111 .u'd' happen to over-run Chriftcndom, he diretts us to keep clofe ro Antiquity, to the Cathalick Faith in the tirft Ages of the Church.. Ndw I wou'd fain Jee a Reafon \^'hy this Author Ihou'd not direft us ro the Churcli of Rome for Security in fach a Cafe, had he thc^ught TvfuUaHity had taken up its Seat there ; but this he cou'd' not pofTtbly think, becdulb he tells us esprelly, iliac all the Bi^- iV.ops, of Vinccntius Lirinenfii Si^j liioft all the BiQiops of the Latin Church, pal^t- ly by Fraud, and partly by Force, had gone ia to ftiops of the Latin Church efpecially^ had been tainted with AucL' nifm, and he knew that Pope Liberius himfelf had been prevail'd on at Jength to fubfcribe to that Herefy, and the Condemnation of Athanafius. Moft ftrange then vvou'd it be, that Vhcenths fliou'd agree with Bellarmine in making Amplitude or Variety of Believers a Note of the true Church, when according to the Pro- verb, The whole World was agawil Athanafius, and Athanafius ^- gainil the whole World. But this Note of Bellarmine is the very Argument urg'd by the Emperor Conjlantius in the Defence of Arianifm againft Pope Liberius : Fdf thus faid Conjlantius, 'u'o(Tov « ^/.k^i -^ 0/^!f^'>Kj 071 (TV /U.6f©- 0-lwcU§yi AV^^U'TIO) cCVOijuSpyi( 7^ ^§{ivbjj ly oAa t k'o(Xuh At;'«? ■■, Who are you, and ihat a poor pittance of the Vniverje is Rome, that you alone fliou'd Jiand up in the Defence of one vile Fellow, to the dijlurhance of the Roman Empire, and the Peace of the whole World? To which Libe^ tius thus reply 'd j « S'ttt to iiv^ fiz (x'ovoVi h 'f teWitoi k\aTJ^^ Aojl©-. Kcu j<) kJ^ 7^ TifdLKcuaVy Tf &(f /t/ofo/ eyjtltXKOVj dv]t^eiv Tii '7!r^?-d^i. ^"^ f'^PPoJK J P^oud ft and alone in the Defence of thif Man, that can he nojuH^ Objeflion again^ the Truth of his Faith • for of old, Three only were found that withflood the Decree of the King. To which, as Men ufually begin to Rail, when they can no longer Reafon, EHfebiust\\t Eunuch reply'd, Very fine, you make a Nebuchadnezzar of our Emperor. Vid. Theodorit. Ecclef. Hift. 1. 2. c. 16. p. 94. The Arian Herefy is generally fo well known, that it feems needlefs to explain it ; it took its denomination from Two of the fame Name, who both fell into the Error at the fame time. Vid. Theodorit. 1. 1. c. 4. p. 20. Butbecaufe there are fome Things in this Herefy not commonly taken notice of, it may not be amifs here to obferve, Firft, That the Arians made the Nature of the Logos to fufferin the Flelh ; This, Ph£badius, the firlt Writer of the Latin Church who wrote againft the Arians, charges 'em with, 1. adv. Arian. c. 7, 8. They held likewife the Holy Ghoft to be a Creature of a Creature, that is, to be made by the Son. Vid. Epiphan. Hjiref. 69. Aug, H^ir. i\g. And therefore Eufebim, li not an Arian with refpeft to the Divinity of the Son, yet is not with- out great Difficulty to be acquitted of Arianifm in refpeft to the Holy Ghoft. For in his Ecclefiaftick Theology, lib. 5, c.6. we find thefe Words ^ 70' ^ct.fi^'.Kh\)\ov a-fiov TivivlAci, i-n Qiof, 8T6 q s? , £CT« fjt.ri Ik t Tlctjfji oiMUoi ttJ ily ^ a^^rc r i>pMfftv ftAM^sr, 'iv J^k Ti r cT/sfc T q? -fpoiJ^'av Tv^'Xj^vi-) oTi 5 'trd.i/ja, J^} (wi i-pJilo y.H ss'. The H:l}Ghoft the Ccmforter^ U neither God, nor the Son, becaiife ke does not, Hk^ ^*? R ?, Son, 244 ^^ Commonitory to the Delufion 5 infomuch that the Greatnefs of the Mift, and the Confufion of the Ways, made it extremely difficult to know what Path to follow ^ then whoever was a fincere Lover and Worlhipper of Ghrift preferv'd bimfelf from the general Contagion by this Antidote, By preferring the afickfit Faith before the ttew fungted Infidelity, The Experiments of this Age are Convidion with a Witnefs, what a Torrent of Calamity comes rolling in with In- novation of Dudrine. For Little and Great go both to wrack 5 and theDiforder terminates not only in the Kutn of Relations, Friends, and Families, but in the Overthrow of Cities, People, Provinces, and Nations ^ for in fine, the Foundations of the whole ^oman Empire were out of Courfe, and tiung into ConvuU fioas by this Herefy. Sm, derive hit Being from the father, but U one of thofe Things* ■Khich were m.ide by the Son ^ for all Thnigs were made by him, andi without him was not any Th'.ng made^ m, mt one. Where Eufebim citing rhe Place of St. John, (as he d th elfewhere in the fame Chaper ) to prove rhar the Holy Ghoft was made by theSrn, do?h as our mofl learned Biiliop Fearfnn obferves, twice together leave out thofe Words, by which the Cacholicks us'd to refute that Hcrcfy of the Arians, v?;^. o yifov^v. Fnr thus they argu'd, Al! Things which were made, were made by the Son j but the Holy Ghoft was not among the £ yk^ovn', the Things that were nude, and therefore ras not made by the Son. Vid. Pearfon on the Creed, p-3M. The Arium likewife agreed wich the Nova- tims and Donatifts in Rebaptizing the CathoUckr. yid. Aug, J/sr, 49. And in Spain, they us'd the Trine hnmerfnn to de- note the Perfons in the Trinity to be Three diftinft Subjlanes^ and glory'd chat the Catholicks did , and held the fame with them ; upon which account, the fourth Council of Toledo, Can, 6, out of a Letter of Gregory the Great there inferred , deter- min'd that the Catbolicki there ftiou'd make ufe of fingle Immer- fjoD only. For of Vinccntius Lirinenfis. 245 For when Arianifm^ that direful Monfler, made its Entry, it enter 'd like a Fury, and firft feiz'd upon the ? Supreme Heady thQ^m^cxor-^ and p Cflfpfo ;>r?<« omnium Imperatore.'] I make no doubt but rhi's Emperor was Conjiantiw, becaufe the Tragical PTOceedings here mencion'd, are much the fame with thofe we find ia the Petitions of Hilary Bishop of Poiifiers to Conftatitiw ; and therefore I fhall let down fome PaiTages in thofe Difcourfes, as being a good Com- menr upon this Chapter, and thofe Times. In his fecond Petition to ConJiantiWy Hilary compares the Perfecution of the Avians a- gainft the CathoHck,s wich that of the Pagans againft the Chrijli- ans. The Bijhops (fays he) are imprijond, and the Pop! & obliged to ferve as their Guard-, the holy Bodies of the P^irgins of Jena Chriii are exposed to the View and Abufes of all the World ^ Men are com- pell'd, I do mt fay to he Chrijiians., but Arians 3 the NanK and An- thtrity of the Emperra- ii abus'd; He is imposed on by Surprise •, Judges are procured only to fet a Glofs upon thefe Barbarities ^ and infhort the People areforc'd to fuhmit to their Sentence. But in his laft Peridon ( iho' commonly plac'd the firft) he ufes fuch a Confefforian Parre- fia, as in other Circumftances might be accounted Excefs of Paf- fion, and may well remind us of that Saying of Solomor, Surely Opprejfion mul^eth a wife Man m.id. For addrefling himlelf to Con- Jiafttiw, " I rell you (fays he) what I wou'd have told Nero^ " what Dioclefian and Maximian (hou'd have heard from my " Mouth ; you fight againft God , yoa barbaroully worry his *' Church , you perfeoice the Saints, you abominate .the Preachers *' of Jefus Chrift, you utterly abolilh his Religion ; in a word, you ** are a Tyrant. I fpeak not with reference to tli€ Things oi this " World, but with refpeft to the Things of God. This is com- •' mon to vou with the Pagan Emperors •, let us now come to ** thac which is peculiar to your felf ; You feign your felf a Chri- " ftian, and you are the Enemy of Jefus Chrift 9 you are become '* Antichriif^ and* have begun his Work already ; you take upon *' you to procure new Creeds, and Hve like a Heathen j you give " Bifhopricks to thofe of your own Party, you take 'em A-om rhe ** Good, and beftow 'em upon the Bad -, you put the Billi.ps in *' Prifon i you keep your Armies in the Kield to terrify rheChurch j " you call Councils to eftahlifh Iniquity ; you compel the Weftern " Bilhops ro renounce rhe Faith, that they may embrace Error; *' you (hut them up in a City to weaken them by Famine, to kill *• them with the Rigour of the Winter, and to corrupt them by " your Diffimulation •, you foment the Dilfcntionsof the Ea^ by ■*' your Artifices i and to complete all ( fays he) the Church ne- ■** uer fttffer'd fo much under iieroy under Decim^ and Mi.ximiani4i\ . R 5 "as The Commonitory and when the Evil Spirit had brought under its Dominion the Prime Minifters of State alfo. It never left off till it had intoxicated the Brains of the People, and brought all into Confufion^ no difference then between Private and Publick, Prophane and Sacred , nor any Refped for Truth or Vertue 5 but from the Advantage of |the Court, as from a Rifing Ground, the fupe- riour Herefy batter'd down all at pleafure. Then Wives were ravifti'd, Widows unveil'd, Virgins prophan'd, Monafteries demolifti'd, the Priefts fequefter'd, the 1 Deacons beaten like Slaves, the Bifhops banilh'd 5 the Work- houfcs," Prifons, Mines, all cramm'd with the Faithful ^ the greateft part of which were at length thruft out, and interdifted the Cities, and To forc'd to wander about in Deferts, in Caves, amongft wild Beads and Rocks, till with Hunger, Thirft, and Nakednefs, they were all by degrees wafted, worn out, and c6n- fumed. And from whence all this Train of Mifery, but from introducing Human Inven- tions for Divine Truths ? From attempting to " as it has done under Confiant'mSy who has outdone all thofe Ty- *' rants in Cruelty ; becaufe the former gave a World of Martyrs f to the Church, who overcame Devils; whereas Confiantiw makes *' an infinite number of Hypccrites, who cannot fo much as com- f fort themfelves by faying, They were Gvercome by the Violence: " of Torments. ■? Verperati Levitt:.'] Miniflers and Lev'ites are Names we find among (he Ancients i" equencly given to Deacons : Thus Jerome^ Ep. 27. Ep'fcnpi, iy Sacerdotum inferiorii Gradfls, ac Levitarum in- ^mmerabila mult'itudo. And i'o again, Tom. 4. de Sept. Ordin. EccL teviu co/tiporiunt merfam Domini ; LevHa^ Sacerdot'tbw cum Sacru' imita benedkunt, a^jlunt j Levit£ ante Sacerdotes orant, ij^c. And m the Councils we frequently find the Deacons diftinguifh'd by the Tuk oi Levites, yid,CQn.Tumucan.2. ill. i. .w J. t 1 - . .. .., . , t ., ,.. .:'.„, /• of VincentiLis Lirinenfis. 247 fap the excellent Foundations of Antiquity, to make way for the Wickednefs of modern Whim- fies i from violating the Inftitutions of our Au- ceftors, from refcinding the Ordinances of the Fathers, a-nd cancelling the fettled Dodtrine of the Ancients^ in a word, whence all our' Mifery, but from an evil Spirit of Curiofity, a reftlefs Paflion after Novelties in Religion, and fuch a Madnefs for -Free Thinkings as will not be reftrain'd within any Boundaries of Faith, tho' moft carefully fet out by the wifeft and holieft Men in the firft and pureft Ages of Chriftianity ? CHAP. Vil. The DoSlrine of the Trimhi've Church far- ther ^vindicated from St, Ambrofe. 'Ere perhaps all that I have faid, may be charg'd upon an Averfion to the Moderns, and a blind Dc;votion to the Ancknts 5 who- ever judges fo, if he will not take my Word, I hope, at leaft, hd will vouchfafe to credit the blefled Ambrofe, who, deploring the Mifera- blenefs of the Times upot? cccafion of this He- refy, delivers hi mfelf in thefe Words, in his * fecond Book to the Emperor Gratian. But novp^ God Almighty, after fo many Mis fir" 4HneSy after the lofs of fo much Bloody 'tis to be * Cap, 4. p. 53. Edit, Bafil. per Cof^erium. R 4 hoped ^ij8 The Commontfory hoped that thy Divine Vengeance is fnftcientljf appeas'd for the Slaughter of thy Confejfors, the BaniJIjment of thy Priejis, and for the horrid Im- piety of Arianifm, Thou haU made it clear as the Noon-day, that the Adulterators of thy Faith /Ijall not triumph long in Security. And thus again in the third ^ Book of the fame Work, Let us be fure to obferve the Pre- cepts of our Forefathers y nor let us rajldy prefume to violate the Hereditary Do&rine confignd to us, R^vel. c. 5. For the Prophetick Book which was feal'd, neither hlders, nor Powers^ nor Angels , nor Archangels durliopen-^ Chriji alone had the Prerogative to open the Book, and loofe the Seals thereof. And which of us Jhall dare to loofen the Seals of the Sacer- dotal Book, fig^'d by the Confejfors, and feal'd with the Blood of fo many facred Martyrs . to be rebaptited entirely over again. Vid. Can. 19. Cone. Nic£n. una. cum Beveregii Annotationibus. And therefore I take it to be a Mi- Aake in the le'arncd Valefius^ when he affirms it to have been the ancient Praftice of the Church to admit both Kinds of Herecicks by Impofition of Hands only. Vid. V^ief. Annot.in Eufeb. Hif\. Ec- clef 1. 7. p. 142. Vicentius therefore, I prefume, cannot mean that Agrippimis was the Firft Innovator again'V all the known Rules and lEonftant Praftice of the Primitive Church, becaule he was for re- baptizing fuch as had not been baptiz'd in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft (tor this we find eftablifh'd by the Council of Nice, now mentioned) but becaufe he was ijr rebapcizing all fuch as had been baptiz'd by any Hereticks or Schifmaticks what- ever. But of this I have more to I^y, when I come to his Cha- saftcr of CypriM, a Prece- 2<6 The Commonitory 2L Precedent for their facrilegious Rebaptiza* tion of the Orthodox, but prov'd alfo an Occa- fion of ftumbling to fome Catholicks. When therefore they all began to remonftrate from every Quarter againft the Novelty of the Thing, and all the Bifhops every where oppos'd it to the utmoft of their Power, then Pope * Stephen of ' Papa Stephanm ApofiolicA Sedit Antijles^ cum c£terif quUem CoUegU, ' the Great, then Bifhop of Rome, loudly remonftrated, and told him, That his i'ee infor- mer Councils had always the Precedence, yet none of the Bishops of Rome, his Predeceifors, ever ofFer'd to aifume to themfelves that arrogant Title of 'c'n/ve//.t/ Bijhop : For, Si unm Epifcopiu va- catur Vniverfalii, Vniverfa ■Ecclefia corruit^ fi unm Vniverfw ca- det. Oreg. Epiff. lib. 4. Ep. ?2, 35, 54., (fy'c. From hence then the Reader may obferve, that thefe two Things mufl: necelliirily follow j Firft, That io the Judgment of the General Councils now men- S * tion'd, 358 The Commonitory above the reft, concluding, as I imagine^ that he who ftood fo diftinguifh'd for the Eminence of his See, fhon'd (hew as diftinguifliing a Zeal in Defence of the Faith. Accordingly at that Time, in his Epiftle to the Biftiops of Africa^ he thus determines, To k,eep that which was com- mitted to their TruU^ and to innovate in ^ nothing. For that holy and prudent Perfon look'd upon it as a Ruled Cafe in Matters of Religion, to admit of no other Dodrine, but what was be- liev'd by the Fathers 5 and that we ought to tranfmit the fame to Pofterity, with the fame Fidelity it was deliver'd to us : and that it is our Duty to follow Religion^ afrd not to mahfi Re* ligion follow us 5 and that the proper Chara£te- riftick of a modeft and fober Chriftian, is this, INot to impofe his own Conceits upon Pojierity, hut to mak,e his Imaginations bend to the Wifdom of his Anceftors, What then was the Iffue of this grand Affair ? what, I fay, but the old and ofual one > vis:>» Antiquity l^eeps PoffeJJtoft, and Novelty is reje&ed with Contempt. !■ - ■ I II I " I I ■ « ■ II II tion'd, the Pope of Rome had his Precedence and Privileges from the Fathers, and nor from the Apoftles j and Secondly, That they Were granted him upon the account of the Greatnefs of his City, and not as St. Peter's Succeffor j both which utterly deftroy the prefcnt Papacy, and clearly demonftrate what our Vincentim meaas by his Autloritate Loei. ^ Nihil Novandum, j^T'c] The Epiftle here mention'd is not extant, that I know of ^ but we have a Fragment of it in Cyprim^ Ep, 74. which I Ihall quickly have an occafion to cite. O H A A a- |)rwn argu'd, that to give th« Holy Ghoft , one muft have it ; but Heretical or Schifmatical Priefis haVe not the Holy Ghoft, therefore they cannot ^ive it, and confequently their Baptifm is of no EfFeft. To which St, Auflin replies, to give the Holy Ghoft, one muft have it ; but conceard Hercticks and wicked Priefts have it not, and therefore cannot giv6 • it : But if the Baptifm of thefe is valid, for the fame reafon muft the Eaprifrt of the other be valid alfo. But St. AuHin goes farther,, an^.' approves Lay-Baptjfm in Cafes of NecefTuy : But now, if there be no fuch Cafes 6f Ncreffity, which is the main Principle he ar- gues upon, ilicn this Argument falls to the Ground. Circutncifion then was the fame to tlie Ifraelites, as Baptifm ']s to Chriftians •, but theChiid thatdy'd Uncircumcis'd, wasnotlook'd upon asdamn'd; and therefore when David's Child by Baih-Sheba lay fick, and dy'd on the feVenth Day, we don't find that eitherD/if/rf prefum'd in this dangerous Cafe to have it Circumcis'd before the appoint-ed Day^ or that he lamented it for dying Uncircumcis'd •, and this is the •very Topick from whence Si. Ambrofe took occafion to alfert the Salvation oiVdentinian Junior, who dy'd before Baptifm. Vid.Ambr. Condon, in Obit. Valent. If then Circumcift?n was the fame of old, as Eaptifni ii- now -, and if the Minifiers who fhall Baptize, are as much appointed by Chrift, as the eighth Day was appointed by God for Circumcifion, then. there can be no more NecefTuy now for Baptizing without fuch appointed Minifters, than there was for Circumciiing before the appointed Day j for 'tis nowhere faid, that he who dyes Unbapriz'd is damn'd ; But that there are Per- fon* appointed by Chrift to Baptize , I ftiall prov€ prefently* Sr. Aujiin gees a great deal farther yet, and ftands up for the Vali- •dity of Lay- Baptifm, even in Cafes of no NecefTuy ^ and the Pa- pifts allow of Baptifm not only by Women, •but €ven by yews and Fagans. Vid. Florent, Cone. An. Dom. 145^. The Father then, lib* edv. Bp. Fftrffen, cap, 13, thas srgues, Sedetfi mlh mcej^tate «» ft,.i. ^, . , . ^ ;.. . fwrpetur^ defcended upon them, and upon their whole Generation. But to return to my Purpofe, CflAP. of Vincentius Lirinenfis. a 6j CHAP. XII. ^he Danger of hamng itching Ears after new Teachers^ and the Necejpty of ad' hering to found DoBrine. ALterations in Faith , and Innovations in Religion, are Piacular, and of all things the moft to be dreaded 5 for not only the Con- ftitutions of the Church, but a Cenfure alfo of ^ Apoftolick Authority, read us a terrible Ledure againft Attempts of this Nature. All the World fees with what Force, Severity, and Vehemence the blefled Apoftle St. Faul inveighs againft Ep.(;4/.c; fome Men, who with marvellous Levity had ^' ^'2,3. beeny2> foon removd from him that call'd them by the Grace ofChrifi to another Go/pel, which is not another. Who, after their ovpn Lufis had 2 Tim. /^.^i heaped to themf elves Teachers, and tnrnd arvay^' their Ears from the Faith, and rvere turn'd unto Fabler'^ having Damnation, becaufethey had caji itim.$.i2, off their firfl Faith, being deluded by thole Teachers, mentioned by the fame Apoftle in his Epiftle to the Brethren of Rome. Non>, I Rom. 15. befeech you, Brethren, mark them which caufe * 7« Divifions and Offences, contrary to the DoBrine which ye have learn d, and avoid them ^ for they that are fuch, ferve not our Lord Jefus ChriB^ but their own Belly ^ and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the hearts of the jimple : Who creep into Houfes, and lead captive filly Women 2 rim. 2. 6 fffden with Sins J ever (earning, and never able 7* ■ 5 - ^^ ,. a 68 The Commonitory to come to the f^nowledge of the Truth : Vain Ttt. I. lo, Talkers, and Deceivers^ who fubvert whole Hou' II* fes , teaching things which they ought not, for 2Ttm.^.B./ilthy Lucre's fake : Men of corrupt Minds, re* \Tm.6.^,P^obate concerning the Faith: Frond, knowing S' nothing, but doting about ^eflions, and Strifes of Wordfy who are deftitute of the Truth, fuppo- I Tm. $. fi^i, ^^^^ Gain is Godlinefs : And withal they 13. learn to be idle^ and not only idle, but Tatlers alfo and Bufy-bodies , fpeaking things which they %Tm. I. ought not : Who having put away a good Confci- 19' ence, concerning Faith have made Shipwrack ' a77w.2. Whofe profane and vain Bablings increafe unto f^' more TJngodltnefs, and their Word eateth as doth a Canker. But to our Comfort 'tis written like- ^Tm. 3.9. wife, that they Jhall proceed no farther 5 for their * Jannes Folly jhall be manifeji unto all Men, as * theirs and Jam- alfo WOS. *'"' When therefore fome fuch Merchants as thefe, who ftroll'd about Town and Countrey vending their falfe Dodrines, came and held forth among the Galatians, and the People up- on hearing thefe new Teachers, fo naufeated the Truth, the Apoftolick Catholick Doctrine, that they keck'd at the Heavenly Manna, and nothing wou'd go down but thefe filthy Here- tical Novelties, then the Apoftle, upon this Occafion, exercisd his Authority, and with all the Severity imaginable thus decreed , That Gal. 1. 8. ^^^* ^^^ ^^ ^" Angel from Heaven preach auy other Gofpel unto you, than that which we have preach' a unto you, let him be accurfed. But what is the drift of the Apoftle, in faying, Tho' we^ why not as well, Tho 1 ^ Why, this i$ much more full <7^ Vincentius Lirinenfis. 26 p full and comprehenfive 5 and as if he fhou'd have faid, Tho* Peter, tho' Andrew, tho John^ tho' the whole College of Apo{kks,ftfOft*d preach 4my other Gofpel, let them be accurfed, A very tremendous Anathema ! wherein he neither fpares himfelf, nor his Fellow- Apoftles , the better to eftablifti us in the Primitive Faith. And as if this had been too little , he adds, Tho an Angel from Heaven preaches any other Gofpel, let him be accurfed. For fear a Curfe upon Man only (hou'd prove an infufficient Sanftion for the Security of the Faith once de- liver'd, he rifes higher , and pronounces the like Anathema againft the Angelick Order alfo, Tho we, or an Angel ( fays he ) from Heaven^ &c. Not that the Apoftle thought it poffi- ble for thofe holy and heavenly Spirits to fin now any more ^ but his meaning is, that if that (hou'd happen, which never can happen, whoever he is, that attempts any Alterations in the Original Faith, let him be accurfed. CHAP. XIII. An Answer to fome Obje^ions againji this Anathema of the Apojile. BU T here, perhaps, fome may fay , that St. Paul mi^t overfhoot himfelf a little in hafte, and, in decreeing this Anathema, fol- low rather his own Impulfe, than theDiredions of the Divine Spirit. God preferve us from I fuch o,jo The Commonitory fuch a Thought 1 for the Apoftle perfues it as a Matter of fuch grand Importance, that he in- culcates it over and 6ver again with all the Gal 1.9. Force of repeated Affeverations, As vpefdd be- fore^ fo fay I now again^ if any Man preach any other Gofpel untoyoH^ than that ye have received^ let him he accnrfed, Tis not here faid, If any Man preach any other Gofpel unto you, than that ye have receivd^ let him be blefled, applauded, and entertained amongft you 5 but let him be j4«4f ^e«?4,that is feparated, turn'd out and cut off from the Communion of the Church 3 for fear the damnable Contagion of one Sheep ftiould fpread it felf through the Flock of Chrift, and infed the Faithful. But 'twill be objected per- haps, that this Canon refpefted the GaUtians only, and does not extend it felf to us in thefe times. But for the fame reafon thofe other Rules in the conclufion of this Epiftle may be faid to refpeft the Galatians only 5 namely fuch Gal. s. 2$, as thefe, If we live in the Spirit, let us alfo rpal^ * - in the Spirit, let us not he deftrons of vain Glory ^ provoking one another., envying one another, 6cc. But now if it be abfurd to underftand thefe Texts with Reftriftion, and if they are equal- ly binding to all Mankind, then is it evident, that as thefe Rules about Chriftian Morality, fo thofe Provifions made for the Chriftian Faith, are both alike obligatory and corapre- henfive. CHAP. of Vincentius Lirinenfis. 27 1 CHAP. XIV. Ihz foregoing Argument farther illujlrated. AS MHtnal Provocations and Envyings will never be lawful to any ChriftianS' at any time, fo will it always be full as unlawful to admit of any Doftrine as an Article of Faith, but what has univerfally been held as fuchin the Catholick Church. But perhaps this Ana- thema of the Apoftle againft the Preachers of any other Gofpel, may be look upon as Tempo- rary and peculiar to that Age only, but as now to be canceird and of no Obligation. But for the fame reafon this other Command, I fay then, walk in the Spirit, and ye /hall not fulfil the Lnft of the Flejh, rauft be Temporary alfo, and not of univerfal Obligation to all Chrifti- ans at all times. But now, if it be extremely impious, and no lets dangerous to believe thus, then does it neceflarily follow, that as thefe Rules about Praftice are eternally binding, fo thofe other againft innovating in the Faith do in like manner oblige forever. To ^preach there- * Adnitvciare ergo aliquid Chriflianis Catholkis pM^r id quod ac- ceperunty &c.]] To propofe any thing to Chnft'un ^fholkks hefides what they have rece'ivd, never was, never is, and never will be lave- ful ; and to Anathematize fuch as declare any thing, but what they have received, ever was, ever is, and ever will be a Duty. This in- deed is a great Truth, and had been an excellent jyiotto, worthy to have been infcrib'd in Letters of Gold, and plac'd before the Trent-Cotwcil for the Rule of their Proceedings ; who made an Oath not to receive or expound Scripture but according to the uni- form ^-2 '^kk Commonitdry 'ijMf therefore toChrtjmn Catholicks any other Dtf&rwe than what they have receivd , never voas^ never is^ and never will be lawful. And to Anathe- matize form Confent of the ancient F^f Aery. And yet Baronius who had taken his Oarh, forgets himfelf and tells us, That the rmft holy Fa- thers^ whom for their profound Learning we call the D hilars of the Churchy the Catholick, that is, the Roman Church, does not altpuys^ and in every thing follow in the Interpretation of Scrip. Baron. Annul. Ecclef. An. 34. n. 215. p. 258. Colon. But they can, it feems, go ofFo<;- cafionally from their Oath, and the Fathers too, when it miy ferve a Turn. And are not thefe rare Folks to cry out upon Innovation, and to fhoot out their Anathemas againft the Proteftant World, and from the (Imver of Vincentim, when Bellarmin indireftOp- pofition to the Catholick Maxim before us, without mincing the matter (hall plainly declare, That the Church of Utter Time hath Power ^ not only to declare and explain , but even to cnnflitute and command what (hall belong to the Faith ? Bellar. Tra^. de poteft. Sum. Pontif. If then the latter Churchy that is, the Church of Rome hath Power to Conftitute and Command more Doftrines to be believ'd as neceftary to Salvation, than were believ'd by the Primi- tive Church, then has it Power to make new Creeds every Day, and that to be a neceffary Article now, which fifteen hundred Years ago and upwards, was never dreamt off. And if fo, me' thinks tney might fpare their Complements upon the Fathers, and our Author in particular, who writes this whole Book only to prove, that Antiquity, Vniverfality, and Confent, is the Bule we ought to go by in the Interpretation of Scripture, which he affirms to be the Perfell Canon of Faith and Manners, againft the exprefs Doftrine of that Church. The Maxim here laid down, is a Conclufion di- reftly drawn from feveral Texts of Scripture; the Chief of which, and what he has thought fit to explain and inculcate over and over again is this. But though we, or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Go/pel to you, tso.} 0, befides what we have preached to you, let him be accurfed. Vincentiv.s by his prAterquam quod evangelixavi' mw , feems|fi> expound thele words in the fame Sence with St. Chryfojlomfhnd St. Auftin ; }y Ik %'7nv, \a:v iva.v]ia. KoijapyiK' /^atriv , dwd Kxv f/./x-^.cV t/ avctyfi\i^oy^ -srap ouayfiKKrei- fjiiBac.. fie faith not, if they preach things contrary, but if they preach things never fo little different from the Gofpel which we have prei^h- ed to you. See alfo St. Auliin, contra lit. Petil.ap. 6. p. 167. But fuppofing wich fome Kom'ifl) Expofitors we iTiouId underfland by 'TTAf 0, not fomething befides, but fomething contrary to what |he Apoftle preached, I can t fee how it mends the matter. For certaia vf Vincentius Lirinenfe. if^ matize the Setters forth of ftrange Articles, ezfer was, ever is, and ever will be a Duty, Since this is the Cafe, who will be fo hardy as td brfeak in upon the Creed of the Church, or fd exceeding moderate and occajidttal as to admit of fuch Innovation } That chofen VeiTel cries out, that Dodor of the Gentiles, that Trum- pet of the Apoftles, that Herald of the World cries out 5 he that was caught up into the Third Heaven, and was made confcious of things unutterable, ^ cries out again and again in all his Epiffcles, Whoever preaches a new Do- Brine let him be accurfed. On the other fide^ the Frogs and the Gnats , and the Infers but of a Day, fuch as the Pelagians, remonftrate back again, to the CathoUcks too, on this wife^ certain it is, that a Man may err damnably, not only by rejefting i fundamental Article, but by preffing Things unnecelfary to be be= liev'd, as neceffary to Salvation. And this I take to be the very Cafe here before us j for the Teachers againft whom St; Panl pro- nounces this Anathema^ are fuch as join'd the Obfervation of the Law, as neceflary to the Faith of the Gofpel. And by this they, taught that what the Apoftle preach'd as neceflary to Sjlvation, was not neceflary without their Additions ; which is the very Thing we charge upon the Papifts^ for their new Articles of Treht^ and their Tradithnary Doftrines. For if thefe are neceflary to Sal- vation, (as they fwear they are) and yet are not contain'd in Scrip' tHrCy then Scripture is not fufficient to Salvation ; and then St. Paul's Anathema cannot be juft and true, tho' twice together averr'd by him with all the Solemnity imaginable. Here then with Vincenti' M we fix and fet our Feet, and with him declare , That to Preach up any thing to Chrijiian CathoUcks, as Matter of Faith, be fides what they have received, never was, never is, and never will be lawful^ and to Anathematiz^e fuch as declare any thing as necejfary, befidis what they have feceiv'd , eiier was ^ ever is, and ever will be a Duty. '' *" Clamat, ^ repetendo clawat, &c.3 I tranflace according to this Reading of Baluziw^ and not by the Cambridg-e EdicioD, whicK tcads cLmet. T they 274 "^^"^^ Commonitory they remonftrate and cry, Vpon our Exaf»pte, our Authority y and the Faith of our Expofitors^ condemn what you once believd ^ and helkve vphat yoH once condemn d 3 lay aftde the ancient Faith, the Inflitutions of your Fathers, the De- pojftum of your Ancefiors , and receive — 'What, I tro! muft we receive? Why, even what I tremble to mention 5 for their Notions favour fo much of Pride and Self-fufficiency, that in my Opinion not only the maintaining of them, but even the touching upon them in order to refute them is in fome meafure criminal. CHAP. XV. Why *very great Men are Why, Thou fljalt not he arisen unto the Words of that Prophet, or that Dreamer of Dreams, But why then, I befeech you, does God permit the Preaching of that, which he will not have followed } Becaufe, fays Mofes, the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your Heart and with all your Soul. Here then you clearly fee for what Reafon the divine Providence fometimes per- mits fome celebrated Doftors of the Church to preach up ftrange Dodtrines 5 it is, faith Mo- fes, that the Lord yourGod may prove you. And *a great and powerful Proof without doubt it is, when he, whorn you look upon as a Pro- phet, or a Difciple of Prophets, or a Do(9:or, and zealous Stickler for the Truth 5 when he. World, and nor to the Will of Man. He deny'd the Refurreftion of the Flcfh, and affirm'd the Soul and Spirit only to be faved by ChriH:. VicL Aug H&xef, ii. The Valer.t'mians , fays Ire,i(fiw, call ichemfelves, the Spiritual •, and the Orthodox , Pfychicos^ the ant- mil Men; that thefe Animals linow not the Truth , and for that i-eafon* mu.l be beholden to Faith and goad Worlds for their Salva- tion ; but for themferves, they ftand in need of no fuch Things, becaufe they are naturally Spiritual^ and cannot !ofe their Spiritu- ality -J and therefore tho'Sin may damn the Churchmen, yet itcapk hot hurt the Siiints, hen, lib. i.' adv, Valent, ' •'^^■'••■^ ■■ •-■••■■■ ■ ' - • I of Vincentius Lirinenfis. 1J9 I fay, whom you exceedingly revere and love, privily drops his baneful Errors, and fo (lily mixes 'em with Truth, that whilft you are blinded with the Authority of the Deceiver, you cannot prefently perceive the Deceit 5 and 'tis very hard to condemn the Doftrine, when you admire the Dodor. CHAP. XVI. This Rule of Mofes exemplify d from fome "very con Cider able Tempters in the Church of Cbriji, BUT here perhaps fame may be defirous of feeing thefe words of holy Mofes con- firm'd and illuftrated with fome Inftances from Eccle/iafticks ^ the Defire is not unreafonable, and therefore (hall not ftay long without Sa- tisfadion. And to avoid all obfcure and far- fetched Examples, I (ball begin with that glaring Inftanceof Temptation Ni?^m///^ for when that * unhappy Perfon, changing of a fudden from Sheep ^ Cum infelix ille Neflorm, ^c] To illuftrate the foregoing Rule of jyfofes^ our Author has fingled out three eminent Tempta- tions of the like kind ; the firft of which is Neflorhif, who was an infamous Heretick, ftigmatiz'd by all the Writers oi that Age, con- demn'd by a General Council, abandon'd by his beft Friends, de- pos'd and banifh'd from place to place, and then was never recall'd, but dy'd a harden'd, unpitied ffereticl^ ; and if Evagrius is to be credited, had his Tongue eaten up with Worms, as a PuniOimenj: of the Blafphemies it uttered. However, the unhappy Nejhrin^^ T 4 the The Commonitory Sheep to Wolf, began to worry the Flock of Chrift, the Temptation was almoft invincible, becauCe the greateft Part even of thofe that were ^he Scandal of Chriftendom in his owir Age , has been happier m ?his, and has met with fome Pity and Moderation in thefe Times pf Mercy. For it feems to be infinuated by a. very learned Prelate^ That the mal(it)g of Two Ferfons in Chriji was only faftened on him as a Coiifequence, an3 that Nejiorius was mifunderjiood and hardly ttfed. It has indeed been thought from fome unwary ExprefFtons and Similitudes common to both, that his Lordjhip had no Averiion to Neflorianifm ; but far be any fuch Thought from me, becaufe he has afferted the contrary in exprefs Terms -, it would be as hard to charge him with Confequences , as he feems to think it in the Cafe of Nejiorius, But it is to be wilh'd , that his Lordjhip had dropt fome Reafons with his gentle Infinuation, as if Neftorius had been mifunderjiood and hardly ufed. For cho' I will not prefume tn cenfure his Tendernefs for this reputed Heretic]^, or any one elfe, yet his Lordfliifs Integrity and Learning arc fo well known, that they are enough almoft to endanger the Cfedit of a General Council^ and of all the Hiflorians of that Age. But I am ftill to rave fome Charity for the Wifdom and Honeftv of the Keprefen- tatives of the VniverfaL Church , and to think that Neflorius was peither mifunderjiood nor hardly ufed, till I fee fome Reafons for the 'Infinuation. The Chararter of the Man, his Flerefie, and Condem- nation, are all fet forth by Vincentius -, and he writing but three Years after the Ephefme Council thatcondemn'd him, may be look'd upon as a very credible Writer. His Charader is the thing I am chiefly concern'd in at prefent ; and becaufe Socrates^ a grave and judicious Hiftorian of .the fame Age, has dcfcrib'd him likevvif(? with all the I'roteftations of Impartiality imaginable, I fhall fee down Jiis Difcription in ftiort as the beft Comment upon our Au- thor; Upon the Death of Sifinnius, Archbi (hop of Conjlantinopley Fhilip and Proclus, two Presbyters of that City, made two pow- erful Faftions to fucceed him, but the Emperor Thecdofiusjun. to give a Check to fuch ambitious Praftices, rcfolv'd that none of the pergy of that City ftiould have the Government of that Church, 3nd fo feat for the Stranger Nejlorim from Antioch^ and inverted him in the 3ee of Conflar.tinople three Months after the Vacancy, pe Vb'as a Perfon much cry'd up, and by very many, for his Tem- perance ; but as to his other Qualities, he gave early Symptoms of ^ dillemper'd Mind, and the wifer Phyficians foon felt his Pulfe, and forcfaw what was to be exptfted from a Man, who in his firf^ §<.Mmon could addrefs the Emperor on this wife, King, give me Jfejk ii Land l>hrgd frotn Herzp!cl>j, md I in return mil give yon ' ' " ' "" ' -■ ' V. - • >■■ ■ j^g^yg^,^ of Vincentius Lirinenfis. 28 1 were worried , took him all this while for a Sheep, and fo took little or no care to keep out of his Clutches. For who could eafily fufpeft Heaven ; Do you hut ]o'm with me hi the Extirpation of Hereticks, and I will do as much for you againft the Ferfians. This, fays So- crateSf took mightily with the Mob, who hated the Name of Ne- reticki hut the more prudent Party took it as an EarnefV of his Va- nity, Pride, and Fiercenefs, and were in amaze that a Stranger before he had well tafted the Water of the City^ fhould proclaim War from the Pulpit againft all fuch as were not of his Opinion, and he was foon as bad as his Word •, for in five Days after his Confecration, he attempted to demolifti the Arian Conventicle , and forc'd 'em in defpair to burn it, from whence he had the Name of Incendiary. He miferably harralTed the Novatians, and barba- foufly perfecuted the ^artodecimans oi Afia, Lydia, znd Cartas and caus'd many Murthers at Miletw and Sardis. Vid. Socr. Hifi. Ecclef. lib. 7. c. 29. He perfecuted likewife the Macedonians^ and perfuaded the Emperor to take away all their Churches, and could no more live without Contention, than a Drunkard without Wine. But it came home to him at lart, and the Perfecutor was ferv'd in his own kind, fays the fame Hiflorian^ cap. 51. And in the fol- lowing Chapter, for my part (fays Socrates J upon reading ^h.(^^ Books of Neflorius^ I found him to be an ignorant Perfon j and without Prejudice or AfFeftion, as I havepublifh'd his Vices, fo I will not detraft from hisVertues, but give you his juft Charafter. I look upon Nejlorius neither as a Fault aniji or a Photinian, nor to liave alTerted our Lord to be altogether a meer Man ; but he was frighted at the word 0so7o;^©-, or Mother of Gody as at a Bugbear', and this Fright was the EfFeft of his egregious Ignorance ; for be- ing naturally a Man of many Words, and great Fluency, he mi- ftook himfelf for a Perfon of Depth and Learning, whereas in truth he was a very fliallow and illiterate Perfon. The Books of •the Primitive Interpreters he would not vouchfafe the Reading; and he Was fo extremely fmitten and elated with his own Elo- quence, that he look'd upon himfelf as preferable to all before him ; and yet fo great a Stranger to Scripture was he , as not to know that in the Catholick Epiftle of St. John it was written in the ancient Copies, on 'stav 'Tsvivi/.a., K^ r 'lHfl"S'c, "im t -S-sk, ««. Ir/ • which according to Valefius's Tranflation and Conjefture in his Notes, is to be EngUJh'd thus. Every Spirit that divides Jefus from Gody it not of God. This Text the Interpreters of old obferv'd fo have been corrupted by fuch as defign'd to feparate the Man from ^ody but the Humanity is fo clolely united to the Divinity, that ihey gre noc Two, but Dae Perfon. Upon this Text it was, that "■ ■' '■ " " ' ■ - ■ ^ ■'* '""" ■" " "'■ ' ■' " the 282 The Commonitfiry fufpeft the Heretick in a Man, whom he faw fo fignally advanc'd, with the Approbation of the whole Empire , and fo mightily admired by the Biftiops. One who had got fo far into the AfFedtions of the Faithful, and with the univerfal Applaufe of the People publickly ex- pounded every Day the Word of God, and confuted the pernicious Errors both of Jew and Gentile ^ How then could fuch a Perfon fail of paffing for an orthodox Teacher, a found Preacher, and a Man of unfufpefted Principles > A Man, who to open a Door for his one fingle Herefie, loudly inveigh'd agajnfi: the Blafphemies of all other Herefies whatever. the Ancients made no Scruple to call the Virgin (diolL^av^ or the /Mother of God. That Eufebius lib. 5. de vit. Conftan. cKprefly fays that Emanuel , which is God vcith «^, was contented to be born for us, and the place of his Nativity is by the Hebrews called Beth- lehem J that Queen Helena, adorn'd the facred Cave , where the Virgin Mother' of God was deliver'd, wiih extraordinary Monuments. That Origert fully handles this Oueftion, why jhe it to be called €>iojoK@-y Tom. 1. Comment, in Epijl. ad Rom. And therefore 'tis notorioufly evident, that it muA bb profound fj^norance of Anti- quity in Nejiorm to refiife to call Aiary the Mother of God. And JafUy, in the ^4th Chapter ot the fame Book, we find him thus replying in Council to thofe who profefs'd Chrijl to be God ^ For mypart^ he who was hat two or three Months old, I cannot call God. And with that threw out o( the Synod, and would come at 'em no more. Now this alope to me fufficiently fpeaks the Size and Spirit of the Man ^ and to tell the Council with his own Mouth that he could not acknowledge a Child to be Gody is a great, deal more than fomething collefted from his Writings, and faftend on him as a Confequence. And therefore I cannot but wonder, how a prating, ignorant, propdi furious, bloody Heretick, (for fo Socrates calls him) condemn'd by a Genejral Council, by all his Friends, and the beft Writer^ of that Age, ftiould come after all this to be fo grofly mijunderftood ^ and fo gently ufed by a moft knowing and learned Father of our own Church, to the great Scan- dal of the Epheftne Council. But more of this when we come p fji^ Herefie of Nejlorius^ and the Proceedings of that Synod. % Cut of Vincentius Lirinenfis. 283 But this is the very Thing accounted for in thofe words of Mofes, The Lord your God proveth you, tok^ftovp whether you Love him Jincere^ ly or not. But to dwell no longer upon the Qualifications of Nejiorius '^ a. Perfon, who fpr his Reputation, was always more beholden to the World, than tlie World to him 5 more to Fame than to Experience 3 and who for fome time kept up his Credit with the People, more upon the account of his human , than divine Accomplifhments. To pafs over him therefore, I (Jiall go to fome others of greater Proficiency, greater Induftry, and confequent- ly much greater Temptations to the Catholicks. A Temptation of this Size was that ^ Photinus of the Church of Sirmium in Hungary, in the Memory of our Fore-Fathers. For after he was ' Photinus Ecclefiam S'nmitanam tentaffe memoratur.'] Fhot'mu* Bifhop of Sirtnlum was born in GallogrAcm-^ he was Deacon and Difciple cf Marcellus of Ancyra , and trod in part in his Ma- iler's Seeps. Socr. I. 2. c. 13. Hkron. Catnl. Hilar. Fragm. He had a mighty TaJentac Harangue, and was extremely fubtle in his Reafoning, (pdaza^ '^yj^v zii \ifHv xj -ueiBtHV ix.a.vofy faith So7;^(^' men, lib. 4. c. 6. Hi was turn'd by Nature for an Orator, and a mighty Man hz was in ths Art of Perfuafion. The chief Study of Photinus, 2s well as of the other Arch-Hercticks, was, to take the People by the Ears vvich enticing Words, and to lead 'em from the Simplicity of the Gofpel by worldly Wifdom. Upon his refufing to Sign the Confejjion of Sirmium, he was depos'd, and Germinius plac'd in his room ; but upon condition he would recant and fub- fcribe , the Synod proffer'd to reflore him , but he rejefted the Proffer •, and depending upon his Parts , appeal'd to Conflantiw, and challeng'd his Opponents to' a Difputation ; Eafil Bilhop of Anqra was the Man pitch'd upon by the Emperor to manage the Controverfie , and Notaries appointed to take the Arguments on both fides. In ri.e Difpute JPhotinus was baffled, and fnortly sfter Ijanifiiedo He vyrose Books both in Grce^ and Latin, being Ma- 284 ^^^ Commonitory was advanc'd to chat Bi(hoprick with general Applaufe, and for fome time had play'd the Part of a Catholkk^ all of a fudden, like that Prophet or Dreamer of Dreams in Mofes, he began to cajole the People of God committed to his Charge to follow Jirafrge Gods, that is ftrange Errors, which they had ttot knovptt. But this is the ufual Trade of Hereticks. How- ever, that which rendered him fo confiderable a Temptation , was , the mighty Accomplilh- ments he had for doing Mifchief. For he had a marvellous Command of Wit, fet off with all the Advantages of Learning, and of a fweet and powerful Elocution 3 and in (hort, ,a moft able Preacher he was. How fluently and fo- lidly he could difpute and write both in Greek and Latin ^ is notorioufly evident from the Monuments he has left in both Languages. But God be thanked, the Flock of Chrift com- mitted to his Care was upon their Guard, and kept a watchful Eye upon the Catholick Faith, and being forewarn'd, were forearm'd with the Advice of Mofes-^ and tho* they were charm'd with the Eloquence of their Prophet and Paftor, yet were they not fo dazl'd, as not to fee thro' the Temptation 5 for him, whom heretofore they foUow'd as the Leader of the Flock, they began afterwards to fly as the Wolf. fter of both Languages, as Vincent'im pbferyes -, he propos'd his own Doftrine as the only way of Truth, and wrote againft all other Herefies. Socr.l. 2. c. go. Soxnm. I. 4. c. 6. He fpeni his Exile io writing againft the Catholick Faith, and dy'd in Herefie and Ba- Diftiment. Epipbati. adv. Haref. 71. 'What his Herefie was, and how condemn'd, will be feea in its proper place. But <)^ Vincentius Lirinenfis. 285 But not only from the Example of Fhotiftut^ but from that of ^ Apollwaris alfo, we may learn the great Danger of Temptations of this kind ^ "' Apoinnar'ts f Sic.'] Of the Temptations here mention'd, ApolUnaris was incomparably the greateft. For he had vaft Stores of divine and human Learning, with all the Charms of Poetry to make his way into the Affeftions of Priefts and People. He was the Son of a Presbyter of the fame Name^ and fo Father and Son are frequently confounded both by the i4«aenfy and ^o^eriw. He was born at Laodicea, and made Bifhop of the fame Place. Vid. Atha- naf. Synod. Ep. ad Eufeb. ^ Lucifer, p^ 580. Epiphan. Hdef. 77. Hieron. Catal. the' this by fome is queftion'd. He was bred up under the famous Gentile Sophift Epiphanius ; and being prefent one Day with his Father to hear his Mafter recite a Hymn in ho- nour of Bacchus^ and ftaying after the Pagan had order'd accord- ing to Cuftome the propbane and uninitiated to be gone, they were both excommunicated by Theodotus^ Bifhop of Laodicea^ who had given them fair warning before againfl keeping Company with EpiphaniuSy to the great Scandal of the People ^ but upon their Re-, pencance were both again receiv'd by him into Communion. How- ever, Georgius an Arian, and SuccefTor to Theodotta , laid hold of this Pretence to excommunicate 'em again , but the true Reafon was, for correfponding with Athanafius at Laodicea in his Return fr)m Banifhment. When Georgius would be wrought upon by no Application or Entreaty whatever, ApolUnaris forthwith facrific'd his Faith to his Refentments, drefs'd up a damnable Herefie, and rais'd violent and lafling Convulfions in the Church. SoT^om. I. 6, c. 25. Nor is it flrange that a Perfon fo belov'd and admir'd by all the great Men of his Age, and of a Geniw fo prodigioufly exren- five, fhould upon his Fall prove a very powerful Temptation. For he was highly valu'd by Attianafius, Bafil^ Epipbaniusy Jerome^ &c. Vid. Epiphan, Hxref. 77. Bafil. Epijl. 82. Hieron. Epijh 64. As to his Skill in i^oecry, we are told by Soj^omeny lib. §. c. i8. that he wrote the Annquicy of the Hebrews down to Saul in heroick Vcrfe, in Imi ration of Homer y a Poem confifting of twenty four Parrs. He wrote Comedies after the way of Menandery and Tragedies after the manner of EuripideSy and Odes in imitation of Pindar. And in fh irr, fays the Hijlorian, he took his Subjefts from facred Scrip* ture, and in a little time composed as much, and as well as any of the Creeli Poets, either with refpcft to the Finenefs of Thought, the Purity of ExprefTion, or the Beauty of Mtthcd. Infomuch, that; if Men were not Idolizers of Antiquity, they would f\udy and ad- mire the Books of ApolUnaris y as much as any of the Ancients % and the rather^ becsufe his comprehenfive Genius took in all forts of / n The Commonitory kind in the Church of Chrift ^ and withal fee what Care and Pains are necelTary for the Pre- fervation of a found Faith on fuch Occafions. \ For ' of Science, whereas they of old excell'd in one kind of Learning only. Befides, to make ApoH'inaris a more confiderable Tempta- tion yet , he was a Man o{ li 4 luaiCtieti 'sfe/fli/MV©' 'vire^aw 'TtSov i K) r 'A7ro?-oKlKau eTof/zstT-ftJC J^'o^eti \a^it(m'i(^eiV , &c. Theodoret. I. §. c. 3. Who putting onaMas\ of Piety pafs'd for an ex' traordinary Defender of the ApofioUck Do^mes. With this Shew of Religion, and this Subflance of Learning the Heretkk fet out, and was join'd by Vitalis^ a Presbyter of Antioch^ according to So:{^o- jnen,l.6. t. 25. (but a Lay-man as the Alexandrian Chrontcon af- fures us, ad An. Julian, i. p. 688.) who for Iiis Painfulnefs in his Calh'ng, and the Severity of his Life, went for a fanftify'd Man of the firft Rate afnong the People. Thefe two fet up feparate Meet- ings in feverdl Cities, and us'd different Rites, and different Hymns from the Catholick Churches, Hymns of ApoUinar'is's own compo- ^ fing ', for befides his other Learning , he was, 'r^rcivjoS'ct.Tuv fjii- ' (WTt^ -ue^ffiXi^y^ Majier of all the Meafures in Poetry,, and by the Svoeetneffes of his Verfe drew over the People in abundance And you eould not go to a Feaft, ilor fee a Man ac work, or a Woman at her DiftafF, but you (hould hear 'em finging feme of the Songs of " Apollinaris. Vid. Soxpm. lib. 6. c. 25. 'lis teftify'd alfo by all the Ancients, that he wrote a vaft deal upon the Gofpels and Epiflles^ and other Subjects. Socr. I. 3. c \6. He wrote likewife againft the Arians ^ Eummius, Origen, and many other Hereticks-, he com- posed many Homilies and Letters, and wrote againft Diodorus of Tarfus. Vid. Dupin's Ecclef. Hijl. in the Life 0/ Apollinaris, yvith the l^otes thereon. Of all which , befides fome few Fragments, wa have nothing left that bears the Name of Apollinarit, but a noble Tranflation of the Pfalnis in Verfe. But of all his Works, the Treatife here mention'd by V'tncentiw, divided into thirty Books, in defence of Religion againfl Porphyry the Philofopher, is by all the Ancients look'd upon the beft^ not only of this Author, but the beft that was ever written upon that Subjeft. The learned Dupin mentions another great Book of ApoUinarU, Concerning the Truth, againfl the Emperor Julian, and the Pagan Philnfopbers, and So:(omen likewife /. 5. c. 18 mentions a Book written by him, \i!^ «tAn9ei<*f, but whether this is not the fame with the other, may be juftly queftion'd. After all, this nniverfal Genius by fear- ing above the Simplicity of the GolpeJ, and by philolophizing too much upon the Incomprehenfibic Myfleries of our Faith, fell into Herefie j and as yincentiia eiicdlentl;^ obferves, he had been one of of Vincentius Lirinenfis. 287 For til is Perfon rais'd a mighty Combuftion, and threw his Hearers into very great Per- plexities 3 becaufe while the Authority of the Church drew one way, and their Affedions to their old Teacher pull'd back another , the People in this fluduating Condition did not fufficiently deliberate which fide they ought to follow* But here perhaps it may be faid, that Apollinaris was no fuch dangerous Temptati- on, as being (hallow and contemptible, and a Perfon of little Credit. But no fuch matter 5 for he was a Man of that Reputation and Abi- Kty, that almoft every one was over hafty in believing him, in moft things that he taught. For tell me a Man of a more piercing Wit, of greater Quicfcnefs, and more univerfal Learn- ing? How many Herefies he fupprefs'd, and in how many Volumes, how many Anti-Chri- ftian Errors he confuted, that nobleft and lar- geft of all his Works confifting of no lefs than thirty Books, wherein he confounded the extra- vagant Calumnies of P^r/j^^r^ with greatVariety and Weight of Argument, is a fufficient Proof. It would be tedious to go over all his Works, which in good truth might have equall'd him to the greateft Pillars of the Church, bad not the Itch of prophane Curiofity led him afide after his own Inventions into I know jiot of the greateft Lum'marks of the Chriilian Church , had not a prophane Curioficy prov'd his Ruin. He flourifh'd in the beginning of Julians Keign, and dy'd under that of Tbeodofius. What his Herefie was will be fecn hereafter. The three Hereticks now mention 'd , being the Men cur Author hasj)articularly dilTefled, and lay'd open their Dvfcp>'«> ^ ^'t «f 'Xv^^cottov «X.9« • Athan. Orat. 4. contra Arian. The Word woi mnde M.in^ and mt came upon the Man already made ; and cnfequenily that Kefto- rius was neither mifunderjiood, nor hardly us'd^ is the Corclufioa of chi& Chapter. U 4 with IP 5 The Commonitory with a Defign to deceive ^ or it was certainly tis Opinion, that after the Delivery of the Virgin, the two Perfons did rneet together in pne Chrif]:, but in fuch a manner, that in the f:inie of the Virgin's Conception, or her Deli- very, and forae time after, there were two di- (linft Chrifts, So that, according to Neflarius, Chrift at firft was born a common meer Maa only, not as yet aflbciated in Unity of Perfon to God tk^ Word , but that afterwards the "Perfon of the ajjiiming Logos defcended upoa jiim 5 and tho' now by this AfTumption, he is become an Indweller in the Glory of God, yet pnce there feems to have been no difference between him and other Men. CHAP. XVIII. A Ke capitulation of the aforefaid Herefies^ and the Senfe of the Catholich^ Church as to thefe Points. AN D thus it is, that thefe Hereticks, Ne- fiortHJ , Apollinaris , and Photimis , like ytiad Dogs, bark againft the Catholick Faith ^ the Trinity is deny'd by Photinus 3 ApolVwaris affirms the EfTence of the God the Word to be convertible, and difowns two Subftances in thrift, affirming the Soul of Chrift not to be entirely perfect, or at moft but a Soul void of Vnderftanding, but that the Logos of God fup- ply'd rbs wans of Rationality. NefionHs a° ^f Vincentius Lirinenfis. ^p- verrs, that either always, or at leaft for fome time, there were two Chrifts. But the Catho* lick Church has right Notions both in refpe^l of God, and our Saviour, and accordingly nei- ther blafphemes the MyCtery of the Trinity, nor the Incarnation of Chrift : For the Church adores but one God in the Plenitude of the Trinity, and an Equality of Three Perfons in one and the fame Divine Majefty 5 and profef- fes one Chrift Jefus, not two, and owns the fame (Jefus) to be both God and Man. She believes that in him there are two Subftances, but one only Perfon 5 two Subftances, becaufe the Logos of God is not changeable, fo as to be converted into FleQi 5 one only Perfon, left by acknowledging two Sons , we might feern to worlhip not a Trinity, but a paternity. CHAP. XIX. A farther and more explicit Account of t fie My fiery of the ever blejfed Trinity. BUT this is a Matter of fuch Moment, that it well deferves to be confider'd over and over again, and to be ftated as diftindly and intelligibly as poffible. In God then there is one Subftance, but three Perfons 3 in Chrift^ two Subftances, but one Perfon 5 in the Tri- nity, there is >.» retf -vsPDratVei? tf-i/f)/4fi;/MV * «jc «AAo 3 }y rtAAo ' h y^ Tot rda. , it) TdjJTov .r» ©iQTt(]i. NaT^ian. Orat. $i. adv. Apollinar. For in the Trinity (we . fay) there k one and another, Perfon, for fear of confounding theSub- fiflences (or Perfons) •, but there u not one and another SubJ^ance j for the three are one and the f:me with rejpell to the Divinity of their Effence. J?o that Alius denotes the Perfon^ Aliud the Subftance or Nature of that Fe>/o)j. * Sicut in homine aliud Caro, (fy aliud Anitna ; fed unus idemque flomoy Anima ^ Caro.l For the diltinfter underftanding of per- \ fonal of Vincentius Lirinenfis, 2p^ thing , and the Soul another 5 yet neverthc- lefs the Flefli and Soul make but one Man. In Feter and Paul for inftance , the Soul is one thing fond Union, it muft be confider'd what we mean by the word Per- fon ; and in order to this, waving all Metaphyfical Differences be- tween Nature and Perfnn , or Effence and Hypftafis , I fhall keep clofe to my Author i Similitude and Reafoning. In Man then (fays he) there are two quite different Parts, a Soul and a Body ; the Soul refiefts, knows, choofes, {fyc. The proper Afts of the Body are to Eat, Drink, Generate, (^c. But tho' the Soul and Body are the immediate Caufes of fuch Aftions, yet they are not faid to be the Doers of them, but Peter ox Paut^ the Man^ the Ferfon, who refults from this Compoficion of Soul and Body, is charg'd with all the Aftions, and is the Subjeft of all the Paflions that arife from this Union of Flefh and Spirit. And tho' the Aftions and Pro- perties of one Nature cannot be truly affirm'd of the other, the Soul cannot be faid to eat and drink , or the Body to think, yet they may be reciprocally predicated of the fame Perfon, and Peter who is made up of thefe two different Parts may be truly faid to eat, drink, think, (^c. So that in (hort, a Pnfon is the ultimate IfTue or Produft , refulcing from the Compofition of Body and Soul ; which two Natures being mofl intimately united, tho' in- compatible in themfelves, yet the Operations of both may be in- differently affirm'd of the Perfon , who is a Compound of both. To fallow Vincentius now in the Application of this Similitude; rn our Saviour (fays he) there are two Natures, one divine, the other human, one of the Subftance of his Father, the other of the Subftance of the Virgin-Mother, but yet both Natures make but one and the fame Perfon^ Chrift Jefus, both God and Man. From this Perfonal Hypojiatical Union therefore of the divine and human Nature in Chrift , it neceffarily follows, that tho* Chrift as the Son of God i^ not capable of fuffering^ and as the Son of the Vir- gin, cannot be faid to be God ; yet both thefe Natures being fub- fiantially united in one Fer/on, Chriftjefus, there muft arife i Com- munication of Properties from fuch Union , and God may be faid to bleed and die, and the Son of the Virgin be truly faid to be God of God; that is, the Properties and Affeftions of the divine and Jiuman Nature may, and muft be promifcuoufly predicated of the fame Perfon^ who is made up of both. For if he who was born of the Virgiuy was the Virgin's Son, and he who was begotten of God before all Worlds is God of God, and thefe two are one Per- fon^ then muft the Virgin be the Mother of God, as well as God ^is Father. What I have to obferve farther at prefent, is, that tho' there are many Similitudes brought by the Ancients and Mo- "'■■■■■■■"" derns. 2O0 The CommonitoYy thing, and the FleOi another 5 but yet the Flefh and Soul are not two Peters ^ nor is the Soul one Paul, and the Flelh another Pad 5 but Peter is one and the fame Man, and Paul is one and the fame Man, confifting of tv/o different Na- tures of Body and Mind. Thus in one and the fame Chrift there are two Subftances, but one divine, the other human 5 one from God the Father, the other from the Virgin-Mother 5 one Go-eternal and equal to the Father, the other Temporary and inferior to the Father 5 derns to illuflrate this Union of the two Natures in Chrift, yet aie they all defeftive, and the^e is nothing in any Clafs of created Be- ings that can give us a perfeft and adequate Refemblance of it. For the Similitude of Soul and Body making one Perfon^ tho' 'tis very apt and fignificative, (for which and fome other like Ex- preflions hereafter mention'd, Vrncentius has pafs'd for the Au- thor of the Creed commonly call'd Athamfian) yet this, I fay, in many things is lame and deficient. For Soul and Body are incom- plete, imperfeft Natures, concurring to the Complexion and Ex- iftenceof a Fer[on that never did exift before; whereas in Chrift both Natures are complete and perfeft, concurring (if I may fo fpeak) to make up one P^rfoti^ who had a Subfiftence before from all Eternity, tho' not after^he fame manner as when thcWord teas made flefl}. The other celebrated Simile y is that of Alexander of Hales, Sum. Theolog. fart. 5. QH£ii. 7. Memb. i. Art. i. And it is the Branch of one kind of Tree ingrafted into a Tree of another Kind. For as the Tree is one, and yet hath two different Natures, and bear- cth two different kinds of Fruit; fo Chrift is one Per/on, and yet hath two different Natures , and produceth different Fruits, different Aftions proper to each Nature ; and as in the Tree there arifeth mo Mixture or Confufion of Natures from this ingrafted Union , lo neither does there from the Perfmal Union of the divine and human Nature in Chrift, And laftly, as we may truly fay after fuch Ingrafting , that this Vine is an Olive Tree , and this Olive Tree is a Vine ; fo may we as truly fay, that this Son of Mary, is the Son bf God^ and that this Son of God is the Son of Mary. But .tho' this Siipilicude is a very good one, yet is it deficient in fome Particulars, as might eaiily be ftiewn, was it not too tedious here to anfift any longer upon it= Qnc c*/' Vlncentius Lirinenfis. 30 1 one of the fame Subftance with the Father, the other of the fame Subftance with the Mother 5 but yet thefe two different Subftances ni^ke but one and the fame Chrift. There is not therefore one Chrift, who is God, another who is Man 5 one uncreated, another created 5 one impaffible, another paflible^ one equal to the Father, another inferior to the Father 5 one (begotten) of the Father, another (born) of the Mother : But one and the fame Chrift is both God and Man 5 both uncreated, and created 3 both immutable and mutable 5 both impailible and paflible 5 both equal to the Fa- ther, and inferior to the Father 5 both begot- ten of the Father before all Time, and born of the Mother in Time 5 both perfed God and perfed Man : As God, he had Divinity in Perfeftion 5 as Man , he had complete Hu- manity 5 I fay, a complete Humanity, ascon- taing in it both Soul and Flefb , real Flefti of the fame kind with ours, deriv'd from his Mother 5 and a Soul, endowed with all the Faculties of a Soul, with Underftanding, Me- mory and Reafon. In Chrift then , there is the Logos, the Soul and the Body 5 but all this is but one Chrift, one Son of God, one Savi- our and Redeemer of the World. But he is one, not by a ftrange Mixture and Confufion of the Divinity and Humanity together, but by one entire and individual Unity of Per- fon : For that Conjunction of two different Natures madti no Converfion or Change of fche one into the other j (which is proper y Arria- 202 The Cofnmonitory y Arriattifm) but rather compared both intd one in fuch a manner, that the "^ Propriety of each y l^eque enim ilia Conjmif'io alter urn in alter urn convertit, neque mutavity qui eft Error proprius Arrtanorum.'] Filefacus upon this paiTage declares that in all his Reading he could never find among the Ancients , that this Error was proper to the Arians ^ he be- lieves however that this was no Calumny of Vincentius-^ but as He- reticks ufually grow worfe and worfe, fo this probably might be an Improvement of the After-^rrwnj ^ and yet in the Conclufion avers, that he had read fomewherei (he could not recolleft where) but in a certain Father, that the Arians did make the Son of God cf a mutable Nature. I have already prov'd in Confirmation of Vincentius from Gregory Na^ian^en^ that the Apollinarians held the very Godhead in Chrift to be corruptible , and that the whole Chrift aftually dy'd. I have obferv'd likewife from Pbabadius^ that the Arians agreed with the Apollinarians in making the Na- ture of the Logos to fuffer in the Flelh, by confounding the Pro- perties of the divine with the human Nature j and if the Apollina' rians who held the Confubftantialicy of the IVordy did notwith- ftanding make him mortal , we may very well fuppofe that the Arians who deny'd the Homooufian Doftrine , made him fo too. But to put this Matter out of difpute, I need only repeat a Paf- fage of Athanaftus already cited, where fpeaking of the Arians we find thefe Words, r '•^ r 'sra.Q^i v'oncrtv cm r *V«t6Jj ©sotji- 7a, a,vct(pi^v\zi dtriCui. Lib. de Incarn. They impioujly Superinduced the Senfe offuffering upon the impaffible Divinityi * Ita in Chrifto quoque utriufque Subflanti£ [ui cuique in eternum Proprietas.'] I have taken notice how Photinus trod partly in the Steps of his Mafter Marcellus^ who deny'd the Word to be a Perfon before his Incarnation, and affirm'd withal that his Kingdom fhould continue but to the Day of Judgement, and then his Flelh be an- nihilated , and the Prolatitinus Word be refolved into the Father ^ and be no more. Upon this 'tis probable our Author had his Eye, when he concludes, that the incarnate Son of God (hall to all Eternity fubfift in the Perfonal Unity of his two Natures, and that his Humanity (hould no more ceafe to be, either by Annihi- lation, or Converfion, at the Day of Judgement, than the Body of Man fhould then be annihilated or traulubftantiated into pore Soul. There is one Remark more I think necelTary to be added before we conclude this Chapter, and ic is this, Filejacus incitles this Chap- ter, A Paraphrafe upon the Aihanafiat: Creea •, and Ainhelmius propofes . ten Reafons to prove that Vincentius himfelt v/as the Author of this Greed. It was conteffedly written firfi in Latin, and it is mod probable (fays our learned PearjonJ that it was conipcs'd by lome 3 Member of Vinoentius Lirinenfis. 303 each Nature remains for ever diftinft in one and the fame (ingle Perfon of Chrift 5 fo that the Divinity (hall never commence Body, nor that which was once Corporeal, evtr ceafe to be Corporeal. An Example of this Union we may fee Member of the Lath Church, by that Expreflion in it, Spiritus S. a Patre iy Filio^ non faHui^ nee creatus^ nee genitus , fed proce- dens. The ancient Greek Fathers fpeaking of this Proceffion^ men- tion the Father only, and never (as he thinks) exprels the Son, as flicking conftantly in this to the Language of the Scriptures. Vid. Fearf. Expof. of the Creed, p. 524. I will not enter upon the Examination of thefe Reafons of Anthelmm for this Conjecture to the great Honour of Vincent im^ becaufe it would prove too tedi- ous a DigrefTion, and becaufe the Reader may fee the Reafons and the Anfwers to them, in the Diatribe in Symbolum quicunque vult, at the end of the fecond Tome of the Works of Athanaftw, publifti'd by the Eenedi^ines, and printed at Paris, M. DC. XCVIII. But I fhall fet down the Colleftion made by Anthelmiw out of this Commonitory, and chiefly out of this and the two following Chapters, and from the Atbanafian Creed ; and leave the Reader to form what Conjeftures he pleafes from the Affinity between them. Tabula Prima. Excerptum ex Symbolo. Excerptum e Commonitorh, I. Fides autem CathoUca haec I. Eccl^fia vero Catholica u- efl, ut unum Deum in Trinitate^ & nam Di vinitatem inTrinitatii ple- Trinitatemin wnxt^ztveneremur. nitndine, be Trinitatis TtofiiW- tatem, in una atque eadem Ma- jeftate veneratur. II. Neque confundentes Perfo- II Vt neque fingulariras fuh- juis,neqne fubftantiamfeparantes. ftantia , Perfonarum confundat proprietatem, neque item Tri- nitatis d\(im(\io unkaKm feparet Deiratis. III. Alia eli enim Perfona Pa- III. Quia fcilicet Alia eft Per- triiy alia filii, alia Spiritns fona Pair ii, alia Fiiiiy aliaSpiri- San^i. tks SanUi. IV. Sed Patrts , d^ Filii, ^ IV. Sed Patris , (^ F'll'ii , ^ SpiriiHs Sanlii una eft Divinitas, Spiritks SanB'i non alia & alia, zqiialis Gloria, coxceroa Ma- fed una eademque oatura. )cftai. Tabdit 204 '^^'^ Commonitory fee in our felves ^ for not only in this World, but in that to come, every One (hall confift of Tabula ,^ecunc<'a. Excerptuttt ex Symbolo. Excerptum e Commomtorio, I; Eft ergo fides refta ut crc- damus & amfiteamur^ quia domi- nus nofter Jcius Chriftus Dei Film, Deus (^ Homo eft* II. Deus eft ex fubftantia Pa- trk ante [Acula genitw ^ & ho- mo eft ex fubftantia Matrn in faculo natus. III. Perfe^us Deus ^ perfeUm iiomo^ ex atiima rationali & hu- mana carne fubfijlensi IVi Mqualis Patri fccundum Divinitatem , minor Patre it- cundum humanitacem. I. Vehementer enim prscca- vere debemus, wf Chriftum non modo unum fed femper unum cotrpieutm.r unus idemque Chriftus, Filius Dei, unus idem- que Chriftus, Deus ^ Homo. IT- Idem ex Patre ante (dicula genitus^ idem ex Matre inf<£cu- lo generatuS, III. Perfeiius Deus, perfsHuf I/omn^ in Deo fumma Divinitas, id homine plena Humanicas ; quippe quas animam fimul ha- beat & carnem ex duplici diverfaq; fubfijlens animi corpo* rifq^ natura. IV. DusB fubftantia? fudc, tini coajterna , & aqualis Patri j altera ex tempore & mimrPatre. Tabula Tertia. Excerptum ex Symholo. Exeerptum e Commonttorio, I. Qui licet Deus fit & ho- mo, non duo tamen , fed unM eft Chriftus. II. Vnhs autem non converfi- one Divinitatis in carnem , fed alTumtione humanitatis in De- um ; unus omnino non confufione fubftantia?, fed unitate Perjons. III. Nam ft cut Animx ratio- nalis & Caro unus eft Homo , ita Deus & Homo unus eft Cbri- ftw. IV. qui paffus eft pro falute noftra. h Vnum Chriftum Jefum, non duos^ eumdemq; Deum pariter atq; hominem — ^ hoc totum unui eft Chriftus. II. Vnus dutemn6n — dhini' tatJs (^ humanitatis Confufione , fed unitate Perfon<£ — non convet' fione Natura? fed Perfonx. III. Igitur ftcut Anima con- nexa carni , non imicatui^ honii- nem fed eft Homo^ ita etiam ver- bum Deus uniendo fe Homini — faftus eii Homo — fy ex dua- bus Subftantiis unui eft Chriftus* IV. Ecclefia Deum fccundum Hominem credit faftum pajfum. Sec. Soul of Vihcentius Lirineiifis. 5CI5 Soul and Body ^ and yet the Soul (hall tie-^ ver be chang'd into Body, nor the Body ever chang'd into Soul 5 but as every Mart (hall continue for ever, fo (hall the Diffe- rence between Soul and Body continue for ever alfo. And thus we ought to believe, that in Chrift the fame Propriety (liall ever- laftingly remain to each feveral Subftance in the Unity of the fame Perfon. CHAP. XX. T^he Humanity of Chrift ajferted againji the Manicheans. r tUT by making fuch frequent life of the word Perfon, and by faying that God took upon him the Ferfon of Man, I am very much afraid of being mifunderftood, as if ic was my Opinion, that God the Word is Man only from his Perfonating the Anions of Man, and that all he did amoogft us be did in Ap- pearance only, and not as true ^ real Man 5 ju(l • A/on quafi verm Homo fecerit.'] New Perfona in the Latin Tongue being an equivocal Term, and Tignifying eirher the ulti- mate and fini Ih'd Refultfrom an Union of Flefh and Spirit, as I have already defin'd ic j that is, a real and perfert Man, and withal fig- nifyinga Viz^ard^ an A^or \n a Play, a Perjon in Appearance only } and Chrift in his Human Nature being look'd upon merely as fuch. by many Heretici^ dkn- ^•coi; dii^-iiffii' iajfjov , «'«. uan Reafon, a:jd therefore Here fie s muS be* the ^/Vinccnttus Lirinenfis. 2 57 the Men afted, are different Perfons. For to - ufetheComparifon your Manicheans^ and fome other Libertines are fo fond of, when a Tra- gedian plays the Prieft or King, he himfelf is neither Prieft nor King 5 for when the Part is over, the Perfon ceafes. But God forbid, that we ftiou'd ever come to that wicked Pafs, as to make a Mock of the Myftery of the Incarnation by fuch a Theatrical Comparifon ! Let the '' Manicheans anfwer for this Madnefs, for they are '^ MiWichiZorum fit ifta Dementia^ qui Phantafi£ Pr£dicatores, fycJ^ The Ao)c«7c«\ and ^ivlAcnci.Tcu, and the M^nkhees^ who preach'd f hat our Saviour was a Man only putative^ and came intd the World in Phantafmate^ and confequcntly did fufFer only putative^ were fo call'd, not from che Founder, but the Nature of the Herefy, be- caufe they taught that Chrift did every thing only h S'oKrio-ei, in Appearance,«ind not Reality. Vid. Clem. Alexandr. Strom. I. 7. This Herefy, tho' in time branch'd out into many Monfters, was rifing under St. John , and getting head under Ignatius^ as I have jufl now Hiewn, and is to be afcrib'd to Simon Magus •, wp.o declar'd, that it was he who delivered the Law to the Jews on Mount Sinah, in the Perfon of the Father^ that in tlie Time of Tiberius^ perfona^ tcdthe Son j and chat he was the Holy Spirit, who afterwards came down upon the Apoftles in the Appearance of fiery Tongues; Chrijhm autem nee venijje, nee a JuddiU quicquam pertuUffe ; But th.it Chi iSi neither cawc, nor fujfer'd any thing from the Jews^ S. Au' guftin. ftAr. I. Nivv what Simon Magus faid of himfelfj when he made himfelf the Son, that his Follower^ affirm'd ot Chrilt, as Suturninus affirm'd, Chrijlum in SubftantiA non fuiffe, ^ Phantaf- mate tantum quafi pajfum fuiffe. Tertul. Pr£f. adv. Hxret. cap. ^6. That Chri^ was not in Reality or Subftunce, but in Shadow or Appew ranee., and made only as if he fuffefd. And therefore both he and Bafilides, Valentinus., Cerdon, Alarcion., and many more, are to be reckon'd among t'ne Phant^fu Prsdicatores, or the FamJly of the Seemers. The Munichaans were fo call'd from Manes ■, but who this Manes waf, or whether a Name only that ftgnifies BereticJ^, or Phanaticli^ or Madman^ as ihtQreeli Wrirers utiderftand it, is un- certain. Thecdoret faith, that iVA^rejwasa Per fiav, and call'd Scythi- anus, j Mclvm Tli^(Tt}i fx l/M^c^c.Tkeod. H&r. Kji. I." i.cap. 25. Epiphaiuus fays, he was firft calfd Cubricus ^ but 'tis certain that Scythianus and Cubricus were two different Perfons, and therefore 'tis moft probable that Manes was only a common Name of Here' X i tick. aoS The Commonitory are the Preachers up of this Phantom, who prefiime to fay, that God the Son of God took not on him the fubftantial Perfon of a Man, but tkk.. Vid. Bevireg. Anmt. in Can. Com. TruU. Can. 9$. p. 1^3. But Epiphanhs moreover faith, that Sqthianus, the tirft Founder of the jyian'icbjian Herefy, was a Saracen • that he had one TerebinthHS, afterwards aWd Buddas for his Dilciple ; that this Buddas had a Scholar, cali'd CAbrkus, and alfo Afanes, from whence the Manl- chjiani\ who fet this Herefy on foot in the Days oi Awe Hams ^ or Probus [he Emperor, about the Year 277. But the Name of Manes is fo fully explaiti'd, the Mamduan Pedegree fo clearly traced, and Epiphanius fo folidly vindicated frCm the Animadverfions of Feta- v'lHS by our great Biiliop Fearfon^ in his Evpof;cion of the Creed, Affk. I. p. 64. that I will not prefume to make any Addition, but only give my Reader a Summary of what Eufebius and Socrates have delivered m this" Cafe, and which he will not lind in the Notes juft now referr'dto. Eufebius, lib. 7. c.ip. gi. fpeaking of i^/(3wej, fays, Aaxy/oviKoi 7ii av ;^ fXAvicoJ'uft He was a Demoniac^ and Mad- man^ who fee up for'being the Chrift, and another time gave out himielf to be the Purudete or Hcly Gholi ^ and, as if lie had been Chrift, chofe himfelf twelve Dil'cipies, and patch'd up a Parcel of old worn-out Herefies, and from Ferfiu imported 'em into theilo- iran World, which gave Rife to the Manichxari Frenzy, and which, in tiie Time of Sfz/if^iKj, abounded in many Places. This being but a very imperfedl Account, (faith Socrates') he thought it proper to add tr.efe Particulars ; There was one Scythianus, a Saracetty well vers'd in the Learning of the Egyptians, who introduc'd the Opinions of Empedocles and Pythjgoras into the Chriftian Religion, afiening two Natures or Principles, one evil, the other good ; the evil one he cali'd veiK@~, or Difccrd^ the good one tpthiAVy or friendfliip. The D'lid^leoi' Scythianus, wns one Buddas, who for- merly went by the name of Terebinthus, who coming into Babylon fet up for a mighty Miracle-monger, pretending that he was born of a Virgin, and had been brought up in the Mountains ; he wrote four Bjoks •, and making a Shew one day to be very ferious about fome facred Rites, a Djtmon threw him from a Precipice, and there was an end of him : His HoAefs where he lodg'd bury'd him ; and having got all the Money he hid, purchas'd a Eoy abjut leven years old, by name Cubyicus, and made him free, and taught him to read, and foon after dy'd, leaving him all the Effefts of Tere- bint bus, and the Books which he had wiitteii from the Infttuftions of his Mafter Scythiavus. With this Furniture Cubricus fets out, and marches into Ferfia under the name of Manes ; the Books of Terebintbus he prefented to his Followers as his own ; they carry a Face of Chriflianity, but ia truth are downright Faiurifm ; for zhty commaad o/" Vincentius Lirinenfis. , 2 op but afted a Part, and eonvers'd only in Sha- dow, and the Apparition of Human Nature. But the Catholick Faith is this, that the Logos of God was fo made Man, that he did not fal- lacioufly and phantaftically reprefent Human Nature, but truly and properly affume it 5 and what he did as Man, was not in Shew and Imitation of another, but was as much his own Adiion, as any Man's is his ^ he play'd not the Part of Man, but was the very Thing he aded 5 ' juft as we our felves, when we fpeak, tafte, or do any other Adions of Life, we are not Men by Imitation, but in Reality 5 and as Veter and John (to inftance in them' particularly) were not Men in Shadow, but Subftance 5 or as Paul did not aft an Apoftle, or perfonate a Paul, but was a real Apoftle, and a real Paul-^ fo the Divine Logos when he took upon him our command che Worfhip of many Gods, particularly the Adoration of theSdn : He introduces Fate, and the Doftrine of Tranfmi^ra- tion of S 'uls into feveral Bodies, according to Empedocks^ Pytha- goras, and the Opinion of the Egyptians : He denies Chrift to have come in the Flefh, and makes him to be a Phanrafm only : He rejeftsthe Law and the Prophets, and ftiles himfelf the, Paraclete. The Fate of this Wretch, in fhort was this : The King of Perfias Son falHng dangeroufly ill, and he having heard great Talk of Manes, and'taking his Miracles upon Tiufl, fent for him, as an Apoftle, to recover him ; who came, and, with all the Forma'ity and Demurenefs imaginable, took him in his Arms to cure him j but the King thereupon finding his Son expire in his hands, forth- with order'd him to be clapp'd in Chains, with a Defign to execute him immediately •, but Manes broke Goal, and made his Efcape into Mefipotamia ^ where the King hearing of him, order'd him to be flea'd, and to have his Skin ftuff'd with Straw, and hung before the Gates of the City. This Account, Socrates tells us, he col- lefted out of a Pifputation of Archelaus Bi lliop of Mefopotamiay which he had perfonaily with Manes -, the Difputation is affix'd by Valefius, at the end of his Annotations. Vid. Socr. Ecclef. Hi(tf 1. I. c. 22. X 3 Flelh, 2IO The Commonitory Flefhj fpake and afted, and fufFer'd in our Flefh, but without any Alteration of his Divine Na^ t\jre ^ and this he was pleas'd to do, not to ' fnimick, but to exprefs himfelf a true Man 5 not to appear to be Man, but verily to prove bimfelf Co. Therefore as the Soul united to Flefti, but not converted into Flefti, is a Man, not in Pidure, but EiTence ^ a Man not by Si- mulation , but Subftance^ fo God the Word ^ by being united to Human Nature without any Change of his Divinity is made Man, not by perfonating his Anions . but by affuming his Humanity, Far therefore, very far be it frorn us to entertain a Thought of any fuch imagi- nary Incarnation as arifes only from Imitation, where the Imitator and the Thing imitated, the hdov and the Perfon afted, are always dif- ferent. Far be it from us, I fay, to believe that the God-Word perfonated Man in fuch a fallacious manner, but rather on this wife on- ly, viz. that his own Divine Effence remaining entire and unchangeable, and clothing it felf with the Nature of a perfeft Man, he became Fle(h, he became Man, and the very Perfon of Man, not in Figure, but Truth, not by Imi- tation, butSubrtance^ and lafliy, not fo, that he qi vefled himfelf of Manhood, v/hen he ceas'd to appear (on the Stage of the World) as Man, but fo, that he will continue the fame perfed God-Man for ever. This Unity therefore of perfon in Chrift, did by no means commence after the Delivery of the Virgin, but was com- paified and perfefted in the very Womb of the V W A H) of Vincentius Lirincn (Is. 511 CHAP. XXI. Thai Chriji is truly and properly Man^ and the Virgin Mary as truly and properly the Mother of the God-Man. S we value therefore a found Faith, we Qiull be fure to profefs Chrift not only to be one Perfon now, but we muft profefs al- fo that he was never otherwife ^ becaufe, not- withftanding you grant him to be one now, yet is it intolerable Blafphemy to affirm , that once he was not One, but Two 5 0»t, namely, after Baptifm, but Two aboHt the Time of his Nd' tivity : Which Sacrilege of the higheft kind, we cannot avoid otherwife, than by confeiling Man to be perfo-nally united to God^ and more- over that this Unity of Perfon was made, not after his Afcenfion, or RefurreG/)if?, that initiatory fun- damental Article, without ivhich no Man can be a Chriftian,or have . any Title to the Benefits of the New Covenant, llnrentiw there- fore knowing it to be as much as our Souls are worth, to have a right Notion of the Trinity, explains and inculcates it over and over again ^ and with a Zeal according to Knowledge, concludes with an Anathema againft thofe three Heret'icks, who had fo notorioufly fubverted the very Foundation of Chriftianity. For firft, if ac- cording to Photinw, Chrift was a meer Man only, then the Merits of a Man cou'd never pay our Pebt, and make full Satisfaction for the Demerits of Mankind ; and yet we cannot be Chriftians with- out profefling to worlhip this Man with Divine Honour, which is as exprefly againfl the Word of God, and the whole Defign of Chri- ftianity, as any thing in the World pofTibly can be. Secondly, If according to ApoUinaris^ the Djvinity of Chrifl was corruptible, then muft the Divinity of God the Father be corruptible alfo, the Son being of the fame Subftance with the Father. And if he took not upon him an underftanding Soul, then cannot he be faid to have fuffer'd in our Nature, having not taken upon him our nobler Part, a rational Soul. Laflly, If according to Neftoriw, the Son of God before all Worlds, was not the fame Perfon with him who was born of the Virgin Mary, and fujfer'd under Vonms Pilate, and was cruciffd dead, and bury'd, Td(Teii TZXeieti hiffiv' Athan, Tom, Edif, Farif. an, 1627. pag. 154. 155. Thefe Angelicli^ of Vincentius Lirinenfis. 2 1 9 which glorifies the one Lord God with thisTi 1- fagion, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almigh- Revel^.^. ty. See. For the Church doth for this reafon moft efpecially teach the Unity of Chrifl, that we may not augment the Number of Ferfons in the adorable Trinity. Thefe things I have toucli'd upon only by way of Digreffion^ but by God's Help I defign to treat and explain 'em more fully fome other time. And now to return to my Subjed. CHAP. XXIII. Ibe CharaSler of Origen ^ and the great Temptation he was in the Cbriftian Church. Have already fa id, that in the Church of God the Error of the Prieji was the Tempa- tion of the People 5 afid the more Learned the P erf on is, who is Author of the Error ^ the grea- ter is the Temptation. This I prov'd firft from the Authority of Scripture, and then from the Examples .of Tome Ecclefiafiicks, inftancing in fuch efpecially, who for fome time had the Re- pution of a found Faith, but at length fell off, either into another Sed, or a new Herefie of their own making. This indeed I look upon Angelicly Creatures by fajhg^ Holy, Holy, Holy, declare Three pnfeil Suhfiftences or Perfons ; and by faying Lord, demonftrate one Suhfiance or Effence. V'ld. Eplphan. in Ancorato, lib, 26. Amhrof. lib. 2; de Fide, cap. 4. Fulgent, lib. ds Fide ad PetrHm Diacomm, cap. i. 3 as 26 T'/;e Commonitory as a Matter of great Confequence , a very in» ftru^ive Leflbn , and by no means to be for- got, but what we ought to illuftrate and in- culcate over and over again by the moft confi- derable Examples we can find, that all true Catholicks may know it to be their Duty to receive their Teachers as the Church receives them , and not to defert the Faith of the Church upon the Authority of their Teachers* But of all the numerous Examples of Chnrch- Temptation that might be produced , there is none in my Opinion comparable to that of Origen 5 for none had more Excellencies, nor in greater Perfeftion. He had fuch fingular and aftoniOiing Qualities, that every one at firft would be apt to pin his Faith upon all he faid. For if an exemplary Life is of any Credit and Authority amongft Chriftians, his fignal Induftry, fignal Chaftity, Patience and Suffering, were great Temptations. If Birth and Learning can fet a Glofs upon a Tempta- tion, what more illuftrious than that of Ori- gen . to intimate, Apol. adv. Kuffin. Tom, 2. p. 201. he was Y aaiitcd ^2 2 The Commonitory quer'd Greece^ he made his Attacks upon the Hebrew Learning with the fame Succe(s. And for his Eloquence, what (hall I fay? His Dif- courfes are fo pleafing, fo fofr, and withal fo very fweet, that methinks 'tis Honey, rather than Words , comes flowing from his Lips, He was fo wonderfully well skill'd in the Art of Perfuafion, that he could reafon a Man almoft into any thing ^ what Difficulties could he not conquer, and make the mod formidable Ob- fcurities moft eafie and intelligible > But Dif- putation perhaps was his main Talent, and he advanced his Opinions meerly by the Subtlety of his Kcafon. No fuch thing, indeed, for no one DoiSor ever abounded more in Proofs from Scripture. But perhaps he wrote but little. ^ No mortal alive ever writ more ^ fo very Voluminous he is, that a Man will find it Employment enough to pick up his Wri- tings, and more than he can do to read *em afltnied by Hu'iUm the JewifJ) Patriarch at that time; and how great a Conquefl he made of this Language, little underftood in his time, and the place he Hv'd in , may be eafily guefs'd at by that prodigious Performance of hi^, tho' now lofl , Hil'd by the Anc'ents Opus Ecclefis^ the Wnr\ of the Church •, wherein he c: And in what B^epute he was, not only among Perfons of a private Rank, bu^ alfo at Court , we may learn from thofe Hi- * Sedforfitah DifdpuUs parum felix /] the moft noted of thd Gentile Philofophers , whom he bronghc over to the Chriftian Faith, were Plutarch, whom he attended to his Martyrdom^ and had like to have been kill'd by the People for being the Author of his Converiioa -, Screnks, who was burnt for his Religion ; HerU' elides and /Jcron, both beheaded, the one when but a Catechumen^ the other a Novice; anOcher Serefius^ who after infinite Torments loft his Headi And ode Heraa a XVoman and Catechumen^ bap- ti^^dhy Fire^ (as he expreffes it) went in Flames to Heaven. Eu- feb.Ub.6. cap.i\. Great Numbers of Meretk^_s were his Auditors Iskewife, fome of whom he fet right in the Faith again, and among Others, Ambrofms^ a Man of Eftate and Q_ualicy at Alexandria, who had been feduc'd into the Errors of M.ircion and Valehtinm, was convinced by Origen, and return'd to the Catholick Doftrine, and for ever after became his faft Friend and Benefattor. Eufeb. I. 6i cap. i8. And to mention no more, Gregorji Thxumatirgns, and his Brother Atkenodorus were under his Tutorage for f te Years, Eufeb, I. 6. c. 3Q5 Y ^ Hqriel 2^4 "^^^^ Commonitory (lories that ^ report him to have been fent for by the Mother of Alexander the Emperor up- on the Account of his heavenly Wifdora , v^^hich was a Thing (he was paffionately de- firous of being inftrufted in. Befides, his own Epiftles to '" Philip, the firft Roman Chriftian Emperor, are another Teftimony of his Intereft at Court, for thofe Epiftles are written with the Authority of a Chriftian Mafter. But if the Teftimony of a Chriftian may not pafs for good Proof of his incredible Abi- lities, that I hope of a Pagan Philofophcr will ' Eum a Mdtre Alexandn Imperatoris accitumferunt. ~] This Mamm£a the Mother of Alexander Severus^ was a Syrian born, and confcquently could no: be unacquainted with the Affairs ei- ther of Jevfs or Chrifthias, and having heard of the great Fame of Origcn, was very defirous to fee him, and hear him difcourfe con- cerning Religion, that ftie might know what it was for which the whole World had him in fuch Veneration. For which purpofe file fent for him, ordering a Military Guard toconduft him fafe to Antioch, where he ftay'd for fome time, and fully opened the Doftrines of Religion , to her great Satisfaftion, he was permit- red to return to his old Charge at Alexandr'ta. Eufeb. lib. 6. c. 21. ■" Ad Philippum Imperatorem qui primm Rcmanorum Principum Chriftianus fnit.'2 Eufebius lib. 6. cap. 56. Mentions a Letter of Ovigen^ then extant to the Emperor F/j/% and another to his Wife Severa^ and cap. 34, exprelly calls him Chriftian, and gives an ac- count how Bifhop Babylas rcfus'd him Admittance into the Church till he had qualify 'd himfclf by due Repentance , as other com- mon Offenders were oblig'd to do, to which Difcipline he fubmit- ted. The fame Story is reported by the Author of the Alsxandri- an Chronicon^ and Ckryfoftom in his Oration de SanBo Babyla contra Gentiles, tells the fame thing, but mentions not the Emperor by Name. And the learned Publifher of fome Trafts of Origen, Rod. li'etfteinins Prjifat. in Orig. Dial, coiitr. Mure. &c. a fe edit, Bafil. i<^74. Defends the fame Hif^ory ; but our learned Dr. Cave does not believe him to have been a Chrijlimi, and has given his Rea- Ibns why he doth not. Vid, Pritnit. ChrijVianity, cap. 5, part, i, p. 48. \\huher I refer the Reader. aever (?jr Vincentius Lirincnfis. 525 never be fufpeded. " The impious Porphyry then reports, that being rouzd with the Fame of Origen, he took a Journey to Alexandria. when he was very young, to fee the Man, and accordingly there he faw him an old Man 3 but fuch an old Man, of fuch Brightnefs even in declining Age, that he feem'd to be the pub- lick Storehoufe of Arts and Sciences. But the Time would fail me before I could barely touch upon all the glaring Accoropliftiments of that wonderful Perfon. All which notwithftand- ing, as they made very much to the Honour of Chriftianity, fo did they all likewife contri- bute to make him a Temptation of the firft Magnitude, For what Man alive could eafily difengage himfelf from fuch a Temptation, from a Perfon of fuch fine Parts, of fuch ad# ' Ait namque impius iffe Porphymmy &c.3 For a Pagan to be thus curious in taking a Journey on purpole to fee a Chrifiian^ for f) learned a Man as Porphyry, and fo bitter an Enemy to the Faith as he \^as, to be at fo much Pains to vifit Origen, and to give fuch grinning Commendations, and forc'd Compliments, as the known and celebrated Abilities of that Chriftian Philofopher plainly ex- torted from him, as it was the greateft Panegyrick poflible upon Or'i^n ^ fo was it alfo (as our Author obferves) a very great Ho- nour to the Chriftian Profeffion, and wip'd off 21 very popular Objcftion, Th'at none but Fools were Chrifiians. But in- the Ac- count of Porphyry, as we have it in Eufebin^, lib. 6. cap. 19. from fome Paffages quoted out of Porphyry there are two notorious Fal- fities, which at the fame time fhew both the Difingenuicy of the Man, and the Weaknefs of his Caufe; for he alTerts that Origens Mafter, the renowned Ammonms was born and bred a Chrifiian^ but that upon his entring on Philofophy, herenounc'd Chriftianity and turn'd Pagan \ and that Origen was born and bred up a Gentile^ and then turn'd off to Chriftianity; when as mthing was more evident, than that Origen was born of Chriftian Parents, and that his Mafter Ammonius retain'd the Chriftian Philofophy to the end of his Lite, whereof the Books he left behind him were 9 ftanding Evidence. Y 3 ffiirable Th^ Commonitopy niirable Learning, and univerfal Applaufe all the World over, and would not rather be apt fo countenance his Error with this Saying, P That he would fooner choofe to go vprottg with Origen , than right with others .wt Hereticks. But then I muft fay, that tho* he himfelf is not, yet the Books fet forth un- der his Name are a very great Temptation ^ they are read as his, and for his fake they are carefs'd and lov'd 5 for they overflow with fatal Blafphemies, which are not confider'd a? the Corruptions of other Men, but read and carefs'd as his. So that tho' Origen had no Hand in the framing of the Herelies fathered upon him, yet Origen s Authority gives them Credit, and makes 'em pafs for current in the World, f Nam id a quibufdam tf^ trad'itum (fyf Scriptum ejl, mn a Catho licia ta'ntum fed etiam haet'idsr\ Vincent'ms feems to have drawn up a juft and imparcial Charafterof this wonderful Perfon, and willing to make all the Allowances for him imaginable, that are confiftef.t with the Safety of his Reader-, but the Reputation of the Man , arid the notorious Errors in his Books (however they c^e there) m?de him guard againft 'ern with a becoming Zeal ^nd Moderation. Origen had many Enemies, and fo great a Cry \vas rais'd againft him, that the very Mention of his Name in the Creek Church is abominable to this Day. He had his Friends and Compurgators hkewife, efpecially Pam^hilus the Martyr, and En- febiw , who pubHOi'd an Apology in fix Books in his behalfj the firft five were written by Pamphilin^ with Eufelfiw\ Afllftance ■while theyy*rere in Prifon, the lail finifh'd and added by Eujebittf after the other's Martyrdom. Befides which, Photim tells us there were many other famous Men who wrote Apologies for him^ Cod. 1 1 8. col. 297. who ever has a mind to fee the Notions for which Cfrigen is lb heavily charg'd by fome of the Ancients, may find 'em all fully, clearly, folidly, and impartially examin'd by Monfieur Huit in his Origeniana^ and many of 'em fairly and can- didly accounted for , acknowlcdg'd , and pitied by our learned pr. Cave, according to his ufual Integrity and Charity, in his Life ti Origen. However, after all the worfl: of his Enemies can lay to his Charge, yet he afterwards repeated of what he had rafhiy and unadvifedly written, as appears by his Epiftle to Fabian Bi- ihop o£ Rome. Ap, Hieron p, 193. VU. Ruffin. lnve£i. i. in Hieran^ hter open Hieron. 7,4. i[). 21^, p/ Vinccntius Lirinenfis. 52^ CHAP. XXIV. TTertullianV CharaSter^ his Fall^ and the eml Consequences of it, TErtullian is juft fqch another fignal In^ ftance of Temptation 5 for what Origen was in the Greeks that was Tertullian in the Lat'm Church 5 without difpute the mod con^ (iderable Writer of his Age. For what more learned than thjs Man ? Who more expert ei- ther in divine, or human Literature? For all Philofophy, all the Seds of Philofophers, the Founders and Followers of thofe Sects, all their feveral Inftitutions, with all the Variety of Hiftories and Law , all this huge Store of Learning he compriz'd in the amazing Capa^ city of his Mind. He was fo excellent at Sa- tyr, and of that folid Judgment, that he hard- ly laid Siege to any thing, but he foon made it yield, either by the Penetration of his Wit, or the Weight of his Reafon. Nay, who has Learning enough barely to do Juftice to his Learning ? For his Difcourfes are fet fo thick with powerful Reafons, that whom he can- not perfuade by Eloquence, he compels by Argument ^ he has almoft as many Sentence? as Words, and ev'ry Sentence is fure of Vifto- ry. The Marciomtes, Apellites, Praxeans, Her- mogemans^ Jews, Gentiles, G»oftick,s, &c. have all felt the weight of his Reafon, for he has batter'd down their Herefies with his many """"'' and 350 V The Commonitory and mighty Volumes, as with fo much Thun- der. Yet after all this, the fame Man, this very Tertullian, by being but moderately Te- nacious of the Catholick Doftrine , that is, the ancient univerfal Faith, and by being tru- er to the Rules of Eloquence than to the Rule of Faith, turn'd Heretick in the end, infomuch, that the ConfeJJhr St, Hilary had good rea- fon to fay, That his latter Errors took, off from the Credit and Authority of the former and moU approvd of his Writings. And not only his Writings, but he himfelf alfo was a very great Temptation to the Church 5 but I don't care for dwelling longer upon the Subjeft, and therefore (hall only remind you, that by com- plying with the novel Reveries of ^ Montanus againft the Order of Mofes., and by vouching the Dreams of his Fanatick Female Followers to be true Prophecies, TertulUan alfo defer ves to have it faid both of him and his Writings, If a Prophet Jhall arife among yon^ &c. Thou [halt ttot harken unto th^ Words of that Prophet, But * Novellas Montani fur'tas , (^ infana ilia Injanarum mulkrum mvitii Dogimatis fomnia, (fy'c'] The Women here referred to, are Erifca & Maxim'illay two noted Difciples of Montanm^ whom he firft corrupted, and then imparted to them his D£mon ^ where- by they were convuls'd into very ftrange unnatural Poftures, and in their extatick ma4 Fits ran at Mouth in prodigious incoherent unintelligible Jargon. When the proud ImpoftoriWonf^nw fet up, what his Principles were, how lb great a Perfon as Tertullian was, who had prefcrib'd fo excellently well againft Hereticks, and laid down fuch admirable Rules for the Prefervation of a found Faith, came at laft to go after this Drtamer of Dreams, and to cfpoufe the DelufiiH to his dying Day, I have already accounted for. In defence of the Montanifts againft the Orthodox he compos'd his Book of Modefty, of Monp^amjiy his Exhortatioa to Chajiipy, and Jiis Treatife of /w/?/. why } of Vineentius Lirinenfis. g 3 1 why ? Becaufi the Lord your God proveth you^ to knovp whether you love him ornate Froro this great Number of Examples, and thofe too of the greateft Quality, and from many others of the fame kind , together with that Declarati- on of Mofe^ in Deuteronomy ^ we ought cer- tainly to conclude, that if any Doftor of the Church at any time (hall deviate from the Faith, that he is permitted by Providence fo to do , in order to give us a fenfible Proof, whether vpe love God or no, vahh all our Hearty and with all our Soul. CHAP. XXV. The Defcription of a Catholic\^ and the Condition of fuch (is are for Noz'elties in Faith, TH I S now being the end of Providence in fuch Temptations, he only is a true Genuine Catholicki who loves the Word of Cod, and his Church, the myftical Body of Chrift, above all other Confiderations in the World 5 who values neither the Authority, nor Love, nor Wit, nor Eloquence, nor Phi- lofophy of any Man breathing, in comparifon of his divine Religion, and tbe Faith of the Catholick Church 5 but upon all thefe things looks down with Contempt, and fix'd and im- fDoveaWe in the Faith refolves to believe no- thing upon the Authority of one Gngle Man, ■■ ^ '■ " ' ' ' ' ^ ■ "'^ "" b^t 2 2^ The Commonitory but what he finds anciently and univerfally to have been believ'd by the Catholick Church 3 and whatever upftart, unheard of Dodlrine he finds to be clancnlarly introduced in oppofid- on to all the Faithful, let him look upon that as a Matter of Temptation, rather than an "^ Article of Faith 3 and this Advice of mine will then efpecially appear more reafonable, when he reflefts upon that of St. Paul in his firft Epiftle to the Corinthians, where he declares, I Cor. II. That there mufi be alfo Herejies, that they which ^^' are approved, may he made manifeft among yon: As if he (hould have faid, this is the Reafon why God does not interpofe miraculoufly, and de- ftroy Hereticks in a Moment, that the Approved May he made manifefi, that is, that every firm, faithful, and conftant Lover of the Catholick' Faith under fuch a Temptation might be a more (hining Example to the World of the true Power of Godlinefs. And in truth, when any new born Herefie firft (hews its Head in the Church, the good Grain is then foon dif- Gover-d by its Weight , and the Chaff by its Lightnefs 5 and then upon the fifting Temp- tation, that fubmiis to the firft Wind which had no Solidity to fecure it in the Floor. For fome fly off immediately, others are (hock'd only, and turn Occafionalifts, being afraid of periflaing out of the Church, and yet at the fame time afham'd of returning perfedly into it, vpOHnded, half dead, and half alive, andjnji in the Condition of fhofe Men who have ta^en fuch a Dofe ofPoifon aswill neither defiroy, nor he digefted, neither let them die nor live. Piti- able (?^ Vincentiiis Liriaenfis. 532 able Condition ! For with what Whirlwinds, what Tides of reftiefs Paffion are fuch Wretches agitated > one while they are tranfported with every Wind of Dodtrine^ another while they return and fall foul upon themfelves, and like conflidting Waves , are dalh'd to Pieces by their own .contrary Motions 5 this Moment they are confident in Uncertainties, and the Moment after as irrationally fearful where no Fear is 3 unknowing where to go, where to return 5 what to defire , and what to deprecate 5 what to receive, and what relinquiih. Neverthelefs , this unhappy Vi- bration and Inftability of Mind points to its own Cure, if Men would but wifely confider the merciful Defign of Providence in this very Afflidion. For therefore, whilft without the Haven of the Catholick Faith , are they thus afflided, thus tofs'd and {hatter*d almoffc to pieces with inward Storms of claftiing Thoughts, that by this reftiefs Pofture of Mind, being made fenfible of the Danger they are in, and their diftance from Salvation, they might take down thofe Sails of Pride and Vanity which they have unhappily fpread be- fore every Guft of Herefie, and make all the Sail they can into the fafe and peaceful Har- bour of their holy Mother, the Catholick Church 5 and there being Sea-Jick. as it were with Errors, difcharge thofe foul and bitter Waters, to make room for the pure Waters of Life. There they may unlearn well , all they have learnt ill, and get a right Notion of all 3 jjij. The Cotnmonitory all thofe Doftrines of the Church they afe capable of undefftanding, and believe thofe that pafs all underltanding. CHAR xxvr. Ti&e CharaSler and Sin of Innovators iH Matters of Religion. THE oftner I refie(rt upon thefe Things, the more am I aftonifti'd at the Extrava- gance of fome Men, at that Complication of Impiety and Blindnefs^ in a word, at that ftrange infatiable Luft after Novelty in Religi- on, that they cannot reft contented with the old Rule of Faith once delivered and depofited in the Primitive Church, but muft be every Day upon new Re-fearches, and are never well but when they are adding, altering, or curtail- ing Chriftianity^ as if the Do(ftrine was not from Heaven, nor one Revelation fufficient5 but only a Human Inftitution, which could not poffibly be perfeded but by mending it every Day 5 or to fpeak more truly, by picking Holes in it every Day. And yet the Divine Oracles^ both in the Old and New Teftament, loudly remonftrate againft all fuch alterations: Re- Prov. 22. ^ove not the ancient Land-marl\ vphich thy Fa^ thers have fet, Ecclef. 8. 4. And judge not thy Jftdgc^ or, fay unto hitti Ecclef.i6.B. what dofl thoH ^ And whofo hreah^th an Bsdge o/ Vlncentius Lirincnfis, 525 a Serpent fljall bite him. And fo likewife that fevere Charge of the Apoftle, which has often been, and always will be, as it were the Spi- ritual SwQrd, to Lop off the fproutingHerefies of every Age: The Charge is this, ^Timo- iVm. 6, thy, k^ep that which is committed to thy Truft^ 20, 21*. avoiding '■ Timothee depofittim cuflod't^ &c.3 Tho' I have not taken much notice of the French Traoflator De Frontignieres, yet 'tis pity, methinks, to pafs over his curiow Remar\ upon this Text. The Doftors of the Church (fays he) areftriftly oblig'd to preferve the Primitive Depofitum entire, without the leaft Change or Alte- ration ; and then he produces Sr. Paul for an Example of Inte- grity, and tells us the great Care he took to prevent all Abufes in the Eucharijl amongft the Corinthians^ and to deliver it to them juft as he had received of the Lord. For I have received of the Lord that which alfo I delivered to you, that the Lord Jefi^ the fame Night that he vcas betrayed too\ Breads and vchen he had given Thanl^s he brake it, and faid. Take, Eat, thii it my Body rvhich u broken for you, thii do in remembrance of me. And putting thefe laft Words in diftinftChararters, he goes on and fays, thatSt.F^w/ de- livered this facred Depofitum whole and inviolate to the Corinthi- ans : He did not fay. Receive the Sign or Figure of the Body of Chrift, but the true Real Body of Chrifl ; and in confequence of this infallible Truth the Apoftle concludes, Wherefore, vehofoever fhatt eat thU Bread, &c. After this he difcharges his Powder, and makes a very loud and empty Noife againrt: Calvin; and ha- ving done his Bufmefs as he fancies, cries out in Triumph, Behold the Depofitum committed to him, to deliver fuch only at he had re- ceivd, but be has been an Vnfaithful or rather a Sacrilegiom Vepofi- tary; he has altered the Divine Depofitum-, inflead of Seven Sacra- ments he has rpturn'd but Two. With fome more Harangue to the fameTune, without any offer at a Proof. But O thou thai abhorreli not Idols, dofl thou commit Sacrilege, and at the fame time too as thou accufeft Calvin ? For when St. Paul telJs us, He received from the Lorrf,that after the fame manner as Chrift took the Bread, he took the Cup alfo, faying, This Cup is the New Teftament in my Bloody this do ye as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me; this fpe- cial Trujiee returns but half the Depofitum; for putting thefe W:rds Take, Eat, this is my Body, which is broken for you, this do ' in remembrance of me, in diftinguifhing Charafters for the better Im- prelTion upon the Reader, the two following Verfes which commard the drinking this Cup, as often as the eating this Bread, he not only not puts in Italicky but leaves 'em quite cut, and fieps from the 1 36 The Commonitory aifoiding profane and vain bablings^ and oppofi- tions of Science falfly fo called^ which fome Pro- fejjing have erred concerning the Faith, And yet 24''' verfe, J Cor. xi. ro the Cbnclufion, If/;£'re/ore, ver. 27. Now' this by DO means is a cleanly Conveyance , for the Legerdemah is fo grofs, that every Reader muft fee that his Reafon for skipping over thofe two Verfes muft be in Compliance with his Church^' which for fome time has robb'd the People of the Cup there com- manded to be drunk of by All who eat the Bread. As for thofe Words, This is my Body^ which he beflovvs peculiar Charafters up- on, and for the not Underftanding of which in a hceral Senfe he calls Calvin Sacrilegious, we have this in fhort to fay for our felves ; That this Bread, L«;^e xxii. 19. is call'd Chrift's Body broken, his Body given, even whilft Chrift was alive, and confequently his Bo- dy not aftually broken nor given, but only by way of Reprefenta- tion of that Body which was (hortly to be broken upon the Crofsj and fo his Blood whilft yet in his Veins, is faid to be his Blood fliedy Matth.y.\vu 8. Mark xiv. 24, ify-c. St. Paul likewife Five times calls that Bread^ which our Lord calls his Body ; and we think it wonderfully llrange, that a fingle Paffage mention'd by Chrift whilft he was alive in the Flefh, fhould be look'd upon fufficient to make us believe, that this living Chrift was at the fame tirtie dead and facrific'd, that his Hund with all the reft of his Body, was in his Hand, and that his Body which vvas whole before their Eyes was ar the fame time broken for them ; and that they were to do this in Remembrance of him, when he vvas Pre- fent before them. We think likewife that the Cup is to be com- municated to all, becaufe 'tis the Blood of the Covenant which e- . qually belongs to all, and becaufe we are to (J^ew forth the Lord's Veath till he come, and to remember his Blood jlied, as vvell by (frinking the Cup, as his Body broken by eating the Bread ; and that which Clirift has fo joind, no Man ought to put afunder. We fay likewife, that if the Apofiles receiv'd from Chrift Seven Sacra- ments with iet Forms and Matter, like thofe of Baptifra and the Eucharift, for our perpetual Obfervacion, they were not faithful Depofitaries ; for we can find bur Two in their Writings, and their immediate SuccefTors could find no more : For when Juftih Martyr at the end of the Apology here tranflated, gives the Particulars of the Chrijlian Worf^ip, he mentions only the Two Sacraments of fiaptifm and the Lord's Supper ; and with all exprefly fays,That the' Wine was mingled with Water and diftribured alike to alL Nor do the Romijh Writers agree in the Number of Sicraments. D«- randtu denies Matrimony to be a Sacrament, /, 4. d. 26. q. 5. Ca-^ nus fpeaks'ambiguoufiy of it, /. 8. c. 5. And Alexander oi Hales faith there are Fuur Sacraments only, part i^. q. $, tr,eTnb.2. art-i. • q. 5. memb. 3. art. 2, q. $. immb, 2. 'art. 2. I of Vincentius Lirinehfis* Mf yet after all this, there are fome fuch hardy Veterans in Wickednefs, of that brazen Effron- tery and irrefragable Obftinacy, as to ftand Proof againft all this powerful Impreffion of Scripture ^ Men who will capitulate upon na Terms of Reafon, nor be touch'd by themoft locking Arguments, nor be difmay'd ( to fay no more) by the moft terrible Menaces from Heaven. But to proceed 5 Avoid (fays St,PaUl) profane novel Ballings : He did not fay, avoid the old Primitive Do&rines^ but juft the con^ trary 5 for if Novelty is to be avoided. Anti- quity is to be retain'd 5 if Novelty is Profanef, Antiquity is Sacred. But the Apoftle goes on and adds, Oppojitions of Science faljly fo called^ A moft true Character of the Dodrines of He- reticks, who fet a Glofs upon their Ignorance w^ith the Title of Science, and call Darknefs Light, and Light Darknefs. Which fome, fay3 he, profejjing have erred concerning the Faith* Profeffing what? why, fome New, ftrange, unheard of Dodlrines 5 for this is the Cant of thefe Profeflbrs to the Catholick,s. ' Cdwe hi- ther, ye nnwife and fimple IVretchety come to our I cannot therefore think it prudently done of fome Papijls to call Proteftarts facrilegiow Knaves, bccaufe ir is fo eafy a Matter to catl Names again, and to throw Arguments at 'em into the Barf^ainj and prove, that we, in the Phrafe of Vincent'tWf return the Gold w6 receiv'd, in its Primitive Purity ; and that the Fapifts have put the Divine Image and Super jcriptm upon Tin and Copper^ upon mere human Drofs and Invention. But of this ftamp, fize and fincc-" rity, are almoft all the cumw Refnurki of Monfieur De Froti' tignwes upon this Author. * Venite^ Inftpientes, fy Afifer't, qui vulgo Catholic} vocitaminJ^ {f difcite fidem veram, quam prdlter nos mVus ir.teUigit^ SCc] Atl old Form of Faith, old Forms cf Pra-versand eftablilh'd Kite'; and * Z Cere mo- 358 the Commonitory our Meetings, ye that love to go hy the Na^e of Catholicksy and here learn the true and faying Faith, vphich none are gifted to underjiand hut thofs Ceremonies, are cold things to fome People who judge of their' Religion by the Circulation of their Blood, and never think them- felves well with God but when they arc in Fits and Extafies \ when they are in the Spirit^ in their Vnions and Communms^ their yi- fions and lUuminatms^ and ferving the Lord according to the full Scope of their Fancies. The Arch-Hereticks therefore of Old cue out their Herefies to the Size of fuch Warm and Weak People j they took care never to ftinc fuch unruly Spirits by feverity of Dif- cipline and Order; but gratify 'd their itching Ears with Novelties, promis'd Mountains of Difcoveries with fuch marvellous Edifica- tion in their Meetings^ as the like was never heard of in the Ca- tholicJ(^ Churches. But becaufe we fo often meet with the Ways and Wiles of Hereticks in thisTreatife, I ftiall once for all fet down an admirable Account of 'em, as I find it in TertuUiaris Prefcription to- wards the Conclufioo, C(?p. 41,42, 45, (zjrc. " In the firft place •' then ( among Hereticks ) 'lisnoteafy todiftinguifh who are C